Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacrament of Penance · Book I: On the Kind and the Parts of the Sacrament of Penance
Chapter 21: On the Third Partition of Penance, into Private, Public and Solemn; and on the Rites of Solemn Penance
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. III, De Sacramento Poenitentiae, Book I, the fourth general controversy on the sacraments. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
There follows the last partition of Penance, which we said is into private and public; and again of public, into solemn and not solemn; which partition will have to be briefly explained, because some of the adversaries seem scarcely to acknowledge any Penance other than public.
Public and private Penance, then, are chiefly distinguished in this, that that is called public in which the sin committed is made public, and satisfaction for it is performed publicly before the Church; but that private in which the sin is disclosed to the priest alone, and satisfaction is enjoined to be performed secretly and in private. From which it follows that public sins pertain to public Penance, secret sins to private; for it is not lawful to make public a secret sin, or even for a secret sin to impose a Penance so public that from it the sin itself is disclosed. This is plain from letter 80 of Saint Leo to the bishops of Campania, in which he censures the abuse of certain persons who made public before the Church secret sins heard privately in confession. The same Saint Leo also, in letter 92 to Rusticus, bishop of Narbonne, chapter 8, says that a monk who, abandoning his profession, passes to military service or marriage, because this cannot be secret, is to be purged by the satisfaction of public Penance; where, when he names public Penance, he signifies that there is another certain Penance, private.
But between public solemn Penance and public not solemn there are many differences; although this name “solemn” is perhaps not found among the ancients, but only in Gratian, On Penance, distinction 3, canon Nihil prodest, and in the Master, book 4 of the Sentences, distinction 14, and thence among the interpreters both of Gratian and of the Master. First, solemn Penance, which Augustine calls most humble, in letter 54, and Ambrose and other Fathers are commonly accustomed to call public, was accustomed to be imposed only for the gravest crimes, which had thrown the whole city into confusion, or brought great scandal. The third Council of Carthage, canon 32, speaking of solemn Penance: “Whatever penitent’s crime is public and most notorious, such as has moved the whole Church, let hands be laid on him before the apse.” The first Council of Toledo also, canon 2, after it had taught that penitents cannot ascend to the clerical state, adds: “But we call him a penitent who after Baptism, either for homicide, or for divers crimes and most grievous sins, doing public Penance, has been reconciled to the divine altar under the council.” Origen too, homily 15 on Leviticus, and Ambrose, book 2 On Penance, chapter 10, and the other writers agree that only for graver crimes could that Penance be enjoined which could not be repeated. But public not solemn Penance was accustomed to be imposed for any public sins whatever, although they were not so grave nor brought scandal. Secondly, solemn Penance was granted only once, as is plain from Origen, homily 15 on Leviticus, Ambrose, book 2 On Penance, chapter 10, and Augustine, letter 54; of which matter the chief reason is twofold. One, which Augustine gives, lest the medicine, being cheap, should be less useful to the sick, since it is the more salutary the less contemptible it is. The other, which Ambrose insinuates, and Saint Thomas explains more clearly on book 4, distinction 14, question 1, article 5: because solemn Penance is a certain solemn profession of not returning again to those public scandals, as Baptism is a solemn profession of not returning to unbelief; and therefore as there is one Baptism, so also solemn Penance is one. And this same thing perhaps Tertullian meant when, in the book On Penance, he called Penance a second, not a third or fourth, plank after shipwreck. Public not solemn Penance could be done more often, as is gathered plainly enough from the same authors. And what was done with those who after solemn Penance fell into the same or graver crimes, Pope Siricius explains in letter 1, chapter 5, in these words: “Because,” he says, “they no longer have the privilege of doing penance, we have thought this should be decreed, that they be joined to the faithful within the Church in prayer alone; that they be present at the sacred celebration of the mysteries, though they do not deserve it; but that they be excluded from the banquet of the Lord’s table, that being corrected at least by this severity they may both chastise their errors in themselves and give an example to others, so that they may be drawn back from obscene desires. Whom nevertheless (since they fell through the frailty of the flesh) we wish to be relieved by the gift of the viaticum through the grace of communion, when they begin to set out to the Lord.” Thirdly, solemn Penance could not be imposed on priests; and on the other hand, those who had done solemn Penance could not be promoted to orders. There is extant on this matter the testimony or decree of Pope Siricius in the letter to Himerius, bishop of Tarragona, chapter 14, in these words: “This too it was fitting for us to provide, that as to do Penance is not granted to any of the clergy, so after penance and reconciliation it be lawful to none of the laity ever to obtain the honour of the clerical state.” We have the same in the fourth Council of Carthage, canon 68, and the fifth council, canon 11, and the first of Toledo, canon 2, and in Innocent I, letter 6 to Agapitus, and Saint Leo, letter 92 to Rusticus, bishop of Narbonne, chapter 2. But that priests could undergo a Penance which, although it was not done before the people, was nevertheless in a certain way of its own public, and not solemn, cannot be called in doubt. For they could both be excommunicated and be sent away to monasteries to do Penance, which Saint Leo in the place noted calls a private retirement, because it was done in a private place, although otherwise it could be known and public that that priest was shut up in a monastery for his crimes. And Clement III, in the chapter Quaesitum, on penance and remission, writes that public Penance ought not to be imposed on a priest unless his crime was public; from which we understand that public Penance can be imposed even on a priest for a public sin, provided it is done without solemnity. Nor is it improbable what some hold, that on a deposed priest solemn Penance could be enjoined, because a deposed priest is reckoned to have returned to the order of the laity. For Saint Cyprian, book 3, letter 8, to Fidus, censures Bishop Therapius, who had given peace to Victor, formerly a priest, before the time of Penance was completed, without the request and knowledge of the people, no infirmity or necessity urging. Fourthly, solemn Penance could not be imposed on married persons without mutual consent, as is plain from the second Council of Arles, canon 22; the reason of which is that the conjugal duty was forbidden to penitents, and if they were unmarried, even marriage, as can be understood from the same Council of Arles, canon 21, and from the sixth Council of Toledo, canon 8, and from letter 92 of Leo, chapter 12. For the same reason solemn Penance was not easily granted to the young, as we understand from chapter 15 of the Council of Agde and from chapter 19 of the third Council of Orleans. But this had no place in Penance not solemn. Fifthly, solemn Penance was imposed by the bishop alone, and by the same peace was restored to penitents; nor was this lawful to priests, except in the absence of the bishop, necessity urging. This is plain from the second Council of Carthage, canon 4, and the third of Carthage, canons 31 and 32, and from other canons which are read everywhere in the councils; nay, that this faculty was not granted even to chorepiscopi Saint Leo testifies in letter 80. But Penance not solemn priests also could enjoin, and reconcile penitents. Sixthly and finally, there were various and manifold rites which were used for solemn Penance, and were not common to private Penance, or even to public not solemn; of which rites we shall briefly discourse in the following chapter.
Chapter XXII. On the rites of solemn Penance
About to describe with the usual brevity the rites of solemn Penance, I shall speak of the name of penitents, of their dress, of their place, of the time, of the penalties.
The name of penitents was that of an order, like the name of clerics or of catechumens. For Christians were first cut, as it were, into two orders, the faithful and catechumens. “To catechumens,” says Augustine, tractate 96 on John, “the sacraments of the faithful are not disclosed.” Then of catechumens there were two classes; for some were called hearers, others competents or elect. And of the faithful there were three classes. The first of clerics, by which name all the ecclesiastical orders were understood. The second of the faithful, that is, of the laity, who kept the common name, since they had no other more excellent. The third of penitents, who, although they were of the faithful, yet on account of their fault were segregated from the other faithful, and cast as it were into the bilge of the Church, and were reckoned under a special name. Hence Pacian, in his exhortation to Penance, distinguishing penitents from the faithful: “For catechumens,” he says, “it must be provided that they do not pass into this state, and for the faithful that they do not return to it; but for the penitents themselves we must labour that they may quickly arrive at the fruit of this work.” And Saint Augustine, book of Fifty Homilies, homily 49: “What I say,” he says, “to the competents and the faithful, let the penitents hear; what I say to the faithful, I say to the competents and the penitents.” And in the book On Holy Virginity, chapter 48: “All Christians,” he says, “from the Apostles to the last penitents, as it were from the heights of the heavens to their ends, he taught to pray,” and so on. Saint Jerome also, in the letter to Oceanus on the death of Fabiola, writes that she stood in the order of penitents. And the first Council of Toledo, canon 2, declared, as we noted above, that not all who in any way do Penance are properly called penitents, but only those who do public, and, as our people speak, solemn Penance.
The dress of penitents was fixed, by which they might be distinguished from the rest: namely a dark garment, sackcloth, a shorn head, women excepted. Very many authors have mentioned this dress: Tertullian in the book On Penance, Pacian in the exhortation to Penance, Optatus, book 2, near the end, Ambrose in the book to a Fallen Virgin, chapter 8, Jerome in the epitaph of Fabiola. The Council of Agde, canon 15, orders that those not be admitted to Penance who have not laid aside their hair or changed their dress. The third Council of Toledo, canon 12, orders the same, but excepts women, who ought not to shear but to veil the head. The place of penitents varied according to the variety of crimes. Saint Gregory of Neocaesarea, in the canonical letter which is usually joined to the canons of Photius, writes that there were five places of penitents. The first, that is, the lowest and most remote from the altar, he sets outside the doors of the church, which was called prosklausis from weeping; for those who stood in this place were not permitted to enter the church, but wept before the doors and asked the prayers of the faithful. The second place was now within the doors, whence penitents could hear the word of God with the hearing catechumens, yet were not admitted to prayer with the competents; and this place was named akroasis from hearing. The third place was that of those who were admitted both to hearing and also to praying with the competents, yet not to the sacrifice of the Mass with the faithful; and this place was called hypoptosis, as it were a contemplation of things above. The fourth place was that of those who remained with the faithful while the sacrifice was celebrated, yet did not communicate at the altar; and this place was called systasis from standing. The fifth place was that of those who had already completed Penance and only awaited the time of reconciliation; for penitents were not reconciled with solemn ceremony except on Thursday in the Lord’s Supper, as we shall show a little below; the place of these penitents was called methexis, that is, completion. From these we understand that some penitents were accustomed to be placed after all catechumens, some made equal to them, some set before them; and so that some penitents were cast altogether into the bottom of the Church, as Augustine rightly said, On Holy Virginity, chapter 48: “From the Apostles to the last penitents, as it were from the heights of the heavens to their ends.”
Now as regards the time, public Penance was imposed on the Wednesday before the first Sunday of Lent, which is called the beginning of the fast, as the Council of Agde witnesses, chapter 15, on the witness of Gratian, distinction 50, canon In capite; for those words are not found in the published canons of that council. We still have a trace of this rite in the consecration and sprinkling of ashes which is accustomed to be done on that day. And although the time of doing penance was prescribed longer for some, shorter for others, as of three, seven, ten or more years, yet every year on the Thursday of Holy Week all were reconciled and communicated, as Innocent I, in the letter to Decentius, bishop of Gubbio, chapter 7, witnesses in these words: “As for penitents, who do Penance whether for graver or lighter sins, if no sickness intervenes, the custom of the Roman Church shows that they are to be released on the Thursday before Easter.” We have the same in the Council of Agde in Gratian, canon In capite, distinction 50; and Saint Jerome indicates the same in the epitaph of Fabiola.
The penalties, finally, of penitents were manifold and various. The first, common and most grave, to abstain from participation in the divine mysteries. This is plain from Cyprian, book 3, letter 8, and in the sermon On the Lapsed, and everywhere elsewhere, where he censures those who before Penance was completed seized, as he himself speaks, the body of the Lord. The second, that penitents were not promoted to the clergy, as we showed above from Siricius, letter 1, chapter 14. The third, that they abstained from marriage, of which we also spoke above; yet it was sometimes allowed to young men, as is plain from Leo, letter 92, chapter 12, to take a wife for the avoiding of fornication. The fourth, that they did not enter secular military service, but strove thenceforth to serve God alone; as can be understood from the same letter of Leo, chapter 11. The fifth, that they were not sponsors in Baptism or Confirmation while they stood in the order of penitents; the Council of Paris held in the time of Louis and Lothair witnesses this, book 1, last chapter, for that council is comprised in three books. The sixth, that they lacked the anointing of the sick, on the witness of Innocent I in the letter to Decentius, chapter 8. The seventh, that on each day of fasting they came to the church and bowed their heads to the priests, who laid hands on them and prayed for them; as the fourth Council of Carthage admonishes, canon 80. The eighth, that they buried the dead; from the same council, canon 81. The ninth, that on Sundays and in Paschal time, when the faithful prayed standing, they bent their knees to pray; from the same council, canon 82. The tenth, that they did not go to the baths, nor to banquets, and when invited refused; as Pacian indicates in his exhortation to Penance; but gave themselves continually to fasts and prayer, lying in sackcloth and ashes; as Tertullian in the book On Penance, and Ambrose to the corrupted virgin, chapter 8, and all the others everywhere witness.
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CAPUT XXI. Dc lertia parlitione Poenilcnliac, in privalam, publicam cl solemncm. Sequilur ultima parlilio Poenitenliacquam esse diximus, in privatam et publicam; cl rursus pu- blicae, in solemnem el non solcmnem: quae par- titio breviler explicanda eril, quia nonnulli Adver- sariorum vix aliam, quam publicam Poenitentiam agnoscere videntur. Igitur publica et privala Pocnitenlia in eo polis- simum distinguunlur, quod publica e;i dicilur, in qua peccatum commissum publicalur, et pro eo publice coram Ecclesia peragilur salisfaclio: pri- vata vcro illa, in qua pccciitum soli detegilur sa- cerdoti et satisfactio occulte ac privalim injiingi- lur peragenda. Ex quo scquitur,ul publica peccata ad Poenilenliara publicam, occulla ad privalam pertineant; neque enim licet pcccalum occullum publicare, aut eliam pro occullo Poenilentiam ita publicam imponere, ul ex ea peccatura ipsum de- tegatur. Id palet ex episl. 80. s. Leonis ad epi- scoposCampaniae in qua reprchendil abusum quo- rundam,qui peccata occulla privalim in confessio- ne audila, coram Ecclcsia publicabant. Qui etiam s. Leo epist. 92. ad Rusticum narbonensem epi- scopum cap. 8. Monachum, qui rclicta professio- ne, ad militiam vel conjugium transil: quia id oc- cullura esse non polesl, publicae Pocnilcniiae sa- tisfaclione dicil esse purgandum: ubi cum publi- cam Poenilentiam nominat, significal aliam quan- dam essc Poenitcntiam privstara. Inler publicam autem Poenilenliam solemnpm ct publicam non solemnem, mullae difTerentiac sunl; quamvis hoc nomen solemne, apud velores forte non inveniatur,sed solum apud Gralianura.de Poe- nitenlia dist. 3. can. Nihil prodest, el apud Magi- strum lib. 4. senlent. dist. 14. cl inde apud inlcr- pretcs, tum Gratiani, tum Magislri. jk LIIUIU PIU.MIJS 627 PrimQm Poenilcnlia solemnis, quam Auguslinus humillimam vocat, in episl. al. cl Ambrosius alii- quc Palres,communiler publicam appellare solenl, noniiisi pro gravissimis criminibus, quae lolam ci- vilalem conlurbassenl, magnumve scandalum aUu- lissenU imponi consueveral. Concilium Ill.carlha- giniense can. 32. de solemni PoenileiUia loquens: Cujuscumquc, inquil, pocnitenlis publicum et viilgalissimum crimcn csl, quod univcrsam Ec- clesiam commoveril, ante apsidam manus ei im- ponalur. Concilium eUam lolelanum I. can. 2. postquam docuil, poenilenles non posse ad clerl- calum asccndere. subjungit: Eumvero poenitcn- tem dicimus, qui poal Baptismum, aut pro ho- micidioMiit pro divcrsis criminibiis gravissimis- que peccatis publicam Poenitentiam gcrcns, sub concilio, divino fuerit reconcilialus altari. Ori- genes quoque homil. \o. in Levil. el Ambrosius iib. 2. de Poenitenlia cap. 10. et cacleri scriplores consentiunt, nonnisi pro criminibus gravioribus injungi potuisse Poenilenliam illam, quae repeti non poleral. Publica autem non solemnis Poeni- tenlia, pro publicis quibuscumque peccatis, licet non ila gravia cssenl, neque scandalum adfcrrent, imponi consueveral. Sccundo: Pocnilentia solcmnis semel tanlum ooncc(Icbalur,ut patcl ex Origene hoin. 15. in Lc- vit. Ambrosio lib. 2. de Poenilcntia cap.lO. et Au- gustino cpist. o4.cujus rei ralio praccipua duplcx csl. Una, quam reddit AugusUnus, ne niedicina vilis minus utilis essel aegrolis, quac tanto magis snlubris esl, quanto minus contemptibilis fueril. AUera, quam insinual, Ambrosius, cl clarius cx- plical sanctus Thomas in 4. disl. 14. quaesl. 1. arl. .">. quia Poenilenlia sohjmnis, est solemnis quaedam professio, non rcdeundi ilerum ad pu- J)lica illa scandala, sicut Baptismus esl solemnis profcssio non redeundi ad infidelitatcm:et ideo si- cul unum BapUsma. ita eluna est Pocnitcntia so- lcnmis. Alquc hoc idem forlasse sibi voluil Terlul- lianus, cum in lib. dc Pocnitentia, secundam non tfTtiam.aut quarlam labulain post naufragium Poc- lUlenliam ajipeliavit. Pocnilcnlia publica non so- lemnis. saepius agi polcral, ut ex iisdcm auclori- biis salis aperte colligilur. Oiiid vero agcretur cum iis. qui poslsolcmncm Poenitcnliam in cadem. vcl graviora crimina labe- ])anlur. cxplicnt Sirrcius papa in epist. 1. cap. .">. his vcrbis: Quia, inquil, jam sujfragium non ha- hent poenitondi, id duximus decerncndum, ul s^ola inlra Eccle>iinm fideWms oratione jungan- tur; sacrac mysteriorum celebritati,quamvis non mereantur. intersint; a Dominicae autem mcn- snc nonvivio segregmlur. ul hac saftem dislri- ctione correpti,et ipsi in se .sa« errata casligcnt, cl aliis e.xemplum tribuant, quatenus ab obscoe- nis cupiditntibus retrahantur. Quos tamen (quo- niam nnrnali fragitilntc ncciderunt) vialico inu- nere, cum ad. Dominum nocperint proficisci, per communionis gratium volumus sublevari. Tf.rlio: Poi-niienlia solcmnis sacerdolibus impo- iii non polcral; ct conlra, (pii l*ocnilciiliam solcin- nem cgisseiit, ad ordimvs promoviiri nequibatU. Kxlat dc hac re lestimoniuin vcl decreluni Siricii papae in episl. ad Ilimerium Tarraconac episco- pum, cap. 14. in haec verba: Iliud quoque par fuit nos providerc, ul sicut Poenilentiam agere cuiquam non conccditur clericorum: ila post poenitudinemac rcconciliationem.nulli unquam laicorum liccat honorem clericatus adipisci. I- dem habemus in concilio carthagin. IV. can. C8. el concilio V. can. 11. el tolct. I. can. 2. cl apud Innoccntium I. in episl. G. ad Agopitum, ets.Leo- nem episl, 92. ad RusUcum Narbonae episcopum cap. 2. Poenilenliam autem sacerdotes subirc po- luisse, quae licel non agcrctur coram populo, ta- men suo quodam modo publica esset. et non so- lemnis;in dubium revocari non potest. Nam et ex- communicari polerant el in monasteria ad agen- dam Puenitentiam amandari, quam, socessionem privatam s. Leo loco notalo appellat, quia in pri- vato loco agebatur,Iicet alioqui notum ct publicum esse possel, eum sacerdotem pro siiis criminibus in monaslerio esse inclusum. El Clemcns III. in cap. Quaesitum de pocniteiilia et remission. scri- bit: Sacerdoli non deberc publicam impnni Poe- nilenliam, nisi crimen ejus publicum fuerit: ex quo inlelligimus, posse publicam imponi etiam sa- ccrdoli pro peccato publico Poenitentiam, modo sine solemnitate id fiat. Wec est iraprobabile quod quidam volunt.saccr- doti deposito potuisse Poenitenliam solcmnem in- jungi qiiod saccrdos dcposilus censeatur ad laico- rum ordincm rediisse. Nam s. Cyprianus lib. 3. e- pist. 8. ad Fidum, reprehendit episcopum Tcra- phiuin, qui Victori quondam presbytero ante ex- plolum Pocnilenliae lcmpus, sine pclilu et con- scicntia plebis,nulla infirmitale aul nccessitalc ur- gente, pacem dederat. Qiiarto: Poenilcnlia solcmnis non poteral impo- ni coiijugalis sine muluo conscnsu, ut patet ex con'cilio II. arclatcnsi can. 22. cujus rei ratio csl, quia poenilentibus inlcrdicebatur olTlcium conju- gale, cl si innupli eranl, cliam nupliac. ut ex co- dem concilio arclatcnsi.can. 21. et ex concilio to- lctano VI. can. 8. el ex epist. 92. Lconis cap. 12. polcsl intelligi. Proptcr candem caussam juveni- biis non facile solemnis Pocnitenlia concedebatur, ul cx capilc l,"». concilii agalhensis, ct cx (\np. 19. concilii III. aurcliancnsis intelligimus. Id au- lcm locum non habcbat in Poenilenlia non so- lcmni. Ouinlo:P(ienilenlia solcmnis a sclo cpisc(>pn in- dic"ebatur, cl ab codcm rcddcbalur pax Pocniicii- libus: ncque id presbylcris liccbat. nisi in abscn- lia episcopi, iirgente ncccssilalc. Id patct cx con- cilio II. carthaginicnsi,can.4.et carlhaginicnsi 111. caiioii. 31. cl 32. cl ex aliis canonibus,qui passiin in couciliis logiiiUur: iinmo ne chorcpiscopis qui- (lcm hanc facullalcm conccssam fuissc, tcslaturs. Leo in ep'sl. 80. At Pocnitcntiam non solcmncm, prcsbylcri quoquc injungere potcrant, et Pocni- tCMilcs rcconciliarc. .'iCxto:I)eniquc variac ac multiplices ritus cranl, qiii ad solcmnom Pociiilcnliam adhibcbanlur. ncc, Pdcnilciiliac privalac. aul ctiam puhlicac non so- lcmni. commiiiics craiil: dc qiiibus ritibus in se- qucuti capilc brcviler dissercinus. 6'8 DH POKMTEMIV CAPl T WII. De rilibus Poonitcnliae solcmnis. Dosoriplurus solila brcviliile soltMunis Poonilcn- liac rilus. dicam cle noniinc Pocnilcnliun), de lia- bilu, ile loco, dc lcmpore, dc poenis. iVomcn Poenilcnlium, ordinis eral , ul nomcn clcricoruin . vcl calcoliumcnorum. Chrisliani c- nim Primum in duos qu;isi ordincs secabiuiUir ; iii ndcles et calecbumcnos. Calecliumenis . in- quil Au^uislinus Iracl. 1)0. in Joan. sacramenta lidelinta non prodniilar. Dcinde catccliumciio- rum duac crant classcs: alii cnim audicnlcs, a- lii compclenles , sive elecli diccbanlnr. Fide- lium vero Ires classcs cranl. Prima clcricorum , quo nominc omncs ordincs ccclcsiaslici inlcl- ligcbanlur. Secunda fidclium . idcst, laicorum , qui communc nomen rclinncrunt , cnm aliud cxcellcnlius non liaberenl. Tcrlia Poenitcntium . qui elsi fidelcs essenl, lamcn ob culpam suam a caeleris fidelibus segregali , el quasi in senli- nam Ecclesiae rcjecli , pcculiari nomine cense- banlur. Hinc Pacianus in sua paraenesi ad Pocnilenliam distingucnspocnitenlcs a fidelibus: CalecJtumenis, inquil. ne in Iwc Iranseant el [idelibas.nc in lioc redeant. providendum est: ipsis vero poenilenli- bus, ul celeriter ad liujus operis fructum pcrve- nianl . laborandum. Et s. Augustinus lib. 50. homiliarun?. bom. 49. Quod dico, inquit, compe- tentibus ct (Idelibus, aadiant poenitentes : quod dico. fidelibus dico, el compctentibus et poeni- tentibus. Et in lib. de sancla virginilate cap. 48. Omnes, inquil, Cliristianos , ab apostolis usque ad ultimos poenitentcs.quasi a summis coelorum usque ad terminos eorum docuit orare etc. San- clus quoquc Hieronymus in cpist. ad Oceanum de obilu Fabiolae, scribit eam stclisse in ordine poe- nitentium. Declaravil autem, ut supra notavimus , concilium tolelanum I. can. 2. non dici pro- prie Poenitenles , omnes qui quoquo modo Poe- nitentiam agunt . sed eos tantum , qui publicam , ct ut noslri loquuntur solemnem Poenitentiam agunl. Habitus poenilentium eral certus.quo distingue- renlur a caeteris, videlicct pulla vestis , cilicium , caput delonsum , exceptis foeminis. Bleminerunt liujus habitus plurimi auclores:TertuIIianus in lib. de Poenilenlia. Pacianus in paraenesi ad poeniten- tiam. Oplatus lib. 2. prope finem. Ambrosius lib. ad Virginem lapsam cap. 8. Hicronymus in cpila- pliio Fabiolae. Conciliura agalbense can. 15. ju- bel uon adrailli ad Pocnitentiam eos , qui comam non deposuerint , vel habitum non mutaverint. Concilium toletanum III. can. 12. idem jubet, sed cxcipit mulieres, quae non tondere, sed velare ca- put dcbent. Locus poenitentium varius erat pro criminum varietate. S. Gregorius neocaesariensis in cpistola canonica.quae adjungi solet canonibus Phoiii; quinque loca poenitentium luisse scribit. Primum, idest infimum, et ab allari rcmotissimum, exlra portas Ecclesiao consliluit , qui -poxXauoi^ dicebalur a llctu: «pii eniin m hoc loco consisle- bant, non pcrmitlcbantur ingrcdi Ecclesiam, sed jiro roribii.s llcbiml, el oiiilionos fidclium poslula- biinl, AlltM- locus jam inUii porliis cimI. uiuW: iiudi- rc. vcrlmni Dci cum calccbunuMiis iuidicntibus poe- nilcnlcs pctcrant . non tiuiicn ad orationcm cum coinpclcnlibiis iidmitlcbiintur, cl liic locus ab au- diendo dy.^doCTi? nominabalur. Terlius locus eo- riiin eral, qui ailmillebanlur, lum ad autliendum , luiii cliiun atl orainlum cum compclentibus , non lamcn ad siicrilicium missae cuin lidclibus ; ct liic locus dicebatur OTzoupwat; quasi coiitcm[)latio re- rum supcrnarum. Quartus locus erat corum , qui n)iincbant cum fidclibiis diim siicrificium cclebra- rt'lur; iion lamcn altari communicabant: cl hic lo- cus a stanuo au^aai; diccbatur. Quintus locus eo- riim crat, qui jain PoiMiitcnliam cxplcverant, el so- lum cxpeclabanl lempus reconciIiationis;non enim reconciliabanlur pocnilcnles solemni caeremonia , nisi leria 5. in coena Domini,ut piiulo post dcmon- slrabimus: diccbalur locus horum poenitcnlium [kiqo^jic,. idcst, cxplctio. Ex his inlelligimus,aIiquos poenilenles postponi solilos omnibus catecbumenis , aliquos aequari , aliquos anlcponi; proinde pocnilcntes aliquos o- mnino in fundum Ecclesiae rcjectos . ut recte di- xeril Augustinus de sancta virginilale cap. 48. Ab apostolis , usque ad ultimos Poenitentes , quasi a summis coelorum, usque ad terminos eo- rum. Jam vero quod attinct ad tempus, imponebatur Poenitentia publica feria 4. ante priraam domini- cam quadragesimae, quae dicilur, In capite jeju- nii, ut testalur concilium agathense cap. 15. leste Gratiano dist. 50.can. In capile: nam ea verba noii non inveniuntur in vulgatis canonibus ejus conci- lii. Habemus adbuc vesligium bujus ritus, in con- secratione ct aspersione cineris, quae co die fieri solet. Et quamvis tempiis poenitendi «iliis longius, aliis brevius praescriberelur, ut Irium, septem , decem, aut plurimum annorum : tamen singulis annis in 5. feria majoris hebdomadae omnes re- conciliabanliir el cominunicabant , ut Innot;enlius I. in episl. ad Decentium episcopum Eugubinum cap. 7. bis verbis tcslatur: De poenitentibus vcro, qui sive ex qravioribus,sive ex icvioribus Poeni- tentiam gcrunt, si nulla intervenial aegritudo , quinta feria ante pasc/ia eis remitlendum roma- nae Ecclesiae consuetudo demonstrat. Mem ha- bemus in concilio agalhensi apud Gralianum can. In capite distincl. 50. el idera indical s. liierony- mus in epilaphio Fabiolae. Poena denique poenitenlium multipliccs erant et variae. Prima communis et gravissima;absline- re a parlicipalione divinorum mysteriorum. Id pa- tet ex Cypriano lib. 3. episl. 8. el in serm. de la- psis, elalibi passim, ubi eos reprehendit, qui anle expletam Poenitentiam corpus Domini, ut ipse lo- quitur, invadebant. Secunda, ul pocnitentes non promoverentur ad clerum , ut supra oslendimus ex Siricio epist. 1. cap. 14. Terlia , ul abstinerent a nuptiis, de qua etiam supra diximus: indulgeba- tur tamen interdum adolescentibus , ut patet ex Leone epislol. 02. cap, 12. ut ad vitandam forni- LIBEr. PRIMIS G29 calionein iixorem diiccrciU. Quarla,ul ad inililiam saecularem non accederenl, sed soli Deo deinccps deservire salagerenl: ul ex eadem Leonis episl. cap. 11. inlclligi polesl. Quinta. ut non essent su- sceplores in Baptismo aul Confirmalione. dum in ordine poenilcnlium slarent: leslalur id concilium parisicnse, tempore Ludovici el LoHiarii celebra- lum lib. 1. cap. uit. Iribus enim libris conciliuin illud comprehensum est. Sexta, ut Unclionc infir- morum carerent, teste Innoccnlio I. in cpist. ad Decenlium cap. 8. Seplima , ul singulis diebus je- juniorum venirenl ad Ecclesiam, el capita submil- terenlsacerdolibus, qui eis manus imponerent . el pro eis orarent: ul monet concilium IV. carlha- giniensc can. 80. Octava, ul mortuos sepelirent : ex eodem concilio can. 81. Nona, ul diebus domi- nicis ei lempore paschali , cum fideles slantes o- rabant , ipsi gcnua flecterenl ad orandum; ex eo- riem concilio can. 82. Decima , ul non irenl ad balnca , neque ad convivia , ct invitali recusa- rcnt: ut indical Pacianus in sua paracnesi ad Poe- nilentiam : sed jojuniis et oralioni , sacco ct ci- neri incubantcs, assidue operam darcnl: ul Terlul- lianus in lib. de Pocnilenlia, el Ambrosius ad vir- ginem corruptam, cap. 8. el alii omnes passim le- stanlur. liEM.lIiMIM Vdl. III. bU 4