Agde, Council of

Agde, Council Of

(Concilium Agathense), was held on Sept. 10 or 11, 506. Twenty -four bishop: were present, and ten deputies of absent bishops from different provinces of Gaul, which at this time was under the dominion of the Visigoths. Coesarius, bishop of Aries, presided. In this council the discipline of the Church was treated of, and forty-seven canons were drawn up, confirming the discipline already established in many other councils. Of these, the 12th enjoins fasting every day in Lent, Sundays excepted. The 16th forbids the making any person deacon under twenty-five years of age without the consent' of his wife, and a promise of continence. The 17th forbids ordination of bishops or priests under thirty years of age. The 18th orders all lay persons to communicate at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide. The 19th forbids any woman to take the veil under forty years of age. The 20th forbids the clergy to wear long hair, and orders the archdeacon to cause that of the disobedient to be cut. The 27th forbids the establishment of any monastery without the consent of the bishop, and the. ordination of a monk without the consent of his abbot. The 31st orders that those persons who, having been at variance for a long time, shall refuse to be reconciled, shall be excommunicated. The 34th orders that converted Jews shall remain eight months in the rank of catechumens before they are baptized. The 39th forbids persons in holy orders to attend wedding festivities. The 44th forbids a priest to bless the people or a penitent in church. See Labbe and Cossart, Concilia Sacrosanta, iv,1381.