Seville, Councils of

Seville, Councils Of (Concilium Hispalense).

I. The first Council of Seville was held Nov. 4, 590, composed of eight bishops, St. Leander, bishop of Seville, presiding. It was decided that the donations and alienations of Church property made by the bishop Gaudentius were uncanonical and void; nevertheless, it was decreed that the serfs who had been freed by him should remain free, although still subject to the Church, and should be prohibited from leaving their property to all persons except their children, who should remain, in perpetuity, subjects of the Church; also, authority was given to the lay judges to separate the clergy from their wives or mistresses. See Mansi, Concil. 5, 1588.

II. The second council was held in November, 618, by St. Isidore, the archbishop, at the head of seven other bishops, against the Acephalists, who denied the two natures in one person. Various regulations, chiefly relating to the particular circumstances of their Church, were also drawn up. All the acts of the council are contained in thirteen chapters.

1. Theodulphus, bishop of Malaga, having complained of the conduct of the bishops of his neighborhood, who, during the confusion consequent upon the war, had appropriated to themselves much of his territory, it was ordered that all should be restored to him.

4. Forbids the ordination of clerks who had married widows, and declares such to be void.

5. Orders the deposition of a priest and two deacons, ordained under the following circumstances: The bishop, who labored under an affection of the eyes, had merely laid his hands upon them, while a priest pronounced the benediction.

7. Relates to the conduct of Agapius, bishop of Cordova, who, being little skilled in ecclesiastical discipline, had granted permission to certain priests to erect altars and consecrate churches in the absence of the bishop. The council forbids all such proceedings for the future.

10 and 11. Confirm the recent establishment of certain monasteries in the province of Betica, and forbid the bishops, under pain of excommunication, to take possession of their property; also allows monks to take charge of property appertaining to nunneries, upon condition that they dwell iu distinct houses, and abstain from all familiar intercourse with the nuns.

13 and 14. Assert the doctrine of two natures in our Lord Jesus Christ united in one person. See Mansi, 5, 1663.