Valencia, Council of (Concilium Valentinum)

Valencia, Council Of (Concilium Valentinum)

Valencia is a town of Spain, capital of the province of the same name, situated on the Guadalaviar, 190 miles E.S.E. of Madrid. An ecclesiastical council was held here in 524, under king Theodoric. Six bishops attended, and six canons were published.

1. Orders that, previous to the presentation of the oblations and the dismissal of the catechumens, the Gospel shall he read after the Epistle, in order that the catechumens, penitents, and even the heathen may hear the words of Christ and the preaching of the bishop.

4. Exhorts bishops to visit their sick brethren in the episcopate, in order to assist them in settling their affairs, and to attend to their funerals. In case of a bishop dying suddenly with no one of his brother bishops near him, it is ordered that the body shall be kept until a bishop can come to celebrate its obsequies.

5. Excommunicates vagabond clerks who desert their calling.

6. Forbids to ordain a clerk belonging to another diocese, and any person whatever who will not promise to remain in the diocese. See Mansi, Concil. 4:1617.