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The Council of Ravenna in 1311. * 1.1
RAYNALDUS, Archbishop of Ravenna, held a Council of the Bishops of his Province, June 21. 1311. in which he renewed several Constitutions of Councils and Popes, which he divided into Thirty two Articles.
The First orders, That when any Churches shall be Vacant, Publick Prayers, and Processions shall be made for the Ordination of the Bishop.
The 2d. That the Funerals of Bishops deceased, shall be solemnly celebrated, that their Bodies shall be cloathed with their Pontifical Habits; That the Chapter shall give Notice of the Day of their Death to the other Bishops of the Province; who, for a Month, shall cause Mass to be said every day for them; shall relieve three Poor People every day, and cause a Solemn Mass to be celebrated in their Cathedral for the Expiation of their Souls.
The 3d. That every Year on July 20. shall a Solemn Anniversary be kept in all Cathedral Churches for the deceased Bishops, and a Dozen Poor folks shall be relieved that Day.
The 4th. That the same thing shall be done for the Patrons, and Benefactors of Churches.
The 5th. That the Reliques of Saints, of which there is a good Assurance, shall on these Days be exposed upon the Altars to be adored by the People, but those which are not certain, shall be hidden under the Altar, or elsewhere, and shall not be exposed to Publick Worship.
The 6th. That the Sacraments shall be Administred by the Ministers fasting, with convenient Ornaments, and without Charge.
The 7th. That the Lord's Supper, Holy Chrism, and Holy Oils shall be locked up carefully, and that care shall be taken to renew the Elements, which are kept for a Viaticum.
The 8th. That Care be taken to keep clean the Linen, and Ornaments for the Churches, to have Books, and Altar-Cloaths sufficient, and Chalices of Silver, if it may be, and the Bells be consecrated with the Ceremonies prescribed in the Pontifical.
The 9th. That every Bishop shall be careful to Instruct the Priests, and other Ministers of his Diocess in the Offices of their Ministry, and that a Priest do not Celebrate above One Mass a day, unless in the Cases allowed by the Law; That no Stranger shall Preach, Celebrate, or Perform any Function, to which he is not presented by the Ordinary; That they shall every Sunday con∣secrate fresh Water; and all the Parishioners shall hear Mass every Sunday in their own Parish, under the Pain of Excommunication, if they do not do it after they have been admonished of it three times.
The 10th. That the Feasts of the Patrons of Cathedral Churches be kept, and the Curates shall be careful every Sunday at Mass, after the Gospels and Offertory, to give Notice of the Feasts and Fasts in the following Week.
The 11th. That three times in the Year the form of Baptism shall be published in the Churches.
The 12th. That no Markets, Parliaments, or Courts of Justice shall be held in Churches.
The 13th. That none shall be allowed to Preach under 30 Years of Age.
The 14th. That the Abbots, and Priors of the Benedictine Monks and Canons-Regular shall hold a Provincial Chapter every Year.
The 15th. That the Curates shall take Care to publish in Advent and Lent, the Canon, Omnis utrius{que} Sexus, and that all Christians, that shall not do that Duty, shall be punished by the Bishop, That Physicians shall not Visit the Sick a Second time, unless they have called the Physician of the Soul.
The 16th. That Benefices shall not be given to Persons, that can't Read nor Sing.
The 17th. That all the Abbots and Priors of the Order of S. Benedict shall conform to one Service.
The 18th. That all Bishops shall hold a Synod Once a Year.
The 19th. That the Banns of Marriages shall be published, that the Curates may know, whe∣ther there be no Impediments; That Marriages shall not be celebrated from the first Sunday in Advent till after the Octaves of Epiphany, from Septuagesima Sunday till the Octaves of Easter, from the day before the Ascension to the Octaves of Pentecost.
The 20th. That they, who cause themselves to be chosen, and get Pos•…•…on of Benefices by the Secular Authority, shall be Excommunicated, and made uncapable to ta•••• any other Benefice in the Province.
The 21st. That such as resist their Superiors shall be suspended, till they make Satisfaction.
The 22d. That Monks, that relinquish their Profession as Apostates, shall not be admitted into any Benefice, nor Ecclesiastical Office.
The 23d. That the Jews shall have a Mark to distinguish them from Christians.
The 24th. That no Bishop shall exercise any Authority in the Jurisdiction of another; That no Secular nor Regular Clergyman shall be admitted to Holy Orders, without Letters di∣missory from the Bishop, in whose Diocess he is Born, dwells, or has a Benefice, unless it be such as are of the Order of Mendicant-Friars, or other Privileged Persons; That no strange Bi∣shop shall be allowed to perform the Episcopal Office, if his Metropolitan be not certified of his Ordination.