A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

740 A Source Book for Ancient Church Historyof the changed position of the Eastern Church at this time, dueto the Moslem and other conquests. The Monophysite bishopsin Egypt and Syria were not molested by the Moslems.This canon marks the beginning of the practice of ordainingbishops in partibus infidelium.[678]Since at different times there have been invasions of the barbarians,and consequently very many cities have come into thepossession of the infidels, so that as a consequence the prelateof a city may not be able, after he has been ordained, to takepossession of his see and to be settled in it in sacerdotal order,and so to perform and manage, according to custom, the ordinationsand all other things which appertain to the bishop; we,preserving the honor and veneration of the priesthood, and innowise wishing to make use of the heathen injury to the ruin ofecclesiastical rights, have decreed that they who have been thusordained, and for the aforesaid causes have not settled in theirsees, may be kept from any prejudice from this thing, so that theymay canonically perform the ordination of the different clericsand use the authority of their offices according to proper limits,and that whatever administration proceeds from them may bevalid and legitimate. For the exercise of his office shall not becircumscribed by reason of necessity, when the exact observanceof the law is circumscribed.Canon 55. On Fasts in Lent.As stated in the canon, this enactment is aimed at the Romanusage, and refers to the 64th Apostolic Canon, which Romerejected. For the Apostolic Canons, see ANF, VII, 504.Since we have learned that in the city of the Romans, in theholy fast of Lent, they fast on the Sabbaths 310 contrary to the310 I.e., Saturdays.