Cambridge Ancient Hi.. - Index of

742 24. the organization of the church
of his private property, so that on his death he did not bequeath ecclesiastical
goods to his children. 43 City churches were often under the direct
control of the bishop, and were called in the west tituli. Independently
endowed churches ( parochiae or dioceses) existed in some, usually more
rural, areas. The bishop might control the central funds himself, or (as
the twenty-sixth canon of Chalcedon required) appoint a manager
(ο�κον�µος). Funds were shared between the staff, the buildings and
charity in varying proportions. In earlier times the bishop’s control was
absolute. In their Suburbicarian province the popes now had the bishops
divide all income into four parts, for the bishop, the clergy, the maintenance
of the cathedral and its tituli, and the poor. Other places had a threefold
division, without the poor, or gave endowment income to the bishop,
while he shared other offerings with the clergy. Similarly, practice varied as
between fixed stipends and equal shares: multiplying clergy on stipends
could impoverish a church. 44 The biggest differences in clergy pay were
caused by differences in church wealth. Justinian’s grading of sees below
the patriarchates ranged from those worth (probably to the bishop personally)
over thirty pounds gold per annum to those with less than two pounds.
Cyril could find 2,500 pounds to spend on his campaign against Nestorius,
plus gifts in kind. Theodore of Sykeon got a solidus a day, about five pounds
per annum, at Anastasiopolis. The episcopally paid clergy of cathedral and
tituli were usually better off than their colleagues in the independent parochiae,
benefiting from better endowments and congregations. 45
iv. teaching
Christianity is a doctrine, historical, philosophical and practical. Dedicated
bishops always set store by teaching. Caesarius illustrates this in the late
empire. He delegated financial duties to free him for preaching. The doors
of Arles cathedral were shut to make people stay for the preaching, and
when absent he had the clergy read his sermons in his place. He urged the
duty of preaching on fellow bishops, and had copies of his sermons distributed
in Gaul, Spain and Italy. Collections of sermons were therefore
made in his lifetime, many of which survive. They have strong moral
emphasis: common sins like lying and adultery are rebuked, and simple
religion encouraged, notably repentance, tithing, almsgiving, and Biblereading.
Homiliaries thereafter became familiar books in churches, the
Gallican, Roman and Toledan being influential examples. 46 Caesarius’ rule
for the nuns was imitated all over Gaul. 47 This story of the high-born
43 Pelagius, Ep. 33 to Cethegus; cf. Vogt in Baus, Beck, Ewig and Vogt (1980) 653.
44 Jones, LRE 900–4. 45 Jones, LRE 905–7.
46 Sermons in CCSL 103–4 and SChrét. 175, 243, 330; also Grégoire (1966).
47 Caesarius of Arles, Œuvres monastiques i (SChrét. 345); McCarthy (1960).
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