Simony
As a simony, the purchase or sale of any ecclesiastical office, designated by benefices, sacraments, relics, or the like. In connection with the Investiture Controversy in the Middle Ages the term was temporarily extended to any award of an ecclesiastical office by a layman, whether for money or for free ( lay investiture ). The usual early medieval sale of spiritual offices was eventually banned church law because it lets saw debased spiritual values .
Biblical term
The term simony is derived from the mentioned in the Acts of the Bible person Simon Magus, a "great magician" in a town in Samaria.
The biblical passage in Acts ( 8.5 to 24 ) is the involvement of the Prehistory:
" 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. 6 The crowds with one accord stayed on what was said by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he did. [ ... ] 9 But a certain man, Simon by name, was previously located in the city of sorcery, and the people of Samaria beside himself when he said of himself that he was some great [ ... ] "
" Had 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 And when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost; 16 for he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And when Simon saw that was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Spirit, he offered them money, 19 saying, Give me also this power, that of whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. 20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money go with thee to perdition, because you meant that the gift of God to gain by money! 21 Thou hast neither part nor right on this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Tu now repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of your heart you will forgive; 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity. 24 Simon answered and said: ., Pray ye for me to the Lord, that nothing about me come from what you said "
Simony is described significantly more comprehensive than in the canonical sense in this text of Acts. Historical fact is that simony was as a means of power for many years, a common malady.
Historical Aspects
After the Edict of Milan of 313 under Emperor Constantine I and his co-emperor Licinius Eastern Roman, which ended the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, Christianity was confronted with new challenges. With the recognition as a state religion (initially among many others) the exercise of power within Christianity and the state was possible. At the Council of Chalcedon in 451 ordinations were explicitly and officially banned for a fee. By Pope Nicholas II simony was referred to the Synod of 1059/1060 as " threefold Simonian heresy ," which was based on its disposition in simoniacal or non- Simonian sale of offices as well as in the parties engaged Simonians and non -Simonians. Each consecration, which had come into existence on simoniacal way should be answered with the removal of the incumbent from office.
Even if this prohibition on further councils - as the council in the Lateran II ( 1139 ), the Council Lateran III ( 1179 ) and the Council of Trent (1545-1563 ) - was confirmed, the purchase of office was still widespread.
Examples in the 14th - 15th century
Reached their peak sale of offices and sales towards the end of the Middle Ages. Pope Innocent VIII (1432-1492), came to power through simony, was particularly struck by his promotion to the Inquisition and witch hunts, where his administration was heavily criticized by Girolamo Savonarola, a charismatic itinerant preacher.
His successor, Rodrigo Borgia to his election as pope (Alexander VI. ) Have bought in 1492 by the command of the French king Charles VIII and the Republic of Genoa - surpassed with four mule- loads of silver - 300,000 gold ducats for their own favorites. Even more cautious historians agree that a sale of offices in this case " not unlikely" was. This was possible Alexander, because he - to have been ordained without a priest - Pope Callistus III by his uncle. had been appointed cardinal. As a result, he became Vice -Chancellor of the Papal States one of the richest men in Europe and led the life of a Renaissance prince with concubines and illegitimate children.
Reformation as a reaction
It is important to mention that the Reformation by Martin Luther and others without simony did not have to take place, might not have taken place: the sale of indulgences by the Dominican monk John Tetzel on behalf of Albrecht of Brandenburg, the Bishop of Mainz, in the year 1517 brought the revolt of the lower clergy, however, to overflowing, and Martin Luther published his 95 theses.
Officially, the money was provided from the sale of the exhaust note for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. A secret agreement with Pope Leo X ( pope 1513-1521 ), second son of Lorenzo de Medici, allowed Albrecht, however, to use half the money to repay its huge debts. Albrecht had to the - contradictory to canon law - namely, buy purchasing his three bishoprics of half a million marks expensive and had highly indebted to the Fugger bank in Augsburg. With the sale of the exhaust note should win at this unholy liaison of politics, finance and church all sides. The fact that Albrecht in Rome brought a complaint against Luther's Reformation occurrence in December 1517 ultimately not surprising.
Simony today
The medieval simony is unimaginable today and forbidden. With the separation of church and state, this problem has been alleviated fundamentally.
Relevance of the concept of simony, however, in the context of the election. According to Can. 149 § 3 of the Roman Catholic Code of Canon Law is performed by simony Official transmission basically ineffective. Pope John Paul II, but in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis - expressly confirmed, the last election law change that the election of a new pope remains valid even with bribery (1996, Chapter VI, § 78):
" Assuming that at the election of the Pope, the crime of simony - God preserve us from that! - Should have been committed, decide and I declare that all those who should be guilty excommunication latae sententiae incur the [ as latae sententiae ]; However, I declare that the nullity or invalidity is suspended for simoni matic choice for the validity of the election of the pope for this reason - as has been by my predecessors -. 'm not going to be challenged "