Canon (priest)

Canon ( female form: Canonichesse, canonesses ), also canons ( canonesses ) or canons called (chorus women), clerics of all levels of ordination, as members of a cathedral chapter or a pen chapter of a cathedral, basilica, or monastery church ( Canons Regular ) are involved in the common liturgy. Under the joint liturgy refers to the celebration of the Holy Mass and the Divine Office, to which all priests are obliged whether alone or in community.

Canons living in community. The head of a chapter is usually a provost or abbot, sometimes the line is transferred to a dean or prior. Some chapters are routed directly by the diocesan bishop; to the Roman patriarchal basilicas of the prostate leads the title of archpriest. The canons are now mostly engaged in the pastoral care and be fully entertained from the church property more or less.

The member of a cathedral chapter is called canon, member of a Säkularkanonikerstiftes or an order regulated Canons ( Canons Regular ) as canon or canons. Each of these chapters may also deserved clergy, in exceptional cases lay special rank, distinguished with the title of Ehrenkanonikers.

History

The developed along the lines of Augustine as a demarcation line ( Benedictine ) monastic Kanonikerregel ( regularized Canonicorum ) was 755 set by Bishop Chrodegang of Metz for his diocese and further developed on the imperial synod of Aachen by Emperor Louis the Pious ( Louis I ) in 816 for the entire Carolingian Empire established as authentic. A community of secular priests called a collegiate.

Since the mid-11th century, one observes a reform of the canons, which leads to regulated Canons pins. Waiving property in the sign of vita apostolica came the break with the institutions Canonicorum Aquisgranensis (Aachener institution ) of 816 and the training of regulated Kanonikertums. Canons Regular ( Augustinian Canons ) put a vow to her Domstift ( Bishopric ) or collegiate (low pin ) from and chose among the two traditional Augustine rules, either the more moderate version Praeceptum / ordo antiquus or the Strict Observance following the version Ordo monasterii / ordo novus. Initiated by Norbert of Xanten Premonstratensian order ( emergence from 1120 Prémontrés / Northern France ) decided, for example, for the novus ordo.

The next persisting Säkularkanoniker submitted no vow ( no vow of poverty ) and the often rich canons prebends of the foundation's assets from the 11th/12th century were often able to add their personal assets. The pastoral duties often fell into the background and then were done only by vicars. Especially the nobility often used Säkularkanonikerpositionen on pins to supply posthumous sons and as a springboard for a career in the clergy or at court. A positive aspect of the Säkularkanonikertums was his significant role in the foundation (foundation) of universities in the late Middle Ages. The first professors of the newly established (national ) universities were mostly Säkularkanoniker. Such Kollegiatstifte secular canons were common in the Middle Ages, but were mostly converted into Augustinian Canons pins and have become the latest very rare with the secularization.

Canonesses

Canonesses (chorus women) (the term first appears in the 11th century on ) are defined as women who perform in a nunnery communal religious life under an abbess, without being tied to a monastic community ( institutions sanctimonialium Aquisgranensis, Aachen institution of 816 ). Private ownership was allowed, the law of succession was unqualified and canonesses / canonesses could inhabit separate apartment with a servant, ie it was usually noblemen. The first still rather frequent double pins of canons and choir women were more and more dissolved during the High Middle Ages, taking mostly the canonesses ( canonesses ) had to give way and the self- selectable abbess was replaced by an appointed by the bishop or abbot prior or provost as head. Heard the ladies of a pin predominantly the high nobility, it remained mostly at the line by an abbess from these circles.

Clothing

The clothes of the canon was in the 12th century, a long tunic, over a linen surplice ( alb ); then the Almutium, a hat made ​​of sheepskin, which the head, neck and shoulders covered; This will be a black coat without collar and the Pileolus ( cap ). The later canons gave this costume a more pleasing appearance. In particular, they exchanged the cap against the square biretta, the surplice shrank to Sarozium ( now a narrow long strip of white cloth on back and chest, similar to a tie), what we are accustomed now to recognize the Augustinian Canons. In the choir, they also wear rochet and Mozetta. Other regulated canons carry on their outdated garb, including: tunic, scapular and cingulate, possibly Caputium and biretta in choir additional: surplice ( Rochett ) and Mozetta or Almutium - all in white - at the Premonstratensians.

Known canons

• Norbert of Xanten ( Secular, later Canons Regular 1080-1134 )
• Pope Innocent IV ( canons -1254 )
• Guillaume de Machaut ( canons 1337-1377 )
• Nicholas Rotenfels
• Jakob Fugger ( 1478-1525 canon before )
• Nicolaus Copernicus ( 1495-1543 canon )
• Kai vonThienen (1723 Eutinischer chamberlain, Canon in the Bishopric of Lübeck)
• Peter Franz Agricola (1749-1807) ( Kapitularkanoniker and cathedral minister to Erfurt, Dr. theol. U jur. Utr. , Prof.der geistl Rights & Theology University of Erfurt, assessor at the archbishop. Geistl. Court to Erfurt, a member of the Academy of Sciences -profit )
• Martin Schrettinger ( canons 1772-1851 )
• Michael Gamper ( canons 1885-1956 )
• Georg Ratzinger ( canons, former Director of Music Regensburg and brother of retired Pope Benedict XVI. )

Honorary canon

• Juan Carlos I, honorary canon of Santa Maria Maggiore, Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls and San Lorenzo fuori le mura
• Nicolas Sarkozy, honorary canon of St. John Lateran, since 2007

Canons Regular

• Augustinian Canons
• Premonstratensian Canons
• Order of the Holy Cross
• German Order
• Canons Regular of the Holy Cross