Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 14.djvu/444

 SYNOD

388

SYNOD

Turkish conquest. Several years after (1385) the see was committed to the Metropolitan of Phila- delphia. In conclusion may be mentioned St. Const.antine, a converted Jew of Synnada, who lived in the tenth century; he became a monk, and is honoured by the Greek Church 26 December.

S.MITH, Did. of Greek and Roman Geog.: Texier. Asie Mineure. 430; R.vMs.vY, Asia Minor; Idem, Cities and Bishoprics of Phrygia: Ferret in Revue archeologique, new aeries, XXXI (January to June, 1876), 190-203; Wachter, Der Verfall des Griechentums in Kleinasien in XIV. Jahrhundert (Leipzig, 1903), 37. S. PfiTRIDfcs.

Synod (Gr. aimSoi, an assembly), a general term for ecclesi;istical gatherings under hierarchical authority, for the discussion and decision of matters relating to faith, morals, or discipline. It corresponds to the Latin word concilium. The word synodus appears probably for the first time in the so-called "Apostolic canons", while the word concilium was employed in the same meaning by Tertullian more than a cen- tury earlier. Synod and council are, therefore, syn- onymous terms. When the bishops of the whole world are congregated under the presidency of the pope, the synod is denominated oecumenical or gen- eral. It is only to such an assembly that it is lawful to apply the term sancla synodus (see Councils, Gen- eral). If the bishops of an ecclesiastical province meet under the headship of their metropolitan, the council is termed provincial. When the hierarchs of all the provinces of a nation assemble, the synod is called national, or, under certain circumstances, plen- ary. The regulations governing provincial and plen- ary councils are practically the same. In addition to those mentioned, there are other sjTiods that are more difficult of classification, as synods of the East or the West, the synodoi endemousai of Constantinople, and the mixed councils of ecclesiastical and secular digni- taries who assembled together to make regulations for both spiritual and civil matters.

Different from all other councils is the diocesan synod. Other councils are assemblies of bishops who have a definitive vote in the matters under considera- tion, but in a diocesan synod there is only one voter and only one lawgiver, the bishop of the diocese. This article deals mainly with diocesan synods. In his book " De Sjiiodo Dioecesana" (lib. 1, c. i) Bene- dict XIV thus defines a diocesan synod: "A lawful as- sembly convoked by the bishop, in which he gathers together the priests and clerics of his diocese and all others who are bound to attend it, for the purpose of doing and deliberating concerning what belongs to the pastoral care. " The Council of Trent (Sess. XXIV, c. ii, "De ref.") requires that a diocesan synod be held once a year. This law is still in force, but a mild interpretation, introduced by custom, has been tac- itly sanctioned by the Holy See. Usually, the date for holding the sjmod should be announced on the Feast of the Epiphany. A month before the opening the decree of convocation should be affixed to the cathedral doors, and it should be published on three successive Sundays in parish churches. When two dioceses are united under one bishop, the synod should be celebrated alternately in the cathedral of each such diocese. It belongs to the bishop to convoke the dio- cesan synod whether he be consecrated as yet or not. An archbishop, however, who has not yet received the pallium, has not the same right. Vicars-general can assemble a synod only in virtue of a special man- date of the bishop. When a diocese is vacant, the vicar capitular can and should hold a diocesan synod if a year has ela[).sed since the celebration of the last one. Ordinarily, the convocation of a synod should take place after the episcopal vi.sit!ition of the diC(\se, as the bishop can then be better guided in forming his statutes. When, however, the visitation has been neglected for years, it is considered more advisable to hold the synod first. As the bishop is the only law-

giver at a synod, it belongs to him to draw up the vari- ous decrees which he may wish to promulgate at its sessions. While he convokes the synod by his own authority and is not required to consult his chapter concerning the convocation or its preparatory acts, yet he must ask the counsel of his chapter or diocesan consultors as to the decrees he desires to enact, though he is not bound to follow their advice. The bishop is exhorted, in the formation of his decrees, to hold pri- vate conferences with the prudent, learned, and pious clerics of his diocese, and then to consult his chapter on the proposed statutes thus formed (S. C. C., 26 Nov., 1689). Only in this way does the bishop de- liberate with the clergy of his diocese at a synod, and though the finished decrees will receive all their authority from him, yet it is consonant with the mind of the Church that, in the formation of the statutes, the opinion of the clergy be heard and considered. Summonses to a diocesan sj'nod should be given to the vicar-general, the members of the cathedral chapter, holders of benefices, and all others who have care of souls. If there is a custom to that effect, all the clergy of the diocese may be summoned. Regulars who have care of souls are obliged to attend a synod. Their superiors are not, however, obliged to attend, unless they personally act as parish priests or curates. The bishop has power to punish with censures all those legitimately summoned who fail to attend. Laymen may also be invited by the bishop to be present at a synod if there is a custom to that effect, but under no circumstances can they acquire a right to such summons.

At the synod the decrees determined on by the bishop are promulgated, and a period of two months is allowed for having recourse against them to the bishop or the Holy See. All the clergy and laity of the diocese are bound by these decrees, and it is not neces- sary for the bishop to send his statutes to Rome for revision before publication. E.xempt regulars are bound to observe diocesan decrees in all things which concern the sacred canons, the Constitutions of popes and councils, and the decrees of the Sacred Roman Congregations. The bishop maj' not force his clergy to buy printed copies of the diocesan statutes (S. C. C., 14 Dec, 1658). During the synod the appointment is made of synodal examiners. To the former duties of these officials has been added by the "Maxima Cura" of Pius X (20 Aug., 1910) that of being asso- ciated with the bishop in drawing up the decree for the administrative removal of parish priests. By the same papal Constitution, parochial consultors, who are to be assessors in case of recourse against a decree of removal, are also to be chosen by the synod from among the parish priests. Synodal witnesses are like- wise chosen at some synods, whose main dutj' it is to help in the framing of deliberative questions or to re- port at the following synod what has been the effect of the degrees promulgated at the last assembly, or to suggest new ones. Synoilal judges are also to be chosen, though the}- are rarely now employed. Their office is to expedite such causes as may be committed to their judgment outside Rome by the Holy See. These judges should be at least four in number in every diocese, anil their names must be forwarded to Rome as .soon as selected. The subject-matter of the decrees framed at a diocesan sjiiod should concern only the preservation of faitli or discipline. Under no circumstances may such a synod define any new article of faith or decide any doctrinal point in dispute between Catholic theologians or frame statutes con- trary to the common canon law of the Church.

For synod.s in general use see bibliography of article Councils. General. The best work on diocesan synods is that of Benedict XIV. De Synodo Dioecesana. Boul.ic treats of these synods in De Episcopo, II (3rd ed., Paris, 1S83); Ferraris. Bibliotkeca Caiionica, I! (Rome, 1891), s. v. Concilium, art. 3; in Taunton, The Law of the Church (London, 1901)), 9. v.; Hefele. CoundU of the Church, ed. Clark (Edinburgh, 1871—), and new French translation by Leci.£kcq (Paris, 1907 — ).

W. H. W. Fanning.