Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 4.djvu/207

 COMMODIANUS

165

COMMODIANUS

purpose, e. g. for the proper interpretation and de- fence of Sacred Scripture (see BiBi,ic.4i Commission), for historical studies (see Ecclesiastical History), for the codification of tlie canon law (see Law), for thesupervTsioii, correction, etc. of the liturgical books of the Roman Church, e. g. the Breviary, Missal, Pontifical, Ritual, etc. (see Brevl\ry; Liturgy), for the restoration and perfection of ecclesiastical music (see Gregorian Chant), for the reunion of dissenting churches (see Eastern Church), for the preservation of the Faith (see Italy; Rome).

II. Prelatitial commissions are composed of Roman prelates, secretaries, consultors, etc., and may be presided over by a cardinal. Such, e. g., are the Com- mission of Sacred Archcpology (see Arch.eology), for the preservation and illustration of the Christian antiquities of Rome, the commission for the adminis- tration of Peter's-pence (q. v.), and the Palatine Commission (established by Leo XIII) for the settle- ment of controversies or lawsuits between the per- sonnel of the Vatican or other papal residences. Most of these commissions, however, are attached to the Roman Congregations, as special departments or sections, and are described in the article Congrega- tions, Roman, e. g. the Liturgical Commission at- tached to the Congregation of Rites ; the commissions for the examination of episcopal reports, for the revision and correction of the liturgical books of the Eastern Church (q. v.), and for the examination of religious institutes in Propaganda territory, all three attached to the Congregation of Propaganda; for the examination of new religious institutes attached to the Congregation of Bisliops and Regulars; for the selection of bishops in Italy (now suppressed and its attributions vested in the Congregation of the Inquisition).

III. The diocesan commissions provided for by gen- eral ecclesiastical law are four: the commission for seminaries (in two sections for spiritual and temporal concerns, respectively), according to the Coimcil of Trent (Sess. XXIII, cap. xviii, De ref.), for which see Seminary, Ecclesiastical; the commission of ex- aminers of the clergy (see Examiners, Synodal), to aid in the control of all competition for vacant paro- chial benefices; the commission on sacred music (Motu proprio of Pius X, 22 Nov., 1903) for the improvement of the character and execution of ecclesiastical music in the churches; a vigilance committee (Conisilium a ■eigilanlia) for the repression of modernism (Pius X, "Pascendi Dominici Gregis", 8 Sept., 1907). In many dioceses of England there exist diocesan school commissions or associations. There exists also in England (since 1853) for each diocese a commission of investigation for criminal and disciplinary causes of ecclesiastics (Taunton, 210-213); a similar com- mission for the dioceses of the United States, estal> lished by Propaganda in 1878, was abrogated in 1884 in favour of a new form of procedure, detailed in the Instruction of that year, Cum Magnopere". For Ireland see " Acta et Decreta ", by the Synod of Maynooth (1900), p. 7.5; and for Scotland, Taunton, op. cit., 214-20. The scope, authority, and attribu- tions of these bodies are described either in the pontifi- cal documents that create them, or in the legislation pertaining to the Roman congregations, or in the common ecclesiiistical law and its authoritative inter-

pretations.

B^TTANDIER. .-Inn. Drr Pnpsf, die Refjien Rnm (Munich. 1904>; don, 1906). 209-22.

Vonl. ealh. (Pari.s 18991; Baumgarte

Tund Vcrwahung der hciliqen KirrJir AUNTON, The Law of the. Church (Lo

Thom.\s J. Shahan.

Commodianus, a Cliristian jioet, the date of who.so birth is \m(iTtaln, but generally placed at about the middle of the third century, or l)etween the end of Diocletian's perseo\ition and the issuing of the edict of Maxentius (305-11). It has lately been asserted,

however, that Commodianus livetl under Julian or even in the middle of the fifth century. He is not known outside of his own writings except through a notice by Gennadius, "De Viris Illustribus" (ch. xv), and the condemnation of Pseudo-Gelasius. who pro- hibits the reading of his books (" De Libris recipiendis et non recipiendis", in Migne, P. L., LIX, 163) Gen- nadius seems to draw his information chiefly from the works themselves, and claims that Commodianus im- itated Tertullian, Lactantius, and Papias. From two passages in his manuscrijits it was gleaned that Com- modianus came from Gaza in Palestine and had been invested with the episcopal dignity, but the first of these passages has a very uncertain meaning, and the second has been attributed to the mistake of a copy- ist. Commodianus declares that he is not a "doc- tor", which has led to the belief that he was a layman. He styles himself "mendicant of Christ", mendicus Christi, but that could also mean "one who implores Christ" oi "one who begs for Christ". What is cer- tain, however, is that, after various religious expe- riences, such as associating with pagans and jiractis- ing the occult sciences, and probably conforming to the religious doctrines and rites of the Jews, he adopted Christianity, having been converted by read- ing the Bible.

His works are a collection of "Instructions" and a "Carmen apologeticum". The former consists of eighty acrostic, or abecedarian, essays, divided into two books. The plan of this work and the Biblical quotations introduced therein reveal the influence of St. Cyprian's "Testimonia". The first book is against the Ji'w.s and jiagans, the second being addressed to dilfcrcnt catci^ories of the faithful: catechumens, bap- tizeil ('hristians, penitents, matrones, clerks, priests, and bishops. In parts its tone is decidedly satirical. The author is manifestly engrossed with ethics, and recommends alms-deeds above all else. The "Car- men apologeticum" has a misleading title, thanks to Pitra, its first editor (1852). It may be divided into four parts: a preamble (1-88); a resuin6 of the doc- trine on God and Christ (89-578); a demonstration of the necessity of faith for salvation (579-790) ; and a description of the end of the world (791-1060). It is jirincipally this picture that has made the name of Commodianus famous. According to it the Chris- tians are a prey to a seventh persecution — the num- ber is sjTiibolical and indicates the last persecution. The Goths surprise and destroy Rome. Suddenly Nero, the Antichrist of the West, reappears, recap- tures Rome from the Goths, associates himself with two Cfesars and maltreats the Christians for three and a half years. Then a second Antichrist, the man from Persia, comes from the East, conquers Nero, burns Rome, establishes himself in Judea, and works wonders. But God, with an army of the blessed, ad- vances from beyond Persia in a triumphal march; Antichrist is overcome, and Christ and His saints settle in Jerusalem. To learn what follows we must consult the " Instructions" (II, 1-4). First of all the elect rise from the dead and for 1000 years lead lives of |)leasure and happiness. At the end of that time the world is destroyed by fire, Chri-st appears, and all the dead arise for the Liist Judgment, which leads either to the joys of Paradise or the pains of Hell.

The sources of Commodianus 's information were the Bible — principally the Apocalypse, the Proi>hets, and the Fourth Book of Esdras — the Sibylline oracles, Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Cyprian, and Lactantius. From Terence, Lucretius, Horace, Cicero, and most of all from Virgil, he borrows modes of expression. His theology is not reliable; besides Millenarianism, he seems to i)rofess Monarchianism and Patripassianisin, two heresies in regard to the Trinity. His language is not only crude, but incorrect, and it would be a mistake to seek in ("ommodianus the origin of versi- fication based on accent. Although unacquainted