Barcinonense I / Barcelona I
Provincial Council in Ostrogothic/Visigothic Hispania; 540
The seven bishops who attended this council were: Sergius, Metropolitan of Tarragona, Nibridius of Barcelona, Caroncius of Ampurias (Empúrias), Andrew of Lérida (Lleida), Stafilius of Gerona (Girona), John of Zaragoza, and Asello of Dertosa (Tortosa).
Ten canons are included in a text one page long. What is significant is that the majority of the canons were reduced to one-liners of the topic, except for canon 8. We are not informed where in Barcelona they met nor is the reigning monarch named. It did assemble during the years from 516 to 546 that extended from the reign of Theodoric to Theudis (531-548) known as the ‘intermediate’ Ostrogothic period when the rulers of the Visigothic kingdom were Arians. Also attached to this council is a letter known as De fisco Barcinonensi found in the Hispana version of this council. It was confirmed on 4 November by the bishops Artemius, Sofronius, Galanus, and John. This document dates to the reign of King Reccared (586-601) and appears to have nothing related to this council. It is a letter about taxation and reveals the role of the bishops in the matter. What makes its attachment to this council more enigmatic is that not one of the ten canons deals with taxation in any form. Some scholars maintain that it was written for the Second Council of Zaragoza (592), this is based on the fact that the Codex Emilianense places the letter right after that council. Incidentally, the canons of Zaragoza do not address any fiscal matters, they are all about Arianism.
The canons of Barcelona I begin on aspects of the liturgy: Canon 1, that Psalm 50 needed to be read before the canticle and Canon 2 that a blessing be given to the faithful during Matins as in Vespers. No explanation is given as to why this was to be done. Canon 3 ordered that clergy were not to grow their hair or shave their beard. Canon 4 dictated that a deacon is never to sit in the presence of a presbyter. Canon 5 that in the presence of the bishop presbyters are to say their prayers in order. Canon 6 that penitent men who are tonsured and wear the religious habit spend the remainder of their life fasting and in prayer. Canon 7 forbade penitents from attending banquets, nor loan or receive money but only to be content living at home frugally. Canon 8 addressed the sick who asked for penance and after receiving it from the bishop recovered, without having received the imposition of hands. They should live the rest of their life in penance set apart from communion until the bishop ruled that their life as being morally upright. Canon 9 ordered that those found to be terminally ill should receive the final blessing, viaticam benedictionem percipiant. Canon 10 in a broad statement ordered that monks ought to observe the precepts of the Council of Chalcedon (canons 3, 4, 7, 16, and 23) – quod synodus Chalcedonensis constituit. One has to consult other councils within Hispania and externally to find the background to these very brief canons as they have come down to us.
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QQ.: Vives/Marín Martínez/Martínez Díez, Concilios Visigóticos e Hispano-Romanos, 53-54; Weckwerth, Clavis Conciliorum Occidentalium, 199.
Lit.: Orlandis/Ramos-Lissón, Concilios de la España Romana y Visigoda, 120-124; G. Martínez Díez, Art. “Barcelona I, 540”, in: DHEE I (1972) 539-540; D. Fernández, What is the De fisco Barcinonensi about? in: Antiquité Tardive 14 (2006) 217-224.
Alberto Ferreiro
Juni 2026
Empfohlene Zitierweise:
Ferreiro, Alberto, "Bracharense / Braga I: Provincial Council of the Suevic Kingdom in Gallaecia; 561", in: Lexikon der Konzilien [Online-Version], November 2024; URL: http://www.konziliengeschichte.org/site/de/publikationen/lexikon/database/625.html
