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<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <title>CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Third Lateran Council</title><script src="https://dtyry4ejybx0.cloudfront.net/js/cmp/cleanmediacmp.js?ver=0104" async="true"></script><script defer data-domain="newadvent.org" src="https://plausible.io/js/script.js"></script><link rel="canonical" href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09017b.htm"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="description" content="In September, 1178, the pope in agreement with an article of the Peace of Venice, convoked an ecumenical council at the Lateran for Lent of the following year and, with that object, sent legates to different countries"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS" href="http://feeds.newadvent.org/bestoftheweb?format=xml"><link rel="icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><link rel="shortcut icon" href="../images/icon1.ico" type="image/x-icon"><meta name="robots" content="noodp"><link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="../utility/screen6.css" media="screen"></head> <body class="cathen" id="09017b.htm">  <br/> <div id="capitalcity"><table summary="Logo" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"><tr valign="bottom"><td align="left"><a href="../"><img height=36 width=153 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></td><td align="right"> <form id="searchbox_000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0" action="../utility/search.htm">  <input type="hidden" name="safe" value="active"> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="000299817191393086628:ifmbhlr-8x0"/> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="FORID:9"/>  <label for="searchQuery" id="searchQueryLabel">Search:</label> <input id="searchQuery" name="q" type="text" size="25" aria-labelledby="searchQueryLabel"/>  <label for="submitButton" id="submitButtonLabel" class="visually-hidden">Submit Search</label> <input id="submitButton" type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" aria-labelledby="submitButtonLabel"/> </form> <table summary="Spacer" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td height="2"></td></tr></table> <table summary="Tabs" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../"> Home </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_white_on_color" href="../cathen/index.html"> Encyclopedia </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../summa/index.html"> Summa </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../fathers/index.html"> Fathers </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../bible/gen001.htm"> Bible </a></td> <td class="tab"><a class="tab_color_on_beige" href="../library/index.html"> Library </a></td> </tr></table> </td> </tr></table><table summary="Alphabetical index" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"> <a href="../cathen/a.htm"> A </a><a href="../cathen/b.htm"> B </a><a href="../cathen/c.htm"> C </a><a href="../cathen/d.htm"> D </a><a href="../cathen/e.htm"> E </a><a href="../cathen/f.htm"> F </a><a href="../cathen/g.htm"> G </a><a href="../cathen/h.htm"> H </a><a href="../cathen/i.htm"> I </a><a href="../cathen/j.htm"> J </a><a href="../cathen/k.htm"> K </a><a href="../cathen/l.htm"> L </a><a href="../cathen/m.htm"> M </a><a href="../cathen/n.htm"> N </a><a href="../cathen/o.htm"> O </a><a href="../cathen/p.htm"> P </a><a href="../cathen/q.htm"> Q </a><a href="../cathen/r.htm"> R </a><a href="../cathen/s.htm"> S </a><a href="../cathen/t.htm"> T </a><a href="../cathen/u.htm"> U </a><a href="../cathen/v.htm"> V </a><a href="../cathen/w.htm"> W </a><a href="../cathen/x.htm"> X </a><a href="../cathen/y.htm"> Y </a><a href="../cathen/z.htm"> Z </a> </td></tr></table></div> <div id="mobilecity" style="text-align: center; "><a href="../"><img height=24 width=102 border="0" alt="New Advent" src="../images/logo.gif"></a></div>  <div id="mi5"><span class="breadcrumbs"><a href="../">Home</a> > <a href="../cathen">Catholic Encyclopedia</a> > <a href="../cathen/l.htm">L</a> > Third Lateran Council (1179)</span></div> <div id="springfield2"> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-top' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <h1>Third Lateran Council (1179)</h1> <p><em><a href="https://gumroad.com/l/na2"><strong>Please help support the mission of New Advent</strong> and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more  all for only $19.99...</a></em></p> <p>The reign of <a href="../cathen/01287a.htm">Alexander III</a> was one of the most laborious pontificates of the <a href="../cathen/10285c.htm">Middle Ages</a>. Then, as in 1139, the object was to repair the evils caused by the <a href="../cathen/13529a.htm">schism</a> of an <a href="../cathen/01582a.htm">antipope</a>. Shortly after returning to <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> (12 March, 1178) and receiving from its inhabitants their <a href="../cathen/11176a.htm">oath</a> of fidelity and certain indispensable guarantees, Alexander had the satisfaction of receiving the submission of the <a href="../cathen/01582a.htm">antipope</a> <a href="../cathen/03187a.htm">Callistus III</a> (John de Struma). The latter, besieged at <a href="../cathen/15487a.htm">Viterbo</a> by Christian of <a href="../cathen/09550a.htm">Mainz</a>, eventually yielded and, at Tusculum, made his submission to Pope Alexander (29 August, 1178), who received him with kindness and appointed him Governor of <a href="../cathen/02477b.htm">Beneventum</a>. Some of his obstinate partisans sought to substitute a new <a href="../cathen/01582a.htm">antipope</a>, and chose one Lando Sitino, under the name of <a href="../cathen/08013a.htm">Innocent III</a>. For lack of support he soon gave up the struggle and was relegated to the <a href="../cathen/04340c.htm">monastery</a> of La Cava. In September, 1178, the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> in agreement with an article of the Peace of <a href="../cathen/15333a.htm">Venice</a>, convoked an <a href="../cathen/04423f.htm">ecumenical council</a> at the Lateran for <a href="../cathen/09152a.htm">Lent</a> of the following year and, with that object, sent <a href="../cathen/09118a.htm">legates</a> to different countries. This was the eleventh of the ecumenical councils. It met in March, 1179. The <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> presided, seated upon an elevated throne, surrounded by the <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinals</a>, and by the prefects, senators, and consuls of <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a>. The gathering numbered three hundred and two <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a>, among them several Latin <a href="../cathen/12386b.htm">prelates</a> of Eastern <a href="../cathen/05001a.htm">sees</a>. There were in all nearly one thousand members. Nectarius, <a href="../cathen/01015c.htm">abbot</a> of the Cabules, represented the Greeks. The East was represented by <a href="../cathen/01691a.htm">Archbishops</a> <a href="../cathen/15639a.htm">William of Tyre</a> and Heraclius of Caesarea, Prior Peter of the Holy Sepulchre, and the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">Bishop</a> of <a href="../cathen/02532e.htm">Bethlehem</a>. <a href="../cathen/14169b.htm">Spain</a> sent nineteen <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a>; <a href="../cathen/08098b.htm">Ireland</a>, six; <a href="../cathen/13613a.htm">Scotland</a>, only one- <a href="../cathen/05445a.htm">England</a>, seven; <a href="../cathen/06166a.htm">France</a>, fifty nine; <a href="../cathen/06484b.htm">Germany</a>, seventeen- <a href="../cathen/04722c.htm">Denmark</a> and <a href="../cathen/07547a.htm">Hungary</a>, one each. The <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a> of <a href="../cathen/08098b.htm">Ireland</a> had at their head St. Laurence, <a href="../cathen/01691a.htm">Archbishop</a> of <a href="../cathen/05171a.htm">Dublin</a>. The <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a> <a href="../cathen/04276a.htm">consecrated</a>, in the presence of the council, two <a href="../cathen/05445a.htm">English</a> <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishops</a>, and two Scottish, one of whom had come to <a href="../cathen/13164a.htm">Rome</a> with only one horse the other on foot. There was also present an <a href="../cathen/07615b.htm">Icelandic</a> <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> who had no other revenue than the milk of three cows, and when one of these went dry his <a href="../cathen/05001a.htm">diocese</a> furnished him with another.</p> <div class="CMtag_300x250" style="display: flex; height: 300px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; "></div> <p>Besides exterminating the remains of the <a href="../cathen/13529a.htm">schism</a> the council undertook the condemnation of the <a href="../cathen/15527b.htm">Waldensian</a> <a href="../cathen/07256b.htm">heresy</a> and the restoration of <a href="../cathen/05030a.htm">ecclesiastical discipline</a>, which had been much relaxed. Three sessions were held, on 5, 14, and 19 March, in which twenty-seven canons were <a href="../cathen/12454b.htm">promulgated</a>, the most important of which may be summarized as follows:</p> <div class="bulletlist"><ul><li>Canon 1: To prevent <a href="../cathen/13529a.htm">schisms</a> in future, only the <a href="../cathen/03333b.htm">cardinals</a> should have the <a href="../cathen/13055c.htm">right</a> to elect the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">pope</a>, and two-thirds of their votes should be required for the validity of such election. If any candidate, after securing only one-third of the votes, should arrogate to himself the <a href="../cathen/12260a.htm">papal</a> dignity, both he and his partisans should be excluded from the <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">ecclesiastical</a> order and <a href="../cathen/05678a.htm">excommunicated</a>.</li><li>Canon 2: Annulment of the ordinations performed by the heresiarchs Octavian and Guy of <a href="../cathen/04481b.htm">Crema</a>, as well as those by John de Struma. Those who have received <a href="../cathen/04794a.htm">ecclesiastical dignities</a> or <a href="../cathen/02473c.htm">benefices</a> from these <a href="../cathen/11726a.htm">persons</a> are deprived of the same; those who have freely sworn to adhere to the <a href="../cathen/13529a.htm">schism</a> are declared suspended.</li><li>Canon 3: It is forbidden to promote anyone to the episcopate before the age of thirty. Deaneries, archdeaconries, <a href="../cathen/11499b.htm">parochial</a> charges, and other <a href="../cathen/02473c.htm">benefices</a> involving the care of <a href="../cathen/14153a.htm">souls</a> shall not be conferred upon anyone less than twenty-five years of age.</li><li>Canon 4 regulates the retinue of members of the higher <a href="../cathen/04049b.htm">clergy</a>, whose canonical visits were frequently ruinous to the rural <a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priests</a>. Thenceforward the train of an <a href="../cathen/01691a.htm">archbishop</a> is not to include more than forty or fifty horses; that of a <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a>, not more than twenty or thirty; that of an <a href="../cathen/01693a.htm">archdeacon</a>, five or seven at the most  the dean is to have two.</li><li>Canon 5 forbids the <a href="../cathen/11279a.htm">ordination</a> of <a href="../cathen/04049b.htm">clerics</a> not provided with an <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">ecclesiastical</a> title, i.e. means of proper support. If a <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> ordains a <a href="../cathen/12406a.htm">priest</a> or a <a href="../cathen/04647c.htm">deacon</a> without assigning him a certain title on which he can subsist, the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> shall provide such cleric with means of livelihood until he can assure him an <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">ecclesiastical</a> revenue that is, if the cleric cannot subsist on his patrimony alone.</li><li>Canon 6 regulates the formalities of <a href="../cathen/03744a.htm">ecclesiastical</a> sentences.</li><li>Canon 7 forbids the exaction of a sum of money for the burial of the dead, the marriage benediction, and, in general, for the administration of the <a href="../cathen/13295a.htm">sacraments</a>.</li><li>Canon 8: The patrons of <a href="../cathen/02473c.htm">benefices</a> shall nominate to such <a href="../cathen/02473c.htm">benefices</a> within six months after the occurrence of a vacancy.</li><li>Canon 9 recalls the <a href="../cathen/10304d.htm">military orders</a> of the <a href="../cathen/14493a.htm">Templars</a> and the <a href="../cathen/07476a.htm">Hospitallers</a> to the observation of canonical regulations, from which the churches dependent on them are in no wise exempt.</li><li>Canon 11 forbids <a href="../cathen/04049b.htm">clerics</a> to receive <a href="../cathen/15687b.htm">women</a> in their houses, or to frequent, without necessity, the <a href="../cathen/04340c.htm">monasteries</a> of <a href="../cathen/11164a.htm">nuns</a>.</li><li>Canon 14 forbids <a href="../cathen/08748a.htm">laymen</a> to transfer to other <a href="../cathen/08748a.htm">laymen</a> the <a href="../cathen/14741b.htm">tithes</a> which they possess, under pain of being debarred from the communion of the faithful and deprived of <a href="../cathen/03071a.htm">Christian burial</a>.</li><li>Canon 18 provides for the establishment in every <a href="../cathen/03438a.htm">cathedral church</a> of a <a href="../cathen/13554b.htm">school</a> for poor <a href="../cathen/04049b.htm">clerics</a>.</li><li>Canon 19: <a href="../cathen/05678a.htm">Excommunication</a> aimed at those who levy contributions on churches and <a href="../cathen/04049b.htm">churchmen</a> without the consent of the <a href="../cathen/02581b.htm">bishop</a> and <a href="../cathen/04049b.htm">clergy</a>.</li><li>Canon 20 forbids tournaments.</li><li>Canon 21 relates to the <a href="../cathen/15068a.htm">"Truce of God"</a>.</li><li>Canon 23 relates to the organization of asylums for <a href="../cathen/09182a.htm">lepers</a>.</li><li>Canon 24 consists of a prohibition against furnishing the <a href="../cathen/10424a.htm">Saracens</a> with material for the construction of their galleys.</li><li>Canon 27 enjoins on princes the repression of <a href="../cathen/07256b.htm">heresy</a>. </li></ul></div> <div class='catholicadnet-728x90' id='cathen-728x90-bottom' style='display: flex; height: 100px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; '></div> <div class="pub"><h2>About this page</h2><p id="apa"><strong>APA citation.</strong> <span id="apaauthor">Leclercq, H.</span> <span id="apayear">(1910).</span> <span id="apaarticle">Third Lateran Council (1179).</span> In <span id="apawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="apapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company.</span> <span id="apaurl">http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09017b.htm</span></p><p id="mla"><strong>MLA citation.</strong> <span id="mlaauthor">Leclercq, Henri.</span> <span id="mlaarticle">"Third Lateran Council (1179)."</span> <span id="mlawork">The Catholic Encyclopedia.</span> <span id="mlavolume">Vol. 9.</span> <span id="mlapublisher">New York: Robert Appleton Company,</span> <span id="mlayear">1910.</span> <span id="mlaurl"><http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09017b.htm>.</span></p><p id="transcription"><strong>Transcription.</strong> <span id="transcriber">This article was transcribed for New Advent by Tomas Hancil.</span> <span id="dedication"></span></p><p id="approbation"><strong>Ecclesiastical approbation.</strong> <span id="nihil"><em>Nihil Obstat.</em> October 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, Censor.</span> <span id="imprimatur"><em>Imprimatur.</em> +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.</span></p><p id="contactus"><strong>Contact information.</strong> The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster <em>at</em> newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.</p></div> </div> <div id="ogdenville"><table summary="Bottom bar" width="100%" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><tr><td class="bar_white_on_color"><center><strong>Copyright © 2023 by <a href="../utility/contactus.htm">New Advent LLC</a>. 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