That a priest should not celebrate Mass unless two others are present with him.
A It is also decreed that no priest should presume to celebrate the mysteries of the Mass unless two others are present and respond to him, and he himself be considered the third; because, when he says in the plural, "The Lord be with you," and in the secrets: "Pray for me," it is most fitting that there be also a response to his greeting.
B We must also receive the holy communion on the Supper of the Lord.
In the Supper of the Lord, the reception of the Eucharist is neglected by some—which, since it is to be received on that same day by all the faithful, except those to whom it is forbidden due to grave crimes, the ecclesiastical custom demonstrates, since even penitents are reconciled on the same day to receive the sacraments of the Lord's body and blood.
ELEUTHERIUS POPE
NOTICE (From the *Liber Pontificalis* of Pope Damasus, in Mansi, *Concil.*, I, 693. — See *Patrologia Latina*, vol. CXXVII, col. 1249)
Eleutherius, by nationality a Greek, from the father Abundius, from the town of Nicopolis, sat for fifteen years, three months, and two days. He lived in the times of Antoninus Commodus, up to [the consulship of] Paternus and Bradua. He received a letter from Lucius, the British king, that he might be made a Christian through his mandate. And he established that no ordinary food, which is nonetheless rational and human and which God has created, should be rejected by Christians, especially the faithful. He performed three ordinations during the month of December: twelve priests, eight deacons, and fifteen bishops for various places. He was buried near the body of blessed Peter, on the seventh day before the Kalends of June. And the episcopate ceased for five days.
EPISTLES OF POPE ELEUTHERIUS
(MANSI, *Concil. ampl. collect.*, I, 695.)FIRST EPISTLE (49).
TO THE GAULS.
Regarding the accusation of clerics and their defense (50).
Eleutherius, bishop, to all the Churches warring for the Lord throughout the provinces of Gaul, greeting in the Lord.
B The joys of the Catholic Church have been multiplied C when we learned that many peoples are hastening to the service of the Lord (51).
I.
Regarding food that should not be irrationally avoided.
Wherefore we have judged it necessary to instruct you, that you should not irrationally reject foods which we have heard you are avoiding (52). Know, brethren, the D
legislator to have taught: "All things that God created were very good." And the Truth itself says: "Not that which enters into the mouth defiles a man, but that which comes out of the mouth." Hence it is clear that common foods, which God has granted to His faithful for their sustenance, ought not to be rejected. And in the Acts of the Apostles, it is read thus concerning clean foods: "On the morrow, as they were making their journey and drawing near to the city, Peter went up onto the housetops to pray about the sixth hour. And when he was hungry, he wished to eat. While they were preparing for him, there fell upon him an ecstasy of the mind, and he saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners from heaven to earth, in which were all the four-footed beasts and creeping things of the earth, and the fowls of the air. And a voice was made to him: 'Arise, Peter, kill and eat.' But Peter said: 'Far be it, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common and unclean!' And the voice spoke a second time to him: 'That which God has purified, do not thou call common.' And this was done three times, and immediately the vessel was taken up into heaven."
II. Regarding the accusations of bishops and clerics.
Concerning the accusations of clerics, about which we have been consulted, because it is difficult to refer all their accusations to the apostolic see, let the definitive judgments of bishops alone be brought here, so that through the authority of this holy see they may be finalized, just as has already been determined by the consent of many bishops by the apostles and their successors. Nor should others be set over their churches or ordained before their matters are justly terminated here. Since, although it is permitted for provinces and metropolitans and their primates to ventilate accusations or charges, it is not, however, permitted to define them otherwise than as aforesaid. The cases of the rest of the clerics, however, are permitted to be ventilated and justly finalized before the provincials and metropolitans and primates. A Nevertheless, it behooves the judge to scrutinize all things, B and to discuss the order of events with full inquiry, with patience being afforded by him for the questioning and proposing, so that the action of both parties may be fully clarified there. C Nor should the judge first wish to oppose his own sentence to the litigants, unless they themselves, when everything has already been transacted, have nothing left in question to put forward. And the action should be ventilated for so long as the truth of the matter is found. It is necessary to ask questions frequently, lest by chance anything remains omitted which it is fitting to attach. For not inconsiderable delays must be allowed for investigation, lest anything should appear to be done over-hastily by any party; because much trouble arises from subreption. Yet let nothing be done without a legitimate and suitable accuser. For even our Lord Jesus Christ knew Judas to be a thief; but because he was not accused, therefore he was not cast out. And whatsoever he did among the Apostles, remained valid for the dignity of the ministry. For if the laws of the world require accusers, how much more do ecclesiastical rules? For earthly and human things teach what things are ecclesiastical and celestial.
III. Regarding the accusations of all provincials.
Regarding the accusations of provincials, it is thus read to be decreed: If anyone believes that any cleric should be summoned on any charges whatsoever, let him exercise his actions in the province in which he who is summoned resides, nor let him think to drag him elsewhere or further away to judgment. But those who have been summoned, if they have held the judge to be suspicious, it shall be permitted to appeal. Let the judges of the Church also take care, lest in the absence of him whose cause is ventilated they pronounce sentence, because it will be void, nay, they will even provide a cause in a synod for what has been done. But neither the calumny nor the voice of a traitor should be heard. For no one can know a debtor better than he who has endured his injury and wickedness. For he who is oppressed by all ought to be assisted in all causes. All these things are to be attended to most highly. Nor is the accusation of inferiors, how much more so of bishops, easily to be accepted, the Lord saying: "Follow not the crowds to do evil;" and elsewhere: "Accept not the voice of a lie." And in Paralipomenon it is read: "The Lord searches all hearts and knows every thought. Man, however, sees the face, but God sees into the heart." And elsewhere it is written: "It cannot be condemned by human examination."
A Therefore, endeavor, brethren, with patience to suppress all the weight and the circumstances of the injuries of adversaries; “knowing that such men are subverted and sin, being condemned by their own mouth.” Because those who accuse or harass their brethren do not love them, but rather neglect them, and sin, as the Apostle says: “Love of neighbor does not work evil.” And elsewhere: “He who does not love his brother, whom he sees, how can he love God, whom he does not see?” For we, humble of heart, are wisely bound to you with the tie of charity by the help of the Lord, and, strongly defending the Catholic religion in all things, we do not neglect to properly resist the wicked. Whence it is said: “For to neglect to disturb the perverse, when you are able, is nothing else than to encourage them. Nor is he free from the suspicion of secret complicity who ceases to oppose an evident crime.” For the sake of this matter, the universal Church has been entrusted to you by Christ Jesus, that you may labor for all and not neglect to bring help to everyone. “A brother helping a brother will be exalted, but he who strikes will be dissipated.” Therefore, always relieve the oppressed, correct the restless, so that the tares may not be able to choke the Lord’s harvest. Given on the fifth of the Ides of July, in the consulship of the most illustrious men Paternus and Bradua.
EPISTLE II. A RESCRIPT TO LUCIUS, KING OF BRITAIN. How he ought to conduct himself in the kingdom of Britain.
You asked that the Roman laws and the Emperor’s commands be sent to you, which you wished to use in the kingdom of Britain. We can ever discard the Roman laws and those of the Emperor, but in no way the law of God. For you have recently received, by divine mercy, the law and faith of Christ in the kingdom of Britain. You have with you in the kingdom both Testaments; out of them, by the grace of God and with the counsel of your kingdom, take the law, and through it, by the patience of God, rule the kingdom of Britain. You are indeed the vicar of God in that kingdom, according to the prophet-king: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world and all those who dwell in it”; and again according to the prophet-king: “You have loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows”; and again according to the prophet-king: “God, Your judgment,” etc. For He did not say the judgment or the justice of Caesar, B whom God has reserved for His own judgment.
For the Christian nations and the peoples of the kingdom are the children of the king, who dwell under your protection and peace in the kingdom, and they exist according to the Gospel: “As a hen gathers her chickens under her wings.” But the nations of the kingdom of Britain and the peoples of the kingdom are your [children]; whom you ought to gather, recall, foster, hold by the hand, protect, cover, and defend always from the injurious, the malicious, and from enemies, into one concord and peace, and into the faith and the law of Christ, and into the holy Church. “Woe to the kingdom whose king is a child, and whose princes eat in the morning.” I do not call him king because of his small and tender age, but because of his folly and iniquity and insanity, according to the prophet-king: “Men of blood and deceit shall not live out half their days,” etc. By eating we understand gluttony, by gluttony luxury, by luxury all foul and perverse and evil things, according to Solomon the king: “For wisdom will not enter into a malevolent soul, nor will it dwell in a body subject to sins.” C The king is so called from *regere* (to rule), not from *regnum* (the kingdom). You will be a king as long as you rule well; but if you do not do this, the name of king will not remain with you, and you will lose the name of king: which God forbid! May almighty God grant you to rule the kingdom of Britain in such a way that you may be able to reign forever with Him, whose vicar you are in the aforementioned kingdom.