Letter 23: Gelasius instructs the bishops of Sicily to administer the resources of their churches in accordance with canon law.

Of Pope Gelasius, to the bishops of Sicily. That the bishops should administer the resources of the Church in accordance with the decrees of the canons (no. 1); and that, with regard to the possession of those resources as well as of the dioceses, a thirty-year prescription holds good (no. 2). Gelasius, bishop of the Roman church, to his most beloved brethren the bishops, joined with him in unanimity in the love of Christ, who are established in Sicily. 1. The authority of our predecessors has gone forth, that the bishops should have the power to govern the resources of the Church, yet in such a way that they ought to distribute the allowances of widows, orphans, and the poor, as well as of the clergy. We further ordain that there be given to them also that which has hitherto been decreed. The remainder let the bishops claim for themselves, so that, as we have said before, they may be able to be benefactors to strangers and to captives. 2. It has also seemed good to add this: that if, which God forbid, the resources of the Church, as well as the dioceses, are possessed by certain bishops, they may by right claim for themselves what the law of thirty years has settled; for the authority of our princes' sons has likewise gone forth in this manner, that beyond thirty years it shall be lawful for no one to make appeal in that matter which the term set by the laws has excluded. Given on the Ides of May, in the consulship of the most illustrious men Asterius and Praesidius.

Oelasii papae ad episcopos Siciliae. ^uu^ Facuiiatea Ecclesiae episcopi juxta canonum decreta administrent (n. 1); circa illarum sicut dioecetium poasessionem valere tricennalem praescriptionem (n. 2). Gelasius Romanae ecclesiae episcopus dilectissi- mis et in Christi caritate unanimiter') conne- xis fratribus episcopis, qui in Sicilia sunt constituti. 1. Praesnlum^) nostrorum auctoritas emanavit, ut facultates £cclesiae episcopi ad regendum habeant potestatem, ita tamen, ut ^ Siriciiu epist. 6 n. 4 vohementer improbat nonnullos, qui transeuntes et peregrinos temere ordinarunt. Superior epistola nominatim AfroB non susci- ptendos monet. ^ «) a* c^ c"* expeteniibus emendantur ex Q' Q*. Sic et Hilarus cpist. 16 n. 6 piroqpiciendtim docet, ne ex poenitentibus aliquis ad sacrum ministeHum prorsus ajntrhrr aeeedere. Yide saperiorem epist. 15 n. 1 et epist. 14 cap. 2, Innocent. «pist^ 17 n. II. >) Mu. a' unanimis cum connexis, i^ una mecum connexis. «) Id Bibi vult hic praesulum nostrorum auctoritas, quod infra /tliorum nostro* rum pHndpwn aucioritas. Eodem loquendi modo utitur et SimpUcius epist. 16 n. 2, qnem in locum quae observata sunt repete. Et vero regibus ct cpiBCopis eononane est praesulum nomen, quia ipsis pariter convenit praesidere. Sed in dilFerant, quod, ut loquitur ipse Gclasius epist. 12 u, 2, reges praesident ffeneri; ideoque illi ibidem reges hominum, hi rerum praesules divinarum npdlantmr. lidem infra epist. 37 n. 1 pvaesules ministrandae fidci Christianae diamtor. Ad calcem epist. 6 Symmachi papac edictum edituri sumus Theodo- rici regis «enaiui Romano orbis praesuti insciciptum. I a. 494. viduarum, pupillorum ') at<iue pauperum uec noii clerieorum stipen- dia distribuere debeant. Hoc eis etiam statuimiLS dari, quod hacte- nus decretiim est. Reli(iuum sibi episcopi vindicent, ut, sicut antea diximus, peregrinorum atcjue captivorum largitores esse {)ossint. 2. Illud etiam adnecti placuit, ut si, quod absit, faeultates Ecclesiae iiec non et dioeceses ab^) aliquibus possidentur episcopis, jure sibi vindicent, quod tricenualis lex conclusit, quia et iiliorum nostrorum principum ita emanavit auctoritas, ut ultra trigiuta auuos nulli licejit pro"*) eo appellare, quod legum tempus^*) exclusit. Data Idibus Maji, Asterio et Praesidio viris clarissimis cousulibus ^).