LATERANENSI CONCILI. — The I L. C. — This is the ninth ecumenical council (the first in the West), celebrated on 18–27 (28) March 1123 Callisto II (v.), almost as a ratification of the Concordat of Worma (23 Sept. 1122), by which the Investiture Controversy (v.) had been concluded. Numerous bishops and abbots assembled there, and 22 disciplinary canons were promulgated, in order to provide for the unity and peace of the Church after the struggles of the preceding decades and the schism of the antipope Burdino (Gregorio VIII, v.), whose acts and ordinations were annulled (can. 5, 22).
The II C. condemned every form of simony (can. 1, 22) and concubinage on the part of ecclesiastics (can. 7, 21), and rejected every interference by laymen in the appointment of bishops (can. 3, 22); to the latter was reserved exclusively the right to choose the sacred ministers for the care of souls and the administration of ecclesiastical benefices (can. 4, 6, 18), with the absolute exclusion of laymen, however religious and powerful they might be (can. 4, 8, 9, 22). Other canons regulated relations between the secular clergy and monks (can. 18), and between the clergy and the bishop, who was forbidden to incardinate priests excommunicated by their own Ordinary (can. 1, 2). Still others provided for observance of the Truce of God (can. 13), inheritances (can. 14), and the defense of pilgrims (can. 17), for the condemnation of usurers and counterfeiters (can. 16), and of marriages between blood relatives (can. 17), and to encourage the crusade and holy pilgrimages (can. 12, 13). There were no dogmatic definitions.
Those who did not repent were threatened with delivery to the secular arm: this is the first mention of the Inquisition. Arnaldo da Brescia (v.), who had not yet declared himself against the Church’s right of ownership, he was prohibited from preaching and condemned to exile for having incited Brescia against its bishop. The other conciliar provisions, condensed into 30 canons (most of them contained in the Decree of Gratian), essentially repeated the decisions of the preceding C. L. and of those of Clermont (1130) and Reims (1131). The sanctions against simoniacs (canons 2, 24), against concubinous clergy, whose children were barred from attaining the priesthood (canons 6, 7, 8, 21, 26, 27), against lay investiture (canon 25), and against laymen who appropriated and administered ecclesiastical property (canon 10), whose hereditary transmission was prohibited (canon 16), were therefore renewed. The clergy were forbidden to practice law and medicine (canon 9), and the privilegium canonis was affirmed in their favor (canon 15). The sanctions safeguarding the welfare of society were also renewed. It is uncertain whether provisions were adopted concerning the election of the Roman pontiff, reserving it to the cardinals without the vote of the clergy and the Roman people.
The spirit of the Gregorian reform continued, although with diminished results, given the capture of the Pope by Ruggero II and the proclamation of the Roman Republic prepared by Arnaldo da Brescia.
First and foremost was the decision concerning the election of the Roman pontiff, which was reserved to the college of cardinals, with neither the Roman clergy and people nor the emperor having any part in II. For the election to be valid, two-thirds of the cardinals’ votes were required, and excommunication was imposed on electors who proceeded otherwise; thus the way was barred to new schisms. The requirements of age, birth, and cultural preparation for the election of bishops were established (can. 3); ordination sine titulo (can. 5) and the cumulatio beneficiorum (cann. 13, 14) were prohibited, and the granting of the latter was assigned to the higher authority if, within the prescribed time, it had not been conferred by those to whom it belonged (cann. 3, 8, 17); the conversion of ecclesiastical goods to profane uses was prohibited (can. 15). No less important were the dogmatic canons: the doctrines and excesses of the Cathars (v.), Patarines (v.), Albigensians (v.) were condemned, and a crusade was proclaimed against them—the first example of a crusade within the Church itself. Because of their ignorance, the Waldensians (v.) were forbidden to preach, but for the moment they were not condemned. A series of provisions of a public and social character concluded the collection of conciliar canons. Specific to this C. were the sanctions against Jews and Saracens who held Christian slaves (can. 26), and against Christians who assisted in Saracen piracy (can. 24). Provisions were also issued in favor of lepers (can. 23) and for the establishment of free schools beside cathedrals and monasteries (can. 18).
It was the complete success of the Gregorian reform, the crowning achievement of the long struggle against civil power, from which the Church finally freed itself; it may be added that the reversal of positions was then prepared: indeed, the time was not far off when the pope would become the true arbiter of Europe’s destinies.