is a tyrannical superstition, having its origin in Heathenish superstition; or shall condemn the benedictions and other ceremonies which the Church uses at it; let him be accursed.

Canon XI.

Si quis dixerit, prohibitionem solemnitatis nuptiarum certis anni temporibus superstitionem esse tyrannicam, ab ethnicorum superstitione profectam; aut benedictiones, et alias cæremonias, quibus Ecclesia in illis utitur, damnaverit; anathema sit.

CANON XII.

If any shall say, that matrimonial causes do not appertain to the ecclesiastical judges; let him be

accursed.

Canon XII.

Si quis dixerit, causas matrimoniales non spectare ad judices ecclesiasticos; anathema sit.-Conc. xiv. 873-875.

Among whom Spiritual Relationship is contracted.

the holy Synod determines, that according to the institutions of the sacred canons, only one man or one woman, or, at the most, one man and one woman receive a baptized person at baptism ; between whom and the baptized person himself, and his father and mother, as also between the baptizer

. . Sancta Synodus

statuit, ut unus tantum, sive vir, sive mulier, juxta sacrorum canonum instituta, vel ad summum unus, et una baptizatum de baptismo suscipiant; inter quos, ac baptizatum ipsum, et illius patrem, et matrem, nec non

and the baptized, and the father and mother of the baptized only, spiritual relationship may be contracted.

And, also, let not the relationship which is contracted by confirmation pass beyond the confirmer and the confirmed and his father and mother, and the person holding him.

inter baptizantem, et baptizatum, baptizatique patrem, ac matrem tantum spiritualis cognatio contrahatur. Ea quoque cognatio, quæ ex confirmatione contrahitur, confirmantem, et confirmatum, illiusque patrem, et matrem, ac tenentem non egrediatur. — Conc. xiv. 877.

SESSION XXV., A.D. 1563.

DECREE CONCERNING PURGATORY.

Whereas the Catholic Church, instructed by the Holy Spirit out of the Sacred Writings and the ancient tradition of the Fathers, has taught in the sacred councils, and lastly in this general Synod, that there is a purgatory; and that the souls there detained are assisted by the suffrages of the faithful, but especially by the acceptable sacrifice of the altar, the holy Synod charges the bishops that they take diligent care that the sound doctrine concerning purgatory, delivered by the holy Fathers and the sacred councils, be believed by Christian people, held, taught, and preached every where. But But among the common people, let the more difficult and abstruse

Decretum de Purgatorio.

Cum Catholica Ecclesia, Spiritu Sancto edocta, ex sacris litteris, et antiqua Patrum traditione, in sacris conciliis, et novissime in hac oecumenica Synodo docuerit, purgatorium esse; animasque ibi detentas, fidelium suffragiis, potissimum vero acceptabili altaris sacrificio, juvari; præcipit sancta Synodus Episcopis, ut sanam de purgatorio doctrinam, a sanctis Patribus, et sacris conciliis traditam, a Christi fidelibus credi, teneri, doceri, et ubique prædicari diligenter studeant. Apud rudem vero

questions which do not tend to edification, and from which for the most part religion derives no profit, be excluded from the public preachings. Also let them not suffer uncertain points which have not the air of truth to be published and treated of. And let them forbid those which savour of curiosity or superstition, or filthy lucre, as scandals and offences to the faithful. But let the bishops take care that the suffrages of faithful men, to wit, the sacrifices of masses, prayers, alms-givings, and other works of piety, which have been accustomed to be made by the faithful for the faithful departed, according to the ordinances of the Church, be piously and devoutly performed; and let those which are due for them by the wills of founders, or any other means, be discharged by the priests and ministers of the Church, and others who are bound to pay this service, not perfunctorily, but with diligence and attention.

plebem difficiliores, ac subtiliores quæstiones, quæque ad ædificationem non faciunt, et ex quibus plerumque nulla fit pietatis accessio, ex popularibus concionibus secludantur. Incerta item, vel quæ specie falsi laborant, evulgari, ac tractari non permittant. Ea vero, quæ ad curiositatem quamdam, aut superstitionem spectant, vel turpe lucrum sapiunt, tamquam scandala, et fidelium offendicula, prohibeant. Curent autem Episcopi, ut fidelium vivorum suffragia, missarum scilicet sacrificia, orationes, eleemosynæ, aliaque pietatis opera, quæ a fidelibus pro aliis fidelibus defunctis fieri consueverunt, secundum Ecclesiæ instituta, pie, et devote fiant; et quæ pro illis ex testatorum fundationibus, vel alia ratione debentur, non perfunctoric, sed à sacerdotibus, et Ecclesiæ ministris, et aliis, qui hoc præstare tenentur, diligenter, et accurate persolvantur.-Conc. xiv. 894.

OF THE INVOCATION, VENERATION, AND RELICS OF THE SAINTS, AND THE SACRED IMAGES.

The holy Synod commands the bishops and others who have the office and care of instruction, that according to the custom of the Catholic and Apostolic Church, which has been received from the first ages of the Christian religion, the consent of the holy Fathers, and the decrees of the sacred councils, they make it a chief point diligently to instruct the faithful concerning the intercession and invocation of saints, the honour of relics, and the lawful use of images, teaching them that the saints reigning together with Christ offer to God their prayers for men; that it is good and useful to invoke them with supplication, and, on account of the benefits obtained from God through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who alone is our Redeemer and Saviour, to have

De Invocatione, Veneratione, et Reliquiis Sanctorum, et Sacris Imaginibus.

Mandat sancta Synodus omnibus Episcopis, et ceteris docendi munus curamque sustinentibus, ut juxta Catholicæ et Apostolicæ Ecclesiæ usum, a primævis Christianæ religionis temporibus receptum, sanctorumque Patrum consensionem, et sacrorum conciliorum decreta, in primis de sanctorum intercessione, invocatione, reliquiarum honore, et legitimo imaginum usu, fideles diligenter instruant, docentes eos, sanctos, una cum Christo regnantes, orationes suas pro hominibus Deo offerre ; bonum, atque utile esse, suppliciter eos invocare; et ob beneficia impetranda a Deo per Filium ejus Jesum Christum, Dominum nos