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Canon (title)

(Redirected fromSecular canons)

Canon(Greek:κανονικός,romanized:kanonikós) is a Christian title usually used to refer to a member of certain bodies in subject to anecclesiastical rule.

Originally, a canon was aclericliving with others in a clergy house or, later, in one of the houses within the precinct of or close to acathedralor other major church and conducting his life according to the customary discipline or rules of the church. This way of life grew common (and is first documented) in the 8th century AD. In the 11th century, some churches required clergy thus living together to adopt the rule first proposed bySaint Augustinethat they renounce private wealth. Those who embraced this change were known as Augustinians orCanons Regular,whilst those who did not were known assecularcanons.

Secular canons

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Latin Church

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In theLatin Church,canons are the members of achapter,that is a body of senior clergy overseeing either acathedral(acathedral chapter) or acollegiate church.Depending on the title of the church, several languages use specific titles, e.g., in GermanDomherr or Domkapitularin aDom(i.e., cathedral),Stiftsherrin a prelature that has the status of aStift(notably under aprince of the Church).

One of the functions of the cathedral chapter in the Latin Church was to elect avicar capitular(now named a diocesan administrator) to serve during asede vacanteperiod of thediocese.Since the1983 revision of the Code of Canon Law,this responsibility belongs to the college ofconsultors,unless the national bishops conference decides that the functions that canon law ascribes to the college of consultors, including this one, are to be entrusted to the cathedral chapter.[1]

Church of England

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All canons of theChurch of Englandhave been secular since theReformation,although an individual canon may also be a member of a religious order. Mostly, however, they are ordained, that is, priests or other clergy. Today, the system of canons is retained almost exclusively in connection withcathedralchurches. A canon is a member of thechapterof (for the most part) priests, headed by adean,which is responsible for administering a cathedral or certain other churches that are styledcollegiate churches.The dean and chapter are the formal body which has legal responsibility for the cathedral and for electing the bishop.

Honorary canons

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The title of Canon is not a permanent title and, when no longer in a position entitling preferment, it is usually dropped from a cleric's title nomenclature. However, it is still given in manydiocesesto seniorparishpriests (including somerural deans,those who have played a role in the wider life of the diocese, those who have served in the diocese for a long time, or similar) as a largely honorary title. It is usually awarded in recognition of long and dedicated service to the diocese. Honorary canons are members of the chapter in name but are non-residential and receive noemoluments.They are entitled to call themselves canon and may have a role in the administration of the cathedral.

Four Canons with SSAugustineandJeromeby an Open Grave, with the Visitation.Master of the Spes Nostra[nl](active c. 1500–1520, Northern Netherlands)

Generally speaking, canons inAnglicanchurches are either canonsresidentiary(working at the cathedral, and few in number) orhonorarycanons (non-cathedral clergy given the title as a mark of honour—often many of them): either may wear a violet or violet-trimmedcassock.In someChurch of Englanddioceses, the titlePrebendaryis used instead ofCanonwhen the cleric is involved administratively with a cathedral. Canons may be members of the diocesan or bishop's staff rather than the cathedral staff, such as in theUnited States Episcopal Church,where a diocese's "Canon to the Ordinary" is a senior priest who works directly for the diocesan bishop (ordinary).[2]

Honorary canons within the Catholic Church may still be nominated after theSecond Vatican Council.Also, priests (and honorary chaplains) of theSovereign Military Order of Maltaand theEquestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchreare, in fact, titular or honorary canons of these respective Orders and have the right to the honorific title of "Canon" and "Monsignor"[citation needed]in addition to the choir dress of a canon, which includes the mozetta (black with purple piping for Malta and white with a red Jerusalem cross for Holy Sepulchre.[3][4]

Lay canons

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Petrus-Ludovicus Stillemans (1821–1902), brother ofAntoon Stillemansand honorary canon ofSt Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent

Since the reign ofKing Henry IV,theheads of stateof France have been granted by thePopethe title of sole honorary canon ofSaint John LateranandSaint Peter's.[5][6]On the demise of the Kingdom of France this honour became transferred to thePresidents of the Republic,and hence is currently held byEmmanuel Macron.This applies even when the French President is not a Catholic or even an atheist. The proto-canon of the papal basilica ofSaint Mary Majoris theKing of Spain,currentlyFelipe VI.[7][8]

Before theEnglish Reformation,theKing of Englandwas a canon of the basilica ofSaint Paul outside the Walls.

In addition to canons who are clerics inholy orders,cathedrals in the Anglican Communion may also appoint lay persons as canons. The rank of "lay canon" is especially conferred upondiocesan chancellors(the senior legal officer of the diocese, who is usually, though not exclusively, a lay person).[citation needed]

It has traditionally been said that the King of England (now theBritish Sovereign) is a canon orprebendaryofSt David's Cathedral, Wales.However, this is based on a misconception. The canonry of St Mary's College, St David's became the property of the Crown on thedissolution of the monasteries.The Sovereign was never a canon of St David's, even as a layman (see also theThirty-Nine Articles of Religion(1562) Article 37), though he or she may occupy the firstprebendalstall,which is assigned for the monarch's use.[citation needed]

Canon professors

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AnotherFlemishcanon in official clerical dress of canons

A canon professor is a canon at an Anglican cathedral (either lay or in orders) who also holds a university professorship. There are four canon professorships in theUniversity of Oxfordin conjunction withChrist Church Cathedral, Oxfordand two inDurham Universityin conjunction withDurham Cathedral,[9][10]although academics titled "canon professor" may also be found at other universities where the appointments as canon and professor have been made independently.[11][12][13]

Section 2 of theChurch of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 1995[14]was passed for the express purpose of enablingChrist Church Cathedral, Oxford,to appoint not more than two lay canons. One of the motivations for this provision was that, under section 6 of theEcclesiastical Commissioners Act 1840(3 & 4 Vict.c. 113), the position ofRegius Professor of Ecclesiastical Historyin theUniversity of Oxfordwas annexed to a residentiary canonry of the cathedral, meaning that the Regius professorship could be held only by an Anglican priest. Following the death ofPeter Hinchliffin 1995 the Regius professorship was held byHenry Mayr-Harting,aCatholiclayman, from 1997 until 2003, and was taken up by another lay person,Sarah Foot,inMichaelmas Term2007. Three otherStatutory Professorships,theRegius Professorship of Divinity,Lady Margaret Professorship of Divinity,recently held by the famous Anglican theologian,John Macquarrie,andRegius Professorship of Moral and Pastoral Theology,are annexed to canonries of Christ Church and were until recently held only by Anglican priests.[citation needed]

At Durham, the canon professorships are theVan Mildert Professor of Divinity,the holder of which must be an Anglican priest, and theMichael Ramsey Professor of Anglican Studies,who must be Anglican but did not have to be ordained.[15][16][17]Historically, the chair in Greek at the university was also a canon professorship. This canonry was transferred to theLightfoot Professor of Divinityin 1940.[18]

The Lightfoot professorship was attached to the canonry until 1985,[19]when the non-AnglicanJames Dunnwas appointed.[citation needed]

Minor canons

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Minor canonsare those clergy who are members of the foundation of a cathedral or collegiate establishment. They take part in the daily services. They have sometimes formed a distinct corporation as atSt Paul's Cathedral,London. InSt Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin,they are distinct from, and rank before, theVicars Choral.The two groups overlap however; the two senior vicars, the Dean's Vicar and theSuccentor,are also the two senior Minor Canons. Some Minor Canons do sit with, but are not voting members of, the Chapter. Although at present Minor Canons are generally more junior clergy this is a recent development. Within living memory such offices were often freehold and were held by clergy of great distinction and seniority.

Canons regular

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Main article:Canons regular

Canons regular are the members of certain religious orders in the Catholic Church (not to be confused withclerics regular), composed of priests who live in community withlay brothers.Their goal is to combine the clerical and monastic forms of life, thus they are equally committed to pastoral ministry and to the communal celebration of theLiturgy of the Hours.Their distinctivereligious habitis therochet,which can be rendered in a range of forms.

There are a variety of congregations of canons, some of which are part of the Confederation ofCanons Regular of St. Augustine:

Many bishops endeavoured to imitate St. Augustine and St. Eusebius, and to live a common life with the clergy of their church. Rules taken from the sacred canons were even drawn up for their use, of which the most celebrated is that ofSt. Chrodegang,Bishop of Metz(766). In the tenth century, this institution declined; the canons, as the clergy attached to a church and living a common life were called, began to live separately; some of them, however, resisted this relaxation of discipline, and even added poverty to their common life. This is the origin of the canons regular.Pope Benedict XIIby his constitutionAd decorem(15 May 1339) prescribed a general reform of the canons regular. Thecanons regularex professo united Holy Orders with religious life, and being attached to a church, devoted themselves to promoting the dignity ofdivineworship.Withmonks,Holy Orders are incidental and secondary, and are superadded to the religious life. With canons as with the clerks regular, Holy Orders are the principal thing, and the religious life is superadded to the Holy Orders.[citation needed]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Canon 502 §3".The Code of Canon Law.Rome,IT:The Vatican.Retrieved2013-12-01.
  2. ^The Episcopal Diocese of New York (2019)."Episcopal Church Terminology".DioceseNY.org.Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  3. ^Insignia according toGammarelliand Barbiconi
  4. ^"Canon information".www.smomge.org/Brianz.jpg(Image search result).Retrieved14 January2018.
  5. ^"Ente - Santissimo Salvatore e Santi Giovanni Battista ed Evangelista in Laterano"(in Italian). Vicariate of the Diocese of Rome. Archived fromthe originalon 9 November 2013.Retrieved18 June2014.
  6. ^"Ente - San Pietro in Vaticano"(in Italian). Vicariate of the Diocese of Rome.Retrieved18 June2014.
  7. ^"Liberian Chapter. The Chapter of Saint Mary Major".Rome: The Vatican.Retrieved14 January2018.
  8. ^"Ente - San Paolo fuori le Mura".Vicariate of the Diocese of Rome. Archived fromthe originalon 19 August 2016.Retrieved14 January2018.
  9. ^Mark Hill; Russell Sandberg; Norman Doe (2011).Religion and Law in the United Kingdom.Kluwer Law International. p. 182.ISBN9789041134400.
  10. ^"Cathedral and university welcome new professors".Premier Christian Media Trust. 2014.Retrieved30 December2016.
  11. ^"Canon Professor Elaine Graham".Chester University.Retrieved30 December2016.
  12. ^"The Revd Canon Professor Richard Burridge".King's College London.Retrieved30 December2016.
  13. ^"The Revd Canon Professor Leslie Francis".University of Warwick.Retrieved30 December2016.
  14. ^"Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 1995 No. 2".legislation.gov.uk.Retrieved30 April2019.
  15. ^"Two new Canon Professors appointed".Durham University. 12 February 2015.Retrieved30 December2016.
  16. ^"Van Mildert Canon Professor of Divinity".Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2016.Retrieved30 December2016.
  17. ^"Michael Ramsey Professor of Anglican Studies".Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2016.Retrieved30 December2016.
  18. ^The Universities Review, Volumes 13-17.1940. p. 37.
  19. ^"The Rev Professor Douglas Jones".The Independent.2 December 2005.
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