Council of Siena
Encyclopedia
In the Catholic Church, the Council of Siena (1423 - 1424) marked a somewhat inconclusive stage in the Conciliar movement
that was attempting reforms in the Church. If it had continued, it would have qualified as an ecumenical council. In the official List of ecumenical councils
, the Council of Siena is no longer listed, as the conciliarism expressed there was later branded as a heresy
.
According to the terms of the Council of Constance
calling for periodic ecumenical councils to discuss church policies, Pope Martin V
convened a council at Pavia
, which was hardly inaugurated on April 23, 1423, when plague broke out at Pavia and the council was hastily adjourned to Siena
.
At Siena, the procedure of the Council followed that established at Constance
. Right at the start, certain formalities of the safe conducts issued by the city for the members of the Council were the cause of jurisdictional friction with papal prerogatives. Nevertheless, on the eighth of November four decrees were published, all of them directed against easy targets: against the followers of the heretical reformers, Jan Hus
, recently burnt at the stake at the Council of Constance, safe conduct or no, and against the English followers of John Wyclif, who claimed that the highest authority was the Bible; against the followers of the schismatic Antipope Benedict XIII
; a decree postponing the negotiations with the Greeks and other Eastern Orthodox churches (which were later worked into acceptable compromises in the long working sessions of the Council of Florence
, 1438 to 1445); and a decree advising greater vigilance against heresy, the easiest target of all.
Proposals for genuine institutional reform within the Catholic Church hung fire ominously. French proposals for more local control ("Gallican
" proposals, generally speaking) produced resistance from the loyalists of the Papal Curia
. Nothing was accomplished at Siena in that area.
On February 19, 1424, Basel was selected as the place of the next Council and the Council dissolved itself the following day (the decree published March 7). The French members would have preferred to continue the Council until a thorough reform of the church had been accomplished, both "in capite et in membris" ("in its head and its members"), but whether in order to avoid a new schism, or whether on account of fear of the Pope (since Siena in southern Tuscany was near the Papal States
), they departed. The selection of the venue for the next council, far from the armed temporal authority of the Papacy, is significant.
The magistrates of Siena took care not to let anyone depart until he had paid his debts.
Conciliarism
Conciliarism, or the conciliar movement, was a reform movement in the 14th, 15th and 16th century Roman Catholic Church which held that final authority in spiritual matters resided with the Roman Church as a corporation of Christians, embodied by a general church council, not with the pope...
that was attempting reforms in the Church. If it had continued, it would have qualified as an ecumenical council. In the official List of ecumenical councils
Ecumenical council
An ecumenical council is a conference of ecclesiastical dignitaries and theological experts convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice....
, the Council of Siena is no longer listed, as the conciliarism expressed there was later branded as a heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
.
According to the terms of the Council of Constance
Council of Constance
The Council of Constance is the 15th ecumenical council recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418. The council ended the Three-Popes Controversy, by deposing or accepting the resignation of the remaining Papal claimants and electing Pope Martin V.The Council also condemned and...
calling for periodic ecumenical councils to discuss church policies, Pope Martin V
Pope Martin V
Pope Martin V , born Odo Colonna, was Pope from 1417 to 1431. His election effectively ended the Western Schism .-Biography:...
convened a council at Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
, which was hardly inaugurated on April 23, 1423, when plague broke out at Pavia and the council was hastily adjourned to Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
.
At Siena, the procedure of the Council followed that established at Constance
Council of Constance
The Council of Constance is the 15th ecumenical council recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418. The council ended the Three-Popes Controversy, by deposing or accepting the resignation of the remaining Papal claimants and electing Pope Martin V.The Council also condemned and...
. Right at the start, certain formalities of the safe conducts issued by the city for the members of the Council were the cause of jurisdictional friction with papal prerogatives. Nevertheless, on the eighth of November four decrees were published, all of them directed against easy targets: against the followers of the heretical reformers, Jan Hus
Jan Hus
Jan Hus , often referred to in English as John Hus or John Huss, was a Czech priest, philosopher, reformer, and master at Charles University in Prague...
, recently burnt at the stake at the Council of Constance, safe conduct or no, and against the English followers of John Wyclif, who claimed that the highest authority was the Bible; against the followers of the schismatic Antipope Benedict XIII
Antipope Benedict XIII
Benedict XIII, born Pedro Martínez de Luna y Pérez de Gotor , known as in Spanish, was an Aragonese nobleman, who is officially considered by the Catholic Church to be an antipope....
; a decree postponing the negotiations with the Greeks and other Eastern Orthodox churches (which were later worked into acceptable compromises in the long working sessions of the Council of Florence
Council of Florence
The Council of Florence was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It began in 1431 in Basel, Switzerland, and became known as the Council of Ferrara after its transfer to Ferrara was decreed by Pope Eugene IV, to convene in 1438...
, 1438 to 1445); and a decree advising greater vigilance against heresy, the easiest target of all.
Proposals for genuine institutional reform within the Catholic Church hung fire ominously. French proposals for more local control ("Gallican
Gallicanism
Gallicanism is the belief that popular civil authority—often represented by the monarchs' authority or the State's authority—over the Catholic Church is comparable to that of the Pope's...
" proposals, generally speaking) produced resistance from the loyalists of the Papal Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
. Nothing was accomplished at Siena in that area.
On February 19, 1424, Basel was selected as the place of the next Council and the Council dissolved itself the following day (the decree published March 7). The French members would have preferred to continue the Council until a thorough reform of the church had been accomplished, both "in capite et in membris" ("in its head and its members"), but whether in order to avoid a new schism, or whether on account of fear of the Pope (since Siena in southern Tuscany was near the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
), they departed. The selection of the venue for the next council, far from the armed temporal authority of the Papacy, is significant.
The magistrates of Siena took care not to let anyone depart until he had paid his debts.
External links
- Catholic Encyclopedia, "Siena"