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The Third Council of the Lateran met in March, 1179 as the 11th ecumenical council
Ecumenical council

An ecumenical council is a conference of the bishops of the whole Christian Church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice....
. Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III

Pope Alexander III , born Rolando of Siena, was Pope from 1159 to 1181....
 presided and 302 bishop
Bishop

A bishop is an ordination or consecration member of the Clergy#Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight....
s attended.

The 11th ecumenical council
By agreement reached at the Peace of Venice in 1177 the bitter conflict between Alexander III and Emperor Frederick I was brought to an end. When Pope Hadrian IV died in 1159, the divided cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)

A cardinal is a senior Ecclesiology official, usually a Bishop , of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope....
s elected two popes: Roland of Siena, who took the name of Alexander III, and Octavian of Rome who, though nominated by fewer cardinals, was supported by Frederick and assumed the name of Pope Victor IV. Frederick, wishing to remove all that stood in the way of his authority in Italy, declared war upon the Italian states and especially the Church which was enjoying great authority.






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The Third Council of the Lateran met in March, 1179 as the 11th ecumenical council
Ecumenical council

An ecumenical council is a conference of the bishops of the whole Christian Church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice....
. Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III

Pope Alexander III , born Rolando of Siena, was Pope from 1159 to 1181....
 presided and 302 bishop
Bishop

A bishop is an ordination or consecration member of the Clergy#Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight....
s attended.

The 11th ecumenical council


By agreement reached at the Peace of Venice in 1177 the bitter conflict between Alexander III and Emperor Frederick I was brought to an end. When Pope Hadrian IV died in 1159, the divided cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)

A cardinal is a senior Ecclesiology official, usually a Bishop , of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope....
s elected two popes: Roland of Siena, who took the name of Alexander III, and Octavian of Rome who, though nominated by fewer cardinals, was supported by Frederick and assumed the name of Pope Victor IV. Frederick, wishing to remove all that stood in the way of his authority in Italy, declared war upon the Italian states and especially the Church which was enjoying great authority. A serious schism arose out of this conflict, and after Victor IV's death in 1164, two further antipopes were nominated in opposition to Alexander III: Paschal III (1164-1168) and Callistus III (1168-1178). Eventually, at the Peace of Venice, when Alexander gained victory, he promised Frederick that he would summon an ecumenical council
Ecumenical council

An ecumenical council is a conference of the bishops of the whole Christian Church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice....
.

Besides removing the remains of the recent schism
Schism (religion)

The word schism , from the Greek language s??s?a, skh?sma , means a split or a division, usually in an organization or a movement. A schismatic is a person who creates or incites schism in an organization or who is a member of a splinter group....
 the Council condemned the Waldensian
Waldensians

Waldensians, Waldenses or Vaudois are names for a Christian spiritual movement of the later Middle Ages, descendants of which still exist in various regions....
 and Cathar heresies
Christian heresy

Heresy is the rejection of one or more established beliefs of a religious body, or adherence to "other beliefs." Christian heresy refers to unorthodox practices and beliefs that were deemed to be heretical by one or more of the Christian churches....
 and pushed for the restoration of ecclesiastical discipline. It also became the first general Council of the Church to legislate against sodomy
Sodomy

Sodomy is a term used today predominantly in law to describe the act of anal intercourse, oral intercourse, as well as bestiality. When used in a religious context, it has a negative connotation....
. Three sessions were held, on 5, 14, and 19 March, in which 27 canon
Canon law

Canon law is internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church churches, and the Anglicanism of churches....
s were promulgated.

The most important of these were:

  • Canon 1 In order to prevent the possibility of future schism
    Schism (religion)

    The word schism , from the Greek language s??s?a, skh?sma , means a split or a division, usually in an organization or a movement. A schismatic is a person who creates or incites schism in an organization or who is a member of a splinter group....
    s, only cardinal
    Cardinal (Catholicism)

    A cardinal is a senior Ecclesiology official, usually a Bishop , of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope....
    s were to possess the right to elect a pope
    Pope

    The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and head of state of Vatican City. The current pope is Pope Benedict XVI, who was elected April 19, 2005 in Papal conclave, 2005....
    . In addition a two-thirds majority was to be required in order for the election to be valid. If any candidate should declare himself pope without receiving the required majority, he and his supporters were to be excommunicated
    Excommunication

    Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. The word literally means putting [someone] out of full communion....
    .
  • Canon 2 Declared null an void those ordination
    Ordination

    In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies....
    s performed by the antipope
    Antipope

    An antipope is a person who, in opposition to a sitting Bishop of Rome, makes a widely accepted claim to be the Pope. In the past, antipopes were typically those supported by a fairly significant faction of cardinal and kingdoms....
    s Octavian (Victor IV), Guy of Crema (Paschal III), and John de Struma (Antipope Callixtus III
    Antipope Callixtus III

    Antipope Callixtus III or Callistus III was Antipope from September 1168 to 29 August, 1178.His real name was Giovanni, Abbot of Struma....
    ).
  • Canon 3 forbade the promotion of anyone to a parish before the age of 25 and to the episcopate before the age of 30.
  • Canon 5 forbade the ordination of clerics not provided with any means of proper support.
  • Canon 7 forbade the charging of money to conduct burials, bless a marriage or indeed the celebration of any of the sacraments.
  • Canon 11 forbade clerics to have women in their houses or to visit the monasteries
    Monastery

    Monastery , a term derived from the Greek language word ???ast?????, neut. of ???ast????? - monasterios denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of Monk, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in Cenobium or alone ....
     of nuns without a good reason; declared that married clergy should lose their benefices; and decreed that priests who engaged in sodomy
    Sodomy

    Sodomy is a term used today predominantly in law to describe the act of anal intercourse, oral intercourse, as well as bestiality. When used in a religious context, it has a negative connotation....
     should be deposed from clerical office and required to do penance - while laymen should be excommunicated.
  • Canon 18 required every cathedral church to appoint a master to teach the clerics and the poor scholars of the church; this action helped launch the cathedral schools that later became universities.
  • Canon 19 declared excommunication for those who tried to tax churches and clergy without the consent of the bishop.
  • Canon 23 concerns the proper organisation of accommodation for lepers.
  • Canon 25 excommunicates those who engage in usury.
  • Canon 26 Forbids Jews and Moslems from having Christian servants and states that the evidence of Christians is always to be accepted against Jews.
  • Canon 27 stressed the duty of princes to repress heresy
    Christian heresy

    Heresy is the rejection of one or more established beliefs of a religious body, or adherence to "other beliefs." Christian heresy refers to unorthodox practices and beliefs that were deemed to be heretical by one or more of the Christian churches....
    .


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