Notes about the limitations imposed to the ecclesiastics and their regime of life according to the Fourth Council of Lateran: hunt, banquets, entertainment.

Abstract

In his Letter to the Romans (12: 9-16), Saint Paul already emphasizes that the Christian must try to maintain a moral irreproachable behavior, away from any vice. This same idea remained unchanged over the course of the following centuries, perhaps with the only added consideration that those who were especially
to set an example of virtue were the people consecrated to the cult. Because of this, in several letters of Saint Jerome, we can find harsh criticisms toward to various ecclesiastics for the excesses that they commit daily in their life, all of them completely opposed to the principles defended by Christ. Certainly, the Roman Law soon made echo of these concerns, as can be seen in Nov. 123 of Justinian. However, it was the various ecclesiastical councils that established and regulated a whole series of prohibitions or limitations in relationship with ecclesiastics and their lifestyle; This situation appears perfectly reflected in the IV Lateran Council, for example in its canons XIV, XV, XVI and XVII, which establish prohibitions on hunting, food, spectacles, dressing...

Keywords: Innocence III; IV Council of Letran; vices; prohibitions; Justinian; Partidas.