Canon XV.
Concerning
things belonging to
the church, which presbyters may have sold when there was no bishop, it
is decreed that the Church property shall be reclaimed; and it shall be
in the discretion of the bishop whether it is better to receive the
purchase price, or not; for oftentimes the revenue of the things sold
might yield them the greater value.
Notes.
Ancient Epitome of Canon XV.
Sales of Church goods made by presbyters are null, and
the matter shall rest with the bishop.
Hefele.
If the purchaser of ecclesiastical properties has
realized more by the temporary revenue of such properties than the
price of the purchase, the Synod thinks there is no occasion to restore
him this price, as he has already received a sufficient indemnity from
the revenue, and as, according to the rules then in force,
interest
drawn from the purchase money was not permitted.
Besides, the purchaser had done wrong in buying ecclesiastical property
during the vacancy of a see (
sede vacante
). Beveridge and
Routh have shown that in the text
ἀνακαλεῖσθαι
and
πρόσοδον
must
be read.
117
117
ἀνακαλεῖσθαν
for
ἀναβαλεῖσθαι
and
πρόσοδον
for
εἰσοδον
.