simony

si·mo·ny

S0416700 (sī′mə-nē, sĭm′ə-)n. The buying or selling of ecclesiastical offices or of indulgences or other spiritual things.

[Middle English simonie, from Old French, from Late Latin simōnia, after Simon Magus, a sorcerer who tried to buy spiritual powers from the Apostle Peter (Acts 8:9-24).]

si′mo·nist n.

simony

(ˈsaɪmənɪ) n (Ecclesiastical Terms) Christianity the practice, now usually regarded as a sin, of buying or selling spiritual or Church benefits such as pardons, relics, etc, or preferments[C13: from Old French simonie, from Late Latin sīmōnia, from the name of Simon Magus] ˈsimonist n

si•mo•ny

(ˈsaɪ mə ni, ˈsɪm ə-)

n. 1. the making of profit out of sacred things. 2. the buying or selling of ecclesiastical preferments, benefices, etc. [1175–1225; Middle English < Late Latin simōnia; after Simon Magus, who tried to purchase apostolic powers; see Simon (definition 4), -y³] si′mon•ist, n.

simonism, simony

the practice or defense of the selling of church relies, preferments, etc. — simoniac, simonist, n.See also: Catholicism

the sin or offense of selling or granting for personal advantage church appointments, benefices, preferments, etc. — simoniac, simonist, n.See also: Church

the sin or offense of selling or granting for personal advantage church appointments, benefices, preferments, etc. — simonist, n.See also: Sin

Thesaurus

Noun

simony - traffic in ecclesiastical offices or prefermentsbarratrytraffic - buying and selling; especially illicit trade

Translations

Simonie

simony

(sĭm`ənē), in canon lawcanon law,
in the Roman Catholic Church, the body of law based on the legislation of the councils (both ecumenical and local) and the popes, as well as the bishops (for diocesan matters).
..... Click the link for more information. , buying or selling of any spiritual benefit or office. The name is derived from Simon MagusSimon Magus
, Samaritan sorcerer who attempted to buy spiritual power from the apostles. From this comes the term simony. He is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. He was said to have founded a Gnostic sect.
..... Click the link for more information. , who tried to buy the gifts of the Holy Spirit from St. Peter (Acts 8). Simony is a very grave sin, and ecclesiastics who commit it may be excommunicated. The temporal price may be one of many kinds, e.g., money or high office. What is sold may be the performance of a sacrament or any other spiritual service; it is also simony to sell a benefice or endowment or other temporality to which anything spiritual is attached. Because of the frequency of simony at times in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, the legislation of the church is very strict; e.g., simony in the election of a pope invalidates the election (law of Julius II, 1503); no priest may ask for a baptismal fee in any way; and Mass stipends are fixed by the bishop and are governed by the expense of the Mass and the necessities of the priest. Since the Council of Trent the sale of indulgences is prohibited in any form, and no blessed article may be sold as blessed. The prevalence of simony was most important in bringing about the 11th-century papal reform movement.

Simony

(from Simon Magus, a sorcerer who, according to evangelical mythology, asked the Apostles to sell him the gift of commanding the Holy Spirit), the buying or selling of ecclesiastical offices or holy orders, widespread in Western Europe in the Middle Ages and practiced by the papacy, kings, and important feudal lords. The abolition of simony was one of the principal demands of the advocates of the Cluniac reform, who introduced the term “simony.”

simony

Christianity the practice, now usually regarded as a sin, of buying or selling spiritual or Church benefits such as pardons, relics, etc., or preferments

simony

si·mo·ny

simony

si•mo•ny

simonism, simony

simony

simony

Simony

simony

Simony

simony

Synonyms for simony

noun traffic in ecclesiastical offices or preferments

Synonyms

Related Words