T

Decree III.

He Synod doth furthermore declare, That no Priest shall hold Two Churches with Cure, or receive the Fruits of them according to the Holy Canons: And whereas in this Diocefs there are many that have two or three Churches, which they have had commended unto them in feveral parts, either because they were built by their Relations, or for fome other Reafon; all which being a great Abuse, the Synod doth declare, That after the divifion of the Parishes is made, none shall have any Jurifdiction therein befides their proper Vicars, to whom only it shall belong to order all the Affairs of their Churches, and to whom whofoever fhall deny to yield Obedience, fhall be declared Excommunicate, and shall be punished at the pleasure of the Prelate as disturbers of the Church; and all fuch Priests as are in prefent poffeffion of the Churches, if qualified, and there be no juft Impediment, the Synod will have it be inftituted Vicars of one of their Parishes, as the moft Reverend Metropolitan fhall think fit; not that the Synod intends to prohibit the Prelate, in cafe he is not provided of a fufficient number of able Priests, or where there is not a fufficient maintenance, to recommend two Churches to one Vicar, provided they are at fuch a distance that he can look after both, without any wrong to the administration of the Sacraments. However,

Z3

this

this shall never be done, but when there is an urgent and neceflary Reafon for it.

Decree IV.

Whereas there are a great many Churches in

this Diocess that have no Priests, to the great detriment of the Faithful, who by that means are for several Years without Mafs, or any to adminifter the Sacraments to them, as has appeared to the Reverend Metropolitan in his Vifitation of the Churches, in fome of which he found there had been no Maffes faid in five or fix Years, and that there are Children of th or a greater Age, that have never been Baptized; therefore the Synod both command, That there be no Church that is made Parochial, how poor and inconfiderable foever the People may be, for any long time without a Curate or Vicar to adminifter the Sacraments to the Faithful, of which the Prelate is to take special care; and if it fhould fo happen, as it does too often, that he cannot have a Prieft to fupply fuch Cures, in that Cafe, the Synod declares, that the Prelate may oblige whomfoever he pleafeth, by Penalties and Cenfüres to ferve fuch Churches, that fo the Neceffities of the Faithful may be provided for, giving them whereon to fubfift in the faid Churches.

Decree

Decree V.

TH He Synod being informed that there are many Villages in this Diocefs, which, by reafon of their great distance from any Church, have little of Chriftianity left in them besides the Name of the Chriftians of St. Thomas, which has been occafioned through the great negligence of the former Schifmatical Prelates of this Bifhoprick; wherefore the Synod doth, in virtue of Holy Obedience, command all Priests that are nominated Vicars, fo foon as they fhall come to their Churches, to make a strict inquiry into the Christians that live in the Skirts of their Parishes, and to report what they fhall difcover as to this Matter to the most Reverend Metropolitan,that fo he may take fuch courfe therein as fhall be most for the Service of Chrift, and the Benefit of Souls; and the fame diligence shall be ufed in all Parts, where there are fuch People found, and have never been Baptized, and where it is thought neceflary, there fhall be New Churches built, and Vicars appointed for the reducing fuch to true Chriftianity, and the ufe of the Holy Sacraments of the Church.

W

Decree VI.

Hereas the Church of Travancor is at this time totally demolished, the greater part of its Parishioners having above forty Years ago turned perfect Heathens, all which has happened through the negligence of fending Priefts among them by reafon of their great distance from any other Church, there being nevertheless feveral good Chriftians there ftill, therefore the Synod doth command, that a Vicar be forthwith collated to that place, who fhall fet immediately about rebuilding the Church; there fhall likewife be fome Preachers fent along with him to reduce the faid People into the bofom of Holy Mother Church, and to the Holy Catholick Faith of Chrift, according to the Orders given therein by the most Reverend Metropolitan," and the Vicar fhall continue there baptizing and receiving all, according to the neceflity of the Church, for which an Olla, or License has been already obtained from the King of Travancor, and shall from henceforth continue in the Church according to the neceffity thereof.

Decree VII.

He Synod being informed, That upon the borders of the Territories belonging to the Samorim King of Calecut, at the distance of four leagues from any Church in this Bishoprick,

there

there is a Country called Tadamalla, in which there are certain Villages of Christians, who were anciently of this Church, but at present have nothing of Chriftianity but the bare Name, doth command that Priests and Preachers be fent thither immediately from this Church to reduce them to the Catholick Faith, and baptize them, in which matter, through the diligences that have been used by the most Reverend Metropolitan, they will meet with no difficulties on the part of those who have loft their Christianity only for want of Inftruction, and the Synod doth recommend this People, as a Member of their Church to the Spiritual Care of the most Reverend Metropolitan.

WE

Decree VIII.

Hereas the ufe of the Holy Oils was inftituted by Chrift in the Church, who made the Oil of Chrism,the matter of the Sacrament of Confirmation and Extream Unction ; and did furthermore appoint other Holy Unctions for the Catechumeni, delivering the Doctrine of the Confecration of fuch Oils in his laft Supper to his Difciples,as we are taught by Holy Tradition from the Apostles and the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers of theChurch, and there having notwithstanding this been no fuch thing in use, or known in this Church to this day: Therefore the Synod doth command, that in all Parish Churches there be a Box that fhall hold three Veffels of Plate, Tin, or Glafs,