Seventh Council of Toledo facts for kids

The Seventh Council of Toledo started on November 18, 646. Forty-one bishops attended this important meeting, either in person or by sending someone to represent them. It was the first of two major councils called by Chindasuinth, who was the king of the Visigoths at that time.

The main goal of the council was to make laws stronger, especially those against people who betrayed the king or the kingdom.

New Rules About Treason

The council made the laws against 'treason' much stricter. Treason means betraying your country or your ruler. If someone was found guilty of treason, they could be removed from the church, a punishment called 'excommunication'.

King Chindasuinth had recently taken strong actions against people he believed were traitors. The council supported his decisions and agreed that his punishments were fair. The new, tougher punishments for treason also applied to church leaders, like priests and bishops, just like they applied to everyone else.

Rules for Church Leaders

The council also created a special rule for members of the church. If any clergyman, no matter their rank, traveled to a foreign country to work against the king or the Visigothic nobles, they would face serious consequences. The same punishment applied if they helped a regular person do this.

Such a clergyman would be disgraced and become a 'penitent' for the rest of their life. This meant they would have to show regret for their sins and could only receive communion (a special church ritual) when they were very close to death.

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