Statue of Burchard of Worms at Wormser Dom.

Burchard of Worms (c.950 - August 20 1025) was the Roman Catholic bishop of Worms in the Holy Roman Empire, and author of the twenty-book "Collectarium canonum" or "Decretum". August 20 is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... Political status Country: Germany Federal state: Rhineland-Palatinate Region: Rhine Neckar Area District: Independent municipality Facts Population: 85,829 (December 2004) Area: 108. ... Jump to: navigation, search This page is about the Germanic empire. ...

Life

Burchard was educated in Coblenz. He was ordained as a deacon by Archbishop Willigis of Mainz, and was eventually elevated to primate of Mainz. Emperor Otto III appointed Burchard as the bishop of Worms, an elevation confirmed by Willigis within days. In a biography written shortly after Burchard's death, it was claimed that two priests who had been appointed to the position before Burchard both died within days. The same account also indicates that Worms was in disrepair, and regularly attacked by both wolves and robbers^[1]. This article is about the German city Koblenz. ... Deacon is a role in the Christian Church which is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. ... In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop heading a diocese of particular importance due to either its size, history, or both, called an archdiocese. ... Jump to: navigation, search Map of Germany showing Mainz Mainz (French: Mayence) is a city in Germany and the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. ... Binomial name Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 The Wolf or Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) is a mammal of the Canidae family and the ancestor of the domestic dog. ...

Burchard oversaw the rebuilding of the walls of Worms, the creation of many monastaries and churches, and the destruction of the fortifications of a Duke Otto, which was believed to be housing criminals. Duke Otto's castle became a monastary in honour of St. Paul, and, in 1016 Burchard rebuilt the town's Cathedral of St. Peter. Burchard also spent time educating students in the cathedral's school. Buddhist monastery near Tibet A monastery is the habitation of monks. ... A church building is a building used in Christian worship. ... The name Saint Paul may refer to one of several possible meanings or references, though it is most commonly used to refer to the Biblical Paul of Tarsus. ... A cathedral is a Christian church building, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy (such as the Roman Catholic Church or the Lutheran or Anglican churches), which serves as the central church of a bishopric. ...

Authorship

Pages from Burchard of Worms' Decretum

Burchard is best known as the author of a twenty-book collection of canon law. Begun in 1008, the material took him four years to compile. The collection, which he called the "Collectarium canonum" or "Decretum", became the primary source for canon law. It came to be referred to as the Brocardus (Latin for 'Burchard'), from which the legal term 'brocard' originates. Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... A Brocard is a juridical principle usually expressed in Latin (and often derived from juridical works of the past), traditionally used to concisely express a wider legal concept or rule. ...

Along with numerous documents from a variety of sources, including the Old Testament and Augustine of Hippo, Burchard included the Canon Episcopi in this collection, under the belief that it dated from a bishop's "Council of Anquira" in 314, but no other evidence of this council exists^[2]. Because of this inclusion, Burchard has been described as something of a rationalist^[3]. As the source of canon law, Bruchard's Decretum was supplanted in 1150 by the Decretum Gratiani. The Old Testament or the Hebrew Scriptures (also called the Hebrew Bible) constitutes the first major part of the Bible according to Christianity. ... Jump to: navigation, search St. ... Rationalism, also known as the rationalist movement, is a philosophical doctrine that asserts that the truth can best be discovered by reason and factual analysis, rather than faith, dogma or religious teaching. ... The Decretum Gratiani is a collection of canon law written around 1140 by Gratian. ...

Burchard spent 1023-1025 promulgating Leges et Statuta familiae S. Petri Wormatiensis, a collection of religious laws he endorsed as fair and hoped to see adopted with official approval. Promulgation is the act of formally proclaiming new legislation to the public. ...

Notes and references

1. ^  "The Life of Burchard of Worms, 1025." Accessed October 16, 2005.
2. ^  "Book 8, Chapter 9, A History of the Spanish Inquisition, vol. 4." Accessed October 15, 2005.
3. ^  Russell, Jeffrey (1984). Witchcraft in the Middle Ages. Cornell University Press. 0801492890.

October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in Leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Biography in the Catholic Encyclopedia
• Translation of The Life of Burchard of Worms
• Burchard's sources for the Decretum