Primicerius

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(Etymologicallyprimus in cera, sc.in tabula cerata, the first in a list of a class of officials)

A term applied in later Roman times to the head of any administration—thus "primicerius notariorum", "primicerius protectorum" etc. (cf.Forcellini, "Totius latinitatis Lexicon", s.v.). Inecclesiastical use the term was given to heads of the colleges ofNotarii andDefensores, which occupied so important a place in the administration of theRoman Church in later antiquity and in the earlyMiddle Ages. When youngclerics were assembled inschools for training in theecclesiastical service in the different districts of theWestern Church (from the fifth or sixth century), the directors of theseschools were also commonly given this title. Thus, an inscription of the year 551 fromLyons mentions a "Stephanus primicerius scolae lectorum servientium in ecclesia Lugdunensi" (Le Blant, "Inscriptions chrétiennes de la Gaule", I, 142, n. 45; cf. similar notices inDucange, "Glossarium", s.v.;Gregory of Tours, "Hist. Francorum", II, xxxvii).St. Isidore of Seville treats of theobligations of the primicerius of the lowerclerics in his "Epistola ad Ludefredum" (P.L., LXXXIII, 896). From this position the primicerius also derived certain powers in the direction ofliturgical functions. In the regulation of the common life of theclergy in collegiate andcathedral churches, according to the Rule of Chrodegang and thestatutes ofAmalarius of Metz, the primicerius appears as the first capitular after thearchdeacon and archpresbyter, controlling the lowerclerics and directing theliturgical functions and chant. The primicerius thus became a special dignitary of many chapters by a gradual development from the position of the old primicerius of thescola cantorum orlectorum.

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