Avranches, Council of.—In
1172 (Sept., 27-28) a council was
held at Avranches in France,
apropos of the troubles caused
in the English Church by the
murder of St. Thomas Becket.
Henry II, King of England, after due penance, was absolved from the censures incurred by the assassination of the holy prelate, and swore fidelity to
Alexander III in the person of
his legate. It was forbidden to
confer on children benefices that
carried with them the cure of
souls, or on the children of
priests the churches of their
fathers. Each parish was Rea Kyicur or Sr. Benedict or Aviz
quired to have an assistant
(vicarius) and the Advent fast was commended to all who could observe it, especially to ecclesiastics.
Mans, Coll. Cone. (1778), XXII, 136; Berssin, Cone. Rotomag. (1717), 84, 263-295; Chevalier, Topo-bibl. (Paris, 1894-99), 286.
Thomas J. Shahan.