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Ceimeliarchae

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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Ceillier, Dom Remy

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(κειμηλιάρχαι, keepers of the sacred vessels), a class of inferior officers in the ancient church. They had charge of all utensils and precious things laid up in the sacred repository of the church. The name sceuophylax is used in the same signification; also chartophylax, or custos archivorum, custodian of the rolls or archives (Suicer, Thesaurus, 2:971). This officer was commonly a presbyter; Macedonius was both presbyter and sceuophylax of the church of Constantinople; and Sozomen styles Theodore, presbyter of Antioch, who suffered martyrdom in the days of Julian, φύλακα τῶν κειμηλίων, keeper of the sacred utensils." He was put to death because he would not deliver up what he had in his custody. In the Greek Church the chartophylax acts as the patriarch's substitute, excommunicating and licensing presbyters and deacons, and Sitting as supreme ecclesiastical judge in many cases. — Bingham, Orig. Eccl. bk. 3, ch. 13, § 3; Sozomen, Hist. Ecclesiastes 5:8.