Definition

Noun: - The buying or selling of ecclesiastical privileges, such as pardons or benefices: Simony is the act of paying for sacraments or for positions within a church hierarchy. It is considered a sin and a crime in canon law, named after Simon Magus, who, according to the New Testament, offered money to the apostles to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit.

Usage

• Simony is used as a non-count noun to describe the practice or crime itself.
• It is typically used in historical, religious, or formal legal contexts.

Examples

• The council condemned the bishop for simony after he was found to have accepted money for appointments.
• During the Middle Ages, simony was a widespread corruption within the church.
• Laws were enacted to prevent the simony of church offices.

Advanced Usage

• "To be guilty of simony": To have committed the act of buying or selling church offices or spiritual benefits.
  • The priest was defrocked for being guilty of simony.
• "Accusations of simony": Charges alleging that someone has engaged in this practice.
  • The papal investigation focused on accusations of simony within the diocese.

Variants and Related Words

• Simoniac (noun): A person who practices or is guilty of simony.
  • The reformer denounced the bishops as simoniacs.
• Simoniacal (adjective): Relating to or involving simony.
  • They sought to root out simoniacal practices.

Synonyms

• Traffic in sacred things: A formal phrase describing the trade of spiritual items or offices.
• Ecclesiastical corruption: A broader term for corrupt practices within a church, which can include simony.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "To sell indulgences": While not identical to simony, this historical practice of selling remission of sins is closely associated with the concept and often cited as an example of it.
  • Martin Luther protested against the selling of indulgences, which he saw as a form of simony.

Noun

1. traffic in ecclesiastical offices or preferments