Collectio Hibernensis

canon law

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June 24, 2026

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The Collectio Hibernensis, or Irish Collection, is a significant canonical compilation from around 700 CE. It was notable for being one of the first canonical collections to incorporate texts from Scripture, particularly the Old Testament, alongside writings from early Church Fathers. This collection emerged from the monastic traditions of Ireland and spread to the Continent through Irish missionaries.1

Canon law itself is the body of laws and regulations made by ecclesiastical authorities for the government of the Christian church and its members. Its development in the West involved various councils, papal decrees, and compilations of these laws. The Corpus Juris Canonici, a collection of six key legal texts, served as the primary source of ecclesiastical legislation in the Roman Catholic Church from the Middle Ages until 1917.12

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canon law
Development of canon law in the West
The Collectio Hibernensis (“Hibernian [or Irish] Collection”), of about 700, used texts from Scripture—mainly from the Old Testament—for the first time in canonical collections, and texts from the Greek and Latin early Church Fathers in addition to canons. The Liber ex lege Moysi (“Book from the…
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The Collectio Hibernensis (“Hibernian [or Irish] Collection”), of about 700, used texts from Scripture—mainly from the Old Testament—for the first time in canonical collections, and texts from the Greek and Latin early Church Fathers in addition to canons. The Liber ex lege Moysi (“Book from the…
Read More