Simony (pron. or ) is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus, who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24. Simon Magus offers the disciples of Jesus, Peter and John, payment so that anyone on whom he would place his hands would receive the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the origin of the term simony; but it also extends to other forms of trafficking for money in "spiritual things". Simony was also one of the important issues during the Investiture Controversy.
Read more about Simony: History