Carthage, Canons 78–91

Canon 78. On the church of Hippo Diarrhytus.

It further seemed good, since the destitute state of the church of Hippo Diarrhytus should no longer be neglected, and the churches there are held by those who have refused the disgraceful communion of Equitius, that certain bishops be sent from the present council, namely: Reginus, Alypius, Augustine, Maternus, Theasius, Evodius, Placian, Urbanus, Valerius, Ambivius, Fortunatus, Quodvultdeus, Honoratus, Januarius, Aptus, Honoratus, Ampelius, Victorian, Evangelus and Rogation. When they have been gathered together, and those have been corrected who with blameworthy stubbornness held that the flight of this same Equitius should be waited for, let a bishop be ordained for them by the vote of all. But if these are not willing to consider peace, let them not prevent a bishop from being chosen for ordination, for the good of the church that has been destitute for so long. [a]

Canon 79. On clerics who do not take care to have their cases heard within a year.

It was further decreed as follows. Whenever clergymen have been convicted of any crime and have confessed it, whether on account of those whose modesty is being spared, or on account of the disgrace to the church and the insolent boasting of heretics and pagans, if perhaps they are willing to be present at their case and to assert their innocence, let them do so within one year of their excommunication. But if they neglect for a year to clear their case, their voice shall not be heard afterward. [c]

Canon 80. That no one may make superiors of monasteries, or ordain as clerics, those received from a monastery not his own.

Also, it seemed good that if any bishop wishes to advance to the clergy a monk received from a monastery not under his authority, or appoints him superior of a monastery of his own, the bishop who has acted in this way shall be separated from communion with the others and shall be content with the communion of his own people alone; and the monk shall remain neither cleric nor superior.

Canon 81. On bishops who make heretics or pagans their heirs.

Also, it was ordained that if any bishop should put before his church, as his heirs, strangers who are not related to him by blood, or his heretical relatives, or pagans, he shall be anathematized even after his death, and his name shall by no means be read aloud among those of the priests of God. Nor can he be excused if he dies without a will, because as a bishop he was bound not to put off making such a disposal of his goods as befitted his profession. [d]

Canon 82. On the freeing of slaves. [e]

Also, it seemed good that the emperor be petitioned about proclaiming the freeing of slaves in church.

Canon 83. On false memorials of martyrs. [f]

Also, it seemed good that the altars set up here and there, in fields and by the roadside, as memorials of martyrs, in which no body or relics of martyrs can be proved to have been laid, should be overturned by the bishops who govern those places, if this can be done. But if this is impossible because of the popular uproar it would cause, the people should nonetheless be warned not to visit such places, and those who believe rightly should be held bound by no superstition about the place. And no memorial of martyrs should be accepted at all, except where there is a body or some relics, or where it is handed down on good authority that the place was originally the martyr’s home, or his property, or the scene of his suffering. For altars set up anywhere because of dreams or the empty so-called revelations of certain people should be rejected in every way.

Canon 84. On rooting out what remains of the idols.

Also, it seemed good to petition the most glorious emperors that the remains of idolatry be taken away altogether, not only in images but in any places whatever, or groves, or trees.

Canon 85. That when there is need, letters are to be written and signed by the bishop of Carthage in the name of all the bishops.

All the bishops said: “If any letters are to be written in the name of the council, it seemed good that the venerable bishop who presides over this see should be pleased to dictate and sign them in the name of all. Among these are the letters for the bishops who are to be sent as legates throughout the African provinces in the matter of the Donatists. And it seemed good that the letters given to them should contain the terms of their commission, which they are not to go beyond.” And they signed: “I, Aurelius, bishop of the church of Carthage, have consented to this decree and, having read it, have signed it.” All the rest of the bishops signed in the same way.

Canon 86. On the order of bishops: that those ordained more recently are not to dare to take precedence over those ordained before them.

Valentine the bishop said: “If your kind patience will allow, I follow what was done in times past in the church of Carthage, which was made weighty by being confirmed with the signatures of the brothers, and I declare that we intend to keep it. For we know this: church discipline has always remained unbroken. So let none of the brothers dare to put himself before those ordained earlier than he. Rather, by the duties of love, this honor has always been shown to those ordained earlier, and those ordained more recently should always accept it gladly. Let your holiness command that this order be strengthened by your rulings.” Aurelius the bishop said: “It would not be fitting for us to repeat these things, were it not for certain thoughtless minds that push us to make such statutes. But this is a common cause, which our brother and fellow bishop has spoken about: that each one of us should recognize the order God has assigned to him, that the more recent should give way to those ordained earlier, and that they should presume to do nothing without consulting them. So I say, now that I think of it, that those who think they may presume to take precedence over those ordained before them should be suitably restrained by the great council.” Xantippus, bishop of the first see of Numidia, said: “All the brothers present have heard what our brother and fellow bishop Aurelius has said. What answer do we make?” Datian the bishop said: “The decrees made by our forebears should be strengthened by our assent, so that the course taken by the church of Carthage in past synods may hold firm, confirmed by the full assent of all of us.” And all the bishops said: “This order has been kept by our fathers and by our forebears, and with the help of God it will be kept by us, the rights of the primacy of Numidia and of Mauretania being kept intact.” [g]

On the archives and register of Numidia. [h] Moreover, it seemed good to all the bishops who signed in this council that the register and the archives of Numidia should be kept at the first see and in the metropolis, that is, at Constantina. [i]

Canon 87. Concerning Quodvultdeus the bishop.

In the case of Quodvultdeus of Centuria, it pleased all the bishops that no one should hold communion with him until his case is brought to a conclusion. For when his accuser sought to bring the case before our council, he was asked whether he was willing to be tried together with Quodvultdeus before the bishops. At first the accuser said that he was, but on another day he answered that he was not willing, and went away. Under these circumstances, to deprive him of his bishopric before the outcome of his case was known could not commend itself to any Christian as a just act.

Canon 88. On Maximian the bishop.

But in the case of Maximian of Vagai, it seemed good that letters be sent from the council both to him and to his people: that he should give up the bishopric, and that they should ask for another to be appointed for them. [j]

Canon 89. That bishops who are ordained shall receive letters from those who ordained them, bearing the date and the name of the consul. [k]

It further seemed good that whoever should afterward be ordained by the bishops throughout the African provinces should receive from those who ordained them letters, written in their own hands, containing the name of the consul and the date, so that no dispute might arise about who was ordained first and who afterward.

Canon 90. That those who have once read in church cannot be advanced by others.

Also, it seemed good that anyone who had read in a church even once should not be admitted to the clergy by another church. [l]

And they signed: “I, Aurelius, bishop of the church of Carthage, have consented to this decree and, having read it, have signed it.” The rest of the bishops signed in the same way.

Canon 91. On holding meetings with the Donatists.

Aurelius the bishop said: “What has come out of the discussion of your love should, I think, be confirmed by the church records. For what all of you have declared shows that each one of us should call together the leaders of the Donatists in his own city, either alone or together with one of his neighboring bishops, so that in the same way, in the different cities and places, there may be meetings of them called together by the magistrates or the elders of those places. And let this be made an edict, if it seems good to all.” And all the bishops said: “It seems good to all, and we have all confirmed it with our signatures. We also wish your holiness to sign the letters to be sent from the council to the judges.” Aurelius the bishop said: “If it seems good to your love, let the form for summoning them be read, so that we may all keep to the same course of proceeding.” All the bishops said: “Let it be read.” Laetus the notary read it. [m]