Canons 1–5

Canon 1. That the sacred canons are to be kept in everything. [a] The pattern for those who have received the dignity of the priesthood is found in the testimonies and instructions laid down in the canons. We receive them with a glad mind, and sing to the Lord God in the words of David, inspired by God: “I have delighted in the way of your testimonies as much as in all riches.” “You have commanded righteousness as your testimonies forever.” “Give me understanding, and I shall live.” Now if the word of prophecy bids us keep the testimonies of God forever and live by them, it is clear that they must remain unshaken and unchanged. That is why Moses, the prophet of God, speaks this way: “Nothing is to be added to them, and nothing is to be taken away from them.” And the divine apostle, glorying in them, cries out, “things into which the angels long to look,” and, “If an angel preaches to you anything besides what you have received, let him be anathema.” Since these things are so, and so well attested to us, we rejoice over them like one who has found great spoil, and we gladly hold the divine canons close to our hearts. We hold fast all their commands, complete and unchanged, whether they were set out by the holy trumpets of the Spirit, the renowned apostles, or by the six ecumenical councils, or by councils assembled locally to publish the decrees of those ecumenical councils, or by our holy fathers. For all of these, enlightened by the same Spirit, defined what was beneficial. Accordingly, those whom they placed under anathema, we too anathematize; those whom they deposed, we too depose; those whom they excommunicated, we too excommunicate; and those whom they handed over to punishment, we subject to the same penalty. And now, “let your way of life be free from greed,” cries Paul the divine apostle, who was caught up into the third heaven and heard words that cannot be spoken. [b]

Canon 2. That anyone who is to be ordained a bishop must be firmly resolved to keep the canons; otherwise he shall not be ordained. When we recite the Psalter, we promise God: “I will meditate on your statutes, and will not forget your words.” It is a wholesome thing for all Christians to keep this, but it is especially binding on those who have received the dignity of the priesthood. Therefore we decree that everyone who is raised to the rank of bishop shall know the Psalter by heart, so that from it he may admonish and instruct all the clergy under him. And the metropolitan shall examine him carefully, to see whether he is eager to read diligently, and not merely now and then, the sacred canons, the holy Gospel, the book of the divine apostle, and all the rest of divine Scripture; and whether he lives according to God’s commandments and also teaches the same to his people. For the special treasure of our high priesthood is the oracles divinely delivered to us, that is, the true knowledge of the divine Scriptures, as Dionysius the Great says. And if his mind is not set, and even glad, to do and teach this, let him not be ordained. For God says through the prophet, “You have rejected knowledge; I also will reject you, so that you will be no priest to me.” [e]

Canon 3. That it is not for rulers to choose a bishop. [h] Every election of a bishop, presbyter, or deacon made by rulers shall be void, according to the canon that says: “If any bishop makes use of the secular powers and through them gains control of a church, he shall be deposed, and also excommunicated, together with all who remain in communion with him.” For the one who is to be raised to the office of bishop must be chosen by bishops, as the holy fathers of Nicaea decreed in the canon that says: “It is most fitting that a bishop be ordained by all the bishops in the province. But if this is hard to arrange, either because of urgent necessity or because of the length of the journey, then, when at least three bishops have met together and given their votes, and those who are absent have also given their consent by letter, the ordination shall take place. The confirmation of what is done in this way shall be given in each province by its metropolitan.” [i]

Canon 4. That bishops are to keep away from taking gifts of any kind.

Paul, the divine apostle and the herald of the church, laid down a rule not only for the presbyters of Ephesus but for the whole company of the priesthood. He says it plainly: “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing. I have shown you in everything that by working hard in this way you must support the weak.” For he counted it more blessed to give. Taught by him, then, we decree that under no circumstances is a bishop, for the sake of shameful gain, to invent false pretexts about sins and demand gold or silver or other gifts from the bishops, clergy or monks who are under him. For the apostle says, “The unrighteous will not possess the kingdom of God,” and, “Children ought not to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.” So if anyone is found who, in order to extract gold or any other gift, or out of personal feeling, has suspended any of the clergy under his authority from the ministry or even excommunicated them, or who has shut any of the venerable churches so that the service of God cannot be celebrated in it, pouring out his madness even on things that cannot feel and so showing that he himself is without understanding, he is to suffer the same punishment he devised for others. His trouble will come back on his own head, as one who has broken God’s commandment and the instructions of the apostles. For Peter, the supreme head of the apostles, commands: “Feed the flock of God that is among you, watching over it, not under compulsion but willingly; not for shameful gain but eagerly; not as lords over the clergy, but as examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of glory that does not fade away.” [j]

Canon 5. That those who treat clergy with contempt because they were ordained in the church without bringing a gift are to be punished with a fine. [n]

It is a sin leading to death when people go on in their sin beyond all correction. But those sin more deeply who proudly lift themselves up to oppose godliness and sincerity, counting mammon worth more than obedience to God and caring nothing for his precepts laid down in the canons. The Lord God is not found among such people, unless perhaps, humbled by their own fall, they return to a sober mind. They ought rather to turn to God with a crushed heart and pray for forgiveness and pardon for so grave a sin, and no longer boast in an unholy gift. For the Lord is near to those who are of a crushed heart. There are some who pride themselves on having been ordained in the church because of their gifts of gold. They rest confidently in this evil custom, so foreign to God and so out of keeping with the whole priesthood, and with a proud look and an open mouth they revile with abusive words those who, because of the strictness of their lives, were chosen by the Holy Spirit and ordained without any gift of money. As for these, we decree first that they are to take the lowest place in their order; and if they do not mend their ways, they are to be punished with a fine. [o]

But if it turns out that anyone has at any time given money as the price of ordination, he is to be dealt with according to the Apostolic Canon that says: “If a bishop has gained possession of his office by means of money (and the same rule applies to a presbyter or a deacon), let him be deposed, and the one who ordained him as well, and let him also be cut off from communion altogether, as Simon Magus was by me, Peter.” To the same effect is the second canon of our holy fathers at Chalcedon, which says: “If any bishop ordains for money, and puts up for sale what cannot be sold, and ordains for money a bishop, or a country bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, or any other of those counted among the clergy; or if for money he appoints anyone as steward, advocate or paramonarius; or, in a word, if he has done anything else contrary to the canon for the sake of shameful gain, then whoever has undertaken anything of this kind shall, once convicted, be in danger of losing his own rank. And the one ordained shall gain nothing from the ordination or promotion bought in this way, but shall remain a stranger to the office and responsibility he obtained by money. And if anyone is found to have acted as a go-between in such shameful and godless dealing, he too, if he is a cleric, shall be removed from his rank; if he is a layman or a monk, let him be excommunicated.”