Sardica, Canons 10–13

Canon 10, the Greek text. Bishop Hosius said: “This too I think necessary. You should consider with all thoroughness and care that if some rich man or a lawyer from the courts is wanted as bishop, he should not be ordained until he has carried out the ministry of reader, deacon and presbyter. In that way, passing upward step by step through the several grades, he may advance, if he is found worthy, to the height of the office of bishop. “And he must certainly remain in each order for no short time, so that his faith, his good reputation, his firmness of character and his considerate bearing may be well known, and so that, having been judged worthy of the divine office of the priesthood, that is, the office of bishop, he may enjoy the highest honor. “For it is not fitting, nor do discipline and good conduct allow it, to proceed to this rashly or lightly, so as to ordain a bishop or presbyter or deacon in haste. Such a man would rightly be counted a novice. This is especially so since the most blessed apostle, the teacher of the Gentiles, is seen to have forbidden hasty ordinations. For it is not unreasonable to require the test of even the longest period of time to show the conduct and character of each candidate.” [a] All said that this was their will and that it must be absolutely unchangeable.

The Latin text. Bishop Hosius said: “This too I think it necessary for you to consider most carefully. If perhaps some rich man, or a lawyer from the courts, or a former public official is wanted as bishop, he should not be ordained until he has carried out the ministry of a reader and the office of deacon and presbyter. So he will climb, if he has shown himself worthy, through the several grades to the height of the office of bishop. “For by these promotions, which in any case take a considerable length of time, his faith, his good judgment, his seriousness and his modesty can be tested. And if he is found worthy, let him be honored with the divine office of the priesthood, that is, the office of bishop. “For it is not fitting, nor do order and discipline allow, that someone who is a novice be rashly or lightly ordained bishop, presbyter or deacon, especially since the blessed apostle, the teacher of the Gentiles, is seen to have expressly forbidden it. But those should be ordained whose life has been tested and whose merit has been proved over a length of time.” All said that this was their will.

Canon 11, the Greek text. Bishop Hosius said: “This too we ought to decree. Suppose a bishop comes from one city to another city, or from one province to another province, to indulge his vanity, serving his own praise rather than religious devotion, and he wants to prolong his stay in that city, and the bishop of the city is not skilled in teaching. Let the visiting bishop not treat the bishop of the place with contempt, and not try by frequent sermons to belittle him and lessen his reputation, for this trick usually causes uproar. And let him not try by such arts to win and seize for himself another man’s throne, not shrinking from abandoning the church entrusted to him and getting himself moved to another. “So a fixed limit of time should be set in such a case, especially since refusing to receive a bishop is counted the act of rude and discourteous people. “You remember that in former times our fathers decreed that if a layman was staying in a city and did not come to divine worship for three Sundays in a row, that is, for three full weeks, he should be shut out of communion. If, then, this has been decreed in the case of laymen, it is neither necessary, nor fitting, nor even useful, that a bishop, unless he has some serious need or difficult business, should be away from his own church for a very long time and cause distress to the people entrusted to him.” [d] All the bishops said: “We judge this decree too to be most proper.”

The Latin text. Bishop Hosius said: “This too you ought to decide. A bishop may come from one city to another city, or from his own province to another province, and serving ambition rather than devotion, wish to stay for a long time in a city not his own. Then, since it may happen that the bishop of the place is not as practiced or as learned as he is, the stranger may begin to treat him with contempt and give frequent sermons to belittle him and lessen his reputation, not hesitating by this trick to leave the church assigned to him and move to the one that belongs to another. “In such a case, then, set a limit of time for his stay in the city. For on the one hand it is discourteous to refuse to receive a bishop, and on the other hand his staying too long does harm. Provision must be made against this. “I remember that at an earlier council our brothers decreed that if any layman did not attend divine service for three Sundays, that is, for three weeks, in a city where he was staying, he should be deprived of communion. If, then, this has been decreed in the case of laymen, it is far less lawful or fitting that a bishop, if no serious need is keeping him, should be away from his church longer than the time written above.” All said that this was their will.

Canon 12, the Greek text. Bishop Hosius said: “Since no case should be left unprovided for, let this too be decreed. Some of our brothers and fellow bishops are known to own very little private property in the cities where they have been placed as bishops, but to have large holdings in other places, with which they are also able to help the poor. “I think, then, that they should be given permission, if they are to visit their estates and see to the gathering of the harvest, to spend three Sundays, that is, to stay for three weeks, on their estates. They may attend divine worship and celebrate the liturgy in the nearest church where a presbyter holds services, so that they may not be seen to be absent from worship, and so that they may not come too often to the city where there is a bishop. In this way their private affairs will suffer no loss from their absence, and they will be seen to be clear of the charge of ambition and arrogance.” All the bishops said: “This decree too is approved by us.”

The Latin text. Bishop Hosius said: “Since no case should be left unprovided for, let this too be decreed. There are some of our brother bishops who do not live in the city where they have been appointed bishops. Either they have little property there, while they are known to have sizable estates elsewhere, or perhaps it is out of affection for their relatives, and to please them. “Let this much be allowed them: to go to their estates to oversee and dispose of their harvest, and for this purpose to remain over three Sundays, that is, for three weeks, on their estates, if it is necessary. Or else, if there is a neighboring city where there is a presbyter, let them go there, so that they may not be seen to pass a Sunday without church. In this way their private affairs will not suffer loss from their absence, and they will not, by going often to the city where a bishop lives, bring on themselves the suspicion of ambition and of seeking a position.” All said that this was approved by them.

Canon 13, the Greek text. Bishop Hosius said: “Let this too be the will of all. If any deacon or presbyter or any of the clergy is excommunicated, and takes refuge with another bishop who knows him and is aware that he has been removed from communion by his own bishop, that other bishop must not wrong his brother bishop by admitting him to communion. And if anyone dares to do this, let him know that he must appear before a gathering of bishops and give an account.” All the bishops said: “This decision will secure peace at all times and preserve the harmony of all.”

The Latin text. Bishop Hosius said: “Let this too be the will of all. If a deacon or presbyter or any of the clergy is refused communion by his own bishop and goes to another bishop, and the bishop with whom he has taken refuge knows that he has been turned away by his own bishop, then that bishop must not grant him communion. But if he does so, let him know that he must give an account before a gathering of bishops.” All said: “This decision will keep the peace and maintain harmony.”