Apostolic Canons

Contents

1. 1A bishop is ordained by two or three bishops; presbyters and other clergy by one.
2. 2Nothing but what the Lord ordained may be offered at the altar.
3. 3Only new grain, grapes, lamp oil and incense may be brought to the altar.
4. 4Other firstfruits go to the clergy's house, not the altar.
5. 5Clergy may not put away their wives on the pretext of piety.
6. 6Clergy may not take on worldly business.
7. 7Clergy who keep Easter with the Jews before the equinox are deposed.
8. 8A cleric who does not receive communion must give a reason.
9. 9The faithful who leave before the prayer and communion are excommunicated.
10. 10Praying with the excommunicated brings excommunication.
11. 11A cleric who prays with a deposed cleric is deposed.
12. 12No one may be received in another city without letters of commendation.
13. 13An excommunicated person who deceives another church has his sentence extended.
14. 14A bishop may not move to another see except for good reason and by the judgment of many bishops.
15. 15Clergy who leave their diocese without leave and refuse to return may not minister.
16. 16A bishop who receives suspended clergy is excommunicated.
17. 17A man twice married after baptism, or with a concubine, cannot be ordained.
18. 18A man married to a widow, a divorced woman, a courtesan, a slave or an actress cannot be ordained.
19. 19A man married to two sisters or to a niece cannot be a cleric.
20. 20Clergy may not stand surety.
21. 21A eunuch not by his own act may become a bishop.
22. 22A man who castrates himself cannot be a cleric.
23. 23A cleric who castrates himself is deposed.
24. 24A layman who castrates himself is excommunicated for three years.
25. 25Clergy guilty of sexual immorality, perjury or theft are deposed but not also excommunicated.
26. 26Only readers and singers may marry after entering the clergy.
27. 27Clergy who strike people are deposed, following Christ's example.
28. 28A deposed cleric who resumes ministry is cut off from the church.
29. 29Ordination bought with money brings deposition and excommunication.
30. 30A bishop who gains a church through secular rulers is deposed.
31. 31A presbyter who sets up a rival altar without cause is deposed.
32. 32Only the bishop who excommunicated a cleric may restore him.
33. 33Visiting clergy need letters and examination before they are received.
34. 34The bishops of each province act with their chief bishop, and he with them.
35. 35A bishop may not ordain outside his own territory.
36. 36An ordained man who refuses his charge is excommunicated; if the people reject him, their clergy are punished.
37. 37Bishops hold synods twice a year.
38. 38The bishop manages church property but may not take it or give it to relatives.
39. 39Presbyters and deacons act only with the bishop's consent.
40. 40The bishop's own property and the church's must be kept distinct.
41. 41The bishop administers the church's money and may take what he needs from it.
42. 42Clergy who gamble or get drunk must stop or be deposed.
43. 43Minor clergy and laymen who gamble or get drunk must stop or be excommunicated.
44. 44Clergy may not take interest on loans.
45. 45Clergy who pray with heretics are excommunicated; if they let them minister, deposed.
46. 46Clergy who accept heretical baptism or sacrifice are deposed.
47. 47True baptism is not repeated; baptism by the ungodly is no baptism.
48. 48A layman who divorces his wife and remarries, or marries a divorced woman, is excommunicated.
49. 49Baptism must be into the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
50. 50Baptism is by threefold immersion, according to the threefold name.
51. 51Abstaining from marriage, meat or wine out of abhorrence of creation is condemned.
52. 52Clergy who refuse a penitent are deposed.
53. 53Clergy who refuse meat and wine on feast days are deposed.
54. 54Clergy may not eat in taverns except when travelling.
55. 55A cleric who insults his bishop is deposed.
56. 56A cleric who insults a presbyter or deacon is excommunicated.
57. 57Mocking the disabled brings excommunication.
58. 58Clergy who neglect to teach their people are punished.
59. 59Clergy who neglect needy fellow clergy are punished.
60. 60Reading spurious books of the ungodly in church brings deposition.
61. 61A believer convicted of sexual sin may not be ordained.
62. 62A cleric who denies Christ is cast out; one who denies his office is deposed.
63. 63Eating blood, or meat torn by beasts or found dead, is forbidden.
64. 64Fasting on Sunday or Saturday, except one Saturday, is forbidden.
65. 65Praying in a synagogue or heretical assembly is forbidden.
66. 66A cleric who kills someone in a fight is deposed.
67. 67A man who violates an unbetrothed virgin must keep her as his wife.
68. 68Ordination is not repeated, except for those ordained by heretics.
69. 69Clergy and laity must keep the Lenten fast and the Wednesday and Friday fasts.
70. 70Sharing Jewish fasts and festivals is forbidden.
71. 71Christians may not bring offerings to pagan temples or synagogues.
72. 72Theft from the church is repaid with a fifth added.
73. 73Consecrated vessels and cloths may not be taken for private use.
74. 74An accused bishop is summoned three times before a synod judges him.
75. 75A heretic, or a single witness, cannot testify against a bishop.
76. 76A bishop may not appoint a relative as his successor.
77. 77A bodily defect does not bar a worthy man from the episcopate.
78. 78The deaf and blind are not made bishops, for practical reasons.
79. 79The demon-possessed may not be ordained until cleansed.
80. 80A new convert is not to be made a bishop at once.
81. 81A bishop may not hold public office.
82. 82Slaves may be ordained only with their masters' consent and freedom.
83. 83Clergy may not hold military command.
84. 84Unjustly insulting the emperor or a ruler is punished.
85. 85The canon lists the books to be held holy, Old and New Testament, adding Sirach for the young.