THE PROFESSION OF FAITH OF THE 318 FATHERS
1. We believe in one God the Father all powerful, maker of all things both seen and unseen. And in one Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten begotten from the Father,
that is from the substance [Gr. ousias, Lat.
substantia]
of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten [Gr. gennethenta,
Lat. natum]
not made [Gr. poethenta, Lat. factum],
CONSUBSTANTIAL
[Gr. homoousion, Lat. unius substantiae
(quod Graeci dicunt homousion)] with the Father, through whom all things came to be, both those in heaven and
those in earth; for us humans and for our salvation he came down and became incarnate, became human, suffered
and rose up on the third day, went up into the heavens, is coming to judge the living and the dead. And in the holy
Spirit.
2. And those who say
1. "there once was when he was not", and "before he was begotten he was not", and that
2. he came to be from
n
things that were not, or
n
from another hypostasis [Gr. hypostaseos] or substance [Gr. ousias, Lat. substantia],
affirming that the Son of God is subject to change or alteration these the catholic and apostolic church
anathematises
.
CANONS
1. If anyone in sickness has undergone surgery at the hands of physicians or has been castrated by
barbarians, let him remain among the clergy. But if anyone in good health has castrated himself, if he is
enrolled among the clergy he should be suspended, and in future no such man should be promoted. But, as
it is evident that this refers to those who are responsible for the condition and presume to castrate
themselves, so too if any have been made eunuchs by barbarians or by their masters, but have been found
worthy, the canon admits such men to the clergy.
2. Since, either through necessity or through the importunate demands of certain individuals, there have been
many breaches of the church's canon, with the result that men who have recently come from a pagan life
to the faith after a short catechumenate have been admitted at once to the spiritual washing, and at the
same time as their baptism have been promoted to the episcopate or the presbyterate, it is agreed that it
would be well for nothing of the kind to occur in the future. For a catechumen needs time and further
probation after baptism, for the apostle's words are clear: "Not a recent convert, or he may be puffed up
and fall into the condemnation and the snare of the devil". But if with the passage of time some sin of
sensuality is discovered with regard to the person and he is convicted by two or three witnesses, such a
one will be suspended from the clergy. If anyone contravenes these regulations, he will be liable to forfeit
his clerical status for acting in defiance of this great synod.
3. This great synod absolutely forbids a bishop, presbyter, deacon or any of the clergy to keep a woman who
has been brought in to live with him, with the exception of course of his mother or sister or aunt, or of any
person who is above suspicion.
4. It is by all means desirable that a bishop should be appointed by all the bishops of the province. But if this
is difficult because of some pressing necessity or the length of the journey involved, let at least three come
together and perform the ordination, but only after the absent bishops have taken part in the vote and given
their written consent. But in each province the right of confirming the proceedings belongs to the
metropolitan bishop.
5. Concerning those, whether of the clergy or the laity, who have been excommunicated, the sentence is to
be respected by the bishops of each province according to the canon which forbids those expelled by some
to be admitted by others. But let an inquiry be held to ascertain whether anyone has been expelled from
the community because of pettiness or quarrelsomeness or any such ill nature on the part of the bishop.
Accordingly, in order that there may be proper opportunity for inquiry into the matter, it is agreed that it
would be well for synods to be held each year in each province twice a year, so that these inquiries may be
conducted by all the bishops of the province assembled together, and in this way by general consent those
who have offended against their own bishop may be recognised by all to be reasonably excommunicated,
until all the bishops in common may decide to pronounce a more lenient sentence on these persons. The
synods shall be held at the following times: one before Lent, so that, all pettiness being set aside, the gift
offered to God may be unblemished; the second after the season of autumn.
6. The ancient customs of Egypt, Libya and Pentapolis shall be maintained, according to which the bishop of
Alexandria has authority over all these places since a similar custom exists with reference to the bishop of
Rome. Similarly in Antioch and the other provinces the prerogatives of the churches are to be preserved.
In general the following principle is evident: if anyone is made bishop without the consent of the
metropolitan, this great synod determines that such a one shall not be a bishop. If however two or three by
reason of personal rivalry dissent from the common vote of all, provided it is reasonable and in
accordance with the church's canon, the vote of the majority shall prevail.
7. Since there prevails a custom and ancient tradition to the effect that the bishop of Aelia is to be honoured,
let him be granted everything consequent upon this honour, saving the dignity proper to the metropolitan.
8. Concerning those who have given themselves the name of Cathars, and who from time to time come over
publicly to the catholic and apostolic church, this holy and great synod decrees that they may remain
among the clergy after receiving an imposition of hands. But before all this it is fitting that they give a
written undertaking that they will accept and follow the decrees of the catholic church, namely that they
will be in communion with those who have entered into a second marriage and with those who have
lapsed in time of persecution and for whom a period [of penance] has been fixed and an occasion [for
reconciliation] allotted, so as in all things to follow the decrees of the catholic and apostolic church.
Accordingly, where all the ordained in villages or cities have been found to be men of this kind alone,
those who are so found will remain in the clergy in the same rank; but when some come over in places
where there is a bishop or presbyter belonging to the catholic church, it is evident that the bishop of the
church will hold the bishop's dignity, and that the one given the title and name of bishop among the socalled
Cathars will have the rank of presbyter, unless the bishop thinks fit to let him share in the honour of
the title. But if this does not meet with his approval, the bishop will provide for him a place as
chorepiscopus or presbyter, so as to make his ordinary clerical status evident and so prevent there being
two bishops in the city.
9. If any have been promoted presbyters without examination, and then upon investigation have confessed
their sins, and if after their confession men have imposed hands upon such people, being moved to act
against the canon, the canon does not admit these people, for the catholic church vindicates only what is
above reproach.
10. If any have been promoted to ordination through the ignorance of their promoters or even with their
connivance, this fact does not prejudice the church's canon; for once discovered they are to be deposed.
11. Concerning those who have transgressed without necessity or the confiscation of their property or without
danger or anything of this nature, as happened under the tyranny of Licinius, this holy synod decrees that,
though they do not deserve leniency, nevertheless they should be treated mercifully. Those therefore
among the faithful who genuinely repent shall spend three years among the hearers, for seven years they
shall be prostrators, and for two years they shall take part with the people in the prayers, though not in the
offering.
12. Those who have been called by grace, have given evidence of first fervour and have cast off their
[military] belts, and afterwards have run back like dogs to their own vomit, so that some have even paid
money and recovered their military status by bribes -- such persons shall spend ten years as prostrators
after a period of three years as hearers. In every case, however, their disposition and the nature of their
penitence should be examined. For those who through their fear and tears and perseverance and good
works give evidence of their conversion by deeds and not by outward show, when they have completed
their appointed term as hearers, may properly take part in the prayers, and the bishop is competent to
decide even more favourably in their regard. But those who have taken the matter lightly, and have
thought that the outward form of entering the church is all that is required for their conversion, must
complete their term to the full.
13. Concerning the departing, the ancient canon law is still to be maintained namely that those who are
departing are not to be deprived of their last, most necessary viaticum. But if one whose life has been
despaired of has been admitted to communion and has shared in the offering and is found to be numbered
again among the living, he shall be among those who take part in prayer only [here a variant reading in
Les canons des conciles oecumeniques adds "until the term fixed by this great ecumenical synod has been
completed"]. But as a general rule, in the case of anyone whatsoever who is departing and seeks to share
in the eucharist, the bishop upon examining the matter shall give him a share in the offering.
14. Concerning catechumens who have lapsed, this holy and great synod decrees that, after they have spent
three years as hearers only, they shall then be allowed to pray with the catechumens.
15. On account of the great disturbance and the factions which are caused, it is decreed that the custom, if it is
found to exist in some parts contrary to the canon, shall be totally suppressed, so that neither bishops nor
presbyters nor deacons shall transfer from city to city. If after this decision of this holy and great synod
anyone shall attempt such a thing, or shall lend himself to such a proceeding, the arrangement shall be
totally annulled, and he shall be restored to the church of which he was ordained bishop or presbyter or
deacon.
16. Any presbyters or deacons or in general anyone enrolled in any rank of the clergy who depart from their
church recklessly and without the fear of God before their eyes or in ignorance of the church's canon,
ought not by any means to be received in another church, but all pressure must be applied to them to
induce them to return to their own dioceses, or if they remain it is right that they should be
excommunicated. But if anyone dares to steal away one who belongs to another and to ordain him in his
church without the consent of the other's own bishop among whose clergy he was enrolled before he
departed, the ordination is to be null.
17. Since many enrolled [among the clergy] have been induced by greed and avarice to forget the sacred text,
"who does not put out his money at interest", and to charge one per cent [a month] on loans, this holy and
great synod judges that if any are found after this decision to receive interest by contract or to transact the
business in any other way or to charge [a flat rate of] fifty per cent or in general to devise any other
contrivance for the sake of dishonourable gain, they shall be deposed from the clergy and their names
struck from the roll.
18. It has come to the attention of this holy and great synod that in some places and cities deacons give
communion to presbyters, although neither canon nor custom allows this, namely that those who have no
authority to offer should give the body of Christ to those who do offer. Moreover it has become known
that some of the deacons now receive the eucharist even before the bishops. All these practices must be
suppressed. Deacons must remain within their own limits, knowing that they are the ministers of the
bishop and subordinate to the presbyters. Let them receive the eucharist according to their order after the
presbyters from the hands of the bishop or the presbyter. Nor shall permission be given for the deacons to
sit among the presbyters, for such an arrangement is contrary to the canon and to rank. If anyone refuses to
comply even after these decrees, he is to be suspended from the diaconate.
19. Concerning the former Paulinists who seek refuge in the catholic church, it is determined that they must
be rebaptised unconditionally. Those who in the past have been enrolled among the clergy, if they appear
to be blameless and irreproachable, are to be rebaptised and ordained by the bishop of the catholic church.
But if on inquiry they are shown to be unsuitable, it is right that they should be deposed. Similarly with
regard to deaconesses and all in general whose names have been included in the roll, the same form shall
be observed. We refer to deaconesses who have been granted this status, for they do not receive any
imposition of hands, so that they are in all respects to be numbered among the laity.
20. Since there are some who kneel on Sunday and during the season of Pentecost, this holy synod decrees
that, so that the same
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