The Captions of the
Arabic Canons Attributed to the Council of Nice.
Canon I.
Insane persons and energumens should not be
ordained.
Canon II.
Bond servants are not to be ordained.
Canon III.
Neophytes in the faith are not to be ordained to Holy
Orders before they have a knowledge of Holy Scripture. And such, if convicted after their ordination of grave sin, are to be deposed with those who ordained them.
Canon IV.
The cohabitation of women with bishops, presbyters, and
deacons prohibited on account of their celibacy.
We decree that bishops shall not live with women; nor
shall a presbyter who is a widower; neither shall they escort them; nor
be familiar with them, nor gaze upon them persistently. And the
same decree is made with regard to every celibate priest, and the same
concerning such deacons as have no wives. And this is to be the
case whether the woman be beautiful or ugly, whether a young girl or
beyond the age of puberty, whether great in birth, or an orphan taken
out of charity under pretext of bringing her up. For the devil
with such arms slays religious, bishops, presbyters, and deacons, and
incites them to the fires of desire. But if she be an old woman, and of advanced age, or a sister, or mother, or aunt, or grandmother, it is permitted to live with these because such persons are free from all suspicion of scandal.
Canon V.
Of the election of a bishop and of the confirmation of
the election.
Canon VI.
That those excommunicated by one bishop are not to be
received by another; and that those whose excommunication has been
shown to have been unjust should be absolved by the archbishop or
patriarch.
Canon VII.
That provincial Councils should be held twice a year, for the consideration of all things affecting the churches of the bishops of the province.
Canon VIII.
Of the patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch, and of
their jurisdiction.
Canon IX.
Of one who solicits the episcopate when the people do
not wish him; or if they do desire him, but without the consent of the
archbishop.
Canon X.
How the bishop of Jerusalem is to be honoured, the
honour, however, of the metropolitan church of Cæsarea being
preserved intact, to which he is subject.
Canon XI.
Of those who force themselves into the order of
presbyters without election or examination.
Canon XII.
Of the bishop who ordains one whom he understands has
denied the faith; also of one ordained who after that he had denied it, crept into orders.
Canon XIII.
Of one who of his own will goes to another church, having been chosen by it, and does not wish afterwards to stay there.
Of taking pains that he be transferred from his own
church to another.
Canon XIV.
No one shall become a monk without the bishop’s
license, and why a license is required.
Canon XV.
That clerics or religious who lend on usury should be
cast from their grade.
Canon XVI.
Of the honour to be paid to the bishop and to a
presbyter by the deacons.
Canon XVII.
Of the system and of the manner of receiving those who
are converted from the heresy of Paul of Samosata.
Canon XVIII.
Of the system and manner of receiving those who are
converted from the heresy the Novatians.
Canon XIX.
Of the system and manner of receiving those who return
after a lapse from the faith, and of receiving the relapsed, and of
those brought into peril of death by sickness before their penance is
finished, and concerning such as are convalescent.
Canon XX.
Of avoiding the conversation of evil workers and
wizards, also of the penance of them that have not avoided such.
Canon XXI.
Of incestuous marriages contrary to the law of spiritual
relationship, and of the penance of such as are in such marriages.
[The time of penance fixed is twenty years, only
godfather and godmother are mentioned, and nothing is said of
separation.]
Canon XXII.
Of sponsors in baptism.
Men shall not hold females at the font, neither women
males; but women females, and men males.
Canon XXIII.
Of the prohibited marriages of spiritual brothers and
sisters from receiving them in baptism.
Canon XXIV.