Canons of the Council of Chalcedon

We have judged it right that the canons set forth by the holy fathers at each synod up to the present should remain in force.

If any bishop performs an ordination for money, and brings down to sale the grace that cannot be sold, and for money ordains a bishop, or a chorepiscopus, or presbyters, or deacons, or any other of those numbered among the clergy; or for money appoints a steward, or an advocate, or a warden, or anyone at all of the canon, for his own base gain: he who has attempted this, if convicted, is to be in danger of losing his own rank; and the one ordained is to have no benefit from the ordination or appointment obtained by trade, but is to be a stranger to the dignity or the charge which he obtained for money. And if anyone is found acting as go-between in such shameful and unlawful dealings, he too, if he is a cleric, is to fall from his own rank; and if he is a layman or a monk, he is to be anathematized.

It has come to the holy synod that some of those enrolled in the clergy, for base gain, become hirers of other people's estates and contract for secular business, neglecting the service of God, frequenting the houses of worldly men, and undertaking the management of property out of love of money. The holy and great synod has therefore decreed that henceforth no one, neither bishop, nor cleric, nor monk, is to hire estates or involve himself in the secular management of affairs, unless perhaps he is called by the laws to the unavoidable guardianship of minors, or the bishop of the city entrusts him with the care of church affairs, or of orphans or widows without provision, and of persons especially in need of the church's help, for the fear of God. And if anyone henceforth attempts to transgress what has been decreed, such a one is to be subject to church penalties.

Those who truly and sincerely pursue the solitary life are to be deemed worthy of the honor that befits them. But since some, using the monastic habit as a pretext, disturb both the churches and civil affairs, going about indiscriminately in the cities, and even taking it upon themselves to set up monasteries for themselves, it has seemed good that no one anywhere is to build or set up a monastery or house of prayer against the will of the bishop of the city; and that the monks in each city and country district are to be subject to the bishop, and embrace quiet, and give attention only to fasting and prayer, remaining steadfast in the places where they renounced the world; and they are not to trouble themselves with, or take part in, either church or secular affairs, leaving their own monasteries, unless perhaps they are permitted by the bishop of the city for some necessary need; and no one is to receive a slave into the monasteries to become a monk against the will of his own master. And whoever transgresses this our decree we have decreed to be excommunicated, so that the name of God may not be blasphemed. The bishop of the city, however, must take due care of the monasteries.

Concerning bishops or clergy who move from city to city, it has seemed good that the canons laid down by the holy fathers concerning them are to keep their force.

No one, whether presbyter, or deacon, or anyone at all in the order of the church, is to be ordained at large, unless the one ordained is specifically designated for a church of a city or village, or for a martyr's shrine or a monastery. And as to those ordained at large, the holy synod has decreed that such a laying on of hands is invalid and that they can nowhere officiate, to the shame of the one who ordained them.

We have decreed that those who have once been enrolled in the clergy, or have become monks, are neither to enter military service nor take up a secular dignity; or else, if they dare to do this and do not repent so as to return to that which they first chose for God's sake, they are to be anathematized.

Let the clergy of the poorhouses, and monasteries, and martyrs' shrines remain under the authority of the bishops in each city, according to the tradition of the holy fathers; and let them not, out of self-will, throw off the rein of their own bishop. And those who dare to overturn this arrangement in any way whatever, and do not submit to their own bishop, if they are clergy, are to be subject to the penalties of the canons; and if monks or laity, they are to be excommunicated.

If a cleric has a dispute with a cleric, he is not to leave his own bishop and run to secular courts, but is first to argue the case before his own bishop, or else, with the consent of the bishop himself, let the trial be held before whomever both parties wish; and if anyone does otherwise, he is to be subject to canonical penalties. And if a cleric has a dispute with his own bishop or with another bishop, let it be tried before the synod of the province. And if a bishop or a cleric has a dispute with the metropolitan of the same province, let him go to the exarch of the diocese, or to the throne of the imperial city of Constantinople, and let it be tried before him.

It is not permitted for a cleric to be enrolled in the churches of two cities at the same time, both that in which he was ordained in the first place and that to which he has fled as being greater, out of desire for empty glory. Those who do this are to be restored to their own church, in which they were ordained from the beginning, and to minister there only. If, however, someone has already been transferred from one church to another, he is to have no share in the affairs of the former church, or of the martyrs' shrines, poorhouses, or hostels under it. And those who dare, after the decree of this great and ecumenical synod, to do any of the things now forbidden, the holy synod has decreed to fall from their own rank.

We have decreed that all the poor and those in need of help are to travel, after examination, with letters only, that is, with church letters of peace only, and not with letters of commendation, because letters of commendation ought to be given only to persons of good repute.

It has come to us that some, contrary to the laws of the church, have run to the secular authorities and by means of imperial rescripts have divided one province into two, so that as a result there are two metropolitans in the same province. The holy synod has therefore decreed that henceforth nothing of the kind is to be attempted by a bishop, or else whoever attempts such a thing is to fall from his own rank. And as many cities as have already been honored with the name of metropolis by imperial letters, let them, and the bishop who governs that church, enjoy the honor only, the proper rights being of course preserved to the true metropolis.

Clergy who are strangers and unknown are in no way to minister anywhere in another city without letters of commendation from their own bishop.

Since in some provinces readers and singers are permitted to marry, the holy synod has decreed that none of them is permitted to take a wife of another faith. And those who have already had children from such a marriage, if they have already had their offspring baptized among the heretics, are to bring them into the communion of the catholic church; and if they have not baptized them, they may no longer baptize them among the heretics, nor indeed join them in marriage to a heretic, or a Jew, or a pagan, unless perhaps the person being joined to the orthodox party promises to come over to the orthodox faith. And if anyone transgresses this decree of the holy synod, he is to be subject to canonical penalty.

A woman is not to be ordained deacon before forty years of age, and then only after careful examination. And if, after receiving the laying on of hands and remaining for some time in the ministry, she gives herself in marriage, insulting the grace of God, such a woman is to be anathematized together with the man joined to her.

It is not permitted for a virgin who has dedicated herself to the Lord God, nor likewise for monks, to enter into marriage. And if they are found doing this, they are to be excommunicated. But we have decreed that the bishop of the place has the authority to show them clemency.

The rural or country parishes in each province are to remain undisturbed with the bishops who hold them, especially if they have held and managed them without force for thirty years. But if within the thirty years there has been, or should be, a dispute about them, those who say they have been wronged may bring the matter before the synod of the province. And if anyone is wronged by his own metropolitan, let it be tried before the exarch of the diocese or the throne of Constantinople, as has been said before. And if any city has been newly founded by imperial authority, or should be founded hereafter, let the order of the church districts follow the civil and public arrangements.

The crime of conspiracy or faction is entirely forbidden even by the laws outside the church; much more, then, is it fitting to forbid it to happen in the church of God. If, therefore, any clergy or monks are found conspiring or forming factions or contriving plots against bishops or fellow clergy, they are to fall entirely from their own rank.

It has come to our ears that in the provinces the synods of bishops prescribed by the canons are not held, and as a result many church affairs needing correction are neglected. The holy synod has therefore decreed, according to the canons of the holy fathers, that the bishops in each province are to come together twice a year wherever the bishop of the metropolis approves, and correct whatever matters arise. And the bishops who do not attend, though staying in their own cities, and being in health, and free from all unavoidable and necessary business, are to be rebuked in a brotherly way.

As we have already decreed, it is not permitted for clergy serving in a church to be assigned to the church of another city, but they are to be content with that in which they were from the beginning thought worthy to minister, except those who, having lost their own homelands through necessity, have moved to another church. And if any bishop, after this decree, receives a cleric belonging to another bishop, it has seemed good that both the one received and the one who received him are to be excommunicated, until the cleric who moved returns to his own church.

Clergy or laity who accuse bishops or clergy are not to be admitted to make an accusation simply and without examination, unless their reputation has first been examined.

It is not permitted for clergy, after the death of their own bishop, to seize the property belonging to him, as has also been forbidden before; or those who do so are in danger of losing their own ranks.

It has come to the ears of the holy synod that some clergy and monks, though entrusted with nothing by their own bishop, and sometimes even excommunicated by him, come to the imperial city of Constantinople and stay in it for a long time, causing disturbances and troubling the order of the church, and they overturn some people's households. The holy synod has therefore decreed that such persons are first to be reminded by the advocate of the most holy church of Constantinople to leave the imperial city; and if they shamelessly persist in the same practices, they are to be expelled even against their will by the same advocate and to go back to their own places.

Monasteries once consecrated with the bishop's consent are to remain monasteries perpetually, and the property belonging to them is to be preserved, and they are no longer to become secular dwellings; and those who permit this to happen are to be subject to the penalties of the canons.

Since some of the metropolitans, as we have heard, neglect the flocks entrusted to them and postpone the ordinations of bishops, it has seemed good to the holy synod that the ordinations of bishops take place within three months, unless perhaps an unavoidable necessity should require the time of postponement to be extended. And if he does not do this, he is to be subject to church penalties. The revenue of the widowed church, however, is to be kept intact by the steward of that church.

Since in some churches, as we have heard, the bishops manage the church's affairs without stewards, it has seemed good that every church that has a bishop should also have a steward from its own clergy, who manages the church's affairs according to the decision of his own bishop, so that the administration of the church may not be without witness, and its property thereby be squandered, and reproach be brought on the priesthood. And if he does not do this, he is to be subject to the divine canons.

Those who carry off women under pretext of marriage, or who act with or assist those who carry them off, the holy synod has decreed, if they are clergy, are to fall from their own rank; and if laity, they are to be anathematized.

Following in all things the decrees of the holy fathers, and recognizing the canon just read of the hundred and fifty most God-beloved bishops who assembled under Theodosius the Great, of pious memory, who was emperor, in the imperial city of Constantinople, New Rome, we too define and decree the same things concerning the privileges of the most holy church of the same Constantinople, New Rome. For the fathers rightly gave the privileges to the throne of the elder Rome because that city was the imperial city. And moved by the same purpose, the hundred and fifty most God-beloved bishops gave equal privileges to the most holy throne of New Rome, reasonably judging that the city honored with the empire and the senate, and enjoying equal privileges with the elder imperial Rome, should also be magnified like her in church matters, being second after her. And so that the metropolitans of the Pontic, Asian, and Thracian dioceses alone, and also the bishops among the barbarians of the aforesaid dioceses, are to be ordained by the aforesaid most holy throne of the most holy church of Constantinople; that is, each metropolitan of the aforesaid dioceses, together with the bishops of the province, ordaining the bishops of the province, as is declared in the divine canons; but the metropolitans of the aforesaid dioceses, as has been said, are to be ordained by the archbishop of Constantinople, after harmonious elections have been held according to custom and reported to him.

To bring a bishop down to the rank of presbyter is sacrilege. But if some just cause removes them from the exercise of the episcopate, they ought not to hold the place of a presbyter either; and if they were removed from the dignity without any charge, they shall return to the dignity of the episcopate.

Since the most devout bishops of Egypt have for the present put off subscribing to the letter of the most holy archbishop Leo, not as opposing the catholic faith, but saying that it is the custom in the Egyptian diocese to do nothing of this kind without the consent and direction of their archbishop, and they ask to be given time until the ordination of the future bishop of the great city of the Alexandrians, it has seemed to us reasonable and humane that time be granted them, remaining in their present status in the imperial city, until the archbishop of the great city of the Alexandrians is ordained. Let them therefore give sureties that they will not leave this city until the city of the Alexandrians receives a bishop.