# Canons of the Council of Constantinople (381)

- Author: Anonymous
- Latin title: *Concilium Constantinopolitanum I*
- Date: 381–382 (probable)
- Source: Nikodemos the Hagiorite and Agapios, eds., Πηδάλιον τῆς νοητῆς νηὸς τῆς μιᾶς ἁγίας καθολικῆς καὶ ἀποστολικῆς τῶν ὀρθοδόξων ἐκκλησίας (Leipzig: Breitkopf, 1800; reprinted Athens and Zakynthos), text as transcribed on Greek Wikisource (raw wikitext, canon text only) (Greek text: the Pedalion (Nikodemos the Hagiorite and Agapios, 1800), transcription on Greek Wikisource, CC BY-SA)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Editions and translations: Hermann Theodor Bruns, ed., Canones apostolorum et conciliorum veterum selecti, vol. 1 (Berlin: Reimer, 1839); Friedrich Lauchert, ed., Die Kanones der wichtigsten altkirchlichen Concilien (Freiburg i. B.: Mohr, 1896); Périclès-Pierre Joannou, ed., Discipline générale antique (IVe-IXe s.), vol. 1.2 (Grottaferrata: Tipografia Italo-Orientale, 1962)
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/
- Passages: 7

## Canon 1

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-1
- Source: Pedalion
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The council confirms the Nicene faith and anathematizes the Eunomians, Semi-Arians or Pneumatomachi, Sabellians, Marcellians, Photinians and Apollinarians.

### Greek text

Ὥρισαν οἱ ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει συνελθόντες ἅγιοι Πατέρες, μὴ ἀθετεῖσθαι τὴν πίστιν τῶν Πατέρων τῶν τριακοσίων δέκα ὀκτώ, τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ τῆς Βιθυνίας συνελθόντων· ἀλλὰ μένειν ἐκείνην κυρίαν, καὶ ἀναθεματισθῆναι πᾶσαν αἵρεσιν· καὶ εἰδικῶς τὴν τῶν Εὐνομιανῶν, εἴτ' οὖν Εὐδοξιανῶν, καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἡμιαρείων, εἴτ' οὖν Πνευματομάχων, καὶ τὴν τῶν Σαβελλιανῶν, καὶ τὴν τῶν Μαρκελλιανῶν, καὶ τὴν τῶν Φωτεινιανῶν, καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἀπολλιναριανῶν.

### English translation (Claude)

The holy fathers who assembled at Constantinople decreed that the faith of the three hundred and eighteen fathers who assembled at Nicaea in Bithynia is not to be set aside, but is to remain in force, and that every heresy is to be anathematized, and in particular that of the Eunomians or Eudoxians, that of the Semi-Arians or Pneumatomachi, that of the Sabellians, that of the Marcellians, that of the Photinians, and that of the Apollinarians.

### Extrabiblical texts

- Conc. Nic. 0 (Creed and Canons of the Council of Nicaea (325)): allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Eunomians (followers of Eunomius) or Eudoxians: radical Arians; Semi-Arians or Pneumatomachi (“fighters against the Spirit”): those who denied the Holy Spirit's full divinity; Sabellians: those who made Father, Son and Spirit one person; Marcellians and Photinians: followers of Marcellus of Ancyra and Photinus of Sirmium; Apollinarians: followers of Apollinaris of Laodicea, who denied Christ a human mind.

### Citation (SBL)

Conc. Const. I 1 (Pedalion; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-1).

## Canon 2

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-2
- Source: Pedalion
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Bishops are confined to their own civil dioceses (Egypt, the East, Asia, Pontus, Thrace), with Antioch's Nicene privileges kept and each province governed by its synod.

### Greek text

Τοὺς ὑπὲρ διοίκησιν ἐπισκόπους ταῖς ὑπερορίοις ἐκκλησίαις μὴ ἐπιέναι, μηδὲ συγχέειν τὰς ἐκκλησίας· ἀλλὰ κατὰ τοὺς κανόνας, τὸν μὲν Ἀλεξανδρείας ἐπίσκοπον, τὰ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ μόνον οἰκονομεῖν· τοὺς δὲ τῆς Ἀνατολῆς ἐπισκόπους, τὴν Ἀνατολὴν μόνην διοικεῖν· φυλαττομένων τῶν ἐν τοῖς κανόσι τοῖς κατὰ Νίκαιαν πρεσβείων τῇ Ἀντιοχέων ἐκκλησίᾳ· καὶ τοὺς τῆς Ἀσιανῆς διοικήσεως ἐπισκόπους, τὰ κατὰ τὴν Ἀσιανὴν μόνον διοικεῖν· καὶ τοὺς τῆς Ποντικῆς, τὰ τῆς Ποντικῆς μόνον· καὶ τοὺς τῆς Θρᾴκης τὰ τῆς Θρᾳκικῆς μόνον οἰκονομεῖν. Ἀκλήτους δὲ ἐπισκόπους ὑπὲρ διοίκησιν μὴ ἐπιβαίνειν ἐπὶ χειροτονίᾳ, ἤ τισιν ἄλλαις οἰκονομίαις ἐκκλησιαστικαῖς. Φυλαττομένου δὲ τοῦ προγεγραμμένου περὶ τῶν διοικήσεων κανόνος, εὔδηλον ὡς τὰ καθ' ἑκάστην ἐπαρχίαν ἡ τῆς ἐπαρχίας σύνοδος διοικήσει, κατὰ τὰ ἐν Νικαίᾳ ὡρισμένα. Τὰς δὲ ἐν τοῖς βαρβαρικοῖς ἔθνεσι τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκκλησίας, οἰκονομεῖσθαι χρὴ κατὰ τὴν κρατήσασαν συνήθειαν τῶν Πατέρων.

### English translation (Claude)

Bishops are not to go beyond their dioceses to churches outside their bounds, nor to throw the churches into confusion; but, according to the canons, the bishop of Alexandria is to manage the affairs of Egypt only; the bishops of the East are to govern the East only, the privileges given to the church of the Antiochenes in the canons of Nicaea being preserved; the bishops of the Asian diocese are to govern the affairs of Asia only; those of Pontus the affairs of Pontus only; and those of Thrace are to manage the affairs of Thrace only. And bishops are not to go beyond their diocese uninvited for an ordination or any other church business. And, the aforesaid canon concerning the dioceses being kept, it is evident that the synod of each province will govern the affairs of that province, according to what was decreed at Nicaea. But the churches of God among the barbarian nations must be managed according to the custom of the fathers that has prevailed.

### Extrabiblical texts

- Conc. Nic. 6 (Creed and Canons of the Council of Nicaea (325)): allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Diocese” (διοίκησις) here is the civil diocese, a group of provinces of the empire.

### Citation (SBL)

Conc. Const. I 2 (Pedalion; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-2).

## Canon 3

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-3
- Source: Pedalion
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The bishop of Constantinople ranks in honor next after the bishop of Rome, Constantinople being New Rome.

### Greek text

Τὸν μέν τοι Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ἐπίσκοπον ἔχειν τὰ πρεσβεῖα τῆς τιμῆς μετὰ τὸν τῆς Ῥώμης ἐπίσκοπον, διὰ τὸ εἶναι αὐτὴν νέαν Ῥώμην.

### English translation (Claude)

The bishop of Constantinople, however, is to have the privileges of honor after the bishop of Rome, because it is New Rome.

### Translation notes

- The ranking of Constantinople after Rome, on the ground of the city's status as the new capital, was later contested by Rome and by Alexandria; compare Chalcedon, canon 28.

### Citation (SBL)

Conc. Const. I 3 (Pedalion; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-3).

## Canon 4

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-4
- Source: Pedalion
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The irregular consecration of Maximus the Cynic at Constantinople and all his ordinations are declared invalid.

### Greek text

Περὶ Μαξίμου τοῦ Κυνικοῦ, καὶ τῆς κατ’ αὐτὸν ἀταξίας τῆς ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει γενομένης· ὥστε μήτε Μάξιμον ἐπίσκοπον ἢ γενέσθαι, ἢ εἶναι, μήτε τοὺς παρ' αὐτοῦ χειροτονηθέντας, ἐν οἱῳδήποτε βαθμῷ κλήρου· πάντων καὶ τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν, καὶ τῶν παρ' αὐτοῦ γενομένων ἀκυρωθέντων.

### English translation (Claude)

Concerning Maximus the Cynic and the disorder that took place in Constantinople on his account: Maximus neither became nor is a bishop, nor are those ordained by him in any grade of the clergy whatever, everything done concerning him and by him having been declared invalid.

### Translation notes

- Maximus the Cynic had himself secretly consecrated bishop of Constantinople in 380 while Gregory of Nazianzus held the see.

### Citation (SBL)

Conc. Const. I 4 (Pedalion; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-4).

## Canon 5

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-5
- Source: Pedalion
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The synod accepts those at Antioch who confess the one Godhead of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in agreement with the Western tome.

### Greek text

Περὶ τοῦ τόμου τῶν δυτικῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ ἀπεδεξάμεθα, τοὺς μίαν ὁμολογοῦντας Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ καὶ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος Θεότητα.

### English translation (Claude)

Concerning the tome of the Westerners: we have also received those in Antioch who confess one Godhead of Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

### Translation notes

- This canon and the next are generally thought to come from the synod held at Constantinople in 382. The “tome of the Westerners” is probably a doctrinal statement of a Roman or Western synod; “those in Antioch” probably refers to the party of Paulinus there.

### Citation (SBL)

Conc. Const. I 5 (Pedalion; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-5).

## Canon 6

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-6
- Source: Pedalion
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Private complaints against a bishop may be brought by anyone, but ecclesiastical charges only by orthodox accusers in good standing, first before the provincial bishops and then a synod of the diocese, under penalty for false accusation.

### Greek text

Ἐπειδὴ πολλοὶ τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν εὐταξίαν συγχεῖν καὶ ἀνατρέπειν βουλόμενοι, φιλέχθρως καὶ συκοφαντικῶς αἰτίας τινὰς κατὰ τῶν οἰκονομούντων τὰς ἐκκλησίας ὀρθοδόξων ἐπισκόπων συμπλάσσουσιν, οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἢ χραίνειν τὰς τῶν ἱερέων ὑπολήψεις, καὶ ταραχὰς τῶν εἰρηνευόντων λαῶν κατασκευάζειν ἐπιχειροῦντες· τούτου ἕνεκεν ἤρεσε τῇ ἁγίᾳ συνόδῳ τῶν ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει συνδραμόντων ἐπισκόπων, μὴ ἀνεξετάστως προσίεσθαι τοὺς κατηγόρους, μηδὲ πᾶσιν ἐπιτρέπειν τὰς κατηγορίας ποιεῖσθαι κατὰ τῶν οἰκονομούντων τὰς ἐκκλησίας, μηδὲ μὴν πάντας ἀποκλείειν. Ἀλλ' εἰ μέν τις οἰκείαν τινὰ μέμψιν, τουτέστιν ἰδιωτικήν, ἐπαγάγοι τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ ὡς πλεονεκτηθείς, ἢ ἄλλο τι παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον παρ' αὐτοῦ πεπονθώς, ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων κατηγοριῶν μὴ ἐξετάζεσθαι, μήτε πρόσωπον τοῦ κατηγόρου, μήτε τὴν θρησκείαν. Χρὴ γὰρ παντὶ τρόπῳ, τό τε συνειδὸς τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ἐλεύθερον εἶναι, καὶ τὸν ἀδικεῖσθαι λέγοντα, οἵας ἂν ᾖ θρησκείας, τῶν δικαίων τυγχάνειν. Εἰ δὲ ἐκκλησιαστικὸν εἴη τὸ ἐπιφερόμενον ἔγκλημα τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ, τότε δοκιμάζεσθαι χρὴ τῶν κατηγορούντων τὰ πρόσωπα· ἵνα, πρῶτον μὲν αἱρετικοῖς μὴ ἐξῇ κατηγορίας κατὰ τῶν ὀρθοδόξων ἐπισκόπων ὑπὲρ ἐκκλησιαστικῶν πραγμάτων ποιεῖσθαι. Αἱρετικοὺς δὲ λέγομεν, τούς τε πάλαι τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀποκηρυχθέντας, καὶ τοὺς μετὰ ταῦτα ὑφ' ἡμῶν ἀναθεματισθέντας· πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, καὶ τοὺς τὴν πίστιν μὲν τὴν ὑγιῆ προσποιουμένους ὁμολογεῖν, ἀποσχίσαντας δέ, καὶ ἀντισυνάγοντας τοῖς κανονικοῖς ἡμῶν ἐπισκόποις. Ἔπειτα δέ, καὶ εἴ τινες τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐπὶ αἰτίαις τισὶ προκατεγνωσμένοι εἶεν καὶ ἀποβεβλημένοι, ἢ ἀκοινώνητοι, εἴτε ἀπὸ κλήρου, εἴτε ἀπὸ λαϊκοῦ τάγματος, μηδὲ τούτοις ἐξεῖναι κατηγορεῖν ἐπισκόπου, πρὶν ἂν τὸ οἰκεῖον ἔγκλημα πρότερον ἀποδύσωνται. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τοὺς ὑπὸ κατηγορίαν προλαβοῦσαν ὄντας, μὴ πρότερον εἶναι δεκτοὺς εἰς ἐπισκόπου κατηγορίαν, ἢ ἑτέρων κληρικῶν, πρὶν ἂν ἀθώους ἑαυτοὺς τῶν ἐπαχθέντων αὐτοῖς ἀποδείξωσιν ἐγκλημάτων. Εἰ μέντοι τινὲς μήτε αἱρετικοί, μήτε ἀκοινώνητοι εἶεν, μήτε κατεγνωσμένοι, ἢ προκατηγορημένοι ἐπί τισι πλημμελήμασι, λέγοιεν δὲ ἔχειν τινὰ ἐκκλησιαστικὴν κατὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου κατηγορίαν, τούτους κελεύει ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος, πρῶτον μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν τῆς ἐπαρχίας πάντων ἐπισκόπων ἐνίστασθαι τὰς κατηγορίας, καὶ ἐπ' αὐτῶν ἐλέγχειν τὰ ἐγκλήματα τοῦ ἐν αἰτίαις τισὶν ἐπισκόπου· εἰ δὲ συμβαίη ἀδυνατῆσαι τοὺς ἐπαρχιώτας πρὸς διόρθωσιν τῶν ἐπιφερομένων ἐγκλημάτων τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ, τότε αὐτοὺς προσιέναι μείζονι συνόδῳ, τῶν τῆς διοικήσεως ἐκείνης ἐπισκόπων ὑπὲρ τῆς αἰτίας ταύτης συγκαλουμένων· καὶ μὴ πρότερον ἐνίστασθαι τὴν κατηγορίαν, πρὶν ἢ ἐγγράφως αὐτοὺς τὸν ἴσον αὐτοῖς ἐπιτιμήσασθαι κίνδυνον, εἴπερ ἐν τῇ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐξετάσει συκοφαντοῦντες τὸν κατηγορούμενον ἐπίσκοπον ἐλεγχθεῖεν. Εἰ δέ τις καταφρονήσας τῶν κατὰ τὰ προδηλωθέντα δεδογμένων, τολμήσειεν ἢ βασιλικὰς ἐνοχλεῖν ἀκοάς, ἢ κοσμικῶν ἀρχόντων δικαστήρια, ἢ οἰκουμενικὴν σύνοδον ταράσσειν, πάντας ἀτιμάσας τοὺς τῆς διοικήσεως ἐπισκόπους, τὸν τοιοῦτον τὸ παράπαν εἰς κατηγορίαν μὴ εἶναι δεκτόν, ὡς καθυβρίσαντα τοὺς κανόνας, καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν λυμηνάμενον εὐταξίαν.

### English translation (Claude)

Since many, wishing to confuse and overturn the good order of the church, out of hostility and with false accusation fabricate charges against the orthodox bishops who manage the churches, attempting nothing else than to stain the reputations of the priests and to stir up disturbances among the peaceful peoples, therefore it has pleased the holy synod of the bishops who gathered at Constantinople not to admit accusers without examination, nor to permit everyone to bring accusations against those who manage the churches, nor yet to exclude everyone. But if anyone brings a personal complaint, that is, a private one, against the bishop, as having been defrauded or having suffered some other injustice from him, in such accusations neither the person of the accuser nor his religion is to be examined. For it is necessary in every way both that the conscience of the bishop be free and that the one who says he has been wronged, of whatever religion he may be, obtain justice. But if the charge brought against the bishop is an ecclesiastical one, then the persons of the accusers must be examined, so that, first, heretics may not be permitted to bring accusations against orthodox bishops concerning ecclesiastical matters. And we call heretics both those who were long ago proclaimed outside the church and those afterwards anathematized by us; and in addition to these, those who pretend to confess the sound faith but have separated and hold assemblies in opposition to our canonical bishops. Further, if any of those from the church have previously been condemned on certain charges and cast out, or excommunicated, whether of the clergy or of the lay order, neither are these to be permitted to accuse a bishop until they have first cleared themselves of their own charge. Likewise those who are under a prior accusation are not to be admitted to accuse a bishop or other clergy before they have shown themselves innocent of the charges brought against them. If, however, some who are neither heretics, nor excommunicated, nor condemned or previously accused of some offenses, say that they have an ecclesiastical accusation against the bishop, the holy synod orders that they first lay their accusations before all the bishops of the province and before them prove the charges against the bishop who is accused; and if it happens that the bishops of the province are unable to correct the charges brought against the bishop, then they are to go to a greater synod of the bishops of that diocese, summoned for this cause; and they are not to lay the accusation before they have bound themselves in writing to the same penalty, if in the examination of the matter they are proved to be falsely accusing the accused bishop. But if anyone, despising what has been decreed above, dares either to trouble the emperor's ears, or the courts of secular rulers, or to disturb an ecumenical synod, dishonoring all the bishops of the diocese, such a one is not to be admitted to make an accusation at all, as one who has insulted the canons and damaged the good order of the church.

### Citation (SBL)

Conc. Const. I 6 (Pedalion; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-6).

## Canon 7

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-7
- Source: Pedalion
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Converts from some heresies are received by written renunciation and anointing with chrism; others, including Eunomians, Montanists and Sabellians, are received as pagans and baptized.

### Greek text

Τοὺς προστιθεμένους τῇ ὀρθοδοξίᾳ, καὶ τῇ μερίδι τῶν σῳζομένων, ἀπὸ αἱρετικῶν, δεχόμεθα κατὰ τὴν ὑποτεταγμένην ἀκολουθίαν, καὶ συνήθειαν. Ἀρειανοὺς μὲν, καὶ Μακεδονιανούς, καὶ Σαββατιανούς, καὶ Ναυατιανούς, τοὺς λέγοντας ἑαυτοὺς Καθαροὺς καὶ Ἀριστερούς, καὶ τοὺς Τεσσαρεσκαιδεκατίτας, εἴτουν Τετραδίτας, καὶ Ἀπολλιναριστάς, δεχόμεθα διδόντας λιβέλλους, καὶ ἀναθεματίζοντας πᾶσαν αἵρεσιν, μὴ φρονοῦσαν, ὡς φρονεῖ ἡ ἁγία τοῦ Θεοῦ καθολικὴ καὶ ἀποστολικὴ ἐκκλησία, καὶ σφραγιζομένους, ἤτοι χριομένους, πρῶτον τῷ ἁγίῳ μύρῳ τό τε μέτωπον, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ τὰς ῥίνας, καὶ τὸ στόμα, καὶ τὰ ὦτα· καὶ σφραγίζοντες αὐτούς, λέγομεν· Σφραγὶς δωρεᾶς Πνεύματος ἁγίου. Εὐνομιανοὺς μέντοι τοὺς εἰς μίαν κατάδυσιν βαπτιζομένους, καὶ Μοντανιστάς, τοὺς ἐνταῦθα λεγομένους Φρύγας, καὶ Σαβελλιανούς, τοὺς υἱοπατορίαν διδάσκοντας, καὶ ἕτερά τινα καὶ χαλεπὰ ποιοῦντας, καὶ τὰς ἄλλας πάσας αἱρέσεις· (ἐπειδὴ πολλοί εἰσιν ἐνταῦθα, μάλιστα οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν Γαλατῶν χώρας ὁρμώμενοι), πάντας τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτῶν θέλοντας προστίθεσθαι τῇ ὀρθοδοξίᾳ, ὡς Ἕλληνας δεχόμεθα· καὶ τὴν πρώτην ἡμέραν ποιοῦμεν αὐτοὺς Χριστιανούς, τὴν δὲ δευτέραν κατηχουμένους· εἶτα τῇ τρίτῃ ἐξορκίζομεν αὐτούς, μετὰ τοῦ ἐμφυσᾷν τρίτον εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ εἰς τὰ ὦτα, καὶ οὕτω κατηχοῦμεν αὐτούς, καὶ ποιοῦμεν χρονίζειν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ ἀκροᾶσθαι τῶν γραφῶν, καὶ τότε αὐτοὺς βαπτίζομεν.

### English translation (Claude)

Those from among the heretics who join themselves to orthodoxy and to the portion of those being saved we receive according to the following order and custom. Arians, Macedonians, Sabbatians, and Novatians, who call themselves Cathari and Aristeri, and the Quartodecimans or Tetradites, and Apollinarists, we receive when they give written statements and anathematize every heresy that does not think as the holy catholic and apostolic church of God thinks, and are sealed, that is, anointed, first with the holy myrrh on the forehead, the eyes, the nostrils, the mouth, and the ears; and in sealing them we say, “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” But Eunomians, who are baptized with a single immersion, and Montanists, here called Phrygians, and Sabellians, who teach that the Father and the Son are one and do certain other grievous things, and all the other heresies (since there are many here, especially those coming from the region of the Galatians): all from among them who wish to join orthodoxy we receive as pagans. On the first day we make them Christians, on the second catechumens; then on the third we exorcise them, breathing three times on their face and into their ears; and so we instruct them and make them spend time in the church and hear the Scriptures, and then we baptize them.

### Translation notes

- This canon is generally thought not to belong to the council of 381: it closely matches a letter of the church of Constantinople to Martyrius of Antioch from the mid-fifth century.
- “Cathari” (“the pure”) and “Aristeri”: names the Novatians used; the second (“those on the left”?) is obscure and may be a corruption of Ἄριστοι (“the best”). Quartodecimans or Tetradites: those who kept Easter on 14 Nisan. “Teach that the Father and the Son are one” renders υἱοπατορία (“Son-Fatherhood”).

### Citation (SBL)

Conc. Const. I 7 (Pedalion; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-constantinople-381/1/#p-7).