Canons of the Council of Laodicea

Concerning the rule that, according to the canon of the church, those who have freely and lawfully been joined in second marriages, and have not contracted a secret marriage, should, after a short time has passed and they have devoted themselves to prayers and fastings, be given communion by indulgence: so we have decreed.

Concerning those who sin in various faults and persevere in the prayer of confession and repentance, and make a complete turning away from evil: a time of repentance being given to such persons in proportion to the fault, they are to be brought to communion because of the compassion and goodness of God.

That one who has been recently enlightened ought not to be advanced to the priestly order.

That those in priestly orders ought not to lend money and take interest and the so-called hemiolia.

That ordinations ought not to take place in the presence of hearers.

That heretics who persist in their heresy are not to be allowed to enter the house of God.

That those who are converted from the heresies, that is, of the Novatians, or the Photinians, or the Quartodecimans, whether they were catechumens or those called faithful among them, are not to be received until they anathematize every heresy, and especially that in which they were held; and that thereafter those called faithful among them, having learned the creed of the faith and been anointed with the holy chrism, may so share in the holy mysteries.

That those who are converted from the heresy of the so-called Phrygians, even if they should be among those regarded as clergy by them, even if they should be called very great, such persons are to be catechized with all care and baptized by the bishops and presbyters of the church.

That members of the church are not to be allowed to go to the cemeteries, or the so-called martyr-shrines, of any of the heretics, for the sake of prayer or healing; but such persons, if they are of the faithful, are to be excommunicated for a time; but if they repent and confess that they have done wrong, they are to be received.

That members of the church ought not indiscriminately to join their children in the partnership of marriage to heretics.

That the so-called presbytides, or presiding women, ought not to be appointed in the church.

That bishops are to be appointed to the government of the church by the judgment of the metropolitans and the bishops round about, being men long tested both in the word of faith and in the conduct of an upright life.

That the crowds are not to be permitted to make the elections of those who are to be appointed to the priesthood.

That the holy things are not to be sent to other districts at the feast of Pascha by way of blessings.

That no others ought to sing in church besides the canonical singers, who go up to the ambo and sing from the parchment.

That on the Sabbath the Gospels are to be read with the other Scriptures.

That in the assemblies the psalms ought not to be joined one to another, but a reading is to take place in between, after each psalm.

That the same service of prayers ought to be held always, both at the ninth hours and in the evenings.

That first, after the sermons of the bishops, the prayer for the catechumens is to be completed by itself; and after the catechumens have gone out, the prayer for those in penance is to take place; and when these have come forward under the hand and withdrawn, then the prayers of the faithful are to take place, three of them, the first in silence, and the second and third to be completed aloud; and then the peace is to be given; and after the presbyters have given the peace to the bishop, then the laity are to give the peace; and so the holy offering is to be completed; and only those in priestly orders may enter the altar area and communicate there.

That a deacon ought not to sit in the presence of a presbyter, but to sit at the presbyter's bidding. Likewise the deacons too are to receive honor from the subdeacons and all the clergy.

That subdeacons ought not to have a place in the diaconicon, nor touch the sacred vessels.

That a subdeacon ought not to wear an orarion, nor leave the doors.

That readers or singers ought not to wear an orarion and so read or sing.

That those in priestly orders, from presbyters to deacons, and the rest of the church's ranks in order down to subdeacons, or readers, or singers, or exorcists, or door-keepers, or the order of ascetics, ought not to enter a tavern.

That a subdeacon ought not to give the bread, nor bless the cup.

That those who have not been advanced by bishops ought not to exorcise, either in the churches or in houses.

That those in priestly orders, or clergy, or laity, when invited to a love-feast, ought not to carry away portions, because this brings insult on the order of the church.

That the so-called love-feasts ought not to be held in the Lord's houses or in the churches, nor eating in the house of God, nor spreading of couches.

That Christians ought not to judaize and rest on the Sabbath, but to work on that day; but, honoring the Lord's day above it, they are to rest, if indeed they can, as Christians. But if they are found to be judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ.

That those in priestly orders, or clergy, or ascetics ought not to bathe in a bath with women, nor any Christian or layman; for this is the first ground of reproach among the pagans.

That one ought not to make marriages with any heretics, nor give them sons or daughters, but rather take theirs, if indeed they promise to become Christians.

That one ought not to receive the blessings of heretics, which are follies rather than blessings.

That one ought not to pray with heretics or schismatics.

That no Christian ought to forsake the martyrs of Christ and go off to false martyrs, that is, those of heretics, or those who were themselves the aforesaid heretics; for these are strangers to God. Let those, then, who go off to them be anathema.

That Christians ought not to forsake the church of God and go off and invoke angels by name and hold assemblies, which things are forbidden. If, then, anyone is found devoting himself to this hidden idolatry, let him be anathema, because he has forsaken our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and gone over to idolatry.

That those in priestly orders or clergy ought not to be magicians or enchanters, or mathematicians, or astrologers, or to make the so-called phylacteries, which are prisons of their own souls. And those who wear them we have ordered to be cast out of the church.

That one ought not to receive festal gifts sent by Jews or heretics, nor to celebrate feasts with them.

That one ought not to receive unleavened bread from the Jews, or to share in their impieties.

That one ought not to celebrate feasts with the pagans and share in their godlessness.

That bishops summoned to a synod ought not to disregard it, but to go and teach or be taught, for the setting right of the church and of the rest. And if such a one disregards it, he will have himself to blame, unless he stays away because of illness.

That one in priestly orders or a cleric ought not to travel without the bishop's order.

That those in priestly orders or clergy ought not to travel without canonical letters.

That subdeacons ought not to leave the doors even for a short time to devote themselves to prayer.

That women ought not to enter the altar area.

That candidates ought not to be received for illumination after two weeks of Lent.

That those being enlightened ought to learn the creed thoroughly and recite it to the bishop or the presbyters on the fifth day of the week.

That those who receive illumination in sickness and then recover ought to learn the creed thoroughly and know that they have been counted worthy of a divine gift.

That those who are enlightened ought after baptism to be anointed with the heavenly chrism and be partakers of the kingdom of Christ.

That during Lent the bread ought not to be offered except on the Sabbath and the Lord's day only.

That one ought not, in Lent, in the last week, to break the fast on the fifth day and so dishonor the whole of Lent; but one ought to fast the whole of Lent, eating dry food.

That the birthdays of martyrs ought not to be celebrated in Lent, but commemorations of the holy martyrs are to be made on the Sabbaths and Lord's days.

That weddings or birthday feasts ought not to be celebrated in Lent.

That Christians going to weddings ought not to leap about or dance, but to dine or breakfast soberly, as befits Christians.

That those in priestly orders or clergy ought not to watch any shows at weddings or banquets, but, before the performers come in, they are to rise and withdraw.

That those in priestly orders or clergy ought not to hold drinking parties by shared contributions, nor laity either.

That presbyters ought not to enter and sit in the bema before the bishop's entrance, but to enter with the bishop, unless the bishop is ill or away.

That bishops ought not to be appointed in the villages and in the country districts, but visitors; and those already appointed beforehand are to do nothing without the consent of the bishop in the city; and likewise the presbyters too are to do nothing without the consent of the bishop.

That the offering ought not to be made in houses by bishops or presbyters.

That privately composed psalms ought not to be read in the church, nor uncanonical books, but only the canonical books of the Old and New Testament.

These are all the books of the Old Testament that ought to be read: 1. Genesis of the world; 2. Exodus from Egypt; 3. Leviticus; 4. Numbers; 5. Deuteronomy; 6. Joshua son of Nun; 7. Judges, Ruth; 8. Esther; 9. First and Second of Kingdoms; 10. Third and Fourth of Kingdoms; 11. First and Second of Chronicles; 12. First and Second of Esdras; 13. The Book of the 150 Psalms; 14. The Proverbs of Solomon; 15. Ecclesiastes; 16. Song of Songs; 17. Job; 18. The Twelve Prophets; 19. Isaiah; 20. Jeremiah and Baruch, Lamentations and Letters; 21. Ezekiel; 22. Daniel. And those of the New Testament are these: four Gospels, according to Matthew, according to Mark, according to Luke, according to John; the Acts of the Apostles; seven Catholic Epistles: one of James, two of Peter, three of John, one of Jude; fourteen Epistles of Paul: one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, one to the Galatians, one to the Ephesians, one to the Philippians, one to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonians, one to the Hebrews, two to Timothy, one to Titus, and one to Philemon.