# Canons of the Council of Nîmes - Author: Anonymous - Latin title: *Concilium Nemausense* - Date: 394 (or 396) (probable) - Source: Friedrich Lauchert, ed., Die Kanones der wichtigsten altkirchlichen Concilien nebst den Apostolischen Kanones (Freiburg i. B. and Leipzig: Mohr, 1896); text read from a Tesseract OCR of the archive.org scan (Latin text: Lauchert (1896), OCR of the archive.org scan) - 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-nimes-394/ - Passages: 8 ## Preface - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-0 - Source: Lauchert, 220 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 ### Latin text Incipit sancta synodus quae convenit in civitatem Nemausensem, Kal. Octobris, dominis Archadio et Honorio Augustis consulibus.. Episcopis per Gallias et septem provincias salutem. Cum ad Nemausensem ecclesiam, ad tollenda ecclesiarum scandala discessionemque sanandam pacis studio venissemus, multa utilitati congrua, secundum regulam disciplinae, placuit provideri. ### English translation (Claude) Here begins the holy synod which assembled in the city of Nîmes on the Kalends of October, in the consulship of our lords the Augusti Arcadius and Honorius. To the bishops throughout the Gauls and the Seven Provinces, greeting. When, out of zeal for peace, we had come to the church of Nîmes to remove the scandals of the churches and to heal division, it pleased that many things conducive to benefit be provided for according to the rule of discipline. ### Translation notes - 1 October 394. The Latin is corrupt in places and the edition prints its own conjectures in parentheses. ### Citation (SBL) Conc. Nemaus. pref. (Lauchert, 220; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-0). ## Canon 1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-1 - Source: Lauchert, 220 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 ### Latin text In primis quia multi, de ultimis Orientis partibus venientes, presbyteros et diaconos se esse confingunt, ignota cum suscriptione apostholia (epistolia?) ignorantibus inge- rentes, quidam (qui dum?) spem infidelium (specie fidelium?), sumptum stepemque captantur (captant?), sanctorum communioni speciae (speciem?) simulatae religionis inpraemunt (inprimunt): placuit nobis, si qui fuerint eiusmodi, si tamen communis ecclesiae causa non fuerit, ad ministerium altarii non admittantur. ### English translation (Claude) First, since many, coming from the farthest parts of the East, pretend to be presbyters and deacons, thrusting letters with unknown signatures on those who do not know them, and, under the appearance of believers, seek to get expenses and support, and press on the communion of the saints the appearance of a feigned religion: it has pleased us that, if there are any such, they are not to be admitted to the ministry of the altar, unless there is a common cause of the church. ### Translation notes - Translated following the edition's conjectures in parentheses (epistolia, qui dum, specie fidelium, captant, speciem, inprimunt). ### Citation (SBL) Conc. Nemaus. 1 (Lauchert, 220; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-1). ## Canon 2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-2 - Source: Lauchert, 220 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 ### Latin text Illud etiam a quibusdam suggestum est, ut contra apostolicam disciplinam, incognito usque in hoc tempus in ministerium foeminae nescio quo loco leviticum videantur adsumpice; quod quidem, quia indecens est, non admittit ecclesiastica disciplina; et contra rationem facta talis ordinatio distruatur: providendum, ne quis sibi hoc ultra praesumat. ### English translation (Claude) It has also been suggested by some that, contrary to the apostolic discipline, and in a way unknown until this time, women have somewhere or other been seen to be taken up into the Levitical ministry; which, since it is unseemly, church discipline does not admit; and such an ordination, made contrary to reason, is to be undone. Care must be taken that no one presume this any further. ### Translation notes - “The Levitical ministry”: the diaconate. ### Citation (SBL) Conc. Nemaus. 2 (Lauchert, 220; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-2). ## Canon 3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-3 - Source: Lauchert, 220 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 ### Latin text Illud etiam repetere secundum canonem placuit, ut nullus episcopus sive clericum sive laicum, a suo episcopo iudicatum, in communionem admittat inlicitam. ### English translation (Claude) It has also pleased to repeat, according to the canon, that no bishop is to admit to unlawful communion either a cleric or a layman judged by his own bishop. ### Citation (SBL) Conc. Nemaus. 3 (Lauchert, 220; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-3). ## Canon 4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-4 - Source: Lauchert, 220 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 ### Latin text Neque sibi alter episcopus de clerico alterius, inconsulto episcopo cuius minister est, iudicium vindicet. ### English translation (Claude) Nor is another bishop to claim for himself judgment over another's cleric without consulting the bishop whose minister he is. ### Citation (SBL) Conc. Nemaus. 4 (Lauchert, 220; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-4). ## Canon 5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-5 - Source: Lauchert, 220 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Churches are not obliged to support every travelling pilgrim; each decides freely. ### Latin text Additum etiam est, ut, quia multi, sub specie peregrinationis, de ecclesiarum conlatione luxoriant, victura non omnibus detur; unusquisque voluntarium, non indictum, habeat de hac praestatione iudicium. ### English translation (Claude) It has also been added that, since many, under the guise of pilgrimage, live in luxury on the contributions of the churches, sustenance is not to be given to all; each is to have his own judgment of this provision, voluntary and not imposed. ### Translation notes - This is canon 5 of the council of Nîmes (394), not of Valence (see the renumbering file). ### Citation (SBL) Conc. Nemaus. 5 (Lauchert, 220; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-5). ## Canon 6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-6 - Source: Lauchert, 220 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Clergy travelling abroad must have their letters signed by bishops. ### Latin text Ministrorum autem quicunque peregrina quibuscunque necessitatibus petunt, ab episcopis tantum apostolia suscribantur. ### English translation (Claude) But any of the ministers who seek foreign parts for whatever needs are to have their letters signed by the bishops only. ### Translation notes - This is canon 6 of the council of Nîmes (394), not of Valence. “Letters” renders apostolia. ### Citation (SBL) Conc. Nemaus. 6 (Lauchert, 220; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-6). ## Canon 7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-7 - Source: Lauchert, 220 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christians who violate the freedom of freedmen under the church's protection are to be excluded from the church (the text breaks off). ### Latin text Addi etiam placuit, ut, quia frequenter ecclesiis de libertorum tuitione inferuntur iniuriae, sive qui a viventibus manumittuntur, sive quibus libertas ultima testatione conscribitur: placuit synodo, ut si fidelis persona contra fidem et contra defunctorum voluntatem venire temptaverit, communicantes, qui contra ecclesiam veniunt, extra ecclesiam ### English translation (Claude) It has also pleased to add that, since injuries are frequently done to the churches over the protection of freedmen, whether those who are manumitted by the living or those to whom freedom is given in writing by a last testament, it has pleased the synod that, if a believer attempts to go against good faith and against the will of the dead, those communicants who go against the church are to be outside the church … ### Translation notes - This is canon 7 of the council of Nîmes (394), not of Valence. The text as printed breaks off at the end. ### Citation (SBL) Conc. Nemaus. 7 (Lauchert, 220; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/council-nimes-394/0/#p-7).