Canons of the Council of Valence

To the dearly beloved brothers, the bishops established throughout the Gauls and the Five Provinces, the bishops Phoebadius, Eumerius, Florentius, Artemius, Aemilianus, Britto, Iustus, Evodius, Rhodanius, Eortius, Chrestus, Concordius, Constantius, Paulus, Antherius, Felix, Neoterius, Nicetius, Urbanus, Simplicius, and Vincentius send greeting in the Lord. When everything at Valence had been dealt with, and in God's name the matters that had been begun as a cause of dissension had been settled in a better state, some of the brothers made a useful and devout suggestion that we should also reconsider those things which we can neither accept, because of the holiness of the church, nor yet condemn, because of the custom that has been usurped. For the seed of such faults has grown up in all the churches to such an extent that a return to full remedies is difficult, and certainly not without shame for those whom the matter concerns. Therefore, brothers, after long and moderate deliberation, a principle of caution has been kept that would both remove scandals and guard the holiness of the church.

It has been settled, therefore, that after this synod, by which help is brought, though late, against such unlawful practices, no one from among the twice-married, or the husbands of women who had been married to others, can be ordained a cleric; and it is not to be asked whether they stained themselves with this necessity of an unhappy lot as initiates in the divine sacraments or as pagans, since the form of the divine command is chaste. But since we cannot condemn the inexperience or simplicity or even the presumption of our brothers, nor correct in all the churches what was wrongly done long ago, it has pleased that nothing be reopened concerning the status of those who were ordained earlier, if no other cause arises from outside by which they are shown to be unworthy of the ministry.

Concerning girls who have vowed themselves to God, if they have passed of their own accord to earthly marriage, we have decreed that this is to be observed: penance is not to be given them at once; and when it has been given, unless they have fully made satisfaction to God, their communion is to be deferred as long as reason requires.

Concerning the persons of those who, after the one and sacred washing, have polluted themselves either with the profane sacrifices of demons or with an unholy washing, we have judged that this form of censure is to be kept: that, in accordance with the synod of Nicaea, access to satisfaction is not denied them, lest the door of comfort be shut by despair on their unhappy tears; but they are to do penance until the day of death, yet not without hope of forgiveness, which they ought to hope for fully from him who alone possesses its bounty, and who is so rich in mercy that no one should despair; for God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.

Nor have we thought it foreign to the church's benefit to write this, brothers, so that you may know that whoever, at the time of ordination as deacon, presbyter, or bishop, have said that they are polluted by a mortal crime are to be removed from the aforesaid ordinations, being guilty either by a true confession or by a lying falsehood. For one cannot be absolved in these cases if he says against himself what would be punished if said against others, since everyone who has been the cause of his own death is a greater murderer. May the divine goodness keep you forever, dearly beloved brothers.