The sacred canons

The Canons of the Holy Apostles

Κανόνες τῶν Ἁγίων Ἀποστόλων

The eighty-five canons prefixed to the whole canonical collection, ratified by the Second Canon of the Quinisext Council. They govern ordination, the order of the clergy, and communion with those outside the Church.

Canons of the First Ecumenical Council (Nicaea I)

Κανόνες τῆς Α΄ Οἰκουμενικῆς Συνόδου

Twenty canons on the order of the Church: jurisdiction, the reception of the lapsed and of schismatics, and the standing of the clergy.

Canons of the Second Ecumenical Council (Constantinople I)

Canons confirming the Nicene faith, defining the reception of heretics, and ordering the sees.

Canons of the Third Ecumenical Council (Ephesus)

Canons issued against the followers of Nestorius and Celestius, and on the independence of the Church of Cyprus.

Canons of the Fourth Ecumenical Council (Chalcedon)

Thirty canons on the discipline of the clergy and monastics, the order of the sees, and the trial of bishops.

Canons of the Fifth Ecumenical Council (Constantinople II)

The Fifth Council issued dogmatic definitions and anathemas rather than a separate body of disciplinary canons; its canonical force rests in its condemnations.

Canons of the Sixth Ecumenical Council (Constantinople III)

The Sixth Council likewise issued no separate canons; its disciplinary canons were supplied by the Quinisext Council of 692, held to complete it.

Canons of the Quinisext Council (In Trullo)

Πενθέκτη Σύνοδος

The one hundred and two canons that supplied the disciplinary legislation for the Fifth and Sixth Councils. Its Second Canon ratifies the whole prior canonical corpus by name.

Canons of the Seventh Ecumenical Council (Nicaea II)

Twenty-two canons on the restoration of good order after the Iconoclast crisis, the election of bishops, and the life of the clergy.

Canons of the First and Second Council of Constantinople

Πρωτοδευτέρα Σύνοδος

Seventeen canons under St Photios, chiefly on monastic order and on the ceasing of commemoration, including Canon 15, the charter of walling off.

Canons of the Council of Constantinople (Hagia Sophia)

Three canons under St Photios reconciling the sees and forbidding any addition to the Creed, held by many as the Eighth Ecumenical Council.

Canons of the Council of Carthage

The great African collection (numbered variously to about one hundred and thirty-three canons), on discipline, appeals, and the reception of the lapsed.

Canons of the Council of Ancyra

Twenty-five canons on the reception of those who lapsed under persecution.

Canons of the Council of Neocaesarea

Fifteen canons on the clergy and on marriage.

Canons of the Council of Gangra

Twenty canons against a false asceticism that despised marriage and the Church's order.

Canons of the Council of Antioch

Twenty-five canons on synods, jurisdiction, and the clergy.

Canons of the Council of Laodicea

Sixty canons on worship and on communion with the heterodox, the densest single source for the canons against joint prayer.

Canons of the Council of Sardica

Canons on the trial and appeal of bishops.

Canon of the Council of Constantinople (394)

A single canon: a bishop is not deposed by two or three but by a larger synod.

The Canonical Epistles of St Basil the Great

The ninety-two canons drawn from St Basil's letters (chiefly 188, 199, 217), the foundation of the Church's penitential and reception discipline.

The Canonical Epistle of St Gregory of Nyssa

Eight canons on the healing of the three powers of the soul through penance.

The Canonical Epistle of St Dionysius of Alexandria

Four canons on fasting and purity.

The Canons of St Peter of Alexandria

Fifteen canons on the reception of those who lapsed in the persecution of Diocletian.

The Canonical Epistle of St Gregory Thaumaturgus

Eleven canons on those who sinned during the barbarian invasions.

The Canonical Answers of St Timothy of Alexandria

Eighteen questions and answers on practical matters of communion and purity.

The Canonical Epistles of St Theophilus of Alexandria

Fourteen canons on the clergy and the observance of feasts.

The Canonical Epistles of St Cyril of Alexandria

Five canons, chiefly against the errors of the Nestorians.

The Canonical Epistles of St Athanasius the Great

Three canons, including the letter that lists the canon of Scripture.