Canons of the Second Ecumenical Council (Constantinople I)

Direct English translation

The holy Fathers assembled in Constantinople determined 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 authoritative, and that every heresy is to be anathematized, and specifically that of the Eunomians, that is, the Eudoxians; that of the Semi-Arians, that is, the Pneumatomachi; that of the Sabellians; that of the Marcellians; that of the Photinians; and that of the Apollinarians.

Direct English translation

Bishops who are over a diocese are not to intrude upon Churches beyond their boundaries, nor are they to confuse the Churches. Rather, according to the canons, the bishop of Alexandria is to administer the affairs of Egypt alone; the bishops of the East are to govern the East alone, while the privileges granted by the canons of Nicaea to the Church of Antioch are preserved; the bishops of the Asian diocese are to administer the affairs of Asia alone; those of Pontus, the affairs of Pontus alone; and those of Thrace, the affairs of Thrace alone. Bishops are not to cross beyond their diocese uninvited for an ordination or for any other ecclesiastical administration. With the foregoing canon concerning the dioceses being observed, it is evident that the synod of each province will administer the affairs of that province, according to what was determined at Nicaea. The Churches of God among the barbarian nations are to be administered according to the custom of the Fathers which has prevailed.

Direct English translation

The bishop of Constantinople is to have the prerogatives of honour after the bishop of Rome, because Constantinople is New Rome.

Direct English translation

Concerning Maximus the Cynic and the disorder that occurred through him in Constantinople: neither did Maximus become a bishop, nor is he a bishop; nor are those ordained by him in any rank of the clergy, since everything done concerning him and by him has been annulled.

Direct English translation

Concerning the Tome of the Westerners, we have also accepted those in Antioch who confess one Godhead of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Direct English translation

Because many, wishing to confuse and overthrow ecclesiastical good order, maliciously and slanderously fabricate certain accusations against the Orthodox bishops who administer the Churches, attempting nothing other than to stain the reputations of the priests and to create disturbances among peoples living in peace, it has therefore pleased the holy synod of bishops assembled in Constantinople that accusers are not to be received without examination, nor is everyone to be permitted to make accusations against those administering the Churches, nor yet is everyone to be excluded. If someone brings against a bishop a personal complaint, that is, a private one, alleging that he has been defrauded or has suffered some other injustice from him, then in such accusations neither the person nor the religion of the accuser is to be examined. For it is necessary in every way both that the conscience of the bishop be free and that the person claiming to have been wronged, whatever his religion may be, obtain justice. But if the charge brought against the bishop is ecclesiastical, then the persons of the accusers must be examined. First, heretics are not to be permitted to make accusations concerning ecclesiastical matters against Orthodox bishops. By heretics we mean both those long ago cast out by the Church and those afterwards anathematized by us; and, in addition, those who pretend to confess the sound faith but have separated themselves and hold counter-assemblies against our canonical bishops. Next, if any have previously been condemned and cast out of the Church for certain causes, or are outside communion, whether they belong to the clergy or to the order of the laity, neither are they to be permitted to accuse a bishop until they have first cleared themselves of their own charge. Likewise, those who are already under a prior accusation are not to be received as accusers of a bishop or of other clerics until they have proved themselves innocent of the charges brought against them. But if some are neither heretics nor outside communion, neither condemned nor previously accused of any offences, and they claim to have an ecclesiastical accusation against a bishop, the holy synod commands them first to present their accusations before all the bishops of the province and to prove before them the charges against the bishop accused of certain offences. If it should happen that the bishops of the province are unable to correct the charges brought against the bishop, then the accusers are to approach a greater synod of the bishops of that diocese assembled for this case. They are not to present the accusation until they have first bound themselves in writing to incur the same penalty if, in the examination of the matter, they are proved to have slandered the accused bishop. But if anyone, despising what has been decreed in the foregoing provisions, should dare either to trouble the imperial hearing, or the courts of secular rulers, or an ecumenical synod, thereby dishonouring all the bishops of the diocese, such a person is not to be received at all as an accuser, because he has insulted the canons and damaged ecclesiastical good order.

Direct English translation

Those who are added to Orthodoxy and to the portion of those being saved from among the heretics we receive according to the following order and custom. Arians, Macedonians, Sabbatians, Novatians—who call themselves Cathari and Aristeri—Quartodecimans, that is, Tetradites, and Apollinarians, we receive when they submit written declarations and anathematize every heresy that does not hold as the holy catholic and apostolic Church of God holds, and when they are sealed, that is, anointed with holy chrism, first on the forehead, the eyes, the nostrils, the mouth, and the ears; and as we seal them we say: ‘Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ But the Eunomians, who are baptized with a single immersion; the Montanists, who here are called Phrygians; the Sabellians, who teach the identity of the Son and the Father and commit certain other grave errors; and all the other heresies—for there are many here, especially those originating from the country of the Galatians—all who wish to be added to Orthodoxy from among them 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 into their face and ears. In this way we catechize them and make them remain for a time in the Church and hear the Scriptures, and then we baptize them.