Canons of the Council of Laodicea

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Concerning those who, according to the ecclesiastical canon, have freely and lawfully entered second marriages and have not contracted a clandestine marriage: we have decreed that, after a short period has passed and they have devoted themselves to prayers and fasts, communion is to be restored to them by way of pardon.

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Concerning those who sin in various offenses, yet persevere in the prayer of confession and repentance and make their turning away from evils complete: after a period of repentance has been given to such persons in proportion to the offense, they are to be brought to communion because of the mercies and goodness of God.

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Concerning the fact that one who has only recently been enlightened ought not to be advanced into the priestly order.

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Concerning the fact that those in Holy Orders ought not to lend money and receive interest or the so-called half-as-much-again charges.

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Concerning the fact that ordinations ought not to take place in the presence of hearers.

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Concerning the fact that heretics who persist in their heresy are not to be permitted to enter the house of God.

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Concerning those returning from heresies, that is, from the Novatians, or Photinians, or Quartodecimans: whether they were catechumens among them or were counted as faithful, they are not to be received before they anathematize every heresy, and especially the one in which they were held. Then those among them who are called faithful, after learning the symbols of the faith and being anointed with the holy chrism, may thus partake of the Holy Mysteries.

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Concerning those returning from the heresy of the so-called Phrygians: even if they happen to belong to what is regarded among them as clergy, and even if they are called the greatest among them, such persons are to be catechized with all care and baptized by the bishops and presbyters of the Church.

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Concerning the fact that those of the Church are not to be permitted to go to the cemeteries or to the so-called martyries of any heretics for the sake of prayer or healing. If such persons are faithful, let them be without communion for a time; but those who repent and confess that they have erred are to be received.

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Concerning the fact that those of the Church ought not indiscriminately to unite their children in marriage with heretics.

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Concerning the fact that the so-called presbytides, that is, female presidents, ought not to be appointed in the Church.

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Concerning the fact that bishops are to be established in ecclesiastical authority by the judgment of the metropolitans and the bishops round about, being persons long tested both in the word of faith and in the conduct of an upright life.

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Concerning the fact that the elections of those who are to be established in the priesthood are not to be entrusted to the crowds.

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Concerning the fact that the Holy Things, by way of blessings, are not to be sent during the feast of Pascha to other parishes.

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Concerning the fact that no one is to chant in church except the canonical chanters, who ascend the ambo and chant from a parchment.

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Concerning the fact that on the Sabbath the Gospels are to be read together with the other Scriptures.

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Concerning the fact that the psalms are not to be joined one immediately to another in the assemblies, but a reading is to take place between each psalm.

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Concerning the fact that the same service of prayers ought always to be performed both at the ninth hours and at vespers.

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Concerning the fact that, first, after the bishops' homilies, the prayer of the catechumens is to be performed separately; and after the catechumens have gone out, the prayer of those in repentance is to be made. After these have approached under the hand and withdrawn, the prayers of the faithful are then to be made, three in number: the first in silence, and the second and third completed by proclamation. Then in this way the peace is to be given; and after the presbyters have given the peace to the bishop, then the laypeople are to give the peace, and thus the holy offering is to be performed. Only those in Holy Orders are permitted to enter the altar and to partake.

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A deacon ought not to sit before a presbyter, but is to sit with the presbyter's permission. Likewise, the deacons are to receive honor from the attendants and from all the clerics.

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Attendants ought not to have a place in the diaconicon or touch the sacred vessels.

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An attendant ought not to wear an orarion, nor abandon the doors.

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Readers or chanters ought not to wear an orarion and thus read or chant.

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Those in Holy Orders, from presbyters down to deacons, and thereafter those of the ecclesiastical order down to attendants, readers, chanters, exorcists, doorkeepers, or those of the order of ascetics, ought not to enter a tavern.

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An attendant ought not to give the bread, nor bless the cup.

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Those who have not been appointed by bishops ought not to exorcize, either in churches or in houses.

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Those in Holy Orders, clerics, or laypeople who are invited to an agape ought not to take portions away, lest insult be brought upon the ecclesiastical order.

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The so-called agape meals ought not to be held in the Lord's houses or in churches, nor ought people to eat in the house of God and spread dining couches there.

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Christians ought not to Judaize and be idle on the Sabbath, but they are to work on that day also; preferring the Lord's Day, however, they should, if they can, rest as Christians. But if they are found to be Judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ.

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Those in Holy Orders, clerics, or ascetics ought not to bathe in a bathhouse with women, nor indeed any Christian or layman; for this is the first ground of condemnation among the nations.

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Marriages ought not to be contracted with heretics in general, nor sons or daughters given to them; rather, they may be received, provided they promise to become Christians.

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Blessings of heretics ought not to be received, for they are absurdities rather than blessings.

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One ought not to pray together with heretics or schismatics.

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No Christian ought to abandon the martyrs of Christ and go to the false martyrs, that is, those of heretics, or to those who themselves have become associated with the aforesaid heretics; for these are alien from God. Let those who go to them therefore be anathema.

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Christians ought not to abandon the Church of God and go away invoking angels and holding assemblies, things which are forbidden. If anyone, therefore, is found devoting himself to this hidden idolatry, let him be anathema, because he has abandoned our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and has approached idolatry.

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Those in Holy Orders or clerics ought not to be magicians, enchanters, mathematicians, or astrologers, nor to make the so-called phylacteries, which are prisons of their souls. We have commanded that those who wear them be cast out of the Church.

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One ought not to receive the festival gifts sent by Jews or heretics, nor celebrate feasts together with them.

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One ought not to receive unleavened bread from the Jews or share in their impieties.

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One ought not to celebrate feasts together with the pagans or share in their godlessness.

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Bishops who are summoned to a synod ought not to disregard the summons, but are to go and teach or be taught for the correction of the Church and the others. If such a one disregards it, he will accuse himself, unless he remains away because of infirmity.

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One in Holy Orders or a cleric ought not to travel without the command of the bishop.

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Those in Holy Orders or clerics ought not to travel without canonical letters.

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Attendants ought not, even for a short time, to abandon the doors in order to devote themselves to prayer.

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Women ought not to enter the altar.

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After two weeks of the Forty Days have passed, candidates ought not to be received for enlightenment.

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Those who are being enlightened ought to learn the faith and, on the fifth day of the week, recite it to the bishop or to the presbyters.

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Those who receive enlightenment during illness and afterward recover ought to learn the faith and know that they have been deemed worthy of a divine gift.

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Those who are being enlightened ought, after baptism, to be anointed with heavenly chrism and to be partakers of the Kingdom of Christ.

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During the Forty Days bread ought not to be offered except on the Sabbath and the Lord's Day only.

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During the Forty Days, in the last week, one ought not to break the fast on the fifth day and thereby dishonor the whole Forty Days; rather, one ought to fast throughout the whole Forty Days, eating dry food.

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During the Forty Days the birthdays of martyrs ought not to be celebrated; rather, the commemorations of the holy martyrs are to be made on the Sabbaths and the Lord's Days.

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During the Forty Days marriages or birthday celebrations ought not to be held.

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Christians going to weddings ought not to dance or perform dances, but are to dine or take their meal modestly, as befits Christians.

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Those in Holy Orders or clerics ought not to watch spectacles at weddings or banquets; rather, before the theatrical performers enter, they are to rise and depart.

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Those in Holy Orders or clerics ought not to hold banquets by contribution, nor indeed ought laypeople.

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Presbyters ought not to enter and sit in the bema before the bishop's entrance, but are to enter with the bishop, unless the bishop is ill or away on a journey.

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Bishops ought not to be appointed in villages and rural districts, but visitors; those, however, who have already been appointed are to do nothing without the judgment of the bishop in the city. Likewise the presbyters are to do nothing without the judgment of the bishop.

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

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Private psalms ought not to be recited in the Church, nor uncanonical books, but only the canonical books of the Old and New Testament.

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The books of the Old Testament which ought to be read are these: 1. Genesis of the world; 2. Exodus from Egypt; 3. Leviticus; 4. Numbers; 5. Deuteronomy; 6. Joshua the son of Nun; 7. Judges, Ruth; 8. Esther; 9. First and Second Kingdoms; 10. Third and Fourth Kingdoms; 11. First and Second Chronicles; 12. First and Second Ezra; 13. the Book of Psalms, one hundred and fifty; 14. Proverbs of Solomon; 15. Ecclesiastes; 16. Song of Songs; 17. Job; 18. the Twelve Prophets; 19. Isaiah; 20. Jeremiah and Baruch, Lamentations and the Epistles; 21. Ezekiel; 22. Daniel. The books of the New Testament are these: four Gospels, according to Matthew, according to Mark, according to Luke, according to John; 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.