Canon LIV. (Greek
lviii.)
That a strange cleric is under no circumstances to be
received by another.
Epigonius
, the bishop,
said: This has been decreed in many councils, also just now it
has been confirmed by your prudence, most blessed brethren, that no
bishop should receive a strange cleric into his diocese without the
consent of the bishop to whose jurisdiction the cleric belongs.
But I say that Julian, who is ungrateful for the layouts bestowed upon
him by God through my littleness, is so rash and audacious, that a
certain man who was baptized by me, when he was a most needy boy,
commended to me by the same, and when for many years he had been fed
and reared by me, it is certain that this one, as I have said, was
baptized in my church, by my own unworthy hands; this same man began to
exercise the office of reader in the Mappalien diocese, and read there
for nearly two years, with a most incomprehensible contempt of my
littleness, the aforenamed Julian took this man, whom he declared to be
a citizen of his own city Vazarita, and without consulting me ordained
him deacon. If, most blessed brethren, that is permissible, let
it be declared to us; but if not, let such an impudent one be
restrained that he may in no way mix himself in someone’s
communion.
Numidius, the bishop, said: If, as it seems,
Julian did this without your worthiness being asked for his consent,
nor even consulted, we all judge that this was done iniquitously and
unworthily. Wherefore unless Julian shall correct his error, and
shall return the cleric to your people with proper satisfaction, since
what he did was contrary to the decrees of the council, let him be
condemned and separated from us on account of his contumacy.
Epigonius, the bishop, said: Our father in age, and most ancient
by his promotion, that laudable man, our brother and colleague Victor
wishes that this petition should be made general to all.
Notes.
Ancient Epitome of Canon
LIV.
Since Julian has ordained a reader of Epigonius’s
to the diaconate, unless he shall shew authority received from him to
do so, he shall increase the penalty of his contumacy.
This canon is Canon vj. of the Synod of Carthage, August
28th,
a.d.
397.
Johnson.
See Canon of the Apostles, 12 (15, 16), and Chalcedon,
10.