Canon XC. (Greek
xciii.)
Of those who have once read in church, that they cannot
be advanced by others.
Item
, it seemed good that
whoever in church even once had read should not be admitted to the
ministry (
clericatum
) by another church.
And they subscribed: I, Aurelius, bishop of the
Church of Carthage, have consented to this decree, and, having read it,
have signed it. Likewise also the rest of the bishops signed.
Ancient Epitome of Canon XC.
He who has only once read in a Church [i.e., diocese]
shall not be admitted into the clergy by another Church.
This is Canon iv. of Milevis, 402.
There is set
forth in this council what the bishops did who were sent as legates
across seas.
In the consulship of those most illustrious men, the
most glorious Emperor Theodosius Augustus, and Rumoridus, the
VIII.
468
Calends of September, at Carthage, in the
basilica of the second region, when Aurelius the bishop had taken his
seat in plenary council, the deacons standing by, Aurelius, the bishop,
said: From stress of circumstances, venerable brethren, I,
although so small, have been led to assemble you in council. For
a while ago, as your holinesses will remember, while holding a council
we sent our brothers as legates to the regions beyond seas. It is
right that these should at this meeting of your holinesses narrate the
course of their now finished legation, and although yesterday when we
were in session concerning this matter, besides ecclesiastical matters,
we paid some prolonged attention to what they had done, nevertheless it
is right that to-day the discussion of yesterday should be confirmed by
ecclesiastical action.
Of the bishops of the African provinces who were not
present at this council.
469
The right order of things demands that first of all we
should enquire concerning our brethren and fellow bishops, who were to
come to this council either from Byzacena or at least from Mauritania,
like as they decreed that they would be present in this council.
And when Philologius, Geta, Venustianus, and Felician, bishops of the
province of Byzacena had presented and read their letters of legation,
and Lucian and Silvanus, legates of the province of Mauritania
Sitiphensis, had done the same, the bishop Aurelius said: Let the
text of these writings be placed in the acts.
Of the Byzacene bishops.
Numidius, the bishop, said: We observe that our
brethren and fellow bishops of the province of Byzacena and of the
province of Mauritania Sitiphensis have sent legates to the council; we
now seek whether the legates of Numidia have come, or at least of the
province of Tripoli or of Mauritania-Cæsariensis.
Of the bishops of Mauritania Sitiphensis.
Lucian and Silvanus, the bishops, legates of the
Province of Mauritania Sitiphensis said: The tractory came late
to our Cæsarian brethren or they would have been here; and they
will certainly come, and we are confident of their attitude of mind
that whatever shall be determined by this council, they without doubt
will assent unto.
Of the bishops of Numidia.
Alypius, bishop of the church of Tagaste said: We
have come from Numidia, I and the holy brethren Augustine and
Possidius, but a legation could not be sent from Numidia, because by
the tumult of the recruits the bishops have either been prevented from
coming or fully occupied by their own necessary affairs in their
sees. For after I had brought to the holy Senex Xantippus your
holiness’s tractory, this seemed good in the present business
that a council should be appointed, to which a delegation with
instructions should be sent, but when I reported to him in later
letters the impediment of the recruits, of which I have just spoken, he
excused them by his own rescripts. Aurelius, the bishop,
said: There is no doubt that the aforesaid brethren and bishops
of Numidia, when they shall have received the acts of the council, will
give their consent and will take pains to carry into effect whatever
shall have been adopted. It is therefore necessary that by the
solicitude of this see what we shall have determined be communicated to
them.
Of the bishops of
Tripoli.
This is what I could learn concerning our brethren of
Tripoli, that they appointed our brother Dulcicius as a legate: but
because he could not come, certain of our sons coming from the
aforesaid province asserted that the aforesaid had taken shipping, and
that it was thought that his arrival had been delayed by storms;
nevertheless also concerning these matters, if your charity is willing,
this form shall be preserved, that the placets of the council be sent
to them. And all the bishops said: What your holiness has
decreed pleases us all.
468
Nine, in some
mss.
469
In the Greek this
is made part of the last sentence, and for “Of” it reads
“for the sake of” (
διὰ
).