Canon XIV.
If
a bishop shall be tried on
any accusations, and it should then happen that the bishops of the
province disagree concerning him, some pronouncing the accused
innocent, and others guilty; for the settlement of all disputes, the
holy Synod decrees that the metropolitan call on some others belonging
to the neighbouring province, who shall add their judgment and resolve
the dispute, and thus, with those of the province, confirm what is
determined.
Notes.
Ancient Epitome of Canon
XIV.
If the bishops of the province disagree among themselves
as to an accused bishop, that the controversy may be certainly settled,
let other neighbouring bishops be called in.
Zonaras.
When any bishop shall have been condemned with unanimous
consent by all the bishops of the province, the condemnation cannot be
called into doubt, as this synod has set forth in its fourth
canon. But if all the bishops are not of the same mind, but some
contend that he should be condemned and others the contrary, then other
bishops may be called in by the metropolitan from the neighbouring
provinces, and when their votes are added to one or other of the
parties among the bishops, then controversy should be brought to a
close. This also is the law of the Synod of Sardica, canons iii.
and v.
Aristenus.
Every bishop accused of crimes should be judged by his
own synod, but if the bishops of the province differ, some saying that
he is innocent and some that he is guilty, the metropolitan can call
other bishops from a neighbouring province that they may solve the
controversy agitated by the bishops.
This canon is found in the
Corpus Juris Canonici
,
Gratian’s
Decretum
, Pars II., Causa vi., Quæst. iv.,
can. j. The Roman Correctors note that the Latin translation
implies that the neighbouring metropolitan is to be invited and say,
“But, in truth, it hardly seems fitting that one metropolitan
should come at the call of another, and that there should be two
metropolitans in one synod.”