Note on the Text of the
Canons.
The Canons of Sardica have come down to us both in Greek
and Latin, and some writers such as Richer (
Histoire Conc.
Générale
, Tom. i., p. 98), have been of opinion that the
Latin text alone was the original, while others, such as Walch
(
Gesch. der Kirchenvers
., p. 179), have arrived at a directly
opposite conclusion. Now, however, chiefly owing to the
investigations of the Ballerini and of Spittler, the unanimous opinion
of scholars—so says Hefele—is that the canons were
originally drawn up in both languages, intended as they were for both
Latins and Greeks. I may perhaps remind the reader that in many
Western collections of canons the canons of Sardica immediately follow
those of Nice without any break, or note that they were not enacted at
that council. It will also be well to bear in mind that they were
received by the Greeks as of Ecumenical authority by the Council in
Trullo, and as such are contained in the body of the Greek Canon
Law.
I have provided the reader with a very accurate
translation of each text.