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OFTEN CALLED THE QUINISEXT COUNCIL,
692 AD
Convoked in 691 AD by Emperor Justinian II in the Trullus Palace.
Attended by 211 Greek-speaking Bishops. Main purpose was to complete the
Council of Constantinople by issuing "canons". The reigning Pope Sergius (687 -
701 AD) refused to sign the decrees, rejecting them as “lacking
authority” and containing “novel errors”. But a century later
Pope Hadrian I (772 - 795 AD) recognised the Trullan decrees.
Translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers,
Series II, Vol. XIV. For a complete electronic copy, visit the
Christian Classics Ethereal
Library, the New Advent
Library. Italics in the text by John Wijngaards.
- Respect for apostolic traditions
- Sanction of the 85 Apostolic Canons
- Women living with clergy
- Priests and deacons allowed to live with their
wives
- Minimum ages set for priests, deacons and
deaconesses
- Bishops should not teach outside their own
territory
- A priest in an illegal marriage to suspend his
ministry
- On minimum ages, including that of
deaconesses
- A bishop's wife should enter a monastery and,
perhaps, become a deaconess
- Theatrical spectacles are forbidden
- Laymen may not take communion themselves if clergy
is present
- Lay people have no authority to teach
- Lay people should not enter the
sanctuary
- Women should not speak during the Divine
Liturgy
Respect for apostolic
traditions
Canon 1. That order is best of all which makes every word and act
begin and end in God. Wherefore that piety may be clearly set forth by us and
that the Church of which Christ is the foundation may be continually increased
and advanced, and that it may be exalted above the cedars of Lebanon; now
therefore we, by divine grace at the beginning of our decrees, define that the
faith set forth by the God-chosen Apostles who themselves had both seen and
were ministers of the Word, shall be preserved without any innovation,
unchanged and inviolate.
But if any one at all shall not observe and embrace the aforesaid pious
decrees, and teach and preach in accordance therewith, but shall attempt to set
himself in opposition thereto, let him be anathema, according to the decree
already promulgated by the up-proved holy and blessed Fathers, and let him be
cast out and stricken off as an alien from the number of Christians. For our
decrees add nothing to the things previously defined, nor do they take anything
away, nor have we any such power.
Sanction of the 85 Apostolic
Canons
Canon 2. IT has also seemed good to this holy Council, that
the eighty-five canons, received and ratified by the holy and blessed
Fathers before us, and also handed down to us in the name of the holy and
glorious Apostles should from this time forth remain firm and unshaken for the
cure of souls and the healing of disorders. And in these canons we are bidden
to receive the Constitutions of the Holy Apostles [written] by Clement.
But formerly through the agency of those who erred from the faith certain
adulterous matter was introduced, clean contrary to piety, for the polluting of
the Church, which obscures the elegance and beauty of the divine decrees in
their present form. We therefore reject these Constitutions so as the better to
make sure of the edification and security of the most Christian flock; by no
means admitting the offspring of heretical error, and cleaving to the pure and
perfect doctrine of the Apostles . . . .
Women living with clergy
Canon 5. Let none of those who are on the priestly list possess
any woman or maid servant, beyond those who are enumerated in the canon as
being persons free from suspicion, preserving himself hereby from being
implicated in any blame. But if anyone transgresses our decree let him be
deposed. And let eunuchs also observe the same rule, that by foresight they may
be free of censure. But those who transgress, let them be deposed, if indeed
they are clerics; but if laymen let them be excommunicated.
Priests and deacons allowed to live
with their wives
Canon 13. SINCE we know it to be handed down as a
rule of the Roman Church that those who are deemed worthy to be advanced to the
diaconate or presbyterate should promise no longer to cohabit with their wives,
we, preserving the ancient rule and apostolic perfection and order, will that
the lawful marriages of men who are in holy orders be from this time forward
firm, by no means dissolving their union with their wives nor depriving them of
their mutual intercourse at a convenient time. Wherefore, if anyone shall have
been found worthy to be ordained subdeacon, or deacon, or presbyter, he is by
no means to be prohibited from admittance to such a rank, even if he shall live
with a lawful wife. Nor shall it be demanded of him at the time of his
ordination that he promise to abstain from lawful intercourse with his wife:
lest we should affect injuriously marriage constituted by God and blessed by
his presence, as the Gospel saith: "What God hath joined together let no man
put asunder;" and the Apostle saith, "Marriage is honourable and the bed
undefiled;" and again, "Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed." But
we know, as they who assembled at Carthage (with a care for the honest life of
the clergy) said, that subdeacons, who handle the Holy Mysteries, and deacons,
and presbyters should abstain from their consorts according to their own course
[of ministration]. So that what has been handed down through the Apostles and
preserved by ancient custom, we too likewise maintain, knowing that there is a
time for all things and especially for fasting and prayer. For it is meet that
they who assist at the divine altar should be absolutely continent when they
are handling holy things, in order that they may be able to obtain froth God
what they ask in sincerity.
Minimum ages set for priests, deacons
and deaconesses
Canon 14. LET the canon of our holy God-bearing
Fathers be confirmed in this particular also; that a presbyter be not ordained
before he is thirty years of age, even if he be a very worthy man, but let him
be kept back. For our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized and beg.an to teach when
he was thirty. In like manner let no deacon be ordained before he is
twenty-five, nor a deaconess before she is forty.
Bishops should not teach outside their
own territory
Canon 20. IT shall not be lawful for a bishop to
teach publicly in any city which does not belong to him. If any shall have been
observed doing this, let him cease from his episcopate, but let him discharge
the office of a presbyter.
A priest in an illegal marriage to
suspend his ministry
Canon 26. IF a presbyter has through ignorance
contracted an illegal marriage, while he still retains the right to his place,
as we have defined in the sacred canons, yet he must abstain from all
sacerdotal work. For it is sufficient if to such an one indulgence is granted.
For he is until to bless another who needs to take care of his own wounds, for
blessing is the imparting of sanctification. But how can he impart this to
another who does not possess it himself through a sin of ignorance? Neither
then in public nor in private can he bless nor distribute to others the body of
Christ, [nor perform any other ministry]; but being content with his seat of
honour let him lament to the Lord that his sin of ignorance may be remitted.
For it is manifest that the nefarious marriage must be dissolved, neither can
the man have any intercourse with her on account of whom he is deprived of the
execution of his priesthood.
On minimum ages, including that of
deaconesses
Canon 40. SINCE to cleave to God by retiring from
the noise and turmoil of life is very beneficial, it behoves us not without
examination to admit before the proper time those who choose the monastic life,
but to observe respecting them the limit handed down by our fathers, in order
that we may then admit a profession of the life according to God as for ever
firm, and the result of knowledge and judgment after years of discretion have
been reached. He therefore who is about to submit to the yoke of monastic life
should not be less than ten years of age, the examination of the matter
depending on the decision of the bishop, whether he considers a longer time
more conducive for his entrance and establishment in the monastic life. For
although the great Basil in his holy canons decreed that she who willingly
offers to God and embraces virginity, if she has completed her seventeenth
year, is to be entered in the order of virgins: nevertheless, having followed
the example respecting widows and deaconesses, analogy and proportion being
considered, we have admitted at the said time those who have chosen the
monastic life. For it is written in the divine Apostle that a widow is to be
elected in the church at sixty years old: but the sacred canons have decreed
that a deaconess shall be ordained at forty, since they saw that the Church by
divine grace had gone forth more powerful and robust and was advancing still
further, and they saw the firmness and stability of the faithful in observing
the divine commandments. Wherefore we also, since we most rightly
comprehend the matter, appoint the benediction of grace to him who is about to
enter the struggle according to God, even as impressing speedily a certain seal
upon him, hereupon introducing him to the not-long-to-be-hesitated-over and
declined, or rather inciting him even to the choice and determination of good.
A bishop's wife should enter a monastery
and, perhaps, become a deaconess
Canon 48. THE wife of him who is advanced to the
Episcopal dignity, shall be separated from her husband by their mutual consent,
and after his ordination and consecration to the episcopate she shall enter a
monastery situated at a distance from the abode of the bishop, and there let
her enjoy the bishop's provision. And if she is deemed worthy she may be
advanced to the dignity of a deaconess.
Theatrical spectacles are
forbidden
Canon 51. THIS holy and ecumenical synod altogether
forbids those who are called "players," and their "spectacles," as well as the
exhibition of hunts, and the theatrical dances. If any one despises the present
canon, and gives himself to any of the things which are forbidden, if he be a
cleric he shall be deposed, but if a layman let him be cut off.
Laymen may not take communion
themselves if clergy is present
Canon 58. NONE of those who are in the order of
laymen may distribute the Divine Mysteries to himself if a bishop, presbyter,
or deacon be present. But whoso shall dare to do such a thing, as acting
contrary to what has been determined shall be cut off for a week and
thenceforth let him learn not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
think.
Lay people have no authority to
teach
Canon 64. IT does not befit a layman to dispute or
teach publicly, thus claiming for himself authority to teach, but he should
yield to the order appointed by the Lord, and to open his ears to those who
have received the grace to teach, and be taught by them divine things; for in
one Church God has made "different members," according to the word of the
Apostle: and Gregory the Theologian, wisely interpreting this passage, commends
the order in vogue with them saying:(1) "This order brethren we revere, this we
guard. Let this one be the ear; that one the tongue, the hand or any other
member. Let this one teach, but let that one learn." And a little further on:
"Learning in docility and abounding in cheerfulness, and ministering with
alacrity, we shall not all be the tongue which is the more active member, not
all of us Apostles, not all prophets, nor shall we all interpret." And again:
"Why dost thou make thyself a shepherd when thou art a sheep? Why become the
head when thou art a foot? Why dost thou try to be a commander when thou art
enrolled in the number of the soldiers?" And elsewhere: "Wisdom orders, Be not
swift in words; nor compare thyself with the rich, being poor; nor seek to be
wiser than the wise." But if any one be found weakening the present canon, he
is to be cut off for forty days.
Lay people should not enter the
sanctuary
Canon 69. IT is not permitted to a layman to enter
the sanctuary, though, in accordance with a certain ancient tradition, the
imperial power and authority is by no means prohibited from this when he wishes
to offer his gifts to the Creator.
Women should not speak during the Divine
Liturgy
Canon 70. WOMEN are not permitted to speak at the
time of the Divine Liturgy; but, according to the word of Paul the Apostle,
"let them be silent. For it is not permitted to them to speak, but to be in
subjection, as the law also saith. But if they wish to learn anything let them
ask their own husbands at home."
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