The Apostolic Constitutions

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Let us pray for those that bear fruit in the holy Church, and give alms to the needy. Let us pray for our brethren newly enlightened, that the Lord may strengthen and confirm them. Let us pray for our brethren exercised with sickness, that the Lord may deliver them from every sickness and every disease, and restore them sound into His holy Church. Let us pray for those that travel by water or by land. Let us pray for those that are in the mines, in banishments, in prisons, and in bonds, for the name of the Lord.

Let us pray for those that are afflicted with bitter servitude. Let us pray for our enemies, and those that hate us. Let us pray for those that persecute us for the name of the Lord, that the Lord may pacify their anger , and scatter their wrath against us. Let us pray for those that are without, and are wandered out of the way, that the Lord may convert them.

Let us be mindful of the infants of the Church , that the Lord may perfect them in His fear , and bring them to a complete age. Let us pray one for another, that the Lord may keep us and preserve us by His grace to the end, and deliver us from the evil one. Let us pray for every Christian soul. Save us, and raise us up, O God , by Your mercy. Let us rise up, and let us pray earnestly, and dedicate ourselves and one another to the living God , through His Christ. And let the high priest add this prayer , and say: O Lord Almighty, the Most High, who dwellest on high, the Holy One, that restest among the saints , without beginning, the Only Potentate, who hast given to us by Christ the preaching of knowledge , to the acknowledgment of Your glory and of Your name, which He has made known to us, for our comprehension, do Thou now also look down through Him upon this Your flock, and deliver it from all ignorance and wicked practice, and grant that we may fear You in earnest, and love You with affection, and have a due reverence of Your glory.

Be gracious and merciful to them, and hearken to them when they pray unto You; and keep them, that they may be unmoveable, unblameable, and unreprovable, that they may be holy in body and spirit, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that they may be complete, and none of them may be defective or imperfect.

O our support, our powerful God , who does not accept persons , be the assister of this Your people, which You have redeemed with the precious blood of Your Christ; be their protector, aider, provider, and guardian, their strong wall of defense, their bulwark and security. For none can snatch out of Your hand: Sanctify them by Your truth: And after this let the deacon say, Let us attend.

And let the bishop salute the church, and say, The peace of God be with you all. And let the people answer, And with your spirit; and let the deacon say to all, Salute one another with the holy kiss. And let the clergy salute the bishop , the men of the laity salute the men, the women the women. And let the children stand at the reading-desk; and let another deacon stand by them, that they may not be disorderly.

And let other deacons walk about and watch the men and women , that no tumult may be made, and that no one nod, or whisper, or slumber; and let the deacons stand at the doors of the men, and the sub- deacons at those of the women , that no one go out, nor a door be opened, although it be for one of the faithful , at the time of the oblation. But let one of the sub-deacons bring water to wash the hands of the priests , which is a symbol of the purity of those souls that are devoted to God. And I James, the brother of John, the son of Zebedee, say, that the deacon shall immediately say, Let none of the catechumens , let none of the hearers, let none of the unbelievers, let none of the heterodox, stay here.

You who have prayed the foregoing prayer , depart. Let the mothers receive their children; let no one have anything against any one; let no one come in hypocrisy; let us stand upright before the Lord with fear and trembling, to offer. When this is done, let the deacons bring the gifts to the bishop at the altar; and let the presbyters stand on his right hand, and on his left, as disciples stand before their Master. But let two of the deacons , on each side of the altar, hold a fan, made up of thin membranes, or of the feathers of the peacock, or of fine cloth, and let them silently drive away the small animals that fly about, that they may not come near to the cups.

Let the high priest , therefore , together with the priests , pray by himself; and let him put on his shining garment, and stand at the altar, and make the sign of the cross upon his forehead with his hand, and say: And let all with one voice say: And with your spirit. Lift up your mind. We lift it up unto the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord. It is meet and right so to do.

Then let the high priest say: For You are eternal knowledge , everlasting sight, unbegotten hearing, untaught wisdom, the first by nature, and the measure of being, and beyond all number; who brought all things out of nothing into being by Your only begotten Son, but begot Him before all ages by Your will, Your power, and Your goodness, without any instrument, the only begotten Son, God the Word , the living Wisdom, the First-born of every creature, the angel of Your Great Counsel, and Your High Priest, but the King and Lord of every intellectual and sensible nature, who was before all things, by whom were all things.

For You, O eternal God , made all things by Him, and through Him it is that You vouchsafe Your suitable providence over the whole world; for by the very same that You bestowed being, did You also bestow well-being: You have also appointed the station of the winds, which blow when commanded by You, and the multitude of the plants and herbs. And You have not only created the world itself, but hast also made man for a citizen of the world, exhibiting him as the ornament of the world; for You said to Your Wisdom: Let us make man according to our image, and according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the heaven.

And when You made him, You gave him a law implanted within him, that so he might have at home and within himself the seeds of divine knowledge ; and when You had brought him into the paradise of pleasure, You allowed him the privilege of enjoying all things, only forbidding the tasting of one tree, in hopes of greater blessings; that in case he would keep that command, he might receive the reward of it, which was immortality. But when he neglected that command, and tasted of the forbidden fruit, by the seduction of the serpent and the counsel of his wife, You justly cast him out of paradise.

Yet of Your goodness You did not overlook him, nor allow him to perish utterly, for he was Your creature; but You subjected the whole creation to him, and granted him liberty to procure himself food by his own sweat and labours, while You caused all the fruits of the earth to spring up, to grow, and to ripen.

But when You had laid him asleep for a while, You with an oath called him to a restoration again, loosed the bond of death, and promise him life after the resurrection. And not this only; but when You had increased his posterity to an innumerable multitude, those that continued with You You glorified, and those who did apostatize from You You punished. You are He who delivered Abraham from the impiety of his fore-fathers, and appointed him to be the heir of the world, and discovered to him Your Christ; who aforehand ordained Melchisedec an high priest for Your worship; who rendered Your patient servant Job the conqueror of that serpent who is the patron of wickedness ; who made Isaac the son of the promise, and Jacob the father of twelve sons, and increased his posterity to a multitude, and bring him into Egypt with seventy-five souls.

Apostolic Constitutions (Book VIII)

You, O Lord, did not overlook Joseph, but granted him, as a reward of his chastity for Your sake, the government over the Egyptians. You, O Lord, did not overlook the Hebrews when they were afflicted by the Egyptians , on account of the promises made unto their fathers; but You delivered them and punish the Egyptians.

And when men had corrupted the law of nature, and had sometimes esteemed the creation the effect of chance, and sometimes honoured it more than they ought, and equalled it to the God of the universe , You did not, however, suffer them to go astray, but raised up Your holy servant Moses , and by him gave the written law for the assistance of the law of nature, and showed that the creation was Your work, and banished away the error of polytheism.

You adorned Aaron and his posterity with the priesthood , and punished the Hebrews when they sinned , and receive them again when they returned to You. You punished the Egyptians with a judgment of ten plagues, and divided the sea, and bring the Israelites through it, and drown and destroy the Egyptians who pursued after them. You sweetened the bitter water with wood; You brought water out of the rock of stone; You rained manna from heaven, and quails, as meat out of the air; You afforded them a pillar of fire by night to give them light, and a pillar of a cloud by day to overshadow them from the heat; You declared Joshua to be the general of the army, and overthrew the seven nations of Canaan by him; You divided Jordan, and dry up the rivers of Etham; You overthrew walls without instruments or the hand of man.

For all these things, glory be to You, O Lord Almighty. You do the innumerable hosts of angels , archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, authorities, and powers, Your everlasting armies, adore. The cherubim and the six-winged seraphim, with two covering their feet, with two their heads, and with two flying, say, together with thousand thousands of archangels, and ten thousand times ten thousand of angels , incessantly, and with constant and loud voices, and let all the people say it with them: Holy, holy , holy , Lord of hosts, heaven and earth are full of His glory: For You are truly holy , and most holy , the highest and most highly exalted forever.

Holy also is Your only begotten Son our Lord and God , Jesus Christ , who in all things ministered to His God and Father, both in Your various creation and Your suitable providence , and has not overlooked lost mankind. But after the law of nature, after the exhortations in the positive law, after the prophetical reproofs and the government of the angels , when men had perverted both the positive law and that of nature, and had cast out of their mind the memory of the flood, the burning of Sodom , the plagues of the Egyptians , and the slaughters of the inhabitant of Palestine, and being just ready to perish universally after an unparalleled manner, He was pleased by Your good will to become man, who was man's Creator; to be under the laws , who was the Legislator; to be a sacrifice , who was an High Priest; to be a sheep, who was the Shepherd.

And He appeased You, His God and Father, and reconciled You to the world, and freed all men from the wrath to come, and was made of a virgin , and was in flesh, being God the Word , the beloved Son , the first-born of the whole creation, and was, according to the prophecies which were foretold concerning Him by Himself, of the seed of David and Abraham , of the tribe of Judah. He arose from the dead the third day; and when He had continued with His disciples forty days, He was taken up into the heavens, and is sat down on the right hand of You, who art His God and Father.

Being mindful, therefore, of those things that He endured for our sakes, we give You thanks, O God Almighty, not in such a manner as we ought, but as we are able, and fulfil His constitution: This is my body, which is broken for many, for the remission of sins. In like manner also He took the cup, and mixed it of wine and water, and sanctified it, and delivered it to them, saying: Drink all of this; for this is my blood which is shed for many, for the remission of sins: For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show forth my death until I come.

Being mindful, therefore, of His passion , and death, and resurrection from the dead, and return into the heavens, and His future second appearing, wherein He is to come with glory and power to judge the quick and the dead, and to recompense to every one according to his works, we offer to You, our King and our God , according to His constitution, this bread and this cup, giving You thanks, through Him, that You have thought us worthy to stand before You, and to sacrifice to You; and we beseech You that You will mercifully look down upon these gifts which are here set before You, O God , who standest in need of none of our offerings.

And accept them, to the honour of Your Christ, and send down upon this sacrifice Your Holy Spirit , the Witness of the Lord Jesus' sufferings, that He may show this bread to be the body of Your Christ, and the cup to be the blood of Your Christ, that those who are partakers thereof may be strengthened for piety , may obtain the remission of their sins , may be delivered from the devil and his deceit, may be filled with the Holy Ghost , may be made worthy of Your Christ, and may obtain eternal life upon Your reconciliation to them, O Lord Almighty.

We further pray unto You, O Lord, for your holy Church spread from one end of the world to another, which You have purchased with the precious blood of Your Christ, that You will preserve it unshaken and free from disturbance until the end of the world; for every episcopate who rightly divides the word of truth. We further pray to You for me, who am nothing, who offer to You, for the whole presbytery , for the deacons and all the clergy , that You will make them wise, and replenish them with the Holy Spirit. We further offer to You also for all those holy persons who have pleased You from the beginning of the world — patriarch, prophets , righteous men, apostles , martyrs , confessors, bishops , presbyters , deacons , sub-deacons , readers, singers, virgins , widows , and lay persons , with all whose names You know.

We further beseech You also for this city and its inhabitants; for those that are sick; for those in bitter servitude; for those in banishments; for those in prison ; for those that travel by water or by land; that You, the helper and assister of all men , will be their supporter. We further also beseech You for those that hate us and persecute us for Your name's sake; for those that are without, and wander out of the way; that You will convert them to goodness, and pacify their anger. We further also beseech You for the catechumens of the Church , and for those that are vexed by the adversary, and for our brethren the penitents, that You will perfect the first in the faith , that You will deliver the second from the energy of the evil one, and that You will accept the repentance of the last, and forgive both them and us our offenses.

We further offer to You also for the good temperature of the air, and the fertility of the fruits, that so, partaking perpetually of the good things derived from You, we may praise You without ceasing, who gave food to all flesh. We further beseech You also for those who are absent on a just cause , that You will keep us all in piety , and gather us together in the kingdom of Your Christ, the God of all sensible and intelligent nature, our King that You would keep us immoveable, unblameable, and unreprovable: And let all the people say, Amen.

And let the bishop say, The peace of God be with you all. And let all the people say, And with your spirit. And let the deacon proclaim again: Let us still further beseech God through His Christ, and let us beseech Him on account of the gift which is offered to the Lord God , that the good God will accept it, through the mediation of His Christ, upon His heavenly altar, for a sweet-smelling savour. Let us pray for this church and people. Let us pray for every episcopate , every presbytery , all the deacons and ministers in Christ , for the whole congregation, that the Lord will keep and preserve them all.

Let us pray for kings and those in authority, that they may be peaceable toward us, that so we may have and lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Let us pray for those that are departed in the faith. Let us pray for the good temperature of the air, and the perfect maturity of the fruits.

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Let us pray for those that are newly enlightened, that they may be strengthened in the faith , and all may be mutually comforted by one another. Raise us up, O God , by Your grace. Let us stand up, and dedicate ourselves to God , through His Christ. And let the bishop say: And after that all have said Amen , let the deacon say: And let the bishop speak thus to the people: Holy things for holy persons.

And let the people answer: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will among men. Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed be He that comes in the name of the Lord, being the Lord God who appeared to us, Hosanna in the highest. And let the bishop give the oblation, saying, The body of Christ; and let him that receives say, Amen. And let the deacon take the cup ; and when he gives it , say, The blood of Christ , the cup of life; and let him that drinks say, Amen. And let the thirty-third psalm be said, while the rest are partaking; and when all, both men and women , have partaken , let the deacons carry what remains into the vestry.

And when the singer has done, let the deacon say: Now we have received the precious body and the precious blood of Christ , let us give thanks to Him who has thought us worthy to partake of these His holy mysteries ; and let us beseech Him that it may not be to us for condemnation, but for salvation , to the advantage of soul and body, to the preservation of piety , to the remission of sins , and to the life of the world to come.

Let us arise, and by the grace of Christ let us dedicate ourselves to God , to the only unbegotten God , and to His Christ. And let the bishop give thanks: O Lord God Almighty, the Father of Your Christ, Your blessed Son, who hear those who call upon You with uprightness, who also know the supplications of those who are silent; we thank You that You have thought us worthy to partake of Your holy mysteries , which You have bestowed upon us, for the entire confirmation of those things we have rightly known , for the preservation of piety , for the remission of our offenses; for the name of your Christ is called upon us, and we are joined To You.

Bow down to God through His Christ, and receive the blessing.

Section 1. On the Diversity of Spiritual Gifts

Be gracious to me, and hear me, for Your name's sake, and bless those that bow down their necks unto You, and grant them the petitions of their hearts, which are for their good, and do not reject any one of them from Your kingdom; but sanctify, guard, cover, and assist them; deliver them from the adversary and every enemy; keep their houses, and guard their comings in and their goings out.

And the deacon shall say, Depart in peace. These constitutions concerning this mystical worship, we , the apostles , do ordain for you, the bishops , presbyters , and deacons. Concerning the ordination of presbyters , I who am loved by the Lord make this constitution for you the bishops: When you ordain a presbyter , O bishop , lay your hand upon his head, in the presence of the presbyters and deacons , and pray , saying: O Lord Almighty, our God , who hast created all things by Christ, and in like manner takes care of the whole world by Him; for He who had power to make different creatures, has also power to take care of them, according to their different natures; on which account, O God , You take care of immortal beings by bare preservation, but of those that are mortal by succession — of the soul by the provision of laws , of the body by the supply of its wants.

Do Thou therefore now also look down upon Your holy Church, and increase the same, and multiply those that preside in it, and grant them power, that they may labour both in word and work for the edification of Your people. Now look down also upon this Your servant, who is put into the presbytery by the vote and determination of the whole clergy ; and replenish him with the Spirit of grace and counsel, to assist and govern Your people with a pure heart, in the same manner as You looked down upon Your chosen people, and commanded Moses to choose elders, whom You filled with Your Spirit.

Do Thou also now, O Lord, grant this, and preserve in us the Spirit of Your grace , that this person, being filled with the gifts of healing and the word of teaching, may in meekness instruct Your people, and sincerely serve You with a pure mind and a willing soul , and may fully discharge the holy ministrations for Your people, through Your Christ, with whom glory , honour , and worship be to You, and to the Holy Ghost , forever.

Concerning the ordination of deacons , I Philip make this constitution: You shall ordain a deacon , O bishop , by laying your hands upon him in the presence of the whole presbytery , and of the deacons , and shall pray , and say: O God Almighty, the true and faithful God , who art rich unto all that call upon You in truth , who art fearful in counsels, and wise in understanding, who art powerful and great, hear our prayer , O Lord, and let Your ears receive our supplication, and cause the light of Your countenance to shine upon this Your servant, who is to be ordained for You to the office of a deacon ; and replenish him with Your Holy Spirit , and with power, as You replenished Stephen, who was Your martyr , and follower of the sufferings of Your Christ.

Render him worthy to discharge acceptably the ministration of a deacon , steadily, unblameably, and without reproof, that thereby he may attain an higher degree, through the mediation of Your only begotten Son, with whom glory , honour , and worship be to You and the Holy Spirit forever. Concerning a deaconess , I Bartholomew make this constitution: O bishop , you shall lay your hands upon her in the presence of the presbytery , and of the deacons and deaconesses , and shall say: Concerning the sub-deacons , I Thomas make this constitution for you the bishops: When you ordain a subdeacon , O bishop , you shall lay your hands upon him, and say: O Lord God , the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things that are therein; who also in the tabernacle of the testimony appointed overseers and keepers of Your holy vessels; do Thou now look down upon this Your servant, appointed a subdeacon ; and grant him the Holy Spirit , that he may worthily handle the vessels of Your ministry, and do Your will always, through Your Christ, with whom glory , honour , and worship be to You and to the Holy Spirit forever.

Concerning readers, I Matthew, also called Levi, who was once a tax-gatherer, make a constitution: Ordain a reader by laying your hands upon him, and pray unto God , and say: O Eternal God , who art plenteous in mercy and compassions, who hast made manifest the constitution of the world by Your operations therein, and keepest the number of Your elect, do Thou also now look down upon Your servant, who is to be entrusted to read Your Holy Scriptures to Your people, and give him Your Holy Spirit , the prophetic Spirit.

You who instructed Esdras Your servant to read Your laws to the people, do Thou now also at our prayers instruct Your servant, and grant that he may without blame perfect the work committed to him, and thereby be declared worthy of an higher degree, through Christ, with whom glory and worship be to You and to the Holy Ghost forever. A confessor is not ordained; for he is so by choice and patience, and is worthy of great honour , as having confessed the name of God , and of His Christ, before nations and kings.

But if there be occasion , he is to be ordained either a bishop , priest , or deacon. But if any one of the confessors who is not ordained snatches to himself any such dignity upon account of his confession, let the same person be deprived and rejected; for he is not in such an office, since he has denied the constitution of Christ , and is worse than an infidel. I, the same, make a constitution in regard to virgins: A widow is not ordained; yet if she has lost her husband a great while, and has lived soberly and unblameably, and has taken extraordinary care of her family , as Judith and Anna — those women of great reputation — let her be chosen into the order of widows.

But if she has lately lost her yokefellow, let her not be believed , but let her youth be judged of by the time; for the affections do sometimes grow aged with men, if they be not restrained by a better bridle. I the same make a constitution in regard to an exorcist. An exorcist is not ordained. For it is a trial of voluntary goodness, and of the grace of God through Christ by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. For he who has received the gift of healing is declared by revelation from God , the grace which is in him being manifest to all. But if there be occasion for him , he must be ordained a bishop , or a presbyter , or a deacon.

And I Simon the Canaanite make a constitution to determine by how many a bishop ought to be elected. Let a bishop be ordained by three or two bishops ; but if any one be ordained by one bishop , let him be deprived, both himself and he that ordained him. But if there be a necessity that he have only one to ordain him, because more bishops cannot come together, as in time of persecution , or for such like causes, let him bring the suffrage of permission from more bishops.

Concerning the canons I the same make a constitution. A bishop blesses, but does not receive the blessing. He lays on hands, ordains, offers, receives the blessing from bishops , but by no means from presbyters.

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A bishop deprives any clergyman who deserves deprivation, excepting a bishop ; for of himself he has not power to do that. A presbyter blesses, but does not receive the blessing; yet does he receive the blessing from the bishop or a fellow presbyter. In like manner does he give it to a fellow presbyter.

He lays on hands, but does not ordain; he does not deprive, yet does he separate those that are under him, if they be liable to such a punishment. A deacon does not bless, does not give the blessing, but receives it from the bishop and presbyter: But it is not lawful for any one of the other clergy to do the work of a deacon. A deaconess does not bless, nor perform anything belonging to the office of presbyters or deacons , but only is to keep the doors, and to minister to the presbyters in the baptizing of women , on account of decency.

A deacon separates a subdeacon , a reader, a singer, and a deaconess , if there be any occasion, in the absence of a presbyter. It is not lawful for a subdeacon to separate either one of the clergy or laity ; nor for a reader, nor for a singer, nor for a deaconess , for they are the ministers to the deacons. Concerning the water and the oil, I Matthias make a constitution.

Let the bishop bless the water, or the oil. But if he be not there, let the presbyter bless it, the deacon standing by. But if the bishop be present, let the presbyter and deacon stand by, and let him say thus: O Lord of hosts, the God of powers, the creator of the waters, and the supplier of oil, who art compassionate, and a lover of mankind , who hast given water for drink and for cleansing, and oil to give man a cheerful and joyful countenance; do Thou now also sanctify this water and this oil through Your Christ, in the name of him or her that has offered them, and grant them a power to restore health, to drive away diseases, to banish demons , and to disperse all snares through Christ our hope , with whom glory , honour , and worship be to You, and to the Holy Ghost , forever.

I the same make a constitution in regard to first-fruits and tithes. Let all first-fruits be brought to the bishop , and to the presbyters , and to the deacons , for their maintenance; but let all the tithe be for the maintenance of the rest of the clergy , and of the virgins and widows , and of those under the trial of poverty.

For the first-fruits belong to the priests , and to those deacons that minister to them. I the same make a constitution in regard to remainders. Those eulogies which remain at the mysteries , let the deacons distribute them among the clergy , according to the mind of the bishop or the presbyters: For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God , that every one be honoured according to his dignity; for the Church is the school, not of confusion, but of good order.

I also, Paul , the least of the apostles , do make the following constitutions for you, the bishops , and presbyters , and deacons , concerning canons. Those that first come to the mystery of godliness, let them be brought to the bishop or to the presbyters by the deacons , and let them be examined as to the causes wherefore they come to the word of the Lord; and let those that bring them exactly inquire about their character, and give them their testimony.

Let their manners and their life be inquired into, and whether they be slaves or freemen. And if any one be a slave, let him be asked who is his master.

If he be slave to one of the faithful , let his master be asked if he can give him a good character. If he cannot, let him be rejected, until he show himself to be worthy to his master. But if he does give him a good character, let him be admitted. But if he be household slave to an heathen , let him be taught to please his master, that the word be not blasphemed. If, then, he have a wife, or a woman has an husband, let them be taught to be content with each other; but if they be unmarried, let them learn not to commit fornication, but to enter into lawful marriage.

But if his master be one of the faithful , and knows that he is guilty of fornication, and yet does not give him a wife, or to the woman an husband, let him be separated; but if anyone has a demon , let him indeed be taught piety , but not received into communion before he be cleansed; yet if death be near, let him be received.

If any one be a maintainer of harlots, let him either leave off to prostitute women , or else let him be rejected. If a harlot come, let her leave off whoredom, or else let her be rejected. If a maker of idols come, let him either leave off his employment, or let him be rejected. If one belonging to the theatre come, whether it be man or woman , or charioteer, or dueller, or racer, or player of prizes, or Olympic gamester, or one that plays on the pipe, on the lute, or on the harp at those games, or a dancing-master or an huckster, either let them leave off their employments, or let them be rejected.

If a soldier come, let him be taught to do no injustice , to accuse no man falsely , and to be content with his allotted wages: He that is guilty of sins not to be named, a sodomite, an effeminate person, a magician, an enchanter, an astrologer, a diviner, an user of magic verses, a juggler, a mountebank, one that makes amulets, a charmer, a soothsayer, a fortune-teller, an observer of palmistry; he that, when he meets you, observes defects in the eyes or feet of the birds or cats, or noises, or symbolic sounds: Let a concubine, who is slave to an unbeliever, and confines herself to her master alone, be received; but if she be incontinent with others, let her be rejected.

If one of the faithful has a concubine, if she be a bond-servant, let him leave off that way, and marry in a legal manner: Let him that follows the Gentile customs, or Jewish fables, either reform, or let him be rejected. If any one follows the sports of the theatre, their huntings, or horse-races, or combats, either let him leave them off, or let him be rejected. Let him who is to be a catechumen be a catechumen for three years; but if any one be diligent, and has a good-will to his business, let him be admitted: Let him that teaches, although he be one of the laity , yet, if he be skilful in the word and grave in his manners, teach; for they shall be all taught of God.

Let the faithful person, whether man or woman , treat servants kindly, as we have ordained in the foregoing books, and have taught in our epistles. I Peter and Paul do make the following constitutions. Let the slaves work five days; but on the Sabbath day and the Lord's day let them have leisure to go to church for instruction in piety.

We have said that the Sabbath is on account of the creation, and the Lord's day of the resurrection. Let slaves rest from their work all the great week, and that which follows it — for the one in memory of the passion, and the other of the resurrection; and there is need they should be instructed who it is that suffered and rose again, and who it is permitted Him to suffer, and raised Him again. Let them have rest from their work on the Ascension, because it was the conclusion of the dispensation by Christ.

Let them rest at Pentecost, because of the coming of the Holy Spirit , which was given to those that believed in Christ. Let them rest on the festival of His birth, because on it the unexpected favour was granted to men , that Jesus Christ , the Logos of God , should be born of the Virgin Mary , for the salvation of the world. Let them rest on the festival of Epiphany, because on it a manifestation took place of the divinity of Christ , for the Father bore testimony to Him at the baptism ; and the Paraclete, in the form of a dove, pointed out to the bystanders Him to whom testimony was borne.

Let them rest on the days of the apostles: Let them rest on the day of the first martyr Stephen, and of the other holy martyrs who preferred Christ to their own life. Offer up your prayers in the morning, at the third hour , the sixth, the ninth, the evening, and at cock-crowing: But if it be not possible to go to the church on account of the unbelievers, you, O bishop , shall assemble them in a house, that a godly man may not enter into an assembly of the ungodly.

For it is not the place that sanctifies the man, but the man the place. And if the ungodly possess the place, avoid it, because it is profaned by them. For as holy priests sanctify a place, so do the profane ones defile it. If it be not possible to assemble either in the church or in a house, let every one by himself sing, and read, and pray , or two or three together. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Let not one of the faithful pray with a catechumen, no, not in the house: Let not one of the godly pray with an heretic , no, not in the house.

For what fellowship has light with darkness? Let Christians , whether men or women , who have connections with slaves, either leave them off, or let them be rejected. I James, the brother of Christ according to the flesh, but His servant as the only begotten God , and one appointed bishop of Jerusalem by the Lord Himself, and the Apostles, do ordain thus: When it is evening, you, O bishop , shall assemble the church; and after the repetition of the psalm at the lighting up the lights, the deacon shall bid prayers for the catechumens , the energumens , the illuminated, and the penitents, as we have formerly said.

But after the dismission of these, the deacon shall say: So many as are of the faithful , let us pray to the Lord. And after the bidding prayer , which is formerly set down, he shall say: Save us, O God , and raise us up by Your Christ. Let us stand up, and beg for the mercies of the Lord, and His compassions, for the angel of peace, for what things are good and profitable, for a Christian departure out of this life, an evening and a night of peace, and free from sin ; and let us beg that the whole course of our life may be unblameable.

Let us dedicate ourselves and one another to the living God through His Christ. O God , who art without beginning and without end, the Maker of the whole world by Christ, and the Provider for it, but before all His God and Father, the Lord of the Spirit , and the King of intelligible and sensible beings; who hast made the day for the works of light, and the night for the refreshment of our infirmity — for the day is Yours, the night also is Yours: You have prepared the light and the sun, — do Thou now, O Lord, Thou lover of mankind , and Fountain of all good, mercifully accept of this our evening thanksgiving.

You who has brought us through the length of the day, and hast brought us to the beginnings of the night, preserve us by Your Christ, afford us a peaceable evening, and a night free from sin , and vouchsafe us everlasting life by Your Christ, through whom glory , honour , and worship be to You in the Holy Spirit forever. Bow down for the laying on of hands.

O God of our fathers, and Lord of mercy, who formed man of Your wisdom a rational creature, and beloved of God more than the other beings upon this earth, and gave him authority to rule over the creatures upon the earth, and ordained by Your will rulers and priests — the former for the security of life, the latter for a regular worship, — do Thou now also look down, O Lord Almighty, and cause Your face to shine upon Your people, who bow down the neck of their heart, and bless them by Christ; through whom You have enlightened us with the light of knowledge , and have revealed Yourself to us; with whom worthy adoration is due from every rational and holy nature to You, and to the Spirit , who is the Comforter, forever.

In like manner, in the morning, after the repetition of the morning psalm, and his dismission of the catechumens , the energumens , the candidates for baptism , and the penitents, and after the usual bidding of prayers , that we may not again repeat the same things, let the deacon add after the words, Save us, O God , and raise us up by Your grace: Let us beg of the Lord His mercies and His compassions, that this morning and this day may be with peace and without sin , as also all the time of our sojourning; that He will grant us His angel of peace, a Christian departure out of this life, and that God will be merciful and gracious.

Let us dedicate ourselves and one another to the living God through His Only-begotten. O God , the God of spirits and of all flesh, who is beyond compare, and stands in need of nothing, who has given the sun to have rule over the day, and the moon and the stars to have rule over the night, do Thou now also look down upon us with gracious eyes, and receive our morning thanksgivings, and have mercy upon us; for we have not spread out our hands unto a strange God ; for there is not among us any new God , but You, the eternal God , who is without end, who has given us our being through Christ, and given us our well-being through Him.

Vouchsafe us also, through Him, eternal life; with whom glory , and honour , and worship be to You and to the Holy Spirit forever. And let the bishop add this prayer , saying: O God , who art faithful and true , who has mercy on thousands and ten thousands of them that love You, the lover of the humble , and the protector of the needy, of whom all things stand in need, for all things are subject to You; look down upon this Your people, who bow down their heads to You, and bless them with spiritual blessing.

Keep them as the apple of an eye, preserve them in piety and righteousness, and vouchsafe them eternal life in Christ Jesus Your beloved Son , with whom glory , honour , and worship be to You and to the Holy Spirit , now and always, and for ever and ever. And when the first-fruits are offered, the bishop gives thanks in this manner: We give thanks to You, O Lord Almighty, the Creator of the whole world, and its Preserver, through Your only begotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord, for the first-fruits which are offered to You, not in such a manner as we ought, but as we are able.

For what man is there that can worthily give You thanks for those things You have given them to partake of? The God of Abraham , and of Isaac, and of Jacob, and of all the saints , who made all things fruitful by Your word, and commanded the earth to bring forth various fruits for our rejoicing and our food; who hast given to the duller and more sheepish sort of creatures juices — herbs to them that feed on herbs, and to some flesh, to others seeds, but to us grain, as advantageous and proper food, and many other things — some for our necessities, some for our health, and some for our pleasure.

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On all these accounts, therefore, are You worthy of exalted hymns of praise for Your beneficence by Christ, through whom glory , honour , and worship be to You, in the Holy Spirit , forever. Concerning those that are at rest in Christ: After the bidding prayer , that we may not repeat it again, the deacon shall add as follows: Let us pray for our brethren that are at rest in Christ , that God , the lover of mankind , who has received his soul , may forgive him every sin , voluntary and involuntary, and may be merciful and gracious to him, and give him his lot in the land of the pious that are sent into the bosom of Abraham , and Isaac, and Jacob, with all those that have pleased Him and done His will from the beginning of the world, whence all sorrow, grief, and lamentation are banished.

Let us arise, let us dedicate ourselves and one another to the eternal God , through that Word which was in the beginning. O You who is by nature immortal , and has no end of Your being, from whom every creature, whether immortal or mortal, is derived; who made man a rational creature, the citizen of this world, in his constitution mortal, and added the promise of a resurrection; who did not suffer Enoch and Elijah to taste of death: Bow down, and receive the blessing.

And let the bishop give thanks for them, saying as follows: O Lord, save Your people, and bless Your inheritance, which You have purchased with the precious blood of Your Christ. Let the third day of the departed be celebrated with psalms, and lessons, and prayers , on account of Him who arose within the space of three days; and let the ninth day be celebrated in remembrance of the living, and of the departed; and the fortieth day according to the ancient pattern: And let alms be given to the poor out of his goods for a memorial of him. These things we say concerning the pious ; for as to the ungodly, if you give all the world to the poor , you will not benefit him at all.

For to whom the Deity was an enemy while he was alive, it is certain it will be so also when he is departed; for there is no unrighteousness with Him. For the Lord is righteous, and has loved righteousness. And, Behold the man and his work. Now, when you are invited to their memorials, do you feast with good order, and the fear of God , as disposed to intercede for those that are departed.

For since you are the presbyters and deacons of Christ , you ought always to be sober, both among yourselves and among others, that so you may be able to warn the unruly. Now the Scripture says, The men in power are passionate. But let them not drink wine, lest by drinking they forget wisdom, and are not able to judge aright. Wherefore both the presbyters and the deacons are those of authority in the Church next to God Almighty and His beloved Son. We say this, not they are not to drink at all, otherwise it would be to the reproach of what God has made for cheerfulness, but that they be not disordered with wine.

For the Scripture does not say, Do not drink wine; but what says it? Drink not wine to drunkenness ; and again, Thorns spring up in the hand of the drunkard. Nor do we say this only to those of the clergy , but also to every lay Christian , upon whom the name of our Lord Jesus Christ is called. For to them also it is said, Who has woe?

The Apostolic Constitutions were rejected as canonical by the Decretum Gelasianum. The Quinisext Council in rejected most part of the work on account of the interpolations of heretics. Only that portion of it to which has been given the name Canons of the Apostles was received in the Eastern Christianity. Even if not regarded as of certain Apostolic origin, however, in antiquity the Apostolic Constitutions were held generally in high esteem and served as the basis for much ecclesiastical legislation.

The Apostolic Constitutions were accepted as canonical by John of Damascus and, in a modified form, included in the 81 book canon of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Even if the text of the Apostolic Constitutions was extant in many libraries during the Middle Age , it was almost unknown. In a Latin version of a text was found in Crete and published. The first complete edition of the Greek text was printed in by Turrianus.

William Whiston in the 18th century devoted the third volume of his Primitive Christianity Revived to prove that "they are the most sacred of the canonical books of the New Testament; "for "these sacred Christian laws or constitutions were delivered at Jerusalem , and in Mount Sion , by our Saviour to the eleven apostles there assembled after His resurrection. Today the Apostolic Constitutions are of the highest value as a historical document, as they reveal the moral and religious conditions, as well as the liturgical observances of 3rd and 4th centuries.

They are part of the Ante-Nicene Fathers collection. The forty-seventh and last chapter of the eighth book of the Apostolic Constitutions contains the eighty-five Canons of the Apostles , which present themselves as being from an apostolic Council at Antioch. These canons were later approved by the Eastern Council in Trullo in but rejected by Pope Constantine. In the Western Church only fifty of these canons circulated, translated to Latin by Dionysius Exiguus on about AD, and included in the Western collections and afterwards in the Corpus Juris Canonici.

It is also known as the Epitome , and usually named Epitome of the eighth Book of the Apostolic Constitutions or sometime titled The Constitutions of the Holy Apostles concerning ordination through Hippolytus or simply The Constitutions through Hippolytus containing a re-wording of chapters , , , , of the eighth book.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. For a kind of decree issued by the Pope, see Apostolic constitution. Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory. Theology Ecclesiology Treatise on Law Determinatio. Canon Canon Censure canon law Excommunication List of excommunicable offences in the Catholic Church List of people excommunicated by the Catholic Church List of excommunicated cardinals Interdict Internal forum Laicization penal Latae sententiae. Canons of the Apostles.

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