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Edited from a variety of translations (mentioned in the preface) by H. R. Percival
THE ECUMENICAL COUNCILS Resources Online and in Print
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78 Pages
Page 77
The Canons of the Councils of Ancyra, Gangra, Neocaesarea, Antioch and Laodicea, which Canons were Accepted and Received by the Ecumenical Synods.
Introductory Note to the Canons of the Provincial Synods which in this Volume are Interjected Between the First and the Second Ecumenical Councils.
The First Canon of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, Chalcedon, reads as follows: "We have judged it right that the canons of the Holy Fathers made in every synod even until now, should remain in force." And the Council in Trullo, in its second canon, has enumerated these synods in the following words. "We set our seal to all the rest of the canons which have been established by our holy and blessed fathers, that is to say by the 318 God-inspired fathers who met at Nice, and by those who met at Ancyra, and by those who met at Neocaesarea, as well as by those who met at Gangra: in addition to these the canons adopted by those who met at Antioch in Syria, and by those who met at Laodicea in Phrygia; moreover by the 150 fathers who assembled in this divinely kept and imperial city, and by the 200 who were gathered in the metropolis of Ephesus, and by the 630 holy and blessed fathers who met at Chalcedon," etc., etc.
There can be no doubt that this collection of canons was made at a very early date, and from the fact that the canons of the First Council of Constantinople do not appear, as they naturally would, immediately after those of Nice, we may not improbably conclude that the collection was formed before that council assembled. For it will be noticed that Nice, although not the earliest in date, takes the precedence as being of ecumenical rank. And this is expressly stated in the caption to the canons of Ancyra according to the reading in the Paris Edition of Balsamon. "The canons of the holy Fathers who assembled at Ancyra; which are indeed older than those made at Nice, but placed after them, on account of the authority (authentian) of the Ecumenical Synod."
On the arrangement of this code much has been written and Archbishop Ussher has made some interesting suggestions, but all appear to be attended with more or less difficulties. The reader will find in Bp. Beveridge, in the Prolegomena to his Synodicon a very full treatment of the point, [115] the gist of the matter is admirably given in the following brief note which I take from Hammond. In speaking of this early codex of the Church he says:
[115] Beveridge, Synodicon., tom. I., p. vi. et seqq. (Bev. Works, tom. II., Append. p. xiii. et seqq. [Anglo.-Cath. Lib.]).
Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/ecumenical-councils/first.asp?pg=77
