Opening the library…
Home Bible Corpus Discover You
Canons of the Church of Alexandria
Anonymous Egyptian compiler
Canon 12 About this work A collection of ecclesial rules associated with the Egyptian church-order tradition, addressing ministry, worship, discipline, community offices, and practical ordering of Christian life in late antiquity.
Author Anonymous Egyptian compiler
Traditional attribution Hippolytus of Rome
Date Date uncertain; composite church-order tradition
Origin Egypt
Genre Church Order Title, textual boundaries, source layers, and relationship to other church orders require specialist examination.
Canon Twelfth. Of the prohibition of those works, the authors of which are not to be received but on the exhibition of repentance. Canon Thirteenth . Of a prince or a
‹ Canon 11
soldier
,
that
they
be
not
received
indiscriminately
.
Canon Fourteenth . That a Nazarene may not become a soldier unless by order .
Canon Fifteenth . Enumeration of works which are unlawful .
Canon Sixteenth . Of him who has a lawful wife , and takes another beside her .
Canon Seventeenth . Of a free - born woman , and her duties . Of midwives , and of the separation of men from women . Of virgins , that they should cover their faces and their heads .
Canon Eighteenth . Of women in childbed , and of midwives again .
Canon Nineteenth . Of catechumens , and the ordinance of Baptism and the Missa .
Canon Twentieth . Of the fast the six days , and of that of Lent .
Canon Twenty - first . Of the daily assembling of priests and people in the church .
Canon Twenty - second . Of the week of the Jews ’ passover , wherein joy shall be put away , and of what is eaten therein ; and of him who , being brought up abroad , is ignorant of the Calendar .
Canon Twenty - third . Of doctrine , that it should be continuous , greater than the sea , and that its words ought to be fulfilled by deeds .
Canon Twenty - fourth . Of the bishop’s visitation of the sick ; and that if an infirm man has prayed in the church , and has a house , he should go to him .
Canon Twenty - fifth . Of the procurator appointed for the sick , and of the bishop , and the times of prayer .
Canon Twenty - sixth . Of the hearing of the word in church , and of praying in it .
Canon Twenty - seventh . Of him who does not come to church daily , — let him read books ; and of prayer at midnight and cock - crowing , and of the washing of hands at the time of any prayer .
Canon Twenty - eighth . That none of the believers should taste anything , but after he has taken the sacred mysteries , especially in the days of fasting .
Canon Twenty - ninth . Of the keeping of oblations which are laid upon the altar , — that nothing fall into the sacred chalice , and that nothing fall from the priests , nor from the boys when they take communion ; that an evil spirit rule them not , and that no one speak in the protection , except in prayer ; and when the oblations of the people cease , let psalms be read with all attention , even to the signal of the bell ; and of the sign of the cross , and the casting of the dust of the altar into the pool .
Canon Thirtieth . Of catechumens and the like .
Canon Thirty - first . Of the bishop and presbyter bidding the deacons present the communion .
Canon Thirty - second . Of virgins and widows , that they should pray and fast in the church . Let those who are given to the clerical order pray according to their judgment . Let not a bishop be bound to fasting but with the clergy . And on account of a feast or supper , let him prepare for the poor .
Canon Thirty - third . Of the Atalmsas ( the oblation ) , which they shall present for those who are dead , that it be not done on the Lord’s day .
Canon Thirty - fourth . That no one speak much , nor make a clamour ; and of the entrance of the saints into the mansions of the faithful .
Canon Thirty - fifth . Of a deacon present at a feast at which there is a presbyter present , — let him do his part in prayer and the breaking of bread for a blessing , and not for the body ; and of the discharge of widows .
Canon Thirty - sixth . Of the first - fruits of the earth , and the first dedication of them ; and of presses , oil , honey , milk , wool , and the like , which may be offered to the bishop for his blessing .
Canon Thirty - seventh . As often as a bishop takes of the sacred mysteries , let the deacons and presbyters be gathered together , clothed in white robes , brilliant in the view of all the people ; and in like manner with a reader .
Canon Thirty - eighth . Of the night on which our Lord Jesus Christ rose . That no one shall sleep on that night , and wash himself with water ; and a declaration concerning such a one ; and a declaration concerning him who sins after baptism , and of things lawful and unlawful .
The sacred canons of the holy patriarch Hippolytus , the first patriarch of the great city of Rome , which he composed , are ended ; and the number of them is thirty - eight canons . May the Lord help us to keep them . And to God be glory for ever , and on us be His mercy for ever . Amen .
Notes 5 Connection, textum.
6 Sanctuary [Guettée, p. 424. Within the chancel-rails.]
7 [Bells first used in the fourth century by Paulinus in Campania.]
8 And of the preparing a table for the poor.
9 [A very strange title in many respects. But see p. 239, supra.]
