The Holy Canons Apostolic Canon 31
Canon 31 A presbyter who sets up a separate altar
Ἱεροὶ Κανόνες τῶν Ἁγίων καὶ Πανσέπτων Ἀποστόλων
The Apostolic Canons · compiled in Syria in the later fourth century · The Apostolic Canons on the map
If any presbyter, despising his own bishop, holds assemblies apart and sets up another altar, though he has found nothing to condemn in the bishop in piety and righteousness, let him be deposed, as one who loves to rule; for he is a tyrant. And likewise also the other clerics, and as many as join themselves to him; and let the laymen be excommunicated. But let these things be done after one, and a second, and a third entreaty from the bishop.
Εἴ τις πρεσβύτερος, καταφρονήσας τοῦ ἰδίου ἐπισκόπου, χωρὶς συναγάγῃ, καὶ θυσιαστήριον ἕτερον πήξῃ, μηδὲν κατεγνωκὼς τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ, καθαιρείσθω, ὡς φίλαρχος· τύραννος γάρ ἐστιν. Ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ κληρικοί, καὶ ὅσοι ἂν αὐτῷ προσθῶνται· οἱ δὲ λαϊκοὶ ἀφοριζέσθωσαν. Ταῦτα δὲ μετὰ μίαν, καὶ δευτέραν καὶ τρίτην παράκλησιν τοῦ ἐπισκόπου γινέσθω.
The Apostolic Canons, the canons
English: this site's translation of the Greek beside it. Greek: the text of the Pedalion, as transcribed at users.uoa.gr/~nektar and corrected here. About these texts.