The Second Ecumenical Council

The holy Fathers who assembled in Constantinople defined that the faith of the three hundred and eighteen Fathers who assembled at Nicaea in Bithynia is not to be set aside, but is to remain in force; and that every heresy be anathematised, and in particular that of the Eunomians or Eudoxians, and that of the Semi-Arians or Pneumatomachi, and that of the Sabellians, and that of the Marcellians, and that of the Photinians, and that of the Apollinarians.

Bishops are not to go beyond their diocese into churches outside their bounds, nor to confuse the churches; but, according to the canons, the bishop of Alexandria is to administer the affairs in Egypt only; and the bishops of the East are to govern the East only, the prerogatives given in the canons of Nicaea to the church of the Antiochenes being preserved; and the bishops of the Asian diocese are to govern the affairs of the Asian diocese only; and those of the Pontic, the affairs of the Pontic only; and those of Thrace are to administer the affairs of the Thracian only. And bishops are not to go beyond their diocese uninvited for an ordination or for any other ecclesiastical administrations. And the canon written above concerning the dioceses being observed, it is evident that the synod of the province will govern the affairs of each province, according to what was defined at Nicaea. But the churches of God among the barbarian nations must be administered according to the custom of the Fathers which has prevailed.

The bishop of Constantinople, however, is to have the prerogatives of honour after the bishop of Rome, because it is New Rome.

Concerning Maximus the Cynic and the disorder which took place in Constantinople on his account: that Maximus neither became nor is a bishop, nor are those ordained by him in any grade of the clergy whatsoever; all things, both those done concerning him and those done by him, having been annulled.

Concerning the tome of the Westerners: we have accepted also those in Antioch who confess one Godhead of Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

Since many, wishing to confuse and overturn good ecclesiastical order, in a hostile and slanderous way fabricate certain accusations against the Orthodox bishops who administer the churches, attempting nothing other than to stain the reputations of the priests and to contrive disturbances among peaceable peoples: for this reason it has pleased the holy synod of the bishops who have assembled together in Constantinople not to admit accusers without examination, nor to allow all to bring accusations against those who administer the churches, nor yet to shut out all. But if anyone should bring against the bishop some complaint of his own, that is, a private one, as having been defrauded or having suffered something else unjust at his hands, in the case of such accusations neither the person of the accuser nor his religion is to be examined. For it is necessary in every way both that the conscience of the bishop be free, and that he who says he is wronged, of whatever religion he may be, should obtain justice. But if the charge brought against the bishop be ecclesiastical, then the persons of the accusers must be scrutinised; so that, first, it be not permitted to heretics to make accusations against Orthodox bishops concerning ecclesiastical matters. And we call heretics both those who were long ago disowned by the Church and those afterwards anathematised by us; and besides these, also those who pretend to confess the sound faith, but have split off and hold rival assemblies against our canonical bishops. And then, if any of those of the Church have been previously condemned for certain causes and cast out, or are out of communion, whether from the clergy or from the lay order, neither is it permitted to these to accuse a bishop until they have first cleared themselves of their own charge. Likewise also those who are under a prior accusation are not to be received for an accusation of a bishop or of other clerics before they have shown themselves innocent of the charges brought against them. If, however, some are neither heretics, nor out of communion, nor condemned, nor previously accused of certain offences, but say that they have some ecclesiastical accusation against the bishop, these the holy synod commands first to lay their accusations before all the bishops of the province, and before them to prove the charges against the bishop who is under accusation; and if it should happen that the bishops of the province are unable to set right the charges brought against the bishop, then they are to approach a greater synod, the bishops of that diocese being convened for this cause; and they are not to lodge the accusation before they have bound themselves in writing to an equal penalty on themselves, if in the examination of the matters they should be convicted of slandering the accused bishop. But if anyone, despising what has been decreed according to the things declared above, should dare either to trouble the imperial ears, or the courts of secular rulers, or to disturb an ecumenical council, having dishonoured all the bishops of the diocese, such a one is not to be received for accusation at all, as having outraged the canons and violated good ecclesiastical order.

Those from among heretics who are being added to Orthodoxy, and to the portion of those being saved, we receive according to the order and custom set out below. Arians, and Macedonians, and Sabbatians, and Novatians, those who call themselves Cathari and Aristeri, and the Quartodecimans or Tetradites, and Apollinarians, we receive when they give written declarations and anathematise every heresy that does not think as the holy catholic and apostolic Church of God thinks, and are sealed, that is, anointed, first with the holy chrism on the forehead, and the eyes, and the nostrils, and the mouth, and the ears; and as we seal them we say: The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. But Eunomians, who are baptised with a single immersion, and Montanists, who are here called Phrygians, and Sabellians, who teach Son-Fatherhood and do certain other grievous things, and all the other heresies (since there are many here, especially those coming from the country of the Galatians): all those from among them who wish to be added to Orthodoxy we receive as pagans. And on the first day we make them Christians, and on the second catechumens; then on the third we exorcise them, breathing three times into the face and into the ears; and thus we catechise them, and make them spend time in the church and hear the Scriptures, and then we baptise them.