Canon 19 Paulianists must be rebaptised on entering the Church

Κανόνες τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ Ἁγίας καὶ Οἰκουμενικῆς Α´ Συνόδου

The First Ecumenical Council · Nicaea, 325 · convened by the emperor Constantine · First Ecumenical Council: Nicaea I (325) on the map

Concerning those who have been Paulianists and have then taken refuge in the catholic Church, a decree has been set forth that they are by all means to be rebaptised. And if any in time past have been reckoned in the clergy, if they appear blameless and irreproachable, having been rebaptised let them be ordained by the bishop of the catholic Church. But if the examination should find them unsuitable, it is fitting that they be deposed. And likewise also concerning the deaconesses, and in general concerning those reckoned in the clergy, the same rule shall be observed. And we have made mention of the deaconesses who have been reckoned in the habit, since they do not have any laying on of hands, so that they are by all means to be reckoned among the laity.

Περὶ τῶν παυλιανισάντων, εἶτα προσφυγόντων τῇ καθολικῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, ὅρος ἐκτέθειται ἀναβαπτίζεσθαι αὐτοὺς ἐξάπαντος. Εἰ δέ τινες τῷ παρεληλυθότι χρόνῳ, ἐν τῷ κλήρῳ ἐξητάσθησαν, εἰ μὲν ἄμεμπτοι καὶ ἀνεπίληπτοι φανεῖεν ἀναβαπτισθέντες, χειροτονείσθωσαν ὑπὸ τοῦ τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐπισκόπου. Εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀνάκρισις ἀνεπιτηδείους αὐτοὺς εὑρίσκοι, καθαιρεῖσθαι αὐτοὺς προσήκει. Ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν διακονισσῶν, καὶ ὅλως περὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ κλήρῳ ἐξεταζομένων, ὁ αὐτὸς τύπος παραφυλαχθήσεται. Ἐμνήσθημεν δὲ τῶν διακονισσῶν τῶν ἐν τῷ σχήματι ἐξετασθεισῶν, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ χειροθεσίαν τινὰ ἔχουσιν, ὥστε ἐξάπαντος ἐν τοῖς λαϊκοῖς αὐτὰς ἐξετάζεσθαι.

The First Ecumenical Council, 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.