A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

(B) The Hierarchical Organization 403We command that all churches be forthwith delivered up to thebishops who confess the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghostto be of one majesty and power; of the same glory and of onesplendor, making no distinction by any profane division, butrather harmony by the assertion of the trinity of the persons andthe unity of the Godhead, to the bishops who are associatedin communion with Nectarius, bishop of the Church of Constantinople,and with Timotheus in Egypt, bishop of the cityof Alexandria; in the parts of the Orient, who are in communionwith Pelagius, bishop of Laodicæa and Diodorus, bishopof Tarsus; in proconsular Asia and in the diocese of Asia, whoare in communion with Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium, andOptimus, bishop of Antioch; in the diocese of Pontus, who arein communion with Helladius, bishop of Cæsarea, and Otreius,bishop of Melitina, and Gregory, bishop of Nyssa, Terennius,bishop of Scythia, Marmarius, bishop of Marcianopolis. Thosewho are of the communion and fellowship of approved priests 132ought to be admitted to possess the Catholic churches; but allwho dissent from the communion of the faith of those whom thespecial list has named ought to be expelled from the churchesas manifest heretics; and no opportunity whatsoever ought to beallowed them henceforth of obtaining episcopal churches 133 thatthe priestly orders of the true and Nicene faith may remain pureand no place be given to evil cunning, according to the evidentform of our precept.[369](g) Council of Constantinople, A. D. 381. Address toTheodosius. See Mansi, III, 557.The following letter illustrates the relation of the councilsin the East to the imperial authority. The emperors called132 I.e., bishops.133 I.e., episcopal sees.