The Presbyters Project

Canon 221

Vt mulieres quae apud graecos presbyterae appellantur, apud nos autem uiduae, seniores, uniuirae et matriculae, in ecclesia [tamquam ordinatas] constitui non liceat.

Concilio Laodicensi, tit. 11.

Canon 222

Vt mulieres ad altare non ingrediantur.

Concilio Laodicensi, tit. 43.

(ed. Munier 1974: 305)

Canon 221

It is not allowed to constitute in the Church the women that are called 'presbyterae' by the Greeks, and widows, seniors, 'univirae' [of one husband] and 'matriculae' [even if they have been ordained].

The Council of Laodicea, title 11.

Canon 222

Women should not approach the altar.

The Council of Laodicea, title 43.

(trans. S. Adamiak)

Discussion:

The canon repeats the norms of the Council of Laodicea (2nd half of the 4th c.): Canon 11 that forbade "constituting the so-called presbyteras (presbytidas) in the Church", and Canon 44 that barred women from approaching the altar (thysiasterion). The words about women "as if they have been ordained" appear only in one codex.

Place of event:

Region

Latin North Africa
East

City

Carthage
Laodicea

About the source:

Author: Ferrandus of Carthage
Title: Breviary of Ferrandus, Breviatio Canonum, Breuiatio Canonum Breuiatio Canonum
Origin: Carthage (Latin North Africa), Laodicea (East)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Ferrandus was a deacon of Carthage; he died before 546. His "Breviary" is the first systematic collection of canons produced in Africa. It contains the titles (not the entire text) of 232 canons of different councils (not only from Africa), treating mainly the duties of various clerical offices (1-144), ecclesiastical delicts (145-198), and liturgical norms (199-232).

Edition:

C. Munier ed., Concilia Africae a. 345-a. 525, Corpus Christianorum. Series Latina 149, Turnhoult 1974, 284-311.

Bibliography:

J. Gaudemet, Les Sources du droit de l’Église en Occident du IIe au VIIe siècle, Paris 1985.

K. Madigan, C. Osiek, Ordained Women in the Early Church: A Documentary HIstory, Baltimore-London 2005, 163-164. 190.

Categories:

Female ministry

Described by a title - Presbytera/Presbyteressa

Impediments or requisits for the office - Gender

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: S. Adamiak, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER771, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=771