Sirate Tsion
Canon 20
Overview
This canon regulates the appointment and conduct of a church leader, requiring consultation and upright judgment. It also forbids a presbyter or deacon to abandon a prayer already begun for another matter.
1Command.
2They shall not appoint as head over the church of the Lord one who does the work of this world. He shall not become involved in the affairs of the people except with the counsel of his companions who preceded him, those who conduct prayer as he does. He shall act only by his counsel and theirs together, in what pleases God and is fitting for the people; and his judgment shall be upright.
3In his judgment he shall not wrong one party among them, nor [gaʿaza] by transgressing uprightness. As for such a person, [gəʿzu]; let him be made known.
4Neither a presbyter nor a deacon shall abandon the prayer he has begun and go out to another matter. Whoever does this shall not remain as he is; he shall return to his former place.