Statute 54

1Statute 54.

2Concerning the ordination of bishops and the ordinance of the Offering ([qurban]).

3It is fitting that bishops should be ordained as we said before. We command all the people together that the candidate be a choice, upright, and holy man in every respect, chosen from among the people.

4When they have named him and are satisfied with him, all the people shall assemble. The presbyters, deacons, and bishops shall also assemble on the Sabbath day. The greatest among them shall ask the presbyters and deacons who are present: “Is this the one who has pleased you, so that he should be your chief?”

5If they all say, “Yes,” he shall ask them again: “Is this man worthy of the honorable office? Has he acted rightly and with complete integrity? Does he possess virtue before God, and has he observed justice toward man? Is he able to order the members of his own household well? Has he conducted his life in truth? Has anything been found against him?”

6If all of them answer together, “Yes, this is truly so and is not said from partiality,” with God the Father, Christ his Son, and the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of righteousness, the [Parakletos]—as judge of all, he shall ask them a third time: “Is this man truly and rightly worthy of this office? Every word shall be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses.”

7If they say three times, “Yes, he is worthy,” they shall all extend their hands. When they have done this with one consent, there shall be silence. One leading bishop from among the leading bishops shall rise, with two other bishops beside him, while all the remaining bishops stand. The presbyters shall also stand at the altar, praying quietly, and the deacons shall hold the holy Gospel open over the head of the man who is to be ordained.

8The bishops shall sit down and say, “He is worthy of it.” Then all shall greet him with the kiss of the Lord, and the Holy Scriptures shall be read.

9When the Gospel reading has been completed, the bishop who was sealed shall greet the whole Church with a kiss and say: “May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” All shall answer: “And with your spirit.”

10When he has finished speaking, all the people shall utter words of joy. When this is completed, he shall instruct them and speak. The deacon shall go up to a high place and cry out: “Let no one stand here except the faithful.”

11Likewise, when the bishop has completed all the prayers that it is proper for him to say for the sick and the others, the deacon shall say to them: “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” All the priests shall kiss the bishop. Among the laypeople, man shall kiss man and woman shall kiss woman.

12The young children shall stand immediately below the platform ([bema]), and another deacon shall stand with them so that they do not quarrel with one another. Other deacons shall guard the men and women so that there is no disturbance among them and so that they do not signal to one another, look around, or fall asleep.

13The subdeacons shall stand at the women’s door, and other deacons shall stand at the men’s door, so that no one may go out, so that the door may not be opened during the holy Offering, and so that no one may enter through the doors of the faithful.

14The subdeacon shall bring water to the priests so that they may wash their hands, as a likeness of those who are holy in their souls, and we lifted them up to God.

15The deacons shall close the gates, and no one else shall enter. The deacon shall say: “Let none of the catechumens stand here or remain here at all, lest they hear the word and partake of the Mystery. Let no one stand here except the faithful, and let none of the heretics stand here.

16“Women, take care that your children do not run here and there, behave disorderly, or have their days shortened. Let no one harbor malice in his heart against another, and let no one stand here who is unworthy of God. Let them stand in fear and trembling so that they may be worthy of this work.”

17After this, the deacon shall bring the bread of the sacrifice to the bishop in the sanctuary chamber. The presbyters shall stand on the left, in the likeness of the apostles who stood with their Teacher.

18The deacons shall stand on both sides of the altar. They shall hold fans made from any beautiful material, from peacock feathers, or from beautiful cotton fabric, so that they may drive away small flying creatures and prevent any of them from falling into the cup.

19Then the chief priest shall pray over the sacrifice so that the Holy Spirit may descend and dwell upon them: upon the bread, so that it may become the Body of Christ, and upon the cup, so that it may become the Blood of Christ.

20The bishop shall then speak of the coming of the Holy Spirit. When he has completed the prayer that is properly said in this way, the bishop himself shall receive communion first. After him shall come the presbyters, then the deacons, then the subdeacons, then the readers, and after them all the people shall receive.

21The bishop shall administer the bread, saying: “This is the bread that came down from heaven; this is the Body of Christ.” The one who receives shall say: “Amen.”

22The deacon shall then administer the cup and say: “This is the Blood of Christ, and this is the cup of life.” The one who receives shall say: “Amen and amen.”

23They shall sing psalms until everyone has received the Offering. When all the people have received, they shall afterward administer it to the women.

24When the singers have finished singing the psalms, the deacon shall chant: “We have received the precious Body, which is the Body of Christ, and we thank him because he makes us worthy to partake of the precious and holy Mystery.”

25After this, the bishop shall give thanks and pray for those who have eaten the Body of Christ and those who have drunk the Blood of Christ. When he has finished praying, the deacon shall say: “Bow your heads before God so that he may bless you.”

26When he has also performed that by which they are blessed, the deacon shall say: “Depart in peace.”

27If any fragments remain, the presbyters and deacons shall take care that nothing is left from the Offering. They shall take great care that not much remains, lest they become guilty of great error and sin, like the sons of Aaron and the children of Eli, whom the Holy Spirit destroyed because they profaned God’s sacrifice.

28How much more guilty are those who profane the Body of Christ and his precious Blood and regard it as temporal, fleshly food, although it is spiritual for those who receive it in purity.

29This is what we command you, bishops, presbyters, and deacons, concerning the service of the holy Mystery.