Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XIV/Additional Canons 1/Synod of Laodicea/Canons/Canon XXV

Canon XXV.

must not give the Bread, nor bless the Cup.

Notes.

A subdeacon may not give the bread and the cup.

Subdeacons are not allowed to perform the work of presbyters and deacons.&#160; Wherefore they neither deliver the bread nor the cup to the people.

According to the Apostolic Constitutions, the communion was administered in the following manner:&#160; the bishop gave to each the holy bread with the words:&#160; &#8220;the Body of the Lord,&#8221; and the recipient said, &#8220;Amen.&#8221;&#160; The deacon then gave the chalice with the words:&#160; &#8220;the Blood of Christ, the chalice of life,&#8221; and the recipient again answered, &#8220;Amen.&#8221;&#160; This giving of the chalice with the words:&#160; &#8220;the Blood of Christ,&#8221; etc., is called in the canon of Laodicea a &#8220;blessing&#8221; (&#949;&#8016;&#955;&#959;&#947;&#949;&#8150;&#957;).&#160; The Greek commentator Aristenus in accordance with this, and quite rightly, gives the meaning of this canon.

This canon is found in the Corpus Juris Canonici, Gratian&#8217;s Decretum, Pars I., Diet. XCIII., c. xix.; but reads &#8220;Deacons&#8221; instead of &#8220;Subdeacons.&#8221;&#160; The Roman Correctors point out the error.