Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XIV/Additional Canons 1/The Council of Neocaesarea/Canons/Canon XIII

Canon XIII.

presbyters may not make the oblation in the church of the city when the bishop or presbyters of the city are present; nor may they give the Bread or the Cup with prayer.&#160; If, however, they be absent, and he [i.e., a country presbyter] alone be called to prayer, he may give them.

Notes.

A country presbyter shall not offer in the city temple, unless the bishop and the whole body of the presbyters are away.&#160; But if wanted he can do so while they are away.&#160; The chorepiscopi can offer as fellow ministers, as they hold the place of the Seventy.

Routh reads the last clause in the plural, in this agreeing with Dionysius Exiguus and Isidore.&#160; In many this canon is united with the following and the whole number given as 14.

This canon is found in the Corpus Juris Canonici, Pars I., Dist. xcv., c. xii.&#160; And the Roman correctors have added the following notes.

(Gratian ut supra.)

&#8220;Nor to give the sacrificed bread and to hand the chalice;&#8221; otherwise it is read &#8220;sanctified&#8221; [sanctificatum for sacrificatum].&#160; The Greek of the council is &#7940;&#961;&#964;&#959;&#957; &#948;&#953;&#948;&#8057;&#957;&#945;&#953; &#7952;&#957; &#949;&#8016;&#967;&#8135;; but Balsamon has &#7940;&#961;&#964;&#959;&#957; &#949;&#8016;&#967;&#8134;&#962;, that is, &#8220;the bread of the mystic prayer.&#8221;

Instead of &#8220;let them only who are called for giving the prayer, etc.,&#8221; read &#954;&#945;&#8054; &#949;&#7984;&#962; &#949;&#8016;&#967;&#8052;&#957; &#954;&#955;&#951;&#952;&#8135; &#956;&#8057;&#957;&#959;&#962; &#948;&#8055;&#948;&#969;&#963;&#953;&#957;, that is:&#160; &#8220;and only he that shall have been called to the mystic prayer, shall distribute.&#8221;