Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XIV/Additional Canons 2/Canons/Canon LXXXIII

Canon LXXXIII.

one may give the Eucharist to the bodies of the dead; for it is written &#8220;Take and eat.&#8221;&#160; But the bodies of the dead can neither &#8220;take&#8221; nor &#8220;eat.&#8221;

Notes.

The Sacraments must not be given to a dead body.

This is canon iv. of the Council of Hippo, in the year 393.&#160; (Vide Hefele, Vol. II., p. 397.)&#160; The earlier canon includes baptism also, in its prohibition.&#160; This is canons xviii. and xx. of the African code, according to the Greek numbering.