Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume XIV/Additional Canons 3/The Canons of Carthage/Canons/Canon LXXXI

Canon LXXXI.&#160; (Greek lxxxiv.)

Of bishops who appoint heretics or heathens as their heirs.

, it was ordained that if any bishop should prefer to his Church strangers to blood relationship with him, or his heretical relatives, or pagans as his heirs, he shall be anathematized even after his death, and his name shall by no means be recited among those of the priests of God.&#160; Nor can he be excused if he die intestate, because being a bishop he was bound not to postpone making such a disposition of his goods as was befitting his profession.

Notes.

Let a bishop be anathema if he make heretics and heathen his heirs.

This is Canon xv. of Carthage, September, 401.

There were in this age two written tables kept in every church, whereof one contained the names of all eminent bishops and clergymen now living, with whom that church held communion and correspondence; the other, the names of all eminent bishops, and other men of their own or other churches, now dead.&#160; The deacon rehearsed all the names, in both tables at the altar, whenever the Eucharist was celebrated.&#160; These tables were by the Greeks called &#916;&#8055;&#960;&#964;&#965;&#967;&#945;, and by some English writers &#8220;diptychs.&#8221;&#160; See Can. of Peter of Alex., 14.