Senodos: Melkite Index

This Senodos and Canon, whose interpretation is the ordinance of God, which is called for Christians. 1. Epistle of the Apostles, after the ascension of our Lord Christ into heaven, and how their commandment was, and what they did: Canon and judgment. 2. Canon of Ancyra and their Senodos, and how they were; and it is prior to the Council of Nicaea; and it is 24 canons. 3. In Auxaria of Africa; and it is prior to the Council of Nicaea; and they made 14 canons. 4. The Council of Nicaea: this is the Council of the 318 bishops, a great council, where all these councils were present; and there they established the faith, which is remembered in every land; and there was a contest and a struggle concerning the accursed Arius. And after completing all these, they established 20 commandments which are permitted for the peoples who are under the kingdom of Persia; and they made again many commandments which are added to this Canon.

And they took from her what is permitted for Christians, for those of the eastern land, for the near and the far, and for kings and for nobles, and for the great and for the people of the middle, and for those who have guardians and who have begotten children, male and female, from guardians who dwell in the house like handmaidens, and inheritance for the people, and what pertains to males and to females, and to the son of a maidservant and to the son of a mistress, and what pertains concerning the repudiation of women, and how their betrothal shall be, and what is given to the Lord from the vow of a man during his lifetime and after his death. And all this is written in the Book of the Judgment of Kings; it is a hidden book which the common people may not have; they shall read it and understand it. And whoever does likewise and reveals that book shall be bound and cut off by the word of God, the mighty and the creator, for it is from the five books of Clement, which commanded that it not be revealed except by a chief of bishops, or a bishop, or bishops, or by those who are chosen from among priests and deacons who have the fear of God; they are the ones who see the mystery of Christ and the holy sacrifice.

5th Council of Gangra, after the Council of Nicaea, and they established 20 canons. 6th Council of Antioch, which established 25 canons. 7th Council of Laodicea, and they established 59 canons. 8th Council of Sardica, which established 21 canons. 9th Council of Constantinople, concerning Macedonius, enemy of the Holy Spirit, and there they completed the faith of the holy [creed] which is proclaimed throughout the ends of the world, and in it they set forth their understanding and all their matters, and after that they made 4 canons. 10th Council of Ephesus, concerning Nestorius, from the great councils, and these are the firm ones in the word of the first assembly, 1 canon. 11th Second Council, and after that they established this ordinance of 29 canons. 12th Fifth Council, concerning the assembly of the clergy, and how they established canons. 13th Sixth Council, concerning the book which was of Sergius and Cyrus, which is harmful to believers.