The main object of the council being thus achieved, the fathers proceeded to determine other matters which were brought before them : First. They considered the subject of the Meletian schism, which for some time past had divided Egypt, and they decreed that Meletius shoidd keep the title and rank of bishop in his see of Lycopolis, in Egypt, forbidding him however to perform any episcopal functions; also that they whom he had elevated to any ecclesiastical dignities should be admit- ted to communion, upon condition that they should take rank after those who were enrolled in any parish (ira- poiKta ; the district under a bishop's jurisdiction, which we now call a " diocese," was so styled in the primitive Church) or church, and who had been ordained by Al- exander. Second. They decreed that throughout the Church the festival of Easter should be celebrated on the Sunday after the full moon which happens next after March 21. Third. They published twenty canons :
1. Excludes from the exercise of their functions those persons iu holy orders who have made themselves eunuchs.
2. Forbids to raise neophytes to the priesthood or epis- copate.
3. Forbids any bishop, priest, or deacon to have women iu their houses, except their mothers, sisters, aunts, or such women as shall be beyond the reach of slander.
4. Declares that a bishop ought if possible to be consti- tuted by all the bishops of the province, but allows of his consecration by three at least with the consent of the ab- sent bishops, sisrnitied iu writing; the cousecratiou to be Anally contirmed by the metropolitan.
5. Orders that they who have been separated from the communion of the Church by their own bishop shall not be received into commiiuiou elsewhere. Also that a provin-
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cial synod shall lie held twice a yeai- in every province to i examine into sentences of excommunication. One synod to be held before Lent, and the second in autumn.
6. Insists upon the pieseivaiion of the rights and priv- ileiics of the bishops of Alexandria, Autioch, and other provinces. (The .sixth canon of Nictea, according to the version of Dionysius Exignns, "Antiqua consuetndo ser- vatur per J^Iiryptum, Libyani, et Peutapolim, nt Alexan- driuus eniscopns horum omnium habeat potestatem; quia et u'rbis Komse episcopo i^arilis mos est. Similiter auiem et apud Antiochiam cctcrasfiue provincias suis privilegia serventur Ecclesiis. Illud autem generaliter clarum est quod si quis prfeter metropo])taui sententiam fuerit factus episcopus, hunc magna synodus defiuivit episcopum esse non oportere," etc.).
7. Grants to the bishop of .^lia (^lia CapUoMna, the new city built by .Julius Hadrianus upon the site of Jeru- salem, or near to it), according to ancient traditioj, the second place of honor.
8. Permits those who had been ministers among the Cathari (q. v.), and who returned into the bosom of ihe Catholic and Apostolic Church, having received imposi- tion of hands, to remain in the rank of the clergy. Directs, however, that they shall, in writing, make profession to follow the decrees of the Church; and that they shall communicate with those who have married twice, and with those who have performed penance for relapsing in time of persecution. Directs, further, that in places where there is a Catholic bishop and a converted bishop of the Cathari, the former shall retain his rank and office, and the latter be considered only as a priest ; or the bishop may assign him the place of a chorepiscopus.
9. Declares to be null and void the ordination of priests made without due inquiry, and of those who have, before ordination, confessed sins committed.
10. Declares the same of persons ordained priests iu ig- norance, or wiiose sin has appeared after ordination.
11. Enacts that those who have fallen away in time of persecution without strong temptation shall be three years among the hearers, seven among the prostrators, and for two years shall communicate with the people without offering ("communicate with the people in prayer, without being admitted to the oblation ;" i. e. to the holy eucharist, according to Johnson's way of under- standing it).
12. Iniposes ten years' penance upon any one of the military, who, having been deprived of a post on account of the 'faith, shall, after all, give a bribe, and deny the faith, in order to receive it back again.
13. Forbids to deny the holy commuuiou to any one likely to die.
14."0rders that catechumens who have relapsed shall be three years among the hearers.
15. Forbids bishops, priests, or deacons to remove from one city to another: anyone offending against this canon to be compelled to return to his own church, and his translation to be void.
16. Priests or deacons removing from their own church, not to be received into any other ; those who persist, to be separated from communion. If any bishop dare to or- dain a man belonging to another church, the ordination to be void.
17. Directs that clerks guilty of usury shall be deposed.
18. Forbids deacons to give the eucharist to priests, and to receive it themselves before the priests, and to sit among the priests ; offenders to be deposed.
19. Directs that Paulianists (q. v.) coming over to the Church shall be baptized again. Permits those among their clergy who are without reproach, after baptism, to be ordained by the Catholic bishops: orders the same thins of deaconesses.