Sirate Tsion (Order of Zion)

TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. This is the Sinodos of the fathers, the Apostles, which they ordered for the direction of the Church. All hail, our sons and our daughters, in the name of 5 our Lord Jesus Christ. Statute I. Said Yuhanes, Matewos and Petros and Filepos and Seme’on and Yaekob and Natnael and Tomas and Kfas and Endreyas and Bartalomewos and 10 Yehuda and Ya’ekob the brother of our Lord : When we were assembled together with the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, he commanded us and said to us : Divide the earth amongst yourselves, so that every one of you may take his place according to 15 your number. Take the order of Bishops, and the seat of Presbyters, and the works of Deacons, and the intelligence of Readers, and blameless Widows ; and the work on which the foundations of the Church 9 may be confirmed, and by which they may make a pattern of that which is in the heavens ; and that they may keep from all wickedness; and know that they themselves will answer in the day of Judgment 5 because they heard but did not keep. And he com- manded us to send these words into all the world. And it is proper that every one of us should be according as our Lord to him be glory revealed to us with the will of God the Father by the Holy Spirit ; and remem- lo bering his word, that we should command you therewith, as a reminder and instruction, O brethren. Statute 2. Said Yuhanes : O brethren, we know that we shall be examined about all that was given to us ; and 15 that therefore we should not accept the person of anyone who is with us. And if there should be one who is with him, who says what is not seemly, he shall be reproved because what he says is not good. And they caused Yuhanes to speak first Said Yuhanes, that there are two 20 separate places, one for life and one for death. Between these two places is separation : and the place of life is this, that thou shouldst love the Lord thy God and thy creator with all thy heart and praise him, because he saved thee from death. This is the first commandment ; 25 the second however is this, that thou shouldst love thy companion as thyself : in this is all the law and the prophets, O my beloved. Statute 3. Said Matewos : All that thou dost not 30 wish that they should do to thee, thou shalt not do to thy neighbour. This means, that that which thou TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 29 hatest for thyself, thou shalt not do to thy neighbour. And do thou, O Patros my brother, teach them with this word. Statute 4. Said Petros : Thou shalt not kill life, and 5 thou shalt not commit adultery, and thou shalt not corrupt young children. Thou shalt not steal, and thou shalt not be a soothsayer, and thou shalt not be a star- gazer, and thou shalt not be a magician. And thou shalt not cause abortion, nor after the child is born shalt 10 thou kill it. And thou shalt not covet any of thy neigh- bour s goods, and thou shalt not hate any man, and thou shalt not be a false witness. And thou shalt not be a speaker of evil against any. And thou shalt not think about doing evil, and thou shalt not be of double heart 15 and of double tongue; because he who is of double tongue is a deadly snare. And thy words shall not be vain, and thou shalt not be false. And thou shalt not be a hypocrite, nor a lover of great possessions, nor a defrauder, nor unfair, nor one of evil heart, nor proud, ao And thou shalt not devise evil against thy companion, and thou shalt not hate any man, but reprove him ; and for some pray, and to others be merciful, and others love much more than thyself. Statute 5. Said Endreyas : O my son, flee from all evil, and hate all evil; and thou shalt not be angry, because anger leads to murder; because anger is an evil demon. And thou shalt not be envious or irascible or a lover of fighting, because this depraves and causes 30 to inherit evil 130 STATUTES OF THK APOSTLES Statute 6. Said Filepos: O my son, thou shalt not be lustful, because lust leads to adultery, and afterwards makes a man the ridicule and derision of all. Because lust is a seducing demon ; so when the demon of anger 5. unites with lust, it is perdition to him in whom it happens ; and where there is an unclean spirit there is sin of the soul. If he finds a little (place) where he may enter, then he enlarges that place, and takes with him all the unclean spirits, and they enter into that soul, and he 10 will not let them leave that man ; and it is impossible ‘ 4er him to lift himself up at all to see the right Make a limit at which to lay aside your anger, that ye may cool and delay anger after your anger ; lest Satan cast you into a very wicked deed. Anger and lust are evil, and i when they remain for much time, unless (men) cool their anger they will become demons ; and when the demons get men into their power, they set fire to their souls, and when they have brought them to do sin and wrong, they deride them and rejoice over the ruin of their souls. 90 Statute 7. Said Seme’on : O my son, thou shalt not be a speaker of evil, nor of lofty look ; because by this may be adultery. 5 Statute 8. Said Ya’ekob : O my son, thou shalt not be one who interprets prodigies, or who is an augur ; because all this guides to idolatry. Nor shalt thou be a wizard or a charmer, or a chooser of hours, or a chooser of days, or a star-gazer, or a magician, or of men who deal y) with omens ; nor shalt thou desire to be acquainted with them ; because all this is for thee idolatry. TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 13I Statute 9 Said Natnael : O my son, thou shalt not be a liar, because lying tends to theft : nor shalt thou be a lover of gold, nor a lover of vainglory ; because all this is sin, and leads to theft. S Statute ID. Said Yehuda : O my son, thou shalt not be a murmurer, because murmuring leads a man to cursing. Nor shalt thou be overbearing, or oppressive, or malicious ; because in all this will be unbelief. Be gentle, because the gentle shall inherit the kingdom of lo the heavens. Be kind and merciful and peaceable, with a heart pure from all evil, without sin. And be good and humble, and keep thyself in trembling at the word which thou hast heard. And thou shalt not boast, nor put thyself with the great, but with men righteous and is humble ; and receive everything which happens to thee with thanksgiving to God ; and know that nothing what- ever happens except from God. Statute II. Said Toms : O my son, him who spoke 30 to thee the word of God which became to thee the cause of life, and gave to thee the signet-ring of honour, love as the apple of thine eye ; and be mindful of him by day and night, and honour him as God most high. For the place where they remember the name of God, God is there ; as and visit those other holy ones every day, that thou mayest rest on their word : and he who approaches to the holy will become holy like them. And honour them as much as thou canst : both with thy toil and the work of thy hands sustain them : since God has made thee )o worthy to find from them sustenance spiritual and that of the body, and eternal life, it is proper for thee to give them the perishable food of this world ; because the labourer is worthy of his hire ‘ : ‘ thou shalt not muzzle the ox in the threshing-floor ‘ : who planteth a vine 5 and eateth not of its fruit?’ Statute 1 2. Said Kefas : O my son, thou shalt not cause division among men, but reconcile in peace those who quarrel. And decide with justice, and thou shalt lo not accept the person of a rich man in case of his being a sinner, because riches avail not with God. Nor shalt thou honour the great, nor intercede for him with a writing; but with thee all shall be equal in all things. Nor shalt thou be doubtful when thou prayest ; but 15 think (well) what thou desirest, and he will fulfil it to thee then. Nor shalt thou be one who thinkest when thou openest thy hand for that which thou wilt then gain, but when thou hast finished (receiving) draw it back to thee. If thou hast anything in thy hand, give it, and seek 30 deliverance from thy sin. Nor shalt thou be doubtful when thou gfivest; and when thou prayest, thou shalt receive with gladness, and know who it is who will repay thee. Nor shalt thou repel him who begs of thee, but shalt share with the needy in everything. as Nor shalt thou say about anything, my goods are for me alone. And if you have become sharers together in that which is incorruptible, how much rather then in the corruptible. 30 Statute 1 3. Said Bartalomewos : I beseech you, O our brethren, while ye have good time and are indeed TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 33 able to do good to all, neglect not to give while ye have aught to give ; because the day of God is near, and all things visible and secret will pass away, and God will come and his reward with him. Be doers of the law yourselves, and teachers of yourselves as God taught yoa 5. And keep that which was taught you, and you shall not add to it nor diminish from it. And said Ptros : O brethren, the Scriptures teach you concerning the rest of the words and the statutes, and we indeed speak that which was commanded us. And said all of them : 10 Petros shall speak. Statute 14. Concerning the ordination of a Bishop. If it should be a district having few of the Faithful, and if not many people that they may form an assembly 15 about the bishop, not even as many as twelve, they shall send a message to the Churches next to their district where there are many believers, that they may bring three believers, holy and chosen men of that district And they shall try them carefully concerning that which 20 befits them for the good work : if he is a man who has a good character among the people, without sin, and without anger, and a lover of the poor, and kind, not a drunkard, nor adulterer, nor lover of the greater share for himself, nor a railer, not unfair, nor the like of that. 35 And it is good also that he be without wife, though if he have married one (wife) before he is ordained bishop he shall live with her. And he should be one who shares in good doctrine, and who can expound the Scriptures ; and if he should be one who cannot expound the Scriptures, jo he should be humble and abound in love to all men. That the bishop may be condemned in nothing whatever, nor let him be reproved in anything, y Said Yuhanes : If the bishop who is to be ordained knows how to keep himself and (has) the love of God, 5 two presbyters who have been approved, shall be appointed to be with him. And they all said : Not two but three, because they are twenty and four presbyters, twelve on the right and twelve on the left. And said Yuhanes : Well it is that you have reminded lo me, O brethren : lo, they who are on the right take the cups from the Archangels and they offer to the Lord ; and they who are on the left have authority over all the angels. And it is proper for the presbyters that they should be like old men who have passed 15 the time of intercourse with wives, and they shall par- take of the Mystery with the bishop, and help with him in everything whatsoever, and gather round him with love of their shepherd. And the presbyters who are on the right shall be careful to give assistance at the altar. 10 Let them be worthy of the honour, and reject him who is worthy of rejection. And the presbyters who are on the left shall attend to all the people, that they may be quiet and not in commotion, and be controlled with all control and obey with all obedience. Statute 15. Concerning the ordination of a Reader (anaguenestis). Said Ya’ekob, that a reader shall be ordained after he has been first tried. He shall not be of many words, nor a drunkard, nor a scoffer. And he 50 shall be of good character, and a lover of the good ; one who is quick to go every day to the church, who remem- TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 35 bers there the judgment ; and he shall be obedient, and one who reads well, and who knows the duty (lit. place) of him who reads, that he should do according to what he reads ; and one who fills the ear of others with his word, ought he not to do it himself? Will it not be written 5 against him as a sin before God ? Statute 1 6. Said Matewos : Deacons shall be ordained, as it is written : By the testimony of two and three every word shall be established. And they shall be tried 10 concerning all the service, having the testimony of all the people, that they live with one wife, and have reared their children in purity, and such as are merciful and humble, and such as are not murmurers, and such as are not double-tongued, nor wrathful, because wrath 15 depraves a wise man. j And they shall not respect the person of the rich, nor act unjustly to the poor ; nor drink much wine ; and they shall work hard for the hidden Mystery and the beauty of the consolation. And they shall bid those of the brethren who have somewhat 90 to give to him who has nothing, and thus they shall also be sharers in giving. And they shall honour all with all honour and modesty and fear, and they shall keep them- selves in all purity. And some of them they shall teach, and some of them they shall question, and some of them 35 they shall reprove and some they shall console. As for the rejected, they shall also expel them at once, and they shall know that those who oppose, the revilers, the re- jected, are those who are your adversaries. , This seems a misunderstanding of the Arabic. Statute 17. Concerning the Widow. Said KefaS: Three widows shall be ordained. Two of them shall devote themselves to prayer for all those who are in affliction ; and sufficient daily sustenance shall be given. 5 But one of them shall stay with the women who are suffering from illness, that she may further their recovery, and be watchful, and inform by sending word to the presbyters. And she shall not be a lover of gain, nor shall she be a drunkard, lest she leave off her work of 10 watchfulness and praying in the night. And if one (of them) wishes to do a good work, let her do it according to the commandment, that she may comfort the heart of the sorrowful, because the goodness of God has been first made known (to her). Statute 18. Concerning Deacons, that they should be doers of good works. Said Endreyas : Deacons shall be doers of good works by night and by day, with every- one in every place ; and they shall not exalt themselves ao over the poor and needy, nor respect the person of the rich ; and they shall look out for those who have nothing, and give to them of that which is left ; and shall bid those who have somewhat to give alms to them, that they may do what our Lord said : I was hungry (and) 25 ye fed me. For he who ministers well the ministry without fault shall inherit a place of rest. Statute 1 9. Concerning the statute of the Lay people. Said Filepos : The lay people shall do the commandment 30 which is told to them with cheerfulness ; and they shall obey those who devote themselves to the altar; and TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 37 they shall all of them please God in that which is given to them and ordered them. And ye shall not learn enmity one with another because of that which is com- manded you ; but rather shall each one hasten (in his work), according as it has been given him from God; 5 and he shall not hate nor cause a neighbour to be hated by an accusation. Even the angels do not overstep that which is defined for them. Statute 20. Concerning the reminder that the Obla- 10 tion is the Body of Christ, and that which comes after it Said Endreyas : We have already ordered this which was said concerning the Oblation, that it is the Body of Christ and his precious Blood, and we declare (it) to you with certainty. And said Yuhanes : Have ye forgotten, 15 O brethren, that on the day when our Lord offered up the bread and the wine he said : This is my Body and this is my Blood. For he did not command that they should treat those as common things. And said MartSl concerning Maryam : See her laughing. And said 20 Maryam : It was not because of that that I laughed, for our Lord said to us : It is good that the sick should be healed by the whole. Statute 21. Said Kefa : It is not fitting for women to 25 raise their voice while they stand in the church, but rather to prostrate themselves with face toward the earth. Said Ya’ekob : How can they order for women a ministry of the Mystery, but only this ministry that they should help the needy ? Said Filepos : O brethren, 50 concerning the charitable action which a man does, (in doing it) he gathers for himself a good treasure in the kingdom of the heavens ; for the good deed is reckoned to him by God, who continues for evermore. Said Petros : O brethren, ye know that we indeed are not set S over anyone with compulsion, but we give command from God. We beseech you to hear and keep the commandments, and add not to them nor diminish from them, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be honour and praise for ever and ever. Amen. 10 Statute 22. Concerning the ordination of Bishops and the right order of the Oblation. The bishop shall be ordained as we have already spoken ; one who has been chosen by all the people together, with the presbyters 15 and deacons on the day of the sabbath. And all the bishops shall go with mutual consent and lay their hands upon him ; and the presbyters standing by keep quiet, and all of them together in silence and praying in their hearts that the Holy Spirit may help them and descend o upon him. And every one of the bishops shall pray, and all of them severally standing up shall lay their hands upon him who is ordained bishop, and they shall pray over him thus, saying: God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of mercies and Lord of all as comforts, who dwelt with the lofty and (yet) sees the humble, and who knew all before it came to pass. Thou gavest an ordinance to the Church, by the word of thy grace; thou who foreordainedst originally a family of righteous men ; from Abreham thou ordainedst 30 judges and priests ; and thou didst not leave thy sanctuary without ministers ; and ever since the creation TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 39 of the world thou hast desired to be glorified in the (place) which thou chosest. And now pour out from thee the might of the Holy Spirit, which thou gavest to thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, which thou grantest to us the holy Apostles, thy helpers in thy Church (work- 5 ing) with the plough of thy Cross and in the place of thy holiness to thee be glory, and praise unceasingly to thy Name. Give, (thou) knower of the heart, and send the Holy Spirit upon thy servant whom thou hast chosen for the pontificate, that he may feed thy flock 10 and minister as priest to thee without blame, serving thee by day and night, and supplicating to see thy face worthily ; that he may offer thine Oblation in thy holy Church ; in the Holy Spirit of the priesthood, having authority to forgive sin according to thy commandment, 15 (and) to give the ordination of thy ordinance, and loose all bonds of iniquity, according to the authority which thou gavest to thine Apostles ; and that he may please thee with gentleness and purity of heart, offering to thee a sweet savour, through thy Son Jesus Christ, through ao whom to thee be glory and might and honour, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit in thy noly Church now and always and for ever and ever. Amen. And after the bishop has been ordained every one of them shall salute him with the mouth, kissing him who 35 has become a bishop, and to whom this grace has been imparted. And the deacon shall bring to him the Obla- tion ; and he then having laid his hand upon the Oblation with all the holy ones and the presbyters shall say, thus gfiving thanks : The Lord (be) with you all. And the 30 people shall say : Perfectly with thy Spirit may he be. And the bishop shall say : Lift up your hearts. And all the people shall say : We have (them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say : Let us give thanks to the Lord. And the people shall say : Right, it is 5 meet, and just. And then the bishop shall say the (words) of the Oblation as follows : We give thanks to thee, Lord, through thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, whom in the last days thou sentest to us, thy Son, a saviour and lo redeemer, the messenger of thy counsel. This is the Word who is from thee, by whom thou, being willing, madest all things ; and thou sentest thy Son from heaven into the womb of the Virgin, he who became flesh and was borne within her. And thy Son was manifested by 15 the Holy Spirit, having been born of a Virgin, that he might fulfil thy will and make a people for thee. Spread- ing out his hands for suffering, that he might release the sufferers, who trust on thee. He who was delivered up of his own will to suffering, that he might abolish death 20 and burst the bonds of Satan and trample on Siola, and lead forth the holy ones; (that) he might establish the covenant and make known his resurrection. On that night in which he was betrayed, he took bread, he gave thanks and said to them : Take and eat This is 25 my Body which for your sake is broken for the remission of sin. And likewise the cup, having given thanks he said : This is my Blood which for your sake is shed : take and drink of it: and when ye do this, make a memorial of me. Remembering therefore thy death and 30 thy resurrection, we offer to thee this bread and this cup, giving thanks to thee because thou hast made us worthy TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT I41 to Stand before thee and minister as priests to thee. We pray to thee, Lord, and we beseech thee to send thy Holy Spirit upon this Oblation of the Church, that in joining (them) together thou mayest grant to them to all of them to them who take of it, that it may be to them for holi- 5 ness, and for filling (them) with the Holy Spirit, and for strengthening of faith in truth, that thee they may glorify and praise through thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee be glory and might in the holy Church now and always and for ever and ever. Amn. 10 Concerning the Oblation (of oil). Oil he shall offer according as the Oblation of bread and wine, giving y thanks as in that ordinance. Whenever he does not speak i j the same words he shall give thanks according to the various meaning of each one, but also with the other words, 15 saying thus : Having sanctified oil, thou shalt grant to all who are anointed or receive it that with which thou anointedst priests and prophets; and in like manner strengthen those and all who taste, and sanctify them who receive it. 20 And the people shall say : As it was, is and shall be to generation of generation and to age of age. Amen. The bishop shall say : And again we beseech thee. Almighty God, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to grant us to receive with blessing this 25 holy Mystery ; and that he may not condemn any of us, but cause worthiness in all them who take the reception of the holy Mystery, the Body and the Blood of Christ, Almighty Lord, our God. This is usually rendered ‘ for ever and ever.’ The deacon shall say : Pray ye. And the bishop shall say : God, almighty, gnt to us the reception of thy holy Mystery as our strengthening; nor condemn any amongst us, but bless all through Christ, through whom 5 to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit be glory and might now and always and for ever and ever. Amn. The deacon shall say : As ye stand, bow down your heads. The bishop shall say : Eternal God, knower of that lo which is secret and that which is open, to thee thy people bowed down their heads, and to thee they bent the hardness of heart and flesh, look from thy worthy dwelling-place, bless them both men and women, incline thine ear to them and hear their prayer, and strengthen 15 (them) with the might of thy right hand, and protect (them) from evil sickness, be their guardian for both body and soul, increase to them and to us also thy faith and thy fear, through thine only Son, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit be glory and ao might now and always and for ever and ever. Amen. And the deacon shall say : Let us attend And the bishop shall say : Holiness to holy ones. And the people shall say : One holy Father, one holy Son, one is the Holy Spirit The bishop shall say : The Lord (be) aj. with you all. And the people shall say : With thy spirit And then they shall lift up their hands for glorifying ; and the people shall come in for the salvation of their souls, in order that their sin may be remitted. The prayer after that they have communicated : God, 30 almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, we give thee thanks, because thou hast imparted TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 43 to US the reception of the holy Mystery : let it not be for guilt or condemnation, but for the renewal of soul and body and spirit through, etc And the people shall say : Amen. And the presbyter shall say (the prayer of) laying on 5 of hand after they have received. Eternal God, almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, bless thy servants and thy handmaids, protect and help and prosper (them) by the power of thine Archangel Keep and confirm in them thy fear by thy greatness; 10 provide that they shall both think what is thine and believe what is thine and will what is thine ; gprant to them peace without sin and anger through, etc. The people shall say : Amen. And the bishop shall say : The Lord (be) with you is all. And the people shall say : With thy spirit And the deacon shall say : Go forth in peace. And after (that) the Keddase is finished. 20 Statute 23. Concerning the ordination of Presbyters. If the bishop desires to ordain a presbyter, he shall lay his hand upon his head; and all the presbyters shall touch him and shall pray over him. In the form which we said before he shall pray, saying : My God, the 25 Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, look down upon this thy servant, and impart to him the spirit 1 ( Through, etc’ means ‘ through thine only Son, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit be glory and might, now and always and for ever and ever. Amen.’ The holy communiMi service. 10 of grace and the gift of holiness, that he may be able to direct thy people with pure heart : as thou lookedst upon thy chosen people and commandedst Moses to choose presbyters whom thou filledst with the Holy 5. Spirit which thou grantedst to thy servant and minister Moses, so now. Lord, give to this thy servant the grace which fails not, preserving to us the spirit of thy favour, and vouchsafe to us, whilst thou fillest us with thy worship in our heart, to glorify thee, through thy ‘ Son Jesus Christ, through whom to thee (be) glory and power, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit in the holy Church now, etc. And all the people shall say : Amn and Amen. He is worthy of it 15 Statute 24. Concerning the ordination of Deacons. And if the bishop desires to ordain a deacon, he shall choose (him) as we have already said ; and the bishop alone shall lay his hand upon his head. Why do we say 20 that the bishop alone is he who lays his hand upon him ? For a sign it is of this thing, that he was not ordgined for priesthood, but only for the service of the bishop, that he may perform the commandment with which he was commanded by him. And he was not 25 ordained to be the teacher of all those who are in Orders, but to be one who will think of what is proper (to be done) and will inform the bishop. And he was not ordained to acquire the great Spirit of which the pres- byters partake, but to occupy himself with that which is ‘ Now, etc means now and always and for ever and ever. TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT I45 proper, that the bishop may trust him, and that he may acquaint the bishop with that which is fitting (for him to know). The bishop is he alone who shall lay his hand upon him ; whereas for the presbyters indeed, the bishop and all the presbyters take part with him, and they shall s lay their hands upon him, for it is one (and the same) Spirit which descends upon him (and them). And the presbyter alone shall not do it ; nor have the ordained clergy power to ordain : and because of this the reader also and the subdeacon shall not be ordained by the lo presbyter alone, but the bishop alone shall ordain and lay his hand upon him. The prayer of the ordination of deacons : God, who hast created all, and by thy word hast set (it) in order, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, 15 whom thou sentest that he might minister according to thy will, and reveal to us thy secret counsel ; grant spirit and grace and diligence unto this thy servant whom thou hast chosen to be a deacon in our Church, and to offer in thy holy of holies that which is offered to thee by thine 20 ordained Chief Priests to the glory of thy name ; thus without blame in pure life having served the degrees of ordination he may obtain the exalted priesthood and thy honour, and glorify thee, through thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom to thee with him (be) glory and as might and power and praise with the Holy Spirit now, etc. Statute 25. Concerning those who confessed and were condemned for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. If Ludolfs print ends here. Lit ‘ holy holiness.’ 146 STATUTBS OF THE APOSTLES the confessor has been in the place of punishment, in chains for the name of Christ, they shall not lay hand on him for a ministering, for that is the honour of a deacon : but (as for) the honour of the presbyterate, though he S hath the honour of the presbyterate by that which he confessed, (yet) the bishop shall ordain him, having laid his hand upon him. And if the confessor was one who came not before the judges, and if he was not punished with chains, nor was shut up in prison, nor suffered any 10 affliction, but withal was only derided for the name of his Lord, and was not condemned to the least punishment, yet he professed all the work of the priesthood which is meet for him, they shall lay hand on him and make him a deacon. And the bishop shall give thanks as we have 15 already said. And it is necessary that he should mention the things which we have already said, that he should recite clearly and carefully, and give thanks to God according as it is proper for each to pray. And if there was one who could pray with devotion or use (make) a ao grrand and elevated prayer, and he himself being good ; and if he prayed and speaks praise with moderation, no one shall be prevented from praying, who is truly right (in his faith). 2 Statute 26. Concerning the ordination of Widows. If a widow is ordained she shall not be sealed, but be made by the name. And if it was one whose husband died a long time, she shall be ordained. And if it was one whose husband had lately died, she shall not be trusted. The passage is probably comipt ; a, , and c read ‘ holiness ‘ for ‘presb3rterate,’ but in a the word is marked. TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT I47 But even if she is aged, she shall be tried many days, because lust will contend with those who are ordained to a place. And the widow shall be ordained by word only, and she shall (then) be joined to the rest of the widows ; and they shall not lay hand upon her, because she does not offer the sacrifice, nor has she a (sacred) ministry. For the sealing is for the priests because of their ministry, but (the duty) of widows is about prayer, which is the duty of all. 10 Statute 27. Concerning the Reader and the Virgins and the Subdeacons, and concerning the grace of healing. To the reader who is ordained the bishop shall deliver the Scripture, and shall not lay hand upon him. As for the virgin also, he shall not lay hand on a virgin ; but 15- it is with her heart alone that she became a virgin. As for the subdeacons, he shall not lay hand upon a sub- deacon, but he shall make (mention) over them of the name that they may minister to the deacons. As for the grace of healing, if some one says, I have acquired ao the grace of healing and prophecy,’ they shall not lay hand upon him until his deed make evident that he is trustworthy. Statute 28. Concerning new persons who wish to be 35 baptised, and concerning the occupations which they ought to leave off. New persons who are to be baptised in order that they may hear the word, shall be brought to the teachers before all the people come in ; and they 1 This seems a misundentanding of the Arabic version shall a tiiem for what reason tfaev soit the Faith. And thejr who broit them shall be witness for them as to whether thejr are able to hear (the word). And they shall examine them concerning their life as to what 5 they are ; if they have a wife ; or a woman, if she has a husband : or if he was a slave, if his master allowed him to hear; and if his master was not witness for him, he shall go away: and if his master was an idolater, they shall hear from him and they shall know if it was 10 with permission of his master, that there be not scandal And if he was a man who had a wife, or a woman who had a husband, they shall know if the man lives with his wife, and the wife with her husband. And if it was a man who did not live with a wife, he shall be instructed 15 not to be a fornicator, but to marry according to law or to remain so (as to obey the law). And if it was a man who had a devil, then he shall not hear the word of instruction. Concerning the occupations and the crafts beside the occupations of those whom they bring to JO exhortation. And if there was a pander, he shall be re- jected. And if there was one who makes an image or who divines, they shall teach him that he should not make an image ; and if he will not give up the image he shall be rejected. And if it was one who caused to go to the 5 Circus, let him leave off or be rejected. And if it was one who teaches children the work of this world, then it is good if he leave off ; yet if there is no other occupation by which he may live, he shall be excused. And let him who causes to go to idolatrous sacrifices leave 90 off or be rejected. And if there is one who hunts or teaches hunting, or who teaches fighting, or war, or TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT I49 a driver of horses, let him leave off or be rejected. And if it was a priest of the gods or a guardian of the gods, let him leave off or be rejected. A soldier of the prince they shall not receive, and if indeed they received him, if he was commanded to kill he shall not do (it) ; and S if he does not leave off he shall be rejected. Statute 29. Concerning other persons. Either he who is a soldier among the believers and among the in- structed, or a star-gazer or magician and the like, and a lo magistrate with the sword or chief of praefects, and he who is clad in red, let him leave off or be rejected. And a catechumen or believer, if they wish to be a soldier, shall be rejected, because it is far from God. An adulteress, or a man without pity, or a man who does 15 that which is not proper to be mentioned, shall be re- jected, because they are alien and unclean, and it is not fitting to bring them to be ranked in the congregation of the Faithful. And if it was a star-gazer and a diviner by the sun, or soothsayer, or interpreter of dreams, or 20 seducer of the people, or who puts on clothes for lascivious ornament or a maker of potions, let him leave off or be rejected. Statute 30. Concerning Concubines. If there is any- 25 thing which we have omitted, decide as is proper. A man shall give up his concubine, and if she was a servant of the man and if she has brought up her children, and if she did not come near another man beside him, they shall receive her, but if she had been near another man, 30 she shall be rejected. And a man who has a concubine I50 STATUTES OF THE APOSTLES let him desist or marry according to law ; and if he is not willing to desist let him be rejected. And if there is aught that we have omitted, decide as is proper, because we all have the Spirit of God. S