Canons of the Ecumenical CouncilsCanons of the Fathers (Apostles and Patriarchs)

Church Canons- What are the church canons recognized by the Coptic Church?

Church Canons
What are the church canons recognized by the Coptic Church?

The church canons are divided into the following groups:

1. The Canons of the Apostolic Fathers.

2. The Canons of the Three Ecumenical Councils.

3. The Canons of the Local Councils recognized in the Universal Church.

4. The Canons of the Great Holy Fathers.

5. Canons issued in later ages.

(A) The Canons of the Apostolic Fathers:
They consist of 127 canons, found in two collections: one includes 56 canons, and the other includes 71 canons.
These canons were published in the Patrologia Orientalis publications, and they were issued in eight booklets or collections under the title The Canons of Clement, on the basis that the Apostolic Fathers handed them to Saint Clement of Rome to transmit them to the churches.
These canons were summarized in the Apostolic Tradition collection of Saint Hippolytus of Rome. The canons of this Apostolic Tradition do not differ in any of their texts from the Canons of the Apostolic Fathers.
In the collections of Ibn al-ʿAssāl and Ibn Kabar, forged canons attributed to the Apostolic Fathers were published, such as The Canons of the Upper Room of Zion, and their falsity is evident from their contents.

(B) The Canons of the Ecumenical Councils:
These are the canons of the three ecumenical councils recognized by our Church: the Council of Nicaea, convened in the year 325 AD; the Council of Constantinople, convened in the year 381 AD; and the Council of Ephesus, convened in the year 430 AD.
The most famous of them is the Holy Council of Nicaea and its canons. Forged canons were attributed to it, just as forged canons were attributed to the Apostolic Fathers.
It is well known that the Council of Nicaea issued only 20 canons. There exists an Arabic collection containing 83 canons attributed to Nicaea, and it is clear from their contents that this is a forged collection.

(C) The Canons of the Holy Regional Councils:
Among them are three councils that preceded the Holy Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, namely:

1. The Council of Carthage (257 AD), which discussed the baptism of heretics.

2. The Council of Ancyra (314 AD), in the same year in which Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan recognizing the Christian religion. This council issued several canons concerning the repentance of the lapsed during times of persecution, and other canons concerning the clergy, personal status, and penalties for adultery, murder, sorcery, and divination.

3. The Council of Neocaesarea (315 AD), which includes 15 canons concerning the clergy and personal status, along with other canons.

There are also other canons issued by councils after Nicaea, including the canons of the Council of Gangra, the Council of Laodicea, and the Council of Carthage attended by Saint Augustine.

(D) The Canons of the Great Fathers:
By these we mean the saintly teachers of the Church and its leaders in theological thought. Among these are:

1. The canons of Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia, which were published by the Monastery of the Syrians in Wadi El-Natrun.

2. The canons of Saint Athanasius the Apostolic, which are found in the Coptic Museum.

3. The canons of Saint Timothy of Alexandria (the 22nd Pope), which were published in the collection Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers.

4. The canons of Saint Peter, the Seal of the Martyrs.

5. The canons of Saint Cyril the Great, especially his anathemas issued against Nestorius.

6. The canons of Saint John Chrysostom.

Most of these canons are found in Coptic manuscripts.

(E) Canons Issued in Later Ages:
Such as the canons of Pope Cyril ibn Laqlaq and the canons of Pope Gabriel ibn Turaik.
These are of a lesser degree, because all the previous canons are characterized by an ecumenical nature, meaning that they are recognized by all the traditional apostolic churches throughout the whole world.
As for these, they were issued in later ages and have a local character, bearing the influences of their time in the extent of knowledge and learning.

Our Need to Collect and Organize the Canons:
The Church needs a complete, organized, and approved collection of the many canons and legal references.

An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, published in Al-Keraza Magazine – Ninth Year – Issue Thirty-Eight – dated 22 September 1978.

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