Synod of Laodicea

The Canons of the Synod held in the City of Laodicea, in Phrygia Pacatiana, 363 AD

Translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Vol. XIV. For a complete electronic copy, visit the Christian Classics Ethereal Library, the New Advent Library. Italics in the text by John Wijngaards.

Canon XI. “Presbytides, as they are called, or female presidents, are not to be appointed in the Church.”

Ancient Epitome of Canon XI. ‘Widows called presidents shall not be appointed in churches.’ The presidents, ‘presbytides’, are probably widows put in charge of other women. So Balsamon: “In old days certain venerable women (presbytides) sat in Catholic churches, and took care that the other women kept good and modest order. But from their habit of using improperly that which was proper, either through their arrogancy or through their base self-seeking, scandal arose. Therefore the Fathers prohibited the existence in the Church thereafter of any more such women as are called presbytides or presidents.”

Canon XLIV “Women are not permitted to enter the sanctuary”.

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