The Canons of the Council of Laodicea, of the late 4th c., forbid the celebration of feasts of martyrs on days of fast; during Lent they are to be celebrated only on Saturdays and Sundays. Written in Laodikeia/Laodicea of Phrygia (west central Asia Minor).
Evidence ID
E02113
Type of Evidence
Canonical and legal texts
Canons of the Council of Laodicea, 51
NA. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ μνήμας μαρτύρων ποιεῖν ἐν ταῖς νηστίμοις ἡμέραις
Ὅτι οὐ δεῖ ἐν τεσσαρακοστῇ γενεθλιον ἐπιτελεῖν, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων μνείαν ποιεῖν ἐν τοῖς σάββασι καὶ κυριακαῖς.
'Canon 51. The memorial days of martyrs must not be celebrated on the days of fasting
The nativities of martyrs are not to be celebrated in Lent, but memorial celebrations of the holy martyrs are to be held on the Sabbaths and Lord's days.'
Text: Ioannou 1962. Translation: E. Rizos
Festivals
Saint’s feast
Rejection, Condemnation, SceptisismCondemnation/rejection of a specific cultic activity
Non Liturgical ActivityFast
Source
The Council of Laodicea, the decisions of which are only known through the summary of sixty canons (rulings), is thought to have been convoked in the late 4th century at Laodikeia/Laodicea on the Lycus, in Phrygia Pacatiana.Discussion
This canon is the earliest attestation of the practice of deferring the celebrations of the martyrs falling on days of fasting and during Lent. Apparently, the reason behind this ruling is that the celebrations of the martyrs were regarded as occasions of feasting, inappropriate for periods of abstinence and contemplation. It is unknown how far and until when this practice was observed. The custom of deferring the popular feast of *George to Monday of Easter week, if it falls during Lent, which is still widely practised by many Christian traditions, seems to be the only survivor of this ancient custom.Bibliography
Text:Joannou, P.-P. Discipline Generale Antique (Ive - Ixe S.). Fonti IX. Vol. I.2, Grottaferrata: Pontificia Commissione per la Redazione del Codice di Diritto Canonico Orientale, 1962, 130-155.
English Translation:
Percival, H. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 14. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1900.
Available online, revised by Kevin Knight: <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3806.htm>.
Record Created By
Efthymios Rizos
Date of Entry
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00060 | Martyrs, unnamed or name lost | Certain |
|---|
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