Ethiopic Sinodos

Ethiopic Sinodos — Horner 1904 English translation of the Statutes — sourcepage 191

144 STATUTES OF THE APOSTLES 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 : Am€n 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 ordg^ined 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.