Laodicean Council (363-364) – Canon 35 against the excessive cult of angels (Mansi vol. 2)
# The Council of Laodicea (363-364)The Council of Laodicea, held in Laodicea (Frigia, Asia Minor), now modern Turkey, during the pontificate of Liberius, is one of the most significant particular councils of ancient Christianity for defining the proper worship of angels. Canon 35 explicitly condemns excessive or idolatrous invocation of angels, distinguishing legitimate angelic worship from angelolatry heresy. Source: Mansi *Sacrorum Conciliorum Nova Amplissima Collectio*, vol. 2, col. 569ss.## Council Details– **Council:** Particular Council of Laodicea
– **Location:** Laodicea (Frigia, Asia Minor), present-day Turkey
– **Date:** 363-364 AD (during the pontificate of Liberius)
– **Canons:** 60 disciplinary canons (including Canon 35 against excessive angel worship)
– **Source:** Mansi vol. 2, col. 561-600## Latin Text, Canon 35> “*Non oportet christianos ecclesiam Dei derelinquere et abire, atque angelos nominare, et congregationes facere, quae prohibita noscuntur. Si quis igitur inventus fuerit huic occultae idolatriae vacans, sit anathema, quia derelinquit Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, Filium Dei, et idolatriae accessit.*”## Portuguese Translation, Canon 35> “*Não convém que os cristãos abandonem a Igreja de Deus e se ausentem para invocar nominalmente os anjos e fazer reuniões que são reconhecidas como proibidas. Se alguém então for encontrado a praticar esta idolatria oculta, seja anátema, porque abandonou o nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo, Filho de Deus, e aderiu à idolatria.*”## Historical ContextIn 4th-century Frigia, certain marginal Christian groups (especially Montanists and followers of pseudo-mystics) tended to:– Invoke nominally “*seven angels*” (sometimes more) with non-Biblical names
– Hold secret meetings in honor of angels
– Consider angels as “*autonomous mediators*” between God and men
– Replace prayer to Christ with direct invocation of angels
– Attribute to angels “*specific powers*” (healing diseases, foretelling the future)These practices, derived partly from Gnosticism and Syriac-Babylonian magic, threatened the centrality of Christology in the faith. The Council of Laodicea responded firmly: legitimate angelic worship is not prohibited, but idolatrous invocation of angels, apart from Christ, is forbidden.## Three Doctrinal Principles Established1. **Centrality of Christ:** Any angelic worship must be subordinate to Christ, not parallel to him.
2. **Pastoral Care:** The faithful cannot abandon the Church for *secret meetings* with angelolatric purposes.
3. **Limit of Names:** Invocation by name of angels whose names were not revealed in Sacred Scripture or by the official tradition of the Church should be avoided.## Continuity in MagisteriumThe principles of Canon 35 from the Council of Laodicea were reaffirmed:
- Council of St. Patrick (Ireland, 5th century): condemns the invocation of other angels besides the canonical ones.
- Roman Council of 745 (under Zacharias): condemns Saint Aldebert of France for invoking angels with non-canonical names such as Uriel, Raguel, Tubuel, Michael, Inias, Tubuas, Sabaoc, and Simiel.
- Council of Aix-la-Chapelle (798/799): prohibits paintings of angels with non-Biblical names.
- St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica II-II, q. 92): reprises anti-angelic principles in scholastic thought.
- Roman Catechism (1566): maintains the principle that legitimate angel worship excludes invocation by names not revealed.
- CDF, Decision on Opera Angelorum (1983): contemporary application of the same principles.
Other Marian canons from Laodicea
Beyond Canon 35, the Council of Laodicea addresses angelology indirectly:
- Canon 36: prohibits clergy from practicing magic, enchantments, or astrology (related to alleged invocation of spirits)
- Canon 37: prohibits celebrating feast days with heretics or Jews (preserves the liturgical unity of Christian worship)
Significance for Catholic Angelic Devotion
Canon 35 of Laodicea establishes what will be the permanent Catholic balance between legitimate angelic devotion and angel-worship:
| Legitimate Devotion | Prohibited Angel-Worship |
|---|---|
| Veneration of the three canonical archangels (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael) | Nominal invocation of non-Biblical angels |
| Devotion to the Angel Guardian | Secret meetings for angelic purposes |
| Angelic liturgy (Sanctus, Te Deum) | Substituting worship of Christ with worship of angels |
| Personal prayers to angels | Attributing magical powers specifically to angels |
Liturgical Heritage
Catholic liturgy recognizes the Laodicea balance:
- Feast of the Three Archangels (September 29): celebrates only Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
- Feast of Angels’ Guardians (October 2): does not individualize names.
- Liturgy of the Hours: invokes all holy angels collectively.
- Votive masses for angels: limited to biblical texts about the three archangels.
Further Reading
St. Michael | St. Gabriel | St. Rafael | Angels of the Guard | CDF Opera Angelorum | St. Thomas, Treatise on Angels
Post-Graduation in Mariology
Do you want to deepen your formation in Mariology? Discover the Post-Graduation in Mariology from Locus Mariologicus – an academic formation that combines theological rigor, spiritual life, and the living tradition of the Church.
Also see: What is Angeology? Angels in the Bible and in the Magisterium
Check out our complete guide to Catholic Angeology.
Responses