XXI. Concerning the Sub-Deacons--The Constitution of Thomas.
Concerning the sub-deacons, I Thomas1 make this constitution for you the bishops:2 When thou dost ordain a sub-deacon,3 O bishop, thou shalt lay thy hands upon him, and say: O Lord God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things that are therein; who also in the tabernacle of the testimony didst appoint overseers and keepers of Thy holy vessels;4 do Thou now look down upon this Thy servant, appointed a sub-deacon; and grant him the Holy Spirit, that he may worthily handle the vessels of Thy ministry, and do Thy will always, through Thy Christ, with whom glory, honour, and worship be to Thee and to the Holy Spirit for ever. Amen.
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One V ms. has the following note: "Thomas preached to the Parthians, Medes, Persians, Germans, Hyrcanians, Bactrians, Bardians, who also, having been a martyr, lies in Edessa of Osdroene." ↩
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The words "for you the bishops" are omitted in the Oxford ms. ↩
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[See vol. v. Elucidation XIV. [290]p. 417.] ↩
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Num. iii.; 1 Chron. vi. ↩