Ancyra - Canon 13

It is not lawful for Chorepiscopi to ordain presbyters or deacons, and most assuredly not presbyters of a city, without the commission of the bishop given in writing, in another parish.

What is a chorepiscopus?
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, he is an overseer

whose jurisdiction was confined to rural districts.  The earliest chorepiscopus of whom we have any knowledge was Zoticus, whom Eusebius designates as bishop of the village Cumana in Phrygia in the latter half of the second century.  In the beginning the chorepiscopi seem to have exercised all episcopal functions in their rural districts, but from the second half of the third century they were subject to the city bishops.¹

These country preachers (using modern parlance) were allowed to fully function within their regions in the same capacity as the overseer in a major metropolitan area—Antioch, Jerusalem, etc.—yet being subject to the oversight of the nearest metropolitan.

What is the canon addressing?
The first part of the canon is clear in that the chorepiscopus was not to ordain certain elders or deacons without consent.  There has been some difficulty through history with the second part of the canon in knowing to what circumstances the Greek text and the English translation are referring.  The translation above appears to say that no chorepiscopus may not ordain someone in a different locale unless the city overseer from that other locale had given written approval.  In other words, someone from a region attached to Ancyra could not ordain someone in the jurisdiction of Antioch unless someone from Antioch with sufficient authority had given written permission.  Others will say it refers to separate regions under the jurisdiction of the same city.  The fine distinction is irrelevant as the outcome is the same.


¹ Michael Ott, "Chorepiscopi," The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 16 (New York: The Encyclopedia Press, 1914), accessed at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/16024c.htm.