Decree X.

Hereas the Church of Angamale, called the Archbishop's, was built by Mar-Abraham, and dedicated to Hormifda the Abbot, commonly called St. Hormufio, who was a Neftorian Heretick, and a great Ring-leader of that Sect, and for that reafon was abhorred by all Catholicks, who are called Romans, as is reported in his Life writ in the Surian Tongue, and which was ordained to be burnt by the moft Illuftrious Metropolitan, upon the account of the manifold Herefies and Blafphemies contained therein, and the many falfe Miracles faid to be wrought by him, in confirmation of the Neftorian Sect: Therefore the Synod does in virtue of Obedience, and upon pain of Excommunication, to be ipfo facto incurred, prohibit the Obfervation of the two Festivities that have been dedicated to his Memory, the one upon the firft of September, the other fixteen days after Eafter; and the dedicating of any Church to him, commanding the abovenamed Church to be dedicated to St. Hormifda the Martyr, who was alfo a Perfian, and whofe Festivity is celebrated upon the 8th. of August, upon which day the Feast of the faid Church fhall be observed; and on the Retablo they are to make the Picture, wherein the Martyrdom of the faid Saint fhall be drawn to the best advantage, that fo the People may learn to what Saint the faid Church is dedicated, and all the Prayers

Prayers and Devotion that used to be performed upon the Festivities of the Heretick Hormif da, may be directed to this Glorious Saint.

Decree XI.

Eeing in the Creed, or Holy Symbol of Faith, ordained by the Sacred Apoftles, and declared by the Holy Councils, which is fung in the Mafs, all the principal Mysteries and Articles of our Faith are contained, it is not fit that any thing should be added to it, or taken from it, but that it fhould be fung in this Bishoprick as it is all over the Universal Church; wherefore the Synod doth Order, that the words which are wanting in the Creed that is faid in the Mafs be added to it; where fpeaking of Chrift, it it faid, that he was born of the Father before all Times, there is wanting, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, that fo it may in all things be conformable to what is fung in the Univerfal Church, ufing also the word Confubftantial to the Father, and not what is faid instead thereof in the Surian, Son of the Effence of the Father.

Not

'Decree XII.

Otwithstanding it is contrary to the Sacred Canons, That the Children of Chriftians fhould go to School to Heathen Masters: Nevertheless, feeing this Church is under fo many Heathen Kings, who many times will not fuffer any L 4

but

but Infidels to be Schoolmasters; wherefore the Synod doth command and declare, That in all Schools, whether for Reading or Writing, wherein the Masters have Pagods, to which they oblige their Children at their coming into the School to pay their Reverence, as the Cuftom is; that it fhall not be lawful for Chriftian Parents or Guardians to fend Chriftian Children to fuch Schools, upon pain of being proceeded against as Idolaters; but if there fhould be any fuch Schools, wherein the Heathen Mafters will confent that Chriftian Children fhall pay no Reverence, nor be obliged to any Heathen Ceremony, in cafe there is no Chriftian Master near, they may be fent to fuch Schools, their Parents inftructing them that they must pay no reverence but only to the Mafter, and that they must use none of the Ceremonies of the Heathen Children, that fo they may not fuck in Idolatry as Mothers Milk. Furthermore, the Synod doth earneftly recommend it to all Towns and Villages, to do all that is in their Power to have their Children Educated by Chriftian Masters, and as for Reading and Writing, to have the Parish Priests to teach them to do that in their

* Suck in Idolatry.] They would have done well to have confidered, whether the intro ducing of the Adoration of Images into a Chriftianity that was planted amidst Heathens, and under Idolatrous Princes, how Inno

*

cent foever it may be in other places, was fafe or not in Malabar, before they did it, and whether the reconciling them to Images might not difpofe them to Heathenifm.

Houses :

Houses: But as to those masters who do oblige Christian Children to do reverence to their Pagods; the Synod in virtue of Holy Obedience, and upon pain of Excommunication to be Ipfo facto incurred, doth command all Fathers of Families, and others that have charge of Children, not to confent to their going to fuch Schools; and doing the contrary, let them be declared Excommunicate, and be rigorously punished by the Prelate, neither fhall fuch Children be fuffered to enter the Church; as to which matter the Vicars and Pricfts ought to be extreamly vigilant, to prevent Childrens being Educated in Idolatry; and where-e'er there is a Christian Schoolmaster in any Town, or near it, the Children of Christians are not to go to School to Infidels.

Decree XIII.

THe Synod being certainly informed, that there are fome Chriftian Schoolmasters, who to conform themselves to others, and to have the more Scholars, do fet up Pagods and Idols in their Schools, to which the Heathen Children pay reverence, doth command all the faid Schoolmafters, fo foon as it fhall be intimated to them, upon pain of Excommunication, to remove the faid Pagods Idols, and Reverence out of their Schools, and not to give way to Heathen Children, paying any fuch adoration; and whosoever fhall be found guilty thereof, fhall be declared Excommunicate, and denyed the Communion

of

of the Church, and of all Chriftians, and dying, fhall not be buried in holy Ground, nor have Chriftian Burial, nor have any Prayers faid for them, and let this Decree be published by the Vicars of the Churches to which fuch do belong.

THe

Decree XIV.

He Purity of the Faith being preserved by nothing more than by Books of found and holy Doctrine; and on the contrary, there being nothing whereby the Minds of People are more corrupted, than by Books of fufpicious and Heretical Doctrines; Errors being by their means eafily infinuated into the Hearts of the Ignorant, that read or hear them: Wherefore the Synod knowing that this Bishoprick is full of Books writ in the Surian Tongue by Neftorian Hereticks, and Perfons of other Devilish Sects, which abound with Herefies, Blafphemies and false Doctrines, doth command in virtue of Obedience, and upon pain of Excommunication to be ipfo facto incurred, that no Perfon, of what quality and condition foever, fhall from henceforward prefume to keep, tranflate, read or hear read to others, any of the following Books.

The Book intituled, The Infancy of our Saviour, Or The Hiftory of our Lady; condemned formerly by the ancient Saints, for being full of Blafphemies, Herefies, and fabulous Stories, where among others it is faid, that the Annunciation of

the