Clergy, Feasts, and Dance: What the Sacred Canons Really Say

The discussion about the participation of clergy in village feasts, especially during the summer months, when saints or the Most Holy Theotokos are honored, requires seriousness, correct interpretation of the sacred Canons, and pastoral discernment. The view is often put forward that “the sacred Canons generally forbid clergy to dance at any feast.” At times, Apostolic Canons, Canons of the Council of Laodicea, and Canons of Carthage are invoked in a broad way, without examining their exact content.

The issue, however, cannot be resolved with sweeping slogans. The Canons of the Church are not simple prohibitive regulations detached from ecclesiastical ethos. They are pastoral rules of healing, good order, and protection of the ecclesiastical body. For this reason, they must be read chiefly according to the spirit of the Fathers who established them.

The Canonical Framework

The main Canons related to this issue are primarily Canons 53, 54, and 55 of the Council of Laodicea, as well as related provisions of the Quinisext Ecumenical Council.

Canon 53 of Laodicea says:

“Christians, when attending weddings, must not engage in noisy revelry or dance, but must dine or take…