Abstract

The zealous jurisdictional autonomy defended by the African Church almost from its very beginnings was put to the test by the repeated appeal (provocatio) to Rome of Apiarius, a wayward presbyter first of the community of Sicca Veneria and then of that of Thabraca, who had been excommunicated twice (in 418 and 424) by their respective bishops. The Roman intervention was legally supported by the presumed status of last instance of appeal that the respected Council of Nicaea (325) had supposedly granted it. However, the canons adduced by the Roman see as coming from the first ecumenical council were in fact from the controversial Synod of Sardica (343). The forced interpretation of those canons shows that their false attribution to the Nicene Council was an intentional manipulation of the conciliar acts with the sole purpose of imposing in the West a superior jurisdictional authority of the Church of Rome