precious [faith] in the deep heart, and not to neglect care for the body, and to despise the present life, and to have God alone in the mind. For where God is, according to the divine Chrysostom, imbedded in our soul, all evils flee away. Therefore, those who fight spiritually ought to study with all the intention of their mind, that, aided by the reading of the Holy Scriptures, they may approach more and more to the spiritual life.
I have brought this as a specimen, because this work is not yet published, concerning which see Lambecius IV, p. 145; V, p. 69, and Labbeus p. 95 of the New Manuscript Library. It concludes fol. 99b, thus: A “Those who dig up gold.” Fol. 99b. Title: Of the same, that is, *Ejusdem*. It begins: “The grace and the pledge of the Holy Spirit we faithful received each of us from our holy baptism.” And from that time we have it dwelling in our hearts, as the Apostle says: “Do you not know,” etc. It concludes fol. 115, thus: “To the endless ages of ages. Amen.” Fol. 115a. Title: Of the same. It begins: “To Thee, our Master, these thoughts lie open, to be kindly to the humble; but to resist the high-minded, to hinder them from running with pride.” It concludes fol. 115b, thus: “Grace, glory to all the ages. Amen.” Fol. 113b. Title: Of the same, that, with the keeping of the heart, the divine commandments of Christ are also kept together. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the wisdom and power of the eternal Father, says: “He who loves me will keep my commandments.” To Him be glory to the ages. Amen. B
ANNO DOMINI DCCCVI.
S. TARASIUS, CONSTANTINOPOLITANUS PATRIARCHA.
(GALLAND. Vet. Patrum Biblioth. t. XIII, p. xl.)Tarasius was the great-uncle of Photius, and he held the Constantinopolitan see from the year 784 to 806. You may read his life, written by Ignatius the Metropolitan of Nicaea, in Latin among the Bollandists. He had for a father Georgius, prefect of the city, and for a mother Encrateia. Under him was held the Second Nicene Synod; his writings are found in almost all the volumes of the Councils. We present his letter to Pope Hadrian against the stain of simony, as it exists in the Greco-Roman law. We have taken it from the Pandects of Beveridge, to which, however, we have added our own version.
SECOND NOTICE.
(FABRIC. Biblioth. Græc. ed. Harles, t. XI, p. 183.)Tarasius, the great-uncle of Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople from the year 784 to 806, under whom was held
A the Council of Nicaea in the year 787, for the veneration of icons. His life was described by Ignatius, his disciple, and according to Suidas, [a life] from the deacon of the Great Church and Metropolitan of Nicaea, which exists in Greek manuscript in the Imperial Library, as attested by Lambecius VIII, page 92 B. It exists in Latin in Lipomannus, Surius, and Bollanus, tom. III, Feb. 25. It begins: *Mellon apeiro megethei*. The writings of Tarasius, which we have edited, are all inserted into the acts of the aforementioned synod in Volume III, in the editions of Bini, Labbe VII, and Hardouin IV. They are as follows:
*Apologeticus* to the people, on the day he entered the patriarchate in the year 784, Act 1, Vol. IV of Hardouin, p. 23. It begins: *Oi tes amomou hemon pisteos*. FABRIC. In Mansi, *Amplissima Collectio Conciliorum*, Vol. XII, p. 985. Add WALCH, *Historia*, etc., *loco citato*, p. 446 et seq. HARL.
*Epistola* to the Emperor Constantine and Irene. Act 7, p. 471. It begins: *Doxazetai he tes Ekklesias kephale Christos*. FABRIC. In Mansi, *Collectio* cited, Vol. XIII, p. 399 et seq. See WALCH.
*Epistolæ* II, to Pope Adrian I. Act 8, p. 508 and 512. The former begins: *Herkei men he soteriodes oikonomia* C (c). The latter (d) is against Simony, with testimonies added from Sacred Scripture, the Canons of the Apostles, the Council of Chalcedon, the Sixth Council of Constantinople, Basil, Gennadius of Constantinople, and the author of the Life of Chrysostom. It begins: *Polumeros kai polutropos, euangelikos*, etc.
*Epistola encyclica* to the Oriental patriarchs, [namely those] of Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria. Act 8, page 130. It begins: *Pollais kai megalais pronoiais*, with the response of the Orientals, page D [followed].
136. [Beginning: *To those who, by divine suggestion, have been instructed by the apostolical and paternal holiness…*] FABRICIUS, *Bibliotheca Græca*, Vol. XII, p. 1119 ff., and their *Response* in the same place, p. 1125 ff., and WALCH, 1. c., p. 455 ff. But Friedrich Spanheim, in *Historia imaginum restituta*, sect. C, p. 372 et seq., Lugd. Bat. 1686, 8; WALCH, 1. c., p. 551 ff.; and Schrockh, 1. c., Vol. XX, p. 572, have judged their response to be supposititious and have proved it so. HARLESS.
*Epistle to John the presbyter and hegumen*, Act VIII, p. 520. [Beginning: *He who from the divine streams of the Holy Spirit…*] FABRICIUS, in Mansi *Collectio*, Vol. VIII, p. 471 ff. See WALCH, 1. c., p. 461 ff. HARLESS.
*Homily on the Presentation of the Blessed Mary, three years old, in the Temple*, not yet, to my knowledge, published; its beginning: [Greek text omitted]. MS in various libraries, such as the Royal, according to Labbe, p. 80, and the Coislinian at Montfaucon, p. 212. Allatius also mentions it in *De Simeonibus*, p. 113. FABRICIUS. Oxford, in cod. Barocc. 174, and in cod. 40 of Thomas Gale, or no. 5874, *Catalogus Manuscriptorum Angliæ*, etc., Vol. II. However, Oudin, 1. c., Vol. I, p. 1922, denies that Tarasius, in whose age there was not yet a feast day of the Presentation of the Blessed Mary, was the author of that homily; but he suspects that it should be attributed either to George, Archbishop of Nicomedia, or to Germanus, or to Tarasius, patrician and city prefect, the brother of Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople; Oudin concludes from the homily of George of Nicomedia on that feast day, in the year 880, that the feast day seems to have begun among the Greeks during the latter's time. HARLESS.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY ON ST. TARASIUS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE
(Act. Sanct. March, Vol. III, p. 572.)§ 1. Time of the Patriarchate of Saint Tarasius. A His life and writings. Sacred cult. Just as the holy Church of Christ, at the time when it was most especially agitated by the various storms of heresies, seemed on the verge of being crushed by wicked men, it was in turn defended and protected more vehemently and strongly by holy doctors, and shone forth with greater splendor of deeds and the glory of heroic virtues; thus, in the eighth century after the birth of Christ, while an impious and wicked war was being waged against the holy images, there was no lack of illustrious champions who offered their bodies and their lives for the defense of the truth, and by the shedding of their blood, established the cult of the sacred images. This sacred war, begun by others, was brought to a happy conclusion in its own time by the holy Tarasius, Patriarch of the Church of Constantinople. In that city, the emperor Leo the Isaurian, incited by a Jew, after the image of the Savior had been cast down by his satellites, launched that wicked war around the year of Christ 726; and then, as the outrage increased, he issued a deadly edict against the venerable images, replacing the most holy patriarch Germanus (to whom the 12th of May is sacred) with a certain Anastasius. The son succeeded the impious father and architect of this heresy, a generation contaminated by more impure wickedness, Constantine Copronymus, who, having convened a council of impious men, saw to it that the sacred images were condemned. To him succeeded his son Leo, who was himself the heir to his father’s and grandfather’s impiety, B and during the time of these emperors occupied the patriarchal see in Constantinople: Constantine II and Nicetas, whose successor was Paul, who later, in the Acts no. 6, after having abandoned the see, groans: "Three times by hand and by ink have I subscribed to the heresy." Paul was ordained patriarch in the month of February, on the second Sunday of Lent, in the year 780; in which same year, on the 8th of September, after the emperor Leo had died, his son Constantine reigned with his mother Irene. Saint Tarasius, who, having previously exercised consular dignity, acted as their first secretary of state, was elected patriarch; he was unwilling to accede to their desire unless a condition was made for the convening of an ecumenical council, in which, the heresy of the Iconoclasts being proscribed, the cult of the sacred images would be restored. Regarding that same heresy, having been resurrected in the 9th century and finally defeated, we treated on February 4th in the *Life of Saint Nicholas the Studite*, and more fully on February 11th in the *Life of Saint Theodora Augusta*.
Tarasius, on the very day of Christ's nativity, the 8th of the Kalends of January, in the 5th year of the reign of Constantine and Irene, in the 8th indiction, at the end of the year of Christ 781, as we are told by Theophanes, who is to be cited below, Cedrenus, and others, "adorned the pontifical chair for twenty-two years," as his Acts report below in no. 47. He lacks ten months of that number of years.
B illustrated by Goar. Did Hypatius, bishop of Nicaea in Bithynia, attend the Seventh Ecumenical Synod held at Nicaea, and did Ignatius succeed him directly? That is not clear. Ignatius himself testifies below, in no. 56, that in the flower of his youth he was trained by Saint Tarasius in trimeters, tetrameters, trochaics, anapaests, and heroic verse; that he took down his sacred homilies with a swift pen and recorded them in codices, having been delivered by the best scribes. And in no. 48, he indicates that he was present at the death of Tarasius; and in no. 4, he prefaces that he publishes into the light, with pure and sincere truth, what he saw with his eyes, heard with his ears, and knew by personal experience. Metaphrastes inserted this Life of Saint Tarasius, written by Ignatius, into his own works for February 25th. Aloysius Lipomannus and Laurentius Surius published it, rendered into Latin by Gentianus Hervetus for that same February 25th, with this inscription: "Of the monk Ignatius, which is a single exposition of the life and miracles of our Holy Father Tarasius, Archbishop of Constantinople." Truly, if Suidas is to be believed, he was summoned from the monastic life, and at that time was a deacon and keeper of the vessels, or rather, the metropolitan of Nicaea. We provide the same Life, arranged in our own fashion into chapters and numbered, and illustrated with notes.
For Theophanes also, in the tables provided for the years, A yields to George Curopalates regarding the offices of the Great Church, illustrated by the notes of Gretser and Goar, and records this: "In this year, on the 25th day of the month of February, of the 14th indiction, the most holy Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople, gloriously closed his last day, and his body was carried to the Fences of the Pontus and buried in the monastery which he himself had constructed, on the fourth day of the first week of the fasts (Lent). And on the 12th day of the month of April, on the great Sunday of Holy Pascha, the most holy Patriarch Nicephorus was consecrated." These things are there, and all of them agree excellently with the year of Christ 806, in which his twenty-two years of the patriarchate and one other month had flowed by; and it was also the fourth year of the reign of Nicephorus, who indeed, by the testimony of the same Theophanes, "stirred up tyranny against the most pious Irene on October 31st, of the eleventh indiction," which certainly began then, in the year of Christ 802. Now, in the aforementioned year 806, with the cycle of the sun being 3, the moon 9, and the Dominical letter D, Pascha was celebrated on April 12th, on which day the holy Nicephorus, of whom we shall treat on March 13th, was consecrated as the successor of Patriarch Tarasius, and Ash Wednesday, or, as it is said above, the fourth day of the first week of the fasts, fell on February 25th, since, as the Acts record below in no. 52, the month of February contained the fifth day along with a quintuple quaternion, or twenty days; which day remained illustrious for his sacred cult. Anastasius writes in his history that he died on the 12th of the Kalends of March, a day on which we find his name inscribed in no fasts at all. From the cited passage of Theophanes, Cedrenus is more easily understood, if the punctuation, which had crept into all copies, even the royal ones, is amended in this way: "In the 4th year, Tarasius, the most holy patriarch of Constantinople, closed his life honorably; and he was buried in the monastery which he himself had built in the straits, on the fourth day of the first week of the fasts. And on the great Sunday, Nicephorus the secretary is created most holy patriarch, etc." Now the fourth day of the first week of the fasts is for us Ash Wednesday, and the "great Sunday" is that on which the Paschal solemnity is performed. These things regarding Nicephorus pertain to the 4 days of Tarasius; both had been awkwardly related to Nicephorus until now. Zonaras records the day of death thus: "The Patriarch," he says, "dying in the first week of the fasts, strictly according to the Greek phrasing *eplēxato ton bion*, and the renowned Nicephorus, from the office of secretary, was elected patriarch by common suffrage on the Sunday of Pascha."
3. Ignatius the disciple, thus a contemporary of his own time, found in the death of Tarasius the writer of his life. How great a man he was, Suidas suggests with these words: "Ignatius the deacon and keeper of the vessels of the Great Church of Constantinople, then having become metropolitan of Nicaea, a grammarian, wrote the Lives of Tarasius and Nicephorus, the holy and blessed patriarchs, Epitaphs, Elegies, Epistles, Iambics on Thomas Antarten, and many other things." Regarding the dignity of the Skeuophylax, or keeper of the vessels, C who is known only to the Oeconomus and the Great Sacellarius, or sacel- D [Entries in other Menologies are cited here: Tarasius the Archbishop of Constantinople; in another Menologion published by Canisius: "Of Saint Tarasius, Archbishop of Constantinople, who, under the authority of Adrian, the Roman Pontiff, at the Second Synod of Nicaea, performed excellent service in condemning the heresy of those who impugned the worship of the holy images." The manuscript Synaxarion of Menai Tiliani... celebrates this with the eulogy: "Memory of our most holy Father Tarasius, Archbishop of Constantinople. He taught that the venerable images are to be worshipped, and by his works the royal empire and the power of the Romans returned postliminiously to the venerable traditions of the apostles and the ecumenical councils; and the holy Church is united with all the patriarchates." The same is related in the printed Menaia, and it is added: "Since, therefore, he had lived religiously and was in great veneration before the emperor, and had built a monastery across the strait, and had established a multitude of monks in it, and had also helped the poor, and had administered the Church excellently for twenty-two years and two months, he ended his life in peace, buried in his own monastery which he had founded. As for his bodily appearance, he was very like Gregory the Theologian, except for his whiteness of hair (for he had not yet turned entirely grey) and his eye, which was less serene, which he kept more hidden. His feast day is celebrated in the great and most holy Church, which is called Sophia." The same is read in Maximus Cytheraeus in his Lives of the Saints and in a new] [index: entries preserved]
Anthologion by the authority of Clement VIII. A We have stated that he ruled the Church for twenty-one years and two months. The Menaea teach the day of his passing, February 25, in these verses:
*Ακλυστος ὅρμος Ταράσιον λαμβάνει Κόσμου ταραχῆς καὶ ζάλης σεσωσμένον, Εἰκάδι ἐκ ταράχοιο Ταράσιος ἑπτατο πέμπτῃ. Tranquillus portus Tarasium capit E mundi tumultu et procella servatum. Vicesima namque quinta ex turbine volavit Tarasius.
The aforementioned Combefis observes that the same twenty-fifth day of February is marked by the Greeks as his birthday. Galesinius, citing the ancient records of the Church of Constantinople and the Eulogium of the Greeks, records the same. In the Greek Church, he is Saint Tarasius, bishop and confessor. Molanus, in his *Auctarium* to Usuardus, notes from the Greek Menologium: "On the twenty-fifth day, Saint Father Tarasius, Archbishop of Constantinople." The same is found in the German Martyrology. He is referred to with a more brilliant encomium in the Roman Martyrology: "At Constantinople, Saint Tarasius, bishop, distinguished in learning and piety, to whom exists an epistle of Pope Adrian I for the defense of sacred images." Baronius adds in his *Notations*: "He passed from this human life on the day B after many labors endured for the Catholic faith;" and in his *Annals* for the year 806, n. 1, he writes that "he died, renowned for holiness, on the 25th of the month of February." In the Greek Menaea, the memory of the same Tarasius and Saint Caesarius is held again on March 9, as is stated regarding this day in the *Life of Saint Caesarius*, page 496, n. 1. But on May 7, the name of Saint Tarasius, Bishop of Constantinople, is inscribed in the *Florarium* of the saints. In the *Life of Saint Plato* for December 16, Saint Theodore the Studite mentions the death of Saint Tarasius and calls him "a divine man." Illustrious also are the things we have recounted on February 21 in the *Life of Saint George, Bishop of Amastris*, page 273, n. 18 and 19, which can be read there.
§ 11. Various matters discussed regarding the patriarchal election. The title of universal patriarch rejected.
5. What was done regarding the election of Tarasius as Patriarch of Constantinople, although it is explained in some manner below in the Acts, we have thought it ought to be set forth a little more clearly from the rescripts and testimonies of the emperors, the Roman pontiff, Tarasius himself, and others. And first, the emperors Constantine and Irene, in their rescript inserted into the first action of the Nicene Council C (they call the Fathers "sacred," venerating the imperial majesty), indicate the industry and effort they applied in promoting Tarasius to the patriarchal dignity; and after recountings the abdication of his predecessor Paul, they add these things: "We took counsel with ourselves concerning what ought to be done. And we deliberated in our council that when a patriarch had been ordained, the matters that had been decided ought soon to reach their end. Therefore, summoning men experienced in ecclesiastical affairs, and invoking Christ our God, and taking counsel with them, we asked who was worthy to be promoted to the episcopal chair of this God-guarded royal city. And all being of one mind and one counsel, a decree was given for Tarasius, who now presides in pontifical dignity. Therefore, summoning him, we pronounced upon him those things that had been spoken and decreed; but he did not wish to consent, nor did he ask that the things which had been decreed be carried out regarding him. And when we had questioned him why he could not in the least be induced to obey, at first indeed he answered, excusing himself, and saying that the yoke of the priesthood was upon him. But we, understanding that he was making a certain excuse proposing that he not obey, did not in any way depart from him, but remained, trying to persuade him that he should accept the dignity of the high priesthood. He, therefore, seeing our persistence, announced the cause of his refusal: 'For I see,' he said, 'and I contemplate the Church, which is founded upon the rock, Christ our God, now split and torn; and us speaking one thing and another, and the Christians of the East, who are of the same faith as we, speaking differently; and those who constitute the West in agreement with them; and I recognize that we are alienated from all those, and daily anathematized by all. And because I demand that an ecumenical D council take place, while vicars are found from the Roman Pope as well as from the bishops of the Eastern princes.' We, making these things known in the presence of the priests and our most glorious princes, and of all our Christ-loving people who were then present there, brought the man forward; and in their presence, whatever he had answered to us, he also spoke with inspiration to them. But truly, all those people, hearing these things, willingly accepted, asking for our peaceful and pious rule, that there might be a universal council."
6. Regarding what Tarasius said to the people, and especially the heavy burden of that high priesthood which he unwillingly accepted, Anastasius, largely from Theophanes, excellently narrates, where Tarasius proposes these things to the people: "Now, O men who fear God, and who always have Him in your hearts, and who, by the calling of Christ—that is, of our true God—are named Christians, I say, hear the reason for this short address from my insignificance and humility. I, indeed, having answered whatever I answered to our pious and in all things orthodox emperors, and in your presence, how shall I answer an apology for my prayer? I am oppressed by fear to consent to this election, and I tremble to run before the face of God in such a way, and am circumspect in every way, so that I may not succumb to a terrible condemnation. For if the divine Apostle Paul, who heard the voices of God, and had heaven instructing him, and was made an inspector of paradise, and heard secret words, and carried the name of God before the nations and kings, said: 'Lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself...
become a reprobate' (I Cor. 9:27); how can I, who have lived in the world and been numbered among the laity, and served in imperial administrations, so rashly and without discernment leap to the magnitude of the priesthood? It is a horrendous attempt for my smallness, and a foolhardy endeavor. The cause A of my fear and my refusal is this: I look and see the Church, which is founded upon the Rock, Christ our Lord, now rent and divided; and we are speaking one thing while others speak another, and those Christians who in the East are of one faith with us, and those in the West who agree with them, are all alienated from us, and anathematized by one another every day. Anathema is a dire punishment; it casts one far from God, excludes one from the kingdom of heaven, and leads into outer darkness. The law and boundary of the Church knows no sect or contention, but, just as it knows how to confess one God, one baptism, one faith, so too does it confess one concord in every B ecclesiastical matter. For there is nothing in the sight of God so acceptable and pleasing as that we should be one, and that the Catholic Church should be made one, just as we confess in the symbol of our sincere faith. And we ask you, brethren, as I think—since I know that you have the fear of God—that a universal synod be gathered by our most pious and orthodox emperors, so that we too, who are of one God, may be made one, and that we who are worshippers of the Trinity may exist united, like-minded, and colleagues; and that we who belong to our head, Christ, may be made one body, compact and joined together; and that we who belong to the Holy Spirit may be made not against one another, but for one another; and that we who belong to the truth may be made to think and say the very same thing, and there be no struggle or dissension among us, so that the peace of God, which surpasses all C understanding, may guard us. And if, indeed, the champions of orthodoxy—that is to say, our emperors—shall command that my request be granted, I also consent. But if not, it is impossible for me to do this, lest I be subjected to anathema and be found condemned on the day of our Lord and most just Judge, where neither emperor, nor priest, nor princes, nor a multitude of men will be able to rescue me. And whatever pleases you, brethren, give a response to my plea by one word of your assertion in return to my request.” And all heard gladly what was said, giving their consent that a synod should be held... And so, on the 8th of the Kalends of January, in the eighth indiction, was consecrated our holy Father Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople, who, having sent his synodical letters to Rome D and the booklet of his faith, was received by Pope Hadrian. This is found in Anastasius and Theophanes. However, those letters to the Roman pontiff have perished; we believe them to have been, with a few changes at the end, similar to other letters which are extant in Action 3 of the 7th Synod with this inscription: "To the supreme priests and priests of Antioch, Alexandria, and the holy city, from the most holy and [8.] Bishop, servant of the servants of God, Tarasius." With pastoral care... we have considered addressing your beloved holiness with words of sacred concord, and to manifest the word in detail. In the synodical letters of the confession of your faith, which were directed to our Apostolic See concerning Leo, your reverend presbyter, we find at the beginning of the first page that your reverence has been elevated from the lay order and imperial administration to the height of the sacred degree, and vehemently in these
A matters our soul has marveled. And if we had not found your sincere and orthodox faith in the aforementioned synodal documents, according to the rite of the holy six universal synods, and regarding the venerable images to be well-disposed, we would by no means have listened to such synodal letters. But in proportion to the grief our heart suffered on account of the foolish distance formerly between us, to that same extent our soul rejoiced in finding your confession and right faith. Furthermore, we find in the aforementioned synodal epistle of your holiness, after the fullness of faith and the confession of the sacred Symbol, that it contains a miracle worthy of praise and veneration concerning the holy and venerable characters." And after several things are interposed, he adds: "Moreover, after the confession of your faith, it was made known to us that your venerable holiness requested from the orthodox and zealous champions of the truth, namely our most pious emperors, who were created for the glory of God, that a universal synod be held, and they promised before all their Christian people, piously assenting to the supplication, that they would resolve that the synod be held in the royal city. We, however, just as it was contained in their divine command, have sent with great desire and joy those beloved to us, and approved and prudent priests, for the sake of the holy images, so that they might be established in their ancient order in those regions. But let your holiness suggest to the same most pious and triumphant emperors, with alacrity, that in the first place that pseudosyllogist, B who was made without the apostolic see, inordinately and without syllogism, against the tradition of the venerable Fathers and against the divine images, be anathematized in the presence of our apocrisiaries." Finally, he concludes thus: "We request, for the sake of the love of St. Peter, the prince of the apostles, and for our own sake, that our beloved, namely Peter, archpriest of our holy Roman Church, and Peter, monk and priest and abbot, who were sent by us to the footsteps of the most tranquil and pious emperors, be judged and held by you with all kind reception and humanity; so that in this, too, we may be able to return great thanks. May the Almighty God grant that your love, if it shall have firmly remained, may be preserved; and may He cause the fruit which is entrusted to you to abound beyond the measure of abundance, and make it pass into everlasting joys. May God keep you safe, most beloved Brother."
9. There are things in the seventh synod, translated into Latin by Anastasius, which deserve more credence than those which were read in another earlier vulgate edition, where the title is such: "To our beloved brother Tarasius, general patriarch," where the word "general" has been added by some Greek scribe. Thus, the name of "universal patriarch" was attributed to him by some bishops signing the second session of the seventh synod: just as Anastasius prefaces this before the council: "In it C he says, that because the Greeks frequently call their patriarch universal in an improper sense, may your apostolate pardon this adulation, for they often strive to please their prelates not without reproach. But when I was residing at Constantinople, I frequently reproved the Greeks concerning this word, and convicted them of pride or arrogance; they asserted that they did not call the patriarch œcumenicus—which many have translated as universal—because he holds the primacy over the entire world, but because he presides over a certain part of the world which is inhabited by Christians. For what the Greeks call *oecumene*, the Latins call not only the world, from whose universality he is called universal, but also a dwelling place or habitable location." These are the words of Anastasius. But when Pope Adrian, in his epistle to the Emperor Constantine and Irene the mother, complains that the name of "universal patriarch" was wrongly attributed to the holy Tarasius by them, we collect very well that at that time he did not bestow such a title of honor upon Tarasius. That epistle exists in the second Action of the same seventh synod, in the later part of which he writes as follows: "We have marveled that in your imperial commands sent for the patriarch of the royal city, namely Tarasius, we have found him written as universal; but whether it was written through ignorance, or schism, or the heresy of iniquitous men, we know not. But henceforth we persuade your most clement imperial power that he be by no means described as universal in the series of your writings: because it seems to be decreed against the tradition of the holy Fathers. For in the second rank, if it were not through the authority of our holy, catholic, and apostolic Church (as is obvious to all), he never had power to possess a name which, indeed, if he were described as universal over the holy Roman Church—which is the head of all the churches of God—which is placed over him, it is certain that he is calling himself a rebel against the holy synods and a heretic. Because, if he is universal, he is also recognized as having the primacy of our own Church’s see, which appears ridiculous to all faithful Christians, because in the whole world the principate and power were given by the very redeemer of the world, blessed Peter the apostle, and through the same apostle (whose office we, however unworthy, perform) the holy, catholic, and apostolic Roman Church until now and in eternity holds the principate and the authority of power: so that, which we do not believe, if anyone should call him universal, or should give assent to it, let him know that he is an alien to the orthodox faith, and a rebel against our holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. For Tarasius himself, patriarch of the royal city, sent us his synodal letter, fulfilling the ancient custom, which, upon receiving and investigating more clearly, and rejoicing in the confession of his right faith, as well as the dogmas of the holy six synods and the venerable images, we were again too much troubled and disturbed, because those deputed from the order of laymen and imperial services, suddenly
1385 A ...attained the summit of the patriarchate, and occurred without a lawful apocrisiarius, contrary to the censure of the holy canons, patriarch... And if we were unable, because of his faithful concurrence for the raising of the holy icons, to grant our assent to his consecration in any way. He signs on the date of November 7th, indiction 9, to wit, the year 785.
10. How far the holy Tarasius was from all pride and ambition for titles, his modest subscription at the synod, which was always made after the vicars of Pope Adrian, even though they were not bishops, sufficiently shows. Thus, at the fourth session, he subscribed as follows: "Tarasius, by the mercy of God, Bishop of Constantinople, New Rome, confirming in this way that the truth stands firm, and freely admitting all things which are set forth above, I sign this." Again, at the seventh session: "Tarasius, by the mercy of God, Bishop of Constantinople, New Rome B following the ancestral dogmas and the tradition of the catholic Church, defining, I have signed." In his letters, however, to the emperors, to Pope Adrian, and others, he calls himself an unworthy bishop. Those letters are held at the end of the same Nicene synod.
11. There exists an illustrious testimony of St. Tarasius in the Prologue to the Ascetical Institutions of the holy Archimandrite Dorotheus, by an orthodox and religious writer, perhaps the monk Studites, written in these words: "Those holy men Mark, Isaiah, Barsanuphius, Dorotheus, and Hesychius... approved by the examination of the most holy Patriarch Tarasius, who for a long time has exercised the high priesthood, and also by the testimony of other trustworthy men, both natives and orientals, I embrace as from ancestral tradition." We have published the remainder of this testimony above in the Life of St. Dositheus, February 25th, page 381, note 1.
THE LIFE OF SAINT TARASIUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE
BY IGNATIUS, BISHOP
(Translated from the Greek into Latin by Gentianus Hervetus. Acta Sanctorum, February, vol. III, p. 576.)
PROLOGUE
1. As I contemplate the immense sea of the greatness of the illustrious Father and the inaccessible life he led, I fear that I may rouse the counter-winds of a rough tongue and the obscurities of vast surges, and bring upon myself a storm and tempest that would wreck my soul. For such is the rashness of ignorance, which pours forth speech like chaff, contributing nothing of use or C opportuneness, and brings harm to that which ought to happen and is useful—falling into the shipwreck of verbosity, which it is impossible to escape entirely as a sin, as is the divine admonition of Solomon (Prov. 10:19). This represses my natural ability, strikes terror into my thought, restrains my speech, and slows me down when I hurry to gaze into the depths of the divine gifts of the man. But since the deep silence of a long time, covering his deeds, would bring harm to the ears of many—who are held by the desire to hear the best and most excellent things which were done by him in his life, as things that are full of profit for the soul—come then! Bidding farewell to all hesitation, I shall now endeavor, if God grants it, to bring to light with pure and sincere truth a few things about him which I have deigned to see with my eyes, and which I have received by my ears, and which I know from my own experience, and which I know to remain in my humble and needy memory. For even if I cannot speak according to his dignity, I shall not for that reason abandon the whole; but because I do not wish to hide the talent, like that wicked and lazy servant, I shall therefore offer with a prompt and eager mind what is pleasing to God according to my ability; and although I cannot pay the debt with interest, yet in that I am exercising the principal, and taking care that nothing be detracted from it, I shall in some part be D acceptable (Matt. 25:27).
CHAPTER I
The integrity of the parents of St. Tarasius. His pious education, consular dignity.
2. Therefore, this most holy and great Tarasius, who from his infancy until his old age imitated and beautifully expressed the gentleness and humility of Christ, into whose sea of virtues, as I said before, I have let myself down in order to swim—it would have been arduous, even for those who know how to speak amply and magnificently from their learning, not only for me, whose speech is plainly humble and abject, to trace back such great magnitude of his illustrious lineage from on high, and to recount his stock led down from ancestors, he who does not wish to be boasted of with such praises, nor to set his heart upon flowing riches, consistently with the divine Psalmist, ever meditated (Ps. 61:1). Yet this one thing we can say, that with all authority and the greatest excellence among those who were ruling at that time, Georgius his father, and his mother Encratia (1)—a name befitting the matter—obtained the first rank on account of their supreme justice, derived from the order of the Patricians, being called Patricians (2). Whose father, indeed, when he had ascended to the height of the Empire of the East and West, was of great and [high] dignity.
A
He indeed was considered far more just than those ancient legislators, Solon and Lycurgus, in that he distributed equal justice to all, intact and incorrupt. He also at times delivered a sentence that was correct and in accordance with the laws, even when those who seemed to hold the power were themselves ignorant of what was right and unwilling to carry it out. Now the difficulty of rendering a judgment in these matters was as follows: Certain poor women had been accused of most serious crimes. And I shall now relate what that accusation was.
3. They had been accused of having killed infants still at the breast, creeping in through the openings of houses or even through closed doors, and unexpectedly slaughtering the infants. These women were even dragged to judgment by those who believed in fables and were unwilling to follow the doctrine of Christ our God, which is by no means deceived by idols and apparitions. For among the Greeks B there is in the fables a certain woman, Gello by name, who is said to have had her life cut short by an untimely death, and to have approached newborn infants as a specter, and killed them. Led astray and deceived by the evil spirit of this fable, those who maintained these things with plausibility, even attempted to transfer this execrable crime to the women, and to ascribe to them, as having been converted into spirits, the cause of those who died before their time. O, the amazement! O, the blindness of the eyes of the heart! If a body, compact and solid in length, depth, and breadth, proceeds into a dissolved spirit, and this is granted to be possible; then Christ (who is Truth itself, saying: "A spirit hath not flesh and bones," [John xxiv, 39; Luke xxiv, 39]) was therefore held to be an apparition by those who assert these things. Furthermore, even Christ, who took on true flesh and truly affirmed to his disciples that a spirit hath not flesh and bones, would be circumscribed by nothing that would prevent him from being an apparition. Thus, therefore, reasoning and judging without doubt, George absolved the women of their crimes. But he who then held the reins of power C (for he vigorously defended the apparition theory), when he learned that George had judged thus, ordered him to be brought before him. Having been clearly instructed by him as to the true outcome of the sentence he had passed, he struck him down in his supreme ignorance. D
4. The Mother, of course, was truly pious, and because she was called so, she beheld her son progressing, and she rendered her son venerable and a true temple of continence. And while teaching him to have no association with his peers—who were evil—she urged him to enter into friendship with those who love the beauty of virtue, and to be joined with them by the law of spiritual charity. Wherefore, having entered upon the path of total virtue, he was reverend in the eyes of all, so much so that he was honored with consular dignity and was chosen as the first secretary of the emperor’s secret affairs; and he shone forth in the imperial palace like the morning star. Being one who had abundantly grasped divine disciplines and had collected from external learning those things which are most excellent, he pondered these for the ascent to virtue. Planted by the streams of waters (Ps. i, 3) of divine knowledge, so that he might bring forth rational fruits in due time, he sealed the usefulness of these things by storing them in his heart through attention and caution, through which he was able to correct what was wicked or barbarian, and to impose upon his tongue the law of speaking accurately. Since he had thus attained praise for both, and had dedicated himself entirely to God through piety and a pure conscience, he reached the state of spiritual perfection. While discharging worldly duties in a worldly habit, he removed himself from worldly ambition, and adapting his soul to the Spirit, he became a sacred vessel by the election of the better way, even before his priesthood. And he, who was still being fed, was heralded as a shepherd of the rational flock; and it was hoped that he would undertake the entire prefecture of all, like a bright lamp already lit, illuminating the whole world with the fire of the virtues, dispelling all heretical darkness, and procuring the light of the true faith.
CAPUT II.
*Saint Tarasius designated to the patriarchate of Constantinople by Paul his predecessor.*5. Nor did their hope fail the people, for he who would soon receive what he desired. For Paul [alt-version omitted], so as not to bring a stain upon George, [namely] that he had served as an auxiliary judge to that impious and wicked emperor. Copronymus reigned from the year 741 to the year 775, having however obtained the title of Augustus earlier, as his father’s colleague.
...of [his] ignorance and prefecture. Thus, the seventh synod was celebrated by the holy Tarasius, in the presence and hearing, in the first place, of the most glorious and magnificent princes, Petrona, the most lauded ex-consul and patrician (ἀπὸ ὑπάτων Πατρικίου), and the Count of the imperial office, [an office] preserved by God: as is repeated at the beginning of each action of that same synod. Thus, Pope Adrian, in the synodal letter to the Emperor Constantine and the mother Irene—which is contained in the second action of the same synod—calls Charlemagne, "King of the Franks and Lombards, and Patrician of the Romans." Nay, more, that the Patricians were equal to the patriarchs themselves at that time, Walafrid Strabo is our witness, who flourished under the son and grandsons of Charlemagne: "Let the Roman Pope be compared with the Augusti and Caesars," he says, ch. 31, *De Rebus Eccles.*, "but the Patriarchs with the Patricians, who appear to have been the first in the empire after the Caesars."
A whom Salamis of Cyprus received at his birth, 7 governing the rudder of the priesthood holily and blamelessly, while that nefarious heresy still flourished which accuses Christians: those, I say, who abolish the image of Christ our true God, the assumption of his flesh, and of the Mother of God who bore him truly and properly, and of the bodiless powers, as they have appeared. And since all the holy opponents 9 of the heresy had departed from this brief and fleeting life, and had been transferred to the discernment of those things which they had done in life—which takes place there—and had vomited the venom of their serpentine doctrine out of the Church even after their departure, Paul grieved and was troubled in spirit because he had no one to bring him aid and to proffer a hand toward the correction of the right faith, because everyone adhered to the heresy and confessed and consented to it. He takes counsel, therefore, worthy of his prudence. For since he had fallen into an illness that was going to bring him death and lead him to the long-lived resolution which is there, he withdrew himself secretly 10 from the see, and when he had come to the monastery of Florus, 11 he enrolled himself in the number of the monks, having changed his attire. But after it was known whither the pontiff had betaken himself, and this had already reached the ears of those who were then in power (for Irene and her son Constantine were then holding the first parts of power beautifully), they, as the matter had happened in a new and unusual way, were not a little troubled in spirit, and decided to come to the said monastery. But after the emperors recognized that the pontiff had undergone the habit of humility, filled with anger and fear they asked him, who had given himself to such great boldness, what had been the cause of the pontiff's flight and tonsure, thinking whether he was about to make the emperor's grave indignation of no account. But Paul, with a mild and placid speech [(such indeed was he, if any other)], easing the imperial anger, persuaded them to cease being angry: and he opened the cause which had led him to this, making his words in this manner:
6. "My lords and emperors, both the arrival of illness and the suddenness of death compelled me to do this, but even more it was the deformity of the Church that impelled me to it, which labors under heresy, and out of its long-standing evil opinion brings B pain, such that a wound has adhered to it that is incurable, and 12 already thrice by hand and ink an assent inscribed to heresy. For it was not permitted to me to escape the nets of evil opinion; but it happened that I was implicated in it both by tongue and hand. And this also angers me more, as something that might eat away at the senses of the soul: I see all the parts of the world, which in your hand are weighed as if in a balance, preserving the immovable scales of faith, and remaining in right doctrine and exulting, that they differ far from our Church, and repel as foreign sheep those from the flock of Christ. And therefore I refuse to be the pastor of a heretical assembly, and I have decided to dwell in a tomb rather than be liable to the anathemas of the sacred quaternion 13 of the apostolic sees. But since God has delivered the power of the scepter into your hands, and you bear the imperial care of the most Christian flock that is under the sun, do not despise the sorrow of your mother the Church, but strive that she may again receive her ancient beauty. Do not allow the abominable heresy now also, like a sow from the thicket, as it is said, to ravage and destroy the vineyard of your imperial and faithful agriculture, and to allow it to be basely pervaded by an evil opinion, from the path that is not worn and rough, for one passing by. There is for you a most knowledgeable husbandman, who has nourished the grape of true confession, and has expressed it in the divine wine-presses of the one and only Church, and when he had filled the crater of wisdom, he prepared for the most faithful people a cup of right sentiment." And whom dost thou indicate by this man? they said to C the emperors. My speech signifies Tarasius, D who is first of the secretaries of your divine empire. I know him, and whoever thinks rightly knows that he would appropriately take up the Church, and with the staff of reason would drive away the trifles of the heresies: but with the pastoral rod he would lead in and lead out to the stables and folds of truth the most divine flock. When he had thus sown the speech in the imperial ears, and had made it productive—and it had already brought forth fruit a hundredfold—oppressed by the gravity of his illness, toward the dissolution of the tabernacle, he was confidently hastening through death, having attained—to speak apostolically—an edification by God through incorruption. 14
CHAPTER III. The Election and Consecration of Saint Tarasius as Patriarch.
A 7. And thus Paul conducted himself: but the emperors, having their minds occupied with the election of a pastor and stimulated by the speech of Paul, fix their eyes openly upon Tarasius: and him, God willing, that he might preside over the widowed flock, they wisely elect by common consent. To them agreed whatever was best and most excellent from the holy senate—a truly divine assembly—as they clearly knew the man to shine forth in all things, and to be worthy for the pastoral dignity to be conferred upon him. But whatever was part of the common rabble of the marketplace, and savored of the heretical lamp, suspecting the holiness of the Father—even before the sacred vestment was received by him—as a most keen and cutting axe, refused to assent to the common suffrages, not wishing to repent from their ancient opinion; and they preferred to be enveloped in the mud of the mire of heresy than to be watered by the life-giving flow of the pure and undisturbed fountain of the teaching of Tarasius. But that which was just prevailed: and what was brought forward for piety was admitted as a decree. Therefore, the emperors command that Tarasius be brought before them immediately, so that those things which seemed right to God and to the ecclesiastical laws might be confirmed in him. He, indeed, was present with a pious and honest appearance, and surrounded by the graces which he had from God, in whose presence, while they conducted themselves with honest and noble words—and as if already entering into counsel with the Father concerning that which was afterwards to be established—they used words of this kind:
8. "We do not think it hidden from your prudence that in past times a vertigo of heretical darkness invaded the Church, which covered it in no way more tolerably than the new Egyptian plague—that is, palpable darkness—and, like a cancer, it creeps through the flock even to this day, and has stirred up a tempest against the soul throughout almost the entire world. But since God by his ineffable nod has brought it forth, and by a just judgment has removed its leaders from command and from life—who had determined not justly to persecute the just—and has kindled our power like a shining lamp so that we may drive away the darkness of evil opinion and cause the sun of knowledge to arise; behold, we summon you as a defender and champion and a helper in this struggle, so that we who know that you can be beautifully armed to defend the right opinion, and to fight for it and conduct yourself nobly with a line of battle constructed from divinely inspired Scriptures! B Do not, therefore, turn your back on those things which are piously proposed by us, who strive to procure the utility of peace with worldly resources and wealth; but rather bring aid with feet and hands, and move every stone, as it is said in the Proverbs, so that what is sought may be found and what is desired may be apprehended. It is time, therefore, that the excellent and most desired tunic of the Church be woven, which the plague of heresy has rent. Now approaches the distinguished and salutary day in which Christ, causing the roaring of the error of idols to cease, nods with His abundant mercies that His venerable statue be erected, insofar as it pertains to humanity. Therefore, passing over to the fold of the priesthood, since you have fought against heresy, sing a song of victory against the enemies. Depart, about to receive from God the reward and the crown."
9. But Tarasius, struck by the address of the emperor, and as if astonished by some celestial sound, replied to those things which had been said in this sentiment: "That a tempest has vehemently rushed into the faith and into the universal communion, and has shaken the Church to its very foundations with dangerous waves, and has caused the shipwreck of the soul for many, there is no ear that has not heard, even if a few have escaped the force of the storm. But to calm this whirlwind, and to pacify this storm when the moon is not shining for the nocturnal battle, is greater than any strength can provide. For who could alter and make learn what is better, the custom that has prevailed so nefariously and has accepted the force of nature and has almost compelled the world by oath against divine power, unless God has looked upon and defended your divine power? C The Church, which was once stripped of the beauty of its ancient adornment by the tyranny of impiety, and long endured to be clothed in tattered rags because of the rotten and weak dogmas of heresy, is now adorned by you with pious varieties from God. Through you, therefore, let the mandates of the apostles be renewed, through which the splendor of the true faith has shone forth. Let the pure decrees of the sacred synods breathe again, which are kept by evangelical traditions, and do not endure in any way to be stolen for eternity. Let the vestibules of the paternal dogmas be opened, and let the flocks of Christ’s sheep pass into them, and let them confess the doctrine of right confession as if from a divine paradise. For through the Caiphaic (15) council, the abortion of the fetus of heresy was made. Through an ecumenical synod, let the children of the Church be born, and receive growth to the measure of the age of Christ. D For if this is done, and it is decorated with its ancient and first beauty, and Lucifer has illustrated true opinion by your study, it will have all the faithful in the same sentiment, and pouring out their own souls so that, firmly founded, it may be preserved upon the firm rock of faith."
10. When he had clarified these useful mysteries before the emperor, he himself asks him that he might also hear the common assembly of the people discussing these things. For this head of the right faith bore the turbulence.
(15) This is the pseudosynod of Constantinople, gathered by the emperor Constantine Copronymus, in the 15th year of his reign, in the 7th Indiction, in the year of Christ 754, held from the fourth of the Ides of February to the sixth of the Ides of August: with no one present from the Catholic sees, namely, the Roman, Antiochene, Alexandrian, and Hierosolymitan: in it, the cult of the sacred images was condemned. See Theophanes, Nicephorus in the *Breviarium historiae*, and others.
A military, as if it appeared he ought not to admit and worship the venerable images. Urged therefore by the nod of the Church to do this, having been in the illustrious palace of the Magnaura, with the entire city and the priestly multitude flowing together, he indeed excused himself, demonstrating with valid reasons what the profession and dignity of the priesthood was, and to what height and magnitude it raises him who wishes to proceed to this, and that he was not fit to undertake it, as one who had long ago been involved in the dignities of the world, and was heavily entangled in the disturbances and anxieties of this life, and had not yet tasted this mystical state. For it is not safe for him who hastens to this vocation and this grade to leap to it quickly with unwashed hands, as it is said, and to touch things that cannot be touched: but rather for him who has been educated in the justifications that lead to this, and guided, as is right, by evangelical and apostolic life-giving doctrines, to discern the straight path from the crooked: so that he may lead the former pastorally toward better things; but decline and avoid the latter, conformably to divine admonition, as that which carries one far from God and His constitutions. Relying on these, one must be transferred to the magnitude. But as God knows, the emperors forced me against my will to undertake this monastery, when this had never come into my mind, nor had I ever thought of this governance. Therefore, as if to the chosen people and flock of God, I communicate my conscience, so that, if you should wish to bind me to this greatest duty, and should decide that I must undergo this yoke, you yourselves also incline toward the ecumenical tradition of the faith, and do not be reluctant to follow the Fathers who have entered by this path, and do not refuse to consent to the six B holy ecumenical synods, and to those things which have been piously decreed by them. For they transmit to the heavenly inheritance those who obey them, and they become the authors of a great and immortal reward. 11. The people therefore admit these voices, and promising that they, like sheep, would follow him who leads pastorally, affirmed that they would obey in all things, as it seems both to God and to him. Thenceforth, by the inspiration of the principal and divine Spirit, with the advice of the emperor also conspiring, with the worldly limit of dignity changed, and his hair shorn in the manner of a clergyman, and having taken up another honest and venerable attire, with divine and spiritual invocations, just as Aaron and Phinees, he receives the unction of priestly honor, and ascends to the height of the pastoral chair, adding light to light, and increasing virtue with virtues, and, having been given progress surpassing the measure, he multiplies the most sacred talent.
Chapter IV. St. Tarasius' exercise of virtues toward himself, the clergy, the poor, and the monks.
12. For he, like a son of the Encratites, and one who had long and abundantly practiced it, had prepared himself so well from this, that he was content with few things, so that his food was totally estranged from superfluous things, and he did not indulge to satiety. He moderated the reins of his life, and repressed the tumults of his soul’s perturbations in such a way that he was set forth as a most divine example to all, whom it could never be persuaded to move toward the appetite of pleasure. Moreover, when he had taken to himself domestic vigil for the meditation of the divine Scriptures, he would dismiss sleep as one dissolving the limbs and a useless slave: and when use required, he would bid it again to be present. For who ever saw him reclining on a bed, or wrapped in soft blankets? Who ever received and prepared a tunic and belt for him as he laid them aside on the couch, so that it might be more elegant and neat? Who ever drew the shoes from his feet, and with a moistened sponge, as is the custom, cleaned and polished them? But he was his own bath-attendant, as it is said, and served himself for the use of the body, in this also imitating Christ the master with divine zeal, saying: «I came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (Matt. xx, 28)»: providing an example of humility to his disciples.
13. Furthermore, he had prayer, which raised his mind sublimely to the heavens, and rendered it familiar to God alone, and joined it to the incorporeal ones, and expelled every temptation, conformably to the Lord’s saying. For there was no time in which one would not have found him either kneeling and rising, or raising his hands to the heavens, and receiving illumination from God from above. As for humility, because it had been familiar to him from his youth, he embraced it in such a way that it was not only seen in him, and he obtained praise from it: but it also passed to others, who were formed by his example. For from many of those who were enrolled in the number of the clergy, who girded their loins with golden belts, and were adorned with various and precious silk garments, he indeed removed the gold; but he made them gird their loins with belts woven from goats’ hair. But for those who had purple garments woven for their whole body from the same threads, he devised tunics removed from excessive curiosity and delights, so that they were an honest attire, and befitted those who have decided to serve God, and profess humility. From which what resulted? That whatever damage was born from it was indeed taken away; but frugality was honored as a treasure.
A 14. He bestowed such cheerful mercy upon the poor, as he said, that he surpassed all those who assisted the poor, and he became a new Joseph, giving grain to those in need. For, slicing the food from his own table into morsels, he prepared a banquet for those who were hungry, to welcome them daily. There are abundant witnesses to this even to the present day: the fixed places of reception for the sake of those who were welcomed with hospitality, and for our poor brethren. Moreover, he piously attributed to others the giving of a permanent endowment of money, noting down the name of each one in handbooks. But as for the daily distribution, which he himself placed with his own hands into the hands of the poor, what calculator could have measured it—some Diophantus (19) or someone multiplying such as Nicomachus (20)—which was more abundant than sand, and which satisfied the bellies of the needy? Indeed, during the Fast which is before the Passion of Christ, he himself devised how to bestow great largess in diverse places and dining halls upon those who were pressed by great need, even up to the feast of feasts, the Resurrection, which brings light to Christ. And it would take me idle time and a long period to arrange in order the seating for the invited guests and proselytes, and for the lame and the blind and the mutilated, following a systematic sequence, that I might leave to those who come after an example of a munificent and liberal institution.
15. But as for the winter season, which was most biting, and was binding the entrails of the earth with snow and frost and ice, and was imposing upon those who were in it, like a collar, the most grievous distress of freezing, how did he drive it back for those who were shivering and were covered in rags, and were covering only their private parts, by using the machinations of warming refreshment? For, purchasing with a great weight of gold tunics, cloaks, and furthermore coverings made from the thickest wool yarns and linens, and heavy with dense fleece, and distributing them to those who were miserably afflicted under the open sky, he warded off the grievous distress of the cold. On the aforementioned saving day of the venerable Resurrection of Christ, after the mystery of the divine assembly and communion was finished, while yet clad in his sacred vestments, he went to the now-ruined site of the old basilica, which B was called Hestia (21), for it provided the greatest feast for those in need to be welcomed.
When he had made them recline, he himself began to serve, pouring wine from a krater and distributing drink to them. Then, when he had performed this duty, he would go to his patriarchal house, not nourishing himself on the marrow of some fawns, as the fable says, nor receiving them with a Sybaritic table (22), nor with confections that tickle and fatten the belly, but refreshing himself with frugal food items, and such things as did not pertain to luxuries. Who, among those who have ever lived, is recorded to have been raised to such a height of humility? Who has thus imitated the condescension of Christ (Phil. 2:7), who, without the magnitude of the paternal bosom being emptied, underwent the appearance of our poverty, and by serving, while teaching us to fly to heaven, caused us to sit with the paternal majesty?
16. Even he himself, who is now praised, if he was tossed about in the midst of disturbances, not only loved tranquility and silence, but also provided them in abundance to others, leading them away from the world and rendering them familiar to God, and making them sons of virtue, as the father and producer of this holy life and operation. And he provides absolute proof of this through the monastery (23) he built on the left side of the Thracian Bosporus, from the inheritance of those things which returned to him by the law of dower from his paternal goods. In this place, when he had planted noble shoots of those who were participants in the rational life, who were growing fat with the currents of exercise and being increased by the copious condiments of abstinence, he made them the agriculture of Christ, faithfully producing the thirtieth, and sixtieth, and hundredfold fruit of virtues in holiness and justice. From these, many were called by him to the pastoral dignity, and, as was fitting, they adorned the possession of the priesthood: and they were C immovable columns of the Catholic faith. This indeed the dark inundation of heresy demonstrated, against which they fought bravely, and undergoing a cloud of many dangers in persecutions and afflictions, and in sufferings under the open sky, they poured out and dissolved it for the splendor of the supernal light: in which also they rendered their master known, as a Lucifer always shining. And these things, indeed, later.
CAPUT V. The Seventh Ecumenical Council held at Nicaea. Images restored.
17. He himself used perfection in virtues, when he had first exercised his mind in action, so that he might ascend to contemplation, and to its fullness, once he had exercised his mind previously in action.
A Tarasius, meanwhile, approaching the holy altar, without showing any sign of fear, began the unbloody sacrifice, and the mystical communion having been performed, he returned home, where he occupied himself with his former labors—namely, in the Holy Scripture and in preparing demonstrations from the utterances of the Fathers; and again he determined that it was necessary for a synod to be convened, lest the heretical communion should proceed to the worse. The emperors, however, when they had stripped those who had made that seditious conspiracy and had insulted their imperial glory of their military rank, and had rendered them deserted and naked of all support of arms, ordered each one of them, marked with ignominy, to return to their fatherland. For they said that God does not endure that such authors of sedition should have defenders and champions of His—a fact which is revealed thereby [i.e., by their removal] from the palace.
19. When they had wisely determined, God willing, that some time should pass, they issued another noble mandate, that the assembly of priests and pontiffs should convene together in the illustrious metropolis of Bithynia—I mean Nicaea—in which B the Trinity, which is of the same essence and free from all matter, was established as a very sharp sword against the madness of Arius and his followers: in which place the Trinity shone forth theologically, undivided in individual division and divided in union. And when the most holy body had come to the aforementioned city more quickly than predicted, Tarasius also came from the royal city, taking with him from the C apostolic sees whomsoever was outstanding and most excellent: namely, from Adrian, the Roman Pope, Peter, the first presbyter, and Peter the monk, and the superior; D from the apostolic...
*Note: [alt-version omitted]*
diocese, from Politianus, I say, the most holy Pope of Alexandria, A Thomas the monk and presbyter; and from Theodoret, the patriarch of Antioch; and from Elias, the prince of the pastors of Jerusalem, bringing with him also some of those who held magistracies, distinguished for piety and the grace of doctrine and eloquence: among whom was also Nicephorus, who held the position of the emperor's secretary. Having lived in sanctity, and being adorned with divine virtues and with the science of doctrine and of expression, he assumed the honor of the patriarchal see of Byzantium after the holy passing of Tarasius, and whosoever were the venerable and B excellent monks, who were moved by a zeal for discipline and ecclesiastical rule, and who were striving always to follow the synodal precision, they traveled to Nicaea.
20. When the appointed day had arrived (it is indeed the truth, on which Saint Thecla opened the stadium for the contests of the female martyrs), each bishop in his priestly rank and vesture sat in his own seat. But Tarasius began to speak first, and opens the door C of the discourse to the synod. Then, the imperial and divine edict having been recited in the hearing of all, which he proclaimed with a great voice concerning the right and sincere faith, after which there were also oral responses of the apostolic sees to those who held the helm of affairs, in the order of canonical consequence, resounding through the synod, and all agreed to the sound doctrine, and that each should state his own opinion, and what he held concerning this sound D faith and judgment.
Inter among whom, however, Saint Theophanes is not found, whom the Acts which we are illustrating on March 12 report to have been called to this second Synod of Nicaea along with other Fathers.
(42) September 24, on which day the Greeks acknowledge Saint Thecla, is not, as the Latins think, the day before. The words of the first Action at the beginning agree, where they are said to have met on the VIII of the Kalends of October, in the 11th Indiction, in the 8th year of the reign of Constantine and Irene, that is, in the year of Christ 787. Theophanes [mentions] 11th of October, in the month of October, day 11, in Greek in Francis Combefis in the *History of the Monothelites*, for Act 6 of the Synod, ch. 1, § 3: "The first gathering took place and the seat of the bishops in the holy catholic [church of] Sophia of Nicaea, in the month of October, the 11th, Indiction 11." The first convention and session of the bishops was done in the catholic church of Sophia of Nicaea, in the month of October, day 11, in the 11th Indiction. On the same day, October 11 (the words are of the Greek Menologion edited by Canisius), there is a commemoration of the holy Fathers who came together for the second time in the royal city in the ecumenical synod, which is called the seventh, held under Adrian, the Roman pontiff, during the reign of the emperor Constantine and Irene, his mother, [with] Tarasius, archbishop of Constantinople, Politianus of Alexandria, Theodoret of Antioch, and Elias of Jerusalem. There were three hundred and sixty-seven of those holy Fathers who gathered against the opponents of the holy images, who condemned every heresy and their authors, decreeing that whoever does not venerate the holy images be considered alien to the orthodox faith. With these and other constitutions established, each returned to his own Church: by whose intercessions may God have mercy on us. Nearly the same things are read in the Greek Menaia, but they are said to have been three hundred and sixty-five bishops present, expressed in Greek in the words *τριακόσιοι ἑξήκοντα πέντε*. Moreover, in them the memory of the synod is recalled on the Sunday next after October 11, on which day Molanus also noted this in the supplement to Usuard. The authors do not agree exactly on the number of bishops: some count only over three hundred and fifty, but Photius [counts] seventy-seven; in the fourth action the names of about three hundred and thirty are expressed.
(43) In the first action the bishops requested, and the synod agreed, that Saint Tarasius make a proemium, open the door with his words, and pronounce what was appropriate. In Greek: *προοιμιάσασθαι τὸν Ταράσιον, καὶ θύραν τῶν λόγων ἀνοῖξαι καὶ προκατάρχοντα προσφωνῆσαι τὰ εἰκότα*. Which the author described from there, who had also sufficiently remembered the day the synod was begun, recites [it] to the emperors and to Saint Tarasius. In Action 3.
A Indeed, the holy assembly acclaimed that it was so, and that they felt the same regarding the ancient representation and adoration of the venerable images, with many books of the Fathers brought forward, and synodal decrees, and true opinions and demonstrations adduced, which were impressed upon the ears of all with diligent attention. This, moreover, was seen to be done not once or twice, but up to the seventh session and hearing throughout the whole day, just as the Acts, committed to writing, indicate through divine consequence and order. Finally, when Tarasius, and the pious assembly of Fathers who were with him, had committed the venerable decree to safe monuments of letters, and had prayed that it might remain safe and whole, and had invoked God that those Fathers, who had attained the first victory against the furious Arius, might be their helpers and the guardians of those things which had been rightly decreed, and had separated from the ecclesiastical atrium by anathema the authors of this vain and empty opinion, and all inventors of heresy, they preserved the orthodox dogmas brought into the royal city. These the emperors received with the greatest benevolence.
B ...were prefectures, and had instructed and corroborated the people with divine doctrines, they brought no charge against those who had been co-opted into the clergy or held a bishopric, either before the synod, or in the synod, or after the synod, concerning their prior bad opinion; nor did they segregate from the ecclesiastical pastures those who had been ordained by heretics. But, following a synodal and paternal dispensation, they embraced with their own hands those who had fled to the pious opinion as brothers and colleagues in the office of the priesthood; but those who had faltered in any matter, and who had looked with perverse eyes upon those things which pertain to the faith, and afterward had repented of their fall, and had abrogated their opinion by written libels, embracing them with the same affection, they placed in their own seats: and in a peaceful state and tranquility, agitated by no waves, they preserved the Church of the whole world.
23. And regarding those matters, indeed, which pertain to the glorious faith, such high affection did Tarasius undertake—a great struggle and immense labor—to explain it rightly and openly, and to persuade those who were wavering and limping on both feet, that they might walk with a straight foot: encouraging those who approached daily with honest warnings, and directing those whom he saw to be perverse in heart by the collisions of words; and binding them with the laws of truth, he brought them as sacred [49] offerings to the Church. He showed, however, that the abominations of idols have no agreement or convenience whatever with the pious and divine figures of the venerable images, as indeed it seemed to the accusers of the faith. For the former, he said, being produced, is defiled together with its first archetypes, and is rendered full of all filth; C but these, since their first archetypes are venerable, necessarily appear venerable also, as they are produced from them. And those indeed were inventions of a false Gentile religion, fashioned from that which is nowhere, but these, which are rightly fashioned from Christian sanctity, from that which is, toward that which is, possess the consequent sanctity of the archetypal image.
CAPUT VI.
The heresy and simony defeated by Saint Tarasius: the immunity of the Church defended.
The Epistle of Saint Tarasius to the patriarchs of the Oriental sees, and their response. The Acts.
D ...are all for the most part in Action 4. ...Anastasias, Constantine, and Nicetas were subjected to anathema. ...who had suffered a calumny, as if he had made an ordination with pecuniary stain—a thing which is not true, Theodorus Studita reports in an epistle to Stephen the lector, in Baronius, under the year 787, number 59, although he confesses that he had been brought into suspicion on that matter among the monks. "To come, therefore, to the matter," he says, "what was it that made us disagree with Tarasius? Faith? Yet he was openly orthodox, he followed the sacred synods, and agreed with the other patriarchs, and had previously sustained a great struggle for the faith. Was it on account of the reception of those who had returned from heresy? But these things were not first invented by him, since they had been received by the holy Fathers in a threefold manner... Or was it an ordination for money, which necessarily is incurred by deposition? Nor is that altogether true." Meanwhile, as he adds after other things, "The zealots, who were then present, and strict, had joined themselves to Tarasius, and concurred with him, and suddenly after the synod they made a secession on account of the pecuniary ordination, as it seemed to them, and certain other questions. But, as I had premised, we deemed it worthwhile, from a desire for peace, to retain concord with him... And where there is suspicion that gives offense, it is better to assent than to be stubborn. Nor do we indeed lead you away from your conscience, nor do you conversely demand this, that we should lead you from a knowledge not made manifest to us; since both person and time and experience are accustomed to reconcile those who do not think the same things about the same matters." Finally, toward the end, he testifies that the communion of Tarasius with the Roman Church had persevered. "It is manifest," he says, "that in the times of Tarasius, the Apocrisiaries sent from hence sacrificed with the Roman Pontiff, and perhaps his [communion] with the Orientals."
For when he had found the Church affected after the manner of a sorcerer and a wandering quacksalver, lost in the mountains of heresy, and enduring hunger and thirst—not of bread and water, but the hunger of hearing the word of the Lord—he nourished it in quiet pastures, led it to the paths of righteousness, and made the flock most fat, fattened by saving actions and, by the sweet milk of the faith, casting out the bitter sourness of the heretical leaven, and effecting a new dough. And first, A breaking the bond of the Simoniacal purse, by which the gift of the Holy Spirit is offered for sale, he established that the creation and ordination of priests should be done gratis, banishing from the ecclesiastical atrium every monetary custom. Casting out whatever was harsh, he made straight paths for the faith, provoking the flock with many sermons, and ascending the most sacred ambo, he prepared a table of doctrine, hunting for food from the divinely inspired Scriptures, useful for nourishing souls. Furthermore, gathering the Davidic canticles here and there, through perspicuity and a clear distinction of matters, he clearly opened up those things which were to be understood, so that they were as if in the sight of those who were to read, and straight for those who find knowledge.
25. But that which I almost passed over, and which, escaping memory, was not to be uttered, and was about to conceal the care of the divine Father—which he bore for those who were laboring, by which he himself relieved them, and of which, I suppose, he was himself the first craftsman—when I have come to this place, like some seasoning and sweet honey mixing it into the rest of the body of the discourse, I decided to insert bowels of clemency and mercy into the hearts of those who are kind and merciful. For sometimes certain of those who held magistracies, distinguished by splendor and glory and riches, who also, as (51) he might bear the imperial sword, had attained honor, paying penalties for a great weight of money, B they were filled with the greatest sickness of soul, as one who saw the contempt of divine sacraments move to indignation the benevolent God, the giver of good things. But see the help then provided to him by the merciful Father, and admire his prudence. For at that time, when it was necessary for the one who was afflicted to take food, he would put on his sacred vestment, and proceed to the sanctuary; and entering through the right door, he would provide what was necessary for refreshing the man, bringing it in abundance from himself; and then he would depart, leaving him behind. But if at any time his belly, to which one cannot deny, forced him to do what is required by nature, descending again from on high, and leading him to a privy and waiting, and afterwards taking him by the hand, he would restore [him].
C 26. Since these things had come to the Pastor, D and because he saw that the contempt of the divine sacraments moved the benevolence of God, the giver of good things, to indignation, he was filled with the greatest sickness of soul. But see the help then provided to him by the merciful Father, and admire his prudence. For at the time when it was fitting for him who was afflicted to take food, putting on the sacred vestment, he would proceed to the sanctuary; and entering through the right door, he would supply what was necessary for the refreshing of the man, bringing it in abundance from himself; and then he would depart, leaving him behind. But if at any time his belly, to which one cannot deny, forced him to do what is required by nature, descending again from on high, and leading him to a retreat and waiting, and afterwards taking him by the hand, he would restore [him] [note: the previous text is truncated by a repetition in the source page]
(50) That he strove to pull out the sincere soul of his, by which such a crime was committed, is indicated by the epistle written to Pope Adrian, which exists at the end of the seventh synod in Greek and Latin from the translation of Anastasius the Librarian. In it, after citing the testimonies of Holy Scripture, of the Fathers and of the Councils, he perorates thus: "Thus teach us, most sacred man, to follow Holy Scripture, and the evangelical, apostolic, canonical, and paternal precepts. For we obey the words of your mouth. Ascend the heights: exalt your voice in strength, go forth into the breadth, preach with confidence, that the imposition of hands, which is done for money, may be removed and come to abolition, etc." For as he writes at the beginning, "Your fraternal holiness, decorated with the highest priesthood, justly and according to the will of God, ordering the pontifical piety, has most famous glory." In Greek: Ἡ ἀδελφικὴ ὑμῶν ἀρχιεροπῆς ἁγιωσύνη ἐνθέσμως καὶ κατὰ Θεοῦ βούλησιν πρυτανεύουσα τὴν ἱεραρχικὴν ἀγίστειαν, διαβόητον ἔχει τὴν δόξαν. These same things are read thus in Greek also in Theodore Balsamon among the Canonical Epistles of the holy Fathers, edited by him after the Canons of the Apostles and of the Councils, and collected in volume I of the *Jus Græco-Romanum* by Johannes Leunclavius, book I, which is the first of the synodal decrees previously rendered into Latin by Enimundus Bonefidius, from whose version Baronius published a part of this epistle in the year 787, numbers 61 and 62, but before number 60 inveighed against Theodore Balsamon, as if he, as a most bitter enemy of the Roman Church, wished to render this [epistle] contemptible by having fixed upon it the mark of Simony; of which injury Bonefidius or another is deemed guilty for having interpreted the Greek words related above thus: "Your fraternal sacerdotal holiness, therefore, which does not justly, nor according to the will of God, administer the pontifical office, labors under great infamy," which translation of that unfaithful interpreter Leunclavius corrects thus: "Your fraternal sacerdotal holiness, therefore, which legitimately and according to the will of God administers the pontifical consecration, has most famous glory." Gentianus Hervetus, the interpreter of Balsamon, has these things thus: "Your fraternal sacerdotal holiness, therefore, which legitimately and according to the will of God administers the pontifical office, has most famous glory." We have thought it necessary to set forth these things at greater length, that the suspicion of Baronius regarding this epistle, as forged in the name of Tarasius, might be removed.
(51) Theophanes, in the 13th indiction, 10th year of the reign of Constantine and Irene, Christ 790, he says, "The Empress, having seized the men of the emperor, all beaten with dire blows and tonsured, together with John the Protospatharios and his nurse, to whom the surname Picridius was given, relegated them as exiles to the remote borders of the empire as far as Sicily." Concerning this John, Baronius thinks these things should be understood in the year 789, where he recounts this history in numbers 4 and 5.
A tribunal. And this he did not once or twice a day, but as often as he was summoned to this duty by one who was in grave danger, not showing favoritism to a rich person, but maintaining an unyielding distribution of justice in all matters, providing no opening to those who wished to do injury to their neighbor. But did he perhaps maintain the straight and nowhere-tilting balance of the laws, yet despise the rights that are excellently established by the canons? By no means: but since he knew that the severity of the laws is in many things the sister and consort of canonical authority, he, as a prudent judge, tempers the one with the other, and shows that there is a legitimate accuracy of the canons in those things that are canonically corrected, and yet a canonical sealing of the rectitude of the laws in those things that are done lawfully. But that he did not betray this command of God and divine precept, but held the canon and the law in equal measure, is not an obscure witness, whom the discourse is consequently about to introduce.
27. The soldiers, admiring this insatiable dedication of the divine man, and unable to imagine that a suppliant could be seized as long as the hand of the just governed him, weave a wicked plot against him, which surpassed all deceit and cunning. For they secretly place an ambush through another passage, so that when the pastor was leading out from the sacred inner sanctuaries a sheep B serving (the needs of) nature, they might seize it like wolves: which also came to pass. For when the holy man was taking care of him, as was his custom, and was leading him to the requirements of nature, those who were lurking securely in ambush, bursting through another gate, seize him and drag him by force to the palace. But when the most holy pastor learned of the wicked machination prepared against him by the wretched, seized with wrath and grief, using no delay, he goes to the royal hall of Eleutherius (for it happened that the empress was staying there at that time). But when they perceived the coming of the Father, and suspected that his presence among them would be full of zeal and like a sharp sword, they left him outside the palace, not deigning to address him even with a word. But he, seeing that his coming had done him no good, binds all of them together with the chains of ecclesiastical penalty, declaring them unworthy of the communion of the sacraments of Christ, if they inflicted any grave harm on one who had fled as a suppliant to the Church. Having therefore spoken these things freely as if by apostolic authority, he returned. But they, constrained by the magistrate’s ropes, since they could not escape the sacred nets of ecclesiastical penalty, held no longer any inquiry concerning the defendant through tortures, but through the examinations of words alone concerning the money involved, emptying the scales, they absolve him as an innocent man. Such was the divine man toward all, vindicating and defending divine things, and facing danger for the sheep of the flock.
CHAPTER VII.
C Sanctus Tarasius bravely resists the Emperor, who wishes to repudiate his lawful wife and take a cubicularia.28. But although he was accurately versed in the laws, and had been trained in every kind of canonical rectitude, and used to judge the disputes that fell out among the common universe, and by his most sharp judgment compelled them to agree among themselves—not swayed by mercy toward a pauper who was being legally summoned, nor [being swayed by anything] 29. Dictus (53) Emperor Constantine [was] a youth, as his mother, Irene, withdrew from being joined with him in the rule of the empire, and he held the helm of the administration alone. Who, although good in other respects, did not hold firmly to those things which pertain to a pure and sincere faith, and – as is often wont to happen to the minds of young men – being puffed up by a vain persuasion, he thought that what seemed right to him was more just than the written laws. He attempts to weaken the laws, and that which was said by the Lord in the Gospels, using the patronage of his own power: and when he had decided to make a divorce from his (54) wife, and (55) had in mind to raise another to the height of the empire, the youth adorns a deed unworthy of his power. But that was a deadly ambush, prepared for him by the empress-consort. He claimed, however, that it was poison, which when drunk in a potion, brought death at the same time. This indeed he tried to prove and persuade to anyone, as he thought. For he thought it impossible that belief would not be placed in him, since he was emperor, and spoke words before those who were subject to his empire. But no one was persuaded, unless one who, flattering the emperor, for the sake of glory induced his mind to take away right from the just.
30. But after this rumor spread even to the atria of the Church, and the wicked action reached even to the ears of the pontiff, it made him very doubtful and perplexed; while he ponders with himself how he might arm himself against this struggle, and just as he had been trained in every kind of canonical rectitude, as to how he might handle the struggle—and he was a most strong fighter, as if shooting an arrow from a quiver and bow, long ago honored with the D nudity of all these things (priestly vestments). When the great Tarasius was pondering these things in his mind, and was preparing himself to engage with the emperor, and to struggle with priestly arms... [index: entries preserved]
behold, one of those who held magistracies, A instructed by the emperor, renouncing what was said to have been done and contrived, namely, the vainly spoken-of poisoning, and approaching the standard of chastity: and when he had woven as accurately and subtly as he could the narrative—that all things were most true, and such that they admitted of no slander—he insisted that the emperor might be able to come to a second marriage contract. When he had said these things, he waited to receive an answer to them. To him, when he had sighed from the depths and smiled tearfully, the saint answered: If the emperor has thought these things, as you have said, and has determined to cut off the flesh joined by divine law, which has been made one with him, I do not know how he will bear the most grave reproach that is to be brought against him by the nations, or how his power will force the flock to temperance and punish fornication and adultery, when he himself is convicted of such shameful crimes. For even if we had granted that the things adduced by you are worthy of belief, and the woman's witchcraft were evident, it would still be necessary to beware of it because of the reverence of the voice of the Lord, who says: Whosoever puts away his wife, except for fornication, commits adultery (Matt. v, 32). But whom has he wished to join to himself in the bond of matrimony, in place of the one who was more excellent than the empire, who has proceeded to such great wickedness? But this is put forward as a pretext, so that honorable marriage and the undefiled bed may be violated; but the disgrace of fornication may be introduced, and the legitimate seed become adulterous, and he may alienate what is related, by introducing a furtive and base concubinage. Therefore, receive this answer from us and those who are like us, and disclose it to those who sent you. For we will not yield to the things that are boasted of by you. We will sooner undergo death and grave punishments than be willing in any way to serve him in matters of this kind. Let the emperor hear that we are not going to comply with this improbable plan.
31. Astonished by these heavenly words, he who served the imperial responses, covering his sadness with his countenance, came as quickly as possible to him who had sent him, bringing absolutely nothing of those things that he had hoped for, nor anything that was pleasing to his heart. But when the emperor saw the constancy of the sacrosanct pastor to be firmer than an oak, which is not shaken by the onset of the winds, he regarded with admiration what had happened, fearing lest the inflexible mind of the illustrious Father be terrified by no clamor. Therefore, sending again, he orders the saint to be present, believing that if he had been present in person, it would happen that he would submit to the austerity of his power. When, therefore, he had come into the palace and to the emperor himself, and had sat with him as was custom, B having with him that old man (56) John, whom, when he was engaged in the synodal exposition, the discourse admonished had been the legate of the eastern diocese; and when the prince of pastors had used many salutary admonitions before the emperor, and had not persuaded him—for it was, as the proverb says, like cutting a hydra, to free from a fall him who is now by his own will C wallowing in fornication. Driven by that impudicity, he used these words before the pontiff:
32. I indeed have referred to your holiness what has long since happened to me. For I have not wished to hide anything from you, indicating to you the affection and benevolence of a father. Furthermore, now also through that imperial tongue, I have decided to plead my cause more clearly. For against my empire he was lying in wait, whom—because she was not united to me by God—no one will contradict if I should be able to diverge from her, since the law openly commands it. For since the crimes are manifest, either death will overtake her, or, what is more benign, she will spend her whole life in penance. For the crime which was adorned by her was not about to pass to any one of the common people: but the witchcraft was about to pass to a legitimate spouse, and a most faithful emperor, and one terrible to the nations, and one who was to pervade the whole world. Than which what could have been more dangerous and more horrible? So much so that she herself can henceforth have recourse to no defense. For she is devoid of all speech, and of proofs that could commend her, as one who has truth against her—which cannot be avoided—for her perfect condemnation. Moreover, the time calls for me to open the poisons of that deadly potion: so that when your sacred paternity has seen the magnitude of the crime, holding it certain and explored, you may no longer doubt, nor wait for any delay or postponement of time, but as soon as possible subject her to the canons, and persuade her to choose a quiet and monastic life, if she wishes to remain among the living. For since this witchcraft is placed before my eyes, it cannot be that I should any longer keep the rights of marriage with her, or any longer be joined with her as a friend and enter into a compact. For, as the proverb says, God also pursues the guilty one. He signals, therefore, and glass vessels were brought with a turbid liquid, curiously composed for a false accusation; which they placed before his face and that of the great Father, saying that either death had been plotted against him by the spouse, or an aberration of mind.
33. Seeing, therefore, the great Tarasius, that the emperor was by no means fittingly caught in bonds, D and wrapped in the labyrinths of falsehood, so that he could not escape, but was falling into the danger of sin, he plunges a most sacred dart into his heart, saying thus: Do not stir up, O emperor, deaf arms against the laws of God, nor because of their transgression, act secretly against the soldiers. For it is the sign of imperial power to do all things with a free conscience, and to ponder nothing hidden and dissimulated in the mind against Him who gave the crown, and especially by overturning His divine mandate and will. For it escapes no one that absolutely no crime has intervened in those things which are now nefariously plotted against the empress, and which they wish to subject to the witchcraft of sorcerers, and affirm that she has plotted death against your majesty, incompatible—
with the appearance of youthful glory A could your beauty be compared, so that a woman might offer you poison ensnared by fraud, and draw you away from the friendship and brotherly ardor that exists in you? Who appears to glory in greater excellence than with the quadruple purple of your empire? Whom, enticed by eyes and nods, did you prefer to your highest dignity? Who against adversaries has conducted himself in so many battles with such brilliance, above your more than Davidic fortitude, so that she was loved by you more than your imperial lordship? It is not, it is not so. These things were invented and devised that they might be held out as a pretext for every vice, that they might brand the scepter of empire with a stain, urgently pressing you to pose as a parable among the nations and a shaking of the head among the peoples. Therefore, we do not dare to dissolve the legitimate rights of your conjugal and imperial union, fearing the judgment of God the lawgiver: nor do we endure to believe the words that look toward accusing your spouse, even if we were subjected to a thousand deaths and tortures, as we know that your affection is held by a long-standing inflammation for that fornicatress. Nay, we also make this known before God, in the first place, to your honorable purple: that within the railings of the unbloody table, on which the sacrifice of the great Victim of Christ is venerably performed, we will no longer permit your power to enter with us, lest we also hear what has been said long since to the priests in the imprecations: "You shall not add to tread my courtyard." Thus Tarasius, who spiritually ruled the sheep of the first Shepherd, Christ, when he had pronounced this before the emperor with contrition of heart, concluded his address in silence.
34. Now the aforementioned John, when he also had used many admonitions toward the emperor, sustained the greatest floods of ignominy from those who boasted in the dignity of the praetorship and the honor of the patriciate: who even threatened that they would drive a sword through the entrails of the old man, as one who spat out words contrary to the imperial power and did not quickly acquiesce to the will of the emperor. But when the emperor sensed that the resolve of both remained firm and stable, inflamed with burning anger, and knowing that he could not speak against these things, he ordered them to be expelled, proclaiming them victorious without welts, and martyrs, as far as it concerned him, crowned with a garland. What is this removed from the miracle of John? For he B argued with him who, after the death of his brother, was held by an insane love for his sister-in-law (Matt. xiv, 3); but he, when the wife of the emperor was still alive, and was adorned with the diadem of empire, and had then been expelled, thinking that what had been done was not to be tolerated, was, according to the Psalmist, a most sharp reprimand at dawn, even if he drew with a sieve, as it is said, and blew the chaff, while the mind of the emperor was wounded and flowing away (Ps. c, 8). When indeed she was linked by matrimonial right, and he had sent her away from himself, and had alienated her from the imperial court, and had confined her with a private habit and place, he desisted from the storm and that gloomy salt sea C which he had entered in his spirit, by separation from his brother's member. But when he was wallowing in the mire of that introduced concubinage, and great force was brought to bear upon him, and he had frequently urged the pontiff to weave for his head the crown of that dark and secret contract, he did not achieve what he desired. Moreover, he wandered about hither and thither, seeking a priest who would weave the crown, so that he might celebrate that shameful wedding.
CHAPTER VIII.
The patience of the holy Tarasius in adversity: D admonition to the clergy concerning the curbing of the illicit appetite of the senses.36. And regarding the emperor, in his refusal to obey the precept, and the holy Father’s strong and generous constancy thus far. For it is not lawful to commit to the monuments of literature the things that follow, which bring no utility to those who hear them. But it is necessary to commemorate this: that from the time of that lapse, the emperor oppressed Tarasius with many temptations, providing him with guards who indeed used the name of syncelli, but in their ways were far removed from piety. Unless he had accepted these, and unless he had passed through their eyes, it was not permitted to anyone to approach the divine and wise prince of shepherds, and to utter those things which seemed necessary. I am silent on how much cruelty the emperor showed to those who approached him and observed him with brotherly service, afflicting them with stripes and condemning them to exiles for no just cause, striving to cast him down from the care of divine things, and tempting him to sadness. But he, with a strong and constant and unbroken mind, reckoning those things which were happening as if they were useful, those grave prefects, as if they were Egyptian taskmasters, he [index: entries preserved]
A sustained, and in every temptation and labor showed himself to be worthy, fortified by the adamantine reasoning of Job as if with armor, and imitating his impregnable patience, so that he never uttered an idle word of foolishness from his lips. For that just man did not have a humble or abject spirit in those things that were happening, but one sublime and exalted by virtues, and beautifully upright according to the pontifical canons and laws, and clearly free from all murky wickedness.
37. Nourished also by divine speech, and irrigating every sense with clear and sacrosanct-flowing streams, he taught one to have an eye that sees every uprightness, and to decline every theatrical ostentation, restraining it so that it would not wander toward external things. Therefore, many of those who were in holy orders, who were wonderfully delighted by horse races, he restrained, and admonished them to keep themselves at home when these things were happening, and to attend to themselves and the divine Scriptures: and that they should not admit any shameful or dishonorable audition at all; but rather he persuaded them to open the door to Davidic harps, and to be more delighted by those things, because they contain grave sermons and things useful to the soul, than by indecorous and dishonest songs which are sung with timbrels and flutes. He exhorted them not to admit any sweet odor of things that attracts death: but rather, he urged them to be attracted most of all to him who preserves apostolic sweetness, hastening to the odor of the ointments of Christ, and to cry out that of the spouse, which is sung excellently in the Song of Songs to the bridegroom: “I am wounded by love, and I will run after the odor of your ointments (Cant. 1, 3).” He abominated dead and foul-smelling abortions of unsound doctrine, as they were the causes of the foul odor of bad opinion, for this he commanded before all other things, to decline the rough paths of heresies: while at the same time being carried without error with the ecclesiastical plow-shares, in accordance with the divine admonition of the proverb. He restrained touch, which is necessarily the minister of taste, with the bridles of spiritual law, B so that, a partaker of reason, he might attain healthful foods and provide for the soul a perpetual feast: from which proceeds a digesting distribution of those things which are aggregated immaterially within: and every superfluity of an evil habit, which dissolves the place of the soul, is excreted.
38. Who acted rightly in such matters, or better chastised their resistance, than the pure and reverend conscience of Tarasius? Who was more frequently occupied than he in divine things? For he never gave rest to his ears when the time of prayer called: but he himself, always approaching promptly of his own accord, abundantly offered to God the first fruits of divine hymns, as if they were oblations of fruits: and neither did he delay nor slacken through sloth, nor was he drawn away from prayers by whatever multitude of public cares might have arrived: but when he was never wanting in prayer at its proper time, he undertook the crowd of external affairs. Thus initiated in the divine mysteries, and thus beautifully performing the sacred mysteries, the one man is recognized among those who, after grace, and among those who, in grace and before grace, shone forth in the Church.
Chapter IX. Comparison of St. Tarasius with confessors and martyrs. The utility of sacred images, against the Iconoclasts.
39. And that our oration may proceed by a certain way and reason and the rule of comparison may proceed immovably, the comparison may take its order from here. For those who are beautifully educated in holiness and action and contemplation, and who were almost devoid of flesh and blood, he permitted nothing more to be possessed, except that they lived apart in hope, C and exercised themselves in solitude and alone: or that they are known even to have kept fewer things: but the remaining privileges of virtue were in part neglected by them, and in part were far from them. But the eximious and incomparable fortitude of the martyrs, and their most generous phalanx, which resisted sin even unto blood, and their bodies and souls D were [found], worthy. But Saint Plato, abbot of Saccudion, as recorded by Theophanes, cut himself off from the communion of Tarasius the patriarch, because he had received the emperor into communion. At that time, as Baronius writes, num. 46, a grave anxiety burdened the mind of the patriarch, as he feared lest by excessively exasperating the mind of the emperor, and by removing him from the Church, he should make him a deserter of the Catholic faith: the wounds of the Church were still fresh, and had scarcely been covered over by the council celebrated through his efforts at Nicaea against the Iconoclasts; the enemies of the Church were still flourishing: he himself was an adolescent, mutable and unstable in mind, and a wicked offspring of heretical parents, and very easily driven headlong into heresy by a light breeze: these things, I say, and other such things, Tarasius revolving in his mind’s counsel, wished to rebuke the emperor’s error in such a way that he might nevertheless separate him from the Church, although he was worthy of that punishment. Baronius says this, who by heretical parents does not understand mother Irene, but the father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. And thus Tarasius, as testified by Saint Theodore the Studite, after the emperor’s death, clearing himself before Plato, was joined with him in communion. Saint Plato is venerated on April 4th, Saint Theodore the Studite on November 12th.
A and spent [them] for God, not setting himself before a tyrannical tribunal, nor entering the stadium and arena to fight as an imitation [of them], but desiring those who endured these and greater trials, and extolling them with wondrous praises, and crowning [them] as with certain diadems of words signifying victory, and revering their saving intercessions with God, and calling to his aid the prepared Scripture and the book, he placed himself voluntarily in the holy temples, honoring the accounts of their struggles: so that he might open the vestibules of compunction to those who saw [them], and might introduce athletes, kindled by their zeal, so that, if time should call, they might seize upon a blessed struggle. For a matter of such a kind knows how to win over the eye, which has obtained a good argument and precedes the hearing. For it has attained to second place in honor after [the] sight; and while the eye, without exposition of the things that are represented, receives evident figures, the hearing always holds the second place, as a certain wise man said.
B Who, seeing him who struggles and sees the fire, and is surrounded by a cloud of scourges, and in these confidently commits his spirit to the Creator, is not covered with warm tears and pricked with sighs and groans? Who, gazing upon him who strips himself for the heavy kinds of tortures and punishments, and was at last tortured, does not depart with a chest beating for the contrition of his heart? Who, seeing him who delivered himself for Christ to the lictors, to be bound with fetters, manacles, and cords, and then bravely to expire in intolerable tortures, does not admire his patience, and the invincible virtue and faith of an exalted soul? Who, watching him who, lest he utter any word unworthy of piety, is torn both on his sides and on his back, does not melt with compassion? Who is not filled with admiration and shaken with fear, when he sees him who suffers for the faith, distributing all his limbs; while he is cut, and separated for the sacrifice and oblation of God, parts which are mercilessly divided even to the muscles, thighs, ankles, and tarsi; does not marvel at the most laborious patience in struggling? Who, looking upon him who is thrown to lions to be devoured, and to be ground by their teeth, and as heavenly bread is strewn upon the heavenly table, is not in understanding a partaker of that spiritual martyric banquet? Who, contemplating him who, agitated by a bitter chain for God, and lifted on high, and having wales extended by straps and scourges, and at length undergoes death by the sword, does not contract himself entirely with the contritions of his heart, and is converted to the grateful glorification of God? Who, seeing him who is bound upright on the wood, and whose intestines are emptied by frequent blows of scourges, and who sustains that long-lasting suffering on the wood, and entering without entrails, dances a certain funeral dance, is not pierced in his heart by a divine dart, and made a tabernacle and temple of piety C or? Who, seeing him whose head was cut off by sentence for the sake of Christ, and who, like a boat separated from the rest of the ship of the body and tossed by the waves, is united by the nod of divine aid and travels the sea as if it were dry land in a straight path, [and] even if he has a heart wavering in hardness, does not immediately arrive at the port of spiritual tranquility? Who, gazing upon him whose nails are pierced by sharp reeds, and who is cast headlong into a boiling cauldron of pitch and emerges again, and is consumed by the sword in a hostile manner, has not lifted his hands to God, and has not desired thenceforth to experience such a torture? Who, attentively considering those who are frozen by winter ice and the cold of the air, and struggle naked; and who endure the breaking of their legs, and when they have escaped the coals burning by the strength of nature, their remains are cast into the currents of rivers, has not desired to have them as patrons, and to draw to himself by prayers their sharp and worthy defense?
41. But you will see these things happening not only in males, but also in women, who struggle in equal contests, and take no account of racks, of wheels, and of other tortures. For who, watching these things happening in a most soft nature, if he reads the colors as if attending to letters, does not cast off womanly timidity, and, clothed in confidence—not indeed with rash audacity—does not sing a funeral hymn of praise to God, and openly declare this invincible fortitude blessed? Who, seeing the age of immature children in most bitter pains as if swimming in water, and as if milk curdled [and] drawn from the breasts of faith, and bearing at once every kind of torture and punishment for Christ, has not concluded this to be the work of divine aid, which made even womanly weakness more robust by manly virtue, and showed the impuberous and childish imperfection to be changed by spirit and sense into age-old maturity? Who, seeing Thecla and Stephen, who after Christ first opened the athletic gate to the martyrs—this one [Stephen] being pelted with stones and caring for the slain through the intercession of his prayers before God; the other [Thecla] truly despising even the savagery of beasts, because of her unfeigned love for Christ, whom she desired—does not immediately learn not to pray curses upon enemies, but to return grace to them as to benefactors, and to struggle against every beastly and insane heresy?
42. But I pass on to my God and Lord, who is called a martyr and was a dispenser of victory to posterity: whom, seeing fixed to the wood with nails, and drenched with a sponge of vinegar and gall, and pierced in the side with a lance, and from it pouring forth life-giving streams, I shudder and depart from myself, and honor his unsearchable and stupendous condescension, and I admire the ocean of his supreme endurance of evils. For because of the greatness of his clemency and the ineffable goodness of his mercy, having accepted the flesh of the same essence as ours, in no way...
denying that He is God, He is indeed proclaimed by the ministers of the Word in dyed ink; yet in reality, He is circumscribed and depicted by them and those who follow them with colors, while they do not mingle the simplicity of an uncompounded nature with the emptiness of form—for He is neither circumcised nor undergoes affection—but rather, as He is by His very nature capable of being seen and touched, He is most excellently depicted and circumscribed by those who do so. For this reason, with our whole soul, heart, and thought, guarding and embracing what has been decreed by them, and having the steps of our mind most clearly dilated by Him who is from God, we strive with great zeal to receive, and as is right, to adore the image of Christ and His suffering, and to show ourselves worthy of the saints who have been from the beginning of the age. How then is one not made good by these things, even if his heart has the disposition of stone? Who does not revere a colored painting that bears examples of piety, through which ancient deeds, the origins of the world, and the Law and the prophets can be taught, and by which one can make the thought ancient and venerable? Through it, one is moved to meditate upon the divine and great miracles of grace which lead those who behold them to the glory of God, who made all things in wisdom, and who lifted up His servants through His benevolence toward them with the greatest honors (Ps. CIV, 24): and for this reason, He openly willed them to be depicted and described, and their memory to be perpetual in our hearts. What harm has ever come to the soul from these things? Nay, who has not rather received benefit from them? Who, from frequent and diligent consideration of them, has not acquired a perpetual remembrance that is the advocate of salvation? B
43. Tell me, then, O heretic, you who praise the order of the ungodly and ignominious party; for you have not learned to honor what is worthy of honor; you who willingly bestow the same ignominy upon both idols and venerable images, when you should know the difference between the profane and the holy, and bestow upon those things which are derived from the latter what is fitting? For it is the property of law and learning to discern the holy from the profane, and the unclean from the clean: just as it is, in turn, a mark of iniquity and ignorance to force together things that fight against each other, by mixing and confusing everything. For if, by comparing Jove with the Savior in the fact that an effigy is venerably expressed, you claim this without any distinction: do you not also cast insult and disgrace upon the holy form of Christ, which you falsely attribute to Jove? For I have heard you bring forth and blather certain inanities of this kind, and attempt to charge those who are called by the name of Christ, and who invisibly sing and render worship, honor, and only the adoration of latria to the glory of the Trinity, with the crime of idolatry, and maliciously mix things that cannot agree among themselves. Do you not grant the difference between the image of Christ and the idol of Jove? Do you not honor Christ, because C sit its example venerable, and do you abhor Jove because of his detestable lust and petulance? Do you not proclaim Christ to be God, because of His incomparable holiness, admitting the likeness of the image which refers to God and man, which has been expressed through matter honored by the ancients; yet do you consign to the depths that fabulous parricide and his effigy, which has fallen away from divinity, in which even the private parts of his father, which he had cut off, have been hurled? May you have Christ the Savior propitious, who takes delight in the material effigy expressed for the saints, but who hates the abominations of Satan and his wicked satellites: who, when they see the images of Christ and His servants erected, are overturned, groan and weep, and gnash their teeth against those who willingly perform these things, and stir up the dust of calamities. D With these words of praise, Tarasius, inciting others and honorably sculpting on tablets the struggles and dangers undertaken by them for Christ, insisted on their footsteps, even if he remained without scars, and he did not follow them from behind.
Chapter X. Comparison of St. Tarasius with the apostles and patriarchs.
44. Let us see, indeed, if he also contended with those who were in grace. For when the Lord's disciples showed the immutability of their mind toward their Master through a divine confession, he himself also kept it whole and inviolable from his mother's womb, and in deeds proclaiming Him the true God, who was born from Mary in the last times, and from the Father before the ages, equal to the Father in regard to the virtue of the same glory of divinity. Thus, he brought forth the decree with Philip and Thomas, saying that Christ is Lord and God, not by hands handled which had been pierced by nails, nor by seeking the punctures which had been made by the lance (Joan. XX, 27). For which reason he also openly received a blessed end through a faithful and fervent confession. In this way, he followed the son of Zebedee, who was called the son of thunder (Marc. III, 17): for the reason that he clearly remembers that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God: and by teaching, he made others apostolic in spirit, because he was the divinely inspired instrument of the evangelists, so that the salvation of the world might resound by their voice, in the Churches which were everywhere in the world, and he ordered them to be expressed in material colors, in a manner agreeable to divine and paternal tradition: so that the mind, pricked through the evangelical and sacred effigy and holiness, might transmit honor in many ways to God, who inspired these things in them, and might be made a receptacle for venerable hearings. Andrew, indeed, who was called the first of the apostles (Joan. I, 40), was so near and joined by a kindred institute of life, that he reached the reins of the same pastoral chair, God, beyond the region of Argyropolis, and ordained as bishop of that city Stachys, whom the Apostle mentions in the epistle to the Romans, chap. XVI, 9.
...by that precious blood which, as he displayed it, he offered for the redemption of the debts of the soul.
46. Moreover, he imitated Moses in this, that he showed no trace of hatred or ill-will, even though furious and malicious men wrongly conjectured that the freedom of speech of Father Tarasius, which was aimed at the correction of the foolish, was wrath and hatred. He experienced the temptations of Job, even if not in similar circumstances. Like Jacob, a true Israelite of grace, and called a mind that sees God, he was simultaneously purified in soul and thought. Like Isaac, he was sanctified by faith, not indeed by a father, but by offering his own heart as a whole burnt offering; and since he was both victim and priest, he offered to God a most beautiful sacrifice in the odor of sweetness. Like Abraham, because he was a spiritual father of many tribes and peoples, and believed, and served purely Him who had made him, he obtained the fruit of divine promises. But why should I allow his virtues to cross the Atlantic Ocean? Let us therefore bring our remarks to a conclusion, and put an end to our preface, lest we be accused of not keeping our promise by extending our discourse further than is appropriate.
CHAPTER XI. The old age, illness, death, and burial of Saint Tarasius.
47. For after many struggles, the infinity of his teaching, the purity of his honest life, the confession of the true faith, the leading of his rational flock toward things more excellent and divine by his admonitions, the abundant provision for the feeding of the poor, the constant dedication to sacred affairs, and the prolonged stay in his pastoral office (for he adorned the pontifical cathedra for twenty-two years), an encroaching illness, bringing him very grave pain, did not persuade him to forget his perpetual and divine office. For even while suffering from disease and old age, he was never sated with the celebration of the holy mystery, but burning with intense love for God, and taking no account of his illness, leaning his chest upon a wooden table that was placed before the divine altar, he performed the sacred rites. O faith and wise diligence in divine matters! O boundless love for God! For he took no care of his body that, once he had tasted satisfaction in divine things, he would interrupt the divine mysteries, but, strengthened by his labors and crying out with Paul: "When I am weak, then I am strong" (II Cor. XII, 10), he was fiercely devoted to divine worship.
48. The illness therefore growing worse and making him cease from the operation of divine things, it prepared for him a bed of infirmity, which would that it had not done before the eyes of those who had never seen him in bed. Then, then occurred a new and terrible miracle, which filled us who were present with wonder and fear, seeing him as if in an ecstasy, and struggling with adversaries who do not fall under sight. For his struggle was not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against...
spiritual forces of wickedness. (Eph. vi, 12.) For as he held speech with some who were examining him and demanding an account of his life, he conducted his case. Wherefore, to many he seemed to be guilty of being held, and of giving an account of that exaction, whereas it was a just judgment of heavenly aid to cleanse every stain of his life and to bear no fault from thence; but to be called a partaker of light, and at the same time to meet with the celestial powers that are free from matter. For as long as he had the tongue to explain his thoughts openly to those who were listening, he resisted with words, and gave prompt answers to those things that were objected against him, saying that he was conscious to himself of none of those things of which they wished to accuse him. O soul akin to no guilt, and union with God! The malignant enemies could not catch him, even in a small matter, as being liable, nor could they invent anything against him by their abominable crimes, but he reduced them to a complete lack of counsel by a general and terrible denial, so that they could not even state any cause against him that appeared probable. But when the instrument of his tongue grew numb, and he could not defend himself with words, he overturned them with his lip, and hand, and nod, and did not cease to expel them. For he seemed to us to roar ferociously as if against enemies, and to repel them with anger, until his senses began to close.
49. For then, as the Church was celebrating evening praises and crying out: *Incline, O Lord, and answer me*, he himself cast off this skin garment; and having left behind fleshly bonds, he came to the luminous halls of the celestials, and dwells in ineffable joy, which is perceived by the intelligence, bringing no sign of the wickedness that is here into his soul. For when he lived here, he had put to death this mortal tabernacle with virtues; for he was ashamed that his nature should possess immortality only in part. (64) He is dead, however, yet I think that the virtues died at the same time with him, unless perhaps I am mistaken, speaking something great and terrible with remarkable boldness.
50. The city, in inconsolable mourning and tears, did not cease to weep for him, as for its patron and defender. But he who was then faithfully administering the scepter (he was indeed (65) Nicephorous), did not cease to be tormented with grief. Falling upon the breast of the glorious body, and covering it with his own purple, he made a funeral lamentation, calling him pastor, Father, helper of the empire, light-bearer who never sets, leader of the state to better things, and divine master, the invincible rampart of the army, a strenuous rout-maker of enemies by his intercession to God. What, in short, was he not doing, what was he not saying, deeming the loss of the pastor to be the loss of the whole world? But [those] who in powers and honors had attained [to] great splendor, desirous of preventing his departure, [the Church], stained with tears, and bitterly calling him back and embracing him, and as though she were suffering the loss of many good things, was watered by tears just as by rivers. A
51. But the Church mourned with joy her most useful procurator, the farmer, the planter, him who had given increase in virtue to every age, who had kept the priesthood liable to no stain, who had wiped away every wrinkle of evil opinion from the divine atria, who had fixed his words, like precious stones, for the truth in the diadem of the Church, who was an incorrupt prelate, who could not be enticed by gifts at the imposition of hands, who had shown that the gold of Simoniacal magic was adulterated, who was the successor of the apostles in virtue, who sat and conversed with patriarchs and Fathers, who agreed B with the chosen synods, who was made all things to all men, that he might by all means save some (1 Cor. ix, 22), fitly corresponding to the great and divine apostle. But the most religious choir of monks, showing sorrow and weaving hymns with tears, followed him to the fathers, who had previously shone in exercise, as their worthy exciter and highest leader to abstinence, the father who was the inexpugnable bulwark of continence. Who were needy, he was their provider: who were blind, an eye: who were lame, a foot: who were naked, a garment: who were strangers, C a receiver: who were in chains, a visitation: to the widow, a defender: to the orphan, a helper. Every condition and every age flowed together like a river, touching the bed, and piously striving to enjoy that sacred spectacle. And if the emperor had not quickly restrained the tumult of the people and the assault by military force, many would have come into danger of death, while they pushed and were pushed in turn, and showed a laudable desire for him who was desired.
52. The body, therefore, full of glory and renowned, is buried by the hands of holy men, who had made the wide sea solid earth by means of skiffs and small boats, as they crossed to the monastery built by him in the Byzantine Bosporus, in the venerable temple of all the martyrs who poured out their blood for Christ, when the month of February (66) was holding its fifth day with a fivefold quaternion. But time cannot hide him, for he is above all time. For the nature of virtue does not suffer oblivion: for he was not held by the rot of envy; for he makes the memory of himself immortal to our souls, and does not permit it to be scattered and covered in silence. D
CAPUT XII. Miracles performed at the sepulcher of Saint Tarasius.
53. It is time, therefore, for you, who are studious of virtue, to set forth the things famously done by the Father at his sepulcher, which the monument will not be able to prevent...
for it is not his monument, but he who is the monument of the monument. Many, indeed, come to him and are liberated from the affections that vexed them. O miracle! Even after he has departed from here, he takes care of those who are here, and is found by those who seek him, and to those who knock, he opens the door of his healing visitation. For a certain woman, once grievously agitated by a long-standing flow of blood, and having endured great waves and tempests, after she had consumed the greater part of her means on remedies and could not find tranquility from the illness, having imitated that woman in the Gospel suffering from a flow of blood (Mark 5:25), did so with praiseworthy imprudence (for it was not permitted for a woman to touch the monastery, since the illustrious Father had long ago ordained it). Using female guile to the best advantage, covering their female modesty with male garments and presenting the appearance of eunuchs, they secretly flee to the casket of this excellent governor, which is agitated by no waves. And when they had drawn oil from the lamp that shines therein, they very quickly arrive at the harbor of healing. Moreover, a certain man, one of whose eyes was afflicted with a film, when he had been near the divine casket and had used the help of the healing unction, not long after washed away the film and openly received sight from God. Another’s hand, which was rigid to the body and had remained for a long time in continuous motion through the operation of an evil demon, by the sole invocation of the sacrosanct body and the unction of the oil of that casket which works miracles, even though he was far away, the hand was restrained from that madness and rendered as sound as the other. A
54. For many others, also, who were vexed by evil spirits, the Father was found to be a physician. He drove away the operations of demons, and he relieved those who were suffering torments by the will and aid of the Almighty. He also visited others who had been stunned by specters from the adverse power, and who had been made deaf and mute by them, having endured torpor and then having remained in faith at the tomb of the divine man; through the useful and salutary unction of the shining oil, God visited them, and freed from the dizziness of the specter, he gave them the power to act again, in hearing and tongue, in matters pertaining to these things. Furthermore, those who were gravely tormented by inflammation, and who suffered intolerable pains, obtained relaxation of their pain through the divine invocation of the oil of the casket, which purges and cleanses. B
55. Now, moreover, even against the heretics, after he had departed from here, he showed divine zeal. For Leo [the Armenian], while still administering the scepters of imperial glory and nefariously embracing the heresy of the Iconoclasts, when he was approaching the end of his life—at which time he was to be struck by the sword, as he himself, while still alive, declared with his own voice—saw the blessed Tarasius in a dream approaching him, and with grave anger ordering a certain man, C named Michael, to drive a sword into him. He, indeed, obeying the command, pierced the emperor with a sword. From this, Leo lived in great fear, seeking by all means to find the Michael who had wounded him in his dream in the holy monastery. Wherefore, when he had ordered some of the monks who were in it to be brought to him, he subjected them to prisons and torments, raging that the nocturnal killer of him by whom they were to be revealed to him, whom he also, as an overthrower of the empire, would cause to suffer extreme things. For this—what had happened—persuaded him, even unwillingly, to tell the monks: from whom, when we also gathered the miracle like a ripe fruit, we came to you, O faithful, bringing a cup of joy. For the time of six days had not passed when Michael took up the scepters of the empire and killed him. Thus, even after death, God clarifies his servants, and destroys those who do not wish to worship him piously. D
56. But time will fail me as I relate the great miracles of the divine Father, which, like roses in a meadow, spring up everywhere and exhort us to be carried toward the election of each one. But we, since we do not have a tongue that can measure and recount all the miracles worked by the Blessed One, fulfilling the course of the prayer thus far begun, prefer to pass over to silence, determining that rest removed from danger brings more gain than if we were to be overcome with danger. For the insatiability of a prompt and eager mind is often wont to invite arrogance. But do you, O venerable foundation of the priesthood, not rebuke the vomit of my temerity, who, most audaciously, but in a rude and unrefined speech, recount such great narratives; but considering my intense benevolence and faith as a small gift offered, grant space to my words, so that they may be received and then rest. For I will not forget the utility of your teaching in me, nor my fervor in your mediocrity of ministry, since I have indeed filled myself with its delights in the bloom of youth, and from you I have been initiated into those things which are...
most excellent and preeminent in trimeters, tetrameters, trochaics, anapaests, and heroics: but this, offered in the sacred rites which were composed by you daily with such precision for the edification of souls and the increase of the entire venerable Church; these I took down with swift pen and ink, and by handing them over to the best scribes, I applied diligence so that they might be artfully committed to the codex. They are indeed of such a kind that through them a pious and pure worship and faith is set before all, while the public ignominy of the heretics’ dream is noted. For if I should forget you, let me fall from the memory of God: and unless I remember you, let me be cast into the depths with stones, and may my tongue, as the divine Psalmograph says, cling to my throat (Ps. cxxxvi, 6); for this is the most precious of all obligations to me, always to hold your memory in my heart. B 57. Furthermore, it is right that I should turn the discourse to you, O servant of God, whoever you are, who have incited me against my will to this contest, and compelled me to approach tasks that exceed my powers. May my obedience be acceptable to you, and may you, respecting the humbleness and unadorned diction of my prayer, not accuse me of negligence. For we have not brought anything worthy to the divine Father, nor have we been able to come near to the dignity of those virtues that are so close at hand. For the subject exceeds all faculty of speech, so much so that all who praise him do not equally attain in their speech the honor that is owed to him. I, however, who am most distant from all others in praising him according to his merits, propose a prompt and eager will, so that it may be accepted, even if I am broken by the poverty of my speech and by age and sickness under the burden of this labor. May you, indeed, receive your reward and recompense from God, having Tarasius as your intercessor, defender, champion, and the fulfiller of your hope, whom you have loved out of God. May he also, through his intercessions to God, copiously and securely provide those things which are useful for this fleeting life, and may he grant that you render an account of your life there in such a way that you are not found guilty. May it be granted to you, along with all who have put their pure and sincere hope in God, to attain this, by His grace and copious mercies, through the intercession of the undefiled and chaste Mother of God and all the heavenly hosts and saints. Amen.
APOLOGETIC OF S. TARASIUS PATRIARCH TO THE PEOPLE
(Mansi, Concil. collect. t. XII, p. 985.)C The Apologeticus to the people, briefly pronounced by Tarasius, formerly of the imperial chancellery, on the day when the sovereigns Irene and Constantine announced to the people that a patriarch was to be made: he was promoted in the eighth indiction, in the year of the creation of the world 6295.
Guardians of our immaculate faith, that is, of the Christians, and zealots for those things which are done for the glory of God, our faithful sovereigns, as those who take care of the pleasure of Him and of our own benefit as Christians, and most especially now as they manage ecclesiastical affairs diligently and solicitously, intended that a high priest should be established in their royal city; they took me up into their pious mind, and they commanded that what they had deliberated should be made manifest to me. When I declared myself unworthy of this, and offered no consent (as one who could not bear or sustain the yoke of this burden), they ordered me to be brought before your face, for the reason that you also have become participants in this counsel: and now, therefore, men who fear the Lord, and who always have Him in your hearts, you whom I name Christians by the calling of Christ, the true God of us all: D hear a brief account of the defense from our own insignificance and humility. I, indeed, whatever I may have answered to our most pious and in all things orthodox sovereigns, also before your eyes [of my reason]
A I confess: that I am constrained by fear to consent to this election, and I tremble before the face of God to hasten so readily and—as it happens—thoughtlessly, lest I fall into a fearful condemnation. For if Paul, the divine apostle, who heard the voices of God, and had heaven as his instructor, and became a spectator of paradise, and heard unspeakable words, and bore the name of God before nations and kings, writing to the Corinthians said: "Lest perhaps, having preached to others, I myself should become a castaway" (I Cor. IX, 27); how can I, who have conversed in the world and been numbered among the laity, and served in imperial ministries, thus without examination and consideration B leap into the magnitude of the priesthood? The undertaking is fearful to my insignificance, and the endeavor is rash; but the cause of my fear and of my refusal is this: I look and behold the Church, which is founded upon the rock, Christ our God, torn and divided at this present time, and we speaking in one way, and those Christians in the East, who are of the same faith as we, speaking in another; and while the Westerns agree with them, we are alienated from them all, and hold ourselves to be anathematized by them day by day. Anathema is a terrible punishment; it casts one far from God, drives one from the kingdom of heaven, and leads one into the outer darkness.
The law and canon of the Church knows no sect C or contention; but just as it knows how to confess one baptism, one faith, so also it knows one concord in every ecclesiastical matter. For there is nothing before God so acceptable and pleasing as that we should be united, and become one Catholic Church, just as we confess in the symbol of our sincere faith. And we ask, brethren—and I think you do too, since I know that you have the fear of God—that an ecumenical synod be gathered by our most pious and orthodox sovereigns, so that we may become those of the one God, one; and those of the Trinity, united and like-minded and of equal honor. Those of our head, Christ, one body, framed and fitted together; those of the Holy Spirit, not against one another, but with one another; those of the truth, thinking and saying the same thing, and let there be no strife D and division among us, so that the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, may guard us all. And if, therefore, these champions of orthodoxy, our sovereigns, command [me] to assent to my reasonable request, I also agree, and I will fulfill their command, and I welcome your vote. But if not, it is impossible for me to do this, lest I be subjected to the anathema and be found condemned on the day of the Judge of all and of justice; where neither sovereigns, nor priests, nor princes, nor a multitude of people can rescue me. And whatever is best and pleasing to you, brethren, give as a response to my apology, or rather, to my request. And they all gladly heard what
all that had been said, giving their consent that a synod should be held. But a few of the senseless ones delayed. But the secretary, speaking again to the people, replied that the lord Emperor Leo had destroyed the images, and the synod, when it took place, found them destroyed. And because they were destroyed by an imperial hand, the same matter is again in question; for they presumed, as they pleased, to exterminate an ancient custom handed down in the Church; but the truth of God is not fettered. Being promoted, he wrote synodical letters to the patriarchs of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and the Holy City, which you will find in the first and third acts, together with their rescripts. A
EPISTLES OF THE SAME TARASIUS
I
To the most pious and most Christian emperors, our Constantine and his mother Irene, Tarasius, unworthy bishop of your divinely preserved royal city of New Rome, and the whole holy synod, which, by the good pleasure of God, and by the command of your God-loving empire, has assembled for the second time in this splendid metropolis of the Nicaeans. B
The Head of the Church, namely Christ our God, is glorified, most excellent emperors, because your heart, which is guarded in His hand, has uttered a good word, commanding us to assemble in His name, so that we might firmly hold the unshakeable, immovable, and divine pronouncement of ecclesiastical dogmas. For even as your head is crowned with gold and shining jewels, so too are your minds adorned with evangelical and patristic teachings. C For since you are disciples and participants of those whose sound has gone out into all the earth, and guides to piety for all the people named after Christ, you have written down the word of truth with the pen and have portrayed the character of orthodoxy and piety; and you have shone forth like very bright lamps to the faithful, and stretched out a hand to the churches in peril, confirming sound dogmas and restoring the consensus of those things that were at variance. It is therefore permitted D to say with confidence: The correction of piety has been established through you by the good will of God; and our mouth has been filled with joy, and our tongue with exultation; and by our written voice the matters of our tongue speak. For what is more delightful than the guardianship of the stability of ecclesiastical affairs, and more pleasing for gladness? Because
A there have arisen certain men, having indeed the form of piety, since they were clothed with the dignity of the priesthood, yet denying its power, and having snatched up the accusation of the priests of Babylon; whom also the prophecy proclaims, saying: "Iniquity has gone forth from the priests of Babylon."
Rather, they have formed a Caiphaic council and have become the begetters of impious dogmas. Having a mouth of cursing and bitterness, they thought it a glory to prevail in evil. B Possessing a tongue of ill-repute and a pen ministering to it, they have fought against the words uttered by God himself and have railed against the royal priesthood and the holy nation, those who have clothed themselves in Christ and have been saved by His grace from the error of idols, calling them idolaters. Having a will for wickedness, they laid their lawless hands to the task, thinking to destroy the painting of the venerable icons. Whatever was made of mosaic, they plucked out; those made of wax-poured coloring they erased, changing the ornament of the venerable temples into indecency. Along with these, they also delivered to the fire the things that were on panels for the memory of Christ our God and His saints; and, to speak a word, they have ravaged and confounded our churches.
The hierarchs have become heresiarchs; and instead of peace, they have proclaimed contention to the people; and instead of wheat, they have sown tares in the ecclesiastical fields. They mixed wine with water and gave their neighbor a murky drink of subversion. Being Arabian wolves, they disguised themselves in the skin of sheep; and regarding the truth as of little account, they snatched up falsehood. But they broke the eggs of asps and wove the web of a spider according to the prophet; and he who is to eat of their eggs, upon crushing one, finds it swarming C and in it a basilisk, full of deadly venom and breath.
And because they disposed these things thus, and falsehood devoured the truth, you did not permit, O our most gentle and most brave emperors, such a pestilential and soul-corrupting error to remain in your times; but you were eager to destroy it by the breath of the divine Spirit that dwells in you, so that the system of the Church might remain stable, and the association of every subject, and that your empire might be directed peacefully according to your surname. You thought it neither tolerable nor bearable that, while we agree and are in harmony in other things, regarding the head of our life—that is, the peace of the churches—any among us should tear himself away and separate himself; and this when Christ is our head, and we are, in succession, limbs and one body through our mutual like-mindedness and faith. Therefore, you ordered our holy and populous assembly to be gathered in this metropolis of the Nicaeans, so that the dissension of the churches D
being repelled, we might draw together what has been sundered into unity; and that we might strive to tear apart and rend asunder the ignominious and coarse garment which they have recently woven from thorny threads—that is, the false doctrine—and to preserve the incorrupt tunic of Orthodoxy. And so, following the apostolic and paternal traditions, we dare to say—indeed, we dare to say, concordant through the inspiration of the most holy Spirit, and all gathered together—having the unanimous tradition of the Catholic Church, we have been made concordant with the agreements formulated by the holy six universal councils, having anathematized the madness of Arius, the rabies of Macedonius, the senseless mind of Apollinarius, the man-worship of Nestorius, B the confounding vanity of Eutyches and Dioscorus, and with them the many-headed hydra; the foolish fables of Origen, Didymus, and Evagrius; Sergius, Honorius, Cyrus, Pyrrhus, and their followers—or rather, their wicked, wayward will; as well as the innovation comparable to these, which has vainly prattled after them against the venerable icons. Having received the Word from the Spirit, and drawing pure water from Him, we have wiped this away with the sponge of divine dogmas, and we have cast the inventors of this newly-introduced, vain speech far from the ecclesiastical vestibules.
And just as our hands and feet move concordantly with the impulses of the soul, so too, having received grace and strength from the Spirit, and having obtained the support and piety of your concurrence, we have together proclaimed and preached the truth: namely, that the venerable icons of our Lord Jesus Christ—according to how He was made perfect man—are in every way to be received, as well as everything that is written historically according to the evangelical narrative of our undefiled Lady, the holy Theotokos, and the holy angels (for they appeared as men to those who were deemed worthy of their appearance), and of all the saints; and we have decreed that their athletic contests C should be depicted on tablets and walls, on sacred vessels and vestments, just as from ancient times the holy Catholic Church of God has received, and as it was decreed by the holy and foremost teachers of our doctrine, and by their successors, our illustrious Fathers. And these are to be adored, that is to say, saluted; for both mean the same thing: since in the ancient Greek tongue, "to salute" and "to kiss" denote the same, and the preposition signifies a certain augmentation of affection—just as "to bear" and "to bear toward," "to bow" and "to bow toward," "to kiss" and "to kiss toward" [proskynein] indicate greeting and affection extended forward. For what a man kisses, he also performs obeisance to; and what he performs obeisance to, he certainly also kisses, as human affection bears witness, which is held by us toward our friends, and which accomplishes both. And we find this written not only among us, but also among the ancients in Holy Scripture.
For in the histories of the Kingdoms it is written: “And David arose, and fell on his face, and bowed down to Jonathan three times, and kissed him.” A And what does the Lord say again in the Gospel regarding the Pharisees? “They love the uppermost seats at feasts, and greetings in the markets.” It is clear that here He calls the salutation a bowing down. For the Pharisees, having a proud mind and deeming themselves to be righteous, were eager to be bowed down to by all, not to be kissed mouth to mouth, for this is rather a token of humility and not of Pharisaical conceit. Again, the divine apostle Paul also, as Luke records in the Acts: “That when we had come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following, Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he related one by one the things which God had wrought among the Gentiles through his ministry.” Therefore, the apostolic mind describes here too B the salutation as the honorific bowing down which we show to one another; just as he also says of Jacob: “He worshipped upon the top of his staff.” Gregory, who bears the name of Theology, says in agreement with these things: “Revere Bethlehem, and bow down to the manger.” Who then of those who rightly and sincerely understand the things set forth in divine Scripture would suppose that these are pronounced regarding the bowing down which is in spirit? Unless perhaps it might be of those who are senseless, or of those who are devoid of all scriptural knowledge and paternal teaching. Did Jacob serve the top of the staff? Or did the Theologian Gregory command one to serve the manger? By no means. C Again, we too, kissing the life-creating cross, all sing in unison: “We bow down to thy cross, O Lord, and we bow down to the spear which pierced the life-creating side of thy goodness.” This is clearly also a kiss, and is so called, as is shown by the touching of it with our own lips. But if bowing down is often found in divine Scripture, and in our holy Fathers who spoke eloquently, for the service which is in spirit, since the word signifies many things, it is found only in one signification which is solely manifested as the bowing down which is according to *latria*. But there is also bowing down which is done through honor, through love, and through fear, as we bow down to your most glorious and most gentle rule. There is another through fear alone, as Jacob bowed down to Esau. There is also one through grace, as Abraham bowed down to the children of Heth for the field which he received from them for D the burial of his wife Sarah. Again, those expecting to receive some benefit from their superiors bow down to them, as Jacob did to Pharaoh. From this, the divine Scripture, teaching us: “Thou shalt bow down to the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve,” spoke of bowing down without prohibition,
as it has diverse meanings and is a word that holds multiple senses. But he said, “Him only shalt thou serve,” for we refer divine service to God alone. A Since this has been demonstrated, it is confessed and proven beyond doubt, and it is manifest before God, that it is pleasing to honor and kiss the pictorial representations of the dispensation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the immaculate Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, and of the honorable angels, and of all the saints. And if anyone should not hold this way, but should dispute and be unhealthy regarding the adoration of the venerable icons, him our holy and ecumenical synod anathematizes, fortified by the operation of the divine Spirit and by patristic and ecclesiastical traditions. And anathema is nothing other than separation from God. For if there be some who struggle against the grain, not obeying what has been defined, they kick against the pricks, and injure their own souls, offending Christ, and taking pleasure in calumnies against His Church, and are found madly warring against piety, being as they are partners, associates, and of the same nature in impiety with the heretics of old. We have therefore sent our brothers and fellow-ministers, the God-beloved bishops, together with abbots and clerics, that they may declare the manifestation of all that has been done among us to your God-resonating ears. Furthermore, for the sealing and confirmation of what has been defined by us, and indeed also for the satisfaction of your most pious imperial majesty, we have appended patristic testimonies, B having gathered a few from many, illustrating the certainty with the brilliance of truth. May the Savior of us all, who reigns with you and who has been pleased to grant His peace to the churches through you, guard for many years your kingdom together with the senate, the princes, your most faithful army, and the entire republic; and may He grant you victory. For He Himself says, “As I live, says the Lord, for those who glorify Me, I will glorify.” He it is who girded you with strength and shall crush all enemies, and shall grant you all who are obedient. Rejoice, therefore, O city; be glad, O new Sion, C the watchtower of the world. For there, too, David reigned, and here the pious emperors preserve [all things]. The Lord is in the midst of thee. And may His name be blessed for ever and ever. Amen.
II.
To the all-holy and most blessed brother and fellow-minister, Lord Adrian, Pope of senior Rome, Tarasius, by the mercy of God Bishop of Constantinople, New Rome, sends greeting in the Lord.
The saving dispensation of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ would suffice for peace, unanimity, and concord among all Christians. For He, after His resurrection from the dead, D
A having breathed upon His apostles, said: "My peace I give to you, My peace I leave with you." Therefore, the one who was caught up into the third heaven and entered into Paradise and heard unspeakable words, the divine apostle Paul, testified, saying: "Christ is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition, the enmity in His flesh." And again, writing to the Thessalonians, he gives command: "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle." But because the arch-evil enemy, the devil, has not desisted throughout various times from wishing, as it pleased him, to split and tear apart the Church built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, introducing himself through certain wicked men following him, and sowing tares in this region which had been cultivated by the trumpets of the Spirit, the holy apostles—for they, having received power from on high and having plowed this field with the furrow of their work, left behind food of eternal life to be reaped by those who believed through them—the holy fathers, our pastors and guardians of this Church throughout the successive times, having received the God-inspired teaching of these men, plucked up by the root the tares, that is, the heresies and innovations that had been surreptitiously introduced, and kept the harvest pure in the field. Your brotherly holiness, adorned with supreme pontifical dignity, having communed with these through the same God-inspired teachings, and having received from them the word of truth, hastened to pluck up, with the sword of the Spirit, the thorny weeds that have now sprouted, in agreement with the truth of our most faithful and peaceable emperors, and in response to our request written to you, sent men bearing the same name as the prince of the apostles, Peter, for the sake of holding a universal council. C Upon their arrival, our pious and most serene emperors received them kindly and ordered them to be sent to us, through whom we received your letters. And having spoken with them of the matters that were appropriate, we also called upon the men who had come from the East, adorned with the priesthood, John and Thomas, participants in the Word and in knowledge, and adorned with reverence and modesty; for they were present here, having arrived for the same reason. And so, all the God-beloved bishops of the jurisdiction here having been gathered together, by the nod and divine zeal of our most faithful and pious emperors, a session of the council took place. But certain ones, moved by senseless minds, creating a disturbance among themselves, D forced us to rise from our seats; and being prevented, we remained silent for one whole year. But when the time had passed, the God-beloved bishops were again ordered by our pious emperors to gather in the famous metropolis of the Nicenes, in the province of Bithynia. And indeed we, taking as our companions the God-beloved men who are your vicars, and likewise those who from the East had arrived, set out for
A the same metropolis. And when we had all taken our seats, we made Christ our head. For the holy Gospel lay upon the holy throne, testifying to all of us holy men who had gathered together: “Judge righteous judgment;” judge between the holy Church of God and the novelty that has been brought about. And when the letters of your holiness, which had been previously presented, were read, we all waited, enjoying spiritual food as if at a royal banquet—which Christ, through your letters, prepared for those feasting—and like an eye, you pointed out the whole body toward the path of righteousness and truth.
So therefore were the rent members joined together into one; thus was true harmony confirmed; thus did the Catholic Church recover its unity. B Together with these, the reading of the letters which were sent to us from the Eastern diocese being completed, the purity of the ancestral tradition's beauty was demonstrated, and the power of the truth was strengthened, there being set forth, of course, for the reading, very many testimonies of the Fathers. These things having been thus accomplished, there was proclaimed by us all, who had been gathered together by the good pleasure of God, the right and irreprehensible confession which was sent to us by you, and also by report to our pious emperors. And all the arch-heretics of that heretical wickedness, and those who followed them, and who finished their lives impenitently, were condemned with an equal sentence [that is, by an ecclesiastical office] C as those who were heretics before in the Catholic Church. For those who were present in their lifetime confessed their salvation through libelli written by themselves. And Christ our God, the rock indeed upon which we are established, in no way allowed the tunic woven from above throughout, that is, His Church, which was built by Him and through Him, to be rent and torn apart; nor did He allow the members to move now one way and now another. But rather, together with the ancient heresies, He destroyed by the word of His grace, and pierced with the sword of the Spirit, the error of that new wickedness of those who, accusing Christians, bark rabidly against the venerable images. And we have been satisfied in all things, and by experience itself we have known that truth prevails over all, and conquers, according to the unerring voice of Him who speaks. D There is nothing at all, moreover, that resists it, and it is most robust, so as to rise up against all enemies; and it dissolves the legions of those who resist it. For behold, behold, the lips of those who spoke falsely have ceased, and the darkness of their insolent slanders has quieted; but the beauty of the dogmas of truth has shone forth, the heretical infamy having been cast out from every side. And the Church has obtained its own adornment, and has received rest from the sorrows pressing upon it.
A For it is immovable and impregnable, and against its faith the gates of hell and of infidelity shall never be able to prevail, as we have heard from the voice of the Lord. “And our mouth was filled with joy, and our tongue with exultation;” and we have been made to rejoice in the Church over which we preside according to the will of God. These things, therefore, have come to pass, Christ, who is God over all, being well-pleased, through our orthodox and most valiant emperors. For they themselves have set up the venerable images in every place, both in most celebrated temples and in their own royal palaces. To whom may the Lord God grant a recompense, exalting the horn of their kingdom both for the peace of his Churches and for the salvation of all us Christians. May his name be blessed for ever and ever. Amen. B
III.
To the most holy and most blessed brother and fellow-minister, Adrian, pope of senior Rome, Tarasius, unworthy bishop of Constantinople, new Rome, sends greeting in the Lord.
In many parts and in many ways, we are taught in an evangelical, apostolic, and paternal manner to have a conduct free from avarice in the sanctification of the priesthood, and not to use gold, or silver, or anything else upon the imposition of hands on any sacred person, as we shall demonstrate in the testimonies set out below, both from the assertions of Divine Scripture and from paternal teachings. C For those who impose hands are ministers of the Spirit, not sellers of the Spirit; for, having received the grace of the Spirit gratuitously, they are commanded to give it gratuitously to those who receive it from them, having obtained this freedom [Gr. liberality] from the voice of the Lord. But if anyone is convicted of having obtained this by money, they proclaim such a person to be cast out from the holy order; and although he may be called a priest by name, the word is proven false in the matter. For no one can serve God and mammon, as we have learned from the Gospel. And since we have heard God crying out prophetically, “Priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem,” and again threatening and saying, “If the watchman see the sword coming, D and do not sound the trumpet, and the people do not keep themselves, and the sword coming takes a soul from among them, I will require his blood at the hand of the watchman,” we announce the fear of the condemnation of silence to all the prelates of the Churches that are among us, that we may say with confidence, according to the divine Apostle: We are clean from the blood of those who transgress the canonical dispositions, and much more of those who have imposed or do impose hands for money [Gr. or have received the imposition of hands]; we judge these, like Simon the Magician, from the chair of Peter the divine apostle, whose chair your fraternal holiness has obtained.
A For this reason, we do not shrink from announcing the truth, keeping and holding fast to what has been canonically set forth by the holy and all-praised apostles and by our celebrated Fathers; and if any of these things has been transgressed by some, we abominate it. Therefore, your fraternal and high-priestly holiness, rightly and according to the will of God governing the hierarchical sanctity, possesses an illustrious glory. For the first and great high priest, Christ our God, said through the prophet: "As I live, those who glorify me I will glorify."
For you know, O man of desires of the Spirit, that the impious heresy of Macedonius and those around him who fight against the Spirit is more tolerable than the views of these men. For while those men rave that the Holy Spirit is a creature and a slave of God and the Father, these men—as they think—make Him their own slave. For every master, if he wishes, sells what he possesses, whether a slave or any other thing he owns; similarly, he who purchases, wishing to be the master of what he buys, acquires it through the price of money. Thus, those who perform this lawless action B bring down the Holy Spirit, sinning equally with those who blaspheme, saying that Christ casts out demons by Beelzebub. Or, to speak more truly, they are like Judas the traitor, who sold Christ to the God-killing Jews for a price of silver. Since, therefore, the Holy Spirit is consubstantial with Christ our God, they will certainly be of the same portion, as has been shown, with those who sold Him.
But if it is not sold—for it is clear that it is in no way sold—then undoubtedly the grace of the Holy Spirit, that is, the sanctity of the priesthood, is not in them. For what they have not received, they do not possess. Let them be mindful of the holy Peter, who said as follows to the one who attempted this: "You have no part or lot in this matter." For if the dignity of the priesthood is sold, then with them an irreproachable manner of life, and conversation in purity and virtues, is superfluous. C According to them, even Paul the divine apostle is superfluous, teaching that "a bishop must be blameless, prudent, orderly, a teacher, temperate, sober, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it." D Therefore, all these things depart from one who sells and one who buys the priesthood; the underlying holy-spoken usages declare that he who has given or received [a benefit of the priesthood] at any time is altogether alien to the priesthood, whether before the laying on of hands, or in the laying on of hands, or after the laying on of hands. For to receive is to receive, whenever it may be. But they also revoke all ecclesiastical promotions made through the giving of money.
Canon of the holy apostles, 29.
If any bishop, or presbyter, or deacon shall obtain this dignity by means of money, let both him and the one who ordained him be deposed; and let him be cut off entirely from communion, as Simon Magus was by me, Peter.From the Acts of the holy apostles.
A“Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me also this power, that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘May your silver perish with you, because you thought that you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, if perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.’” BFrom the third book of Kings.
“And Jeroboam did not turn back from his evil way; and he turned, and he made priests of the high places from the lowest of the people. Whoever he wished, he filled his hand, and he became a priest of the high places. And this thing became a sin to the house of Jeroboam, and for its destruction from the face of the earth.”From the fourth book of Kings, concerning the leprosy of Gehazi.
C“And Naaman returned to the man of God with all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, ‘Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but only in Israel. So now, accept a blessing from your servant.’ But he said, ‘As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will not receive.’ And he urged him to take, but he would not.” And after a little: “And Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, said, ‘Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him, and I will take something from him.’ So Gehazi followed after Naaman.” And after a few words: “And Naaman said, ‘Accept, I pray, a talent of silver.’ And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments.” And after other things: D “And Elisha said to him, ‘Where do you come from, Gehazi?’ And Gehazi said, ‘Your servant has not gone anywhere.’ And Elisha said to him, ‘Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Now therefore you have received the silver, and you have received clothes: so that you may buy olive orchards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants; but the leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to you and to your descendants forever.’ And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.”From the interpretation of the holy Bishop Basil on Isaiah.
A He gave the law as an aid, so that they might say, this is not like that word concerning which it is not permitted to give gifts. But this law is not like that word of the ventriloquist; for it was not devised for deception, as are those, but it is a teacher of truth. And they indeed divine for silver; for this is what is laughable, that those who are deceived pay silver to them as a reward for falsehood. But this word, that is to say the law, is not of such a kind that gifts should be given for it. For no one sells the grace of God. “Freely,” He says, “you have received, freely give.” Do you see how Peter was indignant at Simon, who offered money for the grace of the Spirit? “Your money,” he says, “perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be acquired with money.” The word of the Gospel, therefore, is not like the words which are sold by ventriloquists. For what could anyone give as a worthy exchange for them? Hear David hesitating and saying: “What shall I render to the Lord for all that He has rendered unto me?” There are, therefore, no gifts that can be given for this that are worthy of the grace that is from Him. There is one worthy gift, namely, the guarding of what has been gifted. He who gave you the treasure does not demand the price of what was given, but a guarding worthy of what was bestowed. BBy the same, from the epistle destined for the bishops who were under him, that they should not lay on hands for money.
They think they do not sin, because they do not accept the gift at the same time as the imposition of hands. But the accepting is [the act of] accepting, whenever it is done. I ask, therefore, that you put aside this income, or rather this presentation leading to hell, and do not, by contaminating your hands with such receipts, make yourselves unworthy of celebrating the holy mysteries.From the life of holy John Golden-Mouth.
C The one who was the cause of our long disputation approached all the bishops, namely Eusebius, the accuser of the six remaining bishops, demanding that he be received into communion. Some of the bishops contradicted, [saying] that he ought not to be admitted as a slanderer. In these matters he supplicated, saying: “Since the case has been examined for the greater part of two years, and the delay has been made for the sake of witnesses, I implore your God-belovedness that the witnesses be granted to me today. For even if the bishop Antonius has died, who took the gold and performed the ordination, nevertheless those who gave and were ordained remain. The present council has decreed that D the business be investigated: the case begins from the reading of the records which were previously transacted.” The witnesses entered; there entered also the six who had given and had been ordained. At the beginning they denied it. But as the witnesses persisted...both those of the laity and the presbyters, in whom they had seemed to place their trust; and as certain women also mentioned the kinds of pledges, the places, the times, and the quantity, their conscience not being A very well disposed, they confessed voluntarily, without much necessity: “Because we gave, we confess, and we have become [ordained], thinking that such a consequence was necessary, so that we might seem to be freed from the public curia.” And now we beseech you, if it is holy for us to be in the ministry of the Church, that we might be so; but if not, at least let us receive back the gold which we gave. For we even gave some vessels of our wives. To these things, John promised the synod: “As for the curia, I will, with God’s help, deliver them from it, by petitioning the emperor; but you—order that they receive back what they gave from the heirs of Antoninus.” The synod ordered them to receive the gold from the heirs of Antoninus, but to communicate within the altar, and to be deprived of the priesthood; lest, having obtained indulgence for these things, a Jewish or Egyptian custom of selling and buying the priesthood should arise. For they say that the pestilent and false-named patriarch of the Jews changes the archisynagogues every year, or even more often, for the sake of collecting money; and similarly too, the emulator of this man, the patriarch of the Egyptians; so that that prophetic word might be fulfilled: “Her priests answered for rewards, and her prophets divined for silver.”
From the canons of the six hundred and thirty holy Fathers who gathered at Chalcedon, the second canon.
If any bishop should perform an ordination for money, and bring down to a price the grace which cannot be sold, and ordain for money a bishop, or chorepiscopus, or presbyter, or deacon, or any other of those who are enumerated in the C clergy; or should promote for money a steward, or an advocate, or a mansionary, or generally anyone who is subject to the canon, for the sake of his own filthy lucre: he who has attempted this, being convicted, shall be in danger of losing his own rank; and the one who has been ordained shall profit nothing from this ordination or promotion, which has been made through trafficking, but let him be alien to that dignity and office which he obtained for money. If anyone should also be found to be a mediator in such shameful and illicit payments, and this person, if he be a cleric, shall fall from his own rank; but if he be a layman or a monk, let him be anathematized.
From the synodal epistle of Gennadius, the most holy archbishop of Constantinople, and the synod that was with him.
Let it be, therefore, and it is ordained, that he is cast out, and is alien to every priestly dignity and ministry, and subject to the curse of anathema, both he who thinks to possess this priesthood through money, and he who promises to provide it for money, whether he be a cleric or a layman; and if he be convicted, whether...
A he be a bishop, or any kind of cleric, and not according to evaluation and the choice of life, we command that he be deposed; but also those who are known to have ordained them. Let us all hear these things, and let us give ear, not only the high priests, and priests, and those who are numbered among the clergy, but also all who inhabit the circle of the earth. For it behooves us to attend more abundantly to the things heard, lest perhaps we drift away: "For you were not redeemed with corruptible silver or gold from your vain conversation after the tradition of your fathers, but with the precious blood of the immaculate and undefiled Lamb, Jesus Christ." Thus instruct us, O most holy man, to follow the divine Scripture, and the evangelical, apostolical, canonical, and paternal precepts. For we obey the words of your mouth. "Get thee up into the high mountain, lift up thy voice with strength; get thee into the wide places, preach with confidence," so that the imposition of hands which is done for money may be taken away and come to an end; and also whatever, on account of this, follows out of greed, injustice, and the acquisition of base gain. For this, being removed, together with those things that go along with it, from the peculiar people who are named by the name of Christ, B and who have obtained redemption gratis, all the contagions that follow wickedness shall be cut off by the root, and the priests shall flourish as the palm tree, breathing the fragrance of Christ to those who are being saved, and singing a triumphal song to the Church: "The Lord has taken away thine injustices from thee." And furthermore, filling those who pluck [the fruit] with sweetness, and multiplying them in a fertile land, showing them to be heirs, I say, of that blessed and incorruptible life.
IV.
To the most God-fearing and reverend fellow-minister, Lord John, presbyter and hegumen, or anchorite C remote from worldly cares, Tarasius, unworthy bishop of Constantinople of New Rome, greeting in the Lord.
He who is irrigated by the flowing streams of the divine Spirit, and is illumined by its inspiration—that David, namely, who was a prophet among kings and a king among prophets—said as he praised: "In the beginning I knew from thy testimonies, that thou hast founded them for ever." This hymnody, therefore, is without falsehood to those who possess understanding, and is firm to those who sing it together. For Moses, the inspector of God, also said concerning every utterance of divine Scripture: "Upon them it is not permitted to add, and from them it is not permitted to take away." D
A Those, therefore, who apply themselves to all the scriptural and patristic teachings in an investigative, not a superficial, manner, and who attend to their reading, fastening their minds upon piety and truth and not referring this to their own will, are marvelously enlightened, being illuminated from the eternal mountains by the evangelical and apostolic commands. For the Psalmist calls these things mountains, because by meditating and walking in them, we ascend to heavenly things. And they are eternal because they were not spoken recently or for a time, but before the foundation of the world, even if they have been voiced in the final times by the heralds of the evangelical proclamation. As for us, O man of desires, knowing that from your youth you have been dedicated to the things of the Spirit and to God, we entrust to you a few of the movements and intentions of our heart for the sake of spiritual gladness. For the greater part should be honored by silence.
Utterly has the report reached you concerning the synod which took place by the good pleasure of God in the city of the Nicaeans; to which synod we, and the sacred men, deputies of the Pope of elder Rome and of the most holy high priests of the East, gathered, together with very many God-beloved bishops, according to the command of our pious emperors. Likewise also the reverend archimandrites and hegumens, and a multitude of monks. And after many things were spoken among us, that which was true and pleasing to God was judged. And according to the ancient legislation of our holy Fathers, the Church received the painting of images and their inscriptions, for the sake of C elevation of the mind and the memory of our intellect, and the participation of a certain sanctification. For whatever the holy Gospel signifies to us through reading, the same do the images also; and whatever the books of the acts of the martyrs recount concerning the sufferings of the martyrs, likewise also do the images. And we salute these as being likenesses of the prototypes, and nothing else, plainly believing in one God hymned in Trinity, and serving Him alone. We also seek the intercessions of our impeccable Lady the holy Theotokos, and of the holy angels, and of all our holy and blessed Fathers.
Things being thus, the greater part of the D reverend monks complained to the synod. But we also foresaw this complaint, that the majority of the bishops obtained their priesthood with money. And although we are surrounded by our sins and bound by the cords of these, regarding which may the Lord be propitious to us; yet we have received the knowledge of the evangelical commands and the canonical decrees, and with a clean conscience, and a simple heart, and a manner free from avarice, and with a conscience rising up to God, we desire to follow in all things the canonical and evangelical ordinance; and we have bound ourselves and inclined ourselves to be enslaved to the evangelical and apostolic and patristic precepts;
struggling that those who have been allotted the priesthood should thus conduct themselves and live and walk, but likewise all who are called by the name of Christ. But if any persist in disobeying these commands, I do not tolerate being a partaker with such as are called priests but are not; but I am an alien to their portion. And for me to protest these things is not burdensome, but for them it is safety. Therefore, the divine canons depose and cast out from priestly dignity the one who gives or receives in the ordination of the priesthood. The seer of God, Moses, as I have said, cries out: "In them," he says, "it is not permitted to add, and from them it is not permitted to take away." B Likewise also the hymnographer David sings, and we with him: "From the beginning I have known from thy testimonies, that thou hast founded them forever." And who is fit to resist these things? Unless, perhaps, he be foolish in mind and wishes to mock divine things. For now the testimonies of God have been founded and are rooted in His Church, even if certain ones, disobeying temporarily, do not keep them. Those things, therefore, remain forever, and blessed are they who scrutinize them and obey them; and woe to those who do not obey.
Every bishop, therefore, or presbyter, or deacon convicted of having given or received the imposition of hands for money falls away from the priesthood. But perhaps some say, because we do penance for the sin, and God forgives it. And I too say that God receives all who do penance, and forgives sins that have already been committed through penance. For I know C that David was entangled in adultery and murder, but having done penance, he was received and testified to: "I have found David," He says, "the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who shall do all my will." And the holy deeds of David, testified to prophetically, make it clear that he was corrected through penance. But again, I know he heard from God: "You shall not build me a house, for you are a man of blood." I know Manasses was released from impiety through confession. I know also that harlots and publicans were received through penance: yet none of these was numbered in the dignity of the priesthood, unless perhaps he committed it before baptism. I have known certain monks—when they were in the world, they were D defiled by every lust; but when they lived in solitude, they shone like lights in the world through their ascetic life: yet not one of them was ordained a priest. But if this has happened once or twice, it does not, however, forthwith prescribe the law in the Church. We know that the holy [blessed] Mary [the Egyptian] was previously a harlot, afterwards having become continent [having turned away from fornication, and again being modest]: yet not among the deacons was she enrolled, but she was holy and removed from every evil thing. And why do I say these things, knowing the true word? Having been initiated by the divine apostles, and by our holy Fathers who followed them, I shout with boldness—
A I see: That whoever is ordained a bishop, or presbyter, or deacon through money, is alien to the priestly dignity; for the grace of the divine Spirit is not sold. This is a Caiaphas-like endeavor, a Simoniac machination, and alien to priestly holiness. And if anyone should be caught once in fornication or adultery after baptism, divine canons do not admit him to the priesthood; indeed, if anyone already promoted to the priesthood has done such a thing, he is immediately cast out. Every man, therefore, who perseveres in repentance for his sins, knowing the goodness and kindness of God, I know attains redemption from sin, just as we have set forth above. And I anathematize Novatus and those who are dragged along by his impious heresy, as they reject repentance and do not accept the kindness of God. Likewise, I confess that a bishop ordained through money who repents is to be received; for God is good to all, and His bowels of compassion are opened toward every man who repents, and He leads him into His kingdom. But since, according to the divine Apostle, a bishop must be irreproachable, he who ordains someone for money, or is ordained through such, is alien to the priestly dignity, as we all know who are children of the Church, instructed by canonical teachings. Therefore, repentance is good and excellent, and leads to God, and delivers from sins. For I myself am in need of mercy; for I know the kindness of God, C that He accepts everyone who comes to Him. For He said through the prophet: «Speak thou thy sins first, that thou mayest be justified.» And, «I said, I will confess my sin before the Lord, and thou hast forgiven the impiety of my heart.» And, «For this every saint will pray to thee in a time of need.» And I know that the Corinthian who fornicated was received by the divine apostle Paul, yet was not raised to the priesthood. For if a father, when his son has wandered off and has acted impiously and unjustly, receives him back again upon his return because of natural affection, how much more does God, the Father of us all, both accept and embrace every penitent as one who is kind? For He does not wish for the death of the sinner, so much as that he should turn back and live. Just as we have heard from the Lord's own voice, which in the Gospel tells the parable concerning him who lived his life prodigally, that upon his repenting, he was received by the Father who is in heaven. For He rejoices over every sinner who repents. Repentance is a great weapon, a great way of salvation, D a herald of the kingdom of heaven, a guide to incorruptible life, the rival of martyr struggles, leading toward God and making one to be with God, a staff for the human race, a resurrection for the fallen. Blessed are those who embrace this. Those who attend to it with the angels live in communion...
guide of the noble way, the equivalent of the contests of martyrs, indicating the way to God and making us to be with Him; the staff of the human race, the resurrection of the fallen and backsliding. Blessed are they who embrace it and adhere to it. They who practice it lead a life equal to that of the angels; they turn aside from every evil and do good. Repentance is the pillar and familiar companion of love—foster-sister and fellow-dweller with charity—of almsgiving, fasting, abstinence, temperance, probity, honesty, and gentleness [Greek adds: of prayer]; and to say the truth in one word, repentance is strong in all these [Greek: repentance is everything]. If anyone, however, defiles and despises it, he is to be numbered not among the saved, but among the lost, whose worm dieth not and the fire is not extinguished. From whom may we be delivered, being counted worthy of the promised good things by the mercy and compassion of Christ our God. These things are proclaimed by us, most holy man, if by chance there should be any who wish to defame even us. For we know thee to be a singular B admonisher and practitioner of the evangelical, apostolic, and canonical decrees. Wherefore we write these things to thee all the more boldly, and we desire that thou signify them to the monks, and the ascetics, and the men who are religious [Greek: and the men who are secular], with whom thou hast relations; and that, in thy heavenly prayers, thou be mindful of us [Greek adds: and if it pleases thee, make it known], we earnestly beseech, so that we may at length be delivered from the evils that surround us on every side. For the insults pressing upon us, both within and without, are urgent; from these we have been delivered by the mercy of God, and we trust that we shall escape them hereafter as well. Wherefore we say again and again: Pray, beseech, O friend of God and our friend, or rather, our Father—for we know that thou art affected toward us with the affection that a father has toward his own children. May the God of peace, who calls both those afar off and those near to Himself, preserve our life in peace, and may He make all those who worship Him, and admire Him, and call upon His name, to be safe through the intercession and prayers of our Lady, the holy Theotokos, and all His saints. Amen. To all the brothers who shall arrive unto you, be pleased to give greetings in our name, so that they too may pray for us with you. C Jesus Christ is God, the Son of God.
V. Copy of the letters that were sent to the high priests and priests of Antioch, Alexandria, and the holy city, by Tarasius, the most holy and most blessed ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
(MANSI, Concil. Collect. t. XII, p. 1119)
Many and great are the providences by which the Lord God, ruling and directing the lives of men, consultatively leads the outcome of each person's life (for without Him nothing was made, since even the hairs of our head are numbered by Him), and me, in the order of laymen until now numbered and assigned to imperial ministries, I know not by what judgments—He Himself knows—advanced to the episcopal seat...
A by the forceful encouragement of the defenders of the truth, our most pious and orthodox emperors, and of the most holy bishops and clergy, which was brought to bear upon me. Wherefore, yielding under compulsion, I gave my assent, and I entrusted to them the fruit of obedience to be plucked. And I beseech you, most holy ones, that as fathers you support me, a faint-hearted one, with the staff of power, that is, with your paternal teachings; and as brothers, you assist us with your pure prayers, with the armor of God against the wiles of the Adversary, that I, being tossed by successive waves, may be steered, so that I might cast anchor at the harbor of the will of Christ our God. For there is, there is indeed in our days a war without iron, with words being cast and returned. But we have as a trophy of victory the truth that cannot be conquered. And then, too, when violent tempests blow, by taking you as my fellow defenders—having endured for a little while the surge of these things—we shall find Christ rebuking them, and we shall pass through life in tranquility. And with these things having been sufficiently stated in our introduction, the exact knowledge concerning them will be clearly announced in what follows. Now, however, I pass on to another purpose of speech. For since an ancient, or rather, to tell the truth, an apostolic tradition has taken root in all the Churches, that those who are advanced B to the priesthood should recommend themselves to those who have preceded them in the same order by explaining how they stand regarding matters of their faith, it seemed good to me also, following this, to incline myself to you and to declare my confession clearly, just as I learned it from the trumpets of the Holy Spirit (whose sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world) and from their fosterlings and followers, namely, our most holy Fathers, in whom I was raised from my tenderest years.
I believe in one God the Father Almighty, and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our God, born of the Father C timelessly and eternally. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father through the Son, and is Himself known to be God: a Trinity consubstantial, of equal honor and seated on the same throne, eternal, uncreated, the Creator of all creatures D, one principle, one deity and lordship, one kingdom and power and authority in three subsistences, indivisibly divided and divisibly united; not one perfect something out of three imperfect ones, but out of three perfect ones one super-perfect and more than perfect, as the great Dionysius said. Thus, according to the distinction of the persons, three are to be worshipped, but according to the common nature, one God, the Maker of all things visible and invisible, the provider for all. I confess also the birth of the One of the holy Trinity, the Son of God, our Lord Jesus
A Christ and God, from the truly holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary; who was made flesh for us entirely without sin, without changing from what He was, and as the two natures having remained unconfused, along with the two wills and operations in them; who was crucified for us in the flesh, and buried, and rose again, and ascended into the heavens, and shall come to judge the living and the dead. Moreover, I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the eternal requital of all deeds done, of good things and of their opposites. I also seek the intercessions of the all-holy, immaculate, and Ever-Virgin Mary, our Mistress, and of the holy angels, and of the holy and most glorious apostles, prophets, martyrs, confessors, and teachers. And I venerate their holy icons. And I abominate every heretical wrangling, and their leaders and promoters, I mean Simon, Marcion, Manes, Paul of Samosata, and Sabellius the Libyan, and their impious dogmas. B I also accept the holy and universal six synods, and their divine dogmas and teachings, as having been handed down to us by divine inspiration. And whereas the first [synod] proclaims the Son to be consubstantial and co-eternal with the Father, I anathematize the impious Arius, Aetius, Eunomius, Eudoxius, and Demophilus; after whom [I also anathematize] those who are rightly called Anomoeans and Semi-Arians, and their entire polluted gathering. And whereas the second confesses the Holy Spirit to be God, the Lord and Giver of life, I reject Macedonius and all who are of the same mind as him; along with these, also the God-detested Apollinaris, who thought without a mind. And whereas the third [proclaims] our Lord Jesus Christ to be the true God our own, begotten of the Father, and the same in the last days for our salvation become incarnate from the holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, I drive far from my confession the man-worshiping Nestorius and the pair C about him—I mean Diodorus and Theodore—and those who have championed their monstrous fable, regarding them as having conceived of a personal duality in Christ. And whereas the fourth [confesses] that Christ our God, one of the holy Trinity, came in the flesh from two natures and [exists] in two natures, I anathematize Eutyches, Dioscorus, and their entire acephalous multitude, along with Severus the God-hater and the impious Julian of Halicarnassus, who fabulously claimed that our Lord Jesus Christ assumed an incorruptible body. And whereas the fifth, as the sword of the Spirit, cut off from above the unlawful heresies that had prevailed from earlier times, and exposed their inventors—Origen, Didymus, and Evagrius—I too cast them away as the myths of heretical babblings [Gr. monstrous inventions]. And as regards the sixth, just as [it confesses] Christ from two natures, from which He is, so also the two natural D wills and operations in each nature
I have believed, both human and divine. And I subject to anathema Cyrus, Sergius, Honorius, Pyrrhus, Paul, and all who share their views, and their dogmas; and I have hated their dogma, like a Sodomitic vine and Gomorrahite shoot, bearing a cluster of bitterness. Moreover, I accept the same holy sixth synod, with all the dogmas legally and divinely promulgated by it, and also the canons that were issued, in which it is reported: "In some pictures of the venerable images, the Lamb is depicted as shown by the finger of the Forerunner, who prefigured grace, truly demonstrating to us, through the Law, the Lamb, namely, Christ our God." Therefore, saluting the ancient figures and shadows as indications of the truth and as preceding characters handed down to the Church, we prefer grace and truth with honor, admitting this as the fullness of the law. So, therefore, in order that the perfection might be depicted even through the working of colors before the sight of all, we define that, from now on, the character of the Lamb of God, Christ our God—who takes away the sin of the world—should be set up in icons according to his human character instead of the ancient lamb; through him, namely, we contemplate the height of the humility of the Word of God, and are led to the memory of the life which He lived in the flesh, and also of His passion and saving death, and the redemption which was thereby effected for the world. C But as for the superfluous tumults and garrulities subsequently promulgated without consideration, as being by no means received among you, nor spoken according to divine grace, we consider them void; and saying "farewell" to these, and intending to put them aside, we gird up the loins of our mind in truth; and we rise up along with our pious and faithful emperors, the defenders of the truth, for the unity of the holy, catholic Church of God; whom we also requested to convene an ecumenical synod in the presence of all their God-beloved people, and they piously consented to our request. Whence you, who have been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, there being for Him the chief cornerstone, Christ Jesus, as has been said in what precedes, having taken you as allies, fellow-travelers, and defenders, we have such confidence toward God; not that we are sufficient to think anything from ourselves as from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God; because He will make the member that is torn away and separated, when it is joined and fitted together into one body, to increase, in which the head is Christ. And may there no longer be things that are scattered. And finally, I ask your holiness to send up to two [vicars] as locum tenentes with your God-inspired letter, and whatever may have been divinely revealed to you concerning this matter, make it manifest to us; so that, as is due, both your locum tenentes and your synodical letters may be found [suitable] in all things, both for speaking and for being read, so that by this means what is torn asunder may be united. For this very thing, even by...
A the president of Elder Rome, we have asked; and I exhort you fraternally, uttering the apostolic voice to you, as though God were exhorting through us, that you search out all things according to your godly counsel and make them known to us. For it is written: "The lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth" (Malach. II, 7). For we are certain that you preserve the seeds of truth within yourselves. And our pious emperors also, who in all respects are orthodox, strive for the confirmation of the truth and cease not to entreat the Lord God, according to Gregory who was surnamed for his theology, that we—who exist as [people] of the one God—may become one; and those who belong to the Trinity, united and equal in honor, may be found of one mind in all things; and that we who are of the Holy Spirit may be not against one another, but for one another; and that we who are of the truth may be shown to be wise and saying the same thing, B and that there may be no strife or dissension among us; but just as we have one baptism [and] one faith, so also [may there be] one consonance in every ecclesiastical matter. And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, lead us into unity, and unite what is divided, and heal the long-standing wound, and keep us whole in the safety of the faith, and establish all in true confession and concord, and unite His holy Church, and suppress the scandals that lie upon it, through the intercessions of our undefiled Lady, the Theotokos, and all the saints. Amen.
Petrus and Petrus, the God-beloved presbyters, and holding the place of the most blessed Pope Hadrian of Elder Rome, said: "The most holy Pope received such letters, and for this reason he sent us with the responses which have already been read."
Joannes, the God-beloved presbyter, and holding the place of the eastern chief priests, said: "These sacred letters, and the piety of the Empire, caused us to come hither and to flee from the hands of those lawless enemies of the Church."
The holy synod said: "God has brought you well."
Constantinus, the God-beloved deacon and notary, said: "I have in my hands the aforementioned quaternions C which were sent from the East; and if you command, I will read them."
To the most holy and most blessed lord and master Tarasius, Archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch, the chief priests of the East [send] greeting in the Lord.
Having read the most sacred libelli, dictated by the divine inspiration of the Godhead, of your apostolic and paternal holiness, O most blessed one, we, the humble, and the last of those who desire to inhabit the desert, were seized with both trembling and joy. With trembling indeed, on account of the fear of those to whom, because of our sins, we have been condemned to serve, and who truly are ungodly, and "walk in a circle," according to what is written, D [when] the ungodly walk [...]
A and seek pretexts day by day, so to speak, to betray us to death and ruin. But we rejoice because of the orthodoxy of the faith that shines forth in you like the sun’s rays, and the most conspicuous unfolding of the apostolic and Patristic dogmas. Concerning these, having timely recalled the prophet Zechariah and the singer who gave birth to the voice of the Word, we cry out with a loud voice: "The Orient from on high has visited us," B illuminating—through the contemplative and most god-minded intellect—us who were sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, in the evil-minded error, that is to say, the Arabian impiety, in order to guide our intellectual feet into the way and paths of a peaceful constitution. "Who shall speak of the mighty acts of the Lord?" Let David, the forefather of God, sing with us; "Or who shall make all His praises heard?" For God has had mercy on His desperate people, and has gathered what was divided into one harmony of faith. C For He raised up a horn of salvation for us, and of restoration in the house and God-receiving temple of His only-begotten Son, our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ: which is you, most holy ones, and those who occupy the second place according to the law and order of the Church, our God-crowned conquerors and divinely appointed sovereigns and masters of the inhabited world; for the priesthood is the sanctification and transformation of the empire, and the empire is the strength and bulwark of the priesthood. Concerning these, a wise prince, most blessed among holy kings, said: "The greatest gift God has bestowed upon men is the priesthood and the empire; the former adorning and guiding heavenly things, and the latter governing earthly things with just laws." D Now, truly, the middle wall of the partition is broken down, and harmony has begun to prevail over discord, and division bows down to unity, and dissension has vanished and is no more; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, triumphs with a joyful countenance and conducts itself with boldness. Now we, "who had become a reproach to our neighbors and those around us, a mockery and derision to those who are round about us," and who because of this had been looking down to the ground in shame, now look up to the heavens with unanimous eagerness, and singing in exultation we proclaim: "By this I knew that You have delighted in me, because my enemy shall not rejoice over me." And as for me, because of my innocence and simplicity, when I was stumbling by reason of error, You took hold of me, and having saved me, You raised me up, and You have planted my stumbling feet upon the rock of the apostolic faith. These things, and things in concert with these, have prompted us to write, as your divinely inscribed letters have moved us—moved by the canon law and guided by the tradition handed down by the Fathers—which you have sent to those who have been allotted the governance of the apostolic sees through a holy and devout and God-guided pair; who, having arrived and, through the will and nod of God, having met with the brothers who worship God, [alt-version omitted]
A they recognized them by their past and long-standing acquaintance, and were greatly rejoiced, and especially to find both of them living in one place and pursuing a path pleasing to God. And revealing themselves, they showed them the godly and admirable documents concerning your orthodoxy, recounting point by point the God-pleasing resolve of your Holiness, and the wise counsel of our God-guarded lords, and the expectation of the common salvation of all, and their hope towards God, which cannot be put to shame. B But they, as though having one soul in two bodies and thinking in true apostolic fashion, and being moved by the divine Spirit, while wrapping and concealing the brothers in secret on account of the fear surrounding the enemies of the cross, did not—wise as they were—dare to trust their own vision or carry out the course of the affair, since the matter was held in fear and required the most growing counsel and careful circumspection of the treatises. “For good counsel,” it says, “will keep you, and a good thought will guard you.” And so, having remained unnoticed by those whom they had placed under their protection and guard, they ran to us and, having gathered our humility together in silence, first binding us with a most awesome adjuration to keep secret and without disclosure the things that were to be told by them—and in this way piling up for themselves the assurance—they revealed to us all the circumstance of the affair that had befallen them. C Astonished and pricked in heart, and bathed in fervent tears over the miracle of such a narrative and the paradox of such a change, we stood in prayer as sinners with fear and trembling; and rendering fitting praise to Him who does all things and changes them for the better, we earnestly besought His goodness to become our mediator in our insignificance, and through the Holy Spirit to cause the light of knowledge to shine in our hearts, and to grant the power for a counsel of common utility, and good thoughts for the completion of your most excellent purpose; which He indeed did, being good and a lover of mankind. D We therefore considered, most holy ones, knowing the hostility of that defiled nation against us, to detain those who had been sent and to prevent them from nearing those to whom they were destined, bringing them into our midst and admonishing them at great length not to introduce disturbance—or, to speak more specifically, destruction—among those who are quiet and at peace by the grace of God, and among a people miserably afflicted by the yoke of slavery and crushed by the imposition of unbearable taxes. But they, taking this ill, said that they were sent for precisely this: to surrender their own lives to death for the sake of the Church, and to bring to completion the intention of the most holy patriarch and the pious emperors.
A 'But if,' we said to them, 'the danger only concerned our own souls, your argument would have some validity; but since it proceeds against the body of the Church in common, what success will there be? Nay rather, what damage will there not be, to build an edifice upon rottenness, deprived of a firm foundation? And how,' they said, 'or with what face shall we return to those who sent us, bringing nothing at all of what they hoped for according to their desire?' To this we, not despairing, and knowing our God-beloved brothers John and Thomas, adorned with divine zeal for the orthodox faith, and having been syncelli to two holy and great patriarchs, and moreover lovers of the holiness-producing silence, said to them, 'Behold, brothers, a time opportune for salvation, and more excellent than silence. Go with these men, and take upon yourselves the defense for them; and relate with living voice what we deemed it too difficult to make known to our masters by letter. B You know how, through a petty accusation, he who was allotted to rule the throne of James, the brother of God, has become an exile from two thousand signs. But when you have fulfilled the work of God, and have made known to our masters the apostolic tradition held in the Churches throughout Egypt and Syria, then you shall embrace what is desired by you.' 'And how,' they replied, 'shall we, being simple and unknown, and weak and unlearned regarding the matter, presume to undertake a business that exceeds our strength?' But we answered, 'Christ our God, who worked through the most lowly and simple—the holy apostles, I mean—and through them captured the whole world for the obedience of the word of His dispensation, is powerful to give you speech in the opening of your mouths, to fulfill the intention and sense of those who were able neither to receive letters, nor dared to write or even mutter anything regarding such things.' And they, being lovers of God and manifesting themselves as sons of obedience, were persuaded by our word, and yielded to the exhortation. Sending them off with fervent prayer, and having procured no small joy for those who were sent, we were thus separated from one another with a great outpouring of tears. C 'But, O most holy and most blessed ones, as is fitting for your fatherly authority, receive our brothers gladly, and present them to the masters of the world without hesitation or human fear; for you shall have them as those who know clearly the harmonious and concordant orthodoxy of the three apostolic thrones; who proclaim with consonant voice the six holy and ecumenical synods, and who do not at all admit—nay, do they reject in every way—that other one besides these, which some whisperingly call the seventh, as having been assembled for the destruction of the apostolic and magisterial traditions, and for the removal and D destruction of the holy and venerable images.
A But do you, most holy ones, being kindled with divine zeal, and having as allies your divinely-preserved lords, chosen by the just decree of God to reign over you—the God-guarded sovereigns—along with the divine-protected and God-fenced senate, prevail and act manfully, and let your heart be strengthened, [1 Cor. xvi, 13] taking apostolic vengeance on all disobedience, and bringing it into submission to Christ.
We deem it necessary to remind your pontifical height of this: that if, by the good pleasure of the King of all, Christ our God, and of our most pious and triumphant lords who have been deemed worthy to reign with Him—the friends of God—you should wish to convene a synod, let not the absence of the three most holy apostolic patriarchal sees and the most holy bishops under them appear burdensome to you; for it does not occur from their own intent, but because of the most terrible threats and death-dealing punishments of those who hold power and rule over them. B This is to be considered more precisely from the holy and ecumenical Sixth Synod, in which none of the bishops of those parts who were then in office were found to have gathered, because of the dominance of the impious. Yet no prejudice attached to the holy synod from this, nor did any obstacle prevent it from establishing and making manifest to all the right dogmas of piety, especially since the most holy and apostolic Pope of Rome concurred with it and was present in it through his own apocrisiarii. And now, most holy ones, may this be done with God's help. C And just as then that faith resounded to the ends of the earth, so too will the synod now to be gathered by the grace of God, through your mediation and that of him who steers the apostolic see of the chief of the apostles, be proclaimed in the whole world under the sun; that is to say, restoring those things which were tyrannically destroyed, and re-establishing them in the ancient and apostolic tradition. D Furthermore, for the strengthening of our humble letters, and for the satisfaction of your beatific lordship and our victorious and triumphant emperors, we have thought it right to append to these things written by us a copy of the Synodical [letter] of Theodore, of holy memory, our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem. This scroll, according to the accustomed rite of the Church, the same man, now of holy rest, wrote to the blessed and most holy patriarchs of holy rest, we mean Cosmas of Alexandria and Theodore of Antioch the City of God, who, while he was still alive, is acknowledged to have received their reciprocal Synodical letters. May the Lord keep you in health, praying for us, most holy and divinely honored.
Epistle
A To the brothers and fellow-ministers, all the most holy bishops of the Christ-loving Sicilians, Tarasius, by the mercy of God, Bishop of Constantinople, New Rome.Those who wisely meditate upon the divine oracles, and who search into them thoroughly and not in a fleeting manner, and who fasten their minds upon piety and truth, are illuminated in a wonderful way from the eternal mountains, from the apostolic and prophetic, I say, and the patristic teachings; and by the splendor of the radiance, they behold the Lord before them at all times, and through active virtue they are led toward contemplation. Furthermore, mixing the dogmatic teaching with these things, they educate both themselves and others in the truth, regulating the custom of their lives; and, having risen above earthly things, they set their minds on things above, and just as limpid water cleanses the eyes of those who wash, and renders the sphere of the sun itself and the vaults of the heavens, so also these pure minds, being mixed with the pure Mind, become as it were a perfect image and mirror of the divine glory, as the Lord said: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." And worthily are they chosen as sacrificers, priests, and ministers presiding over the people, since it was said concerning them: "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them." B Being, therefore, men of spiritual desires, we hear that, in obedience to the canonical rule, you gather together each year to judge the ecclesiastical issues that arise in your entire province; and that you always invoke the Lord, so that he may send down the grace of the Spirit upon you, and give to each of you a word of understanding, a word of divine counsel, a word of guarding the commandments of God, a word of keeping the canonical teachings—bidding farewell to worldly concerns that are contrary to the commands of God—so that you may judge spiritual things spiritually, not preferring human things to spiritual ones; for that is a work of human favor, not of that which the Spirit gives. But what are the spiritual things? They are the evangelical judgments, the apostolic constitutions, and the decrees of the divine canons; for apart from these, an ecclesiastical judgment is nothing other than a cursing.
Wherefore, the holy Synod, which by the grace and good pleasure of God was gathered in Nicaea in our times, at which the majority of you were present, after it had defined that the ancient tradition of the holy Catholic Church of God is to be preserved, and that the venerable and holy images are to be accepted, and having consigned to anathema the heretics—whom the truth has named "Christian-accusers" and "Iconoclasts"—decreed D that all the canonical decrees (as you yourselves know) are to be preserved and kept without any violation or doubt, intact by all of you, priests and monks and laymen.
of their maintenance, just as the writings of his synodal books clearly teach. For everything was drawn from the fountains of Israel, and he proclaimed and omitted nothing beyond these; for the teachings of this [synod] admit neither addition nor decrease: for it is written, "You shall not add to them, nor shall you take away from them." For indeed, even on the coins of kings, if anything of the impress is clipped away, the whole coin is rendered counterfeit; so also, if one subverts even the smallest of the divine canons, he brings corruption upon the whole thing. Thus, A certainly, those who attempt an addition to the divine Scripture or to the sacred canons or to the teaching of the Fathers, it is established that they extinguish the truth; and a false manner of speaking follows the sound of their tongue. Therefore, remember the words of God: "When you have done all things rightly, you shall be saved." And you, therefore, in your synod gathered by the will of God, adhering to the truth, open your mouth B and fill it with the Spirit, judging in an evangelical and apostolic, canonical and patristic manner, etc.
MONITION CONCERNING THE FOLLOWING HOMILY
Writers of literary history, relying on the manuscript of the Coislin Library, CCXII [MONTFAUC. Bibliotheca Bibliothecarum, p. 504], are accustomed to attribute the homily on the Presentation of the Mother of God, whose title is "On the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos" and whose beginning is "Radiant and paradoxical is the present festival," to Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople, without even the slightest doubt cast upon it. However, Marcellius, in his commentaries on the Calendar of the Church of Constantinople, affirms—perhaps while expressing some doubt—that the oration does not appear to be of Tarasius, and he brings forward a two-fold reason for his opinion: namely, that the word "Most Holy" (ὑπεραγία), which is found in the title, began to be used only from the tenth century, and that the solemnity of the Mother of God entering the temple had not yet begun to be celebrated in the Church of Constantinople in the time of Tarasius, as is evident from the silence of the Calendar, which certainly pertains to the eighth century.
That the difficulty drawn from the word "Most Holy" in the title is of the very slightest importance, no one fails to see. For who would deny that one judgment is to be passed concerning the sermons themselves, and another concerning the inscriptions of the sermons? Since it is entirely uncertain when they are to be attributed to the author of the sermon himself, and when to another. Granted that the title ought to be attributed to no other than the author of the oration himself, it does not follow from this with certainty that the aforementioned homily is not by St. Tarasius. For this word is found in the inscriptions of homilies which are attributed to authors contemporary with Tarasius or even older (1). Therefore, with equal right, either these orations must be stripped from the authors whose names are circulated, or we must admit that the use of the word "Most Holy" is older than the tenth century, which is evident from other sources, as from the canon of Joseph the Hymnographer in which we read: "Most holy, devoid of blemish" (2), and from the Triodion of St. Sophronius of Jerusalem (3). Nor does the argument from the silence of the Constantinopolitan Calendar concerning the feast of the Presentation of the Mother of God carry more weight, since, by the testimony of Marcellius himself, it can be held for certain that that Calendar was written neither before the year 741, nor after [the year 806]. By what right, then, can it be inferred from that monument that the solemnity of the Mother of God entering the temple had not yet begun to be celebrated in the Church of Constantinople while Tarasius was living, who died in the year 806? Therefore, no decisive reason is elicited on account of which the homily which we submit should be stripped from the great Tarasius. On the contrary, the style and the things that are said in the oration itself against the Iconoclasts confirm the common opinion regarding the author of this homily.
OUR HOLY FATHER TARASIUS ARCHBISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE: HOMILY ON THE PRESENTATION OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS
Bless.
A 1. The present festival is bright and marvelous, stirring the longing of those who love festivals to sing hymns, as it follows the perpetual Virgin and Mother of God proceeding into the temple. For today heaven and earth celebrate a common feast and together glorify the Creator of all things, who chose a maiden from the mortal stock, who is the daughter of God, to be His own dwelling place.
Today an abode is made ready for the mystery that was foreordained before all ages and was destined to be revealed in the final times. Today she who was born of promise to Joachim and Anna is offered by them—a precious gift—to Him who would later be pleased to be born of her. Today the prelude of joy is brought into the temple, three years old, and virgins proceed before her with lamps. Today the undoing of the curse of barrenness is brought as a gift into the Holy of Holies. Today the proclamation of the prophets ascends into the innermost sanctuary, accompanied by the high priest and prophet Zacharias; and the place to which he himself would enter once a year with fear, this maiden dwelt in joyfully and securely, day and night.
B 2. Who would not be struck by such a marvelous thing? Who would not be astonished at this marvelous wonder? Who would not be struck, seeing in the sanctuary, sitting in attendance, Mary the immaculate, who had become inaccessible even to the priests? This is the prelude of the union with us; this is the foreshadowing of the mingling of angels with men; this is the emblem of our restoration; this is the transformation of our thorn-bearing life and of that former sentence, "Cursed is the earth in your works; it shall bring forth thorns and thistles for you," and of that which says, "In the sweat of your face you shall eat your bread." This is the release from the [sentence of], "I will multiply your sorrows and your groanings..."
and from that which says, "In pain you shall bring forth children." Let us, therefore, O faithful, celebrate this most honorable feast, this most brilliant solemnity, which, shining with divine rays and kindled by intelligible lights and gleaming with mystical splendors, flashes forth the hidden knowledges of God to mortals, and declares the one Godhead in three persons, the omnipotence of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Wherefore, having gathered all these arguments into a summary, let us make the beginning of our discourse, fittingly derived—as much as we are able to describe—from the Virgin’s presentation in the Temple, and afterwards let us pursue in our speech [the subject of] the fulfillment of the Law and the manifested fruits of grace. For she herself is the Holy of Holies, the immaculate bridal chamber of the Word, the blossoming virginal rod, the ark of sanctification, the holy mountain, the God-containing tabernacle, the burning bush that was not consumed, the chariot of God flashing with flame, the undefiled dove, the spacious dwelling-place of the Word, the God-illumined cloud, the embroidered queen sprung from the seed of David, who had been kept by the Creator of David and God for His own habitation. B
III. Now Joachim, of the twelve tribes of Israel, being a rich and just man, was wont to offer his gifts to God. But because he was sterile in seed and lacked children, the priests of the Temple of the Lord rejected his offerings insultingly with these words: "It is in no way lawful for you to offer these to God, seeing that you have produced no offspring in Israel." And he, casting down his eyes and countenance in sorrow, departed from the Temple of the Lord, oppressed with grief. Then, turning aside alone onto the mountain to supplicate God, with a contrite heart and an agonizing soul he cried out, saying: "You, O Lord, the inspector of hearts, and the Creator of all things both visible and invisible, who stretched out the heavens like a curtain, who ordered the sun to be for the lighting of the day, and who made the moon with the stars to provide a torch for the night; who commanded the air to be moistened by the clouds, and who stored up the blasts of the winds; C who restrained the sea with sand and filled it with every kind of fish, and the dry land with brute animals, wild beasts, and birds, and [who] nourish these by Your will and command; You who cause grass to spring forth on the surface of the earth, and adorn all trees with their own beauty, hear me, O merciful One, and grant me offspring. Give me a pledge of a line to be propagated, so that the deceitful lips may be stopped, which speak iniquity against the just man in pride and contempt." These are the words of the just man, these are the entreaties of the forefather, such were the sighs of Joachim from an aching soul. D
IV. But what of Anna? For it is good to make mention of her words as well. For she, who had lived in harmony with her husband, and having lost the flower of her youth, was now verging upon old age, had lain in perpetual sterility. But when even the way of women had ceased,
A she was recognized as being excluded from the condition of conceiving progeny by the very nature of her state. Therefore, when she perceived the withdrawal of her husband, like a lonely turtledove, she began to beseech B the Artificer and Creator with suppliant prayers in her own garden, saying: "O Lord Sabaoth, who sittest upon the Cherubim, and art glorified by the Seraphim; Thou who art attended by ten thousand times ten thousand angels, and who art glorified and worshipped by thousands of thousands of hosts; Thou who didst form Adam with Thy hand, and didst infuse life into him by Thy life-giving command, and from his side didst build woman; Thou who, by Thy wise providence, didst make a helper for him like unto himself, and didst join the two into one, saying, 'They shall be two into one flesh'; Thou who, to Abraham Thy servant and patriarch, didst grant a son, the child Isaac, after his old age and after the sterility of Sarah, and didst make him a father of many nations; Thou who, to Anne, who is of the same name and tribe as I, didst grant a most beautiful and holy child, Samuel, as a divinely-bestowed son of prayer, and a triumph over falsehood and hatred—look down from Thy holy habitation, O Most High, and open unto me my womb for childbearing. Drive away from me the sorrow of sterility, and break the bonds of my childlessness, so that I may offer unto Thee the fruit that shall be born from Thy handmaid, whether it be male or female, as an offering, as incense of sweet savour, as a pure sacrifice, as a precious gift, as a holy vow, as a divine dwelling-place, as an unblemished ewe-lamb, as a first-born lamb, as a new Isaac."
C V. And so, as both were praying, an angel of the Lord appeared unto them, bringing the glad tidings of the conception of the most holy Mary, saying: "The Most High has heard your prayer, and in a short time you shall bring forth a daughter, that blessed one who, out of all generations, has been chosen as the habitation of God." When the angel had most joyfully announced these things, Joachim indeed descended from the mountain with joy and gladness of heart; but Anna, the barren one, was shown to be fruitful beyond expectation, not by the will of the flesh nor by the will of man, and having recognized the time of the nine-month gestation, she brought forth the all-immaculate Virgin and Theotokos Mary, the mediatrix of the salvation of the world.
VI. And let no one among those nourished by the Church accept this opinion that is put forward, namely, that the Virgin was born in the seventh month after conception. For I have heard many foolish people arguing these points, whom I judge to be worse than the unbelieving, since such are the inventions of heretics; these things are contrary to the Church, and foreign to those who hold the right faith. D For the Virgin and God-child Mary completed the full period of nine months in the womb of Anna, as human nature requires. But the mouths of fools, which—not being able to find any blemish in the undefiled—think that they are casting off the suspicion of a natural defect from the blessed Virgin.
have attributed this word to the Scripture, far removed from the truth and from correct understanding. And let none of the simpler folk accept it; for I am persuaded that those who are prudent do not even allow this saying to enter their ears, because as they read the words of Scripture diligently, they interpret them with divine insights. And when they find in it tares sown by the enemy, as children of the Church, they root them out entirely.
B VII. But now let us return to the proposed subject, going through and explaining the sequence of the narrative and the facts concerning the birth. For when the things foretold had clearly reached their fulfillment, and the immaculate maiden and daughter of God had been brought forth by the righteous Joachim and Anna, they set themselves seriously to the task of discharging the pledge of their promise. It was therefore possible to see the pious Anna exulting and rejoicing, and addressing the Virgin with the most festive words: "Who would have said, daughter, that you would come forth from me, who have been shown to be blessed throughout generations of generations? Who, looking upon you at my breast suckling, would not praise Him who gave you to me, who was barren and childless? Who, beholding these breasts, which had never before yielded milk, now overflowing, would not magnificently extol Him who drew forth springs of water for the thirsty people from the hard rock? But come, daughter, to Him who C bestowed you upon me. Come, O ark of sanctification, to the Lord of mercy. Come, O gate of divine life, come, O bridal chamber of the Word, to the temple of the Lord. Enter into the joy of the Lord, you who are the joy and exultation of the world. Enjoy the beauty of Him whom, not long after, you shall bring forth, having clothed Himself in human form. I, indeed, am blessed, for I am proclaimed the mother of such a daughter. Rejoice with me, O tribes of Israel, because after sterility I have been made mother of her who shall be established as mother of the Most High. Arise, O lamp-bearing virgins, and go before the immaculate Virgin and child of God. Sing to her in praise; play to her on the cithara; acclaim her with a spiritual canticle; magnify her with the ten-stringed psaltery. You also, David, ancestor of God, praise the maiden who has sprung from your lineage, offering a great hymn, saying: 'Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and the house of your father, and the king shall desire your beauty.'"
D VIII. When Anna, who shares the name of grace, had spoken these and similar things, she led the precious treasure of the Trinity, the Virgin and Mother of God, three years of age, to the temple of the Lord, rejoicing. Together with Joachim, pouring forth hymns in thanksgiving, and having gathered a band of virgins carrying torches, she reached the entrance that leads to the Holy of Holies. And there, with joyful lips and exultation of mouth, the venerable pair called upon Zacharias, inasmuch as he was prophet and priest and kinsman, and minister of the lawful testament;
A calling out: "Receive the venerable, the undefiled; receive, O priest, the unblemished bridal chamber of the Word; receive, O prophet, the censer of the immaterial light; receive, O righteous one, the fire-formed chariot of the Most High; receive, O blameless one, the beautiful vine, which shall bring forth the grape of eternal life; lead her into the innermost parts of the temple of the Lord; offer her to the place of holiness, which the Most High prepared as a dwelling place for Himself; bring her up into the holy of holies, she who is hastening to carry the Invisible within her womb; call her blessed, who has shown all mortals to be blessed; magnify her, who has been revealed as the God-written book of the great works of God; take her, who has delivered us from the curse upon our first mother Eve; greet her, who has bound us to God in philanthropy, and has destroyed the enmity of the serpent by her child-bearing; embrace her, who has snatched us away out of the embraces of the serpent; prophesy concerning her, who has been revealed as the fulfillment of the prophets, and the recapitulation of the promise of God to men; the table of the divine bread, the joyful wine, the food that perishes not, the guileless dove, the animate heaven, the many-lighted lampstand, the much-hymned bride, the much-praised mother, the divinely-watered olive, the divine vehicle of the dispensation of the Most High, the holy tabernacle, the lampstand fashioned by God, the rational lamb, the propitiatory of God, the glorious treasure, the sweet-sounding trumpet, the fat and curdled mountain, B the divine fleece, the cloud shedding the divine, the honored city, the intellectual veil, the God-carved lamp, the ladder by which the Creator shall be seen by mortals, the holy bed, the receptacle of grace, the abyss of miracles, the fountain of blessings, the inviolable wealth, the much-named and many-variegated and ever-virgin Theotokos. Lead her into the Holy of Holies, present her to the King as a precious gift, praise her as the queen of creation, prepare her as the palace of the King of all, hymn her, the secure guardian of all virgins; place her in the temple made by hands, she who has become the animate temple of the Word who fashioned all things."
IX. These were the joyful doxologies of Joachim and Anna; these were the hymnal descriptions of thanksgiving; these were the testimonies given with boldness to the prophet Zacharias. Wherefore the priest, as a prophet of God, and one who, holding the Holy of Holies, was a participant of God, looking upon the beauty of the aspect of the Virgin, the comeliness of her countenance, the praise of her tongue, the nobility of her soul, the blamelessness of her life, the gait of her feet, the modesty of her character, the propriety of her dress, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out: "O immaculate maiden, O undefiled virgin, O most beautiful damsel, O ornament of women, O glory of daughters C, O holy mother and Virgin, you..."
A are blessed among women; you are glorified in purity; you are sealed in virginity; you are the expiation of Adam’s curse; you are the resolution of Eve’s debt; you are the purest offering of Abel, the chosen one among firstborns, the immaculate sacrifice; you are the upright discipline of Seth (you, having conceived the Son of God in your womb, will give birth without pain); you are the hope of Enos in God that is not put to shame; you are the delight of Enoch, and the transition to a life untouched by harm; you are the ark of Noah, and the reconciliation of the second regeneration before God; you are the most brilliant splendor of the kingdom and priesthood of Melchizedek; you are the firm confidence of Abraham, and the obedient faith of the promise and of the generation of offspring; you are the new sacrifice of Isaac, and the rational burnt offering; you are the cause of Jacob’s ascent upon the ladder, B the greatest seal of the generation of the twelve tribes; you have appeared as the daughter of Judah according to his lineage; you are the chastity of Joseph, and the destruction of the old Egypt—that is to say, of the Synagogue of the Jews, O immaculate one; you are the perfection of Job’s patience in temptations, and the double restoration and most wealthy abundance of his goods; you are the divinely composed book of Moses and the Lawgiver, in which the mystery of regeneration is written, and was legislated by divine fingers on tablets, as on Mount Sinai, where the new Israel shall be set free C from the servitude of the intelligible Egyptians, just as the ancient people in the wilderness were filled with manna and water from the jagged rock; and the rock was Christ, who is to come forth from your womb as a bridegroom from his bridal chamber; you are the blossoming rod of Aaron; you made Joshua the son of Nun glorious in the midst of his adversaries; you are the daughter of David, arrayed in fringed garments of gold, adorned in various colors; you are the golden bridal bed of Solomon, which sixty of the mightiest men surround, sounding like trumpets the musical voices of the divine Scriptures in God; you have appeared as the ascent of Elijah’s assumption, and the destruction of the intelligible Jezebel; you are the blessing of the double cloak of Elisha, by which he divided the streams of the Jordan and crossed over with dry feet, and D made the water drinkable by healing it with salt; you are the safety of Jonah in the belly of the whale, and the repentance and bountiful forgiveness of the Ninevites.
You are the mirror of the prophets, and the outcome of the things foretold by them. For Ezekiel, prophesying, called you the shut gate, through which no man shall ever pass except the Lord God alone, and He shall keep the gate shut; Isaiah, that most grandiloquent of all, foretells you as the rod of Jesse, from which the flower, Christ, will spring, and having rooted out the plants of vices from the very foundations, will plant the field of the knowledge of God; Jeremiah foreshadowed you, saying: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, which I did not make with their fathers," signifying the of the Son
Gentiles to worship God even from the ends of the earth. You, too, Daniel, the man of desires, proclaimed as a great mountain, from which Christ, the cornerstone, shall be cut out, and he shall destroy and consume the image of the many-formed serpent. You, the three children in Babylon, foreshadowing the type, and discerning the desire for your Son, passed through the furnace heated sevenfold unharmed, and as in a bridal chamber, they rejoiced and danced in its midst. You, Habakkuk calls Mount Theman, from which the scepters of the King have powerfully arisen, in which the tabernacles of the Ethiopians and the tents of the land of Midian shall be terrified. I honor you, the immaculate ewe-lamb; I proclaim you, the full of grace; I extol you, who were pointed out from all generations as the Bride of God; I sing of you, who are about to be revealed as the new heaven; I bring you, as a pure treasure, into the temple of the Lord; I glorify you, the New Testament, in which Messiah Christ being inscribed, will bring the letter of the Law to a close, and will cause the calling of grace to spring forth through B baptism; and he will break through the shadow of circumcision, and will send down to those on earth the presence of the Spirit.
X. After the prophet had laden Mary with these most holy praises, he led her to the highest steps of the altar and offered her to the Lord God. Wherefore her parents, Joachim and Anna, returned from the temple with a joyful heart, wondering at the Virgin's understanding, meekness, and kindness. And she, having surpassed the babbling of infants, worshipped the Almighty in solitude; receiving food from heaven through an angel, she shrank from common food; and ever attending on the temple, she considered the cosmetic scheme of the world like a spider’s web. Having attained the heavenly wealth, she spurned earthly riches; and daily beholding the joy of the angels, she showed herself to be above the cares of this life, and ever looking to the Holy Spirit, she invisibly repelled the ranks of evil spirits. C
XI. For what did the Virgin do while dwelling in the most holy of the temple's inner sanctuaries? She received the food of angels through an angel, and like an immaculate dove, keeping her virginity, she prayed with thanksgiving and most effusive affection of soul to the Creator of the temple, of heaven, and of earth, saying: "I will praise you, Almighty Most High, who have taken away the reproach of my first mother Eve, and because of your ineffable mercy are about to send your only-begotten Son upon the earth, so that he may dwell with men. Therefore I shall become his clean and immaculate habitation."
For where sin abounded, D grace did much more abound. Through a woman we acquired death; through a woman he himself will restore all things again. Through the serpent we received food of bitter taste; but through him, in turn, we shall again feed on the food of immortality.
The first mother, Eve, brought into the light Cain, the prince of envy and wickedness; your only-begotten Son shall be the firstborn of life and resurrection. O unheard-of prodigy! O admirable novelty! O wisdom that no words can equal! A
XII. By what name, then, shall we call Mary? Heaven? For she contained in her womb the Creator of heaven and earth. The sun? For she, shining seven times more brightly than the sun, conceived the Sun of righteousness. The moon? For, shining with incomparable beauty, she gave birth to Christ, who is beautiful in splendor. A cloud? For she carried in her arms him who is clothed with the clouds. A lampstand? For she shone with light for those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. A throne? For she received in her womb, circumscribed by the Holy Spirit, him who reigns invisibly on the paternal throne. A pearl? For she stored up for mortals the most precious pearl. B Paradise? For she opened Eden to those who had been condemned, and leads them into a kingdom that will last forever. A mountain? For she contained without being straitened him at whose command the mountains smoke. The earth? For she carried without pain him at whose nod the earth trembles. A table? For she nourished with maternal milk him who provides us with sustenance. A sea? For she kissed with her lips him who gathered the waters into one gathering.
XIII. Who, then, would not be struck with amazement? Who would not be held fast, fixed in wonder? Who would not worship with the highest reverence the magnitude of the mystery? For if the deeds wrought before grace are of such a kind—transcending the power of the mind and every thought—who then will be able to recount what was brought forth after grace? C If those things which pertain to the shadow and the antiquated law are so illustrious, how great indeed will appear those things which followed the manifestation of the Spirit!
Let the sons of heretics be ashamed, who with impious and poison-infected mouths attempt to slander the Virgin. For the glorious Mary, having been exalted to the honor of the Mother of God, and having conceived him according to human form, gave birth, beyond the order of nature, to God and man at once. We embrace the venerable image of him, honoring it on his account; and indeed, we also worship the image of her, as she who became the Mother of him who conversed with us in the flesh—not, perish the thought, offering worship to the material, D but referring the honor to the exemplar, as we have perceived by divine faith. For we do not present to the eyes the form of the divinity, as you blind and wicked men allege, but we delineate and proclaim the flesh assumed from us by the Savior, through which he lived among us without change to himself, and having risen from the dead as firstborn. On account of him, therefore, who assumed flesh, we also honor the image of the one who gave birth to him, as completely immaculate, with the honor that is fitting. For if God commanded Abraham to bring a calf of three years, and a goat of three years,
A for the purification of souls, how could the Virgin, who was predestined from the creation of the world, and chosen from all generations as an immaculate dwelling-place, and presented to the holy temple to the Almighty, not be established as precious, pure, and undefiled, and an unblemished offering of human nature?
XIV. O Synagogue of the Jews, you who did not receive the Virgin who shone forth from your tribe as Theotokos, but rather insulted her unworthily with shameless lips, and moved by envy, reproached her with injustice and lawlessness; how did you not receive the eternal Son of the Father, born from her in the last times according to the flesh? And you have remained destitute not only of this glory, but even of the one born of her; not that he who surely came to you envied you, but because you fell away through your own wickedness, and persevering enviously in the malice of your vanity, you fell from the glory of both. Therefore, being useless both before and after, the works of your malice have become manifest to the whole world, according to the word of the Savior, which appears for your sake: "Amen, amen, I say to you, if you were the children of Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham; he indeed spoke of me; but now you are of the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father." And again elsewhere: "Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you, Moses, in whom you have hoped. For if you believed Moses, you would perhaps believe me; for he wrote of me." And later: "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin."
XV. But let us, the people of God, a holy nation, a chosen gathering, a host of the orthodox, sons of the baptismal font, children of grace, who celebrate the procession of the Virgin into the temple, with pure souls and undefiled lips, with many-voiced tongues, on this feast let us cry out melodiously, honoring her, as is fitting, with the bright feast, the first festival, which is joyful to the angels and most worthy of praise by men; and let us cry out with reverence and holy joy to the all-pure one the "Hail" of Gabriel:
Hail, the delight of the Father, through whom the knowledge of God flowed to the ends of the earth. Hail, the dwelling-place of the Son, from whom he came forth clothed in flesh. Hail, the ineffable dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit. Hail, the most celebrated wonder of the heavenly minds. Hail, holier than the Cherubim; hail, more glorious than the Seraphim; D hail, wider than the heavens;
hail, more splendid than the sun; hail, more shining than the moon. Hail, manifold brightness of the stars; hail, light cloud, which sprinkles celestial rain; hail, lightning sweetly shining into the eyes of the faithful; hail, spiritual thunder resounding to the ears of men without noise; hail, holy breeze, which dissipated the spirits of malice from the earth. Hail, noble proclamation of the prophets; hail, sound of the apostles heard throughout the whole world; hail, excellent confession of the martyrs; hail, most praiseworthy preaching of the patriarchs; hail, highest ornament of the saints; hail, truest pleasure of the just; hail, most blessed glorification of virgins; hail, scepter and firmness of kings; hail, greatest ministry of priests; hail, invincible refuge of sinners. Hail, glorious guidance of those sailing; hail, raising up of those falling, B Lady. Hail, free medicine of the sick; hail, certain resurrection of the dying; hail, cause of the salvation of all mortals. Hail, ineffable joy of the world; hail, queen, reconciler of peace; hail, immaculate splendor of mothers. Hail, most ample seat of the Word; hail, safe support of the aged; hail, divine instruction of the young; hail, illustrious guard of infants; hail, mediatrix of all who are under heaven; hail, reparation of the whole world; hail, most magnificent celebration of heaven and earth; hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you, who is before you, and from you, and with us. To Him be praise with the Father and the most holy and beneficent and life-giving Spirit, now and always and unto the infinite ages of ages. Amen.
ANALYTICAL INDEX TO THE WORKS OF SAINT GERMANUS
Arabic numerals recall the reader to the columns of this edition; the letters a, b, c, d indicate the divisions of the pages.
A Aaron supporting the hands of Moses, prefigured the spontaneous passion of Christ offered to God and the Father, from which pernicious death was restrained, 126, a. Ablution of hands in the sacrifice of the Mass, what it signifies, 423, c, d. Abraham, prince, painter of Christ's burial and resurrection, and how, 279, a. Acacius of Melitene, a man truly religious and composed for all piety and tranquility, 63, c. God created Adam naturally innocent and with free will, 143, c; He made him naturally fearing death, 144, b. Adam's skull dug up in the place which was later called Calvary, where Christ was crucified, 235, a, b, c. Alleluia, how it is interpreted, and what it signifies, 411, b, c. Altar, propitiatory, 390, a. The altar is and is called the manger and the tomb of the Lord, ibid., b. Ambo in the temple of God, what it signifies, 391, a. Angels are immortal, 263, a. Angels served with fear Mary consecrated in the temple, providing her with food, 303, b, c; 315, c. Angels descended and ascended on the cross, while Christ was being fastened to it, 254, b, c. Angelic orders, loving men, take the occasion of the repentance of sinners for a feast and joy, 223, d. Soul is the substance of the body, since when it departs, that which was subsisting is dissolved, 259, a, b. The separation of the soul from the body is not to be attributed entirely and chiefly to diseases, 95, c. Anna, mother of the Virgin Mary, arose from the Aaronic tribe, prophetic and royal stock, 314, a. She prays to God to take away the reproach of sterility from her, ibid., b; she is heard, ibid., c, d. Anna, compensating for long-standing sterility with a happy birth, exulting with immense joy, leads Mary to be consecrated to the temple of the Lord, 298 et seqq.; 299, b; 315, a, b, c. Annunciation of the Mother of God Mary is to be celebrated spiritually with an exulting soul, 322 et seqq. Dialogue between Mary and the angel concerning this mystery, ibid. et seqq. Antiphons are the predictions of the prophets announcing the coming of the Son of God, 402, d. Apollinaris the heretic; his errors concerning the humanity of Christ, 62, a, b. Apostles, miraculously transported through the clouds, flow together to the Virgin Mary about to die, 366, b, c. Having lifted the bier onto their shoulders, they carry her body out in procession with songs and lights with honorable worship and reverence to the monument, 367, c, d. Peter and Paul place the corpse in the tomb, but, with everyone watching, the body was assumed, and no one saw who had snatched it, 370, b, c. Baptismal water mystically declares to us the mystical
A laver of water and the fire of the Holy Spirit for the purging of the sins of the soul, 386, d. The Arians, wrongly interpreting certain voices of Holy Scripture for the sake of their own theory of belief, attempted to corrupt the sound faith of the most holy Trinity, 140, b. Arius, the Alexandrian presbyter, who indicates the madness of Mars by his very name, 55, c; he rises up against the Church; his errors concerning the Son of God, 47, b, c, d. As he attempted to enter the church to become a partaker of communion, he dies most miserably, 55, c, d. Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria, the pillar of religion and bulwark of the Trinity, 98, d; he is attacked by the Arians and vexed in every way, 54 and foll.
B Baptism: what it is, and what are its effects, 386, 387. Basileus, bishop of Amaseia and martyr, refutes the Arian madness, 50, a, b. Basilides and his errors; he is put to rout by the apostles and their disciples, 42, b. Basil the Great refutes Montanus and the Montanists, 43, b. He impugns Eunomius and casts this dog out of the Church, 59, b. The goodness of God spread abroad in us through the cross, 227, a.
C Cain, instructed in homicide by the devil, gave birth to unjust envy, and for this reason, he brought upon himself a damnation worthy of divine rebuke, 130, b, c. The chalice, the crater, and the cup: what they denote in the sacrifice of the Mass, 399, b. The place of Calvary prefigured in Abraham, 395, c, d. The chancel in the temple designates the place of prayer, 391, a. Carpocrates and his errors; he is refuted by the apostles and their disciples, 42, b. What the priest’s chasuble denotes, 394, d. Catechumens, namely the uninitiated and unbaptized, were not admitted to the sacrifice, 418, b, c, d. Cerinthus and his errors; he is put to rout by the apostles and their disciples, 42, b. The Council of Chalcedon is convoked by Emperor Marcion; what was decreed therein, 66, c, d; 67, a. How, in the reign of Leo, it obtained its strength, 70, a, b. What the Cherubic hymn demonstrates in the sacrifice of the Mass, 415, a, b. Christians worship one God, who must be adored in inaccessible light and power, 171, a. Christians are compared to the Israelites living in Egypt, 235, c, d. The faith, worship, and adoration of Christians is directed to one and only God, 155, d. For all Christians, serving God under the one yoke of the Gospel throughout the whole world, the most peculiar form is faith and confession, 167, d; 170, a, b. The Christ-killers were not only more irrational than brute beasts, but even more insensible than inanimate things, 151, c. Christ sets Himself forward as an exemplar for His faithful, so that by imitating Him they might be joined in the same tenor of peace, 133, b. In Christ, two natures are to be confessed, 137 and foll.; likewise two operations, 141, c. Christ, while He was human, worked as God simultaneously with the powers of the divine nature, 142, b, c. Christ is impassible and at the same time passible; for He suffered in the flesh which He took from the Virgin's womb, but He did not suffer in so far as the divine nature suffered nothing, 145, a. It is permissible to form images of Christ’s humanity, and why, 158, c, d. Christ, dying on the cross, bestowed life upon those who had been struck by the sting of death, 231, b, c. Christ's birth from the Virgin did not have everything in common with our own, nor did it follow the laws of human birth at all, 259, c. Christ, composed of a dual nature, mortal and immortal: the one indeed remained immune from passions, preserving that which it was by nature; but the other sustained passion and death in the human manner, 267, d; 270, a. In the death of Christ, natural things were mingled with those that exceed the reason of nature, 239, d. Christ’s descent into hell, 278 and foll. The ciborium: what it is and what it signifies, 390, a. The small pillars or railings separating the rank from the rest of the temple: what they demonstrate, 390, d; 391, a. What the communion of the Lord’s body means among the faithful in the sacrifice of the Mass, 450, c, d. The font of baptism represents the cave where Christ was born, and the cave where He was buried, 587, b. The altar-recess, the translation of the cross, ibid., c. Emperor Constantine, a man endowed with signal virtue, congregates the Nicene Council against Arius, 50, c. What was done and decided in this council, 51 and foll. Constantine finishes his life having been baptized by the Arian presbyter, 54, b, c. B Constantine, bishop of Nacolia; Germanus writes to him concerning the worship of images, 162, 163. Constantine, son of Constantine and emperor, favors the Arians and persecutes the Catholics, 54, 55. Contumacy is everywhere condemned, but infirmity is pardoned, 94, a. The corporal signifies the shroud in which the body of Christ was wrapped when it was taken down from the cross, 399, c; 414, d. The health and firmness of the body cannot absurdly be granted to the art of medicine, but life is measured out to men by God, 95, c, d. The body of the Virgin Mary, free from corruption, was assumed into the heavens, 359 and foll.; 347 and foll.; 359 and foll.; 370, c, d. What the *cosmites* indicates, 390, d. The cross of Christ is a great trophy of its own magnitude against death, in which He circumscribed the ends of the world in a fourfold manner, 150, b. The cross of Christ, the glory of the Lord, 222, d; 231, a. The common Lord ascended the cross not that He might judge the world, but that He might affix to the wood the handwriting of those who had fallen, 223, c, d. The cross was made a fount of obedience, and it makes us partakers of the fruit of eternal life, 226, b. The benefits of the cross, 230, c, d. The cross, source and origin of life and immortality, ibid. The cross is an instrument of blessing, not of cursing, 258, c; a symbol of humility, an uplifting of religion toward God; an argument of fortitude and of glorying, not of confusion, 239, a. The cross is the royal bed of our Solomon, in which the King of glory rested, 239, d; 242, a. The cross is the tree whose fruit is life remaining unto eternity, 255, c. The cross is the tree of life, because of the fruit of immortality suspended upon it, 258, a. Cyril of Alexandria impugns and refutes the errors of Nestorius, 62, d; 63, a. He asserts two natures in Christ, the divine and the human, 138, b. Cyril of Jerusalem disclosed the impious mind of Manes and refuted his doctrine, 42, d.
D Demons are nourished by the sins of men, 250, d. David sings a tragic song full of affect, and as it were, chants the funeral rites for the first parents of the human race, 235, b. David is at once the progenitor of Mary and of God, 298, c. The debtor celebrates his benefactor with continuous songs, 339, a. God looks upon the future as if it were the present, and His foreknowledge is not subject to error, 106, c. God threatens terrifying things, and likewise promises pleasant ones, so that the former might deter from sins, and the latter might persuade the docile to virtue, 106, c. The magnitude of God in no way feels its glory diminished by the poverty of the things it cares for, 110, c. God alone knows the equity of His own judgments, 130, b. All our acts and thoughts are open to God, 136, a. God is without beginning and infinite, containing all things in His hand, and is the creator of every creature, 162, a. Where God is, there is all goodness, all consolation, all pleasantness, 362, a. The devil always tries to harass the Church of God, 39, b; he rejoices to supplant man by wily frauds and to disturb the state of the ecclesiastical order, 78, a. The devil approaches as a friend, and is found to be wicked; he feigns benevolence with an external facade, and inwardly plays the thief, 227, c. Deacons, in the image of the angelic powers, as administrative spirits, run ahead in the ministry sent to them, 394, c. Those are not called "full of days" who have passed a long and spacious age, but those who with perfect religion shone in accordance with their age, 119, a, b. Why bloodthirsty and deceitful men are said not to live out half their days, ibid., d. Dionysius of Alexandria refutes the errors of Sabellius concerning the Trinity, but by urging arguments, as Basil and Athanasius assert, he scattered certain seeds, whence the impious Arius might stir up false differentiation of persons, 46, b, c. Dioscorus the heretic, condemned in the Council of Chalcedon, is driven into exile, 66, c. Riches, luxury, and the pomp of worldly glory seduce most men; their instability and vanity, 90, a. The Dormition or Assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary, 359 and foll.; 347 and foll.; 359 and foll.
E The Church, planted by the Lord Jesus Christ and purged from the stench of diabolical error by the force of divine salt, 39, a, b. Why God permitted the Church to be impugned by heresies, 75, c, d. He never abandons His Church, 73, c, d. The Church did not err in approving the worship of images, 130, c. The Church is the pillar and firmament of truth, 178, d. The Church is the temple of God, a house of prayer; terrestrial D
sanctuary, in which God dwells above the heavens and walks, 385, b; the divine house, where the mystical sacrifice of life is celebrated, 386, a. Dedication of a church, how it is to be celebrated, 374, 375. Ephesus, the third synod; what was decreed therein, 63, a, b. The Robber Synod of Ephesus; what occurred therein at that time, 66, a, b. Ephraem, bishop of Antioch, a great man, who left us dogmatic commentaries filled with theology, 71, d. Epiphanius of Cyprus, in his treatise against heresies, refutes Montanus and the Montanists, 43, b. Epistle, what the reading of it in the sacrifice of the Mass signifies, 411, a, b. Eudocia the empress, having first embraced the errors of Theodosius, soon returned to the communion of the Church, 67, c, d; 70, a. Eunomius, bishop of Cyzicus, taught that the Son is unlike the Father; whence his followers were called Anomoeans, 59, a, b. Eusebius Pamphili, a patron of Origen, while confirming his trifles, defends other errors as well, 47, a. He protects Arius at the synod of Nicaea, 51, a, b, c. Euthymius the monk, celebrated by the mouths of all, indicates the future conversion of Empress Eudocia, 67, c, d. Eutyches, monk and archimandrite, confirmed the Nestorian dogma and fabricated other absurdities; Eusebius of Dorylaeum resisted his heresy, 63, d; 66, a. He is condemned by the Council of Chalcedon, 66, d; 143, a, b. Gospel is the advent of the Son of God by which He appeared to us, 411, d; 414, a. The Gospels are four, like the four universal winds, 414, b; they have four faces, and their faces refer to the image of the administration of the Son of God, ibid. c, d; 415, a, b. Evangelists, how their names are to be interpreted, 414, b. Ezekiel, the lofty speaker, 298, d.
F Fasciae (swaddling clothes) which wrapped the Savior Lord, are most venerable, 378, a, b. Faith, not curiosity, is what we must take from the divine Scriptures, 99, b. Fixed, that which is, must needs remain immovable; otherwise, how could it be fixed? 106, b.
G Genuflection, not to bend the knee from Easter day until Pentecost, what it signifies, 391, c. Germanus writes to John, bishop of Synada, concerning the worship of images, 135 et seqq. On the same subject to Constantine, bishop of Nacolia, 155 et seqq. On the same to Thomas, bishop of Claudiopolis, 163 et seqq. Gradus (steps) of the altar, what they are and what they signify, 390, c. Grace and truth are to be preferred to the shadow, 150, d. Gregory of Nyssa, brother to Basil in both faith and character, pierced Eunomius with the supreme anathema, 59, b. Gregory the Pope writes to Germanus, especially concerning the worship of images, 147 et seqq. Gregory Thaumaturgus, instructed through a vision by the Blessed Virgin and John the Evangelist concerning the Trinity, 47, d; 50, a. Gregory the Theologian, pillar of religion and bulwark of the Trinity, 163 et seqq.
H Hemorrhaging woman, piously moved in remembering the miracle wrought in her, erected a bronze statue in the name of Christ, 150, c; 186, d. At the feet of that statue, a certain herb of a new species grew, a remedy for various illnesses, 187, a. Heretics are in a certain way kin and near to one another, and how, 86, a, b. Heraclius the emperor and Sergius the bishop conspire together to undermine the Church of God; their errors are condemned, 74, 75. Homicides store up evil for themselves; but the wisdom and goodness of God converts their deceits for the benefit of the patient, 131, c. Homo (man), the first, though made of clay, was a companion of the fiery ministers; his lodging was paradise; his fall, 217, b, c. Humerale (ephod) of the high priest, what it represents, 334, 593.
I Icons of the Cherubim formerly in the tabernacle bore the type of the heavenly powers, 78, d. Iconoclast misdeeds, filled with all impiety, did not shudder; their persecutions, 79, a, b, c. Iconoclasts are anathematized, 190, a, b. Idolic painting is named as the formation of those things which do not exist, 151, c. Images, the worship of, has always flourished in the Catholic Church, and why, 78, 79, 130, 131 et seqq.; 138 et seqq.; 194, a, b, c. The honor of the image passes to the original; the cause of the venerable images is full of piety, 150, b. The making of images, which is formed by wax and colors, is not admitted for the subversion of the perfection which is effected in divine worship, 158, c; but for demonstrating our love, which we have for the saints, 159, b. The true mode of making images in the Church of Christ, 159, c, d. The contemplation of images impels us to imitate what was done by holy men, 174, a. In the worship of images, it is not a mixture of wood and colors that is adored, but the invisible God, who in the bosom of the Father himself receives adoration in spirit and in truth, 174, d. The arrangement of lamps and the incense of odors which are placed before the images of the saints are symbolically devised for the honor of those whose rest is with Christ, and whose honor recurs to Him, 183, b. Through images God has wrought various miracles, 186, a, b, c. The image of the Blessed Virgin Mary which was at Sozopolis in Pisidia poured forth an emanation of ointment from her depicted palm, 186, b. Impiety of the wicked will never prevail so far as to overcome the virtue of the just, 79, c. Incense represents those perfumes which were offered for the burial of the Lord, 399, d. Infirmity is most readily pardoned, but obstinacy is condemned in every way, 94, a. Injury, being subjected to it is not an evil simply, but justly and deservedly, 239, c. Introit of the Mass, what it represents, 406 et seqq.
J Jael, the new, that is, the Church, worships the new nail which slew the enemy hostile to our nature, 238, b. Joachim, having wiped away the reproach of infertility, publicly leading his offspring through the streets, rejoicing brings the infant Mary to the temple to be consecrated, 294 et seqq. John the Baptist, a precursor of Christ in the upper as well as in the lower regions, 282, a. John the Evangelist, son of thunder, 42, b. John of Antioch disputes with Cyril of Alexandria concerning the errors of Nestorius, 63, b, c. John of Colonia, a priest, increased the forces of heresy and corrupted the sound dogma of the Church, 75, a, b. John, bishop of Synada; to him Germanus writes about image worship, 155 et seqq. Jonah, having been carried for three days in the bowels of the swimming monster, bears the symbol of God who directed the great whale, 295, b. Jordan, at whose waters Christ began to pour forth the rays of His divine epiphany, 250, c. Joseph, a just man, receives Virgin Mary by divine dispensation from the temple of God and its priests, to deceive the serpent, the author of evils, 315, d. Joseph the patriarch, likeness between him and Christ, 235, c, d; 238, a. Joseph presented those things relating to Christ with a more expressive figure, 279, a, b. Jovian the emperor, a man endowed with wisdom and right faith, 58, b. Jews, having eyes, do not see; having ears, do not hear, 251, a. Jews, serpents and offspring of vipers, 232, d; 231, a. Jews, like crows loving corpses, circling the tomb, cry out against Christ who lies in the sepulchre, 266, a. Jewish idolatry, 154, b, c; 167, a. Many myriads of Jews, having cast out the poison of malice, transferred themselves to a life consonant with virtue, 234, c. Jewish council, delirious, raged against the venerable images, 191, c. Judas, straining the vocal power of his throat with silver bonds, is throttled by a miserable noose, 267, a. Julian the emperor rages impiously against the Christians, 58, b. Justinian the Great, emperor; under his rule peace is returned to the Church, 71, b.
L Labor voluntarily undertaken and fatigue useful for the ways of life, are more worthy to be chosen than resting due to illness, 216, d. Lazarus, friend of Christ, already four days dead, called by the Lord rises, shattering the brazen gates of death and the insomniac gatekeepers, like a spider's web, 282, c, d. Leontius, hermit monk, composed a book most pleasant to read, titled Leontia, for asserting the duality of Christ's nature, 71, a. Lignum (wood) in paradise and the fruit of the wood plucked and eaten caused sufferings more bitter than gall, 226, a. Letters, profane, whose fables and figments are depis
depicting the beauty of elocution and artistry, they teach us, 91, a. A Lamp of man is the divine law, 227, c.
M Macedonius the heretic; his crimes, 53, b. His errors regarding the Holy Spirit, 58, c, d. Manes and his insanity, wrath and turpitude; he received a worthy reward for his doctrines from the gentile king, who ordered his skin to be flayed while he was still alive and himself to be killed in that manner, 42, b, c, d. His writings, 45, a. Manna prefigured the Eucharistic bread, 263, a. The celestial bread designated the mystery of the burial and delineated the figures of incorruption, ibid., b, c. Marcellus and his impieties; he is refuted in the Synod of Antioch, 46, a. He seems to have consented to the dogma of Sabellius, ibid., d. Emperor Marcian, a man inspired by the divine and capable of maintaining order, convenes the Council of Chalcedon and restores peace to the Church, 66, 67. Marcion and his errors regarding the incarnation of Christ, 43, c; he is condemned in the Synod of Antioch, 46, a. Mary, three years of age, is led into the temple in a certain and definite manner, with the Creator and her Son arranging all things, 295 et seqq., 510 et seqq. She is consecrated to God by her parents, 299, c, d. Angels served her with trembling, 505, b. Mary, a luminous cloud, which distills upon us the spiritual dew of God, 306, b. The most pleasant and rational paradise of God, ibid. The immaculate and most pure palace of the supreme King, ibid., c. The holy throne of God and divine gift, 307, a; most worthy of all praise and homage; the Virgin giving birth and Mother ignorant of man, ibid., c. The gateway of the afflicted and the refuge of Christians, 322, a, b, c. Mary, Virgin and Mother of God, imposed an end upon the sterility of the barren, and drove away the shadow of the legal letter by the grace of her own birth-giving, 294, a. There is no place where she is not held in honor, 531, d. Images of Mary, Mother of God, are fashioned, and why, 158, d; 159, a. The virginity of Mary, just as it was preserved after birth, so also was it preserved before birth, 259, d. The tears and lamentations of Mary, Mother of God, while Christ was dying, 270, 271 et seqq. We honor and magnify Mary as the proper and true Mother of the true God, and we consider her superior to every visible and invisible creature, 159, a. The unconsumed bush, remaining unharmed in the fire by its own power, prefigured Mary, 231, a. Maronite heretics, who have a monastery built in the mountains of Syria, 82, b. Martyrs are worthy of all honor, and are to be invoked, 183, d. The relics of the martyrs were delivered to the flames by heretics, 79, c. Physicians are not always able to retain present bodily health or to recall it when absent, 93, c. Lying is from the devil; but he who conforms his prayer with prudent counsel does not do it without the approval of God, 111, b. The holy table of the altar is in place of a burial site, in which Christ is placed, and on which the true and heavenly bread is proposed, which is the mystical and unbloody sacrifice, 387, c; 415, c, d. Methodius elaborated a book against Origen, whose errors he attacks, 47, a. The monastic habit is in imitation of the inhabitant and, as it were, citizen of the desert, John the Baptist, 395, a, b. The varied and multiform doctrine and errors of Montanus and the Montanists are refuted by Basil the Great and Epiphanius of Cyprus, 43, a, b. Why diseases are inflicted upon us by God, 98, a. Death does not seem to be caused by one reason, but by many diseases in men, 95, a. Death is nothing else than the separation of the soul from the body, 259, c. Death which does not arise from natural infirmity, but comes with a certain violence and before its day, is to be deprecated and shunned by all mortals, 231, b, c. By the destruction of the Amalekites, Moses demonstrated the powers of the invisible enemies of the human race weakened by the cross, 126, a. The bronze serpent of Moses is a type and figure of Christ, 230, c, d. Moses is a figure of Christ, 279, c, d.
N Nacolia, a small town of the province of Phrygia; the bishop of that city most maliciously attacked the cult of images, 78, a, b. Nature is recognized from acts, 143, b. The divine nature is sempiternal and incomprehensible, and is to be considered similar to nothing of those things which are seen, 178, a. That two natures in Christ Jesus, Son of God, are to be confessed, 137, c et seqq. Nestorius, an irreligious man of bad character, Bishop of Antioch; his errors concerning the Word of God, 62, c, d. The seamless garment of Christ, that is, his sound doctrine of faith... B Nicene Synod gathered by Constantine, 50, c, d; condemns the errors of Arius, 51, a, b. The profession of faith of the Fathers of the Nicene Council, 190 et seqq.; various subscriptions of them, 191 et seqq. Nicodemus and Joseph, illustrious guests of Christ, more illustrious than Abraham himself, 287, b. Seeing Christ naked, moved by mercy, they bind him with shrouds and bring him into the stable, entrusting him to the earth and covering him with a sepulcher according to common human law, 270, a. Nicolaitans and their errors; they are routed by the apostles and their disciples, 42, b. Nicolaus the sophist, a heretic, 75, b. Novatus, a Roman priest, proscribed penance from the Church; he is refuted by Saint Gregory, 50, b, c. The novelty of things is to be avoided entirely, 166, d. The number ten, a perfect number, 212, b.
O By the fruit of obedience, the fruit of disobedience is taken away, 226, b. The oblation which happens in the cupboard denotes the place of Calvary, where they say the skull of the first parent, Adam, is situated, 395, b, c. Oil in baptism, like the oil by which kings and priests were anointed; its effect, 586, c, d. That there were two operations in Christ, Son of God, is to be confessed, 141, c et seqq. A work which is done in the name of the Lord is precious and holy, 151, c. The Lord's Prayer is explained, 442 et seqq. The best order is to begin from God and to finish in God, 410, d. To pray towards the east, what it means, 391, b, c. Origen and his various errors; he is refuted by Methodius, Peter of Alexandria, and others, 46, d; 47, a. The effects of original sin, which the wood of the cross happily repaired, 227, d; 230, a, b, c. The skins of sheep are testimonies to the foolishness of the first man, 230, b.
P Paneas, a city, the fatherland of the woman with the issue of blood, possesses a bronze statue of Christ, 186, d; a certain herb that grew at its feet is a remedy for various diseases, 186, d; 187, a. What the sanctified and offered bread of proposition represents, 395, d; 396, a. The bread of the soul, the word of God, 445, d. Paradise, which Eve closed, Mary opened, 362, d. Obedience is to be rendered to the divinely inspired Fathers, 99, c. Paul the apostle, who was a serpent and a brood of vipers, put on Christ through baptism, 231, c, d. Paul of Samosata, and his errors concerning the incarnation of Christ, 43, d; 46, a. He is condemned in the Synod of Antioch, ibid. Peace is to be estimated for all; nothing is to be preferred to the good of peace, 135, a, b. Sin is chaff, tinder and nourishment of inextinguishable fire, 233, d. He who is held by sin knows no reason for relaxation, although he is placed on a bed to lie down, although he composes the hands moved to the chest for rest, 216, d. A symbol of sin is thorns, 254, d; 266, b; but sin is the most present instrument of death, 251, d. The stone of the monument upon which Christ is placed springs forth the water of immortality, 262, c. Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, attacks the errors of Origen, 47, a; he anathematizes Arius, whom he refused to receive into communion even in the very preparation for martyrdom, and why, ibid., b, c. Emperor Philippicus or Bardanes (for this ruler of ill-omened name had a double name); his errors... Philoponus, or rather Mateoponus, an Alexandrian grammarian, a heretic; his errors, 70, d. Photinus; his impieties are condemned in the Synod of Antioch, 46, a. A silent painting shows by imitation what the discourse of history commends through hearing, 171, d. Not those are called full of days who have spent a long life and a spacious time, but those who have shone with perfect religion consistently with their age, 119, a, b. The afternoon time, when, with the evil demon supplanting, Adam was cast down from his ruin together with his spouse, 259, a. Prescience, the chief prerogative of divinity, and the truest sign of supreme power, 110, a. Presentation of the Blessed Mary to the temple of the Lord, above all...
1507 INDEX ANALYTICUS
solemnities of the herald should be celebrated, 291 et seqq.; 310 et seqq. Presbyters are, in imitation of the seraphic powers, covered by stoles in place of wings, 594, b. An offspring seeks and desires its own parent, and the parent in turn loves to be with the offspring, 317, a, b. The providence of God is demonstrated in the fact that one dies sooner than another, 102, a, b; 110, c, d. The powers of divine providence are subject to no labor, 127, c. All our affairs are governed by inscrutable Providence, 131, d. The reverence of Pythagoras’ disciples toward their master and his sayings, 99, b.
S The Sabbath promises liberation from the fatigue of six days, and is a resolution of labors and rest for already weary bodies, 246, b, c. The Sabbath was for the sake of man, ibid., a. The Sabbath on which Christ was buried is to be held in veneration, as it is the day of our reformation, 217, b. Sabellius and his errors regarding the Trinity are refuted by Dionysius of Alexandria, 46, b, c. Priests who walk about having laid aside their sashes, wearing chasubles; what this signifies, 394, b. The time granted by the pontiff to a priest about to begin the divine mystagogy; what it indicates, 399, 402. Figurative images of the saints were invented for the sake of signifying love or desire rather than for any other reason, 78, d. Images of the saints are to be venerated, and why, 159, a, b, c; they are most useful for the remembrance of their virtue, 182, a. For what purpose the invocation of saints is useful, 162, a, b. What true wisdom is, and what advantages it produces for its students, 90, b, c; 91, a. Sacred Scripture is true science and was planted by God in the midst of paradise, 136, b. What the *semanterium* signifies, 386, b. Semipelagians rage against the Catholics, 58, d. A discourse that teaches the actions of good men helps those who hear it and invites them to the zeal of imitation, 171, c. The bronze serpent in the desert denoted the mysteries of Christ, 123, c, d. Severus the Acephalous, or rather the "many-headed dragon," affirmed one nature of both the Word and the flesh, 71, c, d. Simeon, venerable for his great number of years, carried Christ in his arms, 279, d; 280, a. Simon Magus fights against the Church, but is cast into the abyss by the tongue of holy Peter, 42, a. The sun is the eye of the day, yet it is blinded upon the death of Christ, 250, b. The lamp of this great house sets into darkness, and the paterfamilias sleeps, ibid. Holy solemnities, as often as they are celebrated, bathe those who gather for the sacred rites in spiritual pleasure, 291, c. Sophronius, a most wise man, impugns and refutes the heresy of Sergius and Heraclius concerning the wills of Christ, 74, a, b, c. The Holy Spirit is not alien to the Father, 342, c. Stephen, bishop of Heraclea in Pontus, had learned almost the entire Bible and recited it by heart, 74, c. Stephen, bishop of Siunia, before his elevation to the episcopacy, brought the epistle of the Greeks to the Armenians to Constantinople, 133, a. What the priest’s stole represents, 394, a, b. To a fool who asks, wisdom will be accounted as wisdom, 39, a. How many and which are the synods properly considered ecumenical among Catholics, 83, b, c; what they especially decreed concerning the faith regarding Christ, 85, c, d; 86, a.
T 1508 Tarasius, most laudable, patrician and patriarch, 155, b, c; 162, c; 187, c. A limit is a thing defined by itself, which suffers neither addition nor defect, 103, c. That limits of life for everyone are set by God, within which each person's life is to end, is to be believed, 91, b. How excellent the number three is, how worthy of great honor, and truly efficacious for confirming any truth whatsoever, 295, b, c. Theodoret, bishop, disputes with Cyril of Alexandria over the errors of Nestorius, 63, b, c; he is received into penance and counted among the Fathers at the Council of Chalcedon, 66, d. Theodosius the heretic and his errors, 67, b, c. Theodosius the Emperor, having obtained royal power, convenes a synod of bishops and restores peace to the Church, 59, c, d. Being angry against Cyril, he is restrained by Acacius of Melitene, 63, c. Thomas, bishop of Claudiopolis, to whom Germanus writes concerning the cult of images, 163 et seqq. The censer indicates the humanity of Christ, the fire his divinity, and the fragrant smoke indicates that good odor preceding the Holy Spirit, 399, c; 411, d. What the tonsure of the priest’s head and the circular parting of his hair refer to, 391, d. The traditions of the ancients are necessary for confirming the consensus of truth, 91, a. The Trinity, which is one deity and power, is alone to be adored by all the faithful, 78, c, d; 86, c, d; 87, a, b. The white tunic indicates the splendor of divinity and the splendid life of the priest, 394, c.
V Valens the Emperor, an impious and execrable man, was implicated in two evils, namely, insatiable greed and blasphemy, 58, b, c. Valentinus and his various errors regarding God, 43, c, d. That health should flow away from the pinnacle, for one who lives in this decline of life, is most consistent with nature, 94, d. The veil by which the chalice is covered is and is said to be in place of the stone with which Joseph fortified the tomb, which he sealed with a seal of custody, 399, c; 423, b. What wine and water in the sacrifice of the Mass indicate, 398, b, c, d. Whether the limits of each person's life have been set by God, 91 et seqq. The preservation of life is not to be attributed entirely to medical treatments, nor is death to be attributed to diseases alone, 95, c. The will and intention of the mind are what is considered, and the end of the agent merits either a crown or punishment, 151, c. The divine will in Christ never departed from the natural, 144, a. How the affection of pleasure is accustomed to honor its lovers, 230, a.
Z Zacharias, deemed worthy of the honor of receiving the Mother of God in the temple, rejoices, 299, b. He speaks to her, 302, 303. Zeno the bishop stood firmly and fought for the Church against the heresies, 75, b. The girdle which adhered to the most chaste body of the incorrupt Mother of God is most venerable, 373 et seqq. What the girdle with which the priest is girded signifies, 394, d.
INDEX IN S. GREGORIUM AGRIGENTINUM.
Roman numerals in brackets correspond to the Prolegomena; Arabic numerals refer to the Arabic numerals printed in larger type in the explanation on Ecclesiastes, to which they recall the reader.
A Abbots of the Greek Monastery of St. Sabas in the city, XIII. Acolyths of the Greeks, XXXI. Adam is the second Christ, 124, 126. To put on the new Adam, 271. Adolescent, that is, one flourishing in faith, 270, 271. Let him despise pleasures, 272. Let him remember the benefits of Christ, 279. Punishment of adulteresses among the Hebrews, 76. Egyptians and Greeks noted by Ecclesiastes, 216. Psalmody of the Egyptian monks, 80. The era of temples, in what age it was invented, LXXI. Aetius noted, 216, 247. Lamentations of Agatho, P.M., concerning the small number of teachers, XII. What "agathosyne" means, 149. The condition of the Church of Agrigento after our Gregory, CVIII, CXV.
Agrigento monastery, XXXVI. Agrigento mentioned in five provinces, XIX. Alfaranus, Tiberius, on the Vatican vestibule, XCII. Good use of food, 90. Use of allegories rightly approved by the Fathers, 8. Ambones of the Latins and Greeks, XXXII. "Ammas," an honorific title for women, LXXXV. The flowering almond tree is the soul of the righteous, 279, 280. Temple and monastery of the Ascension in Jerusalem, XLIII. Punishment of Ananias and Sapphira, 135. Monastery of St. Andrew, Apostle, on the Clivus Scauri, VII. Its cult at Constantinople, CII seq. Deacons Angelus and Palumbus sent to Agrigento, CV. Soul (anima) in place of cupidity, 158. The soul under the image of a besieged city, 229, 230. Ruling both itself and the body, 118. Origin of human souls, 101. Souls of the departed are said to be relieved by the righteous deeds of the living, 58. Man alone is a free animal and his own master, 136. Annals of our Gregory, CXI. The "Great Year" according to Aristotle, 23. The year crowned by the four seasons, 176. Verses by an anonymous author on our Gregory, CXX. Anthemium, a type of herb, 282. Antirrhesis concerning the Interdict, 209. Antitype mysteries, CVII. Anthony the Great, 108. Example of the bee and the ant, 15. Title of the Apocalypse, 78. Apollinaris on a passage in Ecclesiastes, 121. What "apophasis" (denial/negation) is, 209. Rule of the Apostles during the prosperous and adverse affairs of others, 75. Monastery of the Aqua Salvia in the suburbs, XI, XXXIII. Return of waters to the clouds, 25. The eagle as an interpreter or one who brings back useless things, 57. Ingenious men called eagles, 247. Free will given to man, 66. Left to man for living well or ill, 32. The primary care of the Archdeacon, CVIII. Archontes of Agrigento, LXV. The cord of silver and the flower of gold represent the present life, 282. Cupidity for silver is never satisfied, 141. Silver, to which almost everyone obeys, 255. Spiritual silver, ibid. Aristotle's definition of time, 69. Passage from Asterius of Amasea, 17 seq. Asterius on Ananias and Sapphira, 135. Astrology compared to a wicked woman, 197. The art of astrologers is vain, 193, 196, etc. Ears of slaves pierced among the Hebrews, 129. God's aids require our diligence, 192. Man needs divine aid so as not to sin, 33. Cares and losses of the avaricious, 111. The avaricious man is destroyed by riches, 106. The avaricious man is like the underworld, 113. "Birds raise their voice," a proverb according to Drusius and our Gregory, 257. Likeness of a bird to one who avoids a snare, 187.
B Bachiarius' opinion on the repentance of Solomon, 61. The slimness of the belt is an indication of a Benedictine monk, VIII. Library of the Basilian monks at Messina, II. Opinion of Basil of Seleucia from Book II of Proverbs. Life of Basil the Great more recent than Amphilochius, XXIII. Passage on the freedom left to man to sin, 32. Homilies on the Hexaemeron, XLV. Questions concerning the ant, 247. Passage on the Trinity, 120. Basil does not appear to be the author of the Commentary on Isaiah, 177, 230. Basil, bishop of Raphanea, contemporary of Chrysostom, XLV. Who is called "blessed" by David, 88. Behemoth believed to be Nebuchadnezzar, 122. Holy Scripture was divided into the chapters counted today only late, 38. Diverse copies of the Scriptures, CXXIII. Cardinal Brancinforti, bishop of Agrigento, I. Brotier, Gabriel, on the manuscript of our Gregory, CXXII. Bugatti, Cajetan, testimony on the reading of the Bobbio manuscript, XIX. Praise of celibacy, 108.
C Cajetan, Octavius, IV. What calculators taught children, XXI and XXII. Slander follows the laughter of fools, 172. The error of the Calvinists rejected, 191. Canticle and Song of Songs, X. Brief for Gregory the Great given to Peter the Subdeacon, LXXVI. What is meant by the name "capparis" (caper), 279. Various ways of preparing capers from Pliny, ibid. Cappelli, Ludov., explanation of the middle wall, 73. The song of the foolish is evil, 170. Cassian on the psalmody of monks, 80. Praise of chastity, 41. Cedar, a region of the Saracens, 11. Cella Nova, a monastery of the city, VI. Censorinus on the "Great Year," 23. What a centesima is, 264. "A hundred times" is the same as "very much," 210. Charito, father of our Gregory, XX. Second coming of Christ, 273, 274. Christ is our head, 52. The title "Chrysostom" is quite ancient, XLIV. Chrysostom's homily on Job, XLVIII. Passage on the usefulness of the works of the living for the dead, 58. Passage on prayers, which must precede any work, 237. Cistern designates death, 282. An unhappy city which has obtained a king young in counsel and prudence, 252. Conclusions of homilies among the Fathers, 42. Cluniac monks in the monastery of St. Saba, VIII. Coislin manuscript of Oecumenius, 84. Barberini manuscript of Olympiodorus, 84. Manuscript of our Gregory, a transcript in the Alban Library in Rome, CXXII. Sangermanensis, CXXII. Two manuscripts of the Urban Basilian Library, XVII. Two distinguished manuscripts of the Scriptures, CXXIV seq. Future changes of the heavens and the earth, 248. How cautious the method of conversations ought to be, 79. Dove in the images of our Gregory, LX. What the seven pillars in the Holy Scriptures are, 46. What the manner of eating and drinking ought to be, 62. Comites (Counts) in the age of Gregory the Great, LXXXIII. Who is said to "fold his hands," 110. Council of Constantinople II and III, where held, LI. Lateran Council under Martin I, IX. Repeated mention of confession, 165, 166. Rules of conjugal society, 77. Formula of consecration in the liturgies, 64. From where the name Constantia of Cyprus was derived, LII. Donation of Constantine the Great, C. Constantine the Chartophylax, XLVII. Passage from the Apostolic Constitutions touched upon by our Gregory, 62. Excessively vehement contentions are useless, 186. The contiguity of a house to be repaired, 252. Contradiction of the word "forbid," 210. Solemn banquets of the Hebrews, 260. Bishop of Corinth under the Roman patriarch, LXXXIV. In what sense Peter is called the mouthpiece of the apostles, 135. Cosmas Indicopleustes' opinion on the course of the sun, 21. Crescentinus, deacon of Agrigento, LV seq. Solemnities of the Exaltation of the Cross, of ancient origin, LXVII. Sign of the Cross used in a double manner, XLIV. Cross marked on the forehead, 237. Curiosity in divine matters reproved, 133. Guardians of the house for Gregory of Neocaesarea are celestial angels, in whose protection the world is, 276. For our Gregory, they are the rational faculties of the soul, 276, 277. Cyprian's opinion on the chair of Peter, 249. Cyril of Alexandria's passage on fate, 193. Passage on white garments, 222.
D Demons compared to flies, 234, 235. Damian, guardian of the childhood of our Gregory, XXI. Danatzanus, master of admission, LXXI. The book of the prophet Daniel, even entirely translated into Greek by the Septuagint, 122. "Dedit" (gave) sometimes the same as "permitted," 33. Why a defect is said to be unable to be numbered, 35. The name of God must never be invoked rashly, 202. His goodness and power are ineffable to everyone, 27. Games of the desultors (leapers), 233. God seeks man who is lost, 92. Called "long-suffering" by theologians, 174. Right hand is the way of virtue, 256. That the Devil does not know what a man thinks is a doctrine of the Greek and Latin Fathers, 257. Deacons faithful to our Gregory, LXX seq. Deaconesses of Agrigento, LXV.
Didymus’s pleasant explanation regarding a passage in Ecclesiastes, 77. Equal ratio of the earlier and later days, 176. Why the day of death is better than the day of birth, 161. Days of goodness and days of evil, 181. A certain interpretation by Dionysius of Alexandria rejected by our Gregory, 15. It is dangerous to discourse on the Divinity, 133. The nautical term "to be dissolved," 151. Divination is condemned, 264. The rich are more miserable than their servants, 143. Who the rich and the princes are, 240. The pursuit of wealth is useful to no one, 60 and 63. Its uncertain use after death, 105. The great unhappiness of the rich, 87. In Scripture, a man's body is called a house, 276. The house of eternity, that is, the sepulcher, 280. A house of mourning is celebrated more usefully than a house of feasting, 165. Donations by Constantine the Great to the Roman Church, C. Donatus, archdeacon of the Church of Agrigento, XXII. Eber, the Sicilian God, CVII. Ecclesiastical affairs of Sicily after our Gregory, CXV. Ancient Greek interpreters of Ecclesiastes, 6 seq. The equal doctrine of Ecclesiastes and the Gospel, 193. Why Ecclesiastes is called Solomon, 3 and 30. Who he is according to Gregory of Nyssa, 4. Author of a well-ordered life, 225. He denies that the soul of man and that of a beast are the same, 284. Perfectly wise, 285. He discharged clearly the office of teacher bestowed upon him, 286. Method of edition, CXXIII. The portico of the temple, XCII. The book by Epiphanius, not published, concerning the testimonies of the divine Incarnation, 5. Some Sicilian bishops accused before Gregory the Great prior to our Gregory, LXXIX. Bishops’ residence near the temple, CVII. The work of bishops is excellent above all in the public eye, I. The legal age for creating bishops, LXVII. Cases conducted in councils, LXXXVIII. A bishop given as a companion to our Gregory, LXII seq. The epoch of mathematicians, 23. The monastery of Erasmus in the City, LVII. What a mistake is, 212. A pagan also does what is good, 191. The Eucharist designated by Ecclesiastes, 225. What *Euche* and *Proseuche* are, 134. Eunomius noted, 216, 217. Evangelical eunuchs, 241. Acts of the martyr Euplus, LVI. Euplus, archdeacon of Agrigento, LV and LVI. Eusanius, bishop of Agrigento, LVI. A passage from Eusebius of Caesarea concerning human liberty, 66. Interpretation regarding the discernment of good and evil, 203. The age of Eustathius, bishop of Antioch, XLV. Euthalius, bishop of Sulci, divided the Epistles of Paul into many verses, 38. The Gospels are called the life of the pious, 8. Designation of the future Gospel, 169. How the outcome of the just and the impious is said to be one, 218. Evodia, a harlot of Agrigento, LXX, XC, XCVI. Exarch of Sicily, LXXIV. Exile as a punishment for the slanderous, XCIII. F Deeds follow the dying, 104. Fantinus, a defender in Sicily, CVII. Felix, a bishop without a church, LXVII. Conversations of women to be avoided, 156. In order to keep the faith, all things must be forgiven, 83. Those who hear Ecclesiastes are called sons, 289. Description of the ant, 247. The example of the ant and the bee, 15. The formula of our faith to be kept holy, 133. The formula of consecration in the liturgies, 61. Fraud brings ruin to the perpetrator, 241. Mystical significance of the triple cord, 120. Among the Hebrews, a cord is an hereditary portion, and a field measured by a cord, 282. G Census of divine books by Pope Gelasius, 4. Georgius, bishop of Agrigento, XIX. The Greek language among the Sicilians, CXXVI, CXXVII. Greek monks in Agrigento, LXIII. Greek clerics promoted to the greater order among Latins and vice versa, XLIII. Acolythy of the Greeks concerning our Gregory, XXIX. The use of Greek interpreters at Rome, IX. Deliberations of the Greeks in the theaters, 233. Grammar called an alien woman by Didymus, 77. The help of divine grace is necessary to man, 33. Gregorian monks sent into various regions, VII. The Gregorian monastery: Greek, then Latin, VII. Life of our Gregory, XIX. Education, XXI. Journey to Jerusalem, XXIV. Delay in Carthage, XXV. Voyage as far as Tripolis, XXVII. Sojourn in Tripolis, XXVIII. Arrival in Jerusalem, XXVIII seq. Acts concerning the monastic life, ibid. Co-optation among the deacons, XLII. Departure from Jerusalem, XLV. Accession to Antioch and CP., XLV. Doctrine examined at Constantinople, XLVIII seq. Departure to the City, LV. Promotion to the pontificate of Agrigento, LIX and LX. Return to Sicily, LXII. Accession to Agrigento, LXIII. Entrance into the fatherland and miracles, LXV seq. Liberality and way of life, LXIX. Troubles from slanderers, LXIX seq. Recall to the City, LXXVI. Delivery into custody, LXXX. Miracles in prison, LXXX seq. Defense by Abbot Marcus, LXXXII. Absolution in the synod, LXXXIX seq. Solemn rite in the Vatican basilica, XCVI. Miracles at the Tiber, XCVII. Return to Constantinople, CI. Honors from the Emperors, CII. Return to Rome and Agrigento, CV. Works in Agrigento, CVII. Writings, CVIII, CXXI. Administration of the Church, CVIII. Death and eulogy, CVIII seq. Annals of his whole life, CXI. Our Gregory's counsel in expounding Ecclesiastes, 2. His opinion on grace and liberty, 32. Praise of youth, XIII. Anniversary day, CXVIII. Style, CXXIV. The work *Arcana* of Gregory Nazianzen, XLVII. Passage on Julian the Apostate, 171. Passage on the excess and defect of virtue, 185. Gregory of Nyssa on the appellation of Ecclesiastes, 4. A certain interpretation rejected by our Gregory, 14. Another interpretation disapproved, 26. Complete explanation of Ecclesiastes discovered by Possinus, 116. Passage against Apollinaris, 131. Interpretation of the roofing of a house, 253. Gregory of Neocaesarea: what he thinks about the title of Ecclesiastes, 3. Author of the Metaphrasis of Ecclesiastes, 121. What he understands by the name of bread, 253. He cites no allegory in the seed of Ecclesiastes, 266. He explains the worst doctrines of voluptuous men from Ecclesiastes, 271, 272. He explains the "grinders" as women grinding, 277, 278. How he explains "casting bread upon the face of the waters," 259. And "clouds filled with rain and poured out upon the earth," 261. Gregory the Great considered by some to be a Greek monk, VIII. He creates our Gregory bishop, LIX. His liberality towards our Gregory, C. His annotation regarding certain sayings of Ecclesiastes, 55. Gregory of Agrigento: in what age he lived, XIX. Gregory, bishop of Antioch, in the synod of CP., L. Gregory, bishop and martyr of Lilybaeum, LXXII. Grotius on the author of the book of Ecclesiastes, 3. H Harduin's explanation of the formula of consecration, 63. Hegumens of the Roman monastery of St. Sabas, XIII. Helepolis, a military machine, 190. Temple of Hercules at Agrigento, CVI. The errors of scribes in Origen’s Hexapla, 108. Jerome: what he thinks of the prophecy of Zechariah related in the Gospel of Matthew, "I will strike the shepherd," etc., 289. And concerning the multitude of books, which Ecclesiastes condemns, 290. And concerning the final opinion of Ecclesiastes, 292. Why Jerusalem is the parent of Peter and Paul, 219. Hilary’s passage from the rule of Ecclesiastes, 83. Residence of the martyr Hippolytus, 89. Homer’s passage in the *Odyssey* about the mill-woman agrees with Ecclesiastes, 278. What sort of conclusions of homilies are used by the Fathers, 42. Who is worthy to be held in the number of men, 48. When a man is similar to a beast, 100. Compared to a city, 190. Celestial honors of our St. Gregory, CXIV. Hours of hymns and psalms, 80. By the breaking of a pitcher, the nature of the frail human body is designated, 282. I What the immortality of souls is, 102, 103. The outcome of the impious, like that of beasts, 99; death, 208. The impious or just man only, 97. The impious sometimes happy and powerful, 239. The wicked despise the future life, 155. Death of infants at birth, 155. Less trust is to be placed in talent than in doctrine, 212. Inhumanation of the Son of God, 93.
The beginning of all things correctly done is from God, 33 seq. God helps him who is unjustly harmed, 92. The inscription of Gregory the Great to St. Sabas, VIII. Fools are condemned by themselves, 215. The instruments of the voice are called daughters of song, 279. The junior intellect is anagogical, 250. Son of the free woman, 251. Anger is better than laughter, 167. The measure of what anger and patience ought to be, 175. Irenaeus’s passage on the second Adam, 125. The twin temple of Irenes in Constantinople, LI. Isidore Clarius’s interpretation, 162.
J Three Jameses: two apostles, only one bishop, 98. The fasts of the Greeks, XLIX. John the Evangelist, why he is called Theologian, 78, 247. John V, Archbishop of Jerusalem, XXX. John the Deacon, of the Gregorian monastery, VII. John the Faster, Bishop of Constantinople, XLVI. His death, CV. The age of John Niciota, Archbishop of Alexandria, 81. The author of the book of Job, 146. The age of Job, 122, 146. Joseph’s prudence in Egypt, 121. Joseph the Hymnographer regarding our Gregory, XCVII, CXVII.
Why the ancient Jews doubted the authority of the book of Ecclesiastes, 284. The Jews, a hard and stubborn race, 286. The Jewish fields of Agrigentum made Christian, CVII. The turns of the Jews and Gentiles, 240. The conspiracy of the Jews against Christ foretold, 270. God is the final judge of all, 137. The judgments of men are absurd, 212. The place of judgment is the whole earth, 94. At the coming of Christ, 95. Judgment is reserved by God for a future time, 97. The shrine of Julian the martyr at Carthage, XXVI. Julian the Apostate recognized by his bearing and appearance, such as he would be, 171. That an oath should not be familiar to anyone, 202. The place of the "just" designated by various readings, 95. Justin’s passage on reading and homilies in church, 128. Passage concerning the Hebrews, 287. Justinian Rhinotmetus, LIII. Justin, Governor of Sicily, LXXVIII. Blessed are they who practice justice, 101.
K The appellations Kyris and Kyrios are used differently, XXXII.
L Lærum and dextrum, 276. Lancia (John), opinion on Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, XXXI. Opinion on the law of the Sardician bishop, LI. Opinion on the Constantinian donation, C. On Justinian Rhinotmetus, CV. Dissertation on the age of our Gregory, 296 et seq. Stephen Langton, cardinal, was the first to divide the divine books into chapters as we have them, 58. Languor, the disease of the soul, 145, 147, 153. The Latins who wrote in Greek, CXXVII. Latin monastery in CP, XLVI. The Laura of the Sabaites in Africa, VI. The reading of the divine books in church, 128. Certain readers made so from the time of baptism, XXXVIII. A dead lion is preferred to a living dog, 221. Leo, Bishop of Catania, cleared in judgment, ordered to perform the sacred rites in the Vatican basilica, XCVI, XCVII. Leo the Great’s interpretation of a passage in Genesis, 244. Many Leontiuses as writers, V. The age of Leontius, writer of the life of Gregory of Agrigentum, XII, CIX. His fatherland, XVI. His writing and erudition, ibid. The Tripolitanian temple of Leontius M., XXVII. Leucius the heretic in Sicily, LXX, LXXIX, XCIX, CIII, CV. Liberality toward the needy makes no one poor, 142. What is the liberty of man? 32. Given to man for good and evil, 182. The abuse of liberty, 66. Libertinus, house of the bishop of Agrigentum near Panormus, LXIII. That many books should not be written, 289, 290. The sections of the divine books were once different from those in use today, 38. The notable places of our Gregory, CXXV. A passage from the sacred scriptures is cited that is unknown, 49. The locusts as the food of John the Baptist, 279. Whether herb, ibid. Whether the head of the thigh, 280.
The souls of the just are likened to locusts, 279, 280. Who are to be considered long-lived, 212. The breastplates of the Jerusalem temple, 75. Lucius P.M., gave the monastery of St. Sabas [to the] Cluniacs, VIII. The Light which illuminates every man coming into this world, 267.
M Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, XXX. Macarius the Monothelite, Bishop of Antioch, XLV. Various panegyrics on the Maccabees, XXV. The Macedonian heresy abhorred, 42. A medic like a serpent, 243. Mamaneis monastery in Constantinople, 154. A command to be kept, 203, 204. Marianus, a commander under Justin the Younger, LIV and LXXXIV. Marcion’s falsifications in the context of Ecclesiastes, 125. The sea confined by God within certain boundaries, 21. Martin I, P.M., his embassy, XI. Opinion concerning Peter, the head of the apostles, 135. Martyrs prefigured by the Preacher, 115, 116, etc. Universal Martyrology published at Paris, CXVII. Roman Martyrology, CXIV. The struggles of the martyrs are a most fragrant incense, 217. The age of Maurice Augustus, adverse to heretics, LII. His children, LIII. Laws, ibid. His sad end, 154. His sepulcher, ibid. Maurus, Abbot of St. Pancratius, IX. Maximianus, Bishop of Syracuse, legate of the Roman Pontiff, LXXVIII. What Mazochius thinks about the un-repaired structure of Ecclesiastes, 253. Molentes explains the "grinders," 277. He says the ancients used the word molitrix to imply an omen, 278. The method of physicians in treating wounds, 176. Remembrance of the final day is useful to man, 269. The testimonies of Menologia and Calendars regarding the cult of our Gregory, CXVII and CXVIII. When the Metaphrast’s Lives first appeared, XVII. The "grinders" (molentes) explained as teeth, 277. But by Mazochius and Gregory of Neocaesarea as millers, ibid. Monks made bishops by Gregory the Great, VII. Monks at the old Lateran council, IX. Monks given divinely as companions to our Gregory when he traveled to Jerusalem, XXVI. The psalmody of monks, 80. Praise, 152. Monasteries near Jerusalem, XXVIII. The founder of the monastery of St. Sabas in the city, VI. Monastery of St. Caecilia in the city, XCVI. Montchalius, Carolus, Archbishop of Toulouse, CXXI. Montfalconus on the Basilian library at Messina, IV. The condition of imminent death, 207. How the day of death is like an unknown journey, 228. Who are mystically called the dead, 107. The spectacle of the dead is very useful, 165. Moses the theologian, 185. What "washing in wine" signifies in Proverbs, 1. The world made by God as a garden, 140. The likeness of flies, 254. The mystery of faith, the words in the consecration of the chalice accepted by tradition, 65.
N The Nanian codex at Venice, CXVIII. The word "birthday" (natalis) used for death, 164. Nature is immutable to man, 180. Nicephorus Callistus’s testimony regarding our Gregory, LII. Nicetas the monk’s testimony regarding our Gregory, LIII. A certain opinion of Nilus repudiated, 47. A passage about the avarice of those who have no children and no successor, 112. Interpretation of anger, 168. Nothing ought to be in excess, 183. Names originally given to each thing, 189. Immutable things, 161. How it is said that there is "nothing new," 28. Clouds drawing water from the sea, 25. Filled with rain and poured out upon the earth, they indicate the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, 261. Clouds, that is, doctors of the Church who pour out the rain of virtue, 275. Clouds after rain, others explain as the dead, others as the inconveniences of old age, 275. Drusius and Grotius think them to be a metaphor, ibid.
O Odericius’s opinion concerning the founder of the monastery of St. Sabas, VIII. The use and significance of oil, 162, 163. What the oil on the head signifies, 222. The age of Olympiodorus the deacon, 81. Olympiodorus’s opinion repudiated, 118. Then accepted...
119. A passage regarding the second Adam, 126. Concerning the younger king, 230. What "everything that comes" means, 269. Works, which pertain to the earth, are not vanity, 15. The ineffable magnitude of divine works, 27. Hell is devoid of wisdom and perception, 228. The order of matters conducted by our Gregory, CXI. The order of created things is useful for the contemplative, XCXI. Origen on the title of the Song of Songs, 5. He reads the passage of Ecclesiastes concerning the words of the wise differently than our Gregory, but does not interpret it differently, 288, 289. Nor does he read the passage concerning the writing of books differently, 290. The sin of origin explained, 123. What the guard of the mouth ought to be, CXXXI.
The wrestling-place of the Greeks, 235. Palumbus and Angelus, deacons sent to Agrigentum, CV. To cast bread upon the face of the waters signifies sobriety, and almsgiving in an anagogical sense, 238, 259. Bread is a joy to those who fashion it, 234. Mystical bread, 235. The same as a banquet, ibid. Panormitan monasteries, LXII. Papebrochius, Daniel, concerning Leontius, IV. What the paradises were, 44. The middle wall mentioned by Paul the Apostle, 73. To give a portion to seven and also to eight, that is, to take thought for the present and the future age, 259, 260. Passararia, a village of Sicily, XXXVI. Christ is the shepherd, 288, 289. Zerubbabel according to Grotius, 290. The praise of patience, 174. Greek Fathers who illustrated Ecclesiastes, 6 seq. The patrimonies of the Roman Church in Sicily, C. Paul the Apostle, the golden mouth, 15. When he says, "I desire to be dissolved," what he signified, 151. Paul the Theban and the great Anthony, 108. Paul the Scholastic, praised by Gregory the Great, LXXVII. The condition of the poor man is better than that of the rich, 137. Original sin explained, 123. Pelagius II, Supreme Pontiff, gave the relics of St. Andrew to the abbot of St. Saba, VI. Jerusalem pilgrimages praised by the Fathers, XXIII, 49. The temple of Peter and Paul at Agrigentum, CVII. Peter, legate at the Seventh Synod, XII. Peter the subdeacon, possessing the power of a legate in Sicily, LXXIV. The Philosophian region of Sicily, LXXIV. Phinthias, a town of Sicily, XXXVI. The likeness of fish and birds captured, 228. Those lamenting through the markets, 281. The punishment of the impious is often late, 184. The punishments of clerics in the Church, LXXIX. Penance, which excludes amendment, is a bad thing, 49. Possinus, Petrus, concerning our Gregory, CXXI, CXXII. Potamio, bishop of Agrigentum, XXI, XXXVI. The devil is said to have power, 257. What the presumption of the spirit is, 34. Praetoria, a village in the Agrigentine territory, XX. A formula of prayer used during the return of our Gregory with chanting, CVI. The prayers of Christians beginning a work, 237. Presbyterae and presbytides, LXV. Who the princes and the wealthy are, 240. Procopius’s Secret History, 106. The damages of betrayal in war, 234. The praise of the prophets from Cyril of Alexandria, 199. Protus, bishop of Ancyra, XC. The free reason of divine providence, 153. One must acquiesce in the providence of God, 173. Prudence is the queen of virtues, 176. Her praise, 49. Her great use, 121. The nightly and morning psalmody of the Greeks, XXXI. The rite of psalmody, 80. Children accustomed to learn the Psalter by heart, XXII. A poor and wise child is happier than an old and foolish king, 121. The likeness of children learning carelessly at play, 168. The body of man is called dust, 283. The pupils of the eyes, which see through holes, 278. The discipline of the Pythagoreans concerning silence, 82.
Questions concerning God are to be avoided, 186. Rest is better than an abundance of things, 111.
Rajatus, Franciscus, interpreter of the Greek life of Gregory, IV. Raps, the Sicilian God, CVII. You shall not curse a king, 256. That is, Christ, 257. The words of a king are not to be divulged, 202. The minds of kings and dynasts are alien to the wise, 227. Renaudotius’s testimony concerning liturgies, 65. Reproof being omitted harms many, 209. The stable order of created things, 28. The resurrection of the dead; by which heretics it was denied, 293. Asserted by Ecclesiastes, 292, 291. And foretold in the Scriptures, 294, 295. The temple of the Resurrection at Jerusalem, XXX. How the younger king is to be interpreted, 250. Laughter noted, 40. An index of the sloth of fools, 170. The Latin rite left behind in Sicily, CXXVI. New Rome, Constantinople, V. The monastery of the Romans at Constantinople, XLVI. Rossius, Joannes, who attempted to translate our Gregory into Latin, CXXII. By the name of a wheel, the span of life is indicated, 282.
Sabaitic monks at Rome, VI. No monastery of the Sabaitans at Constantinople, VI. A certain person who did not observe the Sabbath as a feast day, XLIX. Sabinus, presbyter of Agrigentum, LV seq. Saeculum for greed, 89. The age of fifty years among the Hebrews, 129. Salamis, then Constantia of Cyprus, LII. Salernus, Petrus, IV. Salomon and Solomon, 3. Salomon believed to have repented according to our Gregory, 45. The tongue of Salomon as the pen of God, 2. The prosopopoeia of one discoursing with himself, 56. Female companions, 200. The cares of one reigning, 226. Our Gregory is like Samuel, XXIII, XL. A sage is a great protection to a city even if he is one, 229. The wise sometimes labor in poverty, 227. The wise who foretold the mystery of the divine incarnation, 288. Wisdom ought to be useful to others, 178. The wisdom of God is incomprehensible, 194. The praises and commodities of wisdom, 189. The book of Wisdom attributed to Solomon, 4. Why the eyes of a wise man are said to be in his head, 50. The rebuke of a wise man is good, 170. The counsels of the wise are to be sought, 201. Sarai, wife of Abraham, changed into Sara, 254. Sardanius, bishop, who he is, II. The damnation of Satan, 93, 96. Scheffmacher’s Theological Letters, 166. Grief is the companion of knowledge, 37. The writings of our Gregory, CXXI. Writers who mention our Gregory, CXII. Leaders of sects refuted by Ecclesiastes, 216, etc. Seleucia, the name of many cities, CIV. The semanterium of the Greeks, LXXI. Spiritual seed, 263, 266. The time of sowing and reaping, 262, 263, 264. Parabolical, 263, 264. Two enclosures of the temple of Jerusalem, 73. The end of a septenary life, 273, 274. The exemplar of the seventy translators, CXXIII. The monastery of the Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus at Constantinople, XLVI. A sermon concerning the judgments and decrees of God is to be avoided, 132. Sermons are to be given cautiously, and not with everyone concerning any matter whatsoever, 79. The grace of the words of a wise man, 244. The serpent is the devil, 213. By whom the head of the serpent is to be crushed, 244. Why servitude is worse than death, 146. Who is called a servant to whom sleep is sweet, 144. Severity is often useful, 168. The Sicilian churches had a metropolitan, P. M., LVI. The rite of the Sicilians in the age of our Gregory was Latin, XXII. Sido, the inventress of songs, 45. Silence is to be kept in the madness of an adversary, 82. Where Silvia, the mother of Gregory the Great, lived, VI. The testament and death of Silvia, VII. The effigies of Silvia, Gordianus, and Gregory, VII. Simeon Metaphrastes followed Leontius, almost, XVI et XVII. Simocatta’s testimony concerning the slaughter of Maurice Augustus, 154. The simplicity of right reason confused by men, 201. Smith, John, opinion concerning a certain passage of Ecclesiastes, 283.
1517
ORDER OF SUBJECTS CONTAINED IN THIS VOLUME
Sensible sun, representing the spiritual sun, that is, Christ, 267, 268. What the course of the sun teaches us, 11. Solon’s glory on account of the laws given, 233. Sophronius’ passage regarding the immortality of souls, 102. Spatharius in the imperial court, LV. The Holy Spirit fashions the wise and pure intellect, 232. Spirit, not in one sense, 99. Sometimes the same as will, 206. Spirit returns to God, the body being turned into earth, 283, 284. In what sense it is said that the earth stands, 18. Biblical stichometry, 38. Ostrich, often any bird whatsoever, 187. Ostrich as a glutton, 188. Comparison of the foolish and the prudent, 54. Suidas on the celestial epoch, 23. Pride, hateful to God, 183. Four kinds of punishments among the Hebrews, 76. Susanna, the story also rendered into Greek by the LXX interpreters, 122. Sybaritic or Symbaritic banquets, infamous for dishes of every kind, 251. Passage of Symmachus, which varies in the Hexapla, 108. Interpretation adopted, 163. Synapte in the liturgy of the Greeks, LX. Testimony of the Synletic virgin, 258. Synod of Constantinople under John IV, year from Evagrius, LI. Synod of Constantinople convened on account of Gregory of Antioch, L. Synopsis of the whole edition, II.
T It is better to be silent when an adversary is raging, 82. Talent given to our Gregory by the Augustus, CIV. Tatius regarding the orbits of the sun, XXIII. There is a proper time for all things, 69 seq. Parts of the Temple of Jerusalem, 75. Temple dedicated to our Gregory at Agrigento, CXVI. Explanation of various times from the understanding of the Hebrews, 70. In what sense it is said that the earth stands, 18. Tertullian on Marcion, 125. Tortoise described by Ammianus, 190. Theatrical seating among the Greeks, 253. Themistocles to be held lower than Solon, 253. Judgment of Theodore of Mopsuestia regarding the books of Solomon, 3. Theodore, bishop of Trimithus, LII. Theodore made bishop by Pope Vitalian, XI, XII, XLIII. Theodore, legate at the sixth synod, XII. Theodote, mother of our Gregory, XX. Why John the Evangelist was called "Theologian," LXXVIII. Theopolis, Antioch, XLV.
1518 Custom of burning incense in sacred rites, LXXXV. Fear of God is saving against all dangers, 187. Establishes every human being, 291, 292. Beams sent to Rome by Aroges, duke of Benevento, and the prefect Gregory, for the roofing of the Basilicas, 87, 97. "He handed down" used by Ecclesiastes for "he permitted," 89. Tribunal, a place in the city, LXXXIX. Tribunes of Agrigento, LXV. Tricces, an Oecumenical bishop, 84. Triorae, bishop, commanded to preside over the Agrigentines instead of our Gregory, LXXVII and XCIX. Tripolitan monastery, XXVI. Tyrcanus the tyrant, LXXII, LXXIII.
U Unction familiar to Orientals, 222. Autonomous cities, 233.
V Valesius regarding the Origenian edition of the LXX interpreters, CXXIV. Definition of vanity, 8. Varus, the shipmaster, host of our Gregory, XLI. Vascones driven as far as Aquitaine, XCIII. Prophecies concerning the unbloody sacrifice, 129. Circle of the winds, 22. Greatest year of the sun, 23. Words of truth, that is, the knowledge of the divine will, 287. "Word" used for "deed," 203. What white garments signify, 222. Food and clothing sufficient for a man for life, 157. "To see" meaning "to enjoy," 224. Vineyards and military towers, 190. Wine gladdens the living, 254. Mystical, 255. Consecrated virgins meeting bishops, LXII. The shins and feet of the name are men of fortitude, 276, or the faculties of the intelligent soul, 277. Good memory, the fruit of virtue, 29. The middle way is between vices, 183. Virtue stands in the middle, 75. Long life will profit nothing to one living evilly, 155. The life of men is a shadow, 212. It consists of contraries, 74. There is no remedy from death for a wicked life, 223. Any condition of the living is better than that of the dead, 220, 221. Repetition of a word in the sacred Scriptures, 10. The voice of the bird is explained as the cockcrowing, 280. And the archangel’s trumpet foretelling the resurrection, ibid. The force of the will in sinning, 208. What a vow is called in the sacred Scriptures, 134. The voice should be contained when the adversary has simmered down, 83. Vulgate Bible according to Jerome, CXXIII.
ORDER OF SUBJECTS CONTAINED IN THIS VOLUME
S. GERMANUS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE. Notice, 9. Another Notice, 18. Life of S. Germanus by Godfrey Henschen, 19. Chapter I. — Sacred service. Studies and virtues in youth, 19. Chapter II. — Deeds up to the year 720. Archbishopric of Cyzicus. Patriarchate of Constantinople, 22. Chapter III. — Acts with Leo the Isaurian concerning the veneration of images, 25. Chapter IV. — S. Germanus praised by the holy Pope Gregory II. Name inscribed in the diptychs. Various books edited by him, 30. From the anonymous work on the so-called Roman image, 35. Monitum of Angelo Mai on the following little work, 35. NARRATION CONCERNING SYNODS AND HERESIES, 34. Monitum on the treatise "On the Term of Life," 87. On the term of life, 90. Monitum on the Epistle to the Armenians, 134. EPISTLE OF THE GREEKS TO THE ARMENIANS, 135. DOGMATIC EPISTLES, 117. I. — Epistle of Gregory, Pope of Rome, to Germanus, 147. II. — Epistle of Germanus to John, bishop of Synada, 153. III. — Epistle of Germanus to Constantine of Nacolia, 162. IV. — Epistle of the same to Thomas, bishop of Claudiopolis, 165. ORATIONS, 222. I. — Oration in adoration of the venerable and life-giving Cross in the time of the middle of the fast, 222. II. — Oration on the burial of the Lord's body, 243. III. — Oration on the Presentation of the Mother of God I, 291. IV. — Oration on the Presentation of the Mother of God II, 310. V. — Oration on the Annunciation of the Mother of God, 319. VI. — Oration on the Dormition of B. Mary 1, 359.ORDER OF THE CONTENTS CONTAINED IN THIS VOLUME
VII. — Oration on the Dormition of B. Mary II, 347 VIII. — Oration on the Dormition of B. Mary III, 359 IX. — Oration on the Girdle of the B. Virgin Mary, 371 CONTEMPLATION OF ECCLESIASTICAL MATTERS, 383 HYMN TO THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, 454
COSMAS OF JERUSALEM Notitia, 455 HYMNS: I. — On the Nativity of the Lord, 459 II. — On the Appearing of our Lord, 466 III. — For Great Monday, 471 IV. — For Great Tuesday, 471 V. — For Great Wednesday, 474 VI. — For Great Thursday, 474 VII. — For Great Friday, 475 VIII. — For Great Saturday, 483 IX. — At Pentecost, 486 X. — On the Transfiguration of the Lord, 490 XI. — On Palm Sunday, 491 XII. — On the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 498 XIII. — On the Meeting of the Lord, 502 OTHER ODES XI, 510 SCHOLIA ON ST. GREGORY NAZIANZEN, 514
S. GREGORY II OF AGRIGENTO Preface of Antonio Morcelli on the plan and order of the edition, 523 Investigation by the same into Leontius, the author of the Life of S. Gregory of Agrigento, 526 Life of S. Gregory of Agrigento, by Leontius the monk, 531 S. Gregory's Annals, 550 715 Testimony of the ancient writers, 722 Writings, 727 EXPLANATION OF ECCLESIASTES, 730 Book I, 742 Book II, 742 Book III, 812 Book IV, 911 Book V, 930 Book VI, 976 Book VII, 1022 Book VIII, 1059 Book IX, 1082 Book X, 1135 APPENDIX, 1182 Dissertation of Joannes Lancea on the age of Gregory of Agrigento, 1182
ANONYMUS BECCUCIANUS Notitia, 1227 CATHOLIC DOGMAS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES, 1230
PANTALEON, DEACON OF CONSTANTINOPLE Notitia of Fabricius, 1239 Notitia of Combefis, 1242 ORATIONS: I. — Sermon on the Holy Lights, 1243 II. — Sermon I on the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1247 III. — Sermon II on the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1254 IV. — Sermon on the feast of St. Michael the Archangel, 1259 V. — Sermon on the exaltation of the Holy Cross, 1266
ADRIANUS Notitia, 1271 Epistola nuncupatoria, 1271 INTRODUCTION TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, 1274
EPIPHANIUS, DEACON OF CATANIA Notitia, 1311 LAUDATORY SERMON AT THE SECOND SYNOD OF NICAEA, 1314
PACHOMIUS THE MONK ON THE USEFULNESS OF THE DIVINE SCRIPTURES, 1331 ON THE CARTANITA HERETICS, 1359 PROLOGUE TO GRAMMAR, 1363
PHILOTHEUS THE MONK ASCETICA, 1370
ST. TARASIUS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE Notitia, 1371 Another Notitia, 1371 Preliminary Commentary, 1375 Life of St. Tarasius by Ignatias, bishop, 1385 Prologue, 1385 Chapter I. Honest parentage of St. Tarasius. His pious education. Consular dignity, 1386 Chapter II. St. Tarasius is designated for the patriarchate of the Constantinopolitans by his predecessor Paul, 1388 Chapter III. The election and consecration of St. Tarasius as patriarch, 1391 Chapter IV. St. Tarasius's exercise of virtues toward himself, the clergy, the poor, and monks, 1391 Chapter V. The Seventh Ecumenical Synod held at Nicaea. Images restored, 1393 Chapter VI. The heresy and simony routed by St. Tarasius; the immunity of the Church defended, 1401 Chapter VII. St. Tarasius strongly resists the emperor who wished to repudiate his lawful wife and marry his chambermaid, 1405 Chapter VIII. The patience of St. Tarasius in adversity; admonition to the clergy regarding the restraint of illicit appetites of the senses, 1410 Chapter IX. Comparison of St. Tarasius with the confessors and martyrs. The usefulness of images against the Iconoclasts, 1412 Chapter X. Comparison of St. Tarasius with the apostles and patriarchs, 1416 Chapter XI. The old age, sickness, death, and burial of St. Tarasius, 1418 Chapter XII. Miracles wrought at the tomb of St. Tarasius, 1420
APOLOGETICUS TO THE PEOPLE, 1423 EPISTLES, 1427 I. — To the Emperor Constantine and his mother Irene, 1427 II. — To Adrian the Pope, 1435 III. — To the same Adrian, 1442 IV. — To John the presbyter and anchorite, 1451 V. — To the priests of Antioch and Alexandria, 1459 VI. — High priests of the East to Tarasius, 1467 VII. — To the bishops of the Sicilians, 1478 Monitum on the following homily, 1479 HOMILY ON THE PRESENTATION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD, 1482 Analytical index for the works of St. Germanus, 1497 Analytical index for the works of St. Gregory of Agrigento, 1505
END OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH VOLUME.