ANASTASIUS, BISHOP OF CÆSAREA IN PALESTINE, ON THE FAST OF THE GLORIOUS THEOTOKOS, and that it ought to be kept as authorized.
A Since your request to me, spiritual brother, was regarding the fast of the glorious Mother of God, so that you might receive in writing a blessing and gift concerning this matter; and since I, though unworthy, am like all the orthodox, an unprofitable servant of the Mother of God, I endeavor to keep it just as I have received it; and especially because in the place where we dwell, there is a temple, and it is named for my holy Mother of God. Therefore, it is necessary to keep this fast more diligently, not only for us, but also for all Christians, just as we have the testimonies from the divine Scriptures. For that which lacks testimony is found to be uncertain, and that which is undertaken by one's own will is harmful; but that which has the testimonies of the Scriptures and the laws is found to be both firm and beneficial.
Regarding this authorized fast, it is spoken of in the work called the *Synodicon*. Such a book contains only three synods; and two of these treat of the faith, while the third is about the difference and disagreement in marriages, from which it is called the *Union*. B Such a *Synodicon* is one thing, and what is called the *Nomocanon* is another; for the latter contains all the holy synods together, and the divine canons, and the civil laws, whereas the former... C
A includes only three synods. There, therefore, in the Synod of Union, after stating and proclaiming the penalty to be imposed upon those who marry three times, and the mode and time of their excommunication, he adds these words: "They shall enjoy the participation of the divine mysteries only at three times: once, at the saving Resurrection of Christ our God; secondly, at the Nativity of Christ; and thirdly, at the Dormition of the most glorious Mother of God," because, says he, a fast precedes these, and the benefit resulting from it. See how here he prefers this fast as more necessary than the fast of the holy Apostles. B And again, in the Invective which John, Metropolitan of Nicaea, wrote to the Catholicos of Greater Armenia against the fast of Artziburium, which he refutes as illegitimate, where he says: "Since neither the holy apostles consigned this fast to writing, nor the Nicene synod, nor any other of the Fathers, except the fourth and sixth days of the week, and the great Quadragesima, and the week of the Lord’s Passion, and the fast of the Nativity of Christ, and of the holy Apostles, and of the most glorious Theotokos, who taught you to fast and observe the fast of the nations?" Do you see how here too he explicitly and accurately enumerates the fast of the most glorious Theotokos with the other fasts of the orthodox? I have indeed encountered C other testimonies regarding this, but I think these to be sufficient, as it is written: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand."
That many, however, keep this fast after the aforementioned testimonies, and according to the tradition of the holy and ancient, pious Fathers, is clear to us both from what has been said, and again from another of the Fathers who strongly refutes the false and dangerous fasts of the adversaries. We ourselves also say here, that the name of the Mother of God is confessed in this fast of hers, not obscurely, but clearly and openly, as the name of the most glorious Virgin beyond measure. D For this fast is not called by the name of any of those who are fabulously invented and honored by the Greeks or Gentiles, nor again by that of any heresies, such as the fast of Artziburium and other such falsehoods. But it is not called simply "of holy Mary," as the children of the heretics think and say, nor in any other way by any artifice or obscurely, as those who do such things for the deception and destruction of the simpler ones do; but manifestly, as it has been said, it is celebrated in the name of the Theotokos.
A Just as the other fasts are also named in the name of her Son and God, the Church has the goal of having Christians purified in anticipation of the feasts of the Lord and of his Mother, passing from affliction to joy and spiritual gladness, piously contemplating those things which were accomplished in such solemnities by the Savior Christ for our salvation, both by dispensation and by his kindness. For to celebrate a feast, as he who excels in theology (Gregory) says, which pleases us and the truth, is to know the power of the mystery. But those who are not so disposed do not notice that they are celebrating feasts in a Jewish manner. B And if anyone asks where, when, and by whom the synod of Union was celebrated, let him hear from us that it was not in a corner, I say, nor in just any city, nor by just anyone, but in the royal city—the one of Constantine, I say—and by a pious patriarch and bishops, and the rest of the body of the Church, and by pious and orthodox emperors, Romanus the elder and Constantine, and the rest of the pious men, both wise and endowed with knowledge. For all these, gathered in the Holy Spirit, through the grace of God united the Church, which had been torn asunder because of diverse marriages, from which it has appropriately received the name of Union. This holy synod, therefore, after the end of all the regulations, as if confirming and sealing those things which had been established by the previous synods, adds words of this kind: Canon first: Everything that is innovated and done contrary to the ecclesiastical tradition and the teaching and disposition of the holy and celebrated Fathers, or that shall be done hereafter, let it be anathema. Canon fourth: To those who hold in contempt the holy and divine canons of our blessed Fathers, which both support the holy Church and adorn the whole Christian commonwealth, and guide men toward divine piety, let them be anathema.
C And so indeed the written testimonies establish that the fast of the utterly immaculate Theotokos is legitimate. But not of less weight with me are those things which I have received from tradition by the living voice. For the patriarch of Antioch and of the whole East of blessed memory, Lord Peter, was himself keeping these things and handing them down to the others; likewise also Lord Theodosius; and moreover, the one who now holds the patriarchate, the most holy Lord John, has handed this fast down to everyone, using written testimonies. And all these men, holding the seat of the prince of the apostles, not setting out from themselves, kept it, but followed all their predecessors; whom we also, though base, in following, keep the beginning of August, that is, after we have performed the solemnity of the holy Maccabees. But if indeed a fasting day occurs, D that is, whenever we thus hear of the Church being divided into parts.
A And blessed and fortunate are they who observe the Quadragesima of the blessed Theotokos for her Dormition. To our God be glory unto the ages. Amen.
Otherwise, on the same fast.
The fast which precedes the Dormition of the most holy Theotokos has been handed down by the holy Fathers and divine patriarchs, and all the cities and regions of the Orthodox keep it with honor, especially the great and prosperous city of Constantinople, and the Great Church. But later, in the days of Lord Leo the Philosopher and Emperor, the feast of the Transfiguration having been invented, some who were lovers of pleasure took the occasion of those days—the days of the fast, I mean—to eat meat on that same day, as if they were supposedly honoring the feast of the Savior. This the most wise emperor prohibited by established law; whence the entire fifteen-day fast is observed by all and kept in purity; and those who do so are protected more and more by the protectress of the whole world, the most holy Theotokos.
OF SAINT NICON.
And let these things be said concerning the fast of the most holy Theotokos. C But we also see another fast taking place, concerning which we have been unable to find anything handed down in writing; nevertheless, it is observed deeply and everywhere. I speak of the Exaltation of the precious Cross. And just as it was said above concerning the great saints, that some of the faithful prepare themselves for their feasts through purification, so also they say of this feast that some of the faithful purify themselves beforehand, on account of the salutation and veneration of the precious Cross, and again on the very day, on account of the same salutation, and because on that day everything concerning the Cross is chanted and read—both the Apostle and the Gospel, and in a word, the whole office of the Cross is performed; D and that it is celebrated for one day in the catholic Churches, and the fast is reasonable. Concerning the fast of the second day of the week, this is decreed both in the Nomocanon of the Faster and in the Typikon of Jerusalem; in the same way as the discourse previously demonstrated the fast of the most glorious Dormition of the Theotokos, it is reported in the Synodikon in the penance for those involved in third marriages. These, then, are the universal fasts of Christians, from the divine Scriptures: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday throughout the year, unless a reasonable cause prevents it, and the great Quadragesima, and the week of the Passion of the Lord, and the Quadragesima of the Nativity of Christ, or...
A the week of the Passion of the Lord, and the Quadragesima of the Nativity of Christ, and those of the holy apostles, and that of the most glorious Theotokos. But that of the precious Cross we have received not from the scriptures, but from common tradition, as was written above. And this is the precise account concerning the fasts.
Nicon in the Pandects, sermon 57, cod. Reg. 2423, after he mentions the Synodicon of the Union and the Antirrhetic of John of Nicaea, adds:
B We have investigated the fast of the Theotokos. And some say that it is established and canonical; others concede that it exists, but say that they do not observe it; others finally do not admit it at all, and even accuse those who observe it. And they indeed who admit and observe it, use the testimonies brought forward above; but those who do not receive it, but even accuse [it], act without testimony. Those who acknowledge it but do not observe it, say that many fasts are found to be observed in some regions not from the tradition of the divine canons, but from a certain custom and succession, and [that] some people, not with a perverse mind, but in faith and love for certain great saints, prepare themselves beforehand, so that they may come purely to their feasts; and such fasts are not universal, but [are left] to each one’s own inclination and will.
C Furthermore, concerning the fast of the Theotokos we say these things: The feast of the Transfiguration and the feast of the Meeting [of the Lord] were not delivered from the beginning by the holy apostles, but in later times. Wherefore we break the fast of the Theotokos, rejoicing in the festival of the Transfiguration. They say that the Typika of the great monasteries, such as those of Jerusalem, decree that the feast be kept for eight days; the Studite [Typikon], for four; but the Typikon of the patriarchate of the Church of Antioch has one feast day; where many keep the fast of the Theotokos entirely. We see also another fast taking place, about which we could find nothing written. For many purify themselves before the Exaltation of the precious Cross, and again on the day itself, because of the veneration of the Cross, and because then all things pertaining to the Cross are sung and read. The Typika, furthermore, the Studite and the Jerusalemite, celebrate two days, namely the feast itself and the day following. D The fast of the precious Cross, therefore, was not delivered by any writings, but is held by common tradition. And let the matter regarding the fasts have its end here.
In cod. Reg. 2424. The same, in the same sermon.
We have asked not a few concerning the fast of the Theotokos, and I do not know how it is that we found their answers to be discordant. For some indeed say that it is a legitimate and canonical fast, and [that it is] accurately observed by them; others admit that it exists, but say that it is not observed by them because it is beyond the law; others do not receive it at all, and indeed rebuke those who observe it. And those who receive and observe [it], have, as has been said above,
A testimonies taken from the divine Scriptures; furthermore, they are found to be more sedulous and prompt regarding the remaining customary fasts, and they perform them willingly. But those who do not accept it at all, but rather most strongly accuse it, neither receiving any written testimony, nor offering one in return, rashly shrink from that fast without any pretext. Finally, there are a third group who, although they acknowledge it, do not observe it at all; neither do these possess any scriptural testimony, but they offer this to us merely as advice. For they speak as follows: "We find that many fasts are observed in some regions, not by the tradition of divine canons, but by the custom of certain men and through succession; yet they are not observed with an evil intention, but through faith and love towards certain great saints, by those who fast, in order that they may arrive with purity at their feasts." Such things, however, are not permitted to be handed down for the common observance of all, but each person acts as he determines and wishes, provided that it is not prohibited by the divine Fathers; such as the fast of Artziburium, or of the Dodecaemeron, or of the Wednesday and Friday of the Cheese-eating week, and various other fasts of heretics. For in such fasts the heretics do not simply fast, but [do so] according to a heretical dogma, mixing their tradition outside the Catholic Church; and it is not lawful for us, in such matters, to imitate their practices. B Concerning the fast of the Theotokos, we know it in this manner. The feast of the Transfiguration and the feast of the Meeting C were not handed down from the beginning by the holy apostles, but by the holy Fathers in later times; and because the feast of the Transfiguration is celebrated on the sixth of the month of August, we celebrate this [fast] in common during the intermediate eight days; for this reason, we break this fast in common, in the midst [of the period]. And as it was said above regarding the other fasts of the great saints, it is permitted for whoever wishes to observe this one too; however, it is not fitting that it be handed down for common observance. And these are the things which the Fathers of our time advise us. They also add this: "We learn from the Typikon of the great monasteries that the feast of the Transfiguration is celebrated for eight days, and then the feast of the Theotokos follows, and the fast is not universally held in common in the middle." This again gives us pause for another consideration. For the Typikon of Jerusalem marks eight days of feasting, that of the Studites D four; but the type of the Great Church of Antioch, or of the patriarch, celebrates it for one day; and yet many perform this fast and observe it gratefully, especially those who are eminent among the most learned in that great city. For, as we said before, taking testimony from the Synodicon, which is read from the ambo in the patriarchate, some observe this fast from the beginning of the month of August and break it at the feast of the Transfiguration, honoring one day, and again they hold the fast until the very feast of our most pure and altogether immaculate Lady, the Theotokos; others, however, begin the fast after the feast of the Transfiguration has been celebrated; in a word, from each one, as I have already said, it is ob-