Responses to Gabriel of Pentapolis

enmity, hatred, murder, and the destruction of the three high and cardinal virtues—I mean hope, faith, and love—which, being three, exist for the honor of the Trinity, ^A entirely unite the one who possesses them with the God who is in Trinity, and make him a god by grace. Wherefore we too, brothers, let us purge our rational faculty through true faith, and, by means of the virtues—and especially the cardinal ones, namely courage, temperance, justice, and prudence, in which all the other cardinal virtues and indeed all virtues are contained—let us purify our irascible and concupiscible powers along with the rational faculty, and let us lead them to impassibility. Let us live entirely according to Christ, bearing within ourselves the true faith of Christ and the life of Christ; let us love Christ, and let us contemplate Christ, and let us become temples of Christ and the fragrance of Christ, sanctified in Christ, so that we may also attain eternally to the immortal life, glory, and kingdom of Him, Christ Himself. For to Him, Christ, the Son of the living God, belongs all glory, honor, and worship, together with His unoriginate Father and the life-creating Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.

RESPONSES BY THE SAME TO CERTAIN QUESTIONS OF A BISHOP WHO HAD INQUIRED OF HIM

PROOEMIUM

It would have been better, most holy master and in Christ most beloved brother, for such questions as these, being so high and beyond us, to have been proposed to one of those who are integral, ^C who possess a transcendent spirit and are accustomed to contemplating supernatural things. For we, creeping like worms upon the earth, having received our body from clay and considering only things relating to clay, being entirely of the flesh, and possessing hardly any discourse concerning that which is in us according to the image and likeness of God, have no power even to reason about such things, nor to think about higher ones. But if indeed any thought of salvation comes to us—which happens by the philanthropy of the Good One, always leading us to the remembrance of things pertaining to salvation and to divine matters—

^A and then indeed we know from our parts our own extreme lowliness and vileness. Concerning the things above us, we hasten to think only upon those things which we have received from the Fathers, and we strive to be content with these; for nothing unsearchable has been left behind by them, and for the most part we refrain, fearing to slip. Concerning our own sins, however, when we are anxiously reflecting, we consider it safe to do so, and we pray that this may be granted to us from above, and we advise this to others; for this reason, even in the Church, we speak more at length regarding this. Indeed, we consider theological discourse and inquiries into vain and doubtful matters to be a matter of lighter and useless concern, like the care of household affairs; but if someone is solicitous about how to drive away the passions and acquire some health, and for this to have God as merciful and propitious, this seems to me most useful, since it is suited for salvation. But when a brother, as duty requires, asks someone who answers according to his ability, he both gains the merit of charity and obedience and at the same time receives from it a great benefit: "For a brother helped by a brother is like a fortified city" (it says). To inquire concerning the truth is a sign of deep humility; to answer without boasting is, in turn, a fruit of charity and humility. Behold, therefore, according to your request, we yield to your good purpose and command, for the sake of obedience, and forgetting our own frailty, we pay little heed to the occupations, business, and afflictions that beset us. ^B This, indeed, we see in most of the Fathers and have been taught by them, especially by the God-inspired ones, the divine Amphilochius and the truly greatest Basil, whom one could see in turn both posing questions and giving answers; although both were vessels of the Holy Spirit, yet each received assurance from the other, imitating Paul, who communicated the doctrines of the Gospel with his fellow-apostles. And the one who asked sought to learn more clearly; Basil, the theologian, was the one who answered, and he would preface his remarks by saying that he himself was benefited by the one asking. And just as he answered, he spoke not from himself, but from those before him, as he had received, and he expounded what they held in like manner to them. Therefore, relying on their prayers in Christ, we, to you who know more than we do, speak fraternally as we are able, for the sake of obedience and charity. And may the Lord grant, the Word of the God and Father, the living wisdom, who knows the words of all, and who has made all things by his word and still continues to operate, granting us a word suitable for solving what is included in these questions. Whence we respond also to the first question.

QUESTION I

The mode of such angelic appearances—

^A is known to God alone, O Father and brother, for He alone, having made all things from nothing, knows the nature and the reasons of all beings. We, however, have learned from the saints that angels appear, yet we have not learned how they come to be, nor that they appear only in the form of a man, but also in other forms that come into being. For the Cherubim are Four-Formed, many-eyed, four-winged, and possess four heads: one like an eagle, one like an ox, one like a lion, and one like a man; and the saints have spoken of proper and distinct meanings for each of these. The prophets also said the Seraphim are six-winged, burning with heat, flashing like fire, and therefore called "fiery," just as we learned that the Cherubim are portrayed with feet and hands because the diffusion of knowledge is indicated by them. We know the angel whom Jesus, son of Nave, saw—a man drawing a sword—and him whom Daniel saw, a man clothed in a long robe, whose eyes were like a flame of fire and his voice like the voice of a multitude. Others appeared in the form of a man, such as the one wrestling with Jacob, and the one showing him the ladder; the one speaking to Abraham so that he would not sacrifice Isaac; the one showing the vision to Moses in the bush; the one appearing to Zechariah; others to other prophets; the one bringing the message to the Virgin; those telling the women of the Resurrection; the one who loosed Peter from his chains and prison. Some appeared as thrones, others as wheels, ^B others as a flame of fire, others carrying rods, others wearing white garments; and, in short, they have appeared in various forms. What then? Is this their nature? By no means. For they are without figure and without visible form, as we learn from the Fathers, since they are incorporeal; and every intellectual creature is without form. Dionysius says this, as do Chrysostom in his sermons on the Seraphim, and elsewhere, and the rest of the Fathers. What then? Are all these things false? By no means. But they are images of divine things, signifying the work and power of each of the angels. For according to their immaterial and incorporeal state, the angels are without figure; but according to their mission and work, they are depicted, revealing their own energy and power, and appearing to men as it is possible for them to appear. Therefore, angels are not by nature lions, or oxen, or men, or eagles. But the eagle indicates their elevated, intellectual, and swift nature, and their unwavering gaze towards the intellectual sun. The human form hints at their cooperation in our reformation, at the incarnation of the Word, at their haste to restore us according to the divine image, ^C and finally at their care and zeal for the salvation of man. The form of the ox shows their submission to God, their untiring constancy in acting, and furthermore their purity toward non-material sacrifices. Finally, the form of the lion signifies royalty and divinity, and a fullness of zeal and force against those who move against the Creator. In these things, the rods and the belts also signify their ^D authority and power.

^A That they shine like fire and are clothed in white indicates their purity and holiness, and their godlike nature, and that they communicate these to us. That they are called igniform signifies the consumption of vices and malice, and the illumination of those in darkness. Finally, that they have wings signifies that they are spiritual and capable of moving through the air: in a word, the unique character of the forms in which these incorporeal and spiritual angels appear manifests to us the strength, energy, and truth of these apparitions, and wonderfully contributes to our instruction. Wherefore we also paint these in images, and honor them, and judge and testify that they are plainly divine.

Everything, however, that is told of the evil one is false and phantastic, occurring for the deception and ruin of those who see it. For he transforms himself, as it is written, being darkness, into an angel of ^B light, and into various shapes, and even the forms of beasts, of lions and serpents, as befits him, and of scorpions and dogs and others; and he was being shaped and appearing in phantasms before holy Anthony and before other saints, all of which one must discount. And he does not only show these things phantastically out of himself—being an incorporeal mind, constantly varying himself, as he is a most wicked mind—but he also transforms and changes himself, just as a human mind, when it is varied, often suffers willfully, and reverses and transforms itself in words, thoughts, and shapes, and speaks in various ways as it wishes and often makes a fool of people, being human.

The accursed and dark demon not only behaves this way, but also attaches himself to certain things; he lurks in smoke and in the hearth, moves noisily through the air, and often seems to strike, and casts down bodies. He does all these things wishing to deceive and lead into error, just as he deceived the Greeks, from whom he sought the sacrifices of living men, so that, appearing phantastically amidst their smoke, he might obtain for himself a certain grace of honor from them. And he seeks these even to this day, as we know, through certain incantations. When that wretch receives some small gift from any man as he wills, he certainly leads this miserable person to ruin. But meanwhile, while that evil one exults in their ruin, seeming to himself to be able to do something, he is nevertheless entirely vain and powerless, and is subject to the virtue and power of my Christ. ^D Angels do not act according to this manner, but appear in a true image and amidst divine conceptions and most holy actions: they act as if bringing before us the divine power; they emit words and sounds not corporally and materially, but as if exercising leadership over us, and as holy spirits divinely and truly approaching our spirit and joining themselves to us with a good intention, manifesting the will of God, not in noises and tumults, but in some divine virtue and grace, for the edification of the hearers, in peace and joy. Moreover, they never sought the smoke of a sacrifice by which God might be propitiated, but as it is written in Manoah: "The angel touched the meat with the rod" (by His divine power, that is), "and fire came forth from the rock and consumed these." This also happened through the prayer of Elijah, and upon the fire being kindled, it consumed the meat, the stalks, the water, and the stones. And others from [...]

among the saints have often truly—and not by mere appearance—wrought the same things through angels and through Divine power. But especially are the visions of the prophets of God and true contemplations divine images. And all these possess more divine reasons, and they happen for the benefit of humans; and in imitation of these divine visions, the contemplations of the angels are likewise true, even if they occur through images for our sake and in a figure, because we too exist in the form of a body and in a figure. And these things, then, are briefly stated concerning the first question. ^B

QUESTION II.

having received all things to act in Himself according to the word of God and conveniently and naturally. In the womb, therefore, the fetus breathes through the mother; for as the whole body of the woman is naturally ordered, so the fetus is in her as a member of her body. ^B Some, indeed, say that a man in the womb does not live by respiration at all; but, as the philosophers have said, altogether naturally. For just as plants do not live by respiration, but because they have their roots fixed in the earth, so also in the womb the fetus, by means of a thin ligature fixed in the membranes of the womb, receives the necessary things for life; and later it is born and lives by itself through food and respiration, just as other non-rational animals. It is moved by the rational soul which is in it, and being nourished, it is managed. It comes to understanding little by little later, not that the rational soul exists later, nor prepresent according to the foolish Greeks, but because it is in it naturally from the beginning in the seed by the creative divine power, as the divine Gregory of Nyssa says; for the living creature is cast in animate from the beginning, the power of the soul being revealed in the perfection of the organ.

QUESTION III.

^A the devil, not in the place and seat of the angels. For how could he who fell from the heavenly realm exist there? As the Savior said: "I saw Satan falling like lightning from heaven." For heaven is the dwelling-place of the angels. For even though the angels are incorporeal spirits, they are nevertheless circumscribed and in a place, just as our own mind is. Only the Divinity is uncircumscribed. The Wicked One stood, therefore, in the midst of the angels, not by place and rank, but by the swelling of his arrogance and pride, and by his high-minded, anti-divine imagination—for the one who has been condemned cannot ascend beyond the air, but rather is condemned to be always beneath the earth and in Hades. He stood therefore boasting, and moved impiously against God who created him and established him as immortal, and against His servant Job, being enviously puffed up, and hastening to prove false the testimony which God Himself had borne concerning him. But even by the will of God it was granted to him to exercise these things of madness for the trial and advancement of that blessed Job, so that the Wicked One might not dare to say that the righteous man had not been tested, and that he had not been revealed as righteous through the trial. For the common enemy can do nothing contrary to the will of God against His creatures, even if God permits some of the things that come to pass to happen to humans by His good pleasure, while He yields others by abandonment, as we are taught from almost the whole of Scripture. And these things, then, in brief, concerning the third question.

QUESTION IV

Regarding the fourth question—whether one angel or many take up a human soul, and whether it does not depart from the body without an angel, and how it is taken by an angel since both are spirits, and whither it departs, into heaven, or to the earth, or to Hades, and how, being incorporeal, it is consumed in fire—these things we shall say according to our ability. That the souls of the righteous are taken by holy angels, and those of the unrighteous by demons, we have learned from many histories and patristic accounts; and the holy Gospel says concerning the beggar Lazarus who died, that he was carried away by angels into the bosom of Abraham. The souls seen ^D by the holy Anthony also testify to this, as does that of Amoun of Nitria, and that of Paul the Theban, as the great Athanasius relates, and the most blessed souls of many other saints; they are not only received by holy angels, but are also escorted by holy souls, sent by God, I think, for their comfort and honor. We do not know the number of angels deputed for this. Often we read in the sayings of the Fathers—Euthymius the Great saw an angel guarding Triana, and two or more angels appointed to receive a soul, and that perhaps on account of the dignity of the souls being received: and that the souls of the righteous are received by many angels, in proportion to the

^A advancement they have attained, while those of others are received by fewer, and the souls of those who have sinned are, again, seized by demons—yet not, however, against the will of God. For even the souls of sinners are not separated without an angel, lest the enemy find opportunity to slay the man, and that at an unseasonable time, and in order that he not be thought to be the lord of death and of life. But by the immaterial angels, a soul, being itself immaterial, is appropriately, or rather naturally, received. For angels have an affinity for immaterial things. The souls, however, proceed, as we learn from the holy doctors, to places worthy of their life and conduct; and some are in heaven, those whose "citizenship was in heaven." These are they who, even while yet in the body, were caught up into heaven, as Paul, who was caught up thither, teaches, both in his desire to "depart and be with Christ," and in order that there might be fulfilled that which the Lord said: “Where I am, there also may they be with me.” Those in paradise are there in accordance with the saying, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” We must believe that the souls of all who depart through repentance are there, as is also the soul of that wise thief. And justly so: for those who have perfectly imitated Christ follow Him as He ascends into heaven and will be with Him in heaven. In paradise, too, are they who, like the thief, have repented; for Christ opened both heaven and paradise. And every soul will receive comfort from God according to its life, but all are imperfect until the Lord comes, as we are taught: “That they, apart from us,” He says, “might not be made perfect.” And all these, though perfected through faith, did not receive the promise. ^B But the souls of sinners and of the faithless must be believed to be in Hades—just as the souls of the holy are in heaven—and in other dark and sorrowful places, corresponding to their sins and their unbelief, and to be ruled by demons and pained by being tyrannized. They are not, however, delivered over to the final punishment at this time, since they have not yet been united to their bodies with which they sinned, nor has the Lord yet descended from heaven, who will judge all and render to each according to his works. But neither is there some preliminary punishment into which sinful souls enter to be punished according to their malice and thereafter be freed from further penalty, as some most wickedly prattle. For when holy Gregory the Dialogist said that souls are tormented in fire, he said ^C this according to an intellectual understanding; so that the souls are as if captive in a certain place, since they have been judged and condemned, to be afflicted in fire through their conscience; and so that, furthermore, being made disinherited of the grace of God, they are subjected to demons—just as the Golden-Tongued speaks of this in his Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, affirming that souls are tormented by their conscience and by their separation from God; ^D and by this final and eternal...

^A expectation of punishment. But if anyone among them has sinned moderately, and has departed from this life with repentance, they can obtain freedom through the most holy sacrifice and good works and other such things, before the Judge arrives. And the Church, accepting this, performs prayers and sacrifices for those who have passed away; and many testify to this, and those who are released from the bond after death, just as their bodies also are dissolved. For this reason, the flame of that rich man must be understood as the torment of conscience and the lack of participation in grace. ^B And the fact that he beholds Abraham from afar signifies that he is far from God and is afflicted by demons. Yet, the full punishment is not now given. But if, because the Lord said that the rich man is in Gehenna, it must be believed that he is in punishment, and consequently that there is punishment for the souls of sinners, it shall be eternal, an earnest of the future punishment. Nevertheless, so far as it is possible to understand from the holy Scriptures, since the devil with the demons is not yet under the bonds and the fire prepared for him, but they still work wickedness in the world, and the judgment has not yet been pronounced upon the sinners, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire," ^C the souls of sinners are not delivered to final punishment, even if the rich man is said to be in Gehenna. For he will certainly be in punishment, but not in final punishment, and not even because of this partial punishment will he be exempted from the final one, as the Latins say regarding Purgatory. And it is clear that Abraham also said there is a great chasm between the sinners and the just, signifying the impossibility of union, and that one cannot return to the living to repent; for there is no repentance in Hades. But just as we glorify that the souls of the just do not yet receive full grace, so also we hold that the souls of sinners do not yet find the test of full torment and punishment, until the end comes for each, when the Lord descends. ^D The immaterial spirit will be under a bond and in pain in Gehenna according to what is fitting. And we learn this from the holy Scriptures, but it is also possible to know and conjecture about the future from the things that happen to us here. For often, even when the body is not tortured, the soul itself suffers and is afflicted, when some circumstance is brought upon it, contrary to its will—that is to say, dishonor or human scorn, or fear, or shame, or an assault of passions, or other thoughts that afflict and press upon it. Since the soul is now bound to a body, and is believed to be reunited with a body in the future, what wonder is it if it be punished by fire, and especially then, when all things shall be changed and transformed into the incorruptible? And these things belong to the punishment prepared for the devil, who exists as an incorporeal and more subtle nature than the soul. If, therefore, eternal fire is prepared for him and his angels for vengeance and punishment, how will this not also be for the souls who have been subjected to the...

^A evil, in disbelief, or in other wicked works, and [who have been] united more closely with their bodies?

QUESTION V.

To the fifth question, these things must be said: Neither angels, nor demons, nor souls—whether separated from their bodies or present within bodies—possess corporeal forms and species, since shape pertains to body. But when they are seen in a form, angels are not perceived as they are, but as far as they can be seen by us symbolically, as has been said. And angels are truly represented in symbols and visions by the power of God, as new saints, for our benefit. And the souls of the saints, and of other departed ones, [are represented] as God grants and wills. But demons, not having the grace of God, change their forms fantastically and deceptively, in a various and wicked manner, and to say it in a word, they appear to us falsely. ^B But air and wind, although they are called spirits, are not in the least similar to angels or souls; rather, they are bodies more subtle than our bodies, serving as aids to our own, as well as to those of animals and plants, for we breathe through the air. And fire, which is more subtle than air, is itself also a body, and it helps other bodies and circulates through the other elements. In short, as everyone says, air is one of the four elements of which our bodies are also composed. Air, therefore, is a body, even if it is lighter than earth and water, and more subtle, and moves into winds and passes through all subtle things, and no body is permitted to be devoid of it.

QUESTION VI.

To the sixth question, these things [must be said]: A word conceived in the mind is most truly and excellently a word, which, as it were, through the throat, the tongue, and the lips, assumes flesh, by the movement of the internal and external spirit, and is thus generated as a spoken utterance. In it is the image of the incarnation and the manifestation through flesh among men of the living Word of God. For, first, this [Word], being invisible and co-eternal with the Father and remaining in Him from eternity—by whom He also made all things as He willed—was later made flesh from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin, and has been truly manifested to us. And He was wholly in the Father, and likewise wholly in the Mother according to the flesh; and He was in heaven and enlightening the angels, and ^D on earth He was seen and conversed with men. Man vividly expresses and represents all these things in himself. For his soul intellectually produces its own word within itself; wherefore it is called rational, and without sound or tongue it understands within itself, and speaks immaterially, even as angels do; for they, bodilessly, to one another the

^A knowledge of God transmit, and converse without a tongue and intellectually. Thus the soul by a certain form and sign announces its own word: then, thickened by tongue or letter and as it were incarnated, it appears to all others; which nevertheless remains in it and is not at all separated; and it is whole in all who hear, and whole at the same time remaining in the soul. Therefore the word conceived in the mind is more truly a word than that which is emitted outwardly: for this is especially predicated of it. Although to external philosophers the word conceived in the mind, which they call thought, seems different from the word expressed outwardly, in truth it is one, representing the only-begotten Word, first conceived in the mind and hidden within and unknown to many, then thickened, and manifesting itself outwardly by both sounds and letters, and it depicts the life of the Word among men, which later God the Word appeared in the flesh. ^B

QUESTION VII.

To the seventh question these things: The saints believe that there are waters above the heavens. And regarding this, our holy Fathers Basil and Chrysostom, to whom it is necessary to yield above all others, philosophize, agreeing with the things of Scripture, to whom it seems necessary that waters be above everything else. Some, however, think the waters that are above the heavens to be angelic powers, because they are moved by the Holy Spirit and because they are full of the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit is also called water. The Holy Spirit is indeed simple and one, ^C as Paul says, distributing charismata to individuals, even as water, which is one, distributes to each of the trees and herbs the power and energy proper according to the nature of each. And regarding this, the great Maximus speaks so wisely: Others say the water is from the clouds; since the air is also called heaven by the Scripture, which says of the birds that they are the flying creatures of the heaven. Nevertheless, one must believe that there is water above the firmament, as it is written. For He who made all things knows in what manner He has placed it there. ^D

QUESTION VIII.

To the eighth question it must be said: Nothing happens without the providence of God, nor does anything happen apart from His knowledge; but not all things happen according to His will and good pleasure. And this is evident from the transgression of Adam: for He knew that it had been committed; and He Himself had planted the tree of knowledge, not, however, that Adam should become guilty, but that, in due time partaking of its fruits, he might be more greatly benefited, first of all his own obedience

^A manifesting. ^B And the tree of life was planted, so that if he partook of it in due time, he might remain immortal; for the tree of life was not planted in vain. Since, therefore, He fashioned man as a rational being, and every rational being is possessed of free will, and it is of free will to be moved by one’s own volition, so that one either acts rightly and is justly praised, or sins and is punished; and discernment and wisdom were given to the rational being, and especially the commandment and law of God so that he might not fall: God is, therefore, not the cause of Adam’s falling, but this is entirely to be attributed to Adam’s own negligence and contempt for the laws. And if, in some way, the deception or fallacy of the Evil One was able to be the occasion for this, it was rather due to carelessness and an unguarded power of choice. For the evil suggestion of a creature could not have prevailed against the divine will, if Adam had been watchful and had guarded himself, as he was commanded. But God did not create the devil; rather, He created a good angel, and he became a devil, having turned of his own volition toward wickedness and become an anti-god—yet he is weak, for he is a creature—knowing God who created him, he himself, a creature of God, slandered God to another, to Adam, portraying Him as envious, one who wished to prevent Adam from eating of the tree, knowing that if he should eat of it, he would become like God. Hence he has become Satan, and has been so named, which means an apostate. These things are sufficient for the solution of the whole of this question.

QUESTION IX.

Whether God is the cause of Adam’s transgression and of the unbelief of the nations, since they are delivered up against their will? And if God is not the cause, how are those who are delivered up against their will punished?

To the ninth question, this: First of all, these nations were not created so that they might be unbelievers, but so that they might be believers, and for this reason all things were made from the beginning. And the end ^C is the dispensation of the Word of God for the sake of all, and His saving proclamation has been spread throughout the inhabited world, so that no one might have excuse. “For have they not heard?” says Paul; “indeed, their voice has gone out into all the earth.” And it is evident that from all the nations some have believed and remain believers, so that the unbelieving nations are condemned by this fact. And all the more because the mysteries of God are proclaimed in their midst, and within them are the ^D places in which the Incarnate One lived in the body and suffered voluntarily. But those wretched people unanimously deny the life of the Word among men, and His passion, and resurrection, and divinity, and incarnation. Therefore they will suffer punishment along with the demons, because they are their servants and complicit ministers; and just as that one is a murderer and a blasphemer against God, so are these. And God, too, knows perfectly well that the world is being stirred against us by the demons; but though they are spurned, and despite however much they may plot against us, true, legitimate, and illustrious servants of God are born, just as Abel and Seth were, remaining in the generation of Cain. And Noah alone, with the...

house of his, in his entire generation which was also consumed by the flood; and in that utterly corrupt generation there were also infants, and furthermore all who, as the Fathers note, were about to enter into life. And just as Abraham was in Chaldea and in all the land, except for Melchizedek and those similar to him—for others are said to have lived according to his example—and as Lot was in Sodom, and Joseph in Egypt, and the people of Israel alone among the nations of the earth, who nevertheless sinned much and often. Who then is the cause of impiety for the impious? God? If anyone were to say this, it would be beyond every impiety and blasphemy. For it is evident how much he punishes the impious. Why, therefore, does he honor the righteous and care for them, while he chastises and casts out the impious? Entirely because he accepts the pious while turning away from the impious—since he does not even let go of anything that works for salvation, so that they might know him. ^B For he both created the world and governs it for our sake, and he placed the seeds of virtue within us, and he sent his servants to proclaim his own will; and he established divine law, and showed forth prophets, and finally he himself came; and he chose a choir of disciples and sent them forth to preach to the world, and he performed miracles, which are being worked even until now. And first, his name being preached to the whole world, then through his virginity being practiced on earth; then through the state of fleeing from the world, practiced by many even until now, and also through the monogamy and chastity of his orthodox believers in the world. Next, through the hardship of the flesh, voluntarily enacted in many of his servants by asceticism and the withdrawal from worldly things, as he himself ordained, and through those who have died and are being persecuted even until now for his testimony and for their zeal for the faith. ^C And through these very holy places, in which he worked for our sake, the marvelous is seen, because not only are they not destroyed by the godless who blaspheme him and rule in those areas, but rather, holy houses are established and honored in them in the name of the Savior. And simply through other countless miracles, those worked in holy temples, in holy waters, in holy icons, and in holy relics, and through their remaining fragrant and incorrupt. Furthermore, through the mystery of grace, of binding and loosing, and through the fact that the Church remains persecuted, and being in the midst of nations that hate and oppress it, according to the prophecy of his divine words, through which we also hope for his kingdom, as he said. And the greater thing is that, without a sword, without armies, and without kings fighting on his behalf, through fishermen and poor men—men who were persecuted, slaughtered, common, uneducated, reviled, and despised for his sake—it was able to overcome all things and accomplish great things. ^D But also, the fact that his Church remains without worldly power even now, persecuted by enemies—which to many might be deemed weakness—will clearly be his power and might. So that (Paul says) any flesh might not boast in the sight of God. And again: "For my power is made perfect in weakness"

^A And just as the Church of God, before being rejected by kings, overcame the power of the kingdoms, so now, when the pious kingdom has become weak, the Church again remains and stands in the midst of the nations; and being afflicted and suffering, just as He himself predicted, she is made to shine all the more. And someone might perhaps say, "Was it better, then, for the pious kingdom to be humbled?" I would by no means say so. For how could it be? Since God loved it, and having established it, caused it to grow, and through Paul foretold that it would remain until the end of the age, saying, "The son of lawlessness shall not come, unless the restrainer be taken out of the midst." The Roman Empire, that is to say the pious one—which was indeed allowed to be humbled because of sins, and because it did not keep the divine commandments of the King of all, Jesus Christ, but fell into pride and conceit, and into luxuries and ease, and into Gentile impurities and unjust deeds, and by seizing the goods of the poor as its own, and by not hesitating to stir up wars against them, and by treating the sons of the Church as enemies—this, therefore, has happened to almost all the devout through the conspiracy of the demon. And it happened just as Paul says, ^B speaking: "In the last days there will be men who are lovers of themselves, lovers of pleasure, incontinent," and so on; and in the end, "having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power." Is this not the case today, brother? Who among the believers now lives as a genuine servant of Christ? Who lives the Christian life? Who, having attained the episcopate, keeps himself a blameless pontiff? Where are the zealous bishops? Where is the knowledge of the teachers? Where is the purity of life? What priest keeps the duties of the priesthood unblemished? What monk fulfills the monk’s profession? Have we not all become useless together? Who, therefore, weighs the grace of birth with its proper worth? To what end, then, were temples built? To what end, monasteries? Is it not so that they might be offices of salvation? But now, as Christ said, we make the houses of God "a den of thieves"; and we monks and priests invade the holy things—we live impurely and according to our own will; we squander the things of God wrongly and lavishly upon our parents, friends, and those near to us, sinning more wickedly than the infidels ^C who destroy holy things, since we, as believers, have been made ministers of God's affairs. Therefore, the wrath of God is not kindled so much against the nations, who, lacking faith, despise holy things, as it is against us who have the faith. Let no one, therefore, wonder how holy things are contemptuously treated by the impious, or how the faithful are harassed by the infidels, but rather let him wonder how we exist at all on earth, while showing such contempt for God. ^D For why [was it that] primarily the ancient things were also so given for an inheritance, those once given by divine nod to Moses, was it not because the sons of Israel had become despisers of God? If, therefore, there was such zeal for God in those days, shown through an angel and given through a servant, how much greater will the zeal be...

moved because of those things which have been brought or done by his only-begotten Word? And Paul testifies to this, saying: "Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies on the testimony of two or three witnesses; how much more severe a punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has considered common the blood of the covenant, by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the grace of the Spirit?" ^B Therefore, even if what is said is marvelous, it is nevertheless true that God considers it less of an insult when his own things are dishonored by the impious than by those who believe in him. For what excuse have believers who live impiously in the midst of the nations? What new martyrdom is proposed? What persecution is impending? What punishments are being prepared? In these often the saints rejoiced all the more, and, thus dying, they were multiplied all the more. Why do you suffer so much? Because you were appointed a servant? Because you pay taxes? Because you are among the despised? And what of this? Every nation has its humble ones and little ones, and possesses servants, and this is itself a fruit of the cause of obedience. If, therefore, you who believe endure such things because of Christ, you will not be without a reward; but if you do not even endure this, how will you be able to be a servant of Christ, who endured even unto death for your sake? ^C For this reason, those believers who are pressed by persecution will have no excuse if they act impiously—as they say, compelled by necessity; for they are truly apostates. Nor must it be said otherwise of those who were abducted from childhood: for they were likely to be like their fathers. This is at least evident from those who have already come to maturity: having understanding, they did not keep the proofs of the faith, but acquiesced to the flesh and acted without caring at all about the Word of God. These things, in my judgment, are most true; and it must be said entirely that God is not the cause ofAnyone's fall, but sloth, the love of pleasures, and the love of life. However, fully confident in the infinite goodness of God, as it behooves us for those who repent, we ought to raise up hope, and to expect and receive everyone who repents in any way whatsoever, but not those who reject repentance. ^D For it matters to distinguish excellently between the converted according to the order prescribed by the saints. For those who act by that law in order to flee the labors and temptations of persecutions because of the love of goods, or of glory, or of pleasures, condemn themselves to death; for to me, with the beloved disciple, it is permitted to say of those who do not confess God, that they sin unto death. Those who, on the contrary, have suffered persecution, labors, threats, and insults will be gifted with another reward. Regarding the boys and small infants who were abducted, who died before they had understanding of good or evil at all, provided they received baptism, I trust they will be received mercifully and piously by God. But all the infidels, whether they are held by ancestral infidelity, will be justly condemned with the demons; or even those who, formerly...

having been conversant with the faithful, have in any way denied the faith and remain infidels, they suffer an equal punishment: because there is not in them the word of divine revelation which has shone upon the world above the sun and now shines, and the gleaming standard of evangelical and heavenly life which illuminates and burns above fire and flame. And this we solve as briefly as possible to the question. He who shall have sought more will have it from the holy Fathers: and the sacred Scripture is full of this argument.

QUESTION X

QUESTION XI

QUESTION XII

QUESTION XIII

^A Of these four questions—namely the tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth—there is one spirit and sense, and we answer them all at once according to the mind of the saints which we have received. The Holy Spirit does not ordain everyone in sacred ministries, but He operates in all. Otherwise, the archbishop and priest, and he who exercises a spiritual office, and any other cleric, canonically ordained, is truly a minister of God, and ^B appointed to the salvation of men, and another angel of God, and a full distributor of holiness, just as also of light and of the grace of God, from whom he receives much fruit for his ministry. Especially is he the sharpest and indefatigable defender of those things which are God's, to provide in himself a standard of prudence and piety. For piety is not in idleness; but he who has undertaken some sacred office, let him labor; for the salvation of himself is in his labor and the salvation of all the living and the dead. Let him see to it, therefore: he shall render account to God for laziness. These things, moreover, says the theologian Basil. ^C But as often as anyone is ordained against the canons, whether archbishop, or priest, or cleric, or another appointed to a sacred ministry, grace truly operates in any one of them for the salvation of those approaching him, and each one receives according to his own faith, and no one departs empty and frustrated. Those upon whom they have laid hands are truly ordained; and to whom they have remitted or retained sins, they are remitted or retained: finally, whatsoever mysteries they perform, those are truly perfected, since in these not man operates, but grace through the operator. But woe to that agent if he operates against the will of the Operator. Woe again to the man ^D treating such great things contumeliously. Truly, if he who assumes for himself things which are base and human—which are neither given, nor acquired by labor or price—is already judged guilty of such great punishment, as a thief, a plunderer, presumptuous, and rapacious, and finally, evilly and contemptuously...

and one who acts beyond his capacity in contempt, ^A how much more shall he be condemned who holds in contempt divine and heavenly things, and especially the works of God himself alone? And if he who communicates unworthily alone is condemned, how much more so is he who ministers unworthily? And these things concern those who have received ordination, whether they sinned before or after, they are all unworthy. And if they care to repent and be saved, let them cease from exercising the most holy works of the priesthood, and through confession and mourning, let them render God propitious to themselves. For there is no other way for them to repent unless they first cease to exercise the things of the priesthood. But if some, by the permission of God, have reached such a point of audacity that, faithlessly and impiously (for such a thing is unbelief), without having received the ordination of the priesthood, they perform the things of the priesthood, there are no words to express the condemnation of such a person. For this act is worse than that of the godless themselves, and is merely that of demons who transform themselves ^B into angels of light while being nothing of the kind, and who feign the works of God while being atheists and enemies of God. Such persons, therefore, will not only undergo the greatest and ineffable punishment for having so blasphemed against divine things—for their utterances are not divine, nor are their works divine, since they do not possess the grace of ordination—but they will also pay another penalty on account of those deceived by them, and those who were supposedly baptized or ordained by them. For these are both unordained and unbaptized. For he who does not possess something gives nothing, and no one receives anything from him who has it not, even if he thinks he has it. Whence, he who has been deceived, and believes he is baptized or a priest, is not, and the one who deceived him is the cause of his ruin. For a man can do nothing unless he has received it from God. For, He says, "Without me, you can do nothing."

Regarding the spiritual ministry, ^C it is similar in terms of the sin of the one who ministers without ordination and the one who acts in sacred matters without the admonition and command of the archbishop; because to loose and to bind belongs only to the bishops, as various canons state concerning this. And it is clear that this was given by Christ our God to the apostles alone; and the successors of the apostles are the bishops. Whence the presbyters, as holding the rank of the seventy, do not have the authority to give the Spirit, that is, grace, either to ordain, or to consecrate oil, or to give absolution of sins in the Spirit, just as Philip, one of the seven, could not do this; but Peter and John and the remaining apostles ^D of the twelve, and their successors in the episcopate, granted this through the laying on of hands. Whence these also later ordained many bishops from among the seventy. Therefore, by the power of ordination, presbyters do not have the ability to loose and to bind, but only bishops. However, by the admonition of the bishops, or indeed by command, when there is necessity, as the canons say, presbyters can do this

^A in everything. But, they have no power to loose specifically those [sins] of denial, or of homicide, or the faults of priests, and perjuries, and the rest. If, then, even those who have received the mandate must inquire, what authority do those who have not received it have to loose anything at all? And if one is not even a priest, how much less! Therefore, these also will be condemned, along with those who perform tasks without having been ordained. Unless someone, in an emergency, during a crisis, is deemed worthy to receive thoughts, he shall refer these to the bishop, or to one who has the ministry by letter. We have seen such a thing happening even with many pious monks. Let them take care not to loose on their own authority, nor to call themselves spiritual fathers, for they do not have even this, but receiving [confessions] by necessity, and acknowledging that they are not spiritual fathers, let them offer what contributes to salvation. And if a minister of the sacred rites is nearby, let them send the penitent there. If he is not available, then let them receive him, but let them instruct him to speak to his spiritual Father. And let them report all those whom they have received or heard to those who have the power from God to loose, and thus the absolution will be secure. That it has also been heard by us that monks who do not have priesthood have been given by archbishops to perform the acts of penance and to receive thoughts, this does not seem necessary at all, ^C since there is need for the one receiving the thoughts to also bless, and to add a prayer, and to distribute the mysteries to those in need, and simply to be a priest, so as to offer and to mediate on behalf of the penitent, and to pray. But in necessity, at a time when there is no one qualified among those who are ordained nearby for this, the authority is given so that even pious monks may receive thoughts; yet not so that they may loose by their own judgment, but so that they may refer to the local archbishop, and that the decision may come from him. But also, a priest should have this man as a co-worker in the task, so that the necessary things might happen through him: the prayers of absolution, and communion of the mysteries, and the offering for the penitent, and the holy oil together with ^D the other priests, and simply all the established things, which, indeed, the priesthood performs. I, for my part, am cautious regarding this, and I do not think it necessary for one to perform the works of penance who does not have the priesthood. For these belong to the priesthood.

QUESTION XIV and XV

Priests who have slept with their wives the previous night, must they celebrate the holy Supper or not? For on the day of celebrating the holy Supper, is it lawful to have the customary intercourse with a woman?

The fourteenth and fifteenth questions contain the same meaning: Whether it is lawful for a priest to con-

^A know his own wife, and on that very day to celebrate the sacred rites, or to know her after celebrating the rites. Such works belong either to indifference or to intemperance. "For everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things," says Paul. If, therefore, those who were accounted worthy only to see Mount Sinai shrouded in smoke and to hear the sound of the trumpet were commanded to prepare themselves worthily, and were forbidden to approach their wives for three days; and if the high priest Abiathar, when David asked to eat the bread of the Presence, inquired whether they had perchance gone in to their wives on that night, and upon their denying that they had done so, he then did not hesitate to give them that typical bread to eat—who then will be of such audacity as to approach the altar after commerce with a woman? Or on the night preceding the sacrifice, where, as we have been taught, we ought to be wary even of nocturnal fantasies? For even if marriage is honorable, as Paul says, and the bed is undefiled, he adds: "But God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous." Therefore, by these words he forbids both fornication and adultery, and furthermore, implies that fornication or lasciviousness should not be thought of. For David says, ^B "In iniquity I was conceived, and in sins my mother bore me." Thus, marriage exists by way of indulgence, only for the sake of procreation and the continuity of the race, but not as the antecedent will of God. Paul, choosing to live chastely, yet did not forbid others to have lawful wives, lest by falling into fornication they should sin, saying: "I wish that all were as I myself am," that is, keeping their virginity and practicing temperance. "But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife." Do you see the work of Paul? That it is holiness. He speaks by way of condescension so that they might not commit fornication. And again, making the faithful cautious, he says: "The appointed time has grown very short; from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it." Let those who are ordained, therefore, keep themselves when they are in the position to celebrate the sacred rites, and after the celebration on that very day, as those who are sanctified by the communion, because it is not right to commune with God and with flesh. And if a man does not wish to celebrate the sacred rites, he is not forbidden; but if he does, he is forbidden, ^C because the other is the communion of the flesh. "For they shall be," he says, "the two into one flesh." But "he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit." And what agreement is there between God and the flesh? For this reason Paul also says again: "Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement." For what reason? "So that you may devote yourselves," he says, "to prayer." Therefore, he teaches both things: both not to deprive one another because of fornication, and to practice abstinence by agreement for the sake of prayer, he himself confirming what was said by God to the Israelites when they were about to approach the mountain: "Do not go near a woman for three days." If, therefore, they were simply to exercise self-control in the face of contemplating the glory of God and in praying, then how much more is this required in the celebration of the sacred rites, and ^D when the most fearful mysteries...

We shall say no more, then, than that one ought to live piously and holily on the day and night of the sacrifice and the day following.

QUESTION XVI.

But it is necessary for all laypeople to tame the flesh during the holy fasts, just as is asked in the sixteenth question. For all these days are consecrated to God, and are, as it were, a tithe of our life to be paid to the Lord—days of constant ^B prayer, supplication, and fasting. If, therefore, those who are in the world squander their lives in carnal pleasures and do not abstain from their wives, when, I ask, will they ever abstain? And if Moses, in order to be worthy to receive the commandments of God on tablets of stone, spent forty days and forty nights on the mountain fasting and continent, how much more must he abstain from carnal desires who wishes to partake of the flesh and blood of God through the sacred mysteries? If they are not willing to abstain for all the days, let them at least set aside sufficient days for abstinence; and if three days of continence were appointed for those of Israel who were to receive the Law, surely many more are required from those who presume to receive the body and blood of God.

QUESTION XVII.

When a person is found worthy and is raised to the priesthood, the sacred mysteries are performed by him as if by an instrument. But since man is composed of soul and body, and the mysteries have been given in a twofold manner, the priest also has need of a temple and an altar. ^C Although it is recorded that the holy Lucian once used his own breast as an altar when he was about to be put to death for Christ, and thus offered the sacrifice while bound in prison, yet he himself had his disciples stand around him in the manner of a temple. Therefore, there is need for sacred vestments, and it is not permitted for a priest to perform any rite without the stole, since the sacred vestments possess divine grace, and each of them bears a spiritual significance, which is why the blessing of the bishop is imparted to each. Therefore, every priest must be vested in them for the divine sacrifice; but in the other sacred ceremonies that are frequently performed according to the prescribed rule, they should never be omitted, however minimal they may seem. And in the first place, no ceremony should be performed without the stole; and if anyone needs to perform any ceremony, whether it be a prayer, or a baptism, or any other of the sacred rites, if a stole cannot be found, in order that the work may not be interrupted, let the priest bless a belt or a part of a rope or a piece of cloth—

and take it in the manner of an orarion, and thus perform the ceremony. When the sacred rite is completed, let him not hold that which he used as something common, but let him keep it for sacred uses if it can be appropriately applied, and let it be kept in a special place, so that no one may ever have it in common use. These things only are performed without a stole which priests are accustomed to do in monasteries, such as the services of midnight, the hours, and the evening office. ^A

QUESTION XVIII.

The headband depicted in the images of the holy angels, as it were around their temples, represents the purity of their mind, since they are also bound to God intellectually, and they are poured out toward external things only for our protection and instruction, descending from heaven with immense benevolence. Furthermore, as they are pure and bodiless, they are granted that ribbon as a kind of crown, in sign of the eternal, heavenly, and immaculate innocence with which they shine. Finally, they have their hair bound because they are not at all moved by unstable and superfluous things, but look only to divine and useful things, and keep their mind directed upward with all effort. Then, in the images of the saints circular halos are discerned which represent the grace, splendor, and power of God ^B who has no beginning or end; from whom, having received strength and radiating brightness, they have entered into the struggle and fulfilled it beautifully, so that now they are with God forever; and they continually rejoice in the divine grace itself, which has no beginning or end, and therefore is well represented by a circle, into which, at the head of the Savior, a tri-radiant [sign] is inserted, because He is one of the three persons of the Trinity, and because in Him are the Father and the Holy Spirit. And those who have received the archiepiscopal grace as an illumination do also bear this depicted sign; and kings also [bear it], as having received the anointing of the kingdom. And as for the cloud-like and circular form which the angels carry in their hands, it signifies the sanctification of the Spirit, and that they have become immutable by the providence of the Savior. In the middle of the circle, also, the letter X appears written, because by that symbol Christ is indicated. But this circular form is also a sign of theology, that is, of the knowledge of God; for although Christ teaches that He was made flesh, yet as God He has neither beginning nor end; and [it signifies] that Christ holds the inhabited world, and the whole universe in His hand, as the prophet David says. ^C

QUESTION XIX.

Bishops do not wear a polystaurion, because that is an indumentum of a more perfect order, and one more close to ^D

the dignity of Him who for us suffered on the cross; and that is of a higher rank. If, therefore, the power and virtue of the episcopal office is one for bishops, archbishops, and patriarchs, there is nonetheless a difference of rank, of throne, and furthermore of authority, duty, providence, and care for those under them, just as it is among the angels. For there are first, middle, and last in their first orders, as Dionysius says, even though each order is singular. This, therefore, is also in the Church, which imitates the heavenly things, or rather is united with the heavenly ones. And in the first place are the patriarchs, and the most select of the archbishops, who wear the sakkos, obviously imitating Him who suffered for us, who was clothed in a sakkos in mockery and brought about death through the cross. Wherefore the sakkos is full of crosses. In the middle are all the metropolitans, who wear the polystauria, bearing testimony through their vestments to the Crucified, ^B and not with a sakkos. Finally, there are the bishops, who by means of the omophorion signify only the passion of Christ that was suffered through the cross. Therefore, let each one be careful to maintain the things of his own order. For it is an act of pride to do things contrary to what is established, and to take what is not permitted.

QUESTION XX. What the wearing of the mitre signifies, and whence the Roman and Alexandrian [pontiffs] received the custom of using it; likewise, why the other bishops perform the sacred office with head uncovered?

The prelate of the Roman Church, the bond of unity of all ^C churches, wears a mitre on his head, as does also the Alexandrian pontiff. But as for who granted them this permission, it is not possible to discover, unless one says that the mitre came into use on account of a certain imitation of the high priest of the ancient Law, since he too formerly wore a tiara on his head. As some say, it was granted by the first Christian king, the most divine Constantine, to the blessed Pope of Rome, Sylvester. And in the golden bull, which the Latins bring forward, saying it is of the great Constantine, it is written that Constantine gave the crown of his kingdom to the holy Sylvester as to a spiritual Father, honoring the priesthood. But since Sylvester, through humility, did not accept it, he compelled him to take the one on the royal head. And they say that the great ^D Cyril of Alexandria obtained the wearing of this head-covering from a synod, having requested it on account of an infirmity. Others say that it was granted to him by the Pope, when Cyril had presided in his place at the third synod. We, however, judge the former opinion to be more certain, because we see there an imitation of the most ancient vestments of the priest, and of the gift of grace for those who assume them. And if any do not wish in this to have a memory of the ancients, let them at least recognize therein the type of the crown of thorns or of the sacred sudarium. As for the fact that all the other pontiffs celebrate and pray with head uncovered, it is because they have Christ as their head, as the divine Paul speaks. And this is more consonant with the divine word.

QUESTION XXI.

The high priest of old wore a turban on his head, and nothing on his feet, but was accustomed to have his footwear removed—he went barefoot—because he was yet imperfect and was passing his time as if in a shadow, offering sacrifices from the earth, as he performed rites via living animals, worshipping only in shadow, guarding his heel from the serpent, and dying, he was held in Hades; for the souls of the just were in Hades and under the earth as well. But we keep our feet shod and our head uncovered, because authority has been given to us to tread upon serpents and scorpions. ^B And our citizenship is in heaven, and we have been taught to think of and seek the things above, where Christ has entered before us as our forerunner, who is the head of the body of the Church; honoring Him, we pray with heads uncovered. And because we received ordination in this way, and the grace of the Spirit which descended upon the apostles is to us as a turban upon our head. And because, according to the holy Dionysius, we do not receive a crown upon our head when ordained, but the holy Gospel.

QUESTION XXII.

The cloth folded there, which is to be used for the sacred synaxis, signifies the sudarium of Christ; and the ^C crown of thorns is shadowed forth by the tonsure which is imposed upon the head of the priest, from the day he is consecrated as a reader, and which all priests ought always to shave, as monks initiated into the priesthood are also accustomed to do; though these latter do so more according to the norm of the monks' tonsure.

QUESTION XXIII.

We anoint with myron the man who turns back from apostasy, and we do not baptize him again, because baptism provides that one is in Christ. The myron, however, expresses life ^D in Christ, and the Spirit of Christ, and holiness through Christ, and the seal of the love of Christ, just as to the intelligent angels it was given from the beginning to be and to remain immortal. But some of them fell from this state, and while they exist as if living in their incorporeal nature, they do not live according to God, and are no longer immaculate, and they do not have the seal of God in themselves, neither the divine likeness, nor the grace, but are opposed to God and are dark vessels and aliens to God; in the same way, while humans through baptism received the grace of the resurrection and incorruptibility of Christ and put on Christ himself in baptism, they received His sanctification and the seal of the Holy Spirit through the myron. If, therefore, some of them apostatize, they still possess the state of existing, and they shall rise again, and they shall be incorruptible.

but they shall not have the holiness and grace of the Holy Spirit, and they shall be punished with the demons. For just as there is one generation of man according to the flesh, so also one is given according to the Spirit. Therefore, those who have defiled this do not come forward to return to the priesthood. But the impious who have approached the faith and received baptism, since they have been washed free from all sins in the divine font, if they strive worthily, they also enter into the priesthood. But those who fall after baptism—since baptism is one, and there is one remission by grace—while they are received in repentance, they are not able to perform or to receive the priesthood. For this reason, he who has denied the faith is to be received, because repentance is granted to men here on account of the frailty and weakness of the flesh. And through the priestly prayers we reconcile him to God by repentance, and that divine seal and sanctification which he rendered useless, we renew again with the divine myron, and we restore him in it. And David, having fallen into sin, asked for this, and he received it by repentance, saying, "Renew a right spirit in my inward parts" (Ps. L, 12). Therefore, we do not perform baptism again, because it is one, and there is one remission by grace; and this is through the tears of repentance. ^B

QUESTION XXIV. Should what one has already confessed be confessed again to others?

If anyone has confessed sins to one of the spiritual Fathers and has observed the sacred canons and has rightly disposed himself for the works of repentance, he ought not to confess the same sins again to others; for to urge the rule twice makes the first confession void. If, however, by chance he has relapsed into the same sins, that he may confess perfectly, and he wishes to declare as it were the roots and causes of his recent sins and of his subsequent fall, he discloses his former sins for the sake of increasing humility, contrition of heart, and contempt of self, by which humility profiting is increased. ^C

QUESTION XXV. Is it lawful to baptize or to celebrate marriages during the time of Holy Lent?

During the holy and great Lent it is necessary to baptize all who approach, and there is no impediment to this—neither the season, nor the day, nor anything at all—for this gift is for salvation. But if any of the faithful should wish to take up the monastic profession and put on the monastic habit, this time of repentance is most suitable. ^D Likewise, nothing hinders one from being raised to the priesthood at that time. An ordination of a deacon shall take place during the sacrifice of the Presanctified, but that of a priest in the complete liturgy, because the priest is a minister initiated into all things, whereas a deacon is a liturgical minister, that is, a servant. But marriages ought not to be performed at all, because that work is of the flesh and is a provider of fleshly joy, and no one is able to care for the things of the flesh and at the same time to practice repentance, nor to have worldly thoughts, and to mourn for the soul. Therefore, not even a marriage contract ...

^A should be made during the holy season of Lent, unless there is some necessity, and then only once; and this should take place on a feast day, but never in Holy Week or on Palm Sunday?

QUESTION XXVI

As the Lord ascended in the flesh, so He will also come in His second coming. And the angels stated this, saying, "He will come again in the same way as you saw Him ascending into heaven." And the Kingdom of God and eternal life will be He Himself. For this is He whom David calls the Lord of glory, and of whom the beloved disciple says: "This is the true God and eternal life." And He Himself will be the Light in the world to come, for those who have attained His glory with righteousness and have entered into His splendor; this, however, is the light of His grace and not of His substance, for the latter is incommunicable and inscrutable even to the angels. Therefore, God will be in the midst of gods, namely, those whom He has deified by grace, and He will be the light of those whom He has ^B illuminated. For He is the "true light which enlightens every man coming into the world." And in the Apocalypse it is said: "The Lamb will be the sun to the righteous." He Himself, therefore, is the kingdom and the joy of the blessed, because He infuses His glory into them. And He will be as a victor who, having cast down His enemies and finally death, remains forever with His beloved disciples.

QUESTION XXVII

Paradise, which is on earth, and all creation will be changed for the better and into incorruption. And Peter says this, that all things will be made new. And Paul says, "that the creation itself also will be liberated from the bondage of corruption." Creation, however, and Paradise—that is rather the habitation of the children of God, even though they have many ^C dwellings in the house of the Father through the Only-Begotten who became incarnate, that is, in the new creation; as new creatures made, they put on incorruption. And how this change will come about, He knows who made all things out of nothing. It will be, however, in the Holy Spirit. For it is said, "You will send forth Your Spirit, and they will be created, and You will renew the face of the earth." And as God created these things and they exist, so they will be changed for the better by Him. And just as the Word became flesh for our sake and appeared to us, while we were still corruptible—but having become incorruptible, He will be seen by us much more [clearly]. And even more, through our firstfruit, which He assumed as a body ^D hypostatically united to God with a soul. Through that, therefore, He will be seen more by us, and through the soul, He will be seen by the holy angels according to their proper nature. And for this reason He has the more taken on flesh, that we might see Him more familiarly, and partake of Him, if

not in His divinity—which is above us—nevertheless in His grace.

QUESTION XXVIII.

Many speak of the seven ages of the world. But the divine Paul says not that there will be seven, but that the Lord is near; and that a thousand years before the Lord are as one day—as Peter and David tell us—and that He will come, and will not delay. But the Lord says that the end is to come when charity, which is the fullness of the Law and the Gospel, shall grow cold. And for the reason that iniquity shall abound, and because charity—which is the fullness of the Law and the Gospel—shall grow cold, the end shall come. And as for this hebdomadal time that revolves through seven days, even if some happen to think it should be fulfilled in a circle of seven ages, nevertheless one ought not to imagine that this must occur solely by natural order; for the Creator will change all things, as He has willed it to be opportune, and whenever He has willed. But when iniquity has been completed and virtue has been obliterated, as it now seems to be—when those who believe have grown cold in the faith, and charity is found not at all—it must be believed that the end is near; for charity is the sole work of God. For God is charity, and because of charity He Himself became incarnate; and when nothing through the charity of God is fulfilled, the end comes. And now it is possible to see charity already failing, and with it almost all virtue, and we have all abandoned it together—priests and monks, rulers and laity—and we have turned aside from our duty; and so we must now expect the end to come. For this reason persecutions are multiplied, and the Evil One finds a place in us, and stirs up the godless against us.

QUESTION XXIX.

Whoever kisses the sacred vestments of the priest at his entry does nothing absurd, but performs a work of faith; and he shall be saved, just as those who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment were healed, because salvation is through Him. But to make crosses on the ground is not appropriate; for the sacred and divine sign will be trampled upon by this. Therefore, let there be a prohibition for those who do this through ignorance, so that they may not do it at all in the future.

QUESTION XXX.

For an archbishop or priest to be moved by anger and to punish or excommunicate contrary to reason is truly most evil, and not just. It is necessary that this be done anew according to the canons, lest anyone be entangled in the sins of others; that is not a cause of tolerance and correction, but rather of ruin. Yet no one ought to be more indulgent than the Fathers, nor is anyone absolved in his own guilt from the fact that he absurdly presumes that pardon is granted to him; but for one’s own [sins] one must ask for forgiveness

and [the sins] must be justly examined and judged according to the precepts of God, yet with mildness. There is a time, however, when even with zeal—if the occasion calls for it—it is ready for those who repent, if only they truly repent. This will happen when one abstains from evil, and he who has offended is humbled.

QUESTION XXXI.

Every man who has incurred a sentence of excommunication, whether inconsiderately (as it seems to him) or lawfully, let him not despise it at all, nor let him become his own judge; nor let another deceive him, suggesting that the judgment is not firm. Let him rather approach willingly, with a humble mind and a contrite spirit, him by whose sentence he has been punished. But if he is not received by that person after having approached many times, and even through certain pious and prudent men, let him not remain bound and unreconciled; rather, let him approach the supreme bishop, and let him then seek absolution—not indeed by contending against or rebuking the one who punished him, but by humbly and with discretion asking that he might be absolved according to the rule, so that the one who censured him might not be aggrieved and ^B fail to absolve him, lest perhaps he be justly pained. For, he says, the judgment of men is one thing, and the judgment of God is another.

QUESTION XXXII.

Similarly, one who has separated or anathematized himself through rashness, or in anger, or by speaking a denial of God, ought to approach a bishop, if possible, with tears and contrition, or, if such a one is not near, let him stand before some very approved spiritual Father, and let him confess with tears, and ask for pardon and prayers, and perform the works of repentance, and let him truly be disposed for the future [so as] not to judge and condemn himself in such a way, for the condemnation is great.

QUESTION XXXIII.

According to rank and degree, the priesthood exceeds the monastic profession beyond what can be said: for the works ^C of the priesthood are the works of God, and without the priesthood no one is a Christian, no one has the grace of sanctity and consecration, and no one shares in God. But again, the monastic state is greater than the priest in the world, as Dionysius says, not according to the priesthood, but according to the life. Therefore, a monk who is a priest is superior to him who is in the world, and likewise a monk simply is superior to the priest in the world, not according to the priesthood, as we have said (for this is the work of God), but according to the life. Now, by the priesthood, the priest always blesses and sanctifies even the monk who is higher in life. Therefore, holy Anthony used to yield and, with a bowing of his head, used to defer reverently not only to bishops ^D but to every clergyman. And so, every priest, as having a great dignity, should live in a holy manner, and even more

^A should he strive to live according to the monastic way, and even hasten to become a monk in due time.

QUESTION XXXIV.

QUESTION XXXV.

QUESTION XXXVI.

to hear the confessions of souls. But I previously stated, and now I state, what I think, and I trust that the Fathers think the same. This entire work is proper to the priesthood, which ought to be exercised by pontiffs or priests, and not by laymen. If ever any necessity, a priest being wanting, compels a monk to exercise this, let him be discreet, prudent, and thoroughly versed in the laws of God—I mean the holy canons. But let him remember that such accounts are committed to him in such a way that he may afterwards entrust them to the bishop, or that he may provide a discreet report to anyone asking what might profit the soul, but by no means that he should pardon and absolve. If otherwise, he will exercise the office of a priest, bereft of priestly power, baptizing, blessing, and doing other things: which is entirely foreign to the usages of the Church. ^B

QUESTION XXXVII

There are various charisms of the Holy Spirit, and to one is given this, to another that charism. ^C But all these things one and the same Spirit operates, as it is written. And some indeed God has set in the Church, first apostles, second prophets, and the rest. Whence there is the reader, the subdeacon, the deacon, who is called by the divine Dionysius a liturgical minister, and the priest, who is also called the minister initiated into the mysteries, because he alone without a deacon can perform the ceremonies of the mysteries, but not distribute charisms; for it is the hierarch who can perform all holy and divine things, and moreover communicate the same to others: wherefore he is also called the illuminator, inasmuch as he has within himself the source of doctrine and most full and perfect grace, just as the Savior asserted the same concerning His disciples as He said about Himself. Although the fullness of divinity dwelt in Him bodily, His disciples had only a participation of the same through the gifts of charisms. Of Himself He says: "I am the light of the world "; to His disciples, however, He says: "Ye are the light of the world." From them, therefore, and from their successors, the pontiffs, grace is dispersed like light to all. Priests, however, do not have such grace; but they can only offer sacrifice and baptize; but those things which belong to the oil of confirmation and ^D of ordination by the laying on of hands, they cannot perform, because they are not without pontifical power.

QUESTION XXXVIII

Nothing prevents a pontiff from offering the sacrifice alone without a presbyter and without a deacon; for he is most fully capable of the ceremonies, since he himself gives them to others to exercise. If, however, regard is had to dignity and convenience and the honor due to pontifical authority, more persons—

^A it is necessary to be supported by several priests and deacons; and if these are lacking, at least one priest and one deacon should be present, especially in ordinations, where it is necessary that priests and deacons be present who may introduce those to be ordained and receive them with a kiss, as those who are of the same order, and thus the holy rules may be fully satisfied. We see, however, very often the pontiff celebrating the holy mysteries alone due to a lack of clerics, in basilicas which he visits along the way. We shall judge that another also can enjoy such an indulgence, who is compelled by necessity to celebrate unexpectedly and without delay, so that he may offer the communion of the mysteries of Christ to someone. But although nothing prevents it from being done simply, the correct order must nevertheless be kept, especially in ordinations and in major churches, when a large congregation is present.

QUESTION XXXIX.

Why, as the bishop ordains several readers at the same time, is it not the practice to ordain several deacons and priests at the same time? And is it fitting to ordain priests outside the celebration of the holy Supper?

We see and have accepted that several readers and subdeacons are ordained at the same time, who are ordained outside the choir and before the chancel; but that one deacon, one priest, and one bishop are ordained inside at the holy table. Whoever has changed this order innovates, and he who innovates does not follow the Church. Moreover, it is not fitting for anyone to be ordained outside of the Mass, for so we have received. And this is advised by the divine Dionysius, successor of the apostles, ^C saying that all who are to be ordained and consecrated must be so within the sacrifice, and with the participation in the mysteries of Christ, and prostrate before the altar, and with the imposition of hands, and with the invocation of grace which is the divine seal, and among the holy prayers, with proclamation and the fraternal kiss; and by such ceremonies, and others similar to those which he has handed down, appointments are to be fulfilled. Whoever, therefore, has not been ordained in this way has not been ordained according to tradition. And I do not know what he will be, who has not been consecrated according to the rule. ^D It is not permitted, therefore, for several bishops, or several deacons, or several priests to be ordained at the same time in one Mass, but one bishop, and one priest, and one deacon; and each of them at the time convenient and fixed by the rites. The bishop is ordained after the holy Trisagion hymn, so that he may be recognized as an apostle. Then the priest, after the gifts to be consecrated have been placed upon the holy table. The deacon, finally, after the last prayers, so that it may be signified that in him is the memorial of all holy things. And then the bishop is to be established upon the throne, because he is introduced into the order of the apostles. The priest, however, is ordained after the holy gifts have been offered, because he is appointed as their minister. The deacon, lastly, after the final prayers, because he is in the lowest order, and because he does not receive the power of praying, but of ministering and of exhorting to the holy prayers.

QUESTION XL.

When necessity arises, if a priest is lacking and a layman is in danger of death, there is nothing to prevent a deacon from providing the presanctified mysteries for participation, provided he sees that necessity truly urges. But it is necessary that he confess to a priest, whether beforehand, if possible, or afterward. It is not permitted, however, for an expiated sinner to take the holy mysteries by himself; rather, each one of them ought to approach a priest, especially so that he may be absolved as a humble and penitent one. ^A

QUESTION XLI.

To certain hermits for whom priests were not present, it has been granted by the bishops, as we have learned, to keep the presanctified mysteries in a pyxis, and in case of necessity to take them themselves most religiously, not indeed in the manner of priests, but in a peculiar way, as we have known from elsewhere, and as we ourselves have prescribed to those who asked us: in a very clean place, they should spread out a sacred cloth, and upon this place the holy covering; and on the covering, by means of the liturgical tongs, [place] a portion of the all-holy bread. And so, while chanting, burning incense, and worshipping piously three times, they should partake of the divine bread—not with the hand, but with the mouth. Then, from some cup, they should rinse their mouth with wine mixed with water, or with water alone. If, therefore, someone is near death, and no priest or deacon is present, because of that extreme necessity—just as the sailor served the venerable Theoctiste—if there is life-giving bread, it shall be given over to one of the readers or to one of the more pious and pure faithful; and with fear and reverence, having placed by means of the tongs a very small part of the all-holy body upon the sacred covering, he should present it to the mouth of the dying person as a viaticum of eternal life. ^B But, as we have said, let this be done only in imminent and true necessity, with the greatest reverence and care, and when a man approaches death without any hope. Then, he who has so ministered shall confess to a priest and seek absolution. ^C

QUESTION XLII.

Sinful words are judged in one way, and deeds in another. Therefore, if someone, speaking arrogantly and audaciously, has simulated impiety in words only, but has not truly done the act, and if he is a priest, he shall indeed be judged and kept away from the ministry of the priesthood for a long time; yet he shall not be liable to deposition, because he did not complete the work. For regarding the monastic habit, it has been written in the *Pitharion* that if someone intends to cast off the habit but, before doing so, dies, he shall still be among the monks; just as a layman shall remain a layman if he merely intended to become a monk. ^D

^A For in whatever state a person has arrived, in that he exists and is judged.

QUESTION XLIII.

He who sins and does not desist will do well by doing penance before God and confessing his sins to his spiritual Father, for this is the beginning of repentance. For in confessing and passing judgment upon himself, he will arrive at perfect repentance; because, first, he will not despair, because he will then judge himself, because he will again receive the admonitions of instruction, and finally he will have the prayers of the saints so that he might be able to come to his senses. For he will progress in this way, since God will not let him live in impenitence.

QUESTION XLIV.

Truly, man will be punished for every sin. For since an account must be given even for an idle word, as the Truth Himself, the judge of all, says, and for a gaze that is subject to passion, even if we have invoked heaven or earth as a witness by an oath—and likewise if we have added anything more to an affirmation, “yes,” or to a negation, “no”—yet these shall correspond to the error itself, since there are many punishments, and since there are many mansions with God for the elect. But by repentance and confession all sins are loosed. And what is greater than this gift? Therefore let us repent, that we may be saved; for, “Repent,” cries out the Baptist and the Lord.

QUESTION XLV.

No one among men will die without sins. For even immediately after baptism, it happens to infants themselves, according to the way of those by whom they are raised, that they commit very many faults, both voluntarily and through ignorance; for infants are conceived and generated in sins. But the Lord alone, having been incarnate without sin, was conceived and born, lived and died, as the Savior of all, and having risen He lives, and remains alone being without sin.

QUESTION XLVI.

When a priest has at some time received many offerings, he ought not to offer from all these offerings at the same time: for they shall be for his own sustenance, as being a minister of the divine mysteries; but he ought to offer to God on behalf of all a certain portion, individually for each of those who have brought the gifts. Therefore, the names of those who offer must be carefully noted; and the priest ought to offer on their behalf not only at that time, but also at other times; since everyone who offers, offers what he gives for a complete sacrifice. From one very pure offering, therefore, he ought to consecrate ^D the bread; ...

of many, unless perhaps on the Sundays of the holy ^A Fast, and on the holy and great Thursday of the major week.

QUESTION XLVII.

QUESTION XLVIII.

QUESTION XLIX.

^A by man's virtue, approaching and doing it for God alone. But since he does not approach by faith—for it is written: “Everything that is not from faith is sin”—let him have faith and proceed. Yet he must know that he misses out on the great reward of not judging. Perhaps he will also be led astray, and if he begins to judge, and that against priests, he will condemn and revile the innocent and pure through the hostility of the enemy, and thus he will endanger his own salvation.

QUESTION L.

A priest who has truly sinned and ^B has become known as guilty to the bishop or the synod cannot be re-ordained, nor can he, in any way or rite, be recalled to the priesthood. For he who has committed fornication after baptism, or has taken a concubine, cannot be a bishop, nor a presbyter, nor a deacon, nor in any way be inscribed in the sacred catalog. And this the three hundred and eighteen Fathers of the Nicene synod declare.

QUESTION LI.

The intellectual nature of the angels that has fallen—that is, the demons—has no recall, because they were not brought down by the deceit or error of another, nor by ignorance of the better good, but by their own pride alone. And for this they are always wallowing and becoming even worse. And God, being goodness-loving, would not have refused this, if it were possible for them to repent, and if it were just. But it is not possible at all. And those who say that it is possible are mocked by the demons, so that either they might eventually think like Origen about punishment, or blaspheme against God. ^C They are not raised up, then, because they fell voluntarily; and because the veil of the flesh was not for them the cause of sinning and lying there, but rather their own choice; and because it was not through necessity—for others, even according to their need, are not lacking. We, however, are needy and have been deceived by the demons themselves, and as those having need to be fed, we have been stolen away by the pleasure of food. Since we have been condemned to die, we have a greater need for help, as we sin all the more through fear of death. As even the divine Paul says: “And deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to slavery,” and he adds: “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.” Hence, God justly granted repentance to us here, and not to the angels. For there, there will be no repentance, but a recompense for works. For the present is the time for working, but the future is for receiving the reward.

QUESTION LII. What is the fast of the Lord, and how is it called the Quadragesima, having more than forty days, and how is it a tithe? We tithe the days.

We keep the fast which the Lord fasted, [called] the holy and great Quadragesima, and which truly is such, for our cleansing and propitiation, and as it were a renewal and tithing of our life every year. ^A It begins on the second day of the week (Monday) and continues uninterruptedly until Friday, including the Saturdays and Sundays that intervene. For even on these days we perform what the canons prescribe: we eat on those days, and keep the rules of the fast, abstaining from meat, cheese, and fish. The Savior fasted for forty days and nights together without intermission, as Clement, who was Peter’s successor in Rome, testifies in the Apostolic Constitutions which he compiled. Thus also all the Fathers have handed it down: the holy Sabbas, and John of Damascus in the Jerusalem Typikon. The brother confessors, Joseph of Thessalonica and Theodore the Studite, acknowledge the same in their hymns for holy Quadragesima. Likewise, other Fathers who wrote the particular canticles for the Friday of Saint Lazarus, singing of the completed soul-saving Quadragesima, and celebrating the resurrection of Lazarus and the feast of Palms with singular solemnity. ^B After the forty-day fast, we add one week, which we call Holy Week, fasting likewise for the sake of the salvation which the Lord wrought for us through his most holy passion, in order to introduce us into immortality and impassibility; whence afterward we celebrate his resurrection with joy and exultation. All these things are written, as we say, in the Apostolic Constitutions, and the Fathers testify to them in their hymns, and it is the ancient tradition. ^C But the Latins innovate in this as well, breaking the fast of the two days of the holy fast contrary to the canon, and rendering it altogether void. They count forty days, excluding the Sundays, up to the Great Sabbath; and yet they are found not fasting for a single day in honor of the precious passion of the Lord, as we are admonished by tradition to do, nor are they keeping the Quadragesima; since even on Sundays they do not taste meat or cheese. When we therefore questioned some of them, saying, "What fast do you keep for the sake of the saving passion of the Lord?" we found them at a loss. And again, since they count forty [days] excluding the Sundays, we asked, "Why do you fast on Sundays according to ancient tradition?" ^D Again they were at a loss. This, therefore, is the fast of forty days of our Lord, and the week of His holy passion that is consecrated after it. He did not, however, need the fast for Himself — for how could such a necessity exist for Him who alone is without sin? — but He fasted for our sake, in order that He might provide for us an example of holy fasting: thus He blotted out the transgression of Adam,

^A and the prophets were seen struggling for this, and especially Moses, Elias, Daniel, and many others; and among the apostles, ^B hierarchs, and holy ones, this was an exceptional labor. Therefore, for the sake of overcoming the desire of the belly, this has been given to us as a model of the saving fast for our purification and resurrection. Wherefore, at the end of the fast, there follows for us not death, but resurrection, because He who lived without sin and fasted for our sake died and rose again, and has raised us with Himself.

QUESTION LIII.

The fasting of the fourth day and of Friday was instituted in order that, firstly, it might recall to memory the plot formed against the Savior by the Jews, which was devised on the fourth day; and secondly, it might signify the end of this captivity, that is, that they bound Jesus to the cross on Friday, just as Adam died by eating from the tree. On Friday, and at the sixth hour, they fastened Him with nails, because Adam ate from the tree. And the Savior died at the ninth hour, when He appeared in the garden in the cool of the day, and delivered against Adam the sentence of death: “Earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou return,” and Adam became mortal.

QUESTION LIV.

The other fasts, indeed, have all been handed down from the ancients, as custom testifies, and as the ancient Constitutions and the Tome of the Union, which mentions them, bear witness; as also the Hierosolymitan ^C Typikon, which, as we have said above, acknowledges the most holy Sabbas, and after him the theologian damascene, as its authors and institutors. One of these lived at the time of the fourth ecumenical council, and the other between the sixth and the seventh; both composed the Typikon. For when the one composed by the divine Sabbas had perished in the incursion of the barbarians, the great John wrote it down and arranged it again from the beginning, as it had been from antiquity.

Each series of fasts has its own specific rationale. For the fast of the Forty Days typifies the fast of Moses, who, after he had fasted forty days and forty nights, received the words and laws of God written on tablets of stone. We, however, after the fast of forty days, see not a written Word of life, but the Word incarnate, born afterward of the Virgin; we receive Him and participate in His most holy flesh. Do you see the similarity between our fast and the fast of Moses, or rather the superiority of our fast? For we do not fast—since we eat daily—and it makes no difference what one eats,

but this gift granted to Moses exceeds all human understanding. However, there is no doubt that the fast of the Apostles ^A was instituted in their honor: and most justly so, because we have received many good things from them, and because they appeared to us as workers and teachers of abstinence, of obedience unto death, and of self-control. The Latins also testify to this, albeit unwillingly, by honoring their feasts with fasting. But we, according to the Constitutions of the Apostles handed down by St. Clement, rejoice for one week after the coming of the Spirit, and then we fast for one week, lest we be dissolved by luxury, as we have been taught; and we fast continuously with that fast, honoring the Apostles who gave us the command to fast, and from whom we learned to fast.

Finally, the fast of August is in honor of the Mother of the Word of God, who, foreknowing her own translation, always labored and fasted for our sake, even though she, being most pure and entirely blameless, had no need of fasting. Yet, living like an angel—or rather, excelling the angels in virtue and life—and praying constantly, having her most blessed soul united intimately with the Holy Spirit through her Son, she prayed for us, and was consumed more and more by love for her Son, especially when her departure was near. Therefore, by fasting and honoring her, we derive great benefit, especially when we stimulate her propitiation and prayers for us by imitating her life. Hence, some say that there is a double feast in this fast, namely, of the Transfiguration and the Dormition; ^B and it seems to me vital for us to commemorate both feasts: for the former is the origin of splendor, and the latter the manifest stream of propitiation and intercession for us. Thus, it is right to invoke this holy Virgin, the Mother of God, above all others, that her Son may be propitious to us and multiply in us the divine brightness of His light.

For this reason, fasts are necessary for every believer, not only at one time or another, but always and without ceasing, to be exercised and practiced frequently; for they are the work of God, who has no need of food; they are the life and way of acting of the angels, who do not eat at all; they are the mortification of the body, which, if we nourish it delicately, we certainly die; ^C they are, in short, the evacuation of the passions, which gluttony and voracity powerfully stir up and move. Paul says: “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food: but God will destroy both it and them” (1 Cor. vi, 13). For this reason, then, the Fathers were diligent in fasting, as were the Apostles themselves, among whom Paul says: “In fastings often” (2 Cor. xi, 27). And: “Everyone who competes for the prize exercises self-control in all things” (1 Cor. ix, 25). And finally, Peter, when he was a prisoner, and the Lord Himself, who ate barley loaves, frequently fasted. ^D

QUESTION LV.

The Liturgy of the Presanctified descends from the earliest times and from the successors of the apostles, as the prayers of the same attest, and because it is a very ancient tradition, we believe that it was truly introduced by the apostles, and ordained from the beginning for the sake of this very fast, that we might be taught to mourn and not to hold festive celebrations on the days of penance and mourning, as has been said elsewhere regarding this. So that we might not, however, be entirely devoid of the grace which is had from the participation in the mysteries of Christ, and of the propitiation of the holy prayers, this was devised by the Fathers. And we celebrate this rite at the ninth hour, ^B preserving the rule of the fast, since it is determined to eat once towards evening; but we are sanctified by the prayers, and at the same time, as if by a glance of the eyes, we see the Lord guarded by the priests, and set before us for our propitiation, and offering Himself to the worthy for sustenance as we feast together. We ought, therefore, to prostrate ourselves fervently before Him, bending our knees, and ask for forgiveness of our sins in confession, and make remembrance of all the faithful, and thus the mysteries, that is to say, the body and blood of Christ, are completed. And if the offerings, prepared worthily before the consecration, are honorable, as being typical and destined for God, much more are they so ^C after they have been consecrated by divine grace and the action of the priest, at which time they are truly the body and blood of Christ.

QUESTION LVI.

The Presanctified are not celebrated in other fasts, because, among others, this one alone is primary and eminent, and is the fast of the Lord; and in it alone, during the five days of the weeks, has it been handed down for this to be performed, for our greater struggle: for since this fearful and sacrosanct sacrifice, and the salvation of the whole world, is necessary above all else ^D and before all others, it did not seem worthwhile for it to cease entirely, not even in that which is called and is the Great Quadragesima. Therefore, even in it, the Fathers established that we should perform the holy sacrifice on Saturday and Sunday, fulfilling the Lord's command, who says, "Do this in remembrance of me," instead of at all times. They decreed, therefore, by law to perform the Presanctified on five days, and to celebrate the unbloody and life-giving sacrifice on no other day, with the exception of two other days, namely, the Wednesday and Friday of the week which has taken its name from the eating of cheese, which they decreed as a kind of prelude to the holy fasts. For since the week of Tyrophagus has been ordained for this reason, for our purgation and for preparation for the holy fasts, so that we might approach, having been first purged [by fast], and from meats, which fat-

- ^A tening and fleshy, having abstained for a short time, we might touch the fast, pure in the purest, and holy in the holy. Wherefore the Fathers first purge the soul in three weeks in honor of the Trinity, preaching the things concerning the fast with the evangelical words of our Savior, calling us to repentance and purification. And by the publican and the Pharisee they teach not to be puffed up by works, but to be humbled, and thus rather to be saved; and by the parable of the prodigal son, not to despair, but to return in confession to the good and philanthropic Father. And by the reminder of the second coming of our Savior, they strike fear of His impartial judgment; and by alms to the poor, they show that we shall be shown mercy. Finally, they set forth the things concerning the exile of Adam, which happened on account of luxury and pleasure, inciting us to the fast. ^B Whence they have also ordained that the week before the fast is not meat-eating, but cheese-eating; and they call this a pre-feast of the fast. And they have arranged to chant Triodia and Idiomela, as also during the holy Quadragesima. And they have placed these two fast days, Wednesday and Friday, in the middle, in which they also ordained that the sayings of the prophets concerning the fast, and the discourses of the God-manifesting Basil concerning it, should be said. Whence also, as the ancient Typicon of the Great Church says, the patriarch on the Wednesday of Cheese-eating week first celebrated the Pre-sanctified before others, on which day, as well as on Friday, it was custom to eat cheese along with the fast, for the refutation of a certain heretical opinion. ^C In those two fasts of Cheese-eating week, therefore, the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified was performed in this way from the beginning; and it is found in the ancient constitutions, and the prophetic readings testify to it, as we have said; and that the Gospels are not read on those days, just as neither on the five days of the week in the whole of the Quadragesima, as all the evangelical books declare. And on the holy and great Friday, too, the Pre-sanctified was performed in this way from the beginning. For it did not seem bearable to the Fathers that any day should pass, and not have perceived the Lord through the mysteries, through which He Himself said He would be with us; and, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." For He said this, not that after this He would not be with us always, for how could that be, ^D when He said, while praying to the Father: "Father, those whom Thou hast given me, I will that where I am, they also may be with me, that they may see My glory." And a little before: "And I have given them the glory which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, just as We are one, and I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected into one." But until the end of the world He shall be through His mysteries. Moreover, He also said what is now not seen, after He ascended in the body, until He shall then come: lest anyone should fall into that opinion, that He is not now with us.

but rather that he may believe that He is uninterruptedly with us, and indeed is with us in His mysteries. ^A Then we shall see Him just as He is, as the Beloved says, and thus we shall always be with the Lord, as Paul teaches. But now I do not know for what reason it has been neglected that the Presanctified [Liturgy] be celebrated at that time. I suppose it is because the fast is not considered perfect, nor is the perfect Mass celebrated as is the custom, and for that reason, the Presanctified mysteries have been neglected. Further, this also comes from the Jerusalem Typikon, which is monastic. But another is the Typikon of the Great Church, which all the churches followed. The continuous incursions of the Gentiles, however, destroyed its order. It remains only in the Catholic Church of the Thessalonians. ^B On Holy and Great Friday we do not perform the perfect Liturgy, because the Lord, having handed down the mysteries on [Holy] Thursday in remembrance of His passion, willingly endured the passion on Friday; and through the cross He sacrificially offered Himself to the Father voluntarily, as it has been said, by giving Himself up, and not being betrayed, to those who wished to kill Him. Therefore, as the sacrifice had already been wrought in His divine body then through the passion, there is no need for us to perform again those things which serve as a remembrance of His passion, since He Himself has endured it. For this reason, we did not receive the tradition to celebrate the perfect sacrifice at that time at all, but we did receive the tradition to set forth and administer the Presanctified [Gifts], just as you will find this same thing written in many of the aforementioned Constitutions and other ancient books in which the Gospels and apostolic writings are arranged. Nevertheless, it is not currently in use, [due to] the monastic Typikon of Jerusalem. ^C Therefore, it should not be thought that because the Presanctified Liturgy is not celebrated in other fasts, those [times] should be disregarded, but rather they should be observed. Since in the Great Fast, on both Saturday and Sunday, we celebrate the perfect Liturgy; and in other inviolable fasts, I mean the Eve of Christ's Nativity, and of the Lights [Epiphany], and on Great Thursday, we do likewise; and we do not break the fast in them [by doing so], because we are perfectly performing the liturgy. And that the Holy Forty Days is called "Great," it teaches [us] that there are also other fasts. And for this reason it is called "Great" more especially, because there are others; but this one excels them. ^D And it is justly called a "tithe"; for although we ought to render our whole life to God, who created us from nothing, yet, having become weak and infirm through transgressions, and being carried away by many anxieties of the flesh, we ought to have certain appointed and dedicated times for the honor and glory of Him who fashioned us; in which, turning away from the concerns of life, and thinking holily of thanksgiving and praises toward the Creator, and of asking forgiveness from Him for our infinite sins—for which cause also Sundays, and feasts, and fasts, and especially this one, have been handed down. And being all consecrated to God, and

to Him who gave the power of acting ^A by necessity, none have received permission to break even one. Moreover, the goal of the Fathers concerning this is very good and most philanthropic, and to monks and laymen alike both useful and light, and not forced. For it is temperance that has been handed down, and not starvation; and it leads us into the remembrance of God, and to be concerned for our own sins, and for death, and for the retribution. Furthermore, it is also for the protection and proof of piety, and for a good habit through a little effort. And from this, salvation is vouchsafed to us by the mercy of God, even when we are unaware, through these small things. There is therefore no toil for those in the world for a little abstinence, for they have permission for everything, except for a very few things; but for monks, temperance and fasting are always owed, inasmuch as they have publicly vowed them. ^B

QUESTION LVII.

The Pre-sanctified most holy gifts do not receive anything through the prayers that are offered over them; for they are perfect. And the prayers that are said in the Liturgy bear witness to this very thing, being indeed prayers of supplication and propitiation for us, through the proposed fearful mysteries, the Body and Blood of the Only-begotten, rendering God and Father propitious to us, and making us fit for the communion of Christ. ^C The entries—the one is of the Vespers, the other is for the gifts to be carried to the table, and so that we, having beheld and adored them, may be sanctified by the sight and grace of them. What these entries represent, we have stated elsewhere. But neither do we perform any other union; for how could we? Since the bread is perfect, having been sacrificed, and elevated, and united to the divine blood. But into the sacred chalice, wine and water are placed without any prayer being said, in order that when the divine bread is divided, and, as the order requires, the upper portion is introduced into it, those things which are in the chalice may have holiness through participation in it; and so, as is customary in the Liturgy, the priest may communicate of both the bread and the chalice, and distribute also to those who have need to partake, whether to those in sacred orders inside according to the custom, or to the laity by means of the spoon. ^D Which, indeed, when we wish to make someone a participant of the mysteries without a prior sacrifice, we perform by taking a portion from the reserved bread, and mixing it with wine and water, or even often using only the life-giving bread itself as being united to the blood, we effect the communion. But here in the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified, this is done because the pattern of communion is performed, as has been said, and because there is a need for more to communicate. Therefore, it is not by the invocation of the Holy Spirit and the seal that those things which are in the chalice are sanctified in the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified, but by the participation and union of the life-giving bread, which is truly the body of Christ, and already united to the blood.

^A QVESTIO LVIII. *Is a fragment of the divine bread to be brought in during the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified, or the whole?* Furthermore, the bread must not be a piece, but whole, so that it may be divided according to custom, and being broken, be distributed; for this is what is lacking in the perfect Liturgy. And the warm water is also introduced at that time, not for the sake of any perfection—since it is not even introduced in the perfect Liturgy for the sake of any perfection—but so that, by tasting the warm and awesome cup, we may conceive in our mind that, even when Christ had died, His life-giving body was inseparable and undivided from the Divinity, even as His divine soul was, and that it was full of the operations of the Spirit. This warm water also signifies that the Spirit is life-giving, and that the Divinity was not separated from the life-giving body of Christ, nor has it been divided from it. Moreover, the water is an image of the Spirit, who is called water, and the heat [is an image] of the fire—that is, of the Divinity—because, as He says, our God is a consuming fire. Wherefore he also adds, "The fervor of the Holy Spirit. Amen." Whence the divine gifts do not receive any greater grace, since they are already perfect; but they are set forth merely for our sake, so that we may be sanctified ^B by them and by the prayers.

QVESTIO LIX. *Why is the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified not celebrated on other days of the year?* On days when the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified is not commanded by the rule, one must abstain from celebrating it; for it has not been handed down. He who does something beyond what has been handed down is liable to penalties; for "Keep," says Paul, "the traditions which we have handed down to you, whether by word or by epistle." This, therefore, must be observed in all other matters that have been handed down to us from of old.

QVESTIO LX.

Concerning the divine and angelic monastic habit

^A conversation, as it has been said: almost all the actions of His life were in many of the saints and prophets. Most especially indeed in Elijah, who, living alone, remained a virgin above the law; and in Elisha, who was subject to him and dwelt on the mountain; and finally in the Baptist, who lived chaste, naked, and without food, and dwelling in the deserts, preached repentance. All these things the Savior fulfilled and handed down to be continued, those things which had been prefigured of Him. For He alone is the truth, and in truth He fulfilled all things. Being born of a most chaste Virgin, He remained a virgin, lived most holily, begged for His food, traveled on foot, had nowhere to lay His head, lived sparingly, and was subject to the Father even unto death; He was persecuted, oppressed, and killed, enduring all things equally: often seeking remote places, He prayed alone, signifying the desire for peace; He taught more perfect things on the mountain, and on the mountain also ^B showed the glory of His divinity, which He was about to grant to be possessed eternally to all who, desiring it with all their heart, seek peace most of all. To His apostles, moreover, He showed a norm of living in common, openly teaching that for His sake one must abandon father and brothers and wife, and children, and kin and fields and all things that are in the world; and He prescribed to them to take up the cross, so that following Him and loving Him above all things that are in the world, they might thus alone become His disciples, worthy of their Master. For the rest, His most holy life is as befits a prophet and an apostle, or rather an angel; for He imitated the virginity of the angels, and the obedience and harmony ^C and poverty and watchful prayer and praises to God and indefatigable adoration: this was the proper life and profession of our Savior, and thus He repaired our nature, and led it back to its former glory, and exalted us even to the likeness of God, while He was made like unto us: and destroying the corrupted and fleeting life of the world which is now, and which was established in sins, He taught that super-celestial life and death. A monk, therefore, is not a man of this earth or of this present world, but is celestial and above human affairs, and his conversation is truly, according to Paul, in the heavens, and Jesus taught this. Therefore let every monk know that he is no longer of this life; but dead to this present life, he must be an incorruptible and celestial man: and with Paul let him say: "The world is crucified unto me, ^D and I unto the world." And the habit of the monk declares all this. The black color, for the sake of mourning and the death of the flesh, and the darkness of sin; [the habit] of hair, because of [the state of] death, and the leathern tunics. And the tunic, because of the grace from God, the garment of incorruptibility; the mantle, for the sake of the covering from God; the cowl, because of innocence and the guarding of the senses, and humility and for keeping the soul pure and strong in governing the body. The scapular, to signify the cross that must be borne on the shoulders after the Savior. The belt signifies fortitude, modesty, and chastity. He wears sandals so that he may walk the straight way

and step upon the power of the enemy. The mantle signifies the all-encompassing, sustaining, and preserving providence of God, and also represents the tomb of the body, for one whose hands are hidden beneath the mantle cannot perform any worldly works at all. In all these things there is the figure of the cross, because the entire life of the monk must be crucified, for he imitates and carries the cross of the Lord; and, to speak in one word, this habit dispels error, takes away the curse of death, and frees the essence of man from infirmity, from every stain, and keeps him from pleasure. It opens paradise and grants heaven and immortality, and is already on earth a beginning of the celestial life. The garments of the monk must not be multicolored, nor should they be silk or linen, but simple wool, conforming entirely to poverty and worn only for covering. For the habit of the monk should be far from luxury, splendor, and magnificence, having only what is necessary and expressing indigence, not superfluity. For they must live thus, that they may adore and serve God constantly, according to the prophets and apostles. ^B

QUESTION LXI.

Every man must bear the insignia of his profession, for these lead into its most holy understanding; for the form of sacred vestments is established by religion so that, dressed in them, we may be brought to the remembrance of that which they signify. They are not a burden, nor an iron weight, nor chains of captivity; finally, in them monks are buried, and priests are found buried with their priestly ornaments. Not that they will rise again with them, but because they carry before themselves a symbol of divine mysteries, signifying that he who is clothed in such things has fashioned his life according to their virtue, or if he had not lived so before, at the very moment he received those garments he determined to conduct himself according to their new and holy standard. Therefore, let each person remain in his own order, ^C and consequently, whether monk or priest, let him put on the garments of his profession and order, and thus approach God, that he may be blessed in his religion or his priesthood. Since, however, the present time is the limit of labor, and the future is, conversely, the rest of the reward, let everyone know for certain that in that order in which he has lived blessed and holy, he should also be buried in his own proper habit, lest dying, he be stripped of his glory, as it were. ^D

QUESTION LXII.

"Pray without ceasing," says the Apostle. And, "Whether you eat or whether you drink, or whatever you

do, do all to the glory of God." And the Lord: "Watch therefore, praying at all times." And David: "I will bless the Lord at all times." Therefore, every time is necessary for prayer, and this we must do always. For this reason, neither on the road, nor at the table, nor in bed, nor in work, nor in conversations, nor at any other time, ought we to desist from prayer. But as for the singing of psalms, whether standing or sitting, or in the evening or in the morning, it shall be according to the inclination and strength of each person, and according to their infirmity, and according to the spiritual discernment of the one who presides; since all things must be done with the discernment and counsel of holy men. For the time being, let what has been handed down to the Church be inviolable for all. And all must ^B hasten to the holy temples, as they are consecrated to God and are houses of prayer, in which even the divine altars have the power to raise our prayers to God, and this applies especially to monks. And furthermore, those who are living in seclusion and quiet should also hasten to the Lord’s houses on feast days, so that they may partake of the benefit of the divine Liturgy and be deemed worthy of communion in the mysteries through the priest, as is customary; and that they may render obedience to the Church, and not imagine out of conceit that their own private dwellings are superior to the temples, nor judge their own individual and private prayers to be more efficacious than those performed publicly and solemnly by the Church. For the Church's prayer delivered Peter; and Paul humbly implores it, saying: "Pray for us." And, "You also helping together by prayer for us." And, "Pray for one another," ^C teaches the Brother of the Lord. And, "That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," as Paul says.

QUESTION LXIII. Whether it is right to work with one's hands and sing psalms or pray at the same time.

To work with one's hands and to pray at the same time is the work of a monk, since Paul says: "Pray without ceasing," and: "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." For prayer is the head of every holy work, and it alone unites man to God. Therefore, for those monks who are more diligent in their vocation, this is the only constant occupation, ^D and there is no other labor. Much could be said about prayer, which, if sought from the saints and from those who have experience of it, will be found and learned.

QUESTION LXIV. Concerning the seven ages, and when the end is.

The saying, "Give a portion to seven, and also to eight," the saints understand to refer to the future age, as does Gregory the Theologian. They say that the seven refers to the weekly

cycle. ^A And they wish the eighth to signify the future age, inasmuch as it will have no end. For this reason, they say, Moses also called the first day "one," as being the first in relation to the seven—that is to say, the Sabbath—but the eighth after the seven, on which the Lord also rose, and which will be the final day of the general resurrection, after which there will no longer be night, but it will be one single day.

QUESTION LXV. Whether the world will have an end.

That the entire universe will have an end is demonstrated by the fact that we see its parts having an end, and especially because man dies, for whose sake, nevertheless, this whole world was made. ^B And the entire construction of the world was completed in a cycle of seven days. And even now, man reaches his prime and passes through stages of his life in a cycle of years. The ailments and afflictions of the body also, as some say, are subject to crises in varying degrees in single weeks or half-weeks. Furthermore, there are those who curiously observe the seven planets and the seven zones and their various motions, so as to predict from these that the world will be overturned in the seventh age. But the knowledge of the Church is not in these things, but rather she considers that everything rests upon the will of God. And just as the whole was created from nothing for a good purpose, so too for a good purpose it will be changed for the better; and it will be at that time when virtue, ^C the head of which is love, is no longer found in the world—for the sake of which love God made all things, and gave His only-begotten Son for our sake. Wherefore the Son Himself indicated the sign of the end to us, saying that when love is no longer among men, but rather "because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved" (Matt. 24:12-13). Those therefore who deny the consummation are impious, holding the opinions of the Greeks, and rejecting all the teachings of the Gospel and the holy Scriptures.

QUESTION LXVI. How the sins of each person will be manifested.

To each person, their sins are presented by the conscience, which is remorseful and fears the inner terror of the Judge, from whom nothing is hidden. ^D But since we shall all be changed into incorruptibility, having been stripped of all gross burdens, each will be able to discern the sins of others through certain signs; just as now, certain people are recognized by their human and gross forms. If, therefore, uncleanness is recognized here, how much more then, when the ray of the true Light has shone, will the impure vessels be known! For just as the righteous shall shine as the sun, so those who are not such shall be made manifest, and each of them shall condemn himself.

QUESTION LXVII. What is the "cicatrization" [healing/sealing] in Gregory the Theologian?

The "cicatrization" [healing] in the Theologian seems to be by means of the transformation of the wounds of sin—that is, if it truly follows; and the treatment…

becomes perfect, ^A yet for those who have sinned after baptism, the marks of the wounds still remain. For there is one and only one restoration which also erases the scars—baptism alone, and after it, martyrdom.

QUESTION LXVIII. What is the darkness and stench in Saint Macarius?

Darkness and stench, according to what is written in Saint Macarius, ^B are even now present intellectually in the souls of those who sin without repentance, and those who depart from the body without repentance. Because they have not washed themselves through confession and the works of repentance and tears, they carry around their stench and deformity, just as happens with the demons, who—as I have previously noted—appeared to many of the saints as dogs or swine or with the stench of the grave, being utterly devoid of the divine light and the fragrance of the Holy Spirit.

QUESTION LXIX. Does everyone who confesses receive forgiveness, and in three hours, as the Chrysostom says?

Through true repentance, every man is cleansed by confessing his sins specifically, by turning away from evil, and by beginning to do good, and by giving his word to God to no longer commit the sin. For at once, he immediately receives forgiveness—and not, as you say, in three hours. And this is evident from the harlot who approached Christ, ^C and from the prodigal, and from the publican, and from the paralytic who had been raised up. But one must preserve the gift and observe the laws of repentance, lest something worse happen to him after the one who has repented has transgressed, as the Truth itself told the healed paralytic: "Behold, you have become whole; do not sin anymore, lest something worse happen to you." ^D A man who repents lawfully does indeed receive forgiveness, yet not honors and advancement. For he has been released so as not to die—being previously condemned to die—that is, so as not to be punished; yet he is not also worthy of receiving the reward and the crowns. Therefore, let those who are living contend both for themselves and for their departed relatives. Indeed, it happens that by the eager and tireless zeal of repentance, the same occurs as with the thief and the harlot herself, so that by the benevolence of the Master, not only is forgiveness granted, but also other gifts. For the Lord says: "Amen I say to you, that her many sins are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loves less." Therefore, according to the faith and the earnestness of the soul, forgiveness also is granted, just as He said, "According to your faith, be it done to you."

QUESTION LXX. From where did the apostles receive the basis for forgiveness and repentance?

Where did the Lord speak of forgiveness, and where did the apostles receive the basis? In every Gospel...

He preached ^A this, and taught this; and He gave this to the disciples as a gift: to forgive. And He commanded them to pray for this; and this is the greatest gift in us, and the foundation of all our hope. And before the resurrection He gave this to the apostles and to Peter, and after the resurrection He repeated it.

QUESTION LXXI

Why in this life does God demonstrate to us many modes of condescension, goodness, and repentance, but in the other He punishes rigidly and eternally? Where then is His goodness?

God is good and more than good, and of His goodness there is ^B absolutely no limit. He never departs from goodness, being by nature alone good and alone unchangeable. Therefore, whether He blesses some or punishes others, He does both in the best way, since He is by nature good and by nature just. Never unmindful of justice, by goodness alone He brought us out of nothing, and by justice He governs. He created every good for our benefit; whence He also brought forth this world which we see, creating paradise also for our sake, in order to prepare for us there the future goods, that we might justly and opportunely enjoy all goods—here the present ones, there the future ones later. According to His own image, with His own hands He fashioned us. He placed in us a soul endowed with intelligence, reason, and will, which He filled with the gifts of all wisdom and knowledge, in it sowing the seeds of all divine virtues; so that even without a teacher we might know what is pleasing to God and what God hates; but He also provided teachers from the beginning. First, indeed, He showed the whole visible creation moving properly according to His will, that we too might be obedient to God and move according to the will of Him; then He showed a great multitude of holy patriarchs and prophets; He established the law; He performed marvelous signs; He punished the bad and sinners at first with small things; He blessed the good; ^C finally, as wickedness increased, the Word of God Himself came of His own accord, descending even to us for our sake; He took holy flesh from the Virgin, leading a divine life, producing innumerable miracles, delivering heavenly doctrine and divine precepts, at length He suffered for us, and died and rose again, and ascending into ^D heaven He filled us with grace and strength, sending down upon us from heaven the gifts of the Holy Spirit, through Whom He consecrated His saints as teachers, powerful in work and word, who spread His name and doctrine throughout the whole world. Whence appeared everywhere throngs of priests, choirs of martyrs, multitudes of monks and virgins, and the countless assembly of all who have believed, gathered from all nations, without rule or violence, but by the word of God and virtue alone; and the world was caught by the saving nets of the fishermen; and many of those converted were raised up, who like the apostles themselves shone in signs and virtues. And finally, that most excellent gift of repentance is given, a benefit beyond speech and thought. For even until the very last breath it is granted, f

than the thought, by which, until the final breath of life, we are taught to purge our sins with true, lawful, and holy sorrow. Are not all these things, and more that we can neither speak nor fully conceive, works of the greatest love and goodness? Surely they are so great that they cannot be expressed in words. Furthermore, the kingdom which is promised in the future ^A will be a gift of grace and goodness; and the punishment, which must likewise be suffered for eternity, is a work of justice and goodness: of justice, because each receives that which he has chosen, and he is found in eternity in the same state in which he remained as long as he had the use of his freedom here; but of goodness, because sinners are not given the same gifts as the righteous. Therefore, he who has loved shall justly be loved. And not only in the measure that he has loved, but as much as God Himself loves and bestows. Even the sinner who has repented is shown mercy through goodness; and not only is he redeemed from the most just punishment, but he receives, according to grace, the good things. But he who has not wished to be good, nor condemned his own evils, nor ^B wished to turn away at all, nor made use of repentance—by what logic shall he be shown mercy, when he has not wished for it? Therefore, since each person here establishes his own eternal state through his own choice—choosing either virtue or vice—in the time of retribution, through the goodness and justice of God, there shall be the eternal enjoyment of good things for the righteous, and eternal punishment for the wicked. And this is all the more the work of God, who is good by nature and super-good, for He is good. ^C It is, therefore, a very great error to imagine an end to the punishment, and to think that God, who is super-good, lacks goodness when He punishes the wicked justly and benevolently; this is an attempt to subvert the providence and wisdom of the Word of God, and a setting aside of the ancient and new laws of God for all, leading those who think irrationally into complete ruin and impiety. Wherefore we must flee from this corruption with all diligence, and by our works, and words, and thoughts let us believe as true that which the Church teaches, and let us hold fast to the things of repentance, through which we shall be saved, through confession alone and abstaining from evil, by the love of the Good One toward humanity; and let us reflect on all that pertains to repentance. For He says, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

QUESTION LXXII

Some, out of a desire for sordid gain, perhaps, ^D impose [it] upon those who come to the spiritual fathers to give alms, and they seek the gift. They even forbid the performance of the rite of holy oil and the liturgies, due to the loss to the priests, even if they deem such things to be good. Which of these is the better course?

That the spiritual Fathers should instruct those who come to them for the confession of transgressions to perform alms for the ransom of captives, [the performance of] the rite of holy oil and liturgies, and other similar things, is a good and is thus established by the Fathers, and will have much utility from this; and as often as someone incites another to perform divine works for himself, whether he finds him ready, or—

^A triggers him before he is ready, he provides him much utility, and he himself will be a partaker in the reward of the one who works. And it is necessary to incite not only those who have sinned to mercy and the other works of mercy and piety, but also the brother who has not offended, for it is impossible for anyone not to sin. Nevertheless, if someone lives justly, he will also be righteous in this, from the fact that he performs the works of justice. And justice is rendering to God and to the brother according to what we are taught concerning the duties of debt and love. And love toward God is also purity, and praying, and hymning Him, and glorifying Him, and running to His holy temples. In addition to these things, it is also to offer to Him from what we receive from Him, for His glory and honor, and for our own purification, and for participation in divine sanctification. And regarding the brothers, it is not only to render what is due—out of a mind that forgets injuries and with a good disposition and peaceful manner, and through the cooperation of words and praises and commendations—but it is also to show this through works, by feeding the hungry, and giving drink to the thirsty, and taking in the stranger, and clothing the naked, and visiting the sick, and taking thought for ^B those in prison, as the Savior taught, through which He also calls blessed those who do such things, and bestows the kingdom of heaven upon them. It is most necessary, therefore, as has been said, to teach those who work for what is good, and for the brothers to perform alms and holy sacrifices. And for those who are subject to charges, this should be given as a rule, but to urge the others to do this as well, even if they are not involved in charges, both because of the duty owed to God and because no one is without sin. And it is also fitting to offer to God on behalf of parents and relatives and other pious people, and on behalf of the honor and memory of the saints, so that we might find them as mediators there and partakers in the glory of Christ. And it is to teach those who approach to work for these things in a God-pleasing way; but not for spiritual Fathers to do this for profit, embezzling the things of God—for the loss to them is very great, and they will be required to give an account. And those who are giving are doing that which those did who cast their possessions before the feet of the apostles; but those who retain them, as Ananias did ^C with Sapphira, and worse, since he embezzled from his own. For this Ananias, having promised to give the whole price of the property, and having embezzled from it, died at the feet of the divine Peter, together with his wife, having been revealed a temple-robber, the condemnation of whom—I think, as I previously said—they receive upon themselves, those who retain the things of God and store them up for themselves. But one should not disdain, nor deny, any worker to receive the fruit of his labor for his own use alone. For thus Paul teaches, setting before us the example of the laboring farmer and the shepherd producing fruit; although he himself, preaching the Gospel for free and hoping for his reward from heaven, did not make use of this authority. Therefore he was also laboring and working with his hands. "And to my needs," he says, "and to those with me, these hands ministered." ^D

^A Therefore, the steward of souls ought to touch almost nothing of what is offered, if possible, so that he may not have a need to partake of the thorns of others. But if there be a need of food or clothing, let him not take what is in excess, but only what is for necessity, and let him pay back the prayers and perform the sacrifices on behalf of the one who offered them to God, remembering also the poor, and that not he alone, but others also have a need of necessities.

But if a layman is the one who receives the offerings of those who are repenting, let him be more careful; because through the priesthood the things of salvation are worked for men, and through the holy sacrifice, and the oil of prayer, and the rest of the rites, forgiveness and cleansing are given, and the participation in sanctification, and what is more, they have a need of the communion which is the union with Christ. ^B Therefore, if it should happen to anyone, either due to envy toward a priest, or wishing to profit himself, that he prevents [others] from giving to priests, or from the fearful sacrifice or the oil of prayer being performed for someone, while making almsgiving a pretext, and claiming that this is greater than all things, and is depriving some of the believers of the cleansing by the holy oil and prayers, and of the divine sanctification from the communion or the sacred ministry, he himself will be required to give an account for this.

Furthermore, each of the sins will have its own proportionate penance, and not all things will be forgiven by one means; but if the crime be murder, according to the canon of the Church and the ransom of a captive, on behalf of the one who has sinned and the one who has died, if the murderer has prosperity, let a soul be given for a soul. ^C But if it is the procuring of an abortion, let the healing be through the adoption and raising of a poor infant. If it is fornication or adultery or some impurity, [let there be] first a cessation of the fault and the sin, then through the mortification of the flesh according to one's ability; for the sin was one of luxury and fleshly pleasure. And just as to Eve [was given] pains in place of pleasure, and to Adam sweat and thorns, so let there be a constriction of the flesh for its humiliation and healing for the one who has fallen through love of pleasure. If there is no determination nor strength, let him be healed through almsgiving or abstinence, or the ransoming of a captive, if the sinner has prosperity. If it happens that there were deeds of injustice, the release from the sin will be through the restoration of what was taken. ^D Let almsgiving, according to the example of Zacchaeus, be a cleansing for the crime of injustice and robbery. But if blasphemy or a denial [of God] has occurred for anyone, [let him seek healing] through continuous prayer, so that he may blot out the blasphemy, and tears, so that he may be washed clean, and almsgiving, so that he may obtain mercy—having despised the Creator—and abstinence for the sake of flesh-eating and other impure foods. But if perjury should happen, or the slandering of someone to another, or betrayal of a person who has sinned or has not sinned to a ruler, the fallen one will be corrected by the same means of the blasphemy, and [in this way] he will relieve the man of the evil. For it is incumbent upon him to do this first, if he is able, just as the one who has acted unjustly or stolen, [ought] first to restore what was taken, whether...

to the person wronged, to the one who lost it, or to his children, or to the poor brethren, by the discernment of a spiritual Father; and so to do in all other matters, as the canons ordain. Therefore, he who manages these souls must know this and act according to the rule, and neither dismiss them unseasonably—supposedly out of sympathy, for this is ruinous—nor pass judgment rigidly—supposedly as one who is precise and sinless—lest he abandon them to despair; but in all things he must act with the best measure. The best measure is that of the saints, because the gift comes to us through them ^A, and it will be in us if we strive to keep their examples. There will be, therefore, according to them, a manner of condescension for those who show eagerness and repent fervently and depart from evil, who also will find the Judge merciful; and it is good to impart to them, even within the limits [of the rule], what is good because of their fervor and repentance. In simple terms, for all the sins of the living, the ransoming of captives is to be preferred above other works, because it is the first of all works to deliver a soul from impiety and slavery; which is to deliver it from death; and this "covers a multitude of sins," as it is written. Then, almsgiving, if the one who has sinned does not have sufficient means; in this, the care of an orphan, or of one who is in need and poor, will be preferred; then the care of the sick and of those in prison and of others.

The matter of the liturgies should take place after the transgressor has forsaken sin and repented genuinely; for a portion offered on behalf of one who is still engaged in sin will be for condemnation; and just as he who partakes unworthily "eats and drinks judgment unto himself," as Paul says, so too will he have condemnation who offers unworthily while not departing from sin, or even [if he attempts] to celebrate a feast to God for His saints. Now, the holy oil ^B is most necessary as a sacred rite of the seven mysteries for the sick, as we have received, and for every believer who wishes to draw near to the dread mysteries, but even more so for everyone who has fallen into sins and has completed the canon of repentance, and is hastening to partake, having received indulgence from the Father; for the holy rite and unction of holy oil forgives sins, as the Brother of the Lord writes, and the prayers of the priests contribute to this.

For those who have fallen asleep, the most profitable thing before all else is the sacred liturgy; the rest are secondary, because when a person has died, he has ceased from sin, and he partakes through the sacrifice of Christ and is filled with divine joy and grace, and is redeemed from every pain by divine mercy. Therefore, before all things, let the sacrifice be offered for him; then, if he has the means, let there be the ransoming of captives, and almsgiving to the poor, and the building of divine houses, and other things that tend toward his salvation. ^{C D}

QUESTION LXXIII

Should spiritual Fathers ask for alms, so that they themselves may distribute them? And if they receive and keep them, what is the consequence?

A spiritual Father ought not himself to ask for gifts that are to be given as alms, lest he bring both censure upon himself and scandal to the brethren; but if he wishes to act both for their salvation and for the benefit of those who come to him, let him only exhort them to do so and provide a rule for doing it. As for himself, let him receive nothing; for we learn this from most of the saints who made it their greatest care not to receive. This was also Paul’s practice, burdening no one and receiving nothing for himself, even though he was zealously concerned to collect alms for the poor brethren who were in Jerusalem, which he sent faithfully. But if someone ^B is forced by the faithful person offering to receive, let him not hesitate, but in turn let him fulfill his duty with all knowledge and diligence, so that no dissension may arise. If he is a priest, let him receive it as a priest; then let him call others, not his friends, but rather those who are needy and the more prudent. But if he happens to be a layman, let him receive nothing of what is given for the sake of the liturgies; this belongs to priests, and let him distribute it to priests. Yet, from what has been given, let him also have a portion for the sake of mercy, and let him distribute that which is needed to the poor.

QUESTION LXXIV

If a priest receives a liturgy to perform and does not perform it, what is the result for the one who gave? And is he liable in this matter?

He who has received an offering for a liturgy and has not performed it is liable both for not performing it and for depriving the offerer of the sanctification. For he does not receive the sanctification of the liturgy, but perhaps the reward of an alms—and not even as much as if he had given it to a poor man. Therefore, let everyone who has received it perform the liturgy, lest he be condemned by God as unjust, as a thief, and as one robbing his brother of ^C the sanctification.

QUESTION LXXV

What is the best kind of almsgiving?

He who wishes to give alms, if he is able, should first of all, as we have said, provide for the freedom of captives, especially infants and children who are in danger regarding their soul; then for captive priests, and for the elderly, and for all others. Secondly, let him give to the infirm and the maimed, and to others who are in need of much assistance. Among these should also be numbered the monks who are enclosed for the sake of God, as the Fathers say; for they are servants of God, occupied with the works of the angels, and they choose this reclusion for the sake of God; and since they live according to God, in them all the commandments are fulfilled. Then to those in prison, and to widows, and to the other people who are not in the habit of going out of their house; and finally to all the rest of the poor. And also the care of

^A guests, and especially of the needy, provides a great reward, as our Saviour, who is also Judge and God, has taught.

QUESTION LXXVI. If someone has ten coins, and there is one captive and ten poor people, to which of them should he bestow from these?

If a captive can be redeemed for the price of ten coins, it is better to spend it for him than on ten or even more poor people who are in need only of food for their sustenance, if at least there is hope of them finding this from others. But if there is a danger of famine and death, the alms should be divided between the captive and the poor. For the necessities of extreme distress must be provided first. ^B

QUESTION LXXVII. Should he who is about to give alms give it by himself or through a spiritual Father?

What one ought to give as alms, without hesitation and with certain faith, it is better to give through one's own spiritual Father, lest if he gives it himself, he might become subject to vainglory, or lest he might perhaps give it for less necessary and less profitable ends, and in order that he may add the merit of acting through obedience. But if he hesitates, or does not have faith in the good administration of the Father, let him distribute the alms himself, but with consultation.

QUESTION LXXVIII. How is it that to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, the sin is not forgiven, neither in this age nor in the future? Is there, then, forgiveness for sins in the future age? Or is the Holy Spirit greater than the Father and the Son? ^C

It has always been taught that to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, the sin is not forgiven, neither in the present age nor in the future; not because there can ever be forgiveness in the future age, but because what is not forgiven here will also not be forgiven there; and this above all is certain, that there is no forgiveness there before forgiveness is obtained here. Therefore, there is space for repentance even unto the last breath of life. But the Holy Spirit is not, on account of this, more excellent than the Father and the Son; rather, He is shown to be equal and consubstantial. For the Saviour said this for no other reason than because of the divine power and energy through which He performed signs and cast ^D demons out of men; which power and energy is common to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; so that this sentence is against those who blaspheme against the Trinity. And every heretic, because of this, blaspheming with others and remaining in his heresy, has no forgiveness. For indeed it was said: "To him who blasphemes against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him," that is, against his human nature, because the Jews could see him at that time in truth as a man of flesh, even if they could not know what was greater in him; and concerning this he absolved their sin, just as he prayed for those crucifying him. But when certain men were blaspheming, saying that he performed divine signs by Beelzebub, and denying the divine power, he was saying this

^A is irremissible; but only for those who do not come to the faith, for everyone who believes and is baptized shall be saved. And many of the saints speak of this, and Paul, who was formerly a blasphemer and later a herald of Christ, bears witness to it.

QUESTION LXXIX.

"Seven times a day I have praised you" denotes "frequently" or "always," as the same prophetic Psalmist says elsewhere: "I will bless the Lord at all times." And again: “His praise is always in my mouth.” And the divine Paul says: “Pray without ceasing; give thanks in all things.” Most excellently, the Savior himself teaches this: “Watch, therefore, at all times, praying.” Why? So that we may be one with God, doing ^B the work which is unceasing; for prayer is communion with God, the greatest of all works. And what is more excellent than to speak with God and to be with God? For this is the unceasing work of the angels. In this, therefore, we are also as angels, and ministers of God, doing his will, pure in heart, beholders of God, divine hymn-singers, and paying our debt to him. From this we are also cleansed, and receive remission of sins, and are delivered from the evil one and from every temptation, and from all the evils that befall us, and we become worthy of his presence, and are deemed worthy of his illumination and his kingdom. And furthermore, who could count or worthily ^C explain the blessings granted to us through prayer? For through it, we receive everything we ask from God, as he himself promised. Through it, signs and wonders have been done and are still being done, and salvation for many, and the gifts of healings, and every good thing; and there is no good thing without it. Above all, this is the work of the Church, which was never abandoned by the Savior, or the apostles, or the Fathers. Therefore, this work is always necessary and incumbent upon us as servants and creatures to offer to God, and thus it is most beneficial. However, ^D because of our weakness, and for those who are negligent, there are times appointed—as I judge—which David observed and which the Church also keeps. Hence he says: “At midnight I would rise.” And we perform the midnight office by chanting with him. And the words, “O God, my God, I watch for you at dawn,” we perform as our morning (orthros) office. And the words, “O Lord, in the morning you will hear my voice; in the morning I will stand before you, and you will look upon me,” we perform, together with him, as the first hour. And “Evening and morning and at noon I will tell and declare, and he will hear my voice,” these we perform as the midday hours and the vesper office. And he further says, “I will bathe my bed every night, and with my tears I will wet my couch.”

And we too offer ^A to the Lord those things of the Compline. And he always hymns and prays according to the [scripture]: “I will exalt thee, O my God, my king, and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee, and I will praise thy name for ever and ever,” and, “My soul hath followed hard after thee.” And he invites us also, saying: “O praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise him, all ye people.” We, therefore, in the appointed hours, let us praise Him, and let us do so zealously, and with our whole mind hymn Him; for He is the Lord our God, and He will save us. ^B There are seven praises in the Church: the Midnight Office, the Morning Office together with the First Hour, the Third Hour, the Sixth, the Ninth, the Vesper office, and Compline. The hymn of the midnight office is for the resurrection of the Saviour and His second coming, when He will come as a bridegroom with glory. For He Himself says, “At midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” The morning hymn is in thanksgiving that He who disperses the darkness has made the light to shine upon us. Therefore, the praise of the First Hour is joined to it, as the beginning of the day, offered to God with doxology. In the Third Hour, we give ^C thanks and sing because of the descent of the Divine Spirit; and in the Sixth, because of the crucifixion of the Saviour—crucified in this hour, in which He also washed away the transgression of Adam, which had likewise occurred at the sixth hour. The Ninth Hour is for the life-giving death of our Lord upon the cross, through which He dissolved the condemnation of Adam. The Vesper office is a thanksgiving that we have reached the end of the day; it is also for the burial of our Saviour, for He was buried at eventide. And the Compline, because we have arrived at rest from our toil, and we offer to Him the beginning of the night, asking to have everything peaceful, and that after sleeping in peace we may rise again, seeing the light once more. All these things are understood ^D more subtly and more divinely by those who understand. For from sleeping and waking, it is possible to consider death and that resurrection which is to come after death; and from the night and day, the transition from this dark and tumultuous life to that evening-less day and life; and the rest likewise ought to be understood by one who loves God, as we have also explained elsewhere concerning this according to our ability, having received it from the Fathers. And the seven-fold praise is in these; but the divine order of the holy mystagogy is peculiar beyond all these, as it is the proper work of the Lord and His priesthood, and it is impossible for this to be celebrated at all without a priest or an altar. This, therefore, bestows things beyond the mind; and it makes him who has worthily participated in the divine mysteries concorporal with Christ, and as

^A a member joins him to Him, and consecrates him a temple to the Lord. As for those who do not partake, yet present themselves with piety, faith, and readiness, He cleanses them from their sins, changes them for the better, joins them to the angels and the saints, fills them with divine grace, and illuminates their soul, reason, mind, and the senses of the body. For through the celebration of the Lord’s own body and blood, with the Holy Spirit overshadowing from above, such a change and transformation takes place that the previously common bread and cup pass over into the body and blood of the Master; it is truly that, and not something else, by the good pleasure of the Father, the operation of the Son, and the cooperation of the Spirit. What good would not be granted to those who stand there with faith, piety, attention, and prayer? For it is not the case that they are on earth, but truly in heaven. For so willed the good Master of all and King of heaven, to descend upon earth for our sake, so that He might exalt us to the heavens, and always be with us. And He works these wondrous things, alien to the earth, through the priesthood, present everywhere, and through all His priests, the workers of His goodness and love, just as He illuminates and exalts His angels and the souls of the saints; and He changes us, all His humble servants, for the better, looks upon us with compassion, and illuminating us, ^B sanctifies us. Let us, therefore, approach with longing and piety, ceaselessly, if possible, more than any other prayer, to the holy mystery on each occasion; for there is no other benefit for every believer as there is in this. And let no priest neglect this, lest he bring about the greatest harm to himself and to every believer. For in order to bring about harm and injury in the highest degree, the evil one is always wont to make us, the pious and orthodox, sluggish and despondent in our prayers, but, on the contrary, he urges the godless and heretics toward their foul prayers, so that they, through their unholy petitions, may be condemned all the more by blaspheming; for they fight against God and do not pray. We, however, should not be deprived of His grace by failing to pray to our true God. Therefore, he always strives to keep us from prayer, but especially from the divine liturgy. And he attacks more heavily, and wishes to prevent the divine liturgy. And he attempts ^C to draw us away from it by despondency under seemingly reasonable excuses, and he does not desist from hindering both those in holy orders and those who wish to partake of the mysteries by means of nocturnal fantasies, as we have known through many instances, begrudging the sanctification and the gift, both to us, the orthodox in Christ in holy orders, and to the laity, by which the wretched one is all the more exposed and put to shame, as being a begrudging and evil being. Yet even against his will, he bears witness to the divinity of the work and the magnitude of the grace. For he would not hinder it if he did not consider the gift and benefit to be the greatest. But one must pay heed; this one, Christ will crush, but ^D through confession and humility in repent->

repentant and constant thought, let us come to Christ. “For draw near,” He says, “to Him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be put to shame.” ^B

QUESTION LXXX

Who is it who first handed down that so many hardships, exercises, labors, and pains, afflictions of the flesh and vexations, the study of virginity and holiness, and above all extreme patience and submission, should be undertaken? Why these things? And what is the benefit from them?

Although it seems wonderful that you ask about the required divine struggles, the various labors of the flesh, all hardship and tribulation—and furthermore poverty and contrition of soul, which is humility—asking why these things, and who handed them down, and what is the benefit from them; yet the question is most useful, that we may understand that these are not works of man, but works of God in His Son, who was incarnate for us for our reformation, that we might empty out that consumption which comes from luxury and repair the guilt committed out of presumption, and that we might be enriched with a beauty more excellent and a glory greater than before, just as was done through the humiliation and poverty of Christ, who endured even to being sold, and to mockery, to reproaches, to torments, and to thousands of other evils, and even to death, so that we also might strive with all intention to imitate Him and His holy emulators, generously enduring not only the tribulations sought by our own will, but also those which assault us against our will with a sad impetus, even to death a thousand times if it were possible for the Lord, undertaken with our greatest profit.

For how could we approach Him without blows, even if we were innocent? But our sins exceed all number and measure. See, therefore, that those who have walked the path of pain and pressure while living are the righteous who once bore His type, and the prophets, and the apostles, and the pastors, and the martyrs, and the teachers, and the throngs of hermits, virgins, and all who love God; ^C without labors no one is saved; in all of whom the more excellent leader and master is Christ our God, as we have noted.

But what is the fruit of pain and pressure of the flesh, and of humility and poverty and obedience toward God even to death, He Himself has shown us many times, displaying His own incorruptible body, which is raised into the heavens, by whose aid offering Himself to us to be eaten, He reforms the body of our humility, making us who are corruptible incorruptible, and has established us as heirs of His eternal glory, and they shall proceed, as He Himself said, those who have done good into the resurrection of life, but those who have done evil into the resurrection of judgment, ^D that is, of condemnation. 19 Therefore, every pain fights against the transgression and pride of Adam, and is a just retribution for our sins. For it was said to Adam: “Cursed is the earth in your works,” and the rest.

of the arguments for pain. ^A Therefore, those who have sinned pay for the works of pleasure through pain and toils; yet they will not feel the stings of that pain at that time, as has been the case with many saints, and with those blessed ones who remained condemned in the “Ladder.” As for those who have not sinned—which corresponds to almost no one—they are nevertheless constrained to practice pain, on account of the honor of the Lord who suffered such great things for us, and because of the debt of duty, and for the sake of perseverance in not sinning. For if Paul beat his body into slavery so that he might not be disqualified, who at all will indulge the body? ^B But the kingdom of heaven is also subject to violence, the Truth said, and the violent take it by force.

So much for enduring pain in Christ. Humility, however, heals and purges the presumption of pride that is forgetful of God, or rather that exalts itself against God, as in the first-formed man who considered himself equal to God, and thus pride truly exalts man. Therefore, everyone who humbles himself is in the truth, because he is a creature and possesses nothing from himself, even if he seems to have it. “For what do you have that you did not receive?” the Apostle says. But every proud person, like the devil, is a liar, neither wishing to acknowledge nor knowing the Cause and Creator, even if he thinks he knows. And everyone who suffers for Christ is an athlete, loosening and destroying the pride through which we have fallen, not reaping corruption from the flesh, while he who lives delicately accelerates his own ruin, and while living is dead, and increases his guilt, being established as a slave of the flesh, and reaps together corruption and death from the flesh. ^C Since, therefore, the Lord suffered, though He did not deserve it nor have any need of it; if Paul ground down his body and brought it into slavery; if the choirs of the apostles and priests and all the elect have rendered the same service in return to the Lord who underwent death bodily and endured a thousand other hardships; if the servants of the law from the beginning and the children of grace, and the multitudes of martyrs, have virilely endured even to torments and to death; if the multitudes of monks and hermits and virgins have set off toward the same purpose, who could now doubt concerning these things? You, therefore, most desired brother, being well instructed in all these things, walk yourself in the footsteps of Christ, and follow Him with all desire, and have Him alone in your memory and heart; ^D we pray, moreover, that we too may be able always to appear as those who contain this corruptible flesh in Christ the Lord, and become ardent lovers of heavenly things, so that we may be deemed worthy, having been loosed from this burden of the flesh through His mercy, to be with Him forever, with the uniquely lovable and beloved Jesus Christ our God.

QUESTION LXXXI

It happens that such things occur and the Holy Gifts are spilled, most especially through the malice of the evil one; often, however, it also happens out of the infirmity or inadvertence or negligence of the priests.

^A Let the priest to whom this has happened confess this first to the hierarch, and let him be disciplined accordingly—and even more so if it occurred through his own sloth or inattention; and let him be suspended from his sacred service for a time. If there is necessity and need for a priest in that place, then let the measure of his penance be determined by restraint, prayer, and genuflexions, so that the work of salvation may not be hindered altogether.

But at that time wherein the incident concerning the Holy Gifts happens, if it was spilled in the temple during the entrance, and all of it, let him perform the union again, and let him say the prayer of the Oblation, and thus in order, from the Great Entrance onwards, let him perform the prayers. ^B Similarly, if it should happen that the offered and consecrated divine bread has been consumed by mice or some other animal, and the priest has not seen it but learned of it after the entrance, let him provide another loaf, dividing it in the customary way, uttering the prophetic words and everything he is accustomed to say and do, adding the prayers of the Oblation, and then, after the Great Entrance, let him fulfill the rites of the sacrifice, for they are more strictly effective. For the preceding prayers were spoken as prayers of propitiation and supplication, preparing the priest for the sacred work.

The spilled Holy Gifts must be gathered up by the priest into some holy vessel and deposited in a sacred and secure place, so that they may not be trampled underfoot or undergo anything unseemly. ^C The most suitable place is that where the priest washes his hands after communion, which ought to be easy to close and suitable; and at the same time, care must be taken that nothing of these falls outside of that place, nor from the washing water, since it is holy, as it has washed the lips sanctified by communion and the hands of the priest. This place is, as it were, a holy pool, and the water of the priestly purification is also sanctified, from which we know that healings occur, if those who are ill are anointed with it or drink from it. Nor are these things to be treated rashly; and it must be ordered that he who wishes to use them be pure and fasting. ^D Likewise, he who wishes to be anointed with them ought to wash himself afterwards in a separate and suitable place. Therefore, in that place where the priest washes after communion, or in a more secure place if there be one, having gathered the spilled Holy Gifts piously along with the material and earth of that place, let him deposit them. If there are marble floors, let him take them up from there and deposit them in a holy and separate place. But if [the floors] are very large and immovable, let him carve into the place where the Holy Gifts have spread to a sufficient depth, and let him deposit there that which has been taken up, in the place as we have said. And where he has carved, let him wash the place as well as possible. But if not all of the Holy Gifts were spilled, but a portion remained, he should add another portion as much as is needed, so that he may complete the sacred rites. And if the Holy Gifts have been spilled upon the priest's vestments, if this is before the completion, and if they are precious and costly cloth, having washed them separately in a holy vessel sufficiently so that nothing is left on the vestments, let him put the washing water in a holy and secure place, as has been said.

^A And if after the completion it has been spilled, so that by all necessity one must cut away that part of the holy vestment, let it become a divine covering, having been washed itself in a place most private—where it is also possible for the holy chalice to be washed—as well as a sponge filled with dirt and rot, or a holy covering. For to wash these things at the proper time, only in a devout and secure place—and better, in the place that is kept well and securely, called the *nypterion*—is not harmful, but rather God-pleasing, for the honor and adornment of the holy vessels of God. For we find even in the ancient rule that the Great Church had some urn, as it were a small basin, in which they washed the holy chalices with tepid water.

QUESTION LXXXIII.

Wherefore, the priest must attend with care to all the Holy things and the holy deposit: the pre-sanctified Bread, which is life-giving and united with the divine and all-holy Blood, so as to have it in a clean and secure vessel (pyx), and wrapped with a clean, secured, and precious cloth. For this itself is the most divine Body and the Lord’s Blood. And it is necessary to worship, incense, and honor it with full intent, and to have it suspended above toward the east of the divine Table, and to watch lest anything happen through carelessness of the things that are not proper. And when anyone is about to communicate, let him not take it into his bosom and walk—as some now do, contemptuously or carelessly or unthinkingly—but let him prepare the divine portion in the holy chalice [using] the tongs according to the intention, as was the custom from the beginning, and as we ourselves have seen before; and with a lamp going before, let the priest, vested in the epitrachilion, hold it and go, and thus, after the sick person has communicated, return again. And this is to be done not only by secular priests, but also by monks in the monasteries, so that it may be honorable both for the glory of Christ and for our own piety toward divine things, and so that none of the things to be avoided may happen, as we have seen. For as the place is unsuitable, when one wishes to take the divine portion out of the pyx, it has happened often—as ^B we have learned—that the Holy things are dropped, which is worthy of trembling and condemnation. But also to hold them in one’s bosom while walking or sitting is not pious. And what need is there to do this, when one is able to find holy things kept in all churches? Therefore, if any spiritual father or priest does such a thing out of base greed, he sins, unless perhaps by a very great and extreme necessity—there being a desert, and it being impossible for the order to be carried out—or if one is in the midst of gentiles and cannot speak freely, lest some dishonor befall the Holy things. Otherwise, it is necessary to convey the Holy things with honor. ^C And see that the Church always does this during the entries of the liturgy, even while the divine gifts are not yet complete. ^D

^A

QUESTION LXXXIII

If through the forgetfulness of the priest it happens that the union [of the species] does not take place, and he has covered the chalice empty, what is to be done?

If a priest has forgotten to make one sacrifice under both species, and has covered the chalice empty, and notes this forgetfulness during the entry, he must immediately on the holy table ensure the union of the victim from both species and offer the prayers of the prothesis, and thus he will complete and fulfill the sacrifice. But if he did not notice, and performed the sacrifice in ignorance, and only recognizes the defect when he intends to consume the consecrated species, he ought to consecrate the other species into the unity of the victim, offer the prayers of the prothesis, and say all the other prayers in order from the solemn entry; and only then cover the chalice as with a seal through the invocation of the Holy Spirit, ^B and thus consume it. This is how I judge it right for a priest to act in this matter, if indeed other pontiffs of Christ, and especially the great synod, should deem this wisely spoken. For it is evident that a sacrifice cannot be consecrated and complete if the prayers do not accompany it, if it is not signed with the seal and the invocation of the Holy Spirit so as to be transmuted into the divine blood of Christ, and it does not otherwise show it present on the altar. For there are three things necessary for the completion of the sacrifice: the preparation and oblation of the elements, to which are added the prayers of the priest and the consecration and sealing of the Holy Spirit.

We have provided these responses to the proposed questions most readily and concisely, according to the ability that is in us, knowing them to be wholly unequal and ^C insufficient, but reaching only to the measure of our understanding in Christ, and, as we said, having at least the merit of obedience and charity. You have, truly, a more perfect knowledge of such things and similar ones, I speak the truth, within yourself or among the brothers who are of higher mind and endowed with greater holiness, who have also more subtly scrutinized the marrow of the Fathers. From whomever of them, therefore, you shall inquire—for those who love God do not fail—you will receive a purer and more subtle understanding than from yourself or from those others. May God grant us, by your holy prayers, to be cleansed from the passions, and having dispelled the earthly darkness by which the mind is covered, to be even slightly illumined so that we may think as is proper regarding our salvation, and ^D indeed that we may be happily saved by the mercy of Christ our Savior and true light. Let us finally find our salvation through the prayers of all the brethren, and of all the saints, and by the intercession of the all-holy and ever-virgin Theotokos, by the compassion and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, with whom to God the Father, and together with the Holy Spirit, be glory now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.