A Since there are many and diverse traditions prevailing from of old in the holy monasteries, and others are governed and directed by various constitutions toward the kingdom of heaven, there is one tradition among them all that prevails among us, which we have received from our great Father and Confessor, Theodore. And not only we, but also the majority of the elite monks choose this as the best and most kingly, and as one that avoids excesses and deficiencies. Indeed, we too, today, moved by the mandates of our Father, have turned our attention, as far as our strength allows, to committing this rule to parchment, so that its memory may be indelible for future generations, and to submitting ourselves to obedience. God, of course, through the prayers of our pastor on our behalf, grants us the appropriate arrangement of the composition of this discourse, so that we may accurately set forth the profitable and saving commandments of our God-bearing Father, for the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and for the preservation and salvation of those who, with faith, shall choose to observe this practice. Let this, then, be the beginning of the composition, with God.
On how we conduct ourselves in the synaxes of the holy and glorious three-day resurrection of our Savior. Concerning the wooden signal.
B 1. We must know that after the second watch of the night has passed, that is, the sixth hour, at the beginning of the seventh, the sign of the water clock falls; and at its signal, he who has the office of awakening rises and goes around the cells with a lantern, urging the brothers to the awakening for the morning doxology. Immediately, the wooden signals are sounded above and below, and when all the brothers have gathered in the narthex of the church C and are praying in silence, the priest, holding the censer in his hands, censes first the holy sanctuary, and then, exiting from the forward screen,
A he incenses first the holy sanctuary; and having gone out from there through the front screen, he passes along the northern aisle of the temple, and having reached the royal door, he incenses the brothers, and immediately runs back through the southern part from where he emerged; and the brothers go into the temple after him. Having himself deposited the censer in the holy sanctuary, he comes out and stands before the propitiatory, and the troparion is begun, in the first plagal tone: *Christ is risen from the dead.* After this has been chanted three times by him and the brothers, the presbyter says the stichos: *This is the day which the Lord has made*; and the brothers [say] the second stichos of the troparion: *Keep a feast*, to the end; and again the people chant the troparion. And after the completion of this, the canon begins immediately, for we do not chant the hexapsalmos during all this week. Two readings take place, and the fiftieth [psalm] is chanted after the second reading; and after the completion of the orthros, the greeting and the dismissal take place; and at the lucernarium of this week we say: *Christ is risen*; and immediately: *Lord, I have cried*, and the apolytikion: *Christ is risen*; and at the apodeipna the Trisagion hymn, and *Lord, have mercy*, twelve times; but on the Saturday of the renewal [week], and on the evening of the Sunday of the Bright Week, the apodeipna [begin] from: *God is with us*, and onwards.
B On the Sunday of the Bright Week, the hexapsalmos (32) also begins, and we say: *God is the Lord*, in the fourth plagal tone; and immediately the gradals in the same tone; and the procimenon (33); and: *Let every breath*, [and] the Gospel, and: *In the nights*. And after the fiftieth [psalm] the canon begins; two readings take place. And on Sunday evening, *Blessed is the man* begins. And on Monday at the orthros we chant again: *God is the Lord*, in the first tone, and we chant one cathisma (34); then the canon of the resurrection; three readings take place; from then on, the entire apodeipna are performed, except on Saturday evening, and on a feast of the Lord, and on the commemoration of a saint, which cause us [to take] a rest from the hours and the metanoiae, for in these [offices] they are performed from: *God is with us*, and onwards. The workshops also labor from the morning, on Tuesday of the second week beginning; and unto the fiftieth [day] we chant the procimena at the lucernarium every day. C One must know that at all the lucernaria (35) of the feasts of the Lord, *Blessed is the man* begins in the fourth plagal tone; then the second and third opening [sections] in the tone of the day; then: *Lord, I have cried* in the tone of the stichera of the feast.
D 4. One must know that in all the lucernaria of the feasts of the Lord, the psalm *Blessed is the man* begins in the fourth plagal tone. Then the second opening and the third in the tone of the day. Then: *Lord, I have cried* in the tone of the stichera of the feast.
A 5. Be it known that until the feast of the Ascension, the Resurrection stichera precede the penitential cathismata and those of the Apostles.
6. Know that from Easter until the Ascension, we say *The Resurrection of Christ*, then the fiftieth psalm, and the Martyrica in the psalmody; but from then on, no longer.
7. Be it known that until the fiftieth [day], even if we do not chant the hours nor bend the knee, we nevertheless chant the funeral canons on Saturdays; and on any other day, if a memorial for a brother happens to occur, we chant them.
8. Be it known that on the Saturday of the fiftieth [day], we chant the *Memory of the Departed, O Lord* for the exapostilarion; and chanting this, we go down to the tombs of the brothers, and standing there, we chant the stichera of the day, and the matutinal office concludes; we do this also on the Saturday of Shrovetide.
9. Know that on the evening of the Sunday of holy Pentecost for the lucernarium, during which we also perform the three kneelings, immediately after the proemium we say, *O Lord, I have cried out*; and in the morning for matins, after the hexapsalm, we say, *God is the Lord*; and immediately the canon, and two readings; and we also spend this week without chanting the hours.
10. Then follows the holy Lent of the holy Apostles, and we begin to chant also the hours, always with a cathisma. Therefore, after the end of the psalmody, we say, *Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy.* And we perform first three prostrations, all of us keeping the same speed, following the superior; during which we also stretch our hands a little towards God. Then in this way twenty others, as fast as each can. Thus, then, at each synaxis. For Compline, fifty prostrations, and at matins, forty. B C
11. Be it known that at every matins after the end of the reading, rising, we say twelve times, *Lord, have mercy.* And thus the psalmody begins again.
12. Be it known that every Saturday and Sunday, when there is no feast of the Lord or memory of a saint, we read the Apostle. On Saturdays at matins, we chant the cathisma before the *Amomos* (Psalm 118). Then the *Amomos*; then the fiftieth; then the canon; and there are three readings. For we do not read at the *Amomos*. Instead of the exapostilarion, we say, *In eternal remembrance shall the righteous be; he shall not fear from an evil report.* This quantity and quality of psalmody extends until the Exaltation of the Life-giving Wood. D
13. Be it known that for the Dormition of the all-holy Theotokos, that is, for the post-festal lucernarium, immediately after the proemium, [we say] *O Lord, I have cried out.* And in the mor-
morning, after the six psalms, [we say] again *God is the Lord*, and immediately the canon, [with] two lessons. Similarly for the Nativity of the same; likewise for the Nativity of Christ; likewise for the Lights [Epiphany]; likewise for the Meeting of the Lord. In other solemnities, except for those aforementioned, it is not permitted to double the solemn rite. A From the Exaltation [of the Cross] until the Great Forty Days, another kathisma is also set forth in the morning offices, and the troparia of the kathismata are doubled, with the mesostichon being recited; and four lessons are made. On these Saturdays, we chant two kathismata before the psalm *I will praise Thee* [the *Amomos*]; then the *Amomos*; then the canon with four lessons, since we do not read during the *Amomos*.
Concerning the Holy Forty Days.
14. It is necessary to know that in the holy and great Forty Days, we chant four kathismata and the Triodion; and four lessons are made. And with the brethren having rested a little, the ecclesiarch gives the sign around daybreak; and all having assembled in the church, we chant the First Hour with a kathisma, but not with a lesson also in it. But in the Third, Sixth, and Ninth hours, there is a lesson. At each antiphon, that is, [at the] *Glory*, a prayer is made by both the presbyter and the deacon. We perform prostrations for the hours and the lucernarium, thirty; B for the completorium, one hundred; and for the morning office, eighty.
15. It is necessary to know that in the whole of the Great Week, we chant the hours similarly to those before them, except for Holy Saturday; and we perform prostrations until the morning *Trisagion*, which is said after the stichos; along with which is the *Prokeimenon*, and the Apostle, and the prophecy, and the Gospel.
16. It is necessary to know that on the fourth day, and on Friday, and on Sunday, the brethren standing with all devotion, after the dismissal of the morning office, the catechesis of our God-bearing Father Theodorus is read. Then the hegumen also says his own [words] to the brethren. And after the completion of the catechesis, they give glory, and the *Our Father* is said, and *Bless, O holy ones, bless, Father*, and the dismissal [follows]. So it happens throughout the whole year.
17. It is necessary to know that on Saturday, at *O Lord, I have cried out*, C the resurrectional stichera are tripled; but at the Lauds they are doubled. Likewise also in the Despotic feasts.
18. It is to be known that there are also "heads of knowledge" [epistemonarchai] to whom the faults of the younger brethren are referred and accepted. And two *taxiarchai* stand by [each] choir, so that the brethren may be taught to stand decorously in the choirs. And there is another inciter, who acts during the morning lessons, quietly going around the brethren and waking those who are sleeping. And two watchers are appointed for the evening, by turns, who, after the sound of the wooden [clapper], urge the sluggish to hurry to the vespers D and to the completorium. And again, after the completorium is finished, these same [watchers]...
go around the hidden places of the monastery, and those whom they find joining together in untimely conversations, they disperse with the appropriate decorum.
19. One must know that at every completorium the greeting made by hands crossed in the form of a cross takes place, being a sign of reconciliation of each towards each, on account of the offenses occurring during the day.
20. One must know that on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, and of the Theophany, and on Holy Thursday, and on Holy Saturday evening, we do not chant the completorium, but only the Trisagion in the refectory.
21. It is to be known that in the completoria of the Holy Forty Days, a catechesis is given to the brothers to almost everyone, sometimes by the superior, sometimes by those who are advanced and experienced in speech. B
22. One must know that at every orthros the hegumen goes out from the choir to begin the fourth ode. And sitting down, he receives the brothers coming to confession, and heals each one as is profitable.
23. One must know that in the Holy Forty Days an elderly brother is appointed, and from the third hour he goes forth to every task, and making a prostration says: "Brothers and Fathers, let us be attentive to ourselves, for we are dying, we are dying, we are dying; let us remember also the heavenly kingdom."
24. It is to be known that when we receive brothers, whether from another monastery or laymen desiring the monastic life, we make them stay in the guest-rooms for two or even three weeks, to observe and test the monastery; and if one remains in the resolution of his mind C
NOTE. On this rite and its various meanings, I was reading a learned Scholion of Nicetas Pectoratus, monk of the Studite monastery, in cod. Vat. 1105, f. 152, which, although it is a little diffuse, I will recite here, but in Greek only, so that the annotation does not become too enormous.
[The text of the Note by Nicetas Pectoratus is translated as follows:]
Nor does the greeting made with the hands set forth its own explanation for the one performing it alone; for it also has, as it were, something more mystical for those who examine these matters of ours, as it is enclosed in what is seen. For it exhibits these three more mystical things to the eyes of the soul that see: the reconciliation towards one another; the banishing of the phantasms of the mind; and the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. For since we form the fingers of the hands in the likeness of a cross—first of all clothing ourselves in the cowl of simplicity—and then stretch out our hands on this side and that, directly towards one another, both the priests and those who have taken up the whole habit of the crucified life, through the cross-shaped bond of the fingers, we manifest self-control and the gift of boldness; for the sake of which we put on reverence as a weapon. And through the unfolding of the hands, we manifest the disposition of love, which we have been commanded by Christ to have towards one another, and how we hasten to show friendship for one another. And through the touching of the fingers, we show how, in accordance with the ancient tradition, giving right hands to one another, and placing hand upon hand, we are conjoined, manifesting the unity and likeness of character towards one another, and the indissoluble bond of love. And through the greeting of the fingers bound crosswise, we hint at the love of Him who lived a crucified life, so that we may greet Him with eagerness; and not only Him, but also the mortification of the limbs and the nailing of the deeds of the flesh; and in another way, the humility towards one another, so that being bound by the bond of the Spirit, we may greet the touching of our neighbor as receiving a sanctification.
And these things, indeed, according to the first order, refer to the priests greeting one another as has been said, and those armored with the great habit [schema] also unite in the bond of love; but in this way, it also happens for the one who bears the pledge of the habit. For there, those still accounted among the beginners in the struggles, and having the position, because they are exposed not only to the passions of the senses, but also to the phantasms of the mind and the evil suggestions of the tempter, come and bow their heads before the aforementioned Fathers; this indeed, showing both submission and humility towards them, and also receiving the blessing from them. And the latter, first of all, sign the heads of these with a cross; then, placing their right hands upon their heads, and at the same time pushing away the hands placed there, they pray and dismiss them. And it is distinctive for all these, for the ones to say "Bless, I shall pray," and for the others, "May God save you."
A
After he has steadfastly remained in his place, then after the abbot has revealed to him the future manner of life, he brings him to the catechesis and numbers him among his own flock, the person approaching casting a prostration before the brethren by the permission of the abbot, and they in turn praying for him.
25. One must know that there are also "separation cells" among us, in which the disobedient and stubborn are shut up, nourished on dry food and thus instructed in virtue; for correction by stripes, as it befits worldly men, our Fathers rightly judged to be worthy of rejection. B
26. On days when we abstain from bodily labors, the librarian strikes the wood once, and the brothers gather at the place of the books, and each one takes a book and reads until evening; but before the signals for the lamps are given, the one in charge of the books again strikes once, and all coming according to the list return them; but if anyone is late in returning the book, he is subjected to a punishment.
27. One must know that when we celebrate the ninth hour, the priest performs the sacred liturgy from the sixth hour; but if we are also to breakfast, from the third. If we abstain from the hours and are working, the divine liturgy is appointed for the third hour: when it is finished, the wood is struck three times, and all the brothers gather in one place, and after chanting the typika and receiving a blessing, we proceed to the refectory. C
On the quantity and quality of food and drink, and on the decorum at table.
28. As the brothers enter to eat, the verse of the one in charge is recited; they sit at the table in silence. The stewards replenish the tables decorously and without tumult. And meanwhile, there is reading, with the brothers having their hoods over their heads. The sign of the end of this reading is the sound of spoons during the final course, when everything is thrown into the bowls at once. The sign for mixing and for serving is also given by a striking of the wood. D
29. One must know that from Pentecost until All Saints, we eat the two cooked dishes, both the vegetable and the legume, with oil; and we also use fish, cheese, and eggs; and we drink three times. When the wood strikes, the brothers depart and eat bread; and if any food remains—for an evening meal for the community is not purposefully prepared—he mixes two [cups]. But during the forty days of the Apostles, we do not eat fish, cheese, and eggs, except on those days when we do not chant the hour.
We eat at the ninth hour two dishes: herbs with oil, and legumes without oil; we drink at the ninth hour two cups, and in the evening likewise two. On feast days, however, when we have said that we eat cheese and the rest, we eat at the sixth hour and drink three cups; in the evening two. We observe this custom also in the forty days of the holy apostle Philip; but because of the shortness of the days of the forty days of St. Philip, we eat once a day, but we drink three times. B Now from the commemoration of the Apostles until St. Philip, we recite the ninth hour. But if the commemoration of any saint occurs on these days, which relieves us from the hours and prostrations, then we eat cheese and eggs and fish, if God has provided them; with three cups at midday, and two in the evening.
Concerning the Holy Great Quadragesima
30. In the holy great Quadragesima we eat once a day, except on Saturday and Sunday. We eat, however, in the first and middle week in the same manner, that is, boiled beans and salted food without oil, and five dried figs, and if there are chestnuts, and boiled pears, and Damascus plums. But in the second week, and third, and fifth, and sixth, we eat thus: boiled grains and salted food in bowls, and a dish of legumes with crushed nuts; but we do not eat fruit or dried figs in these weeks. During the whole holy Quadragesima we drink a mixture, except the infirm or the aged. Furthermore, the mixture consists of pepper, cumin, and warm anise. On holy weekdays, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and Friday, the foods of this first week are used. C However, on the holy Thursday we eat one dish, namely legumes with crushed nuts, and boiled beans, and we drink the mixture. But on Holy Saturday at the eleventh hour the lychnicon begins; when it is finished, we eat cheese and fish and eggs, and we drink three times.
Concerning the Feast of the Annunciation
31. We must know that at the sixth hour, when the wood is struck, we assemble at the house of the all-pure Theotokos, and when the lychnicon has begun, D a few brothers stand there to perform it; the others begin the office, and after making a procession around the monastery they come in, if there is an entrance, and a perfect liturgy. Then we eat fish and oil, and we drink three times.
32. One must know that in the middle week of the holy fasts, after the chanting of the nones, the life-giving wood is set forth, and all of us show it reverence.
Concerning Symmetry in Labors
A 53. One must know that in the Holy and Great Lent, after we have chanted the first hour, already with the sun rising, each one goes off to his own labor; and the stichology of the entire psalter takes place in the cells, except for those who are calligraphers, and they labor until the ninth [hour]. And after we have chanted the evening service and have dined, each one is at leisure as he wishes. But on the other days of the year, when we do not chant the hours, he strikes three times in the morning, and each one goes off to his labor and works until the noon meal. After the meal, each one is at leisure as he wishes, whether studying or sleeping until the eighth hour; but at the eighth [hour], he strikes the wood three times, and again each one goes off to his own labor until the evening service. When we do chant the hours, the brothers having completed the morning hour go off to their own labors, working until the sixth hour, whether the ninth [hour] is upon us or not; and after the sixth, there is rest, as has been said, until the eighth.
54. One must know that at the time of the vigil of Palm Sunday, at the *Lord, I have cried*, the choirs are exchanged; and those on the right go off to the left, and those on the left to the right.
B 55. One must know that when a brother breaks a vessel, whether of earthenware or of iron, at the time of the noon meal while the brothers are eating, he stands near the table, the abbot meanwhile covering his own head with his cowl, and he carries the thing broken by him in his hands, showing it as a display of his own fault.
56. One must know that after we have recited the psalter, at the third *Glory* of the kathisma, the one in charge of the canon strikes three times, so that those who are still learning the psalter may assemble, that we may chant the canon together; for they go out from the hexapsalmos and give themselves to the aforementioned study until that time. And he strikes three times again, [also] for the praises, whenever a catechesis of the great Father and abbot Theodore is about to be read.
C 57. One must know that on the vigil of the Theophany, after we have finished the Divine Liturgy, we receive the *eulogia*; then those who have communicated rinse their mouths, but we do not eat the *eulogia*. The priest, having gathered the vessels, comes to the holy doors, and having made a prayer, goes out with the brothers to the font, chanting *When thou wast baptized in the Jordan, O Lord*; and this being said, a collect-prayer is held by the deacon; which having been completed, the priest begins the prayer of sanctification. And after the waters have been sanctified, and the brothers have been sprinkled, the troparion is chanted in the fourth plagal tone: *The voice of the Lord cries over the waters, saying*. First stichos: *The sea saw and fled*. Second stichos: *What is it to thee, D O sea, that thou didst flee?*
A After we have sung this troparion for the third time, we go out into the church and sing the troparion, tone 4: *Thou who art clothed in light like a garment*. When this has been sung three times, a prayer is offered by the priest, and thus the divine doxology concludes. Then the sticheron proceeds to the refectory. Likewise, on Holy Thursday, after communicating and performing the ablutions, the washing of the feet takes place; and after everyone has been washed, the sticheron proceeds to the refectory.
Concerning the quantity of clothing, footwear, the state of the bed, and such things.
38. Each brother must know that he ought to have two tunics, two outer garments, one fleece, two cowls, a small scapular for performing his duties, and another, fuller one for church, which by rule must be used on Saturday evening at vespers, on Sunday at orthros, and again in the evening at vespers, and before divine liturgy, and similarly on the feasts of the Lord. He should also have another large woolen scapular. As for footwear, [let him have] short boots, other longer boots, and sandals. For his bed, let him have a straw mat and two fleeces. B
Concerning Divine Communion
C To those wishing to discuss Holy Communion—whether it took place at the Supper with unleavened or leavened bread—this matter requires a long time and a fuller treatise. We, however, dismissing most of these things, shall say only what is useful, peaceful, and productive of peace—or rather, what is more suitable, necessary, and adhering to the truth. That venerable bread, before it is sanctified, whether it be unleavened or leavened, is and is called "bread" in the divine scriptures without distinction, as we shall show later. But after it is sanctified, it is neither leavened nor unleavened, but the Body and Flesh of our Lord; and it is not one thing and then another, for it is the very same that was taken by the Word of God from the incorrupt Virgin and Theotokos, that which sits at the right hand of the Father, and that which is mystically received by us the Orthodox. For this reason, it is called a "mystery," as it is hidden and not understood by the many. For the divine gifts are changed by the Holy Spirit into the Body and Blood of Christ. This D is demonstrated by the secret, sacred formula as follows: "We beseech Thee, O Holy of Holies, that by the good pleasure of Thy goodness, Thy most holy Spirit may come upon us and upon these gifts set forth, and bless and sanctify them; and show this bread to be the precious Body of our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ; and that which is in this cup to be the precious Blood of our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ." If, therefore, the divine Spirit changes the gifts set forth into the Body and Blood of Christ, it is henceforth superfluous to contend whether it was done with unleavened or leavened bread, or perhaps with white or red wine; and to investigate such foolish curiosities concerning the fearful mysteries is [wrong].
CANONS ON CONFESSION AND SATISFACTION FOR SINS
The canons of our holy Father and confessor Theodore, presbyter and abbot of the Studium, on confession and the resolutions thereof, set forth by him.
A 1. On confession. Confession is the sorrowful exposition of shameful words and thoughts; satisfaction, however, is the discourse concerning those sins, which brings back those who are entering upon the good way. For "do you tell your sins first, that you may be justified" (Is. XLIII, 26). And again: "I said, I will confess my transgression against myself unto the Lord; and behold, you have taken away the guilt of my sin" (Ps. XXXI, 5). For confession has the power to extinguish even eternal fire; for thoughts B that are concealed beget passions; but when confessed, they are rendered god-like. Bare your wound to your physician; speak, and do not be ashamed. Approach your superior with faith, with guileless simplicity, and receive what is counseled by him as if from the mouth of God, even if the things said happen to be contrary to your own intent. Even if your superiors are not entirely spiritual, do not be scandalized; for God is not unjust, so as to allow souls who humble themselves with faith and guilelessness to be deceived by the counsel and judgment of the superior, even if those who are deceived C happen to be witless.
2. A commandment concerning those who hold grudges. He who holds a grudge, approaching the ladder of Jacob, is bound by the falling chain of the coryphaeus Peter. For indeed, holding a grudge is the habitation of anger and the hatred of justice. According to the canons of the great Fathers, a person of this sort should be debarred from the holy mysteries for three years; but among monks, let him eat dry food for one year at the hour when the brothers break their fast, and let him perform forty prostrations daily.
3. On detraction. I think that detraction is born of hatred D and of holding a grudge; for indeed, detraction is the offspring of hatred, a leech of charity, which utterly consumes the blood of the soul. We say likewise, of the others...