A *Response.* Formerly, by a certain private custom, on Great Thursday people used to eat cheese and eggs; but the Fathers coming later, and judging this to be improper, set forth this canon, yet they did not intend this to apply to oil and wine; for this is a sustenance and a consolation for the extreme affliction of the fast of those who receive the divine mysteries.
2. *Int.* Likewise, it is written concerning the holy Pentecost, that we should not bend the knee nor observe any fast at all. Why, then, do those who reside in their cells not observe this, but even fast and bend the knee throughout the entire week, excluding, of course, the Sabbath and the Lord's Day?
*Resp.* The preaching of the Gospel, when it was common to the whole inhabited world and recently delivered, issued general precepts; and because the resurrection of Christ was disbelieved by many, this dogma was established for its confirmation, almost as if preaching and teaching that, just as we were dead to sin, fallen to the ground, and unable to rise without the appearing of Him who was to raise us up, so, when in the last times Christ our God—to whom it was reserved—came and suffered without sin for our sins, we were raised. For this reason, this canon was established for the confirmation of the mystery, and it prevailed, and let it prevail. Yet monks do not sin by bending the knee in private on these days; for since they have established themselves as guilty, and have as it were surrendered themselves to a voluntary prison, they must ever cry out to the Lord and seek compassion through humility; for, as one said, there is no festival on earth for a monk. B
3. *Int.* If someone has defiled himself with not a few carnal sins in both quantity and quality, and then has confessed them and received appropriate remedies for such sins, and has performed them, whence does he have the knowledge of whether these aforementioned sins have been forgiven him, so that he may have C assurance in his mind regarding such good things?
*Resp.* No one would ever be found repenting and confessing unless he first had a firm hope that, if I confess sincerely and accept the imposed penance, I shall by all means receive forgiveness. Since, therefore, we men consider the multitude of our transgressions, and are as it were in some doubt concerning the great philanthropy of God toward us, for this reason we flee to our confessors, asking for full remission through the laying on of their hands, since they are believed to be representatives of Him who takes away our sins.
4. *Int.* If someone falls by an idle word, or by condemnation, or by interrogation, or by foolish talk, D
or facetious words, or boasting, or some other sin of the tongue, and yet he recovers his senses and condemns himself, what must he do, that it might be equivalent to a just penance and might give assurance of his own state of mind? A *Resp.* This does not pertain to the nomocanon; rather, it is a strict duty of the monastic and, as one might call it, coenobitic life, to perform daily penance, or weekly, as is contained in the secret [writings] of Saint Basil, and of the holy Fathers thereafter. For example: if someone is slothful and sluggishly sleeps through the morning office of his own will, and is not found there; having confessed this thing to his Father, he receives as penance the dry-eating of bread and water, and a certain number of prostrations to be made on that day. In this way let us understand also the rest [of the things] that are devised for the purpose of correction B toward those who accept them.
MONASTIC PENALTIES.
IV. The penances of our holy Father and Confessor Theodore, Abbot of the Studium. Common to the whole brotherhood in the case of those who transgress in the Church regarding the canon.
1. He who is not found at the entry of the *Glory in the highest*, without illness or other reasonable hindrance, let him remain bowed during the blessing until the passing of the brethren, asking for forgiveness; and then let him receive the blessing. C
2. He who is missing for the *Hexapsalmos*, let him stand at the [liturgy] table; but if he is missing for the *kathisma*, let him perform fifteen prostrations. Having gone out after the *Hexapsalmos* or walking about without notice, let him stand at the table.
3. He who does not stand until the fiftieth [psalm], let him eat dry food.
4. He who misses the entire canon, let him be penalized with a dry-eating [penance] through the *Akathistos*.
5. He who does not arrive for the opening of each hour, let him be subjected to the same penance as he who is not found at the *Glory in the highest*.
6. He who misses the *prokeimenon* of each hour, or [is absent] until the end, let him eat dry food. D
7. He who is not found from the beginning, let him be subjected to the same penance as he who is not found at the *Glory in the highest*.
8. He who does not obey the [master] of the great [office], let him stand at the table.
9. He who remains outside the doors, let him eat dry food.
10. He who does not communicate according to his own judgment, let him be separated for one day.
11. He who is under penance, and does not stand with the catechumens in the narthex while the liturgy is being celebrated, let him perform fifty prostrations.