Basil of Caesarea → Amphilochius, of Iconium

[Πρός: ΚΑΝΟΝΙΚΗ γ· Ἀμφιλοχίῳ περὶ κανόνων.] Απὸ ὁδοῦ μακρᾶς ἐπανελθὼν (ἐγενόμην γὰρ μέχρι τοῦ Πόντου ἐκκλησιαστικῶν ἕνεκεν χρειῶν καὶ κατʼ ἐπίσκεψιν τῶν ἐπιτηδείων), καὶ τὸ σῶμά μου συντετριμμένον ἐπαναγαγών, καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν μετρίως κεκακωμένος, ἐπειδὴ τὸ γράμμα τῆς εὐλαβείας σου ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἔλαβον, πάντων ἀθρόως ἐπελαθόμην, καὶ τῆς φωνῆς τῆς πασῶν ἐμοὶ ἡδίστης καὶ χειρὸς τῆς φιλτάτης ὑποδεξάμενος σύμβολα. ὃς οὖν ἐκ τῶν γραμμάτων οὕτως ἐγενόμην ἡδίων, εἰκάζειν ὀφείλεις πόσου ἀξίαν ποιοῦμαι τὴν συντυχίαν σου, ἣν οἰκονομήσειεν ὁ ἅγιος γενέσθαι, ὅπου ἀνεπαχθὲς ᾖ καὶ αὐτὸς ἡμᾶς προσκαλέσῃ. καὶ γὰρ οὐ χαλεπόν μοι, εἰ καταλάβοις τὸν οἶκον τὸν ἐπὶ τῆς Εὐφημιάδος, γενέσθαι ὁμοῦ, τά τε ὧδε ὀχληρὰ διαφεύγοντι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀνυπόκριτόν σου ἀγάπην ἐπειγομένῳ. τάχα δέ μοι καὶ ἄλλως ἀναγκαίαν ποιεῖ τὴν μέχρι Ναζιανζοῦ ὁδὸν ἡ ἀθρόα τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου ἐπισκόπου Γρηγορίου ἀναχώρησις, μετὰ ποίας αἰτίας γενομένη ἀγνοουμένη μέχρι τοῦ νῦν. ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος, περὶ οὗ κἀγὼ ἤμην διαλεχθεὶς τῇ τελειότητί σου, καὶ αὐτὸς νῦν ἤλπισας ἕτοιμον εἶναι, γίνωσκε ὅτι μακρᾷ ἀρρωστίᾳ περιπεσών, καὶ κάμνων λοιπὸν περὶ αὐτὰς τὰς ὄψεις ἐκ τοῦ παλαιοῦ πάθους καὶ τῆς ἔναγχος αὐτῷ ἐπισυμβάσης νόσου, παντελῶς ἄχρηστος πρὸς τὰς τυχούσας ἐνεργείας ἀπέμεινεν. ἄλλος δὲ οὐκ ἔστι παρʼ ἡμῖν. ὥστε βέλτιον, εἰ καὶ ἡμῖν ἐπέτρεψαν τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἀλλʼ οὖν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων τινὰ προβληθῆναι. καὶ γὰρ ἡγεῖσθαι χρὴ ταῦτα μὲν τῆς ἀνάγκης εἶναι τὰ ῥήματα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν αὐτῶν ἐκεῖνο βούλεσθαι, ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπεζήτησαν, οἰκεῖον εἶναι τὸν καθηγούμενον. εἰ δέ ἐστί τις τῶν νεοφωτίστων, κἂν δοκῇ τῷ Μακεδονίῳ, κἂν μή, ἐκεῖνος προβληθήτω. τυπώσεις δὲ αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸ δέον, τοῦ ἐν πᾶσι συνεργοῦντός σοι Κυρίου καὶ τὴν εἰς τοῦτο χάριν παρεχομένου. Τὸ κατὰ τοὺς κληρικοὺς ἀδιορίστως οἱ κανόνες ἐξέθεντο, κελεύσαντες μίαν ἐπὶ τοῖς παραπεσοῦσιν ὁρίζεσθαι τιμωρίαν, τὴν ἔκπτωσιν τῆς ὑπηρεσίας, εἴτε ἐν βαθμῷ τυγχάνοιεν, εἴτε καὶ ἀχειροθέτῳ ὑπηρεσίᾳ προσκαρτεροῖεν. Ἡ τοῦ κυήματος κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἀμελήσασα, εἰ μὲν οὖν δυναμένη περισώσασθαι κατεφρόνησεν, ἢ συγκαλύψειν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐντεῦθεν νομίζουσα, ἢ ὅλως θηριώδει καὶ ἀπανθρώπῳ λογισμῷ χρησαμένη, ὡς ἐπὶ φόνῳ κρινέσθω. εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἠδυνήθη περιστεῖλαι, καὶ δι’ ἐρημίαν καὶ ἀπορίαν τῶν ἀναγκαίων διεφθάρη τὸ γεννηθέν, συγγνωστὴ ἡ μήτηρ. Ἡ χήρα δούλη τάχα οὐ μέγα ἔπταισεν, ἑλομένη δεύτερον γάμον ἐν σχήματι ἁρπαγῆς. ὥστε οὐδὲν τούτου ἕνεκεν ἐγκαλεῖσθαι χρή. οὐ γὰρ τὰ σχήματα κρίνεται, ἀλλʼ ἡ προαίρεσις. δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τὸ τῆς διγαμίας μένει αὐτὴν ἐπιτίμιον. Τὰς τῶν ἀκουσίων φόνων διαφορὰς πρὸ χρόνου οἶδα ἐπιστείλας τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ σου κατὰ τὸ ἐμοὶ δυνατὸν καὶ πλέον ἐκείνων οὐδὲν εἰπεῖν δύναμαι· τῆς δὲ σῆς συνέσεώς ἐστὶ κατὰ τὸ ἰδίωμα τῆς περιστάσεως ἐπιτείνειν τὰ ἐπιτίμια, ἢ καὶ ὑφεῖναι. Οἱ τοῖς λῃσταῖς ἀντεπεξιόντες, ἔξω μὲν ὄντες τῆς κοινωνίας εἴργονται τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ· κληρικοὶ δὲ ὄντες τοῦ βαθμοῦ καθαιροῦνται. πᾶς γάρ, φησίν, ὁ λαβὼν μάχαιραν ἐν μαχαίρᾳ ἀποθανεῖται. Ὁ ἑκουσίως φονεύσας, μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο μεταμεληθείς, εἴκοσιν ἔτεσιν ἀκοινώνητος ἔσται τοῖς ἁγιάσμασι. τὰ δὲ εἴκοσιν ἔτη οὕτως οἰκονομηθήσεται ἐπʼ αὐτῷ. ἐν τέσσαρσιν ἔτεσι προσκλαίειν ὀφείλει, ἔξω τῆς θύρας ἑστὼς τοῦ εὐκτηρίου οἴκου, καὶ τῶν εἰσιόντων πιστῶν δεόμενος εὐχὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ποιεῖσθαι, ἐξαγορεύων τὴν ἰδίαν παρανομίαν. μετὰ δὲ τὰ τέσσαρα ἔτη εἰς τοὺς ἀκροωμένους δεχθήσεται· καὶ ἐν πέντε ἔτεσι μετʼ αὐτῶν ἐξελεύσεται. ἐν ἑπτὰ ἔτεσι μετὰ τῶν ἐν ὑποπτώσει προσευχόμενος ἐξελεύσεται· ἐν τέσσαρσι συστήσεται μόνον τοῖς πιστοῖς, προσφορᾶς δὲ οὐ μεταλήψεται. πληρωθέντων δὲ τούτων μεθέξει τῶν ἁγιασμάτων. Ὁ ἀκουσίως φονεύσας ἐν δέκα ἔτεσιν ἀκοινώνητος ἔσται τῶν ἁγιασμάτων. οἰκονομηθήσεται δὲ τὰ δέκα ἔτη ἐπʼ αὐτῷ οὕτω· δύο μὲν ἔτη προσκλαύσει, τρία δὲ ἔτη ἐν ἀκροωμένοις διατελέσει, τέσσαρσιν ὑποπίπτων, καὶ ἐνιαυτῷ συσταθήσεται μόνον· καὶ τῷ ἑξῆς εἰς τὰ ἅγια δεχθήσεται. Ὁ μοιχεύσας ἐν ιἔτεσιν ἀκοινώνητος ἔσται τῶν ἁγιασμάτων· ἐν τέσσαρσι μὲν προσκλαίων ἔτεσιν, ἐν πέντε δὲ ἀκροώμενος, ἐν τέσσαρσιν ὑποπίπτων, ἐν δυσὶ συνεστὼς ἄνευ κοινωνίας. Ὁ πόρνος ἐν ἑπτὰ ἔτεσιν ἀκοινώνητος ἔσται τῶν ἁγιασμάτων· δύο προσκλαίων, καὶ δύο ἀκροώμενος, καὶ δύο ὑποπίπτων, καὶ ἑνὶ συνεστως μόνον· τῷ ὀγδόῳ δεχθήσεται εἰς τὴν κοινωνίαν. Ἡ παρθενίαν ὁμολογήσασα καὶ ἐκπεσοῦσα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸν χρόνον τοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς μοιχείας ἁμαρτήματος ἐν τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ τῆς καθʼ ἑαυτὴν ζωῆς πληρώσει. τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν βίον μοναζόντων ἐπαγγειλαμένων καὶ ἐκπιπτόντων. Ὁ κλέψας, εἰ μὲν ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ μεταμεληθεὶς κατηγορήσειεν ἑαυτοῦ, ἐνιαυτὸν κωλυθήσεται μόνον τῆς κοινωνίας τῶν ἁγιασμάτων· εἰ δὲ ἐλεγχθείη, ἐν δυσὶν ἔτεσι. μερισθήσεται δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ χρόνος εἰς ὑπόπτωσιν καὶ σύστασιν· καὶ τότε ἀξιούσθω τῆς κοινωνίας. Ὁ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην ἐν τοῖς ἄρρεσιν ἐπιδεικνύμενος τὸν χρόνον τοῦ ἐν τῇ μοιχείᾳ παρανομοῦντος οἰκονομηθήσεται. Ὁ ἐν ἀλόγοις τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀσέβειαν ἐξαγορεύων τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον ἐξομολογούμενος παραφυλάξεται. Ὁ ἐπίορκος ἐν δέκα ἔτεσιν ἀκοινώνητος ἔσται· δυσὶν ἔτεσι προσκλαίων, τρισὶν ἀκροώμενος, τέσσαρσιν ὑποπίπτων, ἐνιαυτὸν συνεστὼς μόνον· καὶ τότε τῆς κοινωνίας ἀξιούμενος. Ὁ γοητείαν ἢ φαρμακείαν ἐξαγορεύων τὸν τοῦ φονέως χρόνον ἐξομολογήσεται, οὕτως οἰκονομούμενος, ὡς ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ ἁμαρτήματι ἑαυτὸν ἐλέγξας. Ὁ τυμβωρύχος ἐν δέκα ἔτεσιν ἀκοινώνητος ἔσται· ἐν δυσὶ προσκλαίων, ἐν γ’ ἀκροώμενος, ἐν δʼ ὑποπίπτων, ἐνιαυτὸν συνεστώς· καὶ τότε δεχθησόμενος. Ἀδελφομιξία τὸν τοῦ φονέως χρόνον ἐξομολογηθήσεται. Ἡ τῆς ἀπειρημένης συγγενείας εἰς γάμον ἀνθρώπων σύστασις, εἰ φωραθείη ἐν ἁμαρτήμασι γεγενημένη, τὰ τῶν μοιχῶν ἐπιτίμια δέξεται. Ἀναγνώστης, εἰ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ μνηστῇ πρὸ τοῦ γάμου συναλλάξειεν, ἐνιαυτὸν ἀργήσας, εἰς τὸ ἀναγινώσκειν δεχθήσεται, μένων ἀκρόκοπος. κλεψιγαμήσας δὲ ἄνευ μνηστείας, παυθήσεται τῆς ὑπηρεσίας. τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ὑπηρέτης. Διάκονος ἐν χείλεσι μιανθεὶς καὶ μέχρι τούτου ἡμαρτηκέναι ὁμολογήσας, τῆς λειτουργίας ἐπισχεθήσεται· τοῦ δὲ μετέχειν τῶν ἁγιασμάτων μετὰ τῶν διακόνων ἀξιωθήσεται. τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ καὶ πρεσβύτερος. εἰ δέ τι τούτου πλεῖον φωραθείη τις ἡμαρτηκώς, ἐν οἵῳ ἂν ᾖ βαθμῷ, καθαιρεθήσεται. Ὁ συνεγνωκὼς ἑκάστῳ τῶν προειρημένων ἁμαρτημάτων, καὶ μὴ ὁμολογήσας, ἀλλʼ ἐλεγχθείς, τοῦ τοσούτου χρόνου, εἰς ὃν ἐργάτης τῶν κακῶν ἐπιτετίμηται, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται ἐν ἐπιτιμίῳ. Ὁ μάντεσιν ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδούς, ἤ τισι τοιούτοις, τὸν χρόνον τοῦ φονέως καὶ αὐτὸς οἰκονομηθήσεται, Ὁ τὸν Χριστὸν ἀρνησάμενος καὶ παραβὰς τὸ τῆς σωτηρίας μυστήριον, ἐν παντὶ τῷ χρόνῳ τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ προσκλαίειν ὀφείλει καὶ ἐξομολογεῖσθαι χρεωστεῖ, ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ᾧ ἐκβαίνει τοῦ βίου τοῦ ἁγιάσματος ἀξιούμενος πίστει τῆς παρὰ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας. Ἐὰν μέντοιγε ἕκαστος τῶν ἐν τοῖς προγεγραμμένοις ἁμαρτήμασι γενομένων σπουδαῖος γένηται ἐξομολογούμενος, ὁ πιστευθεὶς παρὰ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας λύειν καὶ δεσμεῖν, εἰ φιλανθρωπότερος γένοιτο, τὸ ὑπερβάλλον τῆς ἐξομολογήσεως ὁρῶν τοῦ ἡμαρτηκότος, εἰς τὸ ἐλαττῶσαι τὸν χρόνον τῶν ἐπιτιμίων, οὐκ ἔσται καταγνώσεως ἄξιος· τῆς ἐν ταῖς Γραφαῖς ἱστορίας γνωριζούσης ἡμῖν τοὺς μετὰ μείζονος πόνου ἐξομολογουμένους ταχέως τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν καταλαμβάνειν. Ὁ ἀδελφῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐκ πατρὸς ἢ ἐκ μητρὸς συμμιανθεὶς εἰς οἶκον προσευχῆς μὴ ἐπιτρεπέσθω παρεῖναι, ἕως ἂν ἀποστῇ τῆς παρανόμου καὶ ἀθεμίτου πράξεως. μετὰ δὲ τὸ ἐλθεῖν εἰς συναίσθησιν τῆς φοβερᾶς ἁμαρτίας ἐκείνης, τριετίαν προσκλαιέτω, τῇ θύρᾳ τῶν εὐκτηρίων οἴκων παρεστηκώς, καὶ δεόμενος τοῦ λαοῦ εἰσιόντος ἐπὶ τὴν προσευχήν, ὥστε ἕκαστον μετὰ συμπαθείας ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ἐκτενεῖς ποιεῖσθαι πρὸς τὸν Κύριον τὰς δεήσεις. μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο ἄλλην τριετίαν εἰς ἀκρόασιν μόνην παραδεχθήτω, καὶ ἀκούων τῶν Γραφῶν καὶ τῆς διδασκαλίας ἐκβαλλέσθω, καὶ μὴ καταξιούσθω προσευχῆς. ἔπειτα, εἴπερ μετὰ δακρύων ἐξεζήτησεν αὐτὴν καὶ προσέπεσε τῷ Κυρίῳ μετὰ συντριμμοῦ καρδίας καὶ ταπεινώσεως ἰσχυρᾶς, διδόσθω αὐτῷ ἡ ὑπόπτωσις ἐν ἄλλοις τρισὶν ἔτεσι. καὶ οὕτως, ἐπειδὰν τοὺς καρποὺς τῆς μετανοίας ἀξίους ἐπιδείξηται, τῷ δεκάτῳ ἔτει εἰς τὴν τῶν πιστῶν εὐχὴν δεχθήτω χωρὶς προσφορᾶς· καὶ δύο ἔτη συστὰς εἰς τὴν εὐχὴν τοῖς πιστοῖς, οὕτω λοιπὸν καταξιούσθω τῆς τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ κοινωνίας. Ὁ αὐτὸς τύπος καὶ περὶ τῶν τὰς νύμφας ἑαυτῶν λαμβανόντων. Ὁ μέντοι καταλιμπάνων τὴν νομίμως αὐτῷ συναφθεῖσαν γυναῖκα καὶ ἑτέραν συναγόμενος, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἀπόφασιν τῷ τῆς μοιχείας ὑπόκειται κρίματι. κεκανόνισται δὲ παρὰ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν τοὺς τοιούτους ἐνιαυτὸν προσκλαίειν, διετίαν ἐπακροᾶσθαι, τριετίαν ὑποπίπτειν, τῷ δὲ ἑβδόμῳ συνίστασθαι τοῖς πιστοῖς· καὶ οὕτω τῆς προσφορᾶς καταξιοῦσθαι, ἐὰν μετὰ δακρύων μετανοήσωσιν. Ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς τύπος κρατείτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τὰς δύο ἀδελφὰς λαμβανόντων εἰς συνοικέσιον, εἰ καὶ κατὰ διαφόρους χρόνους. Οἱ δὲ ταῖς μητρυιαῖς ταῖς ἑαυτῶν ἐπιμαινόμενοι τῷ αὐτῷ ὑπόκεινται κανόνι, ᾧκαὶ οἱ ταῖς ἑαυτῶν ἀδελφαῖς ἐπιμαινόμενοι. Τὴν δὲ πολυγαμίαν οἱ πατέρες ἀπεσιώπησαν, ὡς κτηνώδη καὶ παντελῶς ἀλλοτρίαν τοῦ γένους τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ἡμῖν δὲ παρίσταται πλέον τι πορνείας εἶναι τὸ ἁμάρτημα. διὸ εὔλογον τοὺς τοιούτους ὑποβάλλεσθαι τοῖς κανόσι· δηλονότι ἐνιαυτὸν προσκλαύσαντας, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ὑποπεσόντας, οὕτω δεκτοὺς εἶναι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πολλοὶ ἐν τῇ τῶν βαρβάρων καταδρομῇ παρέβησαν τὴν εἰς Θεὸν πίστιν, ὅρκους ἐθνικοὺς ἐπιτελέσαντες, καὶ ἀθεμίτων τινῶν γευσάμενοι τῶν ἐν τοῖς εἰδώλοις τοῖς μαγικοῖς προσενεχθέντων αὐτοῖς, οὗτοι κατὰ τοὺς ἤδη παρὰ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἐξενεχθέντας κανόνας οἰκονομείσθωσαν. οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀνάγκην χαλεπὴν ἐκ βασάνων ὑπομείναντες, καὶ μὴ φέροντες τοὺς πόνους, καὶ ἑλκυσθέντες πρὸς τὴν ἄρνησιν, ἐν τρισὶν ἔτεσιν ἀδέκτους εἶναι, καὶ ἐν δυσὶν ἀκροᾶσθαι· καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ὑποπεσόντας, οὕτω δεκτοὺς γενέσθαι εἰς τὴν κοινωνίαν· οἱ δὲ ἄνευ ἀνάγκης μεγάλης προδόντες τὴν εἰς Θεὸν πίστιν, καὶ ἁψάμενοι τῆς τραπέζης τῶν δαιμονίων, καὶ ὀμόσαντες ὅρκους Ἑλληνικούς, ἐκβάλλεσθαι μὲν ἐν γʼ ἔτεσι, καὶ ἐν ἀκροᾶσθαι· ἐν ὑποπτώσει δὲ εὐξαμένους ἐν ἔτεσι, καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις γʼ συστάντας τοῖς πιστοῖς εἰς τὴν δέησιν, οὕτω δεκτοὺς εἶναι τῇ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ κοινωνίᾳ. Καὶ περὶ τῶν ἐπιορκησάντων, εἰ μὲν ἐκ βίας καὶ ἀνάγκης παρέβησαν τοὺς ὅρκους, κουφοτέροις ὑπόκεινται ἐπιτιμίοις, ὥστε μετὰ ἔτη εἶναι αὐτοὺς δεκτούς· εἰ δὲ ἄνευ ἀνάγκης προδόντες τὴν ἑαυτῶν πίστιν, ἐν δυσὶν ἔτεσι προσκλαύσαντες, καὶ ἐν δυσὶν ἀκροασάμενοι, καὶ ἐν πέντε ἐν ὑποπτώσει εὐξάμενοι, καὶ ἐν δυσὶν ἄλλοις ἄνευ προσφορᾶς εἰς τὴν κοινωνίαν τῆς προσευχῆς παραδεχθέντες, οὕτω τελευταῖον ἀξιόλογον, δηλαδή, τὴν μετάνοιαν ἐπιδειξάμενοι, ἀποκαταστήσονται εἰς τὴν κοινωνίαν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Οἱ καταμαντευόμενοι καὶ ταῖς συνηθείαις τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀκολουθοῦντες, ἢ εἰσάγοντές τινας εἰς τοὺς ἑαυτῶν οἴκους ἐπὶ ἀνευρέσει φαρμακειῶν, καὶ καθάρσει, ὑπὸ τὸν κανόνα πιπτέτωσαν τῆς ἑξαετίας. ἐνιαυτὸν προσκλαύσαντες, καὶ ἐνιαυτὸν ἀκροασάμενοι, καὶ ἐν γ ἔτεσιν ὑποπίπτοντες, καὶ ἐνιαυτὸν συστάντες τοῖς πιστοῖς, οὕτω δεχθήτωσαν. Πάντα δὲ ταῦτα γράφομεν, ὥστε τοὺς καρποὺς δοκιμάζεσθαι τῆς μετανοίας. οὐ γὰρ πάντως τῷ χρόνῳ κρίνομεν τὰ τοιαῦτα, ἀλλὰ τῷ τρόπῳ τῆς μετανοίας προσέχομεν. ἐὰν δὲ δυσαποσπάστως ἔχωσι τῶν ἰδίων ἐθῶν, καὶ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς τῆς σαρκὸς μᾶλλον δουλεύειν θέλωσιν ἢ τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ τὴν κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ζωὴν μὴ καταδέχωνται, οὐδεὶς ἡμῖν πρὸς αὐτοὺς κοινὸς λόγος. ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἐν λαῷ ἀπειθεῖ καὶ ἀντιλέγοντι δεδιδάγμεθα ἀκούειν, ὅτι Σώζων σῶζε τὴν σεαυτοῦ ψυχήν. μὴ τοίνυν καταδεξώμεθα συναπόλλυσθαι τοῖς τοιούτοις· ἀλλὰ φοβηθέντες τὸ βαρὺ κρίμα, καὶ τὴν φοβερὰν ἡμέραν τῆς ἀνταποδόσεως τοῦ Κυρίου πρὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν λαβόντες, μὴ θελήσωμεν ἁμαρτίαις ἀλλοτρίαις συναπόλλυσθαι. εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐπαίδευσεν ἡμᾶς τὰ φοβερὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, μηδὲ αἱ τηλικαῦται πληγαὶ εἰς αἴσθησιν ἡμᾶς ἤγαγον, ὅτι διὰ τὴν ἀνομίαν ἡμῶν ἐγκατέλιπεν ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος καὶ παρέδωκεν εἰς χεῖρας βαρβάρων, καὶ ἀπήχθη αἰχμάλωτος εἰς τοὺς πολεμίους ὁ λαὸς καὶ παρεδόθη τῇ διασπορᾷ, διότι ταῦτα ἐτόλμων οἱ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ περιφέροντες· εἰ μὴ ἔγνωσαν, μηδὲ συνῆκαν, ὅτι διὰ ταῦτα ἦλθεν ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τίς ἡμῖν κοινὸς πρὸς τούτους λόγος; ἀλλὰ διαμαρτύρεσθαι αὐτοῖς καὶ νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας καὶ δημοσίᾳ καὶ ἰδίᾳ ὀφείλομεν· συναπάγεσθαι δὲ αὐτῶν ταῖς πονηρίαις μὴ καταδεχώμεθα, προσευχόμενοι μάλιστα μὲν κερδῆσαι αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐξελέσθαι τῆς παγίδος τοῦ πονηροῦ· ἐὰν δὲ τοῦτο μὴ δυνηθῶμεν, σπουδάσωμεν τὰς γοῦν ἑαυτῶν ψυχὰς τῆς αἰωνίου κατακρίσεως περισώσασθαι.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Amphilochius, the Canons. On my return from a long journey (for I have been into Pontus on ecclesiastical business, and to visit my relations) with my body weak and ill, and my spirits considerably broken, I took your reverence's letter into my hand. No sooner did I receive the tokens of that voice which to me is of all voices the sweetest, and of that hand that I love so well, than I forgot all my troubles. And if I was made so much more cheerful by the receipt of your letter, you ought to be able to conjecture at what value I price your actual presence. May this be granted me by the Holy One, whenever it may be convenient to you and you yourself send me an invitation. And if you were to come to the house at Euphemias it would indeed be pleasant for me to meet you, escaping from my vexations here, and hastening to your unfeigned affection. Possibly also for other reasons I may be compelled to go as far as Nazianzus by the sudden departure of the very God-beloved bishop Gregory. How or why this has come to pass, so far I have no information. The man about whom I had spoken to your excellency, and whom you expected to be ready by this time, has, you must know, fallen ill of a lingering disease, and is moreover now suffering from an affection of the eyes, arising from his old complaint and from the illness which has now befallen him, and he is quite unfit to do any work. I have no one else with me. It is consequently better, although the matter was left by them to me, for some one to be put forward by them. And indeed one cannot but think that the expressions were used merely as a necessary form, and that what they really wished was what they originally requested, that the person selected for the leadership should be one of themselves. If there is any one of the lately baptized, whether Macedonius approve or not, let him be appointed. You will instruct him in his duties, the Lord, Who in all things cooperates with you, granting you His grace for this work also. LI. As to the clergy, the Canons have enjoined without making any distinction that one penalty is assigned for the lapsed — ejection from the ministry, whether they be in orders or remain in the ministry which is conferred without imposition of hands. LII. The woman who has given birth to a child and abandoned it in the road, if she was able to save it and neglected it, or thought by this means to hide her sin, or was moved by some brutal and inhuman motive, is to be judged as in a case of murder. If, on the other hand, she was unable to provide for it. and the child perish from exposure and want of the necessities of life, the mother is to be pardoned. LIII. The widowed slave is not guilty of a serious fall if she adopts a second marriage under color of rape. She is not on this ground open to accusation. It is rather the object than the pretext which must be taken into account, but it is clear that she is exposed to the punishment of digamy. LIV. I know that I have already written to your reverence, so far as I can, on the distinctions to be observed in cases of involuntary homicide, and on this point I can say no more. It rests with your intelligence to increase or lessen the severity of the punishment as each individual case may require. LV. Assailants of robbers, if they are outside, are prohibited from the communion of the good thing. If they are clerics they are degraded from their orders. For, it is said, All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Matthew 26:52 LVI. The intentional homicide, who has afterwards repented, will be excommunicated from the sacrament for twenty years. The twenty years will be appointed for him as follows: for four he ought to weep, standing outside the door of the house of prayer, beseeching the faithful as they enter in to offer prayer in his behalf, and confessing his own sin. After four years he will be admitted among the hearers, and during five years will go out with them. During seven years he will go out with the kneelers, praying. During four years he will only stand with the faithful, and will not take part in the oblation. On the completion of this period he will be admitted to participation of the sacrament. LVII. The unintentional homicide will be excluded for ten years from the sacrament. The ten years will be arranged as follows: For two years he will weep, for three years he will continue among the hearers; for four he will be a kneeler; and for one he will only stand. Then he will be admitted to the holy rites. LVIII. The adulterer will be excluded from the sacrament for fifteen years. During four he will be a weeper, and during five a hearer, during four a kneeler, and for two a stander without communion. LIX. The fornicator will not be admitted to participation in the sacrament for seven years; weeping two, hearing two, kneeling two, and standing one: in the eighth he will be received into communion. LX. The woman who has professed virginity and broken her promise will complete the time appointed in the case of adultery in her continence. The same rule will be observed in the case of men who have professed a solitary life and who lapse. LXI. The thief, if he have repented of his own accord and charged himself, shall only be prohibited from partaking of the sacrament for a year; if he be convicted, for two years. The period shall be divided between kneeling and standing. Then let him be held worthy of communion. LXII. He who is guilty of unseemliness with males will be under discipline for the same time as adulterers. LXIII. He who confesses his iniquity in the case of brutes shall observe the same time in penance. LXIV. Perjurers shall be excommunicated for ten years; weeping for two, hearing for three, kneeling for four, and standing only during one year; then they shall be held worthy of communion. LXV. He who confesses magic or sorcery shall do penance for the time of murder, and shall be treated in the same manner as he who convicts himself of this sin. LXVI. The tomb breaker shall be excommunicated for ten years, weeping for two, hearing for three, kneeling for four, standing for one, then he shall be admitted. LXVII. Incest with a sister shall incur penance for the same time as murder. LXVIII. The union of kindred within the prohibited degrees of marriage, if detected as having taken place in acts of sin, shall receive the punishment of adultery. LXIX. The Reader who has intercourse with his betrothed before marriage, shall be allowed to read after a year's suspension, remaining without advancement. If he has had secret intercourse without betrothal, he shall be deposed from his ministry. So too the minister. LXX. The deacon who has been polluted in lips, and has confessed his commission of this sin, shall be removed from his ministry. But he shall be permitted to partake of the sacrament together with the deacons. The same holds good in the case of a priest. If any one be detected in a more serious sin, whatever be his degree, he shall be deposed. LXXI. Whoever is aware of the commission of any one of the aforementioned sins, and is convicted without having confessed, shall be under punishment for the same space of time as the actual perpetrator. LXXII. He who has entrusted himself to soothsayers, or any such persons, shall be under discipline for the same time as the homicide. LXXIII. He who has denied Christ, and sinned against the mystery of salvation, ought to weep all his life long, and is bound to remain in penitence, being deemed worthy of the sacrament in the hour of death, through faith in the mercy of God. LXXIV. If, however, each man who has committed the former sins is made good, through penitence, he to whom is committed by the loving-kindness of God the power of loosing and binding will not be deserving of condemnation, if he become less severe, as he beholds the exceeding greatness of the penitence of the sinner, so as to lessen the period of punishment, for the history in the Scriptures informs us that all who exercise penitence with greater zeal quickly receive the loving-kindness of God. LXXV. The man who has been polluted with his own sister, either on the father's or the mother's side, must not be allowed to enter the house of prayer, until he has given up his iniquitous and unlawful conduct. And, after he has come to a sense of that fearful sin, let him weep for three years standing at the door of the house of prayer, and entreating the people as they go in to prayer that each and all will mercifully offer on his behalf their prayers with earnestness to the Lord. After this let him be received for another period of three years to hearing alone, and while hearing the Scriptures and the instruction, let him be expelled and not be admitted to prayer. Afterwards, if he has asked it with tears and has fallen before the Lord with contrition of heart and great humiliation, let kneeling be accorded to him during other three years. Thus, when he shall have worthily shown the fruits of repentance, let him be received in the tenth year to the prayer of the faithful without oblation; and after standing with the faithful in prayer for two years, then, and not till then, let him be held worthy of the communion of the good thing. LXXVI. The same rule applies to those who take their own daughters in law. LXXVII. He who abandons the wife, lawfully united to him, is subject by the sentence of the Lord to the penalty of adultery. But it has been laid down as a canon by our Fathers that such sinners should weep for a year, be hearers for two years, in kneeling for three years, stand with the faithful in the seventh; and thus be deemed worthy of the oblation, if they have repented with tears. LXXVIII. Let the same rule hold good in the case of those who marry two sisters, although at different times. LXXIX. Men who rage after their stepmothers are subject to the same canon as those who rage after their sisters. LXXX. On polygamy the Fathers are silent, as being brutish and altogether inhuman. The sin seems to me worse than fornication. It is therefore reasonable that such sinners should be subject to the canons; namely a year's weeping, three years kneeling and then reception. LXXXI. During the invasion of the barbarians many men have sworn heathen oaths, tasted things unlawfully offered them in magic temples and so have broken their faith in God. Let regulations be made in the case of these men in accordance with the canons laid down by our Fathers. Those who have endured grievous tortures and have been forced to denial, through inability to sustain the anguish, may be excluded for three years, hearers for two, kneelers for three, and so be received into communion. Those who have abandoned their faith in God, laying hands on the tables of the demons and swearing heathen oaths, without under going great violence, should be excluded for three years, hearers for two. When they have prayed for three years as kneelers, and have stood other three with the faithful in supplication, then let them be received into the communion of the good thing. LXXXII. As to perjurers, if they have broken their oaths under violent compulsion, they are under lighter penalties and may therefore be received after six years. If they break their faith without compulsion, let them be weepers for two years, hearers for three, pray as kneelers for five, during two be received into the communion of prayer, without oblation, and so at last, after giving proof of due repentance, they shall be restored to the communion of the body of Christ. LXXXIII. Consulters of soothsayers and they who follow heathen customs, or bring persons into their houses to discover remedies and to effect purification, should fall under the canon of six years. After weeping a year, hearing a year, kneeling for three years and standing with the faithful for a year so let them be received. LXXXIV. I write all this with a view to testing the fruits of repentance. I do not decide such matters absolutely by time, but I give heed to the manner of penance. If men are in a state in which they find it hard to be weaned from their own ways and choose rather to serve the pleasures of the flesh than to serve the Lord, and refuse to accept the Gospel life, there is no common ground between me and them. In the midst of a disobedient and gainsaying people I have been taught to hear the words Save your own soul. Do not then let us consent to perish together with such sinners. Let us fear the awful judgment. Let us keep before our eyes the terrible day of the retribution of the Lord. Let us not consent to perish in other men's sins, for if the terrors of the Lord have not taught us, if so great calamities have not brought us to feel that it is because of our iniquity that the Lord has abandoned us, and given us into the hands of barbarians, that the people have been led captive before our foes and given over to dispersion, because the bearers of Christ's name have dared such deeds; if they have not known nor understood that it is for these reasons that the wrath of God has come upon us, what common ground of argument have I with them? But we ought to testify to them day and night, alike in public and in private. Let us not consent to be drawn away with them in their wickedness. Let us above all pray that we may do them good, and rescue them from the snare of the evil one. If we cannot do this, let us at all events do our best to save our own souls from everlasting damnation.