Content:

Our Father Dionysius among the Saints was one of the pupils of Origen. Having formerly become a presbyter of the Church situated in Alexandria, about the year 232 after Christ he undertook to teach the catechism; later, in the year 247, he became Bishop of Alexandria, as the successor of Heracles, who had been the thirteenth Archbishop of Alexandria. Having been captured by soldiers in the time of the Decian persecution, he was taken to Taposiris, which was a small town situated between Alexandria and Canobius, according to the Dictionary of Bow-drant. In the year 257, in the time of Valerian the persecutor, when the thrice-blessed man appeared before the governor Aemilian and made the good confession of the faith, he was exiled to Cephro, a desert city in Libya. At the end of three years having been recalled from exile to Alexandria, at the beginning of the reign of Emperor Galienus, who though a son of Valerius, appeared in the beginning to be of a milder temperament in regard to Christians. With all his power the thrice-blissful man struggled to convert the heretics and to weld together the schisms which had been produced at that time in the Church by the Novatians, and to reconcile Pope Stephen of Rome and Pope Cyprian of Carthage, who had been at variance with each other on the question whether heretics and schismatics ought to be baptized or not upon returning to Orthodoxy, (in spite of the fact that he was in agreement with Cyprian, who wanted such persons rebaptized, as St. Jerome asserts, in his list of ecclesiastical authors, concerning which see the Prolegomena to the Canon of the Council of St. Cyprian (held in Carthage). He put up a valiant fight against Sabellius, and with his wise debates he persuaded those called by Nepos millenarians or chiliasts (concerning whom see the Prolegomena to the Second Ecum. C.) to abandon their cacodoxical views. In the year 265, when asked to attend the Council assembled in Antioch against Paul of Samosata, though he was unable to go to it bodily owing to old age and illness, he made his orthodox view of the faith clear in a letter, and controverted the man of Samosata by means of ten replies. In the same year, which was the twelfth year of the reign of Emperor Galienus, he departed to the Lord after having acted as Archbishop of Alexandria for seventeen years. Besides his other writings (for which see page 14 concerning shorthand writers in volume I of the series of the Octateuch), he wrote this Canonical Letter in the year 260, according to Milias (in Vol. II of the Conciliar Records), and sent it to a certain bishop named Basilides attached to the parishes of the Pentapolis, according to Eusebius (book VII, ch. 26), it being divided into four Canons and indefinitely confirmed by c. I of the 4th, and definitely by c. II of the Sixth Ecum. C.; and by virtue of this confirmation it acquired what amounts in a way to ecumenical force. It is to be found in the second volume of the Pandects, and in the first volume of the Conciliar Records (page 106).

1. You have written me a letter, my most faithful and learned son, inquiring about the hour when one must cease fasting on Easter day. For you say that some of the brethren assert that one must do this shortly before the time when the cock crows or thereabouts, while others assert that it must be commenced with or from the time of evening. For the brethren in Rome, as they say, wait for the cock; whereas in the case of persons here you said that it would be earlier. But you are asking to have the exact condition fixed, and the hour accurately measured, which is both difficult and misleading. For the fact that after the time of our Lord’s resurrection the festival and the festivity ought to commence, though humbling the soul with fasting up to that point, is one that will be acknowledged by all alike. It is apparent, however, that you have quite soundly affirmed by what you have written to me and have noticed from the divine Evangelists, that there is no precise information in them concerning the hour at which He rose. For the Evangelists have presented a different account about those who came to the tomb at times far apart and said that they had found the Lord to have risen already. "And late on the Sabbath day," says St. Matthew (28:1). "In the morning while it was still dark," says St. John (20:1). "Very early in the morning," says St. Luke (24:1). "And very early in the morning when the sun was rising," says St. Mark (16:2). Accordingly, it may be said that as to exactly when He rose, not one of them declares anything clearly. That it was late on the Sabbath, at the dawn of one of the Sabbaths, until the rise of the sun on one of the Sabbaths, those who visited the tomb found Him not lying in it, this is a fact which has been acknowledged over and over again, and there is no disagreement about it either, nor have we entertained any suspicion that the Evangelists conflict with each other in regard to this matter. But, on the contrary, though it may seem to be "much ado about nothing" to discuss the question any further as to whether they are all in agreement on that night that the Lord who is the Light of the world had already dawned upon it, the dispute is about the hour. Let us gratefully welcome, however, what has been said, and let us do our best to conform faithfully therewith. As for what has been asserted by St. Matthew, it runs as follows: "It was late on the Sabbath about the time of daybreak on one of the Sabbaths that Mary Magdalene and another Mary came to take a look at the sepulcher. And lo, a great earthquake occurred. For an angel of the Lord, having descended out of heaven, came and rolled away the stone, and sat down upon it. His countenance was like a flash of lightning, and his raiment was as white as snow. And for fear of him the watchers quaked, and became like dead men. The angel, however, in reply told the women, Fear not ye; for I know that ye are seeking Jesus, who hath been crucified. He is not here: he is risen, as he said" (Matt. 28:1-5). As respects the word "late," some will imagine it to denote the evening of Saturday, in accordance with the affinity of the verb; those, however, who are supposed to be the ones able to judge the matter more wisely and more learnedly, will not assent to this, but will insist that it was deep night; because, as is patent, the word "late" denotes lateness and a long time, and because the statement that it was "about the time of daybreak" implies that it was nighttime. And they came, not as the rest say, bringing spices, but in order to look at the sepulcher; and they found the earthquake to have occurred, and the angel sitting upon the stone, and were told by the latter, "He is not here; he is risen" Likewise John says: "On the first day of the week early in the morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb; and she saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb" (John 20:1). Nevertheless, in spite of the fact that it was still dark, she went forward to the tomb. Luke says: "And they rested on the sabbath day in accordance with the commandment. But upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb" (Luke 23:56 and 24:1-2). It may be that the phrase "very early in the morning" indicates the approach of dawn of the first day of the week, on account of the fact that the entire sabbath together with the night succeeding it had completely passed away, and another day was beginning when they came bringing the spices and perfumes. Hence it is plainly evident that He must have risen a long while before. Evangelist Mark confirms this by saying: "They bought spices, that they might come and anoint him; and very early in the morning of the first day of the week they came unto the tomb, after the sun had dawned." He, too, says "very early in the morning," which is the meaning of the Greek words both here and in Luke. And he adds "after the sun had dawned." For their rush and the way they came make it plain that it must have been very early in the morning, and that morning must have just commenced; in fact, they had been delayed during their journey, and were lingering about the tomb till sunrise. And then the Young Man in a white robe said to them: "He is risen; he is not here" These facts being as stated, we venture to express our opinion of the matter to precisionists as follows: As for the question respecting the precise hour, or half hour, or quarter of an hour, it would be fitting to commence rejoicing over the resurrection of our Lord from the dead, we are inclined to find fault with those who accelerate the time too fast, and want to have it allowed to start even before midnight, on the ground that they are heedless of the hour and imperious, as nearly having stopped the race, whereof a wise man has said: "The least is not a little in life." On the other hand we espouse those who procrastinate and advance the hour as much as possible, and show fortitude in waiting till even the fourth watch, in which our Savior appeared walking upon the sea to those in the ship (Matt. 14:25), as we consider them brave and assiduous. But let us not quarrel with those who take the middle course, as they have been actuated or have been able to do, since not all men can endure even the six days of fastings equally, nor in the same manner; but, on the contrary, some of them pass all of those days without any food, while others pass only two, and others only three, and others only four, and some none at all. Accordingly, to those who have striven to the utmost in passing through all the days of fastings, and have afterwards become exhausted, having all but expired, it is pardonable for them to taste of food so much the sooner. But if some men, not as having passed through all those days fasting, but not having even fasted or having even spent the first four days in luxuriating, and afterwards coming to the last two remaining days, namely, Friday and Saturday, confine their fasting to these alone, we do not deem them to be doing anything great and splendid; if they stick it out till dawn, I am not of opinion that they are entitled to equal credit for their exploit with those who have fasted a greater number of days. These things I have written by way of advice as what I think.

2. Concerning menstruous women, whether they ought to enter the temple of God while in such a state, I think it superfluous even to put the question. For, I opine, not even they themselves, being faithful and pious, would dare when in this state either to approach the Holy Table or to touch the body and blood of Christ. For not even the woman with a twelve years’ issue would come into actual contact with Him, but only with the edge of His garment, to be cured. There is no objection to one’s praying no matter how he may be or to one’s remembering the Lord at any time and in any state whatever, and petitioning to receive help; but if one is not wholly clean both in soul and in body, he shall be prevented from coming up to the Holies of Holies.

3. Persons who are self-sufficient and married ought to be judges of themselves. For we are told in writing by St. Paul that it is fitting that they should abstain from each other by agreement for a time, in order that they may indulge in prayer, and again come together (1 Cor. 7:5).

4. As for those men who involuntarily become victims of nocturnal emission, let them too be guided by their own conscience as to whether to indulge or not, and decide for themselves, whether they have any doubt about this matter or not, as also in the case of foods, "he that hath any doubt is damned if he eat" (Rom. 14:23). And let everyone be conscientious in these matters, and outspoken, in accordance with his own inclination, when he approaches God. In honoring us (for you know you are, dear) by asking these questions, you have taken us to be like-minded, as indeed we are, and you are making us partners in your decision. As for me, it is not as a teacher, but as one who deems it fitting for us to talk with each other with all simplicity, that I have set forth my own conception of the matter for our common benefit. After finding that this conception of the matter meets with your approbation, my most sensible son, when you come to see whether it is so, you may write in turn about these matters whatever appears to you right and better. Farewell, my dear son, and I pray that this finds you in peace ministering to the Lord.

This divine Gregory was a contemporary of St. Dionysius of Alexandria, though a little later than he. Thus the blessed man served together with him the same Emperors, Valerian and Gallienus, and during the persecutions of the Christians which they incited. Having first acquired all the learning of the Greeks while in Alexandria, and having later become a disciple (or pupil) of Origen, thus thereafter he was ordained Bishop of Neocaesarea in the region of the Pontus (or Black Sea) by Phaedimus, the Bishop of Amasia, who was distant in respect of location but near in respect of the indescribable charm due to the grace resulting from divine inspiration. When he commenced trying to find out exactly the dogma of the Christian religion (called in Greek "the piety"), there appeared to him in person both the Lady Theotoke (called in English "the Blessed Virgin") and John the Theologian (generally called "John the Divine" in English), who at the command of the Mother of God revealed to him the mystery of Theology, which runs as follows (the English translation here being necessarily imperfect):

"One God Father of a living Logos, of Wisdom substantiate and of power, and of an eternal stamp, the perfect Generator of a perfect Being, the Father of an only-begotten Son."

"One Lord sole out of sole, a God out of a God, the express image and stamp of the Deity. A perspicuous Logos, a Wisdom comprising the constitution of all things in the universe, and a power creative of all creation, a true Son of a true Father, an invisible exemplar of the one who is invisible, and an immortal of the Immortal One, and an eternal of the Eternal One. One Holy Spirit having Its existence from God, and manifested through the Son, that is to say, to men. A perfect image of the perfect Son; Life which is the cause of all living beings; a holy Source of holiness; a bestower of sanctification in whom is revealed God the Father who is over all things and in all things; and God the Son, who is through all things. A perfect Trinity whereof the glory, the eternalness and the kingdom are neither divided nor alienated. In the Trinity, therefore, there is nothing creatural or servile, nor adventitious or adscititious, as formerly not having been existent, but having crept in later; neither, therefore, at any time was the Father lacking a Son, nor had the Son any lack of the Spirit; neither did a unit grow into a dyad, nor a dyad into a trinity, but, on the contrary, the same Trinity has ever and always been immutable and unalterable."

He attended the Council convoked against Paul of Samosata in Antioch with Firmilian the bishop of Caesarea Cappadocian Caesarea, and many others. He lived even down to the time of Emperor Aurelian, when in the year 272 the last Council was held against the man of Samosata. The Church of Christ celebrates him on the seventeenth day of the month of November. It is noteworthy that St. Basil the Great, in his letter to the clerics in the vicinity of Neocaesarea, asserts that this Gregory did not cover his head when he was praying, being a genuine disciple of St. Paul the Apostle; that he avoided taking any oaths, contenting himself with a yea or a nay. That he called no one a fool. That he hated invective (or uncomplimentary remarks) and many other things does he state concerning him: "But where shall we place Gregory and his utterances? Can we deny him a place alongside the Apostles and Prophets, a man who walked in the same Spirit with them? and one who stalked throughout his life in the footsteps of the Saints? and who achieved throughout his life an accurate copy of the evangelical model of behavior? a man who in view of the superabundance of gracious gifts in him energized by the Spirit with all power, and with signs and wonders, was hailed even by the enemies of the truth themselves as a second Moses." It was this man, then, who aside from his other written works wrote also this canonical epistle in the year 262, according to what Milias says in vol. II of the Conciliar Records, which was divided into twelve or eleven Canons, and is confirmed indefinitely by c. I of the 4th, but definitely and by name by c. II of the 6th Ecum. C.; and by virtue of this confirmation it acquires what is in a way an ecumenical force. The epistle is contained in vol. II of the Pandectae, and in vol. I of the Conciliar Records, p. 107. He sent it either to the same Dionysius of Alexandria, or to Maximus, the successor of Dionysius, according to Eusebius (Book VII, ch. 28). For it is this man that he calls a Pope and that asked, it appears, this divine Gregory about those persons who ate things sacrificed to idols and did other things in the course of the incursion of the barbarians which occurred as much in the region of the Pontus as in the region of Alexandria. That the same persecutions ensued both in regard to the Pontus and in regard to Alexandria at the instigation of the same Emperors is a fact which anyone can learn both from the life of this saint and from the history written by Eusebius (ibid., ch. 11), who narrates the evils that befell Egypt in the time of Dionysius.

1. It is not the foods that concern us, most sacred Pope, if the captives ate them, which the conquerors offered them, especially since it is said by all of them that the barbarians who overran our parts of the earth had not been sacrificing to idols. But the Apostle says: "Foods are for the belly, and the belly is for foods. But God will abolish both these and that" (1 Cor. 6:13). Moreover, the Savior, who makes all foods clean, says: "It is not what goeth in that defileth a man, but what goeth out" (Matt. 15:11, as quoted here).

2. And as for the charge that the female captives have been ravished, the barbarians violating their bodies. But if the life of any particular one of them has been duly investigated and she has been found to have been following the lead of amorous glances, as is written (Ruth 3:10), it is plain that a propensity to fornication may be suspected also during the time of captivity; accordingly, such females ought not to be admitted offhand to communion of prayers. If, however, it is found that any particular one of them has lived a life of the utmost sobriety, and that her previous life has been pure and above suspicion, but that she has now fallen as a result of violence and necessity a victim to insult, we have the example to be found in Deuteronomy in the case of the damsel whom a man found in the plain (or field) and forced to sleep with him: "Unto the damsel" it says, "thou shall do nothing: there is in the damsel no sin deserving death; for this matter is like the case in which a man riseth up against his neighbor and putteth his soul to death ..... the damsel shouted, and there was no one responding to her appeal" (Deut. 22:26-27). So much for these matters.

3. Greed is a terrible thing, and it is not possible in a single letter to quote the divine Scriptures wherein robbery is denounced not only as something to be avoided, but also as something that is positively horrible; but in general greediness and laying hold of what belongs to others with a view to filthy lucre, and every such offender is to be banished from the Church of God. But in time of an incursion amid so much wailing and so much lamentation for one to dare to select the time which brings ruin to everyone as the time for them to make a profit, is a mark of impious and God-hated men who have cared nothing about exorbitance. Hence it has seemed best to banish all such persons, lest the wrath fall upon all the laity, and first upon the chief functionaries themselves, who have not invited it. For I fear, as the Bible says, "lest the impious man bring about the destruction of the righteous man" (Gen. 18:23; Col. 3:6). "Fornication," it says, "and greed, on account of which the wrath of god cometh upon the children of disobedience. Be ye not therefore partakers with them. For once upon a time ye were darkness, but now ye are a light in the Lord. Walk like children of light. For the fruit of light is in all goodness and justice and truth. Testing to see that is acceptable unto the Lord, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which they do in secret. But everything that is reproved by the light is made manifest" (Eph. 5:3-13). Such is what the Apostle says. But if because of previous greed manifested in time of peace, when they are paying the penalty in the very time of wrath, some men again turn to greed, by profiting from the blood and ruination of men who have been upset, or captives murdered, what else is to be expected? or, as striving greedily to accumulate wrath, both for themselves and all the laity?

4. Is it not a fact that, behold, Achar, the great-grandson of Zerah, did really commit a serious trespass by stealing of the devoted thing, and the wrath was kindled against the whole congregation of Israel (Joshua 7:1)? Though this man alone committed the sin, can it be said that he died alone in his sin? It behooves us to deem anything a devoted thing if it is not ours, but is something the profit from which belongs to another. For be it noted both that Achar took of the booty (called in the Authorized and Revised Versions "spoils" and "spoil," respectively), and that they now are taking of the booty too. For he was misappropriating the property of the foes, while those now are making profit out of the property of the brethren, a ruinous profit.

5. Let no one deceive himself as having found it, either, for not even a. finder is permitted to profit from it. For Deuteronomy says: "On seeing thy brother’s calf or his sheep going astray, thou shall not overlook them on the way, but thou shall in any case restore them to thy brother. And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shall bring them unto thine own house, and they shall be with thee until thy brother seek after them, and thou shall give them back to him. Thus shall thou with his ass; and thus shalt thou do with his raiment; and thus shalt thou do with respect to every loss of thy brother’s, whatever may be lost by him and thou may find" (Deut. 22:1-3). That is what Deuteronomy says. In Exodus, not only if thou find goods of thy brother’s, but even of thine enemy: "Thou shalt surely return them," it says, "to their owner’s house" (Exod. 23:4). But if it is not permissible in time of peace to profit as a result of your brother’s or your enemy’s indolence or luxuriation or neglect of his own belongings, much more is it forbidden when he is in woe and fleeing from foes and necessarily abandoning his own property.

6. Many persons deceive themselves in that they hold on to property of others which they have found and claim it instead of the property which they themselves have lost, since by the same treatment as they received from Boradi and Goths they are making themselves Boradi and Goths to others. We therefore have sent brother and fellow senior Euphrosynus to you for this, that in accordance with the plan here he may furnish one there similarly, and tell you whose accusations ought to be considered, and who ought to be banished from prayers.

7. An incredible statement has been made to us to the effect that in your country a thing has been done, no doubt by impious infidels unacquainted with even the name of the Lord, as may be surmised from their having attained to such great cruelty and inhumanity as to hold in custody by force captives who succeeded in escaping. Send some men into the country, lest fulgurations fall upon those doing such things.

8. As for those, therefore, who have been induced to join the barbarians and to depart with them in captivity, forgetting that they ever were faithful Christians, and turning barbarians themselves to such an extent as to slay men of their own race, either by cudgeling or by hanging them, or, failing this, by pointing out roads or houses to barbarians ignorant of them, they ought to be excluded from listening, until such time as some common decision can be arrived at concerning them by the saints (or Holy Fathers) when they meet, and before they do by the Holy Spirit.

9. As for those, on the other hand, who dared to invade the homes of other persons, if they have been accused of doing so and have been proved guilty, they do not deserve even to be listeners, unless they tell everything and give back everything, in which case they may be placed in the class of kneelers who have returned.

10. As for those, on the other hand, who found something in the plain or in their own houses that was left there by the barbarians, if they be accused of this and be proved guilty, likewise among the kneelers (sc. let them pray); but if they themselves tell everything and return everything, let them be declared worthy of prayer.

11. As for those who fulfill the commandment, they must fulfill it without any regard for filthy lucre, either in demanding something as reward for the giving of information, or as reward for saving, or as reward for finding, or as any kind of reward they may want to call it.

12. The station of weepers is outside the doorway of the oratory, where the sinner has to stand and beg the faithful who are passing in to pray for him. The station of listeners is within the doorway in the narthex, where the one who has committed a sin has to stand until the catechumens pass out thence. For "while listening," it says, "to the Scriptures and the teaching, let him be put outside and not be allowed the right to participate in prayer." The station of kneelers is within the doorway of the temple where the kneeler stands in order to pass out together with the catechumens. The station of co-standers is that in which one stands together with the faithful and does not pass out together with the catechumens. Last is the place where the consecrated elements are received.

Our Father among Saints Peter lived in the year 296. Having succeeded Theonas, he became Archbishop of Alexandria, being the seventeenth in the line of Archbishops of Alexandria. As Melitius, the Bishop of Lycopolis in Thebais was convicted of sharing in many heretical transgressions, the Saint deposed him, and refused to accept any baptism performed by him and his party. He also ordained Arius a deacon when the latter set forth an important dogma concerning the faith. But after this when he saw that he was defending disowned Melitius and agreed with his vile opinions, he deposed him from office and cast him out of the Church. After tending his flock aright and in a manner acceptable to God and leading it to life-bringing pastures, he concluded his life by ending as a martyr in the reign of Diocletian, leaving Achillas as his successor. When his all-holy head was cut off, a voice was heard from heaven saying the following words: "Peter the beginning of Apostles and Peter the end of Martyrs!" For after his death the persecution of Christians by tyrants ceased, and the peer of Apostles Constantine the Great became Emperor. In the year 304 he wrote the present Canons regarding those who variously denied during the persecution, which Canons are necessary to the good order and constitution of the Church; and they have been indefinitely confirmed by c. I of the 4th and c. I of the 7th, but definitely by c. II of the 6th Ecum. C., and by virtue of this confirmation they have acquired a quasi-ecumenical power. They are to be found in the second volume of the Pandectae, and in Vol. I of the Conciliar Records on p. 129.

1. Now therefore that a fourth Easter has succeeded the persecution, as touching those who, though they were rounded up and imprisoned, and patiently endured irremediable tortures and unbearable scourges and many other unavoidable terrors, yet at a later time were betrayed by the weakness of the flesh, notwithstanding that they were not welcomed back in the beginning because of the exceedingly great fall they suffered subsequently, still, because of the fact that they did display great valor and for a long time fought back (for it was not willingly that they succumbed, but only after they had been outrageously betrayed by the weakness of the flesh, since even the speckles (or maculae) of Jesus are exhibited on their bodies, and some of them have been in deep mourning for the third year), it is decreed that they be additionally sentenced, as a reminder, to forty more days, counting from their return to the Church; which is the number of days, however, that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ fasted after being baptized, when He was tempted by the Devil; and, by thoroughly exercising themselves for that number of days, having become soberer than ever, they shall henceforth engage in spending their waking time in prayers, at the same time meditating and concentrating their mind upon what the Lord said to His tempter who was trying to induce Him to pay adoration to him: "Get thee behind me, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou worship" (Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8; Deut. 6:13).

The present Canon decrees that those who three years ago (for this is what is meant by the expression "a fourth Easter") were betrayed by others, and were imprisoned first and underwent irremediable tortures and unbearable lashes and other terrible treatment for the sake of the name of Christ, but later owing to the weakness of the flesh were overcome, and at last did deny, nevertheless, though they then came back to the Church, yet they were not accepted, in spite of this, because of the fact that they did put forth great efforts in behalf of Christ, and because it was not willfully that they denied Him, but was due to the weakness of the flesh, and especially because during the interval of the last three years past they have mourned and repented of the fall of the denial — those persons, I say, in addition to the three years ought to be canonized still forty days, as many, that is to say, as the Lord fasted on the mountain and was thereafter tempted by the Devil; in order that they too for this number of days may be the more exercised and trained, and be rendered more carefully attentive, and vigil in prayers, meditating those words which the Lord said to the Devil when the latter coaxed Him to pay adoration to him: "Get thee behind me, Satan. For it is written, ‘thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou worship.’" And thereafter they are to be admitted to Communion. See also c. IV of the C. in Ancyra.

2. As touching those who after being imprisoned only patiently endured the afflictions and stenches in prison as though in a siege, but later became captives without undergoing the tortures of war, with a very poor display of power, one year will suffice them when added to the other year, since they too surrendered themselves wholly to be afflicted for the sake of Christ, though they did enjoy much comfort in prison from their brethren, which they will have to return manyfold if they wish to be redeemed from the exceedingly bitter captivity of the Devil, especially when reminded of the passage saying: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, wherefore he hath anointed me, to preach the gospel unto the poor, and hath sent me forth to preach release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth the brokenhearted in remission, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of retribution" (Isa. 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-19).

3. As touching those, on the other hand, who suffered no such fate at all, nor have shown fruit of faith, but, on the contrary, deserted to wickedness, betrayed by cowardice and fear, but who have now begun to repent, it is necessary and apropos to quote the parable of the fruitless fig tree, as the Lord tells it: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and looked for fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I been coming and looking for fruit on this fig trees, and have not found any; cut it down. Why should it encumber the ground? And he in reply said unto him, Lord, leave it alone this year too, till I dig round it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, all will be well; but if it fail to do so, in the future thou shalt cut it down (Luke 13: 6-9). By keeping this parable before their eyes, and showing fruit worthy of repentance during the space of one whole year as herein specified, they shall be rather benefited.

4. To those, on the other hand, who remain desperate and unrepentant, possessed of the Ethiopian’s skin and the leopard’s spots, let the story of the other fig tree be told: "Let no fruit grow out of thee henceforth forever. And forthwith it withered away on this account" (Matt. 21:19; cf. Mark 11:13-14). For that too is fulfilled in regard to them at any rate which was said by Ecclesiastes: "That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered" (Eccl. 1:15). For if what is crooked is not first straightened, it is not entitled to a number. Hence after all they will have that too happen to them which the prophet Isaiah has said: "And they shall see," says he, "the carcasses of the men who have transgressed against me. For their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abomination to the sight of all flesh" (Isa. 66:24); since even as he said before this, the unjust shall be so tossed about by the billows that they shall be unable to find any rest in the future: there is no feeling glad so far as the impious are concerned, saith God.

5. As touching those men, on the other hand, who, in the same way as David feigned himself an epileptic to escape being put to death, though he was not a real epileptic (1 Sam. 21:13-15), and who did not state their denial in black and white, but contrived to elude the enemies’ plots, in spite of appearing to be sorely distressed, by acting like sane and resolute children amid foolish children; or, in other words, by pretending to have visited the altars of the heathen gods, or to have written something with their own hand, or by putting heathen in their stead (even though, as I have been told, some confessors actually pardoned some of them for doing so, as indeed by appearing to be very reverent they escaped becoming suicides as victims of the fire and exhalation of the unclean demons). Inasmuch, therefore, as they did escape detection by doing so in a silly manner, yet they shall be let off with a six months’ sentence out of consideration for their reverting in repentance. For thus shall they too be rather benefited by diligently meditating that prophetic utterance and repeating the words: "Unto us a child hath been begotten, a son, even, hath been given unto us, whose government is borne upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Messenger of the great design" (Isa. 9:6), and precisely who, as ye are aware, in the sixth month (Luke 1:36) of the conception of the other child, who preached in advance before the face of His entrance repentance for the remission of sins (Luke 3:3), was Himself conceived too, to preach repentance. And this is not strange, for we are told that both of them first of all commenced preaching not only about repentance, but also about the kingdom of heaven, which, as we have learned, is within us; the saying that it is "at hand," or nigh unto us, is what is referred to in the passage saying: "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart," which we believe in our own mouth, and in our own heart, and when reminded thereof they too shall learn to confess with their mouth that Jesus is the Lord, while believing in their own heart that God raised Him from the dead, the more so indeed because of their being told that He is believed with the heart unto righteousness, but with the mouth is confessed unto salvation (Rom. 10:8-10).

The present Canon decrees that those who did like David when he was fleeing from Saul and feigned himself before King Achish to be a lunatic in order to escape being put to death by that king, insomuch that they too pretended to go to the altars of the idols, or to state in writing that they denied, or had heathen do the sacrificing, though they did not actually write that they denied the faith, but, when coerced severely they employed trickery and contrived to fool the persecutors, in much the same way as smarter children fool the ignorant ones: these persons, I say, notwithstanding that they have been pardoned by some saintly confessors for the tricks they resorted to in order to avoid sacrificing to the demons with their own hands. Nevertheless, since they did this foolishly, and were thought by the infidels to have sacrificed as they appeared to have done, even though in reality they did not sacrifice, they ought to be canonized six months and repent. In view of the fact that he fixed their sentence to repentance at six months, it was for this reason alone that he most fitly and aptly cites the following passages from Scripture and says that those who repent and remain penitent for six months ought to bear in mind that Christ was conceived, according to the Gospel, in the sixth month of the conception of John (the Baptist), who began preaching repentance, and that He too likewise preached repentance. For in agreement with each other both the Forerunner and Christ preached and said: "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 4:17; and alibi). The Saint interprets this to mean that for this reason the kingdom of heaven is within us, as the Lord said, in that the words which we believe, as Moses and St. Paul declare, are near our mouth and our heart. Hence it follows in accordance with this passage they too who believed Christ with their heart, but did not confess Him with their mouth ought to learn that they ought both to believe with their heart and to confess with their mouth that Jesus is the Lord and God, when they are told by St. Paul: "He is believed with the heart unto righteousness, but with the mouth is confessed unto salvation" (l.c.).

6. As touching the Christian slaves who sacrificed vicariously, the slaves as being in the control of others, and themselves in a way imprisoned by their masters, and having been frightfully threatened by them, and for fear of them having consented and slipped, they shall exhibit works of repentance for a full year, learning henceforth as servants and slaves of Christ to do the will of God, and to fear Him, the more so when they are told that everyone, if he do what is good, shall receive a recompense from the Lord, whether he be bond or free (Eph. 6:8).

7. As touching freemen, they shall be required to spend three years in penitence, both on the ground that they were hypocrites and on the ground that they forced their fellow slaves to sacrifice, in view of the fact that they disobeyed the Apostle, who insists that masters treat their slaves alike and refrain from threatening them: "And ye masters," he says, "treat them in the same way,

refraining from threats, and being well aware that your own Lord is in heaven, and that there is in him no respect of persons" (Eph. 6:9). But if all of us have but one Lord, and He is no respecter of persons, since "Christ is every thing and in everything, both in Barbarians and in Scythians, in bondmen and in freemen" (Col. 3:11), they ought to consider what they have done, if they want to save their soul, who have dragged their fellow slaves to idolatry, when they might have escaped if what is just and equal (Col. 4:1) had been granted them, as the Apostle again says.

8. As touching those who were betrayed and lapsed, and who entered the contest of their own accord, and confess that they are Christians, being cast into prison with tortures, it is but reasonable and right to encourage them and commune with them in everything with a rejoicing heart, both in prayers and in receiving of the Body and Blood of Christ, and to allow them the comfort of the Logos, in order that they may be enabled to put forth still greater efforts themselves in the contest for the prize of the higher calling (Phil. 3:14). "For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again" (Prov. 24:16). Though all the lapsed ones did this, they manifested most perfect and wholehearted penitence.

9. And as touching those who as though awaking from sleep rush into the contest, in travail and about to draw upon themselves a temptation, like persons engaged in a sea battle and engulfed in waves, and adding fire to the flaming coals of sinners amidst the brethren, they too ought to be allowed Communion, the more so as having reached this externalization of their madness in the name of Christ, notwithstanding that they fail to heed His words wherein He says: "Pray that ye enter not into temptation" (Matt. 26:41). And again in prayer to say to the Father: "Lead us not into temptation, but rescue us from the Evil One" (Luke 11:4). Perhaps they are ignorant of the fact that our Lord and Teacher many times tried to avoid those who were plotting against Him, and that He never openly walked abroad on their account, and that when the time for His passion was approaching He did not surrender Himself, but, on the contrary, evaded them until they came upon Him with swords and staves. Then He said to them: "Are ye come out, as against a robber, with swords and staves to take me!" (Mark 14:48). They, in turn, it says, delivered Him to Pilate. To be like Him, at any rate, those who have gone so far as to suffer for Him on purpose, should be reminded of His divine Words, whereby He explicitly cautions them in regard to persecutions by saying: "But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues" (Matt. 10:17). "They will deliver you up," He said, and not "Ye shall deliver yourselves up." He added: "And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my name," and not, "Ye shall bring yourselves"; as He wants you to jump from place to place when persecuted, for His name. As again we hear Him saying: "And when they drive you out of this city, flee ye into another" (Matt. 10:23). For He does not want us to desert to the lieutenants and satellites of the Devil, but, on the contrary, wants to keep us from causing them to perpetrate more murders, as though we were forcing them rather to increase the severity and effectiveness of death-dealing works. On the contrary, He wants us to beware of and evade them, "Watch ye and pray, that ye enter not into temptation" (Matt. 26:41). Thus Stephen was the first one following His footsteps to undergo martyrdom in Jerusalem, after being seized by surprise by the lawbreakers, and being brought into the Council was stoned to death and glorified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, begging and saying: "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:60). Thus Jacob the second to be arrested by Herod had his head cut off with a sword (Acts 12:2). Thus the leading Apostle Peter, after being many times arrested and imprisoned and infamized, was later crucified in Rome. And far-famed Paul after being many times delivered up and risking death, and having engaged in many exploits and having boasted in the midst of many persecutions and afflictions, had his head cut off with the sword too in the same city, and wherein he had boasted he met his end: notwithstanding that in Damascus he was let down through the wall in a basket by night and escaped from the hands of those who were trying to catch him. For their chief object was to preach the Gospel and to teach the word of God, wherein they encouraged the brethren to persist in the faith; accordingly, they used to say: "that through many afflictions must we enter the kingdom of heaven" (Acts 14:22; 2 Cor. 11:32-33). For they were not seeking their own interest, but that of the multitude, in order that they might be saved; and there were many things to be said to them in regard to these matters for the purpose of getting them to act in accordance with the word (1 Cor. 10:33; Heb. 11:32), had it not been, as the Apostle says, that the time would have failed him to tell more.

10. Hence it is not reasonable even for those who have deserted from the Clergy, have lapsed, and have struggled back, to be yet in the ministry, the more so indeed because they abandoned the Lord’s flock and defaulted, a thing which none of the Apostles did. As a matter of fact the blessed Apostle Paul, who withstood many persecutions and displayed many exploits in contests, having been confident that it was better to depart and be with Christ, added the following remark: "Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you" (Phil. 1:24). For, considering not his own interest, "but that of the multitude, in order that they may be saved" (1 Cor. 10:38), he deemed it more needful than his own repose to remain with the brethren and take diligent care of them, even as he wanted a teacher to be a model for believers in his teaching (Rom, 12:7; 1 Tim. 4:2). Hence those condemning themselves to prison, lapsing and struggling back, are utterly senseless. For how can they demand what they have abandoned, when they could have been useful to the brethren at such a time? As long as they were unoffending it must be conceded that they were entitled to pardon for their unreasonable action, but when they actually offended, as though vaunting themselves (1 Cor. 13:4) and deliberately defaulting, they may no longer officiate. Wherefore let them rather take care to conduct themselves humbly, leaving off vainglory. For communion with attention and exactitude being administered in both kinds should suffice them, both in order that they be not minded to trouble themselves violently and hastily in reaching after a way of departure hence; and in order that some who have lapsed may not offer the excuse that they have slipped on account of the reprimand, who shall more than all others incur shame and reproach on the basis of that one who laid a foundation but was unable to build upon it: "lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish" (Luke 14:29-30).

11. For those who first hastened to jump off in the boiling welter of persecution, having attended court, and beholding the sacred Martyrs hastening for the prize of the higher calling (Phil. 3:14), with fine zealousness eagerly engaged in this fight, exhibiting extraordinary boldness of speech and courageousness of conduct, seeing indeed those dragged under and falling, on account of whom being inwardly inflamed, and inspired with a desire to do battle with the haughty and brazen objective opponent, hastened to this opportunity. "Be not wise in thine own eyes" (Prov. 3:7), with regard to which in all cunning he seemed to be winning the fight, though in reality he failed to notice that he was being defeated and overcome by those who with great fortitude endured the tortures inflicted with currycombs and scourges, and the sharpness of the sword, and the flames of the fire, and the drownings in water. And due attention ought to be paid to those who are asking that prayers and petitions be offered, either in behalf of those who have been betrayed and frightfully punished in prison, by famine and thirst, or in behalf of those who outside the prison have been frightfully tortured in court by means of currycombs and scourges, but later were overcome by the weakness of the flesh, and their pleas ought to be granted. For no one is the worse for compassionately sympathizing and being acutely pained with those who are moaning and groaning for the ones who are defeated in the contest by the great violence of the mischievous Devil, whether for parents, brothers, sisters, sons, or daughters. For we know that also for the faith of others some have enjoyed God’s goodness, both in the way of remission of sins and with respect to restoration of health and resurrection from the dead. Being ever mindful, therefore, of these many toilful struggles which they endured in the name of Christ, and none the less of their woeful sufferings, without shutting our eyes to the fact that they changed their mind and bewailed the punishment meted out to them by betrayal, in feebleness and deadness of the body, and further without denying that they became martyrs in their life impolitically, we join hands in praying and in imploring for their atonement together with other dutiful proprieties, through the Comforter who has come to our aid by offering the Father propitiation for our sins: "For, if anyone sin," it says, "we have a righteous Comforter in Jesus Christ to intercede with the Father, and he is the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 2:1-2).

The meaning of this Canon is as follows. That we ought to supplicate for those who have thoughtlessly jumped (into the contest), not however when the career of martyrdom was not open by action of the persecutors like the above, but when persecution was right in its flush and at its acme, being emboldened to this by seeing the holy Martyrs struggling to get the heavenly crowns to be gained through martyrdom, and especially because they saw many being deceived and denying the faith, on account of the lapse of whom they waxed warm with a desire to defeat the Devil who had deceived them, notwithstanding that he was being overcome by those who endured the tortures of martyrdom to the end in spite of the fact that they were inflicted by means of currycomb and sword and fire and water. With these persons, therefore, who in such a way went to martyrdom and were imprisoned at first, and tortured with hunger and thirst, and various wounds, but later were defeated by the weakness of the flesh, and denied, though after denying they repented and mourned over their lapse, and yielded up their life, or, more plainly speaking, actually died either in the piety of the faith, or secretly fled from the infidels in order to keep their faith; and especially wherever such persons as suffered martyrdom were inexperienced persons without any practical acquaintance with the affairs of this life, or were virtuous: with these persons, I say, we ought to sympathize and condole, as well as with those pleading in their behalf, whether these persons were their parents, or brothers, or sisters, or sons, or daughters, we ought to join hands in begging God the Father, through Him who has become our Comforter and who intercedes with the Father in our behalf, namely, our Lord Jesus Christ, that He may be propitiated in regard to them. For St. John says that if anyone sins, we have the Lord Jesus Christ as our Comforter to intercede with the Father, and that He is a propitiation for our sins. Nevertheless, those too who have denied ought to do what is proper and what it behooves them to do — fastings, that is to say, and tears, and alms, if they can afford any (for this is what is meant by the expression "together with other dutiful proprieties"). I say, however, that we ought to pray for them because we learn from the narratives of divine Scripture that many persons gained mercy from God because of the faith and intercessional supplication of others; thus others received pardon for their sins (as did the friends of Job because of his intercessional pleading in their behalf), while others received health of body (as did the paralytic, or palsied one, because of the faith of those who were carrying him on his bed), and others were resurrected from the dead (as was Lazarus and the daughter of Jairus [Mark 5:22] and the son of the widow) owing to the pleading of their parents or other relatives.

12. As touching those who have paid money to be left untroubled and undisturbed altogether by any vicious treatment, it is not possible to charge them, with any wrongdoing. For they suffered damages and the loss of considerable money in order to avoid being mulcted of their soul or losing their life, a thing which others, because of their desire for filthy lucre, failed to do, although the Lord says: "For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and be mulcted of (or lose) his own soul?" (Mark 8:36); and He also says: "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon" (Matt. 6:24). For they appeared to them to be serving God by reason of their having hated money and having trodden it underfoot and scorned it, and at the same time in doing so they fulfilled that which has been written: "The ransom of a man’s life is his riches" (Prov. 13:8). Since even in the Acts of the Apostles we have read that when certain persons had been dragged before the rulers of the city in Thessalonica, instead of Paul and Silas, charged with having greatly discommoded them for the sake of the name, and with having troubled the multitude and the rulers of the city, they were bailed out at an excessive cost, "And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go," it says, "And the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea" (Acts 17:9-10).

13. Hence no blame attaches to those persons either who abandoned everything, for the sake of the salvation of their soul, and departed, on the ground that others were seized in their stead. For thus too in Ephesus instead of Paul they grabbed Gains in the theater, and Aristarchus, fellow travelers of Paul, it says, and even though he wanted to enter the deme (since it was on account of him, who had persuaded a great multitude to adopt the religion of God that the riot occurred), the disciples would not let him do so. Moreover, "certain chief officers of Asia, too, being his friends, sent unto him and besought him not to adventure himself into the theater" (Acts 19:80-31). If, nevertheless, any persons insist on caviling, let them not disparage those who sincerely heed the words of the one saying: "Escape for thine own soul, and look not behind thee" (Gen. 19:17). Let them remind themselves also of the distinguished Apostle Peter’s statement that he was seized also ana put in prison, and was "delivered to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him" (Acts 12:3-4), but escaped by night from the hand of murderous Herod, and was rescued from the expectation of all the people of the Jews, in accordance with a command of the Angel of the Lord. When it became day, he says, "there was no small stir among the soldiers, asking what had become of Peter. And when Herod sought for him, and found him not, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be hanged," on whose account no blame attaches to Peter. For it would have been permissible for those who saw what occurred to have escaped, as well as all the children in Bethlehem,, and within all its boundaries, had their parents known what was going to happen, which children were slain by the heinous murderer Herod for the sake of getting the one child whom he wanted to slay and was looking for with a view to destroying Him, who, however, also escaped at the command of the Angel of the Lord, and who had already commenced rapidly despoiling and swiftly ravaging in accordance with the designation of His name, just as had been written: "Call his name despoil rapidly and forage swiftly. For before the child shall learn to say father or mother, he shall receive the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria in defiance of the king of Assyria" (Isa. 8:3-4). At any rate the Wizards, because of their having already been despoiled and ravaged, submittingly and honoringly paid adoration to the Child, opening their treasures and bestowing upon Him most seasonable and most befitting gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh (Matt. 2:11), as upon a King and a God and a Man. Hence they no longer deigned to turn to the Assyrian king, when receiving help from Providence’, for, it says, "having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another route" (Matt. 2:12). Hence when Herod "saw that he had been hoaxed by the Wizards, he was exceedingly angry, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the boundaries thereof, from two years old and under, with respect to the time which he had ascertained from the Wizards" (Matt. 2:16); among these children, however, he failed to find the other child who had been begotten before that time and whom he had been seeking to slay, though he did slay his father Zacharias "between the temple and the altar" (Matt. 23:35), after the child had escaped together with its mother Elisabeth: in regard to which children they are not to blame.

14. If there are some persons who have suffered great violence and coercion, having had a crucible put in their mouth and bonds, and having persisted with fortitude in the disposition of the faith, and having endured having their hands burned when offered against their will to the atrocious sacrifice, precisely as the thrice-blessed martyrs have written to me concerning those in Libya, and as other fellow ministers have stated; such persons, especially when there are other brethren who joined in their martyrdom, may serve in the ministry, being placed in the rank of the Confessors, as also those who have been utterly deadened amid numerous tortures, and no longer able to speak or to use their voice, or to move themselves by way of resisting when in vain trying to force themselves to do so. For they have not even consented to their abominableness, as I have been told again by fellow ministers. Anyone, therefore, that lives publicly and privately in accordance with the rules of Timothy shall be placed in the rank of the Confessors, too. seeing that he obeys the one who says: "Pursue righteousness, piety, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the everlasting life, whereunto thou hast been called and hast confessed the good confession before many witnesses" (I Tim. 6:11-12).

15. No one shall find fault with us for observing Wednesday and Friday, on which we have been commanded to fast with good reason by tradition. On Wednesday owing to the council held by the Jews for the betrayal of the Lord; on Friday, owing to His having suffered for our sake. As for Sunday, on the other hand, we celebrate it as a joyous holiday because of His having risen from the dead, on which day we have not even received instruction to bend a knee.

All creatures of God are good and clean. For there is nothing useless or unclean that the Logos of God has made. "For we are a fragrance of Christ among the saved" says the Apostle (II Cor. 2:15). But inasmuch as the Devil’s arrows are various and versatile, and suffice to disturb the minds even of the most honest men, by inseminating them with cogitations of uncleanness and of pollution, let us proceed to dispel the Evil One’s delusion briefly, with the grace of our Savior, and bolster up the mind of simpler men. "Unto the pure all things are pure" (Titus 1:15): but the conscience and everything of the impure. I am moved to admiration by the Devils ingenuity, because though it breeds corruption and pestilence it suggests thoughts that seem to be pure, yet the result is rather an ambush than a test. For, as I said before, in order to occupy ascetics with, mannerly and salutary meditation, and appear in this respect to the winner, he nevertheless breeds such maggots as produce nothing good in life, but only empty argumentations and twaddle which one ought to forgo. For tell me, dear and most reverent friend, what sin or uncleanness is there in a natural excretion? It is as if one should find fault with mucus exuding from noses, and with the spittle expelled through the mouth. And we can say still more than this: the secretions of the stomach, which are necessary to the animal economy and to its vital processes. Furthermore, if we believe man to be a work of God’s hands, in accordance with the divine Scriptures, how could any work be polluted when made by a pure power And if we are a race or kindred of God (cf. Acts 17:28-29), as the divine Acts of the Apostles assert, we have nothing in us that is impure or unclean. For it is only then that we may be polluted when we perpetrate the foulest sin. But when any natural excretion occurs involuntarily, then, as we have said before, we must patiently put up with the necessity of nature. But simply because those who are inclined to dispute whatever is said aright, or rather done by God, are wont to cite a passage in the Gospel, on the ground that "it is not what goeth into the mouth that defiles a man, but that which cometh out" (Matt. 15:11), we must needs disprove also this illogicality (for we shall not call it an argumentation). For first of all, being unbolstered, they force the Scriptures to fit their ignorance. For the explanation of this divine assertion is as follows. Some men like these used to be in doubt about foods, and the Lord Himself, by way of exposing their ignorance, or, at any rate, making the deception patent to all, says that it is not what goes into a man that defiles him, or makes him unclean, but what comes out of him. Then he goes on to say from where it comes out, namely, from the heart. For there He knows the evil treasures of profane thoughts and of the other sins to be. The Apostle who has had it taught to him says more concisely: "Food commendeth us not to God" (I Cor. 8:8). But even now one might reasonably enough say that no natural excretion commends us to God for punishment. Even the children of physicians (to be ashamed of their externals) might counter to this that certain necessary passageways have been given to the animal for the purpose of enabling each of us to eliminate superfluous humors that accumulate in our members. Thus, for instance, the hairs of the head are superfluities, or excess baggage; and the aqueous ejections from the head, and the expulsions from the stomach, and above all the emissions of seminal passages. After all, what sort of things, for God, O most God-beloved old fellow, constitute the sinfulness when the Lord has created the animal such and has wanted to have it have such passages in its members’? But inasmuch as we have to anticipate the objections of the wicked ones (for one might say that even their true use is not a sin either if the organs have been formed by the Creator), for this purpose let us cease asking them questions. What use are you referring to? That in the Law which God allowed by saying: "Be fruitful, and multiply; and replenish the earth!" (Gen. 1:28), which the Apostle accepted when he said: "Marriage is honorable, and the bed un-defiled" (Heb. 13:4): or the popular kind, performed clandestinely and adulterously Since in other transactions in life too we shall find differences to occur in some way or another: for instance, it is not permissible to murder anyone (Exod. 20:13), yet in war it is praiseworthy and lawful to slay the adversaries. Thus at any rate those who have distinguished themselves in war are entitled to and are accorded great honors, and columns are erected in memory of them reciting their exploits. So that the same matter in some respect and at some time or other is not permitted, but in another respect and at some other time when there is a good occasion for it, may be allowed and permitted. The same argument holds also with regard to coition. Blessed is the man who in his youth having a free yoke employs his natural parts for the prudence of creating children. But if he employs them for licentious or lascivious purposes, he will receive the punishment prescribed by the Apostle for fornicators and adulterers (Heb. 13:4). For, there being two roads in life as regards these matters, the one a more moderate and helpful road conducive to life, that of marriage, I mean; the other one being angelic and unsurpassable, that of virginity; but if anyone should choose the mundane life, that is to say, the way of marriage, though he is not liable to censure or blame, he will not receive so many gracious gifts. For what he will receive when he bears frui