Letter 489: Theodore Studite, Letter 489; Greek heading: Γρηγορίῳ τέκνῳ.

I rejoiced at your letter, beloved child, both because the journey of those in the city [Constantinople] went pleasantly and because you have recovered your health, together with brother Zosimas, by means of the bloodletting, and because the rest of your affairs turned out according to your purpose. But concerning the propositions put forward by the guest-master [xenodochos, the monk in charge of receiving guests], why did you seek a further clarification from us, when you had already answered him with discernment according to the teaching of the God-bearing Fathers? We have nothing more to say than your own rejoinders. Those who pose these questions, it seems, are talking idly and are not lovers of learning; nevertheless, since it has been written, being ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you for a reason concerning the hope that is in you [cf. 1 Peter 3:15], we too answer thus. The monastic habit is the profession of virginity and is a mystery of monastic perfection, according to the words of the divine and all-wise Dionysius [Dionysius the Areopagite, author of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy]. And for certain people to say, "From where has it been handed down that one renounces the world and becomes a monk?" is to say nothing other than "From where has it been handed down that anyone becomes a Christian?" For he who first laid down ordinances by apostolic tradition also delivered the second, having set forth six mysteries: first concerning illumination [baptism], second concerning the synaxis, that is, communion, third concerning the rite of the holy chrism [myron], fourth concerning priestly perfections [ordinations], fifth concerning monastic perfection, sixth concerning those who have holily fallen asleep [the rites for the dead]. What, then, is to be said about this? That whoever disputes about one of the things mentioned plainly also casts doubt upon the others as not being divinely handed down; and by the abolition of the one, the rest too are of necessity abolished along with it; and there would be neither illumination, nor synaxis, nor the divine chrism, nor priestly perfection, nor the rite for those who have holily fallen asleep, if indeed monastic perfection is not present, and we are heathen-minded, being atheists in the world and having no hope [cf. Ephesians 2:12]. Such is the man who introduces the proposition, namely, from where it has been received that a person should live as a monk. And I do not yet say that all the most eminent of the God-bearing Fathers both became monks and extol the monastic life as angelic; to which their writings that set forth the pattern of the sacred life also bear witness. And if anyone has a mind, he will surely find that the divine Dionysius himself, corresponding to the angelic orders and the priestly ranks and those outside the priesthood, assigned them in equal number to three orders: the first and introductory, of those still being brought to birth, that is, the catechumens; the second, of the illumined; and the third, of those being perfected in the monastic manner. And to contend against things that are plain is the mark of the senseless or of the unbaptized. The second problem concerns infants: "Saint Basil," he says, "in the canons permits those coming to the lawful age, if they cannot bear the yoke of the life in virginity, to lay aside the habit." It is not so; but rather, having legislated all things in all respects by the divine Spirit and unto the salvation of the world, and in such a way that nothing better could be devised to come into being even if certain foolish persons attempt to legislate things they suppose superior, he himself also legislated concerning those who from their earliest age come to those who have undertaken the office of governance. The book makes it clear, and to state it word for word here is not feasible, except that after the completion of the term, that is, from sixteen years of age and beyond, after which also, as he himself says, honors and punishments concerning them ought to be brought into reckoning, he commanded that they be joined to the brotherhoods through monastic perfection. And from that time, he ordered that for those who would transfer over to the communal [secular] life out of an evil overturning, not even a door be opened to them upon any bare pretext, that is, to return to the things from which they withdrew. But within the aforesaid year [before age sixteen], if they do not choose the life in virginity, or even choose it but are not willing to be fully made ready for the monastic life, he ordered that they be dismissed and sent away to the communal [secular] life, so that no reproaches be fastened upon the sacred life through such failures. But since these things are by no means done by some people as has been commanded, but they tonsure them from infancy or even at the lawful age, yet not lawfully and with due preparation, on this account the things above have been turned below, and both priest and prophet have lost their senses, as it is written, and the tradition of ten thousand glories and the self-judged legislation are followed not out of love of God but out of love of money, nor for the sake of salvation but for the sake of love of gain. And to these things I, the wretched one, have nothing to answer except to groan and to be downcast and to bewail my own sins. But may you be saved, beloved child.

Ἐχάρην ἐπὶ τῷ γράμματί σου, τέκνον ἠγαπημένον, ὅτι καὶ ἀστεία ἡ ὁδὸς τῶν ἐν ἄστει καὶ ὑγείαν προσελάβου ἅμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ Ζωσιμᾷ διὰ τῆς ἀφαιμάξεως καὶ τἆλλα ὑμῖν ὅτι κατὰ σκοπὸν ἀπέβη. ἐπὶ δὲ ταῖς παρὰ τοῦ ξενοδόχου προτάσεσι, τί ὅτι παρ' ἡμῶν ἐπεζήτησας ἔτι διασάφησιν, ἐγκεκριμένως ἀποκριθεὶς αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν τῶν θεοφόρων πατέρων διδασκαλίαν; οὐδὲν περισσότερον ἔχομεν λέγειν τῶν σῶν ἀντιπαραστάσεων. εἰκαιολογοῦσι δέ, ὡς ἔοικε, καὶ οὐ φιλομαθοῦσιν οἱ ἐπερωτῶντες· ὅμως ἐπειδὴ γέγραπται, ἕτοιμοι ὄντες πρὸς ἀπολογίαν παντὶ τῷ αἰτοῦντι ὑμᾶς λόγον περὶ τῆς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐλπίδος, ἀποκρινόμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς τάδε. Τὸ τῶν μοναχῶν σχῆμα παρθενίας ἐστὶν ἐπάγγελμα καὶ μυστήριόν ἐστι μοναχικῆς τελειώσεως κατὰ τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ θείου καὶ πανσόφου Διονυσίου. καὶ τὸ λέγειν τινὰς τὸ "4πόθεν παρεδόθη τὸ ἀποτάσσεσθαι καὶ γίνεσθαι μοναχόν;"5 οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν εἰπεῖν ἢ ὅτι "4πόθεν παρεδόθη γίνεσθαί τινα χριστιανόν;"5 ὁ γὰρ τὸ πρότερον θεσμοθετήσας ἀποστολικῇ παραδόσει καὶ τὸ δεύτερον ἐξέδωκεν, ἓξ μυστήρια ἐκτεθεικώς, πρῶτον περὶ φωτίσματος, δεύτερον περὶ συνάξεως εἴτουν κοινωνίας, τρίτον περὶ τελετῆς μύρου, τέταρτον περὶ ἱερατικῶν τελειώσεων, πέμπτον περὶ μοναχικῆς τελειώσεως, ἕκτον περὶ τῶν ἱερῶς κεκοιμημένων. τί οὖν ἔστιν εἰπεῖν ἐν τούτοι; ὅτι ὁ ἀμφισβητῶν περὶ ἓν τῶν εἰρημένων ἀμφιβάλλει δῆλον ὅτι καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων μὴ θεοπαραδότως ἔχειν καὶ τῇ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀναιρέσει συνανῄρηται ἐξ ἀναγκαίου καὶ τὰ λοιπά· καὶ οὔτε φώτισμα οὔτε σύναξις οὔτε θεῖον μύρον οὔτε ἱερατικὴ τελείωσις οὔτε τῶν ἱερῶς κεκοιμημένων διατύπωσις εἶεν ἄν, εἴπερ μὴ πάρεστιν ἡ μοναχικὴ τελείωσις, καὶ ἐσμὲν ἐθνόφρονες, ἄθεοι ὄντες ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ ἐλπίδα μὴ ἔχοντες. τοιοῦτός ἐστιν ὁ τὴν πρότασιν εἰσάγων, τὸ πόθεν παρείληπται μονάζειν ἄνθρωπον. καὶ οὔπω λέγω ὅτι καὶ πάντες οἱ ἔξοχοι τῶν θεοφόρων πατέρων καὶ μονασταὶ γεγόνασι καὶ τὸν μοναδικὸν βίον ὡς ἀγγελικὸν ἐκθειάζουσιν· πρὸς ὧν καὶ τὰ διατυπωτικὰ τῆς ἱερᾶς ζωῆς συγγράμματα. εἰ δέ τινι νοῦς πάρεστι, πάντως εὑρήσει καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν θεῖον Διονύσιον πῶς κατὰ τοὺς ἀγγελικοὺς διακόσμους καὶ τοὺς ἱερατικοὺς βαθμοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἔξω ἱερωσύνης ἰσαρίθμως τρισὶ τάξεσιν ἀπένειμεν, πρώτην καὶ εἰσαγωγικὴν τῶν ἔτι μαιευομένων, ἤτοι κατηχουμένων, δευτέραν τῶν πεφωτισμένων καὶ τρίτην τῶν μοναχικῶς τελειουμένων· καὶ τὸ τοῖς ἐναργέσι μάχεσθαι ἀναισθήτων ἐστὶν ἢ ἀβαπτίστων. Τὸ δεύτερον πρόβλημα περὶ τῶν νηπίων, "4ὅτι"5, φησίν, "4ὁ Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ἐν τοῖς κανόσιν ἐπιτρέπει ἐρχόμενα εἰς τὴν ἔννομον ἡλικίαν, εἰ μὴ φέροιεν τὸν ζυγὸν τῆς ἐν παρθενίᾳ ζωῆς, ἀποσχηματίζεσθαι"5. οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ νομοθετήσας πάντα ἐν πᾶσι θείῳ πνεύματι καὶ σωτηρίως τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἂν ἐπινοηθεῖεν βελτιώτερόν τι γίνεσθαι, κἄν τινες ἀφρονεύοντες πειρῶνται τὰ κρείττονα νομοθετεῖν· αὐτὸς καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀπὸ πρώτης ἡλικίας προσερχομένων τοῖς ἀναδεδεγμένοις τὸν τῆς ἡγεμονίας θεσμὸν νενομοθέτηκεν· καὶ ἡ βίβλος δηλοῖ καὶ τὸ καθ' ἔπος λέγειν ἐνταῦθα οὐκ ἐπαρκές, πλὴν ὅτι μετὰ τὴν συμπλήρωσιν τοῦ λόγου, ἤγουν ἀπὸ ἑξκαιδεκαετίας καὶ πρός, μεθ' ὃν καὶ τιμαὶ καὶ τιμωρίαι, ὥς φησιν αὐτός, περὶ αὐτῶν ἐγκρίνεσθαι δεῖν, καὶ συνάπτεσθαι ταῖς ἀδελφότησιν διὰ τῆς μοναχικῆς τελειώσεως προστέταχε. καὶ ἔκτοτε μετατιθεμένους πρὸς τὸν κοινωνικὸν βίον ἐξ ἀνατροπῆς πονηρᾶς μηδὲ θύραν ἀνοίγεσθαι αὐτοῖς κατὰ ψιλὴν περίοδον ἐξ ὧν ἀπέστησαν κεκέλευκεν· ἔνδοθεν δὲ τοῦ προειρημένου ἔτους, εἰ μὴ αἱρουμένους τὸν ἐν παρθενίᾳ βίον, ἢ καὶ αἱρουμένους ἀλλὰ μὴ θέλοντας κατηρτισθῆναι πρὸς τὴν μοναχικὴν ζωήν, ἀποκρίνεσθαι καὶ ἀποπέμπεσθαι εἰς τὸν κοινωνικὸν βίον, ὡς μὴ ὀνείδη ἀνάπτεσθαι ταῖς ἀποτυχίαις τῷ ἱερῷ βίῳ. Ταῦτα δέ, ἐπεὶ οὐ πάντως γίνονται ἔν τισι καθὰ ἐντέταλται, ἀλλὰ ἀποκείρουσι νηπιόθεν ἢ καὶ κατὰ ἡλικίαν ἔννομον, ἀλλ' οὐ νομίμως καὶ κατηρτισμένως, διὰ τοῦτο τὰ ἄνω κάτω καὶ ἱερεὺς καὶ προφήτης ἐξέστησαν κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον καὶ μυριόδοξος παράδοσις καὶ αὐτόκριτος νομοθεσία οὐ διὰ θεοφιλίαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ φιλαργυρίαν, οὐδὲ διὰ σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ φιλοκερδίαν. καὶ πρὸς ταῦτα ἐγὼ ὁ τάλας ἀποκρίνεσθαι οὐκ ἔχω ἢ στένειν καὶ σκυθρωπάζειν καὶ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἁμαρτίας ἀποκλαίειν· σὺ δὲ σωθείης, τέκνον ἠγαπημένον.