Letter 549: Theodore Studite, Letter 549; Greek heading: Μεθοδίῳ μονάζοντι.

However great a longing Your Honor has to see our lowliness, let it be supposed that ours toward conversation face to face is just as great. But since it is written that it is not of the one who wills, nor of the one who runs, but of the God who shows mercy, to him must this desire be entrusted and upon him the care be cast, and he himself will accomplish, whenever he also wills it, the will of those who fear him. For the present, however, it is necessary, concerning the chapters set forth by our spiritual brothers Hilarion and Eustratius, with your reverence acting as intermediary, to give the fitting replies. And in order that what is said may be readily surveyed, as each single chapter is set forth, so the reply will follow it in sequence. Question: Concerning the presbyters ordained in Rome, in Naples, and in Lombardy [Langobardia], unproclaimed and at large [that is, not formally announced and unattached to a fixed see], whether one ought to receive such men, and to commune with them, and to eat with them, and to pray with them. Answer: In a time of heresy things do not by every means come about, without exception, according to what was prescribed in time of peace, on account of the constraining necessity. This is plainly what both the most blessed Athanasius and the most holy Eusebius did, both of them having performed ordinations beyond their own borders [outside their proper jurisdiction]. And now the same thing is seen being done in the present heresy. So that those indicated, if they are not manifestly condemned, are by no means to be turned away because of having been thus ordained, but are to be received, in accordance with four propositions. Question: Concerning the presbyters ordained in exile in Sicily, whether one ought to receive these. Answer: This question, being like the one set forth before, even if it differs by a lower rank of place, will obviously have a like answer as well. Question: Concerning the churches that have been profaned by the priests who communed with the heresy and that are held by them, whether one ought to enter into them for the sake of prayer and psalmody. Answer: One ought not at all to enter into such churches in the manners mentioned, since it is written, "Your house is left to you desolate"; for as soon as the heresy is brought in, the guardian angel of that place flees away, according to the word of Basil the Great, and such a building takes on the character of a common house. "And I will not enter," it says, "into the church of evildoers"; and the Apostle: "What agreement has the temple of God with idols?" Question: Concerning the churches that have been profaned by these same priests but are not held by them, whether one ought to sing the psalms and pray in them. Answer: One ought indeed to enter into such churches to sing the psalms and to pray, but only if they are securely no longer defiled by the heretics, but are held by the orthodox forever. And here it has been prescribed by a bishop who has kept himself safe [that is, one who has not lapsed into the heresy] that the openings [the rite of reopening] of the church should take place with a prayer recited in a low voice; so that, if this is done, even the celebrating of the liturgy there is not out of tune. An example is that Saint Athanasius, when entreated by the emperor Constantius to grant this one favor, namely to hand over one church in Alexandria to the Arians for their assembly, consented, provided that in Constantinople he himself should receive the same favor, namely that the orthodox should assemble in one church already held by the Arians. Question: Concerning the saints in the body [the bodily relics of the saints], whether one ought to enter into their burial-places [koimeteria] and pray and venerate them, when these are held by the defiled priests. Answer: The canon does not permit, in accordance with what has been declared above, entering into such burial-places (for it is written, "Why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?"), unless out of necessity the entry should be made solely to kiss the relic of the saint. Question: Concerning those who received the monastic habit [schema] from the priests who communed with the heresy, how one ought to receive these. Answer: When they confess that they have sinned, and have been put under penance [epitimion] for some period of time, and then in this way receive the seal [sphragis, the rite of reconciliation] from a presbyter who has kept himself safe, they are to be received. Question: Concerning the monks and clerics who signed and communed in the same heresy, how one ought to receive these, whether without penance or with penance, if they confess that they will no longer exercise their priestly function; and whether it is permitted to us to assign penances to such men. Answer: It is clear that it is to be done with the appropriate penances; for how, if they are not displaying the fruits of repentance, would they be worthy to be joined to the orthodox body? And that you too should assign penances to such men is not to be denied; for it is written, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Question: Concerning the monks who indiscriminately associate with whomever they chance upon and who pray with them and eat with them, whether one ought to receive such men into table-fellowship and psalmody. Answer: Since the Apostle says that you are to withdraw "from every brother who walks in a disorderly manner and not according to the tradition which they received from us," how do you not also judge of yourselves what is good? If then they abstain from the sinful habit, both accepting it and the appropriate penance, they are to be received. But it must be observed who they are whom you call "those one chances upon" -- are they heretics, or men manifestly condemned for their manner of life? For concerning such men the Apostle says: "If anyone called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater," and so on, "with such a one do not even eat." Question: Concerning the presbyters who ate with the heretics once and twice but did not commune with them, or sign, or concelebrate, whether one ought to receive such men into table-fellowship and psalmody, without the seal or with the seal. Answer: Concerning such men it must be said: if the priests who ate did so with heretical priests, or with laymen, whether avowed [heretics], or men right-minded in faith but communing with the heretics (for the judgment is greater in the case of those who are ordained), then with noteworthy repentance both groups are to be received into communion with them, of salt [that is, of shared table] and of prayers and of the seal. Question: Concerning the laymen who signed in the heresy and commune, whether orthodox laymen ought to eat with such laymen. Answer: Indifference is the cause of evils; for they did not distinguish between the clean and the profane. One must therefore, if the orthodox are zealous, not admit such men into table-fellowship, unless first they have been put under penance for the wicked signature, and then have also abstained from the heretical communion. But since under circumstance, fleeing the dangers, some are defiled by heretical communion, those who confess the misadventure and repent are to be received into table-fellowship -- and this not indiscriminately, but according to some accommodation arising from the circumstance and bringing thereby gain to both parties, and not harm to the soul. Question: Concerning those who wish to be baptized, if no orthodox or blameless priest be found, whether one ought to be baptized by the priests who communed with the heresy, or by the unproclaimed ones, especially if death is pressing. Answer: Such a directive [typos] has been proclaimed here by confessor hierarchs and abbots: that the presbyters who have been barred from the liturgy on account of heretical communion be permitted, when no priest who has kept himself safe is to be found, both to baptize and to distribute the holy gifts -- consecrated beforehand by a priest who has not been corrupted -- and to give the habit of a monk, and to make the prayer at a funeral, and to read out the Gospel at matins, and to bless the water of the Theophany [Epiphany], as has been said, under the circumstance, so that the peoples may not remain altogether without hearing of the Gospel and unenlightened. If then this is agreeable to you, let such a directive prevail among you there also. Question: Concerning those who have made a schism and are running toward repentance, whether it is permitted to us to assign penances to such men, or to receive them. Answer: It has already been declared in what is above that one ought to assign them; and it is superfluous to circle around the same thing twice. Question: If a bishop, having fallen into a charge [an accusation], is deposed by a synod, then again after the deposition ordains a presbyter, and this same presbyter, coming to a monastery, receives from his own abbot a penance for a time, and after this exercises the priesthood, whether one ought to receive such a priest -- whether he is free from charge -- we ask to be instructed. Answer: Since the absurdity is evident, you ought not even to have inquired of us about such a charge; for Christ has said, "A corrupt tree cannot bear good fruit." So that, not only when put under penance by his own abbot, but even when put under penance by any holy man, such a one is debarred from celebrating the liturgy -- he is no priest, nor is the one who released him holy -- since in this way all the canonical injunctions would be overturned and would perish. Question: Concerning the presbyters ordained by orthodox men, who did not sign nor commune, but only ate together with Gregory the metropolitan. Answer: In what is above the discussion concerning this was already given. Whether, then, the table-fellowship took place with Gregory or with any whatever of the heterodox, by noteworthy repentance the one who shared the table is released from the charge -- not only with respect to table-fellowship with those who have kept guard, but also with respect to the priesthood of which they were deemed worthy. But the measure of the penance it is not possible to lay down definitely, on account of the quality both of the person and of the manner; so that it suffices for the one put under penance to be in penance for two or three forty-day periods [Lents]. Question: Concerning presbyters, likewise ordained by orthodox men, who through ignorance ate together with presbyters that had eaten with the same metropolitan. Answer: It is written, "Everything done in ignorance shall be cleansed"; so that they are free of all penance. Question: Concerning the orthodox presbyters, namely Hilarion and Eustratius the monk, whether they have authority to assign penances. Answer: It has been said before, in what is above, that one ought to assign them. But since the question implies whether even one who does not have the priesthood ought to assign them, owing to the scarcity of presbyters and the faith of the one approaching, it is not outside what is fitting that even a simple monk assign penances. Question: Concerning a monk who through ignorance received the sacred habit from a presbyter ordained by one who had been deposed. Answer: It has been said in another chapter that everything done in ignorance shall be cleansed. And it is not permitted to turn away from table-fellowship with such a one, and in other cases the accommodation, doing likewise also friendship. These things we have unfolded to you, as to one of one soul with us and a fellow-laborer, so far as was attainable; and may you yourself impart them securely to the brothers who inquired. For the faith is not of all men, nor have such matters been expounded to many -- not only on account of the folly of those who have acted lawlessly, but also on account of the trials brought by those in power. And in return for the many fine offerings the most reverent men have sent, may they be repaid by God with the worthy recompense -- and here are these two little soft things [trifling gifts] as a memorial of friendship. Be well in the Lord, most honored ones, praying on behalf of us sinners for what is better and conducive to salvation.

Ὅσην ἔχει ἐπιποθίαν ἡ τιμιότης σου ἰδεῖν τὴν ταπείνωσιν ἡμῶν, τοσαύτην οἰέσθω καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν εἶναι πρὸς τὴν κατ' ὀφθαλμοὺς ὁμιλίαν. ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ γέγραπται, οὐ τοῦ θέλοντος οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐλεοῦντος θεοῦ, αὐτῷ ἀναθετέον τὸν πόθον καὶ ἐπιρριπτέον τὴν μέριμναν, καὶ αὐτὸς ποιήσει, ὁπηνίκα καὶ βούληται, θέλημα τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτόν· τὸ δὲ νῦν ἔχον ἀναγκαῖον περὶ τῶν προταθέντων κεφαλαίων ὑπὸ τῶν πνευματικῶν ἡμῶν ἀδελφῶν Ἱλαρίωνός τε καὶ Εὐστρατίου, μεσολαβούσης τῆς σῆς εὐλαβείας, ἀποκριθῆναι τὰ εἰκότα. ὡς ἂν δὲ εὐσύνοπτα γένηται τὰ λεγόμενα, ἑνὸς ἑκάστου προταθέντος κεφαλαίου κατὰ συνέχειαν καὶ ἡ ἀπόκρισις εἶεν. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν χειροτονηθέντων πρεσβυτέρων ἐν Ῥώμῃ, ἐν Νεαπόλει καὶ ἐν Λαγγιβαρδίᾳ ἀκηρύκτων καὶ ἀπολελυμένων, εἰ χρὴ τοὺς τοιούτους δέχεσθαι καὶ κοινωνεῖν αὐτοῖς καὶ συνεσθίειν καὶ συνεύχεσθαι. Ἀπόκρισις. ἐν καιρῷ αἱρέσεως οὐ κατὰ τὰ ἐν εἰρήνῃ τυπωθέντα πάντως ἀπαραλείπτως γίνεται διὰ τὴν ἀναγκάζουσαν χρείαν, ὅπερ φαίνεται πεποιηκὼς ὅ τε μακαριώτατος Ἀθανάσιος καὶ ὁ ἁγιώτατος Εὐσέβιος, ὑπερορίους χειροτονίας ἀμφότεροι ποιησάμενοι. καὶ νῦν δὲ τὸ αὐτὸ ὁρᾶται πραττόμενον ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ αἱρέσει. ὥστε οἱ ὑποδηλωθέντες, εἰ οὐ προδήλως εἰσὶ κατεγνωσμένοι, οὐδαμῶς ἐκ τοῦ οὕτως χειροτονηθῆναι ἀποτροπιαῖοι, ἀλλὰ προσδεκτέοι κατὰ τέσσαρας προτάσεις. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν χειροτονηθέντων πρεσβυτέρων ὑπερορίᾳ ἐν Σικελίᾳ, εἰ χρὴ τούτους δέχεσθαι. Ἀπόκρισις. τοῦτο τὸ ἐρώτημα, ὅμοιον τοῦ προτεθέντος, εἰ καὶ καθ' ὕφεσιν τόπου ἀνομοιοῦν, ὁμοίαν δῆλον ὅτι ἕξει καὶ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν κοινωθέντων ἐκκλησιῶν ἐκ τῶν ἱερέων τῶν κοινωνησάντων τῇ αἱρέσει καὶ κατεχομένων ὑπ' αὐτῶν, εἰ χρὴ ἐν αὐταῖς εἰσιέναι χάριν εὐχῆς καὶ ψαλμῳδίας. Ἀπόκρισις. οὐ χρὴ τὸ καθόλου εἰς τὰς τοιαύτας ἐκκλησίας εἰσιέναι κατὰ τοὺς εἰρημένους τρόπους, ἐπειδὴ γέγραπται, ἀφίεται ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος· ἅμα γὰρ τοῦ εἰσαχθῆναι τὴν αἵρεσιν ἀπέπτη ὁ ἔφορος τῶν ἐκεῖσε ἄγγελος κατὰ τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ Μεγάλου Βασιλείου καὶ κοινὸς οἶκος ὁ τοιόσδε χρηματίζει ναός. καὶ οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθω, φησίν, εἰς ἐκκλησίαν πονηρευομένων· καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος· τίς συγκατάθεσις ναῷ θεοῦ μετὰ εἰδώλων; Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν κοινωθέντων ἐκκλησιῶν ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν ἱερέων καὶ μὴ κατεχομένων ὑπ' αὐτῶν, εἰ χρὴ ἐν αὐταῖς ψάλλειν καὶ εὔχεσθαι. Ἀπόκρισις. χρὴ μὲν οὖν εἰσιέναι ἐν ταῖς τοιαύταις ἐκκλησίαις εἰς τὸ ψάλλειν καὶ εὔχεσθαι, ἀλλ' εἴπερ ἀσφαλῶς μηκέτι χραίνονται ὑπὸ τῶν αἱρετικῶν, ἀλλὰ κατέχονται ὑπὸ τῶν ὀρθοδόξων εἰς τὸ ἀεί. τετύπωται δὲ ἐνταῦθα ὑπὸ σεσωσμένου ἐπισκόπου τὰ ἀνοίξια τῆς ἐκκλησίας γίνεσθαι, ὑποφωνουμένης εὐχῆς· ὥστε, εἰ τοῦτο γένοιτο, καὶ τοῦ λειτουργεῖν ἐκεῖσε οὐκ ἀπᾷδον. παράδειγμα, τὸ τὸν Ἅγιον Ἀθανάσιον, ὑπὸ Κωνσταντίου τοῦ βασιλέως παρακαλούμενον μίαν ταύτην χάριν παρασχέσθαι, τοῦ ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ ἕνα ναὸν παραδοῦναι τοῖς Ἀρειανοῖς εἰς τὸ συνάγεσθαι, κατανεῦσαι, ἄνπερ ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει λήψοιτο καὐτὸς τὴν αὐτὴν χάριν, τοῦ συνάγεσθαι τοὺς ὀρθοδόξους ἐν ἑνὶ ναῷ προκατεχομένῳ ὑπὸ Ἀρειανῶν. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν ἐν σώματι ἁγίων, εἰ χρὴ εἰσιέναι εἰς τὰ κοιμητήρια αὐτῶν καὶ εὔχεσθαι καὶ προσκυνεῖν αὐτοῖς, κατεχομένων ὑπὸ τῶν μιανθέντων ἱερέων. Ἀπόκρισις. οὐ παραχωρεῖ ὁ κανὼν κατὰ τὰ προδηλωθέντα εἰσιέναι εἰς τὰ τοιαῦτα κοιμητήρια (γέγραπται γάρ, ἱνατί ἡ ἐλευθερία μου κρίνεται ὑπὸ ἄλλης συνειδήσεως;), εἰ μή τι ἂν ἐξ ἀνάγκης κατὰ μόνον τὸ ἀσπάσασθαι τὸ τοῦ ἁγίου λείψανον ἡ εἴσοδος γένοιτο. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν λαβόντων τὸ μοναχικὸν σχῆμα ἐκ τῶν κοινωθέντων ἱερέων, πῶς χρὴ τούτους δέχεσθαι. Ἀπόκρισις. ὁμολογοῦντας ἡμαρτηκέναι καὶ ἐπιτιμηθέντας χρόνῳ τινί, εἶθ' οὕτως σφραγῖδα δεχομένους παρὰ σεσωσμένου πρεσβυτέρου προσδεκτέον. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν ὑπογραψάντων καὶ κοινωνησάντων μοναχῶν καὶ κληρικῶν ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ αἱρέσει, πῶς χρὴ τούτους δέχεσθαι, χωρὶς ἐπιτιμίου ἢ μετὰ ἐπιτιμίου, ἐὰν ὁμολογῶσιν μηκέτι ἐνεργεῖν ἐν τῇ ἱερατείᾳ· καὶ εἰ ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν διδεῖν ἐπιτίμια τοῖς τοιούτοις. Ἀπόκρισις. δῆλον ὅτι μετὰ τῶν προσηκόντων ἐπιτιμίων· πῶς γὰρ ἄν μὴ τοὺς καρποὺς τῆς μετανοίας ἐπιδεικνύμενοι εἶεν ἄξιοι συναφθῆναι τῷ ὀρθοδόξῳ σώματι; διδεῖν δὲ καὶ ὑμᾶς ἐπιτίμια τοῖς τοιούτοις οὐκ ἀποκριτέον· γέγραπται γάρ, ἀλλήλων τὰ βάρη βαστάζετε καὶ οὕτως ἀναπληρώσατε τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν μοναχῶν τῶν ἀδιαφόρως παραβαλλόντων τοῖς τυχοῦσι καὶ συνευχομένοις καὶ συνεσθίουσιν αὐτοῖς, εἰ χρὴ δέχεσθαι τοὺς τοιούτους εἰς συνεστίασιν καὶ ψαλμῳδίαν. Ἀπόκρισις. τοῦ ἀποστόλου λέγοντος, στέλλεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀδελφοῦ ἀτάκτως περιπατοῦντος καὶ μὴ κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν ἣν παρέλαβον παρ' ἡμῶν, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν τὸ καλὸν κρίνετε; εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀπόσχοιντο τῆς ἐφαμάρτου συνηθείας καταδεχόμενοί τε καὶ ἐπιτιμίαν τὴν προσήκουσαν, δεκτέοι. ἐπιτηρητέον δέ, τίνες εἰσὶν οὓς φῆτε "4τυχόντας"5, ἆρα αἱρετικοὶ ἢ προδήλως κατεγνωσμένοι ἐπὶ τοῦ βίου; περὶ τῶν τοιούτων γὰρ φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος· ἐάν τις ἀδελφὸς ὀνομαζόμενος πόρνος ἢ πλεονέκτης ἤ εἰδωλολάτρης καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, τῷ τοιούτῳ μηδὲ συνεσθίειν. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τῶν βεβρωκότων μετὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς καὶ μὴ κοινωνησάντων ἢ ὑπογραψάντων ἢ συλλειτουργησάντων, εἰ χρὴ τοὺς τοιούτους δέχεσθαι εἰς συνεστίασιν καὶ ψαλμῳδίαν, χωρὶς σφαγῖδος ἢ μετὰ σφραγῖδος. Ἀπόκρισις. ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων ῥητέον· εἰ οἱ βεβρωκότες ἱερεῖς μετὰ ἱερέων αἱρετικῶν ἢ λαϊκῶν ἔφαγον καὶ ὁμολογουμένων ἤ, ὀρθοφρονούτων μέν, κοινωνούντων δὲ τοῖς αἱρετικοῖς (μεῖζον γὰρ τὸ κρίμα ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερωμένων), μετανοίᾳ δὲ ἀξιολόγῳ ἑκατέρους προσδεκτέον κοινωνῆσαι αὐτοῖς ἁλῶν τε καὶ προσευχῶν καὶ σφαγῖδος. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν ὑπογραψάντων κοσμικῶν ἐν τῇ αἱρέσει καὶ κοινωνούντων, εἰ χρὴ τοῖς τοιούτοις κοσμικοῖς ὀρθοδόξους κοσμικοὺς συνεσθίειν. Ἀπόκρισις. ἡ ἀδιαφορία τῶν κακῶν τὸ αἴτιον· ἀνὰ μέσον γὰρ καθαροῦ καὶ βεβήλου οὐ διέστελλον. χρὴ οὖν, εἴπερ ζηλωταί εἰσιν οἱ ὀρθοδοξοῦντες, μὴ προσίεσθαι τοὺς τοιούτους εἰς συνεστίασιν, εἰ μὴ πρότερον ὑπὲρ τῆς πονηρᾶς ὑπογραφῆς ἐπιτιμηθεῖεν, εἶτα καὶ ἀπόσχοιντο τῆς αἱρετικῆς κοινωνίας. ἐπειδὴ δὲ κατὰ περίστασιν, φεύγοντες τοὺς κινδύνους, χραίνονται τῇ αἱρετικῇ κοινωνίᾳ τινές, ὁμολογοῦντας τὴν περιπέτειαν καὶ μετανοοῦντας προσδεκτέον εἰς συνεστίασιν, καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀδιαφόρως, ἀλλὰ κατά τινα σύμβασιν περιστατικὴν καὶ φέρουσαν ἐντεῦθεν κέρδος ἀμφοτέροις, ἀλλ' οὐ ζημίαν ψυχικήν. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν θελόντων βαπτισθῆναι, ἐὰν μὴ εὑρεθῇ ὀρθόδοξος ἱερεὺς ἢ ἄμεμπτος, εἰ χρὴ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπὸ τῶν κοινωθέντων ἱερέων ἢ ἀκηρύκτων, μάλιστα ἐὰν θάνατος κατεπείγῃ. Ἀπόκρισις. τύπος τοιοῦτος ἐξεφωνήθη ἐνταῦθα παρά τε ὁμολογητῶν ἱεραρχῶν τε καὶ καθηγουμένων, τοὺς εἰργμένους πρεσβυτέρους τῆς λειτουργίας διὰ τὴν αἱρετικὴν κοινωνίαν συγχωρεῖσθαι, μὴ εὑρισκομένου σεσωσμένου ἱερέως, καὶ βαπτίζειν καὶ μεταδιδόναι τῶν ἁγιασμάτων, προτετελεσμένων ἐξ ἀκρατήτου ἱερέως, σχῆμά τε διδόναι μοναχοῦ, εὐχήν τε ποιεῖν ἐπὶ ἐκκομιδῆς, εὐαγγέλιόν τε ἐκφωνεῖν ἐπὶ ὄρθρου καὶ τὸ τῶν Θεοφανίων ὕδωρ εὐλογεῖν, ὡς εἴρηται, κατὰ περίστασιν διὰ τὸ μὴ ἐναπομένειν τοὺς λαοὺς παντάπασιν ἀνηκόους τοῦ εὐαγγελίου καὶ ἀφωτίστους. εἰ οὖν συναρέσκει ὑμῖν, κρατείτω ὁ τοιοῦτος τύπος καὶ ἐν τοῖς αὐτόθι. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν ἀποσχισάντων καὶ τῇ μετανοίᾳ προστρεχόντων, εἰ ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐπιτίμια διδόναι ἢ δέχεσθαι αὐτούς. Ἀπόκρισις. ἤδη ἐν τοῖς ἀνωτέρω δεδήλωται ὅτι χρὴ διδόναι· καὶ παρέλκον δὶς τὸ αὐτὸ ἐπικυκλοῦν. Ἐρώτησις. ἐὰν ἐπίσκοπος, εἰς ἔγκλημα περιπεσών, ὑπὸ συνόδου καθαιρεθῇ, εἶτα πάλιν μετὰ καθαίρεσιν χειροτονήσῃ πρεσβύτερον, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς πρεσβύτερος, ἐν μοναστηρίῳ παραγενόμενος, ὑπὸ τοῦ ἰδίου ἡγουμένου δέξηται ἐπιτίμιον πρὸς χρόνον καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐνεργῇ ἐν τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ, εἰ χρὴ δέχεσθαι τὸν τοιοῦτον ἱερέα, εἰ ἀνέγκλητόν ἐστι, διδαχθῆναι δεόμεθα. Ἀπόκρισις. προφανοῦς οὔσης τῆς ἀτοπίας, οὐδὲ ἐπερωτῆσαι ὑμᾶς ἐχρῆν περὶ τοῦ τοιούτου ἐγκλήματος· εἴρηκε γὰρ ὁ Χριστός, οὐ δύναται σαπρὸν δένδρον καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖν. ὥστε οὐχ ὅτι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἰδίου ἡγουμένου ἀλλὰ κἂν ὑπὸ ἁγίου τινὸς ἐπιτιμηθεὶς ὁ τοιοῦτος ἀπολέλυται τοῦ λειτουργεῖν, οὐχ ἱερεὺς οὐδὲ ὁ λύσας ἅγιος, ἐπεὶ οὕτω περιτραπήσεται πάντα κανονικὰ παραγγέλματα καὶ οἰχήσεται. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τῶν ὑπὸ ὀρθοδόξων χειροτονηθέντων, μὴ ὑπογραψάντων δὲ μηδὲ κοινωνησάντων, συμφαγόντων δὲ μόνον μετὰ Γρηγορίου τοῦ μητροπολίτου. Ἀπόκρισις. ἐν τοῖς ἀνωτέρω προαπεδόθη ὁ περὶ τούτου λόγος. εἴτε οὖν μετὰ Γρηγορίου εἴτε μεθ' οἱουδήποτε τῶν ἑτεροδόξων ἡ συνεστίασις γέγονε, μετανοίᾳ ἀξιολόγῳ ὁ συνεστιαθεὶς τοῦ ἐγκλήματος ἀπολέλυται, οὐ μόνον πρὸς συνεστίασιν τῶν πεφυλαγμένων, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἣν ἠξιώθησαν ἱερωσύνην. τὸ δὲ μέτρον τοῦ ἐπιτιμίου οὐ δυνατὸν ὡρισμένως ὑποβάλλειν διὰ ποιότητα καὶ προσώπου καὶ τρόπου· ὥστε ἐν δυσὶν ἢ τρισὶ τεσσαρακοσταῖς ἀρκεῖσθαι τὸν ἐπιτιμηθέντα. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ πρεσβυτέρων, ὁμοίως ὑπὸ ὀρθοδόξων χειροτονηθέντων καὶ κατὰ ἄγνοιαν συμφαγόντων μετὰ πρεσβυτέρων βεβρωκότων μετὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ μητροπολίτου. Ἀπόκρισις. γέγραπται, πᾶν τὸ ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ καθαρισθήσεται· ὥστε ἀνένοχοί εἰσι παντὸς ἐπιτιμίου. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ πρεσβυτέρων ὀρθοδόξων, ἤγουν Ἱλαρίωνος καὶ Εὐστρατίου μοναχοῦ, ἂν ἔχωσιν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ διδόναι ἐπιτίμια. Ἀπόκρισις. προείρηται κἀν τοῖς ἀνωτέρω ὅτι χρὴ διδόναι. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐμφαίνει ἡ ἐρώτησις εἰ δεῖ καὶ τὸν μὴ ἔχοντα ἱερωσύνην διδόναι κατὰ ἀπορίαν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ πίστιν τοῦ προσιόντος, οὐκ ἔξω τοῦ εἰκότος καὶ τὸν ἁπλῶς μοναχὸν ἐπιτίμια διδόναι. Ἐρώτησις. περὶ μονάζοντος, τοῦ λαβόντος τὸ ἱερὸν σχῆμα κατὰ ἄγνοιαν ἀπὸ πρεσβυτέρου χειροτονηθέντος ὑπὸ καθῃρημένου. Ἀπόκρισις. εἴρηται ἐν ἑτέρῳ κεφαλαίῳ ὅτι πᾶν τὸ κατὰ ἄγνοιαν καθαρισθήσεται. καὶ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἀποστρέφεσθαι τὴν μετὰ τοῦ τοιούτου συνεστίασιν καὶ ἐπὶ ἄλλων τὴν σύμβασιν, ποιούντων ὁμοίως καὶ φιλίαν. Ταῦτά σοι μὲν ὡς συμψύχῳ καὶ συμπόνῳ ἡμεῖς κατὰ τὸ ἐφικτὸν ἀνεπτύξαμεν, αὐτὸς δὲ μεταδοίης ἀσφαλῶς τοῖς ἐπερωτήσασιν ἀδελφοῖς· οὐ γὰρ πάντων ἡ πίστις οὐδὲ πολλοῖς ἐκπέφρασται τὰ τοιάδε, οὐ μόνον διὰ τὴν ἄνοιαν τῶν ἀνομησάντων, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τοὺς πειρασμοὺς τῶν κρατούντων. ἀνθ' ὧν δὲ οἱ εὐλαβέστατοι ἀπεστάλκασιν ἀποστολῶν πολλῶν τε καὶ καλῶν ἀμείψοιντο παρὰ θεοῦ τὴν ἀξίαν μισθαποδοσίαν καὶ τάδε δύο μαλακίσκια εἰς ὑπόμνημα φιλίας. ἔρρωσθε ἐν Κυρίῳ, τιμιώτατοι, προσευχόμενοι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν τὰ κρείττονα καὶ ἐχόμενα σωτηρίας.