Letters 198–201

To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata. 1. After the letter brought to us by the officials, I received one other, sent to us later. We ourselves have not written many letters, because we did not find people travelling to you, but more than four, among which we also sent, sealed, the letters brought to us from Samosata after the first letter of your piety, to the most revered brother Leontius, the tax assessor of Nicaea, asking that through him they be conveyed to the man who looks after the house of the most revered brother Sophronius, so that he might take care of their delivery to you. Since, then, the letters pass through many hands, it is likely that the business or carelessness of one person has been the reason why your reverence has not received them. So pardon, we beg you, the scarcity of letters. As to our not having sent one of our own people, when we ought to have, you rightly, with your intelligence, asked for it and reproached us; but know that the winter here has been so severe that all the roads were closed until the days of Easter, and we had no one with the courage to face the hardships of the road. For even if our clergy seems in some way numerous, they are men without practice in journeys, because they neither trade nor choose to live away from home, but most of them follow sedentary crafts, from which they have the means of their daily living. So we sent for this brother, whom we have now sent to your reverence, from the country, and have used him for the letter to your holiness, so that he may report our affairs clearly and bring back yours to us clearly and quickly, by the grace of God. And our most beloved brother Eusebius the reader, who has long been eager to go to your piety, we held back, waiting for mild weather … 2. As for the innovations in the East, it is superfluous for us to report them by letter, since the brothers themselves can tell them exactly. But know, my most honoured head, that when I was writing this I was in so bad a state that all my hopes of living had now failed me. For it is not even possible to count the number of the symptoms that came upon me, the weakness, the greatness of the fevers, and how malignant they were; except that the sum of it all is that we are now completing the time of our sojourn in this wretched and painful life. [Letter 199] To Amphilochius, on the canons. Having long ago answered the questions put to us by your reverence, I did not send the letter, being hindered partly by my long and dangerous illness and partly by the lack of people to serve as messengers. For few among us are experienced in travel and ready for such services. So, having learned the reasons for the delay, grant us pardon. We admired your love of learning together with your humility: that you consent to learn, though you have been entrusted with the rank of teacher, and to learn from us, who have nothing great in the way of knowledge. Yet since, for the fear of God, you consent to do a thing not easily done by another, we too must serve your eagerness and … 17. You asked us about Bianor the presbyter, whether he is admissible to the clergy because of his oath. I know that I have already set out a common rule concerning all those who swore with him, for the clergy of Antioch: that they abstain from the public assemblies, but act privately as presbyters. This same thing also gives him freedom for his own ministry, because his priesthood is not at Antioch but at Iconium, which, as you yourself wrote to us, he took in exchange for Antioch as his place of residence. That man, then, is admissible, on being required by your reverence to repent of the readiness with which he swore the oath before the unbelieving man, not being able to bear the trouble of that small danger. 18. Concerning fallen virgins, who professed to the Lord the life of chastity and then, falling under the passions of the flesh, set aside their agreements: our fathers, simply and gently accommodating the weaknesses of those who slip, made a rule that they should be admissible after a year, ordering it on the pattern of the twice-married. But it seems to me that, since by the grace of God the church, as it advances, becomes stronger, and the order of virgins is now multiplied, we should attend exactly both to the matter as it appears to reason and to the sense of Scripture, which can be found by inference. For widowhood is less than virginity; therefore the sin of widows too is far second to that of virgins. Let us see, then, what is written to Timothy by Paul: 'But refuse younger widows; for when they grow wanton against Christ, they wish to marry, having condemnation because they have set aside their first faith.' If, then, a widow is subject to the heaviest condemnation, as having set aside her faith in Christ, what must we think about the virgin, who is the bride of Christ and a holy vessel dedicated to the Master? It is a great sin even for a slave woman, giving herself to secret marriage, to fill the house with corruption and by her wicked life to insult her owner; but much more grievous, surely, for the bride to become an adulteress and, dishonouring her union with the bridegroom, to give herself to licentious pleasures. So the widow is condemned as a corrupted slave, but the virgin is subject to the condemnation of the adulteress. As, then, we call the man who goes with another's wife an adulterer, and do not receive him into communion before he has ceased from the sin, so clearly we shall dispose of the man who has the virgin. But this must be agreed beforehand: that a virgin is the name for her who has voluntarily brought herself to the Lord, renounced marriage, and preferred the life of holiness. And we approve professions from the time when age has its full complement of reason. For it is not fitting to regard childish words as altogether binding in such matters; but she who is over sixteen or seventeen years old, mistress of her reasonings, who has been examined over some time, then has persevered and begged with supplications to be admitted, then she must be enrolled among the virgins, her profession ratified, and its breach punished inexorably. For parents and brothers and some relatives bring many before the proper age, not moved of themselves to celibacy, but arranging some worldly advantage for themselves. These should not readily be received, until we have plainly investigated their own mind. 19. Professions of men we do not know, except where some have enrolled themselves in the order of monks; these by implication seem to have accepted celibacy. But in their case too I think this ought to come first: that they be asked, and a clear profession be taken from them, so that, when they turn to the life of the flesh and of pleasure, they may be subjected to the penance of those who commit sexual immorality. 20. Women who professed virginity while in heresy and afterwards chose marriage I do not think ought to be condemned. For 'whatever the law says, it says to those under the law.' And those who have not yet come under the yoke of Christ do not know the legislation of the Master either. So they are admissible to the church, having forgiveness for these things too, along with all the rest, from faith in Christ. And in general what was done in the catechumen's life is not brought to account. But clearly the church does not receive these without baptism; so the privileges of birth are most necessary in these cases. 21. If a man living with a wife, not being content with his marriage, falls into sexual immorality, we judge such a man guilty of sexual immorality and extend his penances further; we do not, however, have a canon to subject him to the charge of adultery, if the sin was committed with a woman free of marriage. For the adulteress, it says, 'being defiled shall be defiled, and shall not return to her husband'; and 'he who keeps an adulteress is foolish and impious'; but the man who has committed sexual immorality shall not be shut out from living with his own wife. So the wife will receive her husband when he returns from sexual immorality, but the husband will send the defiled wife out of his house. The reason for this is not easy to give; but custom has so prevailed. 22. Men who have wives by abduction, if they carried off women already betrothed to others, must not be received before the women have been taken from them and it has been put in the power of those who first betrothed them to decide whether they wish to take them or to give them up. But if someone takes a woman who is free, she must be taken from him and restored to her own people, and the matter left to the judgment of her own people, whether parents, or brothers, or whoever has charge of the girl; and if they choose to give her to him, the union stands; but if they refuse, no force is to be used. But the man who has a wife from seduction, whether secret or more violent, must acknowledge the penance for sexual immorality. The penance for those who commit sexual immorality is fixed at four years. In the first they must be expelled from the prayers and weep at the door of the church; in the second they are to be received to hearing; in the third to repentance; in the fourth to standing with the people, abstaining from the offering; then they are to be allowed the communion of the good. 23. Concerning men who marry two sisters, or women who marry two brothers, a short letter has been issued by us, a copy of which we have sent to your reverence. He who has taken his own brother's wife shall not be received before he leaves her. 24. A widow enrolled in the number of widows, that is, one supported by the church, the apostle judged should be passed over if she marries. But no law is laid on a man who has been widowed; the penance of the twice-married is sufficient for such a man. A widow, however, who has reached sixty years, if she chooses to live with a husband again, shall not be deemed worthy of the communion of the good until she ceases from the passion of impurity. If, however, we enrol her before sixty, the fault is ours, not the woman's. 25. He who keeps as his wife the woman whom he himself corrupted shall undergo the penance for the corruption, but shall be permitted to keep the wife. 26. Sexual immorality is not marriage, nor even the beginning of marriage. So if it is possible for those joined in sexual immorality to be separated, that is best. But if they are in every way content with the union, let them acknowledge the penance for sexual immorality, but let them be left alone, lest something worse happen. 27. Concerning the presbyter who through ignorance became entangled in an unlawful marriage, I have laid down what was necessary: he is to share in the seat, but abstain from the other functions. For pardon is sufficient for such a man. But that one who ought to tend his own wounds should bless another is inconsistent. For blessing is the imparting of sanctification. But he who does not have this, because of the fault committed in ignorance, how will he impart it to another? Let him bless neither in public nor in private, nor distribute the body of Christ to others, nor perform any other ministry; but, content with his seat of honour, let him weep before the Lord that his sin of ignorance may be forgiven. 28. This seemed ridiculous to me: that someone vowed to abstain from pork. So deign to teach them to abstain from foolish prayers and promises, but allow the use of it as a thing indifferent. For no creature of God is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. So the vow is laughable; the abstinence is not necessary. 29. That rulers should swear to do harm to those under them is something very fitting to cure. The cure of it is twofold: one, that they be taught not to swear readily; the other, that they not persist in wicked judgments. So let one who has been bound by an oath to do harm to another show repentance for the rashness of the oath, but let him not confirm his wickedness under the pretence of piety. For it did not profit Herod to keep his oath, who, forsooth so as not to perjure himself, became the murderer of the prophet. Swearing has been forbidden once for all; much more, surely, is an oath taken for evil condemned. So the one who swore must change his mind, not be eager to confirm his impiety. Examine the absurdity more broadly. If someone swore to dig out his brother's eyes, would it be good for him to carry such a thing into effect? If someone swore to commit murder? If someone at all swore by an oath to transgress some commandment? 'I have sworn and confirmed', not sin, but 'to keep the judgments of your righteousness.' As the commandment ought to be confirmed by unalterable decisions, so sin ought in every way to be annulled and abolished. 30. About abductors we have no ancient canon, but we have formed our own judgment: that for three years both they and those who join them in the abduction be outside the prayers. What is not done by force is not liable to penalty, when no corruption or theft has preceded the deed. A widow is her own mistress, and it is up to her to follow. So we need not concern ourselves with appearances. 31. A woman whose husband has gone away and disappeared, if she lives with another before being persuaded of his death, commits adultery. 32. Clerics who sin the sin unto death are reduced from their rank, but are not excluded from the communion of the laity. For you shall not punish twice for the same thing. 33. A woman who gave birth on the road and neglected the child shall be subject to the charge of murder. 34. Women who have committed adultery and who confess it out of piety, or are convicted in any way, our fathers did not order to be made public, so that we may not give occasion for the death of those convicted; but they ordered them to stand without communion until the time of their repentance is completed. 35. In the case of a man deserted by his wife, one must consider the reason for the desertion; and if she appears to have gone away without reason, he is worthy of pardon and she of penance. The pardon will be given him so that he may communicate with the church. 36. Soldiers' wives who married when their husbands had disappeared are subject to the same rule as those who, when their husbands were away travelling, did not await their return; except that the matter here admits some pardon, because the presumption of death is stronger. 37. He who married after another's wife had been taken from him will be charged with adultery for the first, but will be blameless for the second. 38. Girls who go off with men against their father's will commit sexual immorality; but when the parents are reconciled, the matter seems to receive a remedy; they are not, however, restored to communion at once, but will be under penance for three years. 39. The woman who lives with an adulterer is an adulteress the whole time. 40. A woman who gives herself to a man against her master's will has committed sexual immorality; but she who afterwards entered an open marriage has been married. The former is sexual immorality, the latter marriage. For the contracts of those under authority have no validity. 41. A woman in widowhood, having authority over herself, is blameless in living with a husband, if there is no one to break up the union; since the apostle said, 'If the husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.' 42. Marriages contracted without those in authority are sexual immorality. So neither, while the father or the master is living, are those who come together free from blame; but if the masters consent to the union, it then receives the validity of marriage. 43. He who gave his neighbour a mortal blow is a murderer, whether he struck first or was defending himself. 44. The deaconess who committed sexual immorality with a pagan is admissible to repentance, and will be received to the offering in the seventh year, clearly, if she lives in chastity. But the pagan who after believing returns again to sacrilege goes back to his vomit. We no longer allow the body of the deaconess, as consecrated, to be put to carnal use. 45. If someone, having taken the name of Christianity, insults Christ, the name is of no use to him. 46. A woman who in ignorance married a man deserted for a time by his wife, and then was dismissed because the former wife returned to him, has committed sexual immorality, but in ignorance. She is not, then, barred from marriage. But it is better if she remains as she is. 47. Encratites, Saccophori, and Apotactites are subject to the same rule as the Novatians … different; but what concerns these has been passed over in silence. We, however, rebaptize such people on one principle. And if among you rebaptism is forbidden, as it is among the Romans, for the sake of some economy, yet let our principle have force: that, since their heresy is a kind of offshoot of the Marcionites, who abhor marriage, turn away from wine, and say that God's creation is defiled, we do not receive them into the church unless they are baptized with our baptism. For let them not say, 'We were baptized into the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit', they who suppose God to be the maker of evils, in rivalry with Marcion and the other heresies. So, if this is agreed, more bishops must come together in one place and so set out the canon, so that the one who acts may be free from danger, and the one who answers may have credibility in his answer about such matters. 48. The woman abandoned by her husband ought, in my judgment, to remain as she is. For if the Lord said, 'If anyone leaves his wife except for the reason of sexual immorality, he makes her commit adultery', by calling her an adulteress he shut her off from union with another man. For how can the husband be guilty as the cause of adultery, and the wife be blameless, who has been called an adulteress by the Lord because of her union with another man? 49. Corruptions that happen by force shall be blameless. So also the slave woman, if she was forced by her own master, is blameless. 50. There is no law of third marriage; so a third marriage is not contracted according to law. Such things we regard as defilements of the church; but we do not subject them to public condemnations, as being better than unrestrained sexual immorality.

To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium. Illnesses succeeding illnesses, and occupations both with church affairs and with those who harass the churches, have held us through the whole winter and up to the time of this letter. So it was not possible for us either to send anyone or to visit your reverence. We guess that your affairs too are of a like kind; I do not mean as to illness, God forbid (may the Lord grant your body to be sufficient for the service of his commandments), but that the care of the churches throws the same distraction on you too. And now I was about to send someone for this very purpose, to let us know about your condition. But since our most beloved son Meletius, escorting the new recruits, reminded us that it was possible to greet you through him, we gladly accepted the occasion for a letter, and seized upon the bearer of it, a man sufficient to serve in place of a letter, both because of the truthfulness of his character and because he is ignorant of nothing about our affairs. Through him we beg your reverence above all to pray for us, that the Lord may grant me release from this burdensome body, his churches peace, and you rest and freedom, when you have ordered the affairs of Lycaonia apostolically, as you have begun, to visit our affairs here too, whether we are still at home in the flesh or have already been ordered to depart to the Lord; so that you yourself may hold fast our affairs as your own, as indeed they are, strengthen what is rotten, rouse what is sluggish, and by the grace of the Spirit who is in you rearrange everything to what is pleasing to the Lord. Our most honoured sons Menetius and Meletius, whom you have known for a long time and judge to be yours, keep as a deposit, praying for them; for this is sufficient for their complete safety. Deign to greet from us those who are with your holiness, and all the clergy and the people shepherded by you, and our most God-beloved brothers. Remember the festival of the most blessed martyr Eupsychius, and do not wait for a second reminder, nor take pains to arrive at the last moment, but come ahead of time and gladden us, if we are still on earth. Until then, farewell in the Lord.

To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium. For many reasons I desire to meet you, both to use you as an adviser about the matters in hand and, in general, so that, having seen you after a long time, I may have some consolation for your absence. But since the same things have held us both back, the illness that has befallen you and our older sickness, which has not yet left me, let us both, if you will, grant pardon to both, so that each of us may of himself release the other from the charge.