Canonical Letter to Basilides

Dionysius to Basilides, my beloved son and brother, a fellow minister obedient to God: greeting in the Lord.

You wrote to me, my most faithful and learned son, asking at what hour one ought to end the fast at the close of the Pascha. For you say that some of the brothers say it should be done at cockcrow, and others in the evening. The brothers in Rome, as they say, wait for the cock; but of those here you said that they end it sooner. You seek to fix an exact limit and a precisely measured hour, which is both difficult and hazardous. That one must begin the feast and the gladness after the time of our Lord's resurrection, humbling our souls with fasting until then, all will agree alike. But by what you wrote to me you have shown very soundly, and with a good grasp of the divine Gospels, that nothing exact appears in them about the hour at which he rose. For the evangelists described those who came to the tomb differently, at varying times, and all said that they found the Lord already risen: "late on the sabbath," as Matthew says; "early, while it was still dark," as John writes; "at deep dawn," as Luke; and "very early, when the sun had risen," as Mark. When he rose, none of them declared clearly; but it is agreed that those who came to the tomb late on the sabbath, as it was dawning toward the first day of the week, up to the rising of the sun on the first day of the week, no longer found him lying in it. Let us not suppose that the evangelists disagree or contradict one another. Even if there seems to be some small difference on the question, since they all agree that the light of the world, our Lord, rose in that night, though they differ about the hour, let us be eager to harmonize what they said with goodwill and faith. What Matthew says runs thus: "Late on the sabbath, as it was dawning toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. And the angel answered and said to the women: Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said." Now this "late" some will think, by the common use of the word, means the evening of the sabbath; but those who understand it more wisely will say it is not this but deep night, since the word "late" indicates slowness and a long time. And to show that he means night and not evening, he added, "as it was dawning toward the first day of the week"; and they came, not yet bringing the spices, as the others say, but to see the tomb; and they found that the earthquake had happened and the angel sitting on the stone, and heard from him: "He is not here; he has been raised." Likewise John says: "On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and sees the stone taken away from the tomb." So, by this account, while it was still dark, but near dawn, she had come to the tomb. And Luke says: "On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment; but on the first day of the week, at deep dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices they had prepared, and they found the stone rolled away from the tomb." The "deep dawn" perhaps shows the first light of morning appearing on the first day of the week. So when the sabbath had wholly passed, together with the whole night after it, and another day was beginning, they came bringing the spices and ointments; so it is clear that he had risen long before. Mark follows this, saying: "They bought spices, so that they might come and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they come to the tomb, when the sun had risen." He too said "very early," which is the same as "at deep dawn"; and he added, "when the sun had risen." For their setting out and their journey clearly began at deep dawn and very early; but they took time, both on the way and lingering at the tomb, until the rising of the sun. And then the young man in white says to them: "He has been raised; he is not here." This being so, we make this declaration to those who seek precision about the hour, or the half-hour, or the quarter of an hour, at which it is fitting to begin the rejoicing over our Lord's resurrection from the dead. Those who are too hasty and give up the fast even before midnight we blame as careless and lacking self-control, breaking off the race just short of the end; for a wise man says, "Not small in life is what falls short by a little." Those who hold out longest and persevere until the fourth watch, at which our Savior also appeared to those sailing, walking on the sea, we accept as noble and diligent. Those in between, who rested as they were moved or as they were able, let us not trouble very much; for not all continue through the six days of the fasts equally or alike: some pass all of them without food, others two, others three, others four, others none. And for those who have labored hard in prolonging the fast and then grow weary and almost faint, there is pardon for tasting food sooner. But if some, not only not prolonging the fast but not even fasting, or even living luxuriously through the four days before, then come to the last two days alone, the Preparation and the sabbath, and pass these without food, and think they do something great and splendid if they hold out until dawn, I do not think they have made an equal contest with those who have trained through more days. This, then, is my counsel on these matters, as I think. [Unnumbered paragraph:] As for those who were released from excommunication in expectation of death, it is unreasonable, if they survive, to bind them again, since they have done nothing wrong in the meantime. If, however, after recovering, someone appears to need further conversion, and when admonished to humble, chastise, and restrain himself does not obey but contradicts, this to him …

Concerning women in their period of separation, whether it is right for them in that state to enter the house of God, I think it superfluous even to ask. For I do not think that they, being faithful and devout, would dare in that state either to approach the holy table or to touch the body and blood of Christ. For not even the woman with the flow of twelve years, eager for healing, touched him, but only the fringe of his garment. To pray, in whatever condition one is and however one is disposed, to remember the Master, and to ask to obtain help, is blameless; but whoever is not wholly pure in both soul and body shall be prevented from approaching the holy things and the holy of holies.

Married people ought to be sufficient judges of themselves. For they have heard Paul writing that it is fitting to abstain from one another by agreement for a time, so that they may devote themselves to prayer, and to come together again.

Those who have had an involuntary emission in the night, let them also follow their own conscience and consider whether they have doubts about this or not. As in the matter of foods, "he who doubts," he says, "is condemned if he eats." In these matters too, let everyone who comes to God be of good conscience and good confidence according to his own judgment.

You have brought these questions to us, beloved, out of respect for us (for it is not that you do not know), making us of one mind and one soul with yourself, as indeed we are. And I have set out my thoughts openly, not as a teacher, but as it is fitting for us to converse with one another in all simplicity. When you have examined them, my most understanding son, write back to me about them what seems to you right and better, and whether you judge that it is so. I pray that you may be well, my beloved son, ministering to the Lord in peace.