Canon X.
Whence it is not right either that those of the
clergy who have deserted of their own accord, and have lapsed, and
taken up the contest afresh, should remain any longer in their sacred
office, inasmuch as they have left destitute the flock of the Lord, and
brought blame upon themselves, which thing did not one of the
apostles. For when the blessed apostle Paul had undergone many
persecutions, and had shown forth the prizes of many contests, though
he knew that it was far better to “depart, and to be with
Christ,” yet he brings this forward, and says,
“Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for
you.”2315
For
considering not his own
advantage but the
advantage of many, that they
might be
saved, he judged it more necessary than his own
rest to remain
with the
brethren, and to have a care for them; who also would have him
that teacheth to be “in
doctrine”
2316
an example to the
faithful. Whence
it follows that those who,
contending in
prison, have fallen from their
ministry, and have again taken up the struggle, are plainly wanting in
perception. For how else is it that they
seek for that which they
have left, when in this present time they can be useful to the
brethren? For as long as they remained firm and stable, of that
which they had done contrary to reason, of this indulgence was accorded
them. But when they lapsed, as having carried themselves with
ostentation,
2317
and brought
reproach upon themselves, they can no longer discharge their
sacred
ministry; and, therefore, let them the rather take heed to pass their
life in
humility, ceasing from
vainglory. For
communion is
sufficient for them, which is granted them with
diligence and care for
two causes; both that they should not seem to be
afflicted with
sorrow,
and hence by
violence seize on their departure from this
world; and
also lest any of the lapsed should have a pretext for being remiss by
occasion of the
punishment. And these indeed will
reap more
shame
and ignominy than all others, even as he who laid the
foundation and
was not able to
finish it; for “all that pass by,” He says,
“will begin to
mock him, saying, ‘This man laid the
foundation, and was not able to
finish it.’”
Balsamon. The father
having spoken of those who of their own accord went over to the contest
of martyrdom, now also speaks of those of the clergy who are in such a
case, and he says, that if any clergyman hath of his own accord sought
the contest, and then, not being able to bear the tortures, has fallen,
but returning to himself, has recanted his error, and before the
tyrants confessed himself a Christian, such a one shall no longer
discharge his sacred ministry, because he hath deserted the
Lord’s flock, and because, having of his own accord sought the
contest, through not being able to endure the torment, he hath brought
reproach upon himself. For to neglect the teaching of the people,
and to prefer their own advantage, this did not the apostles. For
the mighty Paul, after that he had endured many torments, though he
perceived that it was far better to leave this life, yet chose rather
to live and to be tormented for the salvation and instruction of the
people. They are therefore altogether devoid of perception who
seek the sacred ministry from which they have fallen of their own
accord. For how is it that they seek for that which they have
left, when they are able in this season of persecution, that is, to be
useful to their brethren? If indeed they had not fallen, of that
which they had done contrary to reason, their spontaneous flight for
instance, or their slackness in teaching and confirming the brethren,
of these things indulgence would be extended to them. But if from
their own arrogance and conceit they have lapsed,—for of such a
nature is it rashly to venture to expose themselves to torture, and not
to be able to endure it, and thus a triumph has been gained over
them,—they cannot any longer execute their sacred office.
Wherefore let them the rather take heed that they perfect their
confession by humility, ceasing from the vainglory of seeking for the
sacred ministry; for communion with the faithful is sufficient for
them, which is granted for two reasons, with diligent caution, and just
judgment. For if we say that we will not hold them to be
communicants, we shall both afflict them with grief, giving our
sentence as it were that they should depart this life with violence;
and we shall cause others also, who may have lapsed, and wish to return
to what is right, to be negligent and remiss in this respect, having as
a pretext, that they will not be admitted to communicate with the
faithful, even though after their fall they should confess the faith,
who, if they are not converted, will undergo more shame and ignominy
than others, even as he who laid the foundation, and did not finish the
building. For such a one do those resemble, who, for
Christ’s sake indeed, have offered themselves to be tormented,
and having laid as it were a good foundation, have not been able to
perfect that which is good by reason of their fall. Observe,
then, that not even confession for Christ’s sake restores him who
has once lapsed and thus become an alien from his clerical office.
Zonaras. The father having
spoken of those who have of their own accord exposed themselves to the
contest of martyrdom, now begins to discourse about those of the clergy
who have done the same thing; and says that if any clergyman has of his
own accord given himself up, and then, not being able to endure the
violence of the torment, has fallen, and again recollecting himself has
roused himself afresh to the contest, and has confessed himself a
Christian before the tyrants, a man
of this sort is not any longer to be admitted to the sacred
ministry. And the reason of this he subjoins; because he has
forsaken the Lord’s flock, and because having of his own accord
offered himself to the enemy, and not having with constancy endured his
torments, he has brought reproach upon himself. But that they
should despise the instruction of the people, and prefer their own
advantage, this did not the apostles. For the mighty Paul, though
he had endured many torments, and felt that it was better for him to
leave this life, preferred to live and to be tormented for the
salvation and instruction of the people. Wherefore he
demonstrates those to be altogether devoid of perception who ask for
the sacred ministry from which they have voluntarily fallen. For
how is it, says he, that they ask for that which they have left, when
in a season of this sort, of raging persecution forsooth, they can be
of great assistance to the brethren? As long as they were free
from the charge of having lapsed, they would have obtained pardon for
their action that was rashly undertaken, that, namely, of voluntarily
offering themselves to the adversary, or their negligence in
instructing the brethren. But since they have fallen, inasmuch as
they have acted ostentatiously, they are not to be permitted any longer
to discharge their sacred functions. If, says he, that they had
not fallen they would have obtained pardon for their action which was
devoid of reason; calling that action devoid of reason, not only
because they gave themselves up to the enemy, but rather because they
deserted the Lord’s flock, and did not remain to guard it, and to
confirm the brethren who were harassed in this time of
persecution. But if they have fallen, from the fact that they
have carried themselves vauntingly, and he here calls pride and
arrogance περπερεία
, because it is from arrogance that they have put confidence in
themselves, and have put an end to the contest, and have brought
reproach upon themselves; that is, by reason of their fall, they have
contracted a blemish and stain, it is not lawful for them any longer to
be occupied in the sacred ministry. Wherefore let them study,
says he, to perfect their confession by humility, ceasing forsooth from
all vainglory. For in that they seek to be enrolled in the sacred
ministry, this proceeds from ambition and self-seeking. For
communion is sufficient for them, that the faithful should communicate
with them, and pray with them, and that they should participate in the
sacred mysteries. And this should be granted with diligent
caution and care, both lest they should seem to be afflicted with
grief, seizing on a dissolution of this life, lest, that is, as he
says, being overcome with grief, they should depart and get free from
the body, that is, go out from it, from the violence of the torment and
afflictions which they undergo in the prison; and that none should have
the pretext of their punishment for carrying themselves dissolutely and
cowardly in the contest of confession, and thus fall away. Who
will the rather be put to shame, according to the saying in the Gospel,
“Who could not finish after that he had laid the
foundation.”2318
| 2318 A
digression which follows is entirely directed against Muzalon. |
Moreover, let those apply their minds to what is
in this place brought forward by this great father and holy martyr, who
say that it is lawful for bishops to give up their Sees, and to retain
the dignity of the priesthood. For if to the clergy who
voluntarily offered themselves to the contest of confession, and who,
when tormented, failed in constancy and yielded, and afterwards
returned to the contest, if to them indulgence is scarcely granted,
because they deferred to execute their ministerial duties; nor, in the
opinion of this divine father, is any thing else objected to them but
that they deserted the brethren, when in adverse and turbulent times
they might have been useful in confirming them in the faith, and that
after that they had been counted worthy to bear testimony to the faith,
and carried about in their flesh the marks of Christ; how shall that
chief priest and pastor, who ought to lay down his life for the sheep,
when he has deserted the flock that was committed unto him, and
repudiated its care and administration, and as far as in him lies given
it over to the wolf, be thought worthy to retain the dignity of the
sacred ministry, and not rather be judged worthy of the severest
punishments for deserting the people entrusted to his care? Nay,
but he will demand a reward for this thing, or rather he will himself
supply it to himself: refusing that which brings labour to them,
namely, the office of teaching and of correcting vice; but embracing
that which gains for them honour and glory, making it their own,
keeping hold of it with their teeth as it were, and not letting it go
in the least. For if in the case of the clergy it be called an
action contrary to reason to desert the people, and to go away from
them to the contest in the cause of piety; how much more contrary to
reason shall it be judged for a bishop to desert his people, not in
order that he may contend in a contest, but that he may deliver himself
up to ease and indolence, and lay aside and escape entirely from his
cares for the salvation of souls? The sixteenth canon also of the
Seventh Œcumenical Council2319
gravely
accuses those of
folly who
decree that the
dignity of the
sacred ministry can be retained by a
bishop who has repudiated his bishopric. For if according to the
sentence of the aforesaid canon, a
bishop who has been absent from his
See more than six months, unless some one of the causes there
enumerated shall have intervened, has both fallen from the episcopate
and the highest
dignity of the
priesthood, and is deprived of both; how
shall he who has repudiated the episcopate, and refuses any longer to
feed the
flock entrusted to him, and despises the care of it through
his desire of an easy
life, be held to be of the number of
bishops? For if he who has
committed the lesser fault, of leaving
for more than six months the people placed under him
destitute of the
care and administration of a
pastor, incurs the privation of the
episcopate and of his
sacred dignity; he who offends in a way greater
and much more grievous, namely, in deserting altogether the multitude
which the
grace of the
Holy Spirit has
committed to him to be cared for
and
guarded, shall deservedly be
punished with greater severity, and
will pay the heavier penalty of losing, as
far as he is concerned, the
flock of which he was
appointed shepherd by the great and
chief
Shepherd and High
Priest. But those who
decree the
dignity of the
priesthood to him as a reward and
honorarium for declining his
office, in my opinion make both themselves and him obnoxious to the
judgment of God.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
