Прп. Никодим Святогорец. Предисловие к «Пидалиону»

To the Orthodox all over the earth who will read this book, our reverent bow and brotherly kiss in Christ I am indebted to Greeks and barbarians, wise and ignorant (Rom. 1:14) 256. These are the words that Paul, the great teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth, proclaimed in Christ. He proclaimed this in order to teach all those who prefer the common benefit of their neighbors to speak and write not only in Greek, so that through it they can benefit some educated and wise, but also speak and write in a simple language, so that through it they can equally benefit those brothers who are simple and uneducated. For what benefit, tell me, can any simpleton get from reading a book [that] is only in Greek? Wouldn't the person who wrote this book seem like a foreigner to him, and, conversely, wouldn't he himself seem like a foreigner to the author? And both of them together will not speak into the wind? But if I,” says the same Paul, denouncing the Corinthians because they boasted of receiving the gift of speaking in tongues and did not at the same time ask to receive the gift of interpreting them for others and, therefore, edifying the Church, “do not understand the meaning of the words, then I am a stranger to him who speaks, and he who speaks is a stranger to me (1 Cor. 14:11). And while the Greek and the wise benefit from the Greek language, the simple and unwise brother is not edified. Therefore, we, following this apostolic teaching, wished, with the help of this book, to benefit both the educated and wise, and the simple and unwise. The first is the Greek text of the divine and sacred rules: apostolic, conciliar and those belonging to individual holy fathers, and the second is the interpretation and explanation of these same rules, set out in simple language [258]. And vice versa, we wanted to benefit the educated and wise through interpretation, offering them an explanation of those passages that caused confusion among the ancient sages when reading the rules and which could not be easily understood by everyone; and to the simple ones - the Greek [text of the rules], encouraging them to have due respect for them and not consider them the products of our womb. We give both of them a book that was difficult to find due to its small circulation and even more difficult to acquire due to its high cost 259. This was the first and main reason that prompted us, brothers, to begin publishing this book. There was also another, more specific, reason: it was unbearable for us, beloved, to see that among many confessors, in the majority of unsuitable manuscripts of the nomocanons, these divine and sacred rules are fragmented into parts, spoiled, have incorrect inscriptions, some rules are given instead of others, and the explanations of the interpreters are taken as rules in fact. And worst of all, these explanations in the nomocanons are flawed, misinterpreted and taught in a strange and erroneous way. What was born from this? The fruit, without a doubt, is deadly and causes spiritual destruction both to confessors who badly correct [sinners] and to sinners who are badly corrected by them. After all, according to the well-known proverb, a crooked measure (κανών) makes the thing measured (κανονιζόμενα) crooked. Therefore, in order to heal these deadly streams, from which our brothers got drunk, according to the prophet, with muddy drink (Hab. 2:15), we tried to flow to the original sources and from there draw the sweetest, purest and life-giving water. Namely, to express myself more clearly, we tried to find the books of the sacred “Pandect” 260 and not only rewrite from there word for word the complete and intact Greek text of the divine rules, but also translate into simpler language the true Greek interpretations of the authentic and Church-recognized interpreters of the divine and sacred rules. First of all, in most cases, we translated the interpretations of the wondrous and famous John Zonara [261], who ranks first, to almost every rule, then - Theodore Balsamon [262], rarely - Alexei Aristin [263], often - the anonymous author, along with the interpretation, we tried on the side [264] and others [265]. Along with the interpretation, we tried to indicate on the side of each explained rule in Greek letters the numbers 266 of all those rules that at least somewhat correspond to the interpreted rule itself. Not content with this, we spared no effort and took care to briefly outline each of these parallel and consistent rules under the translation of the main rule, thus conveying in a condensed form the meaning contained in them. After all, the reader, if he does not see each rule in its place, will not understand anything from one issue, but must often leaf through the book and look for the place where the marked rules are located. And who does not recognize this as painful and causing much anxiety? Therefore, we wished to take on this work separately. If such agreement with an indication of the content of the rules in some respect seems unnecessary, since it repeats the same thing, it is still necessary for the convenience of readers. It is incomparably easier for the reader to have all the consistent rules summarized briefly together, so that at first glance he can see where they agree and differ - instead of turning over so many pages in search of the 6th rule, or the 8th, or, say, the 10th; having found one, forget the other - and so constantly tire yourself trying to understand their confusion. So, if many nomocanons arrange sacred rules by topic for brevity and ease of memorization (such as the nomocanons of Matthew Blastarus 267, Photius and others, then this collection of canons is not without such dignity. After all, almost every rule that has an index is devoted to a separate topic. Always or for the most part to the rules, the first in order, the index is compiled from subsequent ones, and the subsequent ones refer to the first ones. Occasionally, however, in subsequent ones rules cancel the previous ones. And to make the index complete, we have collected the rules of other fathers that were not approved by any Ecumenical Council, I mean the rules of St. Nikephoros [268], Nicholas, Patriarch of Constantinople [269], John of Kithra 270 [271], Niketas [272] and Peter the deacon and chartophylax of the Great Church 273 [274], the rules of the Faster (which we have placed in Greek separately at the end of the rules for the reason that we speak there), and included them in pointer However, we did not mark their numbers on the outer margins. We have granted this privilege only to those rules that were approved by the VI Ecumenical Council 275, and, therefore, have the force of the rules of the Ecumenical Councils: it is their interpreters and the Church that accept and interpret them as general church rules. Having well studied not only them, but also the decrees and laws of the emperors, especially Justinian, the Digests, the Codes, the Institutes, the Novellas, and, more simply, the civil laws, we chose from them everything that turned out to be either in some way consistent with the sacred rules, or complementary to them. Nevertheless, we recognized the opposite of the rules as invalid, as the civil laws themselves stipulate [280]. Finally, we have tried to enrich the book with various philological notes that contribute either to greater clarity of interpretation, or to the harmonization of seemingly contradictory rules, or in some other way bring benefits - in order to make the book desirable and attractive to everyone. So, the spiritual meal we offer to the brethren is not so meager and monotonous as to cause disgust and satiety in those who participate in it, but so varied and useful in everything that it provides both pleasure and benefit. Hellene 281 and not inquisitive reads only the Greek text of the rules and is content with that. A simple and incurious person reads one interpretation, and that is enough for him. The inquisitive person also reads the index and finds peace. An inquisitive and very hardworking person also reads the note and enjoys it. At the end of the sacred rules we added the “Doctrine of Kinship” as necessary [282]. Since the interpretation of the sacred rules is extremely necessary for the common salvation of all Christians, now, after all that has been said, it is time for me to proclaim this prophecy of Baruch: This is the book of the commandments of God and the law that endures forever (Bar. 4:1). This book is the Holy Scripture after the Holy Scriptures, the Testament after the Old and New Testaments; the second divinely inspired words after the first and divinely inspired words. She is the eternal limits that our fathers laid 283 and the laws that endure forever and surpass all civil and imperial laws of the Digest, Institutes, Codes and Novels. For these latter were simply issued by the emperors, while the sacred rules, as we said, were established by the Ecumenical and Local Councils through the action of the Holy Spirit, and approved by the emperors. This book is truly, as we called it, the helm (Πηδάλιον) of the Catholic Church, with the help of which the Church is governed and the sailors and passengers in it, that is, the priesthood and the laity, are transported in safety to the quiet harbor of the Heavenly Kingdom. It is the fruit, the result, and the goal for which so many emperors bore costs and worked hard, so many patriarchs shed sweat, so many God-bearing and spirit-bearing bishops came from the ends of the universe (although they were often old and infirm), formed Councils, both Ecumenical and Local, and exhausted themselves with labor for so many years. I will show all this with an example. The omnipotent Holy Trinity, having created this first and material world, brought it into harmony with the help of various natural rules (κανόνας) embedded in the elements. Thanks to these rules, order is maintained, and thanks to order, the unity of everything, and, according to Orpheus, the whole creation becomes a single musical symphony, which is performed with the help of different rules, as if with the help of some varied and polysyllabic sounds. In the same way, the same Trinity, having organized this second intelligible world of the Catholic Church, bound it and cemented it through sacred and divine rules. From them is born the deanery of the patriarchs, the consent of the bishops, the good behavior of the priests, the decency of the deacons, the honorability of the clergy, the well-being of the monks, the knowledge of the spiritual fathers, necessary for the correction of [sinners], the respect for emperors, which is a duty for everyone, and in general, the behavior and dispensation appropriate to Christians is born in all Christians. And, generally speaking, thanks to these sacred rules, the earthly church hierarchy becomes a likeness and imprint of the heavenly hierarchy. Both of these hierarchies together become one, composing into a single melody, harmoniously performed on all strings. Take the rules (κανόνας) embedded in the elements from the material creation, and order will immediately be destroyed, and after the destruction of order, the entire universe will perish. Take these sacred rules (κανόνες) out of the Church, and disorder will immediately follow, and because of the disorder all its sacred splendor will perish. Turn, Jacob, and take her... (Bar. 4:2). Turn, patriarchs, bishops, priests, clergy, monks and all other spiritual fathers and brothers in Christ, and take hold of this book with both hands [284]. Walk in the radiance of its light (see Bar. 4:2) so that you can be enlightened by the eternal light of knowledge. Rejoice over her words more than those who find great prey (see Ps. 119:162). For her words are pure, molten silver, tested in the earth, purified seven times (Ps. 11:7) - either by the judgment of seven Ecumenical Councils, or many times by Local Councils and individual fathers, since Scripture often uses the number seven instead of “many times.” And having taken it, be not only readers and listeners of these divine laws, but also doers - because it is not the listeners of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified 285 - so that the violation of these rules does not lead to death, leading to life if they are observed. I will also add the following saying of Baruch: Happy are we, Israel, because we know what is pleasing to God 286 . You are happy, Christian brothers, because through this book you have been honored to know the paternal and conciliar commandments pleasing to God. The divine David said that after many lightnings and turmoil, springs of water appeared and the foundations of the universe were revealed: And he multiplied the lightning and caused them to turmoil, and springs of water appeared, and the foundations of the universe were revealed (Ps. 17:15–16). These words can be more conveniently interpreted allegorically in relation to the subject of our speech. Firstly, after the Lord multiplied the holy Councils, like some kind of lightning, and with them he caused confusion and destroyed the evil-minded heretics, these sources of spiritual and animal waters appeared and these intelligible foundations of the universe, that is, the Catholic Church, were revealed. Secondly, at first the divine Councils met for the overthrow of wicked heresies; but, having gathered, they made decisions about Christian life, whether anyone would call them heavenly sources, since they water the entire face of the Church, or spiritual foundations on which every Christian building is built. But then they appeared and opened up, one day coming into being. Now they have appeared and revealed themselves, as we said, through interpretation in a simpler language and even more through publication in print. Who helped ensure that this great blessing, this most necessary and most useful book, was sent to print? The Most Reverend Fathers of the Holy Mount Athos, practicing monastic life in holy monasteries, hermitages and cells, together with the holy bishops who found themselves on the Holy Mountain and some other lovers of Christ. These truly blessed ones, in addition to other good deeds - after all, they kindly receive strangers and show mercy to poor brothers in every possible way - [did this too]: having heard about this book that it is necessary and extremely useful for the entire race of Orthodox Christians, everyone expressed a zealous desire and each, according to their strength and will, contributed the money spent on its publication, in order to thereby provide assistance and nourish the brothers spiritually, as they feed them physically. After all, if, according to Gregory the Theologian, “the word of God is the bread of angels, which feeds souls hungry for God” 287, then with this help they will fulfill the commandment of the queen of all virtues - love. Since, again according to the Theologian, “love is a pure thing and truly worthy of God, and its work is distribution” 288, then with these two [deeds] together they fulfill the work of the clouds. Just as clouds take light evaporations from the water element and return them, pouring them back with abundant rain, so they, accepting physical alms from Christians, return it to them through spiritual alms, that is, through the printing of this most beneficial book, [alms] as higher and better as the soul is better and higher than the body. Truly their zeal is praiseworthy and rightly may it be proclaimed forever and ever! Truly a brotherly wish! Truly a godly alms - and even more so since it was given not from excess, but in most cases from deprivation [289]. Therefore, they too will deservedly hear from the Lord what the widow heard, who, out of her poverty, threw into the treasury as gifts to God: Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than anyone else; for all of them out of their abundance gave as a gift to God, but she out of their poverty (Luke 21:3-4). So, accept with open hands this very useful and valuable book; accept, all Churches of Christ, this necessary scripture, following immediately after the Holy Scriptures. And you, O people, ignoramus and child, who previously sat in the darkness of ignorance of the sacred rules, see this great light of knowledge and be enlightened (see Isa. 9:2; Matt. 4:16), for, says David, the understanding of Your words enlightens and admonishes infants (Ps. 119:130). And, working through your salvation with its help, constantly give thanks and glorify God, who by His grace has become for you the source of such good. And raising your hands to Him in prayer, pray for those who labored in deed, and in word, and in the transfer of books, and [their] correspondence, and in supervising the publication, and in other ways who participated in the work on this book. First of all, and in all, and after all, pray for the most reverend fathers and other pious [people] who published it in print, so that they, having gone through the stormy excitement of life in silence, love, harmony and many other virtues, quietly reach the harbor of the heavenly Kingdom and receive the longed-for salvation. With that, we wish you good health. [ 290 ] Preface about sacred rules in general. “Rule” (κανών), as Zonara says in the interpretation of the 39th letter of Athanasius the Great, in the proper sense of the word means a wooden block, usually called “rule” (πῆχυς). Craftsmen use it to straighten the wood or stones they are processing: they apply the rule to the material being processed and, if it turns out to be curved inward or outward, they level it and straighten it 291 . And hence, in a figurative sense, the decisions and decrees of both the apostles, Ecumenical and Local Councils and individual holy fathers, which are contained in this book, are called rules. That is why they, as direct and even rules, remove from clergy, clergy and laity all disorder and corruption of morals and provide them with all decorum and correctness of church and Christian order and virtue [292]. That the divine rules should be strictly observed by everyone: those who do not comply are subject to severe penances “This, O bishops, let us establish rules for you! If you remain in them, you will be saved and find peace, but if you fail to obey them, you will be punished and will constantly be at enmity with each other, receiving a due reward for your disobedience” (the apostles in the afterword of rules 293). “We considered it right to observe the rules set forth by the holy fathers at every Council until the present time” (IV Ecumenical 1). “This holy Council 294 also recognized that from now on, for the healing of souls and the healing of passions, the 85 rules accepted and approved by the saints and blessed fathers who came before us and handed down to us under the name of the rules of the holy glorious apostles should remain firm and inviolable,” as well as the rules of the four Ecumenical Councils, listed by their names, the rules of Local Councils by name and the rules of individual fathers - by name. “And no one will be allowed to distort or cancel the above rules. If anyone is caught changing any of the above rules or trying to reject them, he will be guilty of this rule and will suffer the penance that it prescribes, and through what he has stumbled will receive healing” (VI Om. 2). “With joy, similar to that which someone would rejoice if he had found great prey 295, we lovingly accept the divine rules and keep intact and without changes their commands, set forth by the trumpets of the Spirit, the all-praised apostles, as well as the holy Ecumenical Councils and Councils that met locally... and our holy fathers... And those whom they anathematize, and we anathematize; those who are thrown out, we also throw them out; those who are excommunicated - and we excommunicate. And those whom they subject to penance, we subject in the same way” (VII Om. 1). “We decree that the ecclesiastical rules laid down or approved by the four holy Councils, that is, Nicea, Constantinople, the first of Ephesus and Chalcedon, have the force of laws” (131st novella of Justinian). “So, we decree that the church rules set out or approved by the seven holy Councils have the force of laws (according to Balsamon, the word “approved” indicates those rules of Local Councils and individual fathers that are approved by Ecumenical Councils). For we accept the decrees of the above-mentioned holy Councils on a par with the Divine Scriptures and observe the rules as laws” (Basiliki. Book 5, tit. 3, chapter 2; Photius Tit. 1, chapter 2 296). The 3rd decree of the 2nd title of the novels requires “to observe the rules of the seven Councils and to preserve their dogmas along with the Divine Scriptures” (Photius Tit. 1, ch. 2 297). Leo the Wise (Basiliki. Book 5, Titus 3, Chapter 2) says: “I accept the seven holy Ecumenical Councils as the holy Gospel.” “The Holy Fathers determined that it is necessary even after death to anathematize those who have sinned against the faith or the rules” (V Ecumenical Council in the Epistle of Justinian, p. 392.) Look how terrible this word is, dear friend! “To those who neglect the sacred and divine rules of our holy fathers, which establish the Holy Church, and, decorating the entire Christian life, guide to divine reverence, is anathema” (Acts of the Council in Constantinople under Constantine Porphyrogenitus, i.e. “Tomos of unity”). See "Synodikon", T. 2 P. 977. That divine rules are more powerful than imperial laws In the 4th act of the IV Ecumenical Council it is written: “The most glorious dignitaries said: “It pleased the most divine ruler of the universe (that is, Marcian) to carry out the affairs of the most reverend bishops not according to imperial decrees or pragmatic decrees, but according to the rules that were laid down by the holy fathers.” The Council replied: "Against the rules, a pragmatic resolution will have no force. Let the rules of the fathers prevail." And again: “We ask that pragmatic decrees, adopted by anyone to the detriment of the rules in any metropolitan area, be unconditionally abolished, and rules prevail in everything... we all say the same thing. All pragmatic sanctions will be abolished. Let the rules prevail. By the decision of the Holy Council and in all other metropolitan areas, let what is contained in the rules be valid." “If anyone presents a decree that contradicts what is now determined, then, as the entire holy Ecumenical Council decided, it will be invalid” (III Ecumenical 8). “Pragmatic decrees that are contrary to the rules are invalid” (Basiliki. Book 1, Tit. 2, decree 12; Photius. Tit. 1, chapter 2 298). “For they, that is, the rules laid down and approved by emperors and holy fathers, are accepted as Divine Scriptures. But the laws were adopted or drawn up only by emperors, and therefore they have no superiority either over the Divine Scriptures or over the rules” (interpretation of Balsamon on the above 2nd chapter of Photius) 299. “Do not talk to me about external laws, since the tax collector also fulfills the external law, but is still subject to punishment” (Chrysostom. Discourse 57 on the Gospel of Matthew) 300, and also: “Kings often make laws and not all with benefit” (Discourse 16 on statues) 301. However, Vlastar says: “Pious laws provide great importance (that is, help. - Author) to the divine rules: on the one hand, in agreement with them, on the other, making up for what they omitted somewhere (chapter 5 of the letter “K”) 302. That divine rules have greater force than statutes (in the event that the latter contradict them), especially when it comes to private and local statutes Vlastar says: “From the 131st novel of Justinian you can learn that the statutes that ktitors establish in monasteries must be accepted if they do not in any way contradict the rules” (chapter 15 of the letter “M”) 303. Couplets on sacred rules, written in elegiac distich Creating the visible world in a strict and harmonious order, The Trinity ruled all the elements of the world. These rules preserve the inviolability of the great world, Order of the God-created elements, goodness in everything. The Christian world was also bound by the bonds of sacred rules. Trinity, ever preserving those who love the name of Christ. The harmony of sacred law now reigns in the world, And sin and its wickedness are cut off forever. Wisdom inspired by the Spirit, lover! Come and receive What one longed for and waited for was the rules of the Divine arch. Iambic couplet for a book The helm steers any ship, And this book rules the entire Church. Those who act according to this rule, peace and mercy to them (Gal. 6:16) From St. Gregory the Theologian “If it is unforgivable for anyone, no matter how rude and ignorant, not to know any Roman law, and if there is no such law that would cover what was done out of ignorance, then is it not strange for those who lead the secret to salvation not to know the principles of salvation, even if they were very simple and of shallow mind in everything else?” (Word to Athanasius the Great) 304. “I heard and did not fulfill...Didn’t you fulfill it? You have condemned yourself: you have kept half, if, having failed to do so, you said: “I did not keep.” For he who condemns himself for non-observance strives to observe” (Homily 4 on repentance, Eton edition Vol. 6 p. 785.) 305. From St. Cyril of Alexandria “Let us therefore hear, we who neglect to read the Scriptures, what harm we suffer [from this], what need. After all, we will never achieve holiness of life through our deeds if we do not even know the laws by which we should live” (see in the collection of interpretations on the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 13, Art. 52, an explanation of the expression Therefore every scribe ... - and so on) 306. “There are many of us who talk, but do little. No one should distort the word of God to please his own negligence, but it is better to confess our weakness and not hide the truth of God, so that along with the crime of the commandments we do not also become guilty of misinterpreting the word of God” (Fourth hundred chapters on love, ch. 85. See “Philokalia” p. 329) 307. Here and below, links to quotations from Holy Scripture indicated in the Greek edition of Pidalion are given in the text, and links added during translation into Russian are in footnotes. This shows how cold, how absurd, how unreasonable the assertion of some is (Without naming names, St. Nicodemus points to Metropolitan Meletius of Larisa and Metropolitan Gerasim (who later became the Patriarch of Constantinople, 1794–1797), who rejected the very idea of ​​translating the canons into simple language, thus being in opposition to St. Nicodemus and preventing publication of the manuscript "Pidalion".) that there is no need to translate divine rules into simple language. What are you saying, the person who claims this, whoever you are? The divine and sacred rules are translated into Arabic, Syriac, Ethiopic and interpreted into Latin, Italian, Slavic, English: almost every nation among those who call themselves Christians has these sacred rules translated into the local language. And in the land of the Orthodox Eastern Greeks, Councils were convened, and the fathers who drew up the rules flourished, and their interpreters increased... So is it fair that only this people suffered deprivation and did not have the divine rules translated into their own language? And if earlier our people understood these rules in ancient Greek, since they knew ancient Greek, then why shouldn’t the same people now read the rules in simple language, when, with rare exceptions, people know only simple language? Be silent, O man! The sentence is translated literally. I. Nikolsky translated it as follows: “In this way we enrich both of them with one book, we have collected and offer here in one book what is contained in different books, which can be difficult to find due to the small number of printed copies and even more difficult for everyone to acquire for themselves due to their high cost” (Nikolsky 1888, p. 12; italics added). It should be noted both the insertion (“we have collected ...”) and the fact that in this translation what is said about inaccessibility refers not to the Pidalion, but to its sources (“various books”). Such a translation better suits the context (see below the references by the authors of Pidalion to the collection of legal material from various publications and manuscripts), but is hardly justified grammatically. On the other hand, Metropolitan Paul (Menevisoglu) suggested that the authors of the “Pidalion” called the “Pandects” of G. Beveregius “one book”, thereby presenting their work as a modern Greek version of Beveregius (Μενεβίσογλου 2003. Σ. 726. Σημ. 8). However, this hypothesis, which justifies the literal translation of the sentence, does not fit well with the fact that the “Pandects” of Beveregius are first mentioned in the preface not here, but below (see note 8), and are called not a book, but “books” (τὰ βιβλία). The “Pandects” in the “Pidalion” refers to a set of Greek sources of canon law published by the Anglican scholar (priest, later bishop) G. Beveregius: Συνοδικόν, sive Pandectae canonum ss. Apostolorum et Conciliorum ab ecclesia graeca receptorum, nec non canonicarum ss. Patrum epistolarum... / Ed. G. Beveregius. T. 1–2. Oxonii, 1672. Volume 1 contains the apostolic canons and canons of the Ecumenical and Local Councils with interpretations by Aristinus, Zonara and Balsamon, as well as an Arabic translation of the canons of the first four Ecumenical Councils. The 2nd volume contains the patristic rules with interpretations of the indicated canonists and the “Alphabetical Syntagma” of Matthew Blastar; The appendix contains Beveregius's comments on the canons. This publication was used not only in the West, but also in the Orthodox East. The heyday of John Zonara's activity dates back to the time of Alexei Komnenos, around 1118 AD. At first he was the great drungariy of vigla (the great drungariy of vigla was initially the commander of the palace guard; from the beginning of the 9th century, the position of the chairman of the imperial court began to be called this) and protasikrit (protasikrit (literally - “first secretary”) was the head of the imperial chancellery) and then became a monk, as they say, in the monastery of St. Glyceria and, being prompted by some, as he himself talks about it in the preface to the rules (Ράλλης, Ποτλής. T. 2. Σ. 2), he, in the wisest and best way, in comparison with all the interpreters who came after him, explained the divine and sacred rules of the holy and all-validated apostles, the seven Ecumenical Councils and all our holy fathers, as a certain anonymous author testifies to him in Leo Allacius. His style is clear and at the same time elegant. Later, his interpretations were followed in many ways exactly by Balsamon, to the point that he not only conveys their meaning in his own interpretations, but also uses for the most part the same words and phrases as Zonara. In many places, Balsamon calls Zonaru the most amazing, especially in the interpretation of the letter of Athanasius the Great to Ammun (Ibid. T. 4. Σ. 76; PG 138, 552A). In the same way, Vlastar calls him excellent (Matth. Blast. Synt. E, 11 // Ράλλης, Ποτλής. T. 6. Σ. 256; PG 144, 1280B), and the anonymous author in Allation calls Zonaru wonderful. However, not all of its interpretations have been preserved: in the “Pandects” there are no interpretations of Zonara on the rules of Gregory of Nyssa, Timothy, Theophilus, Cyril. Along with interpretations of the rules of Zonara, he wrote a general history from the creation of the world to the reign of Alexei Komnenos, and also compiled a lengthy interpretation of the Sunday canons of Damascus, located in Octoechos. Theodore Balsamon lived during the reign of Manuel Comnenus and the patriarchate of Michael Anchial, who was also the hypat of philosophers (Hypat (literally, “head”) of philosophers was the name of the head of the philosophical school in Constantinople.) at the end of the 12th century, later in time than Zonaras and Aristina. He was a deacon of the Great Church, a nomophilax (In later times, an official responsible for the administrative interaction of the Church and the state. - Ed.), a chartophylax (In this case, the secretary and closest assistant of the Patriarch of Constantinople. - Ed.), and proto-Blachernae. In 1203, during the reign of Isaac Angelos and the patriarchate of George Xyphilinus, he wrote canonical replies to Mark of Alexandria. After Constantinople was captured by the Venetians, in 1204 he was consecrated Patriarch of Antioch and composed epigrams (by epigram here we mean a laconic and apt description) on the mentioned George Xyphilinus. So, while he was still a deacon (as he himself says about it in the preface to the Nomocanon) (Ράλλης. Ποτλής. T. 1. Σ. 31; PG 104, 976Α), at the command of Emperor Manuel Komnenos and the conviction of Patriarch Michael, he wrote scholia on the briefly outlined Photius 14 titles of imperial laws, in other words - on the “Nomocanon” (The famous and historically important collection of church law of Byzantium. Until the beginning of the 19th century, it was generally accepted to attribute the compilation of this collection to St. Patriarch Photius. Currently, there is disagreement among scientists regarding the attribution of this text.), Holy Photius, and on all the divine rules of the apostles, conciliar and patristic ones he made the most extensive and multi-line interpretations that have survived to this day. His interpretations usually consist of two parts, and the first repeats the interpretations of Zonara, not only in meaning, but also literally, the second part of his interpretations is civil laws, patriarchal definitions and imperial novels. We ourselves do not speak about this man’s interpretations, whether they are successful or not, for the sake of respect for him, although we often correct him in cases where he deviates from the truth and contradicts himself. But let the wise man John of Cytra testify for us, who writes like this (Greco-Roman Law. P. 333) (Hereinafter we mean the publication of monuments of Byzantine law, prepared by the German historian and lawyer I. Leunclavius and published after his death by M. Frecher: Leunclavius I. Juris graeco-romani tarn canonici quam civilis... (= Greco-Roman law, both canonical and civil) / Ed. M. Freherus. T. 1–2. Francofurti, 1596. A number of documents from the edition of I. Leunclavius are reproduced in the 4th and 5th volumes of the “Athenian Syntagma” (G. Ράλλης, M. Ποτλής. Σύνταγμα τῶν θείῶν καὶ ἰερῶν κανόνων, 1852–1859 (r. 1993), and. also in the “Patrology” of J.-P. Migne (PG 119, 725C–1300D).) to Constantine Cabasilus of Dyrrachia about Balsamon: “This sacred man, the Patriarch of Antioch, tried to penetrate into the exact meaning of the definitions of laws and rules. However, his writings on canonical and civil issues are not always accurate. Apparently, due to forgetfulness and oversight, oddities are allowed in them, and in some places one can encounter contradictions. Even during his lifetime, I heard in Constantinople many experts in the law who refuted some of the judgments expressed by that man as unfairly stated by him both in the interpretations of rules and laws, and in other works of this kind" (Ioan. Citr. Respons. 15 // Ράλλης, Ποτλής. Τ. 5. Σ. 418; PG 119, 981BC.) To put it briefly, Balsamon in comparison with Zonara is like a minor boy in comparison with a mature husband. However, both Patriarch Philotheus in his word against the anathematisms of Armenopoul (Ράλλης, Ποτλής. Τ. 5. Σ. 128; PG 119, 896C.) (Greco-Roman Law. P. 288), and St. Mark of Ephesus in the “Tomos of Love” (Collection of documents and treatises of an anti-Catholic orientation, published by Dositheus II Notara, Patriarch of Jerusalem (1669–1707). Here and in the following link, the authors of the “Pidalion” indicate the pages of this collection according to the 1st edition: Τόμος ἀγάπης κατὰ λατίνων / Συλλεγε'ις καὶ τυποθεὶς παρὰ πατρ Ἰεροσολύμων. Δοσίθεον. [Γιάσσιῳ,] 1698.) (p. 264).) call him the wisest in laws and rules. Alexius Aristinus also lived during the time of Emperor Manuel Komnenos - later than Zonara, but a little earlier than Balsamon, about 1166 A.D. Having become a deacon and nomophilax of the Great Church, he compiled a summary (ἐπιτομή) of all the sacred rules, which is also called the “Nomocanon”. Anonymous interpreter. The fact that he was not Aristin and that the anonymous person lived later is evidenced by what he himself said in his interpretation of the rule of the Apostle. 75 about Aristin’s summary: “The one who compiled the abbreviation of this rule misunderstood it” (Ράλλης, Ποτλής. Τ. 2. Σ. 97; PG 137.129Α), and in the interpretation on Ancyr. 19: “Whoever made the abbreviation of this rule omitted the excommunication found in the lengthy text, imposed on the one who violated the vow of virginity, and equal to the excommunication of second-weds” (Ibid. Τ. 3. Σ. 61; PG 137,1184Α.). Therefore, I am surprised that Dositheus and others suggested that the anonymous interpreter is Aristin himself. Some say that it was Simeon the Magister and Logothet. So, the anonymous interpreter also compiled interpretations of the sacred rules up to the 84th rule of Basil the Great, in most cases more concise than the interpretations of Zonara and Balsamon, in some cases more extensive, but, in any case, more extensive than those of Aristinus. In addition, here and there we made a selection from the “Nomocanon” of the sage among the hieromonks, Matthew Blastar, whose heyday of activity was around 1335 - in his interpretations he followed Zonara, and especially Balsamon; from Joseph of Egypt, who made a paraphrase and interpretation of the rules in Arabic (he was ordained a presbyter and worked especially fruitfully around 1398); from the Nomocanons of John of Antioch and John Scholasticus. John Scholasticus was first a presbyter in Antioch, and then, according to Zonara (Dositheus. The Twelve Books. p. 514) (Hereinafter, the “Twelve Books” of Dositheus refers to the work of Dositheus Notara “The History of the Patriarchs of Jerusalem” (in 12 books). The authors of the “Pidalion” quote the “History” according to the 1st edition: Δοσίθεος, πατρ. Ἰεροσολύμοις πατριαρχευσόντων.../ Ἐκδ ὑπὸ Ίεροσολύμων. Χροσάνθος. Βουκουρεστίῳ, 1715), became an apocrisiary (Church-diplomatic position: permanent representative of the patriarch at the imperial court. - Ed. ) Anastasius of Antioch in Constantinople, Justinian installed him as Patriarch of Constantinople after the expulsion of Patriarch Eutyches. His memory as a saint is celebrated according to the Menaion on February 21. According to Dositheus, he is distinguished from John of Antioch, but according to others, this is one and the same person. After all, John Scholasticus was also called “Antiochian,” since he was, as we said, a presbyter in Antioch. And we, in turn, made not only a literal translation, as some might think, but we filled in what was missing from the interpreters, clarified what was unclear, corrected what was contradictory and removed what was superfluous. And if somewhere we contribute our modest share to the interpretation, book lovers will learn about this by comparing the Greek text of the rule with its presentation in simple language. In ancient Greek, as in Church Slavonic, letters of the alphabet were used instead of numbers. – Ed. This refers to the “Alphabetical Syntagma” of Vlastar. In the “Synodikon” (Hereinafter, “Synodikon” means a two-volume edition of the canons, prepared by the locum tenens of Philadelphia Spyridon (Milias) and published in 1761–1762 in Paris (it is possible that the book was actually printed in Venice). Recently, this edition was reproduced phototypically: Πρακτικὰ τῶν Ἁγίων Οἰκουμενικῶν Συνόδων. Τ. Ἄγιον Ὄρος. the original is retained).) There are only 8 of his rules in the same “Synodikon”, and in more accurate [sources] – 11. He compiled them under Alexei Komnenos around 1084. Balsamon gave them an interpretation. We also recorded them separately. The rules of this and the two following authors are not placed separately in the Pidalion, but are only quoted in the interpretations. 31 of his rules have been preserved in handwritten codes in the form of answers to the bishop. Cabasilus of Dyrrhachium. He lived a little later than Balsamon or almost at the same time. Ten of his rules are preserved in handwritten codes in the form of messages to the bishop. Konstantin. That is, the Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. 24 of his answers have been preserved in the 2nd volume of the Synodikon (p. 1001), which he wrote to an equal number of questions asked of him. He lived around 1100. That is, the Trullo Council, which in the Orthodox Church is considered a continuation of the VI Ecumenical Council. “Digests” – the name is Latin. It simply means “decree,” or in the plural, “decrees.” And here we mean the laws of Justinian, which he collected from different nations, compiling the most remarkable 50 books and calling them “Digests”, because they decide what should and should not be done. “Code” is a Greek word that means “skin.” It is used collectively instead of the “leather book,” as here, for here “Codes” is the name given to Justinian’s “Twelve Books” of laws, which are divided into three “Codes.” “Institutions” is a Latin word and means “introduction.” This refers to a book that gives preliminary knowledge of the laws and which Justinian compiled to master the science of jurisprudence. “Novel” is a recently published decree of any emperor; means civil law. Note that the imperial laws were summarized by three great and wise men: the wisest Photius, who collected together into 14 titles the “Institutes,” “Digests,” “Codes” and “Novels” of Justinian; the wise man Michael, called Attaliatus, anfipat (also proconsul) and judge, who, by order of Michael Duca, set out these civil laws in 95 titles, as they are in the 2nd book. "Greco-Roman Law"; and the wise Constantine Armenopulos, judge of Thessaloniki, who reduced them into six books, which are called the “Six Books”. Of these three, Photius's abridged account deserves greater praise as being the more accurate. In addition, Leo and his son Constantine published a shorter “Eclogue” of Justinian’s laws with corrections in the spirit of greater humanity (“Eclogue” (Ἐκλογή) literally means “selection, extraction.” For many crimes that were punishable by death under Justinian’s law, according to the “Eclogue”, more humane punishments, by the standards of the 8th century, were to be imposed – bodily and self-mutilation (deprivation of hands, nose, etc.) “Eclogue” contains 73 titles and is found in the 2nd book. "Greco-Roman Law", from p. 79. And since, as has already been said, we have decided to combine the civil laws of the emperors with the sacred rules, it will not be inappropriate if, for those who are inquisitive, we here briefly outline where these civil laws originated. In ancient times, neither kings had a stable position, nor did their laws have any order. Appius Claudius, together with ten other men, was the first to collect all the laws that the Romans had, unwritten and written, scattered here and there and scattered. In addition, he brought the laws of Draco and Solon from Athens and other laws from other places in Greece. Having selected the best from them, he compiled 12 books, calling them “The Twelve Books” (We are talking about the “Laws of the XII Tables,” which were compiled in 451–449 BC and formed the basis for the development of Roman civil law). After Appius, other sages, led by Gaius, in turn drew up other laws. And after them, different emperors wrote different laws and interpretations in the way they thought was useful for the state. Therefore, the books of their laws multiplied, as Dositheus and others of blessed memory say, and by the time of Emperor Justinian the Great there were more than two thousand of them. Justinian collected them all with the help of the wise men John Patricius Tribonian, Theophilus and Theodore into 50 books, which he called “Digests,” i.e., “decrees.” The same emperor also compiled three “Codes”, called “Gregorian”, “Hermogenian” and “Theodosian”, which he combined with the laws processed by him with the help of Thalaleus, Anatolius and Isidore, and compiled 12 books, calling them the “Twelve Books of Codes”. He also composed an introduction and manual for preliminary instruction in the laws, which he called “Institutions.” It served as a kind of fundamental basis for those beginning to study the laws. He collected short stories in a separate book (i.e. new decrees) of all the former emperors before him and his own (In fact, Justinian collected the laws of his predecessors and his own laws of the first years of his reign (up to 534 inclusive) in the “Code”, and the “Novels” are a collection of his laws published after the “Code.”), of which there were 170. Justinian not only collected all these laws, but also translated them from Latin into Greek and interpreted them, resorting to the help of those mentioned sages, especially Tribonian, who was as smart as he was money-loving. Therefore, he, accepting money from those who were suing, either changed the laws at their request, or left the laws dark and ambiguous, so that the readers did not understand them and fell into disagreements (Modern science explains the contradictions in Justinian’s legislation by the huge volume of material included in it from different centuries. These contradictions were actively eliminated by codifiers, but some of them were missed). Later, Leo the Wise, having collected all of Justinian’s “Digests”, “Codes”, “Institutions” and “Novellas” and revised them, combined them into 60 books, which he called the “Sixties”. He divided it into 6 large sections, each of which contains many books. Finally, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, the son of Leo, re-examined these laws and included those in force from the laws of the “Pentecostal” (i.e., “Digest”) of Justinian and the laws of the “Twelfth Book” (i.e., “Codes” of Justinian) into the “Sexages” of his father Leo, and omitted those that were not in effect. I say “inactive” - in the sense that Porphyrogenitus did not place them in “Vasiliki”, as it seemed reasonable to him, and not to all the other emperors. In any case, as the wise Dositheus says (Twelve Books, p. 443), the order in which Justinian built the laws has no comparison and there is no one else who could say or write better. Therefore, Michael Attaliatus said that Leo published many short stories (according to Blastar, there were 108 of them, and others say 120), however, not all of them came into force, but only those that filled in what was missing in Justinian’s short stories and were written on those issues that other laws did not talk about (Greco-Roman Law, p. 77). The law, according to Varin, is an imperial decree or decree correcting any voluntary or involuntary crime; or a command that prescribes what is proper and prohibits what is not. Civil laws are also called pragmatic sanctions (Greek τῦπος πραγματικός, or Latin sanctio pragmatica, a legal term meaning, as a rule, an imperial decree on a public legal issue, addressed to a specific community of citizens (city, province, etc.) and divine (divine and holy - titles Byzantine emperors) charters. The rules of this and the two following authors are not placed separately in the Pidalion, but are only quoted in interpretations. We compiled it mainly on the basis of a book called in Latin Juris..., i.e. “Greco-Roman Law”. In particular, bishops and confessors, or those who are to become bishops and confessors, should hold this book in their hands constantly, and even sleep on it, like Alexander the Great in Homer’s Iliad (Plutarch, in particular, reports on this habit of Alexander the Great in the life of the commander: Plut. Alexander VIII, 2 // TLG 7/47), and read the rules contained in it as often as to know them by heart. Since these are the people who are or are preparing to become the helmsmen of the boat of the Holy Church, they must be able to hold its helm (πηδάλιον) with knowledge of the matter, that is, apply the rules found in this book in order to deliver sinners from the storm of sin through experienced management. Greg. Nazianz. Or. 43. 36 // PG 36, 545B. The words given do not belong to Gregory the Theologian, but to Clement of Alexandria: Clem. Alex. Paed. II, 1 // PG 8, 388B. The costs were paid by the fathers not only from the Holy Mountain, but also by others from different places, whose names see at the end of the book. However, the Holy Mountain residents contributed a large part, and thanks to them, others saw this good and moved towards it. See the names of donors for the publication of the book at the end. Ράλλης, Ποτλής. Τ. 4. Σ. 81; PG 138, 564D. Please note: in order to make these rules more understandable, you should know the following provisions, which are usually found in all rules: 1. For example, rules differ from definitions (τοὺς ορούς), laws, decrees and decretals (meaning decisions of the popes in the form of messages), because the rules of Councils primarily contain not dogmas of faith (with rare exceptions), but decisions about deanery and the structure of the Church. The definitions of the Councils mainly contain only the dogmas of faith. Although in an improper sense, sometimes the rules are called definitions, as can be seen from the various rules of other Councils, and most importantly from the 5th rule of the Council of Carthage and from its acts, which say that 20 definitions of the Ricaean Council were read, i.e. 20 of its rules. Rules differ from laws, since civil and external royal decrees are actually called laws. And the rules are internal and church decrees that exceed laws in legal force, which we will discuss separately below. Rules differ from decrees, since, as Gratian teaches (see his section 3) (Grat. Decret. I, 3. 2 // PL 187, 33C.), rules are either established by private (i.e. Local) Council, or determined or approved by the Ecumenical Council. And a decree is what the patriarch announces with his Council, without the purpose of giving instruction or answering someone. Rules also differ from decretals, since the latter are issued by the pope or patriarch personally or jointly with the Council for instruction in dogmas (Dositheus. Twelve Books. P. 600). 2. You should know: those rules that do not contain clear indications of what kind of penance is imposed on those who violate these rules, by default give freedom to the local bishop to calmly appoint as such what he recognizes as proper and suitable, as Balsamon says in the interpretation of rule VI Omni. 45 (Ράλλης, Ποτλής. T. 2. Σ. 413; PG 137, 673B.) See after the rules of John the Faster for his penance, which were not included in the rules. 3. You should know that for the same sin, some rules impose longer penances, while others impose shorter ones. The greater or lesser duration of penance is determined based on the greater or lesser degree of repentance of those who sin (for which see also note 1 to I Ecum. 12), as well as according to the greater or lesser growth and strengthening of the Church (see also note 1 to canon 13 of Basil the Great). 4. It is appropriate for everyone to know that, according to the 4th chapter. 1st tit. “Nomocanon” of Photius (Ibid. T. 1. Σ. 42; PG 104, 985D.), the rules are set out not by one bishop, but by the general Council of bishops, as the 47th rule of Basil the Great says: “It is necessary for a larger number of bishops to gather together and then set out the rule.” And the 6th rule of Gregory Nis. testifies: “Our opinion is not so worthy of faith as to have the force of rules.” 5. The opinion of one who speaks in accordance with the conciliar rules deserves faith, according to canon 6 of Gregory Nis. 6. Anyone who acts in accordance with them is safe, according to the mentioned 47th rule of Vasily the Great. 7. Anyone who violates a conciliar rule must suffer, as we said, the penance prescribed by the rule he violated (according to VI Ecum. 2). Conciliar rules are and are called not only those set out by Ecumenical Councils, but also those established by Local Councils and, in addition, written by some saints separately. First of all, the rules of the Ecumenical Councils have the force of both the rules of Local Councils and the rules of individual holy fathers, since they were verified and approved by the Ecumenical Councils, namely IV, VI, VII. This can be seen from IV Universe. 1, VII Omni. 1 and VI Omni. 2. 8. What the rules do not clearly write about should be judged and a conclusion made on the basis of similar cases described in the rules (see also the agreement to VI Ecumenical 15), or on the basis of the writings of individual fathers, or even according to the reasoning of a sound mind. 9. All rare cases, everything that happens due to economy, necessity or bad custom and, simply put, everything that happens contrary to the rules - is not a law, a rule and a model for the Church (see interpretation of Apostle 68). On the contrary, when economy and necessity pass, the rules come into force again. See note. to Apost. 46 and note. 3 to I Omni. 13. 10. Since most of the penances that are established by the rules apply to a third person, while there is no commander, then in order to put them into effect, a second person (which is the Council) is necessarily required. (See note 1 to Apostle 3.) (We are talking about the form in which penances for violating the canons are usually stated: “let him be defrocked,” “let him be excommunicated.” However, if the Council does not consider this violation and does not make a determination that the person who violated the rule should be subject to expulsion or excommunication, then in fact the violator is still not yet deposed or excommunicated, although he is subject to penance.) 11. Rules and laws were established regarding general, not specific issues, and concern what happens in most cases, not exceptions. 12. The rules of the Ecumenical Councils have greater force than the rules of Local Councils, and the rules of Local Councils have greater force than the rules of individual holy fathers, and especially than those rules that were not approved by the Ecumenical Council. Read also what Saint Photius said on this issue in the note. 3 to I Omni. 13. 13. Where there is no rule or written law, a good custom is preserved, which is verified by right reason and tested for many years and which, without contradicting the written rule or law, replaces the rule or law. See also note. 1 to Sardik. 1. 14. Neither rule, nor law, nor time, nor custom, according to lawyers, approves everything that is decided and determined poorly. The authors of Pidalion quote the afterword to the Apostolic Rules, found at the end of the Apostle. 85. In this form - with an afterword - this canon is contained in the Apostolic Constitutions (Const. Ar. VIII, 48 // TLG 2894/001) and other sources. In the “Pandects” of G. Beveregius, the “Athenian Syntagma” and the “Book of Rules” the rule is Apost. 85 was printed without an afterword. We are talking about the Trullo Cathedral. Ράλλης, Ποτλής. Τ. 1. Σ. 36–37; PG 104, 980B–981A. Ibid. Σ. 36; PG 104, 980V. Ράλλης, Ποτλής. Τ. 1. Σ. 36; PG 104, 980B. Ράλλης, Ποτλής. Τ. 1. Σ. 38; PG 104, 981C. Jo. Chrys. In Math. Hom. 57, 5. PG 58, 556. Idem. Ad popul. Antioch. 16.2 // PG 49.164. Greg. Nazianz. Or. 21. 24 // PG 35.1109V. Here and below, the authors of Pidalion, quoting St. John Chrysostom, refer to an edition published in Eton (England): S. Joannes Chrysostomus. Opera grace/Ed. cum notis H. Savilius. Vol. 1–8. Etonae, 1612–1613. See also: Jo. Chrys. De paenit. Hom. 8, 1. PG 49, 337. The authors of Pidalion indicate pages from the first (one-volume) edition of the Philokalia: Φιλοκαλία τῶν ἱερῶν νηπτικῶν... Ἐνετίησι, 1782. See also: PG 90, 1069A.