Дополнение

Metropolitan Philaret’s opinion on “which crimes in relation to fugitive priests should be considered criminal” In order to resolve the question proposed by the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs: what kind of crimes in relation to fugitive priests should be considered criminal, and therefore send them to trial according to the requirements of the diocesan authorities, for reasons of church rules and state laws with the real need to protect church security and the order of government from harmful impunity, the following is considered fair and necessary: 1) In the case of fugitive priests, criminal offenses requiring the mandatory deportation of the perpetrators to trial (should) be considered crimes under the name of atrocities, named in the decree of the Governing Senate of 1725, May 3 days, in which, after the gravest public and private crimes, church rebellion, retreat into schism and theft discovered by capture and red-handed are mentioned. 2) If after the escaped priest there is nothing in the church that was entrusted to him, and therefore he will be subject to responsibility for the theft or embezzlement of church property: in this case it is also necessary that the escaped priest be sent for investigation and trial, both for the importance of the crime, and in order to provide due justice to the offended church and the parish that contains it. 3) If a priest escapes while he is under investigation or trial or penance for any crime: justice and good governance require in this case that he be expelled to complete the investigation, trial and penance. since the highest manifesto of 1787, April 21, paragraph 54, ordered that any crime against obedience to the authorities and authorities of localities and persons must be punished to the fullest extent of the laws, while those in power and superiors must monitor the preservation of order and proper obedience, under the fear that any relaxation in that, as entailing a disorder in subordination by service, will be imputed to the superiors a real omission. To allow that a new crime, that is, escape, could be spared from trial and punishment for a priest accused of a crime would be contrary to all concepts of justice and harmful to subordination and good morals. This would be a kind of hope that crimes will not be punished. 4) Finally, the Holy Synod, as a place entrusted with the protection of the inviolability of sacred rules and church decorum, cannot fail to recognize the very escape of a priest from his place and position to the schismatics for a serious crime, requiring immediate justice according to the following respects: a) 15 Rule of the Holy Apostles, a presbyter, or a deacon, or a cleric who willfully leaves his place and does not return at the request of the bishop is subject to eruption. The same is confirmed by: the Council of Antioch, rule 3, the Council of Sardicia - 20, and the Seventh Ecumenical Council - 10. b) since, on the basis of the Spiritual Regulations (added paragraph 5), the priest, in the oath pronounced before being appointed to this dignity, by the way, undertakes to reprove schismatics with the word of God and the holy fathers of the Scriptures with the spirit of meekness and lead to conversion and union with the church, about those who are not corrected and persist in their stubbornness, especially about debauchees and others who distract from the union of the church, where it is necessary, in writing and verbally, to represent: then a priest who runs from the church to the schismatics is a clear violator of the same oath in which he owes allegiance to His Imperial Majesty; and therefore, as much as it is necessary to preserve the sanctity of the church and state oath, both for the sake of the highest holiness of the name of God, which one swears, and for the security of all social ties, it is equally necessary to ensure that such an oathbreaker is not sheltered from justice by any indulgence. This perjury of the fugitive priests is further increased by the fact that, joining the schismatics, they give them the opposite (as can be seen from the sample presented to the Holy Synod by the Bishop of Penza 337) oath, in which the teachings and rituals of the Orthodox Church are called heretical evil, and even some civil customs accepted by the government are cursed 338. November 15. Report of Metropolitan Philaret to the Holy Synod on the revision and addition of the Orthodox catechisms compiled by him - lengthy and short The Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod, Prince P. S. Meshchersky, proposed, dated August 14, 1826, No. 1725, that the Sovereign Emperor, as the chief of the main staff of His Majesty informed him, was pleased that for the uniform teaching of the law of God in all generally secular educational institutions and especially in military schools, it should be compiled according to the department of the spiritual authorities a decent educational book for this. As a result of this, by decree of the Holy Synod, dated September 6 of the same year, No. 7868, Metropolitan Philaret was entrusted, so that, after revising the lengthy and short Christian catechisms of the Greek-Russian Church compiled by him and adapting certain passages in them to the purpose of the intended use of this book, he compiled two books from them, one called an educational book for teaching the law of God in all secular educational institutions and especially in the military schools, and another under the proper name of the catechism for the lower military ranks, with the addition in both books of one chapter, separately, of instructions pertaining specifically to students of military schools and lower military ranks, and then presented them to the Holy Synod. In pursuance of this decree, Metropolitan Philaret, dated November 15 of the same year, No. 359, reported to the Holy Synod: To the Holy Governing Synod from its member Filaret, Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna, report. By decree of the Holy Synod, dated September 6, 1826, No. 7868, I was ordered to revise the lengthy and short catechisms that I had previously compiled and to adapt in them the passages known, according to the then reasoning, to the purpose of their intended use, with the addition to each book, one chapter at a time, separately, of instructions for those preparing or belonging to a military rank. This injunction, in relation to the lengthy catechism, was fulfilled by me as follows: 1) All sacred and church sayings used in this book, instead of the Russian dialect, are presented in Slavic. 2) Although the presentation of the truths, in the first and second editions of this book, was approved in all parts by the Holy Synod, however, during the present revision, it seemed unnecessary, in various places, to use new precautions against incorrect understanding, to make explanations and additions, and, in addition to the previous ones, to bring new evidence from the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the Holy Fathers. 3) An addition has been compiled containing special instructions for those preparing for a military rank. 4) I presented the revised and supplemented catechism to his Eminence, the leading member of the Holy Synod, and took advantage of his instructions, as well as the other bishops 339 present in the Holy Synod, he reported, and took advantage of their advice. As for the abbreviated catechism, which was previously not by special intention, but by chance, compiled by extracting from the now extensive one, for a better adaptation to the concept of those beginning to learn the law of God, not only this catechism was again redone, but also a short sacred history was added to it, and finally a special addition was made containing brief Christian instructions for the use of the lower military ranks. These works are considered in the same way as was said above about the lengthy catechism. Thus prepared and censored educational books of the law of God, I most respectfully present them to the Holy Synod for further discretion. If the Holy Synod is pleased to appoint these books for use, then the following may be used: Sacred history and a short catechism - in all schools for students of lower ages. Long Catechism - in all schools for students of middle and higher ages. In particular, the sacred history and the catechism, with the addition that belongs to it, are for the lower military ranks, so that the sacred history is either taught in the classroom, or read at home, in addition to the catechism, depending on convenience. A lengthy catechism, with an appendix for military schools, for students of middle and higher ages. Your Holiness's humblest novice. Filaret, Metropolitan of Moscow No. 359. November 15, 1827 The Holy Synod, by resolution of November 15/11, 1827, decided: taking into account that the sacred history and a short catechism, with the addition of Christian instructions adapted to the rank of soldiers, as well as a lengthy catechism, with the addition of sayings of the Holy Scripture with reflections, for use in military schools, were compiled in accordance with the instructions of the Synod and were considered by it in all details, the Synod intends to publish them in embossed form both now and in the future to publish them in synodal printing houses, for the general teaching of these teachings in theological and secular schools 340. Irinei (Nesterovich), later Archbishop of Irkutsk, who died in retirement in the Tolga monastery, May 18, 1864. From a handwritten rough original of Inventory No. 99; lekum. No. 5. Printed in the Collection of resolutions regarding the schism, which took place under the authority of the Holy Synod. Book II. St. Petersburg 1860, pp. 200–203. Philaret, Archbishop. Ryazansky, and Gregory, list. Kaluga File of the Archives of the Holy Synod, 1826, No. 48; l. 1, 13, 21, 22, 25, reverse.