Our Reverend Father and Confessor Theodore, Abbot of Studium, common penances for the entire brotherhood against those who violate the rules in the church

The authorship of the essay “Our Reverend Father and Confessor Theodore, Abbot of Studium, penances common to the entire brotherhood against those who violate the rule in the church” is attributed to St. Theodore Studitus. This is the 1st part of the collection “Penance,” which has significant differences in the manuscript tradition. The treatise consists of 101 general disciplinary punishments related to neglect of monastic duties (including by individual monastery officials). At the beginning, rules are established governing the participation of monks in worship and meals. Particular attention is paid to behavior in church: being late for the start of services (“Glory in the highest,” six psalms, kathismas, hours) entails bowing, dry eating, or standing during meals. Leaving the church, participation in Communion (voluntary refusal is punishable by excommunication), attendance at catechumens, and reaction to the monastery bell are also regulated. Certain provisions relate to communication (prohibition of talking after Compline, slander), use of personal belongings (everything that is beyond what is permitted is taken away), visiting other monasteries and correspondence with the outside world without blessing. The need for regular confession and denunciation of slander is emphasized. Then it talks about punishments for monastic officials (cellarer, cook, librarian, calligrapher, etc.), artisans and, in general, all monks for violating their duties and obediences. Specific rules are given for each position, and numerous violations are prescribed related to carelessness in work, wastefulness, sloppiness, disrespect for tools, property or brothers, and failure to maintain order. Punishments range from a certain number of bows and dry eating to temporary excommunication from the fraternity. * Название сочинения на греческом языке: Έπιτίμια; Ἐπιτίμια ϰοινὰ τῆς ὅλης ἀδελφότητος. * Название сочинения на латинском языке: Epitimia. "General fraternal penances" (Ἐπιτίμια ϰοινὰ τῆς ὅλης ἀδελφότητος) and "Daily penances of monks" (Τὰ ϰαθημερινὰ ἐπιτίμια τῶν μοναχῶν) published (with Latin translation) by Cardinal Angelo Mai from the Vatic manuscripts. gr. 430 and Ottob. gr. 350 (Nova patrum bibliotheca. T. 5. Pars 2. Roma, 1849. P. 138–145; reprint: PG. T.99. Col. 1733–1747, 1747–1758). The text of the former in the manuscripts has significant discrepancies; the text of the latter bears clear traces of subsequent interventions. In general, Theodore the Studite's "Penances" find parallels in the rules of the Egyptian fathers, as well as the penance rules attributed to Basil the Great, John Chrysostom, John the Faster, and Patriarch Nicephorus. At the same time, Theodore’s penances occupy a middle position between the harsh acrivia of Pachomius and Pseudo-Chrysostom and the condescending oikonomia of John the Faster. See detailed comparison: Dobroklonsky. Rev. Theodore... T. 1. P. 536–547. For the Slavic version of the “General Rules”, see the book: Kazansky P.S. History of Orthodox Russian monasticism. M., 1855. pp. 198–202. – Ed. 1. Whoever was not present at the beginning of [the singing of] “Glory in the highest” except for illness or other valid reason, during the blessing, bowing down, must remain until the brothers leave, asking for forgiveness, and then must receive the blessing 1 . 2. Those who are late for the Six Psalms must stand during the meal; Those who are late for kathisma should make fifteen bows. Anyone who comes after the six psalms or moves [from place to place] without permission must stand during the meal 2. 3. Whoever did not stand before the fiftieth psalm must undergo the penance of dry eating. 4. Anyone who has missed the whole canon must bear the penance of dry eating and, moreover, must not sit. 5. Whoever fails to appear at the beginning of each hour must be subject to the same penance as is imposed on those who are not present [at the singing of] “Glory in the highest” 3 . 6. Those who leave [the church] before the prokeimenon of each hour or until the end must bear the penance of dry eating. 7. He who is not present at the beginning must undergo the penance of one who was not present [when singing] “Glory in the highest.” 8. He who has not heard the magnification must stand during the meal. 9 . Anyone who remains outside the entrance [to the church] must bear the penance of dry eating. 10. Anyone who has not received communion by his own decision must be absent for one day. 11. Anyone who is under penance and is not present with the catechumens in the vestibule during the Liturgy must make fifty bows. [Col. 1736] 12. Whoever, without a good reason, is not present at the meal with the brothers, must stand, or bear the penance of dry eating, or, according to the great Basil 5, remain without food until a certain hour of the next day. 13. Anyone who leaves the church more than once without a reminder or sits down in front of the altar gates without a reminder during each service must bow ten times. 14. Anyone who, without a good reason, is not present at the three announcements during the week, must bear the penance of dry eating. 15. Whoever left the evening announcement must stand. 16. Anyone who hears three blows [on the beater] at any time and does not go in haste must make twenty bows. 17. Anyone who, contrary to this order, goes here and there and wanders around the monastery, must be subject to excommunication for one day. 18. Anyone who goes from one workshop to another without proper reason must be subject to excommunication for one day 6 . 19. Whoever, after the prayer that occurs after rising from the meal, does not leave, as decreed, must make twenty bows. 20. Whoever enters into conversation after Compline must make fifty bows 7 . 21. Anyone engaged in handicraft, if he does not work quietly, but initiates conversations with strangers, must be excommunicated for two days. 22. Whoever is caught in any kind of theft must be subject to excommunication for one week 8 . 23. Whoever shouts obscenely must make thirty bows 9 . 24. If anyone in one place or another has anything other than what was given with blessing, it must be taken away, and he himself is condemned to dry eating. 25. If anyone has something undeclared or reveals it to anyone other than those appointed [for this], he must be subject to excommunication for one day. 26. If anyone, after two weeks, does not appear for confession to the abbot, he must be excommunicated for one day. 27. If someone hears the slander of another and does not correct the slanderer himself or does not report what he heard to the superior, a penance of one hundred bows should be imposed on him 10 . 28. Anyone who is invited by another and does not immediately respond, even if the invitation is close at hand, must undergo a penance of thirty bows. 29. Anyone who does not change clothes on the Sabbath at his own request, 11 or does not change his clothes on the same day or the next, must undergo the penance of dry eating. [Col. 1737] 30. Anyone who is hostile to the abbot and disturbs the brotherhood must be absent for one day 12. 31. If someone had to go out [from the monastery] for agapa 13 (εἰς ἀγάπην) 14 and upon returning he talks about what happened in any way, especially during a meal, without asking the abbot, he should be subject to excommunication for one day. 32. If anyone, having visited other monasteries, begins to report in writing or not in writing, but without the permission of the abbot, about anything, and especially about food or any other matter, he must be subject to excommunication for three days. 33. If someone on Sunday, and especially on a holiday, does not put on his best clothes for the two liturgies and for Matins, he must make fifty bows before the altar and then, returning, must put them on. 34. If any other manuscript is found in anyone’s box, either from the Holy Scriptures, or a dictionary, or a letter to a brother, other than the stichera or kathisma he is studying, he should be excommunicated for one day. 35. Anyone who found out about his brother’s leaving the monastery, or talked [with him about this], or accompanied him and did not inform him, should be excommunicated for one week. 36. If wine is spilled, bow according to the amount of wine spilled, five or more; Likewise, if there is a spill of vinegar or excessive output of oil and vegetables. 37. If any food product rots, then [the punishment is imposed] accordingly. 38. If any vessel remains uncovered for a long time, then the same bows are given. 39. If more or less than what is established is offered at the meal, [the cellarer must] make one hundred bows. 40. If any vessel is broken, up to the glass (βαυϰαλίου) inclusive, then bows of one hundred, and two hundred, and three hundred, or standing with this vessel [are assigned]. 41. If the cauldron is not full, thirty bows. 42. If the surplus is lost - one hundred bows, and if it is thrown away as unnecessary - standing with dry food. 43. If [the cook] does not add oil and salt in a timely manner so that they cook together [with the food], twenty bows. 44. If he spills stew and butter, thirty bows. 45. If someone takes a glass from the dining room (ἀριστηρίου) and does not return it back to its place - fifty bows. 46. If a pot is broken, or a cast iron pot (πυροστάτης) or a cauldron (ϰαϰάβιον), or [Col. 1740] a brazier, or some other cook's vessel, [assigned] one hundred and two hundred and three hundred bows. 47. If anyone takes a book and uses it carelessly, or takes another book without the consent of the person using it, or asks for one other than the one he took with objection, let him not touch the book at all that day. 48. If a librarian does not show due care [about books], shaking them up, arranging them in order (μεταστοιβάζων) and cleaning each [of them] from dust, then he must bear the penance of dry eating. 49. Whoever hides [a book] in the bedroom (ϰοιτάριον) and does not return it to the librarian without a good reason when struck with a beater, must stand during the meal. 50. If [a shoemaker] through negligence breaks an awl or other tool for shoemaking, then [he must make] bows one hundred, and fifty, and thirty. 51. If he begins to carelessly handle leather or hammers and carelessly cuts [the leather] and sews it on shoes, then he must bear the same penances. 52. If he gives [shoes] to someone biasedly or unnecessarily, he must bear the penance of dry eating. 53. If [the calligrapher] prepared glue beyond necessity, which has deteriorated over time, fifty bows. 54. If he keeps the notebook untidy, does not place [carefully] the book from which he is copying, does not cover both in due time, does not observe the parallelism of lines, accents and punctuation marks, then [a penance is imposed] of thirty and one hundred bows. 55. If anyone omits [anything] from what is written in the book from which he is copying, he shall be excommunicated for three days. 56. If anyone reads more than what is written in the book from which he is copying, he should be punished with dry eating. 57. If someone breaks a writing pen in anger (ϰάλαμον) - thirty bows. 58. If one takes a notebook from another without the knowledge of the writer - fifty bows. 59. If anyone does not obey the orders of the first calligrapher, he must be excommunicated for two days. 60. If the first calligrapher begins to distribute the work biasedly, and does not properly prepare the parchment and all items related to the craft, so that those engaged in this work do not experience any difficulty, then he must make fifty and one hundred bows and be excommunicated. 61. If [a tailor] carelessly breaks a needle or scissors (ψαλία), breaks threads or tears clothes, then [he is assigned] bows - thirty, or fifty, or a hundred. 62. If he neglects any remains of matter [Col. 1741] or does not repair the threadbare [dress], does not turn it over and clean it, or carelessly begins to give weekly shifts to each of the brothers, then he must bear the penance of dry eating, or stand, or be excommunicated for one day. 63. If the gatekeeper leaves the gatekeeper's room through negligence and his brother secretly leaves, he must be excommunicated for one week. 64. If, through abuse, he allows worldly responses to penetrate from visitors arriving at the monastery, then he [must make] one hundred prostrations. 65. If he does not speak or respond to visitors with prudence, or does not speak with the abbot decently and decently, then he [must make] a hundred bows. 66. If through inattention he loses the key, he is subject to the penance of dry eating. 67. If [the hospital worker] does not take care, as far as possible, of each of the patients and does not promptly offer what is needed and in proportion to what is established, but either adds or subtracts, then [he is assigned] bows of 50 and 100, or he is subjected to the penance of dry eating, or must be excommunicated for one day. 68. If the hospital assistant does not arrange the beds of the sick and store the oil well, if he does not observe precision [in preparing the medicine] down to a single grain, then he must undergo the penance of dry eating and be excommunicated for one day. 69. If anyone, without [the knowledge of] the hospital attendant, lies down on the bed or changes the bed given to him for another, [he is assigned] 50 bows. 70. If [a blacksmith] begins to abuse coals, or carelessly breaks any of the blacksmith tools, or loses it, or takes something from someone without orders, or makes [another tool], then [a penance is imposed on him] of 30 or 50 and 100 bows, or he must bear the penance of dry eating. 71. If [the lamp-keeper] does not light the lamps and neatly and regularly puts the church in order, so that nothing is either superfluous or missing, if he weekly, according to custom, does not clean and remove dirt from the lamps, then he is assigned one hundred bows, and he must undergo the penance of dry eating. 72. If he breaks the lamp, then, depending on the value of the lamp, he must perform penance. 73. If he burns oil carelessly, or spills it from the lamp, or lights it too brightly, or dims the light too much, then a penance of 30 bows will be imposed on him. 74. If he does not clean the chandelier, or pendants, or decorations so that they do not deteriorate from rust, then he must undergo a penance of one hundred prostrations. [Col. 1744] 75. If he reduces or increases the lighting of the lamps beyond the prescribed measure - since he himself knows the time of the Lord's holiday and the resurrection and the memory of the saints - and if two and three times a week there is no vengeance of the church of God, then he must undergo a penance of thirty bows. 76. If [the gardener] begins to sow greenery at the wrong time - thirty bows. 77. If he does not begin to cultivate the garden entrusted to him as a paradise of the Lord so that he gives the brotherhood a sufficient amount of every kind of greenery, then he must make a hundred prostrations. 78. If he is careless about irrigation and waters excessively, a hundred bows. 79. If he does not tend the vineyard of the Lord, pruning it, clearing it, digging it, blasting it and cultivating it in various ways, then he [must undergo a penance of] one hundred prostrations. 80. If [the plowman] hits an ox in anger or utters an indecent word, then he [must make] ten bows. 81. If he does not use the tools and instruments necessary for him with attention and care, he must undergo the penance of dry eating. 82. If the hotel does not receive guests well and with all disposition, washing their feet and arranging comfortable beds for them, a hundred bows. 83. If he leaves the bed uncovered, if he does not shake out used blankets and does not take care of them, then he must undergo the penance of dry eating. 84. Likewise, [dry eating is prescribed] if he does not clean the bedroom for a week. 85. If someone begins to talk in the bakery, while the brothers are preparing bread, he [is assigned] thirty bows. 86. If a baker burns twigs or wood excessively, or bakes bread poorly, [he is assigned] three bows. 87. If [a carpenter] spoils a hewn tree, or chops off too much, or cuts out of proportion, or generally makes it unusable in any way, then he must undergo the penance of dry eating. 88. If anyone takes a tool without the knowledge of the carpenter or from another workshop - thirty bows. 89. If [anyone] loses an instrument of any purpose, he must undergo the penance of dry eating and excommunication. 90. If an axe, a drill, a saw or any other instrument is broken - one hundred bows. [Col. 1745] 91. If he does not provide proper care for the animals, that is, does not give water and food on time, does not lay bedding, does not clean and care for them, - thirty bows. 92. If he drives [animals] for a long time in a mill or on another road, or beats them, or puts on a burden that is more than necessary, then he must bear the penance of dry eating or excommunication for one day. 93. If he conveys to the brothers speeches or answers from outsiders or from relatives, he must be excommunicated for one day. 94. If, during purchases and sales, he argues or becomes irritated, or utters oaths and does not make the sale and purchase from the second or third word, then he must undergo a penance of fifty and one hundred bows. 95. If he does not leave the monastery with proper decorum, so as to walk with prayer and poetry, without casting glances at women or anything else inappropriate, but so that, as far as possible, God is glorified through the benefit of everyone who sees him, then he must undergo the penance of dry eating for one day. 96. If he does not have a compassionate heart and a fatherly disposition, so as to raise children in the education 34 and teaching of the Lord, caring for their body and soul, warming and caring for all their bodily needs, then he must undergo a penance of one hundred bows, or dry eating, or excommunication for one week. 97. Anyone who utters any indecent and offensive word among the brotherhood, except for those in command, who sometimes say it for educational purposes, [must undergo a penance of] fifty bows. 98. If he does not bring the entire monastery into good appearance twice a week, he must bow fifty times or be subject to the penance of dry eating. 99. If he, contrary to the appointed hour, that is, at midnight every day and before midnight on Sunday, carelessly treats the spiritual trumpet, warning [the deadline] or being late, then he must make prostrations - thirty, and fifty, and a hundred. 100. If he does not announce each hour of the service in good time, calling on the brethren, he will bow a hundred times. 101. If he is convicted of attacking his brother due to outside accusations or personal bias, and if he either deprives him of reading [in the church] or burdens him, he must be subject to the penance of dry eating. 102. If he does not observe due care and purity regarding the first words [of church hymns], as well as regarding the kontakia in each book that he holds, so that it does not become inconvenient [for use] either due to the movement of the canonarchs, or due to the strengthening of the lamp, [Col. 1748] either because he is covered in wax, or because his hands are unclean and sweaty, [he is assigned] to stand outside the refectory. 103. If he does not tell the one who has to read or sing in advance, so that both are prepared and thought out, - twenty bows. 104. If there remains a canon that has not been sung on the proper day, one hundred bows. 105. If, first of all, he himself does not maintain the deanery, then, by virtue of the power of his ministry, does not oversee the entire brotherhood, so that [the monks] stand decently in the choir and especially in a timely manner [appear] according to their age, experience and beauty of voice, then he must make thirty, and fifty, and a hundred bows. 106. If he does not carefully keep a list in order to know the degree of each [brother] and the number of the entire brotherhood, in order to give orders to the protodeacon to record the dead in diptychs, and to look for those who have fled due to foolishness, and if he allows any other deviation, then he must undergo a penance of one hundred prostrations. 107. If he does not take sacred and divine objects into his hands with fear and trembling, since from time to time he makes the vestments of the divine throne and other spiritual liturgical objects, and if he does not fold them in half and does not put covers - thirty and fifty bows. 108. If he is the first in the morning not to assign everyone a task and to ensure that there is no abuse of wool and threads made from wool, then [he must perform penance] of fifty prostrations. 109. If he carelessly breaks the yarn or, excited by anger, breaks the weaving shuttle - fifty bows. 101. If the tunics 39 are not woven properly - without observing the tightness of the border (λώματος), the evenness of the fabric (ἰσονημίας) and the cleanliness of the hands (ϰαθαροχειρίας), - fifty bows. The same according to the 1st rule from the “Collection of 22 Rules” by Nikephoros of Constantinople (Pitra J.B. Spicilegium Solesmense. T. 4. R. 393. N 54). – Ed. Wed. 2–3 rules of Nikephoros (for being late for kathisma, 40 bows are due) (Pitra J.B. Spicilegium Solesmense. T. 4. P. 393. N 55–56). – Ed. The same according to the 5th rule of Nikephoros (PitraJ.B. Spicilegium Solesmense. T. 4. R. 394. N 58). – Ed. What was the excommunication (ἀφορισμός) from the works of St. Theodora is not entirely clear. Most likely, this means temporary excommunication from communication with the brethren in prayer, food and work. See: Dobroklonsky. Rev. Theodore... T. 1. P. 539. – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Rules, briefly stated, 136 // Set. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 263. – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Rules, briefly stated, 141 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 265. – Ed. The same according to the 7th rule of Nikephoros (Pitra J.B. Spicilegium Solesmense. T. 4. R. 394. N 60). – Ed. According to the 24th “Rule of Confession” (see above), for theft a penance of 40 days of dry eating at the ninth hour and 100 bows is imposed. Wed: Rule of Basil the Great 61st (a caught thief is excommunicated for 2 years) // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 776. – Ed. The same punishment according to the 8th rule of Nikephoros (Pitra J.B. Spicilegium Solesmense. T.4. P.394.N61). – Ed. According to the 9th rule of Nikephoros, which almost literally coincides with this one, 150 bows are required (Pitra J.B. Spicilegium Solesmense. T. 4. P. 394. N 62). Basil the Great indicates that the listener of slander should be excommunicated on the same basis as the slanderer (Cf.: St. Basil the Great. Rules, briefly stated, 26 // St. Basil the Great. Works. T. 2. P. 233). – Ed. According to the 10th rule of Nikephoros, excommunication for 15 days and raw food eating are prescribed (Pitra J.B. Spicilegium Solesmense. T. 4. P. 394. N 63). By “agape” here, obviously, we mean a charitable meal, shared by members of worldly brotherhoods (for example, the capital’s funeral brotherhood, in which Theodore the Studite was a member; see: Dobroklonsky. Rev. Theodore... T. 1. P. 585). – Ed. In TFS: “someone happens to be in a secular assembly.” – Ed. The cellarer (ϰελλαρίτης) was in charge of the storeroom of food supplies and gave them to the kitchen. – Ed. The cook (ὀψοποιός) was subordinate to the cellarer. – Ed. The librarian, or book guardian (βιβλιοφύλαξ), looked after the monastery library and issued books to the monks. – Ed. A shoemaker (σϰυτεύς) repaired and made shoes. – Ed. The calligrapher (ϰαλλιγράφος) was engaged in the production and copying of books; was subordinate to the first calligrapher (πρωτοϰαλλιγράφος). – Ed. A tailor (ἀϰεστής) was engaged in mending and making clothes; was subordinate to the protovestiary. – Ed. The gatekeeper (ὀστιάριος) allowed those entering and leaving with the permission of the abbot, and acted as a mediator in negotiations between visitors and monks. – Ed. Head of the monastery hospital (νοσοϰόμος); provided medical care, received and cared for the sick, kept order in the hospital; An assistant (παρανοσοϰόμος), hospital cellarer, cook and servants were subordinate to him. – Ed. The title "About the blacksmith" (Περί τοῦ χαλϰοτύπου), preserved in the Slavic version ("About the smiths"), is missing. See: Dobroklonsky. Rev. Theodore... T. 1. P. 418, note. 6. – Ed. The lamp-bearer (ϰανδηλάριος) was responsible for lighting and cleaning the church. – Ed. The gardener, or gardener (ϰηπωρός), provided the brethren with greens. – Ed. The vinedresser (ἀμπελουργός) tended the vineyard. – Ed. A plowman (ἀροτριῶν) worked the monastery fields; was subordinate to the senior plowman. – Ed. The guesthouse (ξενοδόχος) was in charge of the monastery hotel, received wanderers and looked after them. – Ed. The baker (μάγϰιψ) was subordinate to the cellarer. – Ed. The carpenter (τέϰτων) was subordinate to the chief carpenter. – Ed. The cattleman (ϰτηνίτης) looked after the monastery animals. – Ed. Lit.: servant (διάϰων); assigned to go out on business matters - buying and selling products and supplies, delivering letters. – Ed. The children's teacher (διδάσϰαλος τῶν παιδῶν) instructed the children raised at the monastery. – Ed. In TFS: “in punishment.” – Ed. The janitor, or cleaner (ϰοσμίτης) monitored the cleanliness of the monastery territory. – Ed. The duties of the canonarch (ϰσνονάρχης) included: calling for prayer with blows on the beater; appoint and direct readers and singers; observe the statutory order in liturgical reading and singing; keep liturgical books clean. – Ed. Taxiarch (ταξιάρχης) maintained decorum and order in fraternal meetings, watching that everyone took their proper places and maintained decency in dress, gait and behavior; kept a list of brothers indicating their degrees; informed the archdeacon about the dead, looked for those who had fled. – Ed. Despite the absence of a title, the following duties should not apply to the taxiarch, but to the vessel guardian, or skeuphylax (σϰευοφύλαξ), who looked after the church utensils. See: Dobroklonsky. Rev. Theodore... T. 1. P. 556, note. 1. – Ed. In this case, a cloth for sewing underwear. – Ed.