[Col. 1721] Our venerable father and confessor Theodore, presbyter and abbot of Studio, the rules on confession and its permissions, set out by him

The essay “[Col. 1721] Our venerable father and confessor Theodore, presbyter and abbot of Studio, the rules on confession and its permissions set forth by him” is a compilation created after the death of St. Theodore the Studite (mid-9th century – beginning of the 10th century). The work regulates the practice of repentance and the imposition of penances for various sins. The collection consists of 28 rules, each of which is dedicated to a specific sin or vice, offering appropriate penance. It begins with a definition of confession and its saving power. The need for full and sincere disclosure of sins to the spiritual father is emphasized, whose advice, even if it seems contrary to personal intention, should be accepted with faith and humility. The rules cover the following categories of sins and passions: 1) everyday vices: anger, lies, gluttony, love of money, pride, etc.; 2) grave sins: murder, adultery, fornication, sodomy, theft, etc.; 3) prohibited practices: magic, sorcery, divination. For each offense, a specific penance is established, including: deprivation of Communion, dry eating, a certain number of bows, crying and abstinence from certain foods (wine, butter, cheese). A distinctive feature of these rules is their expressed leniency. In many cases, for serious sins, for which St. Basil the Great prescribed a 15-year deprivation of Communion, but significantly reduced terms are proposed here (2-3 years), provided that the sinner sincerely “departs from vice” and shows diligence in repentance. If he remains “negligent,” then more severe, lengthy punishments are applied. The collection ends with a short instruction “On the Good Life,” calling for humility, gratitude and establishing penance for slander. * Title of the work in Greek: Περί εξαγορεύσεωως και τών ταύτης διαλύσεων κανόνες. * Title of the essay in Latin: De confessione et pro peccatis satisfactione. Scientific edition of the “Rules”, “Penance” and “Testaments” by Rev. Theodore Studite and notes to them were made by P.V. Kuzenkov and priest. Alexander Zadornov (“Rules”), Attributed to Theodore the Studite “Rules on Confession” ϰανόνες) published (with Latin translation) by Cardinal Angelo May from the Vatic manuscript. gr. 840 (Nova patrum bibliotheca. T. 5. Pars 2. Roma, 1849. P. 130–138; reprint: PG. T. 99. Col. 1721–1730). Despite the fact that the authorship of Theodore the Studite is also indicated in the Arabic version (in the manuscript Vatic. arab. CLXXIV), these “Rules” are considered forged (see: Dobroklonsky. Rev. Theodore... T. 1. P. 581–582). In general, they are even more lenient than the penance nomocanon of John the Faster, famous for its oikonomia. – Ed. Confession (ἐξαγόρευσις) is a sorrowful recollection of shameful words and feelings, and resolution is their condemnation, leading those who come [to confession] to the good path: speak your iniquities first, that you may be justified (Is. 43:26); and again: reh, let me confess my former sin to the Lord, and behold, I have taken away all my sins (cf. Ps. 32:5). For confession can even extinguish the eternal fire, because thoughts, when they are hidden, give rise to passions, and when they are confessed, they become pleasing to God. Open your wound to your doctor, tell him and do not be ashamed, approach your abbot with faith and with gentle simplicity and, as if from the mouth of God, accept all his advice to you, even if what he said turns out to be contrary to your intention; and if the abbots turned out to be not very [experienced] confessors, do not be tempted, for God is not unjust for souls who have humbled themselves by faith and integrity to be misled by the advice and judgment of the abbot, unless those deceived turn out to be unreasonable. 2. Commandment about vindictive people The vindictive one, having come to Jacob's ladder, is bound by the fallen bonds of the Supreme Peter 1, for vindictiveness is a remnant of anger, hatred of justice. According to the rules of the great fathers, [a vindictive person] must refrain from consecrations (ἁγιασμάτων) for three years, while among monks he is condemned to dry eating for a year 2 during the permission of the brothers [from fasting], making forty bows throughout the day. I think that slander (ϰαταλαλιά) is born from hatred and rancor, for slander is the fruit of hatred, a leech of love that destroys and devours the blood of the soul. And we, in agreement with others, say [Col. 1724] also that [the guilty person] must shed tears for a year, and among the monks - indulge in dry eating for four months, when the rest eat food, making a hundred bows daily, for he who slanders the secret of his sincere one is driven out (Ps. 100:5). A talkative person, as if darkened by his tongue, must spend six months in repentance, for this is how the canons define it, because talkativeness (πολυλογία) is evidence of ignorance, a door for slander, the culprit of lies. And we say that [the chatty one] remains without Communion for three months, is condemned to strict dry eating at the sixth hour and makes one hundred and twenty prostrations a day, for this passion seems very dangerous even for respectable people. A liar is considered to be a funny person, and yet a lie is the destruction of love, and perjury is the denial of God. Therefore, none of the right-thinking can consider the sin of lying to be somehow insignificant, for the Holy Spirit Himself said: destroy all that speak lies (Ps. 5:7). Everyone determines that [a liar] must remain in repentance for three months, but we [determine] that he must remain in strict dry eating for forty days at the sixth hour and [make] one hundred and fifty bows a day, for this sin is the most dangerous of all. The careless one seems to despair of his own salvation, for carelessness is hatred of the ascetic fulfillment of the monastic vow, glorification of worldly affairs, slander of God as unmerciful and inhumane, painful lethargy in psalmody during prayer. We also determine for carelessness to repent for forty days, not to eat wine and oil for three weeks, to make one hundred and fifty bows a day, because the passion of carelessness can bring you down to the abyss of hell. A glutton is like a coffin full of rotten flesh. Gluttony (γαστριμαργία) is the hypocrisy of the womb, for, being full, it cries out for poverty, being burdened, it is forced to starve; Gluttony is a deception of the eye. We also determine for this [vice] to cry for thirty days, to indulge in dry eating for one week at the ninth hour, to make eighty bows a day, because vice sends those who indulge in it to eternal fire. The lover of money suffers from an incurable disease that wastes the inner man. The love of money is the worship of idols, the daughter of unbelief, a hypocritical excuse for weaknesses, a voluntary crime. We also determine for him to be in repentance for four months, to indulge in dry eating for forty days at the ninth hour, to make forty bows a day, because this passion burns the soul. [Col. 1725] The insensitive is like a sharp-angled stone that hits and does not break. Insensibility is the deadness of the members, the sister of the raging, the like-minded person of the drunk. And for her we determine to cry for two months, to use only oil for twenty-five days, and to abstain from the rest, to make one hundred bows a day, because even an insensitive person can cast a brother into the abyss. The vain person is also thought of as arrogant, for vanity is in some way a change in nature, a corruption of morals, attention to the shortcomings [of others], and the persistent development of pride. And for him we determine to cry for thirty days, to indulge in strict dry eating at the ninth hour for two weeks, to make one hundred and forty bows a day, because this passion is the reason and refuge for the demon. There is no text in the original. The proud is like the devil who rebelled against God. After all, pride (ὑπερηφανία) is the denial of God, the invention of demons, the destruction of people, the mother of condemnation, the source of anger, the root of hypocrisy. And for this [vice] we determine to cry in the holy church for six months, to indulge in strict dry eating for four weeks at the ninth hour and [to make] one hundred and seventy bows a day. The blasphemer is the heir to the fate of Cain, for blasphemy is, brethren, the sinister root of satanic pride; therefore, it is necessary to bring it to public attention, for [this vice] becomes the worst enemy not only of random individuals, but of everyone in general. We determine that [the guilty person] should mourn [his sin] until his passion is corrected, remain without communion, indulge in dry eating until sunset, make three hundred bows a day until he renounces wicked blasphemy. A furious person is like a demoniac, for rage (θυμός) is a fellowship with demons. An ardent husband is disgraceful (Proverbs 11:25). And let your rage be against only the serpent through whom you fell. And we determine [the guilty one] to cry for forty days, to abstain from cheese, eggs, wine and butter for a week, to make one hundred bows a day, for the aspiration of his rage will be his downfall (Sir.1:22). He who is angry is like Joseph's brothers (see Gen. 37). After all, anger (ὀργή) is theft of the mind, a disorder (ἐϰτρεποσύνη) of the calm state of the brothers, a savage image of character (μορφὴ ϰράσεως) 3 . We determine that an angry person mourns [his sin] for two months, indulges in dry eating for forty days at the ninth hour, makes two hundred bows, for the Lord said that he who is angry with his brother is guilty of judgment (Matthew 5:22), therefore the fall is terrible. [Col. 1728] He who is immersed in sadness (λύπη) is like a man drowning in the sea. After all, sadness is a drying up of the soul: a sad man’s bones [it is said] will dry up (Prov. 17:22) and: cast away sorrow far from yourself (Sir. 30:24). We determine that such a person continually mourns [his sin] in prayer at the altar, bows two hundred and fifty times a day, and says “Lord have mercy” five hundred times, for sadness can lead to blasphemy. According to the law, a murderer is subject to execution, and Saint Basil 4 determined that he should mourn [his sin] for fifteen years, indulge in strict dry eating at the ninth hour, and be deprived of Communion. We define this rule for a period of three years, if he repents and his work is revealed, and if he is careless, then let him complete fifteen years, according to the great Basil. The adulterer is like a murderer, for when he plots against his neighbor's wife, he wields a two-edged sword and creates division. And the great Basil 5 determined that [such a person] should be condemned to strict dry eating for fifteen years at the ninth hour, and we, if the vice is stopped, [determine] that [the guilty person] should be deprived of Communion for two years, indulge in strict dry eating and make two hundred bows a day. A fornicator is deprived of Communion for six years, condemned to dry eating at the ninth hour, [makes] one hundred and fifty prostrations, and if he is careless, he must be condemned to the great penance of St. Basil 6 . Anyone convicted of shamelessness with male persons, according to the definition of Saint Basil 7, is deprived of Communion, fasts and weeps for fifteen years, and we [determine] that if he renounces evil and proves this, then he remains without Communion for two years, indulges in dry eating at the ninth hour, makes two hundred bows, and if he is negligent, then let him perform penance for fifteen years. He who commits shamelessness with the dumb, according to the definition of St. Basil 8, must remain without Communion for fifteen years, and we [determine] that if he deviates from evil, then he remains without Communion for two years, indulges in dry eating at the ninth hour, and if he is negligent, then he must observe [penance] for fifteen years. 22. About union with sister or incest The one who has fallen with his sister, according to the definition of the great Vasily 9, remains without Communion for fifteen years, and according to our definition, if he deviates from vice, he must bear penance for three years, indulge in dry eating at the ninth hour, make two hundred bows, and if he is negligent, then he must perform [penance] for fifteen years. 23. About incest with his daughter-in-law A person who falls with his daughter-in-law, according to the rule of St. Basil 10, remains without Communion for eleven years, and we command that if he deviates from vice, he must be without Communion for two years, [Col. 1729] indulged in dry eating at the ninth hour, made three hundred bows, and if he is negligent about this rule and remains in vice, then he must perform penance for eleven years. A thief, if he is not exposed, says Saint Basil 11, is punished only for two weeks, and if he is exposed by others, then he [bears penance] for two years; and we define [penance] for forty days, dry eating at the ninth hour and making one hundred bows - of course, if the vice is cut off. The grave digger, according to the definition of St. Basil 12, must be without Communion for fifteen years, and we determine that if the vice is eradicated, [the culprit] remains without Communion for a year, indulges in dry eating at the ninth hour, and makes two hundred bows. 26. About magic and sorcery (φαρμαϰείας) Anyone who practices magic and sorcery, according to the definition of Saint Basil 13, must indulge in dry eating at the ninth hour for fifteen years, and we appoint the same canon for three years, after [the culprit] abstains from sin, and make three hundred bows a day. 27. About magic and divination (μαντείας) For those who go to soothsayers, the great Basil appointed fifteen years to remain without Communion, and we [define] the previous rule about sorcery - if [the guilty person] deviates from such activities. If anyone wants to lead a calm and serene life, let him consider himself to be earth and dust and give thanks like the Angel of God; and if he [sometimes] has to slander, then he must indulge in dry eating for one week, making fifty bows [a day], as if he were talking idle talk against God. See: Rev. John Climacus. Ladder 9, 1. – Ed. Dry eating (ξηροφαγία) i.e. feeding on bread and water was a very common penance. See: Dobroklonsky. Rev. Theodore... T. 1. P. 538. – Ed. See: Evagrius of Pontus. On vices opposite to virtues, 3 (PG. T. 79. Col. 1144; Works of St. Nilus of Sinai. M., 2000. P. 161). – Ed. See Rules St. Vasily the Great 11, 56.57 (excommunication for 11 years for involuntary murder, 20 years for intentional murder). – Ed. See Rule St. Basil the Great 58 (excommunication for 15 years). – Ed. See Rule St. Basil the Great 59 (excommunication for 7 years). – Ed. See Rule St. Basil the Great 62. – Ed. See Rule St. Basil the Great 63. – Ed. See Rules St. Basil the Great 67, 75. – Ed. See Rule St. Basil the Great 76. – Ed. See Rule St. Basil the Great 61 (excommunication for 1 year if recognized, 2 years if convicted). – Ed. See Rule St. Basil the Great 66 (excommunication for 10 years). – Ed. See Rule St. Basil the Great 65. – Ed. Wed. Rule of St. Venedicta 6 (“On good deeds”), – Ed.