3. Устав преподобного Иоанна Кассиана

Brief information about the life of St. John Cassian It is impossible to determine with certainty where Ave. Cassian was from. Some consider him a Scythian from Thracian Scythia, others a Gall from Provence. The fact that he spoke Latin so well, and that he chose Gaul as his last place of life, makes the latter assumption very probable. Born, it is believed, in 350 or 360; but it is not known on what basis. It is undoubtedly true that when he was still young, he entered the Bethlehem monastery, where he was imbued with the dogmas and rules of Christian life. Having made friends here with one brother, Herman by name, of the same age and from the same country, he took with him a trip to Egypt to visit the hermits and monastic monasteries there. This was around 390. They spent seven whole years among these great ascetics, and penetrated to the inner Thebaid. They returned to their monastery in 397; but in the same year they again went to those desert countries and stayed there until the year 400. Leaving Egypt this second time, Rev. Cassian and his brother went to Constantinople, where St. John Chrysostom and ordained a deacon by him. When St. Chrysostom was exiled to prison, then St. I. Cassian, together with others, sent persons devoted to St. to Rome to Pope Innocent on this matter. Chrysostom. This was in 405. From this time until 415 there is no reliable information about him. Some say that he returned to the East again, and that Cassian was the priest sent to Rome in 414 by the Antiochian Patriarch Alexander to establish peace between both churches... Others believe that, having completed the work of the Constantinople embassy, ​​he then went to the Mission, where by the time shown he had become famous for both the holiness of his life and his teaching wisdom. Here he is also ordained a priest. What made him especially famous was the establishment of two monasteries, male and female, with the introduction into them of the rank that he saw in eastern monasteries. This was also the reason that neighboring bishops, who wanted to establish similar monasteries in their own countries, turned to him with a request to draw up the monastic rules that they had seen, depicting the very spirit of asceticism. He willingly fulfilled this request, describing everything he saw and heard in 36 books. The reverend has passed away. I. Cassian is believed to be around 440. His memory is celebrated in our church on February 29. Dormitory regulations Rev. Cassian is contained in the first four books, which is offered here in Russian translation. Charter of a monastic hostel or order of cenobitic monasteries Preface to Bishop Castor The history of the Old Testament tells that the wise Solomon, who received from above “meaning and wisdom of great abundance, and a broadness of heart like the sand of the sea” (1 Kings 4:29) - so that, according to the word of the Lord, neither in former times was there anyone equal to him, nor after him did anyone like him arise - starting to build the majestic church of the Lord, he asked for help from a foreign king Tire, - and whatever, under the inspiration of Divine Wisdom, he planned to create a glorious one in the church itself or in its utensils, he arranged it all through the “many artist and managerial Hiram, the son of a widow’s wife,” who was sent to him (1 Kings 7:14). So, if this power, the highest of all the kingdoms of the earth, if this noble and glorious branch of the race of Israel, this divinely inspired wisdom, “more wise than all the intelligent Egyptians and more than all men” (1 Kings 4:30), did not disdain the advice of a man - poor and alien, then it is right that you, taught by such an example, blessed Pope 18 Castor, are determined to build a true church for God - spiritual, not from insensitive stones, but from the assembly of holy men, not temporary and perishable, but eternal and indestructible, and wanting to dedicate to the City the most precious vessels, made not of gold or silver, which after some king of Babylon, having captured, could have been used for pleasures with his and his nobles’ concubines (Dan. 5), but from holy souls, which, shining integrity, righteousness and complete purity, would carry within themselves the King Christ who always abides in them - you deign to invite me, wretched and in all respects the poorest, to be an accomplice in this matter. Namely, - desiring in your diocese, which does not have monastic monasteries, to establish monastic monasteries, according to the model of the East, especially the Egyptian ones - while you yourself are perfect in all virtues and all knowledge, and are so filled with spiritual wealth that for those seeking perfection in abundance, not only your word, but also one example of your life would be enough for guidance - you call on me, so that I, tongueless, poor in words and knowledge, bring something to fulfill your desire from the poverty of my mind, and you command me to describe the monastic orders that I saw observed in Egypt and Palestine, how they were betrayed by the fathers there; albeit in an unskillful style - not seeking eloquence, in which you yourself are most skilled, but wanting the simple life of the saints to be presented in simple words for the brethren of your new monastery. But as much as the heat of your good desire prompts me to listen to you, so many different difficulties in fulfilling your desire frighten me from getting down to business, even though you want to. Firstly, the experiences of my life are not so great that I can confidently believe that this is how I should understand these objects, so lofty, so dark and so light, with my heart and mind. Secondly, what I, being among those saints and prompted by their daily admonitions and examples, did, or studied, or saw, I cannot now remember perfectly, having been removed for so many years from communicating with them and from imitating them in life, especially when the meaning and significance of such objects can in no way be comprehended, nor retained in memory, nor transmitted to others, by mere idle reasoning or external science, for everything here depends on experience and just as it can be taught only by those who are experienced, it can also be understood and learned by those who work to comprehend it with equal labor and then, which, however, if it is not (after such study) updated by frequent communication and conversation with spiritual men, will soon fall out of the head again, due to the carelessness of the mind. Thirdly, and the very thing that I can remember is not in accordance with the dignity of those things, and that according to my present state, my unskillful word cannot be expressed in a proper way. Added to this is the fact that quite a bit has already been written about this matter by those who were famous in life and distinguished in speech and knowledge - I mean St. Vasily and Blessed Jerome and some others, of whom the first gave answers to the questions of inquisitive brethren about various subjects of the monastic order with a speech that was not only beautiful, but also rich in evidence from the Divine Scriptures: and the other not only published books about this of his own, but also translated those written by others in Greek into Latin 19 . After these rivers full of the wisdom of a beautiful word, trying to bring in some drop of my own, won’t I, in fairness, be convicted of being pretentious. However, I am inspired by the trust in your shrine, that these insignificances of mine, whatever they may be, will either be in your hands only, or you will send them to the company of the brethren staying in your new monastery - who, despite the fact that otherwise will not be so skillfully expressed by me, will read it with a warm heart, and will tolerate me with great mercy, seeking in my words more truth than the charms of eloquence. Why, blessed pope, the only example of piety and humility, relying on your prayers, I will begin, with the strength of my mind, the task that you entrust to me, and what my predecessors did not touch upon, since they described more what they heard than what they saw 20 - I will express all this for a novice monastery thirsting for the truth. I have no idea of ​​describing the signs of God and wonders, although I heard from my elders about many of the brave, wonderful things, and saw them happening before my eyes. But leaving them - since they arouse surprise in the readers, adding nothing more to their edification in the most perfect life - I will try, with God’s help, to depict as accurately as possible the monastic rules and rules of the holy fathers and especially their thoughts about the beginning and causes of the main and vicious passions, which they consider eight, and about healing them according to their traditions. My intention is not to talk about God’s wondrous deeds, but to offer something about correcting our morals and achieving perfection in life, guided by what I received from my elders. I will try to satisfy your requirements in another respect, if it turns out that in our countries it has been reduced or added not according to the model of ancient institutions, but according to the will of the one who founded the monastery; then I will add or subtract, faithfully conforming to the orders that I saw in the monasteries founded in ancient times in Egypt and Syria; in no way believing that in the western countries of Gaul it was possible to find any new institution, more reasonable and perfect than those statutes according to which, from the beginning of the apostolic preaching, the monasteries established by the holy and spirit-bearing fathers exist even in the valley. The only limitation I propose to allow in my work is that if any of the Egyptian orders turns out to be extremely difficult and impossible to implement in our countries due to the severity of the climate or the rudeness of morals, then I will somewhat moderate it, in accordance with the orders of the Palestinian or Mesopotamian monasteries: for if a reasonable measure of the possible is maintained, then the implementation of it will be equally perfect even with unequal methods and abilities. Accessories of monastic robes Chapter 1. Monastic robes - an image of the inner beauty of monks Intending to talk about the statutes and rules of the monastery, where, with God's help, would it be more decent to begin, if not with the monastic robe itself? Then we can consistently better depict the inner beauty of the monks when we have before our eyes their external decoration. Chapter 2. About girding a monk So the monk, like a warrior of Christ, always ready for battle, constantly walks with his loins girded (Luke 12:35) 21. This is how those who laid the first fruits of this order walked 22 in the Old Testament, that is, Elijah and Elisha, as Scripture testifies; and then, as we know, the first organizers of the New Testament, John (the Baptist), Peter and Paul and other men of the same dignity also walked. The first of them, in the Old Testament already showing the flowers of virginity and representing an example of purity and abstinence, was recognizable by its belt. Thus, when Ahaziah, the wicked king of Israel, fell into illness, sent to inquire about the state of his health to Beelzebub, the god of Ekron; then the Lord sent this Prophet to meet them to reproach the king in their face for such an act of the king and tell him that he would not get up from the bed on which he had fallen. When the ambassadors returned and told the king about this, he asked them: “What kind of appearance and in what clothes is the man who told you these words? The man is shaggy and girded about his loins with a belt” (2 Kings 1:8), they said. Then the king immediately recognized the man of God by this clothing: this is Elijah the Tishbite (9). Thus, by the indication of the belt and this appearance, he undoubtedly recognized the Prophet of God; because he always walked like this, and this served as his distinctive sign among so many thousands of Israelites among whom he moved. About John, who seemed to be some kind of sacred border of the Old and New Testaments, the end of the first and the beginning of the second, we learn from the narration of the Evangelist that he also “had his robe from his hair, and his belt was taken from his waist” (Matthew 3:4). – Peter, thrown into prison by Herod under guard, before he was to be led out to death the next morning, an angel appeared and commanded: “Gird yourself and enter into your vestments” (Acts 12:8). The Angel of God would not have ordered him to do this if he had not seen that he only took off the belt with which he usually girdled himself for the night’s rest and tranquility. - When St. Paul went to Jerusalem, where bonds awaited him. The prophet Agav, seeing him in Caesarea, took his belt and tied his hands and feet with it, so that by this action he could visually represent the waiting saints. Paul's bonds, said: this is what the Holy Spirit says: “This man is this belt, so the Jews will bind him in Jerusalem and deliver him into the hands of the tongues” (Acts 21:11). The Prophet would not have said: “His man is this belt,” if St. Paul did not have the custom of always girding his loins.” Chapter 3. About the clothing of monks in general The clothing of a 24 monk should be such that it covers only the body and thereby eliminates the shame of nakedness and eliminates the nuisance of cold: and not such that it feeds the seeds of vanity and arrogance, according to the word of the Apostle; who says: “If you have food and clothing, you will be content with these” (1 Timothy 6:8). The Apostle expresses clothing here with a word that means covering (σϰέπασμα). Therefore, he wanted to say that one should only have clothing that would cover only the body, and not one that would flatter vanity. Further, it should be such that it would not require too much care for itself, but would not, due to negligence, be stained with any conspicuous stains. Finally, one that, distinguished from worldly decorations, would be the same for all servants of God 25. For what is accepted among the servants of God by one or more, and is not maintained by the entire body of brotherhood, is either excessive or proud; and therefore should be considered harmful, more denouncing vanity than showing virtue. For this reason, everything in clothing, examples of which were not given to us either by the ancient saints, who laid the foundation for monastic life, or by the fathers of our time, who have successively preserved their statutes until now, must also be cut off by us, as unnecessary and useless. - So hair shirt 26 or sackcloth, like clothing for everyone, is visible and outstanding, which not only does not bring any benefit to the spirit, but can also instill sublime vanity, and yet for the performance of work with which a monk must always be tirelessly and absurdly busy, it is inconvenient and unsuitable. If, as we hear, some of the famous men walked in these clothes, then one should not include this in the general monastic rules, deviating from the ancient definitions of St. fathers, for the sake of what was contained by a few, because of the abundance of all sorts of virtues in them, and for one reason, so that no reproach would fall on these men for the fact that they did not do otherwise according to the rules common to all. For such is the law everywhere that the opinion of a few should not be preferred to a general decree. Why should we also show undoubted faith and unquestioning obedience not to those regulations and rules that were introduced by the will of a few, but to those that, after so many years and the number of so many holy fathers, were handed over for obedience by unanimous definition. And we should not take this (i.e., wearing hair shirt or sackcloth) as an example for our everyday way of life, not because the wicked king of Israel, surrounded by crowds of enemies, having torn his clothes, found himself wearing hair shirt under his underwear (2 Kings 6:30), nor because the Ninevites, in order to soften God’s decree about them, spoken about them through the Prophet, clothed themselves in sackcloth ( John 3:8), - when he, too, secretly wore a hair shirt under his underwear, so that if he had not torn his outer garment, no one would have been able to guess about it, and at that time they were covered in sackcloth, when, everyone lamenting about the impending destruction of the city, they were covered in the same way, and no one could be reproached for wanting to show themselves. For if some difference is not unusual and not exceptional, then the inequality is not striking and does not seduce. Moreover, in the clothing of Egyptian (monks) there are some accessories that do not so much correspond to the needs of the body as indicate the features of law obligatory for monks; so that, for example, the observance of simplicity and innocence is expressed in the very quality of clothing. So they constantly wear a small cucullium 27 day and night, which covers only their heads, going down to the neck and shoulders in order to always preserve children's innocence and simplicity to have an incentive to imitate the head covering of children; and, so that when they return to childhood, they can sing about Christ every hour sincerely and unfeignedly: “Lord, my heart is not lifted up, and my eyes are lifted up; we walk lower in the great, lower in the wondrous than me” (Ps. 130:1). They also wear koloviya 28, linen clothing, the sleeves of which barely reach the elbows, leaving the rest of the arms bare, so that such shortening of the sleeves would suggest that all the affairs and customs of the world are cut off for them; and the fact that these clothes were linen taught them that they should be dead to everything earthly; as if through this the Apostle himself said to them: “Dead your fishes that are on the earth” (Col. 3:5). And these clothes also proclaimed: “Your death and your life are hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). And again: “I live not for anyone, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20); “Peace has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14). They also wear an amice, which the Greeks call αναβολή, but we could call it a garter, or a bandage. This is a double rope, which, descending from the neck, goes along both sides of it, goes around both forearms and encircles them everywhere, in order to tighten the expanding clothing, press it to the body and thus make the monk adapted to the non-slothful performance of any work, trying with all his might to fulfill the commandment about work, inspired by the example of the Apostle, who says to the Ephesians: “You yourself know, For ye shall serve my demand and those who are with me with these hands” (Acts 20:34); to the Thessalonians: “Whoever eats bread below the tawny, but in labor and struggle, working night and day, so that we do not burden anyone with you” (2 Thess. 3:8), and: “if anyone does not want to work, let him eat” (2 Thess. 3:10). After this, they cover their necks, as well as their shoulders, with a tight 29 cloak, 30 trying to show humility in their clothing and maintain cheapness. It is called Mafort in their and our dialects. By using it, they avoid the vanity and high cost of long and wide flowing cloaks. Their last clothing is goatskin, called a mantle, and a staff, which they carry in imitation of those who prefigured the features of this title (monasticism) in the Old Testament. The Apostle says about them: “they walked in sheepskins and goatskins, in deprivation, in sorrow, in embitterment: the whole world is not worthy of them, wandering in deserts and in mountains, and in dens, and in the pits of the earth” (Heb. 11:37-38). This clothing made of goatskin means that they, having killed in themselves every desire of carnal passions, must stand firmly in virtues and not allow anything from the heat of youth and the desires of their former life to remain in their body. That those (Old Testament) men used a staff, Elisha, one of them, teaches us this when he said to his youth Gehazi, sending him to resurrect the widow’s son: “Take my staff, and go and lay it on the face of the youth, that he may live” (2 Kings 4:29). The Prophet would not have given the staff to the youth if he had not had the custom of always wearing it. Wearing it spiritually inspires the monks that they should never walk without a weapon among so many dogs of passions barking around, and among so many invisible beasts of unclean spirits, praying for deliverance from which blessed David says: “Do not, O Lord, betray to beasts the soul that confesses to You” (Ps. 73:19), but when they attack and are angry with them, repel them, drive them far away and destroy them with a sign. the cross and constant remembrance of the passions of the Lord and imitation of them through mortification itself. Denying themselves boots, as a thing prohibited by the Gospel commandment (Matt. 10:10; Luke 22:35), they, when forced by weakness or the morning cold of winter, or the midday heat of summer, protected their feet only with sandals, allowing by using them, or by permission from the Lord, to understand that if, living in this world, we cannot be strangers, we cannot completely to renounce all care and all care for their flesh, then at least they satisfied their bodily needs with light care and insignificant labor, and did not allow the deadly worries of this age to entangle their feet, which should always be adapted to the spiritual flow and ready to preach the Gospel world; so that, thus, they may freely follow the stench of the world of Christ (Song of Songs 1:3) as the prophet Jeremiah flowed, saying about himself: “But I have not labored, I will follow You” (Jeremiah 17:16). We will achieve this when, in relation to our body, we think about what is necessary to satisfy natural needs, and not about what gives only unnecessary and harmful pleasure, or, when, according to the Apostle, “let us not indulge the flesh in lust” (Rom. 13:14). Using sandals, however, as a thing permitted by the commandment of the Lord, they never allow them to be on their feet when they begin to perform or receive the Holy Mysteries, believing that they must literally observe what was said to Moses and Joshua: “Take the sandals from your feet; For the place where you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5; Joshua 5:15). Book two. About the night prayers and psalmody prescribed by the charter Chapter 1. Indicates the subject of this book With such twofold 31, as we said, the warrior of Christ, girded with a belt, may now know what the saint was established from ancient times in the eastern countries. the fathers rite of performing prayers and chants. About their quality, or about how we can, following the inspiration of the Apostle, pray unceasingly (1 Thessalonians 5:16), let’s say in its place, namely, when we begin to set out how much God will help, our conversations with the elders (Sobes. 9, ch. 3, 6, etc. Sob. 10, ch. 7). Chapter 2. Different places have different prayer regulations Regarding the prayer rules, we find in different places different chips and rules, some of which, perhaps, were established by persons who had, as the Apostle says, the zeal of God, but not according to reason (Rom. 10:2); for others are supposed to sing twenty or thirty psalms every night, and moreover, antiphonally and in different tunes; others attempted to surpass this number; some only sing eighteen psalms. Thus, in different places, as we know, different rules are followed; and we saw almost as many different prayer orders and rules in use as we surveyed monasteries and cells. – To others, regarding the daily prayer services, i.e., the third, sixth and ninth hours, it seemed that when performing prayers to the Lord in them, the number of psalms and prayers should be equalized with the number of hours 32: while others at each daily service sing no six psalms. Why do I consider it necessary to bring to the environment the ancient paternal decree, which is still observed by the servants of God, but to all of Egypt, in order to feed the unsettled youth of the new monastery 33 with the most ancient rules of the most ancient fathers. Chapter 3. The difference in the statutes is due to the fact that those who are not yet accustomed to the established order of prayer are elected as Abbas. Throughout Egypt and Thebaid, where monasteries are established not according to the arbitrariness of each renunciant of the world, but according to traditions successively coming from the elders, one, as we have seen, is maintained, converted into an immutable law, the order of performing prayers, at evening meetings, or in night vigils. There, in general, no one is allowed to dispose of not only the brotherhood, but also himself; and each of those who enter the monastery is not only alienated from all his property, but admits that from that time on he is not his own master, or has no power over himself. He who renounces the world, even if he has any property and wealth, when entering the monastery, does not flatter himself with any hope of any advantages or concessions because of what he left or brought into the monastery. At the same time, he accepts the obligation to obey everyone so much that he considers himself to have returned to the first age of childhood at the inspiration of the Lord (Matthew 18:3). He does not take into account the age of old age or the number of years that he considers wasted in the world, but willingly submits even to those who are much younger than him, recognizing himself in this army of Christ as a newcomer who needs initial training, like children. He is also forced to get used to sweaty work, so that, according to the commandment of the Apostle (1 Thess. 4:11; 2 Thess. 3:10), acquiring with his own hands the daily maintenance for himself and those who come, he can more conveniently forget about the contentment and joys of his former life, and acquire humility of heart through overworking himself with work. Why is no one there elected to be superior over the brotherhood before the one who is supposed to rule has learned through obedience what he must command those who have to obey him, and has not learned in the decrees of the elders what he must pass on to the youngest. They say that to govern well and to be governed is the work of a wise man, and they recognize this as the highest gift and grace of the Holy Spirit. For, just as only one who has previously, being under discipline, actively studied all the virtues can give saving instructions to those who must obey, so only one who is filled with the fear of God and perfect in humility can obey an elder. Thus, if we see in other areas differences in the rules and orders of the monasteries, it is because there they allow themselves to accept abbotship without being themselves experienced under the authority of the elders and, having become abbas, without having previously been disciples, they establish whatever they want - being more insistent in observing their inventions than in preserving the proven discipline of the ancients. However, it was I who was carried away by my love for the decrees of the fathers, that, intending to set out what order of prayer should be observed, I placed here an instruction too early, which should have been saved for its own place. But now let's return to our subject. Chapter 4. In evening and night meetings, 12 psalms are sung and there are two readings at each So, throughout, as we said, 12 psalms are sung in Egypt and Thebias, both in evening and night church meetings; so, however, that they are followed each time by two readings, one from the Old Testament, the other from the New Testament. This rite, established in ancient times, remains inviolable after so many centuries, even to this day, in all the monasteries of those regions, because, as the elders claim, it was not established by human invention, but was brought from above to the fathers by an Angel. Chapter 5. The severity of life in Alexandria and around St. Brand; the rite of prayer is shown by action through an Angel In the beginnings of our faith, few were distinguished by the name of monks (ascetics), but these were the most chosen individuals. In Alexandria, such people received a standard of life from the blessed memory of the Evangelist Mark 34, the first high priest there: and they not only maintained that majestic rank for which the first church of believers was famous, as we read in the Acts, namely: “the people who believed were one in heart and soul: and no one said they were from their own possessions, but they had all things in common. For the lord of the village, or house-keeper, sold the offerings at the prices sold to them, and laid them down at the feet of the Apostle: it was given to anyone, if anyone required it” (Acts 4:32,34,35); but they held many other things that were much higher than this. So, retiring to the hidden places of the city, they spent their lives in such strict abstinence that even those who were of a different faith were amazed at such a high way of their life. With such fervor they applied themselves to reading the Divine Scriptures, prayer and handicrafts that food did not even occur to them, and they took it the next or third day. They took food and drink not as desired, but as necessary, and not before sunset, in order to combine daylight with spiritual exercises, and caring for the body with night. They also performed many other lofty deeds, which anyone can learn about from church history, 35 unless he happens to learn from the stories of the natives. - So, in those times when the perfection of the original church among their successors was still in the fresh memory of undisturbed, and the fiery faith of a few had not yet cooled, spreading, as it were, over many faces, the venerable fathers, in cheerful concern for subsequent generations, gathered to, after consulting, determine what measure of psalmody in daily worship should be maintained by the entire body - (all everywhere) the brotherhood - in order to pass on to their heirs an inheritance of godliness and peace, safe from all dispute and disagreement; T. that is, lest any disagreement and difference in daily services, arising between men of the same rank, sometime later, give rise to the harmful growth of error, or envy, or division (schism). In this meeting, everyone, out of his zeal, not remembering the weakness of others, decided to introduce into the law what he considered easily executable, judging by his faith and strength, little thinking about what was easily executable for the whole brotherhood, in which it is always necessary to assume a significant part of the weak - everyone (judging by the strength of his soul) thought to establish a huge number of psalms - some fifty, some sixty, and others not even this number satisfied, they believed that even more should be appointed. While there was thus a holy disagreement between them, a pious dispute about the liturgical rules, they found them engaged in the most sacred study of this during the evening service; on which, when they wanted to perform it according to the usual order of daily prayers, someone stood up and, going out on Wednesday, began to sing psalms before the Lord. Everyone sat (as is still the custom in the Egyptian countries) and listened, delving with all the attention of their hearts into the words of the singer; and he, having sung eleven psalms in an even chant without interruption, verse by verse, dividing only each psalm with an intermediate prayer and ending with the twelfth, saying after each verse: hallelujah, suddenly, in front of everyone’s eyes, he became invisible, and thus put an end to the service, as well as the dispute. Chapter 6. The advice of the fathers, indicated by the Angel, turned the order of prayer into law; attached 2 readings from the V. and N. Testaments; on Saturday and Sunday both readings from the New Testament After this, the most venerable council of the fathers, realizing that by such angelic service, not without the favor of the Lord, the general law for psalmody in the meetings of the brethren was indicated, determined to observe this number of psalms in the meetings, both evening and night, adding to them two readings, one from the Old, the other from the New. He added this as his tradition, as if supererogatory, only for those who wish, who, through constant teaching in the Divine Scriptures, try to keep them in memory. On Saturday and Sunday, both readings are taken from the New Testament, one from the Apostle, or from the Acts of the Apostles, and the other from the Gospel; which is what those who care about reading and memorizing the Scriptures do on all the days of Pentecost. Chapter 7. After each psalm, prayer and kneeling They begin and perform the prayers indicated before this in such a way that, having finished the psalm, they do not immediately kneel, as some of us do in this country, who, even before the end of the psalm, hasten to fall in prayer, in order to speed up the release as much as possible. When we want to deviate from the anciently established order, we are forced to rush to the end, by shortening the remaining psalms, thinking more about the rest of the seemingly tired body than seeking the benefits and beneficial effects of prayer. It doesn’t happen like that with them: but before they kneel, they pray and, in general, standing in prayer, wait most of the time (during the continuation, that is, of each service). After this, having fallen on their faces for a very short moment, as if only to offer worship to the Divine grace, they very quickly rise and, raising their hands to the mountain, again more intensely immerse themselves in prayer, in the same way as before they prayed while standing. Those who lie on the ground for a long time are attacked, they say, not only by thoughts, but also by sleep. That this is truly so, we also know, and - oh, if not from experience and from everyday custom? – For often, prostrate on the ground, we wished that this worship would continue longer, not so much for the sake of prayer, but for the sake of calm and rest for the body. – As soon as the one performing the prayer gets up from the ground, everyone also gets up; and no one dares, either before he kneels, or after he has risen from the ground, to hesitate to rebel, so as not to give the appearance that he is not following the instructions of the one who performs the prayer, but is conducting his own order of prayer. Chapter 8. What was there in the order of prayer in the West that disagreed with the East? And what we see in this country, that is, that there should be one psalm, and at the end of it everyone, standing, loudly proclaimed: Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we have not seen anywhere throughout the east, but there, with everyone silent, those who sing the psalm, at the end of it, begin prayer. The Holy Trinity usually ends its antiphons with the same phrase. Chapter 9. Why, when indicating the external order of prayer, does he consider it necessary to now also speak about its internal quality? A number of institutions have consistently led us to the image of performing statutory prayers. We are saving a complete treatise about them for interviews with the elders, with the intention of presenting this subject in more detail when we begin to talk in the words of the elders about the quality or continuity of prayer. But even now I consider it not inappropriate to say a little about this, since the course of my narrative provides a favorable opportunity for this; so that now, when we depict the actions of the outer man, we lay down, as it were, some only the foundations of prayer, later, when we begin to talk about the state of the inner man, with less difficulty we can build the very peaks (spitz) of prayer. First of all, the foresight that prompts us to do this is so that, if the end of life overtakes us, before we begin the senile interviews, which, if God wills, we wish to offer, present to you, in this work, although the beginnings of a subject - so necessary - to you, for whom everything is desired in the heat, late and slowly - and to identify at least some features of prayers that can serve as a guide primarily for those who live in cinnovia. And we also mean that the one who comes across this book only, and will not be able to get it, although he has partly drunk on the instruction offered here about the quality of prayer - and just as he was instructed here on what the schema and clothing of the outer man should be, so he does not know how to set him up to make spiritual sacrifices. The books, which are now fed with God’s help, relate more to what should be observed by the outer man, what orders should be in the cenovies, and those are intended to depict the discipline of the inner man and the perfection of the heart, as well as the life and meaning of the apochorites (hermits, and in our case, hermits). Chapter 10. Silence and stillness at prayer meetings So, when they gather to perform the services indicated before this, which they call συνάξες - meetings, such silence is observed by everyone that, despite the fact that countless brethren are gathering in one place, it seems as if, apart from the one who stood up and sang a psalm in the middle, there was not a single person there - and especially when prayer was being performed. At this time, no saliva is emitted, no grumbling coughing, no coughing, no sleepy yawning with stretched cheeks and an agape mouth, no moans and sighs are emitted to disturb those coming, no one’s voice is heard except the voice of the priest when he finishes the prayer; and perhaps sometimes the one who, due to an excess of spiritual movements, insensitively erupting from the heart, slips through the seals of the lips - when, that is, an exorbitant and uncontrollable fire of the spirit flares up, and the inflamed soul, not being able to hold it in itself, is forced to release it from the inner cells of the chest with some unusual groaning. Anyone who, during mental prayer (between psalms) begins to pray loudly, or lets out of his mouth something from what is indicated before this, and especially who gets carried away by yawning, they consider to have committed a double sin: firstly, he sins against his own prayer by bringing it to God with negligence; secondly, he sins against his neighbor by interrupting with his ignorant noise the feeling of someone who, without this, could have prayed more deeply to God. Why do they instruct us to finish the prayer quickly, so that if we hesitate for a long time, the pressure of saliva or phlegm will not force us to interrupt the good flow of prayer. So prayer, while it is still fiery, must be plucked out, as if from the jaws of an enemy, who, being and always hostile to us, approaches us with special hostility when he sees that we want to offer prayers to the Lord against him; why, through the excitement of thoughts or phlegm, we rush to distract our mind from attention in prayer, thereby attempting to cool the warmth with which it begins. For this reason, they consider it more useful to perform short prayers, but as often as possible: so that when we pray to the Lord more fervently, we can constantly be clinging to Him; and this is in order to avoid with moderate brevity the arrows of the accuser the devil, which he shoots at us with particular persistence when we pray. Chapter 11. Others divide the psalms into 2 and 3 articles; not 1, but 2, 3 and 4 brothers are assigned to sing That is why they do not sing the psalms that are sung in the assembly to the end without interruption, but divide them into two or three articles, depending on the number of verses, and insert mental prayers in between. For they do not delight in the multitude of verses, but in the understanding of the mind, trying with all their might to fulfill the words of the Apostle: “I will sing in the spirit, and I will sing in the mind also” (1 Cor. 14:15). It is more useful, they believe, to sing ten verses with reasonable understanding than to pour out the entire psalm with confusion of mind, which sometimes arises from the haste of the speaker - when, thinking about the number and size of the psalms that still remain to be sung, he is not concerned about conveying the meaning of the verses to those listening separately, but hastening to bring the service to the end as quickly as possible. - On the other hand, if one of the beginners, either due to the zeal of the spirit, or because he has not yet been properly taught, begins to go beyond this: then the elder, with a blow that he makes with his hand, while sitting on his seat, stops the continuation of the singing, and raises everyone to prayer, taking every possible care that the excess of psalms does not create the most dangerous boredom among those sitting. And they also observe this with all precision, so that, with the response of alleluia, they only say the psalms that are inscribed with alleluia. - They divide the singing of the twelve indicated psalms among themselves in such a way that if there are two brothers, then they sing six psalms each, if three - four, if four - three. No one who comes out to sing sings fewer than this number of psalms. Therefore, no matter how many brethren gather in church, more than four brethren are never appointed to sing in the congregation. Chapter 12. Only the one who sings stands in prayer; others sit on chairs and after the night service do not sleep until dawn This legalized, as we said, twelve number of psalms they perform in a resting position of the body; so that when these or other ordinary services are held in the church, then, with the exception of the one who stands up to say the psalms in the middle, everyone sits on low seats, delving into the words of the singer with all the attention of their hearts. For with fasting and day-night work they tire their body so much that if it were not for this relief, they would not be able to stand and listen to this number of psalms. They do not allow any time to pass in vain without work. They strive not only to do what can be done in the light of day with their own hands, but they also carefully seek out such types of work that the thickest darkness of the night cannot interfere with, believing that the longer they strain themselves to work and labor, they will achieve higher purity of contemplation with the spiritual eye of the mind. Then, they judge, such a moderate number of statutory prayers is ordained from above, so that for those whose faith is warmer, to preserve space where the tireless flow of their virtue could unfold, and for those who are sick and tired in body, not to be struck by excessive boredom and disgust. Why, when the prayer prescribed by the statute ends, everyone, returning to the cell (in which he is allowed to live alone, or with someone else with whom he became friends, either because of the same handicraft, or because he underwent apprenticeship and novitiate with the same elder, or because of the similarity of character and virtues), again with zeal corrects the duty of prayer, as if his private sacrifice; no one gives himself freedom to sleep anymore, until, with the advent of daylight, night work and reflection are followed by day work. Chapter 13. Why does this lack of sleep persist? This kind of exertion of oneself (by vigil, prayer and meditation after the night service), in addition to the motivation that by this they believe in bringing their all-zealous sacrifice of raising their hands to God, they observe unacceptably for two more reasons... The first is that the hater enemy, envious of our purity, against which he always slanderes and constantly opposes, has not desecrated with some sleepy dream the purification acquired by us at night psalmody and prayer. For he usually, after the satisfaction that we bring for our negligence and ignorance (through the labor of the night service) and after, with deep sighs, we ask for forgiveness for ourselves through our confession (heartfelt confession to God), carefully rushes to stain us again (in conscience), if he finds that we are giving ourselves up to peace. Especially then does he strain to pluck out and blot out this confidence of ours (peace of conscience), when he sees that we have ascended to God with great warmth in our pure prayers; so that sometimes he manages to disgrace whomever he could not humiliate throughout the entire night in this shortest period of time (See 22 interview). The second is that even if no such diabolical seduction happened, which one should never fear, even pure sleep, allowed to oneself during this period, gives rise to despondency in the monk, even if he immediately woke up again, and inducing a sleepy numbness on the mind, suppresses its energy for the whole day, dulls that sharp-sightedness of feeling, and depletes that fullness of the heart, which can keep us cautious and strong all day long. against enemy slander. For all these reasons, they then add their private vigils to the night services in the church in their cells, which they maintain with all attention, so that the purification acquired by psalmody and prayer in the church is not destroyed, and through this smart activity they acquire intense attention and alertness that would preserve them throughout the day. Chapter 14. During the day, continuous mental activities are combined with work This, however, they do in connection with work, so that sleep, which usually torments the idle, does not attack. With them, in general, just as almost no moment in time remains idle, so there is never an end to intelligent doing. Equally exercising physical and mental forces, they equate the acquisition of the external person with the benefits of the internal one, to the rapid movements of the heart and the fickle excitement of thoughts, attaching the burden of work, like some strong and immovable anchor, so that, tied to it, the light-moving and quickly soaring heart could be kept in the gates of the cell, as in the safest harbour, and, thus being tensed to the spiritual only teaching and keeping thoughts, not only did not allow the alert mind to fall into agreement with any bad suggestion (enemy), but even protected it from any empty and idle thought; so it is not easy to distinguish what depends on what, or what happens for what reason - whether because of spiritual teaching they constantly practice handicrafts, or because of continuity of work they acquire glorious success in the spirit and light of knowledge. Chapter 15. When returning from church, they don’t start talking; nor when during the day they meet outside the cell. There is a fine for this After the end of the psalmody and the usual, as we said, dismissal of the meeting, no one dares to stop even for a short time and start a conversation with anyone else. Likewise, no one dares to leave their cells, leaving the work that they usually do in it, all day long, unless they are called by some necessary housework, which, however, they do in such a way that no conversation starts between them, because everyone, performing the work assigned to him, reads a psalm or some passage of Scripture from memory, and thus does not leave time and place not only for any harmful conspiracies, or evil advice, but also idle speeches, when the heart and lips are incessantly occupied with spiritual teaching. They also strictly observe that no one with another, especially young beginners, should stand together even for one minute, should not go anywhere that is not visible, and should not hold each other’s hands. If it turns out that some brethren, contrary to this rule, allowed what was prohibited by them, those, as rebellious violators of the fatherly commandments, are declared guilty of no small offense; so that they do not remain free even from suspicion of any conspiracy or deliberation for evil. And if they do not wash away such guilt by public repentance before all the brethren gathered together, then they are not allowed to participate in common prayer with the brethren. Chapter 16. Whoever is excommunicated from common prayer as punishment, no one prays with him anymore. There is a fine for this When someone is thus excommunicated from common prayer, then no one is allowed to pray with him until he, bowing to the ground, brings repentance and publicly, in front of all the brethren, receives forgiveness from the Abba for his sin and reunification with the brotherhood. That is why they refrain from communicating with him in prayer with such severity that they believe that he who is excommunicated from common prayer is betrayed, according to the verdict of the Apostle, to Satan; and that if anyone, driven by unreasonable compassion, allows himself to communicate with him in prayer, before he is accepted into communion by an elder, he becomes a participant in his condemnation, arbitrarily betraying himself to Satan, to whom he is committed to correct his guilt. This one aggravates his guilt all the more because, joining him in communication in conversation and prayer, he encourages him to greater arrogance and supports stubborn unrepentance. For, giving him harmful consolation, it makes his heart more and more hardened and does not allow him to humble himself to the point of realizing that he is guilty of what he was excommunicated for, and through this either consider the elder’s sentence unimportant, or think about feigned satisfaction, or asking for forgiveness... Chapter 17. The alarm clock wakes up the brethren for prayer at a certain hour The one who is entrusted with calling the brethren to church, or on whom lies all the care of church meetings, wakes up the brethren for daily vigils not at random, or as he pleases, not as he himself wakes up at night, or as his own sleep or insomnia favors him; but although everyday habit forces him to wake up at a certain hour, he nevertheless carefully and often delves into the course of the stars, and not otherwise than having definitely learned the time determined for the meeting, calls the brethren to the work of prayer, taking every possible care so as not to be out of order on either side, that is, not to miss the appointed hour due to being aggravated by sleep, and not to forestall it due to inattention to the peace of the brethren and correctness in fulfilling the duty of prayer. Chapter 18. From Saturday evening to Sunday evening they will not kneel And we must also know that among the Egyptians they do not kneel from the evening of the Sabbath until the evening of the Lord's Day, nor on all the days of Pentecost; Then the rule about fasting is not observed. The reason for this will be stated in its place in the interviews of the elders, if the Lord commands (Interview 22). Now we only intend to review the very customs there in a brief narrative, so that our book, having increased beyond measure, does not become boring and does not bother the reader too much. Book three. About the daily prayers and psalmody prescribed by the charter Chapter 1. Daytime prayer hours About the way of performing night prayers and psalmody, which exists in Egypt, I think, with God's help, it has been said how much the smallness of our mind has overcome: now we should set out the services of the third, sixth and ninth hours, according to the rules of the monasteries of Palestine or Mesopotamia, tempering, as we said in the preface, with their customs the perfection and inimitable severity of the discipline of the Egyptians. Chapter 2. Egyptians do not gather for prayer during the day, but perform it continuously all day, sitting at handicrafts. These services, which we are required to perform at certain hours, at certain intervals, force us to beat, among the Egyptians they willingly perform them without interruption throughout the day, along with handicrafts. For they, during the day, are constantly engaged in handicraft in their cells, so, however, that at the same time they never omit the teachings in the psalms or other Scriptures, and at every moment mixing in prayers and supplications, they spend all the time of the day in prayers, while we perform them at certain hours. Why, with the exception of evening and night meetings, do they not have any common service during the day, except for Saturday and Sunday, on which at the third hour (our 9) they gather to receive Holy Communion. But, of course, the prayer constantly raised to God is greater than that which is performed at certain intervals, and self-willed work is more important than services that correct those forced by the charter. David also sang something glorious about this with admiration, saying: “I will devour You willingly” (Ps. 53:8), and: “The Lord delights in the freedom of my lips” (Ps. 119:108). Chapter 3. Why are prayers performed at 3, 6 and 9 o'clock; also in the evening and in the morning? The services of the above-mentioned hours, in the monasteries of Palestine and Mesopotamia, and the entire East, are determined every day by three psalms, so that diligent prayers can be offered to God at the appointed times, and necessary work is not at all hindered, performing prayer sequences in due measure. And Daniel the Prophet, as we know, at these three moments in time, opening the windows in his upper room, daily poured out his prayers before the Lord (Dan.6:10). And it is not without reason that these private hours of time are appointed for Divine services: for in them the fulfillment of the promises and the main work of our salvation was accomplished. At the third hour, as is reliably known, the Holy Spirit, promised by the prophets of old, descended for the first time on the Apostles, who were in prayer. For when, because of the speaking in tongues, which was revealed to the apostles through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on them, the unfaithful Jewish race spoke of them with amazement and along with mockery that they were filled with wine, St. Peter, standing in the midst of them, said: “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be reasonable to you, and inspire my words. It’s not like you say, these are the drinkers; It's almost three o'clock in the afternoon. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith the Lord, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall see dreams. For on My servants and on My handmaids in those days I will pour out My Spirit, and they will prophesy” (Acts 2:13-18) that we see everything fulfilled when the coming of the Holy Spirit, predicted by the prophets, descended on the Apostles at the third hour of the day. At the sixth hour, our Lord and Savior offered Himself as an immaculate sacrifice to the Father, and ascending to the cross for the salvation of the whole world, washed away the sins of the human race; and he freed us all, guilty and bound by an unpaid debt, by taking the handwriting of this debt from among us and nailing it to the cross (Col. 2:14). At the same hour, in the admiration of his mind, the calling of all peoples to the Gospel was revealed to Peter through the lowering from above of a vessel containing various kinds of animals, which a voice reaching him from heaven recognized as clean and said to Peter: “Peter rose up, killed and eaten” (Acts 10:13). This vessel, lowered from heaven by its four edges, obviously meant nothing more than the Gospel. For although it seems to have four beginnings, having been divided into the quadruple narrative of the Evangelists; but the body of the Gospel is one, containing the birth of man and the Divinity, miracles and sufferings of one and the same Christ. It is well said: like a shroud (that is, St. Peter saw the vessel coming down - Acts 10:11, and not the shroud). The Shroud is a sign of death. since the Lord suffered a painful death not according to the law of human nature, but according to the will of His will, it is said, like the shroud. For, having died in the flesh, He was not dead in spirit; his soul was not left in hell, and his flesh did not see corruption (Ps. 15:10). And again: “no one” (says the Lord Himself) “will take this (soul) away from Me, but I lay it down for myself, and the region the imam will again receive it” (John 10:18). So, in this vessel of the Gospels, descended from heaven, that is, built by the Holy Spirit (of course, in the church), all nations who, being outside the law, were considered unclean, flocking into one through the acceptance of faith, are commanded by the voice of the Lord to be salutarily slaughtered for the veneration of idols (turned away from it), and prepared for healthy food, which Peter is also commanded to recognize as clean. And at the ninth hour, the Lord, descending into hell, with the brilliance of His light, dispersed the impenetrable darkness of Tartarus, and, destroying its copper gates and breaking the iron locks, took the saints into saving captivity, and moved them with Him to heaven; and, removing the fiery sword, he again led the ancient inhabitant into heaven for his saving confession. At the same hour, Cornelius the centurion, standing in prayer out of his usual piety, learns from the Angel who spoke with him that his prayers and alms were remembered before the Lord (Acts 10:3-6); the secrets of the calling of tongues are clearly revealed to them at the ninth hour, which are then revealed to Peter in the admiration of his mind at the sixth hour. – And in another place this time is narrated in the Acts of the Apostles like this: “Peter and John went up into the sanctuary to pray at the ninth hour” (Acts 3:1). All this clearly proves that these hours, not unworthily dedicated by the Saints and Apostles to follow prayer, should equally be observed by us - which, if we are not forced, as it were, by some law, to fulfill the duty of prayer, although at certain times we are ready to spend the entire duration of the day in oblivion, without prayerful appeals to God, aggravated either by careful pursuits or by laziness. What can we say about the evening prayer sacrifices, which were always ordered to be offered in the Old Testament by the Law of Moses? – That the evening sacrifices were offered every day in the church, we can prove this even by what is sung by David: “that my prayer may be fulfilled as incense before You, the lifting of my hand, the evening sacrifice” (Ps. 140:2), in which place we can understand that true evening sacrifice, which the Lord Savior also taught in the evening to the suppering Apostles, when he entrusted the Church with the Holy Mysteries, or that the evening sacrifice, which He Himself, the next day, at the end of the ages, offered to His Father by lifting up His hands for the salvation of the whole world. The stretching out of hands on the cross is rightly called a libation. For it lifted us all, who were lying in hell, to heaven, according to His promise: “If I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself” (John 12:32). About the morning service, we can even know that during it every day the following is usually sung: “O God, my God, the morning service comes to You” (Ps. 62:1); and: “in the morning you learned from Ty” (Ps. 62:7). And again: “Precede my eyes to the morning, that I may learn by Thy word” (Ps. 119:148). At these same hours, just indicated, the Evangelical Householder sent the first workers into His vineyard (Matthew 20:1-2). For it is said that He hired them early in the morning: what time does the morning service mean to us; then (He sent others) to the third, then to the sixth, after that to the ninth, finally to the eleventh, on which the time of the lamp (vespers) falls. However, it is necessary to know that that matinee 36, which is now performed in mainly Western countries, was first established in our time, and in our monastery (i.e. Bethlehem), where our Lord Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin, was deigned to receive the beginnings of human childhood, where He strengthened our childhood in the matter of faith, still weak and fed on milk, with His grace. Until now, after the end of the morning service (which in the monasteries of Gaul is usually performed a short time after the performance of the night psalms - with a short interval), inseparable from the daily vigils, the remaining hours were given over to bodily rest, as taught by our fathers. But as some negligent people, abusing this indulgence, indulged in more sleep than they should have, (since before the third hour the need to go to any church meeting did not force them to get out of bed and leave their cell), and through this, with the omission of work (during these hours), due to excessive sleep, they were lazy for other labors, which they had to do for a long time during the day (which laziness aggravated them most on those days when the vigil continued from the evening hours until near dawn); then some of the brethren, more zealous in spirit, who really did not like this kind of negligence, brought a complaint about this to the elders; and they, after long deliberation and careful consultation, determined that by allowing their tired bodies to rest until sunrise, when they could freely either engage in reading or begin needlework, they all rose from their beds at the same time, being called to perform a special prayer, consisting of three psalms and prayers, similarly, as was established from ancient times, for the third and sixth hours: and thus they put an end to sleep and the beginning work. – This order, although apparently accidentally introduced and recently established for the reason we have said, nevertheless obviously it literally fulfilled the sevenfold number of Praises of God appointed by David for the day, although for him it may also have a spiritual meaning: “by the sevenfold day we praised Thee about the destinies of Thy righteousness” (Ps. 119:164). For, adding this service (to those already indicated), we will gather for prayer seven times, and thus we will find ourselves giving praise to the Lord seven times during its continuation. However, although this order, coming from the East, has spread even to our places to our great benefit, however, in the East itself in some old monasteries, which in no way allow themselves to deviate from the most ancient paternal rules, it seems that it has not yet been accepted. Chapter 5. After the first hour it is forbidden to sleep Some in our country, not knowing the reason why this service was established, at the end of this morning prayer of the first hour turn again to sleep and thus fall into the guilt that the elders established it to prevent. For they are in a hurry to do it at such an hour 37 that the careless and careless will then be given a reason to fall asleep again. And this absolutely should not be, as we fully explained in the previous book, describing the church. gatherings of the Egyptians; so that our purity, acquired by contrite confession and diligent pre-dawn prayers, is either not desecrated by the involuntarily expelled abundance of natural phlegm, or damaged by enemy charm, or so that the saturation that comes with even simple and pure sleep does not stop the warmth of our spirit and, having cooled us with the numbness of sleep, does not keep us throughout the entire day in a state of idleness and negligence. The Egyptians, in order not to be subjected to this, even when, according to custom, they get up on certain days before the rooster crows, and then, after finishing the night services, they continue their vigil after that until daylight; so that the coming light of the morning finds them burning in spirit, and so that throughout the entire day they keep themselves warm and zealous, always ready to fight, being strengthened against the daytime attacks of the devil by the feat of night vigils and spiritual teaching in them. Chapter 6. What psalms are assigned for the first hour It is necessary, however, to know that our elders, having decided to add this new service, did not change anything in the ancient use of the psalms. But even in night meetings, the service is performed continuously in the same order as before - and at the end of the night vigils, which usually end after the roosters crow until dawn, even to this day they sing the same psalms, i.e. 148, which begins: Praise the Lord from heaven, and others who follow him, which in this country are part of Matins. For this new service, as we know, the fiftieth, sixty-second psalms (“O God, my God, to You in the morning”) and the eighty-ninth (“Lord, you were our refuge”) were assigned. In Italy, now in all churches after Matins the fiftieth psalm is sung, which, I have no doubt, was not borrowed from anywhere, as if from here. Chapter 7. Penalty for being late for hours and night services Whoever does not come to pray at the third, sixth and ninth hours before the end of the first psalm, he no longer dares to enter the prayer book and join the singers, but, standing outside, waits for the dismissal of the meeting, so that when they leave, bowing to the ground, everyone will ask for forgiveness for their negligence or being late for prayer, knowing that otherwise he cannot erase the guilt of such indulgence for himself: for such a thing will not be allowed on that day. a service that will follow three hours later, if he does not immediately hasten with true humility to dutifully satisfy for real negligence. In the night meetings, until the second psalm, a respite is given to those who are procrastinating, so, however, that they enter the meeting and join it before, at the end of this psalm, the brethren come to prayer. If anyone delays even a little more than this specific hour of respite, he, without concession, is subject to the same fine and repentance that we said before. Chapter 8. Image of vigils The elders shortened the vigils, which are held every week, starting on the evening before Saturday, having decided in winter, when the nights are longer, to end them at the fourth cockcrow, so that after vigil throughout the night, having strengthened their bodies with sleep in these remaining two almost hours, throughout the entire day they would not be exhausted by deviations from sleep, contenting themselves with this short-term rest instead of the complete calming of the flesh. This should be observed with all precision, i.e., being content with sleep, which is allowed to us after the release of the vigil until the light appears, or morning psalmody (the first hour), and then spend the whole day vigorously in work and necessary activities; so that if, prompted by exhaustion from vigil, we allow ourselves during the day to take back the sleep that we deprived ourselves of at night, it would not turn out that by performing vigil we do not deprive our flesh of rest, but only change its time, exchanging the nighttime satisfaction of sleep for the daytime. Of course, if after the release of vigils we had not allowed ourselves to taste at least a little sleep, our mortal flesh, being deprived of whole-hearted peace, would not have been able to maintain unshakable wakefulness the entire next day, without drowsiness and numbness of feeling. That’s why if we allow ourselves to sleep for at least one hour, as we said, before the light appears, then all the vigils that we spent at night in prayer will be rewarded. Through this we will give back to nature what is natural to it, and we will not be forced to take back during the day what we sacrificed at night. For, without a doubt, he will be forced to return everything to his flesh who does not deprive it of any part with prudent measure, but attempts to deny it as a whole, or, to put it more accurately, who wants not to cut off what is superfluous, but to take away what is necessary, as a result of which it is necessary to pay a greater percentage for the vigil, if, due to indiscriminate and unreasonable excess, it is extended until the light. Therefore, they divide the vigil itself between sacred actions, so that a certain pleasure brought by the variety of work will alleviate the fatigue of the body. For, first, standing, they sing three antiphons; then, sitting on the ground or on low chairs, they answer three psalms at the prompting (canonical) of one, however, not all together, but one after another, alternately answer the given verse; Finally, three readings are added to this, remaining in the same calm position. Thus detracting from bodily labor, they perform their vigils with great mental effort. Chapter 9. Why was this vigil established and why was the fast on Saturday canceled? Since the time of the Apostolic Sermon, when the Christian faith and church were founded, these vigils have been established throughout the East to be celebrated on the night before Saturday, because when our Lord and Savior was crucified on the sixth day of the week, the disciples were so amazed by His suffering that had just taken place that they spent that entire night awake, not allowing their eyes to sleep at all. For this reason, from that time on, the all-night vigil established on that night has been observed throughout the East, even to this day, unbroken. For the sake of such vigil work in all the Eastern churches, the permission of fasting on the Sabbath day, also established by the Apostolic men, is unjustly withheld. Perhaps this also means the following saying of Ecclesiastes: “Give part to the seventh and to the eighth” (Eccl. 11:2), which, although it has another mystical meaning, is not alien to the one according to which the commandment is seen here to give the same share to the seventh day, i.e. Saturday, as well as the eighth day, i.e. Sunday. – Why should this permission to fast on Saturdays not be understood as communion in celebration with the Jews, especially when they are kept by persons completely alien to Judaism, but as we said, it is caused by the need to strengthen the tired body, which in all weeks of the year, fasting for five days in a row, if it is not strengthened on these at least two days (i.e. Saturday and Sunday) in between, can become completely exhausted and exhausted. Chapter 10. Fasting on Saturday is not justified Some in Western cities, especially in Rome, not knowing the reason for such moderation (the severity of fasting on Saturday), think that fasting should not be allowed on Saturday - because St. Peter fasted on that day, intending to go out to fight Simon. - But from here it is clear that Peter did this not according to canonical custom, but out of necessity of the ongoing struggle. since he deliberately appointed a fast for his disciples on this occasion, it means that this fast was not general, but private: for he would not have done this if it had been known that he should be kept even without that, according to canonical custom. He would have appointed it without a doubt on Sunday, if that fight had happened to take place on that day: however, therefore, it would not be necessary to immediately legitimize fasting on this day as a canonical rule; for, obviously, it would have been kept not as a general law, but as forced by necessity, and only once. Chapter 11. How does Sunday worship differ from services on other days? You should also know that there is only one meeting there on Sunday before lunch, at which, for the honor of receiving the Lord’s Communion, with greater solemnity and attention they perform psalms and prayers or readings, combining the third and sixth hours. Thus, in the following prayers nothing is diminished; and yet, in honor of the Resurrection of the Lord, the brethren are given some relief and indulgence in comparison with other days. This festivity of the resurrection eases the difficulty of the entire week, because for the sake of the benefits allowed in it, it encourages us to wait for this day as a holiday, and through this expectation it makes the burden of fasting of the current week less sensitive. Any kind of fatigue is always endured more complacently and work continues without boredom, as long as some kind of relief or derogation of work is inserted into its environment at certain times. Chapter 12. There is dinner on Sunday; and with a simple prayer at the beginning and end Finally, on these days, that is, on Saturday and Sunday, as holidays, the brethren are offered, in addition to lunch and dinner, and at supper psalms are not sung - neither when they sit down for dinner, nor when they get up because of it, as usually happens at festive dinners, or at the Lenten table according to the charter, which is preceded and followed by the singing of ordinary psalms; but they sit down to dinner with a simple prayer, and again getting up from it, they conclude it with a simple prayer, since this meal is extraordinary among monks, and not everyone gathers for it, but only wanderers, if any happen, or those who are forced by the help of the body, or some random fasting. Book four. About the procedures for accepting into the monastery those who renounce the world. And about training beginners Chapter 1. These rules are borrowed, some from the Egyptians, and others from the Tabennisiots. From the statutory order of psalmody and prayer, which must be observed in monasteries in daily assemblies, we move on, in the order of the narrative, to an indication of how those who renounce the world are received into the monastery, trying to outline as briefly as possible, especially the conditions under which those who wish to convert and work for the Lord are accepted into the kenobia and, borrowing something else from the Egyptians, others from the Tabennisiots, whose kenobiya is located in Thebaid, - as much as it is the most numerous of all others, it is also the most distinguished in the severity of life; since in it more than five thousand brethren 38 are governed by one abbot, and this huge number of monks with such obedience always submits to one elder, with whom we have one to obey one, or one cannot rule over one, even for a short time. Chapter 2. They humbly remain in obedience until old age First of all, I think, we need to outline how this humility and subordination persists with them for so long and with such constancy, and how it is so firmly formed in them that they remain continuously in the kenobia until old age; (for it is such that I do not remember that any of those entering our monasteries could endure even for one year), so that by seeing the beginnings of their renunciation of the world, we would consistently understand to what height of perfection one can ascend by laying such foundations. Chapter 3. Test outside the monastery, and confiscation of all property upon entry into it So, when someone comes with the desire to be accepted under the discipline of the kenobia, he is not first allowed inside, but when he remains outside the gate for ten days, or even more, he proves both the firmness of his desire and his humility with patience. When he, prostrating himself on his knees before all the passing brethren, being deliberately repulsed and despised by everyone, as if he wanted to enter the monastery not out of piety, but out of need, and struck with insults and reproaches, gives the experience of his constancy - he will show what he will be like in temptations and patience of dishonor, and after such a test of his spirit, he will be accepted: then with all attention it is observed that nothing of his former self remains with him. estates, even for one half-ruble. For they know that if the thought persists in his mind that he is the owner of even a small amount of money, then he cannot remain under monastic discipline for a long time, the virtues of humility and obedience will not be accepted in him, and he will not be satisfied with the poverty of the monastery and deprivation in everything; why, as soon as confusion arises in him on any occasion, immediately, like a stone thrown from a sling, he rushes to flee the monastery. Chapter 4. Why is nothing accepted into the monastery from those who enter it? Why don’t they agree to accept money from him, even when it would be useful for monastic needs? - Firstly, so that, relying on such a contribution, he would not become inflated and no longer cease to consider himself equal to other poor brothers; further, so that if, due to such arrogance, not being able to accept the humility of Christ, he does not withstand the monastic discipline and leaves the monastery, he does not want what at the beginning of the renunciation, burning in spirit, he brought into the monastery, now having cooled, to receive again and even in a blasphemous spirit to torture it, not without causing trouble to the monastery. They have been taught by many experiments to observe this in every possible way. For in other less cautious monasteries, some, having been accepted simply, later attempted with extreme blasphemies to demand the return of what they had contributed and what had already been destroyed for the cause of God. Chapter 5. They take off their clothes and put on monastic clothes with the hands of the Abba Why is it that when everyone is accepted into a monastery, he is so stripped of all his former possessions that he is not even allowed to have the clothes with which he is covered any longer; but placed in the middle of the meeting of the brethren, he takes off his clothes, and with the hands of the Abba puts on the monastic clothes, so that he learns from this that he will not only be deprived of all his former things, but having put aside all worldly pride, he will descend to Christ’s poverty and impoverishment and will be supported from now on by a sum not acquired by the art of this age, or by some untruth withheld, but from holy and pious generosity the monasteries will receive the dues of their military service - both food and clothing, having nothing of their own; and yet, without worrying about tomorrow, according to the commandment of the Gospel, and without being ashamed to become equal with the poor, that is, with the body of brethren, with whom Christ was not ashamed to be numbered, and of whom Christ was not ashamed to be called a brother, - on the contrary, placing it in honor of himself that he entered into the circle of his Lord. Chapter 6. What are discarded clothes saved for? The worldly clothes thrown off by those admitted to the monastery are given to the steward, who takes care of them until, through many temptations and experiences, his success in both good living and the virtue of patience is revealed. When they see that he can live with them in the future with patience, maintaining the same fervor of jealousy with which he began, then his clothes are finally given to those in need; If they notice that he has the vice of some kind of grumbling, or the guilt of evil disobedience, then they throw off the monastery clothes that he was wearing at the reception, and put on his previous ones, which were taken away, and drive him out of the monastery. They do not allow anyone to leave the monastery in the clothes they received there, and they do not allow anyone to be clothed in them again, whom they have already seen once cooled to the order of their life. Therefore, no one there has the will to openly leave the monastery of his own accord (like a monk and in monastic clothes), unless someone, like a fugitive slave, runs away at night, covered in thick darkness. If someone goes out, it is because, being considered unworthy of this rank and title, with shame and remark in front of all the brethren, he throws off his monastic clothes and is expelled. Chapter 7. The one who is accepted is not left among the brethren, but is sent to the elder of the inn for a year; and then it is brought inside and given to the elder foreman over the newcomers But the one who, as we said, showed firmness and patience (waiting outside the gates) is accepted and, putting aside his clothes, is clothed with monastic attire, is not suddenly admitted into the midst of the brethren, but is sent to the elder, who, living especially close to the monastery, has care for strangers and strangers, receiving them cordially and giving them all kinds of peace. When, having served here for a whole year, without complaint he renders every service to the pilgrims, then, having been imbued with the first lessons of humility and patience and learned from this not a short test, he is admitted into the midst of the brethren and is given over to another elder, who looks after the ten new brethren entrusted to him by the abbot for instruction and supervision, following the example of what, as we read in the book of Exodus, was established by Moses. Chapter 8. First exercises in suppressing your will This old man’s first concern and first lessons are directed at first of all teaching the young man given to him to conquer his desires; for no other way than through this can he subsequently ascend to the very heights of perfection. Why, exercising him in this with all attention and zeal, he deliberately forces him to always do what he knows is disgusting to his soul. For, taught by many experiences, they betray that monks, and especially novices, cannot curb their lusts unless they first learn to mortify their desires through obedience. He who has not first learned to conquer his desires, they teach, cannot in any way overcome anger or sadness, nor extinguish the spirit of prodigalness, nor acquire true humility of heart, nor always maintain unity with the brethren and maintain firm and permanent peace with them, and cannot even remain in the community forever. Chapter 9. A young monk must reveal everything to his elder With such instructions, as if the first letters and structures, they imbue the beginner and set him up for perfection, at the same time teaching him clearly to distinguish whether he is based on true humility, or on imaginary and fictitious humility. In order to make it easier for him to succeed in this matter, he is taught not to conceal any thoughts that break through in his heart out of harmful modesty; but immediately as soon as they are born, reveal them to your elder; and in judging about them, do not trust your own mind at all, but always consider as bad or good only what the elder finds and recognizes as such after testing. Hence it happens that a cunning enemy cannot bypass a young, inexperienced and ignorant monk in anything, and deceive him with no cunning - until he sees that he is protecting himself not with his own, but with his elder’s reasoning, and until he manages to convince him to hide from the elder the suggestions that he, like fiery arrows, throws into his heart. For otherwise this extremely subtle devil cannot seduce or cast (into fall) a young person unless he first draws him to hide his thoughts, out of pride or shame. They consider it an obvious sign that a certain thought is diabolical if we are ashamed to reveal it to our elder. Chapter 10. Do everything according to demand and fulfill everything commanded. After this, they observe the rule of obedience with such strictness that young people, without the knowledge and permission of their superiors, not only do not dare to leave their cell anywhere, but even do not dare to satisfy the most common natural need on their own; and whatever he commands them, they hasten to carry out without any discussion as if it were commanded from above by God himself. Why, when even something impossible is commanded, they accept it with faith and reverence; and with all their might and without any hesitation their hearts strain to do it and carry it out, out of reverence for the elder, not noticing even the very impossibility of the order. I will not speak in detail about such obedience to them now, intending to explain all this a little later with examples, if the Lord allows my speeches to last. Now let us trace their other orders, without touching upon those that cannot be carried out in this country, and therefore should not be handed over to the monasteries as a law, as we promised to do in our preface: for example, that they do not use woolen clothes, but only linen ones, and they do not have two of these; but every one of them provides his ten men with a change of clothes when he sees that those with which the brothers are dressed have already become dirty. Chapter 11. Not everything can be borrowed from the Egyptians I will also skip that difficult, high kind of abstinence, according to which it is already considered an extremely great consolation if they offer the brethren at a meal herbs soaked in water and seasoned with salt, which they call lapsania, and other similar things that in our country cannot be accepted either due to the climate or due to our weakness, and I will only point out what neither the weakness of the flesh nor the position of the place can interfere with, unless weakness interferes. will and coldness of heart. Chapter 12. Obedience should be preferred over everything Thus, when, sitting in their cells and diligently engaged in work and meditation, they hear a knock on the door of their own and other cells, which calls them to prayer, or some common task, everyone immediately hastens to leave their cells, so that if someone is engaged in the task of copying (books), he will not dare to finish the letter, at the beginning of which he was called, but stopping at the point at which he reached the sound of a striking sound in his ears, quickly runs out, not even allowing himself as much delay as would be necessary to complete the outline of a letter that has already been started, but leaving it unfinished, because they are not so much concerned about the success of the work and the benefits from them, but are jealous with all their zeal for the fulfillment of the virtue of obedience, which they prefer not only to needlework, or reading, but also to all other virtues, so that they consider everyone inferior to him, and are gladly ready to suffer any damage, just so as not to find themselves violating this one good law. Chapter 13. Have no property and dare not call anything your own And I consider it unnecessary to mention that virtue, among their other orders, that no one is allowed to have some kind of special chest, or box, or anything that, as their property, should be distinguished or provided with some kind of sign. They are so poor in all respects that they have nothing else except kukul, maforia, sandals, coats and matting. There, even in those monasteries in which indulgences and indulgences are allowed, the rule is strictly followed to this day so that no one dares to even call anything their own. It would be a great crime if the words were heard from the lips of a monk: my book, my board, my writing, my clothes, my sandals. If in any case, by accident or out of ignorance, a word of this kind had come out of his mouth, he would have then had to satisfy him with due repentance. Chapter 14. Although everyone brings income to the monastery through their labor, no one makes any claim to anything. Despite the fact that everyone there, through their labor and then, brings such income to the monastery that it would be enough not only for the moderate maintenance of himself, but also for the needs of many others, no one, however, gets tired of it and does not expect any benefits for themselves because of this, but except for two paximadia - (dry bread the size of a loaf), which cost barely three denarii, no one demands anything more. - I’m not talking about private, special work among them (only for myself) - it doesn’t occur in practice, it’s not even thought of by anyone (as happens in our monasteries, although it’s a shame to say this). Although everyone there considers the entire storeroom of the film as if it were his own property and cares and cares about all things as much as if he were their owner; despite the fact that, maintaining the virtue of perceived poverty, which they try to observe perfectly and inviolably to the end, everyone considers himself so alien and alien to everything that he behaves like a wanderer and inhabitant of another world, considering himself more a pet and servant of the monastery than pretending to be the owner of any thing. Chapter 15. Convicting Western monks of non-observance of the commandment of non-covetousness, or lack of anything What do we say to this, the poor, who, living in cinnovia and being in the care and care of Abba, hold special keys and, trampling upon all respect for our rank and all shame, we are not ashamed to clearly wear even rings (with a seal) on our fingers in order to seal all sorts of hidden things - for which not only boxes or chests, but even cabinets and chests of drawers are not enough to hide what we managed to collect, or what brought with them when leaving the world, and who are seething over empty and most insignificant things, and against anyone who dares to even lay a finger on any of the things that we appropriate to ourselves as property, we are filled with such anger that we cannot help but detect the movements of our hearts with our lips and the state of our whole body. But leaving such our vices, and everything else that is unworthy to mention, having sold ourselves to silence, according to the word of the Prophet: “Let not my mouth speak of the deeds of men” (Ps. 16:4), let us better, according to the suggested order of narration, count the virtues of those (Easterns), to which we should strive with all diligence - and having briefly outlined their corrective rules and regulations, we will then move on to some deeds the elders, who we have diligently sell to memory, so that with them, as the strongest evidence, we can confirm what they have contributed to our narrative; their examples and the authority of their lives prove everything that has been said. Chapter 16. Corrective punishments for errors If someone accidentally breaks a water-cooling jug 39 , he will wash away his carelessness in no other way than by public repentance; why, when all the brethren gather for prayer, he prostrates himself on the ground, asks for forgiveness and remains in this position until the service ends and the Abba orders him to get up from the floor. In the same way, the one who, when called to some work or to an ordinary service, does not appear quickly, or while singing a psalm, falters even a little, also makes amends for his guilt, similarly, if someone answers too much, or is rude and disobedient, if he carelessly fulfills the imposed obedience, if he grumbles even a little, if, preferring reading to work or obedience, he is too lazy to perform the required obligatory tasks. (of the next in the monastery or cell), if at the end of the service he does not hurry to return to his cell, if he stands with someone even for a little while, if he goes somewhere for even a minute, if he holds someone’s hand, if he talks at all with someone who does not live in the same cell as him, if he prays with someone who has been excommunicated from prayer, if he sees, or talks with one of his relatives or worldly friends, without his permission an elder, if he receives a letter from someone, or writes it to him, without the knowledge of his Abba, - for all such and similar offenses there is a spiritual reprimand (or a measure of moral correction is used, similar to that mentioned at the beginning). For all the other things that we have, although tolerated indifferently, are not allowed to pass without reproof and reprimand, such as: open slander, obvious contempt, persistent contradiction, free and loose gait, familiarity with women, irritability, arguments, hostility, abuse, special work (for oneself only), the infection of love of money, biased possession of unnecessary things that one does not have. other brethren, untimely and secretive eating of food, and the like, the measure of correction that we called spiritual is not used; but those guilty of this are either corrected by corporal punishment or expelled from the monastery. Chapter 17. Reading and silence during meals The same, that something sacred should be read at the table of the brethren in the cenovies, comes, as we know, from the rule not of the Egyptians, but of the Cappadocians, who, without a doubt, established this not so much for spiritual exercise 40 as to calm down excessive and idle talkativeness, and especially disputes, which especially arise at the tables, seeing that otherwise there is no way to stop it among themselves. For among the Egyptians, especially among the Tabennisiots, such silence is observed by everyone at the table that when so many brethren sit together and feed themselves with food, no one even dares to whisper, except for the largest ones over the dozens, who, however, when it is necessary to bring something or take something from the table, make it known by knocking, and not by voice. This silence during eating is observed there with such strictness that, having lowered the cucullia below their eyes (so that the eye does not have freedom to wander here and there out of curiosity), they see nothing more than the table and the beggar offered on it, or accepted from it, so that none of them can know how or how much the other eats. Chapter 18. You are not allowed to eat anything other than a common meal. Outside the table, that is, before and after everyone eats together at the appointed time, they are careful to put something edible into their mouths, so that when walking, for example, in the garden between the apple trees, when the apples hanging on the trees so affably offer themselves to the eyes of those passing by, or in large numbers lying on the ground, they themselves fall under their feet, as if begging to be picked up, when all this, both in quantity and convenience, is easy can arouse the desire of even the strictest abstinent people and entice them to agree to it - they consider it sacrilege not only to eat any of this, but even to touch it with one’s hand, in addition to what is clearly offered to everyone together when they eat, and by order of the steward, is publicly distributed to everyone by the hands of successive brethren. Chapter 19. How are alternate obediences conducted in the East? In order not to omit anything from the local ceremonial regulations, I will briefly mention what kind of obedience is assigned to the brethren in those countries every day. Throughout Mesopotamia, Palestine, Cappadocia and the entire East, the brethren alternate weekly in performing different obediences in the monastery, so that the number of employees is assigned according to the size of the fraternity. They perform these obediences with such reverence with which no slave performs his slavish service before his master, the most powerful and cruel; so, not content with just those services that are required from everyone by the charter, they get up at night and secretly correct what others should have corrected themselves. Taking upon himself a weekly service, everyone carefully corrects it until Sunday evening; at the end of which, the service of the whole week consists of when the brethren gather - to sing psalms, which they usually sing when going to bed: those who have finished their turn wash their feet in order, faithfully expecting for themselves for the week's work, as a blessed reward, that after performing the psalms in common they all together offer up a prayer to Christ the Lord asking for forgiveness of their errors of ignorance and sins of human weakness, and for their acceptance diligent service, like a fat sacrifice to God. Then on Monday, after the morning chants, they hand over the dishes and all other things necessary for the service to the new successors. Having received them, they watch with extreme care and attention so that nothing is lost or damaged, in the confidence that for the smallest things, as if for sacred vessels, they will give an account not only to the local steward (the steward and the rector), but to the Lord himself, if due to their negligence there is any damage to them. You can see how strict they are in this regard from one example that I will give you now. Chapter 20. The strictness of storage of monastic things; three lentils During the week of one brother, the housekeeper, passing, saw three grains of lentils lying on the ground, which, along with the water, slipped between the fingers of the week-old brother when he hurried to rinse the lentils, preparing them for boiling. The steward immediately told the Abba about this, and the brother was condemned as a negligent and destroyer of sacred property and excommunicated from common prayer. The guilt of this negligence was forgiven him no less than when he washed it with public repentance. Not considering themselves their own, they consider all their things to be dedicated to God. Why, as soon as something is brought into the monastery, they believe that it should be treated as something sacred. Chapter 21. An example of the zeal of successors in obtaining peace for the brethren We know of such a case that in one monastery there was no firewood and there was nothing with which to prepare ordinary food for the brethren. Abba ordered to be content with raw food, which they call dry eating, until they buy firewood. Everyone agreed to this and no one expected any brew. But the successive brethren, during whose week this happened, believing that all the fruit of their weekly service would be in vain if regular food was not offered to the brethren during their turn, made every effort to get firewood, which is very difficult in those dry and barren places where firewood is made up of dry debris from fruit trees, and there are no wood coppices like ours. They dispersed to those impassable places, and having walked around the entire desert stretching to the Dead Sea, they collected armfuls of thin branches and twigs, scattered here and there by the wind, and with them they prepared everything that was required for the brothers’ table, without the slightest shortage; This was their arbitrary service, when they had a fair excuse both for the scarcity of firewood and for the Abba’s disposal. But they did not want to lose the reward they hoped for for the satisfaction of the brothers in their turn. Chapter 22. Egyptians do not have alternating This was said by us, as was already noted in advance, according to the rules of the entire East, which, I believe, should be observed in our countries as well. - But the Egyptians, who are very dedicated to needlework, do not have a weekly sequence, so that on the occasion there is no obstacle to the successful progress of work. There, one most experienced brother is entrusted with the cellar or cook, and he carries out this service in shifts until he has the strength, or summer allows. For there, preparing food for the table does not require labor that is tiring for the body, since the monks there are content for the most part with dry food and raw food, and vegetables, crushed salt, olives and small salted fish, which they call menidia, constitute the height of consolation for them. Chapter 23. Humble obedience is the path to perfection, example of John of Lycopolis As this book treats, among other things, how someone who has renounced the world is brought to true humility and perfect obedience, so that he can then ascend to the top of other virtues, I consider it necessary to offer here, as promised, as an example, the actions of some elders who shone in this virtue (i.e., humble obedience), from many, choosing a little, as much as is necessary so that from those who seek the highest, not only to arouse jealousy for the most perfect life, but also to show them how to achieve this. Why, out of such a countless number of Fathers, will we highlight two or three, according to the brevity required by our book. Firstly, Abba John, who lived near Lycopolis, the city of Thebaid; since for the virtue of obedience, having been awarded the high gift of prophecy, he became famous throughout the world, and was highly honored by the kings themselves. Thus, Theodosius the Great did not begin the war against the strong tyrants who appeared in his time unless he received in advance prophetic answers confirming the success of the enterprise, although he lived so far from him, on the last outskirts of Thebaid. Relying on them, as if they had been announced to him from heaven, he gained the upper hand in desperate battles and overcame his enemies. Chapter 24. This John, in his new beginning, watered the dry branch morning and evening for a whole year This blessed John from his youth to his mature manhood served his elder while he lived in the world, and fulfilled his commands with such humility that the elder himself was amazed at his obedience. Wanting, however, to find out more precisely where he got such virtue from, whether from faith of true and deep simplicity of heart, or whether it is feigned, forced and appears only in the face of the one who gives the commands, the elder often assigned him obediences, either empty and unnecessary, or unfulfillable. I will give three such cases, from which those who want to understand will clearly see the purity of his mind and the perfection of obedience. So one day the elder took from his woodshed a twig that had been cut down long ago, completely withered and even slightly rotten from antiquity, and sticking it into the ground, he ordered it to be watered twice a day, bringing water on his shoulders, so that, being thus watered every day, it would take root, come to life, branch out and give a look pleasing to the eyes and a cool shade to those who would have to sit under her. Having accepted this obedience with the usual reverence, the young monk, without thinking at all about the impossibility of receiving what was supposedly expected, performed this without fail every day, carrying water for almost two miles. So he watered his tree for a whole year, without missing a single day, not because of illness, not because of a holiday, not because of any necessary work, not because of winter cold and bad weather. The elder silently observed this tirelessness of him, and made sure that he accepted and carried out his order in simplicity of heart, without any hesitation of mind, as if it had been given to him from above, which proved the sincerity of his humble obedience. Why, wanting to put an end to this test, he approached the dry twig and said: “Well, John, has our tree taken root or not?” He said: “I don’t know.” Then the elder, as if testing whether it was firmly on its roots, with a slight movement pulled out a twig before his eyes and threw it away so that he would not water it any more. Chapter 25. He threw the vessel of oil out the window without reasoning, because the elder ordered Trained by such experiences, the young monk grew in the virtue of obedience and the grace of humility shone in him. The fragrance of his obedience spread throughout all the monasteries; Some brethren, wanting to personally verify the truth of what was being said and to be more edified in that virtue, came to the elder and began to express their surprise at the universally renowned obedience of his disciple. The elder, immediately calling John, said to him: go upstairs as quickly as possible, take a vessel with oil there, and throw it down outside the window. They only had oil, and it was reserved for those who came and for themselves in case of illness. John quickly ran up to the top and threw the vessel through the window, not even thinking about the absurdity of the order, and not thinking about how necessary oil is sometimes, while you can’t get it there even for money. Chapter 26. The huge stone tensed and rolled, as the elder ordered Another time, when the brethren came to be edified by an example of obedience, the elder, calling John, said to him: run and roll that stone here as quickly as possible. He ran and with all his zeal and effort began to push a huge stone, which a whole crowd of people could only shake. Sweat poured from him like hail, soaked his entire dress, and even wet the stone itself. But he did not at all think that obedience was impossible to fulfill: for out of reverence for the elder, and out of the sincere simplicity of obedience, he believed with all his heart that the elder would not command anything for nothing, for which he did not have a reasonable basis 41 . Chapter 27. Abba Mucius, out of obedience, threw his own son into the river Enough about Abba John. Now I will tell you about the memorable deed of Abba Mucius, who, having renounced the world, sought acceptance into the monastery, waited outside the gates of the monastery, in agonizing suffering longer than anyone else, and with his tireless patience achieved that, in addition to the Cenonic custom, he was accepted into the monastery along with his little son, who was then about 8 years old. When they were finally accepted, they were immediately placed in different cells and given to different elders for study, so that the father would not think that out of all that he had left him at least a son remained, but on the contrary, so that, as he knew that he was no longer rich, he would cease to recognize himself as a father. So that later it would be more clearly revealed what takes precedence in him: whether blood compassion, or obedience to self-mortification, which, out of love for Christ, he should prefer to everything else, they deliberately showed disdain for his brainchild, dressed him in rags more than in real clothes, kept him unwashed and unkempt, so that a glance at him could rather cause grief to the father than bring comfort. In addition, he was often beaten; and the father saw with his own eyes that the innocent fellow was being beaten in vain. Despite the fact that they did this to his son every day before his eyes, out of love for Christ the Lord and the virtue of obedience, he kept his heart free from all anxiety and confusion. For, no longer considering him as his own, after he had sacrificed him along with himself to Christ and did not look at his real insults, but was even more comforted by the faith that they were never endured fruitlessly; why did he think little about his son and his tears, but turned all his concern to his success in humility; such a detached mood of his mind and heart could not hide from Abba Konovia, and he, wanting to show the strength of his spirit, one day, when his son was crying about something, as if in his heart against him, he ordered his father to grab him and throw him into the river. He, as if receiving a command from the Lord Himself, ran, grabbed his son and in his arms dragged him to the edge of the river and threw him into it. Such was the fervor of his faith and the swiftness of his obedience. And the boy would have drowned if the brethren who had been specially sent there in advance and carefully lined the river bank had not pulled him out of the depths of the river. Chapter 28. Brother Mucius completed Abraham's work; and after the death of the Abba of the monastery he was elected to his place Such selfless faith was graciously accepted by God, who gave confirmation of this from above. For it was then revealed to one elder that Mucius, by his obedience, accomplished the work of Abraham the Patriarch, which is why, when Abba Konovii a little later departed to the Lord, he left him as his successor and as Abba of the monastery, preferring him to all the others. Chapter 29. A high-born brother sells baskets of obedience in his city Let us also not remain silent about the brother we know, who, according to worldly orders, belonged to a high family. He was born from a komit (regional ruler), a very rich man, and received a direct education in the liberal sciences. When, having left his parents, he came to the monastery, then to test the humility of his thoughts and the ardor of his faith, the elder ordered him to take ten baskets and hang them around his neck, carry them around the squares for sale, although there was no need to sell them so publicly; adding to this the condition that he would not give them up if someone wanted to buy them all together one by one, but would sell them one by one, so that he would stay longer at this business. He did this with all zeal, and, suppressing all embarrassing shame, for the sake of the name and love of Christ, he placed the baskets on his shoulders, sold them at the appointed price and brought the proceeds to the monastery. Neither his unfamiliarity with work, nor the insignificance of the business compared to his family nobility, nor the usual troubles during the sale stopped him, when he wanted to acquire Christ’s humility through obedience, in which alone he considered nobility. Chapter 30. Abba Pinufius, leaving his monastery, entered another, as a novice, for the sake of humility, but was recognized and returned to his monastery The smallness of our book makes us hasten to the end, but the dignity of obedience, which holds primacy among virtues, does not allow us to pass in silence the deeds of those who became famous for them. Therefore, balancing both, i.e., wanting to maintain brevity and give pleasure and benefit to the zealots of this virtue, let us offer one more example of humility, which was shown not by someone new, but already by a perfect man and abba: why it can not only edify young monks, but also excite elders to further success in this virtue 42 . So, I continue: we saw Abba Pinuphius, a priest of a large cenobia located in Egypt, near the city of Panefis, whom everyone honored and respected both for his holy life, and for his deep old age, and for the dignity of the priesthood. But he, seeing that he himself did not have the opportunity to practice humility, in which he wanted to succeed with all zeal, as well as to expand the circle of desired obedience, secretly fled from the kenobia, retired to the last borders of Thebaid, and there he laid down his monastic robe and, dressed in secular clothes, began to ask to join the konovia of Tabennisiotov, which he knew that was the strictest and in which he hoped to be unrecognized by remoteness of the country and hide due to the size of the monastery and the many brethren. He waited patiently there for a long time outside the gate, falling at the feet of the brothers and earnestly asking them to accept him into the monastery. Finally they received him with great disrespect, like a decrepit old man who, having spent his life in the world, entered the monastery at the end of it, when he could no longer serve his pleasures; and he did this, they said, not in the form of salvation and pleasing God, but because he was forced by poverty and hunger. As an old man, unfit for any business, he was assigned obedience - to look after the garden with others. Having thus entered under the authority of his younger brother, who considered him entrusted to himself, he willingly submitted to him in correcting his work, finding in such obedience a field for exercising and improving the desired virtue - humility; and not only what related to maintaining the garden in proper order, he corrected every day with all precision, but also many other things that others did not want to undertake, considering it difficult or low. He did a lot of things, rising secretly at night, without any witnesses, under the cover of darkness, so that what he did was seen, but someone else did it - no one comprehended. So he hid there for three years. His brothers, meanwhile, dispersed throughout Egypt, looking for him; and one of them, entering the Tabennisiot monastery, saw him. From the first time he could hardly suspect that it was their Pinufius, from the humility of his attire and the baseness of the obedience that he corrected; and he, bending down, cleared the ground under the olive trees with a rake, then, bringing manure on his shoulders, covered their roots with it. Seeing this, the brother hesitated for a long time to recognize him, until, coming closer, he clearly saw his face and heard his voice. Finally making sure it was him, he fell at his feet; which at first left everyone who saw this in bewilderment - why, that is, for the sake of this he acted in relation to the one who was considered the last among them, like a newcomer who had recently left the world: and then he struck everyone with extreme surprise when he pronounced his name, which was famous among them too. Then all the brethren of Tavennisiota, having asked his forgiveness for ignorantly keeping him among the new novices, escorted him to their monastery, strictly watching him so that he would not somehow run away from their hands. The elder, against his will, submitted to such a necessity, crying that, due to the envy of the devil, he was unable to preserve forever the humble way of life, which, after so long a search, he found and rejoiced that he found it. Chapter 31. A little later, he again retired and became a novice. to the Bethlehem monastery, but again he was recognized and returned But, having stayed here a little, again drawn by a fiery desire for humility, he ran away, covered by the darkness of the night, and headed not to some neighboring region, but to distant and unknown countries. It was when he boarded the ship that he set off for Palestine, believing that he could more conveniently hide by moving to places where no one had even heard his name. Arriving there, he went straight to our monastery, which was not far from the cave in which our Lord Jesus Christ deigned to be born of the Virgin. But even here he could not hide for a long time, like a city at the top of a mountain, according to the word of the Lord, for some of the Egyptian brethren, having come to pray at the holy places, recognized him and begged him to return to his monastery again. Chapter 32. Instruction to the novice, which Pinufius gave to the one who had just been accepted into the monastery in the presence of I. Cassian When, while in Egypt, we found and visited this elder, after meeting him in our monastery, he received one brother into his monastery with us and gave him instructions on this occasion. It is advisable for me to place this instruction here, because it can serve as an edification to many. “You know,” he said, how many days after waiting outside the gates, you have finally been accepted into the monastery. First of all, you need to understand the reason for this difficulty. For in the life into which you wish to enter, much can be useful for you if, having understood it, you consistently and as you should begin to work for Christ. Chapter 33. They were not soon accepted into the monastery due to the greatness of the matter “How great glory is promised in the next century to those who serve by faith and please God well, according to the demands of our monastic life; Thus, a great punishment awaits those who will go through it with coldness and carelessness, not caring to bear the fruits of holiness worthy of it, according to what they promised. According to Scripture, “it is better not to promise, than having promised and not fulfill” (Eccl. 5:3); and “cursed is everyone who does the work of God carelessly” (Jeremiah 48:10). So, we did not accept you for a long time, not because we did not want with all our hearts the salvation of you and everyone else, and we were not ready to meet in the distance those who wanted to come to Christ; but so that, having accepted you carelessly, we ourselves do not fall into the guilt of frivolity before God, and you are not subjected to heavy responsibility, if you are easily accepted, and from this very hour you do not understand the importance of our vows, you later turn out to be their violator, or their cold fulfiller. Now understand the meaning of renunciation of the world, so that, by clearly imagining it, you can see more clearly how you should act.” Chapter 34. Renunciation of the world means taking up the cross, crucifixion to the world and self-mortification “Renunciation of the world is nothing other than taking upon oneself the cross of Christ and demonstrating self-mortification. So know that from now on you have died to this world, to its doings and its lusts, or, according to the Apostle, “you were crucified to the world, and peace be to you” (Gal. 6:14). Go deeper into the fact that there is a cross, under the mysterious sign of which you must now live in this world, since now “it is no longer you who live, but He who was crucified for you lives in you” (Gal. 2:20). Why in what position and form He was hanged on the cross for us, in such a way is it necessary for us to lead this life, so that, according to the Prophet David (Ps. 119:120), having nailed our flesh to the fear of the Lord, with all our wants and desires, we did not serve our own lust, but were nailed to self-mortification for the sake of the Lord. For only in this way will we fulfill the commandments of the Lord, who says: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and he will come to Me” (Mark 8:34). And “whoever does not accept his cross and comes after Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38). But maybe someone will ask, how can a person constantly wear his cross? And how can one be crucified while remaining alive? Listen to how it is.” Chapter 35. We are crucified on the cross by the fear of God, which does not allow us to move according to the attraction of passions “Our cross is the fear of God. Just as a crucified person no longer has the power to move the members of his body at will and turn them here and there, so we must turn our desires and desires not to what is pleasant to us and gives pleasure in the present, but to what is required of us and to which the law of the Lord obliges us. Just as someone who is nailed to the cross is not able to occupy his wealth, does not think about his passions, does not care about tomorrow, does not covet, is not proud, does not quarrel, does not envy, does not plot revenge, and although he is still breathing, he nevertheless considers himself almost buried, turning the gaze of his heart there, where he must undoubtedly soon move: so we, crucified by the fear of God, must be dead not only to carnal passions, but and everything earthly, directing the eyes of our souls there, where we must move every minute: which is why our carnal lusts and passions are especially contained in mortification.” Chapter 36. Renounced? Don't go back “So be afraid to again take anything from what you have refused, in defiance of the Lord’s prohibition, when you return from the village of the gospel action, again “put on your garments, which you have put off” (Matthew 24:18). Do not allow the base earthly lusts and vanities of this world to renew within you, and, contrary to the commands of the Lord, having come down from the roof of perfection, take up again, even in the house that you abandoned, renouncing the world. Do not remember your parents and other former affections, do not be intertwined with the worries and cares of this life, lest otherwise, according to the word of the Lord, you will not be guided into the kingdom of heaven, like one who “lays his hand on his forehead and looks back” (Luke 9:62). Be careful that, having corrected your pride now, at the beginning of renunciation, with the fervor of faith with complete humility, later, when you have studied the psalms and entered into the taste of monastic life, you do not arouse it again, ascending so that, according to the Apostle, building again what you ruined, you do not present yourself as a criminal. On the contrary, remain to the end in this nakedness of everything that you promised in the face of God and His Angels - and in the humility and patience with which you, having spent ten days outside the gates, begged with many tears to be accepted into the monastery, and not only awaken, but also prosper and grow. For it will be quite pitiful if, instead of moving forward from the beginnings and ascending to perfection, you begin to descend lower and lower from them. For “not he who began it, but whoever endures it to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22).” Chapter 37. To succeed in this, observe the beginnings of your thoughts, this head of the serpent “The cunning serpent always watches our heel, that is, he slanderes against our good undertakings and tries to pierce our foot until the end of our lives. Therefore, it is of little use to start well and with all the fervor to initiate self-sacrifice, if in a similar way the end in accordance with it is not crowned, and the humility of Christ, and the poverty that you have now promised before His face, will not be preserved by you until the last days of your life, as well as accepted. To make it more convenient for you to fulfill this, always keep the head of the serpent, that is, the beginnings of your thoughts, revealing them immediately to your elder. For only then will you learn to erase its destructive chapter when you are not ashamed to reveal everything to your elder. Chapter 38. Made a vow? – Care and jealousy rises to perfection “Why, having begun to work for the Lord, stand in the fear of God and, according to Scripture (Sir. 2:1), prepare your soul not for rest, not for carelessness, not for pleasures, but for temptation and hardship. For “through many tribulations it is fitting for us to enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Narrow is the gate and strait the way that leads into the belly, and there are few who find it. Think about the fact that you have now been made one of the chosen few, and do not allow yourself to grow cold, following the example of the cool majority; but live like the few, so that you may be worthy to enter the kingdom of God with the few. “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 20:16); “The flock to which God has been pleased to give as an inheritance the kingdom is a small one” (Luke 12:32). Know that sin is not unimportant when someone, having made a vow to ascend to perfection, begins to follow what is imperfect. One ascends to perfection by these degrees and in what order.” Chapter 39. How one ascends to humility - what are its signs and what are its fruits? “The beginning of our salvation, and its protection, as I said, is the fear of God. They are supposed to be the beginning of conversion, they are purified from passions, and they acquire all the virtues in those who have embarked on the path to perfection. When it penetrates a person’s soul, then it gives rise to contempt for all things, oblivion of relatives and disgust for the whole world; humility is acquired by contempt and abandonment of all things. And humility is recognized by the following signs: 1, if someone died to all his desires; in 2, if he does not hide not only his actions, but also his thoughts from his elder; in 3, if you don’t trust your mind in anything, but trust everything to its judgment, and listen to its instructions with a thirsty heart and willingly; 4, if he maintains obedience, meekness and constant patience in everything; 5, if he does not cause any offense to anyone, and does not get sick or grieve about what he himself happens to receive from another; in 6, if he does nothing and does not plot anything that the general charter, or the example of his elders, would not oblige him to do; 7, if he is satisfied despite all his poverty, and doing what he is commanded with diligence, he considers himself a bad and unworthy worker; in 8, if he does not call himself the lowest of all with the edges of his lips, but sincerely feels in the depths of his heart; at 9, if he curbs his tongue and is not loud; at 10, if you are not easy and quick to laugh. By these and similar signs, true humility is recognized. When it is truly acquired, it will immediately lead you to a love that has no fear, to this most perfect degree, at which everything that you previously observed not without difficulties, but more out of fear of punishment, you will begin to observe without any labor, as something natural, and to observe no longer out of thoughts about torment and fear of them, but out of love for the good itself and out of delight in virtues.” Chapter 40. Choose not many to follow, but one or two “To achieve this more conveniently, you need, having joined the brotherhood, to choose not many, but one or two as an example of imitation and a model of the most perfect life. For besides the fact that a life tested and attained to purity is the property of a few, another benefit comes from this, that by the example of one, he who desires perfection in the Cenonic life is more diligently drunk and edified.” Chapter 41. Among the brotherhood, be like deaf, dumb, blind and violent “In order for all this to go successfully for you, and for you to remain forever under this spiritual law, you must observe the following three things among the brotherhood. According to the words of the Psalmist: “as if you were deaf, you did not hear, and as you were dumb, you did not open your mouth” (Ps. 37:14), be as if you were deaf, dumb and blind, so that in addition to the one who will be worthily chosen by you to imitate, you do not look at anyone, and no matter what you see in others that is not entirely edifying for you, treat yourself as if you have not seen what a blind man does not see; so that, being carried away by the authority or visibility of those who seem to act in such a way to you, you do not descend to the worst, which you yourself previously condemned. If you hear words of disobedience, stubbornness, condemnation, or those in which something is allowed differently than what is given to you, do not be tempted by this, do not be carried away by such an example of imitation, but let it all pass without attention, as if you had not heard anything, like a deaf person. If someone slanders you, or anyone else, or offends you in any other way, be still and do not answer anything as if you were dumb, singing in your heart the following verse of the Psalmist: “Reh, I will keep my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I have laid it with my mouth, so that the sinner will never stand before me. I became dumb and humbled and kept silent” (Ps. 39:2-3). - However, there is also a fourth thing, which you must cultivate above all else and which should be the decoration and completion of the previous three, namely, make yourself, according to the word of the Apostle (1 Cor. 3:18), “rule in this world, that you may be wise: do not disassemble or discuss anything that is commanded to you”; but with all simplicity and faith, always show obedience, then only considering as holy, salutary and wise, what the law of God and the experience of the elder shows you. Based on such rules, you will live calmly under the usual discipline in the monasteries, and no temptations or intrigues of the enemy will pull you out of the monastery.” Chapter 42. Do not consider yourself patient when others, due to their virtue, do not irritate you in any way, but try to show your virtue when you encounter troubles “You should not think that you have endured everything, relying on the virtues of others, in the hope, that is, that no one will irritate you into impatience: for it is not in your power to make it so. But arm yourself for patience with humility and generosity, which depend on your arbitrariness.” Chapter 43. List of lessons on how to achieve perfection “So that everything that has been stated so far in lengthy speech will be more conveniently imprinted on your heart and more firmly attached to your feelings, I will make a short list of everything, with the help of which you can briefly grasp in memory the entire completeness of the commandments. Listen in a few words to the whole order, how without difficulty and without difficulty you can ascend to the very top of perfection. The beginning of our salvation, like wisdom, is the fear of God. From the fear of God, saving contrition is born. From contrition comes renunciation of the world, stripping oneself of all things and contempt for them. From the exposure of this humility grows. Humility produces the mortification of one's lusts. By mortifying one's lusts, all passions are eradicated and dried up. Through the expulsion of passions, virtues multiply and increase. By multiplying virtues purity of heart is acquired. By purity of heart the perfection of Apostolic love is acquired.” This was the name given not only to Bishops, but also to priests. Castor was the Bishop of Apt, distinguished by his education, holiness and pastoral zeal for the spiritual advancement of his flock. Apta Julia - now Apt, directly north of Massilia - now Marseille - 50 miles or more. Ascetic writings of St. Basil the Great constitute the fifth volume of his works. Articles by the blessed Jerome, concerning the present subject are: in the first volume - letters 1–4, 8, 13, 22, 27, 47, the lives of Paul, St. Hilarion, Malchus. In volume 2 - in books against Jovinian. In the third there are 103 letters. In the fourth - on the words of Jeremiah: it is good for a man if he is taken by the yoke in his youth (1-3). Translated by him - the life of Anthony the Great, written by St. Athanasius and the Rule of Pachomius the Great. - Someone extracted from these articles a monastic rule, which circulated for quite some time under the name of Jeronimov. It seems he means Rufinus here. Vasily the Great talks about this. rules 23. – In addition to readiness for battle, the belt also meant curbing lust, according to Gregory Dvoeslov (Conversations 13 on Evangel.). About the belt of the Cenobites, Ave. Pachomius (Lavs. ch. 7). That is, monastic. Jerome calls the sons of the prophets Old Testament monks; in a letter to Paulina he says: “Our head Elijah, our Elisha, our leaders are the sons of the prophets.” Singing sung is a sign of mortification of the flesh. So Jerome in his letter to Dimitrias and Dorotheos Abba in the first word. About the monks of St. Pachomius, Jerome in the preface to his rule says that they wore a linen belt. On the attire of monks: from Basil the Great - Prosp. rules 22. Augustine has 23 of his rules. Jerome - in letters to Nepotianus and Eustolius. Teacher's rule Pachomius 55. In the preface to the rule of the teacher. Pachomius Jerome says: in their cells the monks have nothing except matting, two levitonarii (sleeveless clothing), of which one is shabby, in which they sleep or work, one amecta, two cucullia, a militia - goat skin, a belt, sandals and a stick. Why do monks dress differently from lay people? – Basil the Great in the indicated place says – a) to signify the title of monk; b) so that the monks, in their very clothes, have the motivation to live in the best possible way. Hair shirt, made of coarse goat or camel hair, - sackcloth, made of linen as coarse as string. This one was worn on a naked body, and this one was worn on top of other clothes. This expressed the sadness of repentance. They are mentioned many times in the writings of the Old Testament. The adherents of self-mortification in Christianity have always worn and continue to wear hair shirts - only secretly, under other clothes. The same meaning of cucullia is given by St. Dorofei in the lane word; and Solomen in the church. Book stories 3, ch. 13. – Nikifor Historian. book 9, ch. 14 to say that it was not pointed upward. – Lavsaik ch. 37 to say that the Tavennisiot monks had a purple cross embroidered on their kukulliye. He is in chapter 41. says that virgins also used cucullium. Nowadays, the schema monks have the upper part of the schema, the simple monks have a hood, and the nuns have, rather, their apostolnik corresponds to the cucullia. Kolovy - from ϰολοβος - which means short, or shortened, truncated. At St. Dorothea and Solomen book. 3, ch. 13 the meaning given to the shortening of the sleeves is that the monk has no hands to inflict offense. Jerome, in the preface to the rule of St. Pachomius, calls Kolovius Leviton. That it is linen and not wool is either due to cheapness, or to the climate, or to imitation of the Apostles; It is known about the Apostle James that he had a linen robe. Evsev. book 1, ch. 24. And you can wash such clothes, and so on. keep clean, as a reminder of inner purity. St. Dorotheus says: “He also has an analav, which rests crosswise on your shoulders. And this means that we carry on our shoulders the sign of the cross, as the Lord says: “Take up your cross and follow Me” (Mark 8:34). Nowadays, among ordinary monks it is a paraman, among schema monks it is a multi-cross, a polystavrion. This is a small mantle, which is used in some monasteries and on Mount Athos. Cutting our mantle above the elbows and eliminating the folds will result in a mafort. Substance and spiritual; see book. 1, ch. 2nd spiritual belt – curb. lusts. In the third - three; in the sixth - six; in the ninth - nine. Founded by Bishop Castor, for whom this is written. Blazh. Hieron. in a book about church writers, about St. Mark says that he is spelled St. Evangel. came to Alexandria and founded a church here, in which all Christians led an extremely strict life, following his example. There, speaking about Philo, he claims that at first the whole church was what the monks now strive to be. Church history of Eusebius, book two, ch. 15 and 16. – After Sozomen, book. 1, ch. 12 and 13. Not Matins, but the first hour, as the Interpreter of Cassian, Alyard Ghazeus, also understands. Pr. does not speak anywhere about the first hour. Cassian, as about an ancient institution. Neither Basil the Great, nor Chrysostom, nor Jerome remembers him. Probably right after Matins, long before dawn. Palladius, Jerome, Sozomen believe seven thousand and in all monasteries of St. Pachomius. In Tavennisiot there were up to 1300 or 1400 under him. Saint Cassian probably speaks about the time after St. Pachomius, when the number increased, or about all the monks of all monasteries. It's still there. You pour lukewarm water, after a while it becomes cold; At this time these jugs are covered with moisture. Not really. 180 times. right Basil the Great says: “We should listen to what is read at meals with a disposition greater than the pleasure with which we eat and drink.” The memory of this St. John March 27. Ave. Cassiana conversation 20 about the purpose of repentance. You might be interested in: