Правило 13 Василия Великого

Our fathers did not charge killing in battle with murder, excusing, as it seems to me, the champions of chastity and piety. But perhaps it would be good to advise that they, as having unclean hands, should refrain from communing only the holy mysteries for three years. (Ankyr. 22, 23; Athanasius Vel. 1; Basil Vel. 8, 43, 55; Gregory of Nyssa. 5). “It is not permissible to kill: but to kill enemies in battle is both lawful and worthy of praise,” says Athanasius the Great in his letter to Ammun (right 1); this is precisely what Basil the Great means here when he mentions our fathers (οί πατέρες ημών). Saint Basil adds to this that it would not be appropriate to allow soldiers who shed human blood to receive Holy Communion for three years. Saint Basil justifies this advice with examples from the Old Testament church (Num. 31:17–24), moreover, striving to relieve the souls of warriors from the burden of shedding human blood. However, Zonara and Balsamon note, this advice of Saint Basil seemed to have not been implemented anywhere, and the mentioned words of Athanasius the Great, cited by Basil, served as guidance. At the same time, Balsamon gives the example of some clergy who participated in battles and, therefore, killed people, and for this, nevertheless, they were not only not deprived of the right to perform sacred functions, but were also awarded awards 48. You might be interested in: