Правило 55 Василия Великого
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Robbers who strike each other, if they are not in church service, let them be excommunicated from the communion of the holy mysteries; if they are clergy, let them be deposed from their rank. For it is said: everyone who takes the sword will die by the sword (Matthew 26:52).
(Ankyr. 22, 23; 23; Athanasius Vel. 1; Basil Vel. 8, 13, 43; Gregory of Nyssk. 6).
In his 13th canon, Saint Basil speaks about the killing of enemies in war and, although he does not condemn such killings, he still orders that such a soldier should not be given holy blood. communion for 3 years, since he stained his hands with human blood. In the present rule, he speaks about robbers (λησταί, latrones), and prescribes that a layman who enters into a fight with robbers and kills them should be deprived of St. communion, the cleric is subject to eruption; Basil the Great based this injunction on the words of Holy Scripture, for it is said: everyone who takes a knife will perish by the knife (Matthew 26:52). Ούτος ό κανών φορτικός έστίν (this rule is difficult), - Zonara notes to this 98, for it is difficult for a person to refrain from killing a robber who threatens to kill him and do evil to many others.
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