Глава 25. О неизысканности и простоте в снедях

The ascetic should in no way strive for variety in foods and, even under the guise of abstinence, for a change in the dishes offered. For this is a violation of general decorum and a reason for temptation, and he becomes the heir of what is proclaimed: “woe” (Matthew 18:7), who in an ascetic society gives such reasons for rebellion. On the contrary, even if salted fish was offered for eating with bread, which the holy fathers decided, instead of some other seasoning, to add in small quantities to the dishes, mixing this with the rest of the food from water or from greens, the ascetic should not, under the pretext of vain, spontaneous piety, refusing this, as if from meat, demand dishes that are more expensive and of good quality, but without special attention to it, dipping a piece in a decoction of a very small piece of salted fish, and eat it with all thanksgiving. For this very small piece, placed in such a large amount of water or, if it happens, in a seed boil, is not a sign of a delicacy, but the most strict and, in the true sense, patience-filled abstinence of ascetics. Therefore, an ascetic of holiness should not pay attention to anything like this, because we abstain from such dishes, not by Judaizing, but by avoiding tasty satiety. You might be interested in: