Ὁ τόμος τῆς ἑνώσεως,
ἤτοι ἔκθεσις τῆς γενομένης τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἑνώσεως, ἐπὶ κωνσταντίνου καὶ ῥωμανοῦ· τοῦ μὲν βασιλεύοντος, τοῦ δὲ τὸ τηνικαῦτα τῷ τοῦ βασιλεωπάτορος ἀξιώματι - διαπρέποντος.
Ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς χριστὸς καὶ θεὸς τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς καὶ ἀποστόλοις καὶ τοῖς ὅσοι μετ ̓ ἐκείνων ἄξιοι γεγόνασι τῆς κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ, ἐξαίρετόν τινα κλῆρον τὴν εἰ ρήνην κατέλιπε, τοῦτο γνώρισμα παρεχόμενος τοῖς οἰκείοις τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν οἰκείοτητος, εἰ τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης σφιγ γόμενοι μὴ τὴν τοῦ πνεύματος διασπῶσιν ἑνότητα· πρότερον αὐτὸς οἰκείῳ ὑποδείγματι δείξας ἡμῖν, ἣν ἔχει περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης προαίρεσιν, δι' ὧν ὑπεράνω παντὸς ὕψους τελῶν ἐπὶ τὴν ἐσχατιὰν κατῆλθε τὴν ἡμετέραν, καὶ παραπλησίως ἡμῖν σαρκὸς καὶ αἵματος ἐκοινώνησεν, ἵνα τοὺς ἐξ ἀλλήλων διῃρημένους εἰς ἑνότητα καταστήσῃ. ἔπειτα καὶ τοῖς τὰ ἐκείνου μαθήματα πεπαιδευμένοις ταύτην κατέλιπε τὴν κληρονομίαν, τὸ εἰρηνεύειν ἐν ἀλλήλοις, καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ πρὸς εἰρήνην ἄγειν ἑτέρους πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς στασιάζοντας. ἀλλὰ γὰρ τοιούτου ὄντος τοῦ πράγματος, ἐξαρχῆς καὶ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν οὐ διέλιπεν ἡ τοῦ πονηροῦ στασιώδης κακία τὸ ἱερὸν τῆς ἐκκλησίας διαταράττουσα πλήρωμα, νῦν μὲν ταύτην νῦν δὲ ἐκείνην ἀνακινοῦσα τὴν πρόφασιν. ἀλλ ̓ ὁ μὲν τοιοῦτος· ὁ δὲ τῆς εἰρήνης αἴτιος καὶ διδάσκαλος χριστὸς ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ πύλας εἰπὼν ᾅδου μὴ κατισχύσειν τῆς ἐκκλησίας αὐτοῦ, ἀεὶ τὰ σκάνδαλα εἰς τὴν τοῦ πονηροῦ κεφαλὴν περιτρέπων, τὴν εἰρήνην τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ διαφυλάττει ἀλύμαντον. οὗτος ἐκεῖνος, ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν χριστὸς, ὁ θεὸς, ὁ πατὴρ, ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς, ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ ἀληθινὸς, τῶν ἱερῶν τέκνων τῆς πανάγνου νύμφης αὐτοῦ, τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ἐξ ἀλλήλων διασπασθέντων, τῇ αὐτοῦ προνοίᾳ καὶ χάριτι τὴν ἕνωσιν αὐτοῖς κατεπράξατο, καὶ τοῖς ἀχράντοις κόλποις πάλιν συνήγαγε τῆς μητρός· διδοὺς ἐκείνῃ μὲν χαίρειν ἐπὶ τῇ συναγωγῇ τῶν τέκνων, ἑαυτῷ δὲ τὴν ἐξ ἑνὸς στόματος καὶ μιᾶς καρδίας προσάγεσθαι τῆς δόξης ἀναφορὰν, πᾶσι δὲ τοῖς, ὅσοι μὴ πρὸς τὴν ταραχώδη τοῦ δαίμονος προαίρεσιν ἀποκλίνουσιν ἀλλὰ τοῦ τῆς εἰρήνης αἰτίου τὸ παράγγελμα τιμῶσι, τὴν εὐχαριστίαν προσάγειν. ἀλλ ̓ ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν ἄνω χρόνων ἐγένοντο σκανδάλων ἀφορμαὶ, ὁποῖαι δὴ καὶ γεγόνασι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἑκάστοτε κίνησιν τοῦ κακοῦ τοῖς σοφοῖς τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν οἰκονόμοις ἡ πρόσφορος ἐξεύρηται θεραπεία· νῦν δὲ ὅτε συμβέβηκε τεταράχθαι τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐξ ἀφορμῆς γαμικῆς ἐν τῷ μὴ τυγχάνειν τὸν γάμον ἐλεύθερον μέμψεως, πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου κώλυσιν ἡ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἱερὰ κρίσις φέρει τὴν γνώμην, καὶ τοῦ μὴ προέρχεσθαι τοῦτον ἔτι χώραν εὑρίσκειν. οὕτω γὰρ καὶ νῦν καὶ μετέπειτα τῶν κατεχόντων σκανδάλων ἀπηλλάχθαι περιγενήσεται τοῖς, ὅσοι μὴ τὸ φιλόνεικον καὶ τὴν ἔριν ἀντὶ τῆς εἰρήνης ἠγάπησαν τοῦ χριστοῦ. τῆς γὰρ προφάσεως ἐκποδὼν γεγενημένης, ἀφ ̓ ἧς ἐξέφυ τὰ σκάνδαλα, τοῦ εἰρηνεύειν τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν εἰρήνην οὐδεμία ἐστὶν ἡ κωλύουσα πρόφασις. καὶ γὰρ ἐν παντὶ πράγματι οὕτως ἔχει· τῆς σφαλερᾶς αἰτίας τῆς τῶν ἀτόπων γενέσεως ἐκποδὼν καθισταμένης, πρὸς τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς εὐταξίαν ἀποκαθίσταται τὰ τέως ἐκεῖθεν λαβόντα τὸ πονηρῶς διακεῖσθαι· οὕτω καὶ σώματι νόσου προσγενομένης, τοῦ αἰτίου ταύτης ἀναχωρήσαντος, τὸ ὑγιαίνειν ἐπανέρχεται, καὶ θαλάσσῃ ἐξ ἀνέμων βιαιότητος ταραττομένῃ, τῆς καταιγίδος πεπαυμένης, ἡ γαληνιῶσα κατάστασις ἐπανήκει. διὰ τοῦτο κοινῇ συναθροισθέντες ἀρχιερεῖς τε καὶ ἱερεῖς, ὅσοι μὴ ἑαυτοῖς (ἐῶ γὰρ εἰπεῖν ἄλλοις) ἀρέσκειν ἠγάπησαν, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τὴν εἰρήνην τοῦ στασιάζειν προετίμησαν, συνείδομεν, ἐπείπερ ἐκ τῶν γαμικῶν ἀφορμῶν τὰ σκάνδαλα τὴν γένεσιν ἔλαβε, ταῦτα διανακαθάραι, καὶ διασφαλίσασθαι τοῦ μηδαμῶς ἔτι διὰ τῆς αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν βίον προόδου μήτε τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ταράττειν, μήτε τὴν ζωὴν τῶν οὕτω ζῆν ἑλομένων κατάκριτον καὶ κατεγνωσμένην ποιεῖν.
α ́. Καὶ λοιπὸν ἀποφαινόμεθα κοινῇ γνώμῃ καὶ κρίσει, ἀπόγε τοῦ παρόντος ἔτους, ὅ ἐστιν ἑξακισχιλιοστὸν τετρακοσιοστὸν εἰκοστὸν ὄγδοον ἐπινεμήσεως ὀγδόης, τέταρτον γάμον μηδενὶ τολμᾶσθαι, ἀλλ ̓ εἶναι ἀπόβλητον παντελῶς· καὶ τὸν, εἴ τις ἐπὶ τοιοῦτο ἐλθεῖν συνοικέσιον προθυμηθείη, πάσης ἀπεστερημένον εἶναι συνάξεως ἐκκλησιαστικῆς καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς πρὸς τὸν ἅγιον ναὸν εἰσόδου ἀλλότριον, μέχρις ἂν ἐπιμένοι" τῷ συνοικεσίῳ. τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τοῖς πρὸ ἡμῶν ἁγίοις ἔδοξε πατράσι, καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν γνώμην ἐκδηλοτέραν" ποιοῦντες, ὡς ἀλλότριον αὐτὸν τῆς χριστιανικῆς πολιτείας ἀποκηρύττομεν ἀλλ ̓ οὕτω μὲν περὶ τοῦ τετάρτου γάμου.
β ́. Ἵνα δὲ καὶ τὰ τῶν ἄλλων γάμων εὐσχημονέστερον τυπωθῇ καὶ τοῦ τῶν χριστιανῶν βίου μὴ ἀνάξιον ἔχῃ τὴν προσαγωγὴν, καὶ περὶ τοῦ τρίτου ὁρίζομεν γάμου, ὥστε μὴ ἁπλῶς μηδὲ ὡς ἔτυχεν ἐπιτελεῖσθαι αὐτόν. καὶ γὰρ συγκεχώρηται μὲν ὡς φύ πασμα τοῖς πατράσιν, οὔπω τότε καθὼς νῦν γινομένου τοῦ πράγματος ἀπηρυθριασμένως οὐδ ̓ εἰς πλάτος ἐξηπλωμένου, ἀλλ ̓ ὥσπερ εἴ τις ἐν οἴκῳ παραπεπτωκὸς ἐν γωνίᾳ παρίδῃ πολλάκις κείμενον ῥύπασμα· νῦν δὲ ὅτε χώραν ἔλαβε παῤῥησίας καὶ ὡς οὐδὲν ἔχων εἰς ἀσχημοσύνην οὐδὲ ῥυπαίνων λογίζεται ἐκ τοῦ προβῆναι εἰς πληθυσμὸν, καλῶς ἔδοξεν ἀνακαθαίρειν αὐτὸν, ὥσπερ καὶ αἶσχος οὐκ ἐν γωνίᾳ παρεῤῥιμμένον ἀλλ ̓ ἐξηπλωμένον ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας οὐδαμῶς ἐῶμεν, ἀλλὰ καθαί ρομεν καὶ τὸ ἐκ τούτου ἀηδὲς ἀποβάλλομεν. καὶ τῇ ἀνθρω πίνῃ τοίνυν συνυπείκοντες ἀσθενείᾳ, καὶ τῆς πρεπούσης εὐσχημοσύνης φροντίδα ποιούμενοι τῇ χριστιανῶν ζωῇ, τοῦτο ἐπὶ τῶν τριγάμων παραφυλάττεσθαι διορίζομεν, ὥστε εἴ τις πρὸς τεσσαρακοστὴν ἔτος ἀναβεβηκὼς, καὶ μήτε τὴν φύσιν αἰ δούμενος μήτε τῆς ὀφειλομένης χριστιανοῖς εὐκόσμου ζωῆς φροντίδα ποιούμενος, ἀλλὰ μόνης τῆς ἐμπαθοῦς ἐπιθυμίας γινόμενος, πρὸς τρίτον ἑαυτὸν ἐπιῤῥίπτοι γάμον, τοῦτον μετὰ πάσης ἀκριβείας καὶ παρατηρήσεως μέχρι πενταετίας ἀμέτοχον εἶναι τῆς τοῦ ἁγιασμοῦ μεταλήψεως, καὶ μηδαμῶς ἐπ ̓ αὐτῷ συντέμνεσθαι τὸν χρόνον. ὃς γὰρ μετὰ τὸ τεσσαρακοστὸν ἔτος τὸ ῥύπασμα ἐν τῇ τοῦ χριστοῦ ἐκκλησίᾳ εἶναι καὶ λέγεσθαι ἠγάπησε, τίνα παρέξει πληροφορίαν τῆς περὶ τὸν βίον αὐτοῦ σπουδῆς, δι ̓ ἣν ὁ χρόνος τῆς μεταλήψεως τῶν ἁγιασμάτων αὐτῷ συντμηθήσεται; ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ μετὰ τὸ ἀξιωθῆναι τῆς ἀχράντου μεταλήψεως οὐκ ἔσται συγκεχωρημένον αὐτῷ ἐν ἄλλῳ καιρῷ τῇ μεταλήψει προσιέναι, ἢ ἐν μόνῃ τῇ” σωτηρίῳ τοῦ χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἀναστάσει, διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς προηγουμένης ἐγκρατείας τῶν νηστειῶν ὅσον δυνατὸν ἀνακάθαρσιν. ταῦτα δὲ φαμὲν, ὅταν μὴ τέκνα παρῇ ἐκ τῶν προτέρων γάμων τοῖς ἤδη μετὰ τὸ τεσσαρακοστὸν ἔτος τρίτην ἄγεσθαι προῄρημένοις γυναῖκα. ἐπεὶ ἐὰν τέκνα παρῇ, ἀσυγχώρητος αὐτοῖς ἡ τριγαμία. λίαν γάρ ἐστιν ἄδικον, τὸν μὲν χαρίζεσθαι τῇ ἐξώρῳ ἐπιθυμίᾳ, τοῖς δὲ παισὶ τῶν προτέρων γάμων μὴ προνοεῖσθαι τὸ ἀσφαλὲς καὶ τὸ ἄλυπον καὶ ἀτάραχον καὶ ὅσα οἶδε τὸ ἀνθρώπινον καταλαμβάνειν ἐκ τῆς πολυσπόρου τεκνώσεως. καὶ εἴ τις δὲ τριακοντούτης ὢν καὶ τέκνα ἔχων ἐκ τῶν προλαβόντων γάμων τρίτη συνάπτοιτο γυναικὶ, καὶ οὗτος δὲ ἀσυγχώρη τος μέχρι τετάρτου ἔτους καὶ τῆς κοινωνίας τῶν ἁγιασμάτων ἀμέτοχος ἔστω”· διότι δῆλός ἐστιν ἐξ οὐδενὸς ἑτέρου, ἀλλ ̓ ἢ ὑπὸ ἀκρασίας κινούμενος καὶ τοῦ δοῦλος εἶναι σαρκικῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἐπὶ τὸν τοιοῦτον γάμον ἐλθεῖν. καὶ μετὰ τὸ τυχεῖν δὲ τῆς μεταλήψεως τῶν μυστηρίων, τρὶς τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ μόνον ἀξιωθήσεται τῆς ἀπολαύσεως· ἅπαξ μὲν ἐν τῇ σωτηρίᾳ τοῦ χρι στοῦ καὶ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἀναστάσει, δεύτερον δὲ ἐν τῇ κοιμήσει τῆς ἀχράντου δεσποίνης ἡμῶν Θεοτόκου, καὶ τρίτον ἐν τῇ γενεθλίῳ ἡμέρᾳ χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, διὰ τὸ καὶ ἐν ταύταις προηγεῖσθαι νηστείαν καὶ τὸ ἐκ ταύτης ὄφελος. εἰ δὲ παῖδες μὴ περίεισιν, ἐπειδὴ τὸ τεκνογονίας ἐπιθυμεῖν οὐκ ἀσύγγνωστον, τὸ τηνικαῦτα συγγνώμης ἀξιωθήσεται ὁ τοιοῦτος γάμος, καὶ μόνῳ τῷ ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν κρατήσαντι ἐπιτιμίῳ θεραπευ θήσεται. ταῦτα μὲν καὶ περὶ τοῦ τρίτου γάμου.
γ. Οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τὸν δεύτερον, οὐδὲ τὸν πρῶτον ἐκτὸς ἀσφα λείας ἐῶμεν, ἀλλὰ κἀκείνους ορίζομεν οὕτω συνίστασθαι, ὥστε μηδεμίαν ἔχειν πονηρὰν αἰτίαν, ἢ ἐξ ἁρπαγῆς ἢ ἐκ προηγησαμένης λαθραίας φθορᾶς, ἀλλὰ νομίμως καὶ καθαρεύοντας τῶν τοιούτων μολυσμάτων καὶ πορνικῆς ἀκαθαρσίας. εἴ τις οὖν τῶν εἰρημένων καταφρονήσας τύπων πρὸς γαμικὴν ὁμιλίαν πρώτην ἢ καὶ δευτέραν συνέλθοι, τοῦτον ἡ τοῦ χριστοῦ ἐκκλησία, ἡ καθαρὰ καὶ μηδένα σπῖλον ἔχουσα ἢ ῥυτίδα, τοῖς σωτηρίοις ὑποβάλλουσα ἐτασμοῖς οὐ πρὶν εἰς μετάληψιν τῶν θείων παραδέξεται μυστηρίων, ἢ τὸν ὡρισμένον ἐπὶ τῇ πορνείᾳ χρόνον ἀκριβῶς αὐτὸν ἐκπληρῶσαι (εἰ μὴ ἄρα ἡ τοῦ βίου ἀναγκαία κατεπείγοι ἀναχώρησις), τουτέστι μέχρις ἂν τὸ ἑβδομον ἐκπλη ρωθῇ ἔτος. ὁ δὲ τολμῶν ἱερεὺς παρὰ τὸν διατετυπωμένον ὅρον μεταλήψεως θείας τινὰ τούτων ἀξιῶσαι, περὶ τὸν ἴδιον κινδυνεύσει βαθμόν· δηλονότι τοῦ ἀξιωθέντος παρὰ τὸν ὡρι σμένον τύπον τῆς θείας κοινωνίας πάλιν εἰς τὸ ἀκοινώνητον περιισταμένου μέχρι τῆς συμπληρώσεως τοῦ ἑβδόμου ἔτους.
Ταῦτα μὲν, ὡς δεδήλωται, ὑπὸ τῶν πάλαι βασιλευσάντων ἐπράχθησαν. νῦν δὲ τῇ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος εὐδοκίᾳ καὶ χάριτι καὶ ταῖς τῆς πανάγνου καὶ θεομήτορος καὶ τοῦ μεγάλου αρχιστρατήγου πρεσβείαις δι τοὺς ἤδη πρὸ ἐνενήκοντα χρόνων ἕνεκεν τῆς προδηλωθείσης αἰτίας καὶ ἀφορμῆς ἀποῤῥαγέντας ἱερεῖς καὶ μονάζοντας ἡ παγγάληνος βασιλεία τῶν θεοστεφῶν βασιλέων ἡμῶν, βασιλείου καὶ κωνσταν τίνου, συνῆψέ τε καὶ συνήνωσε, καὶ μίαν καθολικὴν καὶ ἀποστολικὴν ἐκκλησίαν εἰργάσατο. ὅθεν χρεὼν ἀνακηρύττεσθαί τε καὶ μεγαλύνεσθαι τοὺς τὸ τοιοῦτον θεοφιλὲς καὶ ἀξιόλογον ἔργον πεπληρωκότας.
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The Tome of Union,
or Exposition of the Union of the Church Accomplished under Constantine and Romanus; the Former Reigning as Emperor, the Latter then Distinguished by the Dignity of Emperor-Father.
Our Lord Jesus Christ and God left to His disciples and apostles, and to all those who have become worthy of His inheritance, a special legacy: peace. He bestowed this as a mark of kinship with Him, so that, bound by the bond of peace, they might not disrupt the unity of the Spirit. He Himself first demonstrated to us by His own example His commitment to peace, descending from the heights above all to our lowly state, taking on flesh and blood like ours, in order to unite those divided from one another. Subsequently, He bequeathed this inheritance to those trained in His teachings: to live in peace with one another and, beyond that, to lead others who are in conflict toward peace with each other.
However, despite the nature of this matter, from the beginning until now, the rebellious malice of the evil one has not ceased to disturb the sacred fullness of the Church, stirring up one pretext after another. Yet Christ, our God, the source and teacher of peace, who declared that the gates of Hades would not prevail against His Church, continually turns the scandals back upon the head of the evil one, preserving the Church’s peace unblemished. It is He, our peace, Christ, God, Father, High Priest, and true Shepherd, who, through His providence and grace, has brought about the union of the sacred children of His immaculate bride, the Church, who had been torn apart from one another. He has reunited them in the pure embrace of their mother, granting her joy in the gathering of her children, offering to Himself the glory rendered from one mouth and one heart, and enabling all those who do not incline toward the tumultuous will of the devil but honor the command of the Author of peace to offer thanksgiving.
In earlier times, various occasions for scandal arose, as they did, and for each disturbance caused by evil, the wise stewards of the churches found appropriate remedies. But now, when the Church has been troubled due to a marital issue—namely, a marriage not free from reproach—the sacred judgment of the Church issues its decision to prevent it, ensuring that such a marriage finds no further place. Thus, both now and in the future, those who do not love contention and strife over Christ’s peace will be freed from the scandals that persist. For when the pretext from which scandals arose has been removed, there is no obstacle preventing those who love peace from living in it. Indeed, in every matter, when the harmful cause of wrongdoing is eliminated, things previously disturbed by it are restored to their original order. Just as when a body is afflicted by disease, the removal of its cause restores health, or when a sea is troubled by violent winds, the calming of the storm brings back tranquility—so too here.
Therefore, the bishops and priests gathered together, those who have not loved pleasing themselves (let alone others) but have preferred the peace of the Church over strife, have recognized that since scandals arose from marital issues, these must be thoroughly addressed and safeguarded. This ensures that such matters no longer disturb the Church through their progression in life, nor render the lives of those who choose to live thus condemned and reprehensible.
1. Hence, we declare with common judgment and decision that, from the present year, which is the 6428th year, eighth indiction, a fourth marriage shall not be dared by anyone but shall be entirely rejected. Anyone who ventures to enter such a union shall be deprived of all ecclesiastical communion and even barred from entering the holy church until they desist from that union. This was also the judgment of the holy fathers before us, and we, making their decision clearer, declare such a person alien to Christian fellowship. Thus, regarding the fourth marriage.
2. To ensure that other marriages are conducted with greater decorum and are not unworthy of Christian life, we also decree concerning the third marriage that it should not be performed casually or haphazardly. For, although it was permitted by the fathers as a concession, it was not then practiced as shamelessly as it is now, nor had it spread widely. It was as if someone in a household overlooked a small piece of filth lying in a corner. But now, when it has gained boldness and is no longer considered shameful or defiling due to its prevalence, it has seemed good to purify it, just as we do not allow a disgrace spread across a house to remain but clean it and cast out its offense. Thus, accommodating human weakness and ensuring the fitting decorum of Christian life, we decree that for those entering a third marriage, if someone over forty years of age, neither respecting nature nor caring for the orderly life owed to Christians but driven solely by passionate desire, enters a third marriage, they shall, with all precision and observance, be excluded from partaking in the holy sacraments for five years, and this period shall not be shortened. For one who, after the age of forty, chooses to bring such defilement into Christ’s Church—what assurance can they provide of their commitment to a virtuous life that would justify shortening the time of exclusion from the sacraments? Even after being deemed worthy of receiving the immaculate communion, they shall not be permitted to partake at other times except during the saving Resurrection of Christ our God, due to the purification gained through the preceding fasts. This applies when there are no children from previous marriages for those entering a third marriage after forty. If there are children, a third marriage is unforgivable. For it is utterly unjust to indulge in reckless desire while failing to provide security, peace, and care for the children of previous marriages, as human nature understands the burdens of excessive procreation. If someone, being thirty years old and having children from previous marriages, enters a third marriage, they too shall be unforgivable and excluded from communion in the sacraments for four years, as it is clear they are driven not by any other motive but by lack of self-control and enslavement to carnal desire. After receiving the mysteries, they shall be permitted to partake only three times a year: at the saving Resurrection of Christ our God, at the Dormition of our immaculate Lady Theotokos, and at the Nativity of Christ our God, due to the benefit of the preceding fasts. However, if there are no children, since the desire for procreation is not unforgivable, such a marriage shall be deemed worthy of leniency and treated only with the penance established from the beginning until now. Thus, regarding the third marriage.
3. Nor do we leave the second or first marriage without safeguards, but we decree that they too must be conducted in a manner free from any evil cause, such as abduction or prior illicit corruption, but lawfully and free from such defilements and fornication. If anyone, disregarding these principles, enters a first or second marriage, the Church of Christ, which is pure and without spot or wrinkle, subjects them to its saving scrutiny and will not admit them to partake in the divine mysteries until they have precisely fulfilled the time prescribed for fornication (unless urgent necessity of life’s departure compels otherwise), that is, until the seventh year is completed. Any priest who dares to grant communion to such a person contrary to the established rule risks their own rank, as the one who received communion contrary to the prescribed rule will be returned to a state of non-communion until the seventh year is fulfilled.
These things, as described, were accomplished under the emperors of old. But now, by the good pleasure and grace of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and through the intercessions of the all-pure Theotokos and the great Archangel, the most splendid reign of our God-crowned emperors, Basil and Constantine, has united and reconciled the priests and monastics who, for ninety years, were separated due to the aforementioned cause and occasion, and has established one Catholic and Apostolic Church. Therefore, it is fitting to proclaim and magnify those who have accomplished such a God-pleasing and noteworthy work.
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