3

a liturgy of the holy presanctified gifts having taken place. But six, in which the services of the third, sixth, and ninth hours and the presanctified are celebrated, are abstinences from eggs, and cheese, and such things along with meats. But in the week of the passion a dry fast was legislated, but not a liturgy of the presanctified; then on Holy Thursday the celebration of the mysteries, on which it also began. Then on the holy and awesome Friday a complete fast until the evening of Saturday; 95.72 and on the evening of Saturday, while the other things are eaten, they do not partake of meat; but on the holy Sunday of the resurrection, the first day of the week, those who wish also partake of meat. 6. We have arrived at this sequence; this is the common rule and law of the Church, which we know is also observed at the holy Resurrection of Christ our God; but to abound in difficulty, and to be lavish in virtue, is not unapproved, nor to be rejected, but well-pleasing to God and men, at least to those who have sense; not, however, by force, or by necessity, but rather by persuasion, and especially because of the difficulty of the time, and the irregularity of affairs. For both are now more useful and necessary, both to add to what is good, and to abstain from violence. Who would grant that for all the time of our life one fast be observed? But the way of exhortation is one thing, and the way of legislation is another. Let what has been legislated by the Spirit suffice. Let the addition of the good be admonished. 7. These things seem good to us, and thus we discuss these matters with all; but the uses concerning these things for the present, because of the haste of the letter-bearer, though they are well understood by us, we have omitted. But the God of peace, our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of the partition, having abolished the enmity on his cross; who reconciled us to his Father; his peace which surpasses all understanding, he will award to his holy Church, and will take away scandals, and will count us worthy to fast an acceptable fast, which he has chosen, to loose the bands of violent contracts, and to break for the hungry the bread, both that of the body, and no less that of the soul, which I say is the word of salvation, and will make us fast spiritually, and eat, and feast, doing all things, and thinking, and speaking to his glory; that the name of him may not be blasphemed among the nations on our account, but rather be glorified; for to him is the glory for ever. Amen.From the Epistle to the Philippians of the holy hieromartyr Ignatius.If anyone keeps chastity or continence, let him not be puffed up, lest he lose his reward; do not dishonor the feasts. Do not despise the Forty Days' fast; for it contains an imitation of the Lord's way of life. Do not overlook the week of the passion; Fasting on Wednesday and Friday, supply the poor with what is left over. If anyone fasts on Sunday or Saturday, except for one Saturday, he is a Christ-killer. 95.73 The Ordinance of the holy Apostles. After which the fast of the holy Forty Days is to be kept by us, containing a remembrance of Christ's way of life and legislation. Let this fast be observed before the fast of Pascha, beginning on a Monday, and ending on a Friday. After which, having completed the fast, begin the holy week of Pascha, all of you fasting it with fear and trembling. Praying in it for those who are perishing, in which he began to make his counsel against the Lord. For he himself commanded us to fast these six days because of the impiety of the Jews. From the discourse against drunkards of Saint Basil. For if after so many exhortations, which in the time before we did not cease to urge upon you, and in succession these seven of the fast

3

ἁγίων προηγιασμένων τελετῆς γενομένης. Ἓξ δὲ, ἐν αἷς αἱ τριτοεκτοεννάται καὶ προηγιασμέναι ἐπιτελοῦνται, ὠῶν τε, καὶ τυροῦ, καὶ τῶν τοιούτων μετὰ τῶν κρεῶν ἀποχαί. Τῇ δὲ τοῦ πάθους ἑβδομάδι ξηροφαγία νενομοθέτητο, οὐ μέντοι προηγιασμένων τελετή· εἶτα τῇ ἁγίᾳ πέμπτῃ ἡ τῶν μυστηρίων τελετὴ, ἐν ᾗ καὶ ἀπήρξατο. Εἶτα τῇ Παρασκευῇ τῇ ἁγίᾳ καὶ φρικτῇ παντελὴς ἀσιτία μέχρι τῆς τοῦ Σαββάτου ἑσπέρας· 95.72 καὶ τῇ μὲν ἑσπέρᾳ τοῦ Σαββάτου, τῶν μὲν λοιπῶν ἐσθιομένων, τῶν κρεῶν οὐ μετέχουσι· τῇ δὲ ἁγίᾳ τῆς ἀναστάσεως Κυριακῇ, τῇ μιᾷ τῶν Σαββάτων, καὶ τῶν κρεῶν μετέχουσιν οἱ βουλόμενοι. ϛʹ. Ταύτην τὴν ἀκολουθίαν ἐφθάσαμεν· οὗτος ὁ κοινὸς ὅρος καὶ νόμος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ὃν καὶ ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν Ἀναστάσει ἐπιτελούμενον οἴδαμεν· τὸ δὲ περισσεύειν ἐν τῷ κακῷ, καὶ ἐπιδαψιλεύσασθαι τὴν ἀρετὴν, οὐκ ἀδόκιμον, οὐδὲ ἀποβλητὸν, ἀλλὰ Θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις εὐάρεστον, τοῖς γε νοῦν ἔχουσιν· οὐ μέντοι ἐκ βίας, ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης, πειθοῖ δὲ μᾶλλον, καὶ μάλιστα διὰ τὸ τοῦ καιροῦ δυσχερὲς, καὶ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων ἀνωμαλίαν. Ἀμφότερα γὰρ νῦν μᾶλλον χρήσιμα καὶ ἀναγκαῖα, τό τε προστιθέναι τῷ καλῷ, καὶ τὸ τῆς βίας ἀπέχεσθαι. Τίς δοίη πάντα τὸν τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν χρόνον μίαν ἐπιτελεῖσθαι νηστείαν; Ἀλλ' ἕτερος ὁ τῆς παραινέσεως, καὶ ἕτερος ὁ τῆς νομοθεσίας τρόπος. Ἀρκείτω τὰ νομοθετηθέντα ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος. Νουθετείσθω ἡ προσθήκη τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ. ζʹ. Ταῦτα μὲν ἡμῖν δοκοῦντα, καὶ πᾶσιν οὕτως περὶ τούτων διαλεγόμεθα· τὰς δὲ περὶ τούτων χρήσεις πρὸς τὸ παρὸν διὰ τὴν τοῦ ἐπιστοληφόρου σπουδὴν, εὐλήπτους οὔσας παρ' ἡμῖν, παρήκαμεν. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης, εἰρήνη ἡμῶν, ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἓν, καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ αὐτοῦ· ὁ καταλλάξας ἡμᾶς τῷ ἑαυτοῦ Πατρί· τὴν εἰρήνην αὐτοῦ τὴν ὑπερέχουσαν πάντα νοῦν, βραβεύσει τῇ ἁγίᾳ αὐτοῦ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ περιελεῖ τὰ σκάνδαλα, καὶ ἀξιώσει νηστεύειν νηστείαν δεκτὴν, ἣν οὗτος ἐξελέξατο, λύειν στραγγαλιὰς βιαίων συναλλαγμάτων, καὶ διαθρύπτειν πεινῶσι τὸν ἄρτον, τόν τε τοῦ σώματος, καὶ τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς οὐκ ἔλαττον, ὃν λόγον φημὶ σωτήριον, καὶ ποιήσει πνευματικῶς νηστεύειν, καὶ ἐσθίειν, καὶ ἑορτάζειν, πάντα εἰς δόξαν αὐτοῦ ποιοῦντας, καὶ φρονοῦντας, καὶ λέγοντας· ἵνα μὴ δι' ἡμᾶς βλασφημῆται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, δοξάζηται δὲ μᾶλλον· ὅτι αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.Τοῦ ἁγίου ἱερομάρτυρος Ἰγνατίου, ἐκ τῆς πρὸς Φιλιππησίους Ἐπιστολής.Εἴ τις ἁγνεύει ἢ ἐγκρατεύεται, μὴ ἐπαιρέσθω, ἵνα μὴ ἀπολέσῃ τὸν μισθόν· τὰς ἑορτὰς μὴ ἀτιμάζετε. Τὴν Τεσσαρακοστὴν μὴ ἐξουθενεῖτε· μίμησιν γὰρ περιέχει τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου πολιτείας. Τὴν τοῦ πάθους ἑβδομάδα μὴ παρορᾶτε· Τετραδοπαρασκευὴν νηστεύοντες, πένησιν ἐπιχορηγεῖτε τὴν περίσσειαν. Εἴ τις Κυριακὴν ἣ Σάββατον νηστεύει, πλὴν ἑνὸς Σαββάτου, οὗτος Χριστοκτόνος ἐστί. 95.73 ∆ιάταξις τῶν ἁγίων Ἀποστόλων. Μεθ' ἧς ἡμῖν φυλακτέα ἡ νηστεία τῆς ἁγίας Τεσσαρακοστῆς, μνήμην περιέχουσα τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ πολιτείας τε καὶ νομοθεσίας. Ἐπιτελείσθω δὲ ἡ νηστεία αὕτη πρὸ τῆς νηστείας τοῦ Πάσχα, ἀρχομένη μὲν ἀπὸ δευτέρας, πληρουμένη δὲ εἰς Παρασκευήν. Μεθ' ἃς ἀπονηστεύσαντες ἄρξασθε τῆς ἁγίας τοῦ Πάσχα ἑβδομάδος, νηστεύοντες αὐτὴν ἅπαντες μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου. Προσευχόμενοι ἐν αὐτῇ περὶ τῶν ἀπολλυμένων, ἐν ᾗ ἤρξατο τὴν κατὰ τοῦ Κυρίου βουλὴν ποιεῖσθαι. Παρήγγειλε γὰρ ἡμῖν αὐτὸς νηστεύειν τὰς ἓξ ἡμέρας ταύτας διὰ τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων δυσσέβειαν. Τοῦ ἁγίου Βασιλείου, ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ μεθυόντων λόγου. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπὶ τοσαύταις παραινέσεσιν, ἃς ἔν τε τὸ προλαβόντι χρόνῳ παρακαλοῦντες ὑμᾶς οὐ διελίπομεν, καὶ ἐφεξῆς τῶν ἑπτὰ τούτων τῆς νηστείας