John Chrysostom, On the Beginning of the Indiction

In principium indictionis

On the beginning of the indiction.

59.673 Wonderful are the festivals of the orthodox, brilliant the memorials of the martyrs, unashamed the banquets of the pious. We do not celebrate the time of things that move unstably; we do not reverence the year, the expense of human life; we do not worship a contest that draws us to corruption; we do not serve creation; for the things that have come into being are fellow servants; we do not attend to matter; for it came into being out of non-existence; for as these things had a beginning of generation, they are also subject to an end of corruption. We do not reverence heaven; for it was established like smoke; we do not reverence the firmament; it was made like crystal; we do not reverence the light; for it was created by a word; we do not reverence the moon; for it was adorned with a shape; we do not reverence the earth; for it was drawn up out of water; we do not reverence fire; for the element is material; we do not worship water; for its nature is flowing; we do not serve time; for it does not stand still, but departs; we do not reverence the day; for it serves by an arrangement.

All things grow old with time, and time after all things grows old; but God alone is superior to age; and the day of consummation shows it. Greeks, therefore, and Jews, brothers in lawlessness, the spoils of the devil, the offspring of sin, the nurslings of error, the callousness of impiety, the recruiters for Gehenna, the serpents of ungodliness, the sons of the curse. Let these celebrate impiously, since they think unholily. Let the one party honor error, and the other trample on the law, and let both be disciples in evil things; for they have made a compact. The Jews learned idolatry from the Greeks, and the Greeks learned prophet-killing from the Jews; for the Jews in the law displayed every Greek error. But are you indignant, O Jew, hearing these things? For consider your deeds, and do not be angry at the rebukes. For where did you not practice idolatry, tell me? In the desert you forged a calf, being led in triumph you were initiated to Baal-Peor, in Moab you worshiped Thammuz, in Palestine you sacrificed to Dagon, in Phoenicia you served Astarte, in captivity you worshiped Chemosh. Place was lacking, not abomination. For this reason the Lord also hates your feasts. For hear the prophet saying, I have hated, I have rejected your feasts, and I will not delight in your solemn assemblies.

For every feast of the Jews brought about murders. While fasting, you stoned Naboth; while celebrating, you sawed Isaiah asunder; while holding a festival, you cast Jeremiah into a pit. 59.674 You fasted unholily for quarrels and fights; while carousing you handed over the ark in the time of Eli, you beheaded John. If you celebrate such things, it is better for you to mourn. But we celebrate divine and wonderful things, the contests of the martyrs, the victories of those who were buried, the nets of the unseen ones, the healing of those who were dissolved; first of all the miracles of my Christ and God, which He, having become man for my salvation, accomplished; then also the sufferings of His servants; the stone-studded crown of Stephen, the trophies over death of the glorious Lawrence, the unshipwrecked virginity of Anna. O triad, herald of the Trinity! O relics, the medicines of those who suffer! O dust, a spring of healings! O house, imitating the beauty of heaven! But also the lifeless element, the sea, cries out to you without speech. You have reproved your fellow servants, I too will proclaim the Lord. The step of the creator does not weigh me down, the feet of Christ sanctify me. Moses divided, but this one sanctified;

In principium indictionis

Εἰς τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς ἰνδίκτου.

59.673 Θαυμασταὶ τῶν ὀρθοδόξων αἱ πανηγύρεις, φαιδραὶ τῶν μαρτύρων αἱ μνῆμαι, ἀνεπαίσχυντοι τῶν εὐσεβῶν αἱ εὐωχίαι. Οὐχ ἑορτάζομεν χρόνον τῶν ἀστάτως κινουμένων· οὐ σεβόμεθα ἐνιαυτὸν, τὴν τῆς ἀνθρώπων ζωῆς δαπάνην· οὐ προσκυνοῦμεν ἀγῶνα τὸν εἰς φθορὰν ἡμᾶς ἕλκοντα· οὐ λατρεύομεν τῇ κτίσει· σύνδουλα γὰρ τὰ γεγονότα· οὐ θεραπεύομεν τὴν ὕλην· ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων γὰρ ὑπέστη· ὡς γὰρ ἀρχὴν γενέσεως ἔσχε ταῦτα, καὶ φθορᾶς ὑπόκεινται τέλει. Οὐ σεβόμεθα οὐρανόν· ὡς καπνὸς γὰρ ἐστερεώθη· οὐ σεβόμεθα στερέωμα· ἐκρυσταλλώθη· οὐ σεβόμεθα τὸ φῶς· λόγῳ γὰρ ἐδημιουργήθη· οὐ σεβόμεθα τὴν σελήνην· σχήματι γὰρ ἐκοσμήθη· οὐ σεβόμεθα τὴν γῆν· ἐξ ὕδατος γὰρ ἀνειλκύσθη· οὐ σεβόμεθα τὸ πῦρ· ὑλικὸν γὰρ τὸ στοιχεῖον· οὐ προσκυνοῦμεν τὸ ὕδωρ· ῥέουσα γὰρ ἡ φύσις· οὐ λατρεύομεν τῷ χρόνῳ· οὐχ ἕστηκε γὰρ, ἀλλ' ἀφίσταται· οὐ σεβόμεθα τὴν ἡμέραν· διατάξει γὰρ δουλεύει.

Πάντα χρόνῳ γηρᾷ, καὶ χρόνος μετὰ πάντα γηρᾷ· Θεὸς δὲ μόνος παλαιότητος ἀνώτερος· καὶ δείκνυσιν ἡ τῆς συντελείας ἡμέρα. Ἕλληνες μὲν οὖν καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι, ἀδελφοὶ ἀνομίας, τοῦ διαβόλου τὰ λάφυρα, τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὰ ἔγγονα, τῆς πλάνης τὰ θρέμματα, τῆς δυσσεβείας ἡ πώρωσις, τῆς γεέννης οἱ ναυτολόγοι, οἱ ὄφεις τῆς ἀσεβείας, οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς κατάρας. Οὗτοι ἑορταζέτωσαν δυσσεβῶς, ἐπειδὴ φρονοῦσιν ἀνοσίως. Οἱ μὲν τὴν πλάνην τιμάτωσαν, οἱ δὲ τὸν νόμον πατείτωσαν, καὶ ἑκάτεροι εἰς τὰ πονηρὰ μαθητευέτωσαν· συνήλλαξαν γάρ. Ἰουδαῖοι παρ' Ἑλλήνων ἔμαθον τὴν εἰδωλολατρείαν, καὶ Ἕλληνες παρὰ Ἰουδαίων τὸ προφητοκτονεῖν· οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι γὰρ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ πᾶσαν Ἑλληνικὴν ἐπεδείξαντο πλάνην. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἀγανακτεῖς, ὦ Ἰουδαῖε, ταῦτα ἀκούων; Ἐννόησον γὰρ πράξεις, καὶ μὴ χαλέπαινε πρὸς τὰς μέμψεις. Ποῦ γὰρ οὐκ εἰδωλολάτρησας, εἰπέ μοι; Ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ μόσχον ἐχάλκευσας, τροπαιοφορούμενος τῷ Βεελφεγὼρ ἐτελέσθης, ἐν τῇ Μωαβίτιδι τῷ Θάματζ προσεκύνησας, ἐν τῇ Παλαιστίνῃ τῷ ∆αγὼν ἐθυσίασας, ἐν Φοινίκῃ τῇ Ἀστάρτῃ ἐλάτρευσας, ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ τῷ Χαμῶς προσεκύνησας. Ἔλειψε τόπος, οὐκ ἔλειψε μύσος. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὰς ἑορτὰς ὑμῶν μισεῖ ὁ ∆εσπότης. Ἄκουε γὰρ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, Μεμίσηκα, ἀπῶσμαι τὰς ἑορτὰς ὑμῶν, καὶ οὐ μὴ εὐφρανθῶ ἐν ταῖς πανηγύρεσιν ὑμῶν.

Πᾶσα γὰρ ἑορτὴ Ἰουδαίων φόνους ἐπήγαγε. Νηστεύων, τὸν Ναβουθὲ ἐλίθασας· ἑορτάζων, τὸν Ἡσαΐαν ἔπρισας· πανηγυρίζων, τὸν Ἱερεμίαν εἰς λάκκον κατέῤῥιψας. Εἰς κρί 59.674 σεις καὶ μάχας ἀνοσίως ἐνήστευσας· κραιπαλῶν τὴν κιβωτὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἠλὶ παρέδωκας, τὸν Ἰωάννην ἀπεκεφάλισας. Εἰ τοιαῦτα ἑορτάζεις, τὸ θρηνεῖν σοι συμφέρει. Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἑορτάζομεν θεῖα καὶ παράδοξα πράγματα, τῶν μαρτύρων τοὺς ἄθλους, τῶν ταφέντων τὰς νίκας, τῶν μὴ ὁρωμένων τὰ δίκτυα, τῶν διαλυθέντων τὴν ἰατρείαν· ἐν πρώτοις τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ Θεοῦ μου τὰ θαύματα, ἃ διὰ τὴν ἐμὴν σωτηρίαν ἄνθρωπος γεγονὼς ἐξετέλεσεν· εἶθ' οὕτω τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ τὰ πάθη· τοῦ Στεφάνου τὸν λιθοκόλλητον στέφανον, τοῦ ἐνδόξου Λαυρεντίου τὰ κατὰ θανάτου τρόπαια, τῆς Ἄννης τὴν ἀναυάγητον παρθενίαν. Ὢ τριὰς Τριάδος κήρυξ! ὢ λείψανα τῶν ὀδυνωμένων τὰ φάρμακα! ὢ κόνις πηγὴ ἰαμάτων! ὢ οἶκος οὐρανοῦ τὸ κάλλος μιμούμενος! Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἄψυχον στοιχεῖον ἡ θάλασσα ἀλαλήτως βοᾷ πρὸς ὑμᾶς. Ἔλεγξας τοὺς συνδούλους, κηρύξω κἀγὼ τὸν ∆εσπότην. Οὐ βαρεῖ με τὸ ἴχνος τοῦ πλάστου, ἁγιάζουσί με οἱ πόδες Χριστοῦ. Μωϋσῆς ἔσχισεν, ἀλλ' οὗτος ἡγίασε·