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Council in Trullo (692)

Ecumenical councils, NPNF II.14

79. Canon 79

As we confess the divine birth of the Virgin to be without any childbed, since it came to pass without seed, and as we preach this to the entire flock, so we subject to correction those who through ignorance do anything which is inconsistent therewith. Wherefore since some on the day after the holy Nativity of Christ our God are seen cooking σεμίδαλῖν, and distributing it to each other, on pretext of doing honour to the puerperia of the spotless Virgin Maternity, we decree that henceforth nothing of the kind be done by the faithful. For this is not honouring the Virgin (who above thought and speech bare in the flesh the incomprehensible Word) when we define¹ and describe, from ordinary things and from such as occur with ourselves, her ineffable parturition. If therefore anyone henceforth be discovered doing any such thing, if he be a cleric let him be deposed, but if a layman let him be cut off.

Notes · Ancient Epitome of Canon LXXIX

Whoever after the feast of the Mother of God shall prepare σεμίδιλιν (semilam) or anything else on account of what is called puerperia, let him be cut off.

Zonaras

This canon teaches that the parturition of the holy Virgin was without any childbed. For childbed (puerperium) is the emission of the fœtus accompanied by pain and a flux of blood: but none of us ever believed that the Mother of God was subjected to sufferings of this sort, for these are the consequents of natural conception, but her conception was supernatural; and by the Holy Spirit it was brought to pass that she was not subjected to those evils which rightly are attached to natural parturition.

Notes

The Latin adds “and measure.”