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Holy Catechism

Nikolaos Voulgaris, tr. Daniel, 1893

On Mysteries

Examiner. What hast thou come hither to seek, my brother?

Candidate. Desiring to receive the office of the priesthood, I have gladly come for the proper examination according to the express rule of this God-protected polity.

Ex. Dost thou desire hereafter to be ordained priest?

C. Yes, by the grace of the all-powerful God, the Giver of good things.

Ex. And what signifieth this name Priest?

C. Priest signifies a sacrificer and minister, who offers for sacrifice, not the blood of goats and calves, as the priests of the old law used to do, and the Gentiles, but the very Lamb of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of the world; and by Divine grace and authority he celebrates and performs the holy Mysteries of our Catholic Holy Church, imparting them to the orthodox and pious who draw near with faith.

Ex. Know that, if thou wishest to receive so great and high an office, and to celebrate worthily the actual God-delivered Mysteries of which thou speakest, thou acceptest a weighty duty, hard to be borne, and thou must understand not only the supernatural grace and power which these things have (particularly what concerns the Holy Liturgy); but also must lead henceforth a life pleasing to God, and in all things holy. Since if he who eats and drinks, that is communicates unworthily, be punished as the Apostle says, how much more he who celebrates unworthily?

C. All these matters I refer, I have said, to the grace of the great God, the Giver of good things, because “every perfect boon cometh down from above.” Therefore am I come to this illustrious place before your excellency and this holy Synod, that I too may undergo the appointed inquiry, for the glory in the first place of the all-powerful God, and secondly for the perpetual preservation and protection of this your most pious authority, as well as for the salvation of me unworthy.

Ex. In fact, brother, let us begin with God, and let us leave off with God. First let us speak about all Mysteries generally; then about the Divine or Holy Liturgy as God shall enlighten us: forasmuch as these are the two points with which the whole idea of the sacred office it is clear is specially concerned. How many Mysteries are there?

C. There are seven Mysteries; Holy Baptism, Holy Unction, Priesthood, Repentance, the Divine Eucharist, Marriage, and Prayer-Oil.

Ex. Why are they called Mysteries?

C. Mysteries are so named from μύω which means “I keep the mouth closed.” And that because they contain a certain hidden grace, which may not be manifested to unbelievers, for they not having the light of faith, cannot at all comprehend them. Thus we have Nicodemus, who said to Christ, “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (S. John iii. 4), as unable to contemplate the supernatural regeneration, which gives the grace of Holy Baptism to believers. So the Jews disputed with each other, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” S. John vi. 52. And many of His disciples when they heard it, said, “This saying is a hard one: who can hear it?” as unable to contemplate the great mystery of the Holy Communion. Others derive Mystery from μυῶ, which means, “I teach Divine things.” Whence also Eustathius, fitting together the two meanings, said, “Mystæ ought to shut the mouth, (here is the first meaning,) and not to publish what they have been taught,” (here is the second.)¹

Ex. Explain to us what a Mystery is.

C. A Mystery is a thing divine and holy, which appears one thing to the eye, and figuratively signifies and intends another, showing from material and sensible forms the immaterial and spiritual grace which the great God gives to those who worthily receive it. So in the Eucharist, though we behold bread and wine, yet after the consecration there is not simple bread and wine, but Christ Himself concealed beneath those species. And in Baptism, though with the eye we behold simple water, yet in the very water is concealed God’s grace which washes the soul, and invisibly purges it from every sin. So also the oil in the Prayer-Oil, the spices in Unction, and so forth.

A Mystery, write the Schoolmen in the 4th part of the Holy Theology, “is a sign perceptible to the senses, by similarity suggestive, in rite significant, and by consecration containing the invisible grace.”

Again: “A Mystery is a sign, as has been said, perceptible to the senses, containing God’s invisible grace, purposely arranged for the salvation of men, significant by divine ordinance.” And in the 2nd book of Christian Doctrine (Ch. I.) in a couple of words Augustine says, “A Mystery is a visible sign of an invisible grace.” And John of the Golden words, “A Mystery is what is inexplicable, and marvellous, and beyond knowledge.”²

Ex. Who thinkest thou ordained the Mysteries?

C. Our Master and God Himself immediately, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ex. And wherefore did God choose through such sensible forms to convey the holy Mysteries? Was He not able invisibly to impart daily to the faithful His holy grace, and to operate through His omnipotence without water and oil, without bread and wine and spices?

C. He was certainly able: since God by His mere Word performs at once what He chooses. And in divinity, thought is result, as the theologian of Nazianzum says, in his homily for Epiphany or the Birthday of our Saviour. Howbeit, the Infinite wisdom so ordered it, and with reason: because as the incarnate dispensation and reason-transcending embodiment of God and the Word became the first-fruits of our salvation, so He determined that the Mysteries should be corporeally founded in material and sensible signs, and should operate spiritually. Consequently, besides the fact that man seeing his salvation proceeding from such poor and material means, is much humbled, while simultaneously concentrating his thought in God’s temple through the prayers that are made in the celebration of the holy Mysteries, he is admonished and sobered, he at once glorifies the majesty of God and His supreme omnipotence and compassion.

Ex. Quote the passages of Holy Scripture where the tradition of the seven holy Mysteries is seen.

C. Holy Baptism appears in S. John iii. 5, “Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God;” and in S. Matt. xxviii. 19, “Go ye into all the world, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

Holy Unction appears in 2 Cor. i. 21, “He that stablisheth us with you into Christ, and anointed us, is God; Who also sealed us and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” And in Acts viii. 14—16, where though numbers in Samaria were baptized by the Apostles,³ yet so far as concerns the grace of the Holy Unction they had not been able to receive the Holy Ghost, forasmuch as this grace is different from Baptism: “When the Apostles which were at Jerusalem,” writes S. Luke, “heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Barnabas and John: who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost: for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.”⁴

The Mystery of Repentance appears in S. Matt. xviii. 18, where to all His disciples indiscriminately Christ said: “What things soever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.” And “confess your transgressions one to another.”⁵ (S. James v. 16.)

The Holy Eucharist appears in many passages of Holy Scripture. “And when He had taken bread, He gave thanks, and brake, (or cut) and gave to them, saying, This is My Body. In like manner also the cup after they had supped,” &c., (S. Luke xxii. 19, 20.) And in S. John vi. 53, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, ye have not life in yourselves.”

The Mystery of the Priesthood appears in S. John xx. 22, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost;” and in S. Luke xxii. 19, “Do this in remembrance of Me,” &c.

Prayer-Oil appears in S. Mark vi. 13, “They anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them;” and in S. James v. 14, “Is any among you sick? let him call for the elders of the Church; and let them pray over him, having anointed him with oil; and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him.”⁶

Marriage appears in S. Matth. xix. 5, 6, “And the twain shall be one flesh, so that they are no more two but one flesh. What therefore God joined together, let not man put asunder.” And Eph. v. 32, “This Mystery is great.”

Ex. And why did Christ arrange for seven Mysteries only, and not for more or fewer?

C. Because so many are sufficient for the soul’s salvation. And as this our mortal body is first born into this world, so the soul is born again through Baptism, forasmuch as this washes away original sin, and restores man from being a son of the curse and of death to be a son of life and of God Himself. And as our mortal body, from the time of its birth, naturally grows, so the soul in respect of grace is said to be growing through the Holy Unction; forasmuch as this gives it grace and particular power of spiritual gift and blessing. And as the body in order to live, has need of nourishment, so the soul is spiritually nourished by the godly Mystery of the Divine Communion. And as the body when sick is cured by medicines, so the Mystery of Repentance and Confession cures the soul, in its continual sicknesses in consequence of sins. And as the body, even if cured, has need of cleansing from certain relics which usually remain after sickness, so also with the Mystery of the Prayer-Oil, the remains, or sediments of sins which remain after confession, are wiped away. And as man in this world is unable to live without social government, so to the soul was given the Mystery of the Priesthood that it may be spiritually governed by Bishops and Priests. And finally, as by carnal union individuals are multiplied for the continual preservation of the human stock, so to the soul was given the Mystery of Marriage for holy multiplication, and bringing up of children in the worship of God, and to please Him.

Ex. Tell me how many are the causes which contribute to the perfecting of the seven holy Mysteries.

C. Out of many, four are specially necessary: that is, the matter of the Mysteries, the species, the efficient cause, and the final cause; to which is added also the Mind of the Priest.⁷

Ex. The things you say are dark and hard to understand. I wanted you to produce some similar example for their explanation.

C. From art productions, whatever we see in the world, we can comprehend also all the causes which concur in the celebration of the Mysteries. For example,—We see an artificer, (let us suppose a builder,) who wishing to build this house, first prepares the stones, the lime, and the rest; these are the matter of the house. Next in building it, he gives it the form and shape, making it three-cornered or four-cornered, a hovel, or a palace; and the builder himself is the efficient cause; and the final cause, for which he made it, is of course that men may dwell there, and be kept from the sun’s heat, and rain, and the like. The same is the case also in all productions. It follows that these four causes concur also for the completion of the Mysteries.

Ex. Specify now the causes of the Mysteries singly: and first what is the efficient cause of the Mysteries?

C. All the holy Mysteries have one and the same efficient cause. It is the Paraclete Himself, the Spirit of Truth, Who is everywhere present, and fills the universe; that is the common grace of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. “Grace and glory will the Lord give,” said David in the 84th Psalm, looking forward to the abundance of the grace of the holy Mysteries. And our Master Christ, through the very Mysteries, in which the divine grace was perpetually to operate, promised His holy Disciples that He would be with them and with the whole of His holy Church so long as the world lasts. “And lo, I am with you alway, even to the consummation of the age.” (S. Matt. xxviii. 20,) “Will a woman forget her child,” cries aloud Isaiah in the 49th chapter, “or that she should not pity the offspring of her womb? But although she should forget them, yet will I not forget thee, saith the Lord Almighty.”

And for certain, these seven Mysteries are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit which mightily cast down and shiver the seven horns of the beast, the seven deadly sins. They are the seven trumpets of Joshua, which sounded by the priests lay low the walls of Jericho, that is the actual soul-destroying sins of human nature. They are the seven lights, which in the lamp, that is in our holy Church, Zechariah saw with an olive tree, that is to say, the divine longsuffering and joy. They are the steadfast heaven with its seven lights of the universal firmament of the Apostolic Church.

Ex. What is the final cause of the Mysteries?

C. The end in general of all the Mysteries is the soul’s salvation and the cancelling of sins; and therefore the seven washings of Naaman the Syrian (2 Kings v. 14) were a type of the seven holy Mysteries, by the grace of which the soul is cleansed, as he after his sevenfold dipping was wholly cleansed, and his flesh returned like the flesh of a little child. This is a manifest symbol of the actual cancelling of sins.

In particular, the end of Holy Baptism is to wash from man the original sin of Adam, and all other original sins which the baptized has, who is advanced in years.

The end of Holy Unction is to give the Christian strength to confess freely Christ’s Name, and especially His precious Cross as being “to Jews an offence, and to Greeks foolishness, but to us, the faithful, God’s power and God’s wisdom.” (1 Cor. i. 24.)

The end of Priesthood is to stamp the Divine authority and power on the soul of the Priest or High Priest, that they may be able to celebrate the Mysteries; because without the Divine grace and authority they do nothing right.

The end of the Holy Liturgy is that the Lamb of God may be sacrificed for the salvation of the world, which he who purely and faithfully partakes of is united with Christ and is reconciled, and to him it becomes an earnest of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The end of Repentance is to cleanse a man from sin when he confesses to his spiritual father with firm refusal to sin any more.

The end of the Prayer-Oil is to wipe away, as we said, the remains or dregs of sins, giving health to those who are anointed both in soul and body.

The end of Marriage is the multiplication of the human race, by lawful union of man and wife, like unto Christ’s union with the Church, and the quieting of tyrannical pleasure. “For on account of fornications, let each man have his own wife.” (1 Cor. vii. 2.)

Ex. What means this lawful union which you speak of?

C. This union is not merely the carnal mingling of man and wife, but the pure and undefiled coupling of flesh and soul. Wherefore they ought both of them to keep the commandments of God and the bed undefiled. “Marriage,” (such is Matthew the Monk’s definition, b. 8,) “is the joining of man and woman, and the sharing of all livelihood, a partnership in divine and human right.” And it is called lawful in distinction from unlawful marriages.

Ex. What are unlawful marriages?

C. All that Christ’s holy Church forbids. And first, clandestine marriage is forbidden, and the priest who has clandestinely blessed man and wife is punished as a transgressor of the ecclesiastical ordinances. Secondly, marriage is forbidden, unless the man and wife are of lawful age, since it is necessary that “the males should have passed the 14th year, and the females be over 12 years,” (Tit. Attal. 25,) else the marriage is unlawful and unreal, and the priest is censured. Thirdly, that strict inquiry may be made as well about carnal as about spiritual kinship, and all other circumstances which hinder cohabitation, the priest may not bless man and wife without the assent of the High Priest to whom the inquiry is referred.

Ex. And what is kinship, and when are parties hindered by it?

C. Much has been written by many authors about kinship, and there seem to be various schemes of the degrees. However, to speak briefly, kinship is either fleshly or spiritual. Fleshly kinship is by blood, or by affinity, also called through marriage, and it exists between marriage connexions. Affinity is either by digeny or trigeny. When by digeny it is of two families, for instance, between me and my wife’s brother. When by trigeny, it is of three, for instance, between me and my wife’s brother, and again his wife. Spiritual kinship arises from Holy Baptism or from Adoption.

As for blood kinship as well on the side of ascent, viz., father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, great-grandfather, and upwards; as on the side of descent, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, great-grandson, great-granddaughter, and downwards,—between such marriage is forbidden ad infinitum. Supposing in fact Adam himself were alive to-day, the laws declare that he could not lawfully wed any one woman whatever, since all are derived from his blood.

“In respect of collaterals, who, that is, were not our progenitors, (so the writers on degrees of kindred interpret,) nor are sprung from us,” as brother, sister, uncle, aunt, cousin male or female, nephew, niece, and the rest, marriage is forbidden only to the seventh degree, (according to the custom of the Holy Eastern Church,) and restriction is removed in the eighth.

In respect of affinity, if it be by digeny, marriage is forbidden in those degrees only, where there is fusion of names. “For where the names of family are commingled,” as the great Basil says, “there marriage is not permitted.” And so it is allowed sometimes in the sixth degree, and forbidden in the seventh. If however it be by trigeny, it is permitted from the fourth degree and onwards. But as regards kinship from Holy Baptism, we have the 53rd canon of the 6th Synod, saying, “Spiritual relationship is greater than union of bodies.” It is forbidden only in the descending line to the seventh degree; since “by the interposition of God there is a union likewise of the souls of those who receive children after Holy Baptism which bringeth salvation.” This is the comment of the Monk Matthew aforenamed in his book about Receiving after the Holy Spirit. For this reason too kinship by adoption is prohibited to the same extent, when it has been effected with prayer and the priest’s blessing.

Ex. Let us come now to the matter of the Mysteries.

C. The matter of Holy Baptism is water, although in the holy Martyrs who were unbaptized, their own blood serves for matter, and the pyre on which they were thrown to be burnt, and merely their tears, as S. Germanus says. (Sermon on The Slaughter of the Holy Children.)

The matter of Holy Unction is the spices and the oil together which are blessed by the High Priest, and go to the composition of the same Unction.

The matter of the Priesthood is the candidate or ordinand, as submitted to the imposition of the High Priest’s hands; and this is why the action is called χειροτονία, (from χεὶρ, the hand, and τείνειν, to stretch,) because the High Priest stretches out his hand to the head of the ordinand.⁸

The matter in the Divine Eucharist is bread and wine. The bread must be pure, and of pure unmixed wheat.⁹ Otherwise there is no Mystery. The wine is mixed with a little water, because we believe that from Christ’s side there went forth blood and water.

The matter in Marriage is the man and woman, for the purpose and declaration that the two may be joined together.

The matter in Prayer-Oil is the oil itself which is hallowed, as the Lord’s Brother directs, by the Elders of the Church.

The matter in Repentance is confession of sins joined with contrition or attrition of heart, and with the discipline which the spiritual father lays upon the penitent Christian.

This matter of the Mysteries here pointed out is the intimate and properly called matter, not what is distant and incomplete. For matter regarded as distant in the Mysteries is the mere water, the mere oil, the mere bread and wine, merely the man and woman, and so forth, without priestly blessing and without other ordinance.

Ex. What is contrition, which you mentioned? and what is attrition?

C. Contrition is when a man repents for his sins, not out of fear of punishment or other penalties, simply because he did not do the will of the all-good God, which he regards as the greatest evil of all that he could meet with. Thus Manasses wept to God, “I have no rest, because I provoked Thy wrath, and did evil before Thee, not doing Thy will, and not keeping Thy commandments.”

Attrition is when a man repents for his sins, since he fears that for them eternal punishment will overtake him. So we hear the Church sing on the part of the sinner, “When I think of the multitude of the terrible things I have done, wretch that I am, I tremble at the fearful day of Judgment.”

Attrition without confession is of no avail. Perfect contrition is very difficult, and is found in those concerning whom Christ said in the Gospels, “If thou wishest to be perfect, go thy way, sell thy goods and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (S. Matt. xix. 21.)

Ex. What is discipline?

C. Discipline is the penalty enjoined by the spiritual father as enlightened by God for the correction of the repentant sinner. This consists in fasting, or almsgiving, or prayer, and what are called penances. In old times discipline was marked by fearful and grievous penalties. Now however the concession of spiritual fathers in this particular is considerable. “For in every offence,” (according to Gregory of Nyssa in the 9th canon on the Punishments of the Fallen,) “attention ought to be paid to forming the character of the penitent, not to the period during which he should be punished.”

Ex. Say in what subjects the spiritual father should question one who confesses.

C. He should question him,—1. on the Articles of the Creed; 2. on the Ten Commandments of God; 3. on the Commandments of the Church; 4. on the seven deadly sins; 5. on the offences which cry aloud for vengeance from God; 6. on what are called sins against the Holy Ghost; 7. on works of almsgiving. And all these we will interpret in order.

Ex. Declare also the circumstances of sins in respect of which the Christian promises and is bound to confess.

C. There are eight circumstances which any one confessing ought necessarily to make clear in the case of every deadly sin to his spiritual father; since there are eight matters which considerably change and aggravate the sin. 1. What sin he committed; 2. with what person; 3. by what means; 4. how often; 5. in what place; 6. for what purpose; 7. how; 8. when.

And certainly no one can deny that a deadly sin committed within a holy temple, or with a priestly person, or by the instrumentality of what belongs to the Church, or in an unnatural manner, or with insatiable and unceasing habit, or on a day of the Great Week, for example, is more grievous and would in an incomparable manner alter the species, as they term it. And all should be made known separately to the ghostly father, and in respect of the several eight circumstances.

Ex. Explain to us the reason why Christ ordained the particular matter, which you mentioned, of the divine and holy Mysteries, and not other matter.

C. To preserve a sort of proportion and likeness with worldly things. Since as the body is cleansed by water, so the actual water cleanses the soul through Holy Baptism. And as daily bread and wine feed a man, so the soul is fed by the precious gifts, the actual Bread and Wine. And as man naturally meets the fragrance of spices and is refreshed, so the soul is refreshed by the spices of Holy Unction. And as athletes are smeared with oil that they may resist in the fight, so also the soul resists invisible foes in the hour of danger through the holy Prayer-Oil. And as gifts are commonly given through the hands, so to the soul is given the stamp of priesthood by the laying on of hands. And as naturally we pardon those who humbly confess their faults, so through contrition and confession the soul that sinneth is pardoned. And finally, as with agreement of mind, man and wife are naturally joined together, so they are lawfully united for one and the same purpose through the Mystery of Marriage.

Ex. What is the form of Mysteries?

C. They are called forms of the Mysteries because these are the words uttered which give form to and complete the Mystery.

Baptism is completed and receives its form through the words which the Master, Christ Himself, enjoined us. “The servant of God is baptized into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

And I observe that should some child be brought to the priest in a time of peril, he ought before all things to baptize it saying those words of the form: “The servant of God is baptized,” and so on, since these suffice to make the baptism perfect. But if afterwards the child continue to live, the priest is obliged to read the prayers which follow the baptism, not those which precede. In fact in great necessity, no priest being present, even a layman fully baptizes, or a woman sprinkling the child with water according to the ordinance of the Church, and at the same time saying, “The servant of God is baptized into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

The Mystery of the Holy Unction receives its form and is imparted with those words which the priests say in anointing the baptized, “The seal of the gift of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

The Mystery of Repentance receives its form and completion with a certain Prayer for Pardon from those of which we have several in the holy Euchology, founded entirely on the evangelic authority of the saying, “What things soever you shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.”¹⁰

The Divine Eucharist receives its completion and form with the words, which appear in the Holy Liturgy, by applying which the priest hallows the gifts, and at the same time they are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, as we shall see later.¹¹

And if thou ask, how? this is what thou art told by the great light of the Scholastic Theology, John of Damascus. “How shall this be to me, says the holy Virgin, seeing that I know not a man? Gabriel the Archangel answers: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And now thou askest, How does the bread become Christ’s Body, and the wine and water become Blood? I too tell thee, the Holy Ghost comes and makes these divine Mysteries transcending reason and thought to be Christ’s Body and Blood. For as all things which God did, He did by the operation of the Holy Ghost, so also now the operation of the Holy Ghost works supernaturally.” (Orthodox Faith, iv. c. 6.)

The Mystery of the Prayer-Oil receives its form through the prayer which the High Priest, or the first of the priests, says over the oil, viz., “Thou, O Master, Thyself hallow this oil, that it may be to those who are anointed therewith,” &c.¹²

The Mystery of Marriage is completed, and receives its form by the prayer and blessing of the priest as appointed in the Euchology.¹³

The Mystery of the Priesthood receives its completion and form with the following: “The Divine Grace which ever cures what is weak and supplies what is lacking chooses A. B. most pious Subdeacon to be a Deacon, or Presbyter, or Bishop,” &c.

Ex. I perceive you distinguish Bishop, Presbyter, Deacon, and Subdeacon. How so? Is not this mystery one?

C. The Mystery of Priesthood is certainly one and single, as are the rest of the seven Mysteries, nevertheless it has various grades. And as John of Damascus says in his Dialogue against the Manicheans: “The beginning and in point of order first is the rank of Reader, then the Subdeacon, then the Deacon, and so the Presbyter, and so the Bishop.”

In the order of Readers let the Doorkeepers also be reckoned, to whom Dionysius the Great in his Epistle to the Antiochenes, and the learned Eusebius make reference.¹⁴

And I observe that properly ordination belongs only to the Deacon, Presbyter and Bishop; for in their case is said, “The Divine Grace,” &c., which we quoted as the form of the mystery; while in the case of the other grades this is not said. “In the case of a Reader, so Symeon of Thessalonica interprets in his book on Mysteries, it is Sealing; of a Subdeacon, Laying on of hands; of a Deacon and Presbyter, Ordination.” The difference between Ordination and Laying on of hands we have understood was also made by Tarasius the great Patriarch in the Holy and Œcumenical Seventh Council in the First Act. And Laying on of hands is a mere blessing with the imposition of hands such as is customary even in the case of the sick. But ordination is the actual Mystery, and so those are said to be ordained in whose case with the imposition of hands is applied also the form, “The Divine Grace,” &c.

Ex. Tell us further what is the office of each priestly order.

C. It is the High Priest’s special function to ordain and impart the grades of Priesthood, to bless and hallow the mystery of the Divine Unction, to dedicate the holy churches of God, to consecrate the altar-cloths (Antimensia) and to teach. “The Bishop is so called from overseeing as from an eminence the affairs of the people,” this is the etymology given by Matthew Blastaris in the Fourth Element. The etymology of Archbishops, Metropolitans and Patriarchs needs no explanation. Chorepiscopi were such as are now called Exarchs, whether of a Patriarch or of a Metropolitan, as we read at the end of the ninth Title of the First Section of the Epitome of the Holy Canons. And they could not of themselves ordain, save Readers, Subdeacons and Exorcists, as we see in the 13th canon of the Council of Ancyra. They are called Chorepiscopi not because they were Bishops, but as holding the room (chorus) or place of a Bishop, mere substitutes that is, and what are commonly called Vicars.¹⁵

To the Presbyter belongs the ministry of the other five Mysteries which the Bishop also administers when he chooses. He is called Presbyter (Elder) not so much because of years and advance in age, as for a hoar understanding and spotless life.

To the Deacon belongs the reading of the Holy Gospel, and all the ministry which occupies one who aids the Priests and High Priests in their Liturgy, whence he is called Deacon from διακονέω, signifying, I serve.

To the Subdeacon it belongs to prepare and take care of the holy vessels and all the priestly raiment, whence likewise the Treasury was named Diaconikon, as we shall see in its proper place.

To the Reader belongs properly the Reading; though in his book on Mysteries the Thessalonian gives him likewise other duties. “Going into the Bema,” he says about the Reader, “he lights the lamps and brings fire to the Priest, and precedes the holy things, carrying a torch, and brings him the offerings and the water and the hot water, and arranges everything in the Temple, and attends to all the rest, and tells the singers the sacred hymns, and in short is servant of Divine things in the Temple.”

To the Gatekeepers belongs the keeping of the doors, especially in time of the Liturgy, after the Catechumens are turned out of the church, as we shall see later. There used to be also in the church, Taper-bearers and Exorcists.

There are still Taper-bearers; those who carry torches in the holy Services are so called. They are besides named Acolytes (followers) as preceding and following with tapers and torches, the Deacons and the Priests in their necessary ministrations.

To the Exorcists belongs Catechizing, whence they are also named Catechists. So the holy Council of Ancyra in its 13th canon, “Let him ordain Exorcists or Catechists” in its directions about the Chorepiscopus.¹⁶ These were the teachers and tutors of the Catechumens.

Besides, I observe that in ancient times the Church had also women of the age of 40 years as Deaconesses for catechizing and instructing the women catechumens, of whom we know that 40 used to serve continually in the temple of the glorious Wisdom of God. And we read in the 2nd book of the Imperial Novellæ that Heraclius gave orders there: “The list of God-loving Presbyters shall be kept at fourscore, of Deacons, males, 150, females, i.e. Deaconesses 40, and of Subdeacons 70, and of Readers 160, of Singers 25, and Gatekeepers 75.” This Deaconship of women was brought to a close in the time of Theodore Balsamon, as he himself writes in his interpretation of the 15th canon of the Council of Chalcedon.

Ex. If the words which you named the form of the Mysteries, give form and completion to the Mystery, what is the use of other prayers and so many adjuncts?

C. Doubtless the formative words are those which through the invisible presence of the All-holy and Rite-controlling Spirit, give form and completion to every Mystery, and as we said, these give the reality and the essence of the Mystery. And this is the common judgment of the theologians of the Church. Nevertheless the whole Service, as the holy Church of God has appointed, is very useful and necessary; because, besides the formative words are others too which are called Prolegomena, since they are introduced before the hallowing and the completion of the Mystery, by which the Priest entreats God to send His holy grace, and to make him a worthy Minister and Celebrant, that he may complete it. The Prolegomena are called Proœms by the holy Council of Carthage. Others again are called Epilegomena, which are introduced after the Mysteries are hallowed and completed, by which the Priest entreats God to make him worthy, if he celebrate the Liturgy, that the Divine Liturgy may be for the forgiveness of sins and life eternal; if he baptize, that the holy Baptism may be guarded pure and undefiled; if he bless man and wife, that the marriage may be kept honourable, and the bed undefiled and so forth. Epilegomena are also called Hypotheses; “which they called thus,” observes Zonaras on the 1 1 7th canon of the same synod, “as subjoined to the hymns and uttered after them.”

Ex. So far you have given us satisfaction. Now tell us, are all the aforementioned Mysteries imparted to the faithful?

C. Priesthood, Baptism and Holy Unction are not repeated to the faithful and orthodox Christians. But the remaining four, Holy Eucharist, Repentance, Marriage, and Prayer-Oil are multiplied without restriction, because these are said not to affix a stamp on the Christian’s soul.¹⁷

Ex. What sort of thing is the stamp you speak of?1

C. The stamp, according to the Schoolmen in the 4th part of the Holy Theology, “is an active quality existing in the soul, and a supernatural power enabling a man, that in Baptism to receive all the other Mysteries; that in Priesthood to minister and perform the Mysteries; and that in Anointing to receive the other Mysteries, and to confess the faith.”

And I observe that although the Mysteries of the Synagogue too, as Circumcision, the Aaronic Priesthood and the like, prefigured a certain stamp, (“The Israelites too were sealed, only with circumcision,” says S. Chrysostom in his 2nd discourse on the Ep. to the Ephesians,) yet that stamp was a figure of Christ’s Mysteries incomplete and symbolical, and did not give justifying grace and sanctification, which we Christians enjoy through the stainless Mysteries of our holy Church.

Ex. I would now desire you to tell us further the definitions of the Mysteries, one by one.

C. From what we have already said, we can easily understand also the full definitions or descriptions of the Mysteries; and first, Holy Baptism is defined as being “the beginning and preparation of relationship to God, and of the heavenly inheritance, purging every sin by water through the invocation of the Transcendent Trinity.”

Anointing or Holy Unction is defined as being “the gift of piety, prayer, and love, and soundness of mind, and the other virtues, conferring through oil prepared by the lawful High Priest, the first seal on the baptized, and what we lost through disobedience belonging to the image.”

The Divine Eucharist is defined as being “the Mystery through which the Bread of the Prothesis, and wine and water, by the invocation and visit of the Holy Ghost are supernaturally transmuted into Christ’s Body and Blood; and to such as by faith worthily receive the same, they are for the remission of sins, and for life eternal and for a preservative to both soul and body; but to those who in unbelief partake unworthily, they are for correction and punishment.”

Priesthood is defined as being “a divine ordinance of a sensible Mystery, endowed with spiritual force and control of heavenly things, operating by male persons, granted by our Saviour for men’s salvation and sanctification.”

Repentance is defined as being “a voluntary turning from offences to the opposite good, and return from the devil to God, conquering by grace all the consequence of the laws.”

Marriage is defined as being “a Mystery given for the procreation of children, and perpetuation and maintenance of the race, and in a word for carrying out and fulfilling that ancient divine voice and faculty, ‘Increase and multiply,’ &c.”

Finally, Prayer-Oil is defined as being “holy oil, a sacred rite and type of divine pity, supplied to those who turn from sin for redemption and sanctification, affording absolution of sins, and raising up from sicknesses, and filling with sanctification.”

It is “often applied to us (Job the Monk signifies in his Book on Mysteries) because of the untimeliness of death.” The same cause is introduced into his observation also by Gabriel Blasius, Metropolitan of Arta, the Corcyraean.

Ex. Explain also about the Priest or High Priest, whom you called just now ministers of the holy Mysteries; how do they stand in the celebration of these?

C. The Priest and High Priest in the Celebration of the Divine Mysteries, stand only as instruments, and as intermediaries under the first cause, which as we said is God Himself. So the saw, to take an illustration, is said to saw as a means and instrument, since of itself it cannot effect anything, but he who saws in the chief sense is the carpenter who moves it. “The Priest stood as completing the figure, uttering the words, but the power and grace are God’s;” so said the great Chrysostom about the Divine Initiation at the betrayal by Judas.

And the blessed Paul in 1 Cor. iii. 5—7, says, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, saving a servant? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he that planteth is anything, nor he that watereth, but God Who giveth the increase.”

Nevertheless, as being true ministers, Priests have need to be found in all things ready to celebrate worthily these divine and saving Mysteries; and especially the rite of rites, and Mystery of Mysteries, I mean the Divine and Holy Liturgy, which we know was thus pre-eminently named in his treatise about the Ceremonies in the Communion by the great Initiator of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, himself peer of the Apostles, Dionysius.

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