Mystagogical Catechesis I: On the Prebaptismal Rites
MYSTAGOGICAL
GATECHESES
ΠΡΟΣ LOW NEO OOM
Oy, Καὶ ἀνάγνωσις ἐκ τῆς Πέτρου ἐπιστολῆς a' καθολικῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ «νήψατε γρηγορήσατε»ρ ἕως τέλους τῆς ἐπιστολῆς: τοῦ αὐτοῦ
Ἐπόθουν ὑμῖν καὶ πάλαι, ὦ γνήσια καὶ περιπόθητα τῆς ἐκκλησίας τέκνα, περὶ τῶν πνευματικῶν τούτων καὶ ἐπουρανίων διαλεχθῆναι μυστηρίων. Αλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ σαφῶς ἠπιστάμην, ὄψιν ἀκοῆς πολλῷ πιστοτέραν εἶναι, ἀνέμενον τὸν παρόντα καιρόν, ἵνα εὐπροσαγωγοτέρους buds περὶ τῶν λεγομένων ἐκ ταύτης λαβὼν τῆς ἑσπέρας εἰς τόν φωτεινότερον καὶ εὐωδέστερον λειμῶνα τοῦδε τοῦ παραδείσου χειραγωγήσω: ἂλλως τε καὶ χωρητικοὶ τῶν θειοτέρων κατέστητε μυστηρίων, τοῦ θείου καὶ ζωοποιοῦ βαπτίσματος ἀξιωθέντες. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν λοιπὸν τῶν ἐντελεστέρων δεῖ µαθηµάτων παρατιθέναι τράπεζαν, φέρε ταῦτα ὑμᾶς ἀκριβῶς παιδεύσωµεν, ἵνα εἰδῆτε τὴν ἔμφασιν τὴν πρὸς buds Kat' ἐκείνην γεγενηµένην τοῦ βαπτίσματος τὴν ἑσπέραν.
1 ἐκ τῆς Πέτρου ἐπιστολῆς a' καθολικῆς in Piédagnel (hereafter P) : ἐκ τῆς Πέτρου καθολικῆς πρώτης ἐπιστολῆς in Cross (hereafter C)
7 ἵνα ο: ὅπως Ρ 9 ἑσπέρας Ρ: πείρας C ιο τες :δὲΡ u τοῦ before θείου P 12 ἀξιωθέντες C 14 ὑμᾶς C : ὑμῶν Ρ 15 yeyevnuevny C : yevouevnv P *The Greek title is "To the Neophytes" (or "the Newly-Illumined").—Ed.
MYSTAGOGICAL
CATE CGHESES
I On the Prebaptismal Rites The First Mystagogical Catechesis to the Neophytes. A reading from the First Catholic Epistle of Peter, from "Be sober, be watchful" to the end of the Epistle (1 Pet 5.8-14), [of Cyril and Bishop John]. ι I have desired for a long time, O truly-begotten and muchbeloved children of the Church, to speak to you concerning these spiritual and heavenly mysteries. But since I knew clearly that seeing is more trustworthy than hearing, I waited for this present time, in order that, you being more readily attracted to receiving these words about that night, I may lead you to the bright light and fragrant meadow of this present paradise. Especially, having been made worthy of the divine and life-giving baptism, you have been made fit for the divine mysteries. Since, therefore, it is necessary to set a table of complete teaching, come, let us train you accurately in these things, in order that you may know for yourselves the meaning of the baptism that happened to you that night.
ST CYRIL OF JERUSALEM
Εἰσῄειτε πρῶτον εἰς τὸν προαύλιον τοῦ βαπτίσματος οἶκον, καὶ πρὸς τὰς δυσμὰς ἑστῶτες ἠκούσατε, καὶ προσετάττεσθε ἐκτείνειν τὴν χεῖρα, καὶ ὡς παρόντι ἀπετάττεσθε τῷ Σατανᾷ. Χρὴ δὲ τοῦτο ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι, ὅτι ἐν παλαιᾷ ἱστορίᾳ οὗτος κεῖται ὁ τύπος.
τῶν Ἑβραίων τὸν ἐλεύθερον λαὸν καὶ εὐγενῆ, ὁ θεὸς ἀπέστειλετόν Μωσῆν ἐξάγειν αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῆς πονηρᾶς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων δουλείας.
Καὶ αἵματι μὲν ἀμνοῦ ἐχρίοντο αἱ Φλιαί, ἵνα φύγῃ ὁ ὀλοθρεύων τοὺς τὸ σημεῖον ἔχοντας τοῦ αἵματος οἴκους, παραδόξως δὲ ἠλευθεροῦτο ὁ τῶν Ἑβραίων λαός. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἐλευθερωθέντας ὁ ἐχθρὸς κατεδίωξε καὶ παραδόξως εἶδε τὴν θάλασσαν αὐτοῖς
TELVOLEVTY, ὅμως ἐχώρει, ἴχνη ἴχνεσι συµβάλλων, καὶ παραχρῆμα ὑποβρύχιος ἐγένετο καταποντούµενος ἐν θαλάσσῃ ἐρυθρᾷ.
Μετάβηθί pot λοιπὸν ἀπὸ τῶν παλαιῶν ἐπὶ τὰ νέα, ἀπὸ τοῦ τύπου ἐπὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ἐκεῖ Μωσῆς εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ πεµπόµενος, ἐνταῦθα Χριστὸς ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἀποστελλόμενος: ἐκεῖ, ἵνα ἐξαγάγῃ λαὸν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου θλιβόμενον, ὧδε Χριστός, ἵνα ῥύσηται τοὺς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας καταπονουµένους: ἐκεῖ αἷμα ἀμνοῦ ὀλοθρευτοῦ ἦν ἀποτρόπαιον, ἐνταῦθα τοῦ ἀμνοῦ τοῦ ἀμώμου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ αἷμα δαιμόνων καθέστηκε φυγαδευτήριον. Ἐκεῖνος ὁ τύραννος κατεδίωκεν ἕως θαλάσσης τὸν παλαιὸν ἐκεῖνον λαόν, καὶ σοὶ ὁ ἰταμός, ὁ ἀναίσχυντος καὶ ἀρχέκακος οὗτος δαίµων ἕως αὐτῶν ἠκολούθει τῶν σωτηρίων ναµάτων. Εκεῖνος ὑποβρύχιος γέγονεν ἐν θαλάσσῃ, καὶ οὗτος ἐν τῷ σωτηρίῳ ὕδατι ἀφανίζεται.
«ἀποτάσσομαί σοι, Σατανᾶ» Βούλομαι καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν ἵστασθε πρὸς δυσμάς, εἰπεῖν. ἀναγκαῖον γάρ. Ἐπειδὴ τοῦ φαινομένου σκότους τόπος ai δυσµαί, ἐκεῖνος δὲ σκότος τυγχάνων ἐν σκότῳ ἔχει καὶ τὸ κράτος: τούτου χάριν συμβολικῶς πρός δυσμὰς
17 ἠκούσατεο: ἠκούετεΡ 22 ἐξάγειν C: ἐξαγαγεῖν P 26 ὁ ἐχθρὸς ο 28 ἐγένετο C: ἐγίνετο Ρ 39 γέγονεν ἐν θαλάσσῃ C: ἐν θαλάσσῃ γίνεται Ρ
On the Prebaptismal Rites
First, you entered into the outer room of the baptistry, and, standing, facing West, you heard [a command] and stretched out your hand, and, as though he were present, you renounced Satan.
And this ought to be known to you, that this type lies in the Old Testament. For when Pharaoh, the most cruel and savage tyrant, oppressed the free and noble people of the Hebrews, God sent Moses to lead them from the painful servitude of the Egyptians. And the doorposts were anointed with the blood of the lamb, in order that the destroyer might run away from the houses which had the sign of blood. And, wondrously, the people of the Hebrews were liberated.
And even after they were liberated, and the enemy pursued them and saw the sea wondrously parted, he, nevertheless, persisted, joining his footsteps to theirs. And, immediately, he was swallowed up under water in the Red Sea.
Turn with me now from the ancient to the new, from the type to the true reality. There Moses was sent from God to Egypt; here
Christ is sent from the Father to the world. There, in order that the oppressed people might be led from Egypt; here, in order that Christ might rescue those in the world overwhelmed by their sins. There the blood of the lamb turned away the destroyer; here the blood of the unblemished Lamb puts the demons to flight. There that tyrant pursued that ancient people to the sea; and this eager and shameless demon, the author of evil, followed you to the springs of salvation.
That one was drowned under the waters of the sea; this one disappears in the saving waters.
But, as you heard [the command], "Stretch out your hand toward him as though present,' you said, "I renounce you, Satan." I also want to say something about why you stand facing West, for it is necessary. For the West is the place where darkness appears, and that one [Satan] is darkness and possesses his power in darkness.
ST CYRIL OF JERUSALEM
Τί οὖν ὑμῶν ἕκαστος ἑστὼς ἔλεγεν; ἀποτάσσομαί σοι, Σατανᾶ, σοί τῷ πονηρῷ καὶ ὠμοτάτῳ τυράννῳ, οὐκέτι σου δέδοικα, λέγων, τὴν ἰσχύν. Κατέλυσε γὰρ ταύτην Χριστὸς αἵματός µοι καὶ σαρκὸς κοινωνήσας, ἵνα διὰ τούτων καταργήσῃ θανάτῳ τὸν θάνατον, ὅπως μὴ διὰ παντὸς ἔνοχος γένωµαι δουλείας. Ἀποστάσσομαί σοι τῷ δολερῷ καὶ πανουργοτάτῳ ὄφει. Ἀποτάσσομαί σοι ἐπιβούλῳ ὄντι καὶ προσποιήσει φιλίας πράξαντι πᾶσαν παρανοµίαν καὶ ἐμποιήσαντιτοῖς ἡμετέροις προγόνοις ἀποστασίαν. Ἀποστάσσομαί
Etta ἐν δευτέρᾳ λέξει µανθάνεις λέγειν. «καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις σου.» Ἔργα δὲ τοῦ Σατανᾶ πᾶσά ἐστιν ἡ ἁμαρτία, ᾗ καὶ ἀποτάσσεσθαι ἀναγκαῖον, ὡσεὶ καὶ τύραννόν τις ἀποφυγὼν πάντως που καὶ τὰ τούτου ὅπλα ἀπέφυγε. Πᾶσα οὖν Kat' εἶδος ἁμαρτία ἐγκατείλεκται τοῖς τοῦ διαβόλου ἔργοις. Πλήν τοῦτο ἴσθι,
ὅτι, ὅσα λέγεις, μάλιστα κατ' ἐκείνην τὴν φρικωδεστάτην ὥραν, ἔγγραφά ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς τοῦ θεοῦ βιβλίοις: ἐπειδὰν τοίνυν ἐναντίον τι διαπραττόµενος τούτοις ᾖς, ὡς παραβάτης κριθήσῃ. Ἀποτάσσῃ τοίνυν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῦ Σατανᾶ, πάσαις φημὶ πράξεσι καὶ ἐννοίαις παρὰ λόγον γινοµέναις.
ἍἉΕἶτα λέγεις: «καὶ πάσῃ τῇ πομπῇ σου» Πομπὴ δὲ διαβόλου ἐστὶ θεατροµανίαι καὶ ἱπποδρομίαι, κυνηγεσία καὶ πᾶσα τοιαύτη µαταιότης, ἧς εὐχόμενος ἐλευθερωθῆναι ὁ ἅγιος τῷ Dew λέγει:
«ἀπόστρεψον τούς ὀφθαλμούς µου τοῦ μὴ ἰδεῖν µαταιότητα» Mi περισπούδαστός σοι ἔστω ἡ θεατροµανία, ἔνθα τὰς ἀσελγείας τῶν µίµων ὄψῃ, ὕβρεσι πεπραγµένας καὶ πάσῃ ἀσχημοσύνῃ, ἐκτεθηλυσμένων τε ἀνδρῶν ἐμμανεῖς ὀρχήσεις. pte ἡ τῶν ἐν κυνηγίοις ἑαυτοὺς θηρίοις ἐκδιδόντων, ἵνα τὴν ἀθλίαν κολακεύσωσι yaotépa: ol, ἵνα κοιλίαν τροφαῖς θεραπεύσωσιν,
σι τῶν παθηµάτων after τούτων Ρ 54 παρανοµίαν C : ἀνομίαν P 63 τοῦ θεοῦ C : ἀοράτοις τοῦ θεοῦ γραφόμενα Ρ | ἐναντίον C : ἐναντίως P
On the Prebaptismal Rites
Therefore, symbolically keeping your eyes toward the West, you renounced that dark and gloomy prince.
What, then, standing, did each of you say? I renounce you, Satan, you evil and savage tyrant; saying, I no longer fear your power. For Christ has destroyed that power, having shared his blood and flesh with me, in order that through these he may "destroy death by death" (Heb 2.14-15), so that I may not be forever subject to slavery.
I renounce you, you deceitful and all-cunning serpent. I renounce you, you crafter of plots and [you who], under the impression of friendship, brought forth all disobedience and created the apostasy of our forebears. I renounce you, Satan, the creator and co-worker of every evil.
Next, you are told to say in a second phrase, "And all your works." And the works of Satan are all sin, which is also necessary to renounce, just as someone who has escaped from a tyrant has also escaped from his weapons. Then every sin, according to its kind, is included among the works of the devil. But, know this: that what you say, especially in that most fearful hour, is written in the books of God. Therefore, if you do something contrary to those words you will be judged as a transgressor. Renounce, then, the works of Satan,
I say, all acts and thoughts going against your word.
Next, you say, "And all your pomp." And the pomp of the devil is the mania for the theater and horse races, for hunting and every vain thing, from which the holy one, praying to be free, said to God,
"Turn my eyes that I might stop looking at vain things" (Ps 119.37).
Do not be so desirous of the mania of the theater, where you see the sensual indecency of the actors who perform wanton and shameless acts, as well as men appearing as women in frenzied dancing. Nor should you share in the hunts of those exposing themselves to wild animals that they might worship their miserable bellies. Those who
ST CYRIL OF JERUSALEM
αὐτοὶ γαστρὸς ἀτιθάσων ἀληθῶς τροφὴ γίνονται θηρίων, ἵνα δὲ δικαίως εἴπω, ὑπὲρ οἰκείου θεοῦ τῆς κοιλίας τὴν ἑαυτῶν ζωὴν κατὰ κρημνῶν μονομαχοῦσι. Φεῦγε καὶ τὰς ἱπποδρομίας, τὸ ἐμμανὲς θέαµα καὶ ψυχὰς ἐκτραχηλίζον: ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα πομπή ἐστι τοῦ διαβόλου.
Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἐν εἰδωλικαῖς πανηγύρεσι κρεµώμενα, ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε κρέα ἢ ἄρτοι ἢ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα, µιανθέντα τῇ τῶν παμµιάρων ἐπικλήσει δαιμόνων, τῇ τοῦ διαβόλου πομπῇ ἐγκαταλέγεται.
Ὥσπερ yap ὁ ἄρτος Kai ὁ οἶνος τῆς εὐχαριστίας πρὸ τῆς ἁγίας ἐπικλήσεως καὶ προσκυνητῆς τριάδος ἄρτος ἦν καὶ οἶνος λιτός, ἐπικλήσεως δὲ γεγοµένης ὁ μὲν Aptos γίνεται σῶμα Χριστοῦ, ὁ δὲ οἶνος αἷμα Χριστοῦ, τὸν αὐτὸν δὴ τρόπον τὰ τοιαῦτα βρώματα τῆς πομπῆς τοῦ Σατανᾶ, τῇ ἰδίᾳ φύσει λιτὰ ὄντα, τῇ ἐπικλήσει τῶν δαιμόνων βέβηλα γίνεται.
Meta ταῦτα λέγεις: «καὶ πάσῃ τῇ λατρείᾳ σου» Λατρεία δέ ἐστι διαβόλου ἡ ἐν εἰδωλείοις εὐχή, τὰ πρὸς τιμὴν γινόμενα τῶν ἀψύχων εἰδώλων, τὸ ἅπτειν λύχνους ἢ θυμιᾶν παρὰ πηγὰς ἢ ποταμούς, ὥς τινες ἀπ᾿ ὀνειράτων ἢ ἐκ δαιμόνων ἀπατηθέντες
ἐπὶ τούτους διέβησαν, οἰόμενοι καὶ σωματικῶν παθῶν τὴν ἴασιν εὑρήσειν, ἢ τοιαῦτα: μὴ τοίνυν αὐτὰ µετέλθῃς. Οἰωνοσκοπία, µαντεία, κληδονισμοὶ ἢ περιάµµατα ἢ ἐν πετάλοις ἐπιγραφαί, μαγεῖαι ἢ ἄλλαι κακοτεχνίαι καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, λατρεῖαί εἰσι διαβόλου. Φεῦγε οὖν ταῦτα: ἐὰν γὰρ τούτοις ὑποπέσῃς μετὰ τὴν ἀπόταξιν τοῦ Σατανᾶ καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Χριστὸν σύνταξιν, πικροτέρου πειρασθήσῃ τοῦ τυράννου, ἴσως ὡς οἰκεῖον περιέποντος πάλαι καὶ τῆς πικρᾶς ἀνιέντος σε δουλείας, νῦν δὲ
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On the Prebaptismal Rites
indulge their stomachs with foods truly become food themselves for the stomachs of the wild animals, and, speaking rightly, for the sake of their true god of the belly (Phil 3.19); their lives are spent in single combats. Flee also the horse races, that frenzied spectacle that destroys souls. For all of these things are the pomp of the devil.
Soalso the things hung up at the festivals of the idols, whether meats or breads or other such things, which are defiled by the invocations of all the abominable demons, are to be counted among the pomp of the devil. For just as the bread and wine of the Eucharist, before the invocation of the holy and worshipped Trinity, were simple bread and wine, but (after) the invocation the bread becomes the body of Christ and the wine the blood of Christ, so also it is the same way with those foods of the pomp of the devil. Being ordinary according to their own nature, they become desecrated by the invocation of the demons (cf. 1 Cor 10.20-21).
After these things you say, "And all your worship." And the worship of the devil is prayer in the temples of idols, including those things being done for the honor of those lifeless idols, namely, the lighting of lamps, or the offering of incense by fountains or rivers, just as some, being led astray by dreams and demons, have crossed over to these places, thinking also to find healing for the sickness of their bodily ailments and other such things. Do not, therefore, go after these things: watching the flight of birds for augury, fortunetelling, omens, amulets, writing on leaves, or other evil practices, which are the worship of the devil. Flee these, therefore. For if you fall into them after the renunciation of Satan and the act of adherence to Christ you will be more bitterly tempted by the tyrant. Perhaps he treated you in the past as a member of his household and
ST (GY RTE O ESE RUS
Avr Ev σφόδρα παρὰ ood καταπικρανθέντος: καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ στερηθήσῃ κἀκείνου πειρασθήσῃ.
Οὐκ ἤκουσας παλαιᾶς ἱστορίας τὰ περὶ τοῦ AwT ἡμῖν καὶ τῶν τούτου θυγατέρων διηγουµένης; Οὐχὶ αὐτὸς μὲν σέσωσται μετὰ τῶν θυγατέρων, ἐπειδὴ τὸ ὄρος κατείληφεν, ἡ δὲ τούτου γυνἠὴ στήλη γέγονεν ἁλός, ἐστηλιτευμένη dt' αἰῶνος, ἔχουσα τῆς πονηρᾶς προαιρέσεως καὶ ὑποστροφῆς τὴν μνήμην; Πρόσεχε τοίνυν σεαυτῷ, καὶ μὴ στρέφου πάλιν εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, βαλὼν τὴν χεῖρα ἐπ᾽ ἄροτρον καὶ στρέφων πάλιν εἰς τὴν ἁλμυρὰν τοῦ βίου τούτου πρᾶξιν: ἀλλὰ φεῦγε εἰς τὸ ὄρος πρὸς Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, τὸν τµηθέντα λίθον ἄνευ χειρῶν καὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην πληρώσαντα.
Ὅτε οὖν τῷ Σατανᾷ ἀποτάττῃ, πᾶσαν τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν πατῶν διαθήκην, λύεις τὰς παλαιὰς πρὸς τὸν ἆδην συνθήκας, ἀνοίγεταί σοι ὁ παράδεισος τοῦ θεοῦ, ὃν ἐφύτευσε κατὰ ἀνατολάς, ὅθεν
διὰ τὴν παράβασιν ἐξόριστος γέγονεν ὁ ἡμέτερος προπάτωρ. Καὶ τούτου σύμβολον τὸ στραφῆναί σε ἀπὸ δυσμῶν πρὸς ἀνατολήν, τοῦ φωτὸς τὸ χωρίον. Ἰότε σοι ἐλέγετο εἰπεῖν. «πιστεύω εἰς τὸν πατέρα καὶ εἰς τὸν υἱὸν καὶ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα καὶ εἰς Ev βάπτισμα µετανοίας.».
Περὶ ὧν ἐν ταῖς προτέραις κατηχήσεσιν, ὡς ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ χάρις ἔδωκεν, ἐν πλάτει σοι εἴρηται.
1ο Τούτοις οὖν ἀσφαλιζόμενος τοῖς λόγοις «νῆφε» «Ὁ γὰρ ἀντίδικος ἡμῶν διάβολος, καθὼς ἀρτίως ἀνέγνωσται, ὡς λέων ὠρυόμενος περιπατεῖ, ζητῶν, τίνα καταπιεῖν» AAA' ἐν μὲν τοῖς πρὸ τούτου χρόνοις κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας: ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ ἁγίου τῆς παλιγγενεσίας λουτροῦ ἀφεῖλεν ὁ θεὸς πᾶν δάκρυον ἀπὸ παντὸς προσώπου. Οὐκ ἔτι γὰρ πενθήσεις, ἐκδεδυμένος τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ πανηγυρίσεις, ἐνδεδυμένος τὸ ἱμάτιον σωτηρίου Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν.
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On the Prebaptismal Rites
kept you from the bitterness of his slavery. But now he is embittered greatly against you, and he will deprive you of Christ and tempt you. Have you not heard from the Old Testament the things said to us concerning Lot and his daughters? Was he not saved with his daughters because he attained the mountain, but his wife became a pillar of salt, set up for the ages, as a memorial of her having made an evil decision and turning back? Go forward, then, yourself, and do not turn back to "what is behind you" (Phil 3.13), putting your hand to the plow (Lk 9.62) and turning again to the bitter practices of your former life. But flee to the mountain, to Jesus Christ, who is the stone not cut with hands (Dan 2.45), and who filled the world.
When, then, you renounce Satan, trampling down every covenant with him, you destroy the ancient covenant with Hades. And there is opened for you the paradise of God, which he planted toward the East and from which, on account of his disobedience, our first father was banished. And the symbol of this was your turning yourself from the West to the East, the place of light. Then you were told to say, "I believe in the Father and in the Son and in the Holy Spirit and in one baptism of repentance." Concerning these things you were taught extensively in the previous catecheses as God gave his grace.
Secure in these words, therefore, "be sober." For, as we heard just now in the reading, our "adversary, the devil, walks about as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Pet 5.8). In the former times death, being powerful, devoured, but God, through the holy
"washing of regeneration' (Tit 3.5), has wiped away every tear from every face (Is 25.8; Rev 7.17). Now, then, mourn no more, having put off the old man, but keep a holy feast, having been clothed in the garment of salvation, Jesus Christ.
ST CYRIL OF JERUSALEM
Kai ταῦτα ἐν τῷ ἐξωτέρῳ ἐγίνετο οἴκῳ. Θεοῦ dé θέλοντος, ὅταν ἐν ταῖς ἑξῆς µυσταγωγίαις εἰς τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων εἰσέλθωμεν, ἐκεῖ εἰσόμεθα τῶν αὐτόθι ἐπιτελουμένων τὰ σύμβολα. T@ δὲ θεῷ πατρὶ ἡ δόξα, κράτος, µεγαλωσύνη σὺν υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ mvebuatt, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων: ἀμήν.
On the Prebaptismal Rites
And these things happened in the outer room. But, God willing, when in the next mystagogical catecheses we shall have entered into the holy of holies, we shall know the symbols of what is completed there. And to God be the glory, the power, and the majesty with the Son and the Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.
ΠΕΡΙ BAITTIZMATO2
Καὶ ἀνάγνωσις ἐκ τῆς πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιστολῆς: ἀπὸ τοῦ «ἢ ἀγνοεῖτε ὅτι ὅσοι ἐβαπτίσθημεν εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν εἰς τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ ἐβαπτίσθημεν;» ἕως τοῦ: «οὐ γάρ ἐστε ὑπὸ νόµον, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ χάριν». ι Χρήσιμαι ἡμῖν αἱ καθ) ἡμέραν µυσταγωγίαι καὶ διδασκαλίαι καινότεραι, καινοτέρων οὖσαι πραγμάτων ἀπαγγελτικαί, καὶ µάλιστα ὑμῖν, τοῖς ἀνακαινισθεῖσιν ἀπὸ παλαιότητος εἰς καινότητα.
Ata τοῦτο ἀναγκαίως ὑμῖν παραθήσοµαι τὰ ἑξῆς τῆς χθεσινῆς µυσταγωγίας, ἵνα µάθητε, τίνων ἦν σύμβολα τὰ VE' ὑμῶν ἐν τῷ ἐσωτέρῳ οἴκῳ γενόµενα.
Εὐθὺς y' οὖν εἰσελθόντες ἀπεδύεσθε τὸν χιτῶνα: καὶ τοῦτο ἦν εἰκὼν τοῦ «τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀποδύεσθαι σὺν ταῖς πράξεσιν.»
Ἀποδυθέντες γυμνοὶ ἦτε, μιμούμενοι καὶ ἐν τούτῳ τὸν ἐπὶ σταυροῦ γυμνωθέντα Χριστόν, καὶ τῇ γυµνότητι «ἀπεκδυσάμενον τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας, καὶ μετὰ παρρησίας ἐν τῷ ξύλῳ θριαμβεύσαντα.»
δυνάµεις, οὐκ ἔτι φορεῖν ὑμῖν ἔξεστι τὸν παλαιὸν ἐκεῖνον χιτῶνα, οὐ τοῦτον πάντως λέγω τὸν αἰσθητόν, ἀλλὰ «τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν φθειρόµενον ἐν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις τῆς ἀπάτης» Ὃν μὴ ein πάλιν ἐνδύσασθαι τῇ ἅπαξ τοῦτον ἀποδυσαμένῃ ψυχῇ, ἀλλὰ λέγειν κατὰ τὴν ἐν τῷ ἄσματι τῶν ἀσμάτων τοῦ Χριστοῦ νύμφην: «ἐξεδυσάμην
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