Tizaz (Book of Herald)

Statute 31. Concerning the time during which they shall hear instruction after (they have left off their) occupations. The catechumens shall remain three years hearing the word of instruction : yet if he was a good lo scholar and one who knows good conduct, no length of time need be required of him (to hear), but the conduct alone shall decide for him. Statute 32. Concerning the prayer of him who hears 15 instruction and his kiss. When the teacher has finished the admonition the catechumens shall pray alone, apart from the believers. And the women shall stand in their place in the church ; and the women believers shall pray alone and the women catechumens. And if the pnayer ao is finished, the catechumens shall not kiss one another with the believers, because their kiss is not yet pure. And the believers shall kiss one another ; man shall kiss man and woman shall kiss woman, and males shall not kiss females. And all the women shall have their heads 3 veiled with a pallium or with a mantle, and not with sindon only, because this is not what is allowed to them. Statute 33. Concerning the laying hand upon the catechumen. And after the prayer, when the teacher has laid his hand upon the catechumen he shall pray, and dismiss them. And if it was one belonging to the TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT ISI church who teaches, or a layman, he shall do likewise. And if a catechumen was arrested for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, he shall not be doubtful about the testimony (which he gives) ; because if they overpower and injure him and kill him before he receives baptism for the for- 5 giveness of his sin, he shall be justified ; because he was baptised in his own blood. Statute 34, Concerning him who is baptised. When one has been chosen or who is ready for baptism they lo shall examine their life ; if they lived in the fear of God before they are baptised, if they honoured the widow, or if they visited the sick, or if they did all good, and if there is witness in their favour from those who bring them ; and if they have done thus they shall hear the 15 Gospel from the time that they were set apart, and they shall lay hand upon them and every day instruct them. And when the day draws near on which they shall be baptised, the bishop binds every one of them by oath, that he may know if they are pure. And if one was found who was not pure, they shall put him aside by himself; for he has not hearkened to the word of instruction with faith ; because it is not proper to baptise (. do to) an utter alien. And they shall instruct those who shall be baptised that they should 25 wash and be exorcised on the fifth day of the week (sabbath) ; and if there was a menstruous woman among them, she shall be put aside, that she may be baptised on another day. And those who desire to be baptised shall fast on Friday, and the bishop shall 30 Reading the variant of b c. assemble all those who shall be baptised on Saturday into one place, and shall command all of them (to make) prayer and prostration ; and when he has laid his hand upon them, let him exorcise the unclean spirit that he may 5 flee away from them and not enter into them again. And when he has finished his exorcising, he shall breathe upon them, and they shall read to them the Scriptures, and exhort them. And they who shall be baptised shall not bring with them any ornament of gold, nor ring nor lo gem of any kind ; but every one of them shall give thanks, and it is fitting for them whom it beseems to bring their Oblations also at the time. Statute 35. Concerning the order of Baptism, and the iS profession of the Faith, and the confession of sin at baptism and the Oblation ; and concerning the milk and honey. At the time of cock-crow they shall first pray over the water. And it shall be either such as flows into the tank of baptism or is caused to flow down upon 20 it And it shall be thus unless there is a scarcity of water ; but if there is a scarcity they shall carry water to the tank, having drawn (it from a well). And they shall put off their garments and be baptised naked. And they shall baptise the little children first ; and if 25 they can speak for themselves, let them speak. But if they cannot, their parents shall answer the word instead of them, or one of their relatives. And after- wards they shall baptise the grown-up men. And after- wards all the women shall loose their hair ; and they 50 shall be forbidden to wear their ornaments and their gold, when they are baptised, and none of them shall go TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 153 down having anything alien with them into the water. And whenever they baptise, the bishop shall give thanks over the oil which is in a vessel, and it is named mystic oil ; and he shall take other oil and exorcise Satan in it, and it is named oil which has been exorcised 5 from every unclean spirit. And there shall be a deacon who will carry the oil in which (Satan) was exorcised, and he shall stand on the left of the presbyter ; and another deacon shall take the mystic oil, and shall stand on his right And let the presbyter, having taken every one of 10 those who shall be baptised, bid them renounce and say : I renounce thee, Satan, and all thine angels and all thine unclean works. And when he has professed this, he shall anoint him with the oil which he made pure from all evil, . saying : All unclean spirits shall depart from him. Thus 15 he shall deliver to the bishop him who shall be baptised, naked, or to the presbyter to him who stands at the . water of baptism. Let the deacon go down with him to the water, and he shall say and instruct him : I believe in one God, the Father almighty, and in his only Son, our ao Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, giver of life to all creation, the Trinity equal in Godhead, one Lord, and one Kingdom and one Faith and one Baptism, in the holy Church Catholic, and life eternal Amen. And he who shall be baptised shall also say 25 again thus : Yea, I believe. And thus he shall baptise him and lay his hand upon him, and upon him who answers for him. And he shall dip him three times; and he who is baptised shall make declaration every Reading the variant oih cde. single time that he is dipped, and afterwards he shall say to him again : Dost thou believe in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God the Father, that he became man, in an incomprehensible miracle by 5 the Holy Spirit and by our lady Maryam, the virgin, without seed of man, and he was crucified in the time of Pilatos Pantnawi : and he died by his own will for our salvation, and rose from the dead on the third day, axkl released the captives, and ascended into the heavens, and 10 sat down at the right hand of the Father, and he shall come to judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom : and dost thou believe in the Holy Spirit, the good and the sanctifier, and in the holy Church : and dost thou believe the resurrection of the body which 15 shall happen to all men, and the kingdom of the heavens, and eternal judgment. And he who is baptised shall answer concerning all this, saying : Yea, I believe in thia And then when he has come up from the water the presbyter shall anoint him with the mystic oil, saying : 3o I anoint thee with holy oil. And afterwards they shall put on their garments. And afterwards they shall enter the church, and the bishop shall lay his hand upon them and pray and say : God, who hast made these worthy of the washing of new birth, and of the forgiveness of sin, as make them worthy to be filled with the Holy Spirit ; and speed forth and send upon them the grace of the Holy Spirit, that they may serve thy will. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit in the holy Church henceforth unto age of age. And afterwards the 30 presbyter, having poured into his hand the mystic oil, shall pour on the head of them all, saying : I anoint TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 55 thee with holy oil in the name of God the Father almighty and in Christ Jesus his only Son and the Holy Spirit. And having sealed all in their forehead, he shall kiss them, and say : The Lord (be) with you all. And he who was signed shall answer again, and say : With s thy spirit. And after this, when everything has been finished, let them pray with all the people: and they shall not before pray with the fiiU lit. elder) Christians, but only after they have done the thing which we say. And after they have finished praying they shall lo gve the salutation one to another with their mouths. And the deacons shall bring the Oblation to the bishop, and he shall give thanks over the bread and the cup ; and the bread that it may become the Body of our Lord Christ, and the cup, the wine mixed, that it may become 15 the Blood of our Lord Christ, this which was shed for us and for all of us indeed who believe in him. And the milk and honey (shall be) mingled together, and he shall make them drink of them, because of the fulfilment of the promise which he promised to our fathers, saying : I 20 will give to you the land which floweth with milk and honey : this is the Body of our Lord Christ which he gave to us who believe in him, like food of young children, who were begotten of him, those who believe in him, that he may make every bitter heart sweet as by the sweetness of his word. All this the bishop shall go through to those who are baptised. And the water also of the Oblation he shall show in the bread like the inward part of man, who is soul as well as body. And In ‘ and ‘ who ‘ are the readings of b and c respectively. all this explanation is what the bishop shall give to all who are baptised. And the bishop therefore having broken the bread of life, shall give a piece of it to each one and say : This is heavenly bread, the Body of our S Lord Christ And he who receives shall answer and say : Amen. And if there are not sufficient presbyters the deacons shall take the cups and stand in order ; the first he who has the honey, and the second he who has the milk : and he who administers shall say : God, the 10 Father almighty: and the third he who has the wine. He who administers shall say : This is the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. And he who receives shall say : Amen and Amen. And when he receives the Body he shall say : Amen ; and at the Blood he shall say : Amen 15 and Amen : a trinity this is therefore that it shall be. And each one (of them) shall be careful to do good works which please God, living in the right way and united to the Church, performing this instruction, and pro- gressing in the service of God. This we have taught 20 you to be said openly concerning Baptism and the ordinance of the Oblation ; and behold, we have finished the instruction which we give to you concerning the resurrection of the body, and the rest as it was written. And if there is anything else which is right to be told, as then the bishop shall tell it and give it to those who are communicated. And they shall accept (it), and none shall know it except the believers, but only after they have communicated. And they shall first receive this holy blessing, which Yuhanes speaks of that there was Comipt reading of the unpointed Arabic, which really reads ticket,’ referring to Revelation ii. 17. TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 57 written upon it a new name (which) no one knows except him who receives the blessing. And on the sabbath and on the first day of the week if it be possible the bishop himself with his own hand shall deliver to all the people while the deacons break the bread. And the 5 presbyters also shall break the delivered bread. And whenever the deacon approaches the presbyter, he shall hold out his robe, and the presbyter himself shall take (the bread) and deliver to the people with his hand. And on other days they shall give (it) according to the com- 10 mandment of the bishop. Statute 36. Concerning Widows and Virgins, and at what time the bishop should fast. And they shall do as we have often said. The widows and virgins shall fast, 15 and pray in the church. And the presbyters and the deacons shall fast at any time they will. And likewise shall the people fast. And the bishop ought not to fast, except at the time when all the people fast ; because if they bring that which is proper to bring into the church, 20 and no (one) can be refused ; and (the man) having broken his own bread, he shall taste and eat with the other believers who are with him ; and they shall receive from the hand of the bishop a piece of delivered bread before they partake. It is Eulogia (awlogiya) everyone 25 shall receive the bread which has been offered. For this is bread of blessing, and not the Oblation as the ‘Body of our Lord Christ. Statute 37. Concerning the time at which it is seemly See note on p. 30. to eat It is not proper for the catechumens to eat with the believers. Before any taste and drink anything whatsoever, it is proper for them to take the cup and give thanks over it, and (then) drink and eat, for (then) they 5 are pure. To the catechumens let them give the bread of blessing and the cup. The commandment concerning the impropriety of the catechumens eating with the believers, and of the catechumens sitting down with the believers at the table of the Lord. And it is right for lo him who eats to remember him who invited him and gave him all the food, every time that he eats ; for this cause he asked them to come into his house : for this cause it is seemly that they should eat with caution (lit. fear) and moderation what is sufficient and not be drunken. 15 And they shall eat and drink with regularity and not drink until they are drunken ; that men may not deride them ; and that he who invited them be not pained because of their folly. But rather shall they pray that the holy ones may enter the house. For he said : Ye 20 are the salt of the earth. Behold, he gave to you the last of them all with him, that ye might take from him your portions : but eat with moderation and drink with moderation, that there may be some left ; and that that . which is left from you may be sent by him who invited 25 you to whom he will ; and he shall say that this meat and this drink are the leavings of the holy ones. And they shall rejoice at your going to them ; and they shall eat what ye leave, and he shall say this meat is the leavings of the holy ones. And they shall rejoice at 30 your coming as they eat : and further, those who are invited shall eat without conversing, but when the bishop TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 159 allows, they shall speak, and ask what is suitable, and they shall answer. And when (one) has finished saying all the things which are suitable which he wished to ask, then again they shall be silent with modesty, until the bishop again asks them at the supper. If the believers 5 shall be without the bishop at the supper, either from the presbyter or the deacon they shall take the Euloga with the hand. And likewise the catechumens shall receive a piece of the mystic bread. And if there are any laity among them, they shall eat in silence : and the lo laity are not allowed to make the Eulogia. And having gfiven thanks, every one shall eat in the name of the Lord and drink with moderation, having called upon the name of God. Because thus is it due to God, that we should be zealots among the peoples, all of us equal and 15 quiet and pure and without fault For God the Father rejoices in his work, and we indeed (are) his work, if we are pure. Concerning the gift to the sick. The deacon in time of adversity shall give the sealing to the sick with ao diligence. If there is no presbyter to give that which was distributed, as much as ought to be received, (the deacon) shall give thanks and shall take count there of them who take (it) away, that they minister with care and give the Eulogia. If there is any who takes it away, 25 let them bear it to widows and the sick. Concerning the bringing in of lamps at the supper of the congregation. When the evening has come, the bishop being there, the deacon shall bring in a lamp, and standing in the midst of all the Faithful, being about 30 to give thanks, the bishop shall first give the salutation, II !- l6o STATUTES OF THE APOSTLES thus saying: The Lord (be) with you all. And the people also shall say : With thy spirit. And the bishop shall say : Let us give thanks to the Lord. And the people shall say: Right and just, both greatness and 5 exaltation with glory are due to him. And they shall not say: Lift up your hearts, because that shall be said at the time of the Oblation. And he prays thus, saying: We give thee thanks, God, through thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, because thou hast enlightened us 10 by revealing the incorruptible light, we having therefore finished the length of a day and having come to the beginning of the night, and having been satiated with the light of the day which thou hast created for our satisfaction, and now since we have not been deficient 15 of the light of the evening by thy grace, we sanctify thee and we glorify thee through thine only Son our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him (be) glory and might and honour with the Holy Spirit now, etc. And they shall all say : Amen. And having 20 risen up therefore after supper, the children and virgins having prayed, they shall say the psalms : and after- wards the deacon, holding the mingled cup of the Pres- fora, shall say the psalm from that in which (is) written Hale luya, [and] after that the presbyter has com- as manded : And likewise from those psalms.’ And after- wards the bishop having offered the cup, as is proper for the cup, he shall say the psalm Hale luya ; and all of them as he recites the psalms shall say Hale luya, which is to say : We praise him who is God most high : 30 glorified and praised is he who founded all the world with one word. And likewise, the psalm having been TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT l6l completed, he shall give thanks over the cup, and shall give of the fragments to all the Faithful. And as they are eating their supper the believers shall take a little bread from the hand of the bishop before they partake of their own bread, for it is Eulogia and not Eucharist 5 as of our Lord. Statute 38. And when the bishop speaks let every one be silent And if the bishop is not present they shall receive the bread of blessing from the presbyter or 10 from the deacon. And when the bishop speaks let all be silent, nor shall one answer another a word, for the bishop shall ask them. And if (not) the bishop but only the Faithful are present at the meal, they shall take the Eulogia from the hand of the presbyter if he 15 is there, and if the presbyter is not there, they shall take from the hand of the deacon ; and the catechumens also shall take their portion of the mystic bread. And if there are laymen only they shall eat quietly : and for the laymen it is not proper that they should make the 10 Eulogia. Statute 39. Concerning the meal of the widows. And if there is anyone who desires at any time to invite the widows and those who are aged, he shall satisfy them 25 (with food) and send them away before it shall be evening. And if it is not possible because of the clergy who have been invited, he shall give to them food and wine, and having given then send them away immediately, and each of them shall do as they wish 30 (with it) in their houses. l62 STATUTES OF THE APOSTLES Statute 40. Concerning the ordinance of the gift which is of the Apostles, according to the orthodox statement (Jit. word). We have written concerning graces so far as God our Lord has granted to us of his 5 own counsel. Formerly he gave grace lit it) to man, while bringing near to him that which had gone astray in type ; and now (he gave) the beloved Son who is in all the holy ones. Having come to the source of the proper tradition in the churches, we have attained that 10 (men) should learn well what has been (received) until now ; they handed them on and kept them as our ordin- ances : yet, though they knew that they were quite firm concerning that which had been found for them, now unawares they slipped away. And those indeed who 15 knew not, (to them) the Holy Spirit is giving the perfection of grace. For them who believe rightly as they know, how seemly it is that they should hand on and keep those things which are established in the Church. Concerning the ordinance of baptism. Those 20 who shall be baptised shall do thus lit. thus it is). They shall come into the baptistery, and they shall give their names. And then first they shall examine their lives as to whether they are fit for baptism, and if they read the Scriptures, and also if they have learnt the 3 psalm. And likewise there shall be sponsors for him who shall be baptised, and thus he who is sponsor shall know that he shall give account at the day of judgment for it And they shall cause therefore the prayer to follow after the examination, saying thus: [The prayer con- Or Those, etc., shall come as it were into the baptistery Reading the variant oib cde. TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 163 cerning those who gave their names] Lover of man and merciful author of blessing, merciful and whose habit is goodness, and the fountain of all blessing, thou who madest that which was not into that which was, with each one which was made thou gavest size and place : 5 thou art able remove it and take it away. Now, Lord, take away and remove this thy servant from wickedness into goodness. Grant that he may inherit the blessed sonship which is in the heavens, that he may then no longer be one born of flesh, but may abide truly in thine 10 obedience: through thy only Son our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might now, etc. The prayer for those who gave their names. And again we beseech God the almighty, the Father of the 15 Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, for those who gave their names, that he may open the ear of their heart and enlighten the eyes of their mind, and give to them the light of knowledge, he who has authority over mercy, the Lord our God ao And the deacon shall say : Pray ye for those who gave their names. And the bishop shall say : God the almighty, thou who calledst thy servants, who gave their names, from dark- ness into light, and from ignorance into the knowledge 25 of the truth : blot out all the vestige of error from their thought; place thy law and thy commandment within their heart : and give to them knowledge which is seemly, impart to them, both men and women, the Reading the variant of coming of the Holy Spirit, and say thus : Right it is and just. We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and worship thee and give thanks to thee for all the mercy which thou hast done for us and all thy benefit : when the world was gone astray thou savedst J 5 (it), having sent thine only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, not to judge the world, but to save the world, and gather together our dispersion, that we may assemble, and confess thee the one true God who sentest our Lord Jesus Christ ; through whom we offer this chrism which thou hast gven to us for healing and for using in other necessities, that thou wilt be willing and wilt send the Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord Jesus Christ ; and that it may become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit upon every person 25 of those who receive the washing of regeneration and forgiveness, as far as thou hast given to them : and may it be to them redemption and sure grace and a holy seal of unction and communion of their nature with the Holy Spirit ; and cause that they may be named (his) temple, 30 through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus I70 STATUTES OF THE APOSTLES Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age and unto the age, now, etc. The prayer of the holy oil, the oil with which he 5 who is baptised is to be anointed on the place of anointing. My Lord, almighty, who wast to the Prophets God, and to the Apostles God, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who from the beginning by the Prophets preachedst the coming of 10 our Lord Christ, who sentest Yuhanes ,the Prophet before his coming, give power to this holy oil and bless it for baptism, may it sanctify thy servants and handmaids and prepare them lU. him) for thee, while they lit. he) call upon thee ; and cause it to destroy 15 all poison and expel every evil and unclean spirit, and may all unclean lust remove away by this unction, through the name of thy only Son ; and may it be sanctified by thine own grace, and be to all who are baptised oil of healing and safety and power for ao planting the good olive tree and for (bearing) fruit toward thee and to Christ, through the Holy Spirit, by the faith in the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with, etc. as And breathe into the oil thrice. And with it he shall anoint him who is baptised on his breast and on his shoulders and all his body, saying : The oil of holy unction against every adversary, operate for grafting into thine own good olive tree, the Church, and 30 work blessing. And he shall answer and say : Amen. And if it is a man (this is done) by him who ministers. TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 171 or by the priest who is there ; or (if) a woman, by a female believer who is perpetually virgin. Further (the prayer) for the laying hand upon the catechumens. God the almighty, the Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to thee have humbled 5 their heads thy servants the catechumens, and to thee they have subdued the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from thy worthy dwelling-place, bless them, male and female, and may thine ear hearken to them and hear their prayer. Give them to know the power of the 10 word with which they are instructed as a sure utterance ; and in due time impart to them, male and female, the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin ; make them the temple of the Holy Spirit through Christ : for to thee is glory and power and might, now, etc 15 Concerning the oil of chrism for those who are baptised. The bishop shall speak thus in giving thanks after the several bishops and presbyters and deacons are ready. The Chief Priest being present shall celebrate, saying : The Lord (be) with you alL 30 They who stand by shall say : With thy spirit And the bishop shall say : Lift up your hearts. They who are present shall say : We have (them) with the Lord our God. And the bishop shall say : Let us give thanks to the Lord. And they who are present shall 25 say : Right and just, it is meet And then the Chief Priest, to whom alone it be- longs to consecrate the chrism, having taken it, and standing in front carefully, shall offer up the prayer and say the invocation of the coming of the Holy 30 Spirit, [the bishop] thus saying: Right it is and just We praise thee and glorify thee and confess thee and give thanks to thee in all that thou hast done to us blessings and all thy benefit : for thou savedst the lost world, thou sentest thy Son Jesus Christ our 5 Lord, not to judge the world, but to save the world by him, and he gathered together our dispersion ; and we know that thou alone art the true Lord who sentest Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we offer to thee this chrism, which thou hast given us for healing lo and using in other necessities, that thou wouldst be willing to send thy Holy Spirit upon it, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and may it become an unction of holiness and seal of the Holy Spirit for those who shall receive of it, and the washing of 15 regeneration to them to whom was given redemption and sure grace ; may it seal them with the seal of unction and washing of their nature ; cause that they may be named the temple of the Holy Spirit, through the name of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through 20 whom, etc. And breathe thrice into his face, and then anoint him with the holy chrism on his forehead and breast, saying to each : I give to thee the holy unction and the seal of grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who 25 is sealed shall say : Amen. If it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop, and anoint them after they have put on the baptismal (robe); and then he proceeds to pray, and having finished the prayer of the holy oil, they cause 30 three little children to come near to him, and their elders likewise, and having turned them towards the TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 73 west, first they shall anathematise Satan, saying thus : I anathematise thee, Satan, and all thy wicked angels and all thy work and all thy errors and all thy orders. And then turning himself again towards the east and stretching out his hands, he confesses God, saying : I 5 believe in one God, the Father above all, almighty, and in the only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the resurrection of the body, and in the holy assembly, the one Catholic Church. And then he shall say thrice : Amen. And he shall say thus w stretching out his hands and humbling his head in fear, saying as he hears from him who baptises him thus, this . faith in the Trinity : I believe in thee, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in thine only Son Jesus Christ our Lord and our Saviour, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the i5 resurrection of the body, and the holy, one. Catholic, Apostolic Church. And they shall ask him thrice, saying : Dost thou believe ? And thrice he shall say : I believe, I believe, I believe. And if it was a man fully grown he shall speak : and concerning children who have no word or a dumb person or sick, the believing father and believing mother, or relatives knowing (them), being likewise believers, shall speak instead of that child or instead of him who has no word or instead of the sick, saying each of their names. And after the confession of 25 faith he says thus : (The prayer) of the laying on of hand. My Lord almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom thy servants and handmaids have humbled themselves ; and to thee they have subdued 30 the hardness of heart and flesh, look down from the heaven thy sanctuary, stretch out thine invisible hand upon them. Lord of heaven and earth, who through thine only Son hast made known knowledge of thee in the earth, and hast prepared for them with a heavenly calling. 5 Confirm these persons, that they may obtain thy power, and confirm their faith, that nothing shall ever separate them (from it), but let them be united in thine only Word, through whom to thee (be) glory and might with the Holy Spirit now, etc. lo And breathe thrice. And thus shall they be anointed with the holy oil on the place of unction, anoint his heart and his breast and on his back and on all his body, saying thus : May the unction of holy oil operate against every adversary and for the planting 15 firmly of the faith in the good olive tree, the Catholic Church, and do good. And he who is anointed shall say : Amen. The prayer after the unction. Father of thine only Son Jesus Christ, the root which is not cut off, 30 redeemer of the sold, cause not to remain any trace of the old state in those who are converted to thy faith ; who are obeying thee. Cause that they may be in purity of soul, children of regeneration, those who share in thy grace; and impress upon them the living 25 character, through thine only Son, through whom, etc And then the priest shall take him and go down into the Yurdanos and baptise him, and as he baptises him he shall look toward the east, (being) in the proper vest- ment And the clergy also standing in their orders, 30 The presbyter shall first baptise the children, and further, the Chief Priest being down in the Yurdanos shall TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 75 baptise, laying his hand upon him whom he baptises and saying thus : I baptise thee, N or M, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And he who is baptised shall say : Amen. And then after he has baptised he shall go forth to the Table as if for the Eucharist : and after they have prepared it (sc. the Table) for each, the bishops, presbyters, and deacons being present, the Chief Priest shall sanctify with the chrism, saying thus : The prayer of blessing and of laying hand on those lo who have been baptised, before the anointing with the chrism which has been sanctified, the bishop or the presbyter who baptised saying thus : Eternal God, almighty. Father of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hast regenerated us thy servants and thy 15 handmaids by water and the Holy Spirit in the wash- ing of regeneration which thou grantedst to them for the forgiveness of sin, send now upon them the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, that therefore he may impart to them an entering into thy heavenly kingdom, according to thy holy infallible promise, through our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, through whom with him and with the Holy Spirit be glory and honour and might now, etc. And breathe thrice, and then anoint them with the 25 holy chrism on the forehead and on his breast, saying to each one : The holy unction and the seal of the grace of the Holy Spirit. And he who is sealed shall say : Amen. And if it is a presbyter who baptises, let him take the chrism from the bishop and anoint them, 30 after they have been clothed with the baptismal (robe). 12 And then (comes) the order lit. sequence) of the Presfora. The (prayer of) unction of oil which the Chief Priest consecrates for those who receive the washing, and for 5 sick believers. God, my Lord, almighty, the Father of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, stretch out thine invisible hand upon the fruit of this olive with which thou anointedst the Priests and the Prophets ; and thou hast given power with thy hand that it may become to 10 those who shall be anointed with it for healing and benefit, and for every disease nd every sickness. Destroy every adversary, and make (it) the unction of thy grace for remission of sin to those to whom has been gven the Holy Spirit, through the name and 15 through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to thee with him and with the Holy Spirit (be) glory and might from before the age now, etc. And breathe therefore thrice. Before the Presfora and after the departure of the catechumens there shall 20 be prayer of three kinds, for peace one, for the con- gregation one, and for the Patriarch (papas) one. And then the deacon shall say with a loud voice : Those who are not admitted to communion depart And none of the catechumens shall stand here within. 25 And further, the subdeacon shall open the doors; and further he shall say ; Those who are not admitted to communion depart. And then further, the deacon shall say to the people : Kiss one another with a kiss of holiness. And then when they have severally given The holy communion service. – This is a rubric in b d. TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 177 the salutation, the chief deacon shall say : Shut the doors, O subdeacons. This indeed as it was said at the prayer of the congregation. And if the bishop administers the baptism, or one ordained, he shall not say : There is not here a catechumen who is not one 5 of the congregation, nor is there any adversary here. On the day alone on which they receive baptism, after the Presfora he shall offer the cup and the milk and honey with the bread and the cup of wine : and they shall bless (them) together, and those alone who o receive for the first (time) shall receive of it And then the bishop shall say the thanksgiving of the milk : We give thanks to thee, God, almighty, the Father of our spirit, who hast begotten us again by water and the Spirit through Christ Jesus our Lord, 15: whom thou gavest. He instituted the holy washing (of baptism) for the forgiveness of sin to our race. Because we are thy flock which is in secret, born of the word, and we are nourished with the milk of nourishment of thy grace in the bosom of our holy ao mother by the voice of the consolations of the Holy Spirit And thou, O Lord, always hast given to us food and nourishment of thy sons, milking out the milk of life. According to the form and command of creation we offer to thee this milk and honey which 25 flows from the holy Church, our mother, who caused us to grow by her breasts, which were sanctified by thee. O Lord, bless it with blessing and sanctify it with sancti- fying, that it may become to them who partake of it Reading the variant of by etc. incorruptible communion, nourishment and washing ; let it be for instruction in thy fear and in soberness, and for measure of stature, because thine all honourable name has been glorified for ever and ever. Amen. 5 And thou shalt give of his Body, and say : This is the Body of Christ. And he who receives shall say : Amen. And thou shalt give the cup, and say : This is the Blood of Christ And he who receives shall say : Amen and Amen. 10 And afterwards thou shalt pray thus, having laid thy hand upon their head, and say : I bless thee, O Lord, because thou hast imparted to thy servants and thy hand- maids the washing of regeneration for the forgiveness of sin, (and) that which is the grace of the Holy Spirit, the 15 Body and Blood of Christ. We pray thee and we beseech thee, surround thy servants and thy handmaids with the power of thine Angels, and be to them protection by thy divinity, cause them to obtain the heavenly mystery, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom, etc. 30 The ordinance of Baptism is finished. Statute 40. Concerning the fruit which it is seemly to offer. All shall give, and be careful to offer the first fruits of the crops to the bishop, and he shall offer, while 25 blessing and naming him who offers, saying : We give thanks to thee, God, and we present to thee the first fruit of that which thou hast gven to us as good things, having been pleased and by thy word hast commanded the earth to bear its various fruit, for satiety of food Variant oib c de. TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 79 for men and all the animals, that we may glorify thee, O God, in all the profit which thou causest to all creation by various fruits, through thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom to thee with him (be) glory, and with the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen. 5 Concerning the fruits. The priest shall bless these fruits: grapes and figs and pomegranates, and fruit of olive, apples, plums, quinces, peaches, tamarinds, almonds. And they shall not bless Egyptian figs nor garlic nor onions nor any kind of gourds nor any vegetables : nor lo shall they offer any other fruits except flowers of rose. And all which they shall eat, they shall eat with thanks- giving to God, to whom be glory. Give thanks to him while ye take the fruits. Statute 41. Concerning that it is not fitting for any man to eat during the fasts of the Pascha (Fasika), ex- cept at the time in which it is proper to eat. For the following persons the fast shall not be reckoned, either the pregnant or the sick. They who cannot fast the 90 two days shall fast on the sabbath, for it is necessary then that they should fast with bread and water. And if there is one on board ship or one who by some mischance mistook the day; being aware of it, after Pentakoste he shall fast in compensation. It is not the 35 Pascha which he keeps, but a likeness of it after it has passed by : therefore in the second month he shall not omit (to fast), and having returned from his journey he shall do it knowing the certainty. Statute 42. Concerning that it is seemly for the deacons l8o STATUTES OF THE APOSTLES to wait upon the bishop. And every one of the deacons with the subdeacons shall turn to the bishop and tell him concerning the sick, that he may visit them, for if the Chief Priest visits the sick diligently they shall be 5 consoled ; for he has remembered them. Statute 43. Concerning the time in which it is proper to pray. Believers at the time they awake, having risen from sleep, before they do any work, shall wash 10 their hands and pray to God ; and after that they shall go to their work. And if there should be the word of instruction delivered, they shall choose to go thither where is the word of instruction, that is, the word of God, which strengthens the soul. And they shall 15 hasten to go to the church, where is the Spirit, and they shall bear fruit there. Statute 44. Concerning that it is seemly to receive of the Eucharist early at the time when they offer (it) up, 90 before that they taste anything. All believers shall accept the admonition that they should receive of the Mystery before that they taste anything. And if he who receives has faith, then if one gave to him deadly poison it shall not hurt him. Statute 45. Concerning that it is proper to guard the Mystery carefully. It is not seemly that any should be poured from the cup ; but everyone shall be most care- ful lest any beside believers receive of the Mystery ; and 5 that none of it fall or be thrown away ; because it is the Body of Christ : and all believers shall eat of it, and it is TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT l8l not proper to neglect it : [because] it is not seemly that any should be poured from the cup ; because the cup was blessed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that thou shouldst receive of it, because it is the Blood of Christ. But ye shall therefore take the greatest care that none of 5 it be poured out or dropped, lest an alien spirit lick it up, and lest it should be that thou thyself should deny and despise the precious Blood of Christ, with which he redeemed thee, and became to thee the means of his mercy towards thee : and thou shalt be as having denied 10 Christ If a little of his Body has fallen, or if (any) has dropped from the cup, thou shalt find judgment in that thing with which he redeemed thee. Statute 46. Concerning the Deacons and Presbyters. 15 It is seemly that they should assemble every day with the bishop in the place where he is, that he may command them according to order. And the deacons and pres- byters shall not neglect to assemble with the bishop every day, unless sickness of body prevents them. And 20 having assembled together they shall instruct those who are in the churches ; and likewise having prayed, they shall turn each to their own work. Statute 47. Concerning the grave. No man shall 25 compel by his command to bury a man in a grave which is made for all the poor ; but they shall give wages to the hired man who digs, and to him who guards that place, and to him who has the care of those things. And the bishop shall sustain him with what they offer to the 30 churches. – ‘ — 1 82 STATUTES OF THE APOSTLES Statute 48. Concerning the times at which it is seemly to pray, and to hear instruction ; and the sealing the forehead with the sign of the Cross. All believing men and women, having risen at dawn, before they do any 5 work, should wash their hands and pray to God ; and then turn to their works : and if they tell them where is the word of instruction, everyone shall choose to go thither to the place of instruction : and he shall know this in his heart, and consider all which he heard, that 10 God speaks by the mouth of him who instructs, and it is he who dwells in the church, and he shall cause to pass away from him all wickedness in the day ; and it shall be reckoned great loss to him who fears God, if he goes not to where is the place of instruction, and especially 15 for him who can read. And if there is an instructor he shall not defer (from going) to the church and the place where is the instruction. Then indeed to him who speaks shall be gven the word which he speaks. This is profit for everyone, (viz.) what he shall hear; 30 and thou shalt hear that which thou thought not there, and thou shalt profit by that which the Holy Spirit gave to thee by h’im who instructs : and thus thy faith shall become firm because of what thou hearest And further, they shall tell thee in that place what it 35 is proper for thee to do in thy house: and therefore all men shall hasten to go to the church and to the place wherein the Holy Spirit rises (like the sun). And if there is a day on which there is no instruction, every one shall stay in his house, and shall take the holy 50 Scripture and read as well as he can, for it is good And if thou wast in thy house, pray at the third hour TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 83 and glorify God : and if thou wast in another place, and if that hour has come to thee, pray in thy heart to God ; because in that hour they stripped Jesus Christ and nailed him upon the wood of the cross : and therefore the ancient law commanded to give the bread which 5 they offer at the third hour, as a type of the Body of Christ and his precious Blood ; and they sacrificed the Iamb which was a type of the perfect Lamb, for Christ is the Shepherd, and he is the Bread which came down from the heavens. And again pray at the sixth hour ; for 10 at that hour was the hanging of our Lord Christ upon the wood of the cross, and the day was divided and darkness came : and they shall pray at that hour a strong prayer ; and they shall be like the word which our Lord Christ prayed, and made all the world darkness : and 15 the catechumens shall make a great prayer. And at the ninth hour they shall be long in prayer, and a prayer with glorifying, that ye may join in glorifying with the soul of the righteous ones, glorifying the living God who faileth not, who remembered his righteous 20 ones, and sent to them his Son, that is, his Word to enlighten them : because in that hour the side of Christ was pierced, and the blood and water flowed out : and then the rest of the day shone when the evening came. And therefore thou also as thou makest beginning of 25 another day, as a likeness of the Resurrection, pray before thou restest thy body in thy bed. And at midnight having risen from thy bed, and having washed thy hand with water, pray. And if thou hast a wife, both of you pray. And if she has not yet 30 become a believer, go aside from her and pray alone. 1 84 STATUTES OF THE APOSTLES and return again into thy bed. Because thou art bound by marriage thou shalt not leave off praying; because ye are clean, and it is not for you (to be as) unclean. Those who have been baptised require not 5 to be washed again, because they are clean. And if thou breathedst into thy hands and sealest thee with thy spittle which goes forth from thy mouth, thou wilt be clean all over. This is from the Holy Spirit, and the drop of the water of baptism ascends from lo the out-gashing which is the heart of the Faithful, and purifies the believers. At this hour, therefore, they shall pray carefully, because the presbyters who handed down to us thus instructed us, that at this hour all creation prays to God. The stars and the plants stand 15 up, and the waters stand up at that hour, and all the hosts of the heavens, the angels, ministering at that hour, with the soul of the righteous, glorify God. And there- fore it is seemly for all who believe to be careful to pray at that hour. To this our Lord also is being witness, ao thus saying : Behold there was a cry (at) midnight, saying. Behold, the bridegroom has come, rise, go forth to meet him. And he repeated it, saying : Watch, because ye know not in what hour your Lord will come. And at the time of the cock-crow, having 25 risen, likewise pray ; because at this hour, cock-crow, the children of Esrael denied our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom by faith we know how to trust as the eternal light, and while we hope for the resurrection of the dead. All of you of the Faithful therefore doing all 30 this, and looking forward and reminding one another, teach ye this wisdom to the catechumens, having TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 18 first built up (their faith) ; and ye shall not go astray or be lost while ye always remember Christ And always be careful to seal thy forehead, for this sign then of the Passion is manifest against Satan, and signifies that thou makest it in faith. Not for 5 men alone is it made manifest, but know thou that thou puttest on a breastplate of righteousness, and the adversary sees what is in the heart, the rational strength of the inner man, for he was sealed inwardly and outwardly with the seal of the Word. He trembles 10 and flees away in haste (chased) by the Holy Spirit, who indeed is in the man that makes within him an abiding place. This is that which Muse before taught us of the lamb of the Pascha (Fasika) which was slain, and he commanded to smear the blood on the 15 lintel of the door and the door-posts. And the smear- ing declared therefore the faith which now we have, which dwells in us, which He gave us in the pure and perfect Lamb. And for this cause, if we have our foreheads thus sealed with the hand, then we shall 30 be safe from those who wish to kill us. And this if ye learn with thanksgiving and with right faith ye will be indeed strengthened, and He will give you eternal life. This is the ordinance for you that ye may keep it, ye who have sense, if ye heard and kept 35 all, He who keeps the teaching of the Apostles will not be hindered by any heretics. Those are the perverse who went astray and corrupted the teaching of the Apostles. And if men come to them they teach Reading the variant of , etc. 1 86 STATUTES OF THE APOSTLES them in this manner : and these heretics increased, and of course they who listened to them are not willing to learn the commandment of the Aposdes, but do only their own will, that which they chose, and that : which sufficed for them as suiting their heart. And if there is any doctrine that we have diminished, brethren, God will reveal (it) to those who are worthy, while he steers the holy Church into quiet and a harbour. lo Statute 49. Concerning the gift and the office. If any- one has obtained a gift and office he shall not glory over anyone. Our God and Saviour Jesus Christ (is) he who gave us this great mystery of the religion of God, calling the Jews and Gentiles that they might know the one 5 God and Father in truth. As he said himself in the Gospel when giving thanks for the salvation of those who believe on him : I have manifested thy Name to the men : the work which thou gavest me I have finished. And concerning himself he said to the Father : Holy Father, the world indeed knoweth thee not, but I know thee, and these also know thee. Since then we have all been thus made perfect, he said concerning the Spirit of grace which should be given from him : This sign, then, to them who believe (is) that which shall be done in my 25 Name. They shall cast out demons, and they shall speak with tongues, and they shall take serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not affect them, and upon the sick they shall lay their hand and they shall recover. Dillmann, Lex.y col. 221. TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 87 And this grace, then, was first given to us, the Apostles, that in his name we might preach the Gospel to all creation ; and next, to those who believed by us, as is seemly that they should be given to them ; not for the sake of benefiting those who work, but for the sake of s unbelievers, to make them believe : that those who by the Son did not believe in him, the power of the signs might put to shame. For signs are liot for the faithful but for unbelieving, for Jews and Gentiles. Casting out demons is no gain for us, but is done by the working of our Lord lo Christ To those who believe this grace shall be gfiven, as the Lord himself teaches and shows us when he said : Rejoice not because the demons submit to you, but rejoice because your names are written in the heavens. Since the power is his, and ours the faith and diligence, 15 it is clear that we work by him. It is not necessary therefore that a believer should cast out demons, and raise the dead, and speak with tongues, but he who gave the gce (gave it) for that which is seemly, for salvation of unbelievers. Though most men are put to shame, not by the demonstration of the word, but by the working of the signs which is connected with salvation, yet all the wicked are not put to shame by a plague. And God himself testified to this, as he said in the Law : With other tongues I will speak to 5 this people and with other lips, and they will not believe. For neither did the Egyptians believe God, when Moses the prophet worked so many signs and miracles, nor did the Jews, through their malice, believe him, though our Lord Christ for the Jews like Moses healed all infirmity 30 and all sickness among them. Nor again did it put those 1 88 STATUTES OF THE APOSTLES to shame, nor did they believe in it, when the rod became transformed as a serpent, nor the hand when it was made white, nor the river when it became blood, neither by this again did they believe him : nor again were these 5 satisfied when the blind saw and the lame ran and the dead rose. And moreover lyanes and lyanbares opposed that one, and this also Hana and Kayafa insulted. But this one was not sufficient for them, and they ijit, he) were not put lo to shame when he did signs and wonders, but only those of good character with whom God is well pleased, and he only exercises power for them as a wise ordainer, not according to the power of a man, but his own will. This therefore we say that they who received such a grace 15 may not boast over those who received not the grace. I speak therefore about a grace accompanied by a sign, for there is no man who believed in Christ the Son of God, who does not receive a grace of the Holy Spirit. For indeed he who has been transformed from the religion 20 of many evil gods and believed in God the Father and in Christ his Son ; this (in itself) is a grace from God. If he believed in God and cast away the unbelief of the Jews, and confesses (that) according to the will of God who was before the world, the only Son in the last days was 25 bom of a virgin without intercourse of man, and lived with men without sin, fulfilling all the righteousness of the Law, and that by the will of God he was crucified and was buried and rose the third day, and after the resurrec- tion from the dead (for forty days) having been with the 30 Apostles, and having made an end of all his ordinance (to them), he ascended in their presence to him TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT 1 89 who sent him, God the Father. To know this in truth then, not vaguely but as certain, he received a grace from God. So also he who has been transformed from all heresy. Let not therefore any who do a sign and miracle 5 despise any of the believers to whom a working was not imparted. His own are the graces of God which are given through Christ. Thou indeed hast received this, and any of thy neighbours that ; either the word of wisdom, or knowledge, or discerning of spirits, or the word of 10 prescient instruction, or endurance, or lawful continence. Because Moses the man of God, in Egypt, when he worked signs did not magnify himself above the people Esrael, and though he was named god he did not magnify himself nor boasted over his prophet Aaron. 15 Neither did (the son) of Newe lyasu when he was leading the people after him, and while he fought with (the people of) the lyabusewon, and made the sun to stand towards Gabaon and the moon towards the valley of Ailon, because the day was not sufficient for the 20 victory, he did not magnify himself above Fenehas and above Kaleb. Nor did Samuel, though he wrought so many signs, contemn David the beloved of God, both being prophets, the one chief priest and the other king. And the seven thousand who were in Esrael, the holy ones 25 who would not worship Ba’al in bowing the knee, Elyas only amongst them and his assistant Eleseos were workers of a miracle. Neither did Elyassa despise Abdeyu keep- ing the law and fearing God, and he did no signs. And Elesewon did not neglect his assistant when he was 30 afraid of the enemy, but attended to him. And Daniel again, the wise, who was twice saved from the mouth of the lions; and the three children who went forth from the furnace of fire did not despise the others who were another people, because they knew that by their own 5 power they did not overcome the trial, but by the strength of God they both did a sign, and they were saved from the trouble. Therefore let none of you magnify himself above his brother, if he is a prophet or worker of a miracle. If lo indeed it was granted that there should not be any who believed not, superfluous then (would be) all working of signs. For the fearing of God is a matter of faith, and the doing of a sign is of him whose power worked. As regards the first indeed we looked to ourselves, 15 and in the second God works, concerning which we have already spoken. Statute 50. Therefore also let not the king despise any of those who are below him, the magistrates, nor the ao officers who obey him. For if there were not subjects, magistrates would be useless, and if there were not magistrates, the kingdom would not exist for the king. And let not the bishops magnify themselves above the deacons, nor the presbyters again above the 25 people who are below them, because of them consists the constitution of the assembly ; nor shall they say : The bishops and presbyters are taken out of the people. And to be Christians is of ourselves, but (to be) Aposde or bishop or whatever other (order) there Reading the variant of . ‘ See Dillmann, Lex col. 454. TRANSLATION OF THE ETHIOPIC TEXT I9I may be is not of ourselves but of God who gives grace. As much as this then we ourselves say concerning those who have graces imparted to them, and this further we say, going on in speaking. S