Canons attributed to Gregory the Illuminator

Canons of the Holy Gregory, Fifty Chapters. I. Concerning priests who sin. II. Concerning a priest who takes a wife. III. Concerning a priest who takes usury. IV. Concerning those who eat in the houses of pagans. V. Concerning a virgin and a twin. VI. He who leaves the second wife and returns to the first. VII. Those who eat in a place. VIII. A priest who secretly performs a marriage. IX. Concerning offerings. X. Those who mount horses in a disorderly manner. XI. Concerning those who have been castrated. XII. Concerning sorcerers. XIII. He who has dedicated his virginity to God. XIV. A child who dies without baptism. XV. He who opens a grave for a profit. XVI. Concerning those who plunder the table. XVII. Concerning those who set up a lamentation. XVIII. Concerning the relics of martyrs. XIX. Concerning those who observe the mixing of animals. XX. Concerning hermits. XXI. Concerning having the commandment of the dead. XXII. Concerning secret confession. XXIII. Concerning he who would dismiss his wife. XXIV. Concerning he who leaves his wife. XXV. Concerning he who becomes a drunkard. XXVI. Concerning he who takes a bribe. XXVII. Concerning palm-readers. XXVIII. Concerning Sunday. XXIX. Concerning cursing in vain. XXX. Concerning monozonites.

Canons of the Holy Gregory the Illuminator of the Armenians XI (XVII) I. A priest who has fallen into sin shall do penance for 10 years with fervent heart, with tears, with the sufferings of the destitute, and then, having entered, shall he communicate? XII (XVIII) II. A priest who takes a wife shall do penance for 5 years outside, 2 within, and shall remain without communion for 2 months, and then shall communicate. XIII (XIX) III. A priest who lends his silver at interest shall be expelled from the church. XIV (XX) IV. Those who go to the houses of pagans and eat and drink indiscriminately shall do penance for 3 years outside, then shall they be worthy to communicate. XV (XXI) V. One who [takes] one wife and a second [wife] — for 2 years outside, and not with the lawful. XVI (XXII) VI. If someone leaves the second and returns to the first, the one left — for 7 years outside and 1 with the lawful. XVII (XXIII) VII. If someone eats in a place, he shall forbid the eating and give the same amount to the poor. XVIII (XXIV) VIII. If someone secretly places a crown, the crowner shall be dissolved. XIX (XXV) IX. If someone commits adultery, the crown shall be invalid, and the crowned one shall be with whomever she wishes. (XXVI) X. One who [sins] with a mare, with a she-ass, in a bestial manner — for 3 years outside and 1 within. XXI (XXVII) XI. For those who have intercourse — for 3 years outside and 1 within. XXII (XXVIII) XII. For sorcerers — for 5 years outside and 1 within, with great mercy. XXIII (XXIX) XIII. One who dedicated his virginity to God and then corrupted it shall do penance for 7 years. XXIV (XXX) XIV.

Canon 15 (15). A child who dies unbaptized, if it be due to the negligence of the parents, shall be [excluded] for 5 years outside [the church], and 1 year within the canons. The same applies to the guardians and the priests who were negligent. Canon 16 (16). One who opens a grave for the sake of gain: 4 years outside and 1 year within. Canon 17 (17). Those who plunder the [church] feast: 15 years outside and 1 year within. Canon 18 (18). Those who set up a lamentation and tear their hair, or strike their forehead, shall be accursed in life and in death. Canon 19 (19). It is not permitted to place the relics of martyrs [in a place] and celebrate the liturgy upon them. Canon 20 (20). It is not permitted for a Christian to observe the couplings of animals, especially of women; the laws command this, and whoever is found [doing so] shall be accursed. Canon 21 (21). The canons do not permit hermits to perform baptism or to give laws to the people, or to perform marriage, for this is the work of bishops. Canon 22 (22). If anyone violates the command of a deceased person and scorns it, he shall be accursed. Canon 23 (23). If any priest reveals the secret confession of someone, he shall fall from his rank and be dismissed from the order of the ministry, and the sins of those who did not confess shall fall upon him. Canon 24 (24). He who dismisses his wife on account of fornication shall separate [from her], but he shall be purified for 1 year. Canon 25 (25). A man who abandons his wife on pretexts of piety shall be accursed in life and in death. Canon 26 (26).

If any priest, deacon, or cleric becomes intoxicated, let him not be permitted to approach the liturgy or his office until he has done penance with many tears and with compassion for the poor, for drunkards are as murderers. Canon 16 (22). If any priest or layman takes a bribe, let the curse of Simon Magus come upon them, and let them be partakers of the bribe of the traitor Judas, and let the souls of the bribe-takers be afflicted with the leprosy of Gehazi. Canon 17 (23). For those who practice usury: one year outside [the church] and one year within, let them atone with tears and alms. Canon 18 (24). It is fitting for Christians to honor the Lord's Day, to pray and to rest on it; but if anyone observes it in a Jewish manner, let him be anathematized by Christ. Canon 19 (25). A priest who anathematizes unjustly shall himself be anathematized by Christ. Canon 20 (26). A virgin who has consecrated herself to God, likewise a monk, shall not be permitted to marry; but if one is found [doing so], let him be removed from communion and let the bishop see the fault and deal with it mercifully as he wishes.

Canon of Saint Gregory the Parthian, Questions and Answers Question: Who is the father of death? Answer: Envy. Question: Whence is it manifest? Answer: From this, that through envy the murderer entered the world. Question: And who is the mother of sins? Answer: Covetousness, as it is said: The root of all evils is love of silver. Question: Who is it that leads into eternal life? Answer: Meekness, because of which the Holy Spirit says: In whom shall I dwell, if not in the meek and the humble and those who tremble at my words? Question: And who is the cause of the hells? Answer: Shamelessness, because of which it is said: Not so much does one hate the lawless as the shameless. Question: Can sorcerers change the nature of created things? Answer: If they can establish, then they can also change. Question: Behold, we hear many things, that they change men into the forms of beasts. Answer: Not everything that is before the eyes is called truth, just as the shadow of a man is not called a man. They can show likenesses and forms, but in truth they cannot show nor change the creations of the Creator, for He who created, He alone can change. Question: They show certain books, that the sorcerers did that which Moses did. Answer: Do you look to the vain speech or to the truth of the things?

whether truly, as Moses acted with truth, it was not right to take what Moses had done. They would reveal the truth and the falsehood, so that one dragon would stand and devour many dragons, and no shadow, likeness, or place would even appear. Then when the blows turned against the sorcerers, their deceit and trickery became evident, and under compulsion they confessed that it was the hand of God. But if they had been able, they would have turned the blows against Moses and Aaron. Question: They could do nothing to Moses, because God was with him, but they can do evil and good to sinners. Answer: Not only are sorcerers unable to reach sinners for good or evil, but they cannot even reach irrational animals, except what God delivers. But without God they cannot kill, for the exits of death are from the Lord. The sinner awaits the righteous, but the Lord will mock them and will not deliver him into their hands. Not even a sparrow falls into a snare without the command of the Father of the flock, who is in heaven, for everything came to be through Him and passes away through His dispensation. Question: Cain killed Abel without God, and the slayer of Cain killed Cain without God, and Herod killed John, and all the righteous died without God at the hands of the lawless. Answer: If a man exists without God, then he dies.

The fornicator is not by God's command, nor does the sinner put the righteous to death by God's command, but Satan is the cause of evils. God is unsearchable to angels and inaccessible to all, for he who searches the sea dies. God is the cause of existence, for he blessed from the beginning the righteous to grow and multiply. When the male approaches the female, God's command is fulfilled; growth occurs according to the primordial command of God. God is the cause of existence and not Satan, as it is said: Without God nothing came to be. Satan is the cause of temptations. Likewise, the command of death is from God: On the day you eat, you shall die; he came and died. Christ came and slew death and made men alive. Christ Himself by His own will died at the hands of the lawless, and allowed the righteous to die at the hands of the wicked, so that they might rejoice in the kingdom, as it is written: They die with Christ, and with Him they shall reign. Now, those who give the glory of God and the honor of creation to Satan, their inheritance is the fire of Gehenna. Question: Can sorcerers give children to barren women and make the inside of the wombs (that is, the inside of the pregnant wombs) good? Answer: There are many causes of barrenness; that which God has forbidden, no one can be capable of assisting it—neither sorcerer nor physician.

But if there be any causes of pains, even physicians can correct them with medicines by God's influence. Yet without God, even if all physicians and sorcerers were gathered, they could not give children to Sarah. What the hand of the Highest has closed, no one can open. Question: What is the cause of demonic possession in men? Answer: It occurs because of men's pride, for a child who is well-disciplined and wise does not drink from the hand; but one who is foolish is always ready to drink. Question: Sinners are tormented for their sins, but why do demons possess innocent children? Answer: God calls every man to adoption, as He did Israel: "He is my firstborn son Israel, and I bore and raised sons." Now, if those who are shut up under the law are called sons, how much more so we who are freed, of whom it is said: "He gave them authority to be sons of God." Now, just as God has brought us to sonship, so at times He chastens our beasts, at times our garden and our vineyards, that by looking upon them we may take thought to enter under the yoke and serve the Lord with both hands. Then, if even by this we are not chastened, He sends upon us various torments of pains and with affliction, He delivers even our children to demons, that we may take thought: "The righteous man barely lives, but where does the wicked man live?

And concerning children, this happens so that the righteous may not cease from doing good, and the sinner may not be able to persist in sin. And this is not obligatory, but the evil deeds of men provoke God, and by such a command he delivers our children to the demons. For just as by others' faiths he healed the paralytic and granted him remission of sins, so also by other torments he brings many to fear: some with innocent children, and some with those who have sinned, as the Benefactor alone knows. And it is not that the torment of demons is for the condemnation of a person's soul, but rather for its correction—especially if one is innocent; and for the sake of another's fear, he delivers them to such torments, which, like a whip hung in the house of a ruler, terrifies those who see it; likewise, the affliction of children brings sinners to repentance. But they say: sorcerers summon the demons and expel them. Sorcerers cannot expel demons. The Lord said: Satan does not expel Satan. A man who abandons God—sanctity, fasting, prayer—and relies on diviners and sorcerers, and breaks his hope in God, Christ permits demons to dwell in him and torment him and demand his soul and take it to hell, like the souls of the lawless. Sorcerers are altars of demons and are not counted among Christians. You cannot see any of the sorcerers passing over or without demons.

We also see the sorcerers always tormented by the demons, and especially the mad ones, for first they themselves go mad and are possessed by the fury of the demons, and they promise to give healing to the enlightened ones through themselves. But they are not able, for everything is in the hand of God, as the prophet said: I kill and I make alive. Satan cannot enter a man except by the command of God, and not only into a man, but not even into beasts. But God set Satan as a tempter, and he tempts through him, as the prophet said: Put silver into the furnace, if it be a test. As for them, Christ was tempted by Satan, and Christ commanded you to remain in prayer, not to enter into temptation, nor even to tolerate sins. But because the evil one is warlike and seeks to destroy everything, Christ said: Satan sought to sift you. According to Satan's request, he gave them into temptation. And with the authority they had received from Christ, they went upon the serpent and the stone and trampled and struck the ground. And contrary to Job, Satan became a reward-distributor by God's word to Satan: You looked upon Job, and he gave him and his children and his possessions. He gave victory to Job on account of his righteousness, he struck the evil one and overcame him and was proclaimed. But God gives everyone into temptation, the Baptist witnesses, saying.

Again, after me, he whose winnowing fork is in his hand to purify his own measure and to gather the wheat into granaries and to burn the chaff with inextinguishable fire. He declared summarily that just as a heap of grain is not cleansed without wind from the threshing floor, so also a man cannot enter the kingdom without vanquishing Satan. And the weapons of satanic warfare are these: sorceries, enchantments, divinations, astrology, and the like. What he says is of the measure of mortal sin—these are blasphemies. Forgiveness of all sins exists through penance, but concerning this, our Lord Christ gave a summary judgment: He who blasphemes the Holy Spirit, do not forgive him. For this reason he says: Do not forgive him, for he is not worthy of penance. As a shepherd, when he sees a wolf scattering the flock and sees the belly torn open, he leaves the lamb to the wolf and goes away; likewise, the shepherd Christ disregards and abandons the blasphemer of the Holy Spirit. For this reason the apostle says: If we willfully sin after receiving knowledge, then the sacrifice is useless for the sinner. And every one who is a Christian and has been enlightened from the font by the Holy Spirit and rebels against God, falls into the hands of Satan, and drives the Holy Spirit from himself, and lives with demons and with various charms and sorceries, such a one is not worthy of penance, and Satan does not allow him to do penance.

For this reason it was written: "There are sins that are sins, and there is one that is of the measure of death." According to which Christ also said concerning Judas: "The devil is in your midst." And although the devil strove by means of theft to make him an altar, yet without Christ he could not enter; but when he gave the occasion and said, "Do what you are about to do," after he gave the occasion, then the devil entered into him. And as for the demon-possessed, who were tormented by demons, if the guardian of the powers did not protect them, they would have been strangled by grievous afflictions. But not only the demon-possessed, but also their own servants, if the fear of God did not protect them, they would strangle them with various strangulations; yet they are not able to lay hands and cannot bring themselves to think. Question: Are there births of demons and death, do they grow and diminish? Answer: First let us see whether there are other rational creatures besides angels, humans, and demons, and then let us come to whether demons are partly corporeal and partly incorporeal. For there are no other rational creatures besides these three kinds, as is evident from the Divine Scriptures and from the nature of creatures.

Even if the ushpaparik, hambaru, parik, and pay say so, they speak according to the presumed thoughts of men and not according to nature, for it is of demons to show forms, and men name the forms, as when cities and villages are destroyed, and there demons dwell and show themselves in various forms, and men, according to the form of the appearance, have given names and call one ushpaparik, another hambaru. Likewise also the books give their names, to signify the severity of the devastation of the world, saying that ushpaparik dwell in ruins, for in the Greek language ushpaparik is translated as "onocentaur." Now, do they show that onocentaurs are found in Babylon? Therefore it is evident that they are mere names and not species, and the books, according to the custom of human speech, named the demons that dwell in the ruins of Babylon. And by the same influence of the demons, men babble, saying that the sea-monster came forth from a cow, the pay from a river, the aralez from a dog, the khandil from a donkey, and the nahang from a horse. And these are not species, but names and fables of the pagan idolaters. For those who worshipped the demons, they sacrificed to the demons as if to a dog, and the same custom of error took hold of the land. And they did not turn away from the demon-worshipping madness among Christians, and there was none among the leaders who would shepherd according to the preaching of the Gospel.

This they do not know, that from the corporeal nothing incorporeal emerges, and from the incorporeal nothing corporeal. Never has a *payn* come forth from men, from which they say, "it shows its face," nor from cows, nor from the sea-calf, nor from the *covaki* dwelling therein. For it is impossible for a land-dwelling corporeal being to dwell in the waters, nor for a water-dwelling one on dry land. And no power (I mean from a dog) has ever existed that would stand with invisible forces, and that which they call *shlez-n*, that it licks the wounded in battle and they are healed—these are the babblings of pagans and the fables of old women, especially a delusion of demons. But they stubbornly insist, saying, "Even in our time we constantly hear the voice of the sea-calf," and one says, "I myself have seen the *payn* with my own eyes," and another, "I myself have seen the *aralez* licking." And thus they persist like pagans, not knowing that demons take on forms and produce a terrible voice. And the Apostle says: "Satan transforms himself into an angel of light," how much more into the forms of beasts to terrify men. "Not so," they say, "but in ancient times they healed the wounds of battle with their tongue." Foolish ones, then why do they not heal now? Are not the same battles still occurring? They say, "In those days there were demigods." Is it fitting for Christians to speak thus? What are these demigods? Are they incorporeal or corporeal? It is evident that they were corporeal men who, having taken the phantoms of men as objects of worship, called them gods.

Then if they were incorporeal, it is evident that it is not possible for the incorporeal to marry women. For if that were possible, they could procreate. But it was not possible, for that which is incorporeal is also seedless, for seed belongs to corporeal beings and not to incorporeal ones. For just as there is no birth among demons, so also there is no death, although the Divinity is immortal; yet immortality was granted to angels and to the sons (that is, souls) of men. And demons have neither growth nor diminution, but growth in humans occurs through marriage, and death occurs because of transgression of commandments, in body and not in soul. And there is no other creature by which one can take form, neither dragon nor any other, but only angels and demons. Question: The *kʿaǰkʿ* are invisible creatures of God; they wage wars, they strike down game, they carry the arms of fortresses, and they suck the blood of the clans of *andēkʿ* like dragons from the harvests. Answer: The earth is filled with such foolishness. Is it possible to call such beings Christian? There has never been a *kʿaǰ* nor a dragon. "Dragon" is a word; whatever is great on earth is called a dragon according to the Scriptures, as it is said, "You crushed the head of the dragon upon the waters," just as a large-bodied and mighty man is called a *skay*. Question: They say.

Lords of heroes and dragons (that is, temples) are on high mountains and dwellings, and they hold Alexander bound in Rome, and Artavazd on Masis, and Aruand in rivers and in cellars. Response: Of the sons of men, Enoch and Elijah are living, but all others have tasted death. But it is the deception of demons that deluded the pagan Armenians, saying that a certain Artavazd is imprisoned by dragons on Masis, and that he is alive and will come forth and take the world. And when some foolish Armenian princes asked the magicians about the end of the imprisonment, when Artavazd's release from his bonds would occur, they said: If you do not wish his release, give an order throughout all the land of Armenia to the smiths, that on the day of Navasard, every smith should strike with his hammer upon his anvil, and the chains of Artavazd will be strengthened thereby. The same order is carried out now: every smith strikes with his hammer upon his anvil. Thus Satan magnifies the dragon before their eyes, so that when terrible things appear, they might take it as an object of worship, whether it be a river monster or a shahapet. After causing this belief, he himself appears in a shadowy form as a terrifying vision, and terrifies them in the form of either a dragon, or a monster, or a shahapet, so that by this he might turn men away from the Creator.

If it were a physical being, it would not sometimes be called a bull like a woman, nor would it sometimes appear as a man and sometimes as a serpent, by which means the worship of serpents was devised to be introduced into the world. Likewise also the dragon: it never appeared as a dragon, but sometimes as a serpent, sometimes as a man, as we have shown. But if it is something physical, then it does not change; yet if some appear and disappear in the plains of the horse, and in the fields they cast off their garments and run after wild beasts, these are demons taking form to deceive men.