Original - The Coptic Orthodox Church

53
he could not flee, / because the divine providence hindered
him; and they drove him forth from the holy place. But
instead of fleeing, n he, as they tell, continued fighting with
K f. iiy/> the priests, since the guardian had not laid hold upon him.*
And still went he not forth but rather remained, smiting
them and being smitten, if perchance he might be able to
take the vessels. And while he was yet embroiled with them,
the officers came upon him and laid hold of him and de
livered him unto the authority, because that he had ventured
and entered in unto the holy vessels. But we, O my brethren,
let us keep ourselves from all such wickedness.
( 9 1 )- l And as for the feasts of the martyrs, they like
wise shall be thus observed, with much care and in great
order, assemblies being made thereat and the whole night
spent in Psalm-singing and prayers and holy readings.
( Q2). s As for monks, there shall none of the monks
or nuns go to any of the inartyria, that \sx the places of
the martyrs sl
, or to places of enjoyment, there to relax them
selves. But in every monastery of virgins, its nuns shall
remain, on the nights of the martyrs (feasts), in their mon
astery, as if gathered at the placed of the martyrs, praying;
and when it is the hour Q{ dd the offering, they shall exhort
them. They shall go unto the church, before the reading
of the Psalms, and when they come forth, they shall walk
by twos and their mother before them, and they shall not
/ Mp. fled not. // M. desiring to flee.
q R. Contents: Concerning the feasts of the martyrs.
s R. Contents: Of this, that monks may not go to feasts.
x R. or. ct R. places. dd Mv. -\- the liturgy and of.
81 Cf. Can. Basil. 31 (KRQ. p. 249), 33 (p. 250), Laod. 9, Gangr. 20.
Athanasius employs the word notprvptov in the same sense in Migne, PG. 25,
736D [and in the 4jd Festal Let. (Brit. Mus., Or. 358 ( A. 2) he inveighs
against those who seek oracles at the martyrs tombs. W.E.C.]. Can. 35 of
Elvira (306) has the same intention : Placitit prohiberi ne foeminae in coetne-
terio pervigilent^ eo quod saepc, sub obtentu orationis^ latenter scelera com-
mittunt. For a description of such festivals v. Leipoldt, Schenute 30.