22. Evergetis - Dumbarton Oaks

ELEVENTH CENTURY
Concerning the two short fasts, that of the Holy Apostles and that of Christmas. 24
The procedure for the fast of the Holy Apostles will be laid down immediately next. After the
completion of the whole canonical office of the hours and the divine liturgy as the synaxarion
prescribes in detail, 25 you should be summoned to the refectory at the seventh hour in accordance
with the rule laid down above, and there you should eat two dishes cooked with olive oil and drink
wine of the larger measure. Also supper should be set out for you consisting of a small piece of
bread and the same amount of wine, namely a larger measure, because of the heat and dryness of
the season. However we will not eat fish provided by the monastery; but if some were to come as
a refreshment, then we should partake of it gratefully, for it is not right to forbid this during these
two lesser fasts.
The fast of the Holy Nativity will be similar to that of the Holy Apostles in both food and
drink, after the completion [p. 45] of course of the whole canonical office according to the
synaxarion. 26 It will differ from it in these two points only—in not performing the divine liturgy
each day during the period of the fast, for the day being short does not provide enough time, and
in eating once. For your food should be set out for you at the ninth hour during the period of a fast,
as has been said; and it will always be a fast when “God is the Lord” (Ps. 117 [118]: 27) is not sung
at matins but “Alleluia.” So these rules should be kept in this way.
11. Concerning the way that the feasts of Our Lord and those of the most holy Mother of God must
be celebrated.
All the divine feasts of Our Lord and those of our Lady and benefactress, the most holy
Mother of God, should be celebrated by you differently from the rest, in the singing of psalms I
mean, in the lighting of lamps, and in your own meals. The feast of her holy Metastasis, which we
in fact call her Dormition, should be celebrated by you in a splendid and sumptuous manner, for it
will be the feast of feasts and the festival of festivals. During this feast we order a distribution to
be made at the gate of as much as we are able, and may your hand be generous. Now that we have
discussed these matters sufficiently, we will, as is necessary, mention the others.
12. Concerning the fact that the monastery is to be independent and under its own control.
We instruct all in the name of our Lord God the Ruler of All that this holy monastery is to be
independent, free of everyone’s control, and self-governing, and not subject to any rights, be they
imperial or ecclesiastic or of a private person, but it should be watched over, steered, governed,
and directed only by the Mother of God Evergetis who is worthy of all praise, by the prayer of our
most blessed and holy father, and by the one acting as superior in it, and furthermore in accordance
with the chrysobulls of the emperors now dead, 27 by which its independence and freedom
from all control is most strongly confirmed for you, and through which you will have an independence
undisturbed, completely steadfast, and unshaken.
If anyone ever at any time and in any way wishes to gain control over this monastery or put it
in subjection or place it under someone’s power, whether he be an emperor or a patriarch or some
other member of the clergy or of the senate or even the superior of this monastery himself or its
steward or simply one of its brothers prompted by an attack of the devil, not only will he be held
responsible for the divine body and blood of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ and to the
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