The Third Canonical Letter of Basil to Amphilochius, with a Note on Foods

Canon 51. One punishment is to be imposed on clergy who fall: deposition, whether they hold a rank or serve in the ministry that is given without the laying on of hands. [a] Canon 52. A woman who gives birth on the road and neglects her child is guilty of murder, unless she was forced to it by the loneliness of the place and the lack of what she needed. Canon 53. A widowed slave who wanted to marry a second time has perhaps committed no great crime in pretending that she was raped. It is not her pretense that is to be condemned, but her own free choice; yet it is clear that the punishment for a second marriage is due to her. [b] Canon 54. It is in the bishop’s power to increase or lessen the penance for unintentional killing. Canon 55. Those who are not clergy and who attack highwaymen are kept from the communion of the Good Thing; clergymen who do so are deposed. [c]

Canon 56. One who commits murder willfully and afterward repents is to remain without receiving the Holy Sacrament for twenty years. For four years he must mourn outside the door of the house of prayer, asking the communicants as they go in to offer prayer for him. Then for five years he is to be admitted among the hearers, and for seven years among the kneelers. For four years he is to be a co-stander with the communicants, but is not to share in the offering. When these years are completed, he is to share in the Holy Sacrament. [d] Canon 57. One who kills unintentionally is to be a mourner for two years, a hearer for three years, a kneeler for four years and a co-stander for one year, and then receive communion. Canon 58. The adulterer is to be a mourner for four years, a hearer for five, a kneeler for four and a co-stander for two. Canon 59. The fornicator is to be a mourner for two years, a hearer for two, a kneeler for two and a co-stander for one. Canon 60. Professed virgins and monks who fall from their profession are to undergo the penance of adulterers. Canon 61. The thief, if he confesses it himself, is to do one year’s penance; if he is found out by others, two. For half the time he is to be a kneeler, and for the other half a co-stander.

Canon 62. The man who lies with men is to do the penance of an adulterer. Canon 63. The same holds for the one who lies with animals, if they confess it of their own accord. Canon 64. The one who perjures himself is to be a mourner for two years, a hearer for three, a kneeler for four and a co-stander for one. Canon 65. One who confesses to sorcery or the making of potions is to do penance as long as a murderer. [e] Canon 66. One who digs the dead out of their graves is to be a mourner for two years, a hearer for three years, a kneeler for four years and a co-stander for one year. Canon 67. Incest with a sister is punished as murder. Canon 68. Every incestuous union is punished as adultery. Canon 69. A reader or minister who sleeps with a woman to whom he is only betrothed is to be suspended from his duties for one year; but if he is not betrothed to her, he is to give up his ministry altogether. [f] Canon 70. A priest or deacon who is defiled with his lips is to be suspended from his duties, but is to receive communion with the priests or deacons. One who has gone further is to be deposed. [g] Canon 71. One proved to have known of any of these crimes without revealing it is to be treated as the one who committed it. Canon 72. One who gives himself to divination is to be treated as a murderer.

Canon 73. One who has denied Christ is to be given communion at the hour of death, if he confesses his sin, and is to be a mourner until then. Canon 74. The bishop, who has the power of binding and loosing, may shorten the time of penance for a penitent who is in earnest. Canon 75. One who commits incest with a half-sister is to be a mourner for three years, a hearer for three years and a co-stander for two years. Canon 76. The same holds for the one who takes his son’s wife in marriage. Canon 77. One who divorces his wife and marries another is an adulterer. According to the canons of the fathers, he is to be a mourner for one year, a hearer for two years, a kneeler for three years and a co-stander for one year, if they repent with tears. Canon 78. The same holds for the one who marries two sisters, one after the other. Canon 79. The same holds for the one who is mad with passion for his mother-in-law or his sister. Canon 80. The fathers say nothing about polygamy, as being a thing fit for animals and contrary to human nature. To us it seems a greater sin than fornication. So let those guilty of it be subject to the canons: after they have been mourners for one year, let them be kneelers for three years, and then be received. [h]

Canon 81. Those who, in the invasion of the barbarians, after long torture, ate of the magical food offered to idols and swore pagan oaths are not to be received for three years; for two years let them be hearers, for three years kneelers, and so let them be received. But those who did it without being forced are to be shut out for three years, then be hearers for two years, kneelers for three years and co-standers for three years, and so be admitted to communion. [i] Canon 82. Those who were driven to perjury by force are to be admitted after six years. But if they did it without force, let them be mourners for two years, hearers for two years, kneelers in the fifth year, and co-standers for two years. Canon 83. Those who follow pagan customs, or bring people into their houses to prepare potions or to undo them, are to be mourners for one year, hearers for one year, kneelers for three years and co-standers for one year. [j] Canon 84. We do not judge only by the length of time, but by the way the penance is carried out. If any will not be drawn away from their fleshly pleasures, and choose to serve them rather than the Lord, we have no fellowship with them. Canon 85. Let us take care that we do not perish with them. Let us warn them night and day, so that we may rescue them from the snare, or at least save ourselves from sharing their condemnation.

Canon 86. Against the Encratites, who would not eat meat. [k]