Chapter 37

1Concerning the time at which it is seemly ^ 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 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 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. 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 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 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 your coming as they eat : and further, those who are invited shall eat without conversing, but when the bishop 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 shall be without the bishop at the supper, either from the presbyter or the deacon they shall take the Eulog^a 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 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 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 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, 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 to give thanks, the bishop shall first give the salutation, 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 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 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 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 risen up therefore after supper, the children and virgins having prayed, they shall say the psalms : and afterwards the deacon, holding the mingled cup of the Presfora, shall say the psalm from that in which (is) written Hale luya, [and] after that the presbyter has comas manded : * And likewise from those psalms.' And afterwards 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 : glorified and praised is he who founded all the world with one word. And likewise, the psalm having been 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 as of our Lord.