A collection of texts concerning Quartodecimanism.

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Ben C. Smith
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A collection of texts concerning Quartodecimanism.

Post by Ben C. Smith »

Have been tracking down various groups from century II, and am just putting these texts on a thread for ease of reference. Suggestions for other key texts are welcome.

Apollinaris of Hierapolis apud the Chronicon Paschale:

Καὶ Ἀπολλινάριος δὲ ὁ ὁσιώτατος ἐπίσκοπος Ἱεραπόλεως τῆς Ἀσίας, ὁ ἐγγὺς τῶν ἀποστολικῶν χρόνων γεγονώς, ἐν τῷ περὶ τοῦ πάσχα λόγῳ τὰ παραπλήσια ἐδίδαξε, λέγων οὕτως· «Εἰσὶ τοίνυν οἳ δι' ἄγνοιαν φιλονεικοῦσι περὶ τούτων, συγγνωστὸν πρᾶγμα πεπονθότες· ἄγνοια γὰρ οὐ κατηγορίαν ἀναδέχεται, ἀλλὰ διδαχῆς προσδεῖται· καὶ λέγουσιν ὅτι τῇ ιδʹ τὸ πρόβατον μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν ἔφαγεν ὁ κύριος, τῇ δὲ μεγάλῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν ἀζύμων αὐτὸς ἔπαθεν, καὶ διηγοῦνται Ματθαῖον οὕτω λέγειν ὡς νενοήκασιν· ὅθεν ἀσύμφωνός τε νόμῳ ἡ νόησις αὐτῶν καὶ στασιάζειν δοκεῖ κατ' αὐτοὺς τὰ εὐαγγέλια.» / And Apollinarius also, the most hallowed bishop of Hierapolis of Asia, who was near apostolic times, in the volume concerning the Passover taught similar things, speaking thus: "There are some, then, who raise disputes about these things through ignorance, thus suffering from a pardonable circumstance, for ignorance does not admit of accusation but rather requires further teaching; and they say that on the 14th the Lord ate the lamb with the disciples, and that on the great day of Unleavened Bread he himself suffered, and they report Matthew as speaking thus, just as they opine. Wherefore their opinion is at discord with the law, and the gospels seem to be at variance against them."

Καὶ πάλιν ὁ αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ γέγραφεν αὕτως· «Ἡ ιδʹ τὸ ἀληθινὸν τοῦ κυρίου πάσχα, ἡ θυσία ἡ μεγάλη, ὁ ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀμνοῦ παῖς θεοῦ, ὁ δεθείς, ὁ δήσας τὸν ἰσχυρόν, καὶ ὁ κριθεὶς κριτὴς ζώντων καὶ νεκρῶν, καὶ ὁ παραδοθεὶς εἰς χεῖρας ἁμαρτωλῶν ἵνα σταυρωθῇ, ὁ ὑψωθεὶς ἐπὶ κεράτων μονοκέρωτος καὶ ὁ τὴν ἁγίαν πλευρὰν ἐκκεντηθείς, ὁ ἐκχέας ἐκ τῆς πλευρᾶς αὐτοῦ τὰ δύο πάλιν καθάρσια, ὕδωρ καὶ αἷμα, λόγον καὶ πνεῦμα, καὶ ὁ ταφεὶς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τοῦ πάσχα, ἐπιτεθέντος τῷ μνήματι τοῦ λίθου.» / And again the same man in the same volume has written likewise: "The 14th is the true Passover of the Lord, the great sacrifice, the child of God instead of the lamb, the one bound, the one who has bound the strong, and the judge who has judged living and dead; even the one who has been delivered into the hands of sinners in order to be crucified, the unicorn lifted up on horns and pierced in his holy side, the one who had pour out from his side the two things which are cleansing again: water and blood, word and spirit; and the one buried on the day of the Passover, a stone having been placed upon the memorial."

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies 8.18.1-2:

1 Ἕτεροι δέ τινες, φιλόνεικοι τὴν φύσιν, ἰδιῶται τὴν γνῶσιν, μαχιμώτεροι τὸν τρόπον, συ<νι>στάνουσι δεῖν τὸ πάσχα τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ πρώτου μηνὸς φυλάσσειν κατὰ τὴν τοῦ νόμου διαταγήν, ἐν ᾗ <δ'> ἂν ἡμέρᾳ ἐμπέσῃ, ὑφορώμενοι τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐν <τῷ> νόμῳ, [ὡς] ἐπικατάρατον ἔσεσθαι τὸν μὴ φυλάξαντα οὕτως <ὡς> διαστέλλεται· οὐ προσέχουσι δὲ ὅτι Ἰουδαίοις ἐνομοθετεῖτο, τοῖς μέλλουσι τὸ ἀληθινὸν πάσχα ἀναιρεῖν, τὸ εἰς ἔθνη χωρῆσαν καὶ πίστει νοούμενον, οὐ γράμματι συντηρούμενον. 2 οἳ μιᾷ ταύτῃ προσέχοντες ἐντολῇ οὐκ ἀφορῶσιν εἰς τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀποστόλου, ὅτι «διαμαρτύρομαι παν(τὶ) περιτεμνομένῳ ὅτι ὀφειλέτης ἐστὶ τοῦ πάντα τὸν νόμον ποιῆσαι». ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἑτέροις οὗτοι συμφωνοῦσι πρὸς πάντα τὰ τῇ ἐκκλη(σίᾳ) ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων παραδεδομένα. / 1 And certain other (heretics), contentious by nature, (and) wholly uniformed as regards knowledge, as well as in their manner more (than usually) quarrelsome, combine (in maintaining) that Easter should be kept on the fourteenth day of the first month, according to the commandment of the law, on whatever day (of the week) it should occur. (But in this) they only regard what has been written in the law, that he will be accursed who does not so keep (the commandment) as it is enjoined. They do not, however, attend to this (fact), that the legal enactment was made for Jews, who in times to come should kill the real Passover. And this (paschal sacrifice, in its efficacy,) has spread unto the Gentiles, and is discerned by faith, and not now observed in letter (merely). 2 They attend to this one commandment, and do not look unto what has been spoken by the apostle: For I testify to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to keep the whole law [Galatians 5.3]. In other respects, however, these consent to all the traditions delivered to the Church by the Apostles.

Pseudo-Tertullian, Against All Heresies 8.1:

1 Est praeterea his omnibus etiam Blastus accedens, qui latenter Iudaismum vult introducere. Pascha enim dicit non aliter custodiendum esse, nisi secundum legem Moysi XIIII. mensis. Quis autem nesciat quoniam evangelica gratia evacuatur, si ad legem Christum rediget? / 1 In addition to all these, there is likewise Blastus, who would latently introduce Judaism. For he says the Passover is not to be kept otherwise than according to the law of Moses, on the fourteenth of the month. But who would fail to see that evangelical grace is escheated if he recalls Christ to the Law?

Eusebius, History of the Church 5.23.1-3:

1 Ζητήσεως δῆτα κατὰ τούσδε οὐ σμικρᾶς ἀνακινηθείσης, ὅτι δὴ τῆς Ἀσίας ἁπάσης αἱ παροικίαι ὡς ἐκ παραδόσεως ἀρχαιοτέρας σελήνης τὴν τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτην ᾤοντο δεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ σωτηρίου πάσχα ἑορτῆς παραφυλάττειν, ἐν ᾗ θύειν τὸ πρόβατον Ἰουδαίοις προηγόρευτο, ὡς δέον ἐκ παντὸς κατὰ ταύτην, ὁποίᾳ δἂν ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἑβδομάδος περιτυγχάνοι, τὰς τῶν ἀσιτιῶν ἐπιλύσεις ποιεῖσθαι, οὐκ ἔθους ὄντος τοῦτον ἐπιτελεῖν τὸν τρόπον ταῖς ἀνὰ τὴν λοιπὴν ἅπασαν οἰκουμένην ἐκκλησίαις, ἐξ ἀποστολικῆς παραδόσεως τὸ καὶ εἰς δεῦρο κρατῆσαν ἔθος φυλαττούσαις, ὡς μηδ´ ἑτέρᾳ προσήκειν παρὰ τὴν τῆς ἀναστάσεως τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἡμέρᾳ τὰς νηστείας ἐπιλύεσθαι. 2 Σύνοδοι δὴ καὶ συγκροτήσεις ἐπισκόπων ἐπὶ ταὐτὸν ἐγίνοντο, πάντες τε μιᾷ γνώμῃ δι´ ἐπιστολῶν ἐκκλησιαστικὸν δόγμα τοῖς πανταχόσε διετυποῦντο ὡς ἂν μηδ´ ἐν ἄλλῃ ποτὲ τῆς κυριακῆς ἡμέρᾳ τὸ τῆς ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεως ἐπιτελοῖτο τοῦ κυρίου μυστήριον, καὶ ὅπως ἐν ταύτῃ μόνῃ τῶν κατὰ τὸ πάσχα νηστειῶν φυλαττοίμεθα τὰς ἐπιλύσεις. 3 Φέρεται δ´ εἰς ἔτι νῦν τῶν κατὰ Παλαιστίνην τηνικάδε συγκεκροτημένων γραφή, ὧν προυτέτακτο Θεόφιλος τῆς ἐν Καισαρείᾳ παροικίας ἐπίσκοπος καὶ Νάρκισσος τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ Ῥώμης δ´ ὁμοίως ἄλλη περὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ζητήματος, ἐπίσκοπον Βίκτορα δηλοῦσα, τῶν τε κατὰ Πόντον ἐπισκόπων, ὧν Πάλμας ὡς ἀρχαιότατος προυτέτακτο, καὶ τῶν κατὰ Γαλλίαν δὲ παροικιῶν, ἃς Εἰρηναῖος ἐπεσκόπει, 4 ἔτι τε τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ὀσροηνὴν καὶ τὰς ἐκεῖσε πόλεις, καὶ ἰδίως Βακχύλλου τῆς Κορινθίων ἐκκλησίας ἐπισκόπου, καὶ πλείστων ὅσων ἄλλων, οἳ μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν δόξαν τε καὶ κρίσιν ἐξενηνεγμένοι, τὴν αὐτὴν τέθεινται ψῆφον. Καὶ τούτων μὲν ἦν ὅρος εἷς, ὁ δεδηλωμένος. / 1 A question of no small importance arose at that time. For the parishes of all Asia, as from an older tradition, held that the fourteenth day of the moon, on which day the Jews were commanded to sacrifice the lamb, should be observed as the feast of the Saviour's passover. It was therefore necessary to end their fast on that day, whatever day of the week it should happen to be. But it was not the custom of the churches in the rest of the world to end it at this time, as they observed the practice which, from apostolic tradition, has prevailed to the present time, of terminating the fast on no other day than on that of the resurrection of our Saviour. 2 Synods and assemblies of bishops were held on this account, and all, with one consent, through mutual correspondence drew up an ecclesiastical decree, that the mystery of the resurrection of the Lord should be celebrated on no other but the Lord's day, and that we should observe the close of the paschal fast on this day only. There is still extant a writing of those who were then assembled in Palestine, over whom Theophilus, bishop of Cæsarea, and Narcissus, bishop of Jerusalem, presided. 3 And there is also another writing extant of those who were assembled at Rome to consider the same question, which bears the name of Bishop Victor; also of the bishops in Pontus over whom Palmas, as the oldest, presided; and of the parishes in Gaul of which Irenæus was bishop, 4 and of those in Osrhoëne and the cities there; and a personal letter of Bacchylus, bishop of the church at Corinth, and of a great many others, who uttered the same opinion and judgment, and cast the same vote. And that which has been given above was their unanimous decision.

Eusebius, History of the Church 5.24.1-18:

1 Τῶν δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς Ἀσίας ἐπισκόπων τὸ πάλαι πρότερον αὐτοῖς παραδοθὲν διαφυλάττειν ἔθος χρῆναι διισχυριζομένων ἡγεῖτο Πολυκράτης· ὃς καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν ᾗ πρὸς Βίκτορα καὶ τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίαν διετυπώσατο γραφῇ τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν ἐλθοῦσαν παράδοσιν ἐκτίθεται διὰ τούτων· / 1 But the bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates, decided to hold to the old custom handed down to them. He himself, in a letter which he addressed to Victor and the church of Rome, set forth in the following words the tradition which had come down to him:

2 «Ἡμεῖς οὖν ἀρᾳδιούργητον ἄγομεν τὴν ἡμέραν, μήτε προστιθέντες μήτε ἀφαιρούμενοι. Καὶ γὰρ κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν μεγάλα στοιχεῖα κεκοίμηται· ἅτινα ἀναστήσεται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ κυρίου, ἐν ᾗ ἔρχεται μετὰ δόξης ἐξ οὐρανῶν καὶ ἀναζητήσει πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους, Φίλιππον τῶν δώδεκα ἀποστόλων, ὃς κεκοίμηται ἐν Ἱεραπόλει καὶ δύο θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ γεγηρακυῖαι παρθένοι καὶ ἡ ἑτέρα αὐτοῦ θυγάτηρ ἐν ἁγίῳ πνεύματι πολιτευσαμένη ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἀναπαύεται· 3 ἔτι δὲ καὶ Ἰωάννης ὁ ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος τοῦ κυρίου ἀναπεσών, ὃς ἐγενήθη ἱερεὺς τὸ πέταλον πεφορεκὼς καὶ μάρτυς καὶ διδάσκαλος· οὗτος ἐν Ἐφέσῳ κεκοίμηται, 4 ἔτι δὲ καὶ Πολύκαρπος ἐν Σμύρνῃ, καὶ ἐπίσκοπος καὶ μάρτυς· καὶ Θρασέας, καὶ ἐπίσκοπος καὶ μάρτυς ἀπὸ Εὐμενείας, ὃς ἐν Σμύρνῃ κεκοίμηται. 5 Τί δὲ δεῖ λέγειν Σάγαριν ἐπίσκοπον καὶ μάρτυρα, ὃς ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ κεκοίμηται, ἔτι δὲ καὶ Παπίριον τὸν μακάριον καὶ Μελίτωνα τὸν εὐνοῦχον, τὸν ἐν ἁγίῳ πνεύματι πάντα πολιτευσάμενον, ὃς κεῖται ἐν Σάρδεσιν περιμένων τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐπισκοπὴν ἐν ᾗ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστήσεται; 6 Οὗτοι πάντες ἐτήρησαν τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτης τοῦ πάσχα κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, μηδὲν παρεκβαίνοντες, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν κανόνα τῆς πίστεως ἀκολουθοῦντες· « Ἔτι δὲ κἀγὼ ὁ μικρότερος πάντων ὑμῶν Πολυκράτης, κατὰ παράδοσιν τῶν συγγενῶν μου, οἷς καὶ παρηκολούθησά τισιν αὐτῶν. Ἑπτὰ μὲν ἦσαν συγγενεῖς μου ἐπίσκοποι, ἐγὼ δὲ ὄγδοος· καὶ πάντοτε τὴν ἡμέραν ἤγαγον οἱ συγγενεῖς μου ὅταν ὁ λαὸς ἤρνυεν τὴν ζύμην.7 Ἐγὼ οὖν, ἀδελφοί, ἑξήκοντα πέντε ἔτη ἔχων ἐν κυρίῳ καὶ συμβεβληκὼς τοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἀδελφοῖς καὶ πᾶσαν ἁγίαν γραφὴν διεληλυθώς, οὐ πτύρομαι ἐπὶ τοῖς καταπλησσομένοις· οἱ γὰρ ἐμοῦ μείζονες εἰρήκασι « Πειθαρχεῖν δεῖ θεῷ μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνθρώποις». / 2 We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord's coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and, being a priest, wore the sacerdotal plate. 3 He fell asleep at Ephesus. 4 And Polycarp in Smyrna, who was a bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, bishop and martyr from Eumenia, who fell asleep in Smyrna.
5 Why need I mention the bishop and martyr Sagaris who fell asleep in Laodicea, or the blessed Papirius, or Melito, the Eunuch who lived altogether in the Holy Spirit, and who lies in Sardis, awaiting the episcopate from heaven, when he shall rise from the dead?
6 All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven. 7 I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater than I have said 'We ought to obey God rather than man' [Acts 5.29].

8 Τούτοις ἐπιφέρει περὶ τῶν γράφοντι συμπαρόντων αὐτῷ καὶ ὁμοδοξούντων ἐπισκόπων ταῦτα λέγων· / 8 He then writes of all the bishops who were present with him and thought as he did. His words are as follows:

«Ἐδυνάμην δὲ τῶν ἐπισκόπων τῶν συμπαρόντων μνημονεῦσαι, οὓς ὑμεῖς ἠξιώσατε μετακληθῆναι ὑπ´ ἐμοῦ καὶ μετεκαλεσάμην· ὧν τὰ ὀνόματα ἐὰν γράφω, πολλὰ πλήθη εἰσίν· οἳ δὲ εἰδότες τὸν μικρόν μου ἄνθρωπον συνηυδόκησαν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ, εἰδότες ὅτι εἰκῇ πολιὰς οὐκ ἤνεγκα, ἀλλ´ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ πάντοτε πεπολίτευμαι». / I could mention the bishops who were present, whom I summoned at your desire; whose names, should I write them, would constitute a great multitude. And they, beholding my littleness, gave their consent to the letter, knowing that I did not bear my gray hairs in vain, but had always governed my life by the Lord Jesus.

9 Ἐπὶ τούτοις ὁ μὲν τῆς Ῥωμαίων προεστὼς Βίκτωρ ἀθρόως τῆς Ἀσίας πάσης ἅμα ταῖς ὁμόροις ἐκκλησίαις τὰς παροικίας ἀποτέμνειν, ὡς ἂν ἑτεροδοξούσας, τῆς κοινῆς ἑνώσεως πειρᾶται, καὶ στηλιτεύει γε διὰ γραμμάτων ἀκοινωνήτους πάντας ἄρδην τοὺς ἐκεῖσε ἀνακηρύττων ἀδελφούς· 10 ἀλλ´ οὐ πᾶσί γε τοῖς ἐπισκόποις ταῦτ´ ἠρέσκετο. Ἀντιπαρακελεύονται δῆτα αὐτῷ τὰ τῆς εἰρήνης καὶ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς πλησίον ἑνώσεώς τε καὶ ἀγάπης φρονεῖν, φέρονται δὲ καὶ αἱ τούτων φωναὶ πληκτικώτερον καθαπτομένων τοῦ Βίκτορος· 11 ἐν οἷς καὶ ὁ Εἰρηναῖος ἐκ προσώπου ὧν ἡγεῖτο κατὰ τὴν Γαλλίαν ἀδελφῶν ἐπιστείλας, παρίσταται μὲν τῷ δεῖν ἐν μόνῃ τῇ τῆς κυριακῆς ἡμέρᾳ τὸ τῆς τοῦ κυρίου ἀναστάσεως ἐπιτελεῖσθαι μυστήριον, τῷ γε μὴν Βίκτορι προσηκόντως, ὡς μὴ ἀποκόπτοι ὅλας ἐκκλησίας θεοῦ ἀρχαίου ἔθους παράδοσιν ἐπιτηρούσας, πλεῖστα ἕτερα παραινεῖ, καὶ αὐτοῖς δὲ ῥήμασιν τάδε ἐπιλέγων· / 9 Thereupon Victor, who presided over the church at Rome, immediately attempted to cut off from the common unity the parishes of all Asia, with the churches that agreed with them, as heterodox; and he wrote letters and declared all the brethren there wholly excommunicate. 10 But this did not please all the bishops. And they besought him to consider the things of peace, and of neighborly unity and love. Words of theirs are extant, sharply rebuking Victor. 11 Among them was Irenæus, who, sending letters in the name of the brethren in Gaul over whom he presided, maintained that the mystery of the resurrection of the Lord should be observed only on the Lord's day. He fittingly admonishes Victor that he should not cut off whole churches of God which observed the tradition of an ancient custom and after many other words he proceeds as follows:

12 «Οὐδὲ γὰρ μόνον περὶ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐστὶν ἡ ἀμφισβήτησις, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τοῦ εἴδους αὐτοῦ τῆς νηστείας. Οἳ μὲν γὰρ οἴονται μίαν ἡμέραν δεῖν αὐτοὺς νηστεύειν, οἳ δὲ δύο, οἳ δὲ καὶ πλείονας· οἳ δὲ τεσσαράκοντα ὥρας ἡμερινάς τε καὶ νυκτερινὰς συμμετροῦσιν τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτῶν. 13 Καὶ τοιαύτη μὲν ποικιλία τῶν ἐπιτηρούντων οὐ νῦν ἐφ´ ἡμῶν γεγονυῖα, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολὺ πρότερον ἐπὶ τῶν πρὸ ἡμῶν, τῶν παρὰ τὸ ἀκριβές, ὡς εἰκός, κρατούντων τὴν καθ´ ἁπλότητα καὶ ἰδιωτισμὸν συνήθειαν εἰς τὸ μετέπειτα πεποιηκότων, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔλαττον πάντες οὗτοι εἰρήνευσάν τε καὶ εἰρηνεύομεν πρὸς ἀλλήλους, καὶ ἡ διαφωνία τῆς νηστείας τὴν ὁμόνοιαν τῆς πίστεως συνίστησιν». / 12 For the controversy is not only concerning the day, but also concerning the very manner of the fast. For some think that they should fast one day, others two, yet others more; some, moreover, count their day as consisting of forty hours day and night. 13 And this variety in its observance has not originated in our time; but long before in that of our ancestors. It is likely that they did not hold to strict accuracy, and thus formed a custom for their posterity according to their own simplicity and peculiar mode. Yet all of these lived none the less in peace, and we also live in peace with one another; and the disagreement in regard to the fast confirms the agreement in the faith.

14 Τούτοις καὶ ἱστορίαν προστίθησιν, ἣν οἰκείως παραθήσομαι, τοῦτον ἔχουσαν τὸν τρόπον· / 14 He adds to this the following account, which I may properly insert:

«ἐν οἷς καὶ οἱ πρὸ Σωτῆρος πρεσβύτεροι, οἱ προστάντες τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἧς σὺ νῦν ἀφηγῇ, Ἀνίκητον λέγομεν καὶ Πίον Ὑγῖνόν τε καὶ Τελεσφόρον καὶ Ξύστον, οὔτε αὐτοὶ ἐτήρησαν οὔτε τοῖς μετ´ αὐτῶν ἐπέτρεπον, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔλαττον αὐτοὶ μὴ τηροῦντες εἰρήνευον τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν παροικιῶν ἐν αἷς ἐτηρεῖτο, ἐρχομένοις πρὸς αὐτούς· καίτοι μᾶλλον ἐναντίον ἦν τὸ τηρεῖν τοῖς μὴ τηροῦσιν. 15 Καὶ οὐδέποτε διὰ τὸ εἶδος τοῦτο ἀπεβλήθησάν τινες, ἀλλ´ αὐτοὶ μὴ τηροῦντες οἱ πρὸ σοῦ πρεσβύτεροι τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν παροικιῶν τηροῦσιν ἔπεμπον εὐχαριστίαν, 16 καὶ τοῦ μακαρίου Πολυκάρπου ἐπιδημήσαντος τῇ Ῥώμῃ ἐπὶ Ἀνικήτου καὶ περὶ ἄλλων τινῶν μικρὰ σχόντες πρὸς ἀλλήλους, εὐθὺς εἰρήνευσαν, περὶ τούτου τοῦ κεφαλαίου μὴ φιλεριστήσαντες εἰς ἑαυτούς. Οὔτε γὰρ ὁ Ἀνίκητος τὸν Πολύκαρπον πεῖσαι ἐδύνατο μὴ τηρεῖν, ἅτε μετὰ Ἰωάννου τοῦ μαθητοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀποστόλων οἷς συνδιέτριψεν, ἀεὶ τετηρηκότα, οὔτε μὴν ὁ Πολύκαρπος τὸν Ἀνίκητον ἔπεισεν τηρεῖν, λέγοντα τὴν συνήθειαν τῶν πρὸ αὐτοῦ πρεσβυτέρων ὀφείλειν κατέχειν. 17 Καὶ τούτων οὕτως ἐχόντων, ἐκοινώνησαν ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ παρεχώρησεν ὁ Ἀνίκητος τὴν εὐχαριστίαν τῷ Πολυκάρπῳ, κατ´ ἐντροπὴν δηλονότι, καὶ μετ´ εἰρήνης ἀπ´ ἀλλήλων ἀπηλλάγησαν, πάσης τῆς ἐκκλησίας εἰρήνην ἐχόντων, καὶ τῶν τηρούντων καὶ τῶν μὴ τηρούντων». / Among these were the presbyters before Soter, who presided over the church which you now rule. We mean Anicetus, and Pius, and Hyginus, and Telesphorus, and Xystus. They neither observed it themselves, nor did they permit those after them to do so. And yet though not observing it, they were none the less at peace with those who came to them from the parishes in which it was observed; although this observance was more opposed to those who did not observe it. 15 But none were ever cast out on account of this form; but the presbyters before you who did not observe it, sent the eucharist to those of other parishes who observed it. 16 And when the blessed Polycarp was at Rome in the time of Anicetus, and they disagreed a little about certain other things, they immediately made peace with one another, not caring to quarrel over this matter. For neither could Anicetus persuade Polycarp not to observe what he had always observed with John the disciple of our Lord, and the other apostles with whom he had associated; neither could Polycarp persuade Anicetus to observe it as he said that he ought to follow the customs of the presbyters that had preceded him. 17 But though matters were in this shape, they communed together, and Anicetus conceded the administration of the eucharist in the church to Polycarp, manifestly as a mark of respect. And they parted from each other in peace, both those who observed, and those who did not, maintaining the peace of the whole church.

18 Καὶ ὁ μὲν Εἰρηναῖος φερώνυμός τις ὢν τῇ προσηγορίᾳ αὐτῷ τε τῷ τρόπῳ εἰρηνοποιός, τοιαῦτα ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν εἰρήνης παρεκάλει τε καὶ ἐπρέσβευεν, ὁ δ´ αὐτὸς οὐ μόνῳ τῷ Βίκτορι, καὶ διαφόροις δὲ πλείστοις ἄρχουσιν ἐκκλησιῶν τὰ κατάλληλα δι´ ἐπιστολῶν περὶ τοῦ κεκινημένου ζητήματος ὡμίλει. / 18 Thus Irenæus, who truly was well named, became a peacemaker in this matter, exhorting and negotiating in this way in behalf of the peace of the churches. And he conferred by letter about this mooted question, not only with Victor, but also with most of the other rulers of the churches.

Eusebius, History of the Church 5.25.1-2:

1 Οἵ γε μὴν ἐπὶ Παλαιστίνης, οὓς ἀρτίως διεληλύθαμεν, ὅ τε Νάρκισσος καὶ Θεόφιλος, καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς Κάσσιος τῆς κατὰ Τύρον ἐκκλησίας ἐπίσκοπος καὶ Κλᾶρος τῆς ἐν Πτολεμαΐδι οἵ τε μετὰ τούτων συνεληλυθότες, περὶ τῆς κατελθούσης εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐκ διαδοχῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων περὶ τοῦ πάσχα παραδόσεως πλεῖστα διειληφότες, κατὰ τὸ τέλος τῆς γραφῆς αὐτοῖς ῥήμασιν ἐπιλέγουσιν ταῦτα· / 1 Those in Palestine whom we have recently mentioned, Narcissus and Theophilus, and with them Cassius, bishop of the church of Tyre, and Clarus of the church of Ptolemais, and those who met with them, having stated many things respecting the tradition concerning the passover which had come to them in succession from the apostles, at the close of their writing add these words:

2 «Τῆς δ´ ἐπιστολῆς ἡμῶν πειράθητε κατὰ πᾶσαν παροικίαν ἀντίγραφα διαπέμψασθαι, ὅπως μὴ ἔνοχοι ὦμεν τοῖς ῥᾳδίως πλανῶσιν ἑαυτῶν τὰς ψυχάς. Δηλοῦμεν δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ ἄγουσιν ᾗπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς· παρ´ ἡμῶν γὰρ τὰ γράμματα κομίζεται αὐτοῖς καὶ ἡμῖν παρ´ αὐτῶν, ὥστε συμφώνως καὶ ὁμοῦ ἄγειν ἡμᾶς τὴν ἁγίαν ἡμέραν». / 2 "Endeavor to send copies of our letter to every church, that we may not furnish occasion to those who easily deceive their souls. We show you indeed that also in Alexandria they keep it on the same day that we do. For letters are carried from us to them and from them to us, so that in the same manner and at the same time we keep the sacred day."

Epiphanius, Panarion 50.1.1-3.5:

1 Ἀπὸ τούτων τῶν δύο αἱρέσεων τῶν ὁμοῦ ἀλλήλαις μιχθεισῶν, κατὰ Φρύγας τε καὶ Κυϊντιλλιανῶν ἤτοι Πρισκιλλιανῶν, ἀνέκυψε πάλιν τῷ κόσμῳ ἑτέρα αἵρεσις Τεσσαρεσκαιδεκατιτῶν οὕτως καλουμένη. καὶ οὗτοι μὲν πάντα ἔχουσιν ὡς ἡ ἐκκλησία, σφάλλονται δὲ ἀπὸ πάντων διὰ τὸ μὴ τῇ ἀκολουθίᾳ καὶ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τοῦ θεσμοῦ προσανέχειν, Ἰουδαϊκοῖς ἔτι μύθοις προσανέχοντες. καὶ οὐδὲ τὰ ἴσα αὐτοῖς δογματίζουσιν· «οὐ γὰρ ἃ λέγουσιν οἴδασιν οὔτε περὶ τίνων διαβεβαιοῦνται». ἅπαξ γὰρ τοῦ ἔτους μίαν ἡμέραν τὸ Πάσχα οἱ τοιοῦτοι φιλονείκως ἄγουσι, καίτοι γε περὶ πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος καλῶς καὶ ἴσως <ἡμῖν> ἔχοντες, προφήτας τε δεχόμενοι καὶ ἀποστόλους καὶ εὐαγγελιστάς, ἀνάστασιν δὲ σαρκὸς ὁμοίως ὁμολογοῦντες καὶ κρίσιν ἐσομένην καὶ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. περιέπεσαν δὲ ἀστοχήματι καὶ οὐ τῷ τυχόντι οὗτοι, δῆθεν κεχρημένοι τῷ ῥητῷ ᾧ εἶπεν ὁ νόμος ὅτι «ἐπικατάρατος ὃς οὐ ποιήσει τὸ Πάσχα τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ μηνός». ἕτεροι δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν τὴν αὐτὴν μίαν ἡμέραν ἄγοντες καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν μίαν ἡμέραν νηστεύοντες καὶ τὰ μυστήρια ἐπιτελοῦντες, ἀπὸ τῶν Ἄκτων δῆθεν Πιλάτου αὐχοῦσι τὴν ἀκρίβειαν εὑρηκέναι, ἐν οἷς ἐμφέρεται τῇ πρὸ ὀκτὼ καλανδῶν Ἀπριλλίων τὸν σωτῆρα πεπονθέναι. καὶ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ βούλονται ἄγειν τὸ Πάσχα ὁποίᾳ δἂν ἐμπέσῃ ἡ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτη τῆς σελήνης· οἱ δὲ ἐν τῇ Καππαδοκίᾳ τὴν αὐτὴν μίαν ἡμέραν τὴν πρὸ ὀκτὼ καλανδῶν Ἀπριλλίων ἄγουσι. καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς δὲ στάσις οὐχ ἡ τυχοῦσα, τῶν μὲν λεγόντων τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ τῆς σελήνης, τῶν δὲ πρὸ ὀκτὼ καλανδῶν Ἀπριλλίων. ἔτι δὲ εὕραμεν ἀντίγραφα Ἄκτων Πιλάτου, ἐν οἷς σημαίνει πρὸ δεκαπέντε καλανδῶν Ἀπριλλίων τὸ πάθος γεγενῆσθαι· τἀληθῆ δέ, ὡς ἐκ πολλῆς ἀκριβείας ἔγνωμεν, ἐν τῇ πρὸ δεκατριῶν καλανδῶν Ἀπριλλίων τὸν σωτῆρα πεπονθέναι κατειλήφαμεν· τινὲς δὲ τῇ πρὸ δέκα καλανδῶν Ἀπριλλίων λέγουσιν. ἐξέπεσον δὲ καὶ οὗτοι τοῦ προκειμένου. δέδια δὲ καὶ περὶ τούτων ἐπὶ πλεῖστον μηκῦναι τὸν λόγον· πολλὰ γὰρ ἔχομεν λέγειν. / 1.1 From these two intermingled sects of Phrygians and Quintillianists or Priscillianists, another one, called the sect of the Quartodecimans, emerged in its turn. 2 These too hold all the doctrines that the church does; but they lose hold of them all because of not adhering to the proper order and teaching, but still to Jewish fables. And yet their doctrines are not the same as the Jews’, “For they know not what they say nor whereof they affirm” [1 Timothy 1.7]. 3 Quartodecimans contentiously keep the Passover on one day, once a year, even though their doctrine of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is good and in agreement with <ours>, and they accept the prophets, apostles and evangelists, and likewise confess the resurrection of the flesh, the judgment to come and everlasting life. 4 But they have fallen into an error, and one of no small importance, by supposedly following the letter of the Law’s saying, “Cursed is he who shall not keep the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month” [Leviticus 23.5; Numbers 9.4–5; Deuteronomy 27.28]. 5 Others though, who keep the same one day and fast and celebrate the mysteries on the same one day, boast that they have found the precise date in the Acts of Pilate, if you please; it says there that the Savior suffered on the eighth before the Kalends of April. 6 They will keep the Passover on whichever day it is that the fourteenth of the month falls; but the ones in Cappadocia keep the eighth before the Kalends of April as that same one day. 7 And there is no little dissension in their ranks, since some say the fourteenth day of the month, but some, the eighth before the Kalends of April. 8 Furthermore, I have found copies of the Acts of Pilate which say that the passion came on the fifteenth before the Kalends of April. But in fact, as I know from much minute investigation, I have found that the Savior suffered on the thirteenth before the Kalends of April Some, however, say it was the tenth before the Kalends of April. 9 But the Quartodecimans too have departed from the prescribed path. (But I am afraid of making my discussion of them extremely long too, for I have a great deal to say.)

2 Πληρώσας γὰρ ὁ νομοθέτης τὸν πάντα νόμον Μωυσῆς, ἐκ θεοῦ λαβὼν τὸ πρόσταγμα ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ βίβλῳ τουτέστιν Δευτερονομίῳ τίθησι πάσας τὰς κατάρας, οὐ μόνον περὶ Πάσχων ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ περιτομῆς καὶ περὶ δεκατώσεως καὶ προσφορῶν· ὥστε οὖν εἰ μίαν κατάραν πεφεύγασιν, εἰς πολλὰς ἑαυτοὺς ἐνέπειραν· εὑρεθήσονται γὰρ ἐπικατάρατοι μὴ περιτεμνόμενοι, ἐπικατάρατοι μὴ ἀποδεκατοῦντες καὶ ἐπικατάρατοι γίνονται μὴ εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ προσφέροντες. καὶ ὦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν εἰς πολλὰς ἑαυτοὺς ἐρεσχελίας ἐμβαλλόντων· ἀληθῶς γὰρ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν ἐκεῖνο τὸ ῥῆμα τὸ συνετὸν τοῦ Ἐκκλησιαστοῦ, τὸ ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου ἡμῖν διεσταλμένον ὅτι «τοῦτο ἔγνω ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστής, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς συνετὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐποίησεν εὐθῆ, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐζήτησαν αὑτοῖς πολλὰς ὁδούς». πόθεν γὰρ οὐ διαπίπτει τούτων ἣ διάνοια; πρῶτον γὰρ εἰ τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ τὸ Πάσχα ἄγουσι, χρείαν ἔχουσι τὸ πρόβατον λαβεῖν ἀπὸ δεκάτης καὶ τηρεῖν αὐτὸ ἕως τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτης, καὶ οὐκέτι μία ἡμέρα ἔσται τῆς νηστείας ἀλλὰ πέντε, ἥ τε δεκάτη καὶ ἑνδεκάτη καὶ δωδεκάτη καὶ τρισκαιδεκάτη καὶ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτη· ἐὰν δὲ πρὸς ἑσπέραν τυθῇ τὸ Πάσχα, ἡ αὐτὴ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτη ἐπιφώσκουσα ἓξ ἐπιτελεῖ ἡμέρας ἐν τῇ νηστείᾳ, καὶ οὐκέτι μία ἔσται τῆς νηστείας καὶ διέπεσεν ἡ περὶ μιᾶς ἡμέρας αὐτῶν ζήτησις, οὐ μία τις οὖσα. ἔστι γὰρ τὰ πρωτότυπα συνεζευγμένα καὶ ἐζημίωνται οὐκ ὀλίγην κατὰ θεὸν πραγματείαν. ἔδει γὰρ τὸν Χριστὸν ἐν τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ θύεσθαι κατὰ τὸν νόμον, ὅπως λήξῃ παρ' αὐτοῖς τὸ φωτίζον αὐτοὺς φῶς κατὰ τὸν νόμον, τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατείλαντος καὶ σκεπάσαντος τῆς σελήνης τὸ σέλας. ἀπὸ γὰρ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτης καὶ κάτω φθίνει τὸ φαινόμενον τῆς σελήνης· οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίας καὶ πάθους ἠμαυρώθη ἡ Ἰουδαϊκὴ συναγωγή, κατηύγασε δὲ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, μὴ καταλυθέντος τοῦ νόμου ἀλλὰ πληρωθέντος, μὴ καταργηθέντος τοῦ τύπου ἀλλὰ παραστήσαντος τὴν ἀλήθειαν. οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῷ πεποιηκέναι τὸ Πάσχα ἐν τῇ Ἱεριχὼ εὐθὺς ἐπήνεγκεν ἡ θεία γραφὴ λέγουσα «καὶ ἐποίησαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ τὸ Πάσχα καὶ ἔφαγον ἐν Γαλγάλοις, καὶ ἐξέλιπε τὸ μάννα», προσμαρτυροῦσα αὐτοῖς [ἡ θεία γραφὴ] καὶ προφητεύουσα ὅτι τῷ πάθει κυρίου διὰ τὴν αὐτῶν ἐπαρνησιθεΐαν λήξει παρ' αὐτοῖς ἡ βρῶσις ἡ ἀγγελικὴ καὶ ἐπουράνιος, ὅπερ μάννα παρ' αὐτοῖς κέκληται. / 2.1 After he had finished the entire Law, the law-giver Moses was commanded by God to put all the curses in the last book, Deuteronomy — not only the curse about the Passover, but the ones about circumcision, tithing and offerings. 2 Thus if they avoided one curse they fell foul of many. They would be accursed if they were not circumcised and accursed if they did not tithe; and they are accursed for not presenting offerings at Jerusalem. 3 Shame on the people who get themselves into all kinds of quarrels! Well may we quote the wise saying of the Preacher, expressly set forth for us by the Holy Spirit: “This the preacher doth know, that God hath made the wise man a straight path, but they have sought for themselves many ways.” 4 In what way is their idea not wrong? In the first place, if they keep the Passover on the fourteenth of the month, they need to take the lamb on the tenth and keep it until the fourteenth, and there is no longer one day of fasting but five: the tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth. 5 But if the paschal lamb is killed toward evening, by its dawning this fourteenth day makes six days in the fast, and there will no longer be one fast day — and their quest for one day has failed, since there is no one day. 6 For the types [of the Lord’s death and resurrection] have been combined at the cost of no little godly study. Christ needed to be slain on the fourteenth of the month in accordance with the Law, so that their light that illumined them under the Law would go out for them, since the sun had risen and hidden the light of the moon. 7 For the moon is on the wane after the fourteenth. Hence even in the Law the Jewish synagogue was dimmed by Christ’s incarnation and passion, and the Gospel outshone it — although, because the Law was not abolished but served to prove the truth, the Law was not destroyed but fulfilled. 8 So too, at the celebration of the Passover in Jericho the sacred scripture at once added, “And the children of Israel kept the Passover and ate it in Gilgal, and the manna ceased.” 9 This was its further testimony to them, and its prophecy that their angelic, heavenly food, which they called manna, would come to an end because of the Lord’s suffering for their denial of God.

3 Πανταχόθεν δὲ ἡ ἁγία τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκλησία περὶ τῆς χρείας ταύτης τῆς μυσταγωγίας συλλέγουσα τὸν σύνδεσμον οὐ διαπίπτει τῆς ἀληθείας. κέχρηται γὰρ οὐ μόνον τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ ἑβδομάδι τῇ κατὰ περίοδον ἀνακυκλουμένῃ <ἐν τῇ> τάξει τῶν τοῦ σαββάτου ἑπτὰ ἡμερῶν, ἵνα κατὰ τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου γενόμενα <ὡς> κατὰ τὸ πρωτότυπον εἴη ἡ ἀνάστασίς τε καὶ εὐωχία. καὶ κέχρηται οὐ μόνον τῇ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ τῆς σελήνης, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ δρόμῳ τοῦ ἡλίου, ἵνα μὴ ἐν ἑνὶ ἐνιαυτῷ δύο Πάσχα ποιοῦντες ἐν τῷ ἑτέρῳ μηδὲ ἓν Πάσχα τελέσωμεν. διὸ παρατηρούμεθα μὲν τὴν τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτην, ὑπερβαίνομεν δὲ τὴν ἰσημερίαν φέρομέν τε ἐπὶ τὴν ἁγίαν κυριακὴν τὸ τέλος τῆς συμπληρώσεως· λαμβάνομεν δὲ τὸ πρόβατον ἀπὸ δεκάτης, <τὸ> ὄνομα Ἰησοῦ ἐπιγνόντες διὰ τοῦ ἰῶτα, ἵνα μὴ λάθῃ ἡμᾶς μηδὲν τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν πᾶσαν τῆς ζωτικῆς ταύτης τοῦ Πάσχα * τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς καὶ ἀληθινῆς πραγματείας. ὑπερβήσομαι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἐμφύσημα τοῦ βαιῶνος εἴτ' οὖν φυσάλου ὄφεως, διὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ δυνάμεως ἐπισφραγισάμενος καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς ἑξῆς τὸν νοῦν προτείνων, θεὸν συνήθως ἐπικαλούμενος εἰς βοήθειαν. / 3.1 But since she makes the combination she does, God’s holy church does not miss the truth of the observance of this mystery in any way. 2 She observes not only the fourteenth day, but also the seventh as it recurs regularly <in the> order of the seven days of the week, so that the resurrection and the festival will correspond with the deeds of the Lord <just as> they do with the type [of them]. 3 And she observes not only the fourteenth day of the lunar month, but the course of the sun as well, so that we will not keep two Passovers in one year and not even celebrate one in another. 4 We observe the fourteenth day, then, but we wait until after the equinox and bring the end of our fulfillment [of the commandment] to the sacred Lord’s Day. But we take the lamb on the tenth day by acknowledging the name of Jesus through its “iota,” so that, <by> the true canonical practice of them, we will neglect no part of this life-giving <festival> of the Passover in accordance with the entire truth. 5 However, since by Christ’s power I am done with the swollenness of this gudgeon or toad, I shall pass it by and give my attention to the rest, making my usual supplication for God’s help.

Ben.
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Re: A collection of texts concerning Quartodecimanism.

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This book may explain how these texts were put together.
Christianity and the Transformation of the Book combines broad-gauged synthesis and close textual analysis to reconstruct the kinds of books and the ways of organizing scholarly inquiry and collaboration among the Christians of Caesarea, on the coast of Roman Palestine. The book explores the dialectical relationship between intellectual history and the history of the book, even as it expands our understanding of early Christian scholarship. Christianity and the Transformation of the Book attends to the social, religious, intellectual, and institutional contexts within which Origen and Eusebius worked, as well as the details of their scholarly practices--practices that, the authors argue, continued to define major sectors of Christian learning for almost two millennia and are, in many ways, still with us today.

http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php? ... 0674030480

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