Computus · Easter and calendar sources

HOW THE CONTROVERSY AROSE ABOUT THE DUE TIME OF KEEPING EASTER, WITH THOSE THAT CAME OUT OF SCOTLAND. [A.D. 652.] IN the meantime, Bishop Aidan being dead, Finan, who was ordained and sent by the Scots, succeeded him in the bishopric, and built a church in the Isle of Lindisfarne, the episcopal see; nevertheless, after the manner of the Scots, he made it, not of stone, but of hewn oak, and covered it with reeds; and the same was afterwards dedicated in honor of St. Peter the Apostle, by the reverend Archbishop Theodore. Eadbert, also bishop of that place, took off the thatch, and covered it, both roof and walls, with plates of lead. At this time, a great and frequent controversy happened about the observance of Easter; those that came from Kent or France affirming, that the Scots kept Easter Sunday contrary to the custom of the universal church. Among them was a most zealous defender of the true Easter, whose name was Ronan, a Scot by nation, but instructed in ecclesiastical truth, either in France or Italy, who, disputing with Finan, convinced many, or at least induced them to make a more strict inquiry after the truth; yet he could not prevail upon Finan, but, on the contrary, made him the more inveterate by reproof, and a professed opposer of the truth, being of a hot and violent temper. James, formerly the deacon of the venerable Archbishop Paulinus, as has been said above, kept the true and Catholic Easter, with all those that he could persuade to adopt the right way. Queen Eanfleda and her followers also observed the same as she had seen practiced in Kent, having with her a Kentish priest that followed the Catholic mode, whose name was Romanus. Thus it is said to have happened in those times that Easter was twice kept in one year; and that when the king having ended the time of fasting, kept his Easter, the queen and her followers were still fasting, and celebrating Palm Sunday. This difference about the observance of Easter, whilst Aidan lived, was patiently tolerated by all men, as being sensible, that though he could not keep Easter contrary to the custom of those who had sent him, yet he industriously labored to practice all works of faith, piety, and love, according to the custom of all holy men; for which reason he was deservedly beloved by all; even by those who differed in opinion concerning Easter, and was held in veneration, not only by indifferent persons, but even by the bishops, Hononus of Canterbury, and Felix of the East Angles. But after the death of Finan, who succeeded him, when Colman, who was also sent out of Scotland, came to be bishop, a greater controversy arose about the observance of Easter, and the rules of ecclesiastical life. Whereupon this dispute began naturally to influence the thoughts and hearts of many, who feared, lest having received the name of Christians, they might happen to run, or to have run, in vain. This reached the ears of King Oswy and his son Alfrid; for Oswy, having been instructed and baptized by the Scots, and being very perfectly skilled in their language, thought nothing better than what they taught. But Alfrid, having been instructed in Christianity by Wilfrid, a most learned man, who had first gone to Rome to learn the ecclesiastical doctrine, and spent much time at Lyons with Dalfin, archbishop of France, from whom also he had received the ecclesiastical tonsure, rightly thought this man's doctrine ought to be preferred before all the traditions of the Scots. For this reason he had also given him a monastery of forty families, at a place called Rhypum; which place, not long before, he had given to those that followed the system of the Scots for a monastery; but forasmuch as they afterwards, being left to their choice, prepared to quit the place rather than alter their opinion, he gave the place to him, whose life and doctrine were worthy of it. Agilbert, bishop of the West Saxons, above-mentioned, a friend to King Alfrid and to Abbot Wufrid, had at that time come into the province of the Northumbrians, and was making some stay among them; at the request of Alfrid, made Wilfrid a priest in his monastery. He had in his company a priest, whose name was Agatho. The controversy being there started, concerning Easter, or the tonsure, or other ecclesiastical affairs, it was agreed, that a synod should be held in the monastery of Streaneshaich, which signifies the Bay of the Lighthouse, where the Abbess Hilda, a woman devoted to God, then presided; and that there this controversy should be decided. The kings, both father and son, came thither, Bishop Colman With his Scottish clerks, and Agilbert with the priests Agatho and Wilfrid, James and Romanus were on their side; but the Abbess Hilda and her followers were for the Scots, as was also the venerable Bishop Cedd, long before ordained by the Scots, as has been said above, and he was in that council a most careful interpreter for both parties. King Oswy first observed, that it behooved those who served one God to observe the same rule of life; and as they all expected the same kingdom in heaven, so they ought not to differ in the celebration of the Divine mysteries; but rather to inquire which was the truest tradition, that the same might be followed by all; he then commanded his bishop, Colman, first to declare what the custom was which he observed, and whence it derived its origin. Then Colman said, "The Easter which I keep, I received from my elders, who sent me bishop hither; all our forefathers, men beloved of God, are known to have kept it after the same manner; and that the same may not seem to any contemptible or worthy to be rejected, it is the same which St. John the Evangelist, the disciple beloved of our Lord, with all the churches over which he presided, is recorded to have observed." Having said thus much, and more to the like effect, the king commanded Agilbert to show whence his custom of keeping Easter was derived, or on what authority it was grounded. Agilbert answered, "I desire that my disciple, the priest Wufrid, may speak in my stead; because we both concur with the other followers of the ecclesiastical tradition that are here present, and he can better explain our opinion in the English language, than I can by an interpreter." Then Wilfrid, being ordered by the king to speak, delivered himself thus :- "The Easter which we observe, we saw celebrated by all at Rome, where the blessed apostles, Peter and Paul, lived, taught, suffered, and were buried; we saw the same done in Italy and in France, when we traveled through those countries for pilgrimage and prayer. We found the same practiced in Africa, Asia, Egypt, Greece, and all the world, wherever the church of Christ is spread abroad, through several nations and tongues, at one and the same time; except only these and their accomplices in obstinacy, I mean the Picts and the Britons, who foolishly, in these two remote islands of the world, and only in part even of them, oppose all the rest of the universe. When he had so said, Colman answered, "It is strange that you will call our labors foolish, wherein we follow the example of so great an apostle, who was thought worthy to lay his head on our Lord's bosom, when all the world knows him to have lived most wisely." Wilfrid replied, "Far be it from us to charge John with folly, for he literally observed the precepts of the Jewish law, whilst the church still Judaized in many points, and the apostles were not able at once to cast off all the observances of the law which had been instituted by God. In which way it is necessary that all who come to the faith should forsake the idols which were invented by devils, that they might not give scandal to the Jews that were among the Gentiles. For this reason it was, that Paul circumcised Timothy, that he offered sacrifice in the temple, that he shaved his head with Aquila and Priscilla at Corinth; for no other advantage than to avoid giving scandal to the Jews. Hence it was, that James said, to the same Paul, 'You see, brother, how many thousands of the Jews have believed; and they are all zealous for the law. And yet, at this time, the Gospel spreading throughout the world, it is needless, nay, it is not lawful, for the faithful either to be circumcised, or to offer up to God sacrifices of flesh.' So John, pursuant to the custom of the law, began the celebration of the feast of Easter, on the fourteenth day of the first month, in the evening, not regarding whether the same happened on a Saturday, or any other day. But when Peter preached at Rome, being mindful that our Lord arose from the dead, and gave the world the hopes of resurrection, on the first day after the Sabbath, he understood that Easter ought to be observed, so as always to stay till the rising of the moon on the fourteenth day of the first moon, in the evening, according to the custom and precepts of the law, even as John did. And when that came, if the Lord's day, then called the first day after the Sabbath, was the next day, he began that very evening to keep Easter, as we all do at this day. But if the Lord's day did not fall the next morning after the fourteenth moon, but on the sixteenth, or the seventeenth, or any other moon till the twenty-first, he waited for that, and on the Saturday before, in the evening, began to observe the holy solemnity of Easter. Thus it came to pass, that Easter Sunday was only kept from the fifteenth moon to the twenty-first. Nor does this evangelical and apostolic tradition abolish the law, but rather fulfil it; the command being to keep the Passover from the fourteenth moon of the first month in the evening to the twenty-first moon of the same month in the evening; which observance all the successors of St. John in Asia, since his death, and all the church throughout the world, have since followed; and that this is the true Easter, and the only one to be kept by the faithful, was not newly decreed by the council of Nice, but only confirmed afresh; as the Church History informs us. Thus it appears, that you, Colman, neither follow the example of John, as you imagine, nor that of Peter, whose traditions you knowingly contradict; and that you neither agree with the law nor the Gospel in the keeping of your Easter. For John, keeping the Paschal time according to the decree of the Mosaic law, had no regard to the first day after the Sabbath, which you do not practice, who celebrate Easter only on the first day after the Sabbath. Peter kept Easter Sunday between the fifteenth and the twenty-first moon, which you do not, but keep Easter Sunday from the fourteenth to the twentieth moon; so that you often begin Easter on the thirteenth moon in the evening, whereof neither the law made any mention, nor did our Lord, the Author and Giver of the Gospel, on that day, but on the fourteenth, either eat the old passover in the evening, or deliver the sacraments of the New Testament, to be celebrated by the church, in memory of his passion. Besides, in your celebration of Easter, you utterly exclude the twenty-first moon, which the law ordered to be principally observed. Thus, as I said before, you agree neither with John nor Peter, nor with the law, nor the Gospel, in the celebration of the greatest festival." To this Colman rejoined: "Did Anatolius, a holy man, and much commended in church history, act contrary to the law and the Gospel, when he wrote, that Easter was to be celebrated from the fourteenth to the twentieth? Is it to be believed that our most reverend Father Columba and his successors, men beloved by God, who kept Easter after the same manner, thought or acted contrary to the Divine writings? Whereas there were many among them, whose sanctity is testified by heavenly signs and the working of miracles, whose life, customs, and discipline I never cease to follow, not questioning their being saints in heaven." "It is evident," said Wufrid, "that Anatolius was a most holy, learned, and commendable man; but what have you to do with him, since you do not observe his decrees? For he, following the rule of truth in his Easter, appointed a revolution of nineteen years, which either you are ignorant of, or if you know it, though it is kept by the whole church of Christ, yet you despise it. He so computed the fourteenth moon in the Easter of our Lord, that according to the custom of the Egyptians, he acknowledged it to be the fifteenth moon in the evening; so in like manner he assigned the twentieth to Easter-Sunday, as believing that to be the twenty-first moon, when the sun had set, which rule and distinction of his it appears you are ignorant of, in that you sometimes keep Easter before the full of the moon, that is, on the thirteenth day. Concerning your Father Columba and his followers, whose sanctity you say you imitate, and whose rules and precepts you observe, which have been confirmed by signs from heaven, I may answer, that when many, on the day of judgment, shall say to our Lord, 'That in his name they prophesied, and cast out devils, and wrought many wonders,' our Lord will reply, 'That He never knew them.' But far be it from me, that I say so of your fathers, because it is much more just to believe what is good, than what is evil, of persons whom one does not know. Wherefore I do not deny those to have been God's servants, and beloved by Him, who with rustic simplicity, but pious intentions, have themselves loved Him. Nor do I think that such keeping of Easter was very prejudicial to them, as long as none came to show them a more perfect rule; and yet I do believe that they, if any catholic adviser had come among them, would have as readily followed his admonitions, as they are known to have kept those commandments of God, which they had learned and knew. "But as for you and your companions, you certainly sin, if, having heard the decrees of the Apostolic See, and of the universal church, and that the same is confirmed by holy writ, you refuse to follow them; for, though your fathers were holy, do you think that their small number, in a corner of the remotest island, is to be preferred before the universal church of Christ throughout the world? And if that Columba of yours (and, I may say, ours also, if he was Christ's servant), was a holy man and powerful in miracles, yet could he be preferred before the most blessed prince of the apostles, to whom our Lord said, 'Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, and to thee I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven?'" When Wufrid had spoken thus, the king said, "Is it true, Colman, that these words were spoken to Peter by our Lord?" He answered, "It is true, O king " Then says he, "Can you show any such power given to your Columba?" Colman answered, "None." Then added the king, "Do you both agree that these words were principally directed to Peter, and that the keys of heaven were given to him by our Lord?" They both answered, "We do." Then the king concluded, "And I also say unto you, that he is the door-keeper, whom I will not contradict, but will, as far as I know and am able, in all things obey his decrees, lest, when I come to the gates of the kingdom of heaven, there should be none to open them, he being my adversary who is proved to have the keys." The king having said this, all present, both great and small, gave their assent, and renouncing the more imperfect institution, resolved to conform to that which they found to be of better.

COLMAN, BEING WORSTED, RETURNED HOME; TUDA SUCCEEDED HIM IN THE BISHOPRIC; THE STATE OF THE CHURCH UNDER THOSE TEACHERS. [A.D. 664.] THE disputation being ended, and the Company broken up, Agilbert returned home. Colman, perceiving that his doctrine was rejected, and his sect despised, took with him such as would not comply with the Catholic Easter and the tonsure (for there was much controversy about that also), and went back into Scotland, to consult with his people what was to be done in this case. Cedd, forsaking the practices of the Scots, returned to his bishopric, having submitted to the Catholic observance of Easter. This disputation happened in the year of our Lord's incarnation 664, which was the twenty-second year of the reign of King Oswy, and the thirtieth of the episcopacy of the Scots among the English; for Aidan was bishop seventeen years, Finan ten, and Colman three. When Colman was gone back into his own country, God's servant, Tuda, was made bishop of the Northumbrians in his place, having been instructed and ordained bishop among the Southern Scots, having also the ecclesiastical tonsure of his crown, according to the custom of that province, and observing the Catholic time of Easter. He was a good and religious man, but governed his church a very short time; he came out of Scotland whilst Colman was yet bishop, and, both by word and example, diligently taught all persons those things that appertain to the faith and truth. But Eata, who was abbot of the monastery of Melrose, a most reverend and meek man, was appointed abbot over the brethren that stayed in the church of Lindisfarne when the Scots went away; they say, Colman, upon his departure, requested and obtained this of King Oswy, because Eata was one of Aidan's twelve boys of the English nation, whom he received when first made bishop there, to be instructed in Christ; for the king much loved Bishop Colman on account of his singular discretion. This is the same Eata, who not long after, was made bishop of the same church of Lindisfarne. Colman carried home with him part of the bones of the most reverend Father Aidan, and left part of them in the church where he had presided, ordering them to be interred in the sacristy. The place which he governed shows how frugal he and his predecessors were, for there were very few houses besides the church found at their departure; indeed, no more than were barely sufficient for their daily residence; they had also no money, but cattle; for if they received any money from rich persons, they immediately gave it to the poor; there being no need to gather money, or provide houses for the entertainment of the great men of the world; for such never resorted to the church, except to pray and hear the word of God. The king himself, when opportunity offered, came only with five or six servants, and having performed his devotions in the church, departed. But if they happened to take a repast there, they were satisfied with only the plain and daily food of the brethren, and required no more; for the whole care of those teachers was to serve God, not the world-to feed the soul, and not the belly. For this reason the religious habit was at that time in great veneration; so that wheresoever any clergyman or monk happened to come, he was joyfully received by all persons, as God's servant; and if they chanced to meet him upon the way, they ran to him, and bowing, were glad to be signed with his hand, or blessed with his mouth. Great attention was also paid to their exhortations; and on Sundays they flocked eagerly to the church, or the monasteries, not to feed their bodies, but to hear the word of God; and if any priest happened to come into a village, the inhabitants flocked together to hear from him the word of life; for the priests and clergymen went into the village on no other account than to preach, baptize, visit the sick, and, in few words, to take care of souls; and they were so free from worldly avarice that none of them received lands and possessions for building monasteries, unless they were compelled to do so by the temporal authorities; which custom was for some time after observed in all the churches of the Northumbrians. But enough has now been said on this subject.

Interea Aidano episcopo de hac uita sublato, Finan pro illo gradum episcopatus a Scottis ordinatus ac missus acceperat. Qui in insula Lindisfarnensi fecit ecclesiam episcopali sedi congruam; quam tamen more Scottorum non de lapide, sed de robore secto totam conposuit, atque harundine texit; quam tempore sequente reuerentissimus archiepiscopus Theodorus in honore beati apostoli Petri dedicauit. Sed et episcopus loci ipsius Eadberct ablata harundine, plumbi lamminis eam totam, hoc est et tectum, et ipsos quoque parietes eius, cooperire curauit. His temporibus quaestio facta est frequens et magna de obseruatione paschae, confirmantibus eis, qui de Cantia uel de Galliis aduenerant, quod Scotti dominicum paschae diem contra uniuersalis ecclesiae morem celebrarent. Erat in his acerrimus ueri paschae defensor nomine Ronan, natione quidem Scottus, sed in Galliae uel Italiae partibus regulam ecclesiasticae ueritatis edoctus. Qui cum Finano confligens, multos quidem correxit, uel ad solertiorem ueritatis inquisitionem accendit, nequaquam tamen Finanum emendare potuit; quin potius, quod esset homo ferocis animi, acerbiorem castigando et apertum ueritatis aduersarium reddidit. Obseruabat autem Iacob diaconus quondam, ut supra docuimus, uenerabilis archiepiscopi Paulini, uerum et catholicum pascha cum omnibus, quos ad correctiorem uiam erudire poterat. Obseruabat et regina Eanfled cum suis, iuxta quod in Cantia fieri uiderat, habens secum de Cantia presbyterum catholicae obseruationis, nomine Romanum. Unde nonnumquam contigisse fertur illis temporibus, ut bis in anno uno pascha celebraretur, et cum rex pascha dominicum solutis ieiuniis faceret, tum regina cum suis persistens adhuc in ieiunio diem palmarum celebraret. Haec autem dissonantia paschalis obseruantiae uiuente Aidano patienter ab omnibus tolerabatur, qui patenter intellexerant, quia, etsi pascha contra morem eorum, qui ipsum miserant, facere non potuit, opera tamen fidei, pietatis, et dilectionis, iuxta morem omnibus sanctis consuetum, diligenter exsequi curauit. Unde ab omnibus, etiam his, qui de pascha aliter sentiebant, merito diligebatur; nec solum a mediocribus, uerum ab ipsis quoque episcopis, Honorio Cantuariorum, et Felice Orientalium Anglorum, uenerationi habitus est. Defuncto autem Finano, qui post illum fuit, cum Colmanus in episcopatum succederet, et ipse missus a Scottia, grauior de obseruatione paschae, necnon et de aliis ecclesiasticae uitae disciplinis controuersia nata est. Unde merito mouit haec quaestio sensus et corda multorum, timentium, ne forte accepto Christianitatis uocabulo, in uacuum currerent aut cucurrissent. Peruenit et ad ipsas principum aures, Osuiu uidelicet regis, et filii eius Alchfridi. Quia nimirum Osuiu a Scottis edoctus ac baptizatus, illorum etiam lingua optime inbutus, nil melius, quam quod illi docuissent, autumabat; porro Alchfrid magistrum habens eruditionis Christianae Uilfridum uirum doctissimum (nam et Romam prius propter doctrinam ecclesiasticam adierat, et apud Dalfinum archiepiscopum Galliarum Lugdoni multum temporis egerat, a quo etiam tonsurae ecclesiasticae coronam susceperat), huius doctrinam omnibus Scottorum traditionibus iure praeferendam sciebat; unde ei etiam donauerat monasterium XL familiarum in loco, qui dicitur Inhrypum. Quem uidelicet locum paulo ante eis, qui Scottos sequebantur, in possessionem monasterii dederat. Sed quia illi postmodum data sibi optione magis loco cedere, quam suam mutare consuetudinem uolebant, dedit eum illi, qui dignam loco et doctrinam haberet, et uitam. Uenerat eo tempore Agilberctus Occidentalium Saxonum episcopus, cuius supra meminimus, amicus Alchfridi regis et Uilfridi abbatis, ad prouinciam Nordanhymbrorum, et apud eos aliquandiu demorabatur; qui etiam Uilfridum rogatu Alchfridi in praefato suo monasterio presbyterum fecit. Habebat autem secum ipse presbyterum nomine Agathonem. Mota ergo ibi quaestione de pascha, uel tonsura, uel aliis rebus ecclesiasticis, dispositum est, ut in monasterio, quod dicitur Strenashalc, quod interpretatur sinus Fari, cui tunc Hild abbatissa Deo deuota femina praefuit, synodus fieri, et haec quaestio terminari deberet. Ueneruntque illo rcges ambo, pater scilicet et filius; episcopi, Colman cum clericis suis de Scottia, Agilberctus cum Agathone et Uilfrido presbyteris. Iacobus et Romanus in horum parte erant; Hild abbatissa cum suis in parte Scottorum, in qua erat etiam uenerabilis episcopus Cedd, iamdudum ordinatus a Scottis, ut supra docuimus, qui et interpres in eo concilio uigilantissimus utriusque partis extitit. Primusque rex Osuiu praemissa praefatione, quod oporteret eos, qui uni Deo seruirent, unam uiuendi regulam tenere, nec discrepare in celebratione sacramentorum caelestium, qui unum omnes in caelis regnum expectarent; inquirendum potius, quae esset uerior traditio, et hanc ab omnibus communiter esse sequendam; iussit primo dicere episcopum suum Colmanum, qui esset ritus et unde originem ducens ille, quem ipse sequeretur. Tum Colmanus: ‘Pascha,’ inquit, ‘hoc, quod agere soleo, a maioribus meis accepi, qui me huc episcopum miserunt, quod omnes patres nostri, uiri Deo dilecti, eodem modo celebrasse noscuntur. Quod ne cui contemnendum et reprobandum esse uideatur, ipsum est, quod beatus euangelista Iohannes, discipulus specialiter Domino dilectus, cum omnibus, quibus praeerat, ecclesiis celebrasse legitur.’ Quo haec et his similia dicente, iussit rex et Agilberctum proferre in medium morem suae obseruationis, unde initium haberet, uel qua hunc auctoritate sequeretur. Respondit Agilberctus: ‘Loquatur, obsecro, uice mea discipulus meus Uilfrid presbyter, quia unum ambo sapimus cum ceteris, qui hic adsident, ecclesiasticae traditionis cultoribus; et ille melius ac manifestius ipsa lingua Anglorum, quam ego per interpretem, potest explanare, quae sentimus.’ Tum Uilfrid, iubente rege, ut diceret, ita exorsus est: ‘Pasca, quod facimus,’ inquit, ‘uidimus Romae, ubi beati apostoli Petrus et Paulus uixere, docuere, passi sunt, et sepulti, ab omnibus celebrari; hoc in Italia, hoc in Gallia, quas discendi uel orandi studio pertransiuimus, ab omnibus agi conspeximus; hoc Africam, Asiam, Aegyptum, Greciam, et omnem orbem, quacumque Christi ecclesia diffusa est, per diuersas nationes et linguas, uno ac non diuerso temporis ordine geri conperimus; praeter hos tantum et obstinationis eorum conplices, Pictos dico et Brettones, cum quibus de duabus ultimis oceani insulis, et his non totis, contra totum orbem stulto labore pugnant.’ Cui haec dicenti respondit Colmanus: ‘Mirum quare stultum appellare uelitis laborem nostrum, in quo tanti apostoli, qui super pectus Domini recumbere dignus fuit, exempla sectamur; cum ipsum sapientissime uixisse omnis mundus nouerit.’ At Uilfridus: ‘Absit,’ inquit, ‘ut Iohannem stultitiae reprehendamus, cum scita legis Mosaicae iuxta litteram seruaret, iudaizante adhuc in multis ecclesia, nec subito ualentibus apostolis omnem legis obseruantiam, quae a Deo instituta est, abdicare (quomodo simulacra, quae a daemonibus inuenta sunt, repudiare omnes, qui ad fidem ueniunt, necesse est), uidelicet ne scandalum facerent eis, qui inter gentes erant Iudaeis. Hinc est enim, quod Paulus Timotheum circumcidit, quod hostias in templo immolauit, quod cum Aquila et Priscilla caput Chorinti totondit; ad nihil uidelicet utile, nisi ad scandalum uitandum Iudaeorum. Hinc quod eidem Paulo Iacobus ait: “Uides, frater, quot milia sunt in Iudaeis, qui crediderunt; et omnes hi aemulatores sunt legis.” Nec tamen hodie clarescente per mundum euangelio necesse est, immo nec licitum fidelibus uel circumcidi, uel hostias Deo uictimarum offerre carnalium. Itaque Iohannes secundum legis consuetudinem XIIIIa die mensis primi ad uesperam incipiebat celebrationem festi paschalis, nil curans, utrum haec sabbato, an alia qualibet feria proueniret. At uero Petrus cum Romae praedicaret, memor, quia Dominus prima sabbati resurrexit a mortuis, ac mundo spem resurrectionis contulit, ita pascha faciendum intellexit, ut secundum consuetudinem ac praecepta legis XIIIIam lunam primi mensis, aeque sicut Iohannes, orientem ad uesperam semper exspectaret; et hac exorta, si dominica dies, quae tunc prima sabbati uocabatur, erat mane uentura, in ipsa uespera pascha dominicum celebrare incipiebat, quomodo et nos omnes hodie facere solemus. Sin autem dominica non proximo mane post lunam XIIIIam, sed XVIa aut XVIIa aut alia qualibet luna usque ad XXIam esset uentura, exspectabat eam, et praecedente sabbato, uespere, sacrosancta paschae sollemnia inchoabat; sicque fiebat, ut dominica paschae dies nonnisi a XVa luna usque ad XXIam seruaretur. Neque haec euangelica et apostolica traditio legem soluit, sed potius adimplet, in qua obseruandum pascha a XIIIIa luna primi mensis ad uesperam usque ad XXIam lunam eiusdem mensis ad uesperam praeceptum est; in quam obseruantiam imitandam omnes beati Iohannis successores in Asia post obitum eius, et omnis per orbem ecclesia conuersa est. Et hoc esse uerum pascha, hoc solum fidelibus celebrandum, Niceno concilio non statutum nouiter, sed confirmatum est, ut ecclesiastica docet historia. Unde constat uos, Colmane, neque Iohannis, ut autumatis, exempla sectari, neque Petri, cuius traditioni scientes contradicitis, neque legi, neque euangelio in obseruatione uestri paschae congruere. Iohannes enim ad legis Mosaicae decreta tempus paschale custodiens, nil de prima sabbati curabat; quod uos non facitis, qui nonnisi prima sabbati pascha celebratis. Petrus a XVa luna usque ad XXIam diem paschae dominicum celebrabat; quod uos non facitis, qui a XIIIIa usque ad XXam lunam diem dominicum paschae obseruatis; ita ut XIIIa luna ad uesperam saepius pascha incipiatis, cuius neque lex ullam fecit mentionem, neque auctor ac dator euangelii Dominus in ea, sed in XIIIIa uel uetus pascha manducauit ad uesperam, uel noui testamenti sacramenta in commemorationem suae passionis ecclesiae celebranda tradidit. Item lunam XXIam, quam lex maxime celebrandam commendauit, a celebratione uestri paschae funditus eliminatis; sicque, ut dixi, in celebratione summae festiuitatis neque Iohanni, neque Petro, neque legi, neque euangelio concordatis.’ His contra Colmanus: ‘Numquid,’ ait, ‘Anatolius uir sanctus, et in praefata historia ecclesiastica multum laudatus, legi uel euangelio contraria sapuit, qui a XIIIIa usque ad XXam pascha celebrandum scripsit? Numquid reuerentissimum patrem nostrum Columbam et successores eius uiros Deo dilectos, qui eodem modo pascha fecerunt, diuinis paginis contraria sapuisse uel egisse credendum est? cum plurimi fuerint in eis, quorum sanctitati caelestia signa, et uirtutum quae fecerunt miracula testimonium praebuerunt; quos ipse sanctos esse non dubitans, semper eorum uitam, mores, et disciplinam sequi non desisto.’ At Uilfridus: ‘Constat,’ inquit, ‘Anatolium uirum sanctissimum, doctissimum, ac laude esse dignissimum; sed quid uobis cum illo, cum nec eius decreta seruetis? Ille enim in pascha suo regulam utique ueritatis sequens, circulum X et VIIII annorum posuit, quem uos aut ignoratis, aut agnitum et a tota Christi ecclesia custoditum pro nihilo contemnitis. Ille sic in pascha dominico XIIIIam lunam conputauit, ut hanc eadem ipsa die more Aegyptiorum XVam lunam ad uesperam esse fateretur. Sic item XXam die dominico paschae adnotauit, ut hanc declinata eadem die esse XXIam crederet. Cuius regulam distinctionis uos ignorasse probat, quod aliquoties pascha manifestissime ante plenilunium, id est in XIIIa luna, facitis. De patre autem uestro Columba et sequacibus eius, quorum sanctitatem uos imitari, et regulam ac praecepta caelestibus signis confirmata sequi perhibetis, possem respondere; quia multis in iudicio dicentibus Domino, quod in nomine eius prophetauerint, et daemonia eiecerint, et uirtutes multas fecerint, responsurus sit Dominus, quia numquam eos nouerit. Sed absit, ut hoc de patribus uestris dicam, quia iustius multo est de incognitis bonum credere quam malum. Unde et illos Dei famulos ac Deo dilectos esse non nego, qui simplicitate rustica, sed intentione pia Deum dilexerunt. Neque illis multum obesse reor talem paschae obseruantiam, quamdiu nullus aduenerat, qui eis instituti perfectioris decreta, quae sequerentur, ostenderet; quos utique credo, siqui tunc ad eos catholicus calculator adueniret, sic eius monita fuisse secuturos, quomodo ea, quae nouerant ac didicerant, Dei mandata probantur fuisse secuti. Tu autem et socii tui, si audita decreta sedis apostolicae, immo uniuersalis ecclesiae, et haec litteris sacris confirmata sequi contemnitis, absque ulla dubietate peccatis. Etsi enim patres tui sancti fuerunt, numquid uniuersali, quae per orbem est, ecclesiae Christi eorum est paucitas uno de angulo extremae insulae praeferenda? Et si sanctus erat, ac potens uirtutibus ille Columba uester, immo et noster, si Christi erat, num praeferri potuit beatissimo apostolorum principi, cui Dominus ait: “Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi non praeualebunt aduersus eam, et tibi dabo claues regni caelorum”? Haec perorante Uilfrido, dixit rex: ‘Uerene, Colmane, haec illi Petro dicta sunt a Domino?’ Qui ait: ‘Uere, rex.’ At ille: ‘Habetis,’ inquit, ‘uos proferre aliquid tantae potestatis uestro Columbae datum?’ At ille ait: ‘Nihil.’ Rursum rex: ‘Si utrique uestrum,’ inquit, ‘in hoc sine ulla controuersia consentiunt, quod haec principaliter Petro dicta, et ei claues regni caelorum sint datae a Domino?’ Responderunt: ‘Etiam,’ utrique. At ille ita conclusit: ‘Et ego uobis dico, quia hic est ostiarius ille, cui ego contradicere nolo; sed, in quantum noui uel ualeo, huius cupio in omnibus oboedire statutis; ne forte, me adueniente ad fores regni caelorum, non sit qui reserat, auerso illo, qui claues tenere probatur.’ Haec dicente rege, fauerunt adsidentes quique siue adstantes maiores una cum mediocribus, et abdicata minus perfecta institutione, ad ea, quae meliora cognouerant, sese transferre festinabant.

Finitoque conflictu, ac soluta contione, Agilberctus domum rediit. Colman uidens spretam suam doctrinam, sectamque esse dispectam, adsumtis his, qui se sequi uoluerunt, id est qui pascha catholicum et tonsuram coronae (nam et de hoc quaestio non minima erat) recipere nolebant, Scottiam regressus est, tractaturus cum suis, quid de his facere deberet. Cedd, relictis Scottorum uestigiis, ad suam sedem rediit, utpote agnita obseruatione catholici paschae. Facta est autem haec quaestio anno dominicae incarnationis DCLXIIIIo, qui fuit annus Osuiu regis XXIIus, episcopatus autem Scottorum, quem gesserunt in prouincia Anglorum, annus XXXus; siquidem Aidan X et VII annis, Finan decem, Colman tribus episcopatum tenuere. Reuerso autem patriam Colmano, suscepit pro illo pontificatum Nordanhymbrorum famulus Christi Tuda, qui erat apud Scottos austrinos eruditus, atque ordinatus episcopus, habens iuxta morem prouinciae illius coronam tonsurae ecclesiasticae, et catholicam temporis paschalis regulam obseruans; uir quidem bonus ac religiosus, sed permodico tempore ecclesiam regens. Uenerat autem de Scottia, tenente adhuc pontificatum Colmano, et diligenter ea, quae ad fidem ac ueritatem pertinent, et uerbo cunctos docebat, et opere. Porro fratribus, qui in Lindisfarnensi ecclesia, Scottis abeuntibus, remanere maluerunt, praepositus est abbatis iure uir reuerentissimus ac mansuetissimus Eata, qui erat abbas in monasterio, quod dicitur Mailros; quod aiunt Colmanum abiturum petisse et inpetrasse a rege Osuiu, eo quod esset idem Eata unus de XII pueris Aidani, quos primo episcopatus sui tempore de natione Anglorum erudiendos in Christo accepit. Multum namque eundem episcopum Colmanum rex pro insita illi prudentia diligebat. Ipse est Eata, qui non multo post eidem ecclesiae Lindisfarnensi episcopus factus est. Abiens autem domum Colman adsumsit secum partem ossuum reuerentissimi patris Aidani; partem uero in ecclesia, cui praeerat, reliquit, et in secretario eius condi praecepit. Quantae autem parsimoniae, cuius continentiae fuerit ipse cum prodecessoribus suis, testabatur etiam locus ille, quem regebant, ubi abeuntihus eis, excepta ecclesia, paucissimae domus repertae sunt, hoc est illae solummodo, sine quibus conuersatio ciuilis esse nullatenus poterat. Nil pecuniarum absque pecoribus habebant. Siquid enim pecuniae a diuitibus accipiebant, mox pauperibus dabant. Nam neque ad susceptionem potentium saeculi, uel pecunias colligi, uel domus praeuideri necesse fuit, qui numquam ad ecclesiam nisi orationis tantum et audiendi uerbi Dei causa ueniebant. Rex ipse, cum oportunitas exegisset, cum V tantum aut VI ministris ueniebat, et expleta in ecclesia oratione discedebat. Quod si forte eos ibi refici contingeret, simplici tantum et cotidiano fratrum cibo contenti, nil ultra quaerebant. Tota enim fuit tunc sollicitudo doctoribus illis Deo seruiendi, non saeculo; tota cura cordis excolendi, non uentris. Unde et in magna erat ueneratione tempore illo religionis habitus; ita ut, ubicumque clericus aliqui aut monachus adueniret, gaudenter ab omnibus tamquam Dei famulus exciperetur. Etiam si in itinere pergens inueniretur, adcurrebant, et flexa ceruice uel manu signari, uel ore illius se benedici gaudebant; uerbis quoque horum exhortatoriis diligenter auditum praebebant. Sed et diebus dominicis ad ecclesiam siue ad monasteria certatim, non reficiendi corporis, sed audiendi sermonis Dei gratia confluebant; et siquis sacerdotum in uicum forte deueniret, mox congregati in unum uicani uerbum uitae ab illo expetere curabant. Nam neque alia ipsis sacerdotibus aut clericis uicos adeundi, quam praedicandi, baptizandi, infirmos uisitandi, et, ut breuiter dicam, animas curandi causa fuit; qui in tantum erant ab omni auaritiae peste castigati, ut nemo territoria ac possessiones ad construenda monasteria, nisi a potestatibus saeculi coactus, acciperet. Quae consuetudo per omnia aliquanto post haec tempore in ecclesiis Nordanhymbrorum seruata est. Sed de his satis dictum.

Если лунная поправка равна двадцати девяти и воскресная поправка равна шести, днём Пасхи признаётся девятнадцатое апреля, то есть пятидесятое марта. Правило настоящей статьи отступает от статьи 7: без него счёт дал бы двадцать шестое апреля, то есть пятьдесят седьмое марта, — день за пределом статьи 12. Свидетель настоящей статьи — 1981 год: Пасха этого года по григорианской пасхалии приходится на девятнадцатое апреля, тогда как статья 7 без настоящего исключения дала бы двадцать шестое.

Если лунная поправка равна двадцати восьми, воскресная поправка равна шести и остаток от деления на тридцать суммы одиннадцатикратной вековой лунной постоянной и одиннадцати меньше девятнадцати, днём Пасхи признаётся восемнадцатое апреля, то есть сорок девятое марта. Правило настоящей статьи отступает от статьи 7: без него счёт дал бы двадцать пятое апреля, то есть пятьдесят шестое марта. Свидетель настоящей статьи — 1954 год: Пасха этого года по григорианской пасхалии приходится на восемнадцатое апреля, тогда как статья 7 без настоящего исключения дала бы двадцать пятое. Условие о вековой лунной постоянной не является украшением. При постоянной, равной двадцати трём, названный остаток равен двадцати четырём, и настоящее исключение не применяется вовсе; при постоянной, равной пятнадцати, он равен двадцати шести, и настоящее исключение не применяется к юлианской пасхалии никогда.

День Пасхи не может быть ранее двадцать второго марта и не может быть позднее двадцать пятого апреля, то есть пятьдесят шестого марта. Предел исчисляется по той пасхалии, по которой ведётся счёт, и в её собственном календаре. Свидетели пределов: 1818 год, Пасха которого по григорианской пасхалии приходится на двадцать второе марта — самый ранний возможный день; и 1943 год, Пасха которого приходится на двадцать пятое апреля — самый поздний возможный день. Нарушение предела означает ошибку счёта, а не редкий год. Счёт, вышедший за предел, настоящим изложением объявляется НЕДОПУСТИМЫМ, и день, полученный таким счётом, днём Пасхи не является.

День, выраженный числом дней марта, переводится в месяц и число так: если число не превышает тридцати одного — месяцем признаётся март, а числом месяца само это число; если число более тридцати одного и не превышает шестидесяти одного — месяцем признаётся апрель, а числом месяца это число, уменьшенное на тридцать один; если число более шестидесяти одного и не превышает девяноста двух — месяцем признаётся май, а числом месяца это число, уменьшенное на шестьдесят один. Май возникает не у самой Пасхи, а у юлианской Пасхи, приведённой к григорианской оси по статье 14.

Два счёта одного года по разным пасхалиям сопоставимы только на одной оси. Днём юлианской Пасхи на григорианской оси признаётся день юлианской Пасхи, увеличенный на смещение осей. Смещение осей зависит от года и принимает следующие значения: для годов с 1583 по 1699 — десять дней; с 1700 по 1799 — одиннадцать; с 1800 по 1899 — двенадцать; с 1900 по 2099 — тринадцать; с 2100 по 2199 — четырнадцать. Границы рядов смещения совпадают с границами рядов статьи 8, и совпадение это не случайно: оба ряда следуют из одного правила пункта 9 буллы о вековом високосе. Два счёта одного года, ведённые по разным пасхалиям, СОВПАДАЮТ, если день григорианской Пасхи и день юлианской Пасхи на григорианской оси равны, и РАСХОДЯТСЯ, если они не равны. Совпадение и расхождение выводятся из счёта; ни то, ни другое не устанавливается настоящим изложением заранее и ни к одной из пасхалий не относится как её свойство. Свидетель совпадения — 2025 год: обе пасхалии дают двадцатое апреля. Свидетель расхождения — 2026 год: григорианская пасхалия даёт пятое апреля, юлианская — тридцатое марта своего календаря, то есть двенадцатое апреля на григорианской оси.

Пасхалий две: юлианская и григорианская. Юлианская пасхалия старше буллы. Булла её не учреждала и не отменяла: пункт 14 буллы отменяет старый календарь для тех, кто булле подчинён, а не для всего христианского мира. Юлианская пасхалия действует по сей день в православной традиции. Григорианская пасхалия введена буллой и применяется к годам начиная с 1583-го — первого года, пасха которого считается по исправленному календарю. Ни одна из двух пасхалий не имеет преимущества перед другой. Настоящее изложение не разрешает спора о том, какая из них правильна, и правила такого разрешения не содержит. Какая пасхалия применяется к счёту — обстоятельство счёта, а не вывод из настоящего изложения.

Пасха приходится на первое воскресенье после первого полнолуния, которое наступает в день весеннего равноденствия или после него. Днём весеннего равноденствия для целей счёта признаётся двадцать первое марта. Пункт 6 буллы называет те же три вещи: место весеннего равноденствия; положение четырнадцатой луны первого месяца, падающей на день равноденствия или ближайшей после него; первое воскресенье после этой четырнадцатой луны. Пункт 7 буллы возвращает равноденствие на двенадцатые календы апреля, то есть на двадцать первое марта. Полнолуние настоящего изложения есть ЦЕРКОВНАЯ ЛУНА — четырнадцатый день лунного месяца, вычисленный по циклу. Церковная луна не есть астрономическое полнолуние и не приближает его: она определяется циклом и только циклом. Пункт 10 буллы устанавливает для этого цикл эпакт вместо золотого числа и говорит о нём, что он, «приведённый к твёрдой мере золотого числа, делает так, что новолуние и пасхальная четырнадцатая луна всегда сохраняют свои истинные места». Расхождение церковной луны с наблюдаемым небом ошибкой счёта не является и настоящим изложением не устраняется. Равным образом днём равноденствия признаётся двадцать первое марта независимо от того, на какой день приходится равноденствие астрономическое.

Счёт начинается с трёх остатков от деления года. Первый остаток есть остаток от деления года на девятнадцать. Он выражает место года в девятнадцатилетнем лунном цикле. Второй остаток есть остаток от деления года на четыре. Он выражает место года в четырёхлетнем цикле високоса. Третий остаток есть остаток от деления года на семь. Он выражает сдвиг дней недели от года к году. Остаток берётся неотрицательным: он есть число от нуля до делителя без единицы.

Лунная поправка есть остаток от деления на тридцать суммы двух слагаемых: первого остатка, умноженного на девятнадцать, и вековой лунной постоянной. Лунная поправка есть число от нуля до двадцати девяти. Она указывает, на сколько дней после двадцать первого марта приходится церковное полнолуние первого месяца.

Воскресная поправка есть остаток от деления на семь суммы четырёх слагаемых: второго остатка, умноженного на два; третьего остатка, умноженного на четыре; лунной поправки, умноженной на шесть; и вековой воскресной постоянной. Воскресная поправка есть число от нуля до шести. Она указывает, сколько дней отделяют церковное полнолуние от следующего за ним воскресенья. Воскресность дня Пасхи обеспечивается этой поправкой, и отдельной проверки дня недели счёт не требует.

День Пасхи есть двадцать второе марта, увеличенное на лунную поправку и на воскресную поправку. День Пасхи выражается ЧИСЛОМ ДНЕЙ МАРТА: первое апреля есть тридцать второе марта, девятнадцатое апреля есть пятидесятое марта, двадцать пятое апреля есть пятьдесят шестое марта. Такое выражение употреблено затем, чтобы счёт оставался целочисленным и не требовал календаря. Правило настоящей статьи применяется, если счёт не подпадает под статью 10 или статью 11.

Вековая лунная постоянная и вековая воскресная постоянная григорианской пасхалии зависят от года и принимают следующие значения: для годов с 1583 по 1699 — лунная двадцать два, воскресная два; для годов с 1700 по 1799 — лунная двадцать три, воскресная три; для годов с 1800 по 1899 — лунная двадцать три, воскресная четыре; для годов с 1900 по 2099 — лунная двадцать четыре, воскресная пять; для годов с 2100 по 2199 — лунная двадцать четыре, воскресная шесть. К году ранее 1583-го и позднее 2199-го григорианская пасхалия настоящим изложением не считается: постоянные за пределами приведённых рядов оно не устанавливает. Обе постоянные меняются от века к веку по двум причинам, и обе названы буллой. Первая — солнечное уравнение: по пункту 9 буллы из каждых четырёхсот лет три вековых года високоса лишаются, отчего счёт дней недели смещается; годы 1700, 1800 и 1900 невисокосны, годы 1600 и 2000 високосны. Вторая — лунное уравнение: цикл эпакт пункта 10 сдвигается на один день восемь раз за две тысячи пятьсот лет, чтобы церковная луна не отставала от лунного месяца. Ни солнечное, ни лунное уравнение отдельной нормой настоящего изложения не является. Оба даны здесь как ОБОСНОВАНИЕ приведённых рядов, а не как самостоятельный счёт: период лунного уравнения — две тысячи пятьсот лет, и ни одна его поправка не может быть проверена делом внутри рядов, которые изложение устанавливает.

Вековая лунная постоянная юлианской пасхалии равна пятнадцати, вековая воскресная постоянная — шести. Обе постоянные юлианской пасхалии одинаковы для всякого года и от века не зависят. Юлианская пасхалия к году ранее 1583-го применима: она старше буллы, и рядов, ограничивающих её действие, настоящее изложение не устанавливает.

10. Quo item XIV paschalis recte inveniatur, itemque dies lunae, iuxta antiquum Ecclesiae morem ex Martyrologio singulis diebus ediscendi, fideli populo vere proponantur, statuimus ut, amoto aureo numero de kalendario, in eius locum substituatur cyclus epactarum; qui ad certam (uti diximus) aurei numeri normam directus, efficit ut novilunium et XIV paschalis vera loca semper retineant. Idque manifeste apparet ex nostri explicatione kalendarii, in quo descriptae sunt etiam tabulae paschales secundum priscum Ecclesiae ritum, quo certius et facilius sacrosanctum Pascha inveniri possit.

14. Tollimus autem et abolemus omnino vetus kalendarium, volumusque ut omnes patriarchae, primates, archiepiscopi, episcopi, abbates et ceteri ecclesiarum praesides novum kalendarium (ad quod etiam accomodata est ratio martyrologii), pro divinis officiis recitandis et festis celebrandis, in suas quisque ecclesias, monasteria, conventus, ordines, militias et dioeceses introducant, et eo solo utantur, tam ipsi quam ceteri omnes presbyteri et clerici saeculares et regulares utriusque sexus, necnon milites et omnes christifideles, cuius usus incipiet post decem illos dies ex mense octobri anni MDLXXXII exemptos. Iis vero, qui adeo longinquas incolunt regiones, ut ante praescriptum a nobis tempus harum litterarum notitiam habere non possint, liceat, eodem tamen octobri mense insequentis anni MDLXXXIII vel alterius, cum primum scilicet ad eos hae nostrae litterae pervenerint, modo a nobis paulo ante tradito, eiusmodi mutationem facere, ut copiosius in nostro kalendario anni correctionis explicabitur.

6. Considerantes igitur nos, ad rectam paschalis festi celebrationem iuxta sanctorum Patrum ac veterum Romanorum Pontificum, praesertim Pii et Victoris primorum, necnon magni illius oecumenici concilii Nicaeni et aliorum sanctiones, tria necessaria coniungenda et statuenda esse; primum, certam verni aequinoctii sedem; deinde rectam positionem XIV lunae primi mensis, quae vel in ipsum aequinoctii diem incidit, vel ei proxime succedit; postremo primum quemque diem dominicum, qui eamdem XIV lunam sequitur; curavimus non solum aequinoctium vernum in pristinam sedem, a qua iam a concilio Nicaeno decem circiter diebus recessit, restituendum, et XIV paschalem suo in loco, a quo quatuor et eo amplius dies hoc tempore distat, reponendam, sed viam quoque tradendam et rationem, qua cavetur, ut in posterum aequinoctium et XIV luna a propriis sedibus nunquam dimoveantur.

7. Quo igitur vernum aequinoctium, quod a patribus concilii Nicaeni ad XII kalendas aprilis fuit constitutum, ad eamdem sedem restituatur, praecipimus et mandamus ut de mense octobris anni MDLXXXII decem dies inclusive a tertia nonarum usque ad pridie idus eximantur, et dies, qui festum S. Francisci IV nonas celebrari solitum sequitur, dicatur idus octobris, atque in eo celebretur festum Ss. Dionysii, Rustici et Eleutherii martyrum, cum commemoratione S. Marci Papae et confessoris, et Ss. Sergii, Bacchi, Marcelli et Apulei martyrum; septimodecimo vero kalendas novembris, qui dies proxime sequitur, celebretur festum S. Callisti Papae et martyris; deinde XVI kalendas novembris fiat officium et missa de dominica XVIII post Pentecostem, mutata littera dominicali G in C; quintodecimo denique kalendas novembris dies festus agatur S. Lucae evangelistae, a quo reliqui deinceps agantur festi dies, prout sunt in kalendario descripti.

9. Deinde, ne in posterum a XII kalendas aprilis aequinoctium recedat, statuimus bissextum quarto quoque anno (uti mos est) continuari debere, praeterquam in centesimis annis; qui, quamvis bissextiles antea semper fuerint, qualem etiam esse volumus annum MDC, post eum tamen qui deinceps consequentur centesimi non omnes bissextiles sint, sed in quadringentis quibusque annis primi quique tres centesimi sine bissexto transigantur, quartus vero quisque centesimus bissextilis sit, ita ut annus MDCC, MDCCC, MDCCCC bissextiles non sint. Anno vero MM, more consueto dies bissextus intercaletur, februario dies XXIX continente, idemque ordo intermittendi intercalandique bissextum diem in quadringentis quibusque annis perpetuo conservetur.