St. Nektarios of Aegina: Concerning the Persons Administering the Holy Mysteries

 

Does the Personal Faith of a Bishop or Priest Affect the Validity of the Holy Mysteries?

Source: St. Nektarios of Pentapolis, "On the Divine Mysteries of the Holy Church of Christ: Part A—On the Mysteries in General," in Collected Works, Vol. VI, ed. Holy Metropolis of Hydra, Spetses, and Aegina, Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity (St. Nektarios), Aegina, Athens, 2012, pp. 155-158.

 

1. For the divine Mysteries to be performed and completed mystically, the following are required:

(a) A priest, who must be canonically ordained by the Church and commissioned by the Church of Christ, which is the only entrusted authority, having received the command from the Greatest High Priest, Christ, who is the sole celebrant of the Mysteries. For it is not the persons who perform the Mysteries and transmit Grace, but Christ, the Great High Priest Himself, who both offers the mystery of the Eucharist and is offered, and both gives and is given, and sanctifies those who partake.

(b) They must be performed according to the tradition of the Church, which was handed down to the Church by the holy Apostles.

2. The Catholic (Orthodox) Church permits only those who are canonically sealed, called, and ordained, as required by ecclesiastical tradition, and who do not hold any pernicious heresy, to celebrate the liturgy.

Concerning the moral perfection of those who perform the Mysteries

3. The moral perfection of the priest performing the Mysteries, or the degree of his faith, does not contribute at all to the performance of the Mysteries, even if these are lacking in him, because he is an instrument of the Church and acts on behalf of the Church, and God gives the Grace on behalf of the Church. If he is unworthy, he will give account for his boldness, but the Mysteries are still performed and completed.

4. The Church, as a divine institution, has the Spirit; and since the Spirit remains in the Church of Christ forever, the Church, regardless of the moral character and faith of individuals, possesses the Spirit within itself forever. The Church is Christ, because it is His Body, and He is its Head.

Concerning the completion of the Mysteries

5. The completion and sanctification of the Mysteries, as independent acts, are not only separate from the priest who performs the mystery, but they are also independent of the moral perfection and faith of the one receiving the mystery. The mystery was performed, the sun rose, grace was poured out, the word was spoken, those with eyes saw, the sensitive ones felt, those who hear listened, and those with minds to understand understood; however, the blind, the deaf, the insensitive, and the slow of mind slept and showed no interest. On the day of judgment, they will be without excuse, for due to their willful negligence, they deprived themselves of saving Grace. This applies to the members of the Church, for the Mysteries are performed only on behalf of the faithful.