Selections from the book “The Concept of Defilement of the Orthodox from Ecclesiastical Communion with Uncondemned Heretics.”

PART A

(The excerpts published are from the book of the same name by Hieromonk Eugenios in simplified language. Text editing: Protopresbyter Dimitrios Athanasiou.)

 

Introduction

There is spiritual defilement for the Orthodox when they commune with heretics who have been cut off from the Church. This arises from passages in the Prophet Ezekiel, as interpreted by the Holy Fathers, as well as from testimonies of the Holy Apostles, the Fifth Ecumenical Council, and generally the Fathers of the Church. The same is taught by Saint Basil the Great.

Just as:

• the Third Ecumenical Council dealt with Nestorius,
• the Fourth with Dioscorus,
• the Sixth with Macarius,
• the Seventh with the Iconoclast bishops who returned,
• and the Ninth with John Kalekas and Gregory Akindynos,

so also, from the official texts and decisions of these Councils it appears clearly that all these individuals had real and canonical priesthood until the moment they were deposed. Only then did they lose it.

They had priesthood even when they were in unrepentant heresy (which is why they were deposed), or – in the case of the Seventh Ecumenical Council – before they repented.

Although in various eras the heretics prevailed in local Churches, even officially and for many years, and although they taught heresies already condemned in the past and revived them synodically, while the Orthodox avoided communion with them, the very existence of their priesthood had not been destroyed. This is clearly seen at least from the Third, Fourth, Sixth, and Seventh Ecumenical Councils.

Deposition, as explained precisely by the Ecumenical Councils, is not merely an announcement that the priesthood had already been lost, but its removal. That is, the grace of the priesthood is removed by a specific synodical act, at a specific time, by God and the Synod of bishops.

Therefore, the idea that defilement means automatic deposition or that the Mysteries become automatically invalid is not supported by the acts of the Ecumenical Councils. This holds true even when a heresy has been synodally recognized, as also happened at the Council of Crete in 2016.

***

What is Defilement and How It Operates

1. The root and cause of defilement is heresy, which the devil sows into the heart of man. A person becomes a heretic because he accepts heresy.

2. Heresy first defiles the heretic himself, because it separates him from God. This is the first and fundamental effect and is confirmed by the Fifth Ecumenical Council and by testimonies of Saints, such as Abba Agathon. Up to this point, the defilement concerns only the person of the heretic.

3. Heresy causes schism [that is, a division – trans. note.] within the Church. The unity of the faithful takes place through Holy Communion. The heretic who has not yet been synodally condemned breaks this unity, because he has already been cut off from God. This is confirmed by the acts of the Fifth Ecumenical Council and by the 15th Canon of the First-Second Council, which vindicates those who break communion before synodal condemnation.

4. The Mysteries are defiled, both those of the heretic and of those who knowingly commune with him. This is clearly shown in the Fifth Ecumenical Council, where the name of Pope Vigilius was removed from the diptychs so that the Mysteries of the Orthodox bishops would not be defiled.

We avoid the deposed or heretical priest not only because he no longer performs valid Mysteries, but also because of his mindset, for from that the defilement begins.

5. The defilement of the Mysteries signifies judgment and condemnation, both for the priest and for those who knowingly commune with him. Just as someone who receives Holy Communion while in grave sin without repentance does so to his judgment and condemnation, so too in this case does Holy Communion become unto judgment and condemnation.

6. Defilement also means:

– participation in heresy,

– divine condemnation of the heretic,

– and ultimately, removal from the grace of God.

Communion with a heretic, according to the Fathers, means:

– commemoration or concelebration (for clergy),

– receiving Holy Communion from him (for laity),

– common prayer or even close association.

***

Important Clarification

A decisive role is played by whether something occurs “knowingly.” That is, whether someone is aware that the other is a heretic and nonetheless communes with him. For those who do not know or do not fully understand, the responsibility belongs to the judgment of God, who knows the hearts and intentions of each person.

As Saint Theodore the Studite says, we cannot pass absolute judgment on everyone, because people differ in knowledge, intention, age, and zeal.

Our duty is to follow what the Fathers have handed down to us, so that we do not go astray. The greater the knowledge, the greater also the responsibility, as the Holy Scriptures and the Gospel teach.

This is what the texts say.

The principle “he who communes with the excommunicated shall himself be excommunicated” does not apply only to heretics who have already been condemned synodally, but also to heretics who have not yet been officially condemned, according to the teaching of the Holy Apostles, the Fifth Ecumenical Council, the Holy Canons, and the Holy Fathers.

The Holy Canons (the 2nd and 10th Apostolic Canons) impose non-communion not as a punishment, but to avoid spiritual defilement. Just as non-communion is imposed on someone who communes with a condemned heretic in order not to be spiritually defiled, the same applies when someone communes with a heretic who has not yet been condemned.

Defilement does not stop with the first person. It is transmitted:

– from the heretic,

– to the one who communes with him knowingly,

– and even further, to a third person who communes with the second.

It is like communicating vessels: participation in the schism of the heretic occurs either directly or indirectly when there is conscious communion.

In simple terms:

Since defilement is transmitted from the uncondemned heretic to the Orthodox person who communes with him, it is also transmitted to whoever communes with them. That is, there is both direct and indirect participation in the schism.

***

Economy and Its Limits

Ecclesiastical “oikonomia” does not nullify these conclusions but confirms them. Precisely because defilement exists and because the Holy Canons impose separation from heretics, the Church—in exceptional cases and synodally—may temporarily allow something that is normally strictly forbidden.

This is done only:

– when there is a most serious reason (e.g. the salvation of souls),

– and when it is accepted by the fullness [plērōma] of the Church.

Oikonomia does not abolish the defilement:

– neither in the heretic himself,

– nor in those who commemorate him or commune with him,

when the heresy is openly taught within the Church.

Exceptions exist only in cases of extreme necessity (e.g. threat of mass slaughter of the faithful), or in cases of spiritual infirmity, where oikonomia is applied gradually, with the aim of slowly leading the person to the full observance of akribeia (precise canonical rigor).

Oikonomia is temporary and ceases when the believer reaches the full application of the Holy Canons.

This form of oikonomia was also applied by Saint Theodore the Studite. It can be applied only if specific conditions are met:

For Orthodox clergy:

– not to commemorate a heretical bishop,

– not to concelebrate with a heretical clergyman,

– not to administer Mysteries to a heretic.

For Orthodox laity:

– not to receive Holy Communion from the chalice of a heretic who has not been deposed.

Therefore, oikonomia proves that the Holy Canons are obligatory, not optional. If they were optional, oikonomia would not be necessary.

***

Testimony from the Fifth Ecumenical Council

The unity of the Church is disrupted only by heresies. Whoever thinks differently from what the Church has received:

– loses the unity of the faith,

– and the communion of the Holy Spirit.

For this reason, the Fifth Ecumenical Council considers it the highest duty of priests to safeguard the unity of the faith.

When a priest departs from the Orthodox faith:

– he defiles the Mysteries he performs,

– he loses the grace of spiritual fatherhood,

– and from being a shepherd he becomes a wolf that destroys the flock.

That is why the name of Pope Vigilius was removed from the Diptychs—to preserve the purity of the Mysteries.

In the Diptychs:

– only Orthodox are commemorated,

– and heretics are removed,

whether living or departed.

For it is not Christian to equate heresy with the Orthodox faith. All priests must have one mind, one conviction, one faith: the Orthodox truth.

***

Final Conclusion (In Simple Terms)

The priest who consciously teaches heresy:

– loses the grace of the Holy Spirit,

– causes schism,

– defiles the Mysteries—not because he ceases to be a priest, but because they are performed unto judgment and condemnation, both for himself and for those who knowingly commune with him.

For this reason:

– we avoid communion with heretics,

– we do not commemorate those who are not in the Orthodox faith,

– we safeguard the unity of the Church and the purity of the Mysteries.

All priests are obliged to hold one faith: the Orthodox—the Truth.

***

And now let us be permitted to include a text which we retrieve from the introduction of the book The Fifth Ecumenical Council, by Metropolitan Meletios:

“...This unity is disturbed only by heterodoxies. Whoever thinks differently from what was handed down ceases to have the unity of faith and the communion of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, according to the Fifth Council (Act I, § 3.17), the supreme duty of the priests, the guardians of the Church, is the safeguarding and the securing of the unity of the faith.

The fall of priests from the unity of the faith defiles the Mysteries performed by them and removes from them the gift of spiritual fatherhood. Instead of shepherds, they become wolves, devouring their flock (see Act VI § 15.10 and Act I § 3.14).

For this reason, Justinian declares (and the Council confirms this position [in Act VII § 16.1–2]) that he would never tolerate receiving Holy Communion from priests suspected of heresy.

And the Orthodox, throughout the entire duration of the Acacian Schism, refused to receive the spotless Mysteries from the hands of those merely suspected. “Why have we remained out of communion for so many (35) years? Why do we not commune?” (ACO 3, p. 72).

Priests and fathers are only those who keep the faith unadulterated (Act I § 3.14).

Every priest performs the spotless Mysteries worthily and unto sanctification only so long as he is united with the faith of the Church. The commemoration in the holy Diptychs takes place precisely for the declaration and safeguarding of this unity.

In the Diptychs of the living, the names of the “in communion” Orthodox hierarchs and patriarchs are inscribed and proclaimed. For this reason, our Council, in order to guard the purity of the holy Mysteries, removed the name of the then-reigning Pope Vigilius from the holy Diptychs (see Act VII § 16–17).

In the Diptychs of the departed, only the Orthodox Fathers and teachers are commemorated. Therefore, when it was established that Theodore was teaching heterodox doctrines, his name was removed from the holy Diptychs of the Church in Mopsuestia.

“It is foreign to Christians for heretics to be commemorated in the holy Diptychs,” our Council emphasizes (Act VII § 16.3), for “it is foreign to Christians to accept impiety (= heresy) on equal terms with the Orthodox faith” (Act I § 3.13).

All priests must have one and only one opinion (Act II § 5.7); one mindset; the right faith; the Truth.”

 

Greek source: https://apotixisi.blogspot.com/2025/12/blog-post_44.html