Elder Savvas Lavriotes on the complete cessation of communion with heretics in the light of the Holy Canons and the Holy Fathers

May 13, 2022

 

We publish below a word received from Father Savvas Lavriotes (a transcription from a short recording) in which he was asked to give us a useful word for correctly confronting heresies, to once again confess the Orthodox teaching handed down to us by the Holy Fathers, and to show that those who claim that participation in heresy is allowed in Orthodoxy are mistaken.

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Those who say that Canon 15 is optional because it does not impose penalties and that no Orthodox who has communicated with heretics has received penalties must know that this is a lie.

We have several situations. The first situation is mentioned by St. Athanasius the Great in his letter to Bishop Ruffinian, where he refers to the priesthood. There we see that those who were the first to begin preaching heresies, after they repented, were no longer allowed to be bishops. Meanwhile, priests who communicated with heretics explained that they did not break communion in order to protect the flock, to prevent an overt heretic from taking their place. These priests were not punished but were left in their positions, in their seats. However, they were subjected to ecclesiastical judgment and synodal investigation, which means that they made a mistake. Yet, they were allowed to remain in their positions because their intention was good, based on their purpose. Therefore, the claim that Orthodox Christians who communicated with heretics before being judged never received a canon (penalty) is a mistake.

And secondly, it is said about Canon 15 that it does not contain a penalty. Yet, it does. The Canon states that those who break communion with heretics before synodal investigation not only do not create schism but also deliver the Church from schisms and heresies. What does this mean? If those who break communion with heretics protect the Church from schism, what do those who do not break communion with heretics do? They create schism! Is schism not sanctioned, not punished? It is very clear that those who do not break communion with heretics are schismatics, are outside the Church, and the greatest penalty, the greatest canon, is that they create schism.

Saint Gregory Palamas never communicated with Kalekas nor with those who commemorated Kalekas. That is why he was imprisoned, because he completely severed communion with heresy.

So, there are certain people who say that it is a mistake not to have communion with those who are considered Orthodox but are in communion with the heretical bishop, using as an argument the Second Canon of Saint Athanasius the Great (letter to Ruffinian). Is there anything in the history of the Church to support what they say? No, of course not. Saint John Chrysostom says: “Enemies of Christ are the heretics, but also those who are in communion with them.” Saint Basil the Great says: “Not only are heretics enemies of God, but also those who consider themselves Orthodox yet are in communion with them.” That is why Canon 2 of the Synod of Antioch states that he who is in communion with the one who is not in communion is also not in communion (vasa communicantia ["communicating vessels"]). This applies to both condemned heretics and, as we see in Saint Basil the Great, Saint Theodore the Studite, and other Holy Fathers, it also applies to heretics who are not yet condemned or deposed (in the case of clergy).

 

Romanian source:

https://ortodoxlogos.ro/2022/05/13/gheron-sava-lavriotul-despre-intreruperea-totala-a-comuniunii-cu-ereticii-in-lumina-sfintelor-canoane-si-a-sfintilor-parinti/