Rusticus the Deacon's "Disputation Against the Acephali" Part I

 Preface to Rusticus the Deacon's "Disputation Against the Acephali [Monophysites]"

[Rusticus lived in the late 500s, and was a Deacon of the Orthodox Church of Old Rome; text needs cleaning up and I have to go through it a few times, since below is google translate from the Latin; which is an whole lot better than it used to be, especially with the new LLM programs]

I, indeed, knowing both my sins and my necessities and my measure, have often proposed to prefer silence to dogmatism, especially since never have things pertaining to Christians been so disturbed as in our times: first, indeed, because no one emulates the efforts of the ancients, but rather discusses their effects; and they do not confess themselves sons of those who have long since rested in the Lord, but rather appoint them as judges, adding to them calumnies which are too numerous to count. And this is true among the Acephali, as it must be said, all of them; but among those who have recently appeared, only the laity in particular: among whom also those who are called bishops and presbyters and deacons, and the rest of the clergy and monks, some through error, some through avarice, some through ambition, but more generally all through every evil, have cast aside the freedom and confidence and healthy zeal of Christians to such an extent that, as far as they are concerned, they no longer even leave hope of correction. 

With these, indeed, all the virtue of Christians has departed, while no one truly cares for what is common and of the Lord Christ, nor does he consider it worthy of a word: but all are more keenly interested in what is their own (Phil. 2:11), and they place all their hope in those through whom they hope to enjoy this abundantly. But that these things are true, the facts themselves testify: indeed every trace of virtue has departed, and every flood of wickedness has drowned the Roman Republic. Therefore, proposing these things to my mind, I judged that I should indeed abstain from such abominations, but that I should only take my time in weeping, and that I should unceasingly bear the divine sentence, which has been frequently and strongly thundering from above upon many for a long time. But what shall I say, of leaving the world, although I am altogether hasty in will, yet very weak in virtue? All that remains for me is to hope in your prayers. I will return, therefore, to what I have proposed. As I thought about these and similar things with great care, my zeal did not cease, but reason suggested the opposite: Why are you constrained, O man, and do you only think that you must despair, looking only at human impiety and forgetting the divine will?

Western Rite Orthodox Epistle Tone

This is the common Western Rite Orthodox Epistle Tone;  various examples of the beginning, whether it is from Romans, Galatians, or cases of the Prophets, like Isaias; the reading example is from Ecclesiasticus 31:

St. Photius on Ordinations by Deposed Schismatics and Heretics and the Ten Questions and Answers

Question 4 [from St. Photius' "Ten Questions"]:  

Which of those ordained by condemned heretics have not suffered any harm? Answer:  Although Paul of Samosata was condemned, none of his own people were deposed, although they did the same things for which he was deposed.  Although Nestorius was deposed, none of those ordained by him were deposed.  Peter Mongus was deposed by St. Proterius while he was still a priest; he assisted the assassin Timothy in the murder of Proterius, and after Timothy's death he seized the Throne of Alexandria and pronounced anathema every day on the Council of Chalcedon.  Those who were ordained by him, although he was deposed, an assassin and an heretic, and although they were themselves heretics, nevertheless repented and were received.  And Felix of Rome wrote to Emperor Zeno and described his decree, by which he expelled Peter from the Church, but accept those who repented, as a divine edict, and with what he wrote he accuses him because brought Peter [Mongus], who was outside the Church, back into the Church, and expelled John.  Meletius of Antioch, who was ordained by heretics in the place of Eustathius of Sebaste, was moved from there to Verroia, and was then made Bishop of Antioch by them again; but although they were accused as heretics, he was received by the Church.  Although Sergius, Pyrrhus and Macarius were expelled from the Church as heretics, those who were ordained by them were accepted when they repented.  The same happened with those who were ordained by Macedonius the Pneumatomachia.  The Romans deposed Acacius [of Constantinople], and pronounced anathema on him while he was still alive.  After his death, however, when Justin became Emperor after Anastasius, they sent a delegation to him and deleted him [Acacius] from the Diptychs [for the commemoration of the dead], when John was on the Throne of Constantinople.  However, they concelebrated with those whom he had ordained and were in communion with them.  Those who were ordained by the [Iconoclast] heretics Anastasius and Nicetas were accepted by the Seventh [Ecumenical] Council.  Also, Meletius [of Lycopolis] was guilty of innumerable evils: he intruded into other Bishops' Thrones, he grieved Martyrs, he rebelled against his own Patriarch [St. Peter the Martyr, and then later St Athanasius] and took his Throne, he sided with Arius [!], and, according to Socrates [Scholasticus the Historian], he offered sacrifice [to idols!!] during the persecution.  On account of all this he was deposed by [St.] Peter.  However, although he was deposed many times, subsequently he received the name, if not the priesthood of bishop." [Patriarch Photius, "Ten Questions and Answers", PG 104, 1224]

Here is a Provisional Translation [from the Latin text to the side of the Greek] of the remaining 10 Questions and Answer of St. Photius; these, and the aforementioned Fourth Response, seem to be St. Photius' defense from history of his Consecration; probably because he was ordained as Bishop by Gregory of Syracuse who had previously been deposed by St. Ignatius, but was rehabilitated after St. Igantius' expulsion, and then helped St. Photius [i.e. various critics were attacking St. Photius on any and all ground, from saying his Consecration was invalid due to his consecrator having been deposed, all the way to saying that if Old Rome didn't recognize him then he wasn't valid]: 

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Third Sunday after Trinity Mass Chant Propers

Third Sunday after Trinity Mass Chant Propers [includes Offertory with verses and Communion antiphon with verse], via google drive:

 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TRHdjZxsleNBnbi0cufW83j4RNTjlYgT?usp=sharing 

Example of Alleluia with verse:

Second Sunday after Trinity Mass Proper Chants

Second Sunday after Trinity Mass Chant Propers via google drive upload in pdf: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YeNE2YQ9G0HJO34twkK-ciokmWodddrl?usp=sharing

example of Gradual and verse:

Responsory "Iste Sanctus" for One Martyr

 A Responsory for One Martyr; in this case, from the 12 Responsories of Vigils for the Feast of St. Kenelm the Royal Martyr today:

First Sunday after Trinity Mass Proper Chants [includes verses to Offertory]:

 First Sunday after Trinity Mass Proper Chants [includes verses to Offertory]: