St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite - On Touch

This sense is generally regarded to be based in the hands but it actually applies to the entirety of the body. St. Nicodemos warns Christians that we must not bring our hands or feet too close to other bodies, especially the young, and also we must be especially careful not accustom ourselves to touching our own bodies. This is something that is taught by St. Isaac the Syrian and other holy fathers. St. John Climacus writes that "It so happens that we are polluted bodily through the sense of touch." (Handbook of Spiritual Counsel, ch. VII) According to St. Isaac, we must be mindful of our guardian angel and a "Virgin is not one who has merely preserved one's body from sexual intercourse, but one who is modest unto oneself even when alone". This leads me to wonder whether this is describing the whole and entirety of the body or just certain parts of the body. This, especially as he further describes a man who breaks his marriage vows as saying, "Who sees me? Darkness surrounds me, and the walls hide me, and no one sees me."

Related to touch is the reception of gifts. By such reception of gifts, are hands are accustomed to the sense perception of various material, rich and elaborate, and we tend to desire more of the rich and elaborate. But also, it applies to bribes. "Moreover, it also means not to seek shameful profits, not to carry out shameful beatings, and not to ordain unworthy candidates to the priesthood." It is interesting the ordination of unworthy men to the priesthood is discussed here in this chapter of the Handbook. It is in dealing with the striking of both the faithful and the unbelievers that St. Nicodemos ties this to. For in such strikings, the clergy become accustomed to harming others which is unbefitting for the priests and the bishops. One must be cautious not to ordain such unworthy men who would go to such violent extremes to rebuke their flocks, especially when they ought to show utmost patience. "The bishops who have ordained unworthy candidates must render an account to God for all the sins that have been committed and may be committed by those whom they have so ordained." As St. John Chrysostom says, "Do not tell me that the presbyter has sinned, or that the deacon has sinned. The responsibility of all these is placed upon the heads of those who have ordained such unworthy candidates."

"The use of soft and fine clothing is another matter that wen can relate to in the sense of touch." Covering ourselves with clothing is a perpetual reminder of our exile from Paradise and it is necessary to be done as part of our punishment which was received after our disobedience. "We who were previously in Paradise, covered by divine grace and having no need of clothing, find ourselves now in need of covering and clothing for our bodies." Expensive and luxurious clothing destroys the purpose of clothing to serve as a reminder of our exile by showing such flashiness and exuberance as to negate the shamefulness of our fallen state. Clothing is to protect ourselves from cold in winter and heat in summer, no ore. Such clothes of soft silks and other expensive materials is deemed a vanity by the Hagiorite. Bishops of all people should not don such expensive clothings.

St. Nicodemos calls his readers away from such expensive and luxurious livings on the principles that this life is a journey to an eternal end. "Where are your predecessors and those before them? Having the same vain imaginations, have they not played out the short scene of life and the empty sentiments? Are they not now also deceived by the shortness of life and are already earth and dust in a forgotten place, according to David?" Gold and silver are nothing more than products of the earth and they will return to the ground much as every mortal body will soon return to the ground. Quoting St. Greogry, "Do not moreover try to grasp at something that simply escapes when held." This life is nothing more "but a strait of troubled waters", fine clothes are not meant to have anything to do with it. Fine clothes, silk materials, lace materials, may be soothing and expensive, but they are like the earth and they fade to dust. This is strong ascetical advice coming from the monastic.

But this is not the only problem with luxurious clothing. "It also nourishes vainglory; it is the mother of pride; it is the way to prostitution and it is the panderer of virtually all the passions." How frequently do we fall into sin based on the very types of clothing we wear! We wear certain clothes to appease the eyes of another or we even wear a certain clothing to cause arousal for our own selves. Citing the canons of the Sixth Ecumenical Council, St. Nicodemos warns the clergy not to wear such clothings because they are strictly forbidden from it. They are to wear the most modest and moderate apparel. "Everything that has no practical use but is merely cosmetic only adds to our condemnation, as St. Basil noted." Clement of Alexandria references both the Prophet Elijah who wore nothing more than sheepskins, the Prophet Isaiah who went about virtually naked, and the Prophet Jeremiah who only wore a linen garment. For this reason, men and women should follow the suit of the clergy, not desiring to dress themselves in fine garments.

In addition to this, soft beds must be avoided. Sleep is among the many idles that lead to spiritual sloth. A monastic is to be disciplined and guard himself against such sleep. A monastic is supposed to keep vigil. Soft beds lead to oversleeping. "Such comforts weaken the body; they submerge it into constant sleep; they warm it beyond measure, and therefore kindle the heat of passion." St. Nicodemos cites an example from the life of St. John the Merciful who accepted a precious bed covering from a ruler. Sleeping with it through the night, he struggled with his thoughts that he was in most comfortable position when so many poor men were out in the cold. He regretted having accepted such a gift and the next morning, sold it at a marketplace and distributed the money to the poor.

Most surprising of all from the ascetical disciplines of St. Nicodemos is perhaps that clergy should not take baths. They should not play games of chance for people who do so become drunkards. They end up gambling away fortunes. St. John Chrysostom said, "The vice of dice brings blasphemy, anger, harm, abuse, and a myriad more evils greater than these." Aristotle said, "A dice player, a thief and a robber are among those who are not free, for they acquire their gain shamefully." But clergy must also avoid baths as bathing opens up the vices caused by the sense of touch. According to St. Diadochos, "It is a manly and prudent thing to avoid baths. This way our bodies are not effeminated by the pleasurable flow of water over them, nor do we come to a remembrance of that shameful nakedness of Adam, so that we too seek to cover the shame with a fig leaves of a second excuse." Though it is acceptable to bathe occasionally for the sake of health and requirements of illness, bathing should never become more than what is necessary.