TODAY'S GAY WISDOM
The Adelphopoieia Rite of the Roman Catholic Church
Medieval Sourcebook: Two Versions of the Adelphopoiia Rite
In 1994 John Boswell published a book—Same Sex Unions in Pre-Modern Europe (New York: Villard, 1994) which claimed, essentially, that the adelphopoiia
rite known to have been used in Orthodox and Greek rite Catholic
Churches constituted, in usage at least, a form of ecclesiastical
blessing for homosexual unions. To say the least this claim has been
highly contested. Boswell was not able to show that any high church body
gave approval to such a use of the rite, but was able to show, as most
critics allow, that the rite was both fairly widespread [he had about 70
manuscripts], and that it probably was used by some same-sex couples to
give some outward sign to their relationship.
There are contrary indications about the entire ceremony. The late 18th century Orthodox law text known as the Pedalion or Rudder does indicate that the ceremony was [ab]used in this way. From a much earlier date, St. Theodore of Studium in his Reform Rules seems to relate the ceremony to marriage. On the other hand, the Life of St. Mary the Younger,
which is quite willing to use strong marital imagery about male-male
relationships, describes the development of one such relationship,
between Mary's brother and a drungarius, in which the couple agree that
the bonds of kinship need to be added to their bond of love—and so the
drungarius marries Mary. [... this observation [was made] in an
unpublished paper, some time ago. Alice Mary Talbot of Dumbarton Oaks
strongly doubted that interpretation, but it is supported in the
forthcoming translation and commentary on the Life by Angeliki Laiou,
also of Dumbarton Oaks.
As
well as Boswell, numerous people were interested in this rite. Presented
here [1.] are Boswell's translation of one of the various manuscripts
he has, and [2.] a version from Jacob Goar's version of the rite,
printed in the 17th century, translated by an independent scholar
Nicholas Zymaris. Zymaris, who speaks both Greek and some Albanian, has
made a number of verbal presentations, and Internet postings, in which
he describes having witnessed such ceremonies in modern Albanian usage
and which clearly indicate same sex unions.
Office for Same-Sex Union [Akolouthia eis adelphopoiesin] from John Boswell, Same Sex Unions in Pre-Modern Europe, (NewYork: Villard, 1994)
i. The priest
shall place the holy Gospel on the Gospel stand and they that are to be
joined together place their right hands on it, holding lighted candles
in their left hands. Then shall the priest cense them and say the
following:ii. In peace we beseech Thee, O Lord. For heavenly peace,
we beseech Thee, O Lord. For the peace of the entire world, we
beseech Thee, O Lord. For this holy place, we beseech Thee, O
Lord. That these thy servants, N. and N., be sanctified with thy
spiritual benediction, we beseech Thee, O Lord. That their love [agape]
abide without offense or scandal all the days of their lives, we
beseech Thee, O Lord. That they be granted all things needed for
salvation and godly enjoyment of life everlasting, we beseech Thee, O
Lord. That the Lord God grant unto them unashamed faithfulness [pistis] and sincere love [agape anhypokritos],
we beseech Thee, O Lord... Have mercy on us, O God. "Lord, have
mercy" shall be said three times.iii The priest shall say: Forasmuch
as Thou, O Lord and Ruler, art merciful and loving, who didst establish
humankind after thine image and likeness, who didst deem it meet that
thy holy apostles Philip and Bartholomew be united, bound one unto the
other not by nature but by faith and the spirit. As Thou didst find thy
holy martyrs Serge and Bacchus worthy to be united together [adelphoi genesthai],
bless also these thy servants, N. and N., joined together not by the
bond of nature but by faith and in the mode of the spirit [ou desmoumenous desmi physeis alla pisteis kai pneumatikos tropi], granting unto them peace [eirene] and love [agape] and oneness of mind. Cleanse from their hearts every stain and impurity and vouchsafe unto them to love one other [to agapan allelous]
without hatred and without scandal all the days of their lives, with
the aid of the Mother of God and all thy saints, forasmuch as all glory
is thine.iv. Another Prayer for Same-Sex Union O Lord
Our God, who didst grant unto us all those things necessary for
salvation and didst bid us to love one another and to forgive each other
our failings, bless and consecrate, kind Lord and lover of good, these
thy servants who love each other with a love of the spirit [tous pneumatike agape heautous agapesantas] and have come into this thy holy church to be blessed and consecrated. Grant unto them unashamed fidelity [pistis] and sincere love [agape anhypokritos],
and as Thou didst vouchsafe unto thy holy disciples and apostles thy
peace and love, bestow them also on these, O Christ our God, affording
to them all those things needed for salvation and life eternal. For
Thou art the light and the truth and thine is the glory.v. Then shall
they kiss the holy Gospel and the priest and one another, and conclude.
Another Version of a Union Rite
By Nicholas Zymaris [independent Orthodox scholar]
INTRODUCTION [by Zymaris]
This service
is a rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church dating from very early times
and assuming its present form between the fourth and ninth centuries AD.
This service is translated from the Euchologion of Jacobus Goar, which
was printed in 1647 and revised in 1730. A facsimile of the 1730
edition, published in Graz, Austria, in 1960, is the edition available
in many theological libraries. With the rising influence of western
ideas in recent centuries, this rite ceased to be practiced widely and
was largely forgotten or ignored except in isolated areas, most notably
Albania and other areas in the Balkans, where it flourished throughout
the nineteenth century and up to at least 1935. Both men and women were
united with this rite or similar ones.
This rite is
called "spiritual" because the relationship between spiritual brothers
is not one of blood-relation but of the Holy Spirit, and also to
distinguish the rite from blood-brotherhood, which the Church opposed.
In the service, the saint-martyrs Sergius and Bacchus are invoked, who
were united in spiritual brotherhood "not bound by the law of nature but
by the example of faith in the Holy Spirit". These saints were tortured
and martyred late in the third century AD. when they refused to worship
the emperor's idols. In their biography by Simeon Metaphrastes
(available in J.P. Migne, Patrologia Graeca, vol. 115, pp. 1005-1032)
they are described as sweet companions and lovers to each other."
"This rite is
incorporated into the Divine Liturgy. It begins with the usual blessing
and prayers of a Liturgy. During the Great Synapte, petitions for the
couple to be united in spiritual brotherhood are added to the usual
petitions. After the First Antiphon, two special prayers are said for
the couple, after which they kiss the Gospel Book and each other. After
the priest sings a hymn, the Liturgy continues at "Have mercy on us, O
God.". Accounts of the use of this rite (such as Nacke, _Jahrbuch fuer
sexuelle Zwischenstufen_ 9 (1908), 328) confirm that the spiritual
brothers receive Holy Communion together, thereby forming the
sacramental bond in this union. However, Goar mentions in a footnote
that in some manuscripts, the couple is only blessed with holy water."
"UNION RITE" TEXT
PRIEST:
Blessed is the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
now and ever and unto ages of ages.Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal,
have mercy on us. (3 times).Glory to the Father and the Son and the
Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.All-Holy Trinity,
have mercy on us.Lord forgive our sins Master, pardon our
transgressions.Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for your name's
sake.Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.Glory to the
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of
ages. Amen.Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your
kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.Give us
this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the
glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and
unto ages of ages. Amen.(After this, the priest says the Troparion.)
Save, O Lord, your servants, and bless your inheritance. (And the two
who are about to be joined together in brotherly unity place their hands
on the holy Gospel book, which has been prepared and placed on the
table. And they hold in their hands lighted candles.) (And the priest
says the following, so that it is heard from above: Save, O Lord, your
servants. Followed by the Troparion of the day)Glory to the Father and
the Son and the Holy Spirit. Holy Apostles, intercede with the merciful
God to grant our souls forgiveness of sins. Now and ever and unto ages
of ages. Amen. Through the intercessions, O Lord, of all the saints and
of the Theotokos, grant us your peace and have mercy upon us, only
merciful One. THE GREAT SYNAPTE. The responses of "Lord, have mercy"
are understood.)In peace let us pray to the Lord.For the peace that is
from above, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the
Lord.For the peace of the entire world, the welfare of the holy churches
of God, and the union of all of them, let us pray to the Lord. For this
holy house, and for those who enter it with faith, reverence, and fear
of God, let us pray to the Lord. For our Archbishop, the honorable
priesthood, the deacons in Christ, and all of the clergy and laity, let
us pray to the Lord. For the servants of God who have approached to be
blessed by Him, and for their love (agapesis) in God, let us
pray to the Lord.That they may be given full knowledge of the apostolic
unity, let us pray to the Lord. That they may be granted a faith
unashamed, a love unfeigned, let us pray to the Lord. That they may be
deemed worthy to glory in the honorable Cross, let us pray to the Lord.
That both they and we may be delivered from all affliction, wrath, and
distress, let us pray to the Lord. Help us, save us, have mercy on us
and keep us, O God, by your grace.
PEOPLE: Amen.
PRIEST:
Having called to remembrance our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed,
glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let
us commend ourselves and one another, and all our life unto Christ our
God.
PEOPLE: To You, O Lord.
PRIEST
(quietly): O Lord our God, whose might is beyond compare, whose glory
is incomprehensible, whose mercy is infinite, and whose love toward
mankind is ineffable; in Your tender compassion look down upon us
Yourself, O Master, and upon this holy house, and grant us and those who
pray with us Your rich mercies and compassion.
PRIEST
(aloud): For to You are due all glory, honor, and worship; to the
Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of
ages.
PEOPLE: Amen.
PRIEST:
Let us pray to the Lord.Lord our God, who has granted us all things for
salvation, and who has commanded us to love one another and to forgive
each others' transgressions; now You Yourself, Master and Lover of
mankind, to these Your servants who have loved each other with spiritual
love, and who approach Your holy temple to be blessed by You, grant to
them a faith unashamed, a love unfeigned. And as You gave Your holy
disciples Your own peace, also grant these all the petitions for
salvation, and eternal life. For You are a merciful and loving God, and
to You we ascribe glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray to the Lord. Lord our God, the omnipotent, who made the
heaven and the earth and the sea, who made man according to Your image
and likeness, who was well-disposed to Your holy martyrs Sergius and
Bacchus becoming brothers, not bound by the law of nature but by the
example of faith of the Holy Spirit; Master, do send down Your Holy
Spirit upon Your servants who have approached this temple to be
blessed. Grant them a faith unashamed, a love unfeigned, and that they
may be without hatred and scandal all the days of their lives. Through
the prayers of Your immaculate Mother and of all the Saints. For Yours
is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son
and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages.(And with the table
made ready in the middle of the church, they place the holy Gospel upon
it. And they kiss the Holy Gospel, and each other.)
THEN
THE PRIEST SINGS: By the union of love the apostles join in the praying
to the Master of all; themselves committed to Christ, they extended
their beautiful feet, announcing the good news of peace to everyone.
PRIEST: Have mercy on us, O God.
(And continues the Liturgy.)
This text is part of the Internet Medieval Source Book. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history. Paul Halsall Mar 1996
