quite willing to assure their Anglican benefactors that they do not hold with the Pope about Purgatory.[1] They honour relics and use dust from the tombs of saints (called ḥnâna, "grace") as a kind of charm.[2] They invoke our Lady and other saints constantly in their liturgy and prayers. They are (like most Easterns) rather vague as to the number of the Sacraments, inasmuch as they have not yet conceived a special class of rites distinct from the large number of what we call Sacramentals. Joseph Assemani thought that they have only three real Sacraments: Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Holy Orders. But they hold the number seven, though (like the Orthodox at one time) they are not quite sure which the seven are. The Nestorian Patriarch Timothy II (1318–1360) gave as the seven Sacraments: (1) Holy Orders; (2) the consecration of a church and altar; (3) Baptism and Holy Oil (= Confirmation); (4) the holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood; (5) the blessing of monks; (6) the Office for the Dead; (7) Marriage. Then he adds as a supplement: "Indulgence, or penance and the forgiving of sins."[3] Mr. Badger says that they now "generally allow": (1) Orders; (2) Baptism; (3) the Oil of Unction; (4) the Oblation of the Body and Blood of Christ; (5) Absolution; (6) the Holy Leaven; (7) the Sign of the Cross.[4] Putting these two lists together, we have all our seven Sacraments, with some additions, such as consecrating a church and the Holy Leaven (see p. 150). Their liturgical books have a form for confession and absolution,[5] but its use is now practically extinct among them. The modern Nestorian does not confess his sins; I am told,[6] because the clergy cannot keep the seal. They believe the Holy Eucharist to be a commemorative sacrifice.[7] In their creed, of course, they have not the Filioque clause. They do not seem to have considered the question of the procession of the Holy Ghost much; sometimes they deny the double procession.[8]
- ↑ Making the usual mistake of thinking material fire in Purgatory part of the Roman faith (Badger: op. cit. 130–131). Their attitude seems to be exactly that of the Orthodox (Orth. Eastern Church, 388–390).
- ↑ Badger: ib. 137.
- ↑ Assemani: Bibl. Orient, iii. (1) 356 ; iii. (2), 240.
- ↑ Op. cit. ii. 150.
- ↑ Ib. 155–159.
- ↑ By a former Anglican missionary.
- ↑ Badger: op. cit. ii. 176.
- ↑ So ‘Ebedyeshu‘ of Nisibis in his Jewel, part iii. chap. 4 (Badger: op. cit. ii. 399–400)—at least by implication.
