Letter 288: When public punishment fails to bring a man to his senses, or exclusion from the prayers of the Church to drive him to repentance, it only remains to treat him in accordance with our Lord's directions — as it is written, If your brother shall trespass against you....tell him his fault between you and him;...if he will not hear you, take with you...

When public punishment fails to bring a man to his senses, and exclusion from the prayers of the Church fails to drive him to repentance, there remains only the course our Lord prescribes: "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he does not listen, take one or two others along. If he still refuses to listen, tell it to the Church. And if he refuses to listen even to the Church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." All of this we have done in this man's case. First, he was told of his fault privately. Then he was confronted in the presence of one or two witnesses. Finally, the matter was brought before the Church. He has not listened. Henceforth let him be excommunicate. Furthermore, let proclamation be made throughout the district that he is excluded from all ordinary relations of life, so that by our complete withdrawal from any dealings with him he may become, as Scripture says, altogether food for the devil.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA Without address. Excommunicatory. When public punishment fails to bring a man to his senses, or exclusion from the prayers of the Church to drive him to repentance, it only remains to treat him in accordance with our Lord's directions — as it is written, If your brother shall trespass against you....tell him his fault between you and him;...if he will not hear you, take with you another; and if he shall then neglect to hear, tell it unto the Church; but if he neglect to hear even the Church, let him be unto you henceforth as an heathen man, and as a publican. Matthew 18:15-17 Now all this we have done in the case of this fellow. First, he was accused of his fault; then he was convicted in the presence of one or two witnesses; thirdly, in the presence of the Church. Thus we have made our solemn protest, and he has not listened to it. Henceforth let him be excommunicated. Further, let proclamation be made throughout the district, that he be excluded from participation in any of the ordinary relations of life; so that by our withholding ourselves from all intercourse with him he may become altogether food for the devil.

[Πρός: Ἀνεπίγραφος, ἐπὶ ἐκδικηταῖς] Οὓς τὰ κοινὰ ἐπιτίμια οὐ σωφρονίζει, οὔτε τὸ εἰρχθῆναι τῶν εὐχῶν ἄγει εἰς μετάνοιαν, ἀνάγκη τοῖς παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου δοθεῖσι κανόσιν ὑποβάλλειν. γέγραπται γάρ· Ἐὰν ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἁμάρτῃ, ἔλεγξον αὐτὸν μεταξὺ σοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ· ἐάν σου μὴ ἀκούσῃ, παράλαβε μετὰ σεαυτοῦ ἄλλον· ἐὰν δὲ μηδὲ οὕτως, εἰπὲ τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ, ἔστω σοι λοιπὸν ὡς ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης· ὃ οὖν ἐγένετο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦδε. ἅπαξ ἐνεκλήθη· ἐπὶ ἑνὸς καὶ δευτέρου διηλέγχθη· τρίτον ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. ἐπεὶ οὖν διεμαρτυράμεθα αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐ κατεδέξατο, λοιπὸν ἔστω ἐκκήρυκτος. καὶ διαγγελθήτω πάσῃ τῇ κώμῃ ἀπρόσδεκτον αὐτὸν εἶναι πρὸς πᾶσαν κοινωνίαν χρήσεως βιωτικῆς, ὡς, ἐκ τοῦ μὴ συναναμίγνυσθαι ἡμᾶς αὐτῷ, γένηται παντελῶς κατάβρωμα τοῦ διαβόλου.