From Chapter XVII. of the Book
St. Basil Wrote to Blessed Amphilochius on the Holy Ghost.
(
Found translated in
lib. cit.,
p
. 40
et seqq
.)
Canon XCII.
He speaks of the written doctrine, and the unwritten
tradition of the Apostles, and says, that both have the same efficacy
as to religion. The unwritten traditions which he mentions, are
the signing those who hope in Christ with the Cross; praying toward the
East, to denote, that we are in quest of Eden, that garden in the East
from whence our first parents were ejected (as he afterwards explains
it), the words of invocation at the consecration of the Bread of
Eucharist, and the cup of eulogy; the benediction of the baptismal
water, the chrism and of the baptized person; the trine immersion, and
the renunciations made at baptism; all which the Fathers concealed from
those who were not initiated. He says the dogmata were always
kept secret, the
Kerugmata
published; he adds the tradition of
standing at prayer on the first day of the week, and the whole
Pentecost (that is, from Easter to Whitsunday), not only to denote our
rising with Christ, but as a prefiguration of our expecting an eternal
perfect day, for the enjoyment of which we erect ourselves; and lastly,
the profession of our faith in Father, Son and Holy Ghost at
baptism.
Canon XCIII.
He asserts the Doxology [in these words] “with the
Holy Spirit,” to be an unwritten, Apostolic tradition. For
this is a dogma full of authority, venerable for its
antiquity.