St. Basil of Caesarea
Once upon a time, long ago, clergy sex abusers were made short work of:
St. Basil (330-379) stated: A cleric or monk who seduces youths or young boys is to be publicly flogged . For six months he will languish in prison-like confinement he shall never again associate with youths neither in private conversation nor in counseling them.
That’s not the half of what Basil had in mind. Here’s a fuller version:
“The cleric or monk who molests youths or boys or is caught kissing or committing some turpitude, let him be whipped in public, deprived of his crown [tonsure] and, after having his head shaved, let his face be covered with spittle; and [let him be] bound in iron chains, condemned to six months in prison, reduced to eating rye bread once a day in the evening three times per week. After these six months living in a separate cell under the custody of a wise elder with great spiritual experience, let him be subjected to prayers, vigils and manual work, always under the guard of two spiritual brothers, without being allowed to have any relationship . . . with young people.”
Nailing this down in Basil’s writings has been a challenge, however. Best near-ancient source seems to be St. Peter Damian (1007-1071), in his ever-popular Liber Gomorrhianus, or Book of Gomorrha — a primary source book for protesters of ecclesiastical indifference to abuse.
