Of what does St. Basil the Great warn the priests when they are partaking of the blood of Christ?

He warns the priests from desiring to drink Christ’s blood as being wine, from filling the cup to the brim so that he would have much left to drink. In addition to that, filling up the cup too much may cause the blood to spill on the ground. It is fitting for the priest to practice this mystery in fear and reverence, honoring the holy sacrifice so as not to perish like the sons of Eli the priest (1 Sam. 2:29–34), nor to resemble Belshazzar the king who drank wine out of the vessels of God’s holy temple (Dan. 5:1–4), nor like the sons of Korah, Dathan, and

1567 Monastery of the Syrians, St. Basil the Great: His Life, Asceticism, and Church Canons (Arabic) (St. Mary’s Monastery (Deir al-Sourian), 2003): pp. 547–549.

Abiram who offered strange fire, causing the earth to open its mouth and swallow them (Num. 16:24–32).¹⁵⁶⁸