A Profile of Saint Athanasius the Great of Alexandria

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Athanasius was born in Alexandria in the year 296 A.D. and from his early childhood had an inclination to the spiritual life.

He was a deacon to Archbishop Alexander and accompanied him to the First Ecumenical Council [Nicaea, 325 A.D.]. It was at this Council that Athanasius became renowned for his learning, devotion to and zeal for Orthodoxy.

He contributed greatly to destroy the heresy of Arius and to strengthen Orthodoxy. He wrote the Symbol of Faith [The Creed] which was adopted at the Council.

Following the death of Alexander, Athanasius was elected Archbishop of Alexandria. In his calling as Archbishop of Alexandria, he remained for forty years, although not for the entire time on the archepiscopal throne of the archbishopric.

With few exceptions, throughout his life he was persecuted by heretics. Of the emperors, he was persecuted mostly by Constantius, Julian and Valens; of the bishops, by Eusebius of Nicomedia and many others; and by the heretic Arius and his followers. Athanasius was forced to hide from his persecutors, even in a well, in a grave, in private homes and in the deserts. Twice he was forced to flee to Rome.

Only before his death, did he live peacefully for a while as the good shepherd among his good flock who truly loved him. Few are the saints who were so mercilessly slandered and so criminally persecuted as St. Athanasius. His great soul patiently endured all for the love of Christ and, in the end, emerged victorious from this entire, terrible and long-lasting struggle.

For counsel, for comfort and for moral support, Athanasius often visited St. Anthony, whom he respected as his spiritual father. For a man who formulated the greatest truth, Athanasius had much to suffer for that truth until in the year 373 A.D., the Lord gave him repose in His kingdom as His faithful servant.

A Reflection From His Theology On the Incarnation

To the question: "Why did the Son of God appear on earth in a human body and not in another form of creation?", the brilliant St. Athanasius replied in this manner: "If they ask why did He not appear in some other better form of creation, for example: as the sun or the moon, or the stars or fire, or the wind but just as a man? Let them know that the Lord did not come to show Himself but to heal and teach sufferers. For, to reveal Himself only to amaze the viewers would mean to come for a show. It was necessary for the Healer and the Teacher, not only to come, but to serve for the benefit of the suffering ones and to reveal Himself as such so that this revelation would be bearable for the sufferers. Not one single creature was in error in the eyes of God, except man alone: neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the sky, nor the stars, nor water, nor wind did betray their ranks but, on the contrary, knowing their Creator and their King - The Word [The Logos], they all remained as they were created; only human beings separated themselves from good and replaced truth with deceit, and the honor belonging to God, as well as the knowledge about Him, they transferred to devils and to men carved out of stone [idols]. What is, therefore, so unbelievable in this, that the Logos [The Word - The Son Of God] appeared as a man to save mankind?" Indeed, even as we ask the unbelievers of our day: In what form would you wish God to appear, if not as a man?

Source: Prologue (January 18)
By Rev. Dr. George Dion Dragas

The entire pastoral ministry of the great Athanasius lasted 46 years, 16 of which were spent in exile. His spiritual fame and radiance made him the spokesman of orthodoxy par excellence. His fearless battles against heresy resulted in the identification of Christianity with Athanasian orthodoxy, which was centered on the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as the Inhominated Son and Word of God. This is exactly what shines through the pages of his inestimable writings and is sealed by his last prayer, which has been preserved in an ancient Coptic text. According to this text, which is based on the personal witness of his Archdeacon, who stood by him at the moment of his departure from the present life, and was uttered shortly before he delivered his sanctified soul to the angels who came down to receive it, recalls the entire course of the divine economy for the salvation of mankind and concludes with a doxology to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thou art Jesus, the Son of the Father, Yea, Amen.

Thou art He who commandeth the Cherubim and the Seraphim, Yea, Amen.

Thou has existed with the Father in truth always, Yea, Amen.

Thou rulest the Angels, Yea, Amen.

Thou art the power of the heavens, Yea, Amen.

Thou art the crown of the Martyrs, Yea, Amen.

Thou art the deep counsel of the Saints, Yea, Amen.

Thou art He in whom the deep counsel of the Father is hidden, Yea, Amen.

Thou art the mouth of the Prophets, Yea, Amen.

Thou art the tongue of the Angels, Yea, Amen.

Thou art Jesus my life, Yea, Amen.

Thou art Jesus the object of the boast of the world, Yea, Amen.

Athanasius as the defender of orthodoxy was characterized as one who fought against the whole world (contra munum), because he fought through suffering the darkness of the world with the light of Christ. His suffering continued the redemptive work of Christ. The Church honors his memory on May 2 (day of his falling asleep) and on January 18, along with his great successor St. Cyril of Alexandria (day of commemorating their triumph).

 

Source: Saint Athanasius of Alexandria: Original Research and New Perspectives, pp. 92 and 204.

 

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http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/01/profile-of-st-athanasios-of-alexandria.html

Saint Gregory Palamas as a Model for our Lives

 

 

St. Gregory Palamas (Feast Day - November 14)

By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas

Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, lived in the fourteenth century, and was born in Constantinople. He came from a noble and pious family. His father Constantine was a member of the imperial senate, a teacher of the grandson of the Emperor as well as of the Emperor himself. He was most pious and had uninterrupted noetic prayer. He associated with holy people, ascetics and monks and connected with them and their children. The whole family confessed to the same spiritual father. He left this temporary life when Gregory was just seven years old. As he was dying, his wife asked him to ask the emperor to place under him the care of their children, but he replied that he would ask the Queen of Heaven to place them under her protection. Indeed, the Panagia protected Saint Gregory throughout his life. Her protection was at such a level, that the Saint, before he would begin studying, would kneel three times before her icon and would say a prayer. When he did this, he could retain what he read. However, if he ever forgot to say his prayer, then he couldn't remember nor recite what he had studied. His mother had a similar life to that of her husband.

Saint Gregory excelled in his education, which made the emperor recommend an important place in the palace. Yet, he had a desire for a higher spiritual life and at the age of eighteen he left for the Holy Mountain. He loved quiet and lived ascetically at the Sacred Monastery of Great Lavra. Constantly he would pray, saying: "Lord Jesus Christ, illumine my darkness. Most-Holy Theotokos, illumine my darkness." He supplicated that his nous be illumined, and in fact he reached illumination and theosis. This is why his theology is empirical, and when given the occasion he delivered it.

At that time the heretic Barlaam taught that the energies of God are created and that man is unable to see God, because the essence of God is incommunicable; that the Divine is comprehended by reason, which is why the philosophers are greater than the prophets. He dishonorably mocked the monks who practiced noetic prayer. Saint Gregory Palamas refuted these heretical teachings and indicated the true path to know God. The existence at that time of a God-seeing Theologian of the spiritual stature of Saint Gregory Palamas was a great blessing, for because of him the faith was not altered. And we know very well, that when the faith is altered, then the correct way of healing people is lost and it puts our salvation at stake.

Highlights of his written teachings are as follows:

First, the energies of God are uncreated, as well as His essence. Created man cannot partake in God's essence, but he can partake in His energies, that is, we can know God and see His uncreated Light.

Second, Orthodox Theology is not cerebral, but empirical, and it cannot be acquired through study alone. Books certainly help, but the true knowledge of God is existential. God reveals Himself as Light to the purified, and "through the Holy Spirit they know God and are able to speak of Him". Philosophers speak reflectively through reason and imagination, which is why it is not possible for them to be higher than the prophets, who see God and speak of Him through the Holy Spirit.

Third, a person reaches theosis, which is the theoria (vision) of God, after having purified their heart of the passions and their mind has been illumined. The way of life through which one reaches purification and illumination is called hesychasm (quietude). The terms quietude and hesychastic life do not simply mean for one to live in a quiet place. One could live in the most quiet place and still not find quiet, because the passions rage inside and mental images drive them crazy. Hesychasm is primarily an internal state and is called by the Holy Fathers the science of logismoi (thoughts with mental images). The hesychastic life is in fact the evangelical life, and with the guidance of a discerning spiritual father all could experience it. "Only through quietude can one acquire the knowledge of God and become an Orthodox theologian. This is the difference between Orthodox theology and scholastic theology" (His Eminence Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos, Orthodoxy Monasticism).

In our time, which is very similar to that of Saint Gregory, the winds of anti-hesychasm are blowing, which is why the teaching of the hesychastic way of life is even more timely today. Through quietude a person acquires self-knowledge, which leads them to repentance, humility and the knowledge of God. Contemporary people stubbornly refuse to confront themselves. Quietude terrifies them, which is why when they are found to be alone even for a short time, they turn on the radio or television craving human companionship. Without the presence of uncreated Divine Grace, which creates inner fullness and brings meaning to life, a person feels unbearable loneliness, even if surrounded by thousands of people.

 

 

Source: Ekklesiastiki Paremvasi, "ΑΓΙΟΣ ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΣ Ο ΠΑΛΑΜΑΣ", November 2002. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

 

 

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http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2013/11/saint-gregory-palamas-as-model-for-our.html

 

 

 

Assembly of Bishops Statement on Marriage 2013

From Assembly of Bishops Statement on Marriage, Middle East



Marriage Statement


   In the statement on marriage, the Assembly expresses its deep concern over recent actions concerning the status of marriage, in particular the legislation of same-sex unions.
   (The full statement on marriage)
   1. We, the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, representing millions of Orthodox Christians in the United States of America, Canada and Central America, express our deep concern over recent actions on the part of our respective governments and certain societal trends concerning the status of marriage in our countries, in particular the legalization of same-sex unions.
  2. The Orthodox Christian teaching on marriage and sexuality, firmly grounded in Holy Scripture, two millennia of Church Tradition, and Canon Law, holds that the sacrament of marriage consists in the union of a man and a woman, and that authentic marriage reflects the sacred unity that exists between Christ and His Bride, the Church.
  3. Persons with homosexual orientation are to be cared for with the same mercy and love that is bestowed on all humanity by our Lord Jesus Christ. Moreover, the Church is a spiritual hospital, where we all are called to find the healing of our fallen humanity through Jesus Christ, who assumed human nature in order to restore it. All of us struggle with various passions, and it is only within the Church that we find the means of overcoming these passions with the assistance of God's grace. Acting upon any sexual attraction outside of sacramental marriage, whether the attraction is heterosexual or homosexual, alienates us from God.
  4. We exhort the clergy and the faithful of the Orthodox Church to bear witness to the timeless teachings of Christ by striving towards purity and holiness in their own lives, by instructing their families and communities in the precepts of the Holy Gospel, and by placing their trust in our Lord, who "has overcome the world." (John 16:33).
  5. Finally, we encourage our faithful to approach their parish priest or spiritual father with any questions or concerns about this statement and its practical repercussions in their daily lives.










Source:

Orthodox Observer, October 2013, Vol. 78, No. 1289 Article: Assembly of Bishops Statement on Marriage, Middle East pp. 1 & 5.