Fr. Maximos Constas Fr. Proklos of Constantinople and the Development of the Constantinopolitan Theological Tradition “Reflecting on the Past - Looking Towards the Future” Conference on the Ecumenical Patriarchate Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto 21 October, 2014
VVincent Riccardi, Sancti Patris Procli Archiepiscopi Constantinopolitani Analecta (Rome, 1630)
The Apostle Andrew 6 th -century mosaic, San Vitale, Ravenna
Saint Proklos of Constantinople 43 rd Patriarch of Constantinople (434-446) feast day 20 November
St. John Chrysostom, 9 th -century mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Constantinople
Proclus receives the relics of Chrysostom, Menologion of Basil II (ca. 1000)
Return of the relics of St. John Chrysostom to Constantinople, November 2004
The Vision of the Prophet Isaiah, 12 th -century manuscript (Vatican Library)
Seraph, 14 th -century mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Constantinople
Καλὴ ἡ τῶν ψαλ µ ῶν λύρα , θεόπνευστος ἡ τοῦ Πνεύ µ ατος κιθάρα , τερπνὸν καὶ φοβερὸν τὸ τῆς προφητείας ᾅσ µ α . Σωτήριος ἀεὶ ἡ ψαλ µ ῳδία · ψαλ µ ὸς γὰρ µ ελῳδού µ ενος ἐκτέ µ νει ἀθυ µ ίας , ῥιζοτο µ εῖ λύπας , ἀποσπογίζει τὰ πάθη , κοι µ ίζει τοὺς θρήνους , χειρουργεῖ τὰς φροντίδας , ψυχαγωγεῖ τοὺς ἐν ὀδύναις , ἁ µ αρτωλοὺς κατανύγει , ἐξυπνίζει πρὸς εὐσέβειαν , ἐρη µ ίας πολίζει , τὰς πόλεις σωφρονίζει , εἰς οὐρανῶν µ ετεωρίζει καὶ µ υστήρια προκηρύττει . The lyre of the psalms is beautiful; the harp of the Spirit is inspired by God. The prophetic song is both joyful and fearsome. The singing of pslams is always salvific, for when a psalm when sung shears away despondency and cuts off sorrow at its root. It wipes away the passions and silences lamentations. It removes worldly cares, comforts the suffering, moves sinners to repentance, awakens one to piety, makes cities of the desert, chastens those in cities, raises us up to heaven, and proclaims mysteries in advance.
Ἑορτὴ γάρ ἐστι λύπης λήθη , φροντίδων ὕπνος , χαρᾶς γεωργός , φαιδρότητος πρόξενος , προσευχῆς καιρός , πενήτων θέρος , ἐκκλησιῶν κόσ µ ος , πόλεων πανήγυρις , ἔχθρας ναυάγιον , φιλίας ἀνατολή , ἐπὶ γῆς οὐρανός , καὶ ἀναστάσεως καρπός . A feast is the forgetfulness of sorrow, the sleep of cares, the cultivation of joy, the cause of delight, the season of prayer, the adornment of the Church, the festival of cities, the shipwreck of hatred, the dawn of affection, heaven on earth, and the fruit of the resurrection.
Δεῦτε τοίνυν καὶ ἡ µ εῖς τοὺς εὐσεβεῖς µ άγους ζηλώσω µ εν , καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἀντὶ τῆς Βηθλεὲ µ κατανοήσω µ εν · ἀντὶ τοῦ σπηλαίου τὸ ἱερατικὸν ἀσπασώ µ εθα βῆ µ α , ἀντὶ τῆς φάτνης τὸ θυσιαστήριον προσκυνήσω µ εν , ἀντὶ τοῦ βρέφους περιπτυξώ µ εθα τὸν διὰ βρέφους εὐλογού µ ενον ἄρτον . Come and let us zealously imitate the pious Magi, and let us behold the church in place of Bethlehem. In place of the cave, let us embrace the holy sanctuary; in place of the manger, let us venerate the altar table; instead of the child, let us receive the bread that has been blessed through the child.
Χριστὸς τῷ κόσ µ ῳ ἐπεφάνη , καὶ τὸν ἄκοσ µ ον κόσ µ ον κοσ µ ήσας . Ἰσχυρὸν τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ἁλείας τὸ δίκτυον , θαυ µ αστὸν τῆς Ἀνδρέου µ νή µ ης τὸ ἀ µ φίβληστρον , ἀδιάκοπος τῶν ἀθανάτων νεκρῶν ἡ σαγήνη .
Παρθενικὴ πανήγυρις σή µ ερον τὴν γλῶτταν , ἀδελφοί , πρὸς εὐφη µ ίαν καλεῖ καὶ ἡ παροῦσα ἑορτὴ τοῖς συνελθοῦσιν ὠφελείας γίνεται πρόξενος . σκιρτάτω ἡ φύσις , χορευέτω ἡ ἀνθρωπότης , συνεκάλεσε γὰρ ἡ µ ᾶς ἡ ἁγία Θεοτόκος , τὸ ἀ µ όλυντον κει µ ήλιον τῆς παρθενίας , ὁ λογικὸς τοῦ δευτέρου Ἀδὰ µ παράδεισος , τὸ ἐργαστήριον τῆς ἑνώσεως τῶν δὺο φύσεων , ἡ πανήγυρις τοὺ σωτηρίου συναλάγ µ ατος , ἡ παστάς ἐν ᾗ ὁ Λόγος ἐνυ µ φεύσατο τὴν σάρκα , ἡ ὄντως κούφη νεφέλη , ἡ τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν χερουβεὶ µ µ ετὰ σώ µ ατος βαστάσασα . ¡
The Virgin’s festival summons us today to words of praise, and the present feast has benefits to bestow on those who assemble to keep it. Let nature leap for joy! Let all humanity dance! For she who called us here today is the Holy Theotokos, the untarnished vessel of virginity, the spiritual paradise of the “second Adam” (Romans 5:14), the workshop of the union of two natures, the celebration of the contract of salvation, the bridal chamber in which the Word wedded the flesh, the veritable “nimble cloud” (Isaiah 19:1), who carried in her body the one who rides upon the cherubim.
She is the awesome loom of the divine economy, upon which the robe of union was ineffably woven. The loom-worker was the Holy Spirit; the wool-worker was the “overshadowing power from on high” (Luke 1:35). The wool was the ancient fleece of Adam; the interlocking thread was the spotless flesh of the Virgin. The weaver’s shuttle was propelled by the immeasurable grace of Him who wore the robe; and the artisan was the Word Himself.
Let consuls ( ὕπατοι ) come running, for God, the heavenly consul, has appointed Christ as the earthly one. His throne is the Theotokos; His consular toga ( τόγαν ὑπατικὴν ) is His own seedless flesh. Strange is this apparel! Its fabrication is wondrous, for it has no share in human craftsmanship. O Virgin, where did you find the wool to weave the robe of the body for the Lord of creation? What sort of loom was your womb, upon which you wove the tunic without seam?
Annunciation, 5 th -century mosaic, Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome
Byzantine Marriage Ring, 7 th century, Dumbarton Oaks
Annunciation, 6 th -century cameo (Hermitage, St. Petersburg)
Ivory pyxis, 6 th century, Ravenna
Annunciation, 13 th -century illuminated manuscript, Iviron, Mt Athos
Annunciation, 16 th -century fresco, Dionysiou, Mt Athos
Annunciation, 16 th -century fresco by Theophanes the Cretan, Stavronikita, Mt Athos
Annunciation, 16 th -century panel painting, Dionysiou, Mt Athos
Ὑπὸ τὴν σὴν εὐσπλαχνίαν καταφεύγο µ εν Θεοτόκε , τὰς ἡ µ ών ἱκεσίας µ ὴ παρίδης ἐν περιστάσει , ἀλ᾽ ἐκ κινδύνων λύτρωσαι ἡ µ άς , µ όνη Αγνή , µ όνη εὐλογη µ ένη .
1) First native-born Patriarch of Constantinople 2) Outstanding preacher and orator 3) Devotion to the saints (St. John Chrysostom) 4) The Trisagion Hymn 5) Devotion to the Theotokos 6) Teaching about Christ
ΤΕΛΟΣ καὶ τῷ Θεῷ δόξα
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