INTRODUCTION
Saint Gregory Palamas with his
written works has boosted
theologically the deeper content of
the hesychastic life, and with his
toilsome and persistent
ecclesiastical struggles,
contributed decisively to the
unanimous and conciliar acceptance
of the teaching of Hesychasm.
In his attempt to safeguard the
lofty theological character of
hesychia, he developed a most
profound dogmatic theology around
the identity and soteriological
function of Divine Grace. In the
process he simultaneously revealed
the theological presuppositions
necessary for the hesychasts to
share and abide in the life of the
Holy Spirit. These presuppositions
are found in the steadfast and
delusion-free parameters of
theophany and theoptia (vision of
God).
The invincible ultra-defender of
Hesychasm expressed the mind of the
Church infallibly, asserting that
the existential living experience of
the deifying energy of the Holy
Spirit, especially endows with
theological meaning the hesychastic
way of life. This life culminates in
the complete union of man with God
and in the charismatic theosis of
man, which consists of the higher
form of the spiritual life of the
faithful.
1. THE CHARACTER OF HESYCHASTIC
LIFE
Saint Gregory Palamas studied the
Ascetic Literature near holy
hesychasts, who were taught
Hesychasm not only through Divine
Grace, but through their personal
experience as well. From these
distinguished teachers1
he was taught the sacred nipsis
(guarding of the nous) and the
noetic prayer. His teacher par
excellence, however, was his
personal toil and the empirical
knowledge2
procured through this toil. Thus, he
received empirical knowledge of the
hesychastic way of life, and when he
received the calling to defend
Hesychasm, he had already
assimilated fruitfully and
productively the entire Patristic
Tradition. Consequently, he
displayed an unrivaled combative
spirit, theological eruditeness,
along with holy-spiritual experience
especially reflected in his written
works In Defense of the Holy
Hesychasts and in the Hagiorite
Tome, synoptically. But what is the
specific meaning of hesychia and
Hesychasm? The ascetical term
hesychia is primarily existential
and experiential in character.
Hesychia means the peace established
in the inner man, when he sees,
becomes disgusted with, and proceeds
to expel his eidechthes prosopeion
(his ugly mask) which had developed
from the wandering of the nous.3
Hesychia is indispensably connected
with the nipsis (guarding) of the
nous, the spiritual vigilance, and
the experiential knowledge of all
those states which actualize in the
practice of nipsis in a spiritual
and inexpressible manner.4
Consequently, the main task of the
hesychast is the “guarding of the
heart” with the congenial Keeping of
the Commandments, spiritual purity,
and sacramental life. With the
Keeping of the Commandments, the
hesychast expels the law of sin and
introduces to himself the guarding
of the nous. His senses are kept in
check with the virtue of temperance
(egkrateia), while the (pathetiko)
impassive part of the soul is
governed by love and the (logistiko)
noetic by nipsis
5
(sobriety). The hesychastic way of
life affords the functional ability
to Divine Grace to “remodel” the
inner man and to conform him
according to his prototype, granting
him “blossomed”, his ancient and
indescribable beauty.6
The hesychast lives
without cares, absolved, as much as
possible, from all matters of
distraction. With the use of
incessant prayer he unites his nous
(essence of the soul) with God, and
thus totally concentrated in his
inner self, finds a new and
mysterious ascent towards heaven.
There having fixed his nous, he
tastes ineffable pleasure,
experiences perfect and sweetest
peace—true hesychia and quietude.
And thus, after having surrendered
himself to God, sees the glory of
God and visualizes the Divine Light.7
The ultimate purpose of the
hesychastic life is for man to
become one with the Trihypostatic
Monad (according to the
archieratical prayer of Christ and
with his synergy) just as He entered
into communion and unity with the
human nature, without distancing
Himself from His own Triadic Monad.8
For the aforementioned reasons, the
hesychastic life is esteemed by the
theologian of hesychia and of the
Light of Grace, as the ultimate form
of the ascetical life9,
and Hesychasm as the most precious
segment of the Church,10
being that in its parameters by and
large the paramount spiritual
experience of the uncreated Light is
lived as the vision of God (Theoptia).
2. EFFULGENCE OF THE DEIFYING GRACE
– THEOPHANY AND VISION OF GOD.
Christ during his historical
presence on earth revealed His
uncreated Divinity to the elect of
His Apostles with His
Transfiguration on Mount Tabor.
According to the theological
evaluation of Saint Gregory Palamas,
the disciples saw upon the mount
“the essential majesty of God… the
ultra-luminous brightness of the
archetypal beauty, the formless kind
of Divine comeliness… they saw the
inconceivable and ineffable Light…
they saw the Grace of the Holy
Spirit, which they subsequently
received, and it abided in them.”11
The Grace of God is the betrothal of
the inheritance of the saints, the
Spirit of sonship12,
the promise of the Spirit, which the
Son received from the Father and
granted to his faithful. It is the
Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God,
the Holy Spirit.13
The faithful receives the Divine
Grace during Holy Baptism, and more
specifically, during the mystery of
Holy Chrism, whereby he becomes Her
charismatic offspring since he was
born from Her during the Divine
washing, and thus he procured the
ancient beauty.14
Afterwards, the uncreated Grace
exists incessantly in the faithful
and assists him soteriologically (in
matters of salvation) and
multifariously, while Her Divine
Light illumines him accordingly—at
times, more, and at times, less.15
This Light becomes visible
spiritually with the noetic sense,
and it consists of the inseparable
glory and brightness of Divine
nature.
16
Furthermore, it also constitutes the
garment of the soul of the faithful,
since it will bring back to her the
ancient and most excellent beauty,
but it simultaneously consists of
the true nourishment of the angels
as much as the righteous.17
It does not have its own substance,18
and for this it is called
enhypostatic and not
auto-hypostatic.19
Thus, it is reasonable to speak
about the effulgence of hypostatic
Light in the souls of the faithful,
20
which acts in them without being
separated from the Holy Spirit.21
Being an uncreated glory of God,
pre-eternal and infinite, the Divine
Light is not sensual,22
but noetic
23 and
spiritual, which is approximated and
envisioned spiritually.24
It is incorporeal divine
illumination and Grace, which
becomes “envisioned in an invisible
manner, and it is conceived in an
inconceivable manner.”25
It is a “natural ray of Divinity”26,
and “the very Divinity which
manifested to the disciples on the
mount,” according to Saint Gregory
the Theologian.27
Divine illumination to be beheld
presupposes the purification of the
heart, and it is found evaluatively
higher than homiletics about God,
and certainly above reason. Of
course, Divine illumination provides
knowledge of God, but this knowledge
and understanding is granted to the
nous by the Holy Spirit. Therefore,
when occasionally this Divine
illumination is called “knowledge
and understanding,” it must be
understood in a different light
because what is meant here is
another kind of understanding—a
spiritual one.28
Barlaam, the anti-hesychast
philosopher, thought that anyone who
has knowledge of beings (onton)
brings God inside him, or, can see
(achieve vision of God) through this
knowledge. In reality though,
Palamas says, this man has within
him the knowledge of the created
things and through this knowledge he
contemplates God, raises his mind to
God abstractly, and expresses Him
conjecturably. This perception of
God does not consist of knowledge of
God in and by itself. However he,
who has energized the Divine Light
inside himself, sees in an
inexpressible way, and his
expressions about God are not
conjectures, but are based on having
true vision and practical experience
of Him.
He truly ascertains that he has God
inside him, because God is never
separated from His eternal glory.
The most trustworthy person who can
inform us about the presuppositions
necessary to acquire and to see the
Divine Light happens to be that
Divine person, who received our
nature and imparted to it the glory
of His nature. These presuppositions
are the keeping of the Divine
commandment, because Christ promised
His appearance to whoever keeps
them.
This appearance Christ called “the
abidance of Himself and of His
Father in Him” saying, “if a man
loves me he will keep my words
29
and my Father will love him and we
will come unto him and make our
abode with him.”30
In this verse, Palamas sees the
Grace and energy of the Holy Spirit
through which God manifests and
abides in those deemed worthy.31
The abidance of the Son with the
Father is interpreted as
participation (metheksi) of the
deifying Grace and energy,
32
while in a similar context Palamas
identifies the coming of Christ, the
abidance and His manifestation
together with the Father with our
ascent toward Him through
revelation, as supercelestial ascent
and rapture.
33
The knowledge of God procured by the
vision of Light is above all other
knowledge, since there is nothing
greater in existence than the
abidance and manifestation of God
inside of us, neither anything equal
nor approximate. Thus, we know that
the keeping of the commandment
provides true knowledge, because
with only this the health of the
soul is secured. Health of the soul
cannot exist when the intelligent
power (gnostiko) of the soul is ill.
The Keeping of the Commandments,
however, offers not only knowledge
of God, but even charismatic
theosis, to which we are guided as
long as we see inside of us God’s
glory in the Spirit. This
materializes when it is God’s good
pleasure to elevate us towards the
spiritual mysteries.34
If the knowledge of the Divine
Scriptures, according to the Apostle
Peter is sure and secure, in the
words of the same Apostle, this
knowledge is equated with the “Light
of an oil lamp that shineth in a
dark place until the day dawns, as
it dawned brilliantly on Tabor, and
Christ, the Day Star, arises in your
hearts.” This so indicative of the
great difference between the
knowledge of the holy Scriptures
compared to the Light of knowledge
emanating from the mystical vision
of God. It is the light of the sun
shining in the middle of the sky at
noon time.35
3. PRESUPPOSITIONS OF THEOPTIA
(VISION OF GOD)
One thing is meant by “illumination
of Divine Grace,” something else by
“constant vision of Light,” and
another, entirely different thing by
“vision of things in the Light, when
the distant things appear in front
of the eyes and the future events
appear as present. Even here,
however, a graduating scale also
exists, which is connected to
spiritual progress. This progress
will continue ad infinitum,
36
being incoherent with the capacity
of the Divine illumination in the
faithful. The vision of Divine glory
is always analogous to the
receptivity of the seer.
37
In novices for example, the
illumination of this Light is dimmer
and not constant, whereas in the
perfect, in addition to the
superabundance of Light, an
endowment of humility takes
place—one of a different kind than
that of the novices.38
Humility leads to penthos
(mourning), and mourning increases
the purification of the heart—a
necessary perquisite toward
receptivity for more illumination.39.
Secure advice about the method of
gaining vision of the Light of Grace
can be given by those who see it
para ton oronton.
40.
from all those who experienced its
knowledge empirically. In other
words; those who received
santification through the harshness
of askesis and humble prayer,
without which (sanctification) no
one will see the Lord, according to
Saint Paul.41
Sanctification
presupposes the cleansing of the
heart by the keeping of the
commandments and the continuous
preoccupation of the nous with the
genuine and immaterial prayer, and
especially through the commandment
of love. Thus, God is seen by those
who have been purified through love
42
via purification,
43
namely, all those
who have been cleansed from passions
and ignorance. Their nous, having
been purified and illumined and
clearly sharing in the Grace of God,
affords them to become partakers of
mystical, supernatural spectacles.
Simultaneously, they see the
brightness by which the nous has
been enriched from the Grace of God,
which furthers strengthens the power
of the nous to transcend itself and
to complete its union with the
things beyond reason. With this
illumination, the nous sees God in
the Spirit. With the power of the
Holy Spirit,
44 it
acquires the spiritual experience
and hears things unheard and sees
things unseen.
45
Not only the envisioned Divine
Light, but even the seeing power by
which the nous sees, is a spiritual
power found incomparably higher than
the created rational powers. And
this power is provided by Divine
Grace.
46 The vision
of Divine Light takes place in those
who have spiritual eyes and the mind
of Christ, with which they behold
the invisible and comprehend the
incomprehensible.47
The nous of the
faithful sees the spiritual
realities with clarity when it
becomes one Spirit with the Lord.
48
Then he knows the
things of God, since only the Spirit
knows the things of God.
49
Thus, the Divine
Light becomes visible with the
transformation of the senses, which
is precisely why it remains
invisible to other people during its
charismatic manifestation.
50 Besides
this, Divine Grace is acquired by
the saints as supernatural and
Divine participation, according to
the same parameters that scientific
knowledge is acquired by scientists,
which while being always present in
them, its action manifests itself
only when necessary.51
As energy of the
Holy Spirit in a pure soul, it
appears as the power of sight in the
healthy eye
52 and becomes
one with the entire man, much like
the unity of the members of the body
and the unity of the soul to the
body.53
The Divine Light is envisioned by
its own Light,
54 with a
vision energized by the Holy Spirit.55
How does this take place exactly? In
reality, the method by which the
invisible God is seen is
inexpressible. Saint Paul, to whom
Palamas refers, will tell us that
this happens “in words not taught by
human wisdom but taught by the Holy
Spirit.”56
The champion of Hesychasm proceeds
towards very profound
clarifications. The immaterial nous,
he says, gazing toward the first,
the supreme and true Light—God,
without turning back, with the
immaterial, incessant and pure
prayer, and having already
transformed to the angelic office,
after being enveloped by the same
first Light, he also appears the
same by participation with the One
Who is the archetype according to
cause. Then he radiates, having the
comeliness of the mystical beauty,
the brilliance and the ineffable
radiance.57
In this manner, this Light, which is
God, illumines its participants
charismatically with their union
with it in an inexpressible way.
58
The deified, beholding in themselves
the uncreated Light, see the garment
of their deification (theosis) which
Christ promised to them in His
archieratical prayer, and according
to that prayer He wanted them to be
with him and to behold His glory.59
4. CHARISMATIC THEOSIS – THE LIFE
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
It is significant that Palamas never
wanted to write anything about man’s
theosis. When he was challenged by
his opponents, however, he was
compelled to refer to it with a few
words of piety—insufficient
according to his statement60
--underlining in
these, that the experience of
theosis is lived as betrothal during
the historical presence of the
saints on earth.61
The Light of the Transfiguration on
Tabor along with the one that the
saints behold here on earth is
evaluatively placed on the same
level with the Light of the future
Second Presence of Christ. It is the
same Light which will continuously
envelop the worthy ones during the
future life. It is the prelude of
God’s glory.
62 This is
the Light of the future age, which
will be visible with the eyes of the
heart.
63 It is the
Light which the Saints behold inside
them, the glory of Divine nature,64
the very immaterial
Divinity of the Father and the
Spirit, which effulges in the face
of
the Only Begotten Son during His
Transfiguration.65
Accordingly, it is overt that
photophany consists of the
manifestation of God to his saints,
while participation in this
theophany corresponds with vision of
God (theoptia). Theophany and
theoptia consist of the delusion
free theological presuppositions of
the life in the Holy Spirit, which
is equated with the charismatic
theosis of man. Those who are deemed
worthy to behold this Photophany
share in this godworking Light,
66
which being
Divinity, deifies them
charismatically.67
This Divine Light, the radiance of
God, consists of theosis according
to Palamas. There is nothing more
sublime from this theoria (vision)
for the worthy. Through this Light,
God unites with the saints. This
Divine Light is the deifying gift.
68
Because of this, it is said that
theosis is essential energy of God.
69
Alternatively, if theosis proceeds
from the activation of some natural
power of man, then the deified
saints do not transcend their
nature, nor are they born of God,
70
nor are they Spirit, born of the
Spirit.71
While God is unknowledgeable,
invisible, and immaterial, He
becomes knowledgeable in a
supernatural way, contained,
translucent, and during theoptia,
becomes one Spirit
72
with those who accompany Him with a
pure heart, according to the prayer
of our common Father to His own
Father. For He says, “grant them,
even as Thou, Father art in me, and
I in Thee, that they also may be one
in Us.”
73 Thus
the Apostles, due to their unity in
Christ, through the Holy Spirit of
Pentecost, are united with Christ,
and between them to such a degree,
that Palamas is more than content to
refer to one of them (John), and to
say that through him all saints are
represented.74
This union with God is perfect,
because the faithful becomes one
Spirit with God.
75
This very Holy Spirit was preaching
through the Apostles after
Pentecost.
76 Theosis, as
Grace of the Holy Spirit, coincides
with the Kingdom of God. Thus, for
someone to become god by Grace is
identical with achieving the Kingdom
of God. And since the Kingdom of God
is without beginning and uncreated,
likewise theosis is without
beginning and uncreated.
77
Uncreated, and without beginning is
also the holiness of the saints.
78
Those deified are full of the
pre-eternal Light which grants them
god-like knowledge and life.
79
They are not governed by the created
temporal life, having beginning and
end, but by the Divine and
preeternal life of God the Word
residing in them,
80
as Apostle Paul wrote about himself,
“It is no longer I who live but
Christ who lives in me.”
81
In reality, Christ lives in the
heart of the faithful through the
Holy Spirit,
82 and the
criterion for this is the Holy
Spirit He gave to them.
83
This explains why the energy of God
and those deified are one and the
same.
84 In reality,
theosis is clearly superior to the
simple vision of Divine Light,
because theosis presupposes the full
union of man with God.
85
But for man to become suitable for
this union, his likeness with God is
indispensable, which is achieved
with the energy emanating from the
Keeping of the Commandments, an
energy which does not result from
the mere natural imitation, but
results from the power of the
Spirit, which ineffably co-exists
with those baptized.
86
The virtue that follows from the
Keeping of the Commandments simply
makes the faithful suitable for the
union, which is completed only by
the uncreated Grace of the baptized.87
This union procedure with God is
officiated by prayer,
88
always in the framework of Divine
mysteries, since we receive and
maintain the uncreated Divine Grace
through the mysteries.89
Moreover, since the deified receive
and maintain actively the uncreated
deifying Grace, that is the same
Holy Spirit as a gift, it is
apparent they do not simply have an
improvement according to their
nature.
90 The pursued
purpose of the deified life in the
Holy Spirit of the faithful is the
betrothal experience of the promises
of God for the future goods.
91
He who shares in the living Divine
Grace becomes a temple of the Divine
glory and a place of spiritual
bliss. He is shown forth as salt of
the earth and light of the world,
92
regardless of whether he is a monk
or if he lives with a spouse in the
world.93
Some of the characteristics of the
(Holy)-spiritual experience taking
place from the vision and experience
of the uncreated Light, are the
cessation of the shameful (carnal)
pleasures and passions of the soul;
the calming of thoughts; serenity
and spiritual joy; contempt for
human glory; humility along with
inexpressible rejoicing; hate
towards the worldly spirit; Divine
eros for the heavenly things, or
better yet for the God of the
heavens; all of which one can
experience and live independently of
the state of his health or the
integrity of his senses.94
Then, the godlike state develops
with reference to virtue and the
difficulty of movement or total
immobilization towards evil.
95
Furthermore, the Divine Light as
charismatic presence of the Holy
Spirit is also experienced as
apocalyptic knowledge—as knowledge
of God, as righteousness, as
holiness, and freedom. This makes
the mouth of the deified the mouth
of God with wisdom of God, “which
cannot be debated or challenged by
any of the enemies,” because
according to the assurance of the
Lord, “for it is not you who speak
but the spirit of your Father
speaking through you.”96
Outside of the vision of the Divine
Light, the defender of hesychia
includes in the realm of the life in
the Holy Spirit, the prayer of the
heart, the spiritual warmth and the
spiritual pleasure, but the pleasing
and sweet tears of Grace.
97
Man shares in the life of the Holy
Spirit in his psychosomatic
entirety. Thus, the dispositions and
energies of the body are also
sanctified,98
because whatever is human does not
die but is transformed by the
uncreated Grace.
99
The qualities of the Divine beauty
are conveyed from the nous and the
soul to the entire body.
100
When the body is enriched by the
workings of the Divine Grace, the
bodily heart reveals its communion
with it by spiritual leaps, while
the body becomes weightless,
illumined, and warmed.
101
On account of its uncreated
character, the deified life of the
faithful in the Holy Spirit remains
essentially inexpressible, even when
attempting to discuss it.
102
Under no circumstances could someone
explain the quality of the spiritual
pleasure that streams from the joy
and Grace of God to those who have
not experienced it personally. This
goodness of the Paraclete to those
who have not tasted it is
essentially unheard of and
inexpressible.103
However, it remains known and
distinctive only to those who have
acquired it.
104
The causes of these spiritual
experiences can only be perceived by
the noetic and spiritual sense.105
Finally, the life in the Holy Spirit
must be definitely acquired and
experienced by the faithful in this
present life, because whoever does
not receive it here, will not have
it in the future life
106
after death either.
EPILOGUE
From what has been written above it
should be clear that the charismatic
theosis of the faithful is
essentially equated with his
(holy)-spiritual life, and
furthermore that the theological
preconditions of this life is
theophany—through the effulgence of
the deifying Grace—and theoptia
(vision of God). Inasmuch, the gift
of the vision of God and the
charismatic abidance in the life of
the Holy Spirit are pre-determined
from specific anthropological
presuppositions as well.
Lucifer and our forefathers had the
gift of Vision of God. In both
circumstances, however, the loss of
this charismatic gift took place
after their known fall. The cause of
their fall was the same. Lucifer and
our forefathers desired and pursued
their equality with God, blatantly
ignoring their existential
specifications as created beings.
They proudly and egotistically
projected their will; they dodged
God and His will for them; and they
ventured for the spiritual elevation
of their position with their
personal choices as the sole
criteria. Thus, they tragically
missed the mark. Consequently, if
the faithful pursues theosis or the
charismatic life of the Spirit and
makes it the purpose of his life, he
is in danger of succumbing to the
same temptation of his forefathers
with the analogous consequences.
Theosis, as charismatic life of the
Holy Spirit, cannot become man’s
purpose because man cannot realize a
purpose found much beyond and above
his created natural capabilities. As
Saint Maximos says very pointedly,
“we feel it as
being above nature according to
Grace but we don’t work out our
theosis. Nor do we have natural
capability to receive the power of
theosis.”107
Theosis consists of God’s purpose
for man and the uncreated gift to
him. Through this however, things
change radically, along with the
entire process for the realization
of this propose. More specifically,
the theosis of the faithful
which was essentially expressed in
the archieratical prayer of
Christ—for the faithful to become
one with the Triune God and to
behold continually His uncreated
glory
108 has as
its basic presupposition the Keeping
of the Commandments, since this
leads to the manifestation of Christ
and God the Father to the heart of
the faithful in the Spirit.109
The Keeping of the
Commandments, however, pragmatically
means the resignation of the
faithful from his own will,
regardless of how good it may appear
to be. It means the subjection of
his will to the will of God. But for
the faithful to abandon his own
will, he needs to previously come to
the knowledge of his inner man by
Divine Grace and to see the tragic
result of the wandering of his nous
in the dead end roads of his
self-will. Then, he will feel
disgust for his self-will, he will
renounce it, and by this he will
practically deny himself.
Thus, he will enable himself from
this point on to become a true
disciple of Christ. Only then will
he steadily redirect his will to the
will of God and consider the Keeping
of the Commandments as the only way
to please God, without another
single alternative solution. The
faithful, abandoning his will in
disgust, humbles himself truly and
pragmatically, causing himself to be
endowed richly with the Grace of
God. The Grace of God gives him the
ability to be responsive to the will
of God for the keeping of his
commandments, because according to
the assurance of Christ, “without me
you cannot do anything”.110
In this context, however, the
charismatic theosis of the faithful,
which comes forth from the keeping
of the Commandments, is offered as
uncreated deifying energy and a gift
from God, and under no circumstances
consists of an accomplishment or an
achievement of the faithful. Under
these anthropological
presuppositions, the continuous
progress of the faithful in the
charismatic life of the Holy Spirit
is realistically ensured, and the
danger of ever falling according to
the ancestral paradigm is nullified.
FOOTNOTES
1. See Saint Gregory
Palamas, In Defense of the Holy
Hesychasts, Homily 1,2,12, and
2.2.2. Gregory Palamas, Apanta ta
Erga, EPE, Vol. 1,
Introduction-Translation-Comments by
P. Christou, Thes/niki 1981, pg. 10.
2. See In Defense of the
Holy Hesychasts, Homily 1,2,8.
3. See. In the life of
Saint Peter of Athos, 18, in Saint
Gregory Palamas, Apanta erga, EPE
Vol. 8, Thessaloniki 1994, pg. 298
4. In Defense
of the Holy Hesychasts, Homily
1,3,12.
5. Ibid. Homily 1,
2, 2.
6. See, the life
of Saint Peter of Athos, Ibid pg.
302.
7. In Defense of
the Holy Hesychasts, Homily 1, 3,
46.
8. Homily 2, 1, 34
with reference to John 17, 21-24.
9. Homily 1, 2, 6.
10. Homily 2, 1, 14.
11. Homily 3, 3, 9.
12. Romans 8, 15: “you
received a spirit of sonship.”
13. See. “Peri theias kai
theopoious methekseos 4.
14. See. Toward John and
Theodoros the philosophers 21,
Gregory Palamas, Apanta ta erga,
EPE, Vol.8, pg. 456.
15. See. In Defense of the
Holy Hesychasts, Homily 3, 2, 1.
16. Homily 2, 3, 37.
17. Homily 1, 3, 29.
18. Homily 2, 3, 6.
19. Homily 3, 1, 8.
20. See Homily 1, 3, 7, with
reference to Saint Makarios,
Homilies 5, 10, Pg. 34, 516A
21. Homily 3, 2, 17.
22. Homily 1, 3, 2, 7.
23. Homily 2, 3, 6.
24. Homily 1, 3, 10.
25. Homily 2, 3, 8.
26. See, Saint John Damaschene,
Homily about Transfiguration 12, Pg.
96, 564B, in Saint Gregory Palamas,
about Divine energies 11.
27. See Saint Gregory Palamas,
Homily 406, Pg. 36, 365A: ‘phos El
paradeihtheisa theotis epi tou orous
tois mathites, in Saint
Gregory
Palamas, In Defense of the Holy
Hesychasts, Homily 3, 1, 12.
28. See Saint Gregory Palamas,
In Defense of the Holy Hesychasts.
29. John 14, 23. It is
quite obvious that with his “words”
he means His commandments, because
previously in the same context, instead of his “words” which he uses
here in this verse he used the
commandments, because he says “he
that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth
me? (John 14, 21) See In Defense of
the Holy Hesychasts, Homily 2,3, 16.
30. John 14, 21.
31. See, Saint Gregory
Palamas, about Divine energies 49.
32. Ibid. 48.
33. See. In Defense of
the Holy Hesychasts, Homily 2, 1,
44.
34. Ibid Homily 2, 3, 17
35. Ibid Homily 2, 3, 18
with reference to 2nd Peter 1, 19.
36. Ibid Homily 2, 3, 35
37. Ibid Homily 1, 3,
17.different kind than that of the
novices.
38. See Saint John
Sinaitis, Klimax 26 Pg. 1033 AB, in
St, Gregory Palamas, In Defense of
the Holy Hesychasts, Homily 1, 3,
49.
39. See In Defense of
the Holy Hesychasts, Homily 1, 3,
52.
40. See Homily 1, 3, 44.
41. See Saint Gregory
Palamas “To the most reverend nun
Xenia.” About passions and virtue,
43 with ref.to Hebrews 12, 14.
42. In Defense of the
Holy Hesychasts, Homily 1, 3, 10
43. Ibid. Homily 2, 3,
10.
44. See, Homily 2, 3,
11.
45. See, Saint Gregory Palamas
towards John and Theodoros the
philosophers 18, in Saint Gregory
Palamas, Apanta ta Erga, EPE vol. 8
Thessaloniki 1994, pg. 452.
46. See, In Defense of the
Holy Hesychasts, Homily 3, 2, 14.
47. See Homily 1, 3, 16, with
reference to 1st Cor. 2, 16.
48. Ibid Homily 1, 3, 17, with
reference to 1st Cor. 6, 17.
49. Ibid Homily 1, 3, 16, with
reference to 1st Cor. 2, 11.
50. Ibid Homily 2,3, 22.
51. See Saint Gregory Palamas,
Peri theias kai theopoious metheseos
15, with reference to Basil the
great, on the Holy Spirit pg. 26. 32, 180 C.
52. Ibid 181 A.
53. See. Maximos the
Confessor, About questions, pg. 91,
1088 BC.
54. See Psalm 35, 10: ‘In
your light we shall see light.”
55. See In Defense of the Holy
Hesychasts, Homily 3, 3, 5.
56. 1st Cor. 2, 13, In Defense
of the Holy Hesychasts.
57. See. In Defense of the
Holy Hesychasts, Homily 1, 3, 24.
58. Ibid Homily 1, 3, 24.
59. Ibid Homily 1, 3, 5 with
reference to John 17, 24.
60. Ibid Homily 3, 1, 32.
61. Ibid Homily 1, 3, 43 and
2, 3, 66.
62. See. Saint Dionisios the
Areopagite, On Divine names 1, 4 Pg
3, 592C. And Basil the great
commentary on the Psalms 44, pg 29.
400 D, Of St. Gregory Palamas, In
Defense of the Holy Hesychasts,
Homily 1,3, 26-27.
63. See. Saint Dionisios the
Areopagite, on Divine Names 1, 4, Pf
3, 592 BC, Saint Gregory Palamas,.
In Defense of the Holy Hesychasts,
Homily 3, 1, 23.
64. See. In Defense of
the Holy Hesychasts Homily 3, 1, 23.
65. See. Canon of Saint
John Damascene on 6th of August hymn
of 9th ode. In Defense of the Holy
Hesychasts, Homily 3, 1, 16.
66. See. In Defense of
the Holy Hesychasts, Homily 1, 3, 5.
67. Ibid Homily 1, 3,
23.
68. See. Saint
Maximos the confessor, About
Questions, Pg. 91, 1088C, In Defense
of the Holy Hesychasts, Homily 3, 3,
13.
69. See. In Defense of
the Holy Hesychasts, Homily 3, 1,
31.
70. See. John 1, 13, In
Defense of the Holy Hesychasts,
Homily 3, 1, 30.
71. See. John 3, 6 In
defense of holy hesychasts, Homily
3, 1, 30.
72. See. 1st Cor. 6, 17.
73. John 17, 21.
74. See. In Defense of
the Holy Hesychasts, Homily 2, 3,
66.
75. Ibid Homily 3, 3,
14.
76. Ibid Homily 2, 2,
14.
77. See. About Divine
energies 30.
78. Ibid . 18
79. See. Basil the
great, Against Evnomios 5, Pg. 29,
772B of Saint Gregory Palamas, Peri
theias kai theopoious methekseos.
80. See. Saint Maximos
the Confessor, Pg. 91, 1144C.
81. Gal. 2, 20.
82. See Eph. 3, 16-17.
83. See. 1st John 4, 13,
in Peri theias kai theopoious
methekseos 3.
84. See. Saint Maximos
the Confessor, About Questions Pg.
91, 1076 C.
85. See. Saint Gregory
Palamas, In Defense of the Holy
Hesychasts Homily 1, 3, 23.
86. See. Peri theias kai
theopoious methekseos 7.
87. See. Saint
Gregory Palamas, Hagiorite Tome 2.
88. See, of the same, On
prayer and purification of the
heart, Triads a, 1.
89. See, Saint Dionisios
the Areopgagite, About
ecclesiastical hierarchy 2. Pg. 3,
392 A.
90. See, Saint Gregory
Palamas, Peri theias kai theopoious
methekseos 3.
91. See, Eph. 1, 13-4,
In Defense of the Holy Hesychasts,
Homily 1, 3, 14.
92. See, Mathew 5, 13.
93. See, Saint Gregory
Palamas, To John and Theodoros the
philosophers 22, EPE 8, pg. 456.
94. See, In Defense of
the Holy Hesychasts Homily 3, 1, 36.
95. See, Saint Gregory
Palamas, To John and Theodoros the
philosophers 20, EPE 8, pg. 456.
96. Mathew 10, 10, In
Defense of the Holy Hesychasts,
Homily 3, 1, 36.
97. See, In Defense of
the Holy Hesychasts Homily 1, 3, 31.
98. See, Hagiorite Tome
6.
99. In Defense of the
Holy Hesychasts, Homily 3, 3, 15.
100. See, To John and Theodoros the
philosophers 19, EPE 8, pg. 454.
101. See, In Defense of the Holy
Hesychasts, Homily 1, 3, 32.
102. See, In Defense of the Holy
Hesychasts, Homily 3, 1, 32.
103. See, To the reverend Nun
Xenia, About passions and virtues
68.
104. See, In Defense of the Holy
Hesychasts, Homily 3, 1, 32.
105. See, Ibid 1, 3, 31.
106. See, To the reverend Nun Xenia,
About passions and virtues 16.
107. Saint Maximos, Chapters, about
love 1, 75, pg. 90, 120C and to
Thalassios 22, pg. 90, 324A.
108. See, John 17 – 24.
109. See, John 14, 21 – 23.
110. John 15, 5.
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