Fourth Ecumenical Council Emperor Marcian convened the Fourth Ecumenical Council in the city of Chalcedon in 451AD to deal with controversy concerning Christ’s nature. Proponents of Monophysitism argued that in the person of Jesus Christ the human nature was absorbed into the divine nature, like a cube of sugar dissolves in a cup of water. Thus, they claimed that the incarnate Christ was left with only one nature, the Divine (Greek mono-one, physis-nature). As the 630 delegates were gathered in the church of Saint Euphemia where her holy relics were housed, the Orthodox hierarchs and their opponents wrote down their [...]

St Epiphanius - On the Lord’s Descent into Hades Christ’s descent into Hades, although only mentioned briefly in the New Testament, is confirmed as a mystery of cosmic significance by the hymnology and iconography of the early Church. This event is narrated most magnificently by Saint Epiphanius of Salamis in his famous Holy Saturday homily: “Whither does He go? What is the means, what is the intent of His descent into Hades?” St Epiphanius explains that Christ goes to Hades with the intention of seeking out and liberating his lost sheep Adam and Eve. He then continues: “But hurry, let [...]

St John Chrysostom - On The 40 Day Fast   Why do we fast for forty days? Formerly many believers approached the sacraments without any particular preparation, especially at the time when Christ first gave them to us. But when the fathers realised the harm that could result from such neglect, they took counsel together and decreed that a period of forty days of fasting be set aside, during which the people would meet to pray and listen to the word of God. During this Lenten season each of the faithful would undergo a thorough purification by means of prayer, [...]

St John of Damascus - A Brilliant Star   The chief hymnographer of our Church is how he is described in his Apolytikion. Yet, St John of Damascus was much more: a theologian, philosopher, poet and musician. These talents are interwoven throughout his substantial works. He wrote and composed music for hymns in each of the eight modes of the Octoechos comprising a large section of the Sunday Orthros and Saturday Vespers services (including the eight resurrectional apolytikia and associated theotokia and the canons). Added to this are the idiomela hymns used in the funeral service, and many other hymns [...]

St Ephraim the Syrian (on Repentance)   When St Ephraim was almost an adolescent, he had a curious dream. Out of his mouth sprouted a vine with many grapes. The height of the vine was great, and the branches reached across the earth. On the branches sat various species of birds flying from branch to branch feeding from the grapes. We understand this to be his God-given ability to preach, and we are the “birds” who are able to “feast” spiritually. On the topic of repentance he begins with the words of Christ “There shall be joy in heaven over [...]