St Gregory Palamas of Thessalonica, the Wonderworker
Commemorated on on the Second Sunday of Lent and on November 14
Verse: Now is the truly great preacher of the Radiant Light,
Verse: Led by the Source of Light to the never-setting Light.
That great luminary of the Church and hesychast Father of the 11th century, St. Gregory Palamas, constantly prayed: “Lord, enlighten my darkness… Most- Holy Theotokos, Enlighten my darkness…!”
Holy Elder Sophrony (Sakharov) of Essex
What can I do to inherit eternal life?
And I was given the answer:
“Pray, as Saint Gregory Palamas, who cried for many years, “Lord, Enlighten my darkness,” and he was heard.
“Pray in the words of the Ecclesiastical Ode “Enlighten, O Giver of Light, and me the sinner with Your light inaccessible”, and strengthen your faith, remembering that the Church does not pray for things that cannot be done.”
Then, that Man, in excluding the possibility that such a prayer would remain without the above answer, closed his argument as follows:
” When your soul knew this light, then, when it happened to lose it, you will burn for it, and mimicking the Saint Simeon the New Theologian will seek and will I cry unto them:
— Come, O true light!
— Come, O eternal life!
— Come, O raising of the fallen!
— Come, O rising of those who lie down!
— Come, O resurrection of the dead!
— Come, All-Holy King.
— Come, and dwell in us
and live continually, inseparably within me,
and you reign in us
ever and unto the ages of ages.
***
Saint Nikolai Velimirovič
St. Gregory Palamas learned much through heavenly revelations. After he had spent three years in stillness in a cell of the Great Lavra, it was necessary for him to go out among men and benefit them with his accumulated knowledge and experience. God revealed this necessity to him through an extraordinary vision: One day, as though in a light sleep, Gregory saw himself holding a vessel in his hand full to overflowing with milk. Gradually, the milk turned into wine which likewise spilled over the rim, and drenched his hands and garments. Then a radiant youth appeared and said: “Why would you not give others of this wonderful drink that you are wasting so carelessly, or are you not aware that this is the gift of God’s grace?” To this Gregory replied: “But if there is no one in our time who feels the need for such a drink, to whom shall I give it?” Then the youth said: “Whether there are some or whether there are none thirsty for such a drink, you are obligated to fulfill your debt and not neglect the gift of God.” Gregory interpreted the milk as the common knowledge (of the masses) of moral life and conduct, and the wine as dogmatic teaching.
The second time Gregory secluded himself in a monastery he was writing his Principles of Orthodoxy. On the eve of the Feast of St. Anthony the Great, the monks summoned him to the all-night vigil service, but he remained at his work in the cell while all the brethren went to church. St. Anthony suddenly appeared to him and said: “Perfect stillness is good, but sometimes it is necessary to be with the brethren.” Convinced by this revelation, Gregory immediately went into church to the joy of all the monks.
The Prologue from Ohrid: Lives of Saints by Saint Nikolai Velimirovič
http://livingorthodoxfaith.blogspot.gr/2010/04/prologue-november-14-november-27.html
***
Gregory’s father was an eminent official at the court of Emperor Andronicus II Palaeologus. The gifted Gregory, completing his secular studies, did not want to enter the service of the imperial court, but withdrew to the Holy Mountain and was tonsured a monk. He lived a life of asceticism in the Monastery of Vatopedi and the Great Lavra. He led the struggle against the heretic Barlaam and finally defeated him. He was consecrated as Metropolitan of Thessalonica in the year 1347. He is glorified as an ascetic, a theologian, a hierarch and a miracle-worker. The Most-holy Theotokos, St. John the Theologian, St. Demetrius, St. Anthony the Great, St. John Chrysostom and angels of God appeared to him at different times. He governed the Church in Thessalonica for thirteen years, of which he spent one year in slavery under the Saracens in Asia. He entered peacefully into rest in the year 1360, and took up his habitation in the Kingdom of Christ. His relics repose in Thessalonica, where a beautiful church is dedicated to him.
The Prologue from Ohrid: Lives of Saints by Saint Nikolai Velimirovič
Troparion for the Saint in Tone VIII:
The light of Orthodoxy, support and teacher of the Church, * glory of monastics and invincible protector of theologians, * O wonderworker Gregory praise of Thessalonica and preacher of grace, ** pray thou without ceasing that our souls be saved.
Kontakion Tone 8:
Holy and divine instrument of the highest wisdom, * joyful trumpet of theology, * with one accord we sing thy praises, O Gregory thou divinely inspired one. * But since thy mind standest before the original Mind, ** guide our minds to Him, O father, * that we may cry to thee: Rejoice, thou preacher of grace.
ODE IV To Saint Gregory:
Irmos: Seated in glory …,
Thou hast opened thy mouth, O wise father, and preached the divine Wisdom which thou hast ever learnt in thy heart; and which showed Balaam to be vainly lacking in understanding and foolish.
Refrain: Holy Hierarch Father Gregory, pray to God for us.
Thou hast set beneath the earth, O most sweetest Sun, in accordance with the laws of nature, but in the morning thou shalt rise again with Christ, the Sun that knoweth no evening, Who doth watch over all by thine intercessions.
Glory …,
The grace of God hath been manifest in thee, O blessed one, the great glory and strong support of the Orthodox, the good shepherd, and second Theologian, and brave guardian of thy flock.
ODE IX, To Saint Gregory:
Irmos: Let every mortal born on earth … ,
Refrain: Holy Hierarch Father Gregory, pray to God for us.
A mirror divine wast thou, O Gregory, for in accordance with the divine image, thou hast kept thyself undefiled; and manfully establishing thy mind as master over the passions of the flesh, thou hast attained to that which is in accordance with God’s likeness. Wherefore thou hast become the most glorious dwelling-place of the Holy Trinity.
Refrain: Holy Hierarch Father Gregory, pray to God for us.
Like an inspired winged angel, thou dist come to the aid of the pious Emperor, as one completely filled with the Holy Spirit, fighting against the vainminded Balaam, who in his madness unjustly spake against the God of heaven; Wherefore thou didst justly gain the victory over him.
Glory …,
Wholly filled with heavenly wisdom, thou didst shine forth upon the world as light, teaching the dogmas of Orthodoxy. Befriending thyself to and loving Wisdom, O most wise one, thou didst conceive the fear of God within thyself, giving birth to the words of the Spirit.
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