‘Life in Christ’, according to the teachings of Saint Nicholas Cabasilas

1. Reasons for choosing the topic

For the pages of Martyria magazine, I thought it fitting to refer to the layman Nicolae Cabasila, a Holy Father of our Church1, born in Thessaloniki in the 14th century, and whose feast day is celebrated on 20 June2. This choice is no coincidence. Thessaloniki is not only his place of origin, but also the setting for his ministry, during a period—as will become apparent—that was extremely difficult for the Byzantine Empire.

A further reason is that Father3 Ene Braniște (1913–1984), a renowned Romanian theologian, translated Saint Nicholas Cabasilas’s work, The Explanation of the Divine Liturgy4. He also wrote a doctoral thesis on this subject, entitled The Explanation of the Divine Liturgy according to Nicholas Cabasilas5. Its reissue became possible in 1997. It should be noted that the first part [of this reissue] even includes the Romanian translation of The Explanation of the Divine Liturgy, as produced in 1946 by Father Ene Braniște.

A detailed presentation of the doctoral thesis, biographical details and a complete bibliography of Father Ene Braniște’s works can be found in the work by Protopresbyter Constantin Caraisarídis, ‘Econom Ene Braniște (1913–1984), a great Romanian Orthodox liturgist’6.

Father Ene Braniște maintains that “Cabasila’s great contribution, as a mystical theologian, lies above all in the fact that he knew how to restore Christian piety to its true source, namely, union with Christ”. For this reason, he recognises him as “the most authoritative theorist of exclusively liturgical, cultic and Christ-centred mysticism”7. The basis for this view lies precisely in the writings of Saint Nicholas Cabasilas, more specifically in his works The Explanation of the Divine Liturgy and On Life in Christ. According to Father Ene Braniște, “these two major works by Cabasilas are, in fact, conceived in the same spirit of symbolic realism and complement one another”8.

2. Thessalonica in the 14th century

Saint Nicholas Cabasilas (1322–1392), a native of Thessaloniki—the second city of the Empire in the late Byzantine era—linked his work to both this city and Constantinople9. In his hometown, 14th-century Thessaloniki, political events, spiritual life and social issues were interdependent with the general developments of the Byzantine Empire10, which was on the brink of collapse11.

The period was marked by two civil conflicts, the ultimate aim of which was to secure the imperial throne. The first took place between the two Andronics, namely [Emperors] Andronikos II and Andronikos III. The second took place between the Grand Domestic John VI Cantacuzene and [Emperor] John V Palaeologus. At the same time, the internal unrest plaguing the Byzantine Empire fuelled the expansionist policies of the Franks, Bulgarians, Serbs and Turks12. By 1350, political antagonisms had fostered the emergence and persistence of an extremely tense and turbulent social climate. Against this bleak backdrop, the Zealot Movement (1342–1349) emerged in Thessaloniki, a socio-economic movement that shook the Empire13.

Against the backdrop of Thessaloniki’s social and economic life during this period, the phenomenon of class differences was particularly pronounced. The free citizens of the city were generally divided into three categories: a) the nobility, that is, the powerful (large landowners, major landowners, the higher clergy); b) the middle class (merchants, artisans, craftsmen); c) the common people, in other words, the populace (farmers, sailors, small-scale craftsmen). The social category of the common people constituted the majority of society, which, by the mid-14th century, was on the brink of economic poverty14.

Excessive tax increases, currency depreciation15, the decline of the agrarian economy16, usurious loans, the confiscation of the poor’s wealth, and the perversion of justice—which became a tool manipulated in the hands of the powerful—all contributed to the strengthening of the Zealot Movement. Although it had a pronounced anti-aristocratic character and sought autonomy from the central government in Constantinople, the Movement simultaneously maintained its ties with the imperial dynasties of the capital, particularly the Palaiologos, whilst avoiding a policy of definitive rupture with them. In Thessaloniki, the nobility sided with John Cantacuzene, whilst the people, moved by the plight of a widowed empress and a minor heir whose rights were under threat, sided with John Palaeologus17.

Alongside the political, social and economic crisis, the historical scene of 14th-century Thessaloniki was also the setting for the Hesychast dispute, a religious controversy whose leading figures were Saint Gregory Palamas (1296–1359) and [the Roman Catholic bishop] Varlaam of Calabria [1290–1348]. In these two figures, two diametrically opposed cultures, two theologies and two ways of life clashed18.

Nevertheless, this dispute contributed to the flourishing of theological thought in 14th-century Thessaloniki. Thus, despite external and internal turmoil, from the first half of the 14th century, when political conditions were more stable, Thessaloniki witnessed a remarkable spiritual revival and a revitalisation of scholarship and the fine arts. Thessaloniki was dubbed the ‘metropolis of philosophy’ and became the ‘Athens of Medieval Hellenism’, leading the way in spiritual and philosophical progress during the Palaiologos era19.

3. Saint Nicholas Cabasilas: biographical details

This was the atmosphere in which Saint Nicholas Cabasilas lived. Very little information has survived about his life. It remains unclear whether he took monastic vows, was ordained a cleric, or remained a layperson throughout his life20. His moderation and way of life contributed to him leading a secluded existence.

Although he was born into the humanist climate that characterised Byzantium in the 14th century, no one can ‘accuse him of Latinophilia, agnosticism or anti-mysticism’21. The predominance of Aristotelianism in theology resulted in the deification of reason and human knowledge, promoting an autonomous Humanism.

Whilst maintaining his position and remaining conscious of his Orthodox identity, he accepted and drew upon the sound elements of Humanism, which he integrated into the unified ecclesiastical tradition and, in so doing, transformed them. Thus, he characteristically notes that man must ‘not only acquire sound reason through learning, but also use it for what is fitting’22, suggesting that man’s natural faculties must be employed creatively and with a view to his salvation, and certainly not deified as such. This is why it is emphasised that Saint Nicholas Cabasilas was a ‘humanist’, in the specific sense of the word23. For him, neither philosophy nor man’s knowledge and abilities have any value if man does not remain united with God.

Hamaetós (Χαμαετός) is Saint Nicholas’s paternal surname; however, this appears to have been replaced by his second surname, Cavásilas (Καβάσιλας24)25, which was his mother’s family name. His mother was the sister of Nil Cabasila, Metropolitan of Thessaloniki (1361–1363)26; later, she took the veil and retired to the Monastery of Saint Theodora in Thessaloniki.

Whilst maintaining his position and remaining conscious of his Orthodox identity, he accepted and drew upon the wholesome elements of Humanism, which he integrated into the unified ecclesiastical tradition and, in so doing, transformed them.

The adoption of the name Cabasilas was due to the prestige of the aristocratic and illustrious family from Thessaloniki, to which his mother and uncle belonged. The renowned Cabasilas family produced numerous remarkable figures, found in Constantinople, Macedonia and Epirus.

The spiritual environment in which he grew up was that of the Hesychasts. He received his early education in Thessaloniki, under the guidance of his uncle, Metropolitan Nil. He continued his studies in Constantinople. He attended the school of philosophy, studying philosophy, classical literature, rhetoric, law, the natural sciences and astronomy.

Later, he rose to the highest offices of the Byzantine state and served as an adviser to Emperor John VI Cantacuzene. When, in 1345, the vast majority of the inhabitants of Thessaloniki wished to seek a reconciliation with Cantacuzene, Saint Nicholas Cabasilas and George Farmáchis were part of the delegation sent to Veria to meet his representative. However, this resulted in a fresh outburst of fury from the Zealots, from which Saint Nicholas [Cabasilas] barely escaped27.

In 1347, Saint Nicholas Cabasilas was entrusted with the task of accompanying Saint Gregory Palamas, newly elected to the archiepiscopal see of Thessaloniki, [to his diocese,] from whom he also received a profound influence in favour of Hesychasm28. Saints John Chrysostom, Dionysius the Areopagite and Maximus the Confessor exerted a particular influence on the Byzantine mystagogue29. He developed his theology on the basis of Hesychast premises, without, however, employing its terminology30. For this reason, his theology is characterised as ‘peaceful theology’31, as it is distinguished by a peaceful attitude towards his opponents. As Müller-Asshoff notes, ‘Cabasila’s texts have a peaceful tone and do not give rise to confrontation, although they are often based on such confrontations’32.

4. Saint Nicholas Cabasilas’s work ‘On the Life in Christ’

Endowed with both godly wisdom and worldly wisdom, shaped by the patristic tradition, deeply rooted in the Orthodox faith and well-versed in the various philosophical concerns and currents of his age, [Saint Nicholas Cabasilas] offers a personal response to the challenges of his time.

Avoiding sharp confrontation with the opponents of Orthodoxy, he works discreetly but tirelessly to build up the Orthodox fullness of the Church. At the heart of his theological teaching lies the work On the Life in Christ33. It consists of seven discourses. The first serves as an introduction; the second deals with Holy Baptism; the third with Chrismation; the fourth with the Divine Eucharist; and the fifth with the consecration of the Holy Altar and the dedication of the church. The last two sermons discuss man’s cooperation with divine grace, as well as the way in which the believer can preserve the grace bestowed upon them by the Holy Mysteries34.

(…) life ‘in Christ’ is not an abstract notion, nor the product of an intellectual invention, but a lived reality, which is constituted through the Holy Sacraments, whose grace, however, does not bear fruit through magical formulas, but through the conscious offering of human cooperation.

The result of this work was the creation of a spiritual map of life ‘in Christ’, into which the Holy Mysteries are organically integrated. In this work of his, [Saint Nicholas Cabasilas] emphasises, in contrast to the rationalism and anthropocentrism that characterised the anti-hesychast camp of his time, that life ‘in Christ’ is not an abstract notion, nor the product of an intellectual invention, but a lived reality, which is constituted through the Holy Mysteries, whose grace, however, does not bear fruit through magical formulas, but through the conscious offering of human cooperation: ‘For this is the only thing we contribute to life: namely, to receive the gifts, to preserve the charisms, and not to cast aside the crown which God has woven for us with much sweat and toil. This is life in Christ, which the Holy Mysteries constitute, but to which human endeavour also seems to be able to contribute’35. Living out the Holy Sacraments reshapes a person and makes them ‘like Christ (χριστοειδής)’36.

5. The Threefold Holy Mystery of Initiation

According to Saint Nicholas Cabasilas, the way in which every person can appropriate life ‘in Christ’, rooting it in their soul, consists in ‘the celebration of the Holy Sacraments, that is, being washed, being anointed and partaking of the Holy Table’37. The sequence of the Holy Sacraments—Baptism, Chrismation and the Divine Eucharist—has always been a matter of course in the practice and consciousness of the Church38. It is the natural culmination of entry into the Church. Reference to these three Holy Sacraments in no way negates the irreplaceable work of each of them, nor does it diminish the value of the other Holy Sacraments.

In describing the single and threefold Mystery of the initiation of the faithful, [Saint Nicholas] Cabasilas clearly distinguishes the function of each [of the three Holy Mysteries]: ‘For Baptism gives us existence and, in general, our hypostasis “in Christ”, since it (that is, Baptism) takes those who are dead and corrupted, and brings them, first of all, to life; whilst Chrismation perfects the one who has been reborn in this life, instilling within them the power that befits them; and the Divine Eucharist preserves this life and health, given that, in order for what has been attained to be preserved and for the baptised to remain alive, they are given the bread of life”39.

The interdependence of the three Holy Mysteries is evident. Each fulfils a unique and irreplaceable function: birth, movement and nourishment correspond to Baptism, Chrismation and the Divine Eucharist or, in the words of [Saint Nicholas] Cabasilas, ‘Baptism is birth; Chrism serves the purpose of action and movement within us; and the bread of life and the chalice of the Eucharist are true food and drink. It is not possible to move or to feed oneself before being born’40. Therefore, as emphasised, if a person is not born, they can neither move nor feed themselves.

His central idea is brought to light by the following statement: ‘We are baptised so that we may die that death and rise to that resurrection. We are anointed so that, through the royal anointing, we may become partakers with Him in deification. Moreover, by eating the most holy bread and drinking from the super-divine chalice, we partake of the very same body and blood which the Saviour assumed. And in this way, we are united with the One who became man for our sake, was deified, died and rose again”41.

6. The Role of the Holy Mysteries in the Life of the Church

The Church exists as a sacramental community, which is revealed and expressed ontologically in the Holy Sacraments. Saint Nicholas Cabasilas likens them to ‘windows’ through which the Sun of righteousness pours forth into the created world, which is filled with the darkness of sin. This life-giving light slays the life of sin that dwells in the world, bestowing upon it the supermundane radiance of the Risen Christ42. In another context, he refers to the Holy Mysteries as the ‘gates’ of righteousness43.

Thus, the Holy Mysteries act as a unifying bridge between the created and the uncreated. They are depicted as the chambers of a heart, as the branches of a tree and as the shoots of a vine. Here too, the focus is not on the ‘community of the name’ or the ‘analogy of resemblance’, but on an ‘identity of reality’, as, characteristically, [Saint Nicholas] Cabasilas: ‘The Church is revealed in the Sacraments not as in symbols, but as the chambers of the heart and the branches of a plant in its root, and, as the Lord said, as the shoots of a vine. For here there is not merely a communion of names or an analogy of likeness, but an identity of reality’44.

According to Saint Nicholas Cabasilas, liturgical images and symbols help the believer to draw near to the mystery ‘not only through words’, but also with the eyes, ‘bringing it before one’s gaze’. In this way, what penetrates the believer’s soul is “not merely simple contemplation, but also an experience”45, that is, faith and hope. Consequently, liturgical acts and symbols reveal God’s saving economy for the human race and its realisation in the present, whilst at the same time foreshadowing the fullness of the last days46.

7. The Holy Sacrament of Baptism

Of all the Holy Sacraments of the Church, the first to be performed, chronologically speaking, is Baptism, for ‘it introduces Christians, before the others, into the new life’47. Baptism is, therefore, ‘the act of being born anew in Christ and of receiving one’s very being, and of acquiring a hypostasis, having been nothing’48. The non-existence of which Saint Nicholas Cabasilas speaks stemmed from man’s lack of communion with God. This is the fruit of original sin. Baptism is the Holy Sacrament through which original sin is abolished and all the sins that a person has committed prior to receiving it are put to death. Saint Nicholas Cabasilas says that every person’s soul has suffered the injury of ‘inheriting the wickedness of the first Adam’.

The removal of sin is offered as a gift of grace, which a person receives only through baptismal participation in the death and Resurrection of Christ49. Through baptism, a person leaves behind the life of corruption to receive the life of Christ. That is why, for us Christians, the day on which we receive saving baptism is the day of our naming50. Through the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, God recreates the ‘being’ of the new man ‘in Christ’.

The Holy Sacrament of Baptism is called both birth, rebirth and re-creation. Through this Holy Sacrament, man rediscovers his divinely re-created image. Man is immersed in the waters of baptism as ‘formless and featureless matter’, but then emerges from them renewed, ‘taking on the image’ of Christ.

For this reason, the Holy Sacrament of Baptism is called both birth, rebirth and re-creation. Through this Holy Sacrament, man regains his divinely re-created image51. A person is immersed in the waters of baptism as ‘formless and featureless matter’, but then emerges from them renewed, ‘taking on the likeness’ of Christ52. Furthermore, the Holy Sacrament of Baptism is also called illumination, ablution and charism53.

Naturally, the bringing forth of the ‘new life in Christ’, which the believer receives through baptism, presupposes the ‘effort’ of the human will cooperating [with divine grace]. The condition of freedom of choice remains inviolable at all times. Renewal ‘in Christ’ is an ontological reality for humankind. Nevertheless, the experience of this regenerative birth cannot be realised without the active contribution of the will54.

The Kingdom of Heaven, the vision of God and life in union with Christ constitute the ‘delight of the will’55. It is upon the human will that the realisation of God’s gift depends, a gift of which the believer rejoices through the Holy Sacrament of Baptism. According to the teaching of [Saint Nicholas] Cabasilas, ‘the work of Baptism is to deliver man from sin, to reconcile man with God, to make man divine, to open the eyes of the soul, to allow the universe to taste the divine ray, and to prepare him for the life to come. It is therefore quite rightly that we call it ‘birth’… for it gives birth to the knowledge of God in the souls of those who are baptised. And this knowledge is life, the cornerstone and root of life’56.

8. The Holy Sacrament of Chrismation

Orthodox tradition maintains an inseparable link between the Holy Sacrament of Baptism and that of Chrismation; therefore, within the same liturgical service, the former is celebrated first, and the latter is then administered. The anointing of the newly enlightened after their baptism is performed with consecrated oil, known as Holy Chrism, so that, through participation in the Holy Sacrament of Chrismation, they may receive the Holy Spirit and be endowed with His charisms. Holy Chrismation completes the rebirth bestowed through the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, providing the individual with the strength and vigour necessary to establish themselves in the new existential reality of life ‘in Christ’57.

After receiving the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, the baptised proceed to Holy Chrism, with the aim of partaking of the Holy Spirit. What, however, is it that prevents us, as human beings, from transcending the ‘mirror and riddle’ whilst we are still in our mortal bodies, thereby hindering the outpouring of the Holy Spirit ‘over the whole body’? According to the Holy Father, the mystagogue, the obstacle is threefold: the distinction of nature, sin and death. The Saviour, however, through His Incarnation, abolishes this threefold barrier, making it possible for creation to be united with its Creator. But how does He break down these three walls? The first, ‘by becoming a partaker of human nature’; the second, ‘by dying on the cross’; and the last wall—that is, the tyranny of death—He banished it entirely from nature through the Resurrection’58.

For this reason, [Saint Nicholas Cabasilas] characteristically writes: ‘Christ is myrrh and anointing’59. Explaining why Christ becomes myrrh and anointing, with which the faithful are anointed as members of His Body, he notes that ‘for the Holy Spirit’, Whose ‘treasure’ He became through His Incarnation60. The baptised person receives the sacramental anointing with myrrh as a charism and a gift of the Holy Spirit. The myrrh that is poured out, however, is Christ Himself, Who personally anoints every member of His Body and activates the Holy Spirit within them. Moreover, the Holy Spirit bestowed at the Holy Sacrament of Chrismation is, amongst other things, “is also the Spirit of adoption and testifies, as it is said, together with our spirit that we are children of God, crying out in our hearts, ‘Avva, Father’”61.

Saint Nicholas Cabasilas observes that most Christians are unaware that they have become bearers of the charisms of the Holy Spirit and that the source of this gift is the power of the Holy Sacrament of Chrismation. As he observes, this neglect of the work of the Holy Spirit has two causes. Firstly, because the Holy Sacrament of Chrismation is administered in infancy. Secondly, because when the baptised reach maturity in years and are able to understand the gifts offered by the Holy Sacrament, instead of making the most of them, they succumb to sin and become the executioners of their own spiritual potential, blinding the eye of their soul53.

The Holy Sacrament of Chrismation activates within the baptised ‘the workings of the Spirit’62; however, this activation cannot take place without the cooperation of human will and freedom. As [Saint Nicholas] Cabasilas notes, ‘to one He gives one thing, to another another, and to yet another more, according to the preparation each has for the Sacrament’63. Through his inspiring words, Saint Nicholas Cabasilas calls upon the faithful “not to betray the treasure” which has been bestowed upon them through the Holy Sacrament of Chrismation. Effort and vigilance are required so that the charisms of the Holy Spirit may remain active, adorning and sanctifying, through their grace, the soul of every believer64. But even if a person leads a life of spiritual indifference, full of dissipation and sin, although the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit, which he received within himself through the Holy Sacrament of Chrismation, is weakened, it is not destroyed. For Christ, through all the ways of His divine love, even to such people, ‘after they had sinned, showed them repentance, tears and a life lived according to right reason, that is, the grace sown in their souls’65.

Any spiritual virtue that people manifest is, in fact, due to the uncreated work of the Comforter’s grace (…) The virtues that appear in life ‘in Christ’ do not constitute an individual achievement, but are the wholesome fruits of a relationship with God lived out ontologically and spiritually.

Any spiritual virtue manifested by people is, in fact, due to the uncreated work of the Comforter’s grace, which seals every believer at the moment of receiving the Holy Sacrament of Chrismation66. This means that the virtues which appear in life ‘in Christ’ do not constitute an individual achievement, but are the wholesome fruits of a relationship with God lived out ontologically and spiritually.

9. The Holy Sacrament of the Divine Eucharist

Following the reception of the Holy Sacrament of Chrismation comes the Divine Eucharist. Thus, in the words of Saint Nicholas Cabasilas, ‘after Chrism, we proceed to the Holy Table, which is the ultimate goal of life; once we have reached it, we need nothing else for the happiness we seek’ 62. For, by partaking of this Holy Sacrament, the believer nourishes and revitalises the reborn reality of his existence in Christ, which he received through the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, not merely by sharing in the Lord’s death and resurrection, nor merely by renewing the reality of their existence, as occurs in the Holy Sacrament of Confirmation.

In the Divine Eucharist, which is the highest sacramental gift of God’s love for humankind, the perfect recapitulation and culmination of all the Holy Sacraments is realised, ‘for from it we no longer receive death and the grave and a share in a higher life, but the Risen One Himself; nor the gifts of the Spirit, insofar as we are permitted to receive them, but the Benefactor Himself, the very temple in which the entire circle of charisms is enshrined’. According to the precise wording of [Saint Nicholas] Cabasilas, ‘from here we receive the Risen One Himself… the Benefactor Himself, the very temple in which the entire circle of graces is enshrined’62. It is certain that his entire theology revolves around the Holy Sacrament of the Divine Eucharist, for whatever issue he addresses, he frames it within the perspective of this sacrament. For this reason, [the Greek Metropolitan] John Zizioulas [, referring to Saint Nicholas Cabasilas,] observes that “no one could have been a more ‘exaggerated’ and more ‘Eucharistic’ ecclesiologist”!67

It is emphasised that the Divine Eucharist is the only Holy Sacrament which brings perfection to all the other Holy Sacraments: ‘the Eucharist alone, amongst the divine services, grants the other Sacraments their perfection’68. The explanation is as follows: ‘It assists them both during their celebration—for they cannot be celebrated without it—and after their completion, as regards those who have been initiated, when it is necessary to restore the radiance of the Sacraments, which has been obscured by the darkness of sins. For the restoration to life of those who have been lost and slain is the exclusive work of the Holy Eucharist. Since it is not possible for fallen man to be resurrected by human power, nor for sin to be destroyed by human justice. By sinning, man offends God Himself… and something greater than human virtue is required for the offence to be wiped away”69.

Consequently, after being baptised and chrismated, the believer must be led immediately to partake of the Eucharistic Holy Communion, this being the fulfilment of the two preceding Holy Mysteries; otherwise, his initiation ‘into Christ’ remains unfulfilled. At this point, of course, Saint Nicholas Cabasilas invokes the theology of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite: ‘Saint Dionysius even says that these holy services are neither perfected nor effective unless the Holy Communion (the Divine Eucharist) is added to them’70.

It is worth noting Saint Nicholas Cabasilas’s position, according to which abstaining from the Divine Mystery of the Eucharist, under the pretext of unworthiness, conceals a great spiritual danger. Thus, it is emphasised that ‘this bread, which came down from heaven, bringing us life, we must eat and seek in every way. By ceaselessly repeating this Supper, we must guard ourselves against [spiritual] hunger. Nor must we be absent from the Table for longer than is proper, on the pretext that we are not prepared in advance for the [Most Holy] Mysteries71. The consequence would be to make our soul weaker and worse in every respect. Therefore, we must turn to the priests for our sins and partake of the cleansing Blood [of the Divine Communion]”72.

(…) the restoration to life of those who have been lost and slain is the exclusive work of the Holy Eucharist. For it is not possible for fallen man to be resurrected by human power, nor for sin to be destroyed by human justice.

This means that, if there are sins weighing upon the faithful and preventing them from receiving Holy Communion, then they must hasten to Holy Confession. Thus, by acknowledging their own sins and seeking forgiveness from God, they will once again be able to draw near and partake of the cleansing Blood of Christ: ‘but, coming to the priests for their sins, they may drink of the cleansing blood’. Consequently, the sacredness of the Eucharistic Meal must under no circumstances act as a deterrent to drawing near to this [Divine] Mystery. Any abstention from the Divine Eucharist, under the pretext of unworthiness, is considered entirely unacceptable and harmful.

10. The interplay between the Holy Mysteries of God and human freedom

Life [in Christ] is offered to every future Christian through the Holy Sacraments of Baptism, Chrismation and the Divine Eucharist. It is, however, preserved through man’s free will, which resolves to strive, that is, to wage a struggle consisting in avoiding vain thoughts, in study, prayer, unceasing communion with the Body of Christ and the practice of virtue. However much grace may be offered [to man], without [his personal] contribution, it remains unproductive. For this reason, [Saint Nicholas Cabasilas] emphasises: ‘whilst the fact that this life begins, for the first time, depends on the hand of the Lord, and the fact of preserving it, once it has begun, and of remaining alive is the work of our own endeavour, human activity is required for this purpose, as is our own contribution, so that it may not be destroyed whilst we have received it, but that we may ultimately preserve this grace and, departing from this present life, hold this treasure in our hands’73.

He lists all that depends on human will. He tells us, therefore, that “those things pertaining to ‘what depends on us’, which human will can either attain or avoid, are the choice of good, the forgiveness of sins, a good character, purity of soul, love of God, and the attainment of all these, that is to say, perfect happiness’74.

Saint Nicholas Cabasilas even emphasises that, “for the sake of the new man, human nature was re-created from the beginning; the mind and the will were created with him as their purpose. We have been given reason so that we might know Christ; we have been given desire so that we might strive towards Him; we have been given memory so that we might remember Him, for, at creation, He was our prototype… And, to put it briefly, the Saviour revealed the true and perfect man as the first and only one, through His character, life and all His other attributes”75. Finally, it is acknowledged that man’s destiny is none other than incorruptible life: ‘if this is, indeed, the goal towards which man looks, God has fashioned the latter, that is to say, incorruptible life’76.

11. The conditions for attaining ‘life in Christ’

These things can be attained whatever the circumstances of a Christian’s life may be, not necessarily in the wilderness. Thus, Saint Nicholas Cabasilas describes the duty common to all Christians as follows: ‘there is a duty incumbent upon those who bear the name of Christ… and all must fulfil it in the same way. Those who neglect it are defenceless, whatever they may invoke: neither age, nor occupation, nor any circumstance, nor sickness, nor health, nor distance, nor the wilderness, nor cities, nor noise, nor anything else, in general, of the things to which the guilty usually resort. The reason is that nothing must be placed before this duty, and no one is permitted to resist the will of Christ; on the contrary, by fulfilling in every way the laws that come from Him, they must order their lives according to His will... In this way, therefore, the Saviour’s commandments are duties common to all believers and can be fulfilled by those who wish to do so; indeed, they are absolutely essential, for without them one cannot draw near to Christ”77.

Furthermore, [Saint Nicholas Cabasilas] emphasises that Christians can pray anywhere, noting that, ‘certainly, there is no need for preparation, nor for special places of prayer, nor for a loud cry when we call upon Him. For there is no place where He is not present, nor any way in which He is not with us. For those who seek Him, He is closer than even the heart itself’78.

12. Eucharistic eschatology

Consequently, life ‘in Christ’ ‘takes root in this life and has its beginnings here, but is perfected in the life to come, when we reach that day’79. The fact that man is united with Christ, soul to soul, body to body and blood to blood, grants him complete peace80. However, full and perfect union with Christ is awaited at the end of the ages. According to Saint Nicholas Cabasilas, in order to become an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven, a person must cast off the state of a slave and attain the status of a child of God81.

Eucharistic eschatology is directly linked to the Person of Christ, for it sees the heirs of the Kingdom ‘bearing upon their faces the Image of the Only-Begotten, so that they may present themselves to Him who begot them with this beauty’82. To attain true communion with Christ, however, mere participation in the Divine Eucharist is not sufficient. This approach must also take place under certain conditions. The believer must strive unceasingly, in the arduous arena of the spiritual struggle, so that, even if they have not yet attained purification, they may be on the path towards it, in order to receive the sanctification offered to those who partake of the Eucharist with divine eros83, 84.

The Divine Eucharist is the Holy Mystery in which the temporal states of the past, present and future coexist. Referring to the Holy Mystery of the Divine Eucharist, Saint Nicholas Cabasilas speaks of two tables, namely the one that is covered and the one that is already being revealed. One is the Eucharistic table of the present life, and the other is the one awaited at the end of the ages85.

The Lord is present amongst the faithful, locally, in every Eucharistic gathering, but also sacramentally through the consecrated bread and wine, which, through the divine work of the Holy Spirit, are His Body and Blood. Christ is ‘God amongst the gods, the beautiful leader of a beautiful company’86, now bread for the faithful whilst they live their lives on earth, but also the life-giving Passover, as they pass, both existentially and eucharistically, from the created nature of their transient and perishable lives to the true dimension of life, which is the imperishable Supper of the Kingdom of God87. The Supper of immortality is the preparation for the encounter with Christ the Bridegroom Himself in the heavenly wedding chamber of the Kingdom: ‘there is one power of the Table and one Who hosts the feast in both worlds; there is one wedding chamber, the other is the preparation for the wedding chamber, and the Same One is the Bridegroom’88. Those who long for the Kingdom of Heaven must always remember that it is coming, but also that ‘it is within us’, through unceasing Eucharistic nourishment88.

Saint Nicholas Cabasilas speaks of two tables, namely the one that is covered and the one that is already being revealed. One is the Eucharistic table of the present life, and the other is the one awaited at the end of the ages.

• 1

  With the author’s consent, I have republished the text in the pages of the journal Martyria, in the context in which it was originally published. The author gave an initial presentation of this study (5 April 2024), during her visit to the Faculty of Orthodox Theology and Educational Sciences at ‘Valahia’ University in Târgoviște, where she was participating in an Erasmus exchange programme from 1 to 5 April 2024.

• 2

  See Τὸ Ἁγιολόγιον τῆς Θεσσαλονίκης. τ. Β΄ (Μακάριος-Χρυσόγονος), Κέντρον Ἁγιολογικῶν Μελετῶν Ἱερᾶς Μητροπόλεως Θεσσαλονίκης, ἔκδ. Ἱερᾶς Μονῆς Ἁγίας Θεοδώρας, Θεσσαλονίκη, 1997, pp. 96–109.

• 3

  With the author’s consent, we have added—implicitly, and in some cases by means of square brackets—clarifications regarding language and meaning, to aid understanding of the text and to adapt it to the specific nature of Romanian Orthodox Christian spirituality (translator’s note).

• 4

  See Nicolae Cabasila, The Explanation of the Divine Liturgy, translated from the Greek and with an introductory note by Deacon Ene Braniște, with a preface by Fr Petre Vintilescu; foreword by I. D. Ștefănescu, published by the Biblical and Missionary Institute of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Bucharest, 1946.

• 5

  See Deacon Ene Braniște, An Explanation of the Divine Liturgy according to Nicholas Cabasilas, Church Books Printing House, Bucharest, 1943.

• 6

  See Κωνσταντίνος Καραϊσαρίδης, ‘Οἰκονόμος Ene Braniște (1913–1984), ἕνας μεγάλος Ὀρθόδοξος Ρουμάνος λειτουργιολόγος’, in Λειτουργικά Ἀνάλεκτα, ἐκδ. Ἐπέκταση, 1996, pp. 39–89.

• 7

  Deacon Ene Braniște, An Explanation of the Divine Liturgy..., p. 116.

• 8

  Deacon Ene Braniște, An Explanation of the Divine Liturgy..., p. 117.

• 9

  See https://www.pemptousia.gr/2014/06/nikolaos-kavasilas-o-diaprepis-theologos-kai-osios/ (21 April 2024).

• 10

  Α. Αγγελοπουλος, Νικόλαος Καβάσιλας ὁ Χαμαετός. Ἡ ζωή καὶ τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ (Συμβολὴ εἰς τὴν Μακεδονικὴν Βυζαντινὴν Προσωπογραφίαν) [Ἀνάλεκτα Βλατάδων, 5], ἐκδ. Πατριαρχικὸν Ἵδρυμα Πατερικῶν Μελετῶν, Θεσσαλονίκη, 1970, p. 13.

• 11

  Κωνσταντίνος Γιαννακοπουλος, Μεσαιωνικὸς Δυτικὸς πολιτισμὸς καὶ οἱ κόσμοι τοῦ Βυζαντίου καὶ τοῦ Ἰσλὰμ (μτφρ. Π. Χρήστου), ἐκδ. ‘Κυρομάνος’, Θεσσαλονίκη, 1993, pp. 476–487.

• 12

  See Α. Παπαγιαννοπουλος, Ιστορία της Θεσσαλονίκης, εκδ. Ρέκος, Θεσσαλονίκη, 1995², pp. 152–156.

• 13

  For further details on the Zealot Movement in Thessalonica, see Παναγιώτης Τσαπόγας, Το κίνημα των Ζηλωτών στη Θεσσαλονίκη 1342–1350, εκδ. Εντύποις, Θεσσαλονίκη, 2021; Κωνσταντίνος Κωτσιοπουλος, Το κίνημα των Ζηλωτών στη Θεσσαλονίκη (1342–1349). Ιστορική, θεολογική και κοινωνική διερεύνηση, Θεσσαλονίκη, 1997.

• 14

  Γλύκας Χατζουλη, Ζηλωτές και Ησυχασμός [Master’s thesis, Department of History and Archaeology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, supervisor: Prof. Iannis Caragianopulos (Γιάννης Καραγιαννοπουλος)], Θεσσαλονίκη, 1987, p. 51.

• 15

  Δημήτριος Τσαμης, “Ὁ ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Παλαμᾶς καὶ ἡ ἐποχή του”, in Πρακτικὰ τοῦ Θεολογικοῦ Συνεδρίου εἰς τιμὴν καὶ μνήμην τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις πατρὸς ἡμῶν Γρηγορίου Ἀρχιεπισκόπου Θεσσαλονίκης τοῦ Παλαμᾶ (12–14 Νοεμβρίου), Θεσσαλονίκη, 1986, p. 56.

• 16

  Α. Βακαλοπουλος, Ἱστορία τῆς Θεσσαλονίκης 316 π.Χ–1983, ἐκδ. ‘Ἀδελφῶν Κυριακίδη’, Θεσσαλονίκη, 1997, p. 144.

• 17

  Κωνσταντίνος Κωτσιaπουλος, Το κίνημα των Ζηλωτών..., p. 16.

• 18

  See Ι. Μαγιεντορφ, ‘Ἡσυχασμός’, in ΘΗΕ, 6, cols. 83–87; Βενιζέλος Χριστοφορίδης, Οι Ησυχαστικές έριδες κατά τον ΙΔ΄ αιώνα, εκδ. Παρατηρητής, Θεσσαλονίκη, 1993², pp. 13–24.

• 19

  See Αδαμάντιος Αδαμαντίου, Ἡ Βυζαντινὴ Θεσσαλονίκη (Ἱστορία - Κονωνικός Βίος - Τέχνη Βυζαντινά Μνημεῖα), ἐκδ. ‘Δαμιανός’, Ἀθήνα, 1986, p. 105; Α. Βακαλόπουλος, Ἱστορία τῆς Μακεδονίας 1354–1833, Θεσσαλονίκη, 1969, p. 30.

• 20

  See Π. Χρήστου, Νικολάου Καβάσιλα, Ἑρμηνεία εἰς τὴν θείαν λειτουργίαν καὶ Περὶ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ζωῆς, ΕΠΕ. Φιλοκαλία 22, (Εισαγωγή, pp. 7–29), p. 11; cf. Π. Νελλα, Προλεγόμενα εἰς τὴν μελέτην Νικολάου τοῦ Καβάσιλα, Ἀθῆναι, 1968, p. 79.

• 21

  H. Beck, Η Βυζαντινή Χιλιετία (μτφρ. Κούρτοβικ Δημοσθένης), Μορφωτικό Ίδρυμα Εθνικής Τραπέζης (ΜΙΕΤ), Αθήνα, 2009, p. 277.

• 22

  On Life in Christ. Discourse VI (Περὶ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ζωῆς. Λόγος ΣΤ΄), in PG 150, col. 656 B. I have chosen to translate the quotations directly from the Greek, adhering to the text used by the author, even though she rendered it into Modern Greek, in order to preserve, consequently, the meanings she wished to emphasise in this study (translator’s note).

• 23

  See Ι. Φουντουλη, ‘Νικόλαος Καβάσιλας ὁ Μυσταγωγός’, in Πρακτικὰ Θεολογικοῦ Συνεδρίου εἰς τιμὴν καὶ μνήμην τοῦ σοφωτάτου καὶ λογιωτάτου καὶ τοῖς ὅλοις ἁγιωτάτου ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν Νικολάου Καβάσιλα τοῦ καὶ Χαμαετοῦ, προνοίᾳ τοῦ Παναγιωτάτου Μητροπολίτου Θεσσαλονίκης κ.κ. Παντελεήμονος Β΄ (17–20 Ιουνίου 1982), Ἱ. Μητροπόλεως Θεσσαλονίκης, Θεσσαλονίκη, 1984, p. 147. For further details, see also Ι. Πλεξιδα, Ἡ μετασκευὴ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. Εἰσαγωγὴ στὴν ἀνθρωπολογικὴ σκέψη τοῦ Νικολάου Καβάσιλα, Πρότυπες Θεσσαλικές Εκδόσεις, Τρίκαλα, 2007.

• 24

  From the Greek form, via the Latinised form Cabasilas, the traditional Romanian form Cabasila was derived (translator’s note).

• 25

  See Α. Αγγελοπουλος, ‘Τὸ γενεαλογικὸν δένδρον τῆς οἰκογενείας τῶν Καβασιλῶν’, in Μακεδονικά 17 (1977), pp. 367–395; Ibid., ‘Νικόλαος Καβάσιλας ὁ Χαμαετός. Βιογραφικὰ Προβλήματα’, in Πρακτικὰ Θεολογικοῦ Συνεδρίου εἰς τιμὴν καὶ μνήμην τοῦ σοφωτάτου καὶ λογιωτάτου καὶ τοῖς ὅλοις ἁγιωτάτου ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν Νικολάου Καβάσιλα τοῦ καὶ Χαμαετοῦ..., pp. 34–35.

• 26

  For further information on Nil Cabasila, see Α. Σπουρλακου, ‘Νεῖλος Καβάσιλας’, in ΘΗΕ, 9, col. 337–340.

• 27

  See Παναγιώτης Τσαπόγας, Το κίνημα των Ζηλωτών στη Θεσσαλονίκη 1342–1350..., pp. 83–93.

• 28

  Β. Ψευτογκς, “Ὁ Νικόλαος Καβάσιλας ἦταν ἡσυχαστὴς ἤ ἀντιησυχαστής;”, in Θέματα Πατερικῆς Θεολογίας, ἐκδ. “Κυρομάνος”, Θεσσαλονίκη, 1995, p. 187.

• 29

  See Ι. Μγιεντορφ, Βυζαντινή Θεολογία (μτφρ – επιμ. π. Κουμαριανός Παύλος και Τσάγκαλος Βασίλειος), εκδ. Ίνδικτος, Αθήνα, 2010, p. 235; Χ. Σωτηρπουλος, ‘Εὐχαριστία καὶ Θέωσις κατὰ τὸν ἅγιον Μάξιμον τὸν Ὁμολογητὴν καὶ τὸν Νικόλαον Καβάσιλα’, in Ἐκκλησία, 10 (1974), pp. 249–251, 281–282, 312, 356–357.

• 30

  See Π. Νλλας, ‘Αἱ θεολογικαὶ πηγαὶ Νικολάου Καβάσιλα. Ἀναφοραὶ καὶ ἐξαρτήσεις’, in Κληρονομία, 7, τεῦχος Α΄ (Ἰανουάριος 1975), pp. 327–344.

• 31

  Νίκος Ματσουκας, “Ἡ διδασκαλία τοῦ Νικολάου Καβάσιλα γιὰ τὰ μυστήρια τῆς Ἐκκλησίας”, in Πρακτικὰ Θεολογικοῦ Συνεδρίου εἰς τιμὴν καὶ μνήμην τοῦ σοφωτάτου καὶ λογιωτάτου καὶ τοῖς ὅλοις ἁγιωτάτου ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν Νικολάου Καβάσιλα τοῦ καὶ Χαμαετοῦ..., p. 121.

• 32

  H. Müller-Asshoff, ‘Observations on the Major Works of Gregory Palamas and Nicholas Kabasilas’, in Byzantinische Zeitschrift, 70 (1977), p. 24.

• 33

  Νίκος Ματσουκας, “Ἡ διδασκαλία τοῦ Νικολάου Καβάσιλα γιὰ τὰ μυστήρια τῆς Ἐκκλησίας”..., p. 121.

• 34

  On Life in Christ. The Seventh Homily, that is, on the Holy Sacraments (Περὶ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ζωῆς· Λόγοι ἑπτά, ἥτοι περὶ μυστηρίων), in PG 150, col. 493–725.

• 35

  On Life in Christ. Discourse I (Περὶ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ζωῆς. Λόγος Α΄), in PG 150, col. 520 C.

• 36

  Ι. Καλογηρου, “Ἡ νεωτέρα καὶ ἡ σύγχρονος ‘οἰκουμενική μαρτυρία’ διὰ τὸν Νικόλαον Καβάσιλαν”, in Πρακτικὰ Θεολογικοῦ Συνεδρίου εἰς τιμὴν καὶ μνήμην τοῦ σοφωτάτου καὶ λογιωτάτου καὶ τοῖς ὅλοις ἁγιωτάτου ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν Νικολάου Καβάσιλα τοῦ καὶ Χαμαετοῦ..., p. 270.

• 37

  On Life in Christ. Sermon I..., in PG 150, col. 516 C.

• 38

  See Θεοδώρου Συμεού, Το τρισσόν μυστήριον της μυήσεως στον Νικόλαο Καβάσιλα και τη λειτουργική πράξη και θεολογία της Ορθοδόξου Εκκλησίας, a Master’s thesis submitted to the Department of Pastoral and Social Theology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, under the supervision of Archimandrite Nicodim Scréttas (Νικόδημος Σκρέττας), Θεσσαλονίκη, 2012.

• 39

  On Life in Christ. Sermon I..., in PG 150, col. 504 A.

• 40

  On Life in Christ. Discourse II (Περὶ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ζωῆς. Λόγος Β΄), in PG 150, col. 521 C.

• 41

  On Life in Christ. The Second Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 521 B.

• 42

  On Life in Christ. Sermon I..., in PG 150, col. 504 C.

• 43

  On Life in Christ. Sermon I..., in PG 150, col. 508 A.

• 44

  Exposition on the Divine Liturgy, XXXVIII (Εἰς τὴν θείαν λειτουργίαν, ΛΗ΄), in PG 150, col. 452 CD.

• 45

  Exposition on the Divine Liturgy, I (Εἰς τὴν θείαν λειτουργίαν, Α΄), in PG 150, 376 A: ‘For this reason, such a form has been devised, which not only depicts all these things in words, but also brings them before our eyes, manifesting itself throughout the entire holy service, so that, in this way, it may more easily work upon our souls and instil in us not merely a simple contemplation, but also an inner experience, since the representation is more clearly imprinted upon us through the medium of our eyes”.

• 46

  See Αρχιμ. Νικόλαος Ιωαννίδης, “Νικόλαος Καβάσιλας και Συμεών Θεσσαλονίκης. Οι θεμελιωτές της Θεολογίας της Βυζαντινής Λατρείας”, available at https://ecclesiagreece.gr/greek/holysynod/commitees/liturgical/ib_1_8.pdf (24 April 2024).

• 47

  On Life in Christ. The Second Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 524 B.

• 48

  On Life in Christ. The Second Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 524 AB.

• 49

  On Life in Christ. The Second Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 537 B.

• 50

  On Life in Christ. The Second Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 525 A.

• 51

  On Life in Christ. The Second Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 524 CD.

• 52

  On Life in Christ. The Second Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 537 D.

• 53a53b

  On Life in Christ. The Second Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 525 CD.

• 54

  On Life in Christ. The Second Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 545 D.

• 55

  On Life in Christ. The Second Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 541 CD.

• 56

  On Life in Christ. The Second Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 568 A.

• 57

  On Life in Christ. Discourse III (Περὶ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ζωῆς. Λόγος Γ΄), in PG 150, col. 569 A.

• 58

  On Life in Christ. The Third Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 572 CD.

• 59

  On Life in Christ. The Third Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 580 B.

• 60

  On Life in Christ. Discourse IV (Περὶ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ζωῆς. Λόγος Δ΄), in PG 150, col. 581 AB.

• 61

  On Life in Christ. The Third Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 580 C.

• 62a62b62c

  On Life in Christ. The Fourth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 581 A.

• 63

  On Life in Christ. The Third Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 569 A.

• 64

  On Life in Christ. The Third Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 576 D.

• 65

  On Life in Christ. The Third Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 576 C.

• 66

  On Life in Christ. The Third Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 577 D.

• 67

  † Μητροπολίτης Περγάμου Ἰωάννης Ζηζιούλας, “Θεία Εὐχαριστία καὶ Ἐκκλησία”, in Τὸ μυστήριο τῆς Θείας Εὐχαριστίας, Πρακτικὰ Γ΄ Πανελλήνιου Λειτουργικοῦ Συμποσίου Στελεχῶν Ἱερῶν Μητροπόλεων, 14–17 Ὀκτωβρίου 2001, Ἱερὰ Σύνοδος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς Ἑλλάδος, Εἰδικὴ Συνοδικὴ Ἐπιτροπὴ Λειτουργικῆς Ἀναγεννήσεως, Σειρὰ Ποιμαντικὴ Βιβλιοθήκη (8), Ἱερὰ Μητρόπολη Νεαπόλεως καὶ Σταυρουπόλεως (Θεσσαλονίκη), ἐκδ. Ἀποστολικῆς Διακονίας, Αθήνα, 2004, σ. 31.

• 68

  On Life in Christ. The Fourth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 585 B.

• 69

  On Life in Christ. The Fourth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 585 BC.

• 70

  On Life in Christ. The Fourth Homily..., in PG 150, col. 592 B.

• 71

  That is, for the reception of the Body and Blood of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (translator’s note).

• 72

  On Life in Christ. The Sixth Homily..., in PG 150, col. 684 A.

• 73

  On Life in Christ. The Sixth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 637 AB.

• 74

  On Life in Christ. The Second Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 544 B.

• 75

  On Life in Christ. The Sixth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 680 ABC.

• 76

  On Life in Christ. The Sixth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 680 D.

• 77

  On Life in Christ. The Sixth Homily..., in PG 150, col. 641 CD.

• 78

  On Life in Christ. The Sixth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 681 CD.

• 79

  On Life in Christ. Sermon I..., in PG 150, col. 493 B.

• 80

  On Life in Christ. The Fourth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 613 D.

• 81

  On Life in Christ. The Fourth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 616 A.

• 82

  On Life in Christ. The Fourth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 616 B.

• 83

  A term referring to a state of passionate love (translator’s note).

• 84

  On Life in Christ. Sermon I..., in PG 150, col. 584 B.

• 85

  On Life in Christ. Homily IV..., in PG 150, col. 625 A.

• 86

  On Life in Christ. The Fourth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 521 B.

• 87

  On Life in Christ. The Fourth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 625 A.

• 88a88b

  On Life in Christ. The Fourth Sermon..., in PG 150, col. 625 B.