The Risk of Creation by Fr. Sophrony

To produce something new is always a gamble, and God’s creation of man in His image and after His likeness involved a certain degree of risk. It was not that He risked introducing an element of instability or shock into His Eternal Being but that to give man god-like freedom shut the door against predestination in any form. Man is at full liberty to determine himself negatively in relation to God- even to enter into conflict with Him. As infinite love, the Heavenly Father cannot abandon man whom He created for eternity, in order to impact to him His divine plenitude. He lives with us our human tragedy. We appreciate this risk, so breath-taking in its majesty, when we contemplate the life of Christ on earth.

After long study of Michelangelo’s Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel I discovered a partial analogy in the fresco with my conception of the Creation of the world. Look at Christ in the fresco, at the gesture He is making. Like some prize champion He hurls into the abyss all who have dared to oppose Him. The whole vast surface teems with people and angels trembling with fright. Suspended in some cosmic expanse, all are engrossed less with their own plight than with the wrath of Christ. He is in the centre and His anger is terrible. This, to be sure, is not how I see Christ. Michelangelo possessed great genius but not for liturgical subjects.

Let us reconstruct the fresco. Christ, naturally, must be in the centre, but a different Christ more in keeping with the revelation that we have of Him: Christ immensely powerful with the power of unassuming love. He is not a vindictive gesture. In creating us as free beings, He anticipated the likelihood, perhaps the inevitability, of the tragedy of the fall of man. Summoning us from the darkness of non-being, His fateful gesture flings us into the secret realms of cosmic life. ‘In all places and fulfilling all things,’ He stays for ever close to us. He loves us in spite of our senseless behaviour. He calls to us, is always ready to respond to our cries for help and guide our fragile steps through all the obstacles that lie in our path. He respects us as on a par with Him. His ultimate idea for us is to see us in eternity verily His equals, His friends and brothers, the sons of the Father. He strives for this, He longs for it. This is our Christ, and as Man He sat on the right hand of the Father.

In the beginning God creates our spirit as pure potential. What follows does not depend altogether on Him. Man is free to disagree, even to resist Him. A situation arises in which we ourselves determine our eternal future- always, of course, in relation to Him: without Him, we should not exist. And if we seek a hallowed eternity which essentially appertains to Him alone, then our every action, all our creative activity, must most certainly proceed not separately from Him but together with Him and in Him.

Born as pure potential, our spirit must go on to actualise our being as hypostasis. We need to grow, and this growth is linked with pain and suffering. However strange it may seem, suffering is imperative for the preservation of life created from nothing. If animals did not feel hunger, they would never make any effort to find food but would simply lie down and die. Similarly, acute discomfort compels primitive man to look for nourishment. Then, as he advances towards rational cognition, suffering discloses to his contemplative mind both his own imperfection and that of the world around him. This forces him to recognise the necessity for a new form of creative effort to perfect life in all its manifestations. Later, he will arrive at a certain perception of Supreme Being which will inspire his soul to seek for better knowledge of Him. And so on, until he realises that this Primordial Being, Whom apprehension first caused him to esteem, does not refuse congress with him; and in the light of this contact death is seen as an absurdity, the very possibility of which must be found against relentlessly. And history has shown that many of those who waged this war with unflagging energy, even while they were still here on earth in spirit beheld the eternal kingdom of the Living God, and passed from death to unending life in the Light of Divine Being.


Let us consider again the dramatic gesture of ‘our’ Christ casting man whom He has created free, like a wonderful seed, into the world prepared for him. The movement is that of a sower throwing seed into the earth that has been ploughed and made ready.
The foundation-stone of our Christian theology is the revelation: ‘In the beginning was the Word…and the Word was God…All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life’ (John 1.1, 3, 4). But contemporary science postulates that in the beginning was hydrogen, and from this atom, by an evolutionary process over milliards of years, everything else developed. The scientific principle- the objectification of the cosmos together with objective knowledge- is applicable only where the laws of nature prevail absolutely. It is not clear on what basis many scientists reject the possibility of other forms of being- of free, non-determined being. We know that Primordial Being lies outside the preserves of science, which can tell us nothing even of the meaning of our existence.

At all events, with both schools of thought, which differ so radically from each other, we notice two opposite tendencies in the human soul. Those on the one hand who abhor the, to them pointless, suffering associated with life on earth and, by extension, dislike existence in general, feel strangely drawn to the mysterious all-pervading quiescence of non-being. Others try to follow Christ; to dominate our earthly frailty and attain divine eternity, employing in their efforts to penetrate more profoundly into the secrets of unoriginate Being methods which may seem intolerably absurd. ‘Not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life’ (2 Cor. 5.4) - the opposite of the philosophy and ascetic theory of divestment of being.

We Christians accept the wondrous gift of life with thanks-giving. Called by Christ, we strive for the fullest possible knowledge of the Primary Source of all that exists. From our birth onwards we gradually grow and enter into possession of being. Christ is for us ‘the way, the truth, and the life’ (John 14.6). With Him our path lies through a great and intricate spiritual culture: we traverse cosmic chasms, more often with much suffering but not seldom in rapture as understanding increases. For a while the growing process is bound up with our physical body; but the time soon comes when, liberated from terrestrial chains, mind and spirit can continue their progress towards the Heavenly Father. We know that He loves us and because of this love reveals Himself to us without limit. It may still be only partly but we know that in Him is our immortality; in Him we shall arrive at everlasting Truth. He will grant us the indescribable joy of sharing in the very Act of the Divine creation of the world. We hunger for complete unity in Him. He is Light, Beauty, Wisdom, Love. He gives the noblest meaning to our life and the bliss of boundless gnosis.

The kind of personal being that we received at our birth- being as potentiality which we have in part already realised- could never develop from the hydrogen atom, in however many myriad years and whatever miraculous and unforeseen ‘hazards’ might happen. The ontological distance is too vast between the atom state of material being and that state of being which we already possess and which we are certain will be perfected and fulfilled.

It is natural that as Christians we should be exploring together in the perspective of the Gospel emphasis on our personal relationship with God. When the Holy Spirit by taking up His abode in us accords us to live the love commanded of us by Christ, we know in our bones that this is the only normal state for our immortal spirit; that in this state we comprehend the divine universality of Christ and His precepts. This is the Truth, the like of which leaves no room for doubt in heart or mind. It is the salvation taught us by the Church. (I speak now not of the ethical but of the ontological content of the Gospel.) This love is essentially a Divine Act, the power of which never diminishes but continues eternally in its plenitude.

When He took on our nature in its fallen state Christ, the Logos of the Father, restored it as it was and is for ever in the creative will of the Father. The incarnation of the only-begotten Son is the manifestation of the Divine in our form of being. Now is revealed the mystery of the way to salvation.

O GOD the Father Who art ever blessed;
Who hast called us to eternal glory in Jesus Christ,
Christ without sin, Who bore the sins of the world,
And laid His life on the cross that we might live for ever;
Who in the weakness of human flesh
made manifest the image of Thy perfection-
We beseech Thee, Father all-Holy,
fill us from on high with Thy strength,
that we may follow in His steps.
Make us like in goodness to Thy Son
in this proud, inconstant age,
that the way of Thy Truth suffer no blasphemy
because of our untruth,
nor be profaned by the sons of the adversary.



Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov (2001) (2nd ed.) His Life is Mine. Chapter 3: The Risk in Creation. New York: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press.

If you enjoyed this you might like to check out my other blog- http://phenomenalogos.blogspot.com/



Άνθρωπος και κόσμος στη θεολογία του Αγίου Μαξίμου του Ομολογητού

http://vimeo.com/10217972

Eschatology & Ontology

There has been a lot of interesting discussion recently about Eschatological Ontology.  Loudovikos’ book A Eucharistic Ontology is a great read and one that I think should be on the shelf of anyone and everyone who is interested in Saint Maximos (who happens to be the patron of this study group).  Douglas Knight from England also has a very interesting book that talks about the relationship between Eschatology and Ontology called The Eschatological Economy.  Finally, it is with as much excitement as I have had for the release of just about any book I await Metropolitan Zizioulas’ book Remembering the Future. Though most of the scholarship regarding Eschatological Ontology seems to primarily focus on St. Maximos I think it would behoove us all to undergo a study of our Lord’s Parables (profoundly eschatological), the Epistle to the Hebrews, and St. Methodios.  I believe that the Parables, the Letter, and this Holy Father all must be taken account of when discussing Eschatological Ontology.  They will provide many insights and I believe are more accessible than St. Maximos (I say this not because I feel that any of the above persons neglected these topics but I think there is a great deal here that awaits our awe and discovery!). - micah

If the law, according to the apostle, is spiritual, containing the images “of future good things,” come then, let us strip off the veil of the letter which is spread over it, and consider its naked and true meaning. The Hebrews were commanded to ornament the Tabernacle as a type of the Church, that they might be able, by means of sensible things, to announce beforehand the image of divine things. For the pattern which was shown to Moses in the mount, to which he was to have regard in fashioning the Tabernacle, was a kind of accurate representation of the heavenly dwelling, which we now perceive more clearly than through types, yet more darkly than if we saw the reality. For not yet, in our present condition, has the truth come unmingled to men, who are here unable to bear the sight of pure immortality, just as we cannot bear to look upon the rays of the sun. And the Jews declared that the shadow of the image (of the heavenly things which was afforded to them), was the third from the reality; but we clearly behold the image of the heavenly order; for the truth will be accurately made manifest after the resurrection, when we shall see the heavenly tabernacle (the city in heaven “whose builder and maker is God”) “face to face,” and not “darkly” and “in part.”

-Saint Methodios

Saint Basil on Faith and Practices of the Church not found in Scripture

Of the beliefs and practices whether generally accepted or publicly enjoined which are preserved in the Church some we possess derived from written teaching; others we have received delivered to us “in a mystery” by the tradition of the apostles; and both of these in relation to true religion have the same force. And these no one will gainsay;—no one, at all events, who is even moderately versed in the institutions of the Church. For were we to attempt to reject such customs as have no written authority, on the ground that the importance they possess is small, we should unintentionally injure the Gospel in its very vitals; or, rather, should make our public definition a mere phrase and nothing more.  For instance, to take the first and most general example, who is thence who has taught us in writing to sign with the sign of the cross those who have trusted in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ? What writing has taught us to turn to the East at the prayer?  Which of the saints has left us in writing the words of the invocation at the displaying of the bread of the Eucharist and the cup of blessing? For we are not, as is well known, content with what the apostle or the Gospel has recorded, but both in preface and conclusion we add other words as being of great importance to the validity of the ministry, and these we derive from unwritten teaching.  Moreover we bless the water of baptism and the oil of the chrism, and besides this the catechumen who is being baptized. On what written authority do we do this? Is not our authority silent and mystical tradition? Nay, by what written word is the anointing of oil taught?  And whence comes the custom of baptizing thrice?  And as to the other customs of baptism from what Scripture do we derive the renunciation of Satan and his angels? Does not this come from that unpublished and secret teaching which our fathers guarded in a silence out of the reach of curious meddling and inquisitive investigation? Well had they learnt the lesson that the awful dignity of the mysteries is best preserved by silence… the Apostles and Fathers who laid down laws for the Church from the beginning thus guarded the awful dignity of the mysteries in secrecy and silence, for what is bruited abroad random among the common folk is no mystery at all. This is the reason for our tradition of unwritten precepts and practices, that the knowledge of our dogmas may not become neglected and contemned by the multitude through familiarity. “Dogma” and “Kerugma” are two distinct things; the former is observed in silence; the latter is proclaimed to all the world. One form of this silence is the obscurity employed in Scripture, which makes the meaning of “dogmas” difficult to be understood for the very advantage of the reader.

The person of Jesus Christ is the center of the Scripture and of the Church. In him there is the whole truth concentrated; everything is summed up in Him, the whole man, the whole matter, the Creation and at the same time the whole God. The dogma of the fourth ecumenical synod at Chalcedon, according to which Christ is perfect God and perfect Man is the kernel of the Orthodox faith. So, an Orthodox is the one who in an absolute way insists to unite himself with God and who insists also on the Creation's acceptance of the whole God on its fulfillment transfiguration and deification through life of God. By saying Creation we mean every single aspect of life, every human act, everything except human sin.

It is obvious that Orthodoxy concerns immediately and essentially the whole world, the whole inhabited earth. Its nature is ecumenical and catholic. Christianity appeared on earth showing the same ecumenical and catholic dimensions. The kerygma of the Apostles was the overcoming of every division and restrain. It provided the elimination and the overcoming of all political, religious, social or any other kind of establishment.

The Gospel brought a new catholic look of life. Christians saw men in a new and different way. Until then, men were "neighbors" or "foreigners", Greeks or barbarians, Romans or non-Romans, free men or slaves, men or women. It was the first time in the history of mankind that man saw his fellowman simply and profoundly as a human being. And he understood that every other man is his "brother". So, agape, charity, common life were not duties. They did not mean obedience to a more perfect law-religion, but they were the offspring of this new look of life. The whole ecumene became a family. Christians brought another great message to the world. It was the message of the overcoming of Death, the radical hope and optimism, the complete affirmation in life. It was the first time that such a message was heard on earth. It is about the union of mortal with the immortal, of man with God, about the real catholicity. In this way man's soul and body, matter and spirit, are united. No dualism exists.

-Panagiotis Nellas 

Through my participation in our Church’s life of worship, I am joined to Christ and become a member of His body and to be a living member of the body of Christ means that I must partake of the qualities of Christ, so that there might take place an “interpenetration” and “exchange of attributes”, as happened with the two natures of Christ. This is achieved through Holy Communion, which makes me, as a member of the body, share in the properties of my Head, with whom I have been united.

                                                   -Archim. Aimilianos

Book of Revelation and the Orthodox Church



The Church Teaches us to be Watchful and not Speculative

Behold, the Bridegroom comes in the middle of the night, and blessed is that servant whom he finds watching; but unworthy is the one whom he finds slothful. Take care then, my soul, not to be overcome with sleep, lest you be given up to death, and be shut out of the kingdom; but rouse yourself and cry: Holy, holy, holy are you, O God; through the Mother of God, have mercy on us.

The Book of Revelation is an Ecclesial Book

“Apocalyptic theology developed originally in the proto-Christian tradition of the Syrian-Palestinian location.  In this tradition the truth does not appear as a product of the spirit but as a "visit" and "scene" (see John 1:14) of the eschatological and meta-historical reality, which infiltrates into history in order to open it to the fact of communion. This creates a vision of the truth, not in the sense of the platonic or mystical viewing, in which the soul or the mind of man link to the divine, but in the sense of reproducing new relations, a new world, the destination of which is taken up through a community.” 

-Metropolitan John of Pergamon

 The Book of Revelation is Profoundly Liturgical because the...

The Eucharist, heart and center of Christian Liturgy, is always understood in its authentic perception as a proleptic manifestation of the Kingdom of God, as symbol and image of an alternative reality, which was conceived before all creation by God the Father in his mystical plan (the mysterion in the biblical sense), was inaugurated by our Lord, and is permanently sustained by the Holy Spirit. -Petros Vassiliades

The Book of the Apocalypse is a liturgical book. By ‘liturgical’ we mean that it takes a view of the world with specific characteristics. It is a movement, a dynamic reality. It is not a static reproduction of a fixed prototype as it was conceived by Platonism. It is neither recycled nor reproduced eternally. Like the Byzantine Eucharistic liturgy, it is a movement towards an end, a final purpose. Its natural resources are thus neither endless nor purposeless; they are ‘sacred’ in that they have a sacred purpose for which they exist. Each of its elements, no matter how small, is sanctified through the sacred purpose which lies within it. It is a relational reality. No part of the world can be conceived in itself apart from its relation with the other parts. The world is thus like a picture, and this is how St John sees it in the Apocalypse, particularly in chapters 4-5. If you remove or destroy one bit of it, you destroy the whole picture. It needs a priest, someone who will freely unify it and refer it back to its Creator. Man is the ‘priest of creation’, the one who is called to treat the world not only with respect but also with creativity so that its parts may form a whole and this whole may transcend its boundaries by being brought into relation with God. This makes the human being indispensable for creation. The axiom promoted by most ecologists that Man needs nature, but nature does not need Man does not have a place in a liturgical view of the world. On the contrary if we take seriously what natural science now calls ‘the anthropic principle’ we must give to the human being an indispensable role in creation. It is a role not only in the world’s preservation but also its cultivation so that its ultimate meaning and purpose may be revealed (apokalypsis) through the human being.

-Metropolitan John of Pergamon

 Apocalypse & Anaphora

At creation the world awaits its prince in the person of man and is subject to him; and likewise in the process of return to the Creator, the world progresses through man and with man.  Once man finds his own destiny, which is to glorify God, he guides the entire creation to its destiny, which is equally to glorify God.  Once man sanctifies the temple of his being, he sanctifies the temple of the whole world… Creation which because of the fall of man “groans and travails” with him, eagerly awaits the revealing of the sons of God…it is waiting to return, together with the sons of the kingdom, into the hands of the Creator…The human presence within the world transforms the world into a realm of Liturgy…With man and through man the world too attains to the Altar above the heavens.  On the dread Altar, the world-the bread and wine-receives the blessing of the life-creating Spirit and becomes Eucharist.  Man communes in the “eucharistic food,” in Christ, and becomes himself a constant Eucharist, a thanksgiving.  In the Festival of the true Light, all things are transformed into Eucharist.  There man and the world attain their intended goal, and prepare for the ultimate End.  Hiermonk Gregorios

Saint Theophilos of Antioch: You will see God when you put on Immortality

This is my God, the Lord of all, who alone stretched out the heaven, and established the breadth of the earth under it; who stirs the deep recesses of the sea, and makes its waves roar; who rules its power, and stills the tumult of its waves; who founded the earth upon the waters, and gave a spirit to nourish it; whose breath giveth light to the whole, who, if He withdraw His breath, the whole will utterly fail. By Him you speak, O man; His breath you breathe yet Him you know not. And this is your condition, because of the blindness of your soul, and the hardness of your heart. But, if you will, you may be healed. Entrust yourself to the Physician, and He will couch the eyes of your soul and of your heart. Who is the Physician? God, who heals and makes alive through His word and wisdom. God by His own word and wisdom made all things; for “by His word were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.”  Most excellent is His wisdom. By His wisdom God founded the earth; and by knowledge He prepared the heavens; and by understanding were the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the clouds poured out their dews. If thou perceivest these things, O man, living chastely, and holily, and righteously, thou canst see God. But before all let faith and the fear of God have rule in thy heart, and then shalt thou understand these things. When thou shalt have put off the mortal, and put on incorruption, then shall thou see God worthily. For God will raise thy flesh immortal with thy soul; and then, having become immortal, thou shalt see the Immortal, if now you believe on Him; and then you shall know that you have spoken unjustly against Him.

The True Constantine: Saint, Apostle, and Holy King

Icon of Holy King David the predecessor of Saint Constantine

Excerpt from Eusebius' life of Saint Constantine
He then lifted his voice and poured forth a strain of thanksgiving to God; after which he added these words. “Now I know that I am truly blessed: now I feel assured that I am accounted worthy of immortality, and am made a partaker of Divine light.” He further expressed his compassion for the unhappy condition of those who were strangers to such blessings as he enjoyed: and when the tribunes and generals of his army appeared in his presence with lamentations and tears at the prospect of their bereavement, and with prayers that his days might yet be prolonged, he assured them in reply that he was now in possession of true life; that none but himself could know the value of the blessings he had received; so that he was anxious rather to hasten than to defer his departure to God. He then proceeded to complete the needful arrangement of his affairs, bequeathing an annual donation to the Roman inhabitants of his imperial city; apportioning the inheritance of the empire, like a patrimonial estate, among his own children; in short, making every disposition according to his own pleasure. (entire text is available at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.toc.html)

Excerpt from the Oration of Saint Constantine:

…real wisdom: his hearers were instructed, not in the mere social virtues, but in the ways which conduct to the spiritual world; and devoted themselves to the contemplation of immutable and eternal things, and the knowledge of the Supreme Father. The benefits which he bestowed were no common blessings: for blindness, the gift of sight; for helpless weakness, the vigor of health; in the place of death, restoration to life again. I dwell not on that abundant provision in the wilderness, whereby a scanty measure of food became a complete and enduring supply for the wants of a mighty multitude.  Thus do we render thanks to thee, our God and Savior, according to our feeble power; unto thee, O Christ, supreme Providence of the mighty Father, who both savest us from evil, and impartest to us thy most blessed doctrine: for I say these things, not to praise, but to give thanks. For what mortal is he who shall worthily declare thy praise, of whom we learn that thou didst from nothing call creation into being, and illumine it with thy light; that thou didst regulate the confusion of the elements by the laws of harmony and order? But chiefly we mark thy loving-kindness, in that thou hast caused those whose hearts inclined to thee to desire earnestly a divine and blessed life, and hast provided that, like merchants of true blessings, they might impart to many others the wisdom and good fortune they had received; themselves, meanwhile, reaping the everlasting fruit of virtue. (Entire text is available at: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.toc.html)

“…He is the one emperor who never lost any battle. He was never defeated, neither from within nor without. He put down the senatorial system, since it was to the point where they were more powerful than the emperor, he stopped putting prisoners to death by crucifixion, he renewed the rights of families, he put a stop to adultery, as we saw, he made laws which raised the position of mothers, he protected the family unit and children from men who abused their patriarchal authority, and young girls from being snatched from their families for forced weddings. He regulated the matters of divorce, inheritance, dowries, etc. His entire policy shows that he acted as a Christian. He wrote laws that punished those who caused the death of their slaves and he limited violence and painful punishment. And something extremely important for the 4^th Century: he outlawed branding on the faces of slaves. They used to brand their slaves with a heated sword. He used to say that the face is created in God’s image. How can a person’s face be marred like that?” -Fr. George Matalinos (Entire article is available at: http://www.oodegr.com/english/paganismos/sykofanties/kwnstantinos_ist_alithia1.htm)

Saint Methodios: Jonah & The Resurrection

The history of Jonah contains a great mystery. For it seems that the whale signifies Time, which never stands still, but is always going on, and consumes the things which are made by long and shorter intervals. But Jonah, who fled from the presence of God, is himself the first man who, having transgressed the law, fled from being seen naked of immortality, having lost through sin his confidence in the Deity. And the ship in which he embarked, and which was tempest-tossed, is this brief and hard life in the present time; just as though we had turned and removed from that blessed and secure life, to that which was most tempestuous and unstable, as from solid land to a ship. For what a ship is to the land, that our present life is to that which is immortal. And the storm and the tempests which beat against us are the temptations of this life, which in the world, as in a tempestuous sea, do not permit us to have a fair voyage free from pain, in a calm sea, and one which is free from evils. And the casting of Jonah from the ship into the sea, signifies the fall of the first man from life to death, who received that sentence because, through having sinned, he fell from righteousness: “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”  And his being swallowed by the whale signifies our inevitable removal by time. For the belly in which Jonah, when he was swallowed, was concealed, is the all-receiving earth, which receives all things which are consumed by time.

II. As, then, Jonah spent three days and as many nights in the whale’s belly, and was delivered up sound again, so shall we all, who have passed through the three stages of our present life on earth—I mean the beginning, the middle, and the end, of which all this present time consists—rise again. For there are altogether three intervals of time, the past, the future, and the present. And for this reason the Lord spent so many days in the earth symbolically, thereby teaching clearly that when the aforementioned intervals of time have been fulfilled, then shall come our resurrection, which is the beginning of the future age, and the end of this. For in that age is neither past nor future, but only the present. Moreover, Jonah having spent three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, was not destroyed by his flesh being dissolved, as is the case with that natural decomposition which takes place in the belly, in the case of those meats which enter into it, on account of the greater heat in the liquids, that it might be shown that these bodies of ours may remain undestroyed. For consider that God had images of Himself made as of gold, that is of a purer spiritual substance, as the angels; and others of clay or brass, as ourselves. He united the soul which was made in the image of God to that which was earthy. As, then, we must here honor all the images of a king, on account of the form which is in them, so also it is incredible that we who are the images of God should be altogether destroyed as being without honor. Whence also the Word descended into our world, and was incarnate of our body, in order that, having fashioned it to a more divine image, He might raise it incorrupt, although it had been dissolved by time. And, indeed, when we trace out the dispensation which was figuratively set forth by the prophet, we shall find the whole discourse visibly extending to this.

The Shepherd of Hermas

The following is an excerpt from the 2nd c. Christian document known as the shepherd of Hermas.  for the complete text follow http://www.earlychurchtexts.com/public/apostfaths/hermas.html

"First of all, sirs,” I said, “explain this to me: What is the meaning of the rock and the gate?" "This rock," he answered, "and this gate are the Son of God." "How sir?" I said; "the rock is old, and the gate is new." "Listen," he said, "and understand, O ignorant man. The Son of God is older than all His creatures, so that He was a fellow-councilor with the Father in His work of creation: for this reason is He old." "And why is the gate new, sir?" I said. "Because," he answered, "He became manifest in the last days of the dispensation: for this reason the gate was made new, that they who are to be saved by it might enter into the kingdom of God. You saw," he said, "that those stones which came in through the gate were used for the building of the tower, and that those which did not come, were again thrown back to their own place? "I saw, sir," I replied. "In like manner," he continued, "no one shall enter into the kingdom of God unless he receive His holy name. For if you desire to enter into a city, and that city is surrounded by a wall, and has but one gate, can you enter into that city save through the gate which it has?" "Why, how can it be otherwise, sir?" I said. "If, then, you cannot enter into the city except through its gate, so, in like manner, a man cannot otherwise enter into the kingdom of God than by the name of His beloved Son. You saw," he added, "the multitude who were building the tower?" "I saw them, sir," I said. "Those," he said, "are all glorious angels, and by them accordingly is the Lord surrounded. And the gate is the Son of God. This is the one entrance to the Lord. In no other way, then, shall any one enter in to Him except through His Son. You saw," he continued, "the six men, and the tail and glorious man in the midst of them, who walked round the tower, and rejected the stones from the building? "I saw him, sir," I answered. "The glorious man," he said, "is the Son of God, and those six glorious angels are those who support Him on the right hand and on the left. None of these glorious angels," he continued, "will enter in unto God apart from Him. Whosoever does not receive His name, shall not enter into the kingdom of God."



The Didache of the Twelve Apostles

The Didache is one of the earliest Christian documents, certainly from the 1st century.  In fact I would argue that some of the material found therein predates all but the oldest parts of the NT canon.  The importance of this text and the influence it exercised on subsequent texts and Church Fathers is immense.  A clear demonstration of the esteem the Church  has for this document is the fact that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church includes the Didache in their scriptural canon!  The following are two excerpts, enjoy!

Two ways there are, one of life and one of death, but there is a great difference between the two ways.
The way of life is indeed this: First, you will love the God who made you; secondly, "you will love your neighbor as yourself." Now all the things that you do not want to have happen to you, you too do not do these to one another.
Now the teaching of these sayings is this: "Praise those who curse you", and pray for your enemies; now fast for those who are persecuting you. For what favor is it if you love those who love you? Don't the gentiles do the same? But you love those who hate you, and you will have no enemies.
"Hold yourself away from the fleshly" and cosmic "strong desires." "If someone should give you a blow to your right cheek, turn to him also the left one," and you will be complete. "If anyone should force you to go one mile, go with him two." "If anyone takes your cloak, give him your tunic also." If anyone takes what is yours away from you, do not ask for it back. For neither are you able. "Give to everyone who asks from you," and do not ask for it back. For the Father wants to give of his own free gifts to everyone.
Blessed is the one who gives according to the precept, for he is guiltless. Woe to the one who takes. For if indeed someone takes who has a need, he will be guiltless. But the one who has no need will give a judgment as to why he took, and for what reason, and he will come under arrest and will be examined about what he did. And "he will not go out from there until he pays the last quadrans." But it has also been said about this: "Let your charitable gifts sweat in your hands, until indeed you know who to give to."
Now about the Eucharist, give thanks this way:
First, about the cup: "We thank you, our Father, for the holy vine of your boy David which you made known to us through your boy Jesus. Glory be to you for the age.
Now about the broken loaf: "We thank you, our Father, for the life and the knowledge that you made known to us through your boy Jesus. Glory be to you for the age. Just as this broken loaf was scattered on top of the hills and as it was gathered together and became one, in the same way let your assembly be gathered together from the remotest parts of the land into your kingdom. "For yours is the glory and the power through Anointed Jesus for the age." Now no one should either eat or drink from your thanksgiving meal, but those who have been baptized into the Lord's name. For about this also the Lord said, "Do not give what is holy to the dogs."
Now after you have been filled, give thanks this way: "We thank you, holy Father, for your holy name, which you made to live in our hearts, and for the knowledge and trust and immortality which you made known to us through Jesus your boy. Glory be to you for the age.
"Almighty master, it was you who created all for the sake of your name. You gave both food and drink to people for enjoyment, so that they might give thanks to you. But to us you have freely given spiritual food and drink and eternal life through your boy. Before all things, we are thankful to you that you are powerful. Glory be to you for the age.
"O Lord, remember your assembly, remember to rescue it from every evil and to make it complete in your love, and to gather it from the four winds into your kingdom which you prepared for it--it, which has been made holy. For yours is the power and the glory for the age.
"Let generosity come, and let this universe pass away. Hosanna to David's son! If someone is holy, let him come. If someone is not, he should change his mind. Maranatha. Amen

Fr. John Romanides: Ethics and Corruption



St. Ignatius writes that "the virginity of Mary and her offspring, as well as the death of the Lord, seized (elaven) the prince of this world: three thunderous mysteries wrought in the silence of God... Henceforth all things were in a state of tumult because He meditated the abolition of death." (Ign. Eph. 19) The abolition of death is non other than the seizure of Satan and was accomplished by these three mysteries. Satan here is closely related to death. By means of death and corruption the devil rules a captive humanity. (Heb 2:14-15.) "The sting of death is sin." (I Cor. 15:56.) "Sin reigned in death." (Rom. 5:21.) Because of the tyrant death man is unable to live according to his original destiny of selfless love. ^{[ 2 ]} He now has the instinct of self-preservation firmly rooted within him from birth. Because he lives constantly under the fear of death he continuously seeks bodily and psychological security, and thus becomes individualistically inclined and utilitarian in attitude. Sin is the failure of man to live according to his original destiny of selfless love which seeks not its own and this failure is rooted in the disease of death. Because death in the hands of Satan is the cause of sin, the kingdom of the devil and sin is destroyed by the "abolition of death." (Ign. Eph. 19.)

For Ignatius death and corruption is an abnormal condition which God came to destroy by the incarnation of His Son. The cosmology of St. Ignatius is neither monophysite or monothelite. Besides the will of God and the good, there exist now the temporary kingdom of Satan, who rules by death and corruption, and man oppressed by the devil but at the same time supported by God and free, at least according to will, to follow the one or the other. The world and God has each his own character - the world death, and God life. (Ign. Mag. 5.) Nevertheless, the material world is neither evil, nor the product of the fall. It exists now under the power of corruption (Rom. 8:20-22), but in Christ is being cleansed. Our Lord was "born and baptized that by His passion He mighty purify the water." (Ign. Eph. 18.) Life and immortality are not proper to man, but to God. "For were He to regard us according to our works we should cease to be." (Ign. Mag. 10.) God Himself was manifested in the flesh "for the renewal of eternal life." (Ign. Eph. 19.) Christ is the source of life (Ign. Eph. 3; Mag. 1; Smyr. 4) and "breathes immortality into the Church" (Ign. Eph. 17) "apart from whom we do not possess the true life." (Ign. Tral. 9.)

In the epistles of St. Ignatius the idea of natural immortality as a proper element of man's soul is completely absent. Both those before and after Christ have the death and resurrection of Christ as their source of life. Christ raised the prophets (Ign. Mag. 9) who "were saved through union with Jesus Christ." (Ign. Phil. 5.) He "the High Priest .. to whom the Holy of Holies has been committed ... is the door of the Father by which enter in Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the prophets, and the apostles, and the Church." (Ign. Phil. 9.) For the athletes of God "the prize is incorruption and eternal life." (Ign. Pol. 2.) "The gospel is the ornament of incorruption." (Ign. Phil. 9.) The Church has now peace by the flesh and blood and passion of Jesus Christ. (Ign. Tral. salutation.) The death of Christ "seized" the devil (Ign. Eph. 19) and as such is the source by which life was renewed (Ign. Mag. 9) that "by believing in His death you may escape from death." (Ign. Tral. 2.) "The passion of Christ ... is our resurrection." (Ign. Smyr. 5.) Those who ignore the death and the fleshly resurrection of Christ "have been denied by Him, being the advocates of death rather than of the truth." (Ign. Smyr. 5.) He who doen not confess him a "bearer of flesh ... has in fact altogether denied Him, being a bearer of death." (Ibid.) "... if they believe not in the blood of Christ, then to them there is judgment." (Ibid. 6.) "Those, therefore, who speak against this gift of God, in the midst of their disputes, incur death." (Ibid. 7.)

St. Ignatius emphatically and persistently points out the absolute necessity of faith in the real historical facts of the incarnation of God from the Virgin and of the death and fleshly resurrection of the God-man. (Tral. 2,9,10; Phil. 8,9; Smyr. 1,2,3,4,7.) "I desire to guard you... that you fall not upon the hooks of vain doctrine, but that you attain to full assurance in regard to the birth, and passion, and resurrection which took place in the time of the government of Pontius Pilate.: (Mag. 11.) Faith in the flesh and spirit (Smyr. 3) of Christ is the very basis of the whole structure of New Testament and ancient Christian ethics. The life of selfless love and the successful struggle against the powers of death and the devil are impossible without communion with the real life-giving and resurrected flesh of the Lord. "Consider those who are of a different opinion with respect to the grace of Christ which has come unto us, how opposed they are to the will of God. They have no regard for love, etc. ..." (Ibid. 6.) Most probably St. Ignatius is here referring to heretics with dualistic doctrines who ignore the true nature of material creation and by consequence the real meaning of death and corruption. It is possible to suppose that Ignatius is here exaggerating the inadequate ethics of the heretics he has in mind. Such a judgment is especially tempting when one realizes the fact that some of the heretics attacked by Ignatius admired and respected the Orthodox, even as happens today. "For what does any one profit me if he commends me but blasphemes my Lord, not confessing that He is possessed of flesh?" (Ibid. 5.) Such a value judgment, however, concerning such possible exaggeration can be made only when one uses as criteria ethical theories foreign to the basis of Ignatius' thought. The ethical criteria of St. Ignatius cannot be judged according to theories of natural moral law which conceive of man's quest for security and happiness as normal. It is quite obvious that Ignatius unites the possibility of a Christian ethic not to natural utilitarian principles of happiness, but solely to the resurrected flesh of Christ. This relationship of Christian ethics to the physical death and resurrection of Christ must be comprehended for an adequate understanding of the presuppositions of Ignatian ecclesiology.

Satan rules parasitically in creation and man by death. (Rom. 8:20-22; Heb. 2:14.) The children of God "through fear of death were all their lifetime guilty of bondage." (Heb. 2:15.) Because the rule of Satan consisted in the physical and material reality of death and corruption, the destruction of Satan could be brought about only by a real resurrection of the flesh - not by the escape of the soul from creation to some other supposed reality. By the indwelling of the life-giving flesh of Christ the faithful are liberated from slavery to the devil and by prayer, fasting, and corporate selfless love are enabled to overcome the consequences of death, viz. sin, by the grace of God in Christ and the Holy Spirit. "...the believing have in love the character of God the Father by Jesus Christ, by whom, if we are not in readiness to die into His passion, His life is not in us." (Mag. 5.) Both the ontological reality and the ethical meaning of the incarnation, death and resurrection of Christ, are necessarily united and inseparable. The denial of the one leads to the rejection of the other. If the ontological and material power of "him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 2:14) has not been destroyed in the death and resurrection of Christ, then sin is still reigning. "If Christ be not raised ... you are yet in your sins." (I Cor. 15:17.) The struggle of Christians against sin and for salvation through selfless love would be useless and senseless. "Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die." (Ibid. 15:32.) Besides the ethical implications of Christ's not having risen, there would be no hope of life after death. "Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (Ibid. 15:18-19.) Therefore those who deny the real birth, death and resurrection of the incarnated Word of God are "advocates of death" and "bearers of death" and "their names" are "unbelief." (Smyr. 5.)

Christian ethics, therefore, for St. Ignatius is not a mere matter of preserving imagined innate moral laws of a supposed natural world for the attainment of personal happiness, whether immanent or transcedental. What is considered a natural quest for security and happiness is really a life according to the dictates of death, or the flesh dominated by death, constantly seeking bodily and psychological security of existence and worth. "... let no one look upon his neighbor after the flesh, but do you continually love each other in Jesus Christ." (Mag. 6.) Love in Christ differs sharply from the "kata sarka" eudaimonistic and utilitarian love of so-called natural humanity. Christian love "seeks not its own." (Rom. 14,7:15, 1-3; I Cor. 13,5:5, 15:10, 24, 29-11, 1:12, 25-26:13, 1ff: II Cor. 5,14-15; Gal. 5, 13:6, 1; Eph. 4,2; I Thes. 5,11.) "...exhort my brethren, in the name of Jesus Christ, that they love their wives, even as the Lord the Church." (Ign. Pol. 5.) This love is such that Christ "pleased not himself" (Rom. 15:3) but "He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves." (II Cor. 5:15.) For this reason a Christian wedding which has as its motive selfless love in Christ "is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church." (Eph. 5:32.) That is, it is a great mystery for Christians only, not because those outside the Church are not married, but because a Christian wedding takes place in another dimension. Therefore, "it becomes both men and women who marry, to form their union with the approval of the bishop, that their marriage be according to God, and not after their own lust." (Ign. Pol. 5.)

Because of the character of the principle of sin, perfection in this age is attained to not fully but in part according to the quality of the war carried against the powers of the devil. Good works are not part of a business agreement between God and man whereby God is obligated to reward external and utilitarian acts of charity. Rather good works are the product of the double struggle waged against the devil and for non-utilitarian selfless love for God and the neighbor. ^{[ 3 ]} Therefore communion of divine life through the human nature of Christ is not enough for salvation. The mystical (sacramental) life is not a magical guarantee of eternal life. Christians must also wage an intense war against Satan. " ... if we endure all the assaults of the prince of this world and escape them we shall attain to ( or enjoy) God." (Mag. 1)

It is only when one perceives the inseparable bond which exists in the Bible and ancient Church between the destructive powers of death, corruption and disease, and the person of Satan that he can comprehend the attitude of the first Christians toward death and martyrdom. "... they touched Him and believed, being supported by both His flesh and spirit. For this cause also they despised death, for they were found above death." (Smyr. 3.) He who fears death and is thereby s slave to its consequences is incapable of living according to Christ "by whom, if we are not in readiness to die into His passion, His life is not in us." (Mag. 5.) The canons of the Church are quite severe for those who would reject Christ because of fear. ^{[ 4 ]} The rejection of Christ for fear of death was considered as a fall into the hands of the devil. ^{[ 5 ]} Thus the persistent desire of St. Ignatius not to be hindered in his impending martyrdom was not the product of eschatological enthusiasm or psychopathic disturbances, but clearly the consequence of the realization of the inseparable relationship existing between death and Satan, who, with man as his co-worker, is himself the cause of ethical and physical evil. Condemned to death according to law already dead, it was impossible for St. Ignatius to seek to avoid martyrdom. This would have meant slavery to Satan. "The prince of this world would fain carry me away (or capture me), and corrupt my disposition (or opinion ) toward God. Let none of you, therefore, who are in Rome help him." (Ign. Rom. 7.)St. Ignatius was not a psychopath. On the contrary he had a keen understanding of biblical demonology (II Cor. 2:11) which not only dominated his own approach to faith and practice, but also regulated the whole theology of the ancient Church concerning martyrdom. "Pray for me that I may attain ... If I shall suffer you have wished well to me; but if I am rejected you have hated me." ( Ign. Rom. 8.) "... let cutting off of members; let shatterings of the whole body; and let all the evil torments of the devil come upon me: only let me attain to Jesus Christ." (Ibid. 5.)

For the entire article- http://romanity.org/htm/rom.11.en.the_ecclesiology_of_st._ignatius_of_antioch.01.htm#s3

Ἀλέξανδρος Παπαδιαμάντης - Πάσχα ῥωμέικο

Ὁ μπάρμπα-Πίπης, ὁ γηραιὸς φίλος μου, εἶχεν ἑπτὰ ἢ ὀκτὼ καπέλλα, διαφόρων χρωμάτων, σχημάτων καὶ μεγεθῶν, ὅλα ἐκ παλαιοῦ χρόνου καὶ ὅλα κατακαίνουργια, τὰ ὁποῖα ἐφόρει ἐκ περιτροπῆς μετὰ τοῦ εὐπρεποῦς μαύρου ἱματίου του κατὰ τὰς μεγάλας ἑορτὰς τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ, ὁπόταν ἔκαμνε δυὸ ἢ τρεῖς περιπάτους ἀπὸ τῆς μιᾶς πλατείας εἰς τὴν ἄλλην διὰ τῆς ὁδοῦ Σταδίου. Ὁσάκις ἐφόρει τὸν καθημερινὸν κοῦκον του, μὲ τὸ σάλι του διπλωμένον εἰς ὀκτὼ ἢ δεκαὲξ δίπλας ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου, συνήθιζε νὰ κάθηται ἐπί τινας ὥρας εἰς τὸ γειτονικὸν παντοπωλεῖον, ὑποπίνων συνήθως, μετὰ τῶν φίλων, καὶ ἦτο στομύλος καὶ διηγεῖτο πολλὰ κι ἐμειδία πρὸς αὐτούς.

Ὅταν ἐμειδία ὁ μπάρμπα - Πίπης, δὲν ἐμειδίων μόνον αἱ γωνίαι τῶν χειλέων, αἱ παρειαὶ καὶ τὰ οὖλα τῶν ὀδόντων του, ἀλλ᾿ ἐμειδίων οἱ ἱλαροὶ καὶ ἥμεροι ὀφθαλμοί του, ἐμειδία στίλβουσα ἡ σιμὴ καὶ πεπλατυσμένη ρίς του, ὁ μύσταξ του ὁ εὐθυσμένος μὲ λεβάνταν καὶ ὡς διὰ κολλητοῦ κηροῦ λελεπτυσμένος, καὶ τὸ ὑπογένειόν του τὸ λευκὸν καὶ ἐπιμελῶς διατηρούμενον, καὶ σχεδὸν ὁ κοῦκος του ὁ στακτερός, ὁ λοξὸς κι ἐπικλινὴς πρὸς τὸ οὖς, ὅλα παρ᾿ αὐτῷ ἐμειδίων. Εἶχε γνωρίσει πρόσωπα καὶ πράγματα ἐν Κερκύρᾳ, ὅλα τὰ περιέγραφε μετὰ χάριτος εἰς τοὺς φίλους του. Δὲν ἔπαυσε ποτὲ νὰ σεμνύνεται διὰ τὴν προτίμησιν, τὴν ὁποίαν εἶχε δείξει ἀείποτε διὰ τὴν Κέρκυραν ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ ἔζησεν ἀρκετὰ διὰ νὰ ὑπερηφανευθῆ ἐπὶ τῇ ἐκλογῇ, ἣν ἔκαμε τῆς αὐτῆς νήσου πρὸς διατριβὴν «ἡ ἑφτάκρατορισσα τῆς Ἀούστριας». Ἐνθυμεῖτο ἀμυδρῶς τὸν Μουστοξύδην, μὰ δόττο, δοττίσιμο κὲ ταλέντο! Εἶχε γνωρίσει καλῶς τὸν Μάντζαρον, μὰ γαλαντουόμο! τὸν Κερκύρας Ἀθανάσιον, μὰ μπράβο! τὸν Σιερπιέρρο, κὲ γκρὰν φιλόζοφο! Τὸ τελευταῖον ὄνομα ἔδιδεν εἰς τὸν ἀοίδιμον Βράιλαν, διὰ τὸν τίτλον ὃν τοῦ εἶχαν ἀπονείμει, φαίνεται, οἱ Ἀγγλοι. (Sir Pierro = Sir Peter).
Εἶχε γνωρίσει ἐπίσης τὸν «Σολωμὸ» κὲ ποέτα, τοῦ ὁποίου ἀπεμνημόνευε καὶ στίχους τινάς, ἀπαγγέλλων αὐτοὺς κατὰ τὸ ἑξῆς ὑπόδειγμα:
Ὡσὰν τὴ σπίθᾳ κρουμμένη στὴ στάχτη
ποῦ ἐκρουβόταν γιὰ μᾶς λευτεριά;
Εἰσὲ πᾶσα μέρη πετιέται κι ἀνάφτει
καὶ σκορπιέται σὲ κάθε μεριά.
Ὁ μπάρμπα-Πίπης ἔλειπεν ὑπὲρ τὰ εἴκοσι ἔτη ἐκ τοῦ τόπου τῆς γεννήσεώς του. Εἶχε γυρίσει κόσμον κι ἔκαμεν ἐργασίας πολλάς. Ἔστειλε ποτε καὶ εἰς τὴν Παγκόσμιον «Ἔκτεση», διότι ἦτο σχεδὸν ἀρχιτέκτων, καὶ εἶχε μάλιστα καὶ μίαν ἰνβεντσιόνε. Ἐμίσει τοὺς πονηροὺς καὶ τοὺς ἰδιοτελεῖς, ἐξετίμα τὸν ἀνθρωπισμὸν καὶ τὴν τιμιότητα. Ἀπετροπιάζετο τοὺς φαύλους.
«Ἲλ τραδιτόρε νὸν ά κομπασιόν» - ὁ ἀπατεῶνας δὲν ἔχει λύπηση. Ἐνίοτε πάλιν ἐμαλάττετο κι ἐδείκνυε συγκατάβασιν εἰς τὰς ἀνθρωπίνους ἀτελείας. «Οὐδ᾿ ἡ γῆς ἀναμάρτητος - ἄγκε λὰ τέρρα νὸν έ ἰμπεκκάμπιλε». Καὶ ὕστερον, ἀφοῦ οὐδ᾿ ἡ γῆ εἶναι, πῶς θὰ εἶναι ὁ Πάπας; Ὅταν τοῦ παρετήρει τὶς ὅτι ὁ Πάπας δὲν ἐψηφίσθη ἰμπεκκάμπιλε, ἀλλὰ ἰνφαλλίμπιλε, δὲν ἤθελε ν᾿ ἀναγνωρίση τὴν διαφοράν.
Δὲν ἦτο ἄμοιρος καὶ θρησκευτικῶν συναισθημάτων. Τὰς δυὸ ἢ τρεῖς προσευχάς, ἂς ἤξευρε, τὰς ἤξευρεν ἑλληνιστί. «Τὰ πατερμά του ἤξευρε ρωμέικα». Ἔλεγεν: «Ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος Κύριος Σαβαώθ... ὡς ἐνάντιος ὑψίστοις!». Ὅταν μὲ ἠρώτησε δὶς ἢ τρὶς τί σημαίνει τοῦτο ὡς ἐνάντιος, προσεπάθησα νὰ διορθώσω καὶ ἐξηγήσω τὸ πρᾶγμα. Ἀλλὰ μετὰ δυὸ ἢ τρεῖς ἡμέρες ὑποτροπιάζων πάλιν ἔλεγεν: «Ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος... ὡς ἐνάντιος ὑψίστοις».
Ἓν μόνον εἶχεν ἐλάττωμα, ὅτι ἐμίσει ἀδιαλλάκτως πᾶν ὅ,τι ἐκ προκαταλήψεως ἐμίσει καὶ χωρὶς ν᾿ ἀνέχηται ἀντίθετον γνώμην ἢ ἐπιχείρημα. Πολιτικῶς κατεφέρετο πολὺ κατὰ τῶν Ἀγγλων, θρησκευτικῶς δὲ κατὰ τῶν Δυτικῶν. Δὲν ἤθελε ν᾿ ἀκούση τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πάπα, καὶ ἦτο ἀμείλικτος κατήγορος τοῦ ρωμαϊκοῦ κλήρου...
Τὴν ἑσπέραν τοῦ Μεγάλου Σαββάτου τοῦ ἔτους 188... περὶ ὥραν ἐνάτην, γερόντιον τι εὐπρεπῶς ἐνδεδυμένον, καθόσον ἠδύνατο νὰ διακρίνῃ τις εἰς τὸ σκότος, κατήρχετο τὴν ἀπ᾿ Ἀθηνῶν εἰς Πειραιὰ ἄγουσαν, τὴν ἁμαξιτήν. Δὲν εἶχεν ἀκόμη ἀνατείλει ἡ σελίνη, καὶ ὁ ὁδοιπόρος ἐδίσταζε ν᾿ ἀναβῇ ὑψηλότερον, ζητῶν δρόμον μεταξὺ τῶν χωραφίων. Ἐφαίνετο μὴ γνωρίζων καλῶς τὸν τόπον. Ὁ γέρων θὰ ἦταν ἴσως πτωχός, δὲ θὰ εἶχε 50 λεπτὰ διὰ νὰ πληρώση τὸ εἰσιτήριον τοῦ σιδηροδρόμου ἢ θὰ τὰ εἶχε κι ἔκαμνεν οἰκονομίαν.
Ἀλλ᾿ ὄχι δὲν ἦτο πτωχός, δὲν ἦτο οὔτε πλούσιος, εἶχε διὰ νὰ ζήσῃ. Ἦτο εὐλαβής, καὶ εἶχε τάξιμο νὰ καταβαίνῃ κατ᾿ ἔτος τὸ Πάσχα πεζὸς εἰς τὸν Πειραιά, ν᾿ ἀκούῃ τὴν Ἀνάστασιν εἰς τὸν Ἅγιον Σπυρίδωνα καὶ ὄχι εἰς ἄλλην ἐκκλησίαν, νὰ λειτουργῆται ἐκεῖ καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀπόλυσιν ν᾿ ἀναβαίνη πάλιν πεζὸς εἰς τὰς Ἀθήνας.
Ἦτο ὁ μπάρμπα-Πίπης, ὁ γηραιὸς φίλος μου, καὶ κατέβαινεν εἰς Πειραιᾶ διὰ ν᾿ ἀκούση τὸ Χριστὸς Ἀνέστη εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ ὁμωνύμου καὶ προστάτου του, διὰ νὰ κάμῃ Πάσχα ρωμέικο κι εὐφρανθῆ ἡ ψυχή του.
Καὶ ὅμως ἦτο... δυτικός!
Ὁ μπάρμπα-Πίπης ἦτο Ἰταλοκερκυραῖος, ἁπλοϊκός, Ἑλληνίδος μητρός, Ἕλλην τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ ὑφίστατο ἄκων ἴσως, ὡς καὶ τόσοι ἄλλοι, τὸ ἄπειρον μεγαλεῖον καὶ τὴν ἄφατον γλυκύτητα τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἑλληνικῆς. Ἐκαυχάτο ὅτι ὁ πατήρ του, ὅστις ἦτο στρατιώτης τοῦ Ναπολέοντος Α´, «εἶχε μεταλάβει ρωμέικα» ὅταν ἐκινδύνευε ν᾿ ἀποθάνη ἐκβιάσας μάλιστα πρὸς τοῦτο, διὰ τινῶν συστρατιωτῶν του, τὸν ἱερέα τὸν ἀγαθόν. Καὶ ὅμως ὅταν, κατόπιν τούτων, φυσικῶς τοῦ ἔλεγε τις: «Διατὶ δὲ βαπτίζεσαι, μπάρμπα-Πίπη;» ἡ ἀπάντησίς του ἦτο, ὅτι ἅπαξ ἐβαπτίσθη, καὶ ὅτι εὑρέθη ἐκεῖ.
Φαίνεται ὅτι οἱ Πάπαι τῆς Ρώμης, μὲ τὴ συνήθη ἐπιτηδείαν πολιτικήν των, εἶχον ἀναγνωρίσει εἰς τοὺς ρωμαιοκαθολικοὺς τῶν Ἰονίων νήσων τινὰ τῶν εἰς τοὺς Οὐνίτας ἀπομενομένων προνομίων, ἐπιτρέψαντες αὐτοῖς νὰ συνεορτάζωσι μετὰ τῶν ὀρθοδόξων ὅλας τὰς ἑορτάς. Ἀρκεῖ νὰ προσκυνήσῃ τις τὴν ἐμβάδα τοῦ Ποντίφηκος, τὰ λοιπὰ εἶναι ἀδιάφορα.
Ὁ μπάρμπα-Πίπης ἔτρεφε μεγίστην εὐλάβειαν πρὸς τὸν πολιοῦχον Ἅγιον τῆς πατρίδος του καὶ πρὸς τὸ σεπτὸν αὐτοῦ λείψανον. Ἐπίστευεν εἰς τὸ θαῦμα τὸ γενόμενον κατὰ τῶν Βενετῶν, τολμησάντων ποτε νὰ ἱδρύσωσιν ἴδιον θυσιαστήριον ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ ὀρθοδόξῳ ναῷ, (il Santo Spiridion ha fatto cquesto aso), ὅτε ὁ Ἅγιος ἐπιφανεὶς νύκτωρ ἐν σχήματι μοναχοῦ κρατῶν δαυλὸν ἀναμμένον, ἔκαυσεν ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀπολιθωθέντων ἐκ τοῦ τρόμου φρουρῶν τὸ ἀρτιπαγὲς ἀλτάρε. Ἀφοῦ εὑρίσκετο μακρὰν τῆς Κερκύρας, ὁ μπάρμπα-Πίπης ποτὲ δὲ θὰ ἔστεργε νὰ ἑορτάση τὸ Πάσχα μαζὶ μὲ τσοὺ φράγκους.
Τὴν ἑσπέραν λοιπὸν ἐκείνην τοῦ Μεγάλου Σαββάτου, ὅτε κατέβαινεν εἰς Πειραιᾶ πεζός, κρατῶν εἰς τὴ χεῖρα τὴ λαμπάδα του, ἣν ἔμελλε ν᾿ ἀνάψῃ κατὰ τὴν Ἀνάστασιν, μικρὸν πρὶν φθάση εἰς τὰ παραπήγματα τῆς μέσης ὁδοῦ, ἐκουράσθη καὶ ἠθέλησε νὰ καθίση ἐπ᾿ ὀλίγον ν᾿ ἀναπαυθῆ. Εὖρεν ὑπήνεμον τόπον ἔξωθεν τῆς μάνδρας, ἐχούσης καὶ οἰκίσκον παρὰ τὴ μεσημβρινὴν γωνίαν, κι ἐκεῖ ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ τῶν χόρτων, ἀφοῦ ὑπέστρωσε τὸ εἰς πολλὰς δίπλας γυρισμένο σάλι του. Ἐβγαλεν ἀπὸ τὴν τσέπην τὴν σπιρτοθήκην του, ἤναψε σιγαρέττον κι ἐκάπνιζεν ἡδονικῶς.
Ἐκεῖ ἀκούει ὄπισθέν του ἐλαφρὸν θροῦν ὡς βημάτων ἐπὶ παχείας χλόης καί, πρὶν προφθάση νὰ στραφῆ νὰ ἴδῃ, ἀκούει δεύτερον κρότον ἐλαφρότερον. Ὁ δεύτερος οὖτος κρότος τοῦ κάστηκε, ὅτι ἦτον ὡς ἀνυψουμένης σκανδάλης φονικοῦ ὅπλου.
Ἐκείνην τὴ στιγμὴν εἶχε λαμπρυνθῆ πρὸς ἀνατολὰς ὁ ὁρίζων, καὶ τοῦ Αἰγάλεω αἱ κορυφαὶ ἐφάνησαν πρὸς μεσημβρίαν λευκάζουσαι. Ἡ σελήνη, τετάρτην ἡμέραν ἄγουσα ἀπὸ τῆς πανσελήνου, θ᾿ ἀνέτελλε μετ᾿ ὀλίγα λεπτά. Ἐκεῖ ὅπου ἔστρεψε τὴν κεφαλὴν πρὸς τὰ δεξιά, ἐγγὺς τῆς βορειανατολικῆς γωνίας τοῦ ἀγροτικοῦ περιβόλου, ὅπου ἐκάθητο, τοῦ κάστηκε, ὡς διηγεῖτο ἀργότερα ὁ ἴδιος, ὅτι εἶδε ἀνθρωπίνην σκιάν, εἰς προβολὴν τρόπον τινὰ ἱσταμένην καὶ τείνουσα ἐγκαρσίως μακρόν τι ὡς ρόπαλον ἢ κοντάριον πρὸς τὸ μέρος αὐτοῦ. Πρέπει δὲ νὰ ἦτο τουφέκιον.
Ὁ μπάρμπα-Πίπης ἐνόησεν ἀμέσως τὸν κίνδυνον. Χωρὶς νὰ κινηθῇ ἄλλως ἀπὸ τὴν θέσιν του, ἔτεινε τὴ χεῖρα πρὸς τὸν ἄγνωστον κι ἔκραξεν ἐναγωνίως.
- Φίλος! καλός! μὴ ρίχνῃς...
Ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἔκαμε μικρὸν κίνημα ὀπισθοδρομήσεως, ἀλλὰ δὲν ἐπανέφερε τὸ ὅπλον εἰς εἰρηνικὴν θέσιν, οὐδὲ κατεβίβασε τὴ σκανδάλην.
- Φίλος καὶ τί θέλεις ἐδῶ; ἠρώτησε μὲ ἀπειλητικὴν φωνήν.
- Τί θέλω; ἐπανέλαβεν ὁ μπάρμπα-Πίπης. Κάθουμαι καὶ φουμάρω τὸ τσιγάρο μου.
- Καὶ δὲν πᾶς ἀλλοῦ νὰ τὸ φουμάρῃς, ρέ; ἀπήντησεν αὐθαδῶς ὁ ἄγνωστος. Ηὖρες τὸν τόπον, ρέ, γιὰ νὰ φουμάρῃς τὸ τσιγάρο σου!
- Καὶ γιατί; ἐπανέλαβεν ὁ μπάρμπα-Πίπης. Τί σᾶς ἔβλαψα;
- Δὲν ξέρω ἐγὼ ἀπ᾿ αὐτά, εἶπεν ὀργίλως ὁ ἀγρότης, ἐδῶ εἶναι ἀποθήκη, ἔχει χόρτα, ἔχει κι ἄλλα πράματα μέσα. Μόνον κότες δὲν ἔχει, προσέθηκε μετὰ σκληροῦ σαρκασμοῦ. Ἐγελάστηκες.
Ἦτο πρόδηλον, ὅτι εἶχεν ἐκλάβει τὸ γηραιὸν φίλον μου ὡς ὀρνιθοκλόπον, καὶ διὰ νὰ τὸν ἐκδικηθῇ τοῦ ἔλεγεν ὅτι τάχα δὲν εἶχεν ὄρνιθας, ἐνῷ κυρίως ὁ ἀγρονόμος διὰ τὰς ὄρνιθάς του θὰ ἐφοβήθη καὶ ὠπλίση μὲ τὴν καραβίναν του.
Ὁ μπάρμπα-Πίπης ἐγέλασε πικρῶς πρὸς τὸν ὑβριστικὸν ὑπαινιγμόν.
- Σὺ ἐγελάστηκες, ἀπήντησεν, ἐγὼ κότες δὲν κλέφτω, οὔτε λωποδύτης εἶμαι, ἐγὼ πηγαίνω στὸν Πειραιὰ ν᾿ ἀκούσω Ἀνάσταση στὸν Ἅγιο Σπυρίδωνα.
Ὁ χωρικὸς ἐκάγχασε.
- Στὸν Περαία; στὸν Ἅϊ - Σπυρίδωνα; κι ἀπὸ ποῦ ἔρχεσαι;
- Ἀπ᾿ τὴν Ἀθήνα.
- Ἀπ᾿ τὴν Ἀθήνα; καὶ δὲν ἔχει ἐκεῖ ἐκκλησίες ν᾿ ἀκούσῃς Ἀνάσταση;
- Ἔχει ἐκκλησίες, μὰ ἐγὼ τὸ ἔχω τάξιμο, ἀπήντησεν ὁ μπάρμπα-Σπύρος.
Ὁ χωρικὸς ἐσιώπησε πρὸς στιγμήν, εἶτα ἐπανέλαβε.
- Νὰ φχαριστᾷς καημένε...
Καὶ τότε μόνον κατεβίβασεν τὴ σκανδάλην καὶ ὤρθωσε τὸ ὅπλον πρὸς τὸν ὦμον του.
- Νὰ φχαριστᾷς, καημένε, τὴν ἡμέραν ποὺ ξημερώνει αὔριον, εἰ δὲ μή, δὲν τό ῾χα γιὰ τίποτες νὰ σὲ ξαπλώσω δῶ χάμου. Τράβα τώρα!
Ὁ γέρων Κερκυραῖος εἶχεν ἐγερθῆ καὶ ἡτοιμάζετο ν᾿ ἀπέλθῃ, ἀλλὰ δὲν ἠδυνήθη νὰ μὴ δώσῃ τελευταίαν ἀπάντησιν.
- Κάνεις ἄδικα καὶ συγχωρεμένος νά ῾σαι ποὺ μὲ προσβάλλεις, εἶπε. Σ᾿ εὐχαριστῶ ὡς τόσο ποὺ δὲ μὲ ἐτουφέκισες, ἀλλὰ νὸν βὰ μπένε... δὲν κάνεις καλὰ νὰ μὲ παίρνῃς γιὰ κλέφτη. Ἐγὼ εἶμαι διαβάτης, κι ἐπήγαινα, σοῦ λέω, στὸν Πειραιᾶ.
- Ἔλα, σκόλα, σκόλα τώρα, ρέ...
Καὶ ὁ χωρικὸς στρέψας τὴν ράχιν εἰσῆλθεν ἀνατολικῶς διὰ τῆς θύρας τοῦ περιβολίου, κι ἔγινεν ἄφαντος.
Ὁ γέρων φίλος μου ἐξηκολούθησε τὸν δρόμον του.
Τὸ συμβεβηκὸς τοῦτο δὲν ἐμπόδισε τὸν μπάρμπα-Πίπην νὰ ἐξακολουθῇ κατ᾿ ἔτος τὴν εὐσεβῆ του συνήθειαν, νὰ καταβαίνῃ πεζὸς εἰς τὸν Πειραιά, νὰ προσέρχηται εἰς τὸν Ἅγιον Σπυρίδωνα καὶ νὰ κάμη Πάσχα ῥωμέικο.
Ἐφέτος τὸ μισοσαράκοστον μοὶ ἐπρότεινεν, ἂν ἤθελα νὰ τὸν συνοδεύσω ἐφέτος εἰς τὴν προσκύνησίν του ταύτην. Θὰ προσεχώρουν δὲ εἰς τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν του, ἂν ἀπὸ πολλῶν ἐτῶν δὲν εἶχα τὴ συνήθεια νὰ ἑορτάζω ἐκτὸς τοῦ Ἄστεως τὸ Ἅγιον Πάσχα.

Elder Thaddeus of Serbia

"As soon as we humble ourselves, salvation comes at once!"

If your time is limited watch from 6:25 on... If you have time watch the entire video!

Doxology as the Rule of Faith

Early Icon of Pentecost

“But our opinion is in accordance with the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn establishes our opinion.”

IRENÆUS, Against the Heretics: Book IV, Chapter XVIII

Hymnody and the Early Christian Liturgy (Fr. George Florvsky)
From the beginning the character of the Christian liturgy was more dogmatic than lyrical. This is connected with its mystical realism. On the human side, the liturgy is, first of all, a confession — a testimony of faith, not only an outpouring of feelings. It is for this reason that the dogmatic and theological disputes left such a noticeable trace on the history of liturgical poetry. As early as the dogmatic disputes of the late second century, references to ancient psalms to the glory of Christ, the Lord God, receive the power of a theological argument as evidence from liturgical tradition. St. Basil the Great, in his disputes with the Arians over the Divinity of the Spirit, also relies on the testimony of liturgical tradition. Pope Celestine subsequently advances a general principle that a law of faith is defined as a law of prayer — ut legem credendi statuit lex supplicandi (Capitula Celestini, 8, alias 11). The redaction of these chapters which are known to us evidently belongs to Prosper of Aquitaine. Thus the liturgical rite obtains recognition as a dogmatic monument or dogmatic source.
At an earlier time creative improvization occupied a very significant place in the liturgy (see I Corinthians 14:26). This was the case even in the second and third centuries, as the testimony of Justin Martyr and Tertullian bear witness. These were primarily hymns and psalms — songs of praise and thanksgiving. It is sufficient to name the great prayer in the Epistle of Clement of Rome. Other of these ancient hymns remained in liturgical use forever; for example, the ancient hymn, Gladsome Light — Φώς ιλαρόν which dates back to the very earliest of times and is still sung at every Vesper Service in the Orthodox Church. Mention must also be made of the doxologies and hymns of thanks in the Alexandrian copy of the Bible, and in the seventh book of the Apostolic Constitutions.

Worship and the Gospel (John Zizioulas)
Christological hymns in the New Testament, which Paul discovered in the first communities (i.e., Philippians 2). These comprise theological-dogmatic elements for his entire line of thought. The same applies with the literary content of John’s Gospel (John’s Gospel is considered by many as a Eucharist-liturgical text; if not entirely, then at least in its basic core. As for the Gospel’s prologue, it most probably comprises liturgical material that John found to be used in worship). Peter’s literary work also: (Peter’s Epistle A is quite possibly a baptismal Liturgy), etc. The same applies to the Eucharist references of the first centuries, which comprise forms of prophetic-charismatic theology by the bishops that headed the Eucharist congregations (who –by the way- were initially free to improvise, as testified in Justin, the Teaching, etc.)

Christology and Worship (John McGuckin)
That a double-subject Christology [position of Nestorius] which divorces man from the God in Christ makes void the Church’s hope and experience of redemption in and through the Eucharist, since the Eucharist is a life-giving sacrament precisely because it is the very flesh of God Himself… his [Saint Cyril] theology always was, rising as much from liturgical and spiritual experience as from logical and traditional systematic prescripts.”

Ἀλέξανδρος Παπαδιαμάντης - Ὁ Ἔρωτας στὰ χιόνια

Painting by George Kordis

Καρδιὰ τοῦ χειμῶνος. Χριστούγεννα, Ἅις-Βασίλης, Φῶτα.
Καὶ αὐτὸς ἐσηκώνετο τὸ πρωί, ἔρριπτεν εἰς τοὺς ὤμους τὴν παλιὰν πατατούκαν του, τὸ μόνον ροῦχον ὁποῦ ἐσώζετο ἀκόμη ἀπὸ τοὺς πρὸ τῆς εὐτυχίας τοῦ χρόνους, καὶ κατήρχετο εἰς τὴν παραθαλάσσιον ἀγοράν, μορμυρίζων, ἐνῷ κατέβαινεν ἀπὸ τὸ παλαιὸν μισογκρεμισμένον σπίτι, μὲ τρόπον ὥστε νὰ τὸν ἀκούῃ ἡ γειτόνισσα:
- Σεβτᾶς εἶν᾿ αὐτός, δὲν εἶναι τσορβᾶς...- ἔρωντας εἶναι, δὲν εἶναι γέρωντας.
Τὸ ἔλεγε τόσον συχνά, ὥστε ὅλες οἱ γειτονοποῦλες ὁποῦ τὸν ἤκουαν τοῦ τὸ ἐκόλλησαν τέλος ὡς παρατσούκλι: «Ὁ μπάρμπα-Γιαννιὸς ὁ Ἔρωντας».
Διότι δὲν ἦτο πλέον νέος, οὔτε εὔμορφος, οὔτε ἄσπρα εἶχεν. Ὅλα αὐτὰ τὰ εἶχε φθείρει πρὸ χρόνων πολλῶν, μαζὶ μὲ τὸ καράβι, εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, εἰς τὴν Μασσαλίαν.
Εἶχεν ἀρχίσει τὸ στάδιόν του μὲ αὐτὴν τὴν πατατούκαν, ὅταν ἐπρωτομπαρκάρησε ναύτης εἰς τὴν βομβάρδαν τοῦ ἐξαδέλφου του. Εἶχεν ἀποκτήσει, ἀπὸ τὰ μερδικά του ὅσα ἐλάμβανεν ἀπὸ τὰ ταξίδια, μετοχὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ πλοίου, εἶτα εἶχεν ἀποκτήσει πλοῖον ἰδικόν του, καὶ εἶχε κάμει καλὰ ταξίδια. Εἶχε φορέσει ἀγγλικὲς τσόχες, βελούδινα γελέκα, ψηλὰ καπέλα, εἶχε κρεμάσει καδένες χρυσὲς μὲ ὡρολόγια, εἶχεν ἀποκτήσει χρήματα· ἀλλὰ τὰ ἔφαγεν ὅλα ἐγκαίρως μὲ τὰς Φρύνας εἰς τὴν Μασσαλίαν, καὶ ἄλλο δὲν τοῦ ἔμεινεν εἰμὴ ἡ παλιὰ πατατοῦκα, τὴν ὁποίαν ἐφόρει πεταχτὴν ἐπ᾿ ὤμων, ἐνῷ κατέβαινε τὸ πρωὶ εἰς τὴν παραλίαν, διὰ νὰ μπαρκάρῃ σύντροφός με καμμίαν βρατσέραν εἰς μικρὸν ναῦλον, ἢ διὰ νὰ πάγῃ μὲ ξένην βάρκαν νὰ βγάλη κανένα χταπόδι ἐντὸς τοῦ λιμένος.
Κανένα δὲν εἶχεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, ἦτον ἔρημος. Εἶχε νυμφευθῆ, καὶ εἶχε χηρεύσει, εἶχεν ἀποκτήσει τέκνον, καὶ εἶχεν ἀτεκνωθῆ.
Καὶ ἀργὰ τὸ βράδυ, τὴν νύκτα, τὰ μεσάνυκτα, ἀφοῦ ἔπινεν ὀλίγα ποτήρια διὰ νὰ ξεχάσῃ ἢ διὰ νὰ ζεσταθῇ, ἐπανήρχετο εἰς τὸ παλιόσπιτο τὸ μισογκρεμισμένον, ἐκχύνων εἰς τραγούδια τὸν πόνον του:
Σοκάκι μου μακρύ-στενό, μὲ τὴν κατεβασιά σου,
κᾶμε κ᾿ ἐμένα γείτονα μὲ τὴν γειτόνισσά σου.
Ἄλλοτε παραπονούμενος εὐθύμως:
Γειτόνισσα, γειτόνισσα, πολυλογοῦ καὶ ψεύτρα,
δὲν εἶπες μία φορὰ κ᾿ ἐσύ, Γιαννιό μου ἔλα μέσα.
Χειμὼν βαρύς, ἐπὶ ἡμέρας ὁ οὐρανὸς κλειστός. Ἐπάνω εἰς τὰ βουνὰ χιόνες, κάτω εἰς τὸν κάμπον χιονόνερον. Ἡ πρωία ἐνθύμιζε τὸ δημῶδες:
Βρέχει, βρέχει καὶ χιονίζει,
κι ὁ παπὰς χειρομυλίζει.
Δὲν ἐχειρομύλιζεν ὁ παπάς, ἐχειρομύλιζεν ἡ γειτόνισσα, ἡ πολυλογοῦ καὶ ψεύτρα, τοῦ ᾄσματος τοῦ μπάρμπα-Γιαννιοῦ. Διότι τοιοῦτον πρᾶγμα ἦτο· μυλωνοῦ ἐργαζομένη μὲ τὴν χεῖρα, γυρίζουσα τὸν χειρόμυλον. Σημειώσατε ὅτι, τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον, τὸ ἀρχοντολόγι τοῦ τόπου τὸ εἶχεν εἰς κακόν του νὰ φάγῃ ψωμὶ ζυμωμένον μὲ ἄλευρον ἀπὸ νερόμυλον ἢ ἀνεμόμυλον, κ᾿ ἐπροτίμα τὸ διὰ χειρομύλου ἀλεσμένον.
Καὶ εἶχεν πελατείαν μεγάλην, ἡ Πολυλογοῦ. Ἐγυάλιζεν, εἶχε μάτια μεγάλα, εἶχε βερνίκι εἰς τὰ μάγουλά της. Εἶχεν ἕνα ἄνδρα, τέσσαρα παιδιά, κ᾿ ἕνα γαϊδουράκι μικρὸν διὰ νὰ κουβαλᾷ τὰ ἀλέσματα. Ὅλα τὰ ἀγαποῦσε, τὸν ἄνδρα της, τὰ παιδιά της, τὸ γαϊδουράκι της. Μόνον τὸν μπάρμπα-Γιαννιὸν δὲν ἀγαποῦσε.
Ποῖος νὰ τὸν ἀγαπήση αὐτόν; Ἦτο ἔρημος εἰς τὸν κόσμον.

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Καὶ εἶχε πέσει εἰς τὸν ἔρωτα, μὲ τὴν γειτόνισσαν τὴν Πολυλογοῦ, διὰ νὰ ξεχάση τὸ καράβι του, τὰς Λαΐδας τῆς Μασσαλίας, τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ τὰ κύματά της, τὰ βάσανά του, τὰς ἀσωτίας του, τὴν γυναῖκα του, τὸ παιδί του. Καὶ εἶχε πέσει εἰς τὸ κρασὶ διὰ νὰ ξεχάσῃ τὴν γειτόνισσαν.
Συχνὰ ὅταν ἐπανήρχετο τὸ βράδυ, νύκτα, μεσάνυκτα, καὶ ἡ σκιά του, μακρά, ὑψηλή, λιγνή, μὲ τὴν πατατούκαν φεύγουσαν καὶ γλιστροῦσαν ἀπὸ τοὺς ὤμους του, προέκυπτεν εἰς τὸν μακρόν, στενὸν δρομίσκον, καὶ αἱ νιφάδες, μυῖαι λευκαί, τολύπαι βάμβακος, ἐφέροντο στροβιληδὸν εἰς τὸν ἀέρα, καὶ ἔπιπτον εἰς τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἔβλεπε τὸ βουνὸν ν᾿ ἀσπρίζῃ εἰς τὸ σκότος, ἔβλεπε τὸ παράθυρον τῆς γειτόνισσας κλειστόν, βωβόν, καὶ τὸν φεγγίτην νὰ λάμπῃ θαμβά, θολά, καὶ ἤκουε τὸν χειρόμυλον νὰ τρίζῃ ἀκόμη, καὶ ὁ χειρόμυλος ἔπαυε, καὶ ἤκουε τὴν γλῶσσαν τῆς ν᾿ ἀλέθῃ, κ᾿ ἐνθυμεῖτο τὸν ἄνδρα της, τὰ παιδιά της, τὸ γαϊδουράκι της, ὁποῦ αὐτὴ ὅλα τὰ ἀγαποῦσε, ἐνῷ αὐτὸν δὲν ἐγύριζε μάτι νὰ τὸν ἰδῇ, ἐκαπνίζετο, ὅπως τὸ μελίσσι, ἐσφλομώνετο, ὅπως τὸ χταπόδι, καὶ παρεδίδετο εἰς σκέψεις φιλοσοφικὰς καὶ εἰς ποιητικὰς εἰκόνας.
- Νὰ εἶχεν ὁ ἔρωτας σαΐτες!... νὰ εἶχε βρόχια... νὰ εἶχε φωτιές... Νὰ τρυποῦσε μὲ τὶς σαΐτες του τὰ παραθύρια... νὰ ζέσταινε τὶς καρδιές... νὰ ἔστηνε τὰ βρόχια του ἀπάνω στὰ χιόνια... Ἕνας γέρο-Φερετζέλης πιάνει μὲ τὶς θηλιές του χιλιάδες κοτσύφια.
Ἐφαντάζετο τὸν ἔρωτα ὡς ἕνα εἶδος γερο-Φερετζέλη, ὅστις νὰ διημερεύῃ πέραν, εἰς τὸν ὑψηλόν, πευκόσκιον λόφον, καὶ ν᾿ ἀσχολῆται εἰς τὸ νὰ στήνῃ βρόχια ἐπάνω εἰς τὰ χιόνια, διὰ νὰ συλλάβῃ τὶς ἀθῷες καρδιές, ὡς μισοπαγωμένα κοσσύφια, τὰ ὁποῖα ψάχνουν εἰς μάτην, διὰ ν᾿ ἀνακαλύψουν τελευταίαν τινα χαμάδα μείνασαν εἰς τὸν ἐλαιῶνα. Ἐξέλιπον οἱ μικροὶ μακρυλοὶ καρποὶ ἀπὸ τὰς ἀγριελαίας εἰς τὸ βουνὸν τοῦ Βαραντᾶ, ἐξέλιπον τὰ μύρτα ἀπὸ τὰς εὐώδεις μυρσίνας εἰς τῆς Μαμοῦς τὸ ρέμα, καὶ τώρα τὰ κοσσυφάκια τὰ λάλα μὲ τὸ ἀμαυρὸν πτέρωμα, οἱ κηρομύται οἱ γλυκεῖς καὶ αἱ κίχλαι αἱ εὔθυμοι πίπτουσι θύματα τῆς θηλιᾶς τοῦ γερο-Φερετζέλη.

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Τὴν ἄλλην βραδιὰν ἐπανήρχετο, ὄχι πολὺ οἰνοβαρής, ἔρριπτε βλέμμα εἰς τὰ παράθυρα τῆς Πολυλογοῦς, ὕψωνε τοὺς ὤμους, κ᾿ ἐμορμύριζεν:
- Ἕνας Θεὸς θὰ μᾶς κρίνῃ... κ᾿ ἕνας θάνατος θὰ μᾶς ξεχωρίσῃ.
Καὶ εἶτα μετὰ στεναγμοῦ προσέθετε:
- K᾿ ἕνα κοιμητήρι θὰ μᾶς σμίξῃ.
Ἀλλὰ δὲν ἠμποροῦσε, πρὶν ἀπέλθη νὰ κοιμηθῆ, νὰ μὴν ὑποψάλη τὸ σύνηθες ᾆσμα του:
Σοκάκι μου μακρύ-στενό, μὲ τὴν κατεβασιά σου,
κᾶμε κ᾿ ἐμένα γείτονα μὲ τὴν γειτόνισσά σου.
Τὴν ἄλλην βραδιάν, ἡ χιὼν εἶχε στρωθῆ σινδών, εἰς ὅλον τὸν μακρόν, στενὸν δρομίσκον.
- Ἄσπρο σινδόνι... νὰ μᾶς ἀσπρίσῃ ὅλους στὸ μάτι τοῦ Θεοῦ... ν᾿ ἀσπρίσουν τὰ σωθικά μας... νὰ μὴν ἔχουμε κακὴ καρδιὰ μέσα μας.
Ἐφαντάζετο ἀμυδρῶς μίαν εἰκόνα, μίαν ὀπτασίαν, ἓν ξυπνητὸν ὄνειρον. Ὡσὰν ἡ χιὼν νὰ ἰσοπεδώσῃ καὶ ν᾿ ἀσπρίσῃ ὅλα τὰ πράγματα, ὅλας τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ὅλα τὰ περασμένα: Τὸ καράβι, τὴν θάλασσαν, τὰ ψηλὰ καπέλα, τὰ ὡρολόγια, τὰς ἁλύσεις τὰς χρυσᾶς καὶ τὰς ἁλύσεις τὰς σιδηρᾶς, τὰς πόρνας τῆς Μασσαλίας, τὴν ἀσωτίαν, τὴν δυστυχίαν, τὰ ναυάγια, νὰ τὰ σκεπάσῃ, νὰ τὰ ἐξαγνίσῃ, νὰ τὰ σαβανώσῃ, διὰ νὰ μὴ παρασταθοῦν ὅλα γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα, καὶ ὡς ἐξ ὀργίων καὶ φραγκικῶν χορῶν ἐξερχόμενα, εἰς τὸ ὄμμα τοῦ Κριτοῦ, τοῦ Παλαιοῦ Ἡμερῶν, τοῦ Τρισαγίου. N᾿ ἀσπρίσῃ καὶ νὰ σαβανώσῃ τὸν δρομίσκον τὸν μακρὸν καὶ τὸν στενὸν μὲ τὴν κατεβασιάν του καὶ μὲ τὴν δυσωδίαν του, καὶ τὸν οἰκίσκον τὸν παλαιὸν καὶ καταρρέοντα, καὶ τὴν πατατούκαν τὴν λερὴν καὶ κουρελιασμένην: Νὰ σαβανώσῃ καὶ νὰ σκεπάσῃ τὴν γειτόνισσαν τὴν πολυλογοῦ καὶ ψεύτραν, καὶ τὸν χειρόμυλόν της, καὶ τὴν φιλοφροσύνην της, τὴν ψευτοπολιτικήν της, τὴν φλυαρίαν της, καὶ τὸ γυάλισμά της, τὸ βερνίκι καὶ τὸ κοκκινάδι της, καὶ τὸ χαμόγελόν της, καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα της, τὰ παιδιά της καὶ τὸ γαϊδουράκι της: Ὅλα, ὅλα νὰ τὰ καλύψη, νὰ τὰ ἀσπρίση, νὰ τὰ ἁγνίση!

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Τὴν ἄλλην βραδιάν, τὴν τελευταίαν, νύκτα, μεσάνυκτα, ἐπανῆλθε μεθυσμένος πλειότερον παράποτε.
Δὲν ἔστεκε πλέον εἰς τὰ πόδια του, δὲν ἐκινεῖτο οὐδ᾿ ἀνέπνεε πλέον.
Χειμὼν βαρύς, οἰκία καταρρέουσα, καρδία ρημασμένη. Μοναξία, ἀνία, κόσμος βαρύς, κακός, ἀνάλγητος. Ὑγεία κατεστραμμένη. Σῶμα βασανισμένον, φθαρμένον, σωθικὰ λυωμένα. Δὲν ἠμποροῦσε πλέον νὰ ζήσῃ, νὰ αἰσθανθῇ, νὰ χαρῇ. Δὲν ἠμποροῦσε νὰ εὕρῃ παρηγορίαν, νὰ ζεσταθῇ. Ἔπιε διὰ νὰ σταθῇ, ἔπιε διὰ νὰ πατήσῃ, ἔπιε διὰ νὰ γλιστρήσῃ. Δὲν ἐπάτει πλέον ἀσφαλῶς τὸ ἔδαφος.
Ηὖρε τὸν δρόμον, τὸν ἀνεγνώρισεν. Ἐπιάσθη ἀπὸ τὸ ἀγκωνάρι. Ἐκλονήθη. Ἀκούμβησε τὶς πλάτες, ἐστύλωσε τὰ πόδια. Ἐμορμύρισε:
- Νὰ εἶχαν οἱ φωτιὲς ἔρωτα!... Νὰ εἶχαν οἱ θηλιὲς χιόνια...
Δὲν ἠμποροῦσε πλέον νὰ σχηματίσῃ λογικὴν πρότασιν. Συνέχεε λέξεις καὶ ἐννοίας.
Πάλιν ἐκλονήθη. Ἐπιάσθη ἀπὸ τὸν παραστάτην μιᾶς θύρας. Κατὰ λάθος ἤγγισε τὸ ρόπτρον. Τὸ ρόπτρον ἤχησε δυνατά.
- Ποιὸς εἶναι;
Ἦτο ἡ θύρα τῆς Πολυλογοῦς, τῆς γειτόνισσας. Εὐλογοφανῶς θὰ ἠδύνατό τις νὰ τοῦ ἀποδώση πρόθεσιν ὅτι ἐπεχείρει ν᾿ ἀναβῇ, καλῶς ἢ κακῶς, εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν της. Πῶς ὄχι;
Ἐπάνω ἐκινοῦντο φῶτα καὶ ἄνθρωποι. Ἴσως ἐγίνοντο ἑτοιμασίαι. Χριστούγεννα, Ἅις-Βασίλης, Φῶτα, παραμοναί. Καρδιὰ τοῦ χειμῶνος.
- Ποιὸς εἶναι; εἶπε πάλιν ἡ φωνή.
Τὸ παράθυρον ἔτριξεν. Ὁ μπάρμπα-Γιαννιὸς ἦτο ἀκριβῶς ὑπὸ τὸν ἐξώστην, ἀόρατος ἄνωθεν. Δὲν εἶναι τίποτε. Τὸ παράθυρον ἐκλείσθη σπασμωδικῶς. Μίαν στιγμὴν ἂς ἀργοποροῦσε!
Ὁ μπάρμπα-Γιαννιὸς ἐστηρίζετο ὄρθιος εἰς τὸν παραστάτην. Ἐδοκίμασε νὰ εἴπῃ τὸ τραγούδι του, ἀλλ᾿ εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα του τὸ ὑποβρύχιον, τοῦ ἤρχοντο ὡς ναυάγια αἱ λέξεις:
«Γειτόνισσα πολυλογοῦ, μακρύ-στενὸ σοκάκι!...»
Μόλις ἤρθρωσε τὰς λέξεις, καὶ σχεδὸν δὲν ἠκούσθησαν. Ἐχάθησαν εἰς τὸν βόμβον τοῦ ἀνέμου καὶ εἰς τὸν στρόβιλον τῆς χιόνος.
- Καὶ ἐγὼ σοκάκι εἶμαι, ἐμορμύρισε... ζωντανὸ σοκάκι.
Ἐξεπιάσθη ἀπὸ τὴν λαβήν του. Ἐκλονήθη, ἐσαρρίσθη, ἔκλινε καὶ ἔπεσεν. Ἐξηπλώθη ἐπὶ τῆς χιόνος, καὶ κατέλαβε μὲ τὸ μακρόν του ἀνάστημα ὅλον τὸ πλάτος τοῦ μακροῦ στενοῦ δρομίσκου.
Ἅπαξ ἐδοκίμασε νὰ σηκωθῇ, καὶ εἶτα ἐναρκώθη. Εὕρισκε φρικώδη ζέστην εἰς τὴν χιόνα.
«Εἶχαν οἱ φωτιὲς ἔρωτα!... Εἶχαν οἱ θηλιὲς χιόνια!»
Καὶ τὸ παράθυρον πρὸ μιᾶς στιγμῆς εἶχε κλεισθῆ. Καὶ ἂν μίαν μόνον στιγμὴν ἠργοπόρει, ὁ σύζυγος τῆς Πολυλογοῦς θὰ ἔβλεπε τὸν ἄνθρωπον νὰ πέσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς χιόνος.
Πλὴν δὲν τὸν εἶδεν οὔτε αὐτὸς οὔτε κανεὶς ἄλλος. K᾿ ἐπάνω εἰς τὴν χιόνα ἔπεσε χιών. Καὶ ἡ χιὼν ἐστοιβάχθη, ἐσωρεύθη δυὸ πιθαμάς, ἐκορυφώθη. Καὶ ἡ χιὼν ἔγινε σινδών, σάβανον.
Καὶ ὁ μπάρμπα-Γιαννιὸς ἄσπρισεν ὅλος, κ᾿ ἐκοιμήθη ὑπὸ τὴν χιόνα, διὰ νὰ μὴ παρασταθῇ γυμνὸς καὶ τετραχηλισμένος, αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ ζωή του καὶ αἱ πράξεις του, ἐνώπιον τοῦ Κριτοῦ, τοῦ Παλαιοῦ Ἡμερῶν, τοῦ Τρισαγίου.