Часть первая. Св. Григорий Богослов, как пастырь

Chapter 1. Preparatory period, pre-pastoral Homeland of St. Gregory. His parents are Gregory and Nonna. Their moral characteristics. Piety of Nonna. Gregory's conversion to Christianity and acceptance of the bishopric. Nonna's prayer for the birth of a son and the vow of his dedication to God. Year of birth of St. Gregory. The beneficial influence of home religious education and the example of family virtues of the married couple Gregory and Nonna. The initial education of St. Gregory. Increasing good skills. Strengthening them in a dream vision. First dedication to St. Gregory to God. Brother Caesarius and sister Gorgonia. A love of books and a penchant for scientific education. Amphilochius - teacher of eloquence. The journey of Christian youths through the centers of the then scientific world, their meaning and significance for Christian culture. Educational journey of St. Gregory to Caesarea, Palestine, Egypt and Athens. Storm at sea and Gregory's second dedication to God. The significance of Athens for the mental education of that time. Life and customs of Athens students. School system and teaching subjects. Temptations of life. Arrival in Athens Basil. Cappadocian friends. Their life together, activities and influence on others. The importance of communication with Basil and with Athenian Christians for the development of Gregory’s moral character. Gregory's attitude to science and scientific education. His teachers. The amount of scientific knowledge available to students at that time. Farewell to Vasily. Farewell to Athens and return to Nazians. The results of Gregory's entire ten-year educational journey. Eloquence. Liubomy. Meeting in Constantinople with Caesarea and arriving together at the parents' house. Choosing a life path. Life is solitary-contemplative and ascetic-hermit. An average state, invented by Gregory to fulfill both his sincere aspirations and filial responsibilities. “I am the only one known to everyone, not to those that I have an advantage over others in speech or in the strength of the hand, but with their sorrows and lamentations. Maybe it will come to the point that whoever remembers Gregory, who was raised by the Cappadocians a small Diocessarian city." (Works of St. Gregory B. vol. IV, 259–260. Publ. 1889) Homeland of St. Gregory the Theologian was Cappadocia, in ancient times the easternmost part of the Asia Minor mountainous country, present-day Karamania. Its borders were: from the south the Cilician Taurus, from the east the Euphrates, from the west the Galissus River, between the mountains. Taurus and Pontus Euxine, from the north - the Black Sea. According to word production from the Persian language, “Cappadocia” means “land of good people”; but this name was far from corresponding to the actual qualities of the peoples of Indo-Germanic origin inhabiting it, who were called Syrians by Herodotus, and white Syrians by Strabo, in contrast to the Syrians in the proper sense. Its inhabitants enjoyed the same fame as the Cretans and Karians and were distinguished by their treachery and corruption 6 . One of the small cities of the Cappadocia region - Nazians - was the residence of the parents of St. Gregory, who had a suburban settlement there called Arianza. Wealthy people who owned works and significant funds, which later gave them the opportunity to build a magnificent church in their hometown - noble people, since they had access to the royal court (their second son Kecapius was the court physician and then the keeper of the royal treasures in Bithynia) - Gregory the father and Nonna were an exemplary married couple, who throughout their lives formed a common subject of conversation for everyone 7 . St. Gregory the Theologian describes his parents in such touching images - “Father, Gregory the eldest, simple in disposition, straightforward, alien to any guile and memory of malice, quiet, meek, patient, not angry, “above the needs of the earthly shell,” calm in appearance, ardent in spirit, abundant in visible gifts, but even more enriched in the hidden,” was a branch of the root of not very commendable, not planted in the house of God, but very strange and monstrous, an alien branch, a wild olive - he was a follower of one dark mystical sect of the “Ipsistarians”, which combined pagan wisdom with Judaizing. The followers of this sect worshiped the One God under the symbols of light and fire, observed the Sabbath and rules regarding clean and unclean food, but rejected idols and sacrifices and did not accept circumcision” 8. Mother - Nonna, daughter of Filtashiev, “equivalent to her husband’s talent, only in body she was a woman, but in morals exceeding men,” glorious in all virtues, in a female form she bore a man’s heart 9 . Having inherited from her ancestors a God-pleasing faith, which had been dedicated to God since ancient times and in her ancestors, she lived and cared for the world for this purpose, so that everything, including life here itself, could be transferred to heavenly life 10 . As a deeply pious woman, Nonna was extremely sad about her husband’s heterodoxy and her obligation to belong one half to God, the other to the world. Like a drop breaking through a stone with a slow but persistent fall, she, with fervent prayer, request, and her disposition, forced her husband to soften his heart 11 . The fruit of her concerns was, first of all, the conversion of her husband to Christ, given to her as a reward for her piety, despite the fact that leaving the sect cost Gregory a quarrel with his mother and deprivation of property 12. But he accepted this dishonor more willingly than other highest honors. Through the tireless prayers of Nonna, who led the net of God, taking captive some earlier, others later, finally caught the soul of Gregory. In a dream vision, Gregory imagined that he was singing David’s verse “We rejoice in those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord,” although he had never been to the church before that incident, despite the pleas of his wife. Nonna interprets this vision in a positive way, convinces Gregory to fulfill the vision and succeeds in doing so. Taking advantage of the passage through Nazians to the Nicene Council of Metropolitan Leontius of Caesarea and other bishops, Gregory betrays himself to God and the preachers of the truth, kneeling, accepting the catechumenate, and then baptism. When emerging from the water, “light and word illuminate him, marking him as the chosen one of the Holy Spirit.” 13. Gregory soon accepted the priesthood, although not as hastily as others of his contemporaries, but after thoroughly purifying and testing himself. “To his natural qualities, which allowed him to have a strong beneficial influence on the morals of people, he adds diligent study of God’s Word, in which he succeeded so much that although he began to study late, he acquired so much pastoral wisdom that he was in no way inferior to those who worked for a long time, and received from God that special grace that he became the father and teacher of Orthodoxy, the guardian of the truth, the organizer of his small church into a stronghold of faith, like the ark in time of the flood" 14. From a wild olive tree he is grafted onto a good olive tree and is so infused with its juices that he is entrusted with the task of grafting others and is entrusted with the healing of souls. “Although the Lord called Gregory late into His abundant vineyard, at first not a sheep, then, as the most excellent of the sheep, He made him the shepherd and leader of His flock” 15. If the fruit of Nonna’s fiery prayers was the “piety” of her husband, then no less their result was another comforting event for her - the appearance of Gregory’s son in the world. Being childless and wanting to have a male child born in her house, “wanting to hold her son on her knees, which, of course, is desired by many,” Nonna revealed her desire to God with a request to fulfill it. Imitating the priest. Anna, she cried out: “My King Christ! “Grant me to see my son, and You will enclose the young fruit of my womb in Your fence” 16. And as her heart was uncontrollable, anticipating the gift with zeal, God heeded her prayer, and her dear vow did not remain unfulfilled: in the dream sent down to her, both the name and image of St. Gregory, her firstborn son 17. Gregory's birth took place no earlier than 328 or 329; in which Gregory the Elder accepted the episcopal title 18, since the story about the circumstances of his birth to St. Gregory places after the story of his father’s consecration as bishop 19. Nonna fulfilled her vow to God to dedicate her son, she brought the baby to the sanctuary, and then made sure that the son born through prayers would be perfect in life 20. The great service for which the mother intended her dear child required special care from her to prepare him into a good vessel. And she surrounded her son with these worries. It is known what an irresistible influence the home environment, the spirit of piety or impiety that greets a new member of the family, has on the formation of character and on the development of the will of the child. The power of this influence is so great and powerful that it leaves an imprint on the entire spiritual life of a person, being the embryo and soil for subsequent manifestations of his spiritual initiative. Special living conditions or increased willpower are needed in order for a person to subsequently renounce the spiritual atmosphere that he fed on in childhood, which he absorbed into himself simultaneously with his mother’s milk. And if in St. Gregory, we see a whole host of virtues - modesty, humility, forgiveness, love for enemies, an ardent prayerful spirit of life - etc., the foundation of these qualities was laid in the home education of St. Gregory. Treating with caution those panegyrics that, according to the law of words of praise, were sung by St. Gregory to his “sovereign father and empress mother” 21, and dwelling on the factual data that opens to us the veil of the domestic environment of the Grigoriev house, we will find in them confirmation of the idea of ​​​​the situation that reigned in the family, and those conditions for the gradual upbringing of the child for the pastoral service intended for him, which was created for the saint. Gregory are loving parents, and who show us how carefully and diligently the upbringing of any candidate for pastoral activity should take place. According to the testimony of St. Gregory, the marital union of father and mother was not only a carnal union, but also a union of virtue. A quiet, peaceful, pious mood reigned in this family. A good wife, which forms the basis of marital happiness, was given to Gregory in the person of Nonna. Submitting to her husband, she was not only his collaborator, but also the initiator in matters of piety. If other women of the same rank and social status as Nonna, vainglorious about their beauty, cared about vain female jewelry, led an ordinary secular lifestyle, attended shows and places of entertainment, then Nonna knew only beauty - spiritual, only nobility - piety. Neither wealth nor nobility obscured her clear understanding of the purpose and meaning of life. She always had this goal and this meaning of life as a guiding star in her actions. She saw the best use of her property in acts of charity. Impoverished relatives, orphans, and widows found shelter in her house, and in her, their best intercessor. She deeply and truly understood the psychology of poverty, which is why she did not consider her task completed when with help she only eliminated the disaster: she considered it necessary through generosity to provide complete consolation to the needy, thereby pacifying and calming their souls excited by need and grief. What a subtle, delicate feeling! Having vigilant care for the improvement of household affairs and increasing family wealth with her work and prudent use of funds, she, however, with all her soul belonged to God, to the exploits of prayer and fasting, combining active life with contemplative life. In the morning, her daily concern was attending divine services, the time and place of which could not be hidden from her. With sincere reverence she stood through both the all-night vigil and the daytime psalmody. She honored the shrine with silence; never turned her back to the venerable meal. She never spat on the floor in God's church. For such reverence for the Holy Place of the Lord, she was awarded the honor of ending her life in a feat of prayer at the foot of the altar. Her zeal for the faith of Christ was so sublime that she did not consider it possible to share her feelings between God and the world: she did not shake hands or kiss her pagan relatives, even if they lived a modest life, she did not share bread and salt with them, and did not visit their homes. Let this side of Nonna’s life give some reasons to accuse her of excessive formalism and intolerance; we see here a concern for undivided service to Christ 23 . Nonna’s humility was extraordinary: she hid a deep secret about her prayerful exploits, about the grace-filled consolations given to her in sleepy visions regarding the birth of her son. Few faithful maids knew about her hidden exploits. She had complete devotion to the will of God, complete surrender of her will to the guidance of God, to the point that she did not consider it possible to appear at the festive service in sad clothes, no matter how deep and fresh her grief was. Thus, “it is common for a God-loving soul to subordinate everything human to the Divine 24 . Saint Nonna managed to put such a love for herself, such a reverent memory into the soul of a child that St. Gregory carried these feelings to his mother to the grave, making her an invisible participant in all the most important circumstances of his life. By virtue of these feelings alone, St. Gregory learned to love the virtues that his mother loved. If Nonna had a beneficial educational influence on her son through her pious family environment and her personal virtues, then from his father he could learn noble behavior with strangers. Standing out for his public virtues, thanks to which he was so soon called to pastoral service, Gregory the Elder showed a lot of prudence, justice, restraint, dignity and selflessness in the management of the Nazianzi church. In his disposal of public church property he was both thrifty and prudently wasteful. Not pursuing fame and honor, he was not infected with seeking and caressing before his superiors, or arrogance before his inferiors. With unwavering will, he resolved legal cases, without indulging vice to the detriment of virtue. Humble, he put humility not in bending his neck, not in lowering his voice, not in shaving his head, not in walking like others, but in the well-being of his soul, in a humble opinion of himself and in awareness and contrition about his shortcomings, common to people. The spiritual qualities of the father were especially evident in his attitude towards sinners and the guilty, which was more paternal than punitive: he threatened more than punished. If we remember the coarse morals of the society of that time, thoroughly imbued with a pagan worldview, with its contempt for other people’s lives, then we will appreciate the height and nobility of the loving character of Gregory the Father. And this trait - love for humanity, more than human - remained indelible in the character of the son 25. This is the pious environment among which the future luminary of the church grew and became courageous. “From the shrouds, brought up in everything beautiful,” he says about himself, “because I had the most perfect models for myself at home, then I still acquired a kind of senile sedateness, and like cloud to cloud, little by little the zeal for improvement accumulated in me” 26 . The mother especially contributed to the development of her son’s pious mood. Nonna made every effort to instill in her son a strong desire to be worthy of the vow she had given. So, one day, having brought her son to the altar, she cleansed his hands by laying them on the divine books, and hugging him, touchingly asked him to fulfill her maternal desire - to strive for perfection in life. “I give this good wealth to you, my son, for this and the future life, especially for the future,” she said 27. This was the first dedication to God by St. Gregory. From that time on, the holy books were the first friends of St. Gregory, who inspired him to a perfect life. “I read with joy,” he says, “books that preach about God” 28. They richly nourished his soul with sacred experiences. As Gregory grew, his mind prospered and became stronger. Reading the Holy Books, as well as communication with men of perfect morals - living examples of purity and holiness of life, which, in addition to his parents, could be virgins and hermits who devoted themselves to an ascetic life, whom it was convenient for Gregory to meet in the pious house of his parents - early instilled in his soul a sincere desire for a virgin life. The young soul of the youth willingly accepted into itself a new image of piety, moving to preserve the seal of chastity, to curb the flesh, to nourish an ardent love for Divine wisdom and for the virgin monastic life - this firstfruits of the future life, for a life that brings as a gift to God pure love, indivisible between the world and the spirit, and brings the man-god, from the earth created, to the heavenly God, attracting with the great image of God a helper souls - body, like a magnet attracting iron 29 ". The emergence, strengthening and growth of such feelings of St. Gregory refers to the mercy of Christ, who clearly talked with His servant. This is how the parents formed the tender heart of the boy, imprinting holy moods in him, just as “recently curdled cottage cheese takes the shape of the vessel in which it is located” 30. Although the youth’s mind was colored with “not bad colors,” although he saw examples of virtues in the surrounding environment, but at that period of his development, when the mind, not having firm mental ideas in itself, necessarily imprints other people’s morals in the heart, the strongest consolidation of growing feelings was required from the outside. And this was given to St. Gregory in a dream vision, which forever imprinted in him a penchant for a virginal and wise life. Two beautiful virgins appeared to him, in appearance much higher than earthly ones - Purity and Chastity, standing, according to them, to King Christ and delighting the heavenly virgins with the beauties. They fell in love with the boy because of his attraction to them, kissed and convinced him to unite his mind and lamp with their hearts and lamps, so that he, enlightened, having been transported through the ethereal heights, could be placed before the radiance of the immortal Trinity 31. This vision prompted St. Gregory strives for wisdom and remains a virgin until the end of his life, although he not only does not have disparaging comments about married life, but, on the contrary, there is praise for it 32. Gregory's home companionship included his brother Caesarius and sister Gorgonia. Both Caesarea 33 and Gorgonia 34 contributed greatly to the true Christian education of Gregory, because they were famous for their virtues. Caesarea was younger than Gregory, but, with excellent talents, did not lag behind him in teaching. The joint formation of mind and heart sealed the blood union of brothers with a heartfelt union of souls - friendship. 35 With a deep and irresistible attraction to a contemplative and solitary life, the young man Gregory early manifested an ardent desire for scientific education. “My cheeks have not yet become hairy, but some kind of fiery love for science has taken possession of me,” he says 36. Gifted by nature with rich abilities and an unusually inquisitive mind, he certainly wanted to get acquainted with all the wisdom of that time and combine the knowledge of divine things with human sciences. Gregory thirsted for knowledge not only for knowledge itself, but was also guided by other higher goals: he wanted to devote himself entirely to serving the church, which his father served and to which he belonged with all his soul, although he had not yet been baptized. He saw the danger that various kinds of heresies posed to the church, which deeply worried her, and understood that in order to protect and preserve the truth it was necessary to oppose false knowledge and fussy theology to true knowledge and pure theology. Gregory especially developed a love for the study of eloquence, which was then considered the most powerful means of defending the truth. Gregory turned his special attention to the study of eloquence with the goal of “joining not entirely pure teachings to help the true teachings, so as not to give an advantage over themselves to those sages of the century who, having not learned anything practical, except for vain and empty eloquence, consisting of loud and euphonious words, thereby become exalted, and so that they themselves have the opportunity not to get entangled in the intricacies of false thinking.” 37. The first teacher of eloquence for St. Gregory had a maternal uncle, Amphilochius, a pious, noble man, “so fiery with his eloquence, so in character and heart he showed himself to be sweeter than honey.” Obviously, in this choice of the first teacher, the parents pursued not only an educational goal, but also an educational one, giving their son a piously-minded teacher as his first mentor. The noble student retained tender feelings of gratitude towards Amphilochius, “thanking him in a word for the word that he learned from him.” 38 Although Amphilochius had “the key of understanding for every book, whether it was written by mortals or by heavenly ones” 39, however, he could only be the initial teacher for Gregory. The small town of Nazians with its insignificant educational sources, of course, could not satisfy the demands of higher love studies. And Gregory, in an effort to ensure that “nothing good escapes him and that he does not fall behind the hardworking bee, which collects the most useful things from every flower,” 40, in order to achieve the goal outlined above, was forced to go on a scientific journey. Apparently, Gregory, with his expressed desire for a contemplative life, was most natural to stay at home, or join the host of earthly Angels, especially after the vision of unearthly virgins. But God's Providence judged differently. He prepared Gregory to become a luminary of the Church of Christ, to that high service, which was to require from Gregory a greater education than could be given to him by his parents or monks, who in the simplicity of their hearts cared only about their salvation, but were unfamiliar with the multifaceted information that was needed by the defender of the faith, the stronghold of truth, the teacher of the universe. In his striving for curiosity, Gregory could not help but see that the Lord was preparing him for something extraordinary, and that the goal that Gregory set for himself in the study of secular sciences was completely consistent with the plans of God’s Providence for him, which plans Gregory subsequently carried out for the good of the Church of Christ. – To achieve this goal, Gregory decided, following the example of educated people of his time, to go through the school of complete education of that time. Since a wealthy father could provide his son with the necessary funds for this, he set off on the journey with the ardor of a young man, “like a young horse full of courage” 41 . We have come to a significant phenomenon in the history of Christian enlightenment - the desire of the followers of Christ's faith, designed to replace paganism, to draw from the depths of this very paganism the means for their education. This fact is so significant and rich in its conclusions that it is worth drawing our attention to. True, the custom of traveling for educational purposes is not a product of Christianity in general, and the period under consideration in particular: it was inherited from ancient times and was a fairly common phenomenon in Greece and Rome. Not to mention such classic examples as Plato’s journey to Egypt and Spain, the very system of the then education made educational travel inevitable: there were no government schools, but there were private schools opened by sophists and rhetoricians, who, for a certain fee, admitted everyone who wanted to listen to their courses. Since populous, famous cities could provide the sophists with the largest number of listeners, they naturally grouped themselves in the then centers of trade and art, in the most significant cities of Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Greece, and Italy. And since the schools were located in different cities, it was naturally necessary to move from city to city to listen to a course from one or another sage. It also happened that the entire school, led by teachers, wandered from one place to another. But all this was understandable among the pagans. Did Christians who possessed the truth have sufficient moral grounds to attend pagan schools that threatened them with spiritual infection? What was the point of these efforts to get clean water from a polluted source? Among Christian society, indeed, there was such a direction in the education of youth, which enclosed their entire mental horizon in the study of the Word of God, not allowing them to become acquainted with pagan literature and science. This gave educated pagans a reason to reproach Christians for ignorance. In justifying themselves, Christians pointed to the Divine knowledge of Jesus Christ, which surpasses all learning. The Lord and the Apostles, they said, did not give us vain false thinking, but commanded us to preserve faith in simplicity of heart, manifesting it in good deeds. Pagan books, in the opinion of such Christians, should be burned, since they tell of many sins, abominations and vices, which corrupt good morals 42 . Parents of the other school did not need pagan learning and found it possible and even necessary to send their children to philosophers and rhetoricians, while instructing them to adhere to certain techniques that would allow them, with safety for the purity of their sacred beliefs, to enrich their minds with scientific knowledge and develop the formal logical ability of thinking. Such Christian youths received a double education: along with careful religious education provided in the family, in the church, and sometimes in monasteries, they sought to receive a higher scientific education in a pagan school. From the example of many remarkable representatives of this movement, the time of the 4th century, we can see what extensive and thorough knowledge they possessed in the philosophical, natural, and historical sciences, not shying away from poetry and music. Names of St. Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory the Theologian and his brother Caesarea serve as brilliant confirmation of this. It goes without saying that it was impossible for Christians, who had just emerged from the position of people who were persecuted and persecuted everywhere and for everything, to gain this knowledge at home. They did not yet have their own schools, and even if they did, these schools could not satisfy the general desire for education due to their small numbers. Of the Christian schools of an earlier period, for example, only the school of Panten, the successor of Athenagoras (about 181), head of the Alexandrian Academy, is known. In addition, in connection with the strengthening of Christianity and the emergence of fears about the direction of pagan rhetoricians, it is known that Constantine the Great established a higher school in Byzantium, the Auditorium, with Christian teachers 43; The concern of the Emperor Constantius, conveyed by the church historian Socrates, to protect his nephews Julian and Gallus from being seduced into paganism through pagan teachers is known 44. But what was possible and accessible to the imperial nephews was not accessible to all or even the majority of Christian youth. Moreover, the center of education and learning was not connected with the court, and higher education was still huddled in classical cities. Therefore, when we dwell on the significant aspiration of Christian youths for educational travel, we do not mean the aspirations of individuals for education, which, as a private matter, could be a random phenomenon, with a subjective nature, but with objective-historical facts, standing not apart from other circumstances of their era, but genetically related to them and representing a direct consequence of known historical combinations, facts behind which hides a well-known historical idea of ​​the then church-historical life. Not to mention the personal commendable and instructive qualities of people who thirsted for scientific education, not to mention the immeasurable benefits that these individuals acquired, the indelible influence that their study of science had on the entire spiritual makeup - in this significant desire of Christian youth to study pagan learning, the spirit of the time was reflected, a shift in the center of gravity was felt, and a new direction in life was felt. The fact is that Greco-Roman civilization, since the advent of Christianity, did not show any inclinations of further development for the benefit of humanity; she had lost sight of every ideal from which she could derive her strength and knowledge. It was felt that the pagan religion was living out its last days: it had become obsolete, it had become decrepit, it had long ceased to satisfy the demands of inquisitive thought. Philosophical skepticism produced a destructive, irreparable shock in its foundations. So many internal inconsistencies and contradictions were found in it that the pagan religious ideal, which previously satisfied ancient man, scattered like smoke before the all-crushing analysis of philosophizing thought. Religion, which once solved the most important problems of human thought, becomes a subject of mockery for comedians. With the light hand of Aristophanes, who ridiculed some funny aspects of religious pagan beliefs, his other successors, such as Lucian, chose the entire population of Olympus and the entire contents of the Pantheon as the subject of comic creativity. Trust in paganism was especially undermined by the introduction of the cult of deification of the Caesars, their wives and entourage, when people known to everyone for their moral shortcomings were elevated to the rank of deities alive and accepted divine honors while alive. Having lost credit from the pagan educated society, destroyed by internal unhealed wounds, the pagan religion becomes the property of only the dark masses of the people, always and everywhere the most conservative. The best people, with a feeling of deep disappointment and spiritual dissatisfaction, flee from the dilapidated building of religious beliefs and seek salvation in philosophical systems, carefully looking for glimpses of truth in the teachings of their representatives. At this time, a new system of life, a new culture - Christian, replaced the pagan culture and entered the arena of the historical life of mankind, growing from a small grain in the silence of dungeons and catacombs into a mighty tree, spreading its branches in all directions of the universe. Persecuted, outwardly powerless, the faith of Christ with a new way of relations, with a new culture, grows and strengthens under the cries of the executioners and the groans of the tortured, abundantly watered with the precious blood of its martyrs. She is strong and strong with inner spiritual strength, she is full of vital juices, like a young succulent plant. Amid severe persecution and persecution, it little by little takes precedence over paganism and by the beginning of the 4th century it abolishes it on cultural and historical grounds. Now, when the decrepit Greco-Roman culture had to give up its place on the world stage to its young successor, it was natural for the new Christian culture to take stock of the inheritance that the new owner received from the old one. It was difficult to doubt that the centuries-old life of people in paganism passed without a trace for the human spirit, leaving no legacy for it, at least in the form of experiences, impressions, thoughts... And indeed, human genius created a rather high educational culture that flourished on a large scale during the classical period; so high that she remained a subject of surprise for a long time, and even now she still remains so in some of her features, as an example to follow. The pagan world left many good fruits in the field of science, literature, philosophy... It was necessary to understand this wealth and consider what of it could be accepted and what could be rejected. By the way, at this time the view that not everything in paganism is subject to condemnation and rejection begins to dominate in Christian society. And so the church, represented by its best representatives, establishes its view on the significance of ancient classical literature and science for Christian enlightenment, formulates its views on pagan culture and, in particular, on the relationship of its educational elements to polytheism. By the way, this view is especially clearly expressed in two accusatory words of St. Gregory the Theologian on Emperor Julian, an analysis of which we hope to give in its place. For now, for our purpose, let us briefly point out that pagan science and eloquence, therefore, in our opinion, are not associated, of course, with polytheism, but as products of universal human genius, as a paternal inheritance 46, should belong to all humanity, and not just to the followers of polytheism; that the connection between pagan religion and pagan education is not inseparable, not unconditional, so that with the rejection of the first, the latter must also be rejected. Therefore, pagan religion and education are not the same thing: to put them on equal terms would be an important mistake. Pagan religion, as the belief of each individual people at a given historical moment, dies and changes with the death of the people. Science is determined not by the private activities of each people separately, but by the collective efforts of all historical peoples, as an expression and result of universal human progress. Each nation not only owns the results of its cultural work, but also contributes them to the common treasury of human knowledge, as a foundation or starting point for the development of the culture of subsequent generations, having itself begun its culture from the final point of previous peoples, from the ready-made soil of their cultural results. Without this law of historical progress, there could be no culture. When, with this view of the significance of pagan culture beginning to prevail and be established among Christian society, we look closely at the results of the contact of two cultures and, using this criterion, evaluate the legacy bequeathed by paganism to Christianity, we will see that sending inquisitive Christian youths to the centers of pagan learning had the meaning of Christianity sending its best advanced forces to accept from the old culture the results of its spiritual wealth, everything valuable, worthy of assimilation and useful for Christianity itself, for replanting its best fruits on their Christian soil 47 . Paganism had to fulfill its last historical mission: with decrepit hands it transferred to Christianity its cultural treasures, which it had managed to accumulate over the entire long period of its existence, as a guarantee for the further growth of human self-awareness. It did just that, admitting its own failure and giving tangible evidence of the historical growth of Christianity. Answering what has been said so far to the questions posed whether there was a sufficient basis for the travel of Christian youths to pagan scientific centers and what sense was seen in these travels, we think that it is quite clear not only the permissibility, but also the necessity of such travel, arising from the laws of the pragmatic connection of the described historical eras, the meeting and final exchange of two cultures, ancient and new. Why were these travels not an accidental occurrence, but had a deep meaning, were a sign of their time, had providential significance, concealed a deep historical idea behind them, were the cause of many good consequences for church-social life and science, and therefore, without a doubt, were under the special guidance of the Supreme Manager of human affairs 48 . The first city on St.'s educational journey. Gregory was Caesarea 49. Her leader and mentor in the word, St. Gregory calls it the famous “metropolis of sciences,” as well as the metropolis of the cities that belong to it and are governed by it. In science, she excelled among the Cappadocian cities. The sciences constituted its best wealth, decoration and characteristic feature, “like an inscription on a weapon or on a story” 50. St. Gregory listened here to the lessons of Carterius, “a most excellent man who enjoyed the greatest glory in divine things” 51 . In his tombstone St. Gregory calls him “the helmsman of his youth, when he was studying the word on a foreign side” 52. Carterius had a great influence on the education of good morals in Gregory. How long and under what circumstances Gregory’s stay in Caesarea lasted is unknown. But especially significant is the meeting here between Gregory and Basil the Great, who, like Gregory, after being raised at home, sought education in secular schools - a meeting that marked the beginning of a touching friendship between two outstanding ecumenical teachers of the church 53. Returning from Caesarea for some time home to the parents of St. Gregory soon went to the then flourishing Palestinian schools, accompanied by his brother Caesarius, who was heading to Alexandria, this “the source of all education” 54. In Palestine, the attention of St. Gregory was attracted by Caesarea in Palestine 55, famous for the learning of its rhetorician Theospesius, or Thespesius, and for its library collected by the martyr Panfil 56. Here Gregory studied eloquence 57 and first became acquainted with the teachings of Origen, who put many parchment copies of his works into the Caesarea library. The similarity of the character of Grigorieva’s speech with the teacher of eloquence in Smyrna - Polemon, attested by Jerome 58, gives reason to think that St. Gregory also listened to the sophist Polemon, and therefore visited Smyrna. “The original place of all education - Alexandria 59 from the time of the Ptolemaic Lagov, elevated to the status of the capital of learning and literature of its time, could not help but attract the attention of the deeply gifted and inquisitive Gregory. 60 True, the flourishing time of the Ptolemies, the time of the flourishing of sciences, had already ended here; however, Alexandria gave shelter to all kinds of religious, philosophical and natural sciences. Her rich library of 400,000 scrolls, destroyed out of fanaticism by Theophilus in 389 under Theodosius the Great, was capable of satisfying the most inquisitive inquisitiveness. Her museum constituted a central point of education and learning. Gregory could well satisfy his “fiery love for science” here 61. Grammar in the sense of the ancients was a subject of special study. The work of the Alexandrians in mathematics and astronomy was remarkable. Here the critical development of Greek authors flourished, there were individual “κανόνες” - poets, lyricists, tragedians, historians, iambigraphers, etc. The poetry of the Alexandrian school bore a special imprint and was famous for the purity of the word, the smoothness and correctness of the construction of the verse. But Alexandria, since the time of Panten, Clement and Origen, with its famous catechetical school, has been the center of Christian education. The famous Didymus the Blind, a worthy successor to the founders and organizers of the catechetical school, lived here. Around 350, the pillar of Orthodoxy, St., returned to Alexandria from a long exile. Afanasy; The devotees of asceticism were alive - St. Anthony and Paul of Thebes. The Alexandrian school was distinguished by its sublimely speculative character and lofty idealism; with love she dealt with issues belonging to the realm of the transcendental; the most difficult theological questions did not frighten her, but, on the contrary, encouraged her to delve deeper into them. But she comprehended detailed questions more by inner feeling than by reason 62. There is no doubt that Alexandria, with its secular and spiritual treasures, had an enormous influence on Gregory, which was reflected in the structure and direction of his mind, in the development and character of his religious and philosophical worldview. His acquaintance with Platonic philosophy began here. The great and noticeable dependence of Grigoriev's theology on Origen and St. Athanasius is explained by the lessons of Didymus and communication with St. Afanasy. The ascetic direction of the soul, complete devotion to God and detachment from the world, selfless service to St. The Church and the determination to devote oneself to the whole life defense of Orthodoxy from heresies, if not inspired, were then strongly fueled and nurtured by the example of the life of St. Athanasius and conversations with St. hermits. The goal of Grigoriev’s pilgrimage would not have been fully achieved if he had not visited the last famous center of pagan learning - Athens, the mother of Plato and Demosthenes, “this abode of science, if for someone, then for me,” says St. Gregory, truly golden and who brought me a lot of good things” 63 both in the field of religious and philosophical thinking, and in the field of heartfelt feelings, since Athens related his soul to the soul of Basil the Great. The desire to visit Athens was so great that, without waiting for a favorable time, Gregory boarded the Egin ship. It was the month of November, a time of storms and bad weather, when “sailing would be a matter of insolence, not prudence” 64. But Gregory boldly wants to cut through the sea, rushing straight to Hellas. However, near the island of Cyprus in the Parthenian Sea, their ship could not withstand the voyage and threatened with imminent death. A terrible storm arose, which, according to the sailors, had never happened before in their memory. Everything was plunged into darkness. Earth, sea, ether, darkened sky - everything merged into one night that lasted twenty-two days. Only lightning strikes illuminated the ominous sea and the distressed ship. The rudder did not function, the ship became dissipated, water flooded the underwater part of it, and fresh water escaped through cracks. Everyone was seized with mortal horror. Desperate cries and cries of swimmers mixed with thunderclaps and the ominous creaking of a crashing ship. Everyone, both those who knew and those who did not know God before, called on the name of Christ. For Gregory, the obvious death was all the more sad because he was not washed by the waters of baptism, which would have united him with God. He shed tears about this, raised cries drowned out by the noise of the sea waves, stretched out his hands, tore at his clothes and, prostrate, lay overwhelmed with grief. His mother’s prayerful instructions and her wishes for the safe simultaneous return of both sons involuntarily came to his mind. He remembered his past life, from his first dedication to God as a mother until the present disastrous moment, and the agony of horror was increased by the consciousness of his unfulfilled duty to God. And now, bringing to mind numerous cases of God’s miraculous help, Gregory for the second time, already consciously, devotes himself to God and completely surrenders to His Leadership. “I was Yours before, Yours now... I will live for You if I avoid danger. You will lose Your servant if you do not save me as a gift from land and sea,” 65 he cried. His sad, tormented appearance attracted the attention of his companions; the common misfortune made everyone more pious, and everyone united with Gregory in a prayerful cry for salvation. And at home, the parents, notified by a sleepy vision of their son’s misfortune, as it later turned out, offered up their fervent prayer to deliver him from danger, “as if speaking to the waves.” 66 The Lord heard the prayers of the parents and the sufferer himself, and granted salvation to everyone who sailed with him, who then all accepted baptism and thus received double salvation. Phoenician merchants noticed the extreme distress of the ship and, at the risk of their lives, with the help of hooks and strong hands, saved the half-dead sailors, delivering them to the Aegina harbor on the island of Rhodes. Gregory's closest companion, a Christian boy, saw St. Nonna, who entered the sea, took the ship and brought it to land: St. Gregory always considered his mother to be his guardian angel and a participant in their common vows. In this same salvation, he saw the providential hand of God, which rescued him from the power of the all-destructive demon, who was trying to destroy him 67 . Athens, the eye of Greece, was famous for the study of pagan antiquity 68 . It is wonderful that St. Gregory, describing his stay in Athens, does not mention either the pagan buildings famous for their majesty and artistic decoration, or the monumental structures of government buildings, but directly begins to talk about the subject that interests him - the sciences. This is understandable: the School of Athens was the leader among Greek schools. “Young people flocked here from all over the world, wanting to acquire ancient education, despite the fact that the spirit of antiquity had long since disappeared from it” 69. St. Gregory testifies to a very developed passion among the Athenians for sophistic disputes, a kind of sport that attracted the Greeks no less than the Olympic Games 70. Hence, the influx of people and the hostility of parties were sometimes so great and dangerous here that government authorities were forced to take special measures to protect public safety. Unfortunately, true science in the School of Athens has almost disappeared. The philosophers and rhetoricians of Athens at that time were completely alien to the spirit of Socrates, Plato and Demosthenes. These were sophists who had almost nothing in common with the most ancient serious and thoughtful philosophy, but instead of the former simplicity and naturalness, they put forward artificiality and effect, and at the same time pursued not so much scientific as material goals. The occupation of teachers who taught ancient literature focused on eloquence, dialectical subtleties and mystical explanation of ancient religious teachings and imaginary philosophy, corresponding to the general direction of the then scholarship. But due to the decline in society of interest in philosophical thinking, which has its explanation in the general decline of Greco-Roman culture; as a result of the teachers themselves, who lived solely on the money they received from students for listening to lessons, reducing their venerable occupation to a craft; Due to the increasingly widespread view of education among society as the best way to create a career for oneself, which was most facilitated by the study of sophistic eloquence, the teachers themselves were increasingly imbued with the spirit of craft and the vulgarity of the lower classes of society. At a time when students, mostly occupied with one form, did not pay attention to the thoughts themselves, teachers, pandering to the tastes of the public, began to care not about knowledge itself, but about the influence that it can bring to its owner. The main goal of education was not the education of the mind and elegant taste, but the acquisition of means of living and the achievement of external secular gloss. These phenomena were, of course, in close connection with the general decline of religion and morality. As a result of such a decline in tastes and as a result of such demands from the school, teachers rarely stood at the height of their calling. Most of them were failures in life, very poor, often without a piece of bread 71 . At the same time, according to the same professor, the order in the schools was extraordinary: the masters of the situation were not the teachers, but the students, who allowed themselves, in dealing with teachers, with comrades and with citizens of the city, to do everything they could, although not for long, to occupy the perverted feeling of spoiled loafers 72 . Gregory himself describes the morals of student youth quite picturesquely and in detail. The students, according to him, are a disorderly crowd due to their youth and uncontrollable aspirations. Out of passion not so much for sophistry itself, but for their teachers on issues relating to the honor and benefit of the latter, they became so furious, excited and bickering among themselves that they completely copied the then scenes around the racing hippodrome. Their divisions into parties according to teachers were crowds of unbridled freemen who terrorized the population of the city, which they divided into sections. Any newcomer, especially if he was inexperienced, inevitably fell into the hands of some party, which tried by all means to make him its proselyte. This “catching foxes” often turned into “battle for the foxes.” Then followed the initiation of the newcomer, and the “bath” - an Attic law in which the comic is mixed with business, a custom that exposed the newcomer to jokes and mockery, sometimes more impudent than witty. The payment of a certain sum to the chief sophists-acromites for their installation and for the right to wear a cloak ended with the admission of a newcomer as a comrade 73 . It would be a mistake to think that the newcomer will now devote himself entirely to his studies. The morals of a comradely circle have an irresistible effect on its members, especially the weak-willed. In addition to laziness, a disdainful attitude towards teachers, an even more unscrupulous attitude towards educational activities, a characteristic feature of the “shaggy youths” of that time was the organization of noisy feasts with obscene songs, in the form of the Milesian vulgarity “testament of a pig” 74, mutual massacres of student circles, an addiction to various kinds of spectacles, especially to horse races with their excitement and frenzy, in which young men tried to keep up with their elders, attending pantomime schools with their immoral and sense-corrupting dances and, as a result of such education, almost universal sexual intemperance, with this kind of “Babylonian ways” serving as a sign of youth, approved and even a subject of pride and boasting in a comradely environment. What impression a fresh person received from such moral and physical filth of student life can be judged from the example of St. Basil the Great, who, according to St. Gregory the Theologian, soon became disillusioned with Athens, “this deceptive bliss, became sad, began to grieve in spirit and reproach himself for his arrival in Athens 75. Therefore, it is all the more valuable for characterizing St. Gregory to find out what his life was like in Athens, what he learned from external learning and what benefit he gained from his six-year stay at school. At a time when other young people among their brothers, in the impulses of youth and courageous impetuosity, indulged in excesses, St. Gregory led a quiet life, lived in the fear of God, “trying to excel among those who knew what is the very first” 76. Home education in a piously-minded environment, examples of the most perfect life in the person of parents and loved ones, personal abstinent life and, finally, the lessons of piety from their previous mentors helped St. Gregory to resist and strengthen himself among comradely temptations. In his memory for the rest of his life, as already mentioned, the words of his mother were imprinted at his first dedication to God, when she, having consecrated his hands to the priest. books, convinced him to be worthy of her vows. Just recently, during a disastrous sea voyage, he himself, quite consciously and freely, dedicated himself a second time to God. Finally, in Hellas itself, Gregory had to endure a great shock when, during the earthquake that befell it, not seeing help from anywhere, he again had to tremble because “his soul was not sanctified by that grace and that illumination that is given in the font” 77 . All this contributed to the development in Gregory of feelings of fear of God, so beneficial for man as always, and especially in exceptional moments of his life. Such an exceptional moment for St. Gregory and there was the Athens period of his life. In fact, he arrived there as a 24-year-old youth and lived for 6 years. This age is usually the time when a person’s spiritual and physical strength flourishes. Never does the thirst for life manifest itself more strongly and more passionately than in this spring time of human life. The unconscious demands of man's physical nature have never been more insistent and imperative than now. The thirties of life are of enormous decisive importance in the formation of a person’s spiritual appearance. In these years of moral turning point and crisis, either a spiritual or spiritual person is clearly outlined, the direction and content that he will carry throughout his life receives its decisive definition here. At this critical time of creation and confirmation of one’s spiritual self-determination according to the age of a perfect man, St. Gregory, “like that source that remains sweet among the bitter waters of the sea, was not carried away by those that led to destruction, but he himself attracted friends to what was perfect” 78. He did not dissolve in the general river flow, in the general student mass, did not mix with it, but created his own way of life, unusual for his environment, which contributed to the implementation of the idea that, having expelled him from his native family and country, brought him for a time to Athens 79 . The Lord provided St. It was a blessing to Gregory, uniting him by bonds of friendship with the wisest man, who alone was superior to everyone in life and word, and who made up for those shortcomings in Gregory’s character that could have been disastrous for him. Of course - St. Basil, “this is a great acquisition for that century,” arrived in Athens for the same purpose as Gregory, only a little later than him 80. Rumors about Vasily's learning and abilities preceded his arrival, so that by the time of his arrival his name was on everyone's lips: they had great hopes for him, they were expecting him, they were looking for his friendship 81 . Knowing Vasily’s character from the Caesarea School, a serious, firm character, Gregory tried to save Vasily from the practiced custom of admission to the bathhouse corporation, which procession Vasil’s soul would not have endured. This friendly service cemented the feelings of the two Cappadocians and was the beginning of a love that “stung them both” 82 . Soon Gregory had to provide a secondary service to Vasily in his sophistic dispute with the Armenians, shaming and astonishing them with his intervention. Finally, when Basil, having formed an unfavorable opinion of Athens from his first encounters with the unpleasant aspects of school life there, fell into sorrow, despondency and disappointment, Gregory at the time strengthened his disheartened friend, dispelled his doubts and brought him into a calm mood, convincing, through evidence, that learning is learned not by short and unimportant experiences, but over a more or less long time and through careful testing. These experiences of mutual friendship led to the fact that when friends opened their hearts to each other, expressed everything that worries them and how they live, they were united by the closest bonds of love, they became everything for each other - “comrades, table mates, and relatives, because the same feelings and mutual affection made them inseparable” 83. Grigory became especially strongly and tenderly attached to his friend. This is understandable if we take into account that Gregory, with many brilliant sides of his character, had such traits that could completely ruin his life among the corrupted Athens. Namely, he was a feminine nature, prone to mysticism, lacking the proper toughness and perseverance, extremely trusting and easy to give in, and, moreover, completely ignorant of practical life. It was these shortcomings that Vasily made up for, strong in deed and word, practical, persistent, courageous, who loved to see things through to the end. The Cappadocian friends had one common object of desire - wisdom, one goal - God and the desire for perfection, one exercise - virtue, one effort - renouncing earthly things, to live for future hopes. Therefore, just as everyone has more or less characteristic callings that clearly indicate their difference from others, their own or hereditary names, whether by type of title or occupation, so the two Cappadocians had one great cause and name - to be and be called Christians 84 . The two of them constituted, as it were, one soul that supports two bodies; they were “not a dishonorable couple” for Hellas. They had everything in common: they studied, lived, and thought together. The basis of their close connection was not an earthly connection, fleeting, like spring flowers, but Divine in content, spiritual in manifestations. Many temptations surrounded them, many reasons for their fall were around. Staying in the brilliant and full-of-life Hellenic capital, while providing the opportunity to perfectly study the sciences that interested the Cappadocians, represented, however, the greatest danger to the purity of their religious and moral beliefs. All around them, on the hills and valleys, stood magnificent temples of pagan gods and their images, to which popular worship and all kinds of honors were given. Their teachers were pagans who used all the art of eloquence to give their religion the best and most attractive appearance, clothing the most ancient myths in a philosophical mystical form and hiding all their absurdity and ugliness under the veil of metaphors and allegories. And in general, hardly anywhere else were there as many friends and admirers of paganism, which was already dying then, as there were in Athens. Therefore, not without reason, pious people considered Athens soul-destroying, which it was for others for the reason that it abounded in evil wealth - idols, of which there are more there than in the whole of Hellas, so that it is difficult not to get carried away along with others praising and defending them 85 . And yet, Gregory and Vasily - the “sacred duo” - remained firm and inaccessible to any temptations: neither poetic brilliance nor philosophical wit was able to overshadow and destroy the good Christian principles invested in them by home education. They did not suffer any harm from the idolatry’s seduction: they mutually strengthened each other and supported each other from temptations, as if “supporting with golden pillars the building of a noble palace of inner purity and purity” 86 . They were for each other like “a rule and a plumb line with which builders check the correctness of the walls being erected”: when one of them hesitated, then, according to the beliefs and views of the other, he determined what was straight and what was not straight in his behavior or way of thinking. This mutual loving support led to the fact that they, “having squeezed and shielded their hearts from the surrounding wickedness,” turned the very object of temptation - the abundance of Athenian idols and accessories of the pagan cult - into a reason for confirmation in faith through the knowledge of the deceitfulness and deceitfulness of demons, learning to despise them where their veneration was especially developed. With their behavior, they seemed to resemble a mimic animal that remains intact amid the fire surrounding it. One soul was manifested among the Cappadocians in their closeness with their comrades. From the latter they chose not the arrogant, but the chaste, not the perky, but the peace-loving, those with whom it would be useful to get along. They universally avoided friendship with the vicious, believing that it was easier to borrow a vice than to pass on a virtue, just as it was easier to become infected with a disease than to communicate your health to another. “Of the many roads along which the Athenian youth walked,” we knew, says St. Gregory, remembering this time, two roads, one, this is the first and most excellent, led to our sacred churches and to the teachers there; the other, this is the second and of unequal dignity with the first, led to external mentors. We provided other roads - to holidays, to spectacles, to public gatherings, to feasts - to those who wished. For I do not consider anything worthy of attention that does not lead to virtue and does not make its lover better” 87 . Thus, “Hellas and dear youth, and everything, even the very flesh, yielded to Christ” 88. Thus, the simultaneous stay in Athens and the rapprochement, which turned into the sincere friendship of Gregory and Basil - so inseparable that separating them would mean the same as cutting one body in two 89 - had an irresistibly beneficial effect on St. Gregory: they helped him, alone among the corrupted comrades, in mutual friendly support, to draw strength and energy in raking away from everything evil and nasty; they contributed to the strengthening and development of his moral character; they were a stronghold and a fence in the turbulent stream of life of the Athenian student body. St. Gregory repeatedly testifies to the inexpressibly deep influence that the strong character of St. had on him. Vasily with his positivity and thoroughness. “Even now (already in my old age) tears flow when I remember the separation at that time,” he recalled 90. The schools of rhetoric and the scope of scientific education that presented itself to the curiosity of Christian youths in the Athenian high schools during Gregory's stay were approximately as follows. According to the testimony of Socrates Scholasticus 91, Gregory listened to the then famous rhetoricians Imerius and Proaresius in Athens. Imerius, originally from Bithynia, was a pagan, although he always treated Christians with moderation and tolerance. The royal nephew Julian, who listened to Imeria at the same time as Gregory, later becoming emperor, brought him closer to him as a secretary. Proeressius, originally from Armenia, was a Christian, however, after the edict of Yulianov, he was forced to stop his teaching. In his tombstone, St. Gregory calls him for his eloquence “the sun in comparison with the highly prophetic sophists, his rivals; his speeches were newborn, shocking the whole world and creating new thunder in Attica92. It is possible that Gregory listened to the famous rhetorician Libanius in Athens 93, who subsequently corresponded with Basil the Great 94. The usual course of science in schools of that time consisted of 2 main groups of knowledge: a group of physical and mathematical sciences and a group of humanities. The first group, called quadrivium, consisted of arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy; the second is trivium, from grammar, rhetoric and dialectics 95. All these sciences served as the subject of Gregory’s study, as can be seen from his own enumeration of those sciences in which his friend, and, consequently, himself, excelled 96 . The given list of sciences does not include music. But if we take into account that among the ancient Greeks, music meant the study of harmony in a much broader sense than with us - namely, the control of passions, self-control, balancing of desires, prayer - then Gregory partially mentions this when he talks about “moral education” 97. On the other hand, St. Gregory lists such subjects that were not included in the normal course and, obviously, constituted the subject of higher study by their free artists. This includes Gregory: 1) History, which contained the collective wisdom of peoples and the collection of thoughts of many generations; the teaching of history, reaching a high degree of development in classical antiquity, belonged strictly to the field of literature and, under its name, constituted one of the main subjects of teaching in higher schools; 2) Philosophy, whose main center was concentrated in Athens, with the character of the Neoplatonic school. Philosophers were representatives of all science, all wisdom, which is why philosophy was usually understood under the name “science.” In view of the passion of the ancients for triads, philosophy was divided into 3 parts - logic, physics and ethics, of which each in turn was also divided into 3 parts: 3) Poetry. Gregory could have met her back in Alexandria, which had luminaries of this art; here, in Athens, Gregory could complete his improvement in the field of studying the laws of poetic forms and constructions; 4) Medicine - “Medical science”, in which, according to Gregory, St. was especially successful. Basil the Great, as necessary, primarily for himself due to poor health. Not visible from the works of St. Gregory, so that he would practice “medical science.” But it was the subject of special attention of Christian youths both because of its practical necessity, and, most importantly, to counter the pagan cult of Aesculapius, to eliminate the reason for temptation in this aspect of the social life of Christians; 5) finally, moral training in which St. excelled. Gregory, related not so much to the area of ​​scientific study from rhetoricians, but to the area of ​​increasing pious skills and strengthening in faith and holy feelings, which St. Gregory from visiting Athenian Christian churches, from intercourse with Athenian Christians and from constant communication with St. Basil the Great, who showed “both life equal to teaching and teaching equal to life” 98. These are the sciences that St. studied. Gregory in Athens. We have his own testimony about how he treated them. He says that in mastering all subjects of study he followed the principle: “take everything that is useful and discard everything that is useless for those who want to live piously” 99 . After a six-year stay in Athens, Gregory had to leave them. He was drawn to this by his feelings of love for his parents and the completion of his education. He plans to leave Athens together with St. Basil the Great. “What is needed,” he says, is “hugs and tearful parting speeches” 100. It should be mentioned that in Athens St. Gregory met with the nephew and heir of Constantius, the future emperor Julian, in whom he, gifted with significant insight, foresaw the true qualities of this evil product of the time of the 4th century, which he expressed in an apt definition: “what evil is being fostered by the Roman empire" 101. If we also mention that the touching scene of farewell and parting with Athens completely unexpectedly ended for St. Gregory with a farewell only to St. Basil, who remained adamant in his decision to return home, Gregory remained in Athens for a short time and took the position of teacher of literature, “in which he showed primacy” 102 - then the Athenian period of the life of St. Gregory can be considered exhausted. Having stayed in Athens after the departure of St. Basil the Great for a short time, St. Gregory, “like a Homeric horse, breaking the bonds that restrain him, leaves the plain behind him and rushes to his friend” 103, returns to his native Cappadocia. This was around 359. It is completely natural at this moment when St. Gregory, after almost ten years of wandering for scientific purposes, having completed his education in the then centers of science and literature, returns home not as a hot-tempered, impetuous youth, as we saw him, but as a thirty-year-old man 104, “like a ship, as much loaded with learning as human nature can accommodate” 105 it is quite natural to determine what results his ten-year wandering led to, what external science gave him, what benefit he extracted from it for himself and for the Church of Christ, to whose service he had already twice dedicated himself? St. Gregory was not one of those people for whom science is only an external decoration or entertainment. More than anyone else, he recognized the study of science as highly beneficial for all people and in all situations. Here are his thoughts on this matter: “one glory was attractive to me,” he said, “to be distinguished by the knowledge that the east and west and the beauty of Hellas - Athens gathered; I worked on this a lot and for a long time. But I laid all this knowledge at the feet of Christ” 106. “Just as there is no such brilliant position in the world that would not receive a new shine from education, so, in the same way, there is no more lasting happiness and glory than true education, which neither the vicissitudes of life nor human envy can take away.” “Science is the first of the blessings... I prefer the glory of knowledge to everything. Scientific knowledge is a wonderful crown that will not fade. This is a pearl, of which everyone should become a happy merchant; this is the best companion and companion of all life and leader on the path to heaven; in both happiness and misfortune it is a faithful friend and companion” 107. This is the first result of the communication of St. Gregory with the educated world. Not only has his love for science not cooled down, but he often reaches true pathos when describing the greatness and benefits of education. And he carried this enthusiasm for science, as we will see later, throughout his life, already in his old age, trying by all means to provide others with access to education. Greek encyclopedic education received by St. Gregory, contributed to the enrichment of his mind with knowledge and the acquisition of the skill to correctly, gracefully and freely express his thoughts. It developed in him the formal side of the mind, which is extremely necessary for every Christian, and especially for those devoting themselves to the missionary service of the church, for distinguishing true from false, for defending faith from the attacks of enemies with the help of their own weapons - subtle twists and skillful dialectical techniques. In this regard, it was especially valuable for St. Gregory's study and success in dialectics. Since it, dialectics, was very developed and revered among St.’s contemporaries. Gregory, enjoyed great respect and importance, and her knowledge was considered necessary for every learned person, it is clear that St. Gregory, a champion of truth, needed to be “strong in it, and especially in that part of it that deals with logical arguments and contradictions, as well as competition, so that it would be easier for the enemy to get out of the labyrinth than to escape the snares of the word” 108. And he, as can be seen from his words, achieved this. Then, the development of the formal ability of thinking, giving St. For Gregory, the opportunity to compare Christian teaching with the doctrines of pagan philosophers and clarify the unconditional superiority of the former over the latter was extremely important for him in achieving positive results - for the scientific disclosure of the dogmas of faith and, in general, for solving the highest questions of theological science. It was necessary for the correct interpretation of St. Scripture, in a difficult and important matter, the fruits of learning were needed, as well as natural talents: all-round development, education, insight, and depth of thought. But with such formal and methodological significance, the importance of studying classical literature and science for St. Gregory did not stop there. The wealth and variety of knowledge he acquired also served, on the one hand, as preparation for a higher and thorough study of the foundations of the Christian religion, that is, it was a propaedeutic for theological education, and, on the other hand, it also provided material content for such education, enriching the very content of Christian literature and science with valuable elements of ancient intellectual culture. Thus, external learning was for St. Gregory and a service tool, and additional material that enriched him for the work ahead of him. But to this material St. Gregory was selective and careful: he did not borrow everything, but only the best and most useful, “like a bee collecting honey from harmful plants” 109. I especially loved St. Gregory, eloquence, which replaced all the joys of life for him, was a precious acquisition and the foundation of his life 110. He developed his natural gift of eloquence to such an extent that he became one of the greatest church speakers. In the writings of St. Gregory, we then see a brilliant revelation of the knowledge, skills, arts and abilities that he acquired during his educational journey through the outstanding centers of the then scientific world. He acquired all the data to become one of the creators of Christian theological science. So, “having exhausted the sweet cup of science with a greedy mind and having learned Hellenic wisdom not a little” 111, St. Gregory returns home with the goal of devoting himself to a wise life. Completely by chance for human reasons, but not without the will of God, through the prayers of Mother Nonna, St. Gregory comes home accompanied by his brother Caesarius, whom he met in Byzantium returning by sea from Alexandria, while St. Gregory arrived from Athens by land. This meeting took place without any premeditation or agreement to arrive at the same time in the same city. “This is how God rewards the love of parents for well-behaved children” 112. Kecap, who had gained enormous fame in the study of medicine with his brilliant talents and tireless hard work, was destined for an enviable career at court, the attention of sovereigns, a noble marriage, and a place in the Senate. The vanity of the world tempted him. He was ready to give in to her. But St. Gregory denounces him for his shameful addiction to secular rank and forces him to visit his parents 113. Having quenched his thirst for knowledge, St. Gregory set philosophy of wisdom as the dream of his life, which he understood as “renunciation from the world and abiding with God, in order to ascend further to what is above and through the impermanent and fleeting to acquire the constant and eternal abiding” 114. But before St. Gregory managed to resolve for himself the questions of which path to take to realize his dream; he had to submit to the requests of his friends, who demanded from St. Gregory, as a duty, showed examples of his eloquence. And he had to satisfy this ailment of people by making speeches. But since St. Gregory was not at all interested in “neither applause, nor the talk of surprise, nor rapture, nor worship, which usually express admiration for the sophists” 115, then he decisively refused public positions and began to prepare for baptism, which now became the most important event of his life, which was supposed to completely unite him with Christ and wash away all the sins of his previous life. About the actual baptism of St. Gregory, detailed information is not available. However, he himself testifies to the feelings and experiences that baptism caused in him. For him it was a real renunciation of the world and complete dedication to Christ. From that moment on, everything that St. Gregory, - his talents, eloquence, future scientific works - he promises to bring everything to the foot of the Throne of God as a sacrifice, “just as others, having collected their gold, threw it into the depths, thereby proving their spiritual freedom in relation to property, and their renunciation of the world” 116. This grateful sacrifice, this gift of his St. Gregory values ​​higher than gold, more valuable than valuable stones, more valuable than fabrics, holy sacrifices under the law, more acceptable than burnt offerings, for this is all his wealth, which he, as a happy merchant, possesses, which he values ​​and loves - he gives all this for a pearl, for the inheritance of eternal life 117. True, the desire for unity with God and the readiness to devote oneself entirely to serving Him was revealed in St. Gregory even earlier, under the influence of home education. Now the study of Neoplatonic philosophy further contributed to the strengthening and development of this mystical aspiration of the soul of St. Gregory, and with him it did not stop only on the theoretical side, as was the case with the Platonists, but was combined with the practical side - with the desire for personal spiritual improvement. His desire for theoretical knowledge and philosophical contemplation of the Supreme Being was closely and inextricably linked with a penchant for deeds of virtue and pious self-denial. He believed that knowledge alone without virtue is not enough for unity with God: virtue is a step leading to contemplation, which, therefore, is possible only for a pure holy soul. For these reasons, throughout his life St. Gregory strove for the desert in order to indulge in contemplation and mystical unity with God through feats of asceticism. And since various kinds of responsibilities served as an insurmountable obstacle to the desire for desert exploits, all his life he was burdened by internal discord: on the one hand, a thirst for the silence of the desert, on the other, a consciousness of duty to serve the church. “I should, first of all, hide my flesh in abysses, mountains and cliffs,” he thought; there, fleeing from everything, from this life itself, from all worldly and carnal worries, living alone far from people, I would carry the whole Christ in my heart, lifting up a pure mind to the One God, until death would make it easier for me, coming along with the fulfillment of hopes” 118. It should have been so... But church life made its own demands on him. St. Gregory had to make a choice. Something had to be decided. And so he calls his friends, his thoughts, these sincere advisers, to the inner court of justice, and in their terrible whirlpool he tries to find a solution to his life’s task. Although it had long been decided to throw everything carnal into the depths of oblivion, I liked it even now, but upon closer examination of the divine paths, it was not so easy to find a better and smoother path. Two images of pious life appeared to the gaze of St. Gregory: contemplative, the image of Elijah, John the Baptist, and active, the path of preachers and interpreters of the word of God; but the latter occupation is not the work of the desert 119. St. Gregory hesitated about what way of life he should choose: should he retire into solitude, or remain in the world to live as a virgin? Both routes were obviously known to him from Alexandria. On the one hand, the life of the desert - “ἀξ ύγωνˮ life of St. Anthony the Great, a hermit, attracted him with her severity; on the other hand, eager to serve his neighbors with his gifts, he leaned towards μιγάδες, towards the life of St. Athanasius, to the simple and strict life of ascetics who lived a celibate life, not secluded in the desert, but engaged in public affairs. However, both paths did not satisfy the saint. Gregory. I have noticed, he says, that people who like an active life are useful in society, but useless to themselves, and they are outraged by disasters, from which their gentle disposition becomes agitated. I also saw that for some reason those living outside the world are much more comfortable and look to God with a silent mind; but they are useful only to themselves, their love is confined to a tight circle, and the life they lead is extraordinary and harsh” 120. Because, St. Gregory decided to create a middle path for himself, which would reconcile the benefits of hermits with the disadvantages of ascetics, encouraging some to concentrate their minds, and others to strive to be useful to society. The decisive factor in this struggle of thoughts was the love of St. Gregory to his parents: “she, like a load, was drawn to the ground.” Pity for his parents, this most pleasant of all passions,” prompted him to choose a path that would give him the opportunity to pay the debt to those who gave birth for their constant worries, and trembling for his son, “as for the eye of his life,” and satisfy his spiritual needs 121. And so, St. Gregory chooses the “Royal Path”: he “refuses his dear wife and children, the pleasures of family and social life, wealth and power do not attract him, he yields to others soft clothes, luxurious curls, circus and theatrical performances, and bends his neck under the yoke of strict chastity, in the image of eternally youthful beings (angels)” 122. At the same time, he refuses the invitation of St. Basil the Great to share his hermit’s life in Pontus and remains with his parents “to cherish their old age, to lead them by the hand, to please their age.” Here he finds the opportunity to strive in philosophy: without even showing that he is working for the most excellent life, he, however, belongs entirely to it. Thus, while remaining in the world and sharing the active life of Christian leaders, examples of which were before his eyes in the person of Father Bishop, he maintained an attachment to monastic life, which he believed “not in the place of residence, but in curbing the character” 123. Modestly, not holding any position and hoping thereby to keep his heart pure, he seems to retire from life, and at the same time takes part in it insofar as it was necessary for his filial duties, quite rightly believing that “by serving his parents, he serves Christ” 124. Having created for himself, in his heart, a desert amid a busy life in his father’s episcopal house, he wants to withdraw into himself in order to undividedly concentrate on wisdom, in order to indulge in his beloved theological thinking and philosophizing, for which he has collected rich material in past years. Serving in the sacred rank or, as he says, the “church pulpit” was sufficient for him, but with all his being he wanted to stand far away from it: it seemed to him unattainable, and at the same time an enviable, but dangerous height, the same as sunlight is to weak eyes 125. Therefore, from the upheavals of life, he expected everything, but not to be in the pulpit. But the Lord judged differently... Chapter 2. Nazianza period of Gregory's pastoral activity External and internal conditions of pastoral activity in the 4th century. The relationship between the Church and the state in the 4th century and its results for Orthodoxy. Emperor Constantine and his successors. The predominance of the Arians and the persecution of the Orthodox. Gregory in Pontus with Vasily. Schism in the Diocese of Nazianza. Gregory's speech at the service of the Church. His forced initiation into a presbyter and his attitude to this event. Flight into the desert and return. Apology for removal. Introductory words and a word about escape. Analyze them. The pacification of the schism and the word about peace. Emperor Julian and his attitude towards the Church. Two words on King Julian. Analyze them. Gregory's participation in the affairs of the Caesarea Church and the fate of Basil the Great. Emperor Valens and his attitude towards the Church in general and the Cappadocian Church in particular. Death of Caesarea and Gorgonia. Funeral words for them. The election of Basil as Archbishop of Caesarea and the significance of this fact for the subsequent fate of Gregory. Sasima and Anfim of Tian. Consecration of Gregory as Bishop of Sasim. Gregory's attitude to this event. Words at the ordination. The gap between friends due to Gregory's refusal to go to Sashimy. The nature of Gregory's pastoral service as bishop of the Nazianza Church from 372 to 375. His behavior in public disasters: during famine, during the indignation of the people against taxes and during the production of a new census. Analysis of words for these cases. Participation in the fate of the poor. A word about love for the poor. Features of private counseling and pastoral intercession during this period. Father's death. His funeral eulogy. Death of mother. Gregory's attitude towards the Nazianzi Church Removal of St. to the Seleucia monastery Thekly. “It is neither honorable nor safe to pass by the silence of men renowned for their piety" (works of St. Gregory the Theologian, II, 146) The fourth century was very significant in the life of the Church of Christ and in the life of Greco-Roman society. Having become a permitted religion, Christianity necessarily came into close contact with the state, exerting its influence on it and, at the same time, taking into account one or another attitude towards itself on the part of the highest representative of the state - the emperor. Therefore, this new factor is now of enormous importance in the fate of the Church, as a consequence of the reformed order of life. If in the previous century the Church of Christ considered state power as its enemy and, at best, a peaceful enemy, only for the time being not raising its weapon against it, but for that reason not interfering in its internal life and structure, now, from the 4th century, sovereigns appear who, by direct interference in the doctrine and structure of the church, produce such confusion and disorder that can only be invented by the forces of hell. Politically, the fourth century is called the time of the death throes of the Roman Empire. Immediately after the death of Diocletian, the huge worldwide empire began to disintegrate, pressed from outside on all sides by barbarians and torn apart by the internal strife of the Caesars for the possession of the imperial crown. The united Roman Empire, with a huge accumulation of peoples who retained their laws, customs and identity and were connected with the empire only externally - by paying taxes and submitting to the Roman proconsuls - tends to disintegrate into its component parts as soon as the hitherto omnipotent Roman sword began to fall. The extraordinary expansion of the empire to the East caused the transfer of the capital to Byzantium and contributed to old Rome to isolate itself and forge feats against its young rival. This desire was quickly adopted, among other things, by the Roman bishops, who showed an inclination to inherit the former importance of imperial power and restore it under the banner of the papal throne. At the same time, the long-decreased state of morals resulted in their decline, caused by the diminishment of faith in the gods and the spread of materialistic teachings. Thus, the empire, which has begun to decay politically, is weakened by social unrest. At the same time, self-will and self-interest constitute a distinctive feature in the mode of action of the rulers of this time. In vain are calls from the royal throne to society to fight the deeply rooted evil. “When will the predation of judges finally stop, when will it disappear, I repeat,” wrote Constantine the Great with a feeling filled with bitter indignation. He called on all his subjects to report personally to him about the lawless acts of rulers, judges, nobles, even their friends. “Come boldly to me and everyone declare your complaint: I will listen to everything myself and will avenge myself” 126. Obviously, the evil was great, the corruption of the state machine was deep, if such calls were required, which, however, hardly achieved their goal. The position of the emperors themselves was too unstable, the influence of the eunuchs, who were easily sold, was too strong. “Gold has always subverted the truth,” St. loved to say. Gregory, characterizing the morals of his contemporaries 127. The state of the people was deplorable given the above-mentioned appearance of government officials: indifferent to the public good and busy with selfish calculations, they were often the scourge of the subject areas. The oppressed, abandoned people are stagnant in ignorance, rudeness, laziness, carelessness, and savagery. “The inhumanity and cruelty of one towards another has become greater than that of the barbarians,” notes St. Gregory 128. It was a time full of important events in the field of church life and religious thought - events that had enormous significance for the entire subsequent fate of the Church. Having put an end to its enemies - Judaism and paganism, and having won the right to an honorable existence through three centuries of suffering, the Church, raised from the catacombs and deserts to the throne of the Caesars, is now entering the period of its internal development, now unfolding in all its splendor and grandeur. Christian genius manifests itself in all areas of knowledge - in theological dogma, sacred exegesis, history, poetry, etc., creating a golden age of Christian literature. Provided externally, the church turns its energies to its internal development and to the assimilation of its doctrine with the help of the inheritance that pagan culture bequeathed to Christianity. The Greek inquisitive mind is trying to understand the essentially unchangeable truths of faith in their scientific understanding, and presented from a purely philosophical point of view and in their systematic sequence. But disappointments await him along the way... Back in the 3rd century, the disclosure by Christian apologists of the dogma of Fr. The Holy Trinity encountered opposition among Christians brought up on the principles of Gnosticism, which denied the Divinity of Jesus Christ. Then Monarchianism, or the anti-Trinitarian heresy, appeared, which agitated the church in the 3rd century and opened the way to the dogmatic movements of the 4th century. The concepts of unity and Trinity, formulated by the church in the doctrine of God, One in Essence and Trinity in Persons, were not immediately assimilated by the consciousness of mankind, but, in the absence of a strictly defined theological language and with the uncertainty of the terms οὐσία and ὑπόστασις, it threw its researchers from one extreme to the other, creating heresies Theodotus the Tanner, Paul of Samosata, Praxeus, Sabellius and others. Polemics with monarchianism, forcing us to insist with particular force on the difference between the Persons of the Holy Trinity, gave rise to the emergence of the idea of subordinationism among Alexandrian thinkers, which ideas were brought forward in relation to the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. The Trinity, to the extreme, was Ariem, resulting in Arianism, which deeply and disastrously worried the Church of Christ for a whole century. We will not describe in detail the movement of thoughts in the Arius system, but for our purpose it is enough to mention that, being, in essence, a concession to the teaching of paganism about the communication of the deity by a secondary being and a continuation of Gnosticism with its series of aeons between God and the world, Arianism attracted some of the bishops with deceptive formulas, others - with the fear of falling into the unitarianism of Sabellius, already condemned by the church. Disputes with heretics about the Trinity and the Divinity of the Son worried the Church and led to discord and strife. Constantine the Great (306–337), who took the sovereign throne after 18 years of waiting and the elimination of seven co-rulers, was very upset to learn about the Arian disputes in the Church, the improvement of which he made his life’s work. “Give me back peaceful days and good nights, otherwise I will have no choice but to moan and shed tears! “As long as the people of God are mutually divided by disastrous strife, can I be calm in my soul,” he wrote to the Egyptian Christians in a letter with Hosea of ​​Corduba, considering these disputes a personal matter between Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria, and the presbyter Arius 129. But both Constantine’s attitude and actions towards this feud were shaky and ambivalent: sometimes it seemed to him unimportant, sometimes too important. While restoring church peace at the First Ecumenical Council and caring about the unification of the bishops, Constantine did not delve into the essence of the controversial issue and did not care about the strength of the agreement between the parties. Having persuaded the Arian bishops to compromise by all means and forced the majority of them to sign the Symbol, without caring about the same understanding of some of its expressions, he believed that the Arian side had taken enough steps towards reconciliation. The reluctance of the zealots of Orthodoxy to be in communion with heretics condemned by the Council and participants in liberal theology showed, in the opinion of Constantine, that they were not peaceful and thereby placed them in the ranks of the enemies of his cause. Constantine's repressions against the pillars of Orthodoxy serve as the best proof of this: St. Athanasius languished in exile, while the Arians triumphed and captured most of the churches. The drama in the family of Constantine, which caused the death of Crispus and Fausta, the first wife of Constantine, a bloody funeral celebrated after his death by his sons over members of the imperial blood to eliminate them from inheriting the management of the provinces, which, however, spared the two boys Gallus and Julian, a series of bloody intrigues among the three main heirs of the empire - Constantine 2, Constance and Constantius, who nominated the autocrat Constance, - as much as possible testify to the corruption of morals that reigned in the society of that time. Constantius (337–361), raised in Christianity from childhood, during his father’s lifetime fell under the influence of the Arians, who had settled in his family in recent years, and all his life he was an obedient instrument in their hands. If the reign of Constantine the Great already partially proved that sometimes the patronage of state power can be more harmful and dangerous for Christianity than direct persecution, then the reign of Constantius confirmed this truth even more 130. Discord, moral and physical, the spirit of intolerance that established itself between different parts of Christian society were the first fruits of Constantius’s religious policy. Soon heretical unrest engulfed the entire East like a flame, deeply corroding the internal organism of the Church. Indeed, the reign of Constantius was the era of the widest outbreak of Arian unrest after the first Ecumenical Council. Although the Arians themselves were divided into many separate parties, they were all united in one thing - in a stubborn struggle against Orthodoxy and in the violent propaganda of their errors. Having won over the emperor and the highest secular officials to their side, the Arians, under the cover of state power, acted destructively in relation to the structure of Christian society, which had not yet had time to become sufficiently strong after three centuries of pressure from paganism. The installation of Arian bishops to the see was often accompanied by scenes of violence and even murder, as was the case, for example, during the installation of both Gregory in 341 and George in 357 to the throne of Alexandria. This is the picture of the revelry and violence of the Arians that St. paints for us. Gregory the Theologian. “Patriotic cities have been overthrown, thousands of people are falling, the earth is burdened with shed blood... The world has been expelled, the splendor of the church has been stolen... The order has been so transformed that we, who previously became a people from a non-people, a language from a non-language, are now in danger of returning to our previous state. It turns out that it was more convenient to endure misfortunes and persecutions, which strengthened and united us more closely, than to weaken now when we joined together... In everything - in food, in sleep, in shameful deeds, there is a measure of satiety, but we have no end to mutual defeats because of the teachings of faith. Priests arm themselves against priests, classes rebel with fury against class... Who will properly depict our disasters in full: the desecration of churches, churches turned into cemeteries, descriptions of property, dishonor, exile? What fiction can reproduce so many misfortunes - beatings, death, the disgrace of bishops, the nationwide immolation of presbyters, husbands, wives, youths, elders?.. And disasters are beyond words, and sufferings beyond the strength of the narrator... We suffered so much that it is impossible to recount all the disasters!.. And this disaster, the worst earthquake and widespread disease, seized not just one part of the people, but the whole country with a rebellious spirit: it divided the East from the West, threatening a final gap in opinions. This is worse than a barbarian invasion, for it is not houses and cities built with hands that are destroyed, but souls that are plundered” 131. St. Basil the Great compares the general state of the Churches to a night battle at sea, when, due to darkness, the rows of ships do not distinguish between friends and enemies. “There is a strong storm at sea. The water rushes up like a club. Torrential rain, gusty wind... Due to the action of water shafts, the ships collide with each other. Complete lack of battle order. Merciless murder. An ominous noise, mixed cries, general confusion... Complete lack of leadership, a frenzy of ambition between the managers, disputes about primacy on this or that ship when it is already plunging into the depths” 132. “The property of God, adds St. Gregory, became a battlefield of the devil, here he encamped, here were the army of lies, the defenders of deception, the demonic hordes” 133. Incredible disasters and trials made contemporaries think about signs of an imminent second coming. “I’m afraid that the present is not already the smoke of the expected fire, and that soon after this the Antichrist will come and take advantage of our falls and weaknesses to establish his dominion?” - thought St. Gregory the Theologian 134. “For our vices, for the wicked teaching about the Holy Trinity that has taken possession of us, all these calamities and the height of calamities have befallen us,” concluded the Orthodox 135 . And there was something to be horrified about: the Church was in danger of being overthrown by heretics, “for they already had one part of the churches in their power, they were making their raids on another, and they hoped to acquire the third with the authority and hand of the king, which had either already been brought in, or at least threatened” 136. In Syria, Asia, Pontus and Thrace there are only individuals who dedicated themselves to the fight against Arianism. The rest of the East, with Syrian Antioch at its head, was at the disposal of the Arians 137. Such was the position of the church under Constance. It was the same under other Arian kings before Theodosius the Great, especially under Valens. The pagan historian Ammianus Marcellinus characterizes Constantius’s attitude to the Christian faith with the following features. “He mixed the perfect and simple Christian religion with childish superstition, and rather through a confused investigation than a worthy organization, he created many discords, and these discords, when they established, he intensified by verbal disputes. The crowds of bishops traveling hither and thither to the councils, as they call them, tried to subject every decision to their own decision, and through this Constantius seriously undermined and upset the postal service of the empire. And there were indeed quite a lot of councils under Constantius. They completely distorted the truth of Christ, turning it into a subject of mutual bickering. The end of the reign of Constantius (November 13, 361), which caused sincere joy among the pagans, since this opened access to the throne for the last hope of polytheism - Julian, and among Christians, whose exponent of views is blessed. Jerome exclaimed: “The Lord is awakening, He commands the storm; the beast died, and calm was restored” 139, was the beginning of the speech of St. Gregory the Theologian for public service of the Church of Christ. It was difficult to imagine that in this dangerous time for the Orthodox, which required the exertion of all forces, such an educated, gifted and devoted person to the Church as St. would disappear and spend his days in obscurity. Gregory, so that he would remain an indifferent spectator of all the horrors and disasters that befell the Church. “Just as the Providence of God opposed Didymus to the Alexandrian Arians, so to those who lived in other places - St. Gregory of Nazianzus,” notes Socrates the scholastic 140. But let's turn to St. Gregory. Having changed this St. St. Basil the Great, back in Athens, promised to live and philosophize with him, changing not voluntarily, but by virtue of overcoming the law commanding parents to serve over the law of partnership and mutual habit, St. Gregory stayed at home, “forcibly curbing the desire to see his friend.” He wanted, as we have seen, to combine the benefits of monastic solitude with the blessings of life in the world. He led an ascetic lifestyle, slept on the floor, dressed in rough clothes; “salt was his sweet seasoning, a piece of bread was pleasant, water was a sober drink” 141. He spent his days in work, and his nights in prayer. Finding happiness in silence and self-examination, he bitterly complains about the need, when managing his father’s estates, to enter into all the household details and supervise the servants, who made this responsibility a disastrous net. This involuntary bustle turns his thoughts to that deserted life into which Vasily called him 142, and he finds a way out of his situation, “reconciling the demands of promise and duty with the intention and proposal to Basil the Great to visit each other from time to time” 143. Having exchanged several letters with him with ironic remarks about living conditions, St. Basil the Great sneered at the dirt and bad weather of the Tiberin district, in which St. lived. Gregory 144, and St. Gregory over the merchant inclinations of the Caesarians and other disadvantages of life in that city - and having received from him a poetic description of the corner of solitude he had chosen in Pontus, St. Gregory decides to visit him and goes “Εἰς Βασιλείανˮ,” that is, playing with the name of St. Basil the Great, it also means the place of residence of St. Basil the Great, and the kingdom of the world, opened to him by the desert. More than once subsequently St. Gregory recalled that blissful time when, amid feats of prayer, fasting and solitude, they carried on their shoulders “a cart up the mountain with Augean manure to level the ravine,” carried firewood and water, cut stones and planted trees. The golden sycamore planted by the “exhausted monk” remained to remind St. Basil the Great about a friend. They ate such bread that “their teeth slipped over the pieces, and then got stuck in them and were pulled out with difficulty, as if from a swamp.” And if not for the timely help of Emmelia, the mother of St. Basil the Great, then the ascetics would not have been alive for a long time 145. But among the monastic and spiritual and physical labors, the friends did not forget their scientific studies: they made a collection of valuable extracts from the works of Origen, under the name “Philocalia, a selection of useful things for lovers of love,” which later St. Gregory sent a souvenir to Theodora, Bishop of Tyana 146. At the time when St. Gregory enjoyed a contemplative monastic life in Pontic solitude; in his absence from home, circumstances occurred that required the presence of a philosophically and theologically educated son with his father-bishop. The fact is that the Arius system, vague in itself and obscured by various dialectical subtleties, gave wide scope in its understanding and interpretation, which served as the basis for the emergence of disagreements among the Arians and the disintegration into parties that disagreed in the definition of the nature and relationship of the Son of God to the Father. This is how the Semi-Arians, Aetians, Eunomians, Anomeans, etc. appeared. “Greek sophistry says Prof. I. Kovalnitsky, combined with Roman legal formalism and lawyer’s casuistry, and a long series of religious definitions appeared, full of deliberate uncertainty, ambiguity, silences, giving full scope to arbitrary interpretations - these confessions without faith, written in the syllable of the Antichrist in order to deceive the simple-minded” 147. Even at the First Ecumenical Council, the expression “ομοούσιος” - consubstantial - caused the reluctance of many Arians to agree to include it in the Symbol, although at the same time they rejected the teaching of Arius about the createdness of the Logos, as a teaching contrary to the essence of Christianity. Some of these recognized the Son of God “ὁμοιούσιος” - similar to the Divinity - which is why they are known under the name Omiusian or “semi-Aryan”. Others invented the expression “ἀvóμοιον” - Son, not similar to the Father. - These are “anomeans” 148 and etc. Coming from the position that the symbol should have been composed only of expressions found in Holy Scripture, many bishops were especially embarrassed by the term because the word was not biblical. At the same time, they leaned towards the symbols of Arius and other parties, each having its own symbol, the common similarity of which was the tendency to overshadow and turn into nothing the dogma adopted at the First Ecumenical Council 149. Revolving in the area of ​​difficult metaphysical questions about the relationship between the two natures in the Person of Jesus Christ was accessible to people with strong logical thinking and theologically educated. Emperor Constantius, who possessed neither one nor the other, however, through the machinations of the Arians, leaned towards the semi-Arian symbol. The councils he convened were Syrian 357; Seleucia - 359 in Isauria and at the same time Riminsky in Italy rejected and condemned the “consubstantial”, approving the semi-Arian symbol compiled at the Syrian Council. The emperor demanded the adoption of this symbol throughout the empire, threatening to expel those bishops who refused to accept it. Is it because authorities like Eusebius of Nicomedia and the famous scientist Eusebius of Caesarea also leaned towards the semi-Arian symbol, or because of a lack of prudence, but, in any case, not because of a departure from the Nicene faith, not out of fear and man-pleasing, Gregory the Father signed this seductive document. “The ink did not darken his soul, although he was caught out of simplicity, and, not having a treacherous heart, was not protected from deceit,” this is how his son justified him 150. True, the case of such signing was not the only one at that time: fearing the reproach of Sabellianism, common at that time for those who did not follow the Syrian symbol, a similar symbol was signed by Dianius of Caesarea 151, patron of St. Basil the Great, who was so carried away by George the Cappadocian, who was inclining him towards semi-Arianism, that he took the side of the opponents of St. Athanasius of Alexandria. Be that as it may, the Nazian monks, in the simplicity of their hearts, held not to speculative theology, but to the faith of St. Athanasius, were outraged by the action of their bishop Gregory the Father and caused a schism in the church. The happy and hitherto peaceful diocese was threatened with complications. Under such circumstances, the presence of Gregory the son became an urgent necessity for the old father, “like a support and rod of old age” 152. The flock of Nazianza, wanting to hear an eloquent speaker at such an alarming time, added their requests to the bishop's intention 153. Therefore, the solitude of St. Gregory was interrupted: “they took him out of the stronghold of the desert and, like a young dog of no bad breed, brought him out against the fierce heretical beasts” 154. The father knew his son’s way of thinking, knew about his love for a solitary contemplative life, about his high respect for the office of an altar server and about his reluctance to tie himself to pastoral ministry. There is no doubt that Gregory’s strong faith, his clear understanding of church dogmas, his ability to fight heretics, with extensive knowledge of both secular sciences and the word of God, were necessary for the Church in such troubled times. And here is St. Gregory was forced by his father and flock to accept initiation as a presbyter 155. This happened on the feast of the Nativity of Christ in 361. Although this kind of violent election and ordination to the priesthood was a common occurrence of that time, the suddenly inflicted violence - τυραννίσα - struck St. as if by thunder. Gregory with its surprise and “forced him to overstep the modesty to which he had accustomed himself all his life” 156 . It vividly occurred to him that his new title was not only incompatible with the primordial desire for a desert life, but also contradicted it, and forced him to abandon it forever. Now attachment to the blessings of silence and solitude took possession of the soul of the saint. Gregory is even stronger. Seeing that an attempt had been made on his cherished dream, cherished by him at first in his conscious spiritual life, supported in him by the preceding circumstances of his life, which contributed to him even taking a vow of silence to God, a dream that was already beginning to be realized in Pontic solitude, Gregory could not endure such coercion, did not allow himself to be plunged into rebellion and forcibly distracted from such a life, as if from the sacred shelters. More than ever, it seemed to him that “the best thing is to close off the senses, renounce the flesh and the world, gather within oneself, without extreme need not touching anything human, conversing with oneself and God, to live above the visible, to carry within oneself divine images, always pure and unmixed with earthly and deceptive impressions, to be and continually become a truly pure mirror of God and the divine, to acquire light towards the light,” to a less clear, most radiant one, to reap the blessings of the future century with hope, to cohabit with the Angels, and, while still on earth, to leave the earth and be lifted up by the Spirit to the mountain” 157. This spiritual torment of his was further increased by considerations about the height, holiness, and importance of his new rank, on the one hand, and the consciousness of his weaknesses, unworthiness and unpreparedness, on the other. It is not surprising if St. Gregory grieved so much over what happened to him that “forgetting everything - friends, parents, fatherland, clan, like an ox wounded by a horse fly, he went to Pontus, hoping there, in a divine friend, to find a cure for grief” 158. Having now the full opportunity to understand his thoughts and feelings, Gregory, with the help of Vasily, moderated his grief. Indeed, what motives guided his father when he forcibly elevated him to one of the lower thrones? 159 Only good ones: the desire to bind him with spiritual ties and attract him to the service of the Church, which he himself served for many years, the desire to honor his son by providing him with the best of what he himself possessed. Only fatherly love forced him to do this involuntary but necessary grief to his son. But didn’t Gregory himself make the first vow to be his father’s rod in old age and support in weakness, 160 for which he had already made a sacrifice once, abandoning the hermit’s life? He always considers himself indebted to his parents for his birth and education 161. Now that he was sued on this bill, did he have the right to refuse to pay it? “It became unbearable for me,” he says, “after so many sacrifices to incur anger and lose the parental blessing, for the sake of which others took unkind means”... Therefore, “isn’t it better to be honestly defeated than to win with harm and illegally”? 162. True, the payment seems to be such that it is associated with extraordinary difficulty, with the laying on of the yoke of Christ, moreover, in such an evil time, when the sons of grace were rejected and became the sons of apostasy, when a disorderly night battle began, when long-term wisdom and special experience were needed 163. Gregory, in conscience, does not consider himself prepared and therefore recognizes it as unsafe to take upon himself the care of souls and mediation between God and man. He remembers God's rebuke against unworthy servants - Nadab, Abihu, Elijah, Uz and others. But he also remembers the admonition of Jonah, who dared to add his own considerations to God's intentions 164. He thought that “it is good to shirk somewhat from the calling of God, as Moses did in ancient times, and after Jeremiah, but it is also good to hasten with readiness to the voice of the Caller, like Aaron and Isaiah” 165 . For a long time Gregory struggled with his thoughts, figuring out what to do, being between two fears, one of which forced him to stay down, and the other to go up. Therefore, he fluctuated first in one direction and then in the other, like a stream driven by contrary winds. Finally, the fear of being disobedient overcame other considerations. Would there be any excuse or room left to justify Gregory if he had persisted longer and denied the yoke of service placed on him? 166. Wouldn't this be insolence or rebellion, but generally ignorance? With such thoughts St. Gregory softened his soul like fire - iron, and calmed it. As an assistant to these reflections, he took time, this best healer of mental wounds, and as an adviser, God’s justification, which he believed all his life. And therefore, when the good father, exhausted from old age and the desire to have a son with him, sent him an insistent request to honor the last days of his life and return, a request supported by his flock, among whom his sudden and secret departure produced a great temptation and various rumors, then Gregory “again plunges into the depths, fearing the tearful fatherly threats, for it was dangerous that tenderness should not turn into an oath: for such is the nature of angry simplicity” 167. Return of St. Gregory's home and his first three Words were the beginning of his pastoral, in general, and preaching, in particular, activity. This happened in 362. Gregory's absence did not last long: on the day of the sacrament - the Nativity of Christ - he was anointed, on the day of the sacrament - the Baptism of the Lord - he retired for a short time; on the day of the sacrament - Easter - he returned 168. Since his removal made an unfavorable impression in society and gave rise to different rumors about the reasons for his removal, it was not without special intention that he chose the Easter holiday as a symbol of peace as the day of his return, considering this day the most decent time for reconciliation with the love of his father and the Nazianese flock that was irritated against him. Let us be enlightened by triumph,” he said in his opening pastoral address to the people, “and let us embrace each other... Let us surrender everything to the Resurrection; Let us forgive each other - I, who was subjected to good coercion, and you, who used good coercion." 169 Lightly touching on the motives of his flight, Gregory goes back to the idea of the holiday and in connection with it gives a number of edifying thoughts. Based on the event of the Resurrection of the Lord from the dead, he calls both himself and his listeners to renewal in spirit, to rebirth, to dying to sin and to restoration The voluntary surrender of the Lord to the slaughter obliges those who believe in Him to give themselves up entirely as a sacrifice to God... “Let us become gods for His sake, for He also became man for our sake” 170. Then pointing to his father as an example of undivided service to Christ, who gave himself and his property and, most importantly, his son, St. Gregory convinces his flock to be obedient to their call. a shepherd who is characterized by evangelical features 171. It would seem that this opening word, breathing humility and love about forgiveness, would be enough to reconcile the indignant feelings of the Nazians and pacify them, consigning what happened to oblivion. But the ferment among the people was stronger than thought. Everyone spoke and thought about the reasons for the submission and change in Gregory’s thoughts in his own way: (some approved of his act, others, guided by their personal feelings, judged more or less biasedly. Some, for example, accused Gregory of instability and frivolity, expressed in a contemptuous attitude towards Divine institutions and towards the voters themselves 172. Others guessed, of course, erroneously, that by dedication to one of the lower the thrones were not satisfied by the ambition of Gregory, who wanted more, and therefore was ashamed of this lower degree. This guess was in the tastes of that time, when people, poor in piety, with unwashed hands and unclean souls, looked at the thrones as an object of competition for earthly benefits 173. Still others added that St. Gregory did not live up to the hopes placed on him, because they left the flock without leadership, fearing Julian, who had just reigned then. To all such guesses, both unfair and offensive, Gregory considered it necessary to respond with a more detailed word, in which he outlined the reasons for his flight and return, as well as his view of the dignity and tasks of pastoral service. We mean the classic “Tale of Flight” 174, which has always been highly valued by the Church and gave rise to other works of the same kind, such as the “Tales of the Priesthood” by St. I. Chrysostom and “On the Duties” of St. Ambrose of Milan. But before uttering this famous word, St. Gregory the Theologian considered it necessary to address the denunciation “To those who called at first, but did not meet” - to those persons who, while facilitating his return from solitude, did not pay enough attention to him and did not even come to the church to meet him and listen to his opening speech. “Even as a stranger they were not brought into the church... Why do you neglect to receive what you wanted, he asked? Apparently, you are better able to desire us when we are not there than to take advantage of us when we are with you” 175. They upset him so much with this indifference and inattention that “they made the holiday not a holiday”... “This is the law according to which everything that is conveniently overcome is conveniently neglected.” Pointing out, then, the need for close unity between the shepherd and his flock, and especially in the troubled times that have come, Gregory asks his small flock to show him love equal to his love, so that under his guidance, with the help of the Holy Spirit, they can walk the royal path among temptations and enticements. The word about flight and how important the order of the priesthood is, and what a bishop should be,” was probably uttered only in its exculpatory part, but was later processed literary. It is of particular value, both for the abundance and richness of thoughts, and for their artistic expression. Opening his heart and its internal movements to those who especially carefully observed all his actions 176, Presbyter Gregory, in addition to the motives for the surprise of dedication already known to us, gives new reasons for both his removal and his return. Revealing the mentioned reasons in detail and picturesquely, Gregory says that one of them was, by the way, the low level of the clergy, for which he had to blush, and the general desire for teaching became an exceptional vice of his time. Meanwhile, “it is not the same thing to lead a herd of sheep or oxen and to rule human souls.” The ability to shepherd is such that in it “even extreme old age is a short-term respite” 177, “for everyone rather accepts a small vice to a greater extent than a high virtue to a small extent.” Fearing that he will turn out to be a bad painter of wonderful virtue, every shepherd, and, consequently, Gregory himself, must “not even know the measure of goodness and ascent to perfection” 178. And this places on the shepherd the duty of both his personal improvement and concern for the prosperity of his flock. Having compared spiritual guidance with healing and private counseling with the art of caring for animals, adapting to the properties and character of each animal, Gregory considers “distributing the word” to be one of the powerful means of pastoral influence, but not the “grubbing” of it, which is seen among vain talkers, who often use the word for fun. As a result of this view of pastoral service, it is better to cede the field of activity to those who want profit, so that “having bowed to the sea and benefits from afar, it is better to live with a small and meager piece of bread and eke out days in safety and serenity than to rush into greater danger and arouse laughter” 179. Thus, this program Word outlines the main features of Gregory’s future pastoral ministry: everything for the flock, nothing for himself; fearless and unceasing preaching, pure and unalloyed truthfulness, exploits in solitude and asceticism in constant communication with the world. On the path of the revealed pastoral service of the Holy Church, Gregory had, first of all, to take care of the destruction of the schism caused in the Nazianz community by his father’s careless signature of the semi-Arian symbol. The schism was so strong and deep that it threatened the unity of the Nazianz Church. Those who separated got themselves special priests appointed by outside bishops. A formal break occurred, which was especially dangerous at that alarming time and threatened to expel the world from the bishopric of Gregory for a long time. Another effort, eloquence and pastoral tact were required to heal the wound. And we see that St. Gregory rose to the height of his calling, showing a correct understanding of the spirit and needs of the time and deep, loving tolerance for those who sinned and offended, a tolerance that was clearly characteristic of all his subsequent pastoral life. Homily 6 180 is devoted to the question “On peace and on the occasion of the reunification of monastics.” In it, mentioning his previous silence, caused by the more than indifferent attitude of believers to his preaching activities, - and St. Gregory believed in it enormous power and significance, - on the other hand, mournful prayerful sighs and labors regarding separation, the result of which was “the rejection for some time, along with other pleasures, of the word itself” - Gregory praises in detail the blessings of the world and carefully touches on the causes of the gap. “Zeal for piety is commendable,” he says, for disagreement for piety is much better than the consent of some passion, but, nevertheless, the enmity of those who separated cannot be praised: everyone needs to protect the unity of their Nazianzian Church, this, although a small flock, was distinguished by serenity and steadfastness in Orthodoxy and held on like Noah’s Ark amid the worldwide drowning in the Arian turmoil. It is unacceptable to open the doors of the Church at such a dangerous time. Nevertheless, with those who were indignant fraternally, and not maliciously, Gregory acted in a fraternal manner: he accepted both those who separated themselves and their, in essence, illegally appointed presbyters into fraternal communion, with which wise condescension peace was ensured. Moreover, everyone knew that the carelessness of the signature was the result of clever writings and sayings, since everyone was confident in the Orthodox way of thinking of their bishop, as evidenced by the speedy return of those who had estranged. “Everyone knew,” explains St. Father, that he did not sin in thought, and ink did not blacken his soul, although he was caught in simplicity, and having an insidious heart, he was not protected from deceit” 181. The modesty of St. is worthy of note. Gregory, according to which he attributes the entire matter of pacification to the prayers and admonitions of his father, and he himself “helped only him, as if accompanying and watching over him.” Thus, internal peace was restored, misunderstandings were eliminated, and the Nazianzi Church enjoyed the benefits of harmony throughout the entire period of Gregory’s pastoral ministry. While Gregory was busy pacifying and improving the internal affairs of his father’s flock and his own, black ominous clouds accumulated over the horizon of the Church of Christ. On November 13, 361, the patron of Arianism, Constantius, died after reigning for 25 years. His nephew Julian, the son of Julius Constantius, the brother of Constantine the Great, ascended the imperial throne from his second wife Vasilina, a Christian. Saved in a Christian church from death during the beating of members of the house after the death of Constantine the Great, raised in Christianity, baptized and even initiated as a reader, Julian transferred understandable hatred of the murderer of his family to religion. Early on he became an admirer of paganism, the restoration of which in a reformed form seemed to him his life's calling. Raised by poor representatives of Christianity, first in a Cappadocia castle and then resettled in Nicomedia, he established close relations with the then learned representatives of paganism Livanius, Maximus and Themistius, who initiated him into the pagan mysteries. In 354 his brother Gall was killed. The same fate threatened Julian. But the intercession of Empress Eusevia saved him. He was sent to complete his education in Athens, where he meets Gregory, who, with his discerning eye, saw his true essence 182. In 355, Julian was appointed ruler of the West, where he showed great administrative and military abilities and earned the love of the barbarian soldiers by open veneration of the ancient gods and, in particular, by the taurobolium, the rite of dispossession of St. baptism and return to paganism 183. With all this he achieved that the death of Constantius opened for Julian a bloodless path to autocracy. Julian's short reign - 1 year, 7 months and 14 days, from November 13, 361 to June 27, 363 - was full of events, changes and plans. All his enterprises had one main goal - to weaken and destroy Christianity and revive ancient paganism. To achieve this goal, he returned all heresiarchs from exile, prohibited Christians from education from pagan rhetoricians, deprived Christians of benefits and removed them from positions at court and in government, as a matter supposedly incompatible with Christian humility; along with this he took away from Christians churches and property 184. To raise paganism, he used not only his personal example of adherence to it, but also the path of reviving pagan institutions. Personally, he was the most diligent of the priests, although often lonely. He surrounded himself with learned sophists, whom he managed to identify during his education and whom he called “comrades” 185. He wanted to revive pagan institutions by introducing from Christianity the features of charity, monasticism, preaching, etc. In an effort to destroy and humiliate the Church in the person of its worthy representatives, Julian did not ignore the great Cappadocians known to him from Athens - Gregory and Basil, whom he would undoubtedly honor with the honor of the Cyclops, i.e. the latter would be preserved to destruction. Gregory's first clash with Julian occurred over Julian's order to confiscate and destroy Christian churches. This command of the king also affected Nazianz. “Arrows,” says St. Gregory, “those sent by the king to take away or destroy the church from the Nazianzians, after attacking many other places, came here with the same daring thought, and the commander, by the royal decree, began to demand the church” 186. But the Nazianzi flock, led by Bishop Gregory, so unanimously protested against such a violent seizure that the soldiers gave in and did not touch the church 187. Fortunately, the unexpected death of Julian in the Persian campaign interrupted this plan of the king, “this evil offspring of that time” 188. The death of the apostate, understandably, made a different impression on his subjects: the pagans mourned, the Christians triumphed and expressed their joy everywhere in churches, on the tombs of martyrs and even at spectacles. The joy was especially great in Antioch, which, in the event of a successful outcome of the Persian war, would be one of the first to undergo the use of new measures for the exaltation of paganism, ripened in the head of Julian. To perpetuate the memory of the deceased emperor, who worked so hard to restore demonic idolatry and to desecrate the honorable name of Christ, the best rhetoricians of that time - Livanius, Callistus and others, compiled a series of panegyrics to Julian. In contrast to them, St. Gregory, on behalf of himself and Vasily, as persons who knew Julian and as representatives of that eloquence, which he tried to deprive Christians of learning, “for this kick,” dedicated two accusatory Words against King Julian 189, with the goal of “pillifying his shameful deeds and erecting a monument to him higher than the pillars of Irakliev, which would expose the traitor and frighten others to dare to a similar rebellion against God" 190. Although these words of St. Gregory promised to create not by imitation of vile speeches and idle talk,” that is, not by the rules of pagan oratory, for “all the power and learning of this age walks in darkness and is far from the light of truth,” 191 however, in essence, they represent a sample of judicial speeches of that time, since they were compiled according to the plan of works of this kind. In the First Accusatory Word of St. Gregory, having given thanks to God for delivering the Church from the persecutor and pointing out biblical examples of God’s miraculous assistance to his people, step by step sets out the life and facts of Julian’s anti-Christ policy and depicts the process of the gradual development of Christ-hating principles in him, as he became acquainted with pagan literature and with participation in various kinds of sorcery, fortune-telling and superstitions. Such a detailed history of villainy under the guise of meekness and malice should, according to the author, remain for posterity the same as the inscription on the monument. In the 2nd Word of St. Gregory sets out the circumstances of the last months of Julian’s life and his death, talks about his efforts to incite the Jews against Christians, about his plans related to the Persian campaign, and gives a general assessment of his personality and deeds. Exceptional in style and mood, these speeches could give rise to accusing their author of a lack of correctness, of a lack of Christian humility, of passionate judgment - feelings so alien to St. to my father. But there are no particularly solid grounds for doing this. In the very content of the Words there is a sublime moral tendency everywhere, and the explanation of the facts of Julian’s life is framed, for the most part, by the thoughts of Christian moral teaching. The author himself declares that he speaks according to the law, which commands not to rejoice at the fall of the enemy, and that compassion is required from the one who resisted” 192. St. Gregory calls, further, modern Christians not to vengeance, which was natural to expect, but to forgiveness. “Let us forgive in everything,” he says, and through this we will become better than our offenders and become higher than them” 193. If St. Gregory does not find it possible to say a single good word about the apostate, then this is understandable: Christians could not forgive Julian for the revolution that he caused, chasing the implementation of the disastrous chimera - to restore paganism. We must also take into account the circumstances of that time, when the temptation carried out by Julian was very strong and dangerous for the Church. In this case, St. Gregory was only a spokesman for the public opinion of his time. Truthful harsh reviews and vivid reproaches, being an echo of the horror aroused in Christians by Julian’s persecution, were, perhaps, necessary in order to keep weak Christians from sympathizing with paganism. For the pagans, the example of Julian was a clear indicator of the results to which a return to the old pagan religion leads. Therefore, the speaker’s feelings of indignation are quite understandable. If only, finally, in the Words of St. Gregory and there was something offensive to Julian, then it must be taken into account that during the struggle for life and death between Christianity and paganism, it is impossible to demand a cold-blooded assessment of paganism on the part of Christian teachers. From the year 368, from the utterance or composition of the mentioned two Words against King Julian, to the year 369, to the funeral Word to his younger brother Kecapius, St. Gregory did not speak the Words. The vow of silence, which he speaks of in his funeral Homily to Caesarea, 194 was imposed on himself because of the same love for the solitary contemplative life that prevented him from entering the field of public service. It is possible that in addition to this ascetic, so to speak, reason, St. Gregory also had other goals, for example, to teach listeners to be more attentive to his pastoral word or to show lovers of empty word debates and theologizing that the word of God must be treated with reverence. Let us try to depict the activities of St. Gregory in these six years, based on the few data that, at least partly, open the curtain on the period in question in Gregory’s life and activity. At this time St. Gregory took an active part in the affairs of the metropolis of Caesarea and in the fate of his friend, St. Basil the Great. In 362, Eusebius was elected primate of the Church of Caesarea. His election divided the people and bishops into many parties and aroused the displeasure of Julian, who was at that time approaching the city with an army. The bishops who baptized and ordained Eusebius had just left when they began to conspire to destroy what they had done and overthrow Eusebius, who was supposedly chosen not according to the law. Obviously, they were guided by selfish calculations: because of the discord on the metropolitan throne, they wanted to extract their own benefits, although, undoubtedly, they acted in the hands of the Aryan heretics. On behalf of the father who participated in the installation of Eusebius, St. Gregory gave a firm and decisive answer against the proposal to reconsider these matters, which restored the wavering peace in the Church of Caesarea 195. Meanwhile, the king was approaching the city, and his position was “as if on a razor’s edge.” The regional commander, unfriendly to the newly installed one, wrote threateningly to the ordaining bishops and, of course, to Gregory the Elder, asking them to accuse Eusebius. Gregory's answer, undoubtedly composed by his son, surprised not only the boss, but also the tsar with its bold truthfulness. It contains a firm defense of the Church’s right to resolve issues of internal self-government independently and independently of the interference of civil authorities. “Honorable ruler,” wrote Gregory, “in all our affairs we have a single Judge and King, against whom everyone is now rebelling... It is convenient for you to do violence to us..., but no one will take away from us the right to manage our own affairs” 196. Julian gave in to this rebuff. But if St. is involved in these matters. Gregory was indirect, as connected with the actions of his father, then in the case of St. Basil the Great St. Gregory showed himself among the shepherds of the Church as a firm and wise guardian of truth and peace. In 363 St. Basil the Great was suddenly ordained a presbyter. The same story repeated with him as with St. Gregory. Confused, he seeks sympathy and support from a friend, who provides him with this service. “And you are taken prisoner,” St. wrote to him. Grigory, like me, you are included in the list. Although both of us have a slow-moving philosophy in our hearts, until I understand the economy of the Spirit, we must endure and not disgrace both the hope of those who have placed their trust in us and our own life.”197 And indeed, high hopes were placed. Inexperienced in theology and unsteady on the throne, Eusebius looked to the young brilliant orator and theologian Basil the Great for support and help in bearing the burden of pastoral labors. And he found her. Basil the Great, although he occupied second place in the department, actually had primacy 198: he was a good adviser to the primate, a truthful representative, an interpreter of the word of God and the most faithful and active worker. But soon Eusebius, in the reasoning of St. Vasily was subjected to human weakness: he began to envy the fame and popularity of his presbyter, his ardent feelings for him began to cool, and he even deprived him of St. Basil's presbytery. On the advice of Gregory, Vasily retires to Pontic solitude, where Gregory also accompanies him for some time. The removal of Basil caused a schism in the Church of Caesarea. The monks, who loved Basil for his piety and oratory and were suspicious of Eusebius as a result of his appointment, were indignant and separated from Eusebius. But besides this internal turmoil, the Church of Caesarea was subjected to “a hail cloud that suddenly flew in, threatening with destruction all the Churches over which it broke out.” Of course, the “most gold-loving and most Christ-hating king” is Valens (364–375), who took the throne of Emperor of the East after the short reign of Jovinian (June 27, 363 - February 16, 364), Julian’s successor, and left a sad memory in church history with his Arianism and persecution of Orthodoxy 199 . The new king, cowardly and suspicious, completely fell under the influence of the Arians at the court - Bishop Eudoxius (who also baptized Valens in 367) and the wife of the king of Alba, Dominica. All this did not promise peace to the Churches, but, on the contrary, promised persecution and ruin. Gregory testifies to this when he calls Valens “persecutor after persecutor, although not an apostate, but worse than an apostate,” and describes his persecution of Christians in gloomy colors 200 . The position of Eusebius of Caesarea, with the upcoming struggle against Arianism and internal discord, was so difficult that he turned to Gregory for help and invited him to a conciliar meeting. Taking advantage of this circumstance, Gregory, in three letters to Eusebius, boldly and truthfully proves the injustice of his behavior towards Vasily and begs to be reconciled with him for the sake of restoring church peace and returning a zealous servant to himself, offering himself as a mediator 201. “By inviting me and humiliating Vasily,” he writes, you are doing almost the same as if someone began to stroke the same person on the head with one hand and hit him on the cheek with the other, or, having broken the foundation of a house, began to paint its walls and decorate the exterior 202. At the same time, he persuades Basil to leave the desert “for the sake of this time and their beasts attacking the Church,” and calls him to Caesarea in view of the change for the better in Eusebius’s disposition, willingly volunteering, if necessary, to be his assistant and companion” 203. With such fraternal efforts, St. Gregory reconciled Basil with the archbishop and restored peace in the Caesarea Church. Zealous, then, for the glory of God's Churches, St. Gregory tried by all means to provide them with the best and most educated servants. So, for example, St. He condemns Gregory of Nyssa for his intention to leave the position of reader and take up the profession of rhetorician, and thus returns him to the clergy. “What happened to you, wise man,” he wonders? “Why were you angry with yourself, throwing away sacred, edible books, and picking up salty and undrinkable books, and wanted to be better called a rhetorician than a Christian?” St. Gregory grieves for himself, and for him, and for the entire sacred rite, and for all Christians 204. St. was especially worried. Gregory by fate; his only brother Caesarea, who, possessing excellent knowledge in the natural sciences, held the position of court physician, was carried away by worldly life and apparently did not intend to devote himself to serving the Church. Since Caesarius even served at the court of Julian and, apparently, did not intend to leave him, St. Gregory, in a letter to Caesarea, convinces him, for the sake of the honor of the Nazianian Church and its elderly saint, their father, to renounce bad acquisitions, return home and be content with what they have, i.e., income from the estate 205. Both concern for his soul and fear for the dignity of the shepherds guided St. Gregory, especially since the behavior of Caesarea cast a shadow over the entire family of the bishop, and upset him, giving rise to temptation. “And the bishop’s son, while still in the service, now seeks worldly ranks and glory, yields victory over himself to selfishness without sparing his soul,” the flock could say 206. Arguments of St. Gregory gained their power, and Caesarius left court service. But after some time he again took the place of the royal treasury in Nicaea. Soon an earthquake occurred here, destroying the property of Caesarea, but sparing him. Using this symbol, St. Gregory convinces his brother to devote himself entirely to God, renouncing the world 207. St. also helped him in this matter. Basil the Great 208. The unexpected death of Caesarea in 368–9, in addition to that which brought down St. Gregory in sorrow and was a test for his Christian feelings,” entrusted him with new concern about the distribution of the property of Caesarea to the poor, according to the will of the deceased, and about the management of his affairs 209. Although passion is not a matter of philosophy, St. Gregory openly admitted to Philagria 210 that he “loves everything in Caesarea.” Therefore, for the sake of Caesarea, he broke his vow of silence and dedicated a funeral oration to his memory 211. In this word of St. Gregory consoles his family in the grief that befell him, praises the joys of the future life, tries to die out grief for the deceased and adds a prayer to the Lord for the merciful acceptance of the deceased as the firstfruits of their family 212 Concerns about fulfilling the will of Caesarea were imposed on St. Gregory received a new heavy duty to tinker with such matters that he did not like in his father’s house, such as: supervising servants, paying duties, visiting court places, pushing in the markets, etc. This burden increased from the abuse of bad people who, taking advantage of the death of Caesarea, plundered and took possession of his property 213. St. Gregory had to petition for the protection of property, turn to the rulers, in a word, immerse himself in matters that had nothing in common with shepherding 214. A few months later the Lord sent the family of St. Gregory has a new test: his only sister Gorgonia, who was married to Alypius, the governor of the city of Iconium, has died. St. Gregory also speaks a funeral Homily to her 215, in which he devotes more space not so much to the praises of the deceased as to lessons to the living, because “the purpose of every word and deed of his is to lead to perfection those who are entrusted to the shepherd” 216. In this Word of St. Gregory expresses his view on virginity and marriage and points out, using the example of Gorgonia, how one can be combined with the other; here he denounces the morals of modern society in general and women in particular. These are the first denunciations that came out of the mouth of St. Gregory the Shepherd. Gorgonia is survived by three daughters. St. Gregory took a close part in their fate and in the fate of their children: he taught them, interceded for them, admonished them and helped them 217. How heavy the response was on the soul of St. Gregory, the worries he experienced, how burdensome his earthly worries were, which disgusted his soul, this can be seen from the “Poems about himself,” in which St. Gregory, mourning the death of Caesarea, recalls with pleasure the Pontic solitude, from the time of which he died for the world, and the world for him, and “became a breathing dead man.” Returning back to the old rules of life for St. Gregory thirsts, surrendering himself, however, entirely to the will of God 218. Meanwhile, the circumstances of the Caesarea Church again required the participation in them of the authorities of the small Nazianza Church - the elderly, almost hundred-year-old Bishop Gregory, glorious for his life, and his son, the presbyter St. Gregory, already known to Caesarea for his qualities in the matter of reconciliation of Eusebius with St. Basil the Great. In June 370, Eusebius died. He had to choose a successor, which was not easy given the then state of the Church, threatened by the Arians, and the desire of many unworthy persons to become leaders. The seekers for the throne entered into an agreement with vicious people and, with their envy and confrontation, aroused confusion on this matter 219. One had to be wary of the Arians' desire to push through their candidate. Then St. Basil the Great, in a letter, invites St. Gregory, perhaps with the intention of nominating him as one of the candidates for the episcopal see. Not hoping that St. Gregory came to Caesarea at such an unpleasant time for him as the disputes during the election of a bishop, St. Basil the Great made a trick; he summoned St. Gregory under the pretext of his illness. St. Gregory hurried to Caesarea, but, having learned on the way about the true reason for the call, he returned home and wrote an angry letter to his friend, in which he reproaches him for the lack of truly friendly feelings 220. At the same time, he takes energetic measures to carry out the election of St. himself as bishop. Basil the Great, as the most worthy and useful person to the Church, he sends on behalf of his father two messages to the people and bishops of the Caesarea region, in which, citing an illness that prevents him from personally attending the elections, he recalls the importance and holiness of the episcopal rank and recommends St. Basil the Great, as the most worthy candidate, to whom it would be both impossible and unfair to prefer anyone.” In order to secure the consent of a larger number of bishops for the election of St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory writes two letters to Eusebius of Samosata, asking for his authoritative support, and then thanks for his sympathy 221. When circumstances required the personal presence of his father in Caesarea, the son convinced him, who was sick, to go there, reassuring him that if death befalls him on the road, then this care for the good of the churches will make for him a wonderful funeral robe 222. The labors of both Gregori were crowned with success: the parties calmed down, St. Basil the Great was elected and ordained. Gregory the Elder even received relief from his illness, “justifying the legend that work bestows health, zeal raises the dead, and old age leaps forward, anointed by the Spirit 223. Needless to say, with what joy the heart of St. was filled. Gregory for his friend, St. Basil the Great, when his election took place, and how he would like to see him. But here the discipline of the spirit was expressed, which forced him to sacrifice his feelings for the good of the Church. Everyone expected that St. Gregory will hasten to the new bishop and take a place of honor near him, “judging others by his own morals” 224. But St. Gregory remained at home and his joy at the election of St. Basil the Great outlined in a letter of congratulations to him, in which he explained the reasons that “oblige him to take care of his and his honor, and therefore to stay at home.” At the same time, he called St. Basil the Great to himself 225. Probably St. Basil the Great was offended by St. Gregory for not attending, which I wrote to him about. St. Gregory responds with an enthusiastic letter, in which he calls St. Basil the Great “with the eye of the universe, a sonorous voice and a trumpet, the chamber of learning,” recalls their life together in Athens, and considers the accusation of contempt to be the same as the accusation of insanity 226. Soon afterwards he writes to St. A new letter to Basil the Great, in which he informs about the illness of “the empress mother, with whom he sits constantly,” which is why he cannot leave for Caesarea. For the sick woman, he asks for prayers for recovery 227. Finally, the desire of friends to see each other is fulfilled: St. Gregory comes to St. Basil the Great. But he does not accept any honor from him and refuses the offer to join the department, i.e. become a vicar at St. Basil the Great or take the place of the first presbyter 228. Having approved the arguments of St. Gregory, St. Basil the Great sent him home, and with energetic pastoral measures he calmed the passions of his flock, successfully refuted the Arian heretics and improved his Church. But in view of the invasion of Valens, who came with the goal of destroying the Orthodox churches and strengthening the Arians, St. Vasily again calls St. Gregory for reinforcement in the upcoming struggle from which he expects only trouble for himself - exile or death, and he is sad that St. Gregory does not spend most of the year with him 229. St. Gregory was detained in Nazianzen by the same Valens, who first visited their city and received a firm rebuff from the bishop and the people. Then hastening to Caesarea, St. Gregory was an eyewitness to the courageous and heroic stand of St. Vasily against the persecutor and his triumph over the king 230. Entry by St. Basil the Great to the Metropolitan of Caesarea had important consequences in the subsequent life of St. Gregory: from that time until almost the death of St. Basil, she depended on St. for her main events. Basil, not only as a friend, but also as the Archbishop of Caesarea, under whose authority St. Gregory at his place of residence and ministry in Nazianzen. Soon after the entry of St. Basil to the See of Caesarea, Emperor Valens divided Cappadocia into two parts - the first and the second. In vain St. Basil tried to preserve church unity: the ambitious bishop of the main city of the second Cappadocia - Tiana, Anthimus immediately rebelled against his former metropolitan and began to encroach on his rights, withholding taxes and even once detaining the mules of St. himself in the mountain passes near Sasim. Vasily 231. “From now on,” notes St. Gregory, the warfare from the world has stopped, but another battle is beginning - this time from the bishops and their supporters; and there is a lot of dishonor in it, and even more harm to the subordinates” 232. It was easy for the ambitious and selfish Anthimus to win over to his side the majority of the bishops who were dissatisfied with St. Vasily for his right-wing faith (some of them leaned toward semi-Arianism) and for his firm and impartial service. The metropolis was divided: out of 50 chorebishops, St. Vasily V. barely half remained. The lust for power of the Metropolitan of Caesarea was greatly affected: it tore away from him an entire half of the province and deprived him of large incomes 233 . But what is most offensive is that Anthim and the estranged bishops justified their selfish calculations with concern for the salvation of the soul, for the purity of faith, although all this only served as a cover for insatiability, and the real reason was “covetousness, fees and extortions, from which the whole world comes into pitiful hesitation” 234. To this was added the rule that tribute should not be paid to non-Orthodox people, i.e. St. Basil, “although he is not Orthodox, according to St. Gregory, who insults us" 235. Both the breakup and the very reasons for it could not help but worry and upset St. Vasily. St. Gregory, for whom everything that concerned St. Vasily was also his business 236, he hastened to console and reassure his friend 237. For St. Gregory resolved the controversial issue very simply: he saw that the cause of discord was envy, which causes grief, and it also invents sophisms common among money-grubbers to justify itself. But in the opinion of St. Gregory, St. Basil the Great should not be embarrassed or worried about this, much less undertake anything unworthy of wisdom and both friends; St. Vasily had to remain unshakable, be above all these squabbles and, as if with a high wave, defeat evil intentions. St. Gregory expressed his readiness to come personally to the council, “if only the sea needs water, and Vasily needs an adviser” 238. So thought St. Grigory. But St. Vasily had a different opinion. We have already talked about the differences in their characters. Where the feminine, enthusiastic nature of St. Gregory tended to yield to the firm, imperious character of St. Vasily, a new field of action opened up for the benefit of the Church. Here it is: the disparagement of the chorebishops of St. Vasily thought to increase the number by opening new episcopal sees. This measure achieved three goals: the number of workers in the field of God increased, each small city was given authorized rights, and, finally, hostility with Anthimus was destroyed. There is no doubt that St. At the same time, Basil the Great had in mind, when appointing new bishops, to elect people only strictly Orthodox and not infected with the diseases that affected the clergy of that time. One of these small towns planned for the residence of the chorebishop was, by the way, Sashimy, lost among the mountain passes, bordering on the territory of the new Tian metropolis - “a waterless place, not growing even a blade of grass, devoid of all amenities, the village is terribly boring and cramped... There is always dust, the sound of carts, tears, sobs, tax collectors, guns torture, chains, and the inhabitants are strangers and vagabonds 239. The bishop for such a border point between two metropolises needed a man devoted to St. Vasily, strong in words and not seeking earthly well-being. Thus, according to St. Vasily, his only friend could be St. Grigory. However, judging from a human perspective, the appointment to such a place could be explained either by dislike of St. Gregory, or at least a cooling of their hot friendship. But St. Vasily, who never spared himself for the good of the Church, was far from such considerations; he knew the desire and love of St. Gregory to a solitary contemplative life, but held the opinion that to sacrifice oneself when the need of the Church requires it is the duty of every member of the Church, and especially the pastor. Probably the above letter is 43rd 240, in which St. Gregory offered to come to the aid of St. Vasil, gave the latter the confidence that now St. Gregory, judging by the repeated proposals to share the burden of pastoral service with him, will finally not refuse actual participation in the affairs of the metropolis and will accept the place of Bishop of Sassim. As for the insignificance of the place itself, St. Vasily expressed this in a letter to the Bishop of Samosat. And I would like, he writes, for Gregory to rule the Church in proportion to his strength, and such would be the entire Church united under the sun. But since this is impossible, let him be a bishop who is not respected locally, but who brings respect to the place. For in the true sense, he is great who is not only sufficient for great things, but with his strength makes even small things great 241 . This is how St. Vasily to the fact of the appointment of St. Gregory in Sashima. As you can see, there is no place here to accuse Vasily of either lust for power and love of money, or tactlessness, self-exaltation or other feelings towards St. Gregory, as some want to see it 242, on the basis of those bitter complaints of St. Gregory, which came from his lips. It responded inexpressibly strongly and painfully to St. Gregory's election to the bishopric. The unexpectedness of the call to a task for which he felt insufficiently prepared was increased by amazement at the very place of service, Sasim, inconvenient for any service in general, and for episcopal service in particular, due to the above-mentioned misunderstandings with Anthimus. “I don’t know what prompted him and what he was carried away by, acting unworthy of the Spirit living in him,” he said about St. Vasily 243. St. immediately introduced himself. Gregory, that St. Vasily, having ascended to the metropolis, forgot friendship and looks at him as an ordinary presbyter, obliged to obey him. “What happened to you?” he asked St. in absentia. Basil the Great. - “Why did you suddenly throw me so far away from you? May the law of friendship perish in the world, which respects friends so little... This is what Athens brought me, common exercises in the sciences, life under one roof, food from one table, one mind, and not two in both, the surprise of Hellas and mutual promises to sever the world as far as possible, and to live a common life for God, and to bring successes in words as a gift to the One Wise Word! Everything fell apart! Everything is thrown to the ground! Where to run? Will you wild animals accept me? I think they have more loyalty... Yesterday we were lions, but now I have become a monkey, and you are almost a lion. If you looked at all your friends like that, then at least you shouldn’t look like that at me, whom you used to prefer to other friends, until you ascended beyond the clouds and everything became lower than you.”244 St. was especially outraged. Gregory the fact that St. Vasily had previously expressed sympathy for his dreams of fulfilling, after the death of his parents, the Gospel advice on voluntary poverty and becoming a citizen of every place. St. Basil welcomed these thoughts, praised them, but, for all that, he elevated him to the episcopal throne, “another time 245 stabbing him in this.” St. Gregory thought that even his worst enemies could not have done him more dishonor and harm. Indeed, everyone who knew the friendship and services of St. Gregory of St. Vasily, found the latter’s act at least indecent. “But to remember the good done is decent for the one who used it, but indecent for the one who did it 246. St. Gregory did not find the strength to obey St. Vasily, and resolutely refused Sasim. “What would be fair for me to do? Tell it before God,” he reasoned. "Tolerate? Take all the blows of disasters? Go (to Sashimy) no matter what? To wallow in the mud 247 both physical and moral, in fruitless bickering? Sasim's acceptance seemed holy. Gregory was the source of disaster: it would separate him from his native home, so dear to him, from his elderly parents, whose old age was now the goal of his life; it, having given him a poor people to manage, would have made him a beggar, depriving him of the opportunity to fulfill the duties of charity and accepting strangers; it finally demanded from St. Gregory did a lot of all kinds of work, would give as a reward not roses, but thorns, because for this place and for this purpose other people are needed, and not like him. “Demand from me generosity in something else - if you want,” he answered the saint. Vasily, and offer this to those who are wiser than me" 248. But over the “invincible” St. Gregory carried out violence: he yielded not to persuasion, but to coercion 249. He found himself in such a position that no matter how he portrayed his life, there was a sting for him everywhere. Having learned about the disagreement of St. Gregory to accept the appointment, St. Basil comes to Nazianz to convince St. Gregory. He stretches out his hands to him, kisses him and begs him not to remain at a lower level, but, working with him, to make his labors easier. And whatever convictions he used, St. Gregory held on. But when to the arguments of St. Vasily's father added his prayers and admonitions, but the son could not resist. “You, dearest of sons, are begged by the father, the young man is begged by the old man, the servant is begged by the one who is your ruler both by nature and by the twofold law... This is what I seek,” the father continued, “to make you another Aaron and Samuel, an honorable representative of God. You, son, belong to the One who gave you. Do not dishonor me, so that Our One and Only Father may be merciful to you. My demand is wonderful, at least it is fatherly. You have not yet lived as long in the world as time has passed since I made a sacrifice to God. Do me this favor, do it, or someone else will hand me over to the grave. I determine this punishment for disobedience. Give a few days to the remains of my days, and dispose of the rest of your life as you please” 250. Whose heart could withstand such an onslaught? How much courage does it take to endure a father's wrath? Probably, Nonna also used her maternal prayers to persuade her fearful son to accept that high rank for which she revered so much. All this dissipated the spiritual tightness of St. Gregory, and he reasoned “that there is still no great harm in avoiding the pulpit, in order to fulfill his father’s desire.” Probably, his heart felt that the Lord would save him from the difficult ordeal of going to Sasima, where he, the protege of the metropolitan, and not the people, would have to endure a multilateral war. Then the question became easier, “for this (ordination as bishop), he thought, will not keep me (in Sasima) against my will, who is not bound (with them) by either naming or promise.” “This is what overcoming fear brought me to,” he later recalled 251. After such reflections, St. Gregory “bowed his neck, although he did not bow in spirit.” The dedication itself, according to the description of St. Gregory, this is what happened. St. Basil took the newly initiated man to the middle and sat him down with him; then, he makes him an accomplice of cares and crowns: he anoints him as a high priest, clothes him with a vestment, places a miter on him, leads him to the altar of burnt offering, sacrifices the bullock of consecration, consecrates his hands to the Spirit, introduces him into the Holy of Holies and makes him a minister of the church of God 252. Here, in the presence of the father and St. Basil, St. Gregory says, “The Word on ordination, a brief improvisation, breathing with burning spirit and sincerity of feeling 253. “Again the anointing and the Spirit are upon me, and again I go weeping and lamenting,” this is how his speech begins. The speaker trembles and laments the weakness of the soul that has come into such close touch with God in dedication. He is afraid to turn out to be a bad and untuned organ, remembering that in the very exaltation others were often deposed. Everything that happened for him is the same as the flash of lightning for a child; it produces pleasure mixed with horror. He longs and seeks to be a true shepherd and asks to be taught this. “Teach me,” he turns to the one who ordained him, your love for the flock, caring, vigilance... Tell me to what pastures to lead the flock... Who to shepherd with the club and who with the pipe. How to fight with wolves and how not to fight with shepherds, especially in the present time... Help me become a good shepherd, not a bad one” 254. As can be seen from the above excerpts, St. Gregory the Theologian with reverence and trepidation began his pastoral service, which seemed to him the highest service on earth. Subsequently we will see that both the practical experience of pastoral ministry and the theoretical teaching about it were the implementation of the thoughts expressed in this speech at the dedication. Ordination of St. Gregory took place in half of 372. It, in his own words, was the beginning of disasters. “From here all the inconveniences and confusions in life descended upon me. Because of this I could not be wise” 255. Not being a man of strong character and not having the strength to fight more commanding natures, St. Gregory thought that by allowing himself to be dedicated, he allowed himself to become weak, which he later always regretted. Even time itself did not destroy this regret and sorrow in him, although it, as the best healer of wounds, diminished their bitterness. After his consecration as bishop, St. Gregory, as the first time, upon his ordination to the priesthood, withdrew into the desert to strengthen his spirit and to take stock of what had happened. His soul, exhausted by the anxieties of the struggle, longed for solitude and contemplation. And when this solitude calmed him down, he returned to his father and said in the presence of St. Basil's second Word 256. From this Word it is clear that careful and calm reflection on what happened gave St. Gregory had the opportunity not so harshly to denounce his oppressors, who, who loved the desert as hardly anyone else loves, and who made every effort to quickly evade the general storm and dust, under the plausible name of the priesthood, betrayed him to this restless and insidious market of souls, from which he suffered a lot of evil and suffered and hopes to still suffer” 257. “There is nothing stronger than old age and more respected than friendship,” begins St. Gregory his protective Word. By them I was brought to you, a prisoner in Christ, bound not with iron chains, but with the insoluble bonds of the Spirit.” Having further mentioned that he was now attached to ministry, although he longed for peace, St. Gregory conveys his assumptions, through the scarcity and uncertainty of this life, to acquire for himself a small abode in the future life. But conquered by the gray hairs of his father and the friendship of such a pious man as St. Vasily, he puts aside his anger on the occasion of the sudden dedication and calmly looks at the hand that did violence to him. He now changes his thoughts and changes himself, and blames those who did not initiate him, who, in essence, “could not tolerate the talent remaining hidden and buried in the ground, and the lamp under a bushel, which is why they did not allow it to remain below, but blames himself for his arrogance, or rather madness. “Having confessed his unworthiness, he entrusts himself to the guidance of God 258. Now he is ready to forgive St. Vasily, who, acting with him forcibly, “thought higher than humanly, acted in everything according to the spirit, and, knowing how to respect friendship, did not show him respect only where it was necessary to prefer God and give priority to the desired over the corruptible 259. Soon St. Vasily, not being able to be with St. Gregory, goes home, but sends his brother St. in his place. Gregory of Nyssa "to console a grieving friend and to reconcile him with the Spirit." In the presence of the guest, St. Gregory pronounces the 3rd Word, in which, paying tribute to feelings, friendship and comparing St. Basil and Gregory with Moses and Aaron, reproaches the arrival for arriving later than the need required, and expresses his readiness to “give an account of his actions in order to prove that he is not completely reckless and ignorant, but bold in what is worthy of courage, and fearful, where there is a place for fear, and where not to be afraid is the most terrible thing for someone who has intelligence.” Then, fulfilling his pastoral duty, he worries about not leaving his listeners hungry, and gives a series of instructions about the need for sanctification and the fight against temptations. He ends his Word with a prayerful appeal to God for sending down to him the gift of shepherding the verbal flock of Christ 260. However, the ensuing peaceful mood of the spirit of St. Gregory was soon violated, which is what St. feared. Grigory. Anthimus did not want it as easily as St. Vasily cede to Sasimov, a border point and, therefore, controversial. He did not think about the means of struggle. Having forcibly taken possession of this city, he could only cede it to force. Thus, there was bloodshed. There is no need to say how disgusting all this was to the peace-loving spirit of St. Gregory. He is again overcome by heavy thoughts about the uselessness and vanity of all human concerns and about the joy of the blessings of wisdom. If he was burdened by the disposal of his father’s property, if he accepted pastoring as a burden, then what could prompt him to enter into litigation and warfare with the power-hungry Anfim and, moreover, because of Sasimov, an insignificant place that does not represent any particular value either hierarchically or territorially? Soul of St. Gregory could not stand such discord, and he refuses to carry out the order of St. Vasily goes to Sashimy, but runs away “into the mountains and deserts, seeks mental and physical silence, withdraws his mind into himself, turns away from feelings, so that the undefiled one can talk with God and be illuminated by the rays of the Spirit without any admixture of the earthly and darkened 261. The act of St. Gregory was outraged by St. Vasily. He sends him an angry letter, reproaches him for laziness and negligence, points out to him his subordinate position - in a word, opens up that old wound, which it took him so much work and effort to heal. St. Gregory answers St. Basil the Great in two letters 262. “You reproach me for laziness and negligence,” he writes, “because I did not take your Sasimov, I was not carried away by the episcopal spirit, I do not arm myself with you to fight, as dogs fight among themselves for the piece thrown to them. But for me the most important thing is silence... I make the greatness of the spirit in this a law for everyone, and I think that if everyone imitated me, then there would be no worries for the Churches, faith would not tolerate desecration, which everyone now turns into a weapon of their curiosity” 263. But St. Vasily was not satisfied with this answer and repeated his accusations. “Won’t you stop blaspheming me as an uneducated person, unworthy of friendship and life itself,” objects St. Gregory in the second letter. I am tired, listening to reproaches to you and defending you in front of people who know our relationship and say that, after being used in business, I am abandoned like the most dishonest and worthless vessel, or like a support under the arches, which, according to the fold of the arch, is taken out and considered nothing... But I will express what is in my heart, don’t be angry with me. I will not look for weapons and learn military cunning that I have not learned before. I will not expose myself to the attacks of the sword-bearing Anthimus. But fight him yourself, if you wish, or look for people who will fight... What is the need to enter into a fight over mammals and birds, and, moreover, for strangers, as if the matter is about souls and the rules of the Church? Why deprive the glorious Sasimov of the metropolis? You take courage, overcome, and I will gain one benefit from your friendship: I will not trust my friends and will not prefer anything to God” 264. Question about Sasima for St. Gregory was decided... In relation to them, he considered himself “free: he did not touch the Church given to him at all, did not once serve God there, did not pray with the people, did not lay hands on any of the clergy 265. The subsequent story with Sasima showed how right the saint was. Gregory in his views on this matter. Soon Anthimus, wanting to put an end to the shameful for the bishops and tempting for the believers fight over the “Sasima swamps,” arrived in Nazians, but without having time to win both Gregori to his side and reproaching them for their adherence to St. Vasily, made through St. Gregory's written proposal to St. Vasily, at a council discussion, to demarcate the borders of both metropolises 266. To this St. Vasily subsequently agreed, yielded to Sasima and restored communication with Anfim. However, this time too St. Gregory did not remain in solitude for long; his elderly father needed him so that “his young hand would serve as a support for the old hand” 267; The people needed him, for “several reverent people attacked him and did not cease to conjure him to return, threatening the success of many godless people 268. St. Gregory did not “renounce the throne of his great father, who was dear to him, for it would be unfair to resist God’s statutes.” He yielded to his father's prayers 269 and returned to Nazianza to be his father's co-shepherd, but refused to be his successor 270. “Why did you need a co-shepherd,” he asked, turning to his father in the Word when entrusting the care of the Nazianzen Church. “Why do you require a rod and support for yourself?” And he explains that, while still vigorous in spirit and body, he does this not for carnal purposes, but for the good of his Church. Then, in an address to the flock, depicting his desire for solitude for improvement, so necessary for those who set the goal of life to purify the image in a larger number of people (i.e., for the shepherd for the sake of his flock), he explains the reasons for his deviation, as well as his return to share the care of a good father, “as with a large and pompous eagle flying near him is not an entirely inexperienced chick.” According to St. Gregory, although the right to inherit his father’s works, however, “it is more useful and safer to rule over those who wish and over those who wish. Moreover, the pastoral service is not so much management as childbearing, and therefore most of all requires freedom in electing pastors for the flock and vice versa. “For the secret of salvation is for those who wish, and not for those who are forced.” Having then revealed to the congregation “the secret of his heart” and expressing his readiness to serve Nazianz until the opportunity arises to “give over his wings to the Spirit to carry him wherever and however he wants,” St. Gregory ends the Word with a prayer to the Holy Spirit, and expresses the need and willingness to reveal in detail the truth about His Divinity 271. This is how the temporary installation of St. Gregory at the See of Nazianza. Having been ordained to the See of Sassim without the election of the people and clergy and not being able to occupy it due to the fault of those opposed, he remains a bishop without a specific see, not sparing, however, his strength to fight heretics and willingly appearing wherever the Spirit directs him through people zealous for the good of the Church. To St. He tried to maintain the same friendly relations with Basil the Great and in every possible way defended his name from criticism, which is evident, for example, from the immediate fact that when at some meeting one monk, in the presence of St. Gregory, accused St. Basil in the wrong teaching about the Holy Spirit, and St. who defended him. Gregory - in timidity, which created a temptation among those present 272, and St. Vasily, notified of this by St. Gregory, expressed displeasure to his friend for his weak defense 273 and then St. Gregory justifies himself that, in reporting what had happened, he acted simply “out of ordinary goodwill,” leaving him “to correct the matter himself, and not be angry with the advisers, and expresses his readiness to be with St. Vasily and help him as much as possible 274. The extraordinary compliance and noble humility of the new bishop were able to eliminate all misunderstandings and complications. Devotion of St. Basil and the cause of the Church of St. Gregory soon expressed his participation in the installation of Eulal as bishop of Doara, a city also contested by Anthimus. In the Word spoken on this occasion, he, calling St. Basil's head and saints, although he suffered an insult from him, encourages the ordained “to fearlessly serve the flock that the angels bring to him,” although he inherits the throne under various temptations and trials. “Nothing great happens without temptation and trial,” he says, for, according to the natural order, the unimportant is accompanied by convenience, and the high by difficulty. Let the enemies shout, we will not fight or scold. For the ministry of a bishop is a peaceful ministry. To prevent misunderstandings, the bishop must acquire good skill” 275. Episcopal ministry of St. Gregory the Theologian's tenure at the Nazianzi See did not last long - from 372 to 375. All this time was spent in diligent pastoral activity and constant concern for his flock. Let's see, based on what is available in the works of St. Gregory data on how he carried out his pastoral ministry during this period. Showing in his personal life an example of modesty and humility, going so far as to refuse to preach in the presence of his father, 276 being obedient to the will of God and his parents, which was especially reflected in the question of being ordained a bishop, with all his soul inclined to asceticism and detachment from all earthly goods and advantages, St. Gregory took to heart all the needs of his flock, lived their life, rejoiced in their joys, grieved with their sorrows, while turning all cases of pastoral life into an object for the spiritual and moral edification of his flock. He cared equally about the welfare of both his entire flock and its individual members. Therefore, the Nazianza period of the activity of St. Gregory can be called the time of his moral and practical activity, in contrast to the dogmatic-polemical period of Constantinople. In the pastoral activity of St. Gregory during this period, our attention is stopped by his behavior during public disasters. The year 373 was very difficult for Nazianz. The drought and pestilence of the previous year upset the economic well-being of the inhabitants. An extraordinary hailstorm in 373 completely devastated the fields and harvest. Famine was coming. The people's health was very depressed. The grief of the congregation was inexpressible. Its elderly shepherd Gregory Sr., who had become close to the people during his almost fifty years of service and did not see any means to help them, was so struck by the disaster that he remained silent from grief and only offered up a fervent prayer to God for the people’s mercy. The distressed, despondent flock was waiting for words of consolation, encouragement and instruction. St. Gregory delivers his pastoral Word 277. In it, pointing out the inappropriateness of a son speaking at the pulpit in the presence of his father and the advantage of his father’s wise word in comparison with his, abundant but inexperienced, the speaker begins to explain the main question, where do misfortunes, crop failures, harmful winds, hail and other disasters come from in the world? Experiencing the righteous judgments of God, he finds that with disasters God punishes the wicked for their sins and makes them know His power in suffering. The means to attract God’s mercy is tearful repentance of the sins that accuse us, and walking along the paths of God. But the shepherd cannot be deaf to the suffering of his flock. However, by indulging in sorrow and by his example teaching the people to repent of their sins and correct their lives, the shepherd is a supporter of God’s love for mankind, which surpasses human iniquities, for enduring disasters is beneficial when it leads to correction. “It’s not so hard to endure blows, but it’s much harder not to remain chaste under blows.” The shepherd is the guardian of God's admonition. Therefore, St. Gregory, fulfilling the position of guard, openly confesses to God the sins of his flock and encourages them to do good. He pays special attention to rich people, merchants, buyers of bread and life supplies, waiting for difficult times to enrich themselves. Castigating their love of money, this idolatrous vice, and likening the gluttony of the rich to Solomon's drink, he calls them to mercy. The word ends with a general call to earnest prayer to God with a promise to correct himself 278. Thus, a public disaster gives the pastor an opportunity to call people to cleanse themselves from moral vices, to evoke in them a feeling of repentance and to heal their hearts by pointing to the only source of prosperity - God's mercy, which is attracted only by repentance and correction. But the trials of the Nazianites were far from over with the aforementioned disaster. Soon the people, impoverished by crop failures and hail, rebelled against their authorities because of the forced collection of taxes, which seemed especially burdensome to them in this time of disaster for them. The outrage prompted strict measures from the government, and the instigators of the rebellion faced severe punishment. The frightened people resort to the protection of their bishop, hoping that out of respect for his personal qualities, the city ruler will not refuse the petition and will spare them. The people even took refuge from punishment in the church. And St. Gregory not only did not abandon his defense and intercession, but took all measures to ensure that he, the “poor shepherd,” returned his small flock to the true path, with whom the law of pastoral service commands to rejoice in joy and groan in sorrow 279 . In the Word spoken in the presence of the city governor and authorities, St. Gregory expresses remarkable pastoral skill, reconciling the warring parties and teaching moral instructions to both. “Disasters,” says the preacher, are a common occurrence in human life, which is constantly changing and by its very changeability leads us to God’s constant providence for us. Human well-being is as unreliable as what is written on water, or like the whirling of the wind. You cannot trust him, and they act prudently, who, in happiness and misfortune, at all times and in any case, protect themselves with good hope, remember in a clear sky about bad weather and during a storm about the helmsman, and do not turn to God only during punishments. Therefore, one should not lose heart. As for the real cause of the disaster, one must submit to those in authority who exist for the common good. The authorities are established by God and it is dangerous to drain their mercy. With their opposition to them, people only mix wormwood into honey.” The speaker clarifies the meaning of authorities by comparison. “There is only Christ,” he says, but for some He is salvation, for others He is destruction. One boss, but not fulfilling his duties, but indignant at his superiors, is similar to those who, sinning against the laws of struggle, would blame the distributor of the reward, or who would blame the doctor for cauterizations and incisions necessary due to the nature of the disease.” With such reasoning, St. Gregory showed the people that he himself was to blame for his misfortunes, and opened access to the heart of the city ruler for his subsequent words. Turning further to the authorities, he points out that they themselves are subject to his pastoral influence and therefore must heed the word of the shepherd. According to St. Gregory, for a commander, salvation lies in the very attitude towards power and the sword, given not so much for action as for threat. Having above you the Highest Chief - God, and remembering your answer to Him, in the hands of the boss the greatest good is “to be a god without having done anything, for the most divine thing in a person is that he can do good”... “Don’t miss the opportunity to deification,” he admonishes. The earth bears many other people's debts... We are all guilty. Therefore, let us forgive so that we may be forgiven, let us go so that we ourselves can ask for forgiveness.” Having brought his petitioners to the “best of leaders,” the shepherd asks permission to defeat him... through philanthropy 280. Petition of St. Gregory was successful and reconciled the warring parties. And what can’t the zeal of a shepherd, illuminated by God’s grace, do? How beautiful and deeply instructive this Word is, breathing true pastoral love for those at war! How effective it is with its correct psychological analysis of their mental states! The third misfortune for the Nazians, after famine and rebellion, was a census of the people entrusted to a certain Julian, a school friend of St. Gregory. Pastoral concern for the people was not slow to manifest itself here. Needless to say, how important for Nazianza, which was burdened by exorbitant and unevenly distributed taxes between the rich and poor classes of the population, depleted by crop failures and livestock epidemics, was the question of the census and the corresponding equalization of taxes. The collection of taxes has always been a stumbling block and temptation, often serving as a reason for internecine strife and bloodshed. To equalize taxes between layers of the population meant to pacify him. And here is St. Gregory takes advantage of this opportunity to pacify the flock. Due to his school acquaintance with the head of the census, Julian, St. Gregory, in three letters to him 281, petitions for a fair and philanthropic taxation of his flock, asks not to blame him and his flock for any misunderstandings with his relative Nikovul, and complains that illness deprives him of the opportunity to come in person for a meeting and conversation. Imbued with respect for St. Gregory, Julian invites him to secretly come to one of the nearby monasteries for a meeting on this issue and, in particular, to correct previously made mistakes in the census. Unable, due to illness, to take advantage of such an invitation to actively participate in the distribution of taxes, St. Gregory places everything on Julian's conscience and gives him advice regarding the choice of reliable assistants. When Julian arrived in Nazians, St. Gregory from the church pulpit pronounces the Word 282, in which, with high animation, he develops in detail the Christian view of the tasks of life and the mutual rights and responsibilities of people. In this Word, pointing out the advantage of silence, the shepherd raises and analyzes questions about what the purpose of life is. “Not in fun, petty glory, false prosperity, like smoke and dreams,” he answers, but in exploits to the disgrace of the world in order to acquire incorruptible crowns, to which we are called by our rank. We must acquire virtues here in order to fill the mountain regions with them. This fruit-bearing, according to everyone’s strength, must begin with the creation of the holy spiritual church of Christ on earth, for which each person and each class must bring their gift. This gift is love, mercy and condescension, which should reign in the mutual relations of people, and then through the small good we show, we will be enriched there.” After these general rules and instructions, the shepherd turns to the census taker with a reminder of the importance of the work entrusted to him, of the need to remember the commandments of Christ in conducting it, for “God is always included in the most important orders of the government.” Hence, he is a census taker - only a servant of God, and a census is a special type of service to Him, which is why he should be worthy of this great honor. Remembering the first census, at the birth of Christ, and the last census, “in the book of the living,” should be the guiding principle for him in carrying out his work 283. It is impossible not to notice how skillfully St. Gregory every occasion in pastoral life in order to turn it into a case of pastoral edification, care and drawing a lesson or instructions from it. And, at the same time, he does all this without any exaggeration, artificiality, or pretentiousness. For him, the moral application is a logical conclusion from the course of speech, and, therefore, convincing and effective. Taking care of his flock, St. the father did not leave care of people and persons who especially needed his support. What deserves our attention, for example, is the attitude of St. Gregory to the poor, the poor and the needy, these are the Church's clients par excellence. And this side of pastoral ministry is beautifully illuminated by the works of St. father. From them we see that out of love for the poor and, especially for lepers, who are quite numerous, most of all arousing pity and left by people without personal sympathetic compassion, St. Basil the Great built an almshouse near Caesarea, nicknamed Basiliada after him and which attracted the attention of even emperors. Deeply sympathizing with the concerns of a friend, St. Gregory took every possible care to attract the attention of Christians to it, mainly the wealthy, thanks to whose offerings this institution alone lived. For this purpose, St. Gregory pronounced “A Word about Love for the Poor,” one of his best words, sparkling with oratorical wit and full of everyday features that enlivened it 284 . It contains such a beautiful description of the importance and greatness of love, the highest of the virtues, so touching is the presentation of the internal and external conditions of the needy, and especially the lepers, whom everyone is trying to avoid. To the lepers, according to St. The father should primarily be compassionate. “This body,” says the speaker, when it feels good, “raises” war, and when I fight against it, I subject it to sorrow... This is a gentle enemy and an insidious friend. But although I blamed him, we must take care of him, and especially we must cry and sympathize with the bodily suffering of our brothers,” who suffer so unspeakably from both physical pain and moral torment with general disregard for them. “Who is more tender than a father? But for these outcasts the parental heart is also closed” 285. Convicting his contemporary society of criminal indifference to these unfortunates, the shepherd contrasts the miserable life of the unfortunate with the satiated life of the people around them and pleases those who remember the commandment of charity and buy eternal blessings for themselves with it. At the same time, he does not forget to refute the thoughts of those who want to see the punishing hand of God in the misfortunes sent down to the suffering, and the mercy of God in their prosperity, for “the destinies of God are inscrutable.” The word ends with a call for heartfelt attention to the poor. It should be added that while calling others to charity, he himself did not remain a spectator of poverty: considering the bishop’s personal property to be the property of the poor, he sold the most valuable thing that he personally had - rhetorical books - in order to distribute the proceeds to the poor 286 . To fully appreciate the significance of this sacrifice, we must remember how deeply St. loved. Gregory’s occupation with the art of rhetoric and how dear these books were to him. It would be very erroneous to think that the indicated cases completely exhaust the entire pastoral activity of St. Gregory at the time in question 287. Although he loved solitude and tried to ensure the greatest possible silence for himself, he did not, as we have seen, renounce life and did not consider it inappropriate for his rank and desire to attend to the needs of his flock. If we turn to the numerous letters of St. Gregory, we will be amazed at his responsiveness to all sorts of demands placed on him. There seems to be no situation, no matter in which St. Gregory would not have contributed a piece of his active love to those in need of it. From his surviving correspondence dating back to this time, we see, for example, that St. Gregory asks Amphilochius, the court intercessor, to take over the defense of the case of Euphaly and Nikovulus 288. When Amphilochius was threatened with punishment for a mistake in his service, he interceded on his behalf with the iparch Sophronius, and his brother Caesarius, familiar with the court spheres, and the famous rhetorician Themistocles, “the king of eloquence” 289, asked for the same. Or is he reproaching St. Gregory of Nyssa for his intention to leave the position of reader and take up rhetoric, and then consoles him when, due to the machinations of heretics, he was expelled 290. He convinces Aepius and Alipius to fulfill the will of their mother, who bequeathed part of the estate to the Nazianian Church 291. The head of the census, Juliana, asks for tax exemption for members of the clergy 292. Simplicia convinces her to stop fighting with the Church over the slave 293. The family discord of nephew Nikovul due to his dissatisfaction with the short stature of his wife Alipiana is settled with witty arguments 294. Vitalian convinces him to leave the bad community that prevents him from being with him 295. The pagan Eutropius is attracted to Christianity by his correspondence with him 296. Recommends to high-ranking officials and petitions them about the needs of those who contact him on various occasions 297. Each petition of St. Gregory knows how to give validity, knows how to say and find a suitable rapprochement, which, without diminishing the authority of the person asking, would encourage fulfillment with its naturalness and simplicity. The dignity, nobility and pure intentions of the person asking were a sufficient guarantee for the successful resolution of the petition. Thus, the life of St. was spent in worries about satisfying all kinds of human needs. Gregory. In 374, the centenarian father of St. died. Gregory, Gregory the Elder, who served the Church in the priesthood for 45 years and was highly respected both among the bishops and in the environs of Nazianza for his pious life. He met death in a position of prayer and with prayer on his lips 298. “The happy, blessed bishop and father of the bishop, a good shepherd, who with meek morals raised most of the flock for Christ, died,” 299 the son wrote to his father in his tombstone. Gregory buried his father “who went on his last journey from which he would never return” 300 in the church he himself had built, and dedicated a commendable Word spoken in the presence of St. to his memory. Vasily, who arrived to pay his last respects to the venerable elder and console his grieving friend. In this speech, composed according to the rules of words of praise of that time, quite lengthy, the son sets out the biography of his father, dwelling on its outstanding moments and drawing lessons of piety from them. The pastoral activity of the deceased, his participation and authority in the affairs of the Caesarea Church, his ascetic personal life with night vigils and labors, his influence on his flock especially attract the attention of the speaker. In the Word there is an appeal to the distinguished guest, to whose judgment the speaker submits his work, and to the mother, whom he consoles with the frailty of the body, destined for destruction, and the naturalness of death, terrible only in name, and not in deed itself. There is one life for us, he said, to strive for life, one death is sin, because it destroys the soul 301. For the mother, another consolation in separation should be a quick meeting with the deceased in the afterlife. By the way, in this Word it is interesting to compare the father with Abraham, the mother with Sarah, and himself with Isaac 302. His grief on the occasion of the death of his father, St. Gregory poured out in a letter to Amphilochius, saddened by the separation from his son, who was appointed Bishop of Iconium. St. Gregory, according to Amphilochius, did not take measures to dissuade him from accepting the episcopal rank. “It grieves you that your son has been kidnapped and honored for his virtue. But I’m not sad that my father went on his last journey, from which he will never return, and I will never see him again! After this, I don’t complain at all, I don’t demand due respect, knowing that my own misfortunes do not allow me time to take care of strangers, and there is no person so friendly and wise, wrote St. Gregory, so that he would be above suffering and begin to console others when he himself needs consolation.” 303 Expressed by St. Gregory, in his laudatory Word to his father, the idea that the time of relocation was near and that his mother was soon coming true. Nonna, who loved most of all the church and church prayer meetings, in which she presided For so many long years she saw first her husband, then her son, but in the church, close and dear to her, “she laid down the body dear to her son, holding on to the sacred boards of the meal.” “Come,” she heard a voice, and, willingly renouncing her body, with the words: “Be merciful, O Christ the King,” she moved in spirit to heaven” 304. Mother of St. Gregory did not speak a funeral eulogy, but dedicated 35 epitaphs and many small elegiac poems to her. The mystery of death, which was revealed to him twice in such a short period, left a seal of silence on his lips and brought to him a series of new feelings. A new era of his life was opening before him. It seemed to St. Gregory that his duties and earthly interests ended with the death of his dear people. Preserved in life as if deliberately in order to escort his brother, sister, father and mother to their place of eternal rest and to admonish them with funeral speeches, now he, it seemed to him, could completely surrender to the unity and silence that he had long strived for, but dear feelings prevented him from using which - filial respect for his parents and kindred love for his brother and sister. Moreover, the attitude of St. Gregory to the Nazianzi See was not formally obligatory for him. For a short time, he had “some concern for her, but as a stranger and a stranger to the Church” 305. Always wanted - to give up the throne to those who wanted, and to be a disciple all his life 306, St. Gregory now announced the same thing to the bishops, asking them from the depths of his heart, as a gift, to appoint someone as bishop of the orphaned see. He cited as evidence that he did not accept the government of the Church by choice and public name, and that he cherished an old thought - to run away from business and friends. But in vain he tried to convince the bishops: some, out of great affection for him, others, perhaps out of arrogance, wanted to get the better of him. On St. Gregory received a number of complaints and reproaches that he was leaving the Church without care. “The clergy is crying out, many are scolding him as a man who does not value church affairs.” St. Gregory could not withstand such an onslaught of love from his flock for him and agreed to stay temporarily. But a serious illness did not allow him to meet with the respected defender of Orthodoxy - Eusebius of Samosata, during his journey to Thracian imprisonment 307, the burden of governing during church unrest, a personal depressed state, shocked by the blows suffered, the lack of hope for the concerns of the bishops about replacing the Nazianza “small and poor see”, the fact that St. Gregory in 375 “went as a fugitive to Seleucia, to the church of the glorified virgin Thekla, reasoning that perhaps by this means, when time tires the bishops, they will be convinced to give the reins of the Nazianzi Church to another 308. But St. Gregory did not find the desired peace in her: none of the expected benefits came true. Illnesses did not leave him, things that he thought to avoid, “as if on time, came to him in great numbers” 309. Three or four years spent in the monastery of St. Thekly, there was no time for rest, complaining of an illness that prevented him from seeing church leaders, he calls them to him, gives advice in absentia, supports them in the fight against heretics, asks them to write to him about everything and so on. Heavy worries and sad church circumstances bring gloomy thoughts to his soul. “I am sick in body, old age is over my head, a lot of worries have accumulated, things have been crushed, there is no loyalty in friends, churches without shepherds, the good perishes, the evil is out there, I must sail at night, there are no signposts to light the way anywhere. Christ is sleeping. What do I need to endure? For me, there is only one way out of evil: death. But it’s scary there, if you really think about it. The exhausted traveler longs for peace. But God's providence directs him to commit a number of other acts, which, being a brilliant page in the book of his life, are marked in the history of the Church by a period of heroic struggle for Orthodoxy and constitute one of its beautiful legends. Chapter 3. Constantinople period of Gregory's pastoral activity The religious and moral state of the Tsaregrad metropolitan population. The situation of Orthodoxy in Constantinople. The task of pastoral ministry is in it. Arrival of Gregory in Constantinople. Alipiana's house. Church of St. Anastasia. Features of Gregory's pastoral activity in Constantinople; prayer meetings: preaching the word of God. Words: about the installation of bishops and about the dogmas of St. Trinity; commendable St. Athanasius, two words about peace, five words about theology, about maintaining order in an interview, against Arian. Analysis of all these words. Moral and practical activities of Gregory. His life is domestic and social. Characteristics of relationships with others. Opposition to Gregory from the enemies of Orthodoxy. Robbery attack on April 21, 379. Insinuations against Gregory and their refutation. The nature of Gregory's attitude towards heretics and enemies. Strengthening Orthodoxy as a result of Gregory’s pastoral activities. New tests. The case of Maxim Tsinik and its consequences. Temporary removal of Gregory to rural solitude. A word on your return. The entry of Emperor Theodosius into the capital and his religious policy. Entry of Orthodox Christians into the possession of the capital's churches. The triumph of the Orthodox over the Arians. Gregory's behavior in relation to the court and authorities. A word about myself. Arians' revenge: attempt on Gregory's life. His preaching activity in this period. The Second Ecumenical Council and Gregory in mutual relations. Meletius and the case of the Antiochian See. Arrival of Egyptian bishops. Gregory's refusal of the See of Constantinople. Farewell audience with the emperor. Gregory's farewell speech and leaving Constantinople "A clear sign that a person is not holding on right faith, if he does not agree in faith with Gregory" (Ex Rutini Migne c. c. s. “When the Lord of our life wanted me to show the Word and the Spirit in other alien, uncultivated fields overgrown with thorns, then I, a small drop, gave water to a great people,” 310, says St. Gregory about his activities in Constantinople. What was Constantinople like at that time? “Nature did not produce two suns, but two Romes, two luminaries for the whole universe, an ancient and a new power. They only differ from each other in that one is where the sun shines, and the other is in the West. But as for beauty, they are not inferior to each other in beauty; and if you ask about their faith, one has walked the good path for a long time; the other was previously righteous, but is no longer so; on the contrary, he plunged into the abyss of destruction after the city of Alexandria sent away the abomination of desolation - Aria" 311. These words characterize St. father the significance of Constantinople among the world of that time and its position in the Orthodox East. Having inherited from the first Rome the idea of ​​predominant dominance among the other cities of the universe and having transferred to itself the center of gravity of the then political world, Byzantium, the new Rome, also inherited the moral atmosphere, forms of life and way of life that dominated the former capital of the empire. The influx of wealth from all over the world, the court with its luxury and intrigue, previously acquired habits, spoiled morals in the new Rome as well as in the old. The Roman nobility, transferred by force of events and migration from the banks of the Tiber to the shores of the Bosphorus, brought with them their former tastes and way of life. If the ancient simplicity and purity of morals disappeared back in Rome, then here, closer to the East, life manifested itself in greater completeness and diversity. The invention of pleasures of various kinds and the passion for them seemed to know no boundaries. Like the Romans, here too they demanded most bread and circuses. Theaters, circuses, and games were an urgent need for all classes of society. Morals and habits of St.'s contemporaries Gregory describes in the following terms: “living in magnificent houses, decorated with gold, silver, all kinds of stones, expensive mosaics and beautiful paintings, they loved to dress in soft, lush, airy fabrics made of fine linen and silk. Luxuriously dressed, they usually reclined with importance on high couches covered with expensive carpets. The floor was often and untimely sprinkled with fragrant flowers, and the table was sprinkled with expensive and fragrant myrrh for greater irritation of bliss; young servants in beautiful order and formation, with their hair flowing like women’s, and in such decoration that even the most whimsical eyes would not require, stood, serving and fanning... It was necessary that all the elements - air, earth, and water - should deliver their gifts in abundance to the greedy and ungrateful womb, as if ashamed that they would not be considered vicious people and slaves of the womb, and that which is even worse than the womb” 312. Women were especially fond of luxury, with their passion for expensive stones and gold, with chains on their hands and feet, seeking only to please many men. For this purpose, they “built towers of false hair on their heads, wove gold into their curls, decorated them with combs, painted their faces, following the example of dissolute women, so that, being so colorful and rosy, they would drive young people crazy” 313. Obviously, the pagan principles of life were still strong in society and in the minds of newly enlightened Christians and could easily get along with the foundations of the new religion, to which they often belonged more in name than in spirit itself. But what is most dangerous is that people brought their worldly customs into church life. The Greco-Romans, as the inhabitants of Byzantium liked to call themselves, took their highest delight in sophistic debates, and from church speakers they demanded pompous and ear-pleasing speeches and theatrical techniques, behaving in church as in a theater, applauding them or in other ways noisily expressing their approval or censure of the speaker. On the other hand, among the clergy, in order to gain popularity and to please the crowd, unfortunately, shepherds appeared who pandered to its tastes. It would be unfair to say that the Greek people considered the Christian religion only in this regard to the external side of faith. No, the truths of faith attracted the Greek mind of this period and occupied it a lot, although this interest was expressed more in inquisitive theoretical rational definitions of religious positions than in a heartfelt desire to assimilate and implement them in life. “The Greek people, says Professor Barsov, by the natural make-up of their spiritual forces, were predominantly spiritualistic, classically educated, frolicking in philosophy, oratorical dialectics, could not concentrate all their spiritual forces on Christianity, when it, as a doctrine, appeared before them in all its attractive and amazing grandeur; for an educated genius, new, fresh and plentiful food was presented in this teaching” 314. But the trouble is that everyone began to talk about faith, and not live by faith. Not living by faith, but determining doctrinal truths was the goal of theological studies. From the realm of the heart and mind, religion became the property of only the mind and reasoning. From a letter to St. Gregory to St. Vasily about a dispute at a feast with a monk regarding Vasily’s inaccurate expression about the Holy Spirit, one can already see how the society of that time was interested and occupied by theoretical religious questions 315. St. Gregory of Nyssa left us a classic picture of the passion of his contemporaries for word disputes that infected the entire East. “Some yesterday and today,” he says, “having taken a break from their work, they became some kind of sudden teachers of theology, others, perhaps runaway servants, more than once scourged, solemnly preach to us about the incomprehensible. Everything in the city is filled with such people: streets, markets, squares, intersections. These are clothing sellers, money changers, and food sellers. You ask about the oxen, and he talks to you about the Born and the Unborn. You want to know about the price of bread, but he answers you that the Father is greater, and the Son is at hand. If he says that a bath is suitable, he decisively says that the Son is from nothing. I don’t know how to call this evil delirium or madness, or some kind of general disease that produces insanity in the mind” 316. St. himself Gregory the Theologian speaks sternly about this same passion for theology in his 1st Sermon on Theology. “Nowadays everyone has begun to delve into absurd and strange wisdom and play with them, with only one thing in mind - to ask or solve some question and look like spectacular wrestlers... Every square is resounding with their speeches. At every feast they cause boredom with idle talk; in every woman’s chamber, this refuge of innocence, they disturb the calm by asking questions and with haste in words steal the color of modesty” 317. Thus, a passion for verbal debate penetrated into all spheres of life and excited minds and hearts. As a result of constant debate about faith, the phenomenon that St. the father calls “bilingualism and inconstancy.” “Today there is one throne, one faith, tomorrow an opposing wind will blow, and we will have different thrones and faith. The love of disputes makes (disputants) one way or another, like the ebb and flow of the sea” 318. The habit of arguing endlessly, without understanding what is accessible and what is not accessible to inheritance and beyond human strength, has completely degraded the very object of faith. From the churches, disputes moved to the streets, to spectacles, became the same thing as “riding on horses”, and became the property of theatrical performances of such a city, “which they used to turn into fun and worthy of praise, not to mention funny in itself” 319. This “paganism” of unrecognized theologians, for whom it is enough only to want to become wise, was richly nourished by the existence in Constantinople of numerous sects that disputed each other’s right to an accurate definition of the dogmas of faith. True, at the beginning of the Arian heresy that dominated in the 4th century, Constantinople was protected from it by its saint Alexander; his successor Paul, who was exiled many times and finally killed by heretics, was the same zealot of Orthodoxy as St. Athanasius the Great in Alexandria. But then, for almost forty years 320, the see of Constantinople, with the powerful support of the Arian emperors, was captured by the Arians. The main church of the city, St. Sophia could be considered, as it were, “the citadel of the demon, where he strengthened himself and placed his warriors, there gathered an army of lies, defenders of delusions, pillars of hell, legions of unclean spirits and furies, because, in fairness, this could be called the Arian women who defended their sect with a fury worthy of Jezebel” 321. With the establishment of the Arians in Constantinople, as everywhere else where they gained the upper hand, the Orthodox were subjected not only to dishonor, insults and threats, but also to all kinds of violence, to the point of confiscation of property, exile and death. Churches were desecrated by beating bishops and members of the clergy. An execution in an amazing setting was carried out on one presbyter and his clergy: they were put into a ship and, having set it on fire, they were betrayed to the fire and the waves 322 . It goes without saying that under such circumstances the number of Orthodox Christians in Byzantium decreased from year to year, and the number of heretics increased. The former had to hide to perform divine services, the latter triumphed. “The situation was worthy of tears,” notes St. father - the Orthodox were expelled, cast out, scattered over all the mountains and hills, as happens to those who do not have a shepherd... Some kind of misfortune has come for the Church” 323. The fate of Orthodoxy in the capital of the empire could not help but sadden the hearts of the hierarchs, and they sought means to gather, strengthen and restore the Church of Constantinople. On the political horizon, circumstances began to favor it. On August 9, 378, after a decisive battle with the Goths at Adrianople, the defeated Emperor Valens was burned in a rural hut, where he hid with his retinue from persecution. As his successor, the Western co-ruler Gratian chose the Spaniard Theodosius, who gained fame in the field of military art for successful campaigns, and in the field of religion declared himself Orthodox and a champion of the Nicene faith, which he later confirmed by decree in February 380. The accession of Theodosius inspired the hope of the Orthodox for the improvement of the Church of Constantinople. The Council of Antioch turned its attention to Bishop Gregory, free from the see and living in Seleucia, “as a man of eloquence and piety superior to all his contemporaries, whom, by general verdict, was transferred to the bishopric of Constantinople” 324. Theodoret attributes this appointment to the influence of the “divine Meletius” 325, and Gregory himself - to the will of his friend, St. Basil the Great and the wishes of Peter of Alexandria 326. “I was invited,” he says, “many from the shepherds and from the sheep, they invited me to be a helper to the people, a defender of the word, waterless souls, but still green, to refresh with streams of piety, with the nourishment of oil to pour light into the lamp, and many tricky words, the interlacing of the tongues of greyhounds, with which the simplicity of faith is destroyed, these cobwebs, rotten bonds, ridiculous for the strong, but those that bind the frivolous, loose and break them with firm teaching, so that everyone who is caught in them can escape the snares” 327. In this general appeal to himself, St. Gregory saw the right hand of God calling him from solitude to the service of the Church. “They thought about me that I meant something before God, as a person famous in life and word, although I always led a rural life” 328. Burning with zeal for the glory of God and the triumph of Orthodoxy, for there were rumors about some gathering of bishops introducing the newly revealed teaching, and that heretics were tearing apart the flock” 329, St. Gregory, reinforced by night visions and terrifying insurances of the cold sea 330, hurries to Constantinople, “not of his own free will, but forcibly carried away by others and led by the grace of the Holy Spirit” 331.. Attention St. Gregory was presented with “the flock having only a small seed of vital breath in their dying body”; the flock is small; but “God, after all, looks not at the number, but at the heart... And this remnant was precious. Actually, it was not a flock, but small traces of a flock, without order, without supervision, without precise boundaries, scattered and scattered here and there. Anyone who happened to find himself an overseer and a shepherd, provided for his own salvation. She was like a flock that was scattered by lions, destroyed by a storm, dispelled by darkness - a flock worthy of many tears” 332. But this small flock, an almost barren field, deserved the full attention of a zealot of the faith. “For if such a city, the eye of the universe, the most powerful on land and sea, as if a mutual junction of East and West, where people flock from everywhere and from where, as from a common marketplace, everything that is most important in the faith comes - if this city, and, moreover, disturbed everywhere by so many languages, is established and strengthened by sound teaching, then the cause of the Church of Christ will be firmly established and taken care of labor will not be in vain" 333 . St. Gregory, more than anyone else, was aware of both the meaning and importance of the pastoral service ahead of him, and he understood the extraordinary difficulty of it when he, “a small ship, has to engage in battle with a heavily laden ship” 334. And if, elevated by God and God’s good servants to a foreign throne, he decided to expose himself to the danger of “impressing piety in this city for the first time,” then only because, as he assumed in the dreams of his vain heart, “as soon as he acquires the power of this throne, for appearances give a lot of weight, then he will immediately bring into agreement, unfortunately, those who have separated from each other, like the leader of the singers, who, having become in the middle of two faces, and prescribing the law to one with that hand, and to the other with the other hand, makes one face out of them” 335. The greatness of the task did not bother him with its difficulty, but rather attracted the great spirit of St. Gregory. For himself personally, he expected nothing from the difficult struggle ahead of him except danger and grief. And what good can one expect for his temporary life “who has stripped himself of himself for Christ” 336 . Such was the task of pastoral ministry in Constantinople. Let's see how St. resolved it. Grigory. At the beginning of 379, St. arrived modestly in the noisy, brilliant capital of the empire. Gregory, accompanied by a few people. In appearance, he was a wanderer, hunched over, drooping to the ground, poorly dressed, a wanderer, with nothing attractive to the eye, with an ugly face, the loss of one eye, with hands roughened by menial labor, with a harsh and rough Cappadocian pronunciation. But for that, he was a man who had learned to curb his belly with exploits, fear of the future and other evils 337. The newcomer could not find a single free church for himself. Why, having stayed in a hospitable and kindred to him in spirit and in the flesh house of a private person, the nephew of Nikovul, the husband of Alipiana, the daughter of Gorgonia, the sister of St. Gregory, he turned one of the rooms of this house, generous in everything, which was for him the same as the house of the Sumanites for Elisha, into a meeting place for public worship, “not without danger to his life, hiding his persecuted piety” 338. Here St. Gregory built a church, calling it Anastasia, i.e. Resurrection, thereby indicating the intention to restore in purity the Nicene faith, trampled upon by the Arians. In another sense, he also calls this church Bethlehem, as a place of the revival of Orthodoxy. The pastoral activity of St. began with this small home church. Gregory. His reverent worship and outstanding eloquence, together with the miraculous power exuding from him, little by little began to attract more and more scattered verbal sheep. Guided by the Holy Spirit and accompanied by His grace-filled gift, St. Gregory soon gained fame for his fervent prayer, so strong before God that it was often accompanied by the healing of the terminally ill 339. It is obvious that the Seleucus solitude brought him great benefit, developing in him a religious feeling, reflected in deep sincerity and edification, which were now especially strongly manifested in sacred rites, and in conversations, and in private relations. His former extreme idealism, which often stemmed from ignorance of the human heart and life, was now cooled by a series of severe life disappointments into a more sober attitude towards life and people. Although bitterness and disappointment are now increasingly heard in his sermons, he notices more forcefully and accurately the shortcomings of his contemporaries. Then, hardly any other of his contemporaries possessed, to the same extent as he, scientific competence in the fight against various heretics and in the positive revelation of dogmatic truths. Gifted with rare gifts of the mind, having thoroughly studied the Holy Scriptures and spiritual literature, he also possesses a huge stock of the most varied information, “which the East and West and the beauty of Hellas - Athens had collected before him,” having developed majestic and strict eloquence - he carried with him independence of thought and spirit and the consciousness of his mental superiority. His eloquence was strong and captivating, alien to unclear and unfounded expressions, his style was correct and pure, his imagination was vivid, his ability to pronounce amazing. He was a threat to heretics. Hardly anyone had such an ability to unravel the intricacies of their false thinking and defeat them with their own weapons, showing the incorrectness of their dialectical constructions, as he did. Finally, the spirit of his sermons, loving, condescending to the weak, punishing not individuals, but deeds, greatly contributed to the fact that the majority of the erring and wavering joyfully crowded around his bars, first listening to his spiritual words, and then becoming members of his flock, and admirers and co-workers of his cause. Preaching works laid a solid foundation for the triumph of St. Gregory in Constantinople. The following teachings are given here: “Word 20, about the decree of bishops and about the dogma of Prov. Trinity" is one of the first things said here by St. Gregory 340. It was quite natural for the newcomer to present his confession of faith and clarify his attitude to the most important dogma that was being disputed at that time - the Holy Trinity. This is what he does in the mentioned Word. He begins his speech by denouncing the disease of time. “When I look at the growing disease of the tongue, at the hasty sages, at the newly produced theologians, for whom it is enough only to want to become wise, then I feel the need for higher wisdom and desire to be alone with myself.” For theology one needs the ability to listen to divine insights, and this is possible for one who “overcame the earthly substance within himself, taught himself to do so through long-term wisdom and was awarded God’s mercy. Until then, it is not safe to take charge of souls and delve into theology. A person who has first purified himself can converse with the pure.” Having determined what a theologian should be, the speaker offers his teaching about God. We worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, separating personal properties and uniting the Divine. We do not mix the Three into one, so as not to fall into the illness of the Sabellians, and we do not divide the One into three heterogeneous and alien to each other, so as not to reach the Aryan madness.” Developing this teaching about the Holy Trinity, he especially dwells on the birth of the Son, a controversial issue in the 4th century. “From the birth of bodies in time, one cannot conclude that God is born in this way: for what is dissimilar in being is also dissimilar in birth.” Considering the image of the birth of the Son and refuting dialectical objections to the Orthodox teaching about this, St. Gregory teaches about the procession of the Holy Spirit, using analogies of the soul and body and some physical phenomena. Having finally pointed out the incomprehensibility of the Divine for the inquisitive human mind, he gives excellent and timely advice on how to know God. “Pray! Ascend through works in order to acquire what is pure through purification. Do you want to eventually become a theologian and worthy of the Divine? Keep the commandments and do not go beyond the commandments... Work with your body for the soul” 341. This is the practical means with which the shepherd heals the illness of his flock, who have turned faith into bickering. For a defender of Orthodoxy who has just entered a new field, it is quite natural, and even necessary, to refer to some authority, solidarity with which would give weight to his words. This is what St. does. Gregory in the 21st Homily of St. Athanasius the Great." “In praising Athanasius, I will praise virtue,” he begins his speech, making it clear that not only Athanasius himself, but also examples and edifications from his life will form the subject of speech. His initial thoughts here are a continuation of the previous ones about the need for an active ascent to the knowledge of God. “Whoever, with the help of reason and speculation, has managed to dissolve the substance of a fleshly cloud or veil, and draw closer to God, as far as this is accessible to human nature, and unite with the most honest Light, he is blessed; and whoever venerates the earth is pitiful because of blindness, even if he was prosperous in this life. Such a blessed one is St. Athanasius, whose memory is especially needed in a city that honors the memory of many wicked teachers of the faith, but has forgotten the faith of Athanasius.” Describing the life of this fighter for Orthodoxy, the speaker dwells on those features of it, a reminder of which is opportune for the needs of this time: the introduction of St. Athanasius to the pulpit gives reason to talk about the shortcomings of the priests of that time; the fight against heretics recalls the time when the affairs of the Church flourished and flowed beautifully, when “this excessively sweet-tongued and cunning theology did not have access to the courts of God, when the simplicity and nobility of speech was considered piety, when idle talk was not respected by learning and Arius’s rage for the right teaching.” “This Athanasius, truly a man of God, the great trumpet of truth, correctly teaches about the Trinity - not as it is now, although the receiver of pork meat - George the Cappadocian - did a lot of harm to both the Church and Athanasius.” Pointing, then, to the exemplary attention of the believers to Athanasius, for whom (Athanasius) they had greater reverence than for the saints, they defended him from his pursuers, “willingly bowing their necks under the swords,” so that to endure for Athanasius was considered the greatest acquisition and was placed above fasting and feats of asceticism, why the expulsion of Athanasius caused great damage to the Church, - the pastor moves on to the circumstances of this moment. “But the present, as I reason, the compulsion is no less than the former ones, because it has torn away from us all the wise, God-loving and previously cohabiting with heavenly men, who, although peaceful and moderate in everything else, nevertheless cannot bear with meekness when God is given over in silence, and even become violent and irresistible... Quite a number of people rush after them, like a flock of birds, flying after those who flew ahead, and even now they do not stop flying away” 342. With these conclusions St. Gregory defined his view on the task of his pastoral ministry in Constantinople and on the desired attitude of his flock towards him. It goes without saying that from the life of the respected Athanasius, the scattered flock of Constantinople could not be ignored. Combining, following the example of Athanasius, life with teachings that do not diverge from each other, St. Gregory wanted to be, and indeed was, like a magnet, which, with the inexplicable power of nature, attracts iron to itself and adapts the hardest of substances.” The listeners listened to the energetic word of the shepherd, and some of them began to return to the Church, while others began to take a closer look at the unusual preacher, who taught both by word and by example of life. Heretics began to come to Grigoriev's meetings in order to observe his pastoral activities, in the hope that they would not find something behind him that would give them an opportunity to humiliate him. The following two Words on “Peace” 343 are devoted to the matter of further pacification of the flock and unification with those who have separated, excellent in all respects and replete with many moral teachings, of which we will dwell on a few. In the first Word, having pointed out the good of the world, the shepherd turns to his spies and calls them to unity. “Where are you, lenient judges of your own affairs and strict torturers of others? Where are you, yourselves covered with deep wounds, and reproaching us for every crimson sign?! Now be partakers of our secrets, we call you into our host and, hated, we hand over ourselves to the judgment of our enemies, so that you may remain disgraced and defeated when our very illness convinces you of our health” 344. Calling for unity, the shepherd sets the condition for it to be like-mindedness in the faith, which he sets out “dogmatically, and not competitively... for benefit, and not for vanity” so that those who rebel against him in popular assemblies and are like-minded only in enmity towards him, know that “Gregory and his small flock are united in thoughts, inspired and live by one spirit, and so that they do not gather him minor falls. For the height of disaster is to find protection not in one’s own strength, but in someone else’s powerlessness 345. In the second Word, the preacher addresses the question of why Christians, lovers of the world, are mercilessly at odds? “There are robbers and conspirators in the world... But we have no agreement and alliance, we can never agree on one thing, we don’t even see a way to cure such a disease, but it’s as if we are teaching and learning evil, not virtue, we are working hard to incite discord; We care little about unanimity, or don’t care at all”... The reasons for this are the instability of confession. “The changeability of opinions is very funny... When we are caught, then we are pious and Orthodox: we falsely resort to the truth.” The basis of instability is mutual excessive suspicion and passion for accusations of heresy, generated by a love of controversy. “Today we have a fornicator, who was Joseph yesterday. Today is Judas, or Caiaphas, who was yesterday Elijah or John. For to this extent comes the love of argument, like a flame running through straw and embracing a whole circle.” The shepherd calls his flock to correction. “Why do we endure this, brothers, and how long will we endure? When will we sober up from rapture, remove the scales from our eyes, and look at the light of truth? What darkness this is, what a battle in the midst of darkness, what a storm that makes it impossible to discern the enemy’s friends in the faces! Nowhere do we have a word, a friend, a supporter, a representative angel, or God. And besides this, we block God’s love for ourselves.” He draws the attention of believers to the fact that the quarrels and disagreements of the Church have become the subject of spectacle and ridicule of the crowd. And it’s not what worries him that he is personally subjected to ridicule: “whether they scold me or are surprised at me, in both cases I remain as I was; It is not that evil tongues speak evil because they have not learned to speak good. But what is much more terrible than this is that the accusation does not stop at us alone, but extends even to our high and venerable sacrament. "... These are the results of the habit of arguing. It supports discord. The duty of believers is to remain in the world, even if it means suffering. And since peace in church society is determined by the inner world of individual members, then “everyone should try to be at peace with himself and have dominion over his passions.” Mutual compliance is the protection of peace. “Let us give in a little something in order to receive in return the most important unanimity. Let us not imitate greedy feast-goers or merchants, some of whom burden themselves beyond measure with the food offered, while others load ships and tear their bellies or drown before enjoying their gluttony, suffering great losses for small gains 346 . Soon after arriving in Constantinople, St. Gregory also pronounced his famous “Five Words on Theology,” the best of all his words in terms of presentation and treatment, to which, in view of the greatness of the subject and the importance of the historical moment, he applied all the care, being, moreover, in the period of the highest flowering of his talent and the full maturity and strength of his mighty thought. In the First Word, which constitutes, as it were, an introduction to all these Words, it is said that not everyone, not at all times and not in front of everyone, can reason about the Holy Trinity. According to the speaker, the dogmas of faith cannot be played like checkers; theology is not an exemplary struggle of spectacular fighters, rewarded with applause: it is not a craft. It should be treated with reverence. And at the same time, it is not theologizing that is prohibited, but timelessness and non-compliance with the measure. “If it is necessary for your language to dominate, then destroy the Pythagorean silence, Orpheus’s beans, Plato’s ideas, Epicurus’ atheism and its atoms, Aristotle’s slightly encompassing providence, the arrogance of the Stoics, the gluttony and buffoonery of the Cynics” 347. The Second Word treats God and His properties - the incomprehensibility and ineffability of His Being. Here Vitia ascends the mountain of theology, desires and is at the same time afraid to step inside the cloud to talk with God. Although Plato also said that it is difficult to understand God and impossible to speak, St. Gregory adds that “it is not difficult, but even impossible to understand.” Then, he boldly directs his thought into the field of such questions, before the difficulty of which other thinkers retreated. He combines the courage of speculation with inspired expressions, without fear that those with malicious intentions will interpret his individual words to the detriment of the meaning. What is a Deity that is not a body, even if it is the fifth one - angelic? Where does God exist, etc.? 348. The Third Word contains the doctrine of the Consubstantiality of the Persons of the Holy Trinity and the Divinity of the Son. Dwelling on the last of the three most ancient definitions of God - beginninglessness, plurality and unity of authority - the speaker complements it with the doctrine of the Trinity and moves on to the doctrine of the Personal Properties of the Son and Spirit, resolving the questions: “when was the birth and procession, why the Son and the Spirit are not co-originating with the Father, how is birth dispassionate, which Father did not begin to be the Father - for the purpose of cunning words to make their co-questioners faithful and from those called Christians” 349. The Fourth Word gives the correct interpretation of those passages of Holy Scripture with which “the sacrileges of truth, concealing the meaning of what is written, win over many to their side and disturb the path of truth” - of course, the Arian teaching about the Logos. Having found out that “the Divine is unnameable,” St. Gregory explains the names of the Son attributed to Him both in Divinity and in humanity 350. The Fifth Word treats of the Holy Spirit, “whose teaching is not without difficulty.” Boldly establishing the Divinity of the Spirit, the preacher calls for veneration of Him as Consubstantial with the Father, pointing out the similarities with things above and below, “although this is extremely shameful and even useless.” The resolution of perplexities about Unity and Trinity is the subject of much of this Homily 351 . In the closest relation to the Words about Theology are two Words: “On maintaining good order in conversation” and “Against Arians and about oneself.” In the first of them, having denounced the natural ardor of the listeners, due to which they jumped up from their seats and made noise while pronouncing words, and behind the church they were divided into parties, St. Gregory tries to direct their natural talents “on the royal path”, admonishes them not to be lazy in doing good, but to burn in spirit, although not to be inflamed with recklessness and pride. Order is needed everywhere: even more so in a church meeting. Therefore, everyone should know his place and not prejudge the rights of others; “But with us, if you have acquired even a little knowledge, you must already become highly intelligent, become scolders and atheists... Therefore, stick to the sayings about the Divine that you accepted with your upbringing, and leave the search for Him to the wisest” 352. It should be noted that this differentiation of teaching in the theology of the wisest from the common people is a feature of the teaching of St. Gregory, determined by the needs of his time. In the “Tale against the Arians,” Gregory, pointing out the purity of his intentions and actions, resolves a number of perplexities caused by his teaching and behavior 353. This is one side of the pastoral activity of St. Gregory in Constantinople. But, in his opinion, in the matter of planting and establishing the right faith, not only the preacher’s preaching matters, but also his deeds, “this silent exhortation” 354, his behavior, lifestyle and attitude towards other people. And this thought was found in St. Gregory is a brilliant confirmation. Since people are impressed not so much by the words as by the deeds of the shepherd, this side of the pastoral activity of St. We will move on to Gregory. Let's see how he lived in Constantinople. Brilliant oratorical talents, high intellectual development, and deep theology in the spirit of Orthodoxy attracted the attention of the Byzantines to St. Gregory is as old as his way of life, his appearance, completely opposite to what the inhabitants of the rich capital were used to seeing, over the splendor of which the sea and the land worked, competing with each other in endowing it with their gifts - the East and the West, who brought her their gifts. For them, it was both scary and funny to see, in such a high place as the primacy of the capital Church, albeit small, a bent old man, not at all concerned about his appearance and who had clothes that smelled of the fields of Seleucia solitude. They were accustomed to seeing other bishops and representatives of the clergy, those who led a secular lifestyle, dressed in magnificent clothes, rode on excellent horses, stood brilliantly in chariots, had a rich table and skilled cooks who arranged ceremonial appearances and receptions, in which they tried to compete with the consuls, governors of the regions and the most noble of the military leaders, lavishing on this from their wealth poor. Shepherds “loved to go to a sacred, or birthday, or funeral dinner, so that in the evening they could take the loaded ship, the animated coffin - their sated belly - home, so that tomorrow they could rush to a rich feast again.” The shepherds were interested in hound hunting, horse races and shows 355. In relation to the court and higher dignitaries, they behaved servilely: they groveled before the higher ones like slaves, flattered, pandered, “kissed bloody hands and caressed chins in order to achieve a little favor” 356. In relation to inferiors and subordinates, they were “like animals” - impudent, merciless. Having themselves received thrones either for gold or for other services, often disgusting and shameful, 357 they demanded the same from their subordinates. It is not surprising that a struggle of passions and intrigues arose over each throne, or that often the episcopal throne went to yesterday’s money changer, trader, participant in horse racing, sometimes not even baptized. Such shepherds marked their entire path with violence. In terms of faith, they were “thin innkeepers who mixed truth with lies”; because of personal benefits, they were ready to agree with anyone and tear the Church apart. Their greed and insatiability were amazing, and, together with other vices, provided abundant food for theatrical shows and performances 358. Gregory behaved completely differently. In the main city of the empire, he felt the same as in the desert, he was alien and dead to the light, with which he entered into communication only when the high duty of his pastoral calling called him to do so. He lived completely simply, without stocking up for tomorrow and not much different from animals, “who have neither vessels nor reserves.” His meal “was a little more expensive than the meal of the birds of the air” 359. He was not vain about the burden of the table and the seasonings for the insensitive belly; its seasoning is salt 360. To my womb, to this he did not serve the sack; he was not ashamed of his worn clothes and ugly face. He did not care about pleasing or being funny to his interlocutor: he did not seek cheap popularity, did not go from house to house with affection, and did not attend public meetings. Gloomy and sad, he sat more at home, silently minding himself and the affairs of the upset metropolitan Church 361. He cared least about the rich surroundings, the stately gait, the ceremonial exits, during which he, “like an animal, was given a wide path.” He did not seek support for himself and his cause from the court and nobles, which is why he did not trample on the royal courts, did not send intercessors, and did not rely on external force 362 . Gold and precious stones were no more expensive to him than the sand in which they were born; he was not interested in annual income and did not calculate it. Useless in this regard to himself and others, as penniless 363, he did not gain anything from the people and did not increase his property. He did not invade anyone’s thrones, did not mix mysterious blood with the blood shed by murderers, did not orphan anyone and did not turn houses of prayer into a burial place; he did not expel anyone, he did not even insult anyone. He was simple with everyone, equal with everyone and equally accessible to everyone 364. Even towards the enemies of the faith - heretics, he was gentle and condescending, exposing weaknesses, not faces, and in questions he held the opinion that “we must bow more to philanthropy and more often excuse than accuse, because it is very easy for an evil person to accuse a good person, and it is difficult for a good person to accuse an evil person... He who is not disposed towards evil is incapable of suspicion” 365. He did not have his own personal enemies, and he could not have had them. “Those who speak bad or good about me, he reasoned, will not change me, just as those who mix either myrrh with dirt, or dirt with myrrh, so that I become upset - with blasphemies, as if I have changed internally... They scold me, or they are surprised at me, in both cases I remain as I was... Just as foam attacks a stone, and the winds attack a pine tree..., so human speech attacks me, and I almost become philosophical about myself. If the accuser is false, then the accusation falls not so much on me as on his words, although he blasphemes my name. And if he is fair, then I would rather blame myself, and not the one who speaks about me. For I myself am the reason for what he says, and not the speaking reason for the fact that I am like this” 366. Impeccable in all respects, he boldly says to every slanderer, “tell me my lies, 367 making them unrequited by such an open challenge. Such was the purity of the life of the new shepherd of Constantinople. It is easy to imagine what a contrast the ascetic-minded life of St. was. Gregory in relation to the life of the clergy of that time, what a reproachful condemnation of their morals, which were no different from the morals of secular society, was his behavior, how pitiful their wisdom about the objects of faith was in comparison with the logically constructed and brilliantly pronounced words about theology and his other conversations, in which a thorough knowledge of the word of God, philosophical and rhetorical education were embodied in oratory. It is not difficult to foresee what a “foreign and alien” preacher could expect, who soon gained the reputation of a “restless and extravagant” person in the eyes of those for whom piety was a matter of profit and personal well-being was a measure of relations to everything around him 368 . “Having arrived there, St. Gregory, I met many disasters. At first the city became agitated and rebelled against me, as if I were introducing many gods instead of the One God” 369. The people, who for forty years had heard all sorts of false ideas about the Holy Trinity, who had witnessed various disputes around this issue and had not firmly grasped anything, were excited by the teachings of the Holy Trinity. Gregory. There is no doubt that both the suspicion of polytheism and the very excitement of the people were fueled and inflated by his enemies, who wanted to intimidate the restless preacher. Therefore, when his rival, the Arian bishop Demophilus, was exposed by his minions as an innocent sufferer, the people, always and everywhere easily aroused in defense of the persecuted, were easily restored against St. Gregory, especially if the crowd was skillfully instilled with a high opinion of itself as the keeper of the faith, which is not difficult: then it will consider it a shame for itself not to maintain the upper hand in something. In this way the ground was prepared for the first open indignation aimed at eliminating St. Gregory from Constantinople. On April 21, 379, when Gregory, on the night of the Resurrection of Christ, was preparing to go to the meeting of Orthodox Christians and clergy to perform baptism over the catechumens from the Church of St. Sophia, “as if from the battlement of the devil, a crowd of sensualists and wine drinkers, dishonest wives and shameless virgins, and all this crafty army of demons, accompanied by monks and mob,” rushed to the church of St. Gregory and carried out a pogrom in it 370. “The altars have been desecrated, the rites have been interrupted; “I stood,” describes St. Gregory, “between the priests and in the midst of those throwing stones at me, and in defense from the stones I used prayer”... 371. “Forgotten is the modesty of the virgins, the modesty of the monks, the misfortune of the beggars, whom cruelty deprived of mercy... I will remain silent about the stones, this treat that they made for me, and I only reproach them for the fact that they were unsuccessful in choosing a target and aimed at those whom it would have been a vain murder to hit” 372. “Then the drunkenness began, the wine flowed, gentlemen even appeared from the deserts... Oh, this night! What kind of things were done then! For who can describe fire, stones, murders, wounds?..” 373. This defeat tested St. Gregory did not end. The enemies put the saint himself as the culprit of the incident. Gregory, who was “presented to the rulers of the city as a murderer,” apparently holding him responsible for the murder they committed that night. The bosses looked down and arrogantly at the accused, who had no strong patrons, and only with his defensive word did he manage, with the help of God, to prove his innocence. The outrage caused by the crowd and the monks was great. “Everything was shocked, as if the Church was prospering in other respects” 374. The teaching of St. Gregory began to be compared and evaluated from the point of view of other authorities, and his business was threatened with ruin. “And how can a ship, or a city, or an army, or a full face, or a friendly house stand, when there is more destructive (element) in it than strengthening? This is what happened then with the Christian people. This noble generation had not yet grown strong, had not acquired courage, had not yet renounced the swaddling clothes of childhood, had not yet rested its tender foot on the ground, when before the eyes of its parents it was whipped, thrown to the ground, tormented by wolves who thirsted for my childlessness.”375 This was the situation in which the creation of St. Gregory of the Metropolitan Church. It took a lot of faith in the rightness of one’s cause, a lot of courage not to give up and to continue building what was being destroyed. Great were the humility, meekness and patience of the saint. Gregory in order to silently endure the violent attack and leave the rapists unpunished. “I consider it important to punish those who have offended us,” he answered his friends, who recommended that he turn to the assistance of the judiciary, “I say, important, because this is also useful in correcting others. But much higher and more divine than this is to patiently endure an insult... and thereby show the people an example of generosity... The first stops the mouth of vice, and the second convinces one to become good, which is much better and more perfect than not being only evil” 376. With such wise self-sacrifice St. planted. Gregory is a good seed among the people, by his personal example showing more powerfully than any words the way to fulfill the Gospel commandments. One can only be amazed at his lenient treatment of his enemies: with love, like fire, he melted their icy malice and prejudice against him. How wonderful is his instruction on this matter. “It’s easy to punish and destroy, but it’s not safe... Chastened by fear, we will overcome with love of humanity and oblige to reverence, torturing more with conscience than with anger” 377. It goes without saying that the people’s heart could not remain insensitive to such an ideal shepherd, and the altar railing had to restrain an ever-increasing number of admirers of St. Gregory. When it turned out that the indignation of the mob did not lead to the desired results, but rather served to the glory of the innocently persecuted shepherd, then the enemies surrounded St. Gregory with many small mockeries, often painfully affecting people devoid of greatness of spirit. And the enemies of St. Gregory was also numerous among the bishops of Constantinople, who called themselves Orthodox solely out of fear of losing their sees, for by the decree of Theodosius on February 28, 380, it was prescribed that everyone should be Orthodox, and those who think differently should bear the name of heretics and should not call their gatherings church meetings, under the threat of divine and royal punishment. Such bishops, having become, unwillingly and in name only, Orthodox, indulged in all sorts of vices and were, in essence, the worst enemies of both the Church and society, the activities of St. Gregory was downright dangerous and fatal for them, which is why they tried in every possible way to harm him, spreading unfavorable rumors about him and challenging his activities. What arrogance,” they said, “as if there is always one faith, that you are so constraining the dogma of truth, always walking along the same boring path. Why do you attract people with your talkative tongue?” 378. Such speeches obviously had power for those educated Greco-Romans who, having lost faith in any religion, were skeptical about the immutability of the dogmas of faith. They believed that there is a grain of truth in every religion, which is why they did not see the need for unnecessary struggle for certain insignificant sayings and for the persecution of those who indulge in evil wisdom. All that remained was for them to say frankly what St. had agreed for them. Gregory: “we are slaves of time and popular whims, we give our boat to every wind that blows; Our teaching, like chameleons or polyps, constantly takes on a new color, and you are a motionless anvil” 379. So thinking St. Gregory responded with a word on theology, in which he proved that in matters of faith there cannot be anything indifferent, or unimportant, or constantly changing, according to the tastes of the time and the crowd. “Your city is small, and not a city, but an empty, boring and sparsely populated village,” others said, the territorial insignificance of the flock, providing one of the convincing arguments for the insolvency of St. Gregory. “If this is bad,” he answered, then I suffered more here than I did. And if I endure not of my own free will, then I am unhappy, and if I endure voluntarily, then I am a philosopher... I behave in the old-fashioned way, in a philosophical way, so for me it’s the same heaven and earth. one earth and a common mother and coffin for all. They don’t blame the dolphin for not living on land, and the ox for not living in the water? If you are proud of walls, palaces, statues and pillars, then you must put to death all those many cities that you surpass in the splendor of your city” 380. “The preacher is a foreigner, a newcomer, from an ignorant fatherland, perhaps from people who are too limited and lovers of the flesh... Moreover, he lives like a beggar, does not have a good acquaintance,” the saints condemned. Gregory the third. “Well, weren’t the apostles strangers to many nations and cities, which they enlightened with the light of faith?” he objected. “Either reproach them, or don’t blame me either... They all have one fatherland, the city of Jerusalem, one race, dirt, one nobility, virtue...” “As for the way of life, then, after all, it always seems to the drunk that it is not they who are drunk, but the sober ones, who walk on their heads and spin around. And sick people who have lost their taste find honey bitter. Therefore, if we give help to a ship caught in a storm, or a house devoured by flames, hurrying on boats, or with an army, or with fire-extinguishing shells, you, kind one, will undoubtedly call us either sea robbers, or those who want to take possession of the city and houses, and not helpers and defenders?! First prove that people who are in a healthy state think about us this way, and then advise us to change, or condemn us... I don’t seem like that to many, but I seem like that to God, and I don’t seem like that, but I am completely open before Him, who looks at our business differently than how people look at it... Should I become worse in order to please you more? If I stand upright, and it seems to you that I am falling, is it really necessary for you, than for myself, and in everything I have reason and God’s justification as advisers... And as for the opinion of others, then if it is for us, we will accept it; if it’s against us, we’ll give him a way, and we won’t take anything away from what we really have in order to make it for show... Am I guilty of one thing - I poorly observe other people’s shortcomings, I don’t spy, I don’t track down, I don’t ridicule... Give me this untruth”... 381. The first attacks of the enemies of St. Gregory was still able to bear it. Although the unexpectedness of the speeches made against him amazed him, “like sudden thunder striking the ear, or like lightning flashing an unaccustomed eye,” the hope that things would take a happy turn and that next time what happened would not happen did not leave him. “Although he accepted as many stones as someone else would never receive roses in his entire life, he still found the strength to endure and bear them” 382. He drew this strength and encouragement from those prayer meetings that took place in his church of Anastasia and which he later described in a poem entitled “The Dream about the Church of Anastasia, which was built in Constantinople.” Here he talks about those manifestations of attention and unity that inspired him for further activities. Here is a picture of this meeting. “I imagined,” reports St. Gregory, - that I sit on a high throne, however, with my eyebrows not raised high: I have never served pride. Below me sat the elders and ministers in bright robes. Some of the people, like bees, huddled against the bars, and everyone tried to come closer; others crowded into the sacred vestibules, equally hurrying with their ears and feet... Others hurried from the colorful marketplaces, and their hasty steps were heard in the street. Pure virgins with well-behaved wives listened to the chorus. The people, divided into parts, stood and listened, admiring my speeches, trying not to utter a word, like a baby squeezing a dry nipple with greedy lips. Everyone had intense attention... Some demanded words that were low and understandable; others, not content with the rudiments, thirsted for sublime and florid speech, trying to explore all the wisdom - both their own and that of others, fortunately they had such a shepherd... Exclamations were heard on both sides... From my lips poured out the teaching of the Only Honorable Trinity... With a sonorous voice, streams of a flaming spirit, gusts of wind, I overthrew the enemy. The canes of cursive writers hastened to immortalize my speech. Some of the listeners were delighted and praised, others stood in silent amazement... But good speech delighted everyone - both our own and strangers, and even those who were very far from the sheepfold, like worshipers of idols. The harvest was ripe, earing, promising a bountiful harvest”... 383. It was here, in this multiplicity of his labor, that the worker in God’s field, exhausted by the hostility and intrigues of his enemies, drew strength. “Where are my all-night hymns, during which I, like an animated stone, unshakably planted my feet, either alone talking with Christ, or together with the people, enjoying the sacred songs? Where is the pleasant weariness of bending my knees, during which I shed hot tears and gathered together my darkened thoughts?!” 384. Through preaching and exemplary pastoral life, the vigilant activity of St. Gregory strengthened the scattered flock, and his right teaching and holy ascetic life attracted the hearts of the townspeople to him. His flock began to increase in size, become comfortable, and soon promised to surpass the Arian flock in numbers. Activities of St. Gregory attracted the attention of people who sympathized with his feat: Evagrius of Pontius, ordained deacon of St. Basil and became St. Gregory as archdeacon. Soon St. Gregory was consoled even more: from Syrian solitude he arrived in Constantinople in order to listen to St. Gregory and “sit at his feet,” the blessed one, already famous at that time for his learning. Jerome, leaving about St. Gregory commemorates in his book: “De viris illustribus”. He calls St. Gregory as his mentor, from whom, while explaining the Holy Scriptures, he learned this art, comparing him in the nature of eloquence with the famous artist of words and rhetorician Polemon 385. Peter of Alexandria honored St. Gregory with signs of respect and approval, sending him a letter expressing sympathy for his pastoral feat and naming him Bishop of Constantinople 386. Soon St. Gregory had to endure a much greater ordeal than the previous one, and, moreover, one for which he had to consider only himself to blame. This time, envy, “a disease common among altar servers” 387, chose as its weapon a certain Maximus, a man who managed to gain the trust of St. Gregory, become close to him and cruelly repay him for his kindness and hospitality. By origin, a citizen of the city of Alexandria, by education a philosopher of the cynical school 388, Maxim had a rather dark past: “for shameful deeds and for a number of crimes he was repeatedly cruelly punished with whips,” which was known from many records of the city rulers 389. During a period of church unrest and strife, wandering from city to city, he appeared in Constantinople and here, taking advantage of the gullibility and favor of St. Gregory, designated the latter as a victim of his ambition. He tried to give his appearance the techniques of cynics: he dressed in a white cloak, wore long hair, which he curled and dyed gold. With a long stick, he walked the streets of the city, lived wherever and whenever he could, and ate whatever he could. Being a deeply flawed man, tormented by sensuality, ambition and envy, he tried to give himself the appearance of a needless philosopher who places truth above all else. In his eyes he openly admired St. Gregory and his eloquence, “apparently, made him well-meaning and very faithful”; he shamelessly flattered him and tried to gain his confidence. He presented his scars on his body as confessional wounds from the Arians; he presented his philosophical views as coinciding with Grigoriev’s. Finally, he connected his appearance in Constantinople with the name of a person respected by St. Gregory, ― Peter of Alexandria. All these circumstances endeared him to the heart of a man who was completely unfamiliar and completely unfamiliar with tricks and intrigues and who was accustomed to respecting a completely different kind of cunning - wisdom. Not deceitful himself and least inclined to suspect lies in others, St. Gregory, an Alexandrian by education and philosophical mode of contemplation, did not suspect cunning and deception. Having become one of his own in the house of St. Gregory, Maxim was often invited to the table; They read together, reasoned, and thought about church events. St. Gregory was so carried away by Maximus that he pronounced a “Word in praise of the philosopher Iron, who returned from exile, 390”, in which he praised his “wisdom and confession” in florid expressions. Meanwhile, Maxim is behind St. Gregory was building a cunning plan to seize the throne of Constantinople and remove St. Gregory from the pulpit, “which he never owned and which no one gave him.” Maxim informs Peter of Alexandria about the betrayal of St. Gregory on the issue of the Melenian schism and thus restores it against St. Gregory. In addition, he manages to attract Peter to his side with a promise to elevate his see to that of Constantinople, if he helps him take possession of it. Peter enters into a deal and sends seven of his trusted people to help Maxim 391. Then, with the promise of benefits, Maxim induces one of the presbyters of St. to treason. Gregory, a man “who was not forgotten or neglected by him, but always enjoyed primacy both in honor and in co-throne.” He fraudulently lured the gold necessary to bribe unworthy people from a certain presbyter who arrived from Facca to buy Proconnian marble for the church. And so, on a dark night, when St. Gregory lay ill, a crowd of conspirators comes to the church, accompanied by Alexandrian accomplices and hired sailors, and the tonsure (initiation) of Maximus as Bishop of Constantinople begins. But they didn’t have to finish what they started: the clergy, noticing what was happening in the church, became indignant, made a noise, called the people and kicked Maxim out of the church. “The most powerful fire flared up: how many people were officials, how many outsiders and even those of dubious faith.” The conspirators retired to the flute-player’s dwelling and there they completed the initiation: “the tonsuring of the thick curls took place” 392. This event made a painful impression on everyone: there was not a person who did not sympathize with St. Grigory would not have been irritated by Maxim’s dishonest act. “The whole city mourned what had happened, everyone was embarrassed”; everyone told hateful rumors about Maxim to ruin his life, adding their own to complete the portrait of the rogue. “But I will never divulge them,” adds the victim, “although I was offended, I close my lips,” once again characterizing my personal attitude towards the offenders 393. Grief and sorrow of St. Gregory were more than those who could be relieved by lamenting about what had happened. He was scolded in his best feelings. The presbyter's betrayal, Maxim's impudence, and the shamelessness of the bribed crowd deeply outraged him. He saw how fragile the cause for which he sacrificed himself was. Can human envy and malice be defeated by the selflessness of one ascetic sufferer? Bitter thoughts crowded into the head of St. Gregory. Is he guilty that his friend yesterday cheated on him? The mask of faith and feigned words deceived him. “But this is a good weakness. He who is faithful is more faithful to everyone.” True, he accepted and sheltered Maxim. But the Church of Constantinople was in such a situation that “it meant a lot to gather up straw.” Squeezed circumstances do not provide the freedom that one can have in times of abundance. “For me,” notes St. Gregory, “it was very important that the dog walks in my yard and teaches Christ, and not Herakles” 394. “As for Maximus,” St. justified. Gregory’s behavior in this matter - this is the spirit of the times: everyone dared to do anything!.. There were many such Maxims. “Like mushrooms, wise men, and nobles, and bishops suddenly run out of the ground, although they have not previously worked for their share on anything good... Everyone throw yourself upside down; and, without studying, shoot from a bow... It’s enough to want to, but you don’t need to know the matter at all” 395. General sympathy for St. Gregory and the outburst of indignation towards Maxim did not stop the latter in his desire to become a bishop of the Church of Constantinople at any cost. He carries his machinations further. Tsar Theodosius was approaching the capital, detained on the way by the war with the barbarians. “With a crowd of Egyptians.” Maxim meets the tsar in Thessaloniki, recommended by the capital’s bishop, who suffered from the Arians, whom, as is known, the tsar did not favor, seeks protection, asks for a royal decree to be installed in the cathedra. But Theodosius “with terrible curses and great anger” drives Maxim away. Then he goes to Alexandria and demands from Peter, “who had a double pen,” the fulfillment of his promise, presses him, threatens him with overthrow. And only the intercession of the mayor, who expelled Maxim, calmed the excitement, “if only evil can ever be at peace” 396. It was hard for St. Gregory to endure the then disaster. It turned his thoughts to his favorite solitude, and he began to think over a plan for his return to his homeland. But this hesitation and split in thoughts was noticed by his admirers, who even established secret surveillance over him, protecting him from a possible assassination attempt by Maxim’s followers and from an unexpected departure from the capital. In addition, St. himself Gregory “turned his stern back with a not very skillful hand.” In the sorrow of his fatherly heart, he burst out a farewell word: “Keep the entire Trinity, as the most generous father gave to you, beloved children - remember, dear ones, and my labors.” This will created a whole storm among the people, “who rose up like a swarm driven out of a hive by smoke.” Everyone - men, women, maidens, youths, elders - everyone began to scream, seething with anger at their enemies and love for the shepherd. “They begin to conjure, beg not to abandon them, not to hand over their flock to the wolves.” The decisive moment was approaching to gain the upper hand either by the flock or by people's love. Voiceless, he could not help but stop the noise, not promise to fulfill what was asked: one was impossible, and the other was held back by fear. “We were suffocating from the heat, everyone was drenched in sweat.” Women screamed, children cried. Everyone swore that he would die in the church, but he would not leave without the desired word. Finally, someone's voice stopped the St.'s hesitation. Gregory. “You are harassing the Trinity along with you!” 397. A reminder of the goal of Grigorieva’s whole life - the affirmation of faith - prompted him to give his word, although not an oath: - to stay with them until the arrival of the expected bishops, until the choice of a legal deputy for their see. Both sides still had a shadow of hope: the people imagined that St. Grigory had already agreed to stay with them forever; he himself reasoned that he promised to stay with them only for a short time. Let us note that this was the first open popular recognition of St. Gregory as Bishop of the See of Constantinople. The spirit exhausted by the struggle and the painful body of the saint, exhausted by exploits. Gregory demanded solitude and rest. “I always have the custom of making work easier with such rests,” he said, “because the bowstring, constantly stretched, cannot withstand tension, but it is necessary to lower it from the arrow so that it can be pulled again, and so that it is not useless for the shooter, but is useful in case of use 398.” To restore the strength of St. Gregory retired for a short time to a village near the city and here, on the seashore, he indulged in his beloved solitude and contemplation. “I would like to become either a light-winged dove, or a swallow, to escape from human life, or to settle in some desert and live in the same shelter with animals, which are more accurate than people,” he thought 399. “There, having climbed to the top of some high pillar, he would loudly cry out to all those living on earth: mortal people, how long will you, remaining a game of dreams, wander on earth without a goal?” 400. His thoughts moved from the low value of life and the vanity of the present to thinking “about human nature” 401 “Who was I? who am I now? what will I do? What is the meaning of life? Where will you bring and place the Immortal, the great creature? We are one-day creatures who know nothing... and we have nothing except perishing life... I have not seen a single benefit that would be completely removed from grief” 402. “I’m crying about this, and I don’t know clearly what tomorrow will give me. Will God lead me back to the old rules of life, removing the burden from me, or will God cast me out of here as an unfortunate person, immersed in sorrow? My gray head and wrinkled body have already bowed to the evening of a sorrowful life... But until now I have not experienced such strong and numerous sorrows" 403... "My King, Christ! “Don’t leave me to fall under the blows of my enemies,” he prayed 404. Rest of St. Gregory did not last long. He did not have the patience to continue living apart from his flock. Although the noise and bustle of the big city, along with its morals and customs, were unpleasant to him, he was afraid to leave his flock without guidance for a long time, “like straw approaching the fire”... “I come back with great desire,” he says in the “Word upon returning from the village,” his legs walked on their own... For those who suffer from love, even one day of separation constitutes an entire human life... When I was with you, I felt little the power of love, and when separated, I recognized love, this delightful tormentor... There is nothing unusual in this. And the shepherd grieves for the abandoned sheep, and the bird grieves for the nest... So I am afraid that someone who was ours yesterday and the day before, finding the door not locked... plundered the verbal flock..." "There are now many shepherds who plunder, scatter and destroy the work of others, because it is always easier to damage than to create or preserve" 405... But the purpose of the “Word” was not only to share with listeners his feelings during separation. A shepherd who is zealous and cares for the souls of the people has a high goal. Recent events have inflicted a deep wound on the body of his small Church. It was necessary to find out how great the infection was, what feelings worried the people, what lesson they learned from the test; it was necessary to deal a decisive blow to the enemies of the Church and unite the flock around itself. He does all this in the mentioned Word, which, in our opinion, is one of the remarkable in his pastoral ministry. “Let’s give each other an account of what we managed to do during the separation”? A shepherd can demand from his flock not only debt, but also growth, not only talent, but also profit. “So, show faith by works, show the fertility of your land... surely I did not sow in vain... The profit is yours, not mine. If it’s mine, it’s because it’s yours.” The shepherd expresses confidence that his flock will not be ashamed of their answer 406. Turning then to himself and noting that usually all the preachers of God did their work before the people, and prayed in solitude, he says that the contemplation of the sea, now quietly and meekly resting and splashing into the shores, now violently agitated, howling, breaking against motionless rocks and cliffs into small and high-flying splashes and throwing the contents of the sea onto the shore, gave him a lesson for wisdom. “Isn’t our life and human affairs the sea? And there is a lot of salty, fickle and unexpected in it. “And only those who have established themselves on the rock “on the rock” are safe. And only a wise man can be such, only he is truly noble in all positions and states. “Let us consider ourselves in the likeness of the wise man portrayed.” The shepherd asks how those who decide to denigrate him and his work will offend at any cost? “Will they call me ignorant? - but I know one wisdom - to fear God. Will they reproach you for poverty? - but she is my excess. Will they be called a fugitive from the fatherland? - but for me the fatherland is everywhere and everywhere. Will they be dethroned? - from which ones? Do I consider those who ascend them blessed? Will they be deprived of the chairmanship? But when and which of the right-thinking people valued it? The pursuit of a place - to stand on the right, on the left, above, below - is what produces all the chaos in the Churches. Will their property be taken away? - which? If it’s mine, then it’s not; if it’s church related, then that’s what all the fighting is about. How terrible it is to exchange God for pieces of silver. Alienate from friends? But true friends are known in misfortune.” Hence, the evil tricks of enemies are vain and useless. “Not only do I not consider any of the present events terrible, but I even forget about myself, crying for those who insulted me, once members of the flock, which they almost sold, even before it was gathered into one.” With a series of denunciations, he further punishes instigators of indignation. “How did they build an altar against an altar? How was the simplicity of the shepherds used to destroy their flock? For I will not blame the flock for inexperience, but I will blame you (the leaders) for your malice. What healing agent can I find? What harness? How can I unite what is divided? One way: Holy Trinity! This is your business... You restore and teach like-mindedness 407 " Another Word is dedicated to the same event, Maximus’ night assassination attempt and its results: “In memory of the martyrs and against the Arians 408, similar in content to the one discussed. In these “Words” and in this personal attitude to events, the famous shepherd appeared in all his moral greatness, arousing new and greater sympathy for himself. Some were attracted to him by the right teaching about the Holy Trinity, “exiled for a while, but now returned to their fatherland”; others came to him as to an ascetic, others were united by communication with him in their views. As for the people, “this noble fruit of gluttony” 409 St. Gregory flocked to him in the same way, “as one goes from rainlessness to moisture, from darkness to light.” His flock, small at first, began to grow and increase, so that St. Gregory soon became "one of the rich landowners." “Only his field presented a motley picture: some of the grains had only recently ceased to be wild, some were showing a sprout from the ground, some were setting a stem, and some were in milk; some have already become wheat and even bread.” But all of it gladdened the heart of the good and selfless sower in God's field 410. Even heretics and dissenters were completely defeated by the teachings and life of the spiritual shepherd. Some were captivated by the power of the teaching, others were made meek by the way of his polemics: “he spoke without hostility, not so much with reproach as with compassion, complained, and did not strike, and did not exalt himself, like others, with a fleeting and unstable advantage over them”; He did not make his superiority a shield for self-aggrandizement. As a defender of the meek, compassionate Word, not striking anyone, he maintained his meekness and decency in his teaching. His words created such a mood that it was not shameful for the defeated to remain, but it was more glorious to give his convictions the upper hand out of sincere conviction. In addition, in relations with dissident heretics, he did not resort to the assistance of earthly power, which significantly differed from the contemporary practice of combating heresies. This was the custom of St. Gregory. “So it was written on my tablets,” he says 411. Finally, being an opponent of “linguisticism,” he developed “another law of teaching - not to recognize as the only path to piety the easily acquired and harmful habit of throwing mystical teachings with an uncleaned tongue into the defiled and alien ear of Christ and turning into a joke that which is acquired with difficulty.” He taught to prove piety most of all by fulfilling the commandments and humbling the flesh through the power of the spirit. The path of the word is a path surrounded on both sides by rapids, which, as soon as you enter, you immediately fall, and you will fall straight into the gates of hell 412. By simple faith without sophistication, God is most likely attracted. “If faith and salvation were the property of only the wise, then our God would be extremely poor.” Therefore, it is not florid fabrications and theological speculations that should be the subject of attention of believers, but simple faith accompanied by deeds. This was the timely lesson taught by St. a father who loves to debate the Greco-Romans. While St. Gregory worked on arranging the church affairs of the See of Constantinople; after the victorious celebrations, the autocrat Theodosius, who had already been baptized, due to illness, by the Orthodox Bishop of Thessalonica Asholios, approached the capital, having inquired in advance about what confession he belonged to 413. The emperor's ceremonial entry into the capital took place on November 24, 380, filling the hearts of the Orthodox with general joy. The king's first concern was to restore peace, establish unanimity and spread the churches. He immediately, therefore, ordered the head of the Arians, Demophilus, either to accept the Nicene Creed, or to transfer the church to the Orthodox. Having gathered his like-minded people, Demophilus, mistakenly based on the words of the Lord: “If you are persecuted in this city, flee to another,” he decided to leave the city and continue his meetings outside its walls. This was on the very first day the king entered the capital. In relation to St. The king was very favorable to Gregory. At the first meeting, he honored him with gracious attention and conversation. The details of this meeting are hidden by the modesty of St. Gregory. “It would be too shameful if they thought that I value such things dearly, for whom only one thing is dear - God. But this is how he concluded his conversation with me, says St. father: through me God gives you and your work this church - the main one, in the name of St. Sophia, God's wisdom" 414. The king's promises were so tempting that they seemed incredible. The heart of St. They filled Gregory with a feeling mixed with horror. In the city they gave rise to a lot of discord. The Arians did not want to leave their homes so easily, as Demophilus did. They decided to die rather than give in. “The boiling of passions was strong and terrible.” But then, at the appointed time, the solemn introduction of the Orthodox into possession of the main church took place. “The people gathered like the sand of the sea, like a cloud. Everything was occupied by him: streets, houses, every place, men, women, children, elders tried to take a closer look at the procession. Everywhere there is bustle, sobs, tears, screams - an exact copy of the taking of the city by storm.” The enemies cast angry glances at St. Gregory and pleadingly to the king, who walked side by side to the church, accompanied by troops. The morning was gloomy and dark. There was a dark cloud over the city. Enemies hastened to interpret the concealment of the sun in their favor, considering the real triumph displeasing to God. This also instilled secret sadness in the heart of St. Gregory. But as soon as the procession approached the grille of the church, and a song of praise and gratitude to God poured out, the sun shone through the parting clouds and illuminated the church. Everyone's faces and hearts became clearer. “Many considered it a miracle,” notes St. father, I have no reason not to believe them” 415. Everyone alike, both commoners and officials, expressed the desire and demand that St. Gregory was recognized as a bishop. “The first and most important and best reward for the city from the sovereign power will be if I am given the throne of Constantinople” 416. The entire church was resounding with incredible peals of thunder. Not having the strength to speak to the people, St. Gregory instructs the presbyter to calm the congregation and call it to grateful prayer, postponing business for another time. Such a sense of proportion in St. The king liked Gregory, and he approved of his action, soon transferring other churches of the city to his jurisdiction. This was Gregory's second calling to the department. True, for completeness the canonical statement of the council was missing. But this was postponed until the convening of the Second Ecumenical Council, which the king expressed a desire to organize in the next year 381. The act of introducing Gregory into the cathedral church marked the significant transfer of the Orthodox lasso's powers to the Church of Constantinople, which they owned for about forty years 417. All this happened quietly, peacefully, without bloodshed. The Orthodox community, brought into a comfortable state by the labors, energy, talents and exploits of St. Gregory, the only thing missing was the sympathy of public authorities. And so, she appeared and complemented the triumph of the Church, as if making an atoning sacrifice for the acts of the previous reigns - Constantius and Valens. One could hope that now the Church of Constantinople, protected from enemies both inside and outside, would bloom and bear fruit. But, as subsequent history showed, its original enemy always finds helpers and manages to steal the world from the Churches. The peaceful resolution of the controversial issue with the Arians was, of course, due to the personal character of St. Gregory, who advised the king to refrain from violent measures against them. But such a peaceful policy did not meet with the sympathy of that part of his followers who, not having the spirit of Grigoriev, expected that he, following the example of his predecessors, would begin, first of all, to settle scores with his opponents, that is, to “drive, push, rage.” But we already know the attitude of St. Gregory to those who disagree with him in beliefs. He held the same views now. And now he recognized it as legal not to force, but to persuade. He wanted to be loved, not feared. “For the involuntary, restrained by force, at the first opportunity, like a spring stream, will break through the barrier. But what is voluntary is forever firm. And obedience to the written law, if it is free, has a greater value than forced obedience.” The compliance and peacefulness of St. Gregory were more than usual. So, for example, when during the reception of churches a circumstance was revealed that seemed to oblige St. Gregory to subject the perpetrators to punishment, namely, there was no property, no jewelry, no money, not even an account of the expenditure of what the kings and donors enriched the churches with, then here too he did not enter into the search for what he was forced to do and what was persistently advised. He believed that such searches would ultimately lead to humiliation of the Church, which is why he decided, “let those who had what seek to give an account, and not those who should receive what.” Those who were addicted to wealth condemned Grigoriev’s act, but those who were above this passion approved of it. “If insatiability is a bad thing at all,” said St. Gregory, it is even worse for a spiritual person to be insatiable.” Obviously, if everyone talked about money like this, then there would be no disorder in the Churches 418. In addition, the king’s favorable attitude towards St. Gregory was supposed to have certain responsibilities assigned to the latter. It was expected that he would try to strengthen his position through the usual at that time ingratiation with the Court, kowtowing to the officials, and perhaps dare to bribe or other shameful deeds. Nothing like St. Grigory did not allow himself. We know what value honor, fame, and wealth had in his eyes. And now he did not think at all of coming to the Court, but continued to follow his previous rules. On the contrary, now he especially wanted to show that he attributes the strengthening of Orthodoxy and his position not to human mercy and not to a happy coincidence of circumstances, but exclusively to God’s providence. Therefore, he did not come “to the king’s gates”, did not know the courtyards of nobles, and wanted to gain respect by being rarely seen. He devoted most of his time to God and his inner purification, and he left the doors of the mighty of the earth to others 419. As we have seen, he paid all his attention to the improvement of parish church life, to concerns “about the poor, monks, virgins serving at churches, about strangers, passers-by, prisoners, about psalmody, about all-night tears - about everything that pleases God Himself when done in a decorous manner 420. Evidence of such concerns of St. Gregory remained his “Praise of virginity, advice to virgins, messages to monks, to virgins, on wise poverty, on patience” and other virtues 421. Church of the Prophet Elijah, on the occasion of the establishment of St. Gregory of the Host, received the name “Widow’s”, being a monument to the saint’s care for the poor and widows. His opponents once laughed at him, saying that he did not have enough people to fill the vestibules alone. “And now, he notes, not only the church is full, but many, many churches are full” 422. In order to finally clarify his relationship to the Court and the authorities in general, St. Father, soon after taking over the management of the city churches, pronounced, in the presence of the Court, “A word about himself to those who said that he wanted the throne of Constantinople” 423. In it, expressing his surprise at the extraordinary love of the people of Constantinople for the speeches of him, a foreigner, and seeing the reason for it in his wisdom, the preacher castigates envy, this poison for those who suffer from it, as one of the most shameful passions. This same envy is the cause of suffering for both him and his flock. But it would be offensive and unfair to think in relation to the shepherd himself that he suffered so much suffering because of ambition, or similar calculations; no, he suffered to protect the Church from enemies, a Church hitherto widowed and husbandless. As one who does good for the sake of good itself, he now does not think, with the achievement of prosperity, to change, no matter what envious people say and no matter what the circumstances. He praises those who sympathize with his aspirations for their faithful confession of the Trinity and for their willingness to testify to their faith with good deeds. He desires these good deeds from all his flock. “Kings, show examples of virtue! Be gods for your subjects. Your strength lies in virtue, not in gold and troops,” he addresses the Court. He appeals to nobles, nobles, and citizens for the ennoblement of morals and the fight against passions. As you can see, St. In the church pulpit, my father felt like a shepherd of people of all classes - kings, subjects, high and low, addressing everyone with pastoral edification. The saint does not recognize any other relationships. To imagine what great boldness is expressed in such a way of behavior, it is enough to remember what the conditions were at that time, what the rulers of the bold denouncer of morals were accustomed to hearing. The fate of one of the closest successors of St. Gregory at the See of Constantinople of St. John Chrysostom serves as a clear indicator of the truth of what was said. At the time when St. Gregory strengthened his position in the capital of Orthodoxy, the Arians did not abandon their plans to eliminate the bishop, who was unpleasant in his activities, from the road and organized a new attempt on him. One day, when the saint remained at home, due to an illness that had visited him more than once recently, several commoners entered his room and with them a young man in a terribly excited state. Their appearance was so unexpected that they found the bishop on his bed and only had time to dangle his legs a little. The common people, having said many words of gratitude to God and the Tsar for this happy day, left, and the young man even brought tears from the bishop himself with his hopeless grief, tears, wringing of his hands and falling at the feet of the bishop. And only the servants who entered explained that this young man was his murderer, and that if St. Gregory remained alive only because he was under the special protection of God. Obviously, at the very moment of execution of the criminal plan, the guardian angel protected the ascetic. “May God save you, and for me, having been saved, it is no longer important to show myself merciful to the murderer! Insolence made you mine. Be careful not to disgrace me and God,” is the answer of St. Gregory, which caused a new explosion of goodwill towards him among the people when the incident was made public 424. Soon St. Grigory once again brilliantly proved that he does not remember insults and is always ready to be the first to move towards peaceful relations. This was reflected in the resumption of relations with Egypt. It is clear that after the unsuccessful assassination attempt on Maksimov, between St. Gregory and Peter of Alexandria, who supported Maxim, broke good relations. However, taking advantage of the arrival of Egyptian ships with grain, St. Gregory greets the arrivals with a “Word to those who came from Egypt” 425, praising them not only for the material bread with which they supplied the capital, but also for their spiritually correct teaching. “My people! Here I give the right hand of communication in front of so many witnesses and reflect the ancient oath with a new disposition. You have not joined the ranks of foreign strangers, but your own... Find out that we are yours, just as they recognize their own by the marks of their weapons.” Gregory’s preaching activity at the See of Constantinople was not limited to the words discussed so far: he owns several more works of the same nature. Namely, the Words: a) “in praise of St. Hieromartyr Cyprian, spoken on the next day of his memory,” in which the exploits of martyrs in general and Cyprian in particular are glorified 426; b) on the Gospel words: “When Jesus had finished these sayings” (Matthew 19:1), - the only homily, one, as they think 427, of the many conversations delivered by Gregory without recording and forming part of a whole series of interpretations on the Gospel, remarkable for the doctrine of virginity and marriage 428; c) “On Epiphany or the Nativity of the Savior” 429; d) To the holy lights of the appearances of the Lord" - (January 6, 381) 430 - and e) “For Holy Baptism” (January 7) 431 - all three are important in liturgical and everyday relations. The first of them talks about the Christian celebration of holidays, the second compares Christian sacraments with pagan ones and reveals the superiority of the former over the latter, the third talks about the sacrament of baptism and the need not to postpone its performance sometimes only for vain reasons; f) “On Holy Pentecost, pronounced on May 16, 381 432” - about the meaning of the septenary number and about the Holy Spirit, regarding the Macedonian heresy. To complete the review of the Constantinople period of the pastoral activity of St. Gregory, it remains for us to consider the last act of events that took place in the same year 381. We mean the Second Ecumenical Council and the attitude of St. Gregory. On May 15, 381, the Second Ecumenical Council opened its sessions in Constantinople, consisting exclusively of bishops from the eastern half of the empire, infected with Arianism 433. The composition of the Council was also affected by the tsar’s desire to bring to union and unanimity the faith of the Church, scattered by the weakness of Constantius and the wickedness of Valens: the bishops of the Illyrian district were invited to the Council, teaching that the Son of God is subordinate to the Father, and the Spirit is creation. The council opened its meetings under the chairmanship of Meletius of Antioch, who both occupied the oldest see and was known for his high moral qualities 434. The historian Theodoret narrates that when the assembled bishops were first presented to the king, Theodosius himself recognized Meletius on the basis of an earlier dream and showed him special signs of attention 435 . Honored by the attention of the king and the trust of the bishops, who had gathered in the amount of about 150 people, Meletius opened conciliar classes without waiting for the arrival of the Alexandrian bishops. Having made an unsuccessful attempt to reconcile the Macedonian bishops with themselves, who resolutely refused to recognize the Oneness of the Father and the Son and agreed to be Arians rather than Orthodox 436, the Council took up the affairs of the See of Constantinople. The attempt of Maximus the Cynic to overthrow St. Gregory was convicted, and he himself was excommunicated from the Church. The question of replacing the capital's throne did not require much discussion. Everyone's attention was drawn to St. Gregory. His outstanding talents, his selfless pastoral activity for the benefit of the metropolitan Church, his two-time election by the people and the king, his, finally, friendly connections with many outstanding bishops and the chairman Meletius himself were the reason that the confirmation at the see did not meet with any objections. He himself “no matter how much he cried and complained about this, however, for the benefit of church improvement, he decided to accept this statement.” Probably, such a decision was greatly facilitated by the peaceful course of affairs at the Council, which reigned there under Meletius. St. Gregory hoped that church unity and discipline would now be strengthened, that the shortcomings of church life, which so deeply saddened him, would be eliminated and that the Church would live a happy, peaceful life. But soon Meletius, “filled with measurable and unmeasurable years, this honey-like and honey-like man,” 437 died, having made many admonitions for reconciliation and instructions for the continuation of conciliar meetings before his death. He was greeted with funeral praises by “everyone who possessed the gift of speech” 438. But as soon as his remains were taken out of the capital for burial in his bishopric 439, disputes and discord arose at the Council; with the spirit of Meletius he flew into the angelic host and the peace that reigned in the assembly of bishops. The place of chairman of the Council was taken by St. Gregory, not without instructions, probably from Meletius himself. Now, first of all, the question arose about replacing the see of Meletius - a question, as it seemed to St. Gregory, but which required consultations, but was created by rebellious and malicious people, which served as a stone of misunderstanding and caused a whole storm at the Council. The fact is that in Antioch, since the sixties of the 4th century, there were simultaneously two bishops - Meletius and Paulinus, who each had their own circle of friends and enemies, belonging to different directions of the theological science of that time and with different sympathies for other Churches. Meletius, initially inclined towards Arianism, was a supporter of the Antiochian theological movement and a champion of the idea of ​​​​independence of the Eastern Church from the Western, for which in Rome they cursed him as a heretic, and in Alexandria they did not want to have contact with him. But the whole East, especially Syria and Asia Minor, had respect for him. St. Basil the Great also treated him friendly. Peacock adhered to the side of the Alexandrians, enjoyed the sympathy of the Niceans, was appointed bishop of Antioch by a Westerner Lucifer, maintained connections with Rome and enjoyed its patronage. He had his own community in Antioch. Both sides were extremely hostile to each other. This long-lasting enmity between the Meletians and Paulicians, extremely regrettable and humiliating for the believers, dividing the East into two halves, was somewhat eliminated by an agreement at the Council of Antioch (probably 378), according to which both bishops, Meletius and Paulinus, remain in their rank until death, but after the death of one of them the place of the other is not replaced and in this way unity is restored. The agreement was certified by an oath. Now, when, after the death of Meletius, the time has come to fulfill the oath promise and eliminate the domestic dispute of the Eastern Church, St. Gregory made his proposal to recognize the surviving Paulinus as the Bishop of Antioch and thereby pacify this Church. In addition, thereby achieving reconciliation with the Western Church. He considered his proposal to be the best measure and most appropriate for ending disasters. But since the Council consisted of adherents of Meletius and followers of the Antiochian trend, the young bishops, and after them the old ones, spoke out against the recognition of Paulinus, seeing behind him the triumph of Rome. After much had been said both for and against, St. Gregory said: “Friends, it seems to me that not all of you comprehend the matter equally and want my word to concern not exactly what should now be discussed, but to evade the necessary question as far as possible. You are having a discussion about one city, and this is in order to now create even more controversy. And I have a word about a matter that is much more important and general. With the streams of His precious Blood, the Lord sealed the entire circle of the earth, which is now shaken and divided into two parts... While Meletius was alive and it remained unknown whether the Western bishops would ever accept him, it was somewhat excusable to offend these defenders of the laws to the extent. Now accept the offer of the old man, which exceeds the wisdom of the young, seething with vain glory - give the throne to Peacock... The decisive moment has come: either our sacred dogma will be preserved, or fall irrevocably from strife... Let the (Western) defeat us in small things, in order to win the most important victory ourselves and save the world” 440. As proof of the sincerity of his proposal, he voluntarily invited those who wanted to take his throne. The proposal made by the chairman on a way to resolve the Antioch issue caused a whole storm of passions. Everyone shouted their own. “It was a herd of jackdaws gathered in a heap, a riotous crowd of young people... They looked like wasps that rush back and forth, and suddenly catch everyone’s eye” 441. This is how things turn out in Grigoriev’s description of the conciliar meeting. “But, in essence, the fathers of the Council were not a flock of jackdaws when they rejected Peacock,” says Professor A. Lebedev, “but, on the contrary, they were high-flying eagles, from the heights of a serious understanding of church affairs, who saw how dangerous it was to yield to the West even in small things, to that West, which at that time had already begun to show its predatory claws” 442. Perhaps the members of the Council stood below St. Gregory in understanding the needs of the Church and in the desire for universal unity, but the fact is that they did not accept his proposals, mistakenly suspecting him, an Alexandrian in direction and a Westerner in sympathies, acting in a party spirit, for which, however, we have no right to blame him. Be that as it may, a rift occurred between the chairman and the members of the Council: they ceased to understand each other. The bishops elected Presbyter Flavian as Meletius' successor, and St. Gregory, who was also overcome by illness, stopped attending council meetings, for “no one who has the fear of God and respect for the episcopal throne would want to enter into conferences with such people.” Meanwhile, the Council, continuing its studies on the composition of the Symbol, did not satisfy, perhaps, the same professor guesses, another desire of the saint. Gregory, - more accurately formulate the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, calling Him God 444, and accepted a number of condescending concessions to heretics in matters of faith, to which St. Gregory could not sympathize, although he treated heretics as people gently. All this deepened the gulf separating the sides more and more. “They did not like the introducer of the new teachings, but the prudent one did not like them either.” In the eyes of St. Gregory’s Council, which admitted to communion certain ambiguously believing people, became “a rabble of Christ-sellers, unanimous only for the worst, who wanted to persuade his gray hair to do something that he could not do.” “Rather, the rivers will flow upward and the fire will take a direction opposite to its usual aspiration, rather than I will change anything in my salvation” 445. And so, St. Gregory and the Council, these “Lot and Abraham,” go in different directions. The misunderstandings that occurred upset the soul of St. Gregory in his usual way in such cases: he began to think intensely about solitude and preparing the soul for relocation from this life. Therefore, he not only withdrew “from bad conversations and meetings,” but even left the bishop’s house, to the chagrin of not only the members of the Council who were disposed toward him, of whom there were many among the bishops of the Pontic district, but also the people, who did not want to part with their beloved shepherd. “How much torment there was! How many tears! In loud exclamations, everyone begged to stay, conjuring, mourning as if he were already dead. To whom are you leaving your people? Who will nurture your planting? - asked the flock. “Die with us,” others asked” 446. It was terribly difficult for St. Gregory. It stuck, however. The arrival of Egyptian bishops, invited to promote peace, accelerated the outcome. The newcomers, aware of the situation and progress of affairs at the Council, considered it their duty “to oppose in everything those who deliberated, who have shown impudence both now and at other times.” Thus, the Council became an arena for settling personal scores, part of the old ones. In his private conversations with St. Gregory, its members did not hide their hidden goal: to bring the other side into difficulty at all costs. Therefore, the reasoning was driven not only by reason, but by irritation. “Like boars, they came together, sharpening their fierce teeth at each other and squinting their fiery eyes” 447. To St. himself Gregory, the new arrivals, like-minded in his direction and attitude towards the Nicene Symbol, “smelled with something formidable and Western.” In the matter of establishing him on the throne, they “saw something bitter” - a violation of the 15th rule of the Council of Nicaea, which prohibited the bishop from moving from one see to another in an ambitious manner. Since Gregory, they reasoned, was consecrated Bishop of Sasima, he could not be Bishop of Constantinople. True, another Ecumenical Council, by its very election to another see, thereby abolished the disciplinary rule of its predecessor, but the Egyptian bishops did not recognize the conciliar decisions that took place before their arrival. Moreover, both Meletius and the Council of Antioch, who entrusted St. Gregory, the administration of the metropolitan see, knew the true meaning and purpose of the rule - eliminating the reason for the calculations of ambition, and, however, did not allow such a thought in relation to St. Gregory, least of all guilty of ambitious plans 448. Nevertheless, “this rule began with me,” St. later recalled with sadness. Gregory 449. Grigoriev's patience ran out. Suspecting him of ambition helped him break all ties, “although it was hardly possible to convince people infected with ambition of anything good.” Even if they question his election, the purity of whose intentions was proven by the enduring of sorrows, evils, battles, stoned treats, then what was the purpose of remaining further in the fire of Sodom and episcopal darkness. “According to the proverb, stumbling over the same stone twice is characteristic of some crazy people” 450. He saw that there was discord at the Council not over the word of faith, but over private and petty claims 451, and decided to cut the knot - to leave this rebellious city and, for peace of mind, sacrifice his pulpit, this enviable but dangerous height. Choosing a convenient moment, he went out into the middle of the Council and said a touching speech: “You, whom God has gathered to deliberate about things pleasing to God, consider the question of me to be of secondary importance. My cause does not deserve the attention of such a Council. Direct your thoughts to what is more important; unite, finally seal the mutual bonds of love... Let me be Jonah, although I am not to blame for the storm; I sacrifice myself to save the ship. Take me and throw me by lot. And from this moment you will lay the foundation for unanimity... How long will they laugh at us as indomitable people who have learned only one thing - to breathe quarrels? I give the law to stand for the laws... I was not happy when I ascended the throne, and I step down from it voluntarily. My only duty is death... I give everything to God. Farewell and remember my labors 452! Refusal of St. Gregory caused a split among the members of the Council. This shocked many people terribly. “Some hastily left, like arrows of lightning, others covered their ears, threw up their hands, did not want to hear about the refusal and did not want to see another in my place.” Many bishops, not involved in behind-the-scenes intrigues, were resolutely against accepting such a sacrifice from St. Gregory, what are St. Amphilochius of Iconium, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Cyril of Jerusalem. But those thirsting for disorder and obsessed with ambitious plans gained the upper hand, and the Council “honored him with unquestioning consent.” “This is how the fatherland rewards friends” 453, concludes St. father is a story about himself. St. left with mixed feelings of joy and grief. Gregory's Cathedral. On the one hand, he rejoiced that he had taken off the yoke of service, which, against his will and desire, imposed on him the obligation to understand the intricacies of malice that his soul hated; on the other hand, he felt sorry for the people. “And who doesn’t grieve for orphaned children?” The struggle, fierce in its manifestations, aimless in content, criminal in concept, required an enormous effort from him. He could not, with a clear conscience, devote himself to this struggle, spend time and energy on a task that his soul could not bear. And so, “the shepherd, who had been fighting the destructive wolves for a long time and arguing with the shepherds, was exhausted: there was no longer any vigor in his bent members; he barely catches his breath, depressed by labor and general disgrace. The salt overwhelmed... Bishops compete for the sacred thrones, rebel against each other; these are indomitable warriors, proclaiming: peace, and boasting in blood... Everyone has become double-minded... The pretext for disputes is the Trinity, and the true reason is incredible enmity... Evil is spreading in a wide wave... The gray hair of the old is overshadowed by the insolence of the young... Faith in God has perished... What a deception! The bishops were friends in words, but in reality they were enemies!.. Oh, altars, oh throwing stones and all the labors that I had done until then since the beginning of my asceticism! Where, who to contact, Whose neighbor should I become? If the lamps have become like this, if the light has become like this, then what is the darkness? 454 “- thought the broken body and spirit of the saint. Gregory. From the Cathedral of Bishops of St. Gregory went to the king to ask for his consent to his removal from the capital and from the department, which he officially occupied only for a few stormy weeks. Conducting himself before the court, in general, with a consciousness of pastoral dignity, he now delivered a speech before the emperor that was as witty as it was rich in its content and pastoral spirit. “Generous king,” he said, I also ask you for mercy: not gold, stones, rich revenge for your relatives, which is usually asked of you... For me this is not enough, for I consider myself worthy of more important... Let me give in to a little envy: I want to honor the thrones, only from afar... I was exhausted, seeing the enmity of everyone, even friends, because I cannot turn my gaze to anything other than God... Order the bishops to be agreeable, if not out of fear of God, not out of fear of punishment, then for the sake of pleasing you... Demand from bishops gray hair and traces of sweat for God” 455. This speech of the ascetic only caused applause from the autocrat and his retinue. However, Theodosius did not heed the thoughts that were contained in this farewell speech to him: he did not support and did not restrain St. Gregory. Obviously, the character of St. Gregory did not agree with the court situation; he was too ascetic and too impractical for a metropolitan bishop. His simple rural life in the capital among the nobility, his modest, wretched clothing, his refusal to participate in court celebrations - all this asceticism in itself was a silent reproach for the vain world, and in combination with his fiery speeches it was almost unbearable for the Court. A virtuous person is not always and everywhere convenient and desirable. From the mere fact that Theodosius did not choose anyone from the list of candidates for his place presented by the Council, but appointed as his successor Senator Nektarios, an unbaptized man who had the only quality pleasant for the Court - a dignified appearance and a sociable character, one can conclude that external merits were preferred to greatness of spirit. St. Gregory still had to overcome the last obstacle - the people’s love for him, an obstacle that was all the more difficult for him because he sincerely loved this people, wholly devoted to him and innocent of anything. As a loving and selfless shepherd, he tried in every possible way to ease the separation from him for his flock and help them endure this test. Nothing stops him in his desire to calm the conscience of his flock, for which he takes the guilt of separation entirely upon himself alone and thus bears his cross to the end. He tries to calm everyone down so that they accept his departure indifferently and do not resist him. For this he used affection, praise, and requests. He convinces some to do it out of love for him; others - out of irritation at his bad deed. Being a doctor who himself is not sick 456, he is ready to accept even an unfounded accusation of a bad act, just to present his removal to the perpetrators in a form favorable to them. He refers to his old age, his illness, and his unsuitability for the capital. “Why do you need an old man who is timid, weak, dying every day, restless, because old age is grumpy? You have an unpleasant effect on me that which is pleasant for others, and I am amused by that which is distressing for others. Therefore, I would not be surprised if I, as a restless person, were tied up and recognized as extravagant” 457. Only a person who loves a lot and deeply can care so much about the peace of others at a time when his heart is torn to pieces by the grief caused to him by those for whom he sacrifices himself. All this at the same time serves as an explanation for the act of St. father, in whom, according to him, many were inclined to see hot temper, excessive touchiness or, in general, unevenness of character: he was above such petty shortcomings and acted deliberately and consciously. Gregory ended his pastoral activity in Constantinople with a “Farewell Address” 458. He saw too much love and attention from his flock, there was too much talk around his name. He had to console some, justify his actions to others, and generally teach everyone his last pastoral edification. On the other hand, there have become many shepherds, both worthy and unworthy. The ideal of the shepherd and his ministry in the minds of many has dimmed and darkened. It was necessary, both in word and in deed, to restore this ideal and indicate the distinctive features of worthy shepherds from unworthy ones. And so, St. the father speaks at the pulpit for the last time to pronounce the farewell Word, outstanding for its artistic beauty, simplicity, harmony, sincere elegiac feeling, penetrating the soul and acting so strongly that without tears it is impossible to read this swan song of the loving, selfless elder shepherd. “How do you find my deeds, dear shepherds and fellow shepherds? How do you see my journey and its fruits?” - he asks. Having then depicted the previous state of the Church of Constantinople, worthy of tears, he with a sense of proportion depicts its flourishing present state, attributing this beneficial change to the mercy of God, as a reward for the restoration of the correct teaching about the Holy Trinity, just as the previous disorder and lack of good faith was an admonition for the distortion of this teaching. This fruit, grown with his participation, he brings together, briefly adding the teaching that he professed and preached. Pointing out his selfless activities, he appeals to the conscience of everyone to bring charges against him, if any, giving at the same time a series of instructions about pastoral service and, in particular, about choosing a successor for himself, who should arouse envy, not regret. For himself, the shepherd asks for only one reward for his work - “a letter of dismissal with a good certificate, if you like.” Once again exposing the lack of Christian love and correct understanding of the spirit of pastoral service among those who pushed him to take revenge on the former offenders of the Church, or who condemned him for his rural life in the capital, St. the father ends his speech with a “farewell” to everything that was so sweet to the difficult, lonely, overwhelming struggle with the kingdom of hell that he found in Constantinople, for his part willingly reconciling with those who were the perpetrators of his misadventures. “Forgive me, Anastasia, who resurrected our teaching, the place of common victory, Shiloh, in which we erected the tabernacle, which wandered in the desert for forty years!.. Forgive me, and other churches!.. Forgive me, Apostles, my teachers in asceticism! Forgive me, pulpit, this enviable and dangerous height! Forgive me, council of bishops and priests, the ceremonies of the Nazarenes, the honesty of virgins, the decency of wives, the crowds of widows and orphans, the eyes of the poor, directed towards God and towards us! Forgive, lovers of my words, these public meetings and concourses, and these canes, writing openly and secretly, and this lattice, which can barely withstand those who are embarrassed to listen!.. Forgive me, kings and royal palaces, ministers, household members! Splash your hands! The tongue, hostile and prophetic for you, has fallen silent! Although he will not completely fall silent, and will still argue with hand and ink... Forgive me, great and Christ-loving city!.. Approach the truth, change your life, although it is too late. Honor God more than you usually do. Sorry, East and West! We endure attack for you and from you. Those who have departed from the thrones will not lose God, but will have a high pulpit, which is much higher and safer than these pulpits. Forgive me, angels, overseers of this church! Forgive me Trinity, my thoughts and decoration. Chad, remember how they stoned me! » 459 Soon, then, St. Gregory left Constantinople. This was in 381. Thus ended the arduous and multi-useful pastoral activity of St. Gregory in the capital of the empire. It lasted for a short time, not a full three years, but it was rich in its results. If the Church of Constantinople was not completely destroyed by heretics, who, out of the sixty years that have passed since the First Ecumenical Council, have continuously owned this Church for forty years; if from ruins and devastation it was resurrected and restored, if from a neglected field it became fruitful, then the honor of such restoration belongs to the heroic pastoral selfless activity of St. Gregory, who showed by his example what even one shepherd warrior can do if he begins to serve with a living faith in God and sincere love for his pastoral work. True, Grigoriev’s works were not appreciated and they did not provide him with moral support. It's hard. But, after all, shepherding is bearing the cross. Therefore, let the shepherd not count on this support, but reserve self-sacrifice. In his person, St. Gregory left to all pastors the highest example of pastoral humility and self-sacrifice for preserving the peace and well-being of the Churches and the ideal of pastoral activity, in which pastors will find for themselves many lessons and many consolations in their difficult and thorny path of life. Chapter 4. The final period of Gregory's life Gregory at Vasily's grave. A funeral eulogy for him. Arianska hermitage. Gregory's state of mind. Correspondence with friends. Physical ailments. Affairs of the Nazianzi Church. Entrusting Gregory with temporary management of it. The attack of the Apollinarians on the Nazian Church and their repulsion by Gregory. Two epistles to Kledonius. Gregory is suspected of heresy. Gregory's decisive refusal to rule the Nazianzi Church. Election of his successor. Gregory's participation in general church activities. Concern for the proper direction of affairs at the Council of Constantinople and the good organization of churches. Attitude towards heretics. Gregory's poetic talent as a special type of his pastoral service. Division, quantity, character and content of his poems. Liturgical meaning of Gregory's poetic works. Gregory's letters, as another type of his pastoral activity, and their significance for characterizing pastoral activity. The significance of letters in the matter of private soul care. Ascetic exploits of Gregory. The fight against thoughts, passionate movements of the flesh and the devil. Preparation for departure. The final stage of his life's feat. The death of the righteous. Tombstones. Will. Characteristics of Gregory as a writer and theologian, dogmatic polemicist, as an orator-preacher and as a shepherd-moralist. "Gregorius vir eloquentissimus hic grammaticae poeticesque laude florebat" (Ex Hieronymo, ex Suida - Migne, p. c. s. g. t. XXXV, c. 305–306). First of all, St. Gregory, upon leaving Constantinople, was to honor the memory of his dearly beloved friend - St. Basil the Great, who died shortly before. His deepest and highest feelings of love and friendship were connected with him, which did not weaken even after the test that came to these feelings in the forced dedication and appointment of St. Gregory in Sashima. The solid, practical, sound mind of St. Vasily had previously wielded power over the gentle feminine body of St., capable of highly sincere experiences. Gregory. Time reconciled him with the violence done to him. He saw in him a manifestation of God’s Providence, and submitted. And to Constantinople St. Gregory went “not without the will of Vasily,” who saw in him the only suitable person for the great task facing the shepherd there at that moment, but rather, one must think, on his urgent advice 460. Now, having brilliantly fulfilled the duty of obedience, St. Gregory satisfies his heartfelt desire and hurries to Cappadocia, to the grave of his friend, to venerate his ashes and cry out his soul in the extensive “Funeral Oration,” which is an example of panegyric art 461. “It was still not enough for the Great Basil, who offered me many subjects for words, to now offer himself as the subject of words,” - this is how St. begins his speech. father. Having mentioned that; that he begins to glorify the great man after all the others for the reason that all this time he was busy caring for the true teaching, which was in danger, and, being an unwilling prisoner, the speaker gives such a brilliant characterization of the saint. Vasily, that, reading it, you don’t know what to be more surprised at, whether at the virtues and exploits of St. Basil, or the excellent description of their St. Gregory 462. Step by step he describes the life of St. Basil, drawing a bright and majestic image of the Cappadocian archpastor. The slightest features of his biography are not ignored, providing rich material for his characterization. Pastoral activity of St. Vasily, especially his suffering from Valens and the Arians, are outlined so picturesquely and artistically that, forever remaining a glorious page in the life of Vasily, they crown the speaker with the halo of a brilliant artist of words. “This is a gift to you, Vasily. Who will praise me, who, depressed by old age, illness and sorrow, will leave life after you? - this is how he ends his praise of St. Vasily 463. As can be seen from the tone of the entire speech, the thought of death increasingly occupied the soul of St. Gregory. This is understandable: severe disappointments in life always tune a person’s soul into an elegiac mood, turn thoughts to the purpose and meaning of life, and make one involuntarily think about the end of life. Having paid my last debt to the memory of St. friend and arriving in Arians, St. the father completely surrendered to his sad thoughts, inspired by his experience at the See of Constantinople. The thought of a voluntary exile involuntarily returned to the place and the witnesses of his exploits and loved to greet familiar places, dear faces and scenes memorable to the heart from distant solitude. Most of these memories pour out the sorrow of the painful feeling of a noble and loving soul, undeservedly insulted in its best affections. True, he forgave all the insults to his enemies and envious people and even forgot about their existence, 464 but the feeling of grief over the spreading dominance of evil over good and the powerlessness to fight it did not leave him until the end of his life. These feelings were especially strong in the time closest to the experience, when the initial joy over freedom from the unbearable atmosphere of envy, intrigues, and intrigues surrounding the throne 465 gave way to cold rational analysis and revealed a fresh mental wound. In fact, here he is, “a breathing dead man, half dead, half disfigured, leading a painful, not prosperous life, crushed by old age, illness and sorrows 466, what reward did he receive for his labors? A break with everything dear to him and dismissal, the right for which he suffered both soul and body 467. He pours out his grief about the Church of Anastasia in the famous “Dream” about it 468. The severity of separation from friends is visible from his letter to Amazon. If one of our mutual friends asks you: where is Gregory now? what does it do? - boldly answer that he philosophizes in silence, completely forgetting the offenders. And if the same person asks you: how does he tolerate separation from friends? then don’t boldly answer that he is wise, but say that in this he is cowardly. For everyone has his own weakness: and I am weak in relation to friendship and towards friends... You can only serve me..., namely, if you begin to remember me and assure me with letters that this is really so” 469. St., who highly valued friendship, In relation to his friends, the father openly admits his cowardice and weakness towards them. But what real consequences resulted from his selfless activities in Constantinople? Both by his work and by his instructions, he wanted to clearly prove what shepherds should be like in general, and for this time in particular; he was especially concerned that his successor should be an energetic continuator of his labors and possess the possible perfection. Meanwhile, as we have seen, a man was chosen as his successor, even an unbaptized man, inexperienced in church administration, one who, according to St. father, “and one should not approach the saving doors: he is preferred to his mysteries” 470. Then, riots at cathedral meetings with the departure of St. Gregory did not stop, as can be seen from the latter’s letter to Exarch Sophronius with a request to take every possible care to establish peace among the warring parties 471. All these insults and disturbances brought tears to St. Gregory. Having made a promise, when parting with his flock, to smash vice and vicious inclinations, if not with his tongue, then with his hand and ink 472, now in solitude he fulfills his promise. In a number of satires and poems: “On the differences in life and against the false priests”, “To the bishops”, “To the priests of Constantinople and to Constantinople itself”, “On his removal, “On his return”, “To himself” 473 and others, he gives scope to his feelings of indignation at unworthy shepherds and envy, which prevented him from completely pacifying the Church. “Have fun, whoever you like, in my suffering,” he wrote. Although I am old and have experienced many disasters, however, my old age, for many years, has not seen such a disaster as it sees now... priests making bloodless sacrifices! Laws! Kings adorned with piety! I appeal to your piety: what has envy done to me? Why did they separate me from my children, me, who labored for a long time, illuminated them with heavenly teachings and poured out a stream for them from a stone? What justice is there in this?... The leaders of the people rebelled against each other, taking up arms instead of weapons with anger and envy and seething with contempt, like a fierce fire; they rebelled and the whole universe was divided. Like one who tames lions or enraged boars, I did not stop the insults, but, like a subtle person, I myself was trampled. If I had become a martyr, I would sooner have been freed from danger... But there is no way to complacently endure the insult that has been incessantly before my eyes for such a long time... The failures here would have been difficult if God had not subsequently turned the other side of the bones... 474. Envy. This is a beast full of poison, a pillory, a collection of all evil. She put me below the skinny ones. God, will the evil ones really take precedence even there (beyond the grave)? There is no distinction between good and evil, between prudent gray hair and reckless youth, a God-fearing life and between a dissolute life... There is one law: the one who is more vicious than everyone else has the advantage... But let them go their own way, and I will look for Noah’s Ark to be saved in it from a terrible death. I am not a daring warrior... I am leaving and will be consoled by tranquility... I am glad that I have escaped envy and after a great storm I am tying the rope to a quiet pier” 475. Such were the thoughts and feelings of the voluntary hermit. Letters from St. Gregory of this period, being valuable graphic material, give us an accurate picture of his emotional experiences, cherished thoughts, sorrows and joys. From them we learn that the sad mood of St. father's response increased even more from the reception that awaited the voluntary exile in his homeland: he had to justify his abandonment of Constantinople, as the Church was not his own, not assigned to him, and therefore not subject to responsibility for abandonment, which “he undertook not lightly and not somehow, but with great care and consideration” 476. Therefore, in view of various absurd rumors spread by enemies regarding his life and activities, St. Gregory, who does not like to divulge much without good reason, considered himself forced to depict his difficult and sorrowful life in “Poem about his life” 477 and thereby refute various slander and accusations brought against him by his opponents. “When, having left a foreign country,” he says, I returned to my fatherland and saw with pleasure my native land and kind people, then, beyond my expectations, I met in an obvious way the beautiful and genuine divine word spoken by the Lord, which every prophet seems worthy of honor only on a foreign side, fulfilled over me. In addition, St. Gregory experienced unkind feelings on the part of some “two-faced and two-colored presbyters who treated him hypocritically and poorly. “You ask what my affairs are,” he writes to Procopius, “I will answer you with the words of the Athenian ambassadors to the Lacedaemonians, who said: as towards slaves, they are very merciful, but as towards freemen, they are arrogant. This is what I should write too. They treat me more humanely than as outcast people, but more contemptuously than as people preparing to stand before God... The illness still torments me, but my friends do not stop doing me evil and harming me as much as possible.”479 The saints were not saved from the petty envy of petty people. father had neither a high moral character nor great services to the Church. Flattering and servile while he was on the throne, now that he has left it, they are ready to despise him, and even show compassion and patronage, behind which gloating is poorly hidden. But the smaller and more numerous they are, the worse the bites of these insects are. Gregory’s illness, which he mentions in the above letter, was very serious. He arrived at the family estate broken, both physically and morally. The extraordinary strain of all his mental strength in the excitement he experienced, coupled with an ascetic lifestyle, completely upset his health. His legs became especially weak, refusing to bear the body of an ascetic. He could no longer move freely and had to use the services of a stretcher and the care of relatives 480 or pious women who devoted themselves to caring for the sick 481 . How does the old man endure his illness and suffering? - With amazing patience, without a hint of grumbling or discontent. The heroic spirit looks complacently at the weakness of the body. “I suffer from illness and my body is exhausted... My limbs have weakened and my legs walk unsteadily,” he complains 482. The illness keeps me on a leash and makes me immobile for many things, or, to tell the truth, completely immobile. I will endure this, although with sorrow, nevertheless, I will endure it. And why can’t a person endure sorrow?” - he writes to one friend, Castor 483. He sees the cause of his illness in the machinations of the enemy of the human race, who is trying to break the faith of the righteous. “Again you came to me, treacherous one; and, as far as is clear, he came in order to torment the depths of my heart within me. You want the sacred image in me to fall from the strong and repeated shocks of this life. You came with murderous intentions and poured out on me, poor thing, all the poison of your bitter malice... But no matter how much you pursue me, you annoying demon, I will never bend the knees of my heart before you. Hit the skin, murderer, but the soul is invulnerable" 484. Therefore, the saint’s main medicine for bodily ailments was fervent, fervent prayer. “Command me, O Christ, to finally become healthy! Your word is medicine for me... Help, Your servant! Restore me and do not reject Your priest. Have mercy, Christ! If it is not pleasing to You to heal me, then give me strength to endure my struggles. And if I betrayed You during the storm, then let me still be overwhelmed” 485. The sufferer did not neglect the usual human means of treatment: he visited the Xanxarid mineral waters 486 and the bathhouse of one monastery 487. Clean air, a shady grove and rural solitude were no less healing for him than warm waters. “I spend time in the middle of the field, away from residential areas, and there I improve my health,” he wrote to Victor 488. The idyll of rural life had a beneficial effect on him. “Yesterday, crushed by my suffering, I sat alone, far from people, in a shady grove... In suffering, I love such healing... The winds buzzed and, together with the singing birds from the tree branches, sent down a good sleep even to an overly exhausted spirit. And in the trees, the favorites of the sun, sweet-sounding grasshoppers, filled the entire forest with their chirping. There was cool water nearby and, quietly flowing through the grove moistened by it, washed my feet.”489 But Gregory didn’t have to hide in solitude for long and enjoy the healing, quiet haven. The affairs of the native Nazianz Church were deplorable. Despite the energetic performances of St. Gregory, from the year 375, from the time of his removal to Seleucian seclusion until the present time, ― the end of 381, for six years the Nazian department did not have its own primate. Whether the indifference of the regional metropolitan, the absence of worthy persons, or the poverty and insignificance of the department was the reason for this, but the Dowager Church was not headed and was subjected to attacks by heretics - the Apollinarians. Taking advantage of the return of St. Gregory to his homeland, Metropolitan Theodore of Tyana, to whose district during the absence of St. Gregory transferred to the Nazianzi Church from the diocese of Caesarea, calling him to the secondary administration of the Nazianzi Church 490. But the multitude of labors required by the neglected state of the Church did not correspond to the physical strength of the saint. Gregory, not yet restored. However, the benefit of the Church was the main concern of his life: he lived not for himself, but for others. Therefore, now, seeing that they need him, that he left the Nazian Church, not connected with him by any definition, not out of forgetfulness of God and not out of contempt for the little flock, he says: “Finally, I am defeated and I recognize a victory over myself, painful for the body, but not bad, perhaps, for the soul. I give this humble body to the Church as long as it is able, deeming it better for myself to suffer something in the flesh rather than suffer in spirit and bring suffering to many who have a bad opinion of me because they themselves suffer.”491 But even while giving himself to the temporary service of the Church, he still decisively declares that he was ordained in Sasima, and not Nazians, that there is no basis for considering him the bishop of Nazians, and that this Church should have its own bishop, to which he strongly recommends Eulalia the presbyter, his relative, known to him for his moral qualities 492. Information about the pastoral ministry of St. Gregory during the secondary administration of the Nazian Church, very little has survived. Two words relate to his church teaching activities of this period: 1) “For the new week, for spring and in memory of the martyr Mamant” 493, pronounced on April 16, 383, which contains an excellent analogy of spiritual and physical spring; and 2) “On St. Easter" 494, in which the gospel is preached about the reunification of man with God and his salvation. The subject of special pastoral works of St. father during this temporary administration of the Nazian Church there were, as we have already noted, Apollinarian heretics, about whom it is worth saying a few words in view of the fact that they considered St. Gregory as his like-minded person. The main error of the Christological system of Apollinaris of Laodicea was the teaching that in the person of the God-man there was no human mind or spirit, but instead there was the Divinity of the Only Begotten, that the Son of God, having become incarnate, took on a body and an animal soul, but did not perceive the human spirit, a specific part of the human being, that, therefore, the Son of God did not become man, but became incarnate. Destroying the human personality in Christ, the Apollinarians are approaching the idealism of the Alexandrian school, which in the image of the union of two natures in Christ gave predominance to the Divine over the human, and, considered champions of the Nicene faith, were in communion with the pillars of Orthodoxy - Athanasius and Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, until their errors were clarified 495 . What made these heretics dangerous was that, under the guise of communication with the aforementioned fathers, they brought the Arians to accuse the Orthodox of Apollinarism. When St. Gregory, to improve his health, left Nazianzus for a while to the Xanxarid waters, entrusting the management of the Church to his presbyter Kledonius, these heretics made a decisive and bold attempt to take possession of the Nazianian Church. Using the services of two passing bishops, deposed at the Eastern and Western Councils (i.e., the Second Ecumenical Council), the Apollinarians, “these evil people who perished in evil, opposing all the royal decrees and your orders, placed the name of bishop on one person, among them wicked and suspicious, nothing, I think, was so much encouraging as my death,” wrote St. Gregory from the waters to the commander of the Second Cappadocia, Olympius, informing him about what had happened and asking for his help to curb the insolent people 496. It seems that this is the only case in Gregory’s pastoral practice when he betrays his principle of a lenient attitude towards heretics and turns to civil authorities for assistance. “If this is bearable,” continues St. father, then may your firmness endure, and I will endure it, as I have endured many times. And if it is difficult and unbearable for the most pious kings themselves, then deign to punish for what they have done, although not as severely as their arrogance deserves.” Already from the last words of St. It is clear from the father that he, being generally opposed to exceptional measures against heretics, in this case turned to the head of the region for assistance only because the state of affairs required it. In the absence of St. Gregory, for their greater success, the heretics divulged in Nazianza that St. himself. Gregory accepts them into communication with himself. Unity of St. The Apollinarians proved Gregory with their false teaching by citing the fact that he did not reject Vitaly, Bishop of Antioch, appointed by Apollinaris, after presenting his confession to him. The evidence was so strong and the temptation so great that it served to St. Gregory is the cause of many sorrows. Kledonius kept silent about the disorders caused in the Church entrusted to him, himself, perhaps, doubting the Credibility of his bishop. Having learned about what had happened, St. Gregory saw himself forced to stop evil in the most energetic and demonstrative way for the weak, so that in the hearing of everyone he would refute the rantings of heretics about his like-mindedness with them and thereby restore peace in the Nazianzi Church. “Knowing the thoughts and wickedness of all the Apollinarians and seeing their unbearable arrogance, I thought,” he writes, “that with my generosity I would make them meek and soften them little by little, which, apparently, was what they promised to my hopes. But in an imperceptible way, as it turned out, I made them even worse, and with untimely wisdom I harmed the Church; for meekness does not bring wicked people to shame.” These are the motives for the sick Gregory’s appeal to Olympius for help 497. But the zealous shepherd could not calm down with the hope of the influence of the head of the region. He sends a letter to the district metropolitan and two presbyters Eulalia and Keleusius 498. In the letter, he urgently asks, in view of the exceptional conditions of the Nazianzi Church, to give it a bishop who would protect it from heretics, give help and be its head. “But my illness removed me from church affairs and now I’m good for nothing,” he complained, “I’m constantly on my last breath, I’m even more burdened by work. It is not my years or my weakness that can stop the insolence of the heretics, but only your art and your strength. And if I am not heard, then all I can do is publicly proclaim that the Church needs a bishop.” Presbyters Eulaly and Keleusius, who were sent to the Metropolitan, had the task of directly acquainting the Metropolitan with the disorder that the Apollinarians had brought into the Church, and personally, on behalf of the community, expressing a request for the gift of a bishop. Didn't leave St. Gregory without denunciation and Apollinarians. Forced, at the insistence of doctors, to continue treatment, St. Gregory, in two Epistles to Cledonius, refutes the false teaching of the Apollinarians and clarifies the circumstances of his relations with Vitaly 499. From the very tone and expressions of the Epistles it is clear how deeply indignant St. was. the father of the insolence of heretics who successfully slandered him and outraged his flock. “I want to know,” he writes, “what kind of innovation is this in the Church, according to which anyone passing by is allowed to destroy and plunder a well-trained flock, instilling in it banditry and strange teachings? If those who are attacking us now could condemn us for anything regarding faith, then they should not have dared to do such things without first admonishing us... whose faith is preached in writing and not in writing, here and in distant countries, with dangers and without dangers... How do some decide to do such a thing, while others are silent? And it’s not just that it’s hard that they pour their false teaching into the minds of the simple-minded, but that they slander us, calling us like-minded people and agreeing with them, they put bait on the bait and through this deception they maliciously carry out their will, and they turn our simplicity, by which we looked at them as brothers, and not strangers, into an aid to their malice” 500. With these words St. denies himself. Gregory from unanimity with heretics, for the acceptance of whom into society he advises Kledonius not to trust verbal statements about their acceptance by the church, but to demand conciliar messages, which were usually given to those who had reunited. He refutes the very false teaching of Apollinaris in the first Epistle with arguments about the impossibility of uniting in the God-Man two opposing substances - God and flesh - without an intermediary principle, which is the mind, which, on the one hand, cohabits with the flesh, and on the other, is the image of God. “The soul is common to all living beings,” he argued. “If He is a man with a soul, then, not having a mind, one can still doubt whether He accepted the soul of a man, and not a horse, an ox or another irrational animal.” If, then, Christ, having rejected the mind, having accepted an incomplete human nature, then restored the incomplete one, and the mind, as the beginning of sin, is most in need of redemption 501. As for the confession of Vitaly, which, stated in general terms about the incarnation, did not inspire much suspicion, but having been exposed by Pope Damasus, who was upset at the very deception to which he himself was subjected due to gullibility, turned out to be heretical, now the heretics, according to St. Gregory “must be ashamed and wipe this great and amazing destiny and proclamation of Orthodoxy from the door,” and need to be rehabilitated by the Ecumenical Council. Therefore, in vain Kledonius hesitated and asked St. Gregory regarding his way of thinking. “You knew,” he wrote to him, “that I never did anything. I cannot prefer the Nicene faith..., but with the help of God, I hold on, and will continue to hold on to this faith... Therefore, turn away from those who hold other teachings and consider them alien to God and the Universal Church" 502. With such an explanation to Kledonius about his frivolous credulity in the verbal assurances of heretics and confessors of their faith, St. Gregory restored peace in the Nazianzi church, although his efforts for unanimity were largely paralyzed by what people did and did against him who did not understand him. But the described misadventures of the test of St. Gregory did not end. The seed of doubt about his Orthodoxy was sown, and St. his fellow bishops begin to suspect his father of Apollinarism, one of whom, Helladius of Caesarea, caused him a lot of grief. If this bishop in his way of thinking leaned toward the Antiochian school, which sympathized with Arianism, then suspecting the Niceans of Apollinarism was a common phenomenon of this category of people. Be that as it may, Helladius, through the closest assistants and colleagues of St. Gregory arranged a kind of secret surveillance over him, which, of course, was too hard on the well-being of the sickly old man. He was suspected that he was not so sick as to often leave the pulpit for treatment and use of waters, or to be treated by rural life in Arianza, from where he could govern the church through proxies. “So we, the Cappadocians, have rebelled, so to speak,” wrote St. Gregory to Theodore of Tyana, - an evil hitherto unheard of and incredible... May my lord, my most God-loving Bishop Helladius, cease to enter into the investigation of my affairs, for he seeks this not by spiritual means, but by circumlocutions that show quarrelsomeness, not according to the strictness of church rules, but in satisfaction of anger, which time reveals and many things, together with time, brought into action without any reason. Because it is necessary to say so and not to upset. If I had such physical health that I could rule the Church in Nazianza, where it was originally proclaimed, and not in Sasima, as some incorrectly assure you, then I am not so pitiful and ignorant of Divine decrees that I would either despise the Church or pursue the conveniences of life, meaning the rewards prepared for those who work according to God and use the talent entrusted to them... But since I am sick in body, as everyone knows, and for the reason I have said, I am not afraid of the important consequences of this removal, but I see that the church under my rule is suffering harm in the most important way, and due to impaired health it is almost in disorder; I asked before and now I ask the most God-loving bishops... to give the Church a head worthy of both my desire and your prayers... So, let this be known to you; Inspire the same thing to the other bishops, so that they agree and give their votes and do not burden my old age by believing slander 503. Such an insistent request from St. Gregory, repeated twice, about removing the burden of government, which had become unbearable due to health reasons and the needs of the Nazianzi Church, could not be left unsatisfied. And so, to the great joy of St. elder, Chorebishop Eulalia was chosen as his successor. He expressed his feelings on this matter in a letter to St. Gregory of Nyssa, who could think that another bishop was proclaimed against the will of Grigorieva. “I don’t despise them that much, and they don’t dislike me that much,” he says. - On the contrary, begging a lot for the sake of my own mortality and at the same time being afraid to take on the burden of governing the Church left without supervision, I asked them for this mercy, which was not contrary to the rules and was reassuring for me - to give the Church a shepherd. And through your prayers a shepherd has been given, worthy of your piety, whom I place in your hands: this is the venerable Eulalia, the God-loving bishop, in whose arms I would like to die” 504. However, the ministry of the Church of St. Gregory did not stop after his official replacement by Bishop Eulalia and his removal from administrative affairs. Without occupying a particular throne all his life, he was a helpful servant of all thrones. His talents and fiery zeal for the good of the church were too great for such a lamp to hide in the Arianz family shady garden. He himself suffered from the illnesses of the Church, and was constantly concerned about its triumph over its enemies; Others also called on him for help. Thus, in 382, ​​Emperor Theodosius, through the nobleman Procopius, invited St. Gregory at the Council of Constantinople. St. Gregory resolutely refused, wishing to “avoid any meeting of bishops, because he had not yet seen a single meeting that would have a beneficial end in all respects and would rather relieve evils than increase them. Their (bishops’) curiosity and ambition are beyond all description.” At the same time, he Refers to an illness “from which he is on his last legs and cannot define himself for anything” 505. When they did not believe his illness and “again prescribed such a long journey through Icarius, another nobleman, then St. Gregory turned to the regional commander Olympius with a request to testify to his illness, which they do not believe and which he is happy to thank for the fact that it gives him the opportunity to avoid the middle of the rebellions that were so hated by him 506. Likewise, he avoids regional councils. “I bow to councils and interviews from afar,” he wrote to Theodore of Pansky, “since he experienced a lot of bad things” 507. But these refusals to participate in conciliar meetings do not at all mean that St. Gregory did not take any part in the affairs of the Church. When in the next 383 Theodosius made a new attempt by conciliar reasoning to end the religious disputes of the Arians and Eunomians, St. Gregory, completely not sharing the king’s hopes of pacifying the parties through debate and considering such an attempt to be fruitless and useless (which was later justified), takes his measures to pacify: with two letters to the consuls Postumian and Saturninus, he asks for their assistance in pacifying the bishops. Recognizing the councils as beneficent institutions of the Church, if they do not achieve their goals, then because of their abuse by worthless people, St. Gregory asks these secular persons to direct the direction of the conferences on the proper path, preventing the flow of passions from making the cathedral an arena for settling personal scores between the bishops. “Since now there is a council of bishops again,” he wrote to the first, “then take the following advice from me. Do not consider anything so decent for your authorities as to pacify the Churches, even if for this it is necessary to punish the rebellious with special severity. And if otherwise, having retired from business, I do not abandon my worries, do not be surprised at this. Although I gave up the throne and high rank to those who wished, I did not at the same time give up piety: but I think that now I will seem to you worthy of trust, even more than before, as serving not my own, but the common good” 508. The purity of his concerns for the church pacification of St. the father, as can be seen from the above, had to prove his disinterested removal from business. How typical this is for the environment with which he dealt. In a letter to Saturninus, St. Gregory expressively emphasizes his concern for the Churches. With God’s help, everything is going well for me, except for one thing: I’m worried about the Churches, which are in such turmoil. And if you can help them in any way, do not be lazy, both in word and in deed, to restore general harmony, because again there is a council of bishops, and it is dangerous that even now we will not remain in shame if this council has almost the same end as the previous one” 509. The Arian hermit took the affairs of the Councils of Constantinople so close to his heart, vigilantly following the progress of the struggle against heretics! With all his soul he was sick for the discord that reigned at the meetings of bishops, to the shame of the Church, and for the mistakes that the leaders of church policy made in relation to heretics. The turn that took place in the soul and thoughts of St. is also remarkable. Gregory in relation to heretics in the last period of his life. This turn, as a result of a lifetime of struggle against heresies, is so instructive for our time that it deserves attention. St. Gregory, as we have seen, did not expect any benefit from the conciliar wrangling after all misunderstandings had been cleared up. For his part, he asked influential persons at the court - consuls Postumian and Saturninus - to make every effort to pacify the parties. Moreover, in view of the tactlessness committed by his successor Nectarius, which was expressed in granting heretics the right of free assembly and propaganda of their false teachings, St. Gregory, in his Epistle to him, sets out his view of the state of affairs. “Apparently,” he writes, “our real life has been left in everything without God’s care, which protected the Churches in the times before us. And my spirit has fallen so low from the disasters that I do not consider my own sorrows in this life to be misfortunes, although they are very heavy and numerous, and if they happened to anyone else, they would seem unbearable. But I look at the general suffering of the Churches, the healing of which if we do not take care at the present time, then things will reach complete hopelessness. Heretics Arians, Eudoxians..., contentious followers of Macedonius, our domestic evil - Eunomius..., daring Apollinarians, I don’t know by whom, driven to madness, as if having received freedom to do so, they show off their illness, gathering churches, as if they were doing this by right... Your holiness allowed them to arrogate to themselves, on an equal basis with us, the power to have their own meetings... Meanwhile, how to give them this right means nothing more than to admit that their teaching is truer than ours... For if they, as pious ones, are allowed to teach in accordance with their way of thinking and freely preach the teaching they contain, then isn’t this clearly condemning the teaching of the church, as if the truth is on their side? For it is unnatural for two contrary teachings about the same thing to be true” 510. This is the opinion of St. father on the issue of granting religious freedom to sectarians. He strongly advises Nektarios to use all his influence on the king in order to persuade him - if he really wants to see the benefit of his concern for the Churches - to take away the rights to freedom granted to heretics. So, according to St. Gregory the Theologian, once all means of peaceful struggle against heretics have been exhausted, evil, in order to eliminate temptation, must be stopped in more tangible ways. This look from St. father triumphed in the restoration of the Theodosian decree, issued even earlier, but not put into effect until then, by which freedom of action was taken away from heretics. In addition to the above-mentioned struggle against heretics, St. Gregory continued to serve the Church with his other gifts. One of these types of pastoral service for him was measured poetic speech. Gregory was a poet. Poetry, this teacher of nations, being his instinctive language and manifesting itself even in sermons, most of which are poems that lack only rhythm, was therefore not his exclusive occupation in any particular period of his life, and therefore in the one under consideration. “Without a doubt,” says Manto, “Gregory had previously written poems from time to time, but this fragmentary poetry of his had the character of a completely private pursuit and was not offered to the public in any more or less significant collection 511. But the ascetic withdrawal from the world, to which Gregory completely surrendered after replacing his see with Eulalius and removing from himself the burden of responsible management of the Nazianzu church, represented, in Schenk’s opinion, the most favorable condition for the concentration of the spiritual poet in himself and for the unhindered expression in poems of the highly poetic mood of his soul” 512. The period of Arianza's solitude, which replaced the era of practical public service of the Primate of the Church, full of labors and difficult trials, provided freedom, breadth and scope for the flight of his poetic talent. We have already seen how delighted the listeners were with the artistic and poetic sermons of St. Gregory in Constantinople. This is understandable. The Hellenes, proud of their national education and spoiled by their classical authors, with their artistic and literary streak, looked for elements in Christianity itself that were akin to the literary and aesthetic traditions they had inherited and that corresponded to their natural inclinations. And if they found traces of the beautiful Greek mind that was native to them in the presentation of the Christian faith and moral teaching, then they were carried away by it, first of all, and understood it more deeply. In this case, the Christian poet could count on a beautiful and wondrous combination of two elements - the supernatural and the natural. The truths of the Christian religion have a strong influence on the human soul in themselves, even when they are presented in the simplicity of faith and without any artificiality. But if the same truths are presented to the refined ear of an educated Greek, spoiled by classical meter, in a highly artistic poetic presentation, not inferior to the famous secular poets, then the more effective and irresistible will be their influence on both his mind and soul. St. Gregory knew the seductive influence of his poetic gift on educated Christians and clearly saw the good results of such influence. And this gift of his, bestowed upon him from God and improved by personal labor and enriched by the study of classical authors and the science of constructing poetic rhyme speech, he brought to the service of the Church. Every victory of his poetic mind was also a victory for the bishop. Poetically expounding the Christian teaching for the purposes of teaching, or for the purpose of disseminating and preserving it pure and undamaged, or, finally, for polemical purposes, to refute heretics and protect against attacks from enemies, he thereby more and more spread his literary and enlightened influence on society, promoting the triumph of faith and the Church. But the seductive influence of poetry was also known to heretics. They knew well the influence of poetic speech on the soul and imagination, appreciated it and widely used it for their own purposes. So, for example, Arius composed many songs and set out his teachings in Θάλλεια - a collection that was then very widespread and respected among the people; the Macedonians had the New Testament in poetry; Apollinaris, being a poet and expert in metrical speech, wrote a new psalter. “The poetic songs of the Apollinarians were sung by men, both at feasts and at work, and by women at the looms, because Apollinaris wrote many idylls just in case - for work and rest, for holidays and other days, and all his idylls tended to glorify God,” says the historian 513. Therefore, the rhythmic presentation of religious doctrine for the purpose of its propaganda was not new. St. himself speaks about his motivations to engage in versification. Gregory says the following: “Seeing that in the present age they write in unmeasured speech, easily merging from the pen, and spend most of their time in labors from which there is no other benefit except empty talkativeness, so that in the end everything is no less nonsense than the sand of the sea - seeing all this, I admired most of all that one thought, so that, having abandoned every other word, I would hold on only the words of the divinely inspired and in them to seek refuge from any vain teaching 514... If poetic talent is not an ordinary, not a common property of people, but the general passion for disputes and the presentation of one’s doctrinal definitions has polluted, so to speak, prose, then poetry, as a rare and not accessible kind of verbal art, thought St. father - thereby elevating the teaching that he will expound. The content of his poetic speeches St. Gregory takes only divinely inspired scripture, which represents the only reliable support in the multitude of vain teachings. “And how can you, man, writing from distant concepts, express an undoubted word?” - he asks 515. So, the religious and moral area, in contrast to the pagan one, is the area of ​​the poetic works of St. Father. There were other motives for practicing poetry, such as St. Gregory counts four: First motive. “I wanted, by working for others, to thereby bind my sin, so that I could write together, and, taking care of the measure, write a little.” The motive is of a, so to speak, disciplinary-subjective nature, having a close relationship with the poet himself. Valuing above all else the self-gathering of the spirit, St. Gregory repeatedly, as we will see below, imposed ascetic silence on himself, especially on days of fasting. Hence, metrical presentation, “not so easy to merge from the pen,” was a means of restraining verbosity, curbing language and thought and encouraging one to speak a little, but deeply and thoughtfully 516. Second motive. “To young people and everyone who loves verbal art most of all, as if it were some kind of pleasant medicine, I wanted to give this attraction in persuasion to the useful, the bitterness of the commandments, sweetened with art. Instead of songs and playing the lyre, I give you (Christian youth) to have fun with these verses, if you sometimes want to have fun, as long as no one harms you by stealing something beautiful from you” 517. According to the conviction of St. father, fine literature represents a highly artistic pleasure, providing relaxation to the mental faculties and amusing the soul. It promotes the development in man of the ideal aspects of his nature, distracting his spirit from the base, animal, and prosaic. It elevates the spirit to God and to everything beautiful, to truth, goodness, and beauty. But where could Christian youths, who had so recently received only the freedom of confession, get this literature? Until the beginning of the 4th century, under the fire of cruel persecution, there was no time to even think about religious and poetic creativity. The fine sciences, like any art, being the property of the universal human spirit, were studied in pagan schools. But this study was not safe for the purity of morals and confession. From the example of the Athenian schools, we saw what morals were in pagan schools and what principles Christian youths had to adhere to so that, while collecting the flower of science, they would not lose faith. Further, the very content of pagan fine literature, which poeticized human passions, often shameful and always reprehensible, was very dangerous for the youthful heart. The example of Julian the apostate, who cultivated a love for paganism through pagan literature, was so vivid and fresh that no more convincing evidence was required. All these fears of St. Gregory experienced this firsthand, traveling through pagan schools for ten years for educational purposes. Meanwhile, “a tight bowstring needs to be loosened,” he says. And so, the loving heart of the shepherd, burning with the desire to give truly beautiful, graceful pleasure to Christian youth and thereby protect them from temptations and falls, takes the pen with an senile hand and in wonderful light stanzas feeds with healthy food the mind, heart, and imagination of youth. His song glorifies the Divine, glorifies virtue, denounces vice, and conveys the high teaching of faith in elegant personifications. A reverent thought and a clear, sober view of life and man complement the content of his muse. Next, St. Gregory also points out the practical, so to speak, side of versification: “to sweeten bitterness with art,” or, as he says, “to make the pleasant a chariot for the useful and good.” The benefits of such an intention are very obvious. “What harm do you see,” he addresses the adherent of severity, “in the fact that young people are brought into communion with God through decent pleasure? It is difficult to suddenly rebuild them. Let there be some noble mixture in them. When the good becomes stronger over time, then, taking away the red word, like a support from the arch, we will preserve the best in them. What could be more useful than this,” St. polemicizes. father? 518 The great pastoral spirit and zeal were reflected in this greatest educational measure. “Instead of songs and games, I let you have fun with these poems”... Fifteen centuries have passed since then, and our youth has nothing like it. And the very verses of St. Gregory has not yet found a translator-poet, despite the greatest need for them and their multifaceted significance. The third motive is adjacent to the second. “I don’t want strangers to have an advantage over us in speech” 519. Pagans, like heretics, could suffice before Christians to refer to their poets, who immortalized the Greco-Roman genius; could treat Christianity with contempt, supposedly incapable of creating anything equal to their heritage in the field of grace. This gap is filled by St. Gregory, along with other fathers and teachers of the Church, rewarded St. Ephraim the Syrian, Ambrose of Milan and others - rich, elegant literature that embodies the combination of the Greek genius mind with revealed truth. Finally, the fourth motive, of a subjective nature, is adjacent to the first: “Exhausted by illness, I found consolation in poetry, like an elderly swan, retelling to myself the messages of the flapping wings,” says St. Gregory 520. “Poetry is a cure for grief” is his favorite expression 521. He repeatedly testifies to the beneficial influence of poetic studies on him. For example: “As soon as my dear mind sang this (about the insignificance of everything in comparison with God), my sorrow was quenched... I came home late from the shady grove, and sometimes I laugh at those who reason differently, and sometimes, if the mind is in a struggle with itself, my heart is sorrowful,” he says at the conclusion of the poem “On Human Nature” 522. With liveliness of feeling and severity with oneself, for St. For Gregory, it was the most pleasant activity to examine oneself, examine the state of one’s soul, and mourn the power of sin and passions. That is why a significant part of his poems are images of his own experiences, thoughts, feelings, in a word - “About himself.” Poems by St. Gregory from the inside are distinguished by the strength and warmth of feeling, liveliness, playfulness, brilliance and animated imagery. With formal or metric dimensions - dactylic hexameter, elegiac couplet and iambic trimeter, depending on the laws of symmetry that seemed to the poet’s artistic sense at the moment of creativity. According to the characteristic properties of poetic nature and literary forms, Prof. Govorov divides Gregory’s poems into two large classes: 1) lyrical-epic and 2) lyrical proper, dividing them into categories: 1st - into gnomic, historical, didactic and satirical, 2nd - into elegies, hymns, epitaphs and epigrams 523. Number of poems by St. Gregory there are about 18 thousand, which in comparison with the testimony of Bl. Jerome about 30 thousand lines of all his creations 524 is quite probable, except for words, epistles and letters, all other creations of Gregory are set out in measured speech 525. As for the degree of artistry of the very form of his poems, the harmony of rhythm, the elegance of taste in the choice of meters and the purely poetic flair for the specific meaning of each size, then in this regard it was in vain that the poet’s envious rivals tried to find any pretext to reproach him and it was not in vain that they received the answer for this: “You are discrediting the size of the poems; and rightly so, because you don’t observe the meter when writing in iambics, producing some kind of degeneracy of poetry. What blind man recognized the one who saw? Why do you criticize my speech, measuring the deeds of your neighbor by your own standard? The borders of the Medes and Phrygians do not coincide with each other: the flight of jackdaws and eagles is not the same" 526. According to the internal content of the poem by St. Gregory the Theologian can be divided into dogmatic, moral and historical. This division, made by Min in the last edition of the works of St. Gregory, is completely natural and the simplest; it was also accepted by the Eminence Philaret 527. The dogmatic ones include: mysterious chants: “About the principles, about the Son, about the Holy Spirit, about Providence, about the soul, about human nature - in the IV volume of Russian. ed.; about Providence, about the incarnation of man, 1 and 2 against Apollinaris, about the books of Holy Scripture, miracles, parables, etc. - in volume V. To the historical, a large poem about his life (vol. VI, 1–60); to the priests of Constantinople (ib.) for their removal and return, The Dream of the Church of Anastasia (vol. V, 271–5), a message to various persons, etc. To the moral: a huge number of others, of which satirical poems (to bishops, about bishops, about false priests, to envious people, to Maxim, to hypocritical monks, to virgins, to rich-lovers, to women who love clothes, etc.) are of enormous interest, testifying to Gregory’s pastoral zeal for a godly life and his sorrows over the deviation of his contemporaries from moral purity. Without going into a detailed analysis of the poetic works of St. Gregory into categories and categories, which would take us far beyond the scope of our work, let’s say briefly that in general, they contain the most perfect example of what thoughts should primarily occupy the Christian mind in real life, and how one should emerge victoriously from the struggle with various spiritual thoughts. Turning his gaze more to himself and noticing the struggle of desires and passions that hinder the quick flight of the mind to the heavenly, the poet recognizes earthly life as vain, but puts up with it, seeing God's providence for each person and expecting a future life, the preparation for which is ascetic life on earth 528. Removing himself from communication with idle people who pollute the channel of God-thought and wisdom, the poet presents the clearest example of constant walking before God, in the morning and in the evening 529, in illness and on the road 530, appears before the Lord with songs of praise and prayer, then with contrite repentance, and touching petitions 531. Communion with God is the only highest goal, the desire for which the poet was keenly imbued with and on the path to which he encountered a strong obstacle in human weaknesses and the opposition of the enemies of salvation. Whether he looks at God, or at himself, or at the world, with heartfelt tenderness he asks for His help on all paths of his life, deeply grieves over his powerlessness, and is upset by the opposition of the enemies of spiritual perfection 532. Hence, the predominant flavor of Gregory’s poetic works is a feeling of deeply prayerful mood, which takes on a variety of expressions - either sincere tenderness, then deep humility, then firm faith and filial trust 533. The indicated predominance of the prayer element and repentant feelings, embodied in personal experiences, was the reason for the irresistible influence of Grigoriev’s poetry, both on his contemporaries and on subsequent church and liturgical practice. The first influence of beauty is indicated by Schlosser’s words that St. Gregory, with his epic “On His Life,” made Homer unnecessary; with their hymns, elegies and iambics - lyricists; with its tragedy “About the Suffering Christ” - the ancient playwrights 534. As for the influence on church liturgical practice, St. I. Chrysostom, as is known, compiled a collection of commonly used hymns for circulation among the Orthodox, as opposed to Arian antiphonal singing, as Socrates testifies 535. According to Schubakh, these were precisely the hymns belonging to St. Gregory the Theologian 536. St. John Chrysostom, bl. Jerome, St. Proclus and others were brought up on the poetry of St. Gregory. "Confession" bl. Augustine is an analogy to Grigorieva’s “0 of her life.” The famous hymn of St. Ambrose of Milan “We praise God to you” - adaptation of “Song to God” 537. The melodies of church hymns Cosmas of Maiyum, John of Damascus and others have undoubted traces of borrowing from St. Gregory. For example, “Word on St. Easter" concludes many verses that have literally entered into liturgical use: "Now is salvation for the world, visible and invisible... Christ from the dead - rise... Christ from the tomb - free yourself from the bonds of sin... Now the gates of hell are opened, death is destroyed... With them (the angels) I tell you this: Easter, the Lord's Pascha... The feast of feasts and the triumph of celebrations... Yesterday is pre-festive joy, and now we celebrate the resurrection itself”...etc. 538. “The Word for Epiphany or the Nativity of the Savior” begins like this: “Christ is born: Glorify. Christ from heaven: come out to the meeting. Christ on earth: Be lifted up. Sing to the Lord, all the earth... let the heavens rejoice... Christ from the Virgin" 539 ... In the "Word on St. Pentecost" we read: "We celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Spirit, the fulfillment of the promise, the fulfillment of hope, the sacrament" 540 ... - the content of the first evening stichera for this holiday. The “morning and evening prayers 541” are prototypes of our same prayers. “Prayer in illness” 542 served as a model for compiling our prayer book “For the sick.” “Forbid disease, forbid it with your word” - the church repeats for St. Gregory and until now. From “Prayer of the One Going on a Journey” 543 in the church prayer “Oh, a guiding angel has been sent, about the escape and safe return home. These are the holy hymns and psalms of St. Gregory, who have passed thousands of years; with each repetition they retain all their novelty and charm, testifying to the spirituality of their singer. Another type of pastoral service of St. Gregory must be recognized for his letters, which are as numerous 544 as varied in content, relating to the best works of literature. St. Gregory loved to write letters and knew how to write them. None of them are carelessly written, but each is handled masterfully. They are mostly short, but this is precisely what he believed to be their merit, judging the length of the speech by its content, and not by the number of letters. “To write laconically is not the way you think about it,” he instructs Nikovul, “not just to write a few syllables, but to enclose a lot in a few syllables.” 545 In another letter to the same Nikovul, in response to the latter’s request to teach how to write letters, he gives a number of instructions that good writing should satisfy. The latter is required that it be not too long, not too short: “the measure for writing is necessity; it must be clear, why it is necessary to avoid the bookish word and move closer to the colloquial style, so that it can please both the unlearned and the learned; further, you need to write pleasantly: not at all dry and cruel, not without art, i.e. when the letter is not devoid of thoughts, proverbs, sayings, witticisms. But caution is needed in using them: without them, writing is rude, and with excess of them, it is pompous.” Finally, it must be natural 546. All these requirements of the letter of St. Gregory was completely satisfied: he never mentioned empty objects unworthy of attention; when he writes even about ordinary subjects, his speech is clear, witty and elegant; the language is processed, but not refined; the tone is consistent, indicating the author’s deep consciousness of his dignity. This is how they look from the outside. As for the internal side, the letters, like private, intimate correspondence, not intended for publication when written, and growing over several years, in different states of mind, under different positions, introduce us to the very soul of the shepherd, open to us the curtain of his holy of holies, hidden from prying eyes by official relations. All the lofty soul of the great shepherd poured into them; all his cherished thoughts, observations, sorrows, and joys were imprinted in them. Therefore, the letters of St. Gregory are valuable, or, better said, invaluable in two respects: as autobiographical material for a correct understanding of his personality, and as irreplaceable material for judging one of the most important duties of a pastor - private counseling. In the first case, the letters introduce us to his inclinations, affections, household activities and the prevailing mood of his soul. Here, from a thousand small touches, a whole image is created, characteristic of a given person, and all the more reliable because it is, in origin, not intentional, accidental. The letters are a mosaic portrait of the author. In the second case, the area of ​​moral and pedagogical guidance of the flock to salvation opens up to us, in accordance with the mood, position and needs of each - achieved not by externally official measures, but by private, intimate ones. This aspect of the pastor’s activity, precious for our study, cannot be defined and formulated as quickly as other aspects: it, one might say, does not have its own precisely outlined and delimited area, but comes into contact with all forms of pastoral service, entering into all its functions. This is that precious spirit, that degree of personal participation that the shepherd puts on his own into the matter of spiritual improvement of the flock, whether in connection with the fulfillment of the direct duties of his ministry, or independently of them. This responsibility is, of course, important in the matter of educational influence on the flock. Here the shepherd comes directly face to face with his flock and reveals his soul to them. Here he appears not as a scientist or speaker, but as a mentor-leader, a father-educator close to a person. Due to the intimacy and warmth of its nature, this side of the activity usually remains in the shadows from the observer in comparison with other manifestations of pastoral activity - management, teaching and priesthood, and can only be revealed in letters. In them, before the gaze of the observer, the moral image of a pastor-educator vividly appears in all its greatness, caring for the good and peace of all churches, the preservation of the true faith, the unanimity of the brethren, and showing deep compassion and care for the unfortunate and needy, generosity in the face of one’s own misfortunes, non-covetousness, strict abstinence, peaceful treatment with people, especially with enemies, ardent friendship with worthy people, a richly gifted soul, inexhaustible in kindness and love. It should be noted that the subject of the pastoral care of St. Gregory showed not only concern for the salvation of the souls of his flock, but also participation in their temporary needs, deeds of love and mercy, as precious as they were imbued with the Christian spirit. Turning to the numerous letters written by St. Gregory over the last period, during his solitude, after leaving office, we see that he especially developed this method of pastoral service at this time. He addresses his letters to everyone who can help: those close to the king, the heads of the regions, the bishop of the capital Church, the district metropolitan, scientists and other private individuals 547. All those in need find their intercessor in him; entire cities that rebelled against the cruelty of the authorities, a slandered bishop, a defrocked priest, a deacon caught in court, a virgin, a widow, a soldier who lost his health in the service, students, orphans, people innocently slandered, oppressed, etc. 548, everyone finds protection and patronage from him. He encourages some 549, consoles others 550, reconciles others 551, encourages these to inner life, supports those in persecution 552, intercedes for many, asks for favors 553, he maintains learned correspondence with scientists, exchanging and sending them books and recommending young men to them 554. He either convinces and instructs in a wise life 555, then denounces for allowing spectacles into fasts, for incorrectly interpreting the apostolic commandment about eating and for unclean communication with women 556. He maintains friendly correspondence with his friends 557, being burdened by separation from them 558, talking in absentia about faith and rejoicing at their conversion to Christianity 559. There is no matter in which the saint’s beneficial participation would not have an impact: family joy on the occasion of marriages 560, family grief on the occasion of internal strife 561, divorce 562, equally find in him either a well-wishing friend or an authoritative reconciliator. Caring for people who have devoted or want to devote themselves to a wise life was his favorite. Elder Thekla, who settled with her children near the monastery of St. martyrs in Karvali and deprived of her brother, and then the personal leadership of St. Gregory, he consoles with letters. “I thank God that I saw the firmness of your faith in Christianity and your praiseworthy solitude and wise hermitage” 563. The rhetorician Eudoxia, taking this opportunity, convinces him to live a wise life. “Calling yourself a rhetorician, in every way you are fit to be a rhetorician, just not in morals... Do not stop in wisdom on what you have already acquired, and do not prefer being second in a secondary matter to being first in the most important... Let’s move on from here, become men, give up dreams, let’s not dwell in the shadows”... 564. Omorphony expresses joy over his wise life. “I hear that you live as a hermit; Oh, that you would become with us John the Baptist or Elijah the Carmelite” 565. But whether encouraging or comforting, St. Gregory always has in mind the spiritual and moral side of the matter and always adds edification. He consoles the sick Philagrios in bearing his illness with reference to his exemplary patience, to the teaching on patience of the classics - Anaxarchus, Epictetus, Socrates - and to their personal examples, encourages his spirit with a reminder of the joint interpretation of the psalms in Mataz, sends him books, reconciles him with his situation 566. He hurries to personally visit St. Gregory of Nyssa, who has lost his wife Theosvia, in order to pacify his soul, agitated by the loss, but, detained in Euthymia, he sends him a letter 567. Nemessiah, the ruler of Cappadocia, convinces with a series of letters the superiority of the Christian faith, in which he succeeds, persuading the learned lawyer to baptism. But moving him from Cappadocia did not give St. Gregory the opportunity to finish the work he started. Then he sends him a whole poem dedicated to issues of faith, strengthening what was sown in his soul 568. Adelphia encourages the rich young man to spiritual life and strengthens him in the rules of morality. When he is tempted by his treatment of virgins, he reproaches and instructs him 569. On the occasion of the marriage of Diocles' daughter, he expresses his views on the order of celebrating marriages 570. Not being able to attend the marriage of Procopius’s daughter, Olympias, he apologizes, sends well wishes and advice to Olympias about the duties of a Christian wife 571. In letters to Theodore he develops the doctrine of the oath 572. Here are a few features from pastoral care, St. Gregory. He also cared a lot about the material well-being of everyone who turned to him. Especially many worries fell to the lot of St. Gregory for the arrangement of orphan relatives who remained in his hands after the death of his sister Gorgonia and her husband Alipius - nieces Alipiana with her husband Nikovul. The care of St. Gregory knew no bounds about this family. He attended to all her needs, provided assistance in all her adversities. He tries to give his grandnephew Nikovul the best education. Sending him to his “metropolis of sciences” - Kecapia of Cappadocia, he asks its bishop Helladius to take part in the fate of the student. “Here is a reminder for you of our friendship, dear son Nikovul, whom I care about above all my relatives,” he writes to Helladius. “You will do me a great favor by introducing him to the most zealous of mentors, and you will show an even greater favor by accustoming his character to virtue” 573. The head of the city of Africana 574 asks the same. When Stagirius was chosen as Nikovulu’s mentor, he wrote to him: “you formulate in words, and I in morals... I have a lot in common with you, but one thing replaces everything - this is our dearest son Nikovul; By doing good to him, you will prove both your learning and our friendship” 575. The sophist Eustachius, who was offended by why Nikovol, St., was not entrusted to him. Gregory responds by pointing out that he is engaged only in sophistry, which often brings harm to young men, and not virtue 576, and reassures him by sending Pronoius 577 to him. He entrusts Evdokia the rhetorician with the rest of the children of Nikovul the father, urging him to look after Nikovul the son, who is prone to laziness 578. Then, when the children of Nikovul were sent to study cursive writing in the city of Tiuny, he asks the bishop. Theodosius “looked at them fatherly and favorably and placed them near the church” 579. He sincerely rejoices when Nikovul corrected himself and began to excel in the sciences 580. The examples of Grigoriev’s thoughtfulness given as examples testify to how heartily and attentively he provided his assistance. At the same time, he loved to see it through to the end. When, for example, the same family of Nikovul was involved in the case of indignant slaves and he was threatened with severe punishment, slavery, - St. Gregory used all his strength to save the innocently slandered. He intercedes for them with the governor of the region, Olympius, and his official, Asterius 581. When both of them left their positions 582, St. Gregory asks Ekivogia to provide protection to the now orphaned family of Nikovul, who were subjected to the most difficult circumstances 583. Since this matter was transferred to Constantinople, St. the father asks Nectarius the Patriarch to participate in it. “What would you do if I personally dealt with the matter? Obviously, he would have made every effort to rid me of the offense... Show me the same mercy in the person of my most well-behaved niece... The greatest mercy for me is the speed of the good deed,” he wrote to him 584. He also took care of his other relatives - Euphemia, Hellas, Eulalia, the maiden of Amazonia, Eustratia, Valentian 585. He wrote letters of recommendation to some, letters of protection to others. But, we repeat, concerns about relatives were not exceptional: for everyone in need, St. Gregory was ready to provide help, support, patronage, and provide guidance and advice 586. Letters from St. Gregory, deeply meaningful in relation to pastoral activity, represent, as we said above, the only material for the biography of St. father. From them we learn, for example, that in the last years of his life his love for a solitary contemplative life reached its full development. Not to mention the Arianza rural retreat, his permanent residence upon his return from Constantinople, St. Gregory often retired to monasteries, where he indulged in his favorite feats of asceticism. So, for example, during the fast of Pentecost in the year 382, ​​he retired from Nazianz to the monastery of Lamis, where he imposed on himself the feat of silence during the fast. About the reasons that prompted him to impose this feat on himself, St. Gregory says this: “There was a time when I had a lot of firmness in my morals. Christ the King led me against the enemy, and in my hearts I had faith stronger than adamant; I was protected from everywhere by strong walls, I edified my undefiled mind with the Word of God, spewed out the salty bitterness of books, this false beauty, and exhausted my seething flesh with many and frequent labors. He took away from the belly the impudence of satiety and the fury that is inseparable from it, strengthened the eye, overpowered anger, bound the limbs, blocked laughter. Everything then submitted to the Word, everything died for me. The bare earth was my bed, pain in my sides, hard clothes served as an aid to vigil and drew tears from me. During the day I bent my spine, and during all-night hymns I stood upright, not knowing the human attachment to the comforts of life. That's how it was then. And now, when illness has befallen me and old age has exhausted me, I have fallen into new suffering. I have an indomitable and kind tongue; he always betrayed me to many misfortunes at the hands of an envious person. And in order not to give the enemy triumph, be silent, be silent, dear tongue; and you, my pen, write the words of silence, tell the eyes of the heart’s broadcasts...” “When I bound the flesh for 40 days, then I brought my mind into steadfastness, lived alone from everyone, gathering all within myself to learn to observe moderation in words. I hope that after this no unnecessary words will come out of my mouth... The tongue is the most destructive thing for people. This is a horse that always runs forward, this is the most prepared weapon. Nothing can hold back a tongue that is quick to speak - not a person, not snow, not a stream, not a stone cliff. The tongue spews out a lot of shameful things - lies, lustful words, murder. Who can count all the grief that the tongue causes? He makes the evil one good, and destroys the good one, and all this will change again. ABOUT! if he immediately died among evil people... The word, as soon as it leaves the polyphonic tongue, rages uncontrollably and does not return. Having noticed that the swiftness of a fluent word knows neither weight nor measure, I invented the best medicine - I completely retained the word in my highly intelligent heart, so that my tongue learned to observe what it could say and what it could not. By taming the word, you also tame the excitement of anger” 587. This is the motive that prompted the ascetic to take a vow of silence on himself. By his example of curbing the tongue, he meant not so much his personal weaknesses, but, mainly, those abuses of language and words that were common at that time. In fact, he wants to teach those around him how dangerous it is to give freedom to the tongue given its power, and how it is necessary to put a door on your lips. “Such, dearest one, are the teachings of my silence; this is what my hand, expressing thoughts, tells you” 588. And he was true to this principle. In the Lamis solitude of St. Gregory was visited by Keleus the archon, the mayor of Nazianza. The hermit did not break his feat for him. The Archon was offended. On this occasion, St. Gregory tells him in a letter a fable about swallows and swans, with the goal of weaning him from talkativeness by the example of swans, who sing little and in front of few people. “If anyone accepts it, great; and if not, then silence is beneficial for me because I don’t answer others 590 - that’s the benefit he saw in silence. His vow to St. the father took it along with the fast for Easter: “With Christ I killed my tongue when I fasted; and resolved together with the Risen One. This is the secret of my silence" 591. Resolved with the spirit-bearing “Word for Easter” 592, which was mentioned above. Another place of the ascetic deeds of St. Gregory was the monastery of Sannavadain, headed by Blessed Lavkady. When this elder died, St. Gregory consoled the bereaved brotherhood with a remarkably warm letter, in which he expressed his view of lamenting the dead. “For those who have intelligence, there is no reason for tears in what happened according to God’s vision... I advise your splendor, looking at each other, to always have before the eyes of him (the deceased); for this is what I desire, that each and every one of you imprints in yourself the life of the blessed one... Let his humility, active wisdom, the incessant striving of the soul for God, the unentertainment of the delights of this world be imprinted, so that, seeing this, in each other we can portray him as a monument in ourselves,” he wrote 593. This letter, as well as similar ones 213, 214 and 215, clearly show how St. Father knew how to use every incident in life and tried to use it for pastoral edification. His third favorite place of solitude was the monastery of St. martyrs in Karvali. Peaceful stay here St. her father was interrupted by the act of Valentinian, who settled some women near her. “They are driving us out of Karvala in the most wicked way, not in words, but in deeds and very cruelly,” he complained. “For it would be much better to declare the order of removal as an explicit order, rather than to violate the sanctity of our life by settling women directly opposite us and adding daily shame and blasphemy from those who freely scold those who have chosen such a life as ours” 594 ... The Holy Father left us evidence of that internal struggle with thoughts and his ascetic exploits, with which the ascetic walked on the path of spiritual improvement. “Blessed is he who leads a desert life and has no communication with those tied to the earth, but has deified his mind,” he exclaimed 595. The struggle with attachment to the land forced St. father and go into the desert, and put a seal on his tongue, and intensify his exploits. “What do you want, I ask my soul? What is important to you and what is of little importance that is highly valued by mortals? Do you want dominion over wealth? I will not give this to you: it is not useful for you to receive it. Or do you want thrones and leadership, this short-term arrogance? Would you like to get married? Don't you want this sweet illness - caring for well-being? Don't you want to thunder with your words and gather spectators around you? Do you want glory and honor?... Say it too, you worthless, stinking flesh! since I, the mistress soul, is connected with you by the digestive system, then tell me: what do you want for yourself? I owe you little, although you try to force a lot from me. Do you want to have a table fragrant with the world and the unnecessary tricks of the cook, to hear the necessary sounds of music, to see the dancing of young boys and the whirling of maidens, indecently naked, in order to further inflame the wine that darkens the mind? If this is what you want from me, you will sooner receive a noose. Let the gorge hide you, let your clothing be either camel hair, or even skin, a cover of ancient nakedness. For the bed, take what happened. The meal is one of those gifts that the earth offers to everyone. And having arranged a room for you, I will gladly feed you. Are you hungry? - Take bread for yourself, if it happens, even lean bread. And for jam without measure I will give you salt and wild onions - an unbought vegetable - another best seasoning, may you be hungry. Are you thirsty? Water flows before you, a cup always overflowing, a drink that does not produce intoxication... And if you want to indulge in luxury, then we will not spare vinegar. Is that not enough for you? Do you tirelessly and insatiably want to draw pleasure from a leaky barrel? Look for another guardian for yourself, but I don’t have the leisure time to cherish my domestic enemy, who would bite me like a snake ossified by the cold and then warmed up in my depths” 596. Although the whole life of St. Gregory was a constant ascetic, however, now that he had endured so many feats, he did not consider the struggle with his flesh over. “Destructive flesh is the root of many types of passions, a friend of the earthly world, an opponent of heavenly life. The flesh is my enemy and friend, a pleasant war, an unfaithful good, clay, a dirty chain, an untamed beast, worthless ebullience, the tomb and bonds of your king - the heavenly image that I received from God. Will you still not put an end to shameless vices, will you not submit to the spirit and Satan, oh, accursed evil-doer?! Show me respect, stop being mad and harboring irreconcilable enmity towards my soul!.. Finally, visit me, a cleansing source of tears and vigil of body and mind, so that the flame in me may cool down, the fetid rottenness of tormenting passions will be washed away! Refuse satiety, belly; dry up, knees bowed to the earth; Let ashes be my bread, let cruel sackcloth cover my pampered members, serving as a protection for the overwhelmed soul!.. These are my cures for foolishness” 597. But the struggles of the flesh are still strong and disturb the ascetic, desecrating his soul. “Old age has set in, and the limbs have weakened. If the rebellious flesh, openly or secretly, becomes even more enraged and, what is most regrettable, makes the hidden place of heavenly sacrifices unclean, then I conjure you, flesh, by the power of the great God or on a black day for the wicked, refrain from insolence!” 598. The higher St. moved. Gregory, according to the degree of mortification in himself of the passionate movements of sin, the purer his soul became, the more noticeable for the ascetic was the slightest deviation from full service to God. The works of the last years of his life give us a vivid picture of the state of mind that the ascetic experienced. It's very instructive. If it is always natural for a wise person to look inside himself and, as often as possible, check his life with the moral law in order to mourn deviations from it, then in exceptional periods of life, especially when ominous signs of the destruction of the prison of the spirit - body appear, it is quite natural to look back at the entire path traveled, take stock, correct what can be corrected, mourn, resort to God’s mercy, confessing His greatness and one’s human weakness. In the elegies of St. Gregory, this final stage of life’s feat resulted in remarkable relief, picturesque, and depth. Indeed, behind us is a life full of losses, trials and sorrows; ahead is death without family consolations, without the warm participation of those close to the heart. In the present there is sad loneliness, a painful feeling from painful suffering, a bitter consciousness of one’s unworthiness before God; in the future - nakedness of the soul. The result of the entire life I had experienced was a terrible struggle between two principles, a struggle that tore apart the soul and gave no peace. What is the purpose of human life? Where is he heading? – Go to God and be God. “There is no doubt that man is a creature and the image of the great God. Just as everyone comes from God, so he goes to God if he has Christ as the leader of his life, and, having put off the flesh and opposing fatness, wants to become God and spirit, so that with the pure eyes of the mind he can contemplate the truth itself and sing a festive song with his lips” 599. “But I did not observe the venerable mysteries of God, although my soul was initiated into the mysteries of the heavenly ascent. The rough dust weighs me down; I could not emerge from the mud and turn my eye to the light. There are many vain worries of a wandering mind in my heart: they alienate Christ from me, Who does not tolerate communication with a soul alien to him... Oh, if only some door were put to both my eyes and my lips, so that I could see and hear something useful... What kind of law governs me? Why did I become a prisoner of the flesh on earth?... I, the image of God, am drawn into sinfulness, the worst in me unjustly opposes the better... For there are two, as if two minds in me: one good, and the other worse” 600. “Often I lifted my foot to march towards heaven, but heavy and heart-consuming worries brought me down to earth” 601. “Now a traveler has come to a steep river and wants to cross it; but suddenly the thought wavered: he was delaying his crossing; struggles for a long time, standing on the shore; more than once he put his foot into the water and more than once retreated back”... 602. “I am always on the way... now I stretch upward, then I return back again with greater shame than before. As soon as I take a few steps forward, I immediately fall. My life is long, but I don’t want to give up my life. I wish you healing” 603. The reason for this is human weakness. “Who was I? At first, I was contained in my father’s body, then my mother accepted me, and then I, the son of shame, became something dubious, formless, for whom my mother’s womb served as a coffin. And so we live from grave to grave for corruption. For in this very life I see one waste of years, which brings me disastrous old age. One thing is immutable for day-old creatures - suffering. Powerlessness, poverty, birth, death, enmity, evil people - these animals of the sea and land - all sorrows - this is life! And no matter how many misfortunes I have seen, I have not seen a single benefit that was completely taken away from sorrow” 604. “There is nothing weaker than man... Life is a wild stream, this wavering sea, here and there boiling from incessant gusts of wind. If you set the scales correctly and weigh everything that is pleasant and deplorable in life, then one cup, loaded to the top with evil, will go to the ground, and the other with the blessings of life will run upward. War, labor, robbers, estates, etc. - all these are children's toys in a difficult life. Look at the pleasantness of life - satiety, singing, laughter, marriage, the coffin; children are an alarming sorrow, beauty is a false bait, wealth and poverty are pure evil - all this is a ball flying from hand to hand among young people...” 605. “Wealth is false, the throne is the arrogance of a dreamer, poverty is bonds, beauty is the flash of lightning, words are volatile, glory is the air, strength is the property of a wild boar; everything here – laughter, fluff, shadow, dew, steam, sleep.” What kind of life is this? “Man is God’s game, a head over heels, walking under blows... We are a light breath of wind”... “Everyone in this life relies on something else - on the nobility of blood, on dust and real pomp; they are looking for some insignificant helper. I alone am left to You alone, King of kings. You are my greatest strength! I don’t have a caring wife who would relieve me of my worries and heal someone who is complaining with her caresses. Dear children who cheer up old age do not amuse me. Neither my half-bloods nor my friends console me. I had one wonderful consolation - the company of perfect and Christ-bearing men. But they, too, fighting for You, were divided; The jealousy of God unlawfully dissolved the law and the agreement of love, of which only one name remained. Just as someone, fleeing from a lion, runs into a fierce bear and, having escaped from the bear, joyfully takes refuge in the house and leans his hand on the wall, but there a snake unexpectedly strikes him: so for me, who have escaped a lot of suffering, there is no cure for disasters... Whatever I encounter is still more painful than before. Have mercy, O Christ, on me!” 606. The ascetic is exposed to the temptations of the devil and fights against him. “My King Christ. Come to the one who calls. Save me. I suffer from battles, animals, flames, winds, and I raise my eyes to the sky... I was not bound by marriage, this stream of life, these bonds, the heaviest of all; I was not captivated by the beautiful waves of silk clothes; I didn’t like long meals or magnificent houses; I gave the silver and gold to others. It is not important for me to receive rewards from the king at court, to have fun with the most deceitful and insignificant dreams, to catch a shadow and touch it... But having avoided all this, I did not escape the incredible enmity of the enemy, who with a friendly face is plotting intrigues for me” 607. “My gray head and wrinkled body have already bowed to the evening of my sorrowful life. But I haven’t drunk yet such strong and numerous sorrows... Now that I have gathered my wits and am already touching the limit of life, as if from intoxication my feet have become unsteady, and I, unfortunate one, am walking in bends, I am exhausted by the battle with the reptile serpent. Now I stretch my mind to God, then again I am carried away into the thin unity of the world, and not a small part of my soul has been distorted by the troubled world... It is this sin that I fear and tremble day and night, seeing how my soul falls from God to the earth, drawing closer and closer to the dust that I wanted to avoid. Thus, on the banks of an autumn river, a proud pine tree or an evergreen plane tree, having been undermined by its roots, was destroyed by a neighboring stream... And my soul, blooming for Christ the King, was attacked by a greedy and indomitable enemy, an envious Belial." “Flee from me, you evil beast, murderer! Go away, I have Christ in my heart! Reinforce again in heavenly hopes, and to me, the fading one, to me, the thirsty lamp in the lamp, give a little moisture, a few drops of oil, so that I may be worthy of eternal life... Ah, help me, representative angels! I beg you, friends, deliver me from him! 608 “How long should I sit at the pus? It’s as if all the blessings of life are contained in one consolation - day after day, either taking in or throwing out what is measured out... I’m satiated with everything. Grant me another life and another world, for which I willingly bear all the burdens of labor... It would be better for me to die when You imprisoned me in my mother’s womb... It would be better not to enter the gates of life, than, after so many sorrows, to suffer another punishment, the heaviest here. One good thing is heavenly hopes... I died for the world, and the world died for me. I am a breathing dead man; my life in another world; I sigh under the white flesh, which the wise beautifully call the darkness of the mind... Leaving everything, I have one thing - the cross, the bright pillar of my life... Leaving the whole world and every burden here, I set sail to heavenly life” 609. The ascetic is oppressed by earthly vanity. Everything earthly is vanity. “Where are the catchphrases? In the air. Where is the flower of my youth? Died Where's the glory? Hidden in the unknown... Now I, a lonely wanderer, wander on a foreign side, dragging out a sorrowful life and decrepit old age; I have neither a throne, nor a city, nor children, although I am burdened with worries about my children, and constantly wandering, day after day I spend on my feet... Where will I throw off this body? What earth, and what strange-loving grave will hide me within itself? Who will put dust on my fading eyes? I will leave all earthly happiness,” even the sweet sunlight, the very sky, the stars. I will leave all this to those who come after me. And I myself, with a bandage on my head, like a dead man and lifeless, will lie down on my bed, receive praise for a short time, then a stone and under it undying decay. However, this is not why my heart is troubled; I tremble at the only truthful scales of God” 610. Thoughts about the approaching end of life and the upcoming judgment of God occupy the ascetic’s soul more and more. “The last feat of life is near, the thin voyage is over; I already see execution for a hated sin, I see gloomy Tartarus, a fiery flame, the shame of exposed deeds. But have mercy, O Blessed One, and grant me, at least a good evening, looking mercifully at the rest of my life." "The flower has fallen, the time of harvest has approached. My hair has turned white, the threshing floor is calling for the ear of corn; There is no longer any immaturity in the berries, the picking of the grapes is near. Oh my bad day! How can I avoid him? What will happen to me! 611 The idea of ​​pastoral edification by example is dominant here too. “Let me bear my lot,” he says, “but to you who will live after me, I give a commandment: there is no benefit in this life, because this life has an end... I lament, illness will hold my members... However, I do not so much lament because of illness, but I am much more concerned about the faint-hearted; I’m afraid that one of them will stumble, seeing my misfortunes... Remember this, Great One, and help Your servant, do not bring me to the shameful end of my life!” 612 From the point of view of teaching pastoral instructions, we must, in view of what Gregory himself said, look at all his other “Lamentations” and “Songs of Repentance”, so abundant and rich in revealing the inner spiritual life of the saint. father. The feats of fasting, prayer, self-deepening and mourning for sins during the 6-7 years of the Arianz period of life prepared the soul of Gregory into the chosen vessel of God and made him worthy of the contemplation of St. Trinity, for whose glory he worked so hard in life. Lately, he has been intensely crying out to God to end his life in order to quickly enter into the closest unity with God. “You, Merciful One, preserve my old age and my gray head and bring about a good end to my life. I am weary of life, I can barely catch my breath on earth, vulnerable to many disasters from enemies and from friends, which saddens me beyond measure. That’s why I cry and fall at Your knees. Give the end of life to Thy dead man, give rest to the weary, and lead me to the easiest life, for which I endure sorrows and thousands of sorrows.”... 613 “Farewell to the world, farewell to the difficult world, and spare those who will come after me 614. Having delighted the angelic faces, bring the traveler closer to the Heavenly Palace, where is the glory of the one great God, shining in the Three Lights” 615. The prayer of the righteous man was heard. Around 390, at the age of 61, he died peacefully in Arianza. His body was interred not in Arianza, but in Nazianza, along with the graves of his parents. His luminous spirit joined the Unevening Light, and the holy relics were left to the earth as a guarantee of the correctness and purity of his teaching. In 950 they were transferred to Constantinople and placed in the Church of St. Apostles. “Who will remember Gregory, who was raised by the Cappadocians in the small city of Diocaesarea?” – he asked himself an alarming question. “Who will praise me, who after you, Vasily, leave life, even if I deliver something worthy of praise to the word?” - he said in his funeral eulogy to his friend. He honored with funeral words his father, brother Caesarius, sister Gorgonia, his friend Great Basil, St. Athanasius the Great. But history has not preserved his funeral eulogy for us, although his famous contemporaries were alive: St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. John Chrysostom and others As if anticipating such a gap, Saint Gregory wrote two tombstones - for himself and for the common tomb of his family. “Here lies the dear son of Gregory and Nonna, the servant of the Holy Trinity, Gregory, who grasped wisdom with wisdom and in his youth still had only one wealth - heavenly hope.” “I – one stone – cover two famous Gregori, a parent and a son, two equal luminaries, two priests. And this stone enclosed the noble Nonna with her great son Caesarius. So they divided both the sons and the coffins among themselves. But everyone had one path - to what was above; everyone had one love - for heavenly life" 616 According to the spiritual will, the main heir to his property was St. Gregory created the Church of Nazianza, with the condition that his property should go to charitable purposes. Then it lists other heirs of his property. “Those of my slaves to whom I gave freedom by personal will or the will of my parents, I declare from now on to be completely free, and I declare their property to be their inalienable property.” None of the relatives, loved ones, co-workers and servants are forgotten in the will. All of them are endowed with property, money, or clothes. All male or female slaves received freedom or were given to the Church 617. Thus ended the earthly wandering of that shepherd, whose “life, according to Rufinus, could not have been more reproachful and holier; and eloquence - it’s impossible to be more brilliant and glorious; and faith could not be purer and more correct, and knowledge is the most complete and perfect” 618. If now, having reviewed the lifelong pastoral feat of St. Gregory, we asked ourselves the question: what guided him in his pastoral activities, what was the main and essential feature, then we must answer that it was love, the purest love for people and zeal for their improvement, which shone brightly in all his deeds and teachings, nourished and supported by ascetic deeds that removed from his soul all passionate darkness. He was a constant servant to all who needed him; he selflessly went where his help was needed; he humbly endured dishonor for the name of Christ, imitating those to whose class he belonged already during his lifetime. The Holy Church canonized Gregory Nazianza, celebrating his memory on January 25 and 30. Saint Gregory left us a significant amount of his writings, consisting of words, letters and poems. Undoubtedly, 45 words, 4 epistles, 158 poems and 238 letters belong to him. The tragedy "The Suffering Christ", long attributed to St. Gregory, belongs to another author 619. His works enjoyed the highest respect in the Church, and even during his lifetime they began to be translated into other languages. They have been the subject of the most careful study. No one’s works have had as many interpretations written on them as the works of St. Gregory. The church named St. Gregory with the name “Theologian,” that high name with which she honored only John among the apostles and evangelists. With this she appreciated the nature of his teaching. After the first Theologian, St. Gregory comprehended the mysteries of the Divine as deeply and highly as it is possible for a person to comprehend them in the light of revelation. His thought, like the thought of the first Theologian, was turned to the eternal Word. The ancients said: “Gregory is the mind - νοῦς: he sees the infinite.” His sublimity of thoughts, rising into the inner sanctuary of God's nature (as far as this is accessible to man), is such a property of the saint. Gregory, which no one possessed to the same extent as him. If he turns to reason in order to use it to destroy the incorrect constructions of reason, then the mind’s idea of ​​the Infinite is always with him, and from this all his reasoning is like the sight of the mind. St. Gregory used his reason to express as accurately as possible thoughts and revelations about such a mystery as the mystery of St. Trinity 620. With all the figurativeness of expressions and the play of word definitions, his words express with amazing accuracy the divinely inspired thoughts about the Trinitarian. That is why even the most dissenting minds did not dare to argue about the beliefs of St. Gregory. The theologian had every right to say to the newly baptized: “if you wrote a confession of faith in the Triune that does not agree with my teaching, come here and let me rewrite it: I will write it skillfully” 621. Both as required by circumstances and because of his special love for theology, St. Gregory almost incessantly addressed the field of dogmatic subjects. We can say that He was a Theologian by calling from above. “When I was a youth and had no understanding in my chest, then, following some hidden reason and laudable customs, I ascended the mountain to the luminous throne and walked along the royal path with not wandering feet,” he says about himself 622. Contemplation was the hallmark of his spirit. That’s why he loved solitude, because in it he could freely be carried away by thought into supermundane spheres. “I would like to become either a light-winged dove, or a swallow, to escape from human life, or to settle in some desert. There I would like to spend my one-day life without worries, having one advantage over animals - a mind that knows the Divine and the undivine. There I would gather light to the sky, where many beauties shine around the Ineffable Triple Light” 623. And since the truths of the faith of Christ represent the most sublime material for pure contemplation, then in the mental representation of them St. Grigory immersed himself completely, finding true pleasure in this. That is why his talk about dogmas is not dry matter, but a manifestation of special inspiration, the highest of all human feelings. When presenting dogmas, he engages in little or no philological consideration of the sayings of Holy Scripture. In this regard, his student Bl. Jerome far surpassed his teacher, but for this the spirit of Holy Scripture is the living beginning of the theology of St. Gregory, and from this spirit he extracts every thought. According to the nature and direction of his dogmatic speculation, St. Gregory belongs to the Alexandrian school, to that new direction, whose representatives were champions of the idea of ​​​​implementing the theory of combining philosophy with religion, under the condition of limiting reason and strictly subordinating it to the authority of faith, whereby knowledge should not prevail over faith, but serve its interests, help in the study and solution of issues of Christian doctrine, giving the latter only a form, but without touching the essence of its content. In his theological researches, St. Gregory remains faithful to this direction, first carried out by St. Afanasy. Faith and knowledge, religion and science are everywhere necessary elements of his theology. He gives the main and predominant thing to faith: it serves as the basis of his knowledge, guides and controls his philosophical thinking and contemplation. One of the distinctive features of the theology of St. Gregory is to follow the doctrine of faith and gnosis, according to which the internal, philosophical side of Christianity should be the lot of the perfect few, while the faith of the simple should be content with the external side - the literal meaning of Scripture and the history of salvation. Faith, as the foundation of knowledge and activity, is necessary for everyone, but to build a building on this foundation is the lot of learned Christians, the elect. In word 32, “On maintaining good order in interviews and the fact that not every person and not at all times can talk about God,” this idea is developed in detail and picturesquely, refuting possible objections. “Do not be curious about the nature of the Father, about the fulfillment of the Only Begotten Son, about the glory and power of the Spirit, about the One Godhead in Three, about the one lordship, about the indivisible nature and confession, about the indivisible glory and hope of believers. Stick to the sayings that you have received through your upbringing, and leave the word to the wisest. It is enough for you to have a foundation, but let the artist build on it. Without which one cannot be a Christian, it is more useful than that available to few. Some believers are rich in the gifts of contemplation, others are poor in mind and poor in language. But the latter have every means to escape. Leave the untrodden and inaccessible path to others, and follow the trodden one, which has saved many... Poor in words and nobles, relying on simple sayings and saving themselves on them, as on a small boat, is higher than the greyhound on the tongue of a fool who with ignorance trusts the argument of the mind, and abolishes the cross of Christ, which is higher than every word, with force in the word, where the weakness of evidence serves as a derogation of the truth" 624 Obviously, the reason for the differentiation of St. The Gregory of believers in the faith of infants and perfect men was served by the then passion for controversy, which took objects of faith into the streets, despite the disciplina arcani - the non-disclosure of the secrets of faith to the uninitiated. This respect for faith does not in any way degrade knowledge. The Christian “believe” is the same principle of Christianity as any principles in other disciplines, for example, “he said it himself” among the Pythagoreans 625. But they are not at all prohibited from scientific education for Christians. In the words “accusing Julian” of St. Gregory considers science to be the property of the universal human mind, and not just the Greek one, and for himself personally he prefers the art of eloquence to all other blessings of the world. “Everything that swirls on earth and delights people is nothing more than a dream - wealth, nobility, fame, power - I left to those who wish. I only hold onto one thing for myself - the art of speech, and I do not blame myself for the labors on land and at sea that brought me this wealth" 626. According to the method of presenting theological accounting, the method of St. Gregory is dogmatic and polemical, as most corresponding to the needs of the time, which demanded from a theologian of the 4th century. presentation of Christian teaching together with the denunciation of false teachings. This task of the theologian of his century, St. Gregory was clearly aware and, to resolve it, established a special method of his theology, according to which he first sets out his teaching, and then refutes the arguments of the heretics, or vice versa. Moreover, he dwells only on those Christian dogmas that are particularly mysterious, or serve as a subject of special interest to modern society, such as St. Trinity, about the Son, about the Spirit. Natural abilities of St. Gregory and art in words, combined with a deep understanding of the foundations of faith based on Holy Scripture and Tradition, gave him extraordinary courage, which distinguishes the theology of St. Gregory. His mind is often directed to solving such questions, before the difficulty of which other fathers retreat. – “Why are there three persons in God, and not more or less? How is it possible that with Trinity God is One? What was God’s thought occupied with before the creation of the world?” 627 – to all these questions the mind of St. Gregory is not content with the answer - I don’t know, but intensifies and brings a ray of light into this depth. The courage of speculation is expressed by St. Gregory and in language. He speaks as if inspired, he speaks strongly, decisively, without fear that people will maliciously interpret his words to the detriment of their meaning: “An angel is a stream of light; the soul is a particle of the Divine, man is God” 628. An ardent and unusually gifted lover of contemplation, St. Gregory is independent in it. He thought deeply about everything he entered into, processed everything in the laboratory of his inquisitive mind, and learned to the point that his teaching, being universal, is at the same time his own teaching, being the fruit of the Spirit, it is, at the same time, the fruit of his own intuition. The main and essential feature of his speculation is that no matter what he talks about from the doctrine of God, the world, man, the thought of mind and contemplation, of light and insight is in the foreground, and when solving difficult questions, it almost always leads him out of difficulty. This is his angle of view on objects, in which his teaching receives sublimity. Gregory is smart in life, smart in his teaching. For his sublime contemplations, he lovingly sought the corresponding forms in the word: highly appreciating the mind, he equally valued the gift of speech. “I am the organ of God, and in euphonious chants I bring praise to the King, before Whom everything trembles. I sing not of Troy, not of a pig’s head, not of the fury of passions, but I sing of the great God reigning on high, I sing of the songs of angelic faces, the harmony of the world, the imperishable glory of Christ’s suffering. For all this, my tongue must be like a harp” 629. That's why St. Gregory developed his own original, sublime language, unusually difficult to translate. His speech is composed of selected words and expressions, having a certain deliberate structure and indicating the care of the Theologian to ensure that both his entire speech and every word are a worthy expression of high thoughts. This care in the choice of expressions explains the fact that in works written at different times on the same subject, he literally repeats entire passages. What for another writer would indicate his weakness, in St. Gregory was the result of a once and for all carefully made preference for one form over others 630. Oratorical talents of St. Gregory was also unparalleled in many respects, so that he was compared with the best heroes of that time. Their external advantages, in addition to the indicated sublimity, strength of thoughts, purity and accuracy of expressions, include: a) the play of images and expressions. "St. Gregory is extremely fond of explanations through comparisons and examples. Shepherd of souls - shepherd of sheep; human life is the sea; heretic - wine; mixed with water; his affection for St. Vasily - stickiness of the polyp; St. Vasily - eagle; St. Afanasy – magnet and diamond. Proverbs and antitheses are found quite often. In denunciations of heretics one can often hear irony and sarcasm, although softened by love. However, Gregory’s love for the artificial artistry of speech and his ability for such speech are not at all developed at the expense of simplicity and clarity in presentation, especially in moralizing words” 631. b) The biblical tone of speech, achieved both by the indicated vitality of comparisons and liveliness of speech, and by the abundance of skillfully interwoven quotations from Holy Scripture, testifying to the speaker’s love for it and knowledge of it. Not only whole thoughts, but often one word, one expression of one’s own thought in the words of Holy Scripture gives speech an inexpressibly beautiful biblical appearance and tone. c) Thematization of words. In establishing the type of thematic word of St. Gregory took precedence in preaching literature of the 4th century. Thematization is reflected in the unity of the subject of speech, foreshadowed at the beginning of each word or even earlier than the intended one (the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, for example). Therefore, his thought, with its brilliant fertility, flows quite freely, in strict logical association, always more or less witty and original combinations, deviating little from the immediate subject of speech. d) Finally, the above careful choice of words and expressions and the finishing of words give reason to think that St. Gregory did not speak at the pulpit without preparation, and did not have the habit of speaking improvisationally. On the contrary, the most the finishing of the words shows that the spiritual speaker wanted to speak in a completely dignified manner, prepared and processed words for the church pulpit, taking care that no dialectician, of which there were many in the public of that time, partly still pagan, could make the speaker blush for even one expression. Therefore, both in tone and in the form of speech of St. Gregory - not conversations, but in the full sense of the word. On the inside, the preaching word of St. Gregory is distinguished by special solemnity, sacred grandeur, spiritual power, reaching the point of prophetic courage. Whether he brings thanksgiving or praise to God, whether he expounds his teaching, whether he argues with heretics, whether he denounces the strength of his listeners, whether he laments about the disasters of the Church, whether he pours out the sorrow of his much-weeping and long-suffering life, a solemn tone is heard in him on a par with the tone of severity and tenderness. Equally, it raises the reader’s spirit to a certain height, detaching him from the bustle of current life with its petty thoughts and hopes, and keeps him at this height. With such a constantly elevated mood of spirit, St. Gregory appears on the pulpit with the true greatness of a prophet of God. No matter how deep his humility was, no matter what sorrowful circumstances he was in, his word never ceased to be majestic, commanding, convincing. His speech from a touching confession often turns into a majestic sermon of repentance, and the speaker’s voice sounds with such greatness and power that every ear involuntarily bows before it, as if listening not to human, but to Divine admonition and reproof. “You want me to say...” we read in word 19 on the occasion of the national census. “I will not say something gentle, pleasant and delightful, but I will say something very courageous and strong, from which you could become better, as those raised from the flesh to the spirit and sufficiently elevated in mind. Sons of humanity, as long as you are hard-hearted, love all vanity” 632, and further he denounces human vanity. Even in accusatory words, arguing with heretics, he triumphs over them not only with the logical power of his arguments, but also with the greatness of the spirit revealed in the word. When reading the works of such a speaker, the reader involuntarily develops an elevated mood, alien to petty verbal debates and competitions; he is involuntarily captivated by the truths of faith and morality. If this is the effect of the speeches of St. father on the reader, then one can easily imagine what their effect on the listeners was. They, as we saw, were delighted, expressed it noisily, interrupted the speech with exclamations of approval, and clung to the speaker. The influence of Gregory’s speech on the listeners was greatly facilitated by his authority and conviction in his mission. He himself testifies to himself: “I am the organ of God,” “my tongue is like a harp” 633. The word of Gregory is the word of truth, the knowledge of grace-filled illumination, the word of a man called to the gospel and having anointing on himself. And this is not a vain statement, but a word of truth, attested to by the ascetic lifestyle of the saint. “Farewell Word” is excellent proof of this. St. Gregory knew the meaning of his word, respected and honored it, trying to be a worthy bearer of it and taking care of its development. Purifying his mind and words was his constant concern. By fasting and silence, he prepared himself for the utterance of “that great knowledge of the beneficial and harmful that God put into him.” In view of the above, St. Gregory is a true spiritual leader, an example and role model for preachers of all times. Finally, the moral teaching of St. Gregory the Theologian has the distinctive feature that it is based on Christian dogmatic principles, from which the metaphysical foundations of morality grow, like a tree from its root. The question of postulates or metaphysical principles of morality, this first question as moral teachings, found in St. father's proper permission. He clarifies the moral meaning of dogmas and their relationship to the general norm of Christian life. He indicates a person’s general attitude to existence, clarifies his connection with other individuals, sets him a certain goal in life, reveals the meaning of existence, his purpose and his future fate. In this regard, all of his creations are ethical, since moral instructions and reasoning are scattered throughout his individual works, because the special moral system of St. Grigory will not leave. “Just as every thing has its own greater or lesser distinctive feature, so my speeches have distinctive properties of edification in thoughts and dogma,” he characterizes Nikovulu’s writings, collecting them at his request 634. The fundamentals of morality are indicated by Gregory as follows: a) Theological. The personal existence of God and the constant dependence on Him of all rational beings primarily serves as the basis of their morality, since the individual life of each is strengthened in the Divine and relates to Him as one of the peripheries to its center. “Remembering God is more necessary than breathing. God is the beginning and the end of everything." 635 The unity of persons in the Holy Trinity obliges everyone to be of the same mind, representing the most perfect ideal for created things. “Unanimity begins with the Trinity” 636. It is an expression of love and harmony, to which all who live in God are committed 637. b) Ontological - from the doctrine of man as created in the image of God and called to a spiritual union with God. Man is a combination of the spirit of God and the dust of the earth; his soul is a stream of Divinity. Dedication of the soul to God is his first, highest sacrifice. But this sacrifice is a matter of free personal manifestation of the person himself, so that he, having become a spontaneous doer of good, through struggle and feat, acquires a crown 638. In struggle and achievement the essence of the main problem of moral life, which consists (of the problem) in the moral self-education of the spirit and the mortification of passionate desires of the flesh that pollute the home of the soul 639. c) Cosmological - from the recognition not of the self-contingency of world life, but of movement according to the known laws of God's providence about it. Only in this conviction does a person draw strength to fight evil. “Only a bad slave tends to show respect to his master when he smiles, and to consider him evil when he strikes. A Christian must accept without grumbling wherever God turns his helm.”640 “One must completely trust God and His leadership, because God’s foreknowledge lays the foundation for important events” 641. d) Soteriological - in the recreation of man and the deification of his nature through the incarnation of the Son of God. The new life that has been revealed to man from this moment obliges him to internal renewal and re-creation: “to become god, even by adoption, for the sake of Christ, who became man for our sake” 642. e) Eschatological - from the doctrine of the future afterlife and retribution. Just as life in the body is a departure from the Lord and a stay in bonds and shackles, so, on the contrary, life according to God, in unity with Him, is bliss 643. “He who remembers God here is higher than death and after his departure needs correction in hell” 644. Complete bliss, consisting in perfect knowledge of St. Trinity, is possible only in the future life 645, in spiritual Jerusalem, this heavenly homeland of the Christian, where the only way is piety 646. Cultivating piety in people and preparing them as citizens for this heavenly Jerusalem is the task of shepherding, according to the teaching of St. Gregory, which is what we are now moving on to. Desktop Encyclop. dictionary ed. A. Garbel, vol. IV, p. 2050; encyclopedist Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron t 27, p. 391; ― “Orthodox Theological Encyclopedia”, volume VIII, pp. 546–7: F. Lubker “Real Dictionary of Classical Antiquity” translation by Prof. Modestov, p. 200. Creation St. Gregory B. ed. 3rd, Moscow 1889, volume II, 116; I. 206–207; II, 87; VI, 7. In what follows, only volume and page will be presented and indicated. VI. 6; I. 193; II. 110–115; I. 196. II, 86. V. 312; VI. 7; V. 308; IV. 232. Migne Patrologiae with; series graeca vol. XXXV, p. 153. F. W. Farrar ("The Life and Works of the Holy Fathers and Teaching Church" p. 381) dates the birth of St. Gregory to 330; Arch. Philaret (Historical Teaching about the Fathers of the Church, vol. II, p. 158, note 1) - to 320, considering the comparison of the year of birth incorrect with the beginning of his father’s pastoral activity, others, like Svoda and Le Clerc, date the birth of St. Gregory to the year 300–1 (Priest N. Vinogradov; “Dogmatic Account of St. Gregory B., p. 110 note). The following considerations can serve as the basis for determining the time of birth: the death of Gregory the Elder followed in the spring of 374; in a laudatory speech to the father of St. Gregory testifies that he spent forty-five years of his almost hundred-year life in the priesthood (vol. II, 115); therefore, the beginning of the priesthood of Gregory the Elder falls on 329 (374–45 = 329). Then, there is no reason to understand in some figurative sense the words of Father Gregory to his son (as the Most Rev. Philaret does). time, as I make sacrifices to God” (VI, 19)), since according to the context of the speech, the father is talking specifically about his priestly sacrifices. If it is necessary to take the literal meaning of these words (and this is necessary), then the birth of St. Gregory took place after his father assumed pastoral duties, therefore, after 328–9. The same opinion about the year of birth of St. Gregory holds on to Ullmann: Gregorius von Nasianz der Theologe, Gotha 1886, § 382–383. Archim. Boris: “The history of Christian enlightenment in its relation to Greco-Roman education,” trans. II, ed. – 1890, p. 6. Boris Arkhim., c. op. p. 16. 95, etc.; the question of the Christianity of all teachers of the Auditorium without exception is questionable. Socrates, Ecclesiastical History book 5, chapter I, ed. 1750, p. 213. Prof. A. Lebedev in “Christian world, and Roman civilization in the era of the ancient church.” (Readings in the General L.D. Pr., 1873, Apr., 435). I. Borisovsky, “Bepa and Reason” 1894, 1/1 church department, page 379 “Travels of the oo. and teachings of the Church of the 2nd–4th centuries for self-education.” Caesaria - in Cappadocia, originally Mazaca, transformed by Tiberius. in 18 AD. and named so in honor of the Emperor Venerable. Valens, the main city of Cappodocia prima (Dubker “Real dictionary of the ancient class.” vol. II, 190). Migne with s. t XXXVII, p. 1461. Originally „Στϱατώνος πὐϱγοςˮ ― on the border of Galilee and Samaria, expanded by Herod I in 13 BC and named by him in honor of Augustus „Caesaria ˮ (Lübker, ts. op. p. 190). Blessed. Jerome's Book of Famous Men, chapter 113. Ts. op. Bl. Jer. caput CXVI, p. 339. One of many cities with this name. „εν Αἰγύττῳˮ founded in 331 BC to establish Greek rule in Egypt on a narrow strip between the Mediterranean and Mareogi lakes, distinguished by the arrogance and frivolity of its inhabitants (Lubker. Ts. cit. pp. 57–58). “Ecumenical Councils of the 4th and 5th centuries ˮ A. Lebedev, ed. 1879. p. 34. The capital of Attica, the main focus of ancient culture, the seat of Greek philosophy, sciences and arts, was founded 1500 years BC, on the shores of the Gulf of Aegina, at the confluence of the two rivers Kephissus and Illis, 4 kilometers from the sea harbor of Piraeus (Bolsh. Enzik. II, 350: Right. Bogosl. Eicycle II, 189; Nast Enz. Words of Garbel I. 360). Schlosser, “World History” 1. 248. A. P. Lebedev “Collected ts-ist. count. X. Page 308. A. P. Lebedev “History of the parallel “Soulful” Reading ˮ1885, I, p. 10. Bl. Jerome: “Appology against Runin”, book I creation, vol. V, page 21. VI. 11 St. Gregory the Theologian. Church Histor. book IV, ch. 6, ed. 1858 pp. 365. The testimony of Socrates the scholastic (Church History Book VI, 26 p.) that Gregory and Basil went to Antioch to listen to the Libania is not confirmed anywhere in Gregory’s works. St. Basil Vel. Vol. VII, pp. 288–296. Archim. Boris. “History of the Christian Enlightenment,” trans. II p. 449: the division of sciences sometimes diversified. VI. 256–7 St. Gregory the Theologian. Right Sob. 1860, I, 38 “Activities of the Pastoral Church of the 4th century in relation to the community.” Ternovsky F. A. “Greek-Eastern Church in the Church of the Ecumenical Councils”, Kiev, 1883. Page 19. IV. 70; II. 187, 226; II. 161; IV. 34. St. Basil Vel. Creation vol. III, 250–252. II, 187–189, 225–226; IV, 34–36; III, 161–2. A. P. Lebedev, “Ecumenical Councils of the IV–V centuries.” pp. 39–41. TV St. Basil Vel., (ed. 1902), vol. VI, 7. St. Basil the Great, IV, 44 ed. 1902 D. Kovalnitsky. “On the significance of the national element in the historical development of Christianity” Tr. K. Akad. 1880, 3, 409. Socrates S. Ts Ist. Book II, chapter 40. A. P. Lebedev "The Universe. Councils" Page 57 and others. St. Basil Vel. creativity ed. 1902, vol. VI. 118–120. VI, 14–15. St. Gregory the Theologian. IV. 101–104 St. Gregory the Theologian. Creation VI. 63, ed. 1902 Letter 24:VI. 113, IV. 232. Letters 10, 17. 18, 19, 20. 21, 25, 30, etc. Letter 36 and 37 - IV, 125–127. St. Basil Vel. creativity VI, 153. Prof. A. A. Spassky “History of the dogmas of the movement.” vol. I, 481. Creation St. Vasily Vel. VI, 195. Farrat. Life and works of St. From. and Uch. Church 1891 St. Petersburg. Page 414. II. 49 and 59th. VI 136 and 137. St. Basil the Great vol. IV. 151 (1902 ed.). 56–57 and 58 ― VI. 144–146. See eg. A word in memory of St. much Maccabees (II, 58), spoken, but according to some, in Caesarea; it is important as a monument to the liturgical character and oratorical talent of St. Gregory (Barsov ts. op. 340). Letters 9 and 10; VI, 99–100. Letters: 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 45, etc. II. 118 St. Gregory the Theologian. "St. Gregory God, as prop.” - Chr. Read 1886, II, 347. St. Gregory of Nyssa's Works, ed. 1862 p. IV. 336–337. II. 193–195: 146: 131: VI, 39. Socrates "Church" History", V book. Chapter 7 395. Socrates "Church" Ist., 5, 6–7. III. 141; IV. 238; VI. 23. II. 133–142, St. Gregory the Theologian. II. 148.188.193; VI, 47; I, 54. IV. 37, 192: III, 136; VI. 46. III. 139–140 St. Gregory the Theologian. Socrates 5, 7. St. Gregory the Theologian. Barsov - Chr. Thurs. 1866. II. 352. Socrates, C. East. 5, 8; Theodoret, C. East. 5, 6–8. “Everyone. Cathedrals of the 4th–5th centuries.” M 1879, p. 128. Theodoret "Church" East." 5, 8. VI. 71–73, 80. Gregory the Theologian. Prof. N. Barsov, cit. cit., p. 356. The image is taken from the then common game of dice. To Philagry, paragraph 84 - VI. 167–8. VI. 221 - item 160, to Olympius. VI. 241 - item 183, to Castor. A. Lebedev “All Councils”, pp. 68–72. Letter 112 - VI. 182–183. VI. 182–183 St. Gregory the Theologian. A. Govorov “St. Gregory the Theologian, as a poet, Kazan, 1886, p. 182. Sozomen, Church. ist., VI. 25 (428 pp.). Prof. A. Govorov “St. Gregory the Theologian, as a Christian poet” Kazan 1886, p. 35, etc. VI. 83–84. St. Gregory the Theologian. Histor. uch. about father cer. vol. II, p. 175. Arch. Porfiry “On the poems of St. Gregory the Theologian” from the Works of K. D. A. for 1863, p. 18. Socrates "Church History", VI. 8. A. Govorov, ts son., p. 310. paragraphs 85, 73, 92, 139, 156, 151, 152, 167 n pl. etc. (VI vol.). paragraphs 139, 232, 111, 141, 117, 140, 238, 143, 144 and many others. etc. (VI volume). 65–68, 90, 106–107, 112, 122, 139, 151. 152, 154. 156. pp. 74–76, 86, 109, 111, 115, 116–119, 123, 139, 141, 144, 148, 155, 157, 147, 161, 173, 187, 193, 194, 196–201, 211, 226, 227, 235, etc. paragraphs 135, 136, 137, 138, 215, 217, 223, 224. pp. 188, 204–206, 59, 63, 185. paragraphs 171, 172, 191, 192, 219. pp. 168–169 – VI. 228–229. Eg. Sacerdote case – paragraphs 196, 211. VI. 252–262. “On Silence,” IV. 187–291. V. 166–168. St. Gregory the Theologian. VI. 223, 242, 246–7, 292, VI. 203. A. P. Lebedev, “Collection of central historical works,” vol. X, pp. 453–4. Arch. Filaret. "Historical doctrine of the Fathers' Church", vol. II, page 167. The number of letters and poems varies: up to 243 letters and up to 408 poems. We followed the arch. Philaret. Arch. Filaret, c. op. 190. I. 49; IV. 187, 197. IV. 198. "St. Gregory of God., as a teacher of faith by P. Shalfeev. "Chronicles. Thur.ˮ 1861, I. 273. Prof. Barsov, c. s. 361 pp. (Chronicle Thu. 1886, 11). St. Gregory the Theologian. IV. 189; I. 213 P. Borisovsky. “Dogmatic foundations of Christian morality according to the works of St. Gregory the Theologian,” “Faith and Faith,” 1894, 1 / 1, 525.