www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Gregory Palamas

Dear friends in Christ,
Anyone knows if Saint Gregory Palamas is considered saint in both catholic and orthodox church? If yes, why? Since he is posterior to the schism.
Thank you!

Paz e Bem!

As the saying goes, "Asked and answered!" St. Gregory Palamas' feast is celebrated by the Melkite-Greek Catholic Church and the Russian Catholic Church, at least. The texts for his 'office' appear in our official liturgical books published in and by Rome or approved there.

I don't understand why is he saint for the roman catholic church... It makes no sense to me.

Paz e bem!

Well, I don't believe he is on the calendar of the Roman Catholic Church, but St. Gregory Palamas is venerated in multiple Eastern Catholic Churches. I know that his feast is celebrated in my own Ruthenian Catholic Church. While St. Gregory Palamas did leave after the schism, he lived prior to the time when various Eastern Catholic Churches returned to communion with Rome. Those Eastern Churches (or at least some of them) that venerated him prior to returning to communion with Rome have continued to do so.

Hardly a week goes by but that one of the Roman pontifical universities grants a doctorate to a candidate whose thesis was on this or that aspect of SAINT Gregory Palamas' theology! By the way, I never stated or implied that his feast was extended to the Roman Church, only that several of the Eastern Catholic Sister Churches (and of course the Sister Orthodox Churches) hallow his luminous memory!
But, please, let's not turn this topic into another exhausting screed on whose saints are revered by whom. In my grouchy old age I tire easily from ecclesial myopia: YOURS! As I tell my seminarians when they ask when 'reunion' will take place, "Fifteen minutes after the Parousia"! In the meantime, as the Anglo-Indian poet Rudyard Kipling wrote, "East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet".

Slava Isusu Khrestu

Some of the older faithful in our church constantly asked our priest, " Are there any Roman Catholic in heaven?" His answer was a simple, "No!" to which the faithful all sat back and smiled that smile of self satisfaction. In the same breath, he said that there were no Orthodox either in heaven. To which there was dead silence!!!! Yet, in that same breath he stated emphatically,that there are only the true followers of The Lord!

Just smiling here
and still unworthy
Kolya

Heaven's just a way station, in any case.

Hope that west and east shall meet again.

Yes, in heaven, on the duskless day of the Lord's kingdom. Before that? Don't bet the farm!

So, you are saying God's will can be gainsaid?

We have a wonderful new-to-us Latin priest with us at my Russian Catholic Church, concelebrating, learning to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, after decades of interest in the EC/Orthodox. His homily today for Transfiguration spoke of essence and energies, tho he said nothing of St. Gregory Palamas. I had such a grin during the whole homily, which was quite wonderful, that he spoke to me after saying I was a homilist's dream-- someone who appeared to be listening and appreciating the homily. Both were true.

Patriarch +Josyp of blessed memory rallied for St. Gregory's return to liturgical worship in the late 1960s (cf. Pelikan), and it was included in the Anthologion printed in 1974 in Rome through the efforts of Patriarch +Josyp with approbation of the Holy See. It was also included in the Melkite Synodal books printed in Rome about the same time.

So at least for the Melkites and UGCC there are official liturgical commemorations for St. Gregory appointed for the second Sunday of the Great Fast that have been in place in official liturgical books printed by both churches since the 1970s.

The Byzantine Catholic Calendar celebrates St. Gregory on the Second Sunday of the Great Fast as well.

That would seem quite impossible, unless proven! Critics, especially roman catholics, for example Aidan Nichols, but accepted in eastern literature as well, say that Palamas was a phenomenon forgotten from 15 up to 18 century, and that including Athos and byzantium of the time, i.e The Balkans.
Its hard to believe as such how would his veneration had been alive among slav orthodox who joined Rome in 16 century!

According to F. Basilios Kaliakmanis book about theology during othoman occupation, greeks educated in the college of Saint Athanasius in Italy were obliged to condemn Palamas, they had to sign it, before entering the church service in greek islands.
Another interesting book that I have, but havent seen it yet, is that of the roman catholic author, Gerhard Podskalsky, 'greek theology during turkish occupation'.