11,779
edits
Changes
no edit summary
[[Image:Gregory Palamas.jpg|right|frame|St. Gregory Palamas]]
Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Gregory Palamas''' (1296-1359), [[Archbishop]] of [[Thessalonica]], was a [[monk]] of [[Mount Athos]] in Greece (at [[Vatopedi Monastery (Athos)|Vatopedi Monastery]] and [[Esphigmenou Monastery (Athos)|Esphigmenou Monastery]]), and later became Archbishop of Thessalonica. He was a preeminent theologian and a proponent of [[hesychasm|hesychastic]] theology. His [[feast day]]s in the Church are [[November 14]] and the second Sunday of [[Great Lent]] as the [[Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas]].
==Life==
==Theology==
Contrary to Barlaam, Gregory asserted that the prophets in fact had greater knowledge of God, because they had actually seen or heard God himself. Addressing the question of how it is possible for humans to have knowledge of a transcendent and unknowable God, he drew a distinction between knowing God in his '''essence''' (in Greek, ουσιαουσία) and knowing God in his '''energies''' (in Greek, ενεργειαιενέργειαι). He maintained the Orthodox doctrine that it remains impossible to know God in his essence (God in himself), but possible to know God in his energies (to know what God does, and who he is in relation to the creation and to man), as God reveals himself to humanity. In doing so, he made reference to the [[Cappadocian Fathers]] and other early Christian writers.
[[Image:St Gregory Palamas Cathedral.jpg|right|thumb|300px|St. Gregory Palamas Cathedral, Thessaloniki, Greece, where the saint's holy [[relics]] are [[shrine|enshrined]]]]
==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] ([[Tone ]] 8)[http://www.oca.org/FSTropars.asp?SID=13&ID=103303]
:O light of Orthodoxy, teacher of the Church, its confirmation,
:O ideal of monks and invincible champion of theologians,
:always intercede before the Lord that our souls may be saved.
[[Kontakion]] (Tone 8)[http://www.oca.org/FSTropars.asp?SID=13&ID=103303]
:Holy and divine instrument of wisdom,
:joyful trumpet of theology,
:Since you now stand before the Original Mind, guide our minds to Him, O Father,
:so that we may sing to you: "Rejoice, preacher of grace."
== See also ==
*[[Metropolis of Thessalonica]]
==External links==
*''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd ed.)'', p. 713
[[Category:Featured Articles]][[Category:Athonite Fathers]]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Thessalonica]]
[[Category:14th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Church Fathers]]
[[Category:Featured ArticlesHesychasm]][[Category:Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers]]
[[Category:Monastics]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Greek Saints]]
[[Category:14th-century saints]]
[[ar:غريغوريوس بالاماس]]
[[fr:Grégoire Palamas]]
[[mk:Свети Григориј Палама]]
[[pt:Gregório Palamas]]
[[ro:Grigorie Palama]]
