The Sight of God in the Theology of Saint Symeon the New Theologian [11]

Here, parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

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In the Hymn I, Symeon presents the light coming into the heart as a rising in heart of a sun (h[lioj)[1] or a sun disk (di,skoj h`li,ou)[2].

The two ecstatic titles are fluid at Symeon, as the sight also, because they attest the sight of the light in similarity with some bodily and does not solidify the mode of the manifestation of the light in his being.

Light takes various forms, as God wants to show the seer of His light.

Therefore, the light that appeared like a sun, in the same symeonian fragment, is and flo.x[3], flame or tongue of fire. In Hymns, 29, 9, the light is shown like a full moon (o`lo,fwton selh,nhn)[4] to Saint Symeon, while in 50, 41 as a spherical light (fw/j sfairoeide,j)[5].

The ecstatic symeonian titles, in other words, are not all aprioristic given, but some touches the ecstatic events  personally experienced.

Therefore at Symeon merges the traditional ecstatic titles with personally experienced. Personal experience is vital for salvation, because the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heavens is on measure (ta. me,tra) of enlightenment and of love that we have[6].

In Hymns,VIII, 41-42, Saint Symeon expresses in concise mode the fact that the cleaning manifestation of the Ghost in our being is on measure of cleaning and personal enlightenment[7].

The assimilation of light with the glory, that’s of fw/j with do,xa[8], is quite obvious to him: „tou/ fwto.j h` do,xa” (glory of the light)[9]; „fw/j avqanasi,aj” (light of immortality)[10];  „fwti. th/j qei,aj do,xhj” (the light of divine glory)[11]; „ai[glhn avqanasi,aj”  (sparkle immortality)[12]; „to. fw/j th/j ca,rito,j” (light of grace)[13]; „to. fw/j th/j do,xhj” (light of glory)[14]; „do,xan th.n avqa,naton” (immortal glory)[15]; do,xhj qei,aj (divine glory)[16].

The adjectives and adverbs of the light, and they are very important in our discussion, because they expresse the light ecstatic seen, with dogmatic exactitude, that the light of God: avpro,sitoj (unapproachable)[17], avqe,atoj[18] / avo,ratoj[19] (unseen), a;stektoj (unbearable)[20], avfra,stoj[21]/avpo,rrhtoj[22]/ a;rrhtoj[23]/ a;fqegktoj[24] (unspeakable), a;crantoj (unblemish)[25], qei/oj (divine)[26], th/j a;nw (from above)[27], prw,th (prime/ initial/ first)[28], a;sbestoj (unextinguished)[29]; glukei,w sfo,dra (very sweet)[30], avschma,tistoj[31] / a;morfoj[32] (formless/ amorphous), a`plou/j (simple)[33], avsu,nqetoj (uncompounded)[34], avme,ristoj (indivisible)[35], avnexereu,nhtoj (can not be investigated)[36], lhpto,j (understood/ comprised/ distinguishable)[37], avkata,lhptoj (not understood/ incomprehensible)[38], trano,j (limpid/ transparent)[39]avlhqino,j (true)[40] a;dutoj (unreached)[41], avnespe,roj (without evening)[42], a;ktistoj (uncreated)[43], a;narcoj (virgin/ without beginning)[44], a;u?loj (immaterial)[45], avnalloi,wtoj (unchangeable)[46], avperi,graptoj (uncircumscribed)[47], avqanatoj (immortal)[48], avperi,lhpton pa,nth| (with all boundless)[49], avnei,deoj (faceless/ without image)[50], a;fqartoj  (incorruptible)[51], avgh,rwj (ungrowing old)[52], avsu,gkritoj (incomparable)[53] etc.

In Hymns, XIX, 68, enter into the frame of the theological discussion and the verb qea,omai[54] for to qualify the ecstatic sight and in the Hymn 31 we found twice the substantive qe,a (vision)[55].

In the Hymn 34 makes its appearance the substantive pei/ra (experience)[56] for to indicate the divine sight and in 38, 74 the substantive avnatolh, (sunrise)[57]. In the Hymn 50, 234 we find pragmatei,a (occupation/ dayliness)[58] placed in direct link with pei/ra and gnwsi,a.

The light enters into our being and our members are carrying light (fwtofo,ra)[59]. The whole symeonian theology is built around this deifying experience: that of seeing the divine light.

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From those we have presented so far shows that Symeon is profoundly scriptural and traditional in his ecstatic terminology without being less innovative. Symeon’s terminological innovations are not the intellectualistic but pragmatic ones.

He describes what he saw, the forms under which he had seen the divine light and he does not seek to bring in front of his readers the expressions for the sake of expressions.

But, from the descriptions of these very strict, exactness of spiritual experience until to be suspected Saint Symeon that he fantasied on the theme of the divine sight or for the fact that he would propose a non-traditional mystic is a long and unrealistic path.

The textual research indicates us the complete orthodox and traditional legitimacy of the symeonian ecstatic terminology, because he expresses a personal experienced teaching, before to be a humble and full rallying to the teaching of the previous Church Fathers.


[1] Idem, Hymns, I, 39, p. 160 / Ică jr. 3, p. 53.

About the sight of the light in heart as a sun, to see places: SC 156, Hymns, VII, 4, p. 208; VIII, 74, p. 220; SC 174, Hymns, XVII, 327, p. 36; XVIII, 17, p. 76 (unsunset sun: h[lioj a;dutoj); XXI, 8, p. 132; XXII, 6, p. 170 (great sun: h[lioj me,gaj); XXII, 150, p. 182; XXII, 168, p. 184; XXIII, 233, p. 204; XXIII, 260, 261, p. 206; XXIII, 360, 364, 370, p. 212; XXIII, 388, 398, p. 214; XXV, 10, p. 254 (more than the sun); XXVII, 98, p. 286; XXXIV, 79, p. 434 (great sun); SC 196, Hymns, XLII, 85, p. 44; SC 196, Hymns, XLV, 38, p. 104 (unsunset sun); L, 95, p. 164.

[2] Ibidem / Ibidem. To see and SC 174, Hymns, XVII, 385-387, p. 40, where the light is shown in the middle of heart as a fwsth,r (luminary) but also as a sun disc.

[3] Idem, Hymns, I, 40, p. 160 / Ibidem. To see and SC 174, Hymns, XX, 238, p. 128; XXVIII, 140, 142, p. 304.

[4] SC 174, Hymns, XXIX, 9, p. 314.

[5] SC 196, Hymns, L, 41, p. 160.

[6] SC 156, Hymns, I, 149-150, p. 168 / Idem, p. 55.

[7] Idem, Hymns, VIII, 41-42, p. 218.

[8] SC 174, Hymns, XXVI, 19, p. 270.

[9] SC 156, Hymns, I, 184, p. 172.

[10] Idem, Hymns, II, 89, p. 182.

[11] Idem, Hymns, I, 210, p. 174.

[12] Idem, Hymns, II, 5, p. 176. To see and SC 174, Hymns, XVI, 25, p. 12.

[13] Idem, Hymns, II, 18, p. 178.

[14] Idem, Hymns, VII, 5, p. 208; SC 174, Hymns, XXI, 1, p. 130.

[15] Idem, Hymns, VIII, 93, p. 222.

[16] SC 174, Hymns, XVII, 455, p. 44; XVII, 465, p. 46; XVII, 485, p. 46; XXI, 12, p. 132.

[17] SC 156, Hymns, XI, 57, p. 236; XI, 69, p. 238; XIV, 61, p. 270; SC 174, Hymns, XVIII, 13, p.74; XX, 36, p. 112; XX, 44, p. 114; XXI, 2, p. 130; XXI, 276, 297, p. 152; XXII, 36, p. 172; XXII, 161, p. 182; XXVII, 43, p. 282; XXVIII, 206, p. 310; XXXIII, 40, p. 416; SC 196, Hymns, XLII, 76, p. 42; XLIX, 24, p. 148; LV, 117, p. 262.

[18] Idem, Hymns, XI, 56, p. 236; SC 174, Hymns, XXIV, 297, p. 248.

[19] SC 174, Hymns, XXX, 19, p. 342;

[20] SC 156, Hymns, XI, 57, p. 236; XI, 81, p. 238; SC 174, Hymns, XXII, 36, p. 172; XXV, 44, p. 258; XXVIII, 161, p. 306.

[21] SC 174, Hymns, XVIII, 120, p. 84; XXIV, 270, p. 246; SC 196, Hymns, XLVIII, 21, p. 132; XLIX, 26, p. 148; L, 146, p. 166.

[22] Idem, Hymns, XXIV, 7, p. 226; XXVIII, 187, p. 308.

[23] SC 196, Hymns, XLIII, 73, p. 62; XLIV, 114, p. 78; XLVIII, 20, p. 132; XLIX, 27, p. 148; L, 39, p. 158.

[24] Idem, Hymns, LII, 6, p. 198.

[25] SC 174, Hymns, XIX, 14, p. 94; XXV, 149, p. 266; SC 196, Hymns, XLVII, 46, p. 124.

[26] Ibidem; XX, 205, p. 126; XXVII, 65, p. 284; XXVII, 129, 136, p. 288; XXIX, 211, p. 328; XXX, 52, p. 344; XXXIII, 38, p. 416; XXXIII, 131, p. 422; XXXIII, 138, p. 422; XXXIX, 51, 57, p. 480; SC 196, Hymns, XLIV, 243, p. 88; XLVIII, 22, p. 132; L, 41, p. 160; L, 147, p. 166; L, 296, p. 178; LI, 15, p. 186.

[27] Idem, Hymns, XIX, 57, p. 98.

[28] Ibidem.

[29] Idem, Hymns, XX, 205, p. 126; XXX, 23, p. 342.

[30] Idem, Hymns, XVIII, 82, p. 80.

[31] Idem, Hymns, XXII, 159, p. 182.

[32] SC 196, Hymns, L, 42, p. 160.

[33] Idem, Hymns, XXII, 160, p. 182; XXIV, 15, p. 228.

[34] Ibidem.

[35] Ibidem.

[36] Idem, Hymns, XXII, 161, p. 182.

[37] Idem, Hymns, XXIII, 234, 238 p. 204; XXIII, 380, p. 212.

[38] Idem, Hymns, XXIV, 296, p. 248.

[39] SC 174, Hymns, XXIV, 368, p. 252; XL, 1, p. 484.

[40] SC 174, Hymns, XXXIV, 26, p. 428.

[41] SC 196, Hymns, XLIV, 373, p. 96.

[42] SC 174, Hymns, XXVII, 43, p. 282; SC 196, Hymns, L, 293, p. 178.

[43] Idem, Hymns, 19, p. 342.

[44] Idem, Hymns, XXX, 20, p. 342.

[45] Ibidem.

[46] Idem, Hymns, XXX, 21, p. 342.

[47] Idem, Hymns, XXX, 22, p. 342.

[48] Idem, Hymns, XXX, 23, p. 342; SC 196, Hymns, L, 148, p. 168.

[49] Idem, Hymns, XXX, 24, p. 342.

[50] Ibidem.

[51] SC 196, Hymns, LI, 146, p. 196.

[52] Ibidem.

[53] Idem, Hymns, LII, 6, p. 198.

[54] SC 174, Hymns, XIX, 68, p. 98; XXIX, 204, p. 328.

[55] Idem, Hymns, XXXI, 2, 3,  p. 384.

[56] Idem, Hymns, XXXIV, 17, p. 428; XXXIV, 48, p. 430; SC 196, Hymns, L, 234, p. 174.

[57] Idem, Hymns, XXXVIII, 74, p. 472; SC 196, Hymns, XLV, 34, p. 104.

[58] SC 196, Hymns, L, 234, p. 174.

[59] SC 174, Hymns, XVI, 33, p. 12; XIX, 15, p. 94 (lamprofo,rouj).

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