The Sight of God in the Theology of Saint Symeon the New Theologian [6]

Here, parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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Therefore, the taking in discussion of avnable,pw, and of other symeonian ecstatic verbs, must be joined with the reality of the sight as a gift from God or as worthy of light[1].

The sight of the light is at Symeon and evnoi,khsij, that is the dwelling in us of the Trinity[2].

The lowering[3] of the light in our being is while climbing towards the light and in the light of God. The ecstatic ascension is expressed by Symeon in paradoxical terms because the light down to us is, at the same time, our ascent to God.

At him we find, most often, the divine condescension as the ray (avkti,j) of light[4], as brightness (ai;glh|)[5] or as bright lightning[6], dazzling, that comes soon in man.

We find in the symeonian writing and the coming of light as arrow (be,loj)[7] or the entering light in heart as wound [8].

In Hymns, 11, 71, the ecstatic sight is as an ovph/j mikra/j (small hole) in heaven[9], while in Hymns, 12, 63, the ecstasy is described as a mikra.n auvgh.n (small brightness)[10] in the spiritual life of the orthodox believer.

In Hymns, 17, 326, the ecstasy is described as a covering of him by a fwto.j nefe,lh (cloud of the light)[11] and in Hymns, 18, 63 we find the sight as an e;kstasij (ecstasy/ wonder/ the change of the status)[12].

We can observe from Symeon and the recurrence of qewri,a[13]. The sight as contemplation that is required by qewri,a, expresses also the spiritual understanding of the world and the sight of the realities of the ecstatic light.

The contemplation as sight produces a spiritual knowledge in man. Therefore, Symeon speaks of the divine light as about „to. nohto.n fw/j” („a light thought with the mind”)[14].


[1] See SC 51, Chapters, I, 4, p. 41; I, 40, p. 51; SC 156, Hymns, V, 22, p. 202; SC 174, Hymns, XXV, 66, p. 260; XXV, 90, p. 262; XXX, 388, p. 366.

[2] See SC 51, Chapters, I, 7, p. 42/ Ică jr. 3, p. 366.

In SC 51, Chapters, I, 79, p. 64, Symeon called the seer of light as „home of the Trinity” (oi-koj th/j Tria,doj).

For the indwelling Trinity in us to see also SC 51, Chapters, III, 72, 102; SC 174, Hymns, XIX, 54, p. 98; XX, 201, p. 126; XXVII, 1-2, p. 278 (the soul is the dwelling of Christ); XXVIII, 61, p. 298 (Christ dwells in us); XXVIII, 176, p. 308; XXX, 392, p. 366; XXIX, 165, p. 326 (Holy Trinity in us and in all); XXIX, 166-167, p. 326 (God dwells in His Saints in especially); SC 196, Hymns, XLIV, 153, p. 82 (The Holy Ghost lives in us); XLVIII, 140, p. 142, LI, 134, p. 194.

[3] SC 156, Hymns, XIII, 71, p. 262.

[4] We find in SC 51, Chapters, I, 35, p. 50 the expression „fw/j mikro.n” („small light”). This expression does not designate that divine light is tiny, but that his spiritual power, the his power to receive the light is low (see Chapters, II, 11, p. 74). The detail that we point out here is very important to Saint Symeon, because through it our author speaks of the sight as a divine reality, we receive in the measure of the personal cleansing.

About the rays of the divine light to see and SC 174, Hymns, XXIII, 233, 246, 252, 255, 256, p. 204; XXIII, 260, p. 206; XXIII, 362,  368, 370, 373, p. 212; XXIII, 385, 397, p. 214; XXVII, 99, p. 286; XXIX, 224, p. 330; XXXII, 19, p. 402 (the divine rays of Your deity); XXXV, 52, 59 (the deity rays) p. 444.

[5] See SC 51, Chapters, I, 86, p. 66; II, 8, p. 73; SC 156, Hymns, VII, 5, p. 208; SC 174, Hymns, XVII, 325, p. 36; XVII, 334, p. 36 (the light bearing brightness: ai;glh fwtofo,roj); XVII, 344, p. 38; XVII, 354, p. 38; XVII, 358; p. 38; XIX, 17, p. 96; XX, 29,  p. 112 (brightness of immortality: ai;glh| avqanasi,aj); XXII, 8, p. 170 (small brightness: ai;glh mikra.); XXII, 19, 33,  p. 172; XXII, 157, p. 182; XXII, 171, p. 184; XXVIII, 175, p. 308; XXVIII, 217, p. 312; XXIX, 7, p. 314; XXIX, 173, p. 326 (shines in the heart); XXIX, 179, p. 326; XXIX, 193, p. 328; XXX, 160, p. 352; XXX, 243, 245, 247, p. 356; XXX, 267, p. 358 (the divine spark); XXXII, 15, 19, p. 402; XXXIV, 59, p. 432; XXXIX, 62, p. 480; SC 196, Hymns, XLIV, 14, p. 78; XLIV, 155, p. 82; XLV, 5, p. 102; XLV, 29, p. 104; XLIX, 26, p. 148; L, 238, p. 174.

[6] See SC 51, Chapters, III, 54, p. 96; III, 59, p. 98; SC 156, Hymns, II, 5, p. 176; II, 130, p. 186; VIII, 64, p. 218; XV, 55, p. 280; SC 174, Hymns, XVI, 24, p. 12; XVII, 35, p. 16 (the flashing light: to. fw/j to. avpastra,pton); XXXIV, 79, p. 434; XXXV, 76, p. 446 (flash); SC 196, Hymns, XLI, 104, p. 18 (flash of glory); XLVII, 18, p. 122.

[7] SC 156, Hymns, V, 23, p. 202.

[8] Idem, Hymns, VI, 15-16, p. 204.

[9] Idem, Hymns, XI, 71, p. 238.

[10] Idem, Hymns, XII, 63, p. 246; SC 174, Hymns, XVIII, 62, p. 78 (the thin and very small brightness: lepth. ai;glh kai. mikrota,th).

[11] SC 174, Hymns, XVII, 326, p. 36.

[12] Idem, Hymns, XVIII, 63, p. 78.

[13] See SC 51, Chapters, I, 34, p. 49; II, 10, p. 74;  II, 11, p. 74; II, 14, p. 75; II, 15, p. 75; II, 18, p. 76; III, 23, p. 87; III, 61, p. 99; SC 156, Hymns, I, 150, p. 168; XI, 53, p. 236; XII, 15, p. 244; XIII, 67, p. 262; SC 174, Hymns, XXV, 2, p. 254; XXVIII, 8, p. 294; XXVIII, 60, p. 298; XXXIV, 26, p. 428 (the real vision: avlhqou/j qewri,aj); SC 196, Hymns, XLIII, 73, p. 62 (the mystical contemplations: qewriw/n tw/n mustikw/n); L, 58, p. 160; L, 161, p. 168 (the mystical contemplation); L, 234, p. 174 (contemplation of the mind); LV, 14, p. 254.

[14] SC 51, Chapters, I, 38, p. 51/ Ică jr. 3, p. 374. We find the expression and in SC 174, Hymns, XVI, 2, p. 10; XXIII, 222-223, p. 202; XXIII, 464, p. 218.

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