Gregory theologian short biography. Orthodox Library (read, download fb2 epub) - Gregory the Theologian

One of the three Ecumenical hierarchs. The memory of Gregory the Theologian is celebrated 7 february(January 25, old style) and February 12 (January 30, old style) in the Cathedral of the Three Saints.

Saint Gregory the Theologian. Biography

Saint Gregory the Theologian was born about 329 in Arianza, near Nazianzus of Cappadocia. His father, Gregory, was a Nazianzen bishop, his mother's name was Nonna. In addition to Gregory, the family had his brother Caesarea and sister Gorgonia. Gregory received his primary education at home, he studied in Caesarea in Cappadocia and Caesarea in Palestine, and then in Alexandria. In 350, Gregory lived in Athens, where he studied rhetoric, poetry, geometry and astronomy. During his studies, Gregory met the future archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. After completing his studies, Gregory stayed in Athens, where he taught rhetoric. In 358 he returned home.

At the age of thirty, Gregory received holy baptism. He was inclined to an ascetic life, so he went to a monastery, which Basil the Great founded in Pontus on his estate on the Iris River. In 361, at the insistence of his father, Gregory returned home again and was ordained a presbyter. His first sermon " A word for Easter and your procrastination”Gregory said at the Easter service. Gregory's activities in the church field coincided with the period of his reign Emperor Julian the Apostate(331/332 - 363), whose persecution also affected the Nanzian episcopal see of his father. The emperor ordered the capture of Christian churches. Father Gregory, Bishop of Nanzian, together with his flock, resisted, preventing the seizure of the temples.

At the end of 363, Father Gregory, without delving into the subtleties of theology, signed the Omiusian Creed, which caused a split in his diocese. The split did not last long, but Gregory had to defend his father - he wrote “ Word on the occasion of the return of the monks to the bosom of the church". When Basil the Great became archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, he turned to Gregory with a request to become bishop of the city of Sasim, where Basil created a diocese. In 372, Gregory was ordained Bishop of Sasim... But he did not stay long in Sasim and again withdrew into the desert. At the request of his father, Gregory returned to Nazianzus and helped him in the administration of the diocese until his death in 374. After the death of his father, Gregory led the Nazianz diocese for some time. January 19, 379 became the Byzantine emperor Theodosius(346-395), who patronized the Nicene people, not the Arians. Gregory was called to Constantinople, seeing in him a preacher and defender of the faith.

Saint Gregory the Theologian - Archbishop of Constantinople

In Constantinople Gregory the Theologian repeatedly persecuted by the Arians. Even when the Alexandrian Patriarch Peter wrote to Gregory, entrusting him with the Patriarchal throne of Constantinople, as a worthy pastor of Christ's Church, people filled with malice took up arms against Gregory. Thus, one Greek philosopher named Maximus, from the school of cynics, living in Constantinople, was distinguished by cunning and hypocrisy. He came to Gregory the Theologian and, renouncing Hellenic atheism, received holy Baptism. Gregory, unaware of guile, settled him in his house and made him a member of the church clergy. Maxim conceived a departure from his spiritual father and began to fight against him. First of all, he found himself an assistant - one presbyter, who was extremely skilled in deceit. Maximus planned to take the patriarchal throne in Constantinople. To implement this plan, he needed a lot of money to bribe the clergy to his side. They seduced one non-local presbyter with various promises and took a large sum of money from him. Then Maxim and his assistant secretly sent to Alexandria a great multitude of gifts to Patriarch Peter, bishops and clergy, and asked to send bishops to Byzantium so that they could elevate Maxim to the patriarchal throne.

Patriarch Peter was deceived, forgot about his letter to Gregory and agreed to fulfill Maxim's request. He sent Egyptian bishops to Constantinople. The bishops, together with Maxim, without notifying anyone, appeared at the church and at Matins began to ordain Maxim. Despite the fact that Gregory was ill at that time, he found out about what had happened and immediately followed to the temple. The church brought together elders, clergy and many people, both Christians and heretics. Everyone was surprised at such treachery and illegal consecration, got angry and began to shout at the bishops who had arrived. The bishops left the temple in disgrace. They went to the house of a flutist and there they completed the wrong initiation, and then proclaimed Maximus Patriarch of Constantinople. Many expressed dissatisfaction with Gregory for the fact that he received such a treacherous person. Gregory answered them: “ Do not be angry with me, men, for the fact that I have benefited this man without foreseeing his anger. Are we guilty of not being able to foresee someone's malice? It is peculiar to God alone to know the secret of the inner life of man. Moreover, is it not the very law that commanded us fatherly and with love to open our bosom to everyone who comes to us: “He who comes to Me,” says the Savior, “I will not cast out” (John 6:37). It was also important for me that Maxim, from the Hellenic error, came to Holy Baptism and instead of serving Hercules began to serve the Holy Trinity. Moreover, he seemed virtuous, although hypocritical, but his hypocrisy and malice were only now clearly revealed. It is not given to us to investigate such matters; we do not penetrate into human thoughts, we do not know the future, unless only when God will reveal it to us. We only look at the face, but the heart sees God". The people were reassured by the words of Gregory, and people began to treat him with even greater love. Maximus thought to seek support from Tsar Theodosius the Great, but the pious sovereign drove him away. Then Maxim with the bishops arrived in Alexandria and conceived another trick. He bribed the clergy of the Alexandrian Church and again turned to Patriarch Peter. But Peter, fearing human unrest, drove Maxim from Alexandria.

Meanwhile, Gregory suffered from various ailments, so he was forced to give up the management of the Church of Constantinople and wanted to return to his homeland, to Nazianzus. He spoke to the flock with the last word, in which he urged them to zealously keep the faith and do good deeds. People were greatly saddened when they realized that he wanted to leave Constantinople. Exclamations and loud weeping were heard in the temple. The people answered him: “ Father! Departing from us, you are taking with you the teaching about the Holy Trinity. Without you, there will be no right confession of the Holy Trinity in this city. Orthodoxy and piety will leave the city with you". Gregory, hearing the cries and entreaties of the people, postponed his decision and promised to remain with the flock until the next council was convened. Meanwhile, Tsar Theodosius fought with the barbarians and, after defeating them, returned to Constantinople in triumph. The cathedral patriarchal church was still in the power of the Arians. The king summoned the Arian patriarch Demophilus and urged him either to return to the Church of Christ, or to give up his place to another. Demophilus chose to lose his throne rather than abandon his delusions. Then the tsar gave Gregory the Theologian and the entire Christian Church the cathedral church, which had been in the power of the Arians for forty years. At first, the Arians did not allow Archpastor Gregory and the clergy to enter the church, blocking the way and threatening with murder. But the Lord saved his saint from destruction. Later, a young man who wanted to kill Gregory came to him and tearfully asked for forgiveness for this.

On the occasion of the return of the cathedral church, Gregory addressed the people with the words: “ Children! Now is the time of thanksgiving and glorification of the one God in the Trinity, who has given us to receive his holy church again. Therefore, let us now glorify his great mercies, and think about the patriarchal throne later, at another time.". After celebrating the Divine Liturgy in the newly acquired church, everyone dispersed, glorifying God, and the Arians left disgraced. Gregory the Theologian with great zeal taught the people, visited and healed the sick, helped the offended, defended the weak and cleansed the Church of Christ from heretical delusions. Possessing large church property, he did not appropriate a single silver coin, he also did not question the church builders how much they collected and how much they spent. The latter he considered not the business of the bishop, but the secular ruler. He instructed everyone to keep a clear conscience. In May 381, Gregory took part in the Second Ecumenical Council. At the Council, the question arose about the candidates for the Dowager See of Antioch. Accusations were also brought against Gregory that, having been ordained bishop of Sassim, he illegally became archbishop of Constantinople. Gregory did not defend his rights to the See of Constantinople, he returned to Nazianzus, where, at the request of the city clergy, he again headed the diocese, without ceasing to ask the Bishop of Tirana to relieve him of this duty, which he considered a burden for himself. He stopped going to church cathedrals, saying: “ I bow to councils and interviews from afar since I experienced many bad things.».

Repose of Archbishop Gregory the Theologian

At the end of 383, Gregory's health deteriorated, and then Bishop Theodore of Tirana appointed Euladius to the Nazianzus cathedra, and Gregory retired and devoted himself to writing theological works. During this period, Gregory, in addition to theological writings, wrote his detailed autobiography.

Gregory died on January 25, 389 in Nazianze, where he was buried. In his will, Gregory, fulfilling the will of his father, gave his family estate to the diocese, bequeathed money and garments to his closest friends, and also ordered to give freedom to his slaves. In 950 under Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus (905-959) relics of Gregory were transferred to Constantinople and placed in the Church of the Holy Apostles. During the sack of Constantinople by the crusaders in 1204, the relics of Saint Gregory were taken to Rome. After the construction of the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rome, a tomb was built there for the relics of the saint. On November 26, 2004, part of the relics was returned to the Church of Constantinople, along with part of the relics of John Chrysostom. Literary and theological heritage Gregory consists of 245 messages (letters), 507 poems and 45 "Words"... Biographers note that Gregory was primarily an orator, not a writer; the style of his works is characterized by increased emotionality.

Veneration of St. Gregory the Theologian. Troparion and kontakion

Tropar, voice, no.

Pastoral s0pl bGosl0viz yourw2, vitjiskiz beat2 pipes2, ћкw depths2 d¦a and3 I seek, and3 kindly you have applied1shatisz. but pray2 хrтА bGa џge grig0рie, save our souls.

Code, voice, G.

BGosl0vnym љzhkom their1m, weaved vitjyskaz ruined1l є3si2 slavishly. orthodoxy with a rhyme over and over and 3-stkannoyu, cRkovy њдёzлъ є3cy2. yu4zhe and3 noshi with8 us invokes your 1 children, raduisz џge bGosl0viz me perfect.

Saint Gregory the Theologian. Icons

On icons Gregory the Theologian depicted in the form of an old man with gray or dark gray hair and a wide beard of medium length in saint's robes with a gospel or a scroll in his hand.

The earliest surviving iconographic image (c. 649) of St. Gregory the Theologian has been preserved in the murals on the altar of the Church of Santa Maria Antiqua in Rome. In Russia, the most ancient is the image of St. Gregory the Theologian in the mosaics of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev (1037-1045).

The image of the saint was included in the icons of the Deesis order. The image (in height) of Gregory the Theologian from the deesis rank of the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir in 1408 from the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow is known. Both the individual images of the saint and among the chosen saints became widespread.

Temples in the name of St. Gregory the Theologian

There is no information about the churches in the name of St. Gregory the Theologian, built before the split of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as about the Old Believers.

Saint GREGORY THE BOGOSLOV (+ 389)

Saint Gregory the Theologian was born about 329 in Arianze, his parents' estate near the city of Nazayan in southern Cappadocia (Asia Minor). His mother, Saint Nonna, came from a noble and pious Christian family and was brought as a cousin to Saint Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium. Saint Nona married Gregory of Arianz, a wealthy landowner, who, under the influence of his wife, abandoned his delusions (before his marriage he belonged to one of the Jewish sects), accepted holy Baptism and became a zealous Christian. Subsequently, Saint Gregory of Ariazan was ordained to the rank of presbyter, and then to the rank of bishop of Nazianzens, and fully devoted himself to the service of the Church of Christ.

Through the prayers of the pious Gregory and Nona, they had a son, Gregory, who, even before birth, was promised by his mother to serve God. The parents gave Saint Gregory, as well as his younger brother Caesarea, an excellent education. When the son learned to read, his mother gave Gregory the Holy Scripture. After studying at home with his uncle, the Bishop of Iconium, an experienced teacher of rhetoric, Saint Gregory underwent a course of study at the schools of Nazianzus, Caesarea in Cappadocia, and Alexandria. The young man had outstanding abilities, and at the same time was distinguished by deep piety.

To complete his education, the future saint went to Athens. On the way from Alexandria to Hellas (352), during a terrible storm for many days, he was only afraid that "the murderous waters would deprive him of the waters of purification." "Twenty days and nights,- says Saint Gregory, - I lay on the stern of the ship, praying to the merciful God for salvation, and in this danger I made a vow to dedicate myself to God and by vow I was saved. "

After completing his studies, at the request of the Athenians, Saint Gregory remained in Athens for a short time as a teacher of eloquence, and then returned to his parents in Nazianzus, where, being 30 years old, he received holy Baptism from his father, who by that time had become a bishop.

After that, Gregory, inclined to monastic life, retired to a monastery founded by Basil the Great in Pontus on his estate on the Iris River. Together with Vasily, they tried to create a semi-monastic intellectual community. The community also included Evagrius Ponticus, who later became a famous ascetic in Egypt.

In 361, at the insistence of his father, Gregory returned home again and was ordained a presbyter. Soon Saint Gregory was faced with the difficult task of reconciling the bishop with his flock. Father Gregory, without delving into the subtleties of theology, signed the Omiusian Creed, which caused a split in his diocese. The split did not last long, but Gregory had to defend his father, convincing him to openly admit his mistake. Having written the "Word on the occasion of the return of the monks to the bosom of the church," and calling everyone in it to reconciliation, he soon achieved what he wanted.

Meanwhile, his friend Basil became the archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia and began a struggle against Arianism. He appointed two of his brothers and all like-minded friends as bishops in various cities of the region, and made Saint Gregory bishop of the city of Sasim. However, it was a very unattractive place, especially for an intellectual like Gregory. He was a sophisticated and intelligent young man, wrote poetry and even wrote his poetic autobiography. After spending a short time in Sasim, without having performed a single service there, and without ordaining a single cleric, he returned home. After fleeing from Sasim, Gregory again retired to the desert, where he spends about three years. In his letters, he repeatedly accused Vasily of having involved him in his struggle against Arianism.

Saint Gregory withdrew to Seleucia of Isauria, where he served at the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Thekla. Here he took over the care of hospitals and shelters for the elderly. Saint Gregory put in a lot of work, raising funds to provide hospitals and almshouses and organizing order in them.

On January 1, 379, Basil the Great died. This shocked Gregory, he wrote: “And it fell to my mournful lot - to hear about the death of Basil, about the exodus of a holy soul”... Subsequently, being retired, Gregory wrote a funeral oration for his friend's death, which became one of his best works.

Fulfilling the dying request of his friend, Saint Gregory went to Constantinople to fight the heresy of Macedon, who denied the Divinity of the Holy Spirit.

Almost all the churches of Constantinople were in the power of heretics. In 379, Saint Gregory began to serve and preach in a small house church of his relatives, which he called "Anastasia" ("Resurrection"), believing that it was here that Orthodoxy would begin to resurrect.

On the night of Easter, April 21, 379, when Saint Gregory was performing the Baptism of converts, a crowd of armed heretics rushed into the church and rained stones on the Orthodox, killing one bishop and wounding Saint Gregory. But the patience and meekness of the saint were his best armor, and the word gathered the Orthodox.

With irresistible persuasiveness he refuted all the arguments of the heretics, inspiringly revealing the true teaching of the Church. The listeners were agitated near the episcopal see, loudly expressing signs of approval and writing down the words of the saint. Saint Gregory's ardent preaching, his deep knowledge and interpretation of Holy Scripture, and his righteous Christian life attracted more and more flock to him, and he succeeded in achieving a significant weakening of the heretics.

With the support of Patriarch Peter of Alexandria (373-380) and Emperor Theodosius of Constantinople (379-395), Saint Gregory the Theologian was appointed Patriarch of Constantinople and confirmed in this dignity by the II Ecumenical Council in 381.

However, the elevation of Saint Gregory to the See of Constantinople caused displeasure on the part of the Egyptian and Macedonian bishops. This caused confusion and disagreement in the Church. Then Saint Gregory decided to withdraw from Constantinople in order to calm the church storm. Neither the persuasion of the emperor nor the requests of the clergy broke the will of the saint. He retired to the family estate of Arianz and stayed there in monastic exploits.

Saint Gregory led a strict ascetic lifestyle: he walked with bare feet, had only one dilapidated clothing, slept on bare ground or on a bed of tree branches under the cover of rags; his food was bread and vegetables, his drink was water, into which he sometimes mixed a little vinegar.

In the city of Nazianzus, overwhelmed by heresy, Saint Gregory placed the pious Bishop Eulalius. Addressing numerous epistles, the saint continued to courageously denounce heretics and explain Orthodox doctrine. He generously forgave the young man who attempted his life in Constantinople.

January 25 (February 7, new style) 389 Saint Gregory the Theologian reposed in the Lord. He was about 62 years old. The body was buried at Nazianze.

In 950 saints relics were transferred to Constantinople to the Church of the Holy Apostles.

During the sack of Constantinople by the crusaders in 1204, the relics of Saint Gregory were taken to Rome. After the construction of the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rome, a tomb was built there for the relics of the saint.

The empty tomb of Gregory the Theologian in St. Peter's Cathedral

On November 26, 2004, by the decision of Pope John Paul II, the relics were returned to the Church of Constantinople along with the relics of John Chrysostom. CurrentlyThe relics of Gregory the Theologian are kept in the Church of St. George in Istanbul.

The works of St. Gregory the Theologian

Saint Gregory left a great divinely inspired heritage for the edification of the Orthodox: 245 messages ( letters), 507 spiritual poems and 45 "Words" ( sermons). Biographers note that Gregory was primarily an orator, not a writer; the style of his works is characterized by increased emotionality.

“Courageously and strongly I want to say that you may become the best, that you may turn from the carnal to the spiritual, so that you may be exalted in the right way in your spirit”- said the saint.

The gift of the word was sent down to him, and the saint wanted to bring it as a gift to God the Word: “This gift I bring to my God, this gift I dedicate to Him: - this is one thing that remains with me and in what I am rich; I refused everything else according to the commandment of the Spirit; I exchanged everything that I had for a precious pearl. I own only the word, as a minister of the Word; I would never voluntarily want to neglect this wealth, I respect it, value it, take comfort in it more than others are comforted by all the treasures of the world. It is a companion of my whole life, a kind adviser and interlocutor; a leader on the way to Heaven and a zealous companion. "

"The words"

The collection of 45 conversations (Words) constitutes the bulk of Gregory's literary heritage. The words cover 20 years of his life. In 387, Gregory himself compiled a collection of 45 selected conversations, apparently seeking to provide the priesthood with examples of various types of preaching.

Words are extremely diverse in subject matter and genre. They include, in particular, grave words (7, 8, 18, 43), denunciations of the emperor Julian (4, 5) and heretics (27, 33, 35), words in memory of the holy martyrs (16, 24, 35, 44), Conversations on Epiphany (38), Baptism (40), Pentecost (41) and other holidays. The first and last (45th) talks were delivered at Easter. In many conversations, Gregory talks about himself and the events of his life. So, already at the very beginning of the 1st Word, he mentions good compulsion, implying his ordination at the insistence of his father; in the 3rd Word justifies his removal to Pontus; and in the 33rd Word he speaks of his opposition to the Arians. A number of Words have the addressee of Father Gregory (9, 10, 12) or pronounced in his presence; Among the addressees of the Words are Basil the Great (10) and Gregory of Nyssa (11). The most important place in the legacy of Gregory is occupied by the Words about Theology (27-31), dedicated to the doctrine of the Trinity, and they brought Gregory the glory of a theologian.

Letters

According to various estimates, up to 245 letters of Gregory the Theologian have survived, most of them were written and collected by him himself in a collection compiled in the last years of his life, at the request of a relative of Nikovul. An extensive correspondence between Gregory and Basil the Great has survived: in his letters, Gregory recalls their living together in a monastery, congratulates Basil on his episcopal consecration, in later letters he already accuses Basil of involving him in the fight against the Arians and elevating himself to the Sasim cathedra.

Theological interest and significance are presented by Gregory's two letters to Cledonius, in which he discusses the nature of Christ and criticizes the teachings of Apollinarius of Laodicea and the letter to the monk Evagrius about the Divine.

Poems

Most of the poetry was written by Gregory in the last years of his life after his return from Constantinople. The poems were written not only on theological topics, but also contain autobiographical memoirs, several poems were written by Gregory for the death of friends.

The saint wrote about his poetic gift as follows: "I am the Lord's organ and with the sweetly composed song of the Most High I praise the King: in awe, all are before Him."

The influence of St. Gregory on theologians of subsequent times was enormous. His works were almost equated with St. Scripture. Saint Maximus the Confessor greatly revered him. The texts of Gregory's writings were used by hymnographers, and, in particular, our Christmas, Epiphany and Easter canons are nothing more than paraphrased by St. John Damascene excerpts from the sermons of St. Gregory. Also in the West, St. Gregory the Theologian has always enjoyed great respect. So, St. Thomas Aquinas argued that while any father of the Church can find some heresy, Gregory the Theologian has none.

The Orthodox Church included Gregory among the Church Fathers, whose authority has a special weight in the formation of dogma, organization, and worship of the Church.

“The Church honored Saint Gregory with the lofty name with which it honored one tall one between the apostles and evangelists of John. And this is not in vain. After the first Theologian, Saint Gregory was the first to comprehend as much lofty and together precise thoughts of the depths of Godhead as a person can comprehend in the light of revelation; especially his whole thought, like the thought of the first Theologian, was directed to the eternal Word ”,- this is how the patrologist Archbishop Filaret (Gumilevsky) wrote about him.

Statements and aphorisms of Gregory the Theologian

Prepared by Sergey SHULYAK

for the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Sparrow Hills

Troparion, voice 1
Pastoral flute of theology of your rhetoricians, conquer the trumpets, as if I have found the depths of the spirit, and the kindness of broadcasting will be applied to you. But pray to Christ God, Father Gregory, save our souls.

Kontakion, voice 3
With your theological language of your plexus rhetorical, you have destroyed, gloriously, Orthodoxy with clothes woven from above, the Church adorned you, young and worn, calling your children with us: rejoice, father, extreme mind of theology.

Prayer to St. Gregory the Theologian
Oh, great God-wise in the hierarch of the universe to the teacher, blessed Father Gregory! Great deeds and your labors, even for the glory of the Holy Church, thou didst: thou art a firm confessor and the lamp of the faith of Christ on earth, you illumine the faithful with the light of the knowledge of God, burn false teachings, and proclaim the word of saving truth to the whole world. Now, commanding in heaven, have boldness to the Holy Trinity, command us, who fall to you with humility, firmly and invariably preserve the holy Orthodox faith until the end of our life; soul-destroying teachings in words.
Holy spirit of zeal, you flamed with it, O glorious Church of Christ to the shepherd, kindle with your intercession and in us, make them the same Christ to be shepherds, so we wholeheartedly enlighten and strengthen the verbal flock of Christ in the right faith.
Ask, O merciful saint, from the Father of lights and to everyone, every gift that is worthless: a good baby in the passion of God, for young chastity, for the old and the weak, for consolation for those who grieve, for healing ailing, for those who have gone astray and correction, for offended intercession for orphans and for the orphans and Those who are tempted with grace-filled help, those who have departed from this temporary life, our father and our brothers, blessed repose. She, holy of God, look mercifully from the Abodes of the High on us humble, many temptations and misfortunes overwhelmed, and to the earth of those who are committed to elevate to the height of heaven.
Grant us, gracious Father, your archpastoral and holy blessing, and this overshadowing, in this new summer and at all other times of our life in the world, repentance and obedience to the Holy Orthodox Church, we will live, the commandments of Christ diligently creating, laboring the good deed of faith, and so We will reach the Kingdom of Heaven, where with you and all the saints vouch for the Holy Trinity, Consubstantial and Inseparable, petit and glorify forever and ever. A min.

Saint Gregory the Theologian (326-389) was the son of Gregory (later Bishop of Nazia) and Nonna, a woman of high moral standards. Even before the birth of her son, she promised to dedicate him to God and used all her efforts to incline his will to serve the Lord. The upbringing given to him by his mother, Saint Gregory considered the most important for himself. With outstanding abilities, St. Gregory received an excellent education: he studied in the schools of Caesarea in Palestine, where there was a rich library collected by the martyr Pamphilus, in Alexandria, where he studied the works of Origen, and, finally, in Athens, where he became especially close to St. Basil the Great, with whom he was familiar a little earlier and with whom he considered friendship more useful than the highest school itself. The holy friends in Athens had one room, one way of life; they knew only two roads: one led to the temple of God, the other to the school. In Athens, St. Gregory met Julian (nicknamed "Apostate", who, after becoming emperor, renounced Christianity and tried to revive paganism in the Roman Empire (361-363) and left a living image of this evil and insidious enemy of the Church. At the age of 26, St. Gregory was baptized.

After returning home, St. For a long time Gregory avoided taking up any public office. Thinking about God, praying, reading the word of God, writing inspired words and songs, and serving elderly parents were his occupation. He spent some time with his friend Vasily in his desert, and this time he considered the happiest in his life. His father, who was already a bishop, in need of an assistant, summoned him from the Basilian Hermitage to Nazianzus and ordained him a presbyter. Already this dignity so frightened Gregory with the height and severity of the duties associated with him that he retired to the solitude of the desert. Having calmed the agitation of the spirit there, he returned to his father and took over the priestly service, consoled that he, serving God, also helps the aged parent in his care for the flock.

Meanwhile, his friend, Basil the Great, had already attained the high rank of archbishop. Desiring to have a devoted and enlightened assistant in the management of a vast area, St. Basil offered Gregory the post of chief protopresbyter at his pulpit, but St. Gregory declined to accept this honorable and influential position. Some time after this, the consecration of Gregory to the bishop of the city of Sasim took place, by a secret agreement between Archbishop Basil and Father Gregory. Seeing the will of God in this, he accepted the sacred ordination, but refused to accept the office itself and, as a co-ruler (vicar), continued to serve his parent and the Nazianne flock. In 374, Gregory's aged parent died, followed by his mother. Saint Gregory continued for some time the work of his father in managing the Nazianzus church, but he became very ill. Having recovered, he retired to a secluded monastery, where he spent about three years in fasting and prayer.

But the great lamp could not hide in the monastic cell. Elected by the Orthodox bishops and laity to the throne of the archbishop in Constantinople, he arrived there in the era of the strongest rule of the Arians, when they seized all the churches in the capital. St. Gregory stayed at the house of his acquaintances. He turned one of the rooms into a church, calling it Anastasia, which means "resurrection" with the hope that Orthodoxy would rise here, and began to preach. The Arians bombarded him with ridicule and curses, threw stones at him, sent secret killers to him. But the people recognized their true shepherd and began to squeeze into his pulpit, like iron clings to a magnet (in the words of St. Gregory). With his strong word, the example of his life and pastoral zeal, he conquered the enemies of the Church. People flocked in great numbers from all over to hear his inspired sermons. The audience worried about his pulpit like a stormy sea, loudly expressed signs of approval with applause and exclamations, and cursive writers immortalized his words. Every day thousands of people from heresy returned to the Orthodox Church.

Finally, after the accession of the Orthodox Emperor Theodosius (379-395), the stubborn Arians were expelled from the temples of the capital. When the heresy of Macedonia was revealed (Macedonius denied the Divinity of the Holy Spirit), Saint Gregory fought against it and took an active part in the meetings of the Second Ecumenical Council. Having accomplished his feat, he abandoned the Constantinople See, saying: "Farewell, the See, this is an enviable and dangerous height!" Saint Gregory withdrew to his native village of Arianz, near Nazianzus, and here in strict ascetic deeds he spent the last years of his life.

For his wonderful theological creations, St. Gregory received from the Church the honorary title of Theologian and Ecumenical Teacher, and for his ability to penetrate with thought to the deepest secrets of faith and express its incomprehensible truths with transparent clarity and strict accuracy, the Church in one of the prayers calls him the highest mind. His sermons are saturated with such poetry that many phrases from them were used (by St. John of Damascus and others) for festive chants. Imperishable particles of the relics of St. Gregory still exude a wonderful fragrance.

Saint Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople, ecumenical father and teacher of the Church, was born into a Christian family of a noble family, in 329, in Arianza (near the city of Nazianzus in Cappadocia). His father, also Saint Gregory, was the bishop of Nazia (Comm. 1 January).

Mother, Saint Nonna (+ 374, Comm. 5 August), prayed to God for her son, vowing to dedicate him to the Lord. As it was revealed to her in a dream, she named the firstborn Gregory. When the son learned to read, his mother presented him with the Holy Scriptures. Saint Gregory received the most complete and versatile education: after studying at home with his uncle Amphilochius, an experienced teacher of rhetoric, he studied at the schools of Nazianzus, Caesarea in Cappadocia, and Alexandria. Then, to complete his education, the future saint went to Athens. On the way from Alexandria to Hellas (352), during a terrible storm of many days, he was only afraid that "the murderous waters would deprive him of the waters of purification." “For twenty days and nights,” says St. Gregory, “I lay on the stern of the ship, praying to the merciful God for salvation, and in this danger I made a vow to dedicate myself to God and by vow I was saved.”

Saint Gregory the Theologian. Fresco, 1209. Serbia (Studenica)

The saint spent six years in Athens, studying rhetoric, poetry, geometry and astronomy there. The famous pagan rhetoricians Gimorius and Proaresias were his teachers. Together with Saint Gregory studied Saint Basil, the future archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia (+ 379, Comm. 1 January). Friendship, founded in the school of Caesarea, has grown into deep spiritual bonds. Acquaintance with Julian, the future emperor (361 - 363) - apostate from the faith of Christ, soon turned into irreconcilable enmity.

After completing his education, Saint Gregory remained for some time in Athens and taught eloquence. He knew perfectly well the pagan pre-Christian philosophy and literature.

In 358 St. Gregory secretly left Athens and returned to his parents in Nazianzus. Here, at almost 30 years of age, he received Holy Baptism from his father. Now he, for whom “it was more important to be the last with God than the first with the king,” hesitated only as to which way “to prefer: contemplative or active”.

At the invitation of Saint Basil, he withdrew into the wilderness to ascend beside him.

At the request of his father, Saint Gregory returned to Nazianzus in 361 and was ordained presbyter. However, feeling that solitude and silent prayer are immeasurably closer to him than pastoral activity, Saint Gregory again hastened into the wilderness to Saint Basil. There, in solitude, he strengthened his spirit, found the strength to return to his flock and fulfill his duty with honor. Soon Saint Gregory had the difficult task of reconciling the bishop with the flock, which condemned their pastor for signing an ambiguous statement of the dogmas of the faith. Saint Gregory gave the flock time to express their first feelings, and then persuaded the father to openly admit his mistake. After that, preaching a sermon on the need for reconciliation, he achieved what he wanted. Saint Basil the Great made Saint Gregory bishop of the city of Sasim, but in order to support his aged father, Saint Gregory remained in Nazianze and after the death of his father for some time ruled over the flock of this city.

After the death of Patriarch Valens of Constantinople in 378, the Council of Antioch invited Saint Gregory to help the Church of Constantinople, which at that time more than any other was devastated by heretics. Having received the consent of Saint Basil the Great, Saint Gregory arrived in Constantinople for the Patriarchal throne. In 379 he began to minister and preach in a small house church of his relatives. He named this church Anastasia ("Resurrection"), believing that it was in this small church that Orthodoxy would begin to resurrect. Heretics dominated everywhere - Arians and Apollinarians. And the louder his sermon sounded, the more the assembly of the temple increased and the stronger the resistance of the heretics grew.

The writings of Saint Gregory - words, letters, verses, show that he strove to be a preacher worthy of the truth of Christ. The gift of the word was sent down to him, and the saint wanted to bring it as a gift to God - to the Word: "This gift I bring to my God, I dedicate this gift to Him: - this is one thing that remained with me and what I am rich in; I refused everything else according to the commandment. Spirit; everything that I had, I exchanged for a precious pearl. Only the word I own, as a minister of the Word; I would never willingly want to neglect this wealth, I respect it, value it, I am more comforted by it than others are comforted by all the treasures of the world. - a companion of my whole life, a kind adviser and interlocutor; a leader on the way to Heaven and a zealous companion. " In order to adequately preach the Word of God, the saint carefully prepared and processed his creations.

Saint Gregory the Theologian

In five sermons - "Words on Theology", denouncing the followers of Eunomius, inclined to verbose reasoning, Saint Gregory, first of all, gives precise definitions of who can theologize with whom and when. Only experienced people who have succeeded in contemplation and, above all, those who are pure in soul and body, or at least purify themselves, can reason about God. You can only talk about God with someone who approaches it with zeal and reverence. Explaining why God hid His essence from man, Saint Gregory points out that "those who are clothed with flesh cannot see mental objects without an admixture of bodily things." It is permissible to theologize only when we are free from external impressions of matter and from indignation, when our leader, the mind, does not grow to impure transient images. Answering the Eunomians, who believed to comprehend the Divine essence with the help of logical inferences, the saint explained that man cognizes God when his God-like and divine principle, that is, the mind, is united with a kindred Essence. Further, on the examples of patriarchs, prophets, apostles, it is shown that for an earthly person the essence of God is incomprehensible. Saint Gregory also cited an example of the vain false wisdom of Eunomius: "God gave birth to a Son either by His own will or against His will. If He gave birth against His will, then He suffered compulsion. If by His will, then the Son is the Son of will."

Refuting such reasoning, the saint shows the harm he inflicts on man: "You yourself, who speak so thoughtlessly, at the will or not at the will of your father came about? If not at will, then your father suffered violence. From whom is this? To nature? you cannot point out: she honors chastity. And if at will, then because of a few syllables you deprive yourself of your father; for you are already becoming the son of desire, not father. " Then Saint Gregory turns to Holy Scripture, with special attention examining the places where the Divine nature of the Son of God is indicated. The multiple interpretations of Saint Gregory on Holy Scripture are devoted to revealing the idea that the Divine power of the Savior acted even when, for the salvation of man, He took upon Himself a weak nature. A special place in the sermons of St. Gregory is occupied by the polemic against the Eunomians who blasphemed the Holy Spirit.

Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. Universal teachers. Icon, XIV century. Byzantium. Byzantine Museum. Athens

Carefully examining everything that is said in the Gospel about the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity, the saint refutes the heresy of the Eunomians who rejected the Divinity of the Holy Spirit. He comes to two fundamental conclusions. First, when reading Holy Scripture, one must abandon blind literalism and learn to understand its spiritual meaning. Second, in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit worked in disguise. In the New Testament, "the Holy Spirit dwells with us and most clearly reveals Himself before us. Until we recognized the Father as God, it was not safe to preach about the Son, and until we received the Son, it was not safe, I say somewhat boldly, to burden us with the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit is a lofty object. Here before you is a multitude of testimonies. Christ is born - the Holy Spirit precedes; Christ is baptized - the Spirit bears witness; Christ performs miracles - the Spirit accompanies; Christ ascends - the Spirit comes instead of Him. And what is great and Divine, what He is. What Name, which belongs to the Divine, does not belong to Him, except for unbornness and birth?

The content of St. Gregory's sermons is not limited to this. He wrote: five words of praise, nine interpretations for the holidays, two accusatory words against Julian the Apostate - "two pillars on which Julian's wickedness is indelibly written for posterity" and sermons on other topics. A total of 45 sermons of St. Gregory have survived. The letters of the saint belong to the best theological creations. They are all expertly crafted and for the most part short. In his hymns, Saint Gregory, as in everything else, lived for Christ. "If heretics have long words, - new psalters, disagree with David, and - pleasant verses are revered by the third Testament: then we will sing psalms, and we will begin to write a lot, and we will make meters," said the saint. The saint wrote about his poetic gift as follows: "I am the Lord's organ, and with the sweetly composed song of the Most High I praise the Tsar: in awe all are before Him." The fame of the Orthodox preacher spread throughout the East and West. And the saint lived in the capital of the empire as if he were living in the wilderness - "his food was the food of the desert; his clothes were the clothing of need; the routine was simple, near the courtyard - he did not look for anything near the courtyard." During his illness, the saint was struck. The one whom he considered his friend, the philosopher Maximus, was secretly consecrated to the place of Saint Gregory in Constantinople itself. Struck by the ingratitude of Maximus, the saint decided to leave the see, but the faithful flock restrained him. The people drove the impostor out of the city. On November 24, 380, the holy Tsar Theodosius the Great arrived in the capital and, confirming his decree against the heretics, returned to the Orthodox the main church, where he solemnly introduced Saint Gregory. Soon an attempt was prepared on the life of the saint, but the one who was to become a murderer himself appeared to the saint with tears of repentance. In 381, at the Second Ecumenical Council, Saint Gregory was confirmed to the rank of Patriarch of Constantinople. After the death of Patriarch Meletius of Antioch, the saint presided at the Council. Hoping to reconcile the West with the East, he proposed to recognize Paulinus as Patriarch of Antioch. When those who had previously acted against St. Gregory in favor of Maximus arrived, many, especially the Egyptian and Macedonian episcopate, did not want to consider the saint as Patriarch of Constantinople. The saint decided to sacrifice himself for the peace of the Church: “Let me be the prophet Jonah! ". Having announced to the emperor his desire to leave the capital, Saint Gregory once again appeared at the Council, asking in his farewell speech to let him go in peace. On his return to his homeland, caring for the Nazianz flock enslaved by the Apollinarians, he appointed the pious Eulalius bishop and retired to a solitude dear to his heart in Arianz. Without leaving the wilderness, the saint, with zeal for the truth of Christ, affirmed Orthodoxy with his letters and verses. In 389, on January 25, the one whom the Church honored with the name assimilated by the beloved disciple of Christ, the holy Evangelist John, reposed.

“Courageously and strongly I want to speak so that you may become the best, so that you may turn from the carnal to the spiritual, so that you may be exalted in your spirit in the right way,” said Saint Gregory the Theologian.

In his creations, Saint Gregory, like the first Theologian, is all turned to the Eternal Word. The Monk John Damascene is primarily guided by Saint Gregory the Theologian in his Statement of Faith.

The body of St. Gregory was buried at Nazianze. In 950 the holy relics were transferred to Constantinople to the Church of the Holy Apostles. Later, part of the relics was transferred to Rome. Tradition has retained the features of the saint: "the face is meek, pale, the eyebrows are lofty and thick, the gaze is meek, the brada is not long, but thick and wide." Already contemporaries called their archpastor a saint. The Orthodox Church, calling St. Gregory the second Theologian and the mysterious, the bright register of the Holy Trinity, in the liturgical hymns refers to him in the following way: "With your theological language of your plexus, rhetorical destroying, gloriously, Orthodoxy, with clothes from above, the Church has adorned you: Rejoice, O Father of the Divine." ...

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The following works of St. Gregory the Theologian have been published in Russian:

1. Complete collection of creations / Incomplete. per. // Christian reading. 1822-1841. Also. / 2nd lane. MDA. T. 1-6. M., 1843-1848; Ed. 2nd. M., 1889; Ed. 3rd. T. 1-2. 1910.

2. Sermons. 13 words of Gregory the Theologian / Per. ep. Iriney Klementyevsky. M., 1798. The same. (According to the r / p Imp. Publ. Bible. XIX century) // Critical. ed. A.S. Budilovich. SPb., 1875. XII-285 p.

3. Words and Conversations // Christian Reading. 1822. XV; 1829. XXXIII, XXXVI; 1831. XLI, XLIV; 1832. XLVI, XLVII; 1833. I, II; 1835. II; 1838. IV; 1840. IV; II; 1841. I, II, III.

4. Letters // Ibid. 1833. I; 1838. II, IV.

5. Poems // Ibid. 1829. XXXVI; 1832. XLVI; 1833. IV; 1834. IV; 1835. II, IV; 1840. III.

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Prayer to St. Gregory the Theologian:

Prayer to St. Gregory the Theologian... Saint Gregory the Theologian is one of the greatest Christian theologians, apologists and hymnographers. Heavenly patron of scientists, theologians, apologists and missionaries. They pray to him for the strengthening of faith, the sending down of the preaching gift, prayer, understanding of the foundations of the doctrine, for the conversion of gentiles, sectarians and schismatics. Since ancient times, the people pray to him, together with Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom, at the beginning of building a house and entering a new house, as well as for prayer protection in persecution and temptation from evil people and authorities.

Life and scientific-historical literature about St. Gregory the Theologian:

Saint Gregory the Theologian- Pravoslavie.Ru

The works of St. Gregory the Theologian:

"Word for Holy Easter and the three-day period of the Resurrection of Christ"
"Word on the dogma of the Holy Trinity"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"Mysterious chants"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"The Prayer of the Walker on the Road"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"Thoughts written in mono-days"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"Thoughts written in quatrains"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"About how it is appropriate to read the books of the Old and New Testaments"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"Gregory's lament for himself"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"Crying and prayer to Christ"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"Messages"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"A word for Easter and about your delay"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"A word to those who called at the beginning, but did not meet St. Gregory when he became a presbyter."- Saint Gregory the Theologian
- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"The first word of accusation against Tsar Julian"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"The second word of accusation against Tsar Julian"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"A word about peace, spoken in the presence of the father after the previous silence on the occasion of the reunification of the monastics."- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"The gravestone word to brother Caesarea, spoken during the life of the parents"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"Grave word to Gorgonia, sister of St. Gregory of Nazianzus"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"A word of protection, spoken by him to his father Gregory in the presence of Basil the Great after the ordination of St. Gregory the Theologian to Bishop of Sasim"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"A word of protection, spoken by him to his father and Basil the Great upon the return of St. Gregory the Theologian from seclusion"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"A word spoken to the brother of Basil the Great, St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, when he came to St. Gregory the Theologian after his ordination to the rank of bishop"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"A word spoken to the father who entrusted him with the care of the Nazianne church"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"The word spoken at the ordination of Eulalius to the rank of Bishop of Doar."- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"A word about love for the poor"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"A word spoken in the presence of a father who was silent with grief after the hail had devastated the fields."- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"Sermon in memory of the holy martyrs of the Maccabees"- Saint Gregory the Theologian
"A word spoken to the alarmed inhabitants of Nazianz and the angry city governor"- Saint Gregory the Theologian

GRIGORY BOGOSLOV (Γρηγόριος ό Θεο-λόγος), Nazianzen (Greek Nαζιανζηνός) [between 326-330, the town of Arianz, near the city of Nazianzus, Cappadocia (modern Turkey) - 389 or 390, ibid. 381), one of the greatest theologians of the ancient Church, one of the Cappadocian fathers, who developed the foundations of the theology of the Holy Trinity in the context of the Arian disputes of the 4th century, father and teacher of the Church, a Christian saint.

Born into a Christian family; in 328 or 329, Father Gregory was elected bishop of Nazianzus, ruled the cathedra until his death in 373 or 374. One of the most educated people of his time, Gregory the Theologian studied in Caesarea in Cappadocia, then in Caesarea Palestine, Alexandria, Athens. On his return to Nazianzus (after 357), Gregory chose solitude, devoting himself to the study of theological works, but was later ordained by his father to the priesthood (362); around 372, at the insistence of his friend St. Basil the Great, he became bishop of the city of Sasim. After the death of Emperor Valens, Gregory the Theologian was in Constantinople, where he headed the Nicene party in the Arian environment. After the accession to the throne of Emperor Theodosius I, who patronized her, and the weakening of the position of the Arians, Gregory the Theologian was elected to the See of Constantinople (380). One of the main participants in the Council of Constantinople 381 (2nd Ecumenical; see Ecumenical Councils). Asserting faith in the Holy Spirit, equal in deity to the Father and the Son, he faced the opposition of the Old Nicene party, for which the assertion of the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father was mainly important; due to conflicts among the higher clergy, he was forced to leave the metropolitan department (381). Until 383 - at the Nazianzus cathedra (later a relative of Gregory the Theologian, Eulalius, was elected to it). He spent the last years of his life on the family estate in Arianza, devoting himself to literary work.

The works of Gregory the Theologian can be divided into 3 groups: 45 homilies (words, sermons), more than 240 letters, about 400 poems and poems. Of the 45 words of Gregory the Theologian, Words 27-31 are especially important, known as "Five Words about Theology," dedicated to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and which brought Gregory the title of the Theologian (first attested in the documents of the Council of Chalcedon 451). "The Sermon on the Setting of Bishops and the Dogma of the Holy Trinity", as well as "On Keeping Good Order in the Interview about God" are aimed at defending the Orthodox doctrine of the Holy Trinity in the context of anti-Arian and anti-Macedonian polemics. Among the sermons preached on the occasion of the holidays, the following are especially significant: on the Epiphany, or Nativity of Christ (Word 38), as well as on Holy Easter (Word 45; preached in Arianze on the day of Easter, dedicated to explaining the atoning sacrifice of Christ) ... As a historical source of interest are the funeral orations, in particular the praise to Basil the Great (Word 43), speeches against the Roman emperor Julian the Apostate, compiled after his death, and the "Word on the flight to Pontus" (Word 3), revised later in a treatise on the pastoral ministry.

Most of the letters of Gregory the Theologian date back to the last years of his life and are mostly private (collected by Gregory the Theologian at the request of a relative of Nikovul). Of historical interest are the letters of Gregory the Theologian to St. Basil the Great, doctrinal - two letters to Cledonius and one to Patriarch Nectarios of Constantinople (381-397), which present reflections on the nature of Christ and criticism of the teachings of Apollinarius of Laodicea (about 310-390) (see Apollinarianism ). In his letters, Gregory the Theologian followed the principles of the epistolary style set forth in letter 51.

The poems of Gregory the Theologian, traditionally subdivided into theological and historical, also date back to the last years of his life; most of them are closer to rhetorical exercises than to poetry itself. Of particular interest is the poetic autobiography of Gregory the Theologian. His creations are remarkable for the theological depth and beauty of the language, so some of them became part of the church worship.

The works of Gregory the Theologian had a tremendous impact on Christian theology of subsequent centuries, touching upon such important aspects as the knowledge of God, triadology, Christology, pneumatology, and soteriology.

Together with Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory the Theologian asserted the absolute inaccessibility of the knowledge of the Divine essence for the human mind. The Cappadocian Fathers contrasted the teachings of the Eunomians, Origenists, and others that assumed the possibility of this knowledge with apophatic theology and the doctrine of the Triune God. In theological polemics, Gregory the Theologian uses the image of Moses ascending the mountain as an allegory of a soul striving for God. A person cannot see God with bodily eyes: God incarnate, Christ - the Word made flesh - not only reveals God to us, but, like a rock in the episode of the appearance of the Glory of the Lord to Moses (Ex. 33: 18-23), hides a person from the all-consuming the fire of His presence. The body of Christ is like a dark glass through which we can contemplate God. Thus, the apophatic theology of the Cappadocians allows only negative statements about God, in fact describing what God is not; however, this does not eliminate the possibility of positive experience: cognition of the Divine is possible through His greatness, manifested and visible in creatures.

Gregory the Theologian defended the Trinity of God. In his description of the Holy Trinity, it is especially important that the original unity of the Divine, called monarchy (one-man rule), - "the equanimity of nature, the unanimity of will, the identity of movement and the return to the One of Those that are from the One" (Word 29, 2) - refers to Deity as a whole, and not only to God the Father. The unity of the Divine is preserved with the recognition of three equal, co-existence and consubstantial Hypostases, or Persons. Outside of the violation of the Divine unity of Persons, this means submission in relation to, and not in essence. In his "Word to Holy Baptism," Gregory the Theologian says about the Holy Trinity: “I entrust this confession to you now, I will immerse you in the font with it, and I will lead you with it. I give it to you for life as a comrade and intercessor - one Deity and one Power, Which is found in Three individually and embraces the Three separately, without distinction in essences or natures, does not increase or decrease through additions and subtractions, is equal everywhere, the same everywhere, as one beauty and one greatness of the sky ... When I copulate in the contemplation of the Three, I see a single luminary, not being able to divide or measure the united light ”. For Gregory the Theologian, the Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Holy Trinity, consubstantial with the Father and the Son. The Three Persons of the Trinity are defined by so-called characteristics, or properties, in relation to each other. Each Hypostasis is a manifestation of the same Divine essence, but each has its own personal characteristics. The Father is the one who gives birth and the one who gives birth, the Son is born of the Father, the Spirit who proceeds from the Father, living one life with the unborn Father and the born Son, and possessing the same Divine essence with Them.

Gregory the Theologian took part in the dispute about the person of Christ, which flared up in full force only in the 5th century. Arguing against the Christological teaching of Apollinarius of Laodicea, Gregory the Theologian argued that Christ was a "complete" Man, possessing the soul and body of man. The Christological views of Gregory the Theologian are set forth in his letters to Cledonia: “We do not separate man from the Divine in Him, but we teach that one and the same is not a man before, but God and the only begotten Son, eternal, having neither body nor anything. either bodily, and then a person perceived for our salvation, subject to suffering in the flesh, impassive in Divinity, limited in body, not limited in spirit, one and the same - earthly and heavenly, visible and intelligible, inclusive and incapable, so that the whole man and God recreated a complete man who fell under sin ... If someone hoped in man, then he really has no mind and is not worthy to be completely saved, for what was not perceived was not healed, but what was united with God, then he will be saved ”( Epistle 1 "To Presbyter Cledonius against Apollinarius"). This argument of Gregory the Theologian is based on the belief that Christ perceived the whole person with soul and body, for “what is not received is not healed,” and therefore, we are not saved. The theology of the Council of Chalcedon 451 (the 4th Ecumenical Council) clarified the Christological terminology, but the principle of the interconnection of the properties of two natures in Christ, which Gregory the Theologian defended, will form the basis of the teaching adopted by the Council.

The oldest image of Gregory the Theologian is represented by a 7th century fresco in the painting of the Roman church of Santa Maria Antiqua. The image of Gregory the Theologian is often found in the composition of the Cathedral of Three Saints (for example, a mosaic of the mid-12th century, Palatine Chapel, Palermo; the icon "Three Saints", Pskov, 2nd half of the 16th century, State Historical Museum).

Memorial Day in the Orthodox Church - January 25 (February 7), as well as in the Cathedral of the Three Saints - January 30 (February 12); in the Catholic Church - January 2. Part of the relics that stayed in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome (from 950 to the beginning of the 13th century, the relics were in the churches of Constantinople), in November 2004 was transferred by Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The head of Gregory the Theologian resides in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (since 1653).

Vol .: Migne PG. T. 35-38; Creations. M., 1843-1848. T. 1-6; Creations. Sergiev Posad, 1994. T. 1-2; Collection of creations. Minsk; M., 2000. T. 1-2.

Lit .: Agapit, archimandrite. The life of St. Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople, and his pastoral work. SPb., 1869; Govorov A.V. St. Gregory the Theologian as a Christian poet. Kazan, 1886; Vinogradov N.P. Dogmatic Teaching of St. Gregory the Theologian. Kazan, 1887; Fleury E. Saint Grégoire de Nazianze et son temps. R., 1930; Plagnieux J. Saint Grégoire de Nazianze théologien. R., 1952; Ruether R. Gregory of Nazianzus, rhetor and philosopher. Oxf. 1969; Winslow D.F. The dynamics of salvation: a study in Gregory of Nazianzus. Camb. 1979; Hilarion (Alfeev), abbot. [bishop]. Life and Teachings of St. Gregory the Theologian. SPb., 2000; Meyendorf I., Archpriest Introduction to Patristic Theology. 4th ed. K., 2002; George Florovsky, Archpriest Eastern Fathers of the Church. M., 2003.