The Catalog of Good Deeds

The holy youth Martyr Gabriel was born in 1684 in the village of Zverka, Zabludov diocese, to a pious peasant couple, Peter and Anastasia Govdel. He was baptized in the Dormition church of the Zabludov monastery and received the name Gabriel in honor of the Archangel.

Besides the meekness and guilelessness normally found in children, the young Gabriel was marked by characteristics uncommon to his age. He had, for example, a reflective nature and a mature perception of the action of Divine Providence in people's lives. It is not surprising that he inclined more towards prayer and solitude than towards the amusements which occupied his peers.

In 1690 tragedy visited the GovdeI family. One day the unsuspecting mother, leaving the six-year old Gabriel alone in the house, took some food to his father who was out plowing the fields. While she was gone a local tenant came to the house. Taking advantage of the parents' absence and the child's trusting nature, he kidnapped the boy.

Gabriel was taken secretly to the town of Bialystok and given over to sadistic torture. His side was pierced and a special instrument was inserted which gradually drained his blood. After nine days of such treatment the boy died. Desiring to conceal such a vile deed, the murderer secretly took the body and threw it onto the edge of a field near some woods in the vicinity of the boy's home village.

The holy Feast of Pascha approached. Hungry dogs began gathering around the lifeless body, predatory birds circled overhead. Miraculously the body remained untouched. Not only did the dogs refrain from devouring it, they even guarded it against the birds.

The body of the young martyr was eventually discovered and taken to Zabludov. An investigation brought to light the particulars of the crime which was duly entered in the town records. With the participation of many local inhabitants, deeply shaken by the committed atrocity, the body of the martyr Gabriel was laid to rest near the cemetery church. There it remained for close to thirty years.

Early in the 18th century, the whole territory surrounding Bialystok was seized by an epidemic. Thousands fell victim to the disease and crowded the cemeteries. Many children from the neighborhood of Zvevka and Zabludov were buried near the grave of the child-martyr Gabriel whom many revered on account of his innocent suffering and martyric death. Many sensed an abundance of grace present at his grave.

Once, during a burial, some grave diggers inadvertently came up against Gabriel' s coffin. When it was opened witnesses were astonished to see that after the passage of so many years, the child's body was incorrupt. News of the miracle spread with lightening speed among the faithful, strengthening and increasing veneration for the holy child. His relics were reverently transferred to the village church in Zverkov and placed in a special crypt below the church.

In 1794 a fire destroyed the church but, miraculously, the relics were spared. Only a portion of one hand was partially burned and this, undoubtedly, in accordance with God's Providence for the sake of strengthening faith and piety among the Orthodox people, for when the holy relics were subsequently transferred to the Zabludov monastery, the injured hand was supernaturally restored; it was found to be newly covered with skin.

The living memory of the child-martyr, the honor accorded him, and the desire to promote his veneration inspired the building of a church on the site of his grave. On the day of Holy Pascha 1894, took place the festive consecration of the church. Sadly, only eight years later this church also burned. But on this occasion likewise there occurred a miracle. Although the church was completely destroyed, the icon of its heavenly patron, child-martyr Gabriel, was preserved unharmed.

For many years St. Gabriel's relics lay in the Zabludov monastery. External circumstances, however, forced upon the area a tense situation, which was heightened by the ill will of some of its heterodox inhabitants. For the sake of security the relics were transferred to the Holy Trinity Monastery in Slutsky--which explains how St. Gabriel came to be called "Slutsky," a fact which clouds the true origin of this Zabludov saint. From Slutsky the holy relics were eventually transferred to the city of Minsk and then to Grodno where they exist at the present time.

Source: http://www.roca.org/OA/71/71h.htm

Article by Archpriest Pavel Velikanov

Father Paul, can we see the specifics of time that today's children in their teenage may leave the church?

I think it definitely can be. I assume that this intensity of the church life, which is observed the last 20-30 years in Russia in relation to children, has never been before in our country and in our Church. Nowhere in written sources we can find evidences that the children were led to the Church every Sunday, that they took part at the Holy Mysteries, participated in various forms of activities in the parish out of the Church, such as Sunday schools, clubs, lessons and so on.

It would seem that as a result of all this, the child has just to be firmly rooted in the Church!

That's it! But in practice we see that the one can`t be especially connected with the other. For some reason, the number of the adolescent children is significantly less in the temple than the number of other age groups.

I think one reason is the following. As parents, we often want our children learned by a mechanical way that personal religious experience that we had gained as a result of certain life searching, errors, falls, findings on the way to the Church and which is for us infinitely valuable. And our children are in the churchyard from infancy, they have no painful search for meaning in life, because this meaning has already been given them “a priori! We watch our children, beating the bows in the Church, confessing, communicating, praying, and in this we see a kind of identity to what we ourselves have experienced. But they simply imitate us in what that it may not have been born in them, may not have been ripened yet.

Therefore, the child must move over to keep a little distance from what he has adopted “a priori”. Why? To return to the Christian ferment which was laid in him, but it is a completely new level of understanding and experience. As a teenager cannot gain autonomy, independence and self-sufficiency, if he doesn`t break the "umbilical cord" linking him with his parents, from whom he is absolutely dependent and so it is here - the child should be to push off something. Therefore, it seems to me that a certain distancing of boys and girls, ranging from 12-15 years, from the Church is understandable. And I would not be afraid to say that sometimes it is even desirable - especially when a young person "has stopped" on his spiritual path, when everything in his religious life occurs "by custom", and not according to the dictates of the heart. And if it happens to someone, it is not necessary to panic.

Do you mean the withdrawal as a reinterpretation of faith?

I'm talking about the distance from the Church not as a decisive rejection of the life by Christian commandments and to lapse into various kinds of mortal sins and a destructive lifestyle. No way! I mean that the child must identify for himself the measure and the shape of his relationship with the Church. And most importantly, this relationship would remained by him. In addition, an adolescent child is attracted by what is unknown for him, inexperienced and if he has grown up in a church environment, the surrounding world will become for him such a special interest and will be attractive. There are not so many people who have immunity to life in the world from their childhood, to its delight sand charms. In most cases, the child doesn`t have such immunity. Therefore, in my opinion, there is nothing wrong that the meaning of the Church for him in this period will be less than the importance of youth environment, music, new friends, some fun, pastime, hobbies and so on. The main thing is that this significance would be kept.

Locksmith thanks to God

Many parents try to protect the child from temptations, they do all from his childhood that the mundane life was not interesting to him, that it disgusted him…

The experience that I have accumulated in respect of the children of the priests, my friends, allows meto say the following: a conscious effort to protect the child from social life, from secular values, creating for him such a greenhouse, in which he would mature, would become strong, sturdy, stable to the raging waves of the sinful, passionate world, doesn`t help and often leads to the opposite results. More often the tougher some "worldly" things were cut off, the greater the tendency to these things, thirst - I would even say, some abnormal thirst - the man began to feel then. And he could not assuage it, though, it would seem, hecould stop long ago - it broke him through and it carried him!

And vice versa. In those families of the priests, where parents first of all were engaged in the comprehensive development of their children with great responsibility- tried to give them a good education and develop their musical skills, and artistic and athletic skills, their intelligent abilities; where the children did not feel defective in comparison with their classmates, and in some ways- even more advanced - because everything was done with the utmost responsibility before God! – the teenagers in these families didn`t draw away from the Church subsequently, and opened it for themselves again, and then they become priests and even monks and nuns. The period of youthful rebellion was passing with minimal losses.

Why is it so? Does the high cultural level act as an inoculation?

Yes, it's a kind of the inoculation. For example, it is very difficult to meet the well-developed hearing of the child, graduated from music school, with a cheap pop - for him it will be organically unacceptable, because it is simply banal and vulgar. He is imbued with other values, he has a developed taste. And such a manner, I think, can be extended to the entire field of culture: what does the child read, what does he listen to, what movies, plays, musicals does he see? The main thing the parents should develop in their child is the taste for veritable, beautiful things and some internal immunity to vulgar, unworthy things though they may seem promoted and attractive. Of course, it is important to create the right cultural context of life, filled with authentic values and correct meaning: the so popular today "omnivorous wish” is categorically unacceptable. Then the right cultural values will become determinate landmarks, such reference points, as they are both for a believer and for a secular man.

In other words, the correct values are laid not only strictly by the orthodox literature, Orthodox performances, the orthodox movie, aren`t they?

It`s quite true. I would even say, the task is to instill in children real values not with the church cover, and, above all, the values outside of the Church, so that they could, being in the world, feel themselves confident and always know what they can rely on.

Parents must create conditions for the child, which are the most harmonious with his spiritual experience, psychological characteristics and help him to develop these abilities as much as possible. And wisdom is that the direction of this development should be, in the end, turned to God. We need toexplain to thechild that, in fact, any of his activities, in fact, should be a prayer to God, and any activity inside or outside of the Church fence is some form of his spiritual service, his doing and his measure of responsibility before God.

Could you give an example?

At one time a plumber worked in my house. He was a man who was not so deep connected with the Church. But he made me seriously think over and that`s why. Firstly, he was extremely responsible for every detail! Where the other would work for one day and get his salary, the man thoroughly thought through what the consequences would be over a certain period of operation, what better coupling assembly would be to install and so on. And secondly, he took for his work about a half times less than any unprofessional plumber in our city. He travelled constantly on different exhibitions, has been aware of all modern technical gadgets, took part at some refresher courses. That is, the man lived entirely his business! And, you know, when faced with such a profound professional integrity, I realized that he was, in fact, a deeply religious man, because the motivation of his actions was not worldly, but ideal. From the point of view of worldly gains he could do the same things easier, faster,could take more money and begin quickly with the other object. And for him his job is a form of serving for the neighbor.

And I think the children who do their work so - even if they have chosen a simple profession – are happiness and blessings for their parents.

No crisis – no development

You have touched a very interesting theme: how a person comes to God. Is it so that faith is for parenta choice, and for children - a transmitted tradition? No search, no choice, no suffering? But is it obligatory to go through the complex searches and tests to acquire faith?

I think, the spiritual crises are absolutely inevitable in the life of any believer, because where there is no crisis, there is no overcoming. Where there is no overcoming, there is no reinforcement, no development. I haven`t met in my life such a deep believing person who could honestly say that he never doubted, never went through a crisis of faith, if he even grew up in an absolutely healthy, godly Christian family.

Another thing is that these crises are completely different within the Church and outside the Church. The crises of internal life of the Church are more serious and acute than the crises when a person is in the space of obvious sin, unrighteousness and abnormality, and eyes from it the Church. It is more simply to get out of the sinful world into the Church than as a Christian to experience a crisis of faith. And then faith is either minimized, reduced to some external manifestations, which provide normal human existence in this coordinate system, or significantly deepens and acquires another quality often leading to a conflict with the real life of the Church, in which the person lives.

If faith is the result of our own choice, of the crisis and rethinking social values, what role does the transmission of own private religious experience by parents to the children play?

The fact is that, as one priest says, all children are by nature pagans. In the truest sense! What is Paganism? This is the religion that is most understandable, useful and enforceable from the viewpoint of a man in his present fallen, sinful state, in which all of us are. And in general, it is closer to the paradigm of the Old Testament law, and retribution.

For example, children are told: "You must pray, because if you do not pray, God will punish you"; "Do not sin, because God will punish you, do good deeds, fasting, work, and you will see - the Lord will comfort, gladden you." Here is a "legal” construction of certain contractual relations between the man and God - it is perfectly normal for a child, clear and enforceable: it is necessary to receive communion, that will be good; communion - that's right. And the child goes with delight, carries out everything that he must do and really experiences joy. Grace acts on the child's heart quite differently than on adults, burdened with sins and passions...

This children's religious experience is of course with nothing comparable. It isnot to replace by the translation of the religious experience of the adults on the children. The perception of the adults is radically different from the one of a child: the latter is particularly positive. The joy to be with God is normal and natural for him. And for an adult it is almost aerobatics, because we have something to repent, we have something to regret, we have something to ask God for forgiveness. And the most horrible is, when I see how parents begin to translate this pattern of their religious experiences on their children .It is deeply wrong to force them to repent those sins which are beyond their conception, and to do from a small misdemeanor a global drama. Well, a child has lied and who hasn`t lied? Have you never lied in your life? And the child, who is being brought up in such a way will instantly learn how to play the "role": to pretend a penitent, a confessor, impregnated with a world grief – but as soon as he goes outbeyond the threshold of the temple, such a "breastplate of righteousness for parents” is quickly thrown down and he becomes a regular, normal child. And it is not the worst variant; it is much more dangerous when a child is impregnated by such artificial experiences which are inappropriate for his age and consciousness and, therefore, he begins to feel himself "exclusive", "not of this world", to distance arrogantly from his friends to the delight of his parents who themselves have come to the Church lately and to the misfortune for his mental health.

For example, the law can be passed as a family tradition. And can the private relation to Christ be passed?

The discovery of Christianity by a child as the religion of Christ is a quite another matter. But to know Christ as Savior and Redeemer, he has to understand from what he, in fact, is to save and what is to redeem. But a child simply can`t understand this till a certain age! So I do not see a great danger that the children live quite a long time in a space of a largely formal compliance of the external Christian prescriptions in such a paradigm of the Old Testament, where there is a clear law, punishment and reward, but with a clear perspective of development in the direction of Christian values.

Will the terrible punishing God and the law not cause a protest in adolescence, when one explores the boundaries of his freedom?

I`ll rather agree with you. But if we are talking about little children, a different approach would mean the erosion of criteria. Literate, good, experienced psychologists recommend to build their relationships with their children so that they clearly understood, where the space of freedom is, where they are conditionally limited and where they are absolutely limited, where there is a "forbidden zone". And if a child hasn`t this, then he will think, in the end, that everything is allowed, unless the parents do not see.

The understanding the correct behavior not as an attempt to avoid punishment and earn dividends in the kingdom of heaven, but just only as the normal pattern of behavior, the only possible expression of gratitude to Christ for what He has done for us - must at some time mature in the child. And I think, the time of youth crises is the point of the maturity of this understanding, as if sprouting through the Old Testament paradigm of religious childishness into something adult.

Somewhere I`ve read about this case: on Good Friday two girls from the Sunday school, who went to the temple and were fully integrated into the life of the church, suddenly stood up in front of the cross, looked at the crucified Jesus on it, and one girl with a genuine horror in the eyes said to another, "Wait, was he killed for us?" These children suddenly realized that the gospel was not a myth, not some instructive history, which had happened for a long time and hadn`t any attitude to you but that this was associated with you personally. All they heard about Christ before, perhaps, operated as a foundation, but the soul was not reached.

Children actually have their own logic. And by every child (and adult too - it is not about age) the personal meeting with Christ occurs very differently. And the moment, when the soil plowed with all the parental efforts sprouts a personal relationship of the child and God, and in what form it will be - in the form of gratitude, in the form of overcoming some acute crisis, acute pain, grief - does not depend on us! It is the work of God and the child.

What is required from us in this case?

We are required - not to prevent, to prepare conditions, to bring the child up, on the one hand, in piety, but on the other hand, in a healthy, open atmosphere. And all the rest the Lord himself will govern. Here we do not have to act either as intermediaries or as translators - this is His work.

Rigor must be proportional to the age

Father Paul, and how do your own children relate to the Church?

My eldest daughter lives in another city, apart from us, and she is just in a difficult adolescence, but she doesn`t lose the connection with the Church - she goes to the divine services and participates in the sacraments. Of course she goes not with the frequency and intensity as I would have liked, but she does it. She observes fasting to such an extent that is now acceptable for her. I can`t say that I am absolutely calm for her, but I understand that she is now actively searching for herself. And I don`t see those forms of research that would cause my strong opposition or protest.

The other children are all very different. One of my sons may be happy to stand during the entire service in the temple, and motionless, and with joy, not particularly distracting and doing all that is necessary - for example he helps in the altar. And another son stands a little, and then he begins to suffer, not knowing where to stop, what to do, he will go from one corner to another, he`ll talk with someone and so on. Different personalities, different characters! But on the wholethe temple is for them the place where they run happily to. And pass the service is something painful. Even when a child is sick, he may cry, get upset if you did not take him to the temple. I think, it is, among other things, due to the fact that we have a very full program for children in the parish: the cartoon studio, and the lessons of calligraphy, and Sunday school and music lessons where they learn the songs to sing in the children's liturgy (service where the children serve in altar, read and sing on the chance - Ed.), and the practical lessons of the so-called natural sciences, when they study the properties of different materials or make greeting cards with a mechanical or electric "filling".

But they say that if only parties, some hobbies connect the children with the temple, so they, when growing, will leave this all…

Perhaps there is a certain truth. But in any case I think it is more important, how the children perceive the space of the Church. If it is the space of attention and love for you, not the area of the law and punishment, it is not so important, what is happening there. Children feel that they organize for them some activities not to send a report to the Patriarchate, but because they are simply loved.

And to what extent do children need the church discipline, obligation of prayers, obligation of visiting the temple and of fasting?

Children are definitely to discipline. Children must live in some well defined, designated space, because it helps to structure the child life. Another matter isa measure of the severity of this discipline. I think it should be inversely proportional to the age of the child. The younger the child is, the greater the degree of discipline should be. This is not about to force the child, but it should be in the family such a mood: when everybody goes to the temple,we don`t have the other variants. We do not even ask the question: Well, do we go to the temple or do we not go? When the child asks the question: why do we go to the temple on Sunday? - we can explain to him why it is so.

And if the child says, "I can`t go on Sunday to the Church?"

You can, for example, say: "Wait a minute, where are you going? Will you sleep? Please, get a sleep, and we'll go to the temple and go back happy and satisfied. "I think the ideal situation is that atthe Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyev has described, when the visit to the temple was to earn in Soviet times in religious families! And here in our parish, I see that by some miracle such a model of participation of the children in the liturgy and the richness of parish life, activities outside the Church has lined up that the children run to the Church. For them it is a holiday, not a problem, not a headache or "lost personal time." I do not know what will happen farther when the kids grow up. Let's see!

There is such a point of view: when the child grows up and begins to separate himself from his parents, a meaningful adult must be next to him – a godfather, who will be for him the authority. What would you say to that?

You know, my personal opinion is that: I still have little faith in the institution of godparents, because it is a great problem to become the authority for the child. And to become the authority by force is a triple problem. Not every parent is the authority for his child, and how can a stranger, an external person who does not live in the family,does not communicate constantly with the children – get his trust? In theory I can admit this, but I think it is rather an exception than general practice. Real education can be only when you are involved in family life of your godson: when you can at least once a week come to the family and to communicate with him, take him for a walk somewhere (it is not necessarily to the Church). And the role of the man, who has appeared once in half a year in the house, is questionable.

Another thing is that in the changed circumstances things can turn to 180 degrees. In adolescence it is quite possible that the child will long to the godfather, he will want to make friends with him, to enlist his support. I would not completely set aside the possibility of participation of the godfathers in the life of their wards in such times of crisis. But it would be very good that at least in every tenth family there would be a godfather who could catch the falling flag of the parents` authority and bear it. I, unfortunately, am not so.

Oxygen of the eternit

And had you a crisis of faith as a teenager?

I was just baptized at this age of 17 years - I must say, I was baptized without learning catechism, without any explanation, but simply due to the fact that I was a very ill kid. But at the same time I had some internal agreement to be christened. And after a while I decided to come to the temple: since I was baptized, orthodox, I had to know what to do further? Thus began my church life.

But I had already at this age experience of life outside the Church: I understood what would remain if they removed the Church from the life. And the children brought up in the faith have not such an understanding. And they often need to see the difference!

The worst impression that may be left in the soul of the child from the visit of the temple is a tough, aggressive, hostile attitude of the part of the temple`s people, of the confessor, and so on. And when the child in a teenage age leaves for the world and findsthere a real courage, involvement in some business "with burning eyes," the true sacrifice, love, a real mutual aid, which he did not know in the Church`s environment (and these qualities can even be artificially isolated, it can be seen through the "rose-colored glasses" of the youthful romanticism) - this is the worst thing that can be! Because then it appears by him inside a clear aversion to the Church, the idea that everything is false there. As once Vladimir Vysotsky sang: "No! There is also in the Church not so, all is not so as it should be! "And it is hardly to believe that such a man would return ...

And if the child "broke forth into freedom”, he sees that in the world there is all cool but cold and empty, and at the same time he compares it with his previous experience and understands that it is warmer and more humane in the Church, and people do not say so, do not do such baseness to each other, and that it can`t be found rage, hatred, malice as they are in the world, his head turns gradually back toward the Church after the acquaintance with the world and he thinks: "Yes, but it is better to be with the Church!”

The Church should be filled, as once the Metropolitan Filaret (Vakhromeev) said, with "oxygen of eternity", but it should be a space of great cordial kindness and warmth. If there is no heat in the Church, I do not know what it is. Anything but this is not the Church as the living Body of Christ.

So, anyway, a call to parents, to church officials, parishioners is still the same: to observe first of all themselves?

Yes, but who can say about himself: "I am a good parent, I always correspond to what I say?" We must have the courage to explain to our children that we are imperfect too, we are also in the state of struggle, we are also on the way. The only quality of the parents which children should never doubt, is their parental love, that mom and dad accept them, without any connection with their belonging to the Church. Psychologists always say, first of all, the child must understand that his parents accept him so what he is - and it's the most important thing! They can disagree with something in his life, to argue. But the child must be sure that mom and dad love him, regardless of that fact whether his behavior is good or bad. Love has not any own requirements and conditions. And due to this its strength manifests.

Source: http://www.bogoslov.ru/en/text/4543458.html

by Anastasios D. Salapatas

INTRODUCTION

Ignatius and his writings

Ignatius is an exceptional figure of Christianity, “a man of intense devotion”1, who lived and offered his episcopal ministry in the years of the so-called primitive Church.

Ecclesiastical History has only preserved a few biographical elements about Ignatius; most of them come from his own writings. But his Epistles are not historical-biographical texts. Thus, they contain only very few details about Ignatius.

From what we know he had been the second bishop of Antioch, starting his ministry at about 70 A.D. It is certain that he had met with some of the Apostles. The social environment in which he was brought up might have been Greek, or at least influenced by Greek culture (this is a conclusion we reach by studying his writings).

During the years of the Roman persecution by Emperor Trajan, Ignatius was arrested and was brought to Rome in order to receive martyrdom. The common view today is that he was put to death at the Roman Stadium called Colosseum2, sometime between the years 107 and 117.

He called himself Theophoros 3, which is a very distinctive title for Christians and means the “God-bearer”. The title signifies the close spiritual relationship that he had with Christ. His memory is commemorated in the Eastern Orthodox Church on 20th December and in the Roman on the lst of February.

At his last days before he died he wrote seven Epistles. These are as follows: to the Ephesians, to the Magnesians, to the Trallians, to the Romans, to the Philadelphians, to the Smyrnaeans and to Polycarp. The first four were written from Smyrna and the remaining three from Troas, in Asia Minor4.

The Epistles of Ignatius, written at a relatively early date, “have played an important role in the theological reflections of the Church and represent a central point of contention in the scholarly discussions of Christian origins”5.

The significance of the Epistles is so great, basically because in them we find the first clear and direct reference to the threefold ministry and the settlement of the ecclesiastical authority, the centre of which is the bishop6.

These texts are of great importance to all of Christendom and because of them Ignatius has been acknowledged as “the first great theologian of the post-apostolic period and the first Father and Teacher of the Church”7.

I. THE PURPOSE OF THE VARIOUS DIACONAL REFERENCES IN IGNATIUS’ EPISTLES

It is true that the Epistles of Ignatius are full of references to the diakonos and to the diaconal function in the early Church. But it is also true that those references do not constitute the central theme in any of the Epistles.

The diaconal theme appears in these texts as part of the greater discussion concerning the ecclesiastical authority and the threefold ministry. Diaconal references may be found in all the Epistles except that addressed to the Romans.

For the first time in the history of the Church the three ranks of priesthood are clearly mentioned together8, in exactly the same order as we know them today. Diakonos is placed on the lowest level, or on the first rank of the Christian ministry, while presbyteros is on the second and the episkopos on the third and obviously the highest.

Ignatius is very clear on this matter of the Church ministry. He makes a great contribution to Ecclesiastical History by:

1. offering the names of the titles of the three officers (diakonos, presbyteros, episkopos)9,

2. presenting their functions, liturgical and pastoral, as they are found in his time10,

3. making the point that they are different in function and distinct among themselves11,

4. interpreting the threefold Church ministry as the earthly and visible ministry which resembles the heavenly prototype12, and

5. emphasising the idea of unity in the Church, in accordance with the unity experienced within the Holy Trinity13.

Ignatius firmly believes that deacons, presbyters and bishops are “appointed according to the will of Jesus Christ”14. He supports the view that deacons, presbyters and bishops are definitely a separate category of people, called to minister to the faithful. With his “prophetic voice”15 Ignatius calls the lay people to pay attention16 to them.

Therefore it becomes quite clear that the diaconal references in Ignatius are obviously offered as part of his theory of the ecclesiastical authority and the Christian ministry.

II. EPISKOPOS – DIAKONOS RELATIONSHIP ACCORDING TO IGNATIUS

There are many interesting passages in Ignatius’ Epistles, where references may be found to the spiritual and even pastoral and liturgical relationship between episkopos and diakonos. Some of them are symbolic, others are realistic.

The bishop Ignatius calls the deacons his “fellow slaves”17 and this is obviously a very important symbolic expression, which shows how highly the bishop regarded his deacons. The word “syndoulos” means that they are both (bishop and deacon) following the same spiritual path; they believe and follow the same Christ and to Him they are both spiritually answerable.

The deacon is “subject to the bishop”18. A big discussion could open here. In our case we prefer only to point out some of the questions. Which are the areas in which the deacon is subject to the bishop? Is it on the administrative level? Is it connected to the pastoral work and responsibility that the deacon might have had? Or is it related to the diaconal liturgical function?

The actual fact is that the deacon in all these Ignatian writings seems to have been an “assistant to the bishop”19. He does the will of the bishop as Jesus did the will of the Father20. At the same time he is regarded by Ignatius as “most dear to him”21, who has been “entrusted with the service of Jesus Christ”22.

According to W.R. Schoedel, “There is an especially close bond between bishop and deacon in Ignatius”23. He interprets this relationship by suggesting that this may reflect an earlier stage in the development of the ministry when these two offices had not yet merged with the presbyterate. But other factors probably suffice to explain the special attention given to deacons by Ignatius: their active role in practical matters; in particular, their service to Ignatius personally; and a special concern on Ignatius’ part to support those whose position sometimes put them in “difficult situations”24.

As far as the relationship between the deacon and the presbyters is concerned there is only one reference25 in Ignatius’ writings, where the diakonos appears to be responsible “to the presbytery”26. This relationship has not been defined very well “presumably because this is not the essential mark of the office”27.

III. DIAKONOS: MODEL OF CHRIST

In Ignatius text references are found of the diakonos being a model of Jesus Christ Himself28. It is quite obvious that Ignatius loves his deacons and regards them very highly.

The diakonos, who is closely working with his bishop, is “respected”29 as Jesus Christ, having been “entrusted with the service of Jesus Christ”30.

According to Ignatius the episkopos is set over the people “in the place of God”31, being “a type of the Father”32. The presbyters are also compared with the apostles33.

In all the relevant references the diakonos appears to be a model, or a “symbol”34, or even a “representation”35 of Christ. This idea seems to have been based on the New Testament. Our Lord, speaking about Himself and His ministry on earth, states that “the Son of Man came not to be served (diakonHthHnai) but to serve (diakonHsai)”36. Thus, He regarded Himself as a diakonos of the Church and of the people, offering therefore a diaconal prototype to the Christian Church.

It could also be suggested that the diakonos, as an ecclesiastical figure who represents Christ, according to Ignatius, appears to have been more important than the presbyter, at least in the Church of Antioch, although he (the diakonos) certainly stands in the third place37 of the ecclesiastical hierarchy.

It is interesting to note that the Ignatian view of the diakonos being a model of Jesus Christ, is also found in some other early Christian writings, such as The Letter of Polycarp to the Phrlippians38, Didascalia Apostolorum39 and Apostolic Constitutions40.

At a later stage diakonos becomes the model of an angel. This is due to the liturgical development of the office. Saint John Chrysostom41 and Theodore of Mopsuestia in Catecheses42 are clearly stating that the diakonos as he wears his orarion43 during the Church Services is like a flying angel. He also moves “between the sacred and the profane bearing messages”44 like the angels.

CONCLUSIONS

Ignatius Theophorus, the bishop of Antioch, is a great figure of the ancient Christian Church. He is the first most important theologian after the Holy Apostles. By studying his Epistles the modern scholar may find in them many details regarding the actual life of the Church in Ignatius’ era.

Among the main themes in Ignatius’ written thoughts are the ecclesiastical authority and the three ranks of the Christian priesthood. The diaconate which is the first and the lowest rank of priesthood is clearly mentioned in Ignatius’ texts, although this is not his central theme.

The holy writer considers the diakonos and his diaconal ministry to be of a great value for the Church of Antioch and beyond. He, as the bishop of Antioch, is closely co-operating with the deacons in order to secure the best possible ministry for his flock.

Ignatius is related spiritually to the deacons, according to his own writings, in exactly the same way as God the Father is related to Jesus Christ. Thus, the diakonos is considered as a model of Jesus, who according to the New Testament had been the first diakonos of the Church.

The diakonos is always following the orders of his bishop, being answerable to him. But there is no clear reference in Ignatius’ texts as to the actual functions, pastoral, liturgical, or any other, of the diakonos. Finally, there is no direct mention to the deaconesses.

NOTES

1. Henry Chadwick, The Early Church, Penguin Books, London 1988, p.30.

2. Styl. Papadopoulou, Patrologia, vol.É, Athens 1982, p.178. E. W. Barnes (in The Rise of Christianity, London 1948, p.261) believes that “the story of the martyrdom of Ignatius is edifying legend, not contemporary history”, suggesting that this is “the invention of a hagiographer”, because “of Ignatius himself little is known”.

3. Pan.ChrHstou, “Ignatios”, in ThreskeutikH kai HthikH Egkyklopaideia, vol. 6, Athens 1965, col. 705.

4. M.W. Holmes (ed.), The Apostolic Fathers Apollos-Leicester 1989, p.80.

5. W. R. Schoedel, Ignatius of Antioch: A Commentary on the Letters, Philadelphia 1985, p.1.

6. DHm. Mpalanou, Patrologia, Athens 1930, p.43ff.

7. Styl. Papadopoulou, op. cit., p. 178.

8. A.D. Salapatas, “The Diaconate in the Eastern Orthodox Church” in Diaconal Ministry, Past, Present & Future, edited by Peyton G. Craighill, Rhode Island 1994, p.41.

9. Trall. 3,1; Trall.7,2; Smyrn. 8,1; Polyc. 6,1.

10. Iak. PHlilH, H ChristianikH IerosynH, Athens 1988, pp. 289-294.

11. Meth. Phougia, Genesis kai Anaptysis tHs ChristianikHs IerosynHs, Athens 1972, p.79.

12. Magn. 6,1; Trall. 2 & 3,1. J. Pelilis, op. cit., p. 265.

13. According to Hans von Campenhausen, “Just as Christ was united to his Father, so must Christians be subject to their presbyters and deacons and all of them to the bishop…”. (Ecclesiastical Authority and Spiritual Power in the Church of the First Three Centuries London, p. 100).

14. J.R. Wright , “The Emergence of the Diaconate”, in Liturgy (Journal of the Liturgical Conference), vol.2, No 4, Washington D.C. 1982, p.20.

15. L. Goppelt , Apostolic and Post-Apostolic Times, London 1970, p. 193.

16. Philad. 7,1.

17. “syndoulos”, in Ephes. 2,1; Magn.2; Philad. 4; Smyrn 12,2. BibliothHkH EllHnon Pateron kai EkklHstiastikon Syggrapheon, “Ignatios o Antiocheias”, vol. 2, Athens 1955, p. 261ff.

18. Magn.2.

19. James Ì. Âarnett, The Diaconate – A Full and Equal Order, New York 1981, p. 50.

20. Magn. 6,1; Trall. 3,1.

21. “ton emoi glykytaton”, in Magn. 6,1.

22. Magn. 6,1.

23. W.R. Schoedel, op.cit., p.46.

24. Ibid.

25. Magn 2.

26. The particular term used here by Ignatius is “presbytery” not “presbyters”, although this does not seem to have any great significance.

27. J.V. Collins, Diakonia: Re-interpreting the Ancient Sources, New York-Oxford 1990, p. 240.

28. W.R. Schoedel, op.cit, pp. 113-4.

29. Trall. 3,1.

30. Magn. 6,1.

31. Ibid.

32. Magn. 13,2; Trall. 3,1; Smyrn. 8,1.

33. Trall. 2,2 & 3,1; Philad 5,1; Smyrn. 8,1.

34. J.M. Barnett, op.cit., pp. 50-1.

35. Ibid.

36. Matt.20,28; Mark 10,45.

37. Smyrn. 8,1; Polyc. 6,1.

38. Polyc. Phil. 5,3.

39. R.N.Connoly, Didascalia Apostolorum, Oxford 1929, p.88.

40. Apostolic Constitutions 2,26,5.

41. Pant.Chanoglou, Diakonikon, Edessa 1989, p.214.

42. A.Mingana (ed.), Commentary of Theodore of Mopsuestia on the Lord’s Prayer and on the Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist, Cambridge 1933, p. 84.

43. Diaconal stole.

44. R.F.Grein, The Renewal of the Diaconate and the Ministry of the Laos, Rhode lsland 1991, p. 9.

Source: http://silouanthompson.net/library/history/ignatius-diaconate/

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