VOL. 10/ NO.

1 JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2014

!"#!$%&
'() +,-./0%1)-
2,34-56(7 38 95-7
:$ ;%"'%#& ",4)-,5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
VOL. 10/ NO. 1 JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2014
If you wish to receive this review
every two months (6 issues / yr):
USA: $30 Associate; $50 Supporter
Canada: $36
England: 20
Europe: !25 Associate; !40 Supporter
Australia: $35 (AUS $) Associate; $50 Supporter
Philippines: $20
For Information:
Indiana - USA: Phone 812-825-4642 ext. 200
Website: marymediatrix.com/missio
Bibra Lake - Australia: Phone/Fax 61-8-9437 2792
England: uk.missio.fi@gmail.com
A bimonthly Marian catechetical-missionary magazine of the Franciscans of the Immaculate
- With Ecclesiastical Approval -
Academy of the Immaculate All rights reserved
Editor: Louis Maximilian Smith
Contributors: Arthur B. Calkins, Peter M. Fehlner, Jonathan Fleischmann, Luca M. Genovese, Hedwig and Anthony
Josemaria, Christiaan Kappes, Stefano M. Manelli, Charles M. Mangan, Joshua Massatt
Layout: Mary Flannery
Photography and Art: Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P.; Page 27 photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons user Lloydbaltazar;
Page 28 illustration courtesy of Joe DeVito, from the series of illustrations created for the Rosary Walk at the Marian
Friary of Our Lady Coredemptrix in Bloomington, IN;
Publisher: Louis Maximilian Smith
Printer: P.O.S. Corp., Waite Park, MN
Administration, Editorial and Subscriptions: Fr. Elias M. Mills, 8212 W. Hendricks Rd., Bloomington, IN 47403
fitheotokos@bluemarble.net
4
6
26
29
MARIAN SPIRITUALITY
__________________________________________________
3
THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY Fr. Stefano M. Manelli, F.I.
MARIAN MAGISTERIUM
_________________________________________________
4
A BLESSED NEW YEAR Fr. Peter M. Fehlner, F.I.
MARY AND THE BEATITUDES
______________________________________________
6
BLESSED ARE THE MEEK Msgr. Charles M. Mangan
THE VIRGIN MARY IN THE EASTERN CATHOLIC TRADITION
_______________________
9

THE FIRST-EVER BIOGRAPHY OF MARY: Fr. Christiaan Kappes
HOW ST. AUGUSTINE INSPIRED
ST. MAXIMUS CONFESSOR ON THE THEME
OF MARY IMMACULATE
MARY IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH: MARIAN CONSECRATION
_____________________
16
SAINT ALPHONSUS MARIA DE LIGUORI Msgr. Arthur B. Calkins
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: MYSTERY AND REVELATION
_________________________
18
TRANSFORMATION IN MARYS WOMB Jonathan Fleischmann
MARY IN THE WRITINGS OF THE SAINTS: FATHERS OF THE CHURCH
_________________
24
REASON AND FAITH Fr. Luca M. Genovese, F.I.
IN THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
THE SAINTS AND OUR LADY
_____________________________________________
26
BERTHE PETIT AND Hedwig and Anthony Josemaria, F.T.I.
THE SORROWFUL AND
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
PART 2: UNDERSTANDING THE MESSAGE
AD GENTES
29
LIVING AND DYING FOR THE IMMACULATE Joshua Massatt
IN NIGERIA
!" $%& '()&*+ !"#$%& ()"* +,$ !$)%$ %- .)$#,/0/)/1 2"*/3
Missio Immaculat International | January/February 2014 |
9
The Virgin Mary in the
Eastern Catholic Tradition
THE FIRST-EVER BIOGRAPHY OF MARY:
How St. Augustine Inspired St. Maximus
Confessor on the Theme of Mary Immaculate
!
herever piety has tlourished
in the Christian tradition, it is
beholden to the tradition ot the Fa
thers. In tact, when Latin and Oreek
churchmen met in reat Councils in
the past, they were not shy to pro
claim the axiom, The saints never
err on their common protession ot
taith."
1
In Franciscan tradition, the
Marian Doctor, Blessed ]ohn Duns
$cotus (126512661308), retlected
upon the necessary harmony amon
the essentials ot the Faith between
the Latin and Oreek saintly doctors.
2
This axiom is no less applicable
when considerin the Marian piety
ot $t. Auustine ot Hippo (35++30).
He posthumously bequeathed his
literary heritae to the tirst known
Marian biorapher, $t. Maximus
1 It the Church's authority and $crip
ture's authority do not contradict such,
then it seems probable that whatever is
more excellent ouht to be attributed
to Mary (Ord. III, 7.2.3)." He says ot
the ,:i:ou.. The Oreeks really did not
disaree with the Latins, because the
opinion ot the Oreeks is that the Holy
$pirit proceeds trom the Father throuh
the $on. In this way, theretore, two wise
men, one Oreek and the other Latin, not
lovers ot proper speech but ot divine zeal,
would perhaps tind the disareement not
to be real, but one ot words, tor otherwise
either the Latins or the Oreeks would be
heretics. But who wishes to say that Basil,
Oreory ot Nazianzus, Oreory ot Nyssa,
Damascene, Chrysostom and many oth
er excellent doctors are heretics, and tor
the other part that Ambrose, ]erome, Au
ustine, Oreory, Hilary, etc., who were
the most excellent Latin doctors, are her
etics (R.ortot:o IA, 11.2)."
2 ]oseph Oill, Ti. Courc:i o, Fior.rc. (New
York. Cambride Lniversity Press, 1959),
226.
Missio Immaculatae International is pleased to present a rst-of-its-kind
study by Fr. Christiaan Kappes on the Mariology of St. Maximus Confessor.
As this study demonstrates, this 7th-century Church Father played a
decisive role in winning universal recognition of the Mother of God as
immaculate. In fact, the Saint simply expresses the thought of the
many eminent and illustrious Church Fathers who preceded him.
by Fr. Christiaan Kappes
Maximus the Confessor and His Miracles. Early 17th-century Stroganov school icon from Solvychegodsk.
10
| January/February 2014 | Missio Immaculat International
Contessor (c. 580662). Maximus,
too, was just as important tor the
Latin Church, tor he suttered torture
tor his orthodox taith in the tace ot
heresy, which denied a double activ
ity in the Oodman ]esus Christ. It
is certainly true that, as Ood, ]esus
acted in a divine manner. Yet, as tully
human, He also exercised proper
human activities (as thinkin and
willin). Yet, both ot these occurred
in His one divine person. Yet, two
heresies denied this humandivine
cooperation or activity in the one
Christ and, thus, became known as
monoenerism" and monothelit
ism." These Oreekbased words re
spectively betray the erroneous idea
that Christ either had but or. roturoi
oct:::t, (bein one person), or that
Christ only exercised or. roturoi u:ii
and or. oct:::t, o, cio:c. despite the
doma ot His two tully realized and
present natures in His one united
person (ct. Council ot Chalcedon,
+51). Providentially, Maximus ab
sorbed Auustine's Marioloy whole
sale into his thaumaturic chronicle
ot Mary the Oodbearer" (a.k.a. Ti.
otoios). Maximus' Ti. L:,. o, ti. V:r
:r is a must read tor any pious Chris
tian and at last available in Enlish.
3
Maximus promoted this rich
Marioloy in his subsequent role as
a theoloian at the monumental Lat
eran Council ot Rome (6+9), likely
promptin Rome to attirm Auus
tine's Marioloy as doma to detend
the true humanity ot Christ.
+
$uch
a manner ot detense emphasizes the
human moral (namely Mary's ,:ot)
and human physical cause (namely,
Mary's allpure tlesh) necessary tor
the realization ot the one Christ.
Hence, Mary is the realest" mother
3 Maximus Contessor, Ti. L:,. o, ti. V:r:r,
ed. $. $hoemaker (New Haven. Yale Lni
versity Press, 2012).
+ Two extracts trom Auustine's epistles
were cited in a conciliar tlorileium.
$ee Alexander Alexakis, Coc. Por:s:ru
Gro.cus !!!5 orc Its Arci.t,.. Dumbar
ton Oaks $tudies 3+ (Washinton, D.C..
Dumbarton Oaks, 1996), 16.
ot the Oodman
5
Because a virin
mother donates ti. .rt:r. ort:or ot
physical tlesh necessary tor prenan
cy, she is physically more a mother ot
her son than any bioloical mother
could ever be by contributin only
halt her tlesh to her baby
6
Happily,
scholarly publications ot the hih
est caliber attirm the authenticity
ot Mary's earliest known bioraphy
(perhaps written post 63+).
7
$o as
toundin is Maximus' Marianiza
tion" ot the $criptures, scholars seem
at a loss as to how to interate his
Marian piety into the whole ot Maxi
mus' theoloical vision.
1. AUGUSTINE AND MAXIMUS:
A CASE OF DEPENDENCE?
$cholars make attempts to tind a
5 The other cause is the Holy $pirit. On $t.
Cyril ot Alexandria's doctrine ot double
tiliation, see Ruero Rosini, Mor:oio,
o, Bi.ss.c oir Durs Scotus. Marioloia
Franciscana 2, ed. P. Fehlner (New Bed
tord, MA. Academy ot the Immaculate,
2008), 36.
6 Io:c., 3639.
7 $tephen $hoemaker, Introduction to Ti.
L:,., 78. N.b., $hoemaker suests an
earlier date based upon interences trom
Maximus' known bioraphy. It our aru
ment is accepted, it necessitates compo
sition post N. Atrica (c. 62663+). Oiven
his Oreek sources, I suest composition
upon his return to the East, betore $oph
ronius' S,roc:coi L.tt.r (63+638).
connection between Auustine and
Maximus. Even it Maximus did not
know Latin, he once lived in N. At
rica and, thus, scholars are convinced
that Auustine's writins were eas
ily available to Maximus. $cholars
explore whether Maximus partially
adopted Auustine's doctrine ot ori
inal sin.
8
Presently, nothin demon
strates that Maximus coincides with
Auustine verbatim, or even with his
direct thouht. As it stands, the link
between our two saints is all but hy
pothetical.
Because both were protound
thinkers, scholars search dependen
cies by studyin their more abstract
ideas. Miht they perhaps overlook
literary dependency based on their
shared love ot Mary.
9
It is a distinct
possibility.
10
Auustine proposes to
8 ]eanClaude Larchet, Ancestral uilt ac
cordin to $t. Maximus the Contessor.
a bride between Eastern and Western
conception," Sooorrost 20 (1998) +2+3.
Despite Maximus' 20 years in the West,
no citations exist. Andrew Louth, Mo:
us ti. Cor,.ssor (New York. Routlede,
1996), 58, 201. The author investiates
the notion ot will" in Maximus. $ee
too Brian Daley, Makin a Human Will
Divine," in Ortioco R.oc:r o, Auust:r.,
ed. A. Papanikolaou and E. Demacopou
los (Crestwood, NY. $t. Vladimir's $emi
nary Press, 2008.
9 $ee Auustine ot Hippo, Or Notur. orc
Groc., in PL ++. 267. When the ques
tion ot sins is discussed, I wish that it be
handled atter the holy Virin Mary has
already been exempted, reardin whom
there is absolutely (rorsus) nothin,
due to the honor ot the Lord. Whence,
surely, we know what abundance ot race
tor overcomin sin in every deree was
conterred on her who had the merit to
conceive and bear him who undoubtedly
had no sin (D. roturo .t rot:o, 36.+2)."
10 Two sermons talsely attributed to Atha
nasius have muddied the waters. Ct. Ps.
Athanasius, Ir occursu Do:r:, in PO, 28.
996 (lines +3+6). $he is stainless on the
matter ot purity (ooi,rtor t.s ior.:os),
in no way to sutter the natural law and
maternal consequence in birthin (.r
toio), throuh which birthin (c:o tou),
as both betore birth (ro toiou) as well as
atter the birth (.to toior), she was in a
like manner a virin and so she remained
in an absolutely real manner." This text
Saint Augustine, Antonio Rodrguez (1636 - 1691)
Missio Immaculat International | January/February 2014 |
11
us the marvelous doctrine ot Mary's
totoi and :rt.roi virinity.
11
He liter
cannot be a Oreek source on Maximus,
tor the later author employs vocabulary
presumin postChalcedonian issues (ct.
PO 28. 976) and assumes his vocabulary
(v.., or.iio:t.tos) is patristic" thouh
appealin to Ps.Dionysius amon other
Fathers (ct. PO 28. 989). This points to
orthodox reception ot $t. Dionysius"
post 575. $ee Paul Rorem and ]ohn
Lamoreaux, oir o, Sc,tiooi:s orc ti.
D:or,s:or Corus: Arrot:r ti. Ar.oo:t.
(Oxtord. Claredon Press, 1998), 10, 19
20. The author employs phraseoloy ot
the 67th centuries (v.., o:i.:o :c:ooto),
thouh I have tound one instance ot this
in the late 6th century. The coincidence
ot terminoloy between Damascene and
Ps.Athanasius is strikin, as well as de
pendence on earlier $yrian sources. The
Marioloical section uniquely parallels
overall vocabulary ot Damascene (ct.
PO 28. 995). The tinal seal on its pos
terior date to Maximus' Ti. L:,. occurs
at. For by means ot both shall Christ be
preached, He will be known as both Ood
and very man too, who Himselt wills and
operates on his own volition (out.ous:os
ti.ior io: .r.ror), on one hand willin
and doin the tormer items throuh
His divinity, and on the other hand the
latter items throuh His humanity (PO
28. 997C)." This public sermon is com
batively c,oti.i:t., presupposin outbreak
ot the ultimate controversy (post 63+).
N.b., Oeore ot Nicomedia (c. 860) is
controversially the author. Nicholas Con
stas, Procius o, Corstort:roi. orc ti. Cuit
o, ti. V:r:r :r Lot. Art:u:t,: Ho:i:.s !5
(Leiden. Brill, 2003), 380. New reasons
support this thesis in. $hoemaker, Intro
duction to The Lite, 35. Ct. Ps. Athana
sius, Quo.st:or.s oi:o. (PO 28. 773796).
Likewise vulnerable tor usin vocabulary
trom Proclus and similar to Damascene,
the suspicious proChalcedonian author
states. The unseen divinity was not ap
parent, and the divinity operates (.r.r.:)
throuh the visible humanity (PO 28.
793)." The sources ot operation tor the
two pertect natures are the human
ity and divinity" as abstractions, whereas
the only explicit operation is the divine
operation. This may betray the imperial
prohibition to preach on two operations,
just as above.
11 Auustine carries on a probable N. At
rican tradition trom $t. Zeno ot Verona
(c. 300371380), who also spent time in
Italy. $ee Zeno ot Verona, Troctotus, in
PL 11. 30+, nn. +6. $omeone will say.
Mary, as virin, both married and bore
ally says ot her, $he conceived him
as a virin, she ave birth as a vir
in, she remained a virin" (S.ror
51.11.18).
12
He repeats at Christmas,
The virin conceived.the virin
ave birth.atter ivin birth she still
remained a virin" (S.ror 196.1).
13
Maximus must have been quite
taken with the pithy phraseoloy
ot his Father in the Faith,
1+
tor he
proclaims in his bioraphy ot Mary,
There is no. pain ot childbirth,
tor truly she alone is a virin exalted
(.t rus:t .t ..r:t) . Besides, she was
a virin atter marriae (::ro ost corruo:
u), a virin atter conception (ost corc.
tu), a virin atter bearin a son (::ro
ost ,:i:u) (Troctotus 1.5.3)." Later, he
says (ibid., 11. +1++15 nn. 1517). The
incorrupt Virin Mary conceived (::ro
:rcorruto corc.:t). Atter conception,
the Virin ave birth (::ro ..r:t). Atter
ivin birth, a virin she remained (ost
ortu ::ro .rors:t) (Troctotus 8.2)"
The roots ot this tradition may stem trom
the Latin version ot the Proto.:or.i:u
o, o.s (c. 150), wherein Mary miracu
lously o:. o:rti u:tiout o:r :r ci:ico:rti,
and trom the N. Atrican, $t. Clement
ot Alexandria (c. 150c. 215), in. Mary
Clayton, Ti. Cuit o, ti. V:r:r :r Ario
Soor Eriorc (New York. Cambride,
1990), 3. Ambrose is a possible mediator
ot this tradition to Auustine too, tor he
knew about Zeno. $ee Manlio $imonetti,
Hilary ot Poitiers and the Arian Cris ot
the Fourth Century," in Potroio,, ed. A.
di Barardino, trans. P. $olari (Allen, TX.
Christian Classics, s.d.), +. 127130. N.b.,
Ambrose only beins preachin on vir
inity :r ortu later in his works (390's).
12 Illa enim viro concepit, viro peperit,
viro permansit"
13 Viro concepit.viro peperit.post
partum, viro permansit" Ct. Auustine,
Cir:st:os S.ror 9, in S.rors ,or Cir:st:
os orc E:ior,, ed. and trans. ]. Quas
ten (Island Road, N]. Paulist Press, 1952),
108 ($ermon 191.2), Auustine, Fo:ti orc
Voris, :r Ti. Foti.rs o, ti. Ciurci. 2nd
ed., +th printin, trans. T. Wilcox (Wash
inton, D.C.. CLA, 1999), 32+ (chapter
+, section 8).
1+ This perhaps contirms Auustine's bi
orapher Possidius, who asserts that ser
mons were translated into Oreek, apart
trom possible antiNestorian transla
tions. $ee Eliius Dekkers, Les traduc
tion recques des escrits patristiques lat
ins," Socr:s Eruc:r: 5 (1953) 207212.
above all virins, a virin ever immac
ulate. betore birth, in birth, and atter
birth."
15

This amazin doctrine ot Mary's
total virinity is supremely impor
tant tor understandin her immacu
late status. First, both Auustine's
and Maximus' doctrine intrinsically
liberate Mary trom the Old Law.
Were Mary not a physically interal
virin,
16
especially atter her miracu
lous process ot birth, she would be
impure (hence, not immaculate) ac
cordin to Exodus 18 and Leviticus
17. ]esus and Mary, as unique cases
in human history, accomplished a
birth wherein there is. (1.) absence ot
human seed in conception, (2.) tore
oin ot openin Mary's womb,"
(3.) and preservation trom sheddin
blood in birthin, all demonstrate
Mary's and ]esus' technical exemp
tion trom the law commemorated in
the Puritication in the Temple" and
the Circumcision ot the Lord", tor
the tormer rite purities" a mother,
15 $ee $hoemaker, Introduction to Ti. L:,.,
51. $urvivin copies are in ancient Oeor
ian. Oreory Palamas (d. 1359) read The
Lite, whence he calls Mary tirst witness
ot the resurrection. Ct. Oreory Palamas,
Ipqopiou to Huu auvtu tu cpu.
Eqvc Hutcpc tq Tkkqoiu, ed.
P.K. Chrestou (Thessalonica. 2009), 9.
530. Palamas' tellowmonk and disciple,
Philotheus Kokkinos, may cite crucial
lines trom the oriinal Oreek. $ee Phi
lotheus Kokkinos, Pro,.ss:or o, Fo:ti, Ed.
Ch. Apuautq, in Taiotqovikq Tac!
tqpiou Ocooikq Loq 10 (2000)
20. The Ti.otoios inettably conceived
the $on ot Ood . not throuh the laws
ot nature but only atter she was prepu
ritied (roiotiorti.:sor) and hallowed in
soul and body by the power and opera
tion ot the allholy $pirit and because
a Virin continued supernaturally incor
rupt betore birth and durin birth and
atter birth (ro toiou, t. io: .r toio, io:
.to toior), did He become man (lines
130136)." One can suspect Maximus
oriinal Oreek tormula contained the
term prepuritied."
16 Interal" virinity was employed in.
Corc:i:u Lot.ror.rs. o. 649 c.i.orotu.
Acta conciliorum oecumenicorum $eries
2, ed. R. Riediner (Berlin, Walter de
Oruyter, 198+), 2.1. 127.
12
| January/February 2014 | Missio Immaculat International
while the latter sanctities" her tirst
born son who opens her womb. $im
ilar to the Baptism ot the Lord" (Lk
3.21) or ]esus' penitential" baptism
(Mk 1.+), ]esus and Mary humbly
and pertectly observe all the sacra
ments ot the Old Law, even it oblia
tory only tor the Old Man" (alias
children ot Adam). In this, our pair
substitutionally merits tor us races
(accordin to their respective capaci
ties ot meritin).
17
They surpass the
old leislation, bein uniquely justi
tied persons practicin the Mosaic
Law. Thus, the conjointly justitied
new Adam and new Eve usher in the
New Law" in Christ ]esus.
2. A SACRED WEAVE OF THREADS
FROM EAST AND WEST
Maximus' Ti. L:,. miht be dat
ed post 626, since this includes Maxi
mus' (second) discipleship under $t.
$ophronius ot ]erusalem (560638),
who was conjointly livin in N. At
rica (c. 626633). This date is propi
tious since $ophronius either bor
rowed trom, or perhaps shared with,
Maximus Auustine's Marioloy.
18

Ot course, this makes pertect sense in
liht ot the tact that both saints were
in N. Atrica until $ophronius lett,
publishin his S,roc:coi L.tt.r (63+
17 $ee Oreory Nazianzen, Ir Ti.oior:o:
Orot:or 38 (PO 36, 329B 5660). $o
then, a little later, you will see too ]esus
puritied (iotio:ro.ror) in the ]ordan, in
place ot my puritication. Yet, better, He
was makin holy the waters by puritica
tion (tor indeed he was in no need ot pu
ritication, since He is the one takin away
the sin ot the world)." This is explicitly
employed in Ti. L:,., 75.
18 $ee $ophronius ot ]erusalem, S,roc:
coi L.tt.r, in Soiror:us o, .rusoi. orc
S.:.rtiC.rtur, H.r.s,: Ti. S,roc:coi L.t
t.r orc Oti.r Docu.rts, ed. and trans.
H. Chadwick (New York. Oxtord Lni
versity Press, 2009), 108109. Ood ac
complished the conception without
seed . the uncorruptive birth (o toios o
oitioros), the undetiledimmaculate vir
inity (. orti.r:o . ocirortos), which was
intact betore the birth and durin the
birth and atter the birth (. ro tou toiou
io: .r to toio io: .to tor toior oioo.tos)
(S,roc:coi L.tt.r 2.3.1+) .."
638),
19
wherein he cited the phrase
concernin Mary's triple virinity.
This seems to explain well Maximus'
possible use ot the Marian title ot
prepuritied virin (roiotiorti.:so),"
which he hypothetically adds to
Auustine's pithy notion ot Mary's
virinity betore, durin, and atter
birth.
20
$ophronius was undoubtedly
Maximus' master and had tauht
him Oreek or Byzantine Marioloy.
21

For $ophronius, one ot Mary's reat
est titles came trom the Father ot the
19 Io:c., 13.
20 $cholars concede a tirst, youn disciple
ship (trom a Monothelite $yriac descrip
tion). Likely, Maximus aain learned
trom $ophronius in the monastery ot
Eucratas betore 630. $ee A. Louthe,
Maximus the Contessor (New York.
Routlede, 1996), 56. Lntil Ti. L:,. in
Oeorian is reconstructed into oriinal
Oreek, Ti. L:,. only can be hypothesized
to call Mary. prepuritied" (- ever im
maculate"). Both terms are related, where
the tormer is typical ot Maximus' teacher
$ophronius. Conversely, the term ociror
tos miht substitute tor roiotiorti.:so in.
Lateran 6+9, 286 (Dz 503). $hoemaker
proves that the ottliteral Oeorian trans
lator occasionally makes wordtorword"
substitutions. This allows not only an ap
peal to Maximus' oriinal Oreek but even
to the translator's tamperin with a more
nuanced and ditticult oriinal term. $ee
$tephen $hoemaker, The Oeorian L:,.
o, ti. V:r:r Attributed to Maximus the
Contessor. Its Authenticity (.) and Im
portance," Scr:r:u 2 (2006). 311315.
21 Maximus' seltstyled tutelae and intellec
tual debt to $ophronius is chronicled in.
P. Booth, Cr:s:s o, E:r.: Doctr:r. orc D:s
s.rt ot ti. Erc o, Lot. Art:u:t, (Lniversi
ty ot Calitornia Press, Los Aneles, 2013),
1+9. Maximus, too, addresses a letter to
$ophronius. Beloved master, tather, and
teacher, Lord Abba $ophronius (Ct. L.tt.r
!3, in PO 91. 533A)." Booth has noticed
a shared monastic surname" ot Eucratas
between $ophronius and his monastic
companion ]ohn Moschos. Their com
mon monastery, Eucratas, is whence they
were known. Numerous illustrious men
with the surname Eucrates" arue this
to denote the proChaldedonian learn
in center, cultivatin Maximus' enius
within Constantinople c. 626. In context
ot dyaphysiticomonothelite debates, a
Eucratadan" monk denotes an epithet
meanin. inexorable Chalcedonian."
Church, Oreory Nazianzen (329
389390), who called both ]esus
and Mary puritied" persons. This
was likely in reterence to the biblical
moment ot the Puritication in the
Temple," which we explained above.
However, Oreory tauht that ]esus
and Mary were already morally and
physically pure, betore events like
unto ]esus' Baptism and Mary's ,:ot
at the Annunciation. Any ot these
racetul moments indicated super
natural happenins where totally
pure natures were bestowed addi
tional races and sins ot lory in ad
dition to the pertection with which
they had been created.
22
Pope Benedict XVI drew atten
tion to Nazianzen's use ot this Mar
ian title in a recent public audience
in 2007.
Mary, who ave human nature
to Christ, is true Mother ot Ood
(Ti.otoios, ct. E:sti. 101.16) and,
in view ot her hihest mission,
was prepuritied" (ct. Orot:or
38.13), as it a distant prelude
ot the Immaculate Conception.
Mary was put torward as the
model ot Christians, above all
virins, and as a succor to be
called upon in necessity (ct. Oro
t:or 2+.11).
23
Pope Benedict helps us make
sense ot why the tirst author to trans
late Nazianzen's Oreek, Marian term
prepuritied" into Latin precisely
rendered it as immaculate (:ocu
ioto)" only shortly atter Oreory's
death (c. +00).
2+
Later, the Oreek
22 $ee the doctrine ot Mary prepuritied" in.
Christiaan Kappes, Ti. Iocuiot. Cor
c.t:or: Vi, Tioos Au:ros D.r:.c, Vi:i.
oir Durs Scotus, Gr.or, Poioos, orc Mori
Eu.r:cus Pro,.ss.c ti. Aosoiut. Iocuiot.
E:st.rc. o, Mor, (New Bedtord, MA.
Academy ot the Immaculate, 201+).
23 Pope Benedict XVI, Oeneral Audience
(Wednesday, 22 Auust 2007). Oreory
Nazianzen." Posted 2007. http.www.
vatican.vaholy_tatherbenedict_xvi
audiences2007documentsht_ben
xvi_aud_20070822_it.html
2+ $ee Oreory Nazianzen and Rutinus, D.
E:ior::s, in T,ror:: Ru,:r: orot:oru Gr.
Missio Immaculat International | January/February 2014 |
13
speakin $ophronius also saw Mary's
sinlessness and purity indubitably
linked to Nazianzen's term prepuri
tied." For his part, Maximus seems to
have added the title prepuritied," or
more likely its simile immaculate,"
to Auustine's phrase on Mary's total
virinity.
3. MAXIMUS, MARIOLOGY, AND
LATERAN COUNCIL 649
Betore enain Maximus' ma
ture synthesis ot Auustinian and
Byzantine Marioloy, we need to
investiate his monumental contri
bution to the Lniversal Church. At
a time when heresies were rain
in the East, Maximus and his allies
athered in orthodox Rome tor a
reat Council. There, Maximus put
or:: No;:o;.r: ro:. :rt.rr.tot:o. Corpus
$criptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum,
ed. A. Enelbrecht (Lipsiae. 1910), +6.1.
100. He was brouht torth trom a vir
in, herselt too immaculate (:ocuioto)
in soul and body, tor it was necessary
indeed that the birthin ot a human
creation be honored, yet it was necessary
that the lory ot virinity be previously
more hihly exhibited."
his personal Marian stamp on the
Council to secure Mary's triumph
as the Immaculate" tor all time.
$cholars uncontroversially accept
the intluence ot Maximus' writins
and presence in Rome. Yet, little has
been written on his Marianization ot
theoloy. To evidence our assertion,
we need only look to the pen ot our
saintly Contessor tor the tollowin.
Canon 3. It anyone does not con
tess accordin to the saints and
holy Fathers that Mary is prop
erly and truly the holy and ever
virin, immaculate (s..ru.
::r:r. .t :ocuioto) Mother
ot Ood, inasmuch as He Him
selt individually and truly is the
Word. Also, it anyone does not
contess that He was conceived
without human seed (oosu.
s.:r. corc.:ss.) but trom the
Holy $pirit in the tinal times ot
the aes, and it anyone does not
contess that Mary bore him in a
manner without physical injury
(:rcorrut:o:i:t.r .o .ru:ss.), and
it anyone does not contess that
the same Mary's imperishable
virinity continued to persist
even atter birth (:rc:ssoiuo:i: .r
or.rt. .t ost ortu .:usc. ::r
:r:tot.), then let that person be
condemned.
25
To all appearances, the Fathers
ot the Council, who tirst composed
in Oreek, had read L:,. o, ti. V:r:r.
The Latin Fathers, too, heard in their
translations, perhaps tor the tirst
time, ot Mary's everimmaculate title
linked to traditional N. Atrican triple
tormula ot Mary's virin birth
For their part, the Oreek Fathers
absorbed the Auustinian phraseolo
y ot Mary as ever virin, betore, dur
in, and atter birth." In subsequent
centuries, Auustine's catchphrase
became virtually enshrined on every
icon ot the Blessed Virin in Byzan
tine art,
26
whereby three oldpainted
25 Lateran Council 6+9, Corors, in Erci:r:c
:or S,ooioru c.,:r:t:oru .t c.ciorot:o
ru c. r.ous ,:c.: .t oru, 37th edition,
ed. P. Hnermann, A. Lanzoni and
O. Zaccherini (Bolona. Edizioni De
honiane, 1996), 501502 (Dz 501).
26 The icon Our Lady ot the Way" came to
Constantinople durin Auustine's wan
in years. $ubsequently, Maximus and
The Comnenus mosaics from the Hagia Sophia Cathedral (now museum) in Istanbul, Turkey. It shows Emperor John II (11181143) on the left,
the Virgin Mary and infant Jesus in the centre, and Empress Irene on the right. Photo courtesy of Bjrn Christian Trrissen.
14
| January/February 2014 | Missio Immaculat International
stars torm a perpetual pendant on
Mary's person, (a.) on her torehead,
(b.) on her riht, (c.) and on her lett
shoulder. These celestial lihts draw
every pious Christian to contemplate
the unique privilees ot Mary as the
triple VirinMother
27
his companions conceivably added the
traditional three stars to solemnly com
memorate her triple privilee at Lateran
6+9. For the known history ot this icon,
see Leonid Ouspensky and Vladimir
Lossky, Ti. M.or:r o, Icors, 5nd print.
(Hon Kon. $t. Vladimir's $eminary
Press, 1982), 8083. It is not unthinkable
that the three stars were added to not
madebyhands (o.:roo:.tos)" icon, ac
credited with deliverance ot the Capital
trom the Avar seie in 626. Maximus' bi
oraphy was auspicious in these circum
stances. The three stars were a potentially
symbolic honor added to her imae. Ct.
Maria Vassilaki, Io.s o, ti. Moti.r o,
Goc :r B,;ort:u: P.rc.t:ors o, ti. Ti.
otoios :r B,;ort:u (Burlinton, VT. Ash
ate, 2005), 210211.
27 The two stronest disciples ot $t. Ore
In Rome, Maximus' Marian ter
minoloy was never torotten, and
his livin triumph was only surpassed
in the East throuh a posthumous
honor, namely, the $ixth Ecumeni
cal Council (680) that canonized
much ot Maximus' theoloy. Yet,
Maximus' addition ot immaculate"
to $ophronius' phraseoloy added
luster to $ophronius' Marioloy
ot Mary prepuritied," who was a
unique morally and physically per
tect virin, subsequently intensitied
ory Palamas were detenders ot Mary's
immaculateness at conception, whether
:r ut.ro or in the divine mind, composed
in honor ot this icon. They both wrote a
specitic treatise in her honor. $ee ]oseph
Bryennius, Tioris:::r orot:or to ti. Ti.
otoios, in Ieoq Muvuo to Bpucvvi!
ou tu cupc0cvtu, 2nd print., ed. E. Bul
aris (Thessaloniki. 1990), 3. 326332,
Mark Euenicus, To ti. Most Hoi, Moti.r
o, Goc ti. Hoc..tr:o: E:it Poroci.t:c Cor
ors, ed. M. Pilavakis (MethoniPierias,
Oreece. 2010).
in her participation ot race and
physically brouht to conception at
the moment ot puritication" (name
ly, the Annunciation").
28
Extendin
his master's meditation to her sub
sequent prenancy and birth, Maxi
mus' thriceholy virin, imitatin the
ThriceHoly Ood, was implicitly con
tessed at the $ixth Ecumenical Coun
cil. Immaculate" added the notion
ot Mary's continuous physical and
moral pertection until the end ot
her earthly sojourn. Pope $t. Aatho
contirmed the $ophronioMaximian
synthesis trom the lips ot emperor
Constantine IV, who protessed.
28 Maximus' master associates stainless"
with the prepuritied" virin. $ee $oph
ronius ot ]erusalem, Or ti. Arrurc:o
t:or, in PO, 87.3. 3273D +3. The Holy
$pirit comes down upon you, the stain
less woman (t.r ooi,rtor), It is oin to
make you more pure (iotiorot.ror) and It
is oin to provide tor you a tructiterous
power."
Apse wall painting at St. Nicholas
Greek Orthodox Church, Oak Lawn, IL
Missio Immaculat International | January/February 2014 |
15
We contess. the OnlyBeot
ten $on. Who emptied Himselt
in willtul humility in the womb
ot the immaculate (ocirortou) vir
in and Ti.otoios Mary, atter she
was prepuritied (roiotiorti.:s.s)
with respect to soul and body.
He made his dwellin via the
Holy $pirit and trom her holy
and blameless tlesh (.i t.s io:os
io: ooou sorios out.s)."
29
Maximus' intluence secured a
perpetual link between Mary's ti
tle ot prepuritied"
30
and immac
ulate," where the tormer means
the moment that a totally pure
nature is iven increased participa
tion in race, while the latter tells
ot a raced nature that is ranted
moral and physical pertection tor
an indetinite time.
4. THE LINK BETWEEN VIRGIN-
ITY AND IMMACULATENESS
Yet, why does Maximus so
emphasize Mary's title as ever
immaculate". $urprisinly, both
Oreek and Latin theoloy saw
Mary's perpetual virinity as the
prototype tor ]esus' arument tor an
elic purity ot body and soul.
For when people have risen
trom dead, neither do they mar
ry nor are they iven in marriae.
They are just like the anels in
the heavens. Now concernin
the dead - since you say they are
not raised - have you not read
in the Book ot Moses, at the oc
currence ot the burnin bush,
29 Constantine IV, Avtipuo.apo tqv
uiuv ouvooov to uaootoiko 0po!
vou., in Corc:i:u ur::.rsoi. Corstor
t:rooi:toru t.rt:u (68u68!): Corc:i::
oct:or.s IXVIII. Acta conciliorum oe
cumenicorum, ed. R. Riediner (Berlin.
1992), 2.2. 838 (19.1017)."
30 $ee $ophronius ot ]erusalem, Ti. Arrur
c:ot:or, in PO 87.3. 3277D. Also the ra
tional, ensouled tlesh ot Ood the Word
inherited His lot, atter His tlesh took
up the virinal and undetiledimmacu
late blood (.i orti.r:ior io: ocirortor
io:otor) ot the undetiledimmaculate
Virin." (Orot:o 2.+6).
how Ood said to Moses. 'I am
the Ood ot Abraham, the Ood
ot Isaac, and the Ood ot ]acob'.
He is not the Ood ot the dead,
but ot the livin" (Mk 12.2+27).
]esus associates not bein iven
to marriae" (namely, virinity) to
incorruptibility." The equivalency
between the term virinity" and
incorruption" is an example ot a
natural sin." ]ust as smoke is a
natural sin ot tire, so virinity (in all
cultures ot all times) sinities purity
and interity or incorruption. Thus,
a natural human symbol is the very
basis tor the ospel doctrine. For this
reason, Oreory Nyssa (c. 335c. 395)
wrote on this passae.
We are tauht too about the
mystery (on the subject ot the
Virin), trom whom the liht ot
the divinity shone upon human
lite via birth. This liht kindled
the incorruptible bush, atter
the blastula ot the Virin did
not cause her to wither throuh
childbirth (L:,. o, Mos.s, 2.21,
lines 15).
31
31 Oreory Nyssa, Lo ::. c. Mo:s.. $ources
Above, Nyssa explains Maximus'
ever immaculate" to mean that
Mary had the tullness ot incorrupt
ible anelic" existence in the tlesh,
and even implies her possession ot
the resurrected body. In parallel
tashion, Auustine's own source
tor his triplevirinal tormula
writes in the next lines.
Extinuish the tire ot the
tlesh throuh the love (oor.)
ot Christ. ]ust as the lory
that comes trom the resurrec
tion, so too you tree yourselt
here and now. Let me remain
silent, tor the Lord speaks on
this matter, Neither do they
marry, nor are they iven to
marriae, but they will be like
the anels" (Mk 12.2+27).
32
Christ equates asexual men
and women to anels, and (a.)
asexual rational beins o,t.r ti.
r.surr.ct:or abstain trom sexual
relations, (b.) but they are clothed
in incorrupt or resurrected tlesh,
(c.) theretore, incorrupt tlesh and
resurrected tlesh are asexual.
Consequently, tor the Fa
thers, the most spiritual and anelic
beins o.,or. ti. r.surr.ct:or on earth
are virins, (d.) o ,ort:or: those most
anelic virins are perpetual virins
Lastly, Ood bears witness to incor
ruption ot the tlesh in the burnin
bush throuh invocation ot the con
tinuous existence ot Abraham, etc.
Theretore, the burnin bush is a sym
bol ot endless time and incorruptibil
ity. In conclusion, the perpetual Vir
in ot the Annunciation communes
with anels (as like to like) because
ot her perpetual virinity, and she is
tittinly symbolized by the burnin
bush as a sin ot perpetuity and im
mortal incorruptibility ot her tlesh.
Maximus bears witness to this Oreco
Latin understandin ot virinity.
chretiennes, 3rd edition, ed. ]. Danielou
(Paris. 1968), 1.2. 118.
32 Zeno, Troctotus, in PL 11, 30+, nn. 67.