Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
In the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit. I’d like to thank all of you in
attendance for this magnificent occasion, the Passia service on the Triumph or Sunday of
Orthodoxy, upon which we may place our hope and for which the Divine Liturgy was
celebrated this morning. Vladyko, Rev Fathers, Dobrodyku, honored guests and all
1This evening I would like to share with you a story about two women who fatefully
chose two different paths “to their respective lives”, yet reached the same destination. The
background of their story is amidst the iconoclast heresy. While there are many available
resources to describe this controversy in detail, I will offer a brief and concise summary for
those who are unfamiliar with this part of Church history. Iconoclasm arose in the 8th
century when its proponents claimed that the veneration and possession of icons were
illicit. While the heresy was denounced at the 7th ecumenical council, the heretics had at
Our story begins its crescendo as Emperor Theophilus acceded to the throne and as
the iconoclast heresy was approaching its decline. He was the final emperor to embrace the
iconoclast’s teaching in which the venerating and owning of icons was considered
blasphemous. At this time, Theophilus was a young man in search of a bride. His mother
had arranged for the most noble unwed women in the empire to congregate at the Royal
palace and thereto participate in a bride contest. The winner was to be awarded a solid
1
The presentation or sermon is adapted and copyrighted by the author Bryan (Mykolai) Garagan and except for te
intellectual property of the aforementioned is the exclusive intellectual property of Fr. Raphael Daly, and Fr.
Alexander Schmemann and their respective jurisdictions. We also honor the copyright companies under the
aforesaid jurisdictions.
Garagan
2
gold apple and to become the empress. Theophilus, presided over the contest as judge. As
the contest came to a close, six semi-finalists remained, and among the six were two
heroines-named Cassiani and Theodora. Both contestants were “exquisitely beautiful” and
possessed keen intellects. However, whereas Theodora was characteristically “modest and
humble”, Cassiani was sharp-tongued. In other words, she did not “suffer fools gladly.”
That Theophilus was known as something of a fool did not bode well for the impetuous
approached her with the golden apple in hand. It appeared that Cassiani had triumphed
over her competition. Theophilus, ever the fool, decided to wax theological with her; we
may infer that as he held the apple the story of Eve and the Serpent in the Garden came to
mind, for it is recorded that he spoke to Cassiani in these words: “From women flowed
corruption.” Without hesitation Cassiani retorted: “But also from woman sprang forth
what is superior”, an obvious reference to the fact that “God Himself deigned to be born of
award the golden apple to the silent and modest Theodora at which time they were
married.
This turn of events “suited Cassiani just fine.” She neither aspired to marriage or to
be empress. Free to follow her noble pursuits she founded a monastery which she oversaw
as Abbess. While things change, some also remain the same, the expression goes. Even as a
nun Cassiani continued to speak her mind to the emperor. At the same time, Theophilus
persisted in his persecution of the Icondules, that is, those Orthodox people who revered
icons. Cassiani conversely joined other monastics in public defiance of his legislation. The
emperor had her beaten and persecuted, though history relates that she was numbered
Garagan
3
among the fortunate. It was not uncommon for monks, nuns, and other Orthodox
supporters of icon veneration, to have their eyes gouged and their ears cut off. The
persecutors also ransacked churches and monasteries under imperial order, divesting them
of all sacred images, whereupon all that remained, one author described, was “ mere
shells.” Against her monastic mandate, Cassiani once remarked: “I hate silence when it is
time to speak”. I think this, my Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ, is an important
lesson in history. Perhaps a lesson that we need to embrace. In the face of injustice in any
era, but increasingly in our current epoch, it is essential that Orthodoxy be heard. I believe
her words to be apropos, at present; especially if one considers that daily what we value is
viewed by many as an object of ridicule and for which censure is often prescribed. Such
ungodly cultural trends has prompted our own Metropolitan Yuri to reference the present
times in which we live as “Post-Christian”. The time for silence one may argue has long
since past.
emperor died, leaving Theodora as regent in his place. The Hitchcockian twist here is that
marriage to the emperor, was a silent supporter of the icondules and accordingly raised her
six children to venerate Icons and love Orthodoxy. To this very day, at the Vatopedi
Monastery on Mount of Athos two of the Icons she owned can be viewed by pilgrims. One
of the Icons is two sided, with a mirror on one side and an Icon on the other. Sources
testify, that when she was alone in her room she venerated the Icon, and when her husband
entered she turned the Icon around revealing the mirror and avoiding detection. Upon
Garagan
4
Theophilus’s death she deposed the iconoclast clergy and restored the “icons and (those)
I have here a copy of the Icon depicting the Triumph of Orthodoxy and I can pass it
around after this presentation. When you peruse this icon you will observe the empress
Theodora and her son Michael standing, from our perspective to the left of the famous
Directress Icon of the Theotokos. Below, in the left hand corner, again from our purview
you can see a nun positioned along side all of the monks. This is the nun Cassiani.
There at times have emerged arguments over whether we should speak out or be
silent, and both of these women could be offered as evidence for the wisdom of either
position. Perhaps, the timing and context is important, since both women were vocal
advocates of Orthodoxy. Cassiani spoke first while the more introverted Theodora bided
her time, eventually speaking and acting with unequivocal conviction. Thus, both were
elevated and glorified as saints for their defense of Orthodoxy and icons. Of equal or more
significance is Fr. Raphael Daly’s comments in this regard He states: “(Both Cassiani and
Theodora each had their own method of defending Orthodoxy, but it was the faith they
defended that matters ultimately.” The triumph in the ninth century, he persists, was not
simply a victory for certain people whose practice was “ to kiss icons”, rather it was a
triumph of the Orthodox faith. Both Saints safeguarded Orthodoxy- which is our faith my
brothers and sisters-and would not bend to the whimsical notions of emperors nor the
fanciful currents of a particular epoch in history. Our Divine Liturgy, our icons, our
monastics, our doctrine, our clergy are all elements of this faith. A faith prefigured by
Prophets and proclaimed by the Holy Apostles, and indeed Christ Himself. St’s Theodora
and Cassiani with intrepid courage defended the faith and handed it down to us, it is now
Garagan
5
our responsibility to likewise defend and maintain. Fr. Raphael exhorts that we
correspondingly, “must uphold the faith that we have received unchanged.” It is our
obligation to resist and denounce as they did. The obstinate notion that the Orthodox faith
must be revised to acquiesce to the whims of the age or contemporaneous yet fleeting
This is not only to be our stance with respect to the world but also as it concerns the
Schmemann has suggested there is a predominant sentiment in the theology of the West
“task, method and language on the “modern man: and…(his) modern needs.” Thus, Fr.
Schmemann astutely declares: “Therefore we must emphasize that Orthodoxy rejects such
a reduction of theology, whose first and eternal tasks is to search for Truth, not for
relevance, for words “adequate to God” (and) not to man.” Theoprepeis logoi.
We must dear brothers and sisters in Christ in light of the Triumph of orthodoxy
and in the words of St. Paul as quoted by Orthodox theologian Alexander Schmeman
understand that theology is “truly relevant because it is truly Christian when it remains a
scandal for the Jews, foolishness for the greeks and is at odds with this world and its
the world, as St. Cassiani was, and moreover to be an outspoken witness to our children,
Works Cited
Daly, Raphael. “On the Sunday of Orthodoxy”. St. Mary’s Orthodox Church.
Massachusetts:2002-2018 web 21-02-2018
Schmemann, Alexander. “The Task of Orthodox Theology in America Today.”