Monk
Patapios Kavsokalybitis
Librarian at the Skete of Kafsokalyvia, Doctor
of Theology
Tradition of Arriving of Saint Mother
of God to Mount
Athos as the Initial Source of the Theotokos’
Veneration by the Monks of the Holy Mountain.
Throughout the long history of
Athonite monasticism, it has been and always remains a deep conviction of Holy
Mountain anchorites that the All-Holy Theotokos is their overseer and
protector. She guards Mount Athos and the fathers who toil and struggle on it,
watching over them and pleading on their behalf. This belief has its origins in
the pledges made by our Most Holy Lady to the first saint of Mount Athos, Saint
Peter the Athonite, as they were recorded in the Life of the saint and in Saint
Gregory Palamas’ eulogy to him, as well as in various narratives describing the
arrival of Theotokos at Mount Athos and the bestowal of this holy place to her
care – a gift granted by her Son.
Furthermore, it is
well-known throughout the Orthodox world that, according to ancient tradition,
the Holy Mountain is the lot bequeathed to the Most Holy Theotokos. That is why
her presence is – and has been for centuries – so prominent in Athonite life.
When tracing the
historical sources of Athonite monasticism, special importance is attached to
an entire body of narratives that contain accounts of the Holy Mountain’s
patriographic traditions. These traditions encompass the beginnings of
monasticism on Mount Athos, the foundation of its monasteries, the miraculous
icons, as well as events that are believed to have taken place on the Holy
Mountain during the course of its thousand-plus-year history. Among those texts
we find one titled “Partial Remembrance of the Holy Mountain of
Athos, also known as ‘Patria’”
where reference is made, among others, to the journey of the Theotokos to
Athos.
The text begins
with a gathering of the Holy Apostles in Zebedee’s house, which took place
after Christ’s Ascension and was also attended by the Theotokos. During that
meeting they decided to draw lots, so as to reveal to which part of the earth
each of them should embark in accordance to the Lord’s command to “make
disciples of all nations”. As we know, Theotokos’ lot was Iberia (a region
known today as Georgia); but, before she set out on her mission, she travelled
to Cyprus in order to meet Lazarus, whom Christ had raised from the dead.
Oddly, however, the ship reached Mount Athos, where the Theotokos received a
glorious welcome by its then pagan population.
The present
proposition attempts to present a record of traditional handwritten accounts of
the Theotokos’ arrival at Mount Athos, dated from the 16th to 19th
centuries. A characteristic example of this manuscript tradition is a hitherto
unpublished document, cited and thoroughly analyzed here: a text handed down to
us by the most prolific Athonite author of the 19th century, the
monk Iakovos of New Skete [Iakovos Neasketiotis] (†1869). It was composed by
Iakovos between 1847-1848 in
the context of his outstanding work “Athonias”; namely, a history of the Holy
Mountain from its early years, when monasticism was first introduced in Mount
Athos, to the third quarter of the 19th century.
This proposition
also makes reference to the various aspects of the veneration shown to the
Theotokos in the Holy Mountain, by taking the reader on a journey through the
Holy Monasteries and Sketae dedicated to her, to the miraculous sacred icons of
the Theotokos and the devoutly observed Theometoric feasts.
Abstract of a
lecture presented by Fr. Patapios at the 5th
International Symposium:
“The
Tradition of Veneration of the Theotokos in Orthodox Church.”
The Symposium,
which took place in Tbilisi, was organized by the Georgia Academy of Sciences
and the Patriarchate of Georgia. 12-19
May, 2014.
PROGRAM OF THE SYMPOSIUM
The Fifth International Symposium
"Tradition of the Theotokos' Veneration in
Orthodox Church"
Tbilisi, 12-19 May, 2014
Ceremonial opening of the
Fifth International Symposium, work of the sections and "Round Table"
- closing of the Symposium
Courtyard by Marriott Hotel
Conference Hall
13 May
11.00 - Public prayer in
Iveria Holy Mary Church (which is in the building process) on Makhata Mountain.
12.00 - Plenary session.
16.00 - Work of the sections
- First and second parts.
14-15 May
Pilgrimage to Eastern
Georgia (Kutaisi, Batumi and Zugdidi).
16 May
11.00 - Work of the sections
- First and second parts.
17.00 - "Round
Table" - evaluation of the results of the Symposium.
Closing of the Fifth
International Symposium.
13 May
The Fifth International
Symposium - "Tradition of the Theotokos' Veneration in Orthodox
Church"
Ceremonial opening
Courtyard by Marriott Hotel
Conference Hall
12.00 - Plenary session
Opening speech:
Chair of "International
Centre for Christian Studies" at the Orthodox Church of Georgia,
Academician David Muskhelishvili.
Greetings:
His Holiness and Beatitude,
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia,
Ilia II.
President of Georgia, His
Excellency, Mr Giorgi Margvelashvili.
Prime-Minister of Georgia,
His Excellency, Mr Irakli Gharibashvili.
Chair of the Parliament of Georgia, His
Excellency, Mr David Usupashvili.
Representative of the World
Patriarchate.
President of Georgian National Academy
of Sciences, Academician Otar Kvesitadze.
Report:
"Tradition of the
Theotokos' Veneration in Orthodox Apostolic Church of Georgia"
- His Eminence, Metropolitan of Sachkhere and Chiatura, Daniel (Datuashvili).
Work of the sections of the Fifth International
Symposium
13 May
Section I. Theology.
Chairman of the section: His
Eminence, Metropolitan of Poti and Khobi, Grigol (Berbichashvili).
Co-chairmen:
Archpriest Josef Zeteishvili
Nicolae Dura
Time-limit:
Report: 15 minutes
Discussion: 5 minutes
16.00
1. Representative of the World Patriarchate.
2. Archpriest
Josef Zeteishvili (Lithuania)
- The Most Holy Virgin Mary and National-Religion Identity of Georgians.
3. Cătălina
Mititelu (Romania) - The
Virgin Mary in the „Baptismal Symbols” of the Pre-Nicene Church.
4.
Robert
Scudieri (The USA)
- Belief and Being (Orthodox and Lutheran Understandings of the Theotokos).
Break
18.00
1. Edisher Chelidze (Georgia) - On
Kartli Fallen to the lot of the Mother of God.
2. Stephen J. Shoemaker (The USA) -
Veneration of the Virgin Mary in the Early Jerusalem
Liturgy: The Evidence of the Georgian Jerusalem
Chantbook.
3. Eirini Artemi
(Bulgaria) - The Modulation of the Term THEOTOKOS from the Fathers of 2nd
Century to Cyril of Alexandria.
4.
Nicolae
Dură (Romania)
- The Mariology of the Pre-Nicene
Church. The Testimonies
of Some Fathers and Theologians of Greek and Latin Language.
13 May
Section II. Church History.
Chairman of the section: His
Eminence, Metropolitan of Ateni and Gori, Andria
(Gvazava)
Co-chairmen:
Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyov
Giorgi Kalandia
Time-limit:
Report: 15 minutes
Discussion: 5 minutes
16.00
1. His Eminence, Metropolitan of Senaki, Chkhorotsku
and Australia, Shio (Mujiri)
(Georgia) - Tradition of the Theotokos' Veneration in Senaki
Cloisters (in Teklati Nunnery and in Fathers' Cloister on the "Island of Archangels").
2. Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyov (Russia)
- The Worship of the Mother of God in the Russian Orthodox Church in the 20th
Century.
3. Asmat Okropiridze (Georgia)
- For the Atskuri Icon of the Most Holy Virgin.
4. Giorgi Kalandia (Georgia)
- The Dadiani Palace and the Robe of the Theotokos.
Break
18.00
5. Archpriest
Nikolay Sokolov (Russia)
- The Eager Protectress of Christian
People.
6. Nana Khazaradze (Georgia) - The
Theotokos' Girdle and Georgia.
7. Natalia
Chugreeva (Russia) - Veneration Tradition of the Icon of Our
Lady of Kazan in Russia and in Modern World.
8. Andrei Efimov (Russia)
- Some Traditions of Veneration of the Theotokos in Modern Russia.
16 May
Section II. Church History.
Chairman of the section: His
Eminence, Metropolitan of Ateni and Gori, Andria
(Gvazava)
Co-chairmen:
Archpriest Victor Potapov
Eldar Bubulashvili
Time-limit:
Report: 15 minutes
Discussion: 5 minutes
11.00
1. Archpriest Victor Potapov (The USA)
- The Myrrh-Streaming Iveron Icons of the Theotokos & Br. Joseph
Munoz-Cortes.
2. Maia Darchia (The Czech Republic) -
Veneration of the Theotokos in the Czech Republic.
3. Priest Igor Ivanov (Russia)
- The Veneration of the Theotokos in Byzantium.
4. Shlomit Weksler-Bdolah (Israel)
- Theotokos Adoration in the Holy City of Jerusalem
in the Early Byzantine Period.
5. Giorgi Alibegashvili (Georgia) - The "Sun Risen Truth” and Saint Nino.
Break
13.00
6. Archpriest Dimitri Kalachev (Germany) –
The Hodegetria of the Russian Diaspora.
7. Eka Dughashvili (Georgia)
- The Theme of Dormition of Virgin Mary in
Hymnographic Manuscripts of Mount Sinai.
8.
Ia Melnikova (Russia)
- From the History of Veneration of the Mother of God by Schema-Hegumene Thamar
(Marjanishvili).
9. Nino (Nunu) Mindadze (Georgia)
– The Theotokos and Georgian Traditional Medicine.
10. Eldar Bubulashvili (Georgia)
- Iberia Falling to the Lot of the Mother of God (Historical and Source Study
Analysis).
16 May
Section III. Christian Art.
Chairman of the section: His
Eminence, Metropolitan of Rustavi, Ioane (Gamrekeli)
Co-chairmen: Monk
Patapios Kaysokalybitis
Mariam Didebulidze
Time-limit:
Report: 15 minutes
Discussion: 5 minutes
11.00
1.
Monk Patapios Kaysokalybitis
(Greece) – Tradition of Arriving of
Saint Mother of God to Mount Athos as the Initial Source of the Theotokos’
Veneration by the Monks of the Holy Mountain.
2.
Nestan
Sulava (Georgia) - Interpretation of the Most Holy
Virgin’s Image in Georgian Hymnography and in David Guramishvili’s Poetry –
“The Lamentation of the Virgin.”
3.
Larissa
Gustova (Belarus)
- Chants for the Theotokos in the Belarusian Orthodox Musical Tradition.
4.
Mariam
Didebulidze (Georgia)
– Tradition of Depiction of the Theotokos in Medieval Georgian Art.
5. Medea Burduli, Lali
Mghebrishvili (Georgia) – The Theotokos – Protector
of Mother and Child Relation (In Georgian Ethnographic Life).
Break
13.00
6. Alessandro Maria Bruni (Italy)
- An Old Georgian Iambic Translation of the Song of Songs as an Encomium to the
Holy Mother of God in the Vienna Codex No. 4.
7. Nana Burchuladze (Georgia) - Imagery
Essence of the Icon of Zarzma Theotokos.
8.
Priest
Maxim Vlad (Romania)
- Devotion to the Mother of God Expressed by Romanian People in His Own Dialect
Popular.
9. Ia Ghadua (Georgia) –
Parallel Imagery Symbols of the Theotokos and Eva in Religious Poetry.
10. Tinatin Gamtsemlidze (Georgia)
- Ancient Icons of the Theotokos and Tradition of Dormition Festival in Rome.
17.00 - "Round
Table" - Evaluation of the results of the Symposium
Closing of the Fifth
International Symposium
Courtyard by Marriott Hotel
Conference Hall
