Εμφάνιση αναρτήσεων με ετικέτα Tbilisi Georgia. Εμφάνιση όλων των αναρτήσεων
Εμφάνιση αναρτήσεων με ετικέτα Tbilisi Georgia. Εμφάνιση όλων των αναρτήσεων

Σάββατο 28 Ιουνίου 2014

TRADITION OF ARRIVING OF SAINT MOTHER OF GOD TO MOUNT ATHOS AS THE INITIAL SOURCE OF THE THEOTOKOS’ VENERATION BY THE MONK OF THE HOLY MOUNTAIN



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