I. Concerning sacerdotal Consecrations.
[edit] Such, then, is the most Divine perfecting work of the Muron But it may
be opportune, after these Divine ministrations, to set forth the
sacerdotal Orders and elections themselves, and their powers, and
operations, and consecrations, and the triad of the superior ranks
under them; in order that the arrangement of our Hierarchy may be
demonstrated, as entirely rejecting and excluding the disordered, the
unregulated, and the confused; and, at the same time, choosing and
manifesting the regulated and ordered, and well-established, in the
gradations of the sacred Ranks within it. Now we have well shewn, as I
think, in the Hierarchies already extolled by us, the threefold
division of every Hierarchy, when we affirmed that our sacred tradition
holds, that every Hierarchical transaction is divided into the most
Divine Mystic Rites, and the inspired experts and teachers of them, and
those who are being religiously initiated by them.
Thus the most holy Hierarchy of the supercelestial Beings has, for its
initiation, its own possible and most immaterial conception of God and
things Divine, and the complete likeness to God, and a persistent habit
of imitating God, as far as permissible. And its illuminators, and
leaders to this sacred consecration, are the very first Beings around
God. For these generously and proportionately transmit to the
subordinate sacred Ranks the ever deifying notions given to them, by
the self-perfect Godhead and the wise-making Divine Minds. Now the
Ranks, who are subordinate to the first Beings, are, and are truly
called, the initiated Orders, as being religiously conducted, through
those, to the deifying illumination of the Godhead. And after
this,--the heavenly and supermundane Hierarchy,--the Godhead gave the
Hierarchy under the Law, imparting its most holy gifts, for the benefit
of our race, to them (as being children according to the Logion), by
faint images of the true, and copies far from the Archetypes, and
enigmas hard to understand, and types having the contemplation
enveloped within, as an analogous light not easily discerned, so as not
to wound weak, eyes by the light shed upon them. Now to this Hierarchy
under the Law, the elevation to spiritual worship is an initiation. Now
the men religiously instructed for that holy tabernacle by Moses,--the
first initiated and leader of the Hierarchs under the Law,--were
conductors; in reference to which holy tabernacle,--when describing for
purposes of instruction the Hierarchy under the Law,--he called all the
sacred services of the Law an image of the type shewn to him in Mount
Sinai. But "initiated" are those who are being conducted to a more
perfect revelation of the symbols of the Law, in proportion to their
capacity. Now the Word of God calls our Hierarchy the more perfect
revelation, naming it a fulfilment of that, and a holy inheritance. It
is both heavenly and legal, like the mean between extremes, common to
the one, by intellectual contemplations, and to the other, because it
is variegated by sensible signs; and, through these, reverently
conduces to the Divine Being. And it has likewise a threefold division
of the Hierarchy, which is divided into the most holy ministrations of
the Mystic Rites, and into the Godlike ministers of holy things, and
those who are being conducted by them, according to their capacity, to
things holy.
And each of the three divisions of our Hierarchy, comformably to that
of the Law, and the Hierarchy, more divine than ours, is arranged as
first and middle and last in power; consulting both reverent
proportion, and well-ordered and concordant fellowship of all things in
harmonious rank.
The most holy ministration, then, of the Mystic Rites has, as first
Godlike power, the holy cleansing of the uninitiated; and as middle,
the enlightening instruction of the purified; and as last, and summary
of the former, the perfecting of those instructed in science of their
proper instructions; and the order of the Ministers, in the first
power, cleanses the uninitiated through the Mystic Rites; and in the
second, conducts to light the purified; and in the last and highest of
the Ministering Powers, makes perfect those who have participated in
the Divine light, by the scientific completions of the illuminations
contemplated. And of the Initiated, the first power is that being
purified; and the middle is that being enlightened, after the
cleansing, and which contemplates certain holy things; and the last and
more divine than the others, is that enlightened in the perfecting
science of the holy enlightenment of which it has become a
contemplator. Let, then, the threefold power of the holy service of the
Mystic Rites be extolled, since the Birth in God is exhibited in the
Oracles as a purification and enlightening illumination, and the Rite
of the Synaxis and the Muron, as a perfecting knowledge and science of
the works of God, through which the unifying elevation to the Godhead
and most blessed communion is reverently perfected. And now let us
explain next the sacerdotal Order, which is divided into a purifying
and illuminating and perfecting discipline.
This, then, is the all-sacred Law of the Godhead, that, through the
first, the second are conducted to Its most Divine splendour. Do we not
see the material substances of the elements, first approaching, by
preference, things which are more congenial to them, and, through
these, diffusing their own energy to other things? Naturally, then, the
Head and Foundation of all good order, invisible and visible, causes
the deifying rays to approach the more Godlike first, and through them,
as being more transparent Minds, and more properly adapted for
reception and transmission of Light, transmits light and manifestations
to the subordinate, in proportions suitable to them.
It is, then, the function of these, the first contemplators of God, to
exhibit ungrudgingly to those second, in proportion to their capacity,
the Divine visions reverently gazed upon by themselves, and to reveal
the things relating to the Hierarchy (since they have been abundantly
instructed with a perfecting science in all matters relating to their
own Hierarchy, and have received the effectual power of instruction),
and to impart sacred gifts according to fitness, since they
scientifically and wholly participate in sacerdotal perfection.
The Divine Rank of the Hierarchs, then, is the first of the
God-contemplative Ranks; and it is, at the same time, highest and
lowest; inasmuch as every Order of our Hierarchy is summed up and
fulfilled in it. For, as we see every Hierarchy terminated in the Lord
Jesus, so we see each terminated in its own inspired Hierarch. Now the
power of the Hierarchical Rank permeates the whole sacred body, and
through every one of the sacred Ranks performs the mysteries of its
proper Hierarchy. But, pre-eminently, to it, rather than to the other
Ranks, the Divine institution assigned the more Divine ministrations.
For these are the perfecting images of the supremely Divine Power,
completing all the most Divine symbols and all the sacred orderings.
For though some of the worshipful symbols are consecrated by the
Priests, yet never will the Priest effect the holy Birth in God without
the most Divine Muron; nor will he consecrate the mysteries of the
Divine Communion, unless the communicating symbols have been placed
upon the most Divine Altar; and neither will he be Priest himself,
unless he has been elected to this by the Hierarchical consecrations.
Hence the Divine Institution uniquely assigned the dedication of the
Hierarchical Ranks, and the consecration of the Divine Muron and the
sacred completion of the Altar, to the perfecting powers of the
inspired Hierarchs.
It is, then, the Hierarchical Rank which, full of the perfecting power,
pre-eminently completes the perfecting functions of the Hierarchy, and
reveals lucidly the sciences of the holy mysteries, and teaches their
proportionate and sacred conditions and powers. But the illuminating
Rank of the Priests conducts those, who are being initiated under the
Rank of, the inspired Hierarchs, to the Divine visions of the Mystic
Rites, and in co-operation with it, ministers its proper ministrations.
Whatever then this Rank may do, by shewing the works of God, through
the most holy symbols, and perfecting those who draw nigh in the Divine
contemplations, and communion of the holy rites, it yet refers those,
who crave the science of the religious services contemplated, to the
Hierarch. And the Rank of the Leitourgoi (which is purifying and
separates the unfit, previous to the approach to the ministrations of
the Priests), thoroughly purifies those who are drawing nigh, by making
them entirely pure from opposing passions, and suitable for the
sanctifying vision and communion. Hence, during the service of the
Birth in God, the Leitourgoi strip him who draws nigh of his old
clothing, yea further, even take off his sandals, and make him stand
towards the west for renunciation; and again, they lead him back to the
east (for they are of the purifying rank and power), enjoining on those
who approach to entirely cast away the surroundings of their former
life, and shewing the darkness of their former conduct, and teaching
those, who have said farewell to the lightless, to transfer their
allegiance to the luminous. The Leitourgical Order, then, is purifying,
by leading those who have been purified to the bright ministrations of
the Priests, both by thoroughly purifying the uninitiated and by
bringing to birth, by the purifying illuminations and teachings of the
Oracles, and further, by sending away from the Priests the unholy,
without respect of persons. Wherefore also the Hierarchical institution
places it at the holy gates, suggesting that the approach of those who
draw nigh to holy things should be in altogether complete purification,
and entrusting the approach to their reverent vision and communion to
the purifying powers, and admitting them, through these, without spot.
We have shewn, then, that the Rank of the Hierarchs is consecrating and
perfecting, that of the Priests, illuminating and conducting to the
light; and that of the Leitourgoi purifying and discriminating; that is
to say, the Hierarchical Rank is appointed not only to perfect, but
also at the same time, to enlighten and to purify, and has within
itself the purifying sciences of the power of the Priests together with
the illuminating. For the inferior Ranks cannot cross to the superior
functions, and, besides this, it is not permitted to them to take in
hand such quackery as that. Now the more Divine Orders know also,
together with their own, the sacred sciences subordinate to their own
perfection. Nevertheless, since the sacerdotal orderings of the
well-arranged and unconfused order of the Divine operations are images
of Divine operations, they were arranged in Hierarchical distinctions,
shewing in themselves the illuminations marshalled into the first, and
middle, and last, sacred operations and Ranks; manifesting, as I said,
in themselves the well-ordered and unconfused character of the Divine
operations. For since the Godhead first cleanses the minds which He may
enter, then enlightens, and, when enlightened, perfects them to a
Godlike perfection; naturally the Hierarchical of the Divine images
divides itself into well-defined Ranks and powers, shewing clearly the
supremely Divine operation firmly established, without confusion, in
most hallowed and unmixed Ranks. But, since we have spoken, as
attainable to us, of the sacerdotal Ranks and elections, and their
powers and operations, let us now contemplate their most holy
consecrations as well as we can.
II. Mysterion of Sacerdotal Consecrations.
[edit] The Hierarch, then, being led to the Hierarchical consecration, after
he has bent both his knees before the Altar, has upon his head [1]the God-transmitted oracles, and the Hierarchical hand, and in this
manner is consecrated by the Hierarch, who ordains him by the
altogether most holy invocations. And the Priest, after he has bent
both his knees before the Divine Altar, has the Hierarchical right hand
upon his head, and in this manner is dedicated by the Hierarch, who
ordains him with hallowing invocations. And the Leitourgos, after he
has bent one of two knees before the Divine Altar, has upon his head
the right hand of the Hierarch who ordains him, being completed by him
with the initiating invocations of the Leitourgoi. Upon each of them
the cruciform seal is impressed, by the ordaining Hierarch, and, in
each case, a sacred proclamation of name takes place, and a perfecting
salutation, since every sacerdotal person present, and the Hierarch who
ordained, salute him who has been enrolled to any of the aforenamed
sacerdotal Ranks.
III. Contemplation.
[edit] These things, then, are common both to the Hierarchs, and Priests, and
Leitourgoi, in their sacerdotal consecrations,--the conducting to the
Divine Altar and kneeling,--the imposition of the Hierarchical
hand,--the cruciform seal,--the announcement of name,--the completing
salutation.
And special and select for the Hierarchs is the imposition of the
Oracles upon the head, since the subordinate Ranks have not this; and
for the Priests the bending of both knees, since the consecration of
the Leitourgoi has not this; for the Leitourgoi, as has been said, bend
the one of two knees only.
The conducting then to the Divine Altar, and kneeling, suggests to all
those who are being sacerdotally ordained, that their own life is
entirely placed under God, as source of consecration, and that their
whole intellectual self, all pure and hallowed, approaches to Him, and
that it is of one likeness, and, as far as possible, meet for the
supremely Divine and altogether most holy, both Victim[2] and Altar,
which purifies, sacerdotally, the Godlike Minds.
And the imposition of the Hierarchical hand signifies at once the
consecrating protection, by which, as holy children, they are
paternally tended, which bequeaths to them a sacerdotal condition and
power, and drives away their adverse powers, and teaches, at the same
time also, to perform the sacerdotal operations, as those who, having
been consecrated, are acting under God, and have Him as Leader of their
own operations in every respect.
And the cruciform seal manifests the inaction of all the impulses of
the flesh, and the God-imitated life looking away unflinchingly to the
manly most Divine life of Jesus, Who came even to Cross and death with
a supremely Divine sinlessness, and stamped those who so live with the
cruciform image of His own sinlessness as of the same likeness.
And the Hierarch calls aloud the name of the consecrations and of those
consecrated, the mystery denoting that the God-beloved consecrator is
manifestor of the supremely Divine choice,--not of his own accord or by
his own favour leading those who are ordained to the sacerdotal
consecration, but being moved by God to all the Hierarchical
dedications. Thus Moses, the consecrator under the Law, does not lead
even Aaron, his brother, to sacerdotal consecration, though thinking
him both beloved of God and fit for the priesthood, until moved by God
to this, he in submission to God, Head of consecration, completed by
Hierarchical rites the sacerdotal consecration. But even our supremely
Divine and first Consecrator (for the most philanthropic Jesus, for our
sake, became even this), did "not glorify Himself," as the Logia say,
but He Who said to Him, "Thou art Priest for ever after the order of
Melchizedek." Wherefore also whilst Himself leading the disciples to
sacerdotal consecration, although being as God chief Consecrator,
nevertheless He refers the Hierarchical completion of the work of
consecration to His altogether most Holy Father, and the supremely
Divine Spirit, by admonishing the disciples, as the Oracles say, not to
depart from Jerusalem, but to "await the promise of the Father, which
ye heard of Me, that ye shall be baptized in Holy Ghost." And indeed,
the Coryphaeus of the disciples himself, with the ten, of the same rank
and Hierarchy with himself, when he proceeded to the sacerdotal
consecration of the twelfth of the disciples, piously left the
selection to the Godhead, saying, "Shew [3]whom Thou hast chosen,"
and received him, who was divinely designated by the Divine lot, into
the Hierarchical number of the sacred twelve. Now concerning the Divine
lot, which fell as a Divine intimation upon Matthias, others have
expressed another view, not clearly, as I think, but I will express my
own sentiment. For it seems to me that the Oracles name "lot " a
certain supremely Divine gift, pointing out to that Hierarchical Choir
him who was designated by the Divine election; more particularly,
because the Divine Hierarch must not perform the sacerdotal acts of his
own motion, but, under God, moving him to do them as prescribed by the
Hierarchy and Heaven.
Now the salutation, for the completion of the sacerdotal consecration,
has a religious significance. For all the members of the sacerdotal
Ranks present, as well as the Hierarch himself who has consecrated
them, salute the ordained. For when, by sacerdotal habits and powers,
and by Divine call and dedication, a religious mind has attained to
sacerdotal completion, he is dearly loved by the most holy Orders of
the same rank, being conducted to a most Godlike comeliness, loving the
minds similar to himself, and religiously loved by them in return.
Hence it is that the mutual sacerdotal salutation is religiously
performed, proclaiming the religious communion of minds of like
character, and their loveable benignity towards each other, as keeping,
throughout, by sacerdotal training, their most Godlike comeliness.
These things, as I said, are common to the whole sacerdotal
consecration. The Hierarch, however, as a distinctive mark, has the
Oracles most reverently placed upon his head. For since the perfecting
power and science of the whole Priesthood is bequeathed to the inspired
Hierarchs, by the supremely Divine and perfecting goodness, naturally
are placed upon the heads of the Hierarchs the Divinely transmitted
Oracles, which set forth comprehensively and scientifically every
teaching of God, work of God, manifestation of God, sacred word, sacred
work, in one word, all the Divine and sacred works and words bequeathed
to our Hierarchy by the beneficent Godhead; since the Godlike Hierarch,
having participated entirely in the whole Hierarchical power, will not
only be illuminated, in the true and God-transmitted science of all the
sacred words and works committed to the Hierarchy, but will also
transmit them to others in Hierarchical proportions, and will perfect
Hierarchically in most Divine kinds of knowledge and the highest
mystical, instructions, all the most perfecting functions of the whole
Hierarchy. And the distinctive feature of the ordination of Priests, as
contrasted with the ordering of the Leitourgoi, is the bending of the
two knees, as that bends only the one, and is ordained in this
Hierarchical fashion.
The bending then denotes the subordinate introduction of the conductor,
who places under God that which is reverently introduced. And since, as
we have often said, the three Orders of the consecrators, through the
three most holy Mystic Rites and powers, preside over the three ranks
of those initiated, and minister their saving introduction under the
Divine yokes, naturally the order of Leitourgoi as only purifying,
ministers the one introduction of those who are being purified, by
placing it under the Divine Altar, since in it the minds being
purified, are supermundanely hallowed. And the Priests bend both their
knees, since those who are religiously brought nigh by them have not
only been purified, but have been ministerially perfected into a
contemplative habit and power of a life thoroughly cleansed by their
most luminous, ministrations through instruction. And the Hierarchy
bending both his knees, has upon his head the God-transmitted Oracles,
leading, through his office of Hierarch, those who have been purified
by the Leitourgic power, and enlightened by the ministerial, to the
science of the holy things contemplated by them in proportion to their
capacities, and through this science perfecting those who are brought
nigh, into the most complete holiness of which they are capable.
- ↑ Ap. C. iv. s. 20; iv. s. 17; viii. s. 4.
- ↑ Christ
- ↑ Acts i. 24. Ap. C. p. 168.
