Saint Gregory

1. Saint Gregory The three Gregory's mentioned in the commemoration of the Saints . • Saint Gregory the Theologian • Saint Gregory the wonderworker • Saint Gregory the Armenian

2. St. Gregory ThaumaturgusThe Wonder-worker الصانع العجائب

3. St. Gregory Thaumaturgus • Saint Gregory of Neo-Caesarea, the capital of Pontus in Asia Minor “Modern day Turkey” • One of the 3rd century fathers. • Born 213 AD and died 270 AD. • Originally he was known as Theodore (the gift of God) • Ordained bishop in his 40. • believed to have been gifted with a power of working miracles, which he was constantly exercising.

5. St. Gregory Thaumaturgus • Biography and Conversion • Born to Pagan parents, after the death of his father at age 14, his mother send him to Beirut to study Roman law. • While he was in Palestine , he learned about Origen head of the Cat-e-chet-i-cal school of Alexandria. Who he met and converted to Christianity.

6. St. Gregory Thaumaturgus • Teaching and Consecration • Pantænus begat Clement, and Clement begat Origen. So Origen begat Gregory. • He was ordained in absence by Phoedimus, Bishop of Amasea and Metropolitan of Pontus. • Finally he accepted and returned to Pontus to serve for 30 years.

7. St. Gregory Thaumaturgus • One strange story told of him by Gregory of Nyssa is to the effect that, as Gregory was meditating on the great matter of the right way to worship the true God, suddenly two glorious personages made themselves manifest in his room, in the one of whom he recognized the Apostle John, in the other the Virgin. They had come, as the story goes, to solve the difficulties which were making him hesitate in accepting the bishopric. At St. Mary’s request, the evangelist gave him then all the instruction in doctrine which he was seeking for; and the sum of these supernatural communications being written down by him after the vision vanished, formed the creed which is still preserved among his writings.

8. St. Gregory and Origen • Gregory describes the method employed by that master to win the confidence and esteem of those he wished to convert; how he mingled a persuasive honesty with outbursts of temper and theological argument put cleverly at once and unexpectedly. Persuasive skill rather than bare reasoning, and evident sincerity and an passionate conviction were the means Origen used to make converts. • Before leaving Palestine, Gregory delivered in presence of Origen a public farewell oration in which he returned thanks to the illustrious master he was leaving. This oration is valuable from many points of view. As it exhibits the excellent training given by Origen, and his skill in developing literary taste. It contains, moreover, much useful information concerning the youth of Gregory and his master's method of teaching.

9. I-Acknowledged Writings • A Declaration of Faith. • A Metaphrase of the Book of Ecclesiastes • Canonical Epistle • The Oration and Panegyric Addressed to Origen

10. II-Dubious or Spurious Writings • A Sectional Confession of Faith. • On the Trinity • Twelve Topics on the Faith. • On the Subject of the Soul • Four Homilies • 3 On the Annunciation to the Holy Virgin Mary • 1 On the Holy Theophany, or on Christ’s Baptism • On All the Saints • On the Gospel According to Matthew

11. A Declaration of Faith. • THERE is one God, the Father of the living Word, who is His subsistent Wisdom and Power and Eternal Image:19 perfect Begetter of the perfect Begotten, Father of the only-begotten Son. There is one Lord, Only of the Only,20 God of God, Image and Likeness of Deity, Efficient Word,21 Wisdom comprehensive22 of the constitution of all things, and Power formative23 of the whole creation, true Son of true Father, Invisible of Invisible, and Incorruptible of Incorruptible, and Immortal of Immortal and Eternal of Eternal.24 And there is One Holy Spirit, having His subsistence25 from God, and being made manifest26 by the Son, to wit to men:27 Image28 of the Son, Perfect Image of the Perfect;29 Life, the Cause of the living; Holy Fount; Sanctity, the Supplier, or Leader,30 of Sanctification; in whom is manifested God the Father, who is above all and in all, and God the Son, who is through all. There is a perfect Trinity, in glory and eternity and sovereignty, neither divided nor estranged.31 Wherefore there is nothing either created or in servitude32 in the Trinity;33 nor anything superinduced,34 as if at some former period it was non-existent, and at some later periodit was introduced. And thus neither was the Son ever wanting to the Father, nor the Spirit to the Son;35 but without variation and without change, the same Trinity abideth ever.36

12. Elucidation • “There is one God, the Father of the living Word and of the subsisting Wisdom and Power, and of Him who is His Eternal Image, the perfect begetter of Him that is perfect, the Father of the only-begotten Son. There is one Lord, the only Son of the only Father,God of God, the character and image of the Godhead, the powerful Word, the comprehensive Wisdom, by which all things were made, and the Power that gave being to the whole creation, the true Son of the true Father, the Invisible of the Invisible, the Incorruptible of the Incorruptible, the Immortal of the Immortal, and the Eternal of Him that is Eternal. There is one Holy Ghost, having its subsistence of God, which appeared through the Son to mankind, the perfect Image of the perfect Son, the Life-giving Life, the holy Fountain, the Sanctity, and the Author of sanctification, by whom God the Father is made manifest, who is over all, and in all; and God the Son, who is through all. A perfect Trinity, which neither in glory, eternity, or dominion is divided, or departed from itself.”35

13. The Creed (381) • We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds (?ons), Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; he was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried, and the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; from thence he shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceed from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spake by the prophets. In one holy catholic and apostolic Church; we acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.