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E01830: Gregory of Nyssa, in the 380s, delivers his Encomium on *Stephen the First Martyr I (S00030), during a service held on his feast day, probably at Nyssa in Cappadocia (central Asia Minor). He analyzes the story as recounted by Acts. Written in Greek.
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posted on 2016-09-02, 00:00 authored by erizosGregory of Nyssa, Encomium On Stephen I (CPG 3186, BHG 1654)
(75. 1-12)
ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ΝΥΣΣΗΣ ΕΓΚΩΜΙΟΝ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΑΓΙΟΝ ΠΡΩΤΟΜΑΡΤΥΡΑ ΣΤΕΦΑΝΟΝ
‘Gregory, bishop of Nyssa, Encomium on the Holy First Martyr Stephen’
Ὡς καλὴ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἡ ἀκολουθία, ὡς γλυκεῖα ἡ τῆς εὐφροσύνης διαδοχή. ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἑορτὴν ἐξ ἑορτῆς καὶ χάριν ἀντιλαμβάνομεν χάριτος. χθὲς ἡμᾶς ὁ τοῦ παντὸς δεσπότης εἱστίασε, σήμερον ὁ μιμητὴς τοῦ δεσπότου. πῶς οὗτος ἢ πῶς ἐκεῖνος; ἐκεῖνος τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐνδυόμενος, οὗτος τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου ἀποδυόμενος. ἐκεῖνος τὸ τοῦ βίου σπήλαιον δι᾽ ἡμᾶς ὑπερχόμενος, οὗτος τοῦ σπηλαίου δι᾽ ἐκεῖνον ὑπεξερχόμενος. ἐκεῖνος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σπαργανούμενος, οὗτος ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου καταλιθούμενος. ἐκεῖνος ἀναιρῶν τὸν θάνατον, οὗτος ἐπεμβαίνων κειμένῳ.
‘How beautiful is the succession of good things, how sweet the sequence of joy! For, behold, we move from festival to festival and from grace to grace! Yesterday, the Lord of All was our host, today His imitator. How the latter and how the Former? The Former put on humanity for our sake; the latter gave up the man for the Former’s sake. The Former entered the cave of life for our sake; the latter exited the cave for the Former’s sake. The Former was wrapped in swaddling for our sake; the latter was buried in stones for the Former’s sake. The Former killed death; the latter trampled upon the defeated death.’
The oration offers a detailed contemplation on the story of Stephen as recounted by Acts 6-7. In the last part of the oration (p. 89.7 ff.), the author reproaches the Pneumatomachi and other heretics who use Stephen’s vision of the Father and the Son (Acts 7:56) as a proof of their theology on the Holy Spirit and the Son.
Text: Lendle 1990, 75-94.
Translation: E. Rizos
(75. 1-12)
ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ΝΥΣΣΗΣ ΕΓΚΩΜΙΟΝ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΑΓΙΟΝ ΠΡΩΤΟΜΑΡΤΥΡΑ ΣΤΕΦΑΝΟΝ
‘Gregory, bishop of Nyssa, Encomium on the Holy First Martyr Stephen’
Ὡς καλὴ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἡ ἀκολουθία, ὡς γλυκεῖα ἡ τῆς εὐφροσύνης διαδοχή. ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἑορτὴν ἐξ ἑορτῆς καὶ χάριν ἀντιλαμβάνομεν χάριτος. χθὲς ἡμᾶς ὁ τοῦ παντὸς δεσπότης εἱστίασε, σήμερον ὁ μιμητὴς τοῦ δεσπότου. πῶς οὗτος ἢ πῶς ἐκεῖνος; ἐκεῖνος τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐνδυόμενος, οὗτος τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου ἀποδυόμενος. ἐκεῖνος τὸ τοῦ βίου σπήλαιον δι᾽ ἡμᾶς ὑπερχόμενος, οὗτος τοῦ σπηλαίου δι᾽ ἐκεῖνον ὑπεξερχόμενος. ἐκεῖνος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σπαργανούμενος, οὗτος ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου καταλιθούμενος. ἐκεῖνος ἀναιρῶν τὸν θάνατον, οὗτος ἐπεμβαίνων κειμένῳ.
‘How beautiful is the succession of good things, how sweet the sequence of joy! For, behold, we move from festival to festival and from grace to grace! Yesterday, the Lord of All was our host, today His imitator. How the latter and how the Former? The Former put on humanity for our sake; the latter gave up the man for the Former’s sake. The Former entered the cave of life for our sake; the latter exited the cave for the Former’s sake. The Former was wrapped in swaddling for our sake; the latter was buried in stones for the Former’s sake. The Former killed death; the latter trampled upon the defeated death.’
The oration offers a detailed contemplation on the story of Stephen as recounted by Acts 6-7. In the last part of the oration (p. 89.7 ff.), the author reproaches the Pneumatomachi and other heretics who use Stephen’s vision of the Father and the Son (Acts 7:56) as a proof of their theology on the Holy Spirit and the Son.
Text: Lendle 1990, 75-94.
Translation: E. Rizos
History
Evidence ID
E01830Saint Name
Stephen, the First Martyr : S00030Saint Name in Source
ΣτέφανοςRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Sermons/Homilies Literary - Hagiographical - Accounts of martyrdomLanguage
- Greek
Evidence not before
380Evidence not after
395Activity not before
380Activity not after
390Place of Evidence - Region
Asia MinorPlace of Evidence - City, village, etc
NȳsaPlace of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Nȳsa Nicomedia Νικομήδεια Nikomēdeia Izmit Πραίνετος Prainetos NicomediaMajor author/Major anonymous work
Gregory of NyssaCult activities - Liturgical Activity
- Service for the Saint
Cult activities - Festivals
- Saint’s feast