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Chapter II
late in their ascetic practice (πρᾶξις) but that theory (θεωρία), being pure contemplation, which is most exalted, was vastly unknown.37 In spite of the resistance which his teach- ing encountered in some cases, Grigorios of Sinai found many passionate followers on Mount Athos, and the number of these followers multiplied very quickly.38
The hesychast movement, which was initiated by Grigorios of Sinai, would probably not have required a juridical kind of legalisation by the Orthodox Church, unless a well-educated monk, called Varlaam, arrived from Calabria (South Italy) to Constantino- ple in 1330, and later fervently tried to discredit the very core of the hesychast teaching. His arrival to Constantinople resulted in a succession of historical debates, the first of which, unrelated to Hesychasm, he lost to Nikephoros Gregoras.39
It is important to highlight that Varlaam was not Roman Catholic at the time, but was indeed an Orthodox Christian of Greek origin and a propagator of the Byzantine culture in the West. Thus, he commenced his campaign against Hesychasm as a member of the Orthodox Church. In fact, in the beginning, Varlaam was openly against the Roman Catholic Church, and had even written against its dogma of filioque.40 However, shortly before his main struggle against the most eloquent defender of Hesychasm, Gregory Palamas, Varlaam was already negotiating in Avinion a possible union with the Roman Catholic Church – although such negotiations were inspired by Varlaam’s Greek patri- otism and intended to serve the Byzantine interests in the face of the growing Ottoman threat.41
The historic debate regarding Hesychasm, between Varlaam and Gregory Palamas (1341), was triggered by Varlaam’s enquiry into the hesychast prayer method practiced by the Orthodox monks. In order to learn more about this method, during his stay in Thessaloniki, Varlaam became acquainted with some simple monks and learnt that they retreat into their cells to ceaselessly practice the Jesus prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me” / «Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, Υἱέ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐλέησόν με»), and that in
37 Ibid.
38 Ibid., 209–210. Note: The fact that the teaching of Grigorios of Sinai was adopted so quickly is likely an indication that pure contemplation (θεωρία) was part of monastic life on Mount Athos long before the arrival of Grigorios of Sinai, having its roots, as already mentioned, in the experience of the Early Church. However, Grigorios of Sinai undoubtedly played a significant role in the affirmation of the hesychast teaching.
39 See the doctoral thesis of Demetrius Moshos: Δημήτριος Μόσχος, Πλατωνισμός ἤ Χριστιανισμός; Οἱ φιλοσοφικές προϋποθέσεις τοῦ Ἀντιησυχασμοῦ τοῦ Νικηφόρου Γρηγορᾶ (1293–1361) (Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Παρουσία, 1998), 33–57.
40 In Latin Filioque means “and the Son.” The word filioque was added to the Creed at the Third Council of Toledo (589). Because of this, the Latin (Roman Catholic) text of the creed stipulates that the Holy Spirit proceeds “from the Father and the Son,” whereas in its original Greek Orthodox form (First Council of Constantinople 381), the creed says that the Holy Spirit proceeds “from the Father.” The Orthodox Church regards the dogma of filioque as heretical.
41 Георгије Острогорски, О Веровањима и Схватањима Византинаца. Наслов Оригинала: Studien zur Geschi- chte des byzantinischen Bilderstreites. Превела Др Љиљана Црепајац (Београд: Просвета, 1970), 219.
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