Eulogy. On the holy martyr Saint Ignatius, the
god-bearer, archbishop of Antioch the great, who was
carried off to Rome, and there suffered martyrdom, and
thence was conveyed back again to Antioch.
1.
Sumptuous and splendid entertainers give frequent and
constant entertainments, alike to display their own
wealth, and to show good-will to their acquaintance.
So also the grace of the Spirit, affording us a proof
of his own power, and displaying much good-will
towards the friends of God, sets before us
successively and constantly the tables of the
martyrs. Lately, for instance, a maiden quite young,
and unmarried, the blessed martyr Pelagia,
entertained us, with much joy. Today again, this
blessed and noble martyr Ignatius has succeeded to
her feast. The persons are different: The table is
one. The wrestlings are varied: The crown is one. The
contests are manifold: The prize is the same. For in
the case of the heathen contests, since the tasks are
bodily, men alone are, with reason, admitted. But
here, since the contest is wholly concerning the
soul, the lists are open to each sex, for each kind
the theatre is arranged. Neither do men alone
disrobe, in order that the women may not take refuge
in the weakness of their nature, and seem to have a
plausible excuse, nor have women only quitted
themselves like men, lest the race of men be put to
shame; but on this side and on that many are
proclaimed conquerors, and are crowned, in order that
you may learn by means of the exploits themselves
that in Christ Jesus neither male nor female (Gal.
3:28), neither sex, nor weakness of body, nor age,
nor any such thing could be a hindrance to those who
run in the course of religion; if there be a noble
readiness, and an eager mind, and a fear of God,
fervent and kindling, be established in our souls. On
this account both maidens and women, and men, both
young and old, and slaves, and freemen, and every
rank, and every age, and each sex, disrobe for those
contests, and in no respect suffer harm, since they
have brought a noble purpose to these wrestlings. The
season then already calls us to discourse of the
mighty works of this saint. But our reckoning is
disturbed and confused, not knowing what to say
first, what second, what third, so great a multitude
of things calling for eulogy surrounds us, on every
side; and we experience the same thing as if any one
went into a meadow, and seeing many a rosebush and
many a violet, and an abundance of lilies, and other
spring flowers manifold and varied, should be in
doubt what he should look at first, what second,
since each of those he saw invites him to bestow his
glances on itself. For we too, coming to this
spiritual meadow of the mighty works of Ignatius, and
beholding not the flowers of spring, but the manifold
and varied fruit of the spirit in the soul of this
man, are confused and in perplexity, not knowing to
which we are first to give our consideration, as each
of the things we see draws us away from its
neighbours, and entices the eye of the soul to the
sight of its own beauty. For see, he presided over
the Church among us nobly, and with such carefulness
as Christ desires. For that which Christ declared to
be the highest standard and rule of the episcopal
office, did this man display by his deeds. For having
heard Christ saying, the good shepherd lays down his
life for the sheep (Jn. 10:11), with all courage he
did lay it down for the sheep.
He held true converse with the apostles
and drank of spiritual fountains. What kind of person then
is it likely that he was who had been reared, and who had
everywhere held converse with them, and had shared with
them truths both lawful and unlawful to utter, and who
seemed to them worthy of so great a dignity? The time
again came on, which demanded courage; and a soul which
despised all things present, glowed with Divine love, and
valued things unseen before the things which are seen; and
he lay aside the flesh with as much ease as one would put
off a garment. What then shall we speak of first? The
teaching of the apostles which he gave proof of
throughout, or his indifference to this present life, or
the strictness of his virtue, with which he administered
his rule over the Church; which shall we first call to
mind? The martyr or the bishop or the apostle. For the
grace of the spirit having woven a threefold crown, thus
bound it on his holy head, yea rather a manifold crown.
For if any one will consider them carefully, he will find
each of the crowns, blossoming with other crowns for us.
2.
And if you will, let us come first to the praise of
his episcopate. Does this seem to be one crown alone?
Come, then, let us unfold it in speech, and you will
see both two, and three, and more produced from it.
For I do not wonder at the man alone that he seemed
to be worthy of so great an office, but that he
obtained this office from those saints, and that the
hands of the blessed apostles touched his sacred
head. For not even is this a slight thing to be said
in his praise, nor because he won greater grace from
above, nor only because they caused more abundant
energy of the Spirit to come upon him, but because
they bore witness that every virtue possessed by man
was in him. Now how this is, I tell you. Paul writing
to Titus once on a time— and when I say Paul, I
do not speak of him alone, but also of Peter and
James and John, and the whole band of them; for as in
one lyre, the strings are different strings, but the
harmony is one, so also in the band of the apostles
the persons are different, but the teaching is one,
since the artificer is one, I mean the Holy Spirit,
who moves their souls, and Paul showing this said,
Whether therefore they, or I, so we preach (1 Cor.
15:11). This man, then, writing to Titus, and showing
what kind of man the bishop ought to be, says, For
the bishop must be blameless as God's steward;
not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no
striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but given to
hospitality, a lover of good, sober-minded, just,
holy, temperate, holding to the faithful word, which
is according to the teaching, that he may be able
both to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict
the gainsayers (Titus 1:7-9); and to Timothy again,
when writing upon this subject, he says somewhat like
this: If a man seeks the office of a bishop, he
desires a good work. The bishop, therefore, must be
without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate,
sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to
teach, no brawler, no striker, but gentle, not
contentious, no lover of money. Do you see what
strictness of virtue he demands from the bishop? For
as some most excellent painter from life, having
mixed many colors, if he be about to furnish an
original likeness of the royal form, works with all
accuracy, so that all who are copying it, and
painting from it, may have a likeness accurately
drawn, so accordingly the blessed Paul, as though
painting some royal likeness, and furnishing an
original sketch of it, having mixed the different
colors of virtue, has painted in the features of the
office of bishop complete, in order that each of
those who mount to that dignity, looking thereupon,
may administer their own affairs with just such
strictness.
Boldly, therefore, would I say that Ignatius took an
accurate impression of the whole of this, in his own soul;
and was blameless and without reproach, and neither
self-willed, nor soon angry, nor given to wine, nor a
striker, but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money,
just, holy, temperate, holding to the faithful word which
is according to the teaching, sober, sober-minded,
orderly, and all the rest which Paul
demanded. And what is the proof of this? says one. They
who said these things ordained him, and they who suggest
to others with so great strictness to make proof of those
who are about to mount to the throne of this office, would
not themselves have done this negligently. But had they
not seen all this virtue planted in the soul of this
martyr would not have entrusted him with this office. For
they knew accurately how great danger besets those who
bring about such ordinations, carelessly and haphazard.
And Paul again, when showing this very thing to the same
Timothy wrote and says, Lay hands suddenly on no man,
neither be partaker of other men's sins (1 Tim. 5:22).
What do you say? Has another sinned, and do I share his
blame and his punishment? Yes, says he, the man who
authorizes evil; and just as in the case of any one
entrusting into the hands of a raging and insane person a
sharply pointed sword, with which the madman commits
murder, that man who gave the sword incurs the blame; so
any one who gives the authority which arises from this
office to a man living in evil, draws down on his own head
all the fire of that man's sins and audacity. For he
who provides the root, this man is the cause of all that
springs from it on every side. Do you see how in the
meanwhile a double crown of the episcopate has appeared,
and how the dignity of those who ordained him has made the
office more illustrious, bearing witness to every
exhibition of virtue in him?
3.
Do you wish that I should also reveal to you another
crown springing from this very matter? Let us
consider the time at which he obtained this dignity.
For it is not the same thing to administer the Church
now as then, just as it is not the same thing to
travel along a road well trodden, and prepared, after
many wayfarers; and along one about to be cut for the
first time, and containing ruts, and stones, and full
of wild beasts, and which has never yet, received any
traveller. For now, by the grace of God, there is no
danger for bishops, but deep peace on all sides, and
we all enjoy a calm, since the Word of piety has been
extended to the ends of the world, and our rulers
keep the faith with strictness. But then there was
nothing of this, but wherever any one might look,
precipices and pitfalls, and wars, and fightings, and
dangers; both rulers, and kings, and people and
cities and nations, and men at home and abroad, laid
snares for the faithful. And this was not the only
serious thing, but also the fact that many of the
believers themselves, inasmuch as they tasted for the
first time strange doctrines, stood in need of great
indulgence, and were still in a somewhat feeble
condition and were often upset. And this was a thing
which used to grieve the teachers, no less than the
fightings without, nay rather much more. For the
fightings without, and the plottings, afforded much
pleasure to them on account of the hope of the
rewards awaiting them. On this account the apostles
returned from the presence of the Sanhedrin rejoicing
because they had been beaten (Acts 5:41); and Paul
cries out, saying: I rejoice in my sufferings (Col.
1:24), and he glories in his afflictions everywhere.
But the wounds of those at home, and the falls of the
brethren, do not suffer them to breathe again, but
always, like some most heavy yoke, continually
oppress and afflict the neck of their soul. Hear at
least how Paul, thus rejoicing in sufferings, is
bitterly pained about these. For who, says he, is
weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn
not (2 Cor. 11:29), and again, I fear lest when I
come I shall find you not such as I would, and I be
found of you such as you would not (2 Cor. 12:20),
and a little afterwards, Lest when I come again to
you, God humble me, and I shall mourn many of those
who have sinned before, and have not repented of
their uncleanness, and wantonness, and fornication
which they have committed (2 Cor. 12:21) And
throughout you see that he is in tears and
lamentations on account of members of the household,
and evermore fearing and trembling for the believers.
Just as then we admire the pilot, not when he is able
to bring those who are on board safe to shore when
the sea is calm, and the ship is borne along by
favourable winds, but when the deep is raging and the
waves contending, and the passengers themselves
within in revolt, and a great storm within and
without besets those who are on board, and he is able
to steer the ship with all security; so we ought to
wonder at, and admire those who then had the Church
committed to their hands, much more than those who
now have the management of it; when there was a great
war without and within, when the plant of the faith
was more tender, and needed much care, when, as a
newly-born babe, the multitude in the church required
much forethought, and the greatest wisdom in any soul
destined to nurse it; and in order that you may more
clearly learn, how great crowns they were worthy of,
who then had the Church entrusted to them, and how
great work and danger there was in undertaking the
matter on the threshold and at the beginning, and in
being the first to enter upon it, I bring forward for
you the testimony of Christ, who pronounces a verdict
on these things, and confirms the opinion which has
been expressed by me. For when he saw many coming to
him, and was wishing to show the apostles that the
prophets toiled more than they, he says: Others have
laboured, and you have entered into their labour (Jn.
4:38). And yet the apostles toiled much more than the
prophets. But since they first sowed the word of
piety, and won over the untaught souls of men to the
truth, the greater part of the work is credited to
them. For it is by no means the same thing for one to
come and teach after many teachers, and himself to be
the first to sow seeds. For that which has been
already practised, and has become customary with
many, would be easily accepted; but that which is now
for the first time heard, agitates the mind of the
hearers, and gives the teacher a great deal to do.
This at least it was which disturbed the audience at
Athens, and on this account they turned away from
Paul, reproaching him with, You bring certain strange
things to our ears (Acts 17:20). For if the oversight
of the Church now furnishes much weariness and work
to those who govern it, consider how double and
treble and manifold was the work then, when there
were dangers and fighting and snares, and fear
continually. It is not possible to set forth in words
the difficulty which those saints then encountered,
but he alone will know it who comes to it by
experience.
4. And I will speak of a fourth crown, arising for us out
of this episcopate. What then is this? The fact that he
was entrusted with our own native city. For it is a
laborious thing indeed to have the oversight of a hundred
men, and of fifty alone. But to have on one's hands so
great a city, and a population extending to two hundred
thousand, of how great virtue and wisdom do you think
there is a proof? For as in the care of armies, the wiser
of the generals have on their hands the more leading and
more numerous regiments, so, accordingly, in the care of
cities. The more able of the rulers are entrusted with the
larger and more populous. And at any rate this city was of
much account to God, as indeed He manifested by the very
deeds which He did. At all events the master of the whole
world, Peter, to whose hands He committed the keys of
heaven, whom He commanded to do and to bear all, He bade
tarry here for a long period. Thus in His sight our city
was equivalent to the whole world. But since I have
mentioned Peter, I have perceived a fifth crown woven from
him, and this is that this man succeeded to the office
after him. For just as any one taking a great stone from a
foundation hastens by all means to introduce an equivalent
to it, lest he should shake the whole building, and make
it more unsound, so, accordingly, when Peter was about to
depart from here, the grace of the Spirit introduced
another teacher equivalent to Peter, so that the building
already completed should not be made more unsound by the
insignificance of the successor. We have reckoned up then
five crowns, from the importance of the office, from the
dignity of those who ordained to it, from the difficulty
of the time, from the size of the city, from the virtue of
him who transmitted the episcopate to him. Having woven
all these, it was lawful to speak of a sixth, and seventh,
and more than these; but in order that we may not, by
spending the whole time on the consideration of the
episcopate, miss the details about the martyr, come from
this point, let us pass to that conflict. At one time a
grievous warfare was rekindled against the Church, and as
though a most grievous tyranny overspread the earth, all
were carried off from the midst of the marketplace. Not
indeed charged with anything monstrous, but because being
freed from error, they hastened to piety; because they
abstained from the service of demons, because they
recognized the true God, and worshipped his only begotten
Son, and for things for which they ought to have been
crowned, and admired and honoured, for these they were
punished and encountered countless tortures, all who
embraced the faith, and much more they who had the
oversight of the churches. For the devil, being crafty,
and apt to contrive plots of this kind, expected that if
he took away the shepherds, he would easily be able to
scatter the flocks. But He who takes the wise in their
craftiness, wishing to show him that men do not govern His
church, but that it is He himself who everywhere tends
those who believe in Him, agreed that this should be, that
he might see, when they were taken away, that the cause of
piety was not defeated, nor the word of preaching
quenched, but rather increased; that by these very works
he might learn both himself, and all those who minister to
him, that our affairs are not of men, but that the subject
of our teaching has its root on high, from the heavens;
and that it is God who everywhere leads the Church, and
that it is not possible for him who fights against God,
ever to win the day. But the Devil did not only work this
evil, but another also not less than this. For not only in
the cities over which they presided, did he suffer the
Bishops to be slaughtered; but he took them into foreign
territory and slew them; and he did this, in anxiety at
once to take them when destitute of friends, and hoping to
render them weaker with the toil of their journey, which
accordingly he did with this saint. For he called him away
from our city to Rome, making the course twice as long,
expecting to depress his mind both by the length of the
way and the number of the days, and not knowing that
having Jesus with him, as a fellow traveller, and fellow
exile on so long a journey, he rather became the stronger,
and afforded more proof of the power that was with him,
and to a greater degree knit the Churches together. For
the cities which were on the road running together from
all sides, encouraged the athlete, and sped him on his way
with many supplies, sharing in his conflict by their
prayers, and intercessions. And they derived no little
comfort when they saw the martyr hastening to death with
so much readiness, as is consistent in one called to the
realms which are in the heaven, and by means of the works
themselves, by the readiness and by the joyousness of that
noble man, that it was not death to which he was
hastening, but a kind of long journey and migration from
this world, and ascension to heaven; and he departed
teaching these things in every city, both by his words,
and by his deeds, and as happened in the case of the Jews,
when they bound Paul, and sent him to Rome, and thought
that they were sending him to death, they were sending a
teacher to the Jews who dwelt there. This indeed
accordingly happened in the case of Ignatius in larger
measure. For not to those alone who dwell in Rome, but to
all the cities lying in the intervening space, he went
forth as a wonderful teacher, persuading them to despise
the present life, and to think naught of the things which
are seen, and to love those which are to come, to look
towards heaven, and to pay no regard to any of the terrors
of this present life. For on this and on more than this,
by means of his works, he went on his way instructing
them, as a sun rising from the east, and hastening to the
west. But rather more brilliant than this, for this is
wont to run on high, bringing material light, but Ignatius
shone below, imparting to men's souls the intellectual
light of doctrine. And that light on departing into the
regions of the west, is hidden and straightway causes the
night to come on. But this on departing to the regions of
the west, shone there more brilliantly, conferring the
greatest benefits to all along the road. And when he
arrived at the city, even that he instructed in Christian
wisdom. For on this account God permitted him there to end
his life, so that this man's death might be
instructive to all who dwell in Rome. For we by the grace
of God need henceforward no evidence, being rooted in the
faith. But they who dwelt in Rome, inasmuch as there was
great impiety there, required more help. On this account
both Peter and Paul, and this man after them, were all
slain there, partly, indeed, in order that they might
purify with their own blood, the city which had been
defiled with blood of idols, and partly in order that they
might by their works afford a proof of the resurrection of
the crucified Christ, persuading those who dwell in Rome,
that they would not with so much pleasure disdain this
present life, did they not firmly persuade themselves that
they were about to ascend to the crucified Jesus, and to
see him in the heavens. For in reality it is the greatest
proof of the resurrection that the slain Christ should
show forth so great power after death, as to persuade
living men to despise both country and home and friends,
and acquaintance and life itself, for the sake of
confessing him, and to choose in place of present
pleasures, both stripes and dangers and death. For these
are not the achievements of any dead man, nor of one
remaining in the tomb but of one risen and living. Since
how couldest thou account, when he was alive, for all the
Apostles who companied with him becoming weaker through
fear to betray their teachers and to flee and depart; but
when he died, for not only Peter and Paul, but even
Ignatius, who had not even seen him, nor enjoyed his
companionship, showing such earnestness as to lay down
life itself for his sake?
5.
In order then that all who dwell in Rome might learn
that these things are a reality, God allowed that
there the saint should be perfected, and that this
was the reason I will guarantee from the very manner
of his death. For not outside the walls, in a
dungeon, nor even in a court of justice, nor in some
corner, did he receive the sentence which condemned
him, but in the midst of the theatre, while the whole
city was seated above him, he underwent this form of
martyrdom, wild beasts being let loose upon him, in
order that he might plant his trophy against the
Devil, beneath the eyes of all, and make all
spectators emulous of his own conflicts. Not dying
thus nobly only, but dying even with pleasure. For
not as though about to be severed from life, but as
called to a better and more spiritual life, so he
beheld the wild beasts gladly. Whence is this
manifest? From the words which he uttered when about
to die, for when he heard that this manner of
punishment awaited him, may I have joy, said he, of
these wild beasts. For such are the loving. For they
receive with pleasure whatever they may suffer for
the sake of those who are beloved, and they seem to
have their desire satisfied when what happens to them
is more than usually grievous. Which happened,
therefore, in this man's case. For not by his
death alone, but also by his readiness he studied to
emulate the apostles, and hearing that they, after
they had been scourged retired with joy, himself too
wished to imitate his teachers, not only by his
death, but by his joy. On this account he said, may I
have joy of your wild beasts, and much milder than
the tongue of the tyrant did he consider the mouths
of these; and very reasonably. For while that invited
him to Gehenna, their mouths escorted him to a
kingdom. When, therefore, he made an end of life
there, yea rather, when he ascended to heaven, he
departed henceforward crowned. For this also happened
through the dispensation of God, that he restored him
again to us, and distributed the martyr to the
cities. For that city received his blood as it
dropped, but you were honoured with his remains, you
enjoyed his episcopate, they enjoyed his martyrdom.
They saw him in conflict, and victorious, and
crowned, but you have him continually. For a little
time God removed him from you, and with greater glory
granted him again to you. And as those who borrow
money, return with interest what they receive, so
also God, using this valued treasure of yours, for a
little while, and having shown it to that city, with
greater brilliancy gave it back to you. You sent
forth a Bishop, and received a martyr; ye sent him
forth with prayers, and you received him with crowns;
and not only ye, but all the cities which intervene.
For how do ye think that they behaved when they saw
his remains being brought back? What pleasure was
produced! How they rejoiced! With what applause on
all sides they beset the crowned one! For as with a
noble athlete, who has wrestled down all his
antagonists, and who comes forth with radiant glory
from the arena, the spectators receive him, and do
not suffer him to tread the earth, bringing him home
on their shoulders, and besetting him with countless
praises: so also the cities in order receiving this
saint then from Rome, and bearing him upon their
shoulders as far as this city, escorted the crowned
one with praises, celebrating the champion, in song;
laughing the devil to scorn, because his artifice was
turned against him, and what he thought to do against
the martyr, this turned out for his behoof. Then,
indeed, he profited, and encouraged all the cities;
and from that time to this day he enriches this city,
and as some perpetual treasure, drawn upon every day,
yet not failing, makes all who partake of it more
prosperous, so also this blessed Ignatius fills those
who come to him with blessings, with boldness,
nobleness of spirit, and much courage, and so sends
them home.
Not only today, therefore, but every day let us go forth
to him, plucking spiritual fruits from him. For it is, it
is possible for him who comes hither with faith to gather
the fruit of many good things. For not the bodies only,
but the very sepulchres of the saints have been filled
with spiritual grace. For if in the case of Elisha
this happened, and a corpse when it touched the sepulchre,
burst the bands of death and returned to life again (2
Kings 13:21). Much rather now, when grace is more
abundant, when the energy of the spirit is greater, is it
possible that one touching a sepulchre, with faith, should
win great power; thence on this account God allowed us the
remains of the saints, wishing to lead by them us to the
same emulation, and to afford us a kind of haven, and a
secure consolation for the evils which are ever overtaking
us. Wherefore I beseech you all, if any is in despondency,
if in disease, if under insult, if in any other
circumstance of this life, if in the depth of sins, let
him come hither with faith, and he will lay aside all
those things, and will return with much joy, having
procured a lighter conscience from the sight alone. But
more, it is not only necessary that those who are in
affliction should come hither, but if any one be in
cheerfulness, in glory, in power, in much assurance
towards God, let not this man despise the benefit. For
coming hither and beholding this saint, he will keep these
noble possessions unmoved, persuading his own soul to be
moderate by the recollection of this man's mighty
deeds, and not suffering his conscience by the mighty
deeds to be lifted up to any self conceit. And it is no
slight thing for those in prosperity not to be puffed up
at their good fortune, but to know how to bear their
prosperity with moderation, so that the treasure is
serviceable to all, the resting place is suitable, for the
fallen, in order that they may escape from their
temptations, for the fortunate, that their success may
remain secure, for those in weakness indeed, that they may
return to health, and for the healthy, that they may not
fall into weakness. Considering all which things, let us
prefer this way of spending our time, to all delight, all
pleasure, in order that rejoicing at once, and profiting,
we may be able to become partakers with these saints, both
of their dwelling and of their home, through the prayers
of the saints themselves, through the grace and
loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be
glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit, now and always
forever and ever amen.
11 февраля 2016 г.
