- Nov 26, 2019
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I read this quote from the much respected Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, which to me underscores the concept of the priesthood and episcopate in the traditional churches:
“The Priest holds a great position in the Divine Liturgy, because he asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit and to change the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, but also to transfer the Grace of God to the people. The Priest and the Bishop are the perceptible presence of Christ, and for this they move between God and people. It is very characteristic that Saint Epiphanios, Bishop of Cyprus, writes that the office of the Hierarch is "an office giving birth to fathers, with a father giving birth to the Church", that is, it is an office of a father giving birth, because he ordains Clergy who will become fathers of the Church. Meanwhile the office of Presbyter is of a "father who is not able to give birth, for he gives birth to children through the font of regeneration", that is, the office of Presbyter gives birth to children by Baptism and not other fathers, because they do not ordain.
This also shows the difference between Bishops and Priests, since the Bishops ordain Priests who will become fathers to the people, while the Priests through Holy Baptism give birth to children in the Church.”
This was in the course of a series of homilies on the liturgical books, which naturally I am going to devour.
“The Priest holds a great position in the Divine Liturgy, because he asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit and to change the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, but also to transfer the Grace of God to the people. The Priest and the Bishop are the perceptible presence of Christ, and for this they move between God and people. It is very characteristic that Saint Epiphanios, Bishop of Cyprus, writes that the office of the Hierarch is "an office giving birth to fathers, with a father giving birth to the Church", that is, it is an office of a father giving birth, because he ordains Clergy who will become fathers of the Church. Meanwhile the office of Presbyter is of a "father who is not able to give birth, for he gives birth to children through the font of regeneration", that is, the office of Presbyter gives birth to children by Baptism and not other fathers, because they do not ordain.
This also shows the difference between Bishops and Priests, since the Bishops ordain Priests who will become fathers to the people, while the Priests through Holy Baptism give birth to children in the Church.”
This was in the course of a series of homilies on the liturgical books, which naturally I am going to devour.
