Nikitas Stithatos
Encyclopedia
Niketas Stethatos was a Byzantine
mystic and theologian, and a critic of some Armenian and Latin customs. He is considered a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church
.
(now Istanbul
) at the time when Alexius Studites was its abbot. In c. 1020 Niketas allied himself with his spiritual tutor, Saint Symeon the New Theologian
. As Symeon's biographer, Niketas became the former's apologist when Symeon was attacked for his defense of the system of contemplative prayer known as hesychasm
. In his biography of Symeon, Niketas incorporated his own views on the inner experience of beatifying illumination
. He also wrote a treatise and several commentaries on ascetic practices of which are now contained in the fourth volume of the English editions of the Philokalia
.
, the Sabbath fasting, and the celibacy of priests
. During the administration of Abbot Simeon, he disputed in 1054 with the papal legate
Cardinal Humbert of Silva Candida, recanted in the presence of the emperor and of the papal legate
s and threw his book into the fire
. Contrary to the opinion of A. Michel and some other scholars, there is no evidence that he renewed this dispute later
.
five words in the church for the instruction of others than ten thousand words of psalmody in private with a tongue [cf., I Corinthians 14:19], surely those who have responsibility for others have strayed from the path of love if they limit the shepherds ministry solely to psalmody and reading." St. Niketas Stethatos, On Spiritual Knowledge
, in The Philokalia
, vol. 4, pp. 169–170.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
mystic and theologian, and a critic of some Armenian and Latin customs. He is considered a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
.
Hesychast controversy
Niketas was an ascetic or monk of the Monastery of Stoudios in ConstantinopleConstantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
(now Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
) at the time when Alexius Studites was its abbot. In c. 1020 Niketas allied himself with his spiritual tutor, Saint Symeon the New Theologian
Symeon the New Theologian
Symeon the New Theologian was a Byzantine Christian monk and poet who was the last of three saints canonized by the Eastern Orthodox church and given the title of "Theologian"...
. As Symeon's biographer, Niketas became the former's apologist when Symeon was attacked for his defense of the system of contemplative prayer known as hesychasm
Hesychasm
Hesychasm is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some of the Eastern Catholic Churches, such as the Byzantine Rite, practised by the Hesychast Hesychasm is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some of the Eastern Catholic Churches,...
. In his biography of Symeon, Niketas incorporated his own views on the inner experience of beatifying illumination
Theoria
For other uses of the term "contemplation", see Contemplation Theoria is Greek for contemplation. It corresponds to the Latin word contemplatio, "looking at", "gazing at", "being aware of".- Introduction :...
. He also wrote a treatise and several commentaries on ascetic practices of which are now contained in the fourth volume of the English editions of the Philokalia
Philokalia
The Philokalia is a collection of texts written between the 4th and 15th centuries by spiritual masters of the Eastern Orthodox hesychast tradition. They were originally written for the guidance and instruction of monks in "the practise of the contemplative life". The collection was compiled in...
.
Polemist
Niketas took part in the 11th-century religious disputes. He wrote five books against Armenians and two books against Latins, where he criticized the use of unleavened breadAzymes
Azymes is an archaic English word for the Jewish matzah, derived from the Greek word "ἄζυμος" for unfermented bread in Biblical times; the more accepted term in modern English is simply unleavened bread or matzah, but cognates of the Greek term are still used in many Romance languages Azymes is an...
, the Sabbath fasting, and the celibacy of priests
Celibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
. During the administration of Abbot Simeon, he disputed in 1054 with the papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
Cardinal Humbert of Silva Candida, recanted in the presence of the emperor and of the papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
s and threw his book into the fire
Book burning
Book burning, biblioclasm or libricide is the practice of destroying, often ceremoniously, books or other written material and media. In modern times, other forms of media, such as phonograph records, video tapes, and CDs have also been ceremoniously burned, torched, or shredded...
. Contrary to the opinion of A. Michel and some other scholars, there is no evidence that he renewed this dispute later
.
Quotes
"If when you pray and psalmodize you speak in a tongue to God in private you edify yourself, as Saint Paul says. If it is not in order to edify his flock that the shepherd seeks to be richly endowed with the grace of teaching and the knowledge of the Spirit, he lacks fervor in his quest for Gods gifts. By merely praying and psalmodizing inwardly with your tongue, that is, by praying in the soul you edify yourself, but your intellect is unproductive [cf. I Corinthians 14:14], for you do not prophesy with the language of sacred teaching or edify God's Church. If Paul, who of all men was the most closely united with God through prayer, would have rather spoken from his fertile intellectIntellect
Intellect is a term used in studies of the human mind, and refers to the ability of the mind to come to correct conclusions about what is true or real, and about how to solve problems...
five words in the church for the instruction of others than ten thousand words of psalmody in private with a tongue [cf., I Corinthians 14:19], surely those who have responsibility for others have strayed from the path of love if they limit the shepherds ministry solely to psalmody and reading." St. Niketas Stethatos, On Spiritual Knowledge
Gnosis
Gnosis is the common Greek noun for knowledge . In the context of the English language gnosis generally refers to the word's meaning within the spheres of Christian mysticism, Mystery religions and Gnosticism where it signifies 'spiritual knowledge' in the sense of mystical enlightenment.-Related...
, in The Philokalia
Philokalia
The Philokalia is a collection of texts written between the 4th and 15th centuries by spiritual masters of the Eastern Orthodox hesychast tradition. They were originally written for the guidance and instruction of monks in "the practise of the contemplative life". The collection was compiled in...
, vol. 4, pp. 169–170.