Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: October 8

The Month of October

Day 8

39. To Orthodox Women on How Christian Women Should Regard Their Female Friends Who Love to Dress Elegantly

(From the Life of the Venerable Pelagia)

Toward your female friends who are accustomed to dressing richly and elegantly, you, Christian women, for the most part do not conduct yourselves as you should. Usually, you look upon them either with condemnation or with envy. And, of course, neither the one nor the other can be praised, for both are sins before God, and both deprive those among you who envy and condemn of peace of soul. You must therefore look upon your elegantly dressed friends differently. You must look upon them not with condemnation and envy, but with such a disposition of soul that you may not only remain free from sin, but also learn good lessons for yourselves from women who adorn themselves elegantly and, through this, benefit your souls. “How can this be?” you will surely say. What lessons can we learn from women who dress themselves up? How can we derive benefit for our souls through them? Listen, Christian women; we hope that, by the example we intend to present below, we shall give you convincing answers to your questions.

Once the Bishop of Antioch ordered the bishops who had gathered to him concerning a certain matter to be in the Church of Saint Julian. The bishops assembled, sat before the entrance of the church of the martyr, and began asking the Holy Bishop Nonnus to give a sermon. Nonnus immediately began speaking extemporaneously for the instruction of all. Everyone marveled at his holy teaching. And then a well-known dancer of Antioch passed by: riding on a donkey, she proceeded with great pomp, dressed so extravagantly that only gold, pearls, and precious stones could be seen upon her. Her feet were covered with gold and pearls, and she was accompanied by young men and girls dressed in costly garments. A chain was around her neck. Some rode ahead of her, others behind. The worldly young people could not get enough of looking at her beauty. As she passed by the bishops, the air was filled with musk and other fragrances.

When the bishops saw her passing by without a veil and so shamelessly, they sighed from the depths of their souls and turned their faces away from her as from sin. Blessed Nonnus, however, looked intently and for a long time at her, so much so that he turned to look at her even after she had passed by. Then, turning to the bishops, he said: “Did her beauty not captivate you?” They remained silent. He bowed his face onto his knees and soaked with his tears not only the handkerchief that was in his hands, but also all his knees. Sighing heavily, he said to the bishops: “Did her beauty not captivate you? But I am truly captivated by her beauty. God will point this beauty out to us at His judgment, when He judges us and our stewardship. What do you think, beloved, how much time did this woman spend in her dressing room, washing herself, arranging herself, examining herself in the mirror with all the concentration of her thoughts, so that there might not be any deficiency in her adornment, so as not to be humbled before those admirers who are alive today and gone tomorrow? We have a heavenly Father, an immortal Bridegroom, who grants His faithful eternal rewards whose worth cannot be estimated. Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart what God has prepared for those who love Him. What more is there to say! We, who have been promised the honor of seeing the great, radiant, incomparable face of the Bridegroom, upon which the cherubim dare not gaze, do not adorn ourselves, do not cleanse the impurities from our poor hearts, but leave them there through negligence.” After this, the bishop entered the lodging where a cell had been given to him. Entering the bedchamber, he fell face down upon the ground and, beating his breast, wept and groaned. “Lord Jesus Christ,” he said, “forgive me, a sinner and unworthy one. The adornments of a single day on a woman far exceed the adornment of my soul. With what face shall I look upon You? How shall I justify myself before You? I cannot hide my soul from You; You see all its secrets. Woe to me, a sinner! I stand before Your throne and do not present my soul in that beauty which You desire. She promised to please people—and she does. I promised to please You—and I lied through my negligence. I am naked before heaven and earth, not fulfilling Your commandments. Therefore, there is no hope for me in my deeds; my hope is only in Your mercy, from which I await salvation.” Thus spoke Nonnus and grieved for a long time. (Lives of the Holy Ascetic Women of the Eastern Church, pp. 105–107.)

Do you see now, Christian women, with what disposition of soul you should look upon women who adorn themselves elegantly, who are devoted to fine dress, in order to avoid sin? And is it not true that you can take lessons for yourselves from women who dress themselves up and, by looking at them, benefit your souls? Is it not clear that, in order to avoid sin, you should look upon them with heartfelt contrition, grieving that you yourselves give so little attention to adorning your souls, to appearing adorned with virtues before the face of the heavenly Bridegroom? And is it not clear that the lessons you should take from women who dress themselves up should consist in this: just as they make every effort to adorn their bodies as beautifully as possible, so you should direct all the powers of your souls toward adorning them with holiness and righteousness? Should not the lessons also consist in this: just as women who dress themselves up spare nothing in order, through their adornments, to make the strongest possible impression upon others, so you should be concerned above all to serve as an example of honesty and piety in the Church of Christ through your radiant deeds, and that your words and manner of dealing with others, your entire conduct, should serve as an example to everyone around you? Truly, Christian women, such lessons you can and should always take from women who love fine dress, and truly these lessons will not pass without effect for the salvation of your souls. They will undoubtedly awaken in you zeal for virtue, free your souls from attachment to everything earthly, kindle within you love for your heavenly Bridegroom, the Lord, and thus turn all your desire toward the heavenly, elevate your soul to the things above, destroy every attachment to the earth, and set you upon the direct path to the heavenly Homeland. Amen.

Questions for Discussion 39:

1. What did Bishop Nonnus call himself in his prayer in the cell of the lodging?

2. According to Nonnus’s prayer, what do the adornments of a single day on a woman far exceed?

3. In what beauty, according to Nonnus’s prayer, does he not present his soul?

4. According to Nonnus’s prayer, in what does his hope lie?

5. According to Nonnus’s prayer, what does he await from God’s mercy? 

 

Source: The Cheti-Minei: Homilies for Every Day of the Year (Book 1: September, October, November) by Archpriest Viktor Guryev. Publication of the Russian Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos, 1896. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.