Homily on Saint Martinian (St. Michael Choniates)

Editorial Introduction

This homily survives in only one manuscript, the Laurentian codex (Λ), folio 104a, but it was found without its beginning, the opening having been lost together with the leaves of the codex that went missing between the end of the address “To Stryphon” and the leaf now bearing the number 104. The missing leaves were probably three in number. The title, being absent in the manuscript, was supplied conjecturally.

Homily on Saint Martinian 

By St. Michael Choniates, Metropolitan of Athens

… though differing in rank of glory, yet all are glorified and shining with purity: virginity is gold, widowhood and marriage silver — second indeed in order and glory to virginity, yet not deprived of splendor, provided they are kept free from the defiling stain that corrupts.

Michael Choniates and the "Indomitable Breakwater" Ecumenical Patriarch

By  Archimandrite Michael Stathakis

 

Before Easter (March 28) of 1182, the new shepherd of Athens arrived from Constantinople in Piraeus, who had unwittingly assumed a role that he would never have imagined...

Saint Michael Choniates was chosen by lot to navigate the Argo of the Attica Church and its people to the Symplegades Rocks and to train the crew of the fleet to escape danger and sail to the land where the golden fleece is treasured.

Saint Michael was the last Byzantine citizen and official of Attica and the courageous captain of this ship. About twenty-three years after his enthronement Attica was ravaged by the Franks and did not know freedom again until 1821. The prelate gave the last legacies for the people to resist the next six hundred and seventeen years of slavery that followed.