15 August 2009

Patristic Quote of the Day

The Word, which is God, took on flesh from Mary, not however in order that the Virgin might be adored, neither that he might make her God. Let Mary be held in honor, but let the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit be worshiped; let no one worship Mary. This mystery is due God, not to women, neither to man. Nor does such a doxology belong to the angels. Let those things be erased which have been wrongly written in the heart of those who have been deceived. Let the lust of the idol be extinguished from the eyes. Let the creature return again to the Master. Let Eve with Adam return to honor God alone. Let no one be led by the voice of the serpent. Let him abide by the command of God. -- St. Epiphanius of Salamis, Panarion 3.2.7 (cited by Chemnitz in Examen III:468)

2 comments:

Joshua said...

This is what St Epiphanius wrote against the sect of the Collyridians, women who apparently offered baked cakes as a sacrifice to the Virgin Mary (a sort of women's auxiliary gone wrong).

Strangely, the Orthodox have the monastic custom of elevating a portion of bread in honour of the Theotokos at dinner - not that they mean any idolatrous sacrifice thereby!

The whole practice appears very strange to Western eyes, but see

http://www.prosphora.org/page41.html

Fearsome Pirate said...

not that they mean any idolatrous sacrifice thereby!

Unless that's the very definition of idolatrous sacrifice.