Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica

St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica Gregory was born in Constantinople in 1292 of noble and wealthy parents. His mother died when he was young, and he became a ward of the emperor. As such he had before him a brilliant career at the imperial court. When he was about twenty, he left all the intrigue of life in the capital to enter the monastic life on Mount Athos. There he lived in peace and learned the ways of stillness and of hesychasm, celebrating the transfiguration of human nature through prayer. The hesychast monks were attacked in 1333 by a Greek theologian of southern Italy named Barlaam, who thought their doctrine and claim that man could see the uncreated light was ridiculous. Barlaam felt their teaching denied the transcendence and unity of God. Gregory supported the monks and wrote his Triads in their defense. Barlaam was very powerful and influential, and Gregory was condemned and excommunicated. As he would not be silent about his teaching, he was also imprisoned. Later, when a new emperor assumed the throne, Gregory was restored and appointed Archbishop of Thessalonica. Councils were held at Constantinople to examine the hesychast doctrines, and Gregory and his teaching were vindicated in 1351. It was proclaimed that God is one—His inner essence is transcendent, but His energies can be known, experienced, and seen as uncreated light. Thus, man can genuinely experience the transfiguring power of God. Gregory returned to his see in Thessalonica in 1356. Worn out by all his sufferings, he died in 1359. He was glorified as a saint nine years later.