The Liturgical Mystagogy of the Ancient Church

Mystagogy is a Synthesis of Ancient Theurgy, the Rabbinic Seder, Allegorical Representation, the Contemplation of the Life of Christ, and the Mystical Contemplation that Leads to the Beatific Vision

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West)

CHAPTER I

The Pagan Setting of the Divine Mysteries

Theurgy and Transmutation in Ancient Religions and Philosophical Traditions

The concept of “theurgy”, the practice of invoking divine power through ritual, has roots in several ancient religious and philosophical traditions. The understanding of sacraments as channels of divine grace can be traced back to the Egyptian, Babylonian, and Greek philosophical traditions. These ancient practices sought not just symbolic acts of devotion but an actual participation in, and transformation by, the divine.

Theurgy in Egyptian Religion and Babylonian Mysteries

In Egyptian religion, rituals were often designed to mediate between the divine and human realms, similar to later Christian sacramental theology. The goal of many rituals was not only to honor the gods but to bring the participants into contact with divine forces, aiming for transmutation of the soul. The deceased Pharaohs, for example, were believed to undergo a form of divine transmutation in the afterlife, becoming one with Osiris, the god of the dead. This transformation was achieved through meticulously performed funerary rites, which ensured that the Pharaoh became divine and gained eternal life.

Likewise, the Babylonian “mysteries”, particularly those surrounding the god Marduk, focused on rituals that embodied a cosmic battle between order and chaos. These rituals were deeply tied to the king’s role as the mediator between the heavens and the earth, representing the idea that through liturgical actions, the king participated in the divine governance of the cosmos. The focus on the cosmic alignment through ritual action bears striking resemblance to later Christian understandings of liturgical participation in the heavenly realities.

Greek Philosophical Traditions: Plato, Pythagoras, and Neoplatonism

Greek philosophical traditions, particularly those of Plato and his successors, deeply influenced later Christian mysticism and liturgical thought. Plato’s “Theory of Forms”, presented in his dialogues such as “Phaedo” and “Republic”, teaches that the material world is a shadow of a higher, more perfect reality. In this framework, rituals and sacraments serve as conduits to the divine realm, linking the material to the immaterial.

The Pythagorean tradition, which had its own rituals of purification and contemplation, emphasized the idea of the soul’s ascent to divine realities through philosophical and mystical practices. Pythagoras saw the universe as structured mathematically, with music, numbers, and harmony acting as mediators between the material and the divine. The soul, bound in the physical body, could be liberated and brought into alignment with the divine cosmos through these philosophical and mystical practices. Pythagorean rites, therefore, were seen as transformative, with the goal of achieving a state of purity that allowed for union with the divine.

Plato, in his dialogue “Timaeus”, connects the idea of cosmic harmony to the divine craftsman, the “Demiurge”, who orders the cosmos according to eternal forms. While Plato did not advocate specific theurgical practices, his later followers, particularly Iamblichus, developed the idea of theurgy into a central element of Neoplatonic thought and religion, where ritual became the outward expression of philosophy, and led to internal transformations within the psychology of the philosopher.

Theurgy in Neoplatonism: Iamblichus and the Enneads of Plotinus

The development of theurgy and the concept of "Mysterion" within Neoplatonism is best illustrated in the writings of Iamblichus, a philosopher who placed an emphasis on sacramental rituals as the means to commune with the divine. Iamblichus’ view was that human reason alone could not ascend to the divine; rather, ritual acts were necessary to invoke the presence of the gods and to transform the soul. In his work “On the Mysteries”, Iamblichus describes how through theurgical rituals, the soul is gradually purified and brought into closer union with the divine. He argues that theurgy is not merely symbolic but that the divine power is actually present and active within the rites.

Plotinus, in the Enneads, focuses on the idea of the soul’s ascent to the One, the ultimate reality that transcends all categories of existence. Although Plotinus himself did not emphasize theurgical practices, his understanding of the soul’s ascent laid the groundwork for later Neoplatonic developments. In Plotinus’ thought, the process of becoming one with the divine is seen as a mystical journey of contemplation, where the soul transcends the material world and reunites with its divine source. The influence of these ideas on Christian thought, especially in the development of mystical theology, is profound.

The sacramental work in Neoplatonic religion, particularly in the writings of Iamblichus and Proclus, emphasizes that theurgy is not merely a symbolic gesture but a real participation in divine forces. Through ritual acts, the soul is drawn into a higher reality, transmuted by the divine power into a state of spiritual purity. This process of transmutation parallels the Christian understanding of sacraments, where material elements are believed to convey divine grace, transforming the soul of the participant.

"Pathfinders of the Way" Icon, by Uncut Mountain Church Supply

CHAPTER II

The Mystery of the Eucharist in Ancient Christian Thought

The Eucharist has always been central to Christian worship, not merely as a symbolic act of remembrance but as a real, mystical participation in the saving work of Christ. As both a sacrament and a mystery, it re-presents the Gospel and draws the faithful into the heavenly realities. From the earliest days, theologians and mystagogues have illuminated the significance of this sacrament. In this lecture, we will explore the development of liturgical mystagogy from the early Church through the writings of key Christian Fathers, tracing its roots in Jewish worship, and weaving together insights from Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Church of the East traditions.

This exploration will also integrate theological developments, including the influence of Neoplatonism, and conclude with an appeal to appreciate the Eucharist as a profound union of Heaven and Earth. Through this journey, we aim to deepen our understanding of the Liturgy as the ultimate expression of the Christian mystery.

Section 1: The Jewish Foundations of the Christian Liturgy

Rabbinic Meals and the Seder: Covenant and Sacrifice

To fully appreciate the Eucharist’s significance, we must first consider its Jewish roots, particularly the practices surrounding covenantal meals and the Passover Seder at the time of Christ. The Seder was not just a memorial but a ritual re-enactment of the Exodus, which emphasized the covenant between God and Israel. It included “Barakoth” prayers (blessings), the drinking of wine, the eating of unleavened bread, and the consumption of the Paschal lamb, which all pointed to the deliverance of God’s people.

Scriptural Foundation

- Exodus 12:14-17: The institution of the Passover was a memorial of God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt, but it was also a covenantal act—reminding the people of God’s promise to be with them.

- Exodus 24:8: “Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you.’”

In Jewish tradition, covenantal meals, such as the Passover, were both a remembrance and a participation in God's past and ongoing saving actions. These meals symbolized a bond between the people and God, one often sealed in blood, as seen in the sacrificial traditions of the Old Testament. The Last Supper, which took place during a Passover meal, would have carried these deep covenantal overtones for Christ’s disciples.

The Last Supper in the Gospels

- Matthew 26:26-28: "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is My body.’ Then He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’"

- Luke 22:19-20: The Last Supper account also mirrors the words of the Jewish Passover liturgy, but with Christ inserting Himself as the ultimate sacrificial lamb.

These accounts reflect the fulfillment of the Old Covenant through Christ, who, in the words of St. Paul, became our "Passover Lamb" (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Section 2: The Eucharist as Sacrament and Allegory of Christ’s Life

The Christian Eucharist quickly developed into more than just a continuation of the Passover meal; it became a sacrament that symbolized and made present the entire life of Christ. The Eucharist was the Gospel in sacramental form. As Theodore of Mopsuestia taught in his “Catechetical Homilies”, the Liturgy “re-enacts the entirety of Christ’s salvific work,” from His Incarnation to His Resurrection.

Patristic Insights

- St. Cyril of Jerusalem emphasized in his “Mystagogical Catecheses” that "what seems bread and wine are in reality the Body and Blood of Christ." For him, the Eucharist was the visible enactment of the Gospel: a mystical participation in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

- St. Augustine of Hippo similarly preached in “Sermon 272”: "What you see is bread and the chalice... But what your faith obliges you to accept is that the bread is the body of Christ, and the chalice is the blood of Christ."

The Eucharist, then, was not merely a commemoration but a transformative encounter with Christ Himself. It is both an allegory of the Gospel and a mystical reality by which the believer participates in the divine life.

Section 3: Christ as the Great High Priest and the Heavenly Liturgy

In the Epistle to the Hebrews, Christ is presented as the eternal High Priest who offers Himself as the perfect sacrifice once for all but continues His priestly work eternally in the heavenly realm. The author of Hebrews writes, "Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands... but into heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence" (Hebrews 9:24).

Neoplatonic Influence and Heavenly Liturgy

This notion of Christ’s ongoing priestly ministry links directly to the early Christian understanding of the Eucharist as a participation in the heavenly liturgy. Neoplatonic thought, which saw the material world as a shadow of the eternal, was absorbed by Christian thinkers like Pseudo-Dionysios, who emphasized that the symbols of the liturgy "lift us up to heavenly realities." Through the Eucharist, we join Christ in His eternal offering to the Father.

- Hebrews 7:25: "He always lives to make intercession for them."

- Hebrews 9:12: "He entered once for all into the holy places... by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption."

As St. Germanus of Constantinople articulated, the Liturgy is a cosmic act in which the priest, as a figure of Christ, "makes present again the sacrifice of the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world." This re-presentation of the sacrifice of Christ is not a repetition but a mystical participation in the once-for-all sacrifice of the Cross.

Section 4: Liturgical Development in East and West

As the early Church continued to develop its liturgical practices, theologians sought to express the deep theological meaning behind the Eucharist. In the West, thinkers like St. Thomas Aquinas focused on the metaphysical dimensions of the Eucharist, particularly through the doctrine of transubstantiation. Aquinas’ famous hymn “Adoro Te Devote” reveals the depth of his mysticism: "Godhead here in hiding, whom I do adore, masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more."

In the East, there was a greater emphasis on the mystical and transformative aspects of the Liturgy. St. John Chrysostom declared that in the Eucharist, we “enter into heaven itself” through our participation in the divine mysteries. Nicholas Cabasilas, writing in “The Life in Christ” described the Eucharist as "the final mystery where all things are fulfilled."

The theological developments in both East and West sought to deepen the Church’s understanding of the Eucharist as both a sacrament of Christ’s passion and a foretaste of the eschatological banquet to come.

Section 5: The Sacrifice of the Liturgy and the Continuous Work of Christ

As we turn to the idea of the Eucharist as a sacrifice, we return to the Letter to the Hebrews, where the author outlines the unique nature of Christ's priesthood. Unlike the repeated sacrifices of the Old Covenant, Christ offers Himself once for all. However, the heavenly dimension of this offering means that Christ, as the eternal High Priest, perpetually offers His once-for-all sacrifice in the heavenly sanctuary.

- Hebrews 9:24-26: "For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands... But He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself."

- Hebrews 10:12: "But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God."

This underscores the timeless nature of Christ's sacrifice. It is not confined to a moment in history, but in the Mass, we participate in that same offering. St. Augustine, in his “City of God”, speaks of this reality when he says that the Eucharist is the "sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, celebrated in the Church, [which] is a perpetual sacrifice."

Here, the understanding of the Mass as a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice becomes crucial. The sacrifice is not repeated, but made present, allowing the faithful to participate in it. This is why St. John Chrysostom declares in his “Homilies on Hebrews”, "We do not offer another sacrifice, but we make a memorial of that one sacrifice."

- Hebrews 7:25: "He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them."

This continuous intercession, combined with Christ's eternal priesthood, illuminates the Catholic and Orthodox understanding of the Eucharist as not just a meal, but a mystical sacrifice. As Pope Benedict XVI reflects in his “Sacramentum Caritatis”, the Eucharist is "sacrificial inasmuch as it makes sacramentally present the sacrifice of the Cross."

In the Orthodox Tradition, this sacrificial aspect is viewed through the lens of participation in Christ's Pascha—His Passover from death to life. Nicholas Cabasilas pivotal idea, writing in “The Life in Christ”, emphasizes the transformative power of the Eucharist as "the mystery by which the Church is united with Christ in His eternal offering." It is a sacrifice that transcends time, drawing the faithful into the eternal liturgy of Christ, the High Priest.

Section 6: Ancient Christian Liturgical Mystagogy Compared and Contrasted

Liturgical Mystagogy properly understood is the spiritual and theological process through which believers are initiated into the deeper mysteries of the Christian faith via the revelation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ hidden in every aspect of the traditional ritual, making the Divine Liturgy a tool for the mystical contemplation of heavenly truth. Mystagogy goes beyond simple intellectual comprehension, seeking to deepen one’s spiritual perception and participation in God’s grace through experience. By drawing on a retelling of the Gospel within the signs and symbols of the liturgy, mystagogical contemplation leads believers to encounter the transformative presence of Christ, even when not directly partaking in the Eucharist, and fostering an experiential knowledge of God that integrates belief with lived practice. Thus, liturgical mystagogy in the East is a direct counterpart to the development of Eucharistic Adoration in the West, where both traditions insist that a kind of spiritual communion may occur if the Eucharist is properly viewed and contemplated. As in the Medieval West, the idea that the visual contemplation of the Liturgy was sufficient for the impartation of divine grace, and the subsequent distancing of the lay faithful from Holy Communion, served to strengthen pre-existing mysteriological tendencies inherited from Neoplatonism and minimize the necessity of Holy Communion to Christian life. This effectively agreed with later radical Protestant sects that believe an understanding the Gospel, not interaction with Christ in a living relationship presented within the Sacraments themselves, is the most important thing in Christian Life. Obviously, this focus creates an imbalance and dis-incarnates Christian life and praxis, focusing on “gnosis” and a false sense of sophistication rather than on simple obedience and the Christian life of good works we were commanded by Christ to live. Both Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox corrected these tendencies in the French Nouvelle Theologie and Patristic Resourcement Movements in the West, and in the Russo-French Neo-Patristic Synthesis in the East. The greatest aids to recovering what the liturgy had been before many of the Medieval accretions and calcifications occurred, was, ironically, the very mystagogical works of Theodore Mopsuestia, St. Germanus of Constantinople and Nicholas Cabasilas that were initially instrumental in driving the mysteriological trend in the contemplation of the Liturgy.

Antiochene Mystagogy

Theodore of Mopsuestia, St. John Chrysostom’s best friend and pillar of the Antiochian School of Biblical Interpretation, also known as the “Literal Historical Typological School,” provides a profound liturgical analogy in his “Catechetical Homilies”, where he parallels the events in the life of Christ with distinct parts of the Holy Communion Service. This structure draws the faithful into an experience of Christ's redemptive work, making the Communion Service a vivid re-living of the Gospel, in the same way the Passover Meal is a re-living of the Exodus narrative within the Jewish Tradition.

A. Preparation of the Gifts (Now marked by the 13th century Proskomedia Service, but previously as a pre-liturgy selection and preparation of the Gifts to be brought by the lay faithful to the Altar)

- Typology: The Incarnation

- Explanation: Just as the bread and wine are prepared and set apart, so was Christ prepared from His conception, sanctified for His sacrificial role. This recalls Christ’s coming into the world, particularly His Incarnation, which set Him on the path toward His sacrificial death.

B. Entrance of the Clergy (Now marked by the “Little Entrance” in the East, which changes the focus from clergy to the Scriptures entering the Altar)

- Typology: The Presentation of Christ in the Temple

- Explanation: The clergy's entry into the sanctuary mirrors Christ’s presentation and public manifestation in the temple. This is symbolic of the beginning of Christ's visible ministry, where He was presented to God as the consecrated One, destined to bring salvation.

C. Reading of Scriptures and Sermon

- Typology: Christ’s Teaching Ministry

- Explanation: The readings represent Christ’s active teaching ministry. Just as Christ revealed God’s truth, the Scriptures reveal His words and message to the people, instructing and preparing them for His ultimate act of love on the Cross.

D. Prayers of the Faithful (Litany of the Faithful now prayed by the Deacon)

- Typology: Christ's Prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane

- Explanation: This part of the service reflects Christ’s intercessory prayer and submission to God’s will in the Garden of Gethsemane. The faithful, like Christ, enter a moment of intense supplication, aligning their will with God’s and seeking strength to approach the mystery of the Eucharist.

E. Offertory Procession (Now the “Great Entrance”, Originally the People Bringing Bread and Wine up to the Celebrant)

- Typology: Christ's Passion and His Procession to Calvary

- Explanation: The procession of the gifts to the altar mirrors Christ’s journey to Calvary. The bread and wine are brought forward as Christ was led to His sacrificial death, underscoring the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist.

F. Eucharistic Prayer (Anaphora)

- Typology: Christ’s Crucifixion

- Explanation: The Eucharistic prayer, culminating in the consecration, parallels the Crucifixion of Christ. Here, the bread and wine are transformed, recalling Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, as His body and blood were given for the salvation of the world.

G. Elevation of the Gifts (in the Syriac Tradition, the Gifts are covered and hidden)

- Typology: Christ’s Burial and Entombment

- Explanation: The elevation, a solemn presentation of the consecrated gifts, represents Christ’s entombment. Just as Christ’s body was placed in the tomb, the consecrated elements are elevated as a sign of His sacrificial death and rest in the grave.

H. Breaking of the Bread

- Typology: The Resurrection

- Explanation: The breaking of the bread signifies Christ’s Resurrection. Here, the act symbolizes the breaking forth of new life, and the reality of Christ’s victory over death, making His life available to the faithful.

I. Communion of the Faithful

- Typology: Pentecost and the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

- Explanation: The act of receiving Communion is likened to Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples. Through receiving Christ’s Body and Blood, the faithful receive the Holy Spirit, experiencing the full presence of the risen Christ within.

J. Final Prayer and Dismissal

- Typology: The Ascension

- Explanation: The dismissal at the end of the service corresponds to Christ’s Ascension. Just as Christ ascended into heaven, sending His disciples into the world, the faithful are sent forth to live out the Gospel, bearing the presence of Christ within them to all.

Thus, Theodore's analogy invites the faithful to experience each moment of the liturgy as an anamnesis and participation in the life of Christ, from His Incarnation to His Ascension, engaging them in a liturgical journey that mirrors the mystery of salvation.

Constantinopolitan Mystagogy

Much later, the liturgical mystagogy of the Byzantine luminaries St. Germanus of Constantinople and Nicholas Cabasilas offers two unique perspectives on how the Communion Service parallels the life of Christ, influenced by Theodore’s perspective, but also extremely unique. Both theologians, while sharing similar thematic elements to the Antiochian School’s typology, provide distinct approaches based on their theological insights and liturgical contexts.

A. Foundation of Mystagogy in the Liturgical Act

- St. Germanus of Constantinople: Germanus, writing in the 8th century, sees the liturgy primarily as a heavenly reality, a reflection of the divine mysteries as they manifest in the earthly realm. He interprets the liturgy as a direct encounter with the divine, emphasizing its eschatological and cosmic dimensions, where each act in the service embodies the life of Christ as a window into the eternal and heavenly Kingdom.

- Nicholas Cabasilas: Cabasilas, writing in the 14th century, takes a more incarnational approach, emphasizing the personal transformation of the believer through the liturgy. For him, the life of Christ is not only re-enacted but mystically entered into by the faithful, who share in Christ’s saving actions through the grace received in each liturgical act.

B. The Incarnation and Preparation of the Gifts

- St. Germanus sees the preparation of the gifts as an act that initiates the heavenly mystery on earth, with the bread and wine representing Christ’s body and blood from the outset. He places less emphasis on a specific historical analogy and more on the divine intention, as the liturgical elements are a foreshadowing of the eternal sacrifice.

- Cabasilas, by contrast, places emphasis on Christ’s Incarnation. The bread and wine represent Christ entering the world, echoing His humble entry into human life. He views this preparatory stage as a moment where the mystery of Christ’s earthly life begins to touch and sanctify the earthly elements, prefiguring His redemptive work.

C. Christ’s Public Ministry and the Readings

- St. Germanus treats the liturgy as encompassing the entire teaching and revelation of Christ, where the readings not only convey Christ’s teachings but unveil heavenly wisdom. For Germanus, the readings are less about specific moments in Christ's life and more about the impartation of divine knowledge to the Church.

- Cabasilas connects the readings more directly with Christ’s earthly ministry, as moments when the faithful hear and encounter Christ’s teachings. He emphasizes the readings as essential to spiritual formation, allowing believers to enter into Christ’s instruction and receive His wisdom as if directly from the Lord Himself.

D. Christ’s Passion and the Eucharistic Prayer

- In St. Germanus’s view, the Eucharistic prayer is a direct participation in the celestial liturgy, where the sacrifice of Christ is made manifest in eternity. He sees the prayer as connecting heaven and earth, where the Church unites with the angels in celebrating the mystery of salvation that transcends time and place.

- Cabasilas focuses on the Passion’s direct salvific impact, viewing the Eucharistic prayer as a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrificial love on Calvary. For him, this part of the service brings the faithful into the presence of the Cross, emphasizing a tangible connection with Christ’s Passion and the redemptive transformation it brings to humanity.

E. Resurrection and Breaking of the Bread

- St. Germanus views the breaking of the bread as a sign of communion with the resurrected Christ and the future eschatological banquet. It is a symbol of unity between Christ and His Church, where the Resurrection is seen less as an isolated event and more as an eternal reality celebrated in the communal breaking of bread.

- For Cabasilas, the breaking of the bread directly symbolizes the Resurrection, as it represents the risen Christ giving Himself to His disciples. He emphasizes the transformative power of the Resurrection, which through the Eucharist becomes accessible to the faithful, allowing them to partake in the new life that Christ’s resurrection bestows.

F. Pentecost and the Reception of Communion

- St. Germanus interprets communion as the culmination of the liturgy, representing the ultimate unity with Christ. However, he frames it within the heavenly and eschatological realm, where the Church receives the Holy Spirit as a prelude to eternal life in the Kingdom.

- Cabasilas also sees communion as a reception of the Holy Spirit, aligning it with the grace bestowed at Pentecost. However, he focuses more on the interior transformation of the believer. Through communion, the faithful receive Christ’s life and are empowered to live a new life in the Spirit, embodying a profound, intimate encounter with the risen Lord.

G. Dismissal and Ascension

- The dismissal is viewed by St. Germanus as a sending forth of the Church to manifest the Kingdom of God on earth. For him, the liturgy bridges heaven and earth, and the faithful leave with a foretaste of their heavenly destiny.

- Cabasilas links the dismissal to Christ’s Ascension, emphasizing that as the disciples were sent out into the world, so the faithful are sent with Christ’s presence within them. He focuses on the transformative impact of the liturgy on everyday Christian life, empowering believers to live out the Gospel as they carry Christ’s grace into the world.

Differences in Emphasis and Interpretation 

Both St. Germanus and Nicholas Cabasilas also view the liturgy as a journey through the life of Christ, agreeing on Theodore Mopsuestia’s general approach, but their interpretations differ in what it section means and on their individual emphasis:

- St. Germanus emphasizes a cosmic, timeless perspective, seeing the liturgy as a reflection of the eternal, heavenly reality. For him, the liturgy is a mystical participation in the divine order, connecting the Church on earth with the heavenly Church.

- Cabasilas focuses on the incarnational and personal aspects, emphasizing the transformative power of each liturgical act in the believer’s life. He presents the liturgy as a direct participation in Christ’s historical and redemptive acts, intended to sanctify and empower the faithful in their daily lives.

Thus, Germanus offers a view of the liturgy as a bridge between heaven and earth, reflecting the Neoplatonic philosophy we discussed earlier, while Cabasilas centers on its redemptive and transformative role, inviting the faithful into a participatory journey with Christ through the sacramental life. Both perspectives, however, ultimately guide believers to encounter Christ’s presence and partake in the mystery of salvation through the liturgical celebration.

The Implications of Mystagogical Theories

The liturgical mystagogy of early Christian thinkers like St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Theodore of Mopsuestia, St. Germanus of Constantinople, and Nicholas Cabasilas represents an often overlooked and mysterious aspect of the Christian Tradition that seeks to draw the faithful into an experiential participation in Christ's life, from the Incarnation to the Ascension, through meditating on the Divine Liturgy. Each theologian brings distinct perspectives to the role of the liturgy as both a cosmic drama and a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus: Theodore emphasized the historical typology of the Antiochian school, connecting liturgical actions to historical events in the Life of Christ, while St. Germanus presents a timeless, heavenly vision, focusing on the liturgy as a bridge to the eternal reality of Christ’s foundational self-sacrifice. Cabasilas, however, balanced mystical participation with incarnational realism, viewing each liturgical moment as a transformative encounter with the risen Christ in a retelling of His Life and Passion. Together, these mystagogical frameworks offer a profound way to engage with the divine mystery of Holy Communion, illuminating how the ritual actions, stories, and subsequent reflections on these actions and stories, unites believers with Christ and empowers them to carry His presence out into the world.

CHAPTER III

The Eucharist as the Fullness of Christian Mysticism and Life

The Eucharist stands as the pinnacle of Christian worship, the central mystery where all theological themes converge: sacrifice, communion, divine encounter, and eschatological fulfillment. As St. Maximos the Confessor profoundly stated, the Eucharist is the "meeting place between God and man, where time and eternity intersect." In this sacred meal, the temporal meets the eternal, and the faithful partake of Christ’s body and blood in a mystical encounter that transcends time and space.

The Eucharist, grounded in Jewish covenantal meals and fulfilled in the Last Supper, is far more than a memorial. From the Rabbinic Seder, where the covenant between God and Israel was sealed with bread, wine, and sacrifice, to the Last Supper, where Christ redefined these elements in the new covenant of His blood, we see the progressive deepening of divine mystery. Exodus 24:8 records Moses sealing the covenant with the blood of sacrifices, prefiguring Christ’s ultimate offering: "This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you." In the same vein, Jesus, in Matthew 26:28, declares, “This is My blood of the new covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Hebrews 9:12-15 emphasizes that Christ entered the "greater and more perfect tabernacle" and, through His own blood, obtained "eternal redemption." This continuous offering is ever-present in the Eucharist, as Christ, the eternal High Priest, makes His once-for-all sacrifice present in every Mass. St. John Chrysostom eloquently noted in his “Homilies on Hebrews”, "We do not offer another sacrifice, but we make a memorial of that one sacrifice."

The Eucharistic liturgy, shaped by both East and West, is not merely a re-enactment of the Last Supper but a mystical participation in Christ's sacrifice on the Cross and His ongoing intercession in the heavenly realm. Hebrews 7:25 speaks to this: "He always lives to make intercession for them." This continuity of Christ's priesthood is made real in the Liturgy, where the Church participates in the eternal worship of heaven, as described in Hebrews 12:22: "You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem."

The Fathers of the Church, particularly of Theodore of Mopsuestia, St. Germanus of Constantinople and Nicholas Cabasilas, illuminate this mystical participation. St. Cyril of Jerusalem’s Mystagogical Catecheses reminds us, "Do not regard the bread and wine as simply that... for they are the Body and Blood of Christ." Theodore’s teaching on the Liturgy presents each element as an allegory of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, while Cabasilas in “The Life in Christ” deepens this understanding by emphasizing how the Eucharist is not merely symbolic but a transformative union with Christ’s divine life.

The Neoplatonic influence on Christian mysticism, especially through Pseudo-Dionysios, helps us grasp how the Liturgy serves as a ladder from the material world to divine reality. St. Augustine echoes this in his “City of God”, explaining how the Eucharist is the "sacrament of unity," binding us to God and to each other. This unity reflects the harmony between heaven and earth, drawing the faithful into participation with the heavenly banquet as described in Revelation 19:9: "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb."

The Eucharist is, therefore, the Gospel made manifest, a living icon of the life of Christ, a re-presentation of His sacrifice, and a foretaste of the eternal banquet. Pope Benedict XVI affirmed in “Sacramentum Caritatis” that the Eucharist is "a foretaste of the final fulfillment, the wedding feast of the Lamb." It is not merely a remembrance of Christ's sacrifice, but a mystical encounter with the divine, drawing the Church into the life of the Holy Trinity.

In conclusion, the Eucharist embodies the fullness of Christian life and mysticism. As St. Cyril of Alexandria boldly proclaims, "We receive not mere bread, but the very body of Christ, the bread of life, given for the life of the world." Through the Eucharist, the Church is nourished, sanctified, and brought into communion with the living God. This sacrament is the culmination of all Christian worship, where the faithful are united with Christ’s eternal sacrifice, partake in His divine life, and are filled with the grace to become more fully the Body of Christ in the world.

As we begin our personal practice of contemplating the Eucharist, let us do so with the words of St. John Chrysostom in mind: "How many of you say, I should like to see His face, His garments, His shoes. You do see Him. You touch Him. You eat Him. He gives Himself to you, not only that you may see Him, but also to be your food and nourishment." Let us, therefore, approach this divine mystery with awe, reverence, and gratitude, recognizing it as the ultimate expression of God’s love and the central mystery of our faith, where the boundaries of heaven and earth are dissolved, and we are drawn into the eternal liturgy of God. In this, we enter into a divine contemplation of heavenly mysteries, and fulfill the Patristic idea of “Contemplation” called “Theoria”, a divine “Mystagogy” of purification, that leads to the ultimate “Theurgy/Theosis” in the transformative act of participation with the ineffable, the eternal, and the truly unknowable God.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Primary Sources

Augustine. City of God. Translated by Henry Bettenson. London: Penguin Classics, 2003.

Cabasilas, Nicholas. The Life in Christ. Translated by Carmino J. DeCatanzaro. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1974.

Cyril of Alexandria. Commentary on John. Translated by David R. Maxwell. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2013.

Cyril of Jerusalem. Mystagogical Catecheses. Translated by Maxwell E. Johnson and Paul F. Bradshaw. In The Rites of Christian Initiation: Their Evolution and Interpretation, edited by Paul F. Bradshaw, 164-192. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2019.

Germanus of Constantinople. On the Divine Liturgy. Translated by Paul Meyendorff. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1984.

Hebrew Bible. The Holy Scriptures according to the Masoretic Text. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1917.

Origen. Commentary on the Song of Songs. Translated by R. P. Lawson. New York: Newman Press, 1957.

Origen. Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. Translated by John Patrick. In The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 9, edited by Allan Menzies. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989.

Pseudo-Dionysius. The Celestial Hierarchy. Translated by Colm Luibheid. In Pseudo-Dionysius: The Complete Works. New York: Paulist Press, 1987.

Pseudo-Dionysius. The Mystical Theology and The Divine Names. Translated by C. E. Rolt. New York: Cosimo, Inc., 2007.

Theodore of Mopsuestia. Catechetical Homilies. Translated by Alphonse Mingana. Cambridge: W. Heffer and Sons Ltd, 1932.

Secondary Sources

Aquinas, Thomas. Adoro Te Devote. Translated by Edward Caswall. In The Aquinas Prayer Book: The Prayers and Hymns of St. Thomas Aquinas, edited by Robert Anderson and Johann Moser. Manchester, NH: Sophia Institute Press, 2000.

Benedict XVI. Sacramentum Caritatis: Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the Eucharist as the Source and Summit of the Church’s Life and Mission. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2007.

Bradshaw, Paul F. The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Chrysostom, John. Homilies on Hebrews. Translated by Philip Schaff. In Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, vol. 14, edited by Philip Schaff. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989.

Hillar, Marian. From Logos to Trinity: The Evolution of Religious Beliefs from Pythagoras to Tertullian. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012.

Iamblichus. On the Mysteries. Translated by Emma C. Clarke, John M. Dillon, and Jackson P. Hershbell. Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2003.

McGuckin, John Anthony. The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to its History, Doctrine, and Spiritual Culture. Oxford: Blackwell, 2008.

Maximos the Confessor. On Difficulties in the Church Fathers: The Ambigua. Translated by Nicholas Constas. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2014.

Plotinus. The Enneads. Translated by Stephen MacKenna. New York: Penguin Books, 1991.

Taft, Robert. The Liturgy of the Hours in East and West: The Origins of the Divine Office and Its Meaning for Today. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1986.