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The Words of the Fathers

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2025 2 articles
The Words of the Fathers No. II (XX) / 2025 Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians by Saint John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople The Saint Ioan Gură de Aur

The First Homily on the Epistle to the Galatians, attributed to Saint John Chrysostom, analyses the context and theological content of the epistle’s opening verses, explaining why Paul affirmed that his apostleship came neither from men nor through the mediation of men, in response to the accusations of the Judaizers who were undermining his authority in the eyes of the Galatians, whilst also refuting heretical interpretations concerning the relationship between the Father and the Son and the nature of the present age.

 The Words of the Fathers No. I (XIX) / 2025 [Homily by John Chrysostom] on Psalm XXXVI, 1: ‘Do not envy those who act deceitfully’ The Saint Ioan Gură de Aur
This homily is a homiletic exposition of Psalm 36:1, in which the author, drawing on biblical examples from Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Elijah, Elisha, Lazarus and Herod, argues that the prosperity of the wicked is fleeting, whilst the suffering of the righteous is rewarded with eternal bliss. The listener is urged not to envy the prosperity of sinners, but to follow the path of virtue with a view to the Kingdom of Heaven.
2024 2 articles
The Words of the Fathers No. II (XVIII) / 2024 The Parable of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee The Saint Ioan Gură de Aur

St John Chrysostom’s Homily on the Publican and the Pharisee, translated from the original Greek in PG 59, analyses the parable in Luke 18 by contrasting the Pharisee’s pride with the tax collector’s repentance, showing that sincere humility before God brings righteousness, whilst pride squanders hard-won virtues.

 The Words of the Fathers No. I (XVII) / 2024 [A saying] by the same [John Chrysostom] on those who practise self-restraint through fasting and on the way of life of the most chosen prophets The Saint Ioan Gură de Aur
The Romanian translation of the homily De iis qui in jejunio continenter vivunt, attributed to Saint John Chrysostom (PG 64, col. 15–16), carried out by Dr Andrei Ion-Popescu, presents self-restraint and fasting as virtues exemplified by biblical figures such as Joseph, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Daniel and the three young men, culminating in a Christological doxology on virginity and the presence of Christ in the Church.
2023 2 articles
The Words of the Fathers No. II (XVI) / 2023 A discourse by the same [John Chrysostom] on fasting and almsgiving The Saint Ioan Gură de Aur
St John Chrysostom’s Homily on Fasting and Almsgiving develops the argument that fasting without almsgiving and without inner transformation is in vain, illustrating this teaching through the parable of the ten virgins: the five foolish virgins lost their virginity precisely because they lacked the oil of charity, which alone gives wings to prayer and opens the door to the wedding chamber.
 The Words of the Fathers No. I (XV) / 2023 A homily by [Saint John Chrysostom] on the week halfway through the [days] of fasting [during Lent] The Saint Ioan Gură de Aur

This text presents the Romanian translation of Saint John Chrysostom’s homily In mediam hebdomadam jejuniorum (PG 59, col. 701–704), delivered in the middle of Lent, in which the author urges the faithful to persevere in fasting, citing biblical examples such as Adam, Elijah, Moses and Eve, and emphasising the connection between fasting, charity and salvation.
2022 2 articles
The Words of the Fathers No. II (XIV) / 2022 [Sermon] on the Exaltation of the Holy Cross The Saint Ioan Gură de Aur
The text is a Romanian translation of the homily Eis tēn Ypsōsin tou timίου Stavrou by Saint John Chrysostom (PG 59, coll. 679–682), in which the preacher expounds on the transformative power of the Cross of Christ: drawing on analogies from nature (wheat, the vine, the olive tree), the argument progresses towards the salvific fruits of the Cross for all humanity.
 The Words of the Fathers No. I (XIII) / 2022 A homily by [John] Chrysostom, the Holy One, on the name of the cemetery and on the Cross of the Lord our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ The Saint Ioan Gură de Aur
This homily, attributed to Saint John Chrysostom, explains why the faithful gather outside the city, at a martyrion, to celebrate the Cross and Christ’s Descent into Hell, since the Saviour suffered outside the city gates. The sermon explores the theme of Christ’s victory over death and the devil through the Cross, highlighting the symmetry between Adam’s fall through wood and the salvation of the human race through the wood of the Cross.
2021 2 articles
The Words of the Fathers No. II (XII) / 2021 Fifth Homily. Delivered to the people in the Church of the Blessed Apostle Andrew, on the day of his feast Grigorie cel Mare
A homily for the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle, inspired by the Gospel reading from Matthew 4:18–22, explores the theme of the call to follow Christ and of inner sacrifice. Taking the example of the Galilean fishermen as its starting point, the text shows that the Kingdom of God costs whatever you have, and that the goodwill of the heart surpasses any material wealth.
 The Words of the Fathers No. I (XI) / 2021 Homily XXIII. Delivered to the people in St Peter’s Basilica on the second day of Easter Grigorie cel Mare

The passage about the journey to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35) is interpreted by Saint Gregory the Great in a homily in which he explains why the disciples did not recognise Christ in His interpretation of Scripture, but in the breaking of bread, and he urges the welcoming of strangers as an essential Christian virtue, illustrated by a story about a householder who welcomed Christ Himself without realising it.
2020 1 article
The Words of the Fathers No. I (X) / 2020 On Gratitude. A teaching on the veneration of the icon of Christ and on the testimony of our brother Thaddeus Teodor Studitul

A monastic sermon, translated from Greek by Octavian Gordon, urges gratitude towards God as the foundation of the spiritual life, drawing on Scripture and the example of Brother Thaddeus, a slave of Scythian origin who became a monk and martyr. Faith and a pure life are presented as inseparable, whilst the iconoclasts are condemned for their refusal to recognise the icon of Christ.
2019 2 articles
The Words of the Fathers No. II (IX) / 2019 A eulogy to Saint Stephen the First Martyr The Saint Proclu

This homily, translated from Greek by Petru Molodeț and revised by Maria Luiza Oancea and Octavian Gordon, celebrates the feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr, by drawing a parallel between the physical Sun and Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, and through the praise of Stephen as an athlete of grace and power, culminating in his heavenly vision in the Acts of the Apostles.

 The Words of the Fathers No. I (VIII) / 2019 The Tenth Catechesis of our Holy Father and Confessor Theodore, Abbot of Studion, to his disciples, delivered on All Saints’ Sunday Teodor Studitul
A homiletic sermon delivered on the feast of All Saints; the text develops the thesis that martyrdom is not limited to the shedding of blood, but encompasses any life lived in asceticism, chastity and the patience of the cross. Drawing on the Epistle to the Hebrews (chapters XI–XII) and the writings of Saint Paul, the author calls upon the faithful to bear witness to Christ through the deeds of their lives, resisting the temptations of the devil, so as to attain eternal rewards.
2018 3 articles
The Words of the Fathers No. III (VII) / 2018 A eulogy in honour of Saint Andrew the Apostle The Saint Proclu
This homily, translated from the Greek by Petru Molodeț and revised by Luiza Oancea and Octavian Gordon, is a eulogy dedicated to Saint Andrew the Apostle, which celebrates the power of apostolic preaching through imagery of fishing and light. The text elaborates on Andrew’s call to Peter — ‘I have found the Messiah’ — and highlights the superiority of apostolic grace over all the miracles of the Old Testament.
 The Words of the Fathers No. II (VI) / 2018 Sermon I. On Easter and idleness The Saint Grigorie Teologul
The First Homily of Saint Gregory the Theologian, delivered at Easter in the year 362 in the church at Nazianzus, marks the beginning of his priestly ministry in a context characterised by the Arian crisis and the tensions caused by the heterodox confession signed by his father, Gregory the Elder. The young Gregory’s return from seclusion represents both an act of obedience to his ordination and a mission to restore Nicene orthodoxy and reconcile the community.
 The Words of the Fathers No. I (V) / 2018 A homily by our Most Holy Father and Confessor Theodore, Abbot of the Monastery of Studios, on the veneration of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross, in the middle of Lent Teodor Studitul

The text is a festive homily dedicated to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, attributed to the patristic tradition, in which the Wood of the Cross is glorified as the antithesis of the wood of Paradise: a source of life in place of death, of incorruption in place of corruption. The author cites Old Testament prefigurations of the Cross — Moses’ staff, Noah’s ark, Abraham’s sacrifice — and argues, against iconoclasm, that the veneration of the icon of Christ stems from the same logic as the veneration of the image of the Cross. The homily concludes with a doxology addressed directly to the Cross, invoked as the protector of hierarchs, kings, monks and laypeople.
2017 2 articles
The Words of the Fathers No. II (IV) / 2017 The Eighth Homily, delivered to the people in the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the day of the Nativity of the Lord Grigorie cel Mare

The Homily on the Nativity of the Lord, attributed to Saint Gregory the Great, presents a theological interpretation of the pericope from the Gospel according to Luke 2:1–14, in a translation from the Latin by Mihai Grigoraș. The text symbolically interprets Augustus’s census as a foreshadowing of the registration of the elect into eternity, the birth in Bethlehem as the revelation of Christ as the Living Bread, and the manger as the place of spiritual nourishment for the faithful. The homily also emphasises that the Incarnation restored peace between humankind and the angels, calling upon the faithful to lead a pure life, worthy of their dignity as fellow citizens with God.

 The Words of the Fathers No. I (III) / 2017 A Sermon on the Nativity of Saint John the Prophet and Forerunner, the Baptist Teodor Studitul
A homily on the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist expounds the Forerunner's unique greatness among all biblical figures—patriarchs, prophets and martyrs—drawing on Luke 1 and Matthew 11 to show his singular role as herald of Christ. The text also defends icon veneration, arguing from the angelic apparition to Zechariah that if bodiless beings may be depicted, the incarnate Saviour must certainly be portrayed in icons.
2016 1 article
The Words of the Fathers No. II (II) / 2016 The Ninth Catechesis of our Holy Father and Confessor Theodore, Abbot of Studion, to his disciples Teodor Studitul

This sermon, delivered on Pentecost, reflects on the work of the Holy Spirit as Comforter and warns against the dangers of the love of money and carnal love, using as a concrete example the case of Evprepian, a monk who, after a life of witness at Sacudion, fell away from the faith and died in sin.