Spiritual Care for the Elderly: Reflection Tracks Inspired by a Research Project in the Canton of Vaud (Switzerland)

Studies tell us that more than 50% of the Romanian people age 65 and older live in rural areas. At the same time, among people living in rural areas, the elderly are vulnerable to isolation and loneliness in contemporary Romania. Studies also us that, for Romanian seniors who do not live in senior care facilities, coverage for major needs (especially financial, material, and health-related needs) is often insufficient or inaccessible. However, material or health aspects alone do not determine quality of life. The religious or spiritual dimension also contributes to well-being, according to numerous studies. This is why the spiritual care of elderly people living at home is important; it contributes to their well-being. In this work, we describe a research project carried out in Switzerland, in the canton of Vaud. The elderly people living in care facilities and others benefiting from home care serve as a source of inspiration as we contemplate how to integrate the spiritual dimension when caring for elderly people living at home, especially in rural areas.

Evangelizing, pastoral theology, laics mission, koinonia, parish life, catechesis

Pierre-Yves Brandt, University of Lausanne UNIL·Institut de sciences sociales des religions contemporaines – Observatoire des religions en Suisse (ISSRC), Doctor of Psychology, Doctor of Theology

Zhargalma Dandarova Robert, (University of Lausanne). Ph.D.

University of Lausanne

tf. +41 22 379 74 86

Šapyuta and its Meanings According to St. Isaac the Syrian

The present paper aims to research and to present the meanings of the Syriac technical term ܫܦܝܘܬܐ (šapyuta) in the writings of Isaac of Nineveh. Based on the Syriac texts of him, the study deepens the occurrences of šapyuta in diverse ascetical contexts, underlining its semantic and theological content. Isaac’s use of šapyuta is also related to the usage made by other Syriac writers like Ephrem, John of Apamea and Joseph Hazzaya. The exposition of the difficulties to render šapyuta in the Greek translation from Mar Saba completes the approach to this key term for the Syriac spirituality, in which several plans of Syriac spiritual theology come together and connect with one another.

šapyuta, Isaac of Nineveh, limpidity, East-Syriac spirituality, ascetical terminology, ascetical anthropology, monasticism

Hieromonk Agapie Corbu is an Associate Professor at “Hilarion V. Felea” Faculty of Orthodox Theology, “Aurel Vlaicu” University of Arad, Romania

Mănăstirea Bunavestire, com. Almaş, Arad, 317005

sfschitbunavestire@gmail.com.

Liturgical Catechesis. A Pastoral Typology of Father Ilarion Felea

In this study I tried to highlight the catechetical profile of father Ilarion Felea, his catechetical activity, and, above all, the constitutive elements of a liturgical catechesis as a pastoral typology. I analyzed several catecheses from the work „Spre Tabor”, focused on the interpretation of liturgical texts and the expression of their meanings in front of the faithful from the pulpit of the cathedral in Arad. In this regard, we have identified two catechetical themes, one relating to the Sacrament of Baptism, and the other to the Sacrament of Holy Unction. I highlighted the way in which Father Felea managed to transmit and update the experimental message of the two Mysteries to the faithful, to make them understand their importance for healing, perfection, and transfiguration of life in Christ.

Ilarion Felea, liturgical catechesis, the Sacrament of Baptism, the Sacrament of Holy Unction, pastoral typology

Faculty of Orthodox Teology „Ilarion V. Felea”, University „Aurel Vlaicu” Arad,

Arad, Romania

filip.albu@uav.ro

The Eucharist Theology in the Patristic Tradition

The Eucharistic theology has acknowledged its complete development following the anti-Arian controversies: the insistency of the defenders of Orthodoxy over the essential role of the Body of Christ within the mystery of salvation could not have done otherwise than draw attention with regard to the holing efficiency of the Eucharistic receipt of the body and blood of the Lord. We will focus upon representative authors of the period and until the times of Saint Gregory Palamas. The teachings of Saints Cyril of Alexandria, Gregory of Nyssa, John Chrysostom, Maximus the Confessor, John the Damascene and Nicholas Cabasillas deserve particular attention due to their special importance; it will offer us – at the same time – the occasion of clarifying several of the theological assumptions that – in diverse nuances – condition the conception that the Holy Fathers place a significant importance upon the Eucharistic mystery.

communion, embodiment, iconomy, Liturgy, Mysteries, spiritual life, salvation

Archim. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Teofan Mada, University „Aurel Vlaicu”, Faculty of Orthodox Teology „Ilarion V. Felea”

Arad, Romania

teofanmada@yahoo.com.

New landmarks of the social doctrine in the Catholic Church? Fratelli tutti and its social relevance for the contemporary world

Released in the end of 2020 on the tomb of Saint Francis of Assisi, Fratelli Tutti is at the moment the most recent social document of the Catholic Church. It comes to continue the direction suggested by previous encyclicals of nowadays head of the aforementioned institution, namely Pope Francis, like Laudato Si and in the same time, to offer a radiography of the contemporary society, showing why the Covid 19th pandemic times, migration or the misunderstanding of some of the economic principles that govern the society and in the same time to speak about the love for the neighbour, the compassion, the dialogue as solutions or to insist on the fact that the human rights are, in the contemporary form, insufficient, fact that should call to their re-evaluation and to the renewal of certain principles of dialogue at an international level. The present article therefore analyses the most recent social document of the Catholic Church, trying to bring it into attention its ecumenical relevance, its practical value and in the same time to present its minuses or the aspects that can be improved.

pandemic times, inter-religious dialogue, Pope Francis, social theology, migrant crisis

Iuliu-Marius Morariu PhD, (protosinghel Maxim) „Ioan Lupaș” Centre, Faculty of the Orthodox Theology, „Babeș-Bolyai” University from Cluj-Napoca.

Cluj, Romania

N/A

Un anticolivar filoromân din a doua generație – Teodorit din Ioannina

This study is in its first part a historical analysis of the important, but less known figure of Greek Orthodox monasticism, Theodoritos of Ioannina (1740-1824). Very learned Athonite Lavriot monk and, later, abbot of the Great Lavra and Esphigmenou. Theodoritos authored the first lost History of Athos and a huge and controversial Commentary on Apocalypse published in 1800 at Leipzig together with a controversial edition of the famous canonical encyclopedia „Pedalion” written by Nicodemus Hagiorites. His definitive retirement in Mount Athos was preceded by long journeys that took Theodorit not only in Germany, but mostly to the pricipality of Moldova governed by Phanariote rulers and her Metropolitan Veniamin. From his position as abbot proposed the granting of the Athonite monastery of Esphigmenou to the Romanian monks living in Athos. All that was achieved however was the recognition of Prodromou kellion as a skete subordinated to the monastery of the Great Lavra. Theodoritos was known for his opposition to the „kollyvades” Fathers, the great protagonists of the Neo-hesychast and philocalic spiritual revival in the Greek area. The life of Theodoritos, written by his nephew, Iakovos Neaskitiotes, the last great Athonite copyst, historian of Athos and prolific author, offered in translation in the second part of this study, outlines the personality of the monk and abbot Theodoritos as a conservative „anti-kollyvade” and a true „defender” of Orthodoxy betrayed by the innovators „kollyvades” fathers.

Theodoritos of Ioannina, kollyvades Fathers, Nicodemus the Hagiorites, Esphigmenou Monastery, Mount Athos, Athonite monasticism, Moldavian pricipality.

Dragoș BOICU, Asistent la Facultatea de Teologie „Andrei Șaguna” din cadrul Universității „Lucian Blaga” din Sibiu

Sibiu, Romania

ioan.ica@ulbsibiu.ro.

Omilia a XXIX-a la Înălțarea Domnului a Sfântului Grigorie Dialogul

The present study aims to highlight aspects of the life of St. Gregory the Great, while emphasizing the homiletical dimension of his mission. Born in Rome into a distinguished family, he enjoyed both social and spiritual privileges. Despite excelling in secular studies and serving as prefect of Rome, Gregory chose the monastic life, founding several monasteries. After serving as a deacon in Constantinople, Gregory was elected bishop of Rome in the midst of difficult times in Italy, facing barbarian attacks, plagues and heresies. Gregory emphasized preaching as the primary duty of a bishop, emphasizing its transformative power. His homilies, especially those on the Gospels, gained wide popularity throughout the Latin West, contributing to the homiliary of Charles the Great. The complicated history of the compilation of Gregory’s homilies reveals the meticulous process involved. The second part of the present study provides a translation accompanied by explanatory notes of one of the homilies of the great bishop of Rome.

Gregory the Great, Homilies, Rome, Gospel, The heritage of Christian piety, Monahism

Fr. Petre Mădălin Ștefan is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Teology Orthodox from Craiova

Craiova, Romania

petrestefan50@yahoo.com

Catherine E. Clifford, Massimo Faggioli, (eds.), The Oxford Handbook on Vatican II (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023, 778 p.).

Fruit of a complex work realized by a rich group of scholars from all around the world coordinated by Catherine E. Clifford and Massimo Faggioli: The Oxford Handbook on Vatican II released by Oxford University Press in 2023 comes not only to bring again into attention an event that shifted the history of the Christianity in the 20th century, but also to provide a complex overview on its meanings and on its consequences.

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Iuliu-Marius Morariu (protosinghel Maxim) „Ioan Lupaș” Centre, Faculty of the Orthodox Theology, „Babeș-Bolyai” University from Cluj-Napoca, Romania Angelicum Pontifical University, Rome, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Cluj, Romania

N/A

Sfinții Atanasie din Paros și Nicodim Aghioritul, Apologii și Mărturisiri de credință: Tradiția ortodoxă și sensurile ei în controversa „colivelor”, trad. Ioan I. Ică jr., Editura Deisis, Sibiu, 2021, 533 p., ISBN: 978-606-740-027-4 .

Una dintre cele mai cunoscut controverse care a agitat Athosul și Fanarul în jumătate a doua a secolului al XVIII-lea și primele două decenii din secolul al XIX-lea, cu ecouri însă până în teologia ortodoxă – nu doar greacă – din secolul al XX-lea, a fost cea legată de cearta în jurul „colivelor” sau „pomenirii” morților.

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Dr. Ciprian-Ioan Toroczkai is Assistant Professor at the Andrei Şaguna Orthodox Faculty of Theology, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania.

Sibiu, Romania

torocipri@hotmail.com.

Pr. Dragoș Bahrim, Dragoș Mîrșanu (editori), Despre isihasmul bizantin, Lucrările simpozionului internațional „Tradiția patristică în actualitate”, ediția 1, Iași, 29-30 septembrie 2022, Editura Doxologia, Iași, 2023, 363p., ISBN: 978-630-301-078-6.

Volumul de față cuprinde referatele prezentate la conferința organizată de Centrul de Studii Patristice „Sfântul Maxim Mărturisitorul” al Arhipiscopiei Iașilor, cu titlul: „Tradiția patristică în actualitate”, desfășurată în perioada 29-30 septembrie 2022. Regăsim două secțiuni: prima dedicată temei isihasmului bizantin, iar cea de-a doua, dedicată altor teme de cercetare ce privesc studiile patristice și istorice actuale.

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Dr. Ciprian-Ioan Toroczkai is Assistant Professor at the Andrei Şaguna Orthodox Faculty of Theology, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania.

Sibiu, Romania

torocipri@hotmail.com.

Pr. Constantin Pogor, Psaltirea, de la profeție la Liturghie. Introducere la cartea Psalmii, Éditions Apostolia, 2023, 354 p.

Cartea părintelui profesor C. Pogor, cadru didactic la Centre Orthodoxe d’Études et de Recherches „Dumitru Stăniloae”, din Paris și la Institut Théologique Orthodoxe Apôtre Paul din Bruxelles, nu trebuie să lipsească din biblioteca niciunui iubitor al Scripturii. Psaltirea ne comunică necesitatea existenței frumosului în câmpul experienței umane, căci sublimul naturii a inspirat dalta artiștilor seculari (de la Fidias până la Michelangelo), dar și verbul unor poeți liturgici (de la Efrem Sirul și Roman Melodul până la Johann Sebastian Bach – cel de-al cincilea evanghelist – sau Daniel Turcea). David experimentează și el răcoarea cosmică a frumosului (el fiind cel care exclama: “Cerurile spun slava lui Dumnezeu și facerea mâinilor Lui o vestește tăria” – Psalm 18, 1), dar și vraja eternului feminin cu estetica lui ce-a tulburat, de-a lungul istoriei, atât viața neptică a deșertului, cât și ritmurile cetății, rânduielile monahilor, curțile regilor europeni, palatele împăraților sau birourile prezidențiale ale secolului XX. Cartea Regilor descrie eliminarea din scenă a viteazului Urie, soțul Batșebei, a cărei nuditate l-a stârnit pe David spre poftă, adulter și omucidere, slăbind nu doar omul interior al rugăciunilor din Psaltire, ci și temeliile regatului iudeu (propriul său fiu va patrona, cu aplomb, jocurile murdare ale detronării). Versuri ca: “Miluiește-mă, Dumnezeule, după mare mila Ta și după mulțimea îndurărilor Tale, șterge fărădelegea mea” (Psalm 50, 1-2); “Tu ești scăparea mea din necazul ce mă cuprinde… izbăvește-mă de cei ce m-au înconjurat” (Psalm 31, 8) etc., se inspiră din astfel de realități pestilențiale.

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Fr. Cătălin Varga (Cluj), PhD student at A.I. Cuza University of Iași

Iasi, Romania

N/A

Alin Suciu, Monahul și scribul: creștinismul egiptean între idealul monahal și cultura scrisă, prefață de Tito Orlandi, Editura Spandugino, București, 2022, xvi + 412 p. (ISBN: 978-630-6543-01-1)

Apărut ca volumul al 6-lea în colecția „Studii și documente de istorie a religiilor”, editat de Institutul de Istorie a Religiilor al Academiei Române la editura Spandugino, Monahul și scribul: creștinismul egiptean între idealul monahal și cultura scrisă se remarcă ca o adevărată oază în mijlocul unui deșert adesea arid al teologiei românești, pe care doar încă puțini cercetători îl mai adapă în mod real și astăzi. Meritele îi revin unuia dintre cei mai recunoscuți – la nivel academic internațional – specialiști ai creștinismului oriental, în special cel de factură coptă, Alin Suciu, doctor în istoria religiilor la Universitatea Laval, din Québec (2005), docent în istoria literaturii creștine și a creștinismului copt al Universității din Helsinki (2019), astăzi fiind cercetător științific la Academia din Göttingen. Erudiția cercetătorului, cât și scriitura academică se întoarce mai cu seamă către cititorul român specializat, însă nu ezită să se adreseze, de fapt, tuturor celor care au curiozitatea de a se adânci în tainele bogatei tradiții a creștinismului răsăritean, către un spațiu geografic adesea ignorat de teologia românească, cel al văii Nilului.

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Vasile-Răzvan Teacu, Redactor at „Andreiana” Publishing House of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Sibiu, Transylvania, and PhD student at the Doctoral School of the Faculty of Theology „Andrei Șaguna” in Sibiu.

Sibiu, Romania

razvanteacu98@gmail.com.