Origen's Philocalia ( grc, Φιλοκαλία) is an anthology of
Origen
Origen of Alexandria, ''Ōrigénēs''; Origen's Greek name ''Ōrigénēs'' () probably means "child of Horus" (from , "Horus", and , "born"). ( 185 – 253), also known as Origen Adamantius, was an early Christian scholar, ascetic, and the ...
's texts, probably compiled by
Basil the Great
Basil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great ( grc, Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, ''Hágios Basíleios ho Mégas''; cop, Ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲃⲁⲥⲓⲗⲓⲟⲥ; 330 – January 1 or 2, 379), was a bishop of Cae ...
and
Gregory Nazianzen
Gregory of Nazianzus ( el, Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, ''Grēgorios ho Nazianzēnos''; ''Liturgy of the Hours'' Volume I, Proper of Saints, 2 January. – 25 January 390,), also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory N ...
. It was probably compiled during their monastic retreat in
Pontus in the late 350s to early 360s, or in any event early in their careers and before their own theological writings. Many of Origen's work are lost and consequently the extracts in the anthology are valuable today. It should not be confused with the medieval ''
Philokalia
The ''Philokalia'' ( grc, φιλοκαλία, lit=love of the beautiful, from ''philia'' "love" and ''kallos'' "beauty") is "a collection of texts written between the 4th and 15th centuries by spiritual masters" of the mystical hesychast tr ...
''.
The work is divided into twenty-seven chapters, with titles given by the compilers. About a fifth of it is taken from ''
Contra Celsum
''Against Celsus'' ( Greek: Κατὰ Κέλσου ''Kata Kelsou''; Latin: ''Contra Celsum''), preserved entirely in Greek, is a major apologetics work by the Church Father Origen of Alexandria, written in around 248 AD, countering the writi ...
''.
Opinion is divided about who compiled the ''Philocalia''. Basil and Gregory are described as the compilers in the Greek text itself, and this is generally accepted. Eric Junod, the editor of the French edition of chapters 21–27, accepts both as the authors. But M. Harl, editor of chapters 1–20 in the same series, questions this, as do others. Gregory Nazianzen sent a letter to a friend which supports the traditional attribution.
[Authorship discussion and references from Jennifer Nimmo Smith]
A Christian's guide to Greek culture: the Pseudo-Nonnus Commentaries
p.xx, n.17.
A number of medieval manuscripts preserve the work, including
Codex Parisinus Graecus 456 Codex Parisinus Graecus 456, designated by siglum H, manuscript of Origen's Philocalia and Contra Celsum.
Description
The manuscript contains text of Origen's Philocalia. It is very closely related to ''Codex Venetus Graecus 48'', but not copi ...
.
References
Further reading
* J. Armitage Robinson, ''The Philocalia of Origen: The text revised with a critical introduction and indices''. Cambridge University Press/New York:Macmillan (1893), pp. XIII-XVIII
External links
Preface by George Lewis to 1911 translation, plus translation of Greek introductionby George Lewis (1911)
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Works by the Church Fathers
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