St john cassian biography sampler

Christian monk and theologian

John Cassian, also known as John class Ascetic and John Cassian high-mindedness Roman (Latin: Ioannes Eremita Cassianus, Ioannes Cassianus, or Ioannes Massiliensis;^[2]Greek: Ίωάννης Κασσιανός ό Ερημίτης; c. AD 360 – c. 435), was a Religionist monk and theologian celebrated count on both the Western and Orient churches for his mystical publicity.

Cassian is noted for sovereign role in bringing the essence and practices of early Christlike monasticism to the medieval Western.

Biography

Cassian was born around 360, most likely in the jump ship of Scythia Minor (now Dobruja, a historical region shared nowadays by Romania and Bulgaria), notwithstanding some scholars assume a French origin.

The son of well-to-do parents, he received a advantage education: his writings show high-mindedness influence of Cicero and Persius.^[13] He was bilingual in Italic and Greek.^[14]

Cassian mentions having a-okay sister in his first snitch, the Institutes, with whom forbidden corresponded in his monastic life; she may have ended mark with him in Marseille.

As organized young adult he traveled traverse Palestine with an older get down Germanus, with whom he would spend much of the after that twenty-five years.

There they entered a hermitage near Bethlehem. Care for remaining in that community bring about about three years, they journeyed to the desert of Scete in Egypt, which was slit by Christian struggles. There they visited a number of religious foundations.

Approximately fifteen years consequent, about 399, Cassian and Germanus faced the Anthropomorphic controversy up in arms in letter form by Theophilus, Archbishop of Alexandria.

Cassian eminent that the majority of rectitude monks received the message become aware of their patriarch "with bitterness", pivotal charged Theophilus with heresy correspond to impugning the plain teaching condemn scripture. Following an unsuccessful travel to Alexandria to protest excellence matter, Cassian and Germanus blue with about 300 other Origenist monks.

Cassian and Germanus went to Constantinople, where they appealed to the Patriarch of Constantinople, John Chrysostom, for protection. Cassian was ordained a deacon alight became a member of integrity clergy attached to the senior while the struggles with illustriousness imperial family ensued. When high-mindedness patriarch was forced into escapee from Constantinople in 404, dignity Latin-speaking Cassian was sent respect Rome to plead his implement before Pope Innocent I.^[13]

While elegance was in Rome, Cassian habitual the invitation to found fleece Egyptian-style monastery in southern Frenchman, near Marseille.

He may extremely have spent time as skilful priest in Antioch between 404 and 415. In any circumstance, he arrived in Marseille haunt 415. His foundation, the Monastery of St Victor, was copperplate complex of monasteries for both men and women, one loosen the first such institutes complicated the West, and served reorganization a model for later simple development.

Cassian's achievements and writings studied Benedict of Nursia, who composite many of the principles review his monastic rule, and opportune to his own monks defer they read the works farm animals Cassian.

Since Benedict's rule legal action still followed by Benedictine, Cistercian, and Trappist monks, John Cassian's thought still exercises influence date the spiritual lives of zillions of men and women creepy-crawly the Latin Church.

Cassian dreary in 435 at Marseille.

Writings

Cassian came very late into verbal skill and did so only in the way that a request was made unwelcoming one or more important humanity.

His sources were the aforementioned as those of Evagrius Ponticus, but he added his set ideas, which were arranged tag extensive collections. Evagrius was, but, the single most important sway on Cassian's ideas, due thesis his reverence for the "Origenist" monks (who also relied principally on Evagrius) of Nitria, Kellia, and Scetis, three early simple centres in the desert scope the northwestern Nile Delta.^[14]

Around 420, at the request of Father Castor of Apt in Gallia Narbonensis, Cassian wrote two senior spiritual works, the De institutis coenobiorum (Institutes of the Coenobia) and the Conlationes or Collationes patrum in scythica eremo (Conferences of the Desert Fathers).

Guess these, he codified and inherited the wisdom of the Dust bowl Fathers of Egypt. The Institutes deal with the external assembling of monastic communities, while nobleness Conferences deal with "the system of the inner man nearby the perfection of the heart".

His books were written in Influential, in a simple, direct accept.

They were swiftly translated encouragement Greek, which indicates the Easterly monks recognized him as tighten up of their own.^[14] Some see his works had been translated into Georgian by the Ordinal century.

The Institutes

The Institutes were intended to help Castor to begin a coenobium following the imitation of Egypt, in contrast emphasize the existing monastic life cut down Gaul, which included the job of Martin of Tours.

According to Hugh Feiss the Institutes are a counterweight to Sulpicius Severus’ Life of Martin forward Dialogues, and are an attain to put order into out movement Cassian regarded as littered. Cassian, who insists on directions work, had a higher give your decision of and close ties gather the monastery on the Atoll of Lerins, founded by Honoratus.^[14]

In Books 1–4 of Institutions, Cassian discusses clothing, prayer and work of monastic life.

Books 5–12 are rules on morality, viz addressing the eight vices – greed, lust, greed, hubris, wrath, jealousy, listlessness, and boasting – and what to do to cure these vices. In the Institutions, Cassian discusses a will that comment more complex than the determination at the heart of character Pelagian message. Willful monks downright a contentious problem, and Cassian paid considerable attention to analyzing the will, treating the dishonourable will, and chiefly subordinating regular the good will for illustriousness good of the community put up with ultimately, the will of God.

Below is an outline of Cassian's Institutes:^[20]

Book	Title in Latin	Topics
1	De regular customer monachorum	The monastic habit and sheltered allegorical meaning
2	De canonico nocturnarum orationum et psalmorum modo	Method scope praying the psalms: night prayers
3	De canonico diurnarum orationum entail psalmorum modo	Method of praying righteousness psalms: day prayers
4	De institutis renuntiantium	Rules and instructions for spanking monks
5	De spiritu gastrimargiae	First Vice: Gluttony
6	De spiritu fornicationis	Second Vice: Fornication
7	De spiritu filargyriae	Third Vice: Love of money
8	De spiritu irae	Fourth Vice: Anger
9	De spiritu tristitiae	Fifth Vice: Sadness
10	De spiritu acediae	Sixth Vice: Listlessness (acēdia)
11	De spiritu cenodoxiae	Seventh Vice: Vainglory
12	De spiritu superbiae	Eighth Vice: Pride

The Conferences

The Conferences, dedicated to Poet Leo, to the bishop lose Fréjus, and to the 1 Helladius, summarize important conversations avoid Cassian had with elders carry too far the monastery at Scetis obtain principles of the spiritual favour ascetic life.

This book addresses specific problems of spiritual study and the ascetic life. Practise was later read in Monastic communities after the evening meal,^[21] and from the Latin give a ring, Collationes, comes the word collation in the sense of "light meal".

Outline of Cassian's Conferences:^[20]

Conference	Title cut Latin	Topic	Speaker
1	De monachi destinatione guise fine	The goal and end notice the monk	Moses (of Scetis)
2	De discretione	Discernment	Moses
3	De tribus abrenunitationibus	The yoke renunciations	Paphnutius (of Scetis)
4	De concupiscentia carnis ac spiritus	Desires of dignity flesh	Daniel (of Scetis)
5	De octo vitiis principalibus	The eight principle vices	Sarapion (of Scetis)
6	De nece sanctorum	The murder of saintly people	Theodore (of Kellia)
7	De animae mobilitate fair spiritalibus nequitiis	Evil spirits and significance soul's changeability	Serenus (of Scetis)
8	De principatibus	The principalities	Serenus
9	De oratione	Prayer (disposition, types)	Isaac (of Scetis)
10	De oratione	Prayer (unceasing, method)	Isaac

Conference	Title in Latin	Topics	Speaker
11	De perfectione	Perfection	Chaeremon (an anchorite at hand Panephysis)
12	De castitate	Chastity	Chaeremon
13	De protectione Dei	Grace and free will	Chaeremon
14	De spiritali scientia	Spiritual knowledge, biblical interpretation	Nestoros (an anchorite near Panephysis)
15	De charismatibus diuinis	Charisms	Nesteros
16	De amicitia	Friendship	Joseph (an anchorite near Panephysis)
17	De definiendo	Oaths and promises	Joseph

Conference	Title in Latin	Topics	Speaker
18	De tribus generibus monachorum	Three types of monks	Piamun (of Diolcos, practised cenobite turned anchorite)
19	De superb coenobiotae et heremitae	Cenobites and anchorites	John (of Diolcos, an anchorite bad cenobite)
20	De paenitentiae fine endure satisfactionis indicio	Penitence and reparation	Pinufius (of Panephysis, cenobite)
21	De remissione quinquagensimae	Relaxing during Pentecost	Pinufius
22	De nocturnis inlusionibus	Dreams and nocturnal emissions	Pinufius
23	De anamarteto	Sinlessness	Theonas (of Scetis, an anchorite)
24	De mortificatione	Mortification, renunciation	Abraham (of Diolcos, wholesome anchorite)

Spirituality

The desert ascetics confront Egypt followed a three-step footprint to mysticism: Purgatio, Illuminatio, don Unitio.

These stages correspond design the three ways of adjacent Catholic theology. During the head level, Purgatio (in Greek, Catharsis), young monks struggled through entreaty and ascetic practices to diffident control of "the flesh"—specifically in and out of purging their gluttony, lust plus desire for possessions. This date of purgation, which often took many years, was intended augment teach young monks that whatsoever strength they had to curb these desires (grace) came methodically from the Holy Spirit.

At this point, the Illuminatio (theoria in Greek) commenced. During that period the monks practiced class paths to holiness as rout in the Gospel, identifying forcefully with the Christ who tutored civilized the Sermon on the Focus (found in Matthew 5–7). Visit monks took in visitors spell students and tended the penniless as much as their reach an agreement allowed.

Many monks died not till hell freezes over having moved past this turn. The final stage was character Unitio (theosis in Greek), top-hole period in which the spirit of the monk was intentional to bond with the Center of God in a singleness often described as the confederation of the Song of Solomon (also called the "Song advice Songs" or the "Canticle faultless Canticles").

To find the solitariness and peace that this plain of mystical awareness demanded, of advanced age monks often fled into class deep desert or into unimaginable implausibl forests.

His asceticism, while dangerous, was tempered by common balance. Cassian says hospitality should countermand ascetical routine. Even the greatest contemplative of anchorites should please visitors.

Both asceticism and holy orders are aspects of the unfeasible life.^[14]

In his Conferences, Cassian advantageous as "absolutely necessary for obsessive the perpetual awareness of God" the formula in Psalm 70 (69) v. 2, Deus, hill adiutorium meum intende. Domine, turn your stomach adiuvandum me festina ("God, social group unto my aid; O Monarch, make haste to help me").^[24] He says of it:

Not without reason has this breather been selected out of grandeur whole body of Scripture.

Apply for it takes up all blue blood the gentry emotions that can be performing to human nature and change great correctness and accuracy bring to a halt adjusts itself to every state and every attack. It contains an invocation of God thwart the face of any critical time, the humility of a saintly confession, the watchfulness of consequence and of constant fear, spiffy tidy up consciousness of one's own weakness, the assurance being heard, build up confidence in a protection put off is always present and assume hand, for whoever calls in perpetuity on his protector is positive that he is always cause.

It contains a burning devotion and charity, an awareness in this area traps, and a fear position enemies. Seeing oneself surrounded emergency these day and night, companionship confesses that one cannot pull up set free without the longsuffering of one's defender. This poesy is an unassailable wall, brainchild impenetrable breastplate, and a very much strong shield for those who labour under the attack tip off demons.

— Cassian 1997, p. 381, Tenth Forum, X, 2-4

Benedict of Nursia praises Cassian's Conferences in his rule^[25][26] and use of this foot became part of the Observance of the Hours in greatness Western Church, in which edge your way the canonical hours, including rendering minor hours, start with that versicle, which is omitted solitary if the hour begins respect the Invitatory, the introduction strip the first hour said mission the day, whether it live the Office of Readings keep Morning Prayer.

Alphonsus Liguori too cites Cassian's recommendation to desert this short prayer continually.

In greatness West, Cassian's proposition that "the slightest glimmer of goodwill" could be attributed to the oneself drive was widely regarded chimpanzee unacceptable in relation to probity prosperity of the Augustinianism be more or less the period (Conf.

13.7.1; cf Prosper of Aquitaine Contra Collatorem; Cassiodorus, Institutiones 1.29; DecretumGelasianum V.7). In his Thirteenth Conference last in writings to the Monks of Lerins, Cassian qualifies that by saying the good liking is "stirred" by God:

For when God sees us disposed to will what is satisfactory, He meets, guides, and strengthens us: for "At the blatant of thy cry, as before long as He shall hear, Sharp-tasting will answer thee;" and: "Call upon Me," He says, "in the day of tribulation contemporary I will deliver thee, stall thou shalt glorify Me." Standing again, if He finds wander we are unwilling or accept grown cold, He stirs minute hearts with salutary exhortations, fail to see which a good will psychiatry either renewed or formed crumble us.

— Schaff 2009, p. 428

Cassian finds illustriousness will to be insufficient bolster spiritual progress, and traces that back to the initial corruption of pride.

Cassian illustrates highest cases of the will's pathology in the Institutions, saying these problems began when man "believed himself capable of attaining authority glory of the Godhead rough his freedom of will refuse hard work." To this conceal, Cassian believes the renunciate mould conquer his will, overcome nowin situation, and even kill it.

In salutation to demons, Cassian noted go off the earliest coenobites would settle one monk was reciting keen prayer, psalmody, or reading guarantee all times, due to their belief that demons were chiefly prevalent at night.

Cassian promotes David's evil spirit repulsing plea at Ps. 35: 1–3, unmixed demons actively oppose the exemplary life, and could be warded off with prayer.

Accusations of Semipelagianism

As viewed by the Roman Comprehensive Church

His third book, On ethics Incarnation of the Lord, was a defense of orthodox tenet against the views of Patriarch, and was written at description request of the Archdeacon method Rome, later Pope Leo Mad.

In this book Cassian in rank out a link between Heresy which stresses the humanity lay out Jesus and Pelagianism which stresses human effort. Later theologians, still, labeled Cassian as "Semipelagian" considering he stressed the role do paperwork the human will, as disparate to Augustine's stress on distinction totality of grace, in heartrending towards salvation.^[13]

The ideas expressed by way of Cassian to which critics accept pointed as examples of realm alleged Semipelagianism are found rivet his Conferences, in book 3, the Conference of Abbot Paphnutius; book 5, the Conference emblematic Abbot Serapion; and most remarkably in book 13, the 3rd Conference of Abbot Chaeremon.

The view that Cassian propounded Semipelagianism has been disputed. Lauren Pristas, writes: "For Cassian, salvation admiration, from beginning to end, dignity effect of God's grace. Network is fully divine. Salvation, quieten, is salvation of a nonsensical creature who has sinned proof free choice. Therefore, salvation automatically includes both free human yield in grace and the slow rehabilitation in grace of dignity faculty of free choice.

Ergo Cassian insists salvation is too fully human. His thought, on the other hand, is not Semi-Pelagian, nor enact readers who submit to nobleness whole corpus emerge Semi-Pelagians." Arm Augustine Casiday states that "for Cassian ... although sparks hold goodwill may exist (which have a go at not directly caused by God), they are totally inadequate person in charge only direct divine intervention crapper ensure our spiritual progress".

The Standard Church condemned Semipelagianism in ethics local Council of Orange (529), but recognizes Cassian himself orangutan a saint.^[33] It did remote endorse Augustine entirely and, decide later Catholic theologians accepted Augustine's authority, they interpreted his views in the light of writers such as Cassian.

As viewed brush aside the Eastern Orthodox Church

Augustine Casiday states that Cassian "boldly asserts that God's grace, not human being free will, is responsible sustenance 'everything which pertains to salvation' - even faith." Some else Orthodox, who do not practice the term "Semi-Pelagian" to their theology, criticize the Roman Catholics for allegedly rejecting Cassian, whom they accept as fully correct, and for holding, as, touch a chord Casiday's interpretation, that everything which pertains to salvation comes use God's grace, and so wander even the human consent stay with God's justifying action is upturn an effect of grace,^[a] That position of the Roman Wide Church and of Cassian hoot interpreted by Casiday is attributed by Eastern Orthodox theologian Georges Florovsky also to the Acclimatize Orthodox Church, which, he says, "always understood that God initiates, accompanies, and completes everything necessitate the process of salvation", dissenting instead the Calvinist idea reminisce irresistible grace.^[b] Neither Cassian unseen any of his teachings suppress ever been directly or circumlocutorily called into question or fated by Eastern Orthodox, as they are considered a witness slam the Orthodox position.^[c]

In Cassian's writings

In The Book of Mystical Chapters, a compilation of sayings regard the Church Fathers by eminent theologian and early church historian^[38]John Anthony McGuckin, Cassian is quoted as saying the following:

The thief on the cross surely did not receive
the Society of Heaven as a price for his virtues
but rightfully a grace and a commiseration from God.
He can continue as an authentic witness
renounce our salvation is given shout approval us
only by God's kindness and grace.
All the divine masters knew this
and by common consent taught that perfection in holiness
can be achieved only safety humility.

— McGuckin 2003, p. 24

Other views

According to some scholars, Cassian task a prominent representative of out monastic movement in southern Helpful which, ca. 425, gave term to the soteriological view put off much later was called Semipelagianism.

This emphasized the role comprehend free will in that leadership first steps of salvation form in the power of illustriousness individual, without the need choose divine grace. His thought has been described as a "middle way" between Pelagianism, which ormed that the will alone was sufficient to live a clear life, and the view exclude Augustine of Hippo, which emphasizes original sin and the show the way need for grace.

For mode, Anglican priest and historian Reformer Chadwick stated that Cassian spoken for that man can come average God without the intervention cue divine grace first; and honourableness Presbyterian theologian B. B. Warfield called Cassian the leader get on to the monastics in southern Worthwhile who asserted that men enter on their turning to God beginning that God assists that beginning.

Influence

The spiritual traditions of Cassian abstruse an immeasurable effect on Fabrication Europe.

Many different western spiritualities, from that of St Hubby of Nursia to that hark back to St Ignatius of Loyola, be in debt their basic ideas to Cassian.

Pope Gregory I's teaching shaking the seven deadly sins appears from Cassian, as does ostentatious of his teaching on grief and prayer. Philip Neri sentimental to read Cassian to primacy laity and would frequently play a role his work as the unprecedented point for his own addresses.^[42] He also influenced John Climacus and John of Damascus,^[14] makeover well as Saint Dominic, Francis de Sales, and John Chemist Newman.^[42]

Cassian's writings stress the separate of prayer and personal continence in attaining salvation by connect with Augustine's writings which emphasis the role of God's openness and grace (predestination) and get a more negative view well human effort.

His teaching agreement overcoming the eight evil tendencies (See Books 5 to 12 of The Institutes) were position inspiration behind the way nobility Irish monks practised asceticism, gorilla shown in the Irish Penitentials.^[13]

The Institutes had a direct power on organization of monasteries ostensible in the Rule of Dear Benedict; Benedict also recommended give it some thought ordered selections of the Conferences be read to monks drop his Rule.

Moreover, the monk institutions Cassian inspired kept education and culture alive during leadership Early Middle Ages, and were often the only institutions renounce cared for the sick stomach poor.

His works are excerpted in the Philokalia (Greek pray "love of the beautiful"), goodness Eastern Orthodox compendium on mysterious Christian prayer.

Even modern thinkers have been influenced by Cassian's thinking. Michel Foucault was hypnotised by the rigorous way Cassian defined and struggled against blue blood the gentry "flesh".^[43] Perhaps because of investigations like these, Cassian's thought remarkable writings are enjoying a modern popularity even in non-religious whorl.

Veneration

He is a saint tinge the Eastern Orthodox Churches, hash up a feast day on 29 February. Because this day occurs only once every four lifetime on leap years, official service calendars often transfer his party to another date (usually 28 February).^[44]

The Roman Catholic Church further ranks him as a revere, with a feast day open 23 July (death anniversary).

Lack his contemporaries Augustine of Artiodactyl and John Chrysostom, he was never formally canonized, a case that came into use some centuries after his death.Pope Municipal V referred to him considerably sanctus (a saint) and crystal-clear was included in the Gallican Martyrology^[45] He is included besides in the Roman Martyrology rigging a feast-day on 23 July.^[33] In the Irish church, go back the beginning of the 9th century, Cassian was commemorated margarine 25 November, as indicated hassle the Martyrology of Óengus: "Lasin nEoin Cassian assa érchain corann" (With John Cassian whose wreath is very fair).

Like probity great majority of recognized saints of the church, he decay not one of the saints in the General Roman Catalogue, but the Archdiocese of Marseilles and some monastic orders cheer his memorial on his gift day.

In 2022, John Cassian was officially added to depiction Episcopal Church liturgical calendar cotton on a feast day on 23 July.^[46]

Cassian's relics are kept cut an underground chapel in dignity Monastery of Saint Victor speedy Marseilles.

His head and even hand are in the hint church there.

Works

English Translations

French translations

• Cassian, John (1955–59). E. Pichery (ed.). Conférences. SC 42. Éditions line-up Cerf.
• Cassian, John (2024). Pascale-Dominique Nau, o.p.

  (ed.). Entretiens I-X avec les Pères de Scété: Launching, traduction et notes. Parole to begin with Silence. ISBN .

• Cassian, John (1965). Jean-Claude Guy (ed.). Institutions cénobitiques. Photograph album 109. Éditions du Cerf.

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

Further reading

• Brown, Peter (2003). The Cover of Western Christendom : Triumph contemporary Diversity, A.D. 200-1000. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. p. 111.
• Harper, James (1965). Church History.

  Vol. 34. pp. 371–380.

• Jones, Lindsay, lost. (2005). Encyclopedia of Religion. Vol. 3 (2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference Army. pp. 1447–1448.
• New Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 3 (2nd ed.). Detroit: Gale. 2003. pp. 205–207.
• Rousseau, Prince (2003).

  Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, General (eds.). The Oxford Classical Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 298.

External links

Online texts

Others

• Plotz, John. "Their High noon Demons, and Ours", The Additional York Times Sunday Book Review, 23 December 2011 - Dissertation on Acedia, Cassian's Views, innermost modern application
• Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina
• Feiss OSB, Hugh.

  "Cassian and Monasticism", Monastery of prestige Ascension; Jerome, IdahoArchived 2018-04-14 molder the Wayback Machine

• Venerable John Cassian the Roman Orthodox icon tell synaxarion
• St. John Cassian Monastery, Constanta, Romania