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Question 80.
Dear Fr Christopher,
Greetings in Christ!
What is the real meaning of the custom of blessing of kollyva in the
feasts of saints? Some people say that they are offered as some kind of
commemoration of the saint while some others believe that they are
offered for the souls of the deceased who were named after the saint.
There is also the view that kollyva are brought to church for the sake
of those who celebrate the feast. In some villages they are also blessed
in the feasts of the Lord and Virgin Mary. Is this correct?
Thank you.
Constantine
Answer to Question 80.
Dear Constantine,
A form of kolyva was used by the Ancient Greeks in their worship, but in
Christian times kolyva began to be used as an offering to commemorate
the saints and all departed Christians after the miracle associated to
St Theodore of Tyron.
When Julian the Apostate became Emperor (361-363) he declared a great
persecution of the Christians. Having knowledge of the Christian fasts
and wanting to burden them even further, he ordered the governor of
Constantinople, during the first week of Great Lent, to sprinkle all the
food provisions in the marketplace with the blood offered to pagan
idols, knowing that the people would be hungry after the strict fasting
of the first week. Thus he would force the Christians to unwittingly eat
food "polluted" with the blood of idolatry or remain hungry. Then,
according to tradition, St. Theodore appeared to the Archbishop of
Constantinople, Eudoxius, ordering him to inform all the Christians that
no one should buy anything at the market, but rather to boil the wheat
they had at home and eat it sweetened with honey. Thus the Christians
were preserved from the stain of idolatry. Since then the Church has
commemorated this miracle on the first Saturday of Great Lent, in order
to remind the faithful that fasting and temperance have the power to
cleanse all the stains of sin.
According with Christ's words, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a
corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it
die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (John 12: 24) wheat became a symbol
of the general resurrection for just like the wheat that falls to the
ground and dies, yet when the season is right a new plant will grow, so
also we believe that Christians, when the time is right, will be raised
in a renewed body in the resurrection.
Kolyva is offered in commemoration of those departed during the memorial
services, but also in commemoration of a Saint. The meaning of both is
the same for all Christians live in the hope of the general resurrection
when our souls will once again be united to our renewed and incorrupt
bodies. But whereas for "ordinary" Christians kolyva are offered in
prayer for the remission of their sins and God's mercy upon them, the
kolyva offered in commemoration of a Saint is offered in honour of the
Saint.
To understand why we do something it is always best to first refer to
the prayer associated with the item because there we will usually find
the answer. The prayer for the kolyva offered at the commemoration of a
saint says clearly why the grain and the various fruits (kolyva) are
offered: "for they have been offered by Thy servants to Thy glory, in
honour and memory of St. [Name], and for a memorial to those who have
fallen asleep in piety of faith." (See prayer below)
As the symbolism of the wheat refers to the renewed bodies that
Christians will have at the General Resurrection, kolyva is only offered
to the saints that have died and await, like all Christians, for their
bodies to be united to the souls. Thus we do not offer kolyva at the
feasts of Christ, for he is the Resurrection from the dead, neither the
Mother of God, for her body was assumed totally to heaven, passing
beyond death and the last judgement, neither at the feasts of the angels
who have no body. We neither offer kolyva for the saints tradition says
did not die, but were taken bodily into heaven and await to return at a
later time to die e.g. Enoch, Elias and St. John the Theologian.
PRAYER OF THE KOLYVA
O Lord, who hast brought all
things to perfection through Thy word, and hast commanded the earth to
bring forth all manner of fruit for our enjoyment and food, who through
grain and pulse hadst made the three Children and Daniel to shine fairer
that the Babylonians who lived in luxury: Do Thou, O Good King, bless
also this grain and the various fruits, and them that partake thereof do
Thou sanctify; for they have been offered by Thy servants to Thy glory,
in honour and memory of St. [Name], and for a memorial to those who have
fallen asleep in piety of faith. Grant, O Good One, to those who have
prepared this offering and who keep this memorial, all their petitions
that are for their salvation, and the enjoyment of Thine eternal
blessings; by the prayers of our most pure, Lady, Mother of God and
ever-Virgin Mary; of St. [Name] to whose
memory we dedicate this day, and of all Thy saints.
For Thou art that blesses and sanctifies all things, O Christ our God,
and to Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thine eternal Father and
Thine all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever: world
without end.
With love in Christ
Fr. Christopher
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