Nicholas Cabasilas

Nikolaos Kabasilas, Nikolaus Nicolaus Cabasilas or Cabasilas (c. 1319/23; † after 1391 ) was a Byzantine theologian, philosopher and mystic. Since 1984 he is a saint of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Life

Kabasilas was probably born around the year 1319/23 in Thessaloniki. About his exact date of birth is confusion. The family name of the father ( Chamaetos ) he preferred the name of the mother ( Kabasilas ). Nikolaos Kabasilas is not to be confused with his uncle Nilus Kabasilas (1361-1363), the metropolitan of Thessalonica was. His education enjoyed Kabasilas in Constantinople Opel. Kabasilas was a theologian and jurist and was very likely his life layman. Nevertheless, he was in 1353 a candidate for the patriarch 's throne. A 1391 letter addressed to him suggests that his date of death can be made out by 1391.

Kabasilas is contemporary of John VI. Cantacuzenus and Gregory Palamas. The mindset Palamas and his teacher Dorotheos Vlates, the Hesychasm, influenced him considerably.

Works

For the allegorical interpretation and the spirituality of the Byzantine liturgy even today are important his two major works:

• Life in Christ
• Explanations of the Divine Liturgy

Less well known are his

• Marian homilies

Publications

• The book of life in Christ. Transferring G. Hoch, introduced by E. v. Ivanka, Einsiedeln 1991.
• A commentary of the divine liturgy. Translation JM Hussey, PA McNulty, London 1978.