Saint Gregory Palamas is commemorated in the Orthodox Church during Great Lent, with a whole Sunday dedicated to him. But we remember him as well on this day of his repose in November 1359. I have been edified by reading about the saint’s eventful life again this morning, and watching an encouraging short video from Holy Cross Hellenic College, in which Dr. Tikhon Pino tells us that the Church has called St. Gregory “the capstone of the fathers, the glory of hierarchs, and the voice of the theologians.” He goes on to explain in three points how St. Gregory is a supreme model of an Orthodox Christian.

Also Fr. Charalambos has written a helpful article for today, tying the life of the saint to other events of the church calendar: the commemoration of the Apostle Philip, and the Gospel reading of the day, here: “Come and See”. An excerpt:

“Saint Gregory Palamas spent his whole life confessing, expounding, and defending this very reality: That God is not some distant concept or entity to be studied from afar. But rather a living, breathing presence to be experienced and interacted with. Saint Gregory Palamas teaches us that we are called to know God intimately in the stillness of our own hearts. In the depths of the stillness of our hearts, this is where we will know Him; this is where we will find Him. For the Kingdom of Heaven is within us; the Taboric light is within us.”