St. Maximus the Confessor, Abbot of Chrysopolis

Abbot and Confessor: 580-662 A.D.

Greek Father of the Church

Introduction

Although listed as a Greek Father of the Church, St. Maximus Homologetes was the last common Father of both the East and the West. He lived in Rome for many years and collaborated with the popes and other Western leaders to overcome the heresy of Monothelitism (the teaching that Christ had only one will).

The struggle against Monothelitism

St. Maximus was born of a noble family at Constantinople and became secretary to Emperor Heraclitus. He however resigned to become a monk at nearby Chrysopolis (Skutari), where he became abbot. He led the struggle against Monothelitism and Emperor Constans II, who favored the heresy. He defended Pope Honorius (who was charged with the heresy); supported very much papal authority; and in 645 A.D., refuted Pyrrhus who was influenced to abjure the heresy.

Continuing the struggle against the heresy

Emperor Constans issued a decree, Typhos, which favored Monothelitism. St. Maximus was at the Lateran Council of 649 A.D. at the time - a Council that was convened by Pope St. Martin I, to condemn the decree. Due to this struggle, Pope St. Martin I was exiled to Chersonese in 653 A.D. and died a martyr's death due to ill treatment. St. Maximus too suffered from this struggle. He was seized at Rome, brought to Constantinople where he was charged with conspiracy against the Empire. He was then exiled to Bizya, Thrace.

In exile

In his exile, St. Maximus lived next to a monastery at Rhegium, and then spent the next six years at Perberis, with two of his supporters also subjected to great hardships. These two who supported also the cause against Monothelitism were then brought back to Constantinople, tortured and mutilated, and sentenced to life imprisonment. St. Maximus died after a terrible journey to Skhemaris on the Black Sea.

Byzantine mysticism

St. Maximus was a foremost exponent of Byzantine mysticism and wrote prolifically, theological, mystical, and ascetical treatises, biblical commentaries, a dialogue on the spiritual life between two monks, and Mystagogia, a treatise on liturgical symbolism.

Some of St. Maximus' Greek writings were translated by John Scotus Eriugena in the ninth century and thus became available to Latin thinkers. In his Mystagogia and in his speculative writings, St. Maximus transformed the mystical teaching of Evagrius and Dionysius, through an ontology (a branch of philosophy), that centered on his insight: "on account of Christ, that is the mystery of Christ, all the ages, and all things in the ages, take in Christ their beginning and end of being". (Questions to Thalassius, question 60).

Author's note: Below is the result made to a prompt made at Gemini.google.com (June 18, 2024, 1500h MLA time) to understand this theological issue which began in the Eastern Church of Christianity:

St. Maximus the Confessor was a key figure in defending the orthodox position, known as dyothelitism, against the monothelite heresy. Dyothelitism affirms that Jesus Christ possesses two wills:

Divine will: Perfect and unchanging, reflecting his divine nature.
Human will: Real and free, reflecting his human nature.
These two wills are believed to coexist in perfect harmony without conflict or confusion. This concept was seen as essential for upholding both the full divinity and full humanity of Christ.

References of this article

• Pocket Catholic Dictionary, by John A. Hardon, SJ
• The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism, by editor Bernard McGinn
• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney