INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ST GREGORY PALAMAS

THE THEOLOGICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS WORK

THESSALONIKI 7-15 MARCH 2012

WEDNESDAY 7 MARCH
10.30-11.00
Registrations- Coffee/Tea
11.00 Official Opening of the Conference
Opening Remarks: His Eminence Metropolitan Anthimos of Thessaloniki, President of the
Academy, Prof. Christoforos Kontakis, Principal of the Institute for Orthodox Christian
Studies, Prof. David Frost, Director of the Patriarchal Institute for Patristic Studies at the
Holy Monastery of Vlatadon, Prof. G. Martzelos, Organising Committee representatives
(Prof. Fr Gregory Stamkopoulos, Dr C. Athanasopoulos), representative from the Friends
of Mt Athos (FoMA), other representatives.
Chair: President of the Academy, Prof. Christoforos Kontakis
11.30-12.30
Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia (Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain,
Ecumenical Patriarchate): The Human Person according to St Gregory Palamas.
12.30-13.10
Professor Georgios Mantzarides (Thessaloniki): St Gregory Palamas and Elder
Sophrony of Essex.
13.15-14.15
- Lunch
Chair: Director of the Patriarchal Institute for Patristic Studies at the Holy Monastery of
Vlatadon, Prof. G. Martzelos
14.30-15.20
Professor Richard Swinburne (Oxford): Gregory Palamas and our knowledge of God.
15.20-16.10
Professor Christos Terezis (Patras) - Professor Elias Tempelis (Peireus): Aspects of
the Revelation of the Divine in St Gregory Palamas Treatise De Operationibus Divinis
16.10-17.00
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Dr. Constantinos Athanasopoulos (IOCS): Being Good, Knowing Good, Doing Good: St
Gregory Palamas and False Dilemmas in Contemporary Metaphysics, Epistemology and
Ethics.
17.00-17.15
Coffee/Tea
Chair: Principal of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Prof. David Frost
17.15-18.05
Professor Georgios Martzelos (Thessaloniki): Holy Spirit as "Eros Aporritos" between
Father and Son in St Gregory Palamas.
18.05-18.55
Professor Fr Nikolaos Loudovikos ((University Ecclesiastical Academy of Thessaloniki):
Union of God and Concept of History in Gregory Palamas and Thomas Aquinas
18.55-19.45
Professor Anna Koltsiou-Nikita (Thessaloniki): Gregorius Palamas theology, as viewed
by the scholar Demetrius Cydones
19.45-20.15
Professor Dimitrios Tselengides (Thessaloniki): The Theological Ramifications of
Filoque in the work of St Gregory Palamas
20.15-21.00
Dinner

THURSDAY 8 MARCH
8.00-9.00
Breakfast
Chair: Prof. Fr Gregory Stamkopoulos
9.10-9.50
Dr Andreas Andreopoulos (Winchester, UK): The effect of hesychasm on the icon of the
Transfiguration
9.50-10.20
Hagiographos Elias Damianakis Archon Maestor MXE (USA): The immediate indelible
Palamite influence on Liturgical Artistic Traditions of Orthodoxy Iconography
10.20-10.40
Discussion
10.40-11.10
Dr Elena Dulgheru (Romania): Taboric Light in Russian Visual Culture: From the
Frescoes of Dionisy to the Photographies of Yuri Holdin
Chair: Principal of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, Prof. David Frost
11.10-11.50
Dr. Clemena Antonova (Vienna, Austria): Hesychast Influences on Russian Religious
Philosophy
11.50-12.20
Dr Ezekiel Olagoke (USA): Gregory Palamas and African Religious Resurgence: A Case
for Essential Dialog.
12.20-12.50
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Dr Christine- Mangala Frost (IOCS): Gregory Palamas's Prophetic Polemics: a

Comparative Study of Hesychastic Prayer and the methods and goals of Contemplative
Yoga.
12.50-13.10
- Discussion
13.15-14.00
- Lunch
Chair: Dr C. Athanasopoulos
14.00-14.40
Professor Stephen Clark (Liverpool, UK): Silence in the Land of Logos
14.40-15.15
Professor Oleg Dushin (St Petersburgh, Russia): St. Gregory Palamas and the Moscow
School of Christian Neo-Platonism (A.F. Losev, S.S. Averincev, V.V. Bibihin, S.S. Horujy).
15.15-15.50
Dr. Christophe Erismann (Lausanne, Switzerland): Gregory Palamas and Aristotelian
ontology: substance and relation.
15.50-16.20
Dr. Mikonja Kneevic (Montenegro): The Meaning of Monarchy or Causality in Triadology
of Gregory Palamas
16.20-16.50
Patrcia Calvrio (Porto, Portugal): The problem of deification and imparticipability of
God's essence in Gregory Palamas
16.50-17.15
Discussion
17.15-17.30
Coffee/Tea
Chair: Dr C. Athanasopoulos
17.30-18.10
Professor Fadi A. Giorgi (Deacon Porphyrios) (Balamand, Lebanon): En topo Foteino:
The Dialectic of Death and Transfiguration in Saint Gregory Palamas.
18.10-18.40
Professor Dan Chitoiu (Iasi, Romania): St. Gregory Palamas' Critique of Nominalism
18.40-19.10
Filip Ivanovic (Trondheim, Norway): Mans Position in Cosmos According to Dionysius the
Areopagite and Gregory Palamas.
19.10-19.40
Rev. Michael Pacella III, CEC (USA): The similarities in the works of Aquinas and
Palamasrooted in the theology and thought of Saint John Damascene.
19.40-20.00
Discussion
20.00-21.00
Dinner

FRIDAY 9 MARCH
8.00-8.45
Breakfast
8.45 Departure for Metropolis of Lagkada
9.40 Welcome by His Eminence Metropolitan Ioannis of Lagkada, Litis and Rentinis
Chair: Prof. Fr Gregory Stamkopoulos
9.50-10.30
Dr Stavros Giagkazoglou (Volos): Eucharist and Ascesis: Eucharistic and Therapeutic
Ecclesiology in the Theology of St Gregory Palamas.
10.30-11.10
Professor Symeon Paschalides (Thessaloniki): On the afterlife of St Gregory Palamas'
memory and theology
11.10-12.00:
Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos (Church of Greece): St Gregory Palamas as the
one who expresses the Life of the Fathers of Holy Mount Athos.
12.00-12.30
Hieromonk Melchisedec (Holy Monastery of St John the Baptist, Essex): The
Indisputable Wisdom of the Holy Spirit: St Gregory Palamas and St Silouan the Athonite.
12.30-13.00
Discussion
13.00-14.00 Lunch at Metropolis Lagkada (Lunch is offered by His Eminence Metropolitan
Ioannis of Lagkada, Litis and Rentinis)
14.15-14.55:
Fr Theophanes (Kafsokalyvia, Holy Mt Athos): Remarks on the Evolution of the
Hesychastic Method
14.55-15.35:
Professor Konstantinos Kotsiopoulos (Thessaloniki): St Gregory Palamas and the
Social Problems of his time.
15.35-16.05:
Dr. Stoyan Tanev (Odense, Denmark and Sofia, Bulgaria): Orthodox theology and
quantum mechanics: The meaning of words and language in St Gregory Palamas and
Niels Bohr.
16.05-16.35:
Professor Fr Gregorios Stamkopoulos (University Ecclesiastical Academy of
Thessaloniki ): Science in St Gregory Palamas and the World View of his time.
16.35-17.05:
Professor Manuel Summares (Braga, Portugal): The Theotokos as Mystical Theologian:
Ontological Issues arising from Palamas' Sermons on the Mother of God.
17.05-17.35
Revd Dr Liviu Barbu (IOCS): Hesychasm and the prayer of heart: The legacy of St
Gregory Palamas for Spiritual Fatherhood in Romanian Orthodoxy
17.35-18.00
Discussion followed by Coffee/Tea

18.00 Salutations to the Theotokos

SATURDAY 10 MARCH
8.00-9.00
Breakfast
9.15-20.00
Trip to Veroia
Visit to Metropolis Veroias
Welcome by His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon of Veroia, Naousa and Campania
Conference Session
Prof. Fr Georgios Chrysostomou (University Ecclesiastical Academy of Thessaloniki
and Metropolis Veroias): The veneration of St Gregory Palamas in Veroia (with specific
reference to the canonization of Palamas' family -Veroia 2009).
Professor Konstantinos Niarchos (Athens): Philosophy in Ancient Greece and in
Byzantium with specific reference to St Gregory Palamas.
Professor Georgios D. Panagopoulos (Ioannina, Greece): Patristic Evidences
Concerning the Procession of The Holy Spirit in Gregorys Palamas Work
Dr Norman Russell (UK): The Christological context of Palamas's approach to
participation in God
Lunch (Lunch offered by His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon of Veroia)
Visit to Apostle Paul's Stand Monument (created in 54 to celebrate Paul's speeches in
Veroia around 50-2), visit to Skete Veroias and the Holy Monastery of St John the BaptistCave of St Gregory Palamas
Vespers and Paraklisis to St Gregorios Palamas.

SUNDAY 11 MARCH
8.00 (No Breakfast)
Celebration of Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in St Gregory Palamas Cathedral in Thessaloniki
Lunch at Metropolis of Thessaloniki after the Church Service.
15.00 Return to the Academy and rest.
17.30 Transportation to the Parish of St Athanasios in Evosmos.
18.00 Vespers at the Church of Evangelismou (Annunciation) at the Square of Dimarcheio
(City Hall Square).
19.00 Conference Session at the Catacomb of the Church of Evangelismos (Annunciation)
Welcome by Metropolitan Varnavas of Neapoleos and Stavroupoleos

Dr. Spyridon P. Panagopoulos (Patras, Greece): The Relationship of Theology of the

Uncreated Light on St Gregory Palamas and the Byzantine Iconography of 14th-15th
Century
Fr. Dimitri Harper (Winchester, UK and Thessaloniki): Becoming Homotheos: St. Gregory
Palamas Eschatology of Body
Dr Dimitri Atanassov (Sofia, Bulgaria): Nudity of the body in the Late Medieval Orthodox
tradition: one example.
21.00
Dinner at the Church of Evangelismos (Dinner is offered by the Metropolis of Neapoleos
and Stavroypoleos, the parish of St Athanasios and Fr Georgios Milkas)

MONDAY 12 MARCH
8.00-9.00
Breakfast
9.15
Departure for Patriarchal Institute for Patristic Studies
10.00-10.30
Welcome by the the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Vlatadon, His Eminence Metropolitan
Panteleimon of Tyroloes and Serentiou, Vice-President of the Patriarchal Institute of
Patristic Studies and the Director of the Institute Prof. G. Martzelos.
Information about the scientific and publishing work of the Patriarchal Institute of Patristic
Studies at the Holy Monastery of Vlatadon.
10.30-11.20
Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis (Volos Ecclesiastical Academy): "Fr John Meyendorff and Fr John
Romanides: Two Opposite Interpretations of Palamism and their Impact on Contemporary
Orthodox Theology."
11.20-12.00
Fr. Daniel P. Payne, Ph.D. (USA): The Relational Ontology of Christos Yannaras: The
Hesychast Influence on the Understanding of the Person in the Thought of Christos
Yannaras
12.00-12.15
Discussion
Closing Remarks
Professor Christoforos Kontakis
Professor Georgios Martzelos
Professor Fr Nikolaos Loudovikos
Prof. Fr Gregory Stamkopoulos
12.45-13.30
Departure to Holy Mt Athos- Holy Monastery of Vatopaidi with Conference Bus
Visit to the Byzantine Museum by the women participants
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TUESDAY 13 MARCH
Holy Mt Athos (for men)
Visit to Monastery of Ormylias and Souroti with a Conference Bus.

14 - WEDNESDAY
Holy Mt Athos (for men)
Visit to Meteora- This will depend upon willingness to participate- cost for women
participants: 35 Euros- Announcements will be made at the Conference.
If the women decide that there is no visit to Meteora they have a free day to visit
Thessaloniki.

15 - THURSDAY
07.00-12.00
Mt Athos Pilgrims: Return to Thessaloniki with the Conference Bus
(07.00 Departure from Monastery of Vatopaidi)
Departure from Thessaloniki -Academy- for the Airport (Conference participants have to
arrange for this by themselves).
Conference Webpage (it will remain active after the end of the Conference)
http://distancelearning2.iocs.cam.ac.uk/ICStGP-2/