St. Symeon the New Theologian

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St. Symeon the New Theologian was a 10th–11th century Byzantine monk, mystic, and spiritual writer renowned for his teachings on inner prayer, direct experience of God, and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life.

Aliases (1)

Statements (52)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Byzantine monk
Christian mystic
Christian saint
Christian theologian
spiritual writer
birthDate 949
birthPlace Byzantine Empire
Galatai, Paphlagonia
centuryOfActivity 10th century
11th century
churchTradition Eastern Orthodox Church
deathDate 1022
deathPlace Byzantine Empire
Chrysopolis
denomination Byzantine Christianity
feastDay 12 March
honorificTitle Saint
The New Theologian
influenced Gregory Palamas
later hesychast tradition
knownFor critique of formalism in religious life
doctrine of the indwelling Holy Spirit
emphasis on direct experience of God
hymns about divine light
insistence on personal conversion and repentance
teachings on inner prayer
writings on Christian mysticism
language Greek
monasteryAffiliation Monastery of St. Mamas in Constantinople
monasticRole abbot
nationality Byzantine
occupation abbot of St. Mamas monastery
religion Christianity
residence Constantinople
sharesTitleTheologianWith Gregory of Nazianzus
John the Theologian
spiritualEmphasis confession and obedience to a spiritual father
experience of God available to all baptized Christians
spiritualPractice hesychastic prayer
unceasing prayer
theologicalTheme deification (theosis)
importance of spiritual fatherhood
inner transformation of the Christian
personal experience of the Holy Spirit
vision of the uncreated light
titleCount one of the three saints called Theologian in Eastern Orthodoxy
veneration Eastern Catholic Churches
Eastern Orthodox Church
workAuthored Catechetical Discourses
Ethical Discourses
Hymns of Divine Love
Theological and Practical Chapters

Referenced by (3)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite
hesychast tradition ("Symeon the New Theologian")
influencedBy
Philokalia
containsWorkBy

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