Tomáš Mikulka

Contemplation, as the highest activity of the intellectual being, is at the heart of Byzantine spirituality. Since Slavic Christianity was shaped according to the Byzantine model, this paper examines the extent to which this theme was assimilated in a newly discovered cycle of Slavic homilies, likely from the 9th century. Focusing on the object of contemplation, the paper explores several key topics, including the partial knowability of God, the movements of the divine essence, divine energies, and the notions of logoi and tropoi. Through the identification of sources, the paper also highlights the role and influence of the Church Fathers and traces the dynamic processes by which the author of these homilies shaped Patristic teachings into their final form.

The Corpus Dionysiacum, possibly authored in the 6th century by an enigmatic figure, stands as a pivotal work within the Byzantine oikumene, yet its reception in the Slavic context has been underexplored. This paper provides an overview of both direct and indirect receptions of the Corpus Dionysiacum, highlighted by direct quotations from a newly discovered cycle of original Slavic homilies from the late 9th century, a discovery that potentially shifts the paradigm of our understanding. We will examine the breadth, philological nuances, and theological applications of these quotations, employing a comparative analysis to contextualize our findings within a broader scholarly conversation. Through this examination, we shed light on the intricate web of cultural and theological exchanges between the Byzantine and Slavic worlds.