Kollyvades

The Kollyvades (Greek: Κολλυβάδες) were the members of a movement within the Eastern Orthodox Church that began in the second half of the eighteenth century among the monastic community of Mount Athos, which was concerned with the restoration of traditional practices and opposition to unwarranted innovations, and which turned unexpectedly into a movement of spiritual regeneration. As Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia succinctly points out:

throughout the Turkish period the traditions of Hesychasm remained alive, particularly on Mount Athos. Here during the second half of the eighteenth century there arose an important movement of spiritual renewal, whose effects can still be felt today. Its members, known as the Kollyvades, were alarmed at the way in which all too many of their fellow Greeks were falling under the influence of the Western Enlightenment. The Kollyvades were convinced that a regeneration of the Greek nation would come, not through embracing the secular ideas fashionable in the west, but only through a return to the true roots of Orthodox Christianity – through a rediscovery of Patristic theology and Orthodox liturgical life. In particular, they advocated frequent communion – if possible, daily – although at this time most Orthodox communicated only three or four times a year. For this the Kollyvades were fiercely attacked on the Holy Mountain and elsewhere.[1]

The movement derived its name from the Kollyva (boiled wheat) which is used during memorial services. Its proponents were Athonite monks who adhered strictly to Holy Tradition, and insisted that memorial services should not be performed on Sundays, because that is the day of the Lord's Resurrection, but rather on Saturday, the usual day for the commemoration of the dead. They were also in favor of frequent reception of Holy Communion, and practiced unceasing prayer of the heart.

The terms “Kollyvades”, “Kollyvistai”, and “Sabbatianoi” were epithets which were originally meant sarcastically as bitter insults, however over the passage of time these contemptuous appellations became a title or badge of honor.[2] The leaders of the movement were Neophytos Kafsokalyvitis (1713-1784),[note 1] Saint Makarios (Notaras) of Corinth (1731-1805), Saint Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain (1749-1809), and Saint Athanasios Parios (1722-1813).

  1. ^ Timothy Ware. The Orthodox Church. 2nd ed. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. pp. 99–100.
  2. ^ a b The Kollyvades Movement and the Advocacy of Frequent Communion. In: Hieromonk Patapios and Archbishop Chrysostomos. Manna from Athos: The Issue of Frequent Communion on the Holy Mountain in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries. Vol. II in the Byzantine and Neohellenic Studies series. Ed. Rev. Professor Andrew Louth and Professor David Ricks. Oxford: Peter Lang, 2006.


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