THE BEATITUDES: Ancient and Modern Orthodox Commentary

The Beatitudes -- the "Commandments of Blessedness" which define the ascetical life of the Christian -- are sung at every Divine Liturgy in the older tradition and have been the subject of reflection and meditation in the Orthodox Church for centuries. (The fact that the eight Beatitiudes collectively define a life of ascetic struggle, a sort of crucifixion, is the symbolism of the eight-pointed Maltese Cross.) To encourage reflection on the Beatitudes, we here present a some classic patristic commentaries and more modern comments rooted in the Orthodox tradition. This page will grow; please send any suggestions to Fr. Christopher Calin.

NOTE: We have deliberately included a variety of opinions in these pages. Views of modern writers are those of the authors alone and should not be taken as official views of the Orthodox Church or of the Order of St. John.

• St. John Chrysostom: Homily 15: On the Beatitudes. Prevost translation, 1851. --- St Pachomius Library
• St. Leo the Great: Homily 95: On the Beatitudes. The eschatological vision of hesychasm is fundamental to Leo's interpretation. Feltoe translation, 1894. --- St Pachomius Library
• Protopriest V. Potapov: The Commandments of Blessedness. Commentary by a modern Russian Orthodox priest with copious and appropriate quotes from the Fathers of the Church to illustrate the meaning of each beatitude. (From Parish Life, March 1993). --- St John's Cathedral, DC
• Jim Forest: The Ladder of the Beatitudes. Written by a convert from Roman Catholicism to Orthodoxy, this meditation brings out the interconnectedness of the Beatitudes themselves and the steps that take us more deeply into the life in Christ. --- OPF
• John Tavener: Blessed are the Pure in Heart. A distinguished contemporary classical composer (one of whose works was performed at the funeral of Princess Diana), Tavener became Greek Orthodox as a result of meditating on the Beatitudes and has since written a musical setting of them. Here is the transcript of a television interview with him about the meaning of the Beatitudes in his life and spirituality. --- BorderTV
• The Beatitudes in Bulgarian Just that. --- Bulg. Orth. Ch.