Sophronius of Jerusalem

Saint Sophronius of Jerusalem

Saint Sophronius of Jerusalem (560 – 638), called Sophronius the Sophist, was the Greek Patriarch of the city known as Aelia Capitolina and then Jerusalem from 634 until his death. He is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Before rising to the primacy of the See, he was a monk and theologian who was the chief protagonist for orthodox teaching in the doctrinal controversy on the essential nature of Jesus and his volitional acts. He is also renowned for the negotiation of the surrender of Aelia Capitolina to the Rashid caliph Umar in 637/8.

Quotes

• And surely what joy, what delight can ever be found that far surpasses the announcement made to that blessed Virgin and Mother of joy? Rejoice, O mother of supernatural joy! Rejoice, O nurturer of sublime joy! Rejoice, capital seat of the joy of salvation!
  Rejoice, co-operator of immortal joy!
  Rejoice, O mystical dwelling place of ineffable joy!
  Rejoice, O most blessed source of inexhaustible joy!
  Rejoice, O treasure of eternal joy who bears God!
  Rejoice, O most luxuriant tree of life-giving joy!

• From “'Homily on the Annunciation”', 18; quoted in Gharib, p. 141.

• The Holy Spirit descends upon you, who are the Immaculate, to make you purer and give you the virtue of fertility.

• Quoted in Gharib, p. 139.

• (To the ever Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus) You have made the nature of men beautiful; you have surpassed the hosts of angels; you have overshadowed the dazzling splendour of the archangels; you have shown the seats of thrones to be inferior to you; you have lowered the height of dominions; you have surpassed the commands of the principalities; you have weakened the power of the powers; you have gone forth as a virtue more powerful than the virtues themselves; you, with earthly eyes, have surpassed the keenest sight of the cherubim; you, with divinely moved wings, have flown beyond the flights of the soul of the seraphim.

• From “'Homily on the Annunciation”', 18; quoted in Gharib, p. 141.

Bibliography

• Georges Gharib (editor), Testi mariani del primo millennio. Volume 2: Padri e altri autori bizantini, Città Nuova, Roma, 1989. ISBN 88-311-9216-7 (in Italian).