E01101: A Greek homily On Martyrs and Against the Arians, of the 380s, probably incorrectly ascribed to Gregory of Nazianzus (as his Oration 35), is composed for an unnamed festival of martyrs, revived after a long period of neglect due to ecclesiastical conflicts. Probably delivered in Constantinople.

Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 35, On the Martyrs and against the Arians (spurious) (CPG 3010.35, BHG 1185)

ΛΟΓΟΣ ΛΕʹ.
Εἰς τοὺς μάρτυρας, καὶ κατὰ Ἀρειανῶν.

Α. Τί τοσοῦτον ἔστιν εἰπεῖν ὅσον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς πάρεστι βλέπειν; Τίς δὲ λόγος τῶν φαινομένων ἀγαθῶν ἰσοστάσιος; Ἰδοὺ πρόκειται τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν τὸ ἀπιστούμενον θέαμα, ὃ ἰδεῖν μὲν πολλάκις ηὐξάμεθα, κρεῖττον δὲ ἦν ἢ κατ’ εὐχὴν τὸ ποθούμενον. Πάλιν ἐνταῦθα μαρτύρων τιμαί, πολὺν ἤδη τὸν πρὸ τούτου χρόνον ἀμεληθεῖσαι· πάλιν ἱερέων Θεοῦ συνδρομαί· πάλιν χοροστασίαι καὶ πανηγύρεις πνευματικαί. Ὁ σύλλογος πολυάνθρωπος ἑορτάζειν, οὐχ ὁπλομαχεῖν προθυμούμενος. Ὢ τοῦ θαύματος· ἔῤῥιπται τῶν χειρῶν τὰ ὅπλα, λέλυται ἡ παράταξις, ἀμελεῖται ὁ πόλεμος. Οὐκέτι αἱ φωναὶ τῶν ἀλαλαζόντων ἀκούονται· ἀντὶ δὲ τούτων ἑορταὶ καὶ εὐφροσύναι καὶ εἰρηνικαὶ θυμηδίαι τὴν πόλιν πᾶσαν περιχορεύουσι, τὴν πάλαι μὲν οὖσαν τῶν μαρτύρων μητέρα, πολὺν δὲ τὸν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ χρόνον ἄμοιρον γενομένην τῆς ἐπὶ τοῖς τέκνοις τιμῆς. Ἀλλὰ νῦν «ἀπέχει πάντα καὶ περισσεύει», καθώς φησιν ὁ Ἀπόστολος. Εὖγε, ὦ μάρτυρες· ὑμέτερος καὶ οὗτος ὁ ἆθλος, ὑμεῖς νενικήκατε τὸν πολὺν πόλεμον, εὖ οἶδα. Μόνα καὶ ταῦτα τῶν ὑμετέρων ἱδρώτων τὰ κατορθώματα. Ὑμεῖς ἠγείρατε τῇ εἰρήνῃ τὸ τρόπαιον, ὑμεῖς τοὺς ἱερέας τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐφ’ ἑαυτοὺς ἐφειλκύσασθε, ὑμεῖς τοὺς χορευτὰς τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος τῷ συλλόγῳ τούτῳ προεστήσασθε. Ὢ πόσην πεπόνθασι τὴν ζημίαν οἷς ὁ χρόνος τῆς ζωῆς μέχρι τοῦ νῦν οὐ διήρκεσε θεάματος, ἵνα τῶν σκυθρωπῶν εἰς κόρον ἐλθόντες τῶν ἀγαθῶν τῆς εἰρήνης ἀπελαύσειεν! (…………)

'Oration 35
‘On the Martyrs and against the Arians’

‘What words can compare to all that is before our eyes to see? What sermon can do justice to these manifest blessings? Behold, here lies before our eyes this incredible sight which we so many times prayed to see, but the actual object of our desire surpassed whatever we could imagine in our prayers. Once again, the veneration of the martyrs takes place here, after a long period of neglect before our time! Once again God’s priests come together! Once again there is spiritual dancing and celebration! A great throng has gathered eagerly together, not to take up arms but to hold festival! What a wonder! Weapons fall off the hands; the ranks are broken; war is given up. The din of battle-cry is no longer to be heard; instead, celebrations, joyfulness and peaceful exuberance dance all around this city which in times past was the mother of the martyrs, but in the meantime has been deprived of her children’s honours. But now, in the words of the Apostle, she has received full payment and has more than enough (Phil. 4.18). Kudos, martyrs! Even this feat is yours! It was certainly you who won this great war! These achievements can only be the result of your toils! You raised the trophy to peace! You gathered the priests of God around you! You stood before yourselves the dancers of the Holy Spirit in this gathering! What a great loss it has been for those whose life did not last to this present wonder, that they might reach the end of dark times and enjoy the blessings of peace! (…………)’


Text : Moreschini, C., & Gallay, P. (1985). Grégoire de Nazianze. Discours 32-37. Introduction, texte critique et notes. Paris: Cerf, 228-239.
Translation : E. Rizos