In 2007 we celebrated the 1600 anniversary of Saint John Chrysostom’s martyrdom in 407, and at the same time, we took note of the 90 anniversary of the October Revolution in Russia. The conjuncture of these two dissimilar events, as well as the study of the era during which Saint Chrysostom lived–when a similar social revolution occurred, not as extensive of course–, causes us to carefully consider the role the Church is called by God to play whenever social order is threatened. What stance should the Church take when such phenomena of social turmoil and conflict occur that creates a number of problems and convulses as well as demolishes,  in the very sense of these words, the very fabric of social cohesion, peace, calmness, welfare, and progress of the community?  When this occurs the lives of the people are spiritually and emotionally crushed.  In order for us to be more fully informed in this matter and more specifically, to find out what stand the Church should take by those who are supposed to be the leaders of the Church, who actually have the authority as well as the responsibility to confront them, we are going to study the terrible rebellion which took place in 387 in the populous and glorious city of Antioch.  In that revolt, if Flavian, who was the bishop, and his prime and main collaborator Saint Chrysostom, had not intervened critically and effectively, Antioch would have been totally destroyed. Let us examine the relevant matters in detail.

    In 387 A.D., the dwellers of Antioch rose up in revolt against Theodosius the Great, the First (347-395, who was the Emperor of the united eastern and western part of the Roman Empire (379-395), and the one who had imposed new and over burdensome taxes. The revolt was throughout the city. The unemployed and all the parasitic elements of the society made the situation even worse, with the result that the revolt got out of hand and beyond any sense of discretion. The commander of the city was just saved from death; the imperial statues were smashed by the rebels who, swearing and cursing, threw them into the river Orontis. The violence was increasing and the situation getting worse by the minute.

    The response of the authorities was immediate. The imperial army arrived in Antioch and there were massive arrests, imprisonments and interrogations. Concerning interrogations, we have to point out that at the time, they were accompanied by merciless tortures[1]. Confiscation of citizens’ properties followed;[2] houses were sealed and death penalties imposed. Furthermore, the baths[3] were closed according to the Emperor’s decision, along with the theaters[4] and the hippodrome. Antioch was no more the Metropolis[5] and as a result, the office of the authorities was relocated to Laodicea. The whole situation was horrible. The town’s people being in great distress and for fear of their future, abandoned the city and went to the mountains and the wilderness. Antioch, which once was full of life like a bee hive, became a dead city.[6] Everywhere a silence[7] filled with terror and isolation reigned. Tragedy, as if it were a tongue tied person, had closed the mouth of all. Life and motion in town had ceased; empty houses, empty agora, just two or three “living dead” were wandering through the city. The town’s people were gathered together outside the gates of the courts to see what it was going to happen to those who had been arrested. And, while there were a lot of people outside the gates, no one was talking[8] as they were suspicious of each other, while in the courtrooms the convicts were being tortured. Outside their relatives were tortured in an even more cruel way, being informed about what was happening inside and being in agony about the future of their loved ones. The arrests, interrogations, and the tortures lasted five days. The city waited for a citywide punishment.

    The frightened people took refuge in the churches asking for God’s protection. Only a miracle would save them. At that time, John Chrysostom, a priest, lived in Antioch; Flavian was the bishop who, a year previously, had ordained Chrysostom priest. Having waited for a week[9] and having observed the abrupt, unexpected and unprecedented developments, Chrysostom stepped into the pulpit and said: “What are we to say? The present situation calls for tears and not for words; calls for laments and not for sermons; for prayers and not for orations. Who has cast an evil eye on us and caused this bad thing to happen to us? Nothing is sweeter than our homeland; but now it has become the bitterest one. Everybody is abandoning our city, as one abandons a sinking ship and everyone goes far away like someone who is mad or insane and feels that he is in danger of being caught up in flames”.

    Chrysostom endeavored to give them courage. Taking notice of their state of mind, he taught them from the word of God, exhorting them to trust in God’s providence. He repeatedly told them that everything that takes place in human lives–either happy or sad--is a part of God’s plan and is aiming for their becoming saints and perfect, through spiritual battles. Therefore, we are to offer thanks to God, not only for the happy instances in our lives but also for the sad ones that may occur during our living. Actually we are to thank Him more for the latter than for the former, as these unhappy events keep us alert. However, the happy ones, if we do not keep an eye on ourselves, may make us inactive, and lead us to spiritual looseness and inactivity. He also pointed out that it is not the very nature of things that makes us happy or sad, but our attitude towards them. So, if we show the right positive attitude to life, we will always be happy and pleased regardless of the nature of the events that may happen.

    However, he did not confine himself to preaching from the pulpit but he went on –as it becomes obvious in his homilies- making a plan to handle the tragic situation. Thus, the next day, he announced to them that the bishop was going to go to Constantinople to meet the Emperor and soften his heart.  Even though the bishop was an old man with his sister very ill and fighting for her life, he was still willing to undertake the dangerous mission. [10] It was winter with Pascha approaching; however, he willingly ignored every danger for the sake of his flock. Actually, not exclusively for the benefit of his flock, but also for people of other nations and religions as well; even for heretics and schismatics who lived in the city. In Antioch, when Ignatius the Theoforos lived, there were 200,000 residents –as Saint Chrysostom noted[11]- and among them there were not only Christians but also pagans, Jews, heretics and schismatics. According to Panagiotis Christou[12], the population of Antioch at that time was almost 500,000 including the slaves. Consequently, at the time of the revolt in 387, some 300 years later the population would have been much more.

     On their way to Constantinople, the bishop met the ones who the Emperor had sent namely, Evelihos[13] a victorious army commander and Caesarius on their way to Antioch, being commanded to arrest, interrogate and punish those who were found to be responsible for any illegal action. As soon as the bishop met them, he burst into tears. [14] The Emperor, who had been informed of the rebellion, gave strict orders according to which everyone responsible for the breaking of the statues of his family, and for the rebellion  itself, be severely punished without mercy. Keep in mind that the rebellion that took place in the hippodrome of Thessalonica, in 390 A.D., -for a different reason of course- 7000 rebels, some say 15000, were killed. Emperor Theodosius, the Great, was determined to thoroughly and exhaustively repress any kind of rebellion.

    Because of the rebellion, the city of Antioch was about to be severely punished. More people were arrested and rumors spread that the city was to be wiped off the face of the earth.  In panic the citizens of Antioch went to the church while Chrysostom was absent.  The commander of the city, a pagan, recognizing that the state of anxiety and unrest of the people would possibly yield to future violence, went to the temple to calm them. The next day, Chrysostom said to them: “I praise the commander for his interest in you, but I am ashamed on behalf of all of you. It seems that you needed the words of an unfaithful one to encourage you instead of my long and repeated exhortations. I wished I could have been elsewhere when I heard him, on the one hand inspiring courage in you and on the other, blaming you for your immature and irrational cowardice. Being faint-hearted and cowards, how are we supposed to look the unfaithful in the eyes”? [15]

     In spite of the commander’s involvement, people were still arrested and the prisons were filled with them. It appears that the commander was perhaps attempting to placate the people with his comforting words while at the same time determined to arrest any rebel he could find. The day of the trial for those imprisoned was at hand. Then, something unexpected happened.[16] While the wealthy[17], those in authority, the pagan philosophers, the “cynical vermin”[18] went to the desert to save themselves, the monks, who had lived in the desert and who had no reason to show interest for Antioch, came to Antioch. Having managed to get into the courtroom, they started protesting against the arrest of the people. They declared to the judges that they would rather be punished themselves for the sake of the Antiochians. They actually said to the commander, “We are not going to step back, we will die with them”. And a monk told them, “Your statues which were damaged are again put back.  But if you kill the icons of God, the live statues, how will you again be able to raise them and unite their bodies and souls”?’

     At this point we have to note that in 376 A.D., some 11 years earlier, Emperor Oualis (364-378) had persecuted the monks of Antioch.[19] It was then that many Antiochians, not only pagans but also Christians, were not in favour of monks; betraying them to the authorities. They actually boasted that they were the ones who betrayed this or that monk or who caused this or that damage to them. [20] Chrysostom, in order to support the monks’ mission, wrote three treatises i)to those who attack monks’ way of living, ii) to an unfaithful father and iii) to a faithful father.  Although Antiochians had behaved toward the monks in such an awful manner back in 376, now in 387 the monks came to the Antiochians’ defense.

     Right after the arrival of the monks, Saint Chrysostom, along with the priests of Antioch arrived. Standing at the doors of the courtyard, they said that the judges were to only enter over their dead bodies. At the same time, along with the people, they begged the judges on their knees, to postpone the trial. [21] Their words and actions were those of courage and goodness as opposed to those of impudence and selfishness. The judges, however, being helped by the soldiers, finally entered the courtroom. Once inside, they were afraid of being accused of handling the rebels with leniency.

     On top of everything else the following incident took place. A mother, having grabbed the reins of a judge’s horse, entered the courtyard with him. Seeing her son tided up among the prisoners, she hugged him screaming that she would rather die with her son.[22] This dramatic scene made a great impression to those who witnessed it. The imperial representative changed his mind eventually and agreed  to postpone the trial. He also agreed to send a letter, which the monks had written, begging for the Emperor’s leniency. The postponement of the trial was the first happy event that softened a bit the unbearable situation in which the Antiochians had put themselves. This was accomplished by the monks and the priests in just one day. Chrysostom admired them, more than one admires the mothers and the relatives who were prepared to give their lives for their loved ones.  Without having given birth to any of the prisoners, or rearing them, or even without knowing them, the monks and the priests were willing to sacrifice themselves for them.

     As soon as Flavian, the bishop arrived in Constantinople, he went to the palace in tears. When the Emperor met him,  he started at once accusing the Antiochians of a lack of gratitude and respect, since, though he had given them a great deal in the past, they had broken the statues of his own, his children, and even the statue of his wife Plakilla, who was really a virtuous woman. (She had died two years previously on the 14th of September in 385, having been recognized as a saint by the Church.) Was there any reason for them to attack even dead people? Flavian, sensing the Emperor’s rage, continued to shed tears. Having let the Emperor express his anger, the bishop started talking. His words were filled with honor, respect and wisdom. As a result, he succeeded in saving the city of Antioch. Let us enjoy his speech. [23]

     “Emperor, you do benefit us and you do have a great love for our city. On the contrary, we proved ourselves ungrateful, with the devil’s help of course. I do confess that we deserve what you are thinking to do to us,  punishing our city, even if you decide to destroy it, to burn it,  or to kill us all. Along with you, everybody has  accused us. However, if you wish, there is a cure for this evil since the big, unbearable events could be reason for great benefits and good.  Emperor, do not forget that our ancestors had behaved ungratefully to God and cooperated with the devil who has offered them nothing. Yet, God did not destroy them. He punished them in a pedagogical way sending them away from Eden and along with His Son, He punished the one who was responsible for the disobedience, the devil himself. If you punish  the Antiochians destroying them, then you only satisfy the devil, who led them astray to destroy them. If you forgive them, on the one hand you will manage to nullify the devil, who was jealous of Antioch which was enjoying your grace, and on the other, you will fill the Antiochians with remorse for their dishonest and unfair behavior. They did destroy your statues. However, with your philanthropy and your forgiveness towards every Antiochian, you can build your non man-made statue in his soul forever. You claim that no other king has ever been humiliated in the way you have. Yet, if you wish, this humiliation can be proved to be another more precious crown than the one you already wear. Since, it is their virtue that makes the rulers glorious and respectable and not the honor and the respect that people show them for the high position that they possess. Your diadem is a proof of your virtue as well as God’s good will. But, what is going to make you more admirable and the one that God has chosen, is your forgiveness and philanthropy.

     Allow me to remind you of an event, which happened to your predecessor, Constantine the Great, when some people threw stones at his statue, destroying it. While his advisors urged him to punish them, he decided not to do so. Instead, touching his face and acting as a philosopher he said, “I do not feel a wound. My head looks all right and my face is intact”. Then his advisors, full of shame, stepped back. Many are the achievements of Constantine the Great. What was just mentioned though is the highest and the most important of all. It actually deserves the praise of people and the rewards of God.  But, there is no need of other examples. King, remember that once, because Pascha was approaching, you issued a law for the release of the prisoners. You wrote then, “I wish I could also bring back to life the ones who have already been persecuted”. Yet, king, you are in a position to resurrect the dead Antiochians by saying a word of forgiveness. You have the opportunity to prove yourself a greater benefactor of the city than the one who once founded it. If you save the city from barbarians, you will be one of the many who have done so before. It is not that admirable. It is however, admirable to forgive the Antiochians now.  Moreover, it does not concern only you. It is about Christianity as a whole. Jews and Pagans are there to see if Christians are given the power to be reborn, granting forgiveness to other people just like Jesus Christ has forgiven his enemies. Do not pay attention to those who claim that if Antioch is not to be punished, it will set a bad example to other cities. Everybody knows that you are in a position to punish anyone you wish. Antiochians are already punished by their anxiousness and by what they are going through now. It is really easy to punish someone. However, it is difficult, exceptional and rare to forgive; especially when you are a king.

     King, in sending me here today, the Antiochians show their honor to you as they are aware of the respect you show for the Church and they also know that you honor the priests of God even when they are unworthy. I came here on behalf not only of Antiochians but also of God who says: “For if you forgive other people their failures, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you will not forgive other people, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive your failures” (Mt. 6,14-15). Do not forget that you also have to obey your King. Remember, there will be a day when you also are to be judged. And, if God takes our sins into consideration, no one is innocent in front of Him and that He continually forgives and loves us all and “he makes the sun rise upon evil men as well as good, and he sends his rain upon honest and dishonest men alike” (Mt. 5, 45).

     King, do not disappoint us, proving the promises I gave to the people false. If you listen to me, I will return to Antioch with courage. But if not, then not only will I not return but I also will denounce Antioch as my birthplace and my hometown. I will seek another, as I do not want Antioch to be my hometown as long as you, the most charitable and calmest of all men, do not find the strength to forgive it.”  The Emperor was deeply moved by the bishop’s speech. He granted forgiveness to the city and encouraged the bishop to hurry so as to arrive in time in Antioch to celebrate Pascha. He sent messengers to announce the good news to Antioch promising that he would visit the city in person. As soon as the good news arrived, the Antiochians decorated the city as if they were celebrating its encaenia.  On Pascha, St. Chrysostom stepped into the pulpit and said: “Blessed be our Lord who allows us to celebrate this day with joy and modesty and gave the head to its body, the shepherd to his folk, the teacher to his students, the general to his soldiers, the archbishop to his priests. Blessed be our Lord “who by his power within us is able to do far more than we ever dare to ask or imagine” ( Eph. 3, 20).[24]

     Thus, the crisis which lasted about two months in Antioch and convulsed, in the very sense of the word, that populous city, came to an end. During those days, the great power of the Church and its social contribution was revealed. Chrysostom’s personality dominated since –with his 21 homilies “on the statues” delivered to the people of Antioch- he consoled the people and secured a happy end to the crisis. Also, taking note of their emotional state Chrysostom fought against every form of evil, especially, blasphemy and the tendency to curse, which Antiochians seemed to suffer. Studying these homilies, one witnesses step by step the rebellion of the Antiochians  and Bishop Flavian’s, as well as Chrysostom’s, the monks’ and the local priests,’ heroism. The first homily was given five days[25] before the breaking of the statues. His subject matter was “the reasons of sorrows and misfortunes”. It was a prophetic speech that prepared the Antiochians for what was going to happen and in a way it gave an answer to the “whys” people usually utter, whenever a misfortune occurs in their lives. The 15th homily concerns the Sunday before the Advent and has nothing to do with this crisis. We should all study these homilies and appreciate the way Chrysostom refers to the pre-mentioned event.

     Thus, it becomes obvious that, when social disturbances and cosmic changes take place, it is the Church that must take action. God is the one who allows these disturbances to happen, to help humanity to come to its spiritual senses. The Church must take advantage of such periods of crises approaching people, consoling, supporting, and preaching God’s word to  them. Above all, the Church must comfort them spiritually and morally. Furthermore, the Church must stand up against all the powerful of the earth as well as the sinful systems and must stand by the weak and those in need. Social turbulence must find the Church at the front line of the battle, not idle or indifferent, or even worse at the side of the powerful and strong. In such a case, the Church becomes, speaking in human terms, “the opium of the people”, the salt which is tasteless and useless deserving to be thrown out of doors and stamped under foot.



Translated by Despina Kalogeraki