The Works of Dionysius the Areopagite — trans. John Parker

ggesting that the approach of those who draw nigh to holy things should be in altogether complete purification, and entrusting the approach to their reverent vision and communion to the purifying powers, and admitting them, through these, without spot.

Section VII.

We have shewn, then, that the Rank of the Hierarchs is consecrating and perfecting, that of the Priests, illuminating and conducting to the light; and that of the Leitourgoi purifying and discriminating; that is to say, the Hierarchical Rank is appointed not only to perfect, but also at the same time, to enlighten and to purify, and has within itself the purifying sciences of the power of the Priests together with the illuminating. For the inferior Ranks cannot cross to the superior functions, and, besides this, it is not permitted to them to take in hand such quackery as that. Now the more Divine Orders know also, together with their own, the sacred sciences subordinate to their own perfection. Nevertheless, since the sacerdotal orderings of the well-arranged and unconfused order of the Divine operations are images of Divine operations, they were arranged in Hierarchical distinctions, shewing in themselves the illuminations marshalled into the first, and middle, and last, sacred operations and Ranks ; manifesting, as I said, in themselves the well-ordered and uncon-

071 the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy. 131 fused character of the Divine operations. For since the Godhead first cleanses the minds which He may enter, then enHghtens, and, when enhghtened, perfects them to a GodUke perfection ; naturally the Hierarchical of the Divine images divides itself into well-defined Ranks and powers, shewing clearly the supremely. Divine operation firmly established, without confusion, in most hallowed and unmixed Ranks. But, since we have spoken, as attainable to us, of the sacerdotal Ranks and elections, and their powers and operations, let us now contemplate their most holy consecrations as well as we can.

//. Mysterion of Sacerdotal Conseerations. ^

The Hierarch, then, being led to the Hierarchical consecration, after he has bent both his s knees before the Altar, has upon his head ^ the Godtransmitted oracles, and the Hierarchical hand, and in this manner is consecrated^ by the Hierarch, who ordains him by the altogether most holy invocations. And the Priest, after he has bent both his knees before the Divine Altar, has the Hierarchical right hand upon his head, and in this manner is dedicated'*^ by the Hierarch, who ordains him with hallowing invocations.

im by the altogether most holy invocations. And the Priest, after he has bent both his knees before the Divine Altar, has the Hierarchical right hand upon his head, and in this manner is dedicated'*^ by the Hierarch, who ordains him with hallowing invocations. And the Leitourgos, after he has bent one of two knees before the Divine Altar, has upon his head the right hand of the Hierarch who ordains him, being completed' by him g ^u<^w TO) TTo'Se. h Ap. C. iv. s. 20 ; iv. s. 17 ; viii. s. 4.

132 Diojiysiiis the Areopagife with the initiating invocations of the Leitourgoi. Upon each of them the cruciform seal °^ is impressed, by the ordaining Hierarch, and, in each case, a sacred proclamation of name takes place, and a perfecting salutation, since every sacerdotal person present, and the Hierarch v/ho ordained, salute him who has been enrolled to any of the aforenamed sacerdotal Ranks.

///. Contemplation. Section I.

These things, then, are common both to the Hlerarchs, and Priests, and Leitourgoi, in their sacerdotal consecrations, — the conducting to the Divine Altar and kneeling, — the imposition of the Hierarchical hand, — the cruciform seal, — the announcement of name, — the completing salutation.

And special and select for the Hierarchs is the imposition of the Oracles upon the head, since the subordinate Ranks have not this ; and for the Priests the bending of both knees, since the consecration of the Leitourgoi has not this ; for the Leitourgoi, as has been said, bend the one of two knees only.

Section IL

The conducting then to the Divine Altar, and kneeling, suggests to all those who are being sacerdotally ordained, that their own life is entirely placed under God, as source of consecration, and that their on the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, 133 whole intellectual self, all pure and hallowed, approaches to Him, and that it is of one likeness, and, as far as possible, meet for the supremely Divine and altogether most holy, both Victim'' and Altar, which purifies, sacerdotally, the Godlike Minds.

Section III.

And the imposition of the Hierarchical hand signifies at once the consecrating protection, by which, as holy children, they are paternally tended, which bequeaths to them a sacerdotal condition and power, and drives away their adverse powers, and teaches, at the same time also, to perform the sacerdotal operations, as those who, having been consecrated, are acting under God, and have Him as Leader of their own operations in every respect.

Section IV.

d power, and drives away their adverse powers, and teaches, at the same time also, to perform the sacerdotal operations, as those who, having been consecrated, are acting under God, and have Him as Leader of their own operations in every respect.

Section IV.

And the cruciform seal manifests the inaction of all the impulses of the flesh, and the God-imitated life looking away unflinchingly to the m.anly most Divine life of Jesus, Who came even to Cross and death with a supremely Divine sinlessness, and stamped those who so live with the cruciform image of His own sinlessness as of the same likeness.

Section V.

And the Hierarch calls aloud the name of the consecrations and of those consecrated, the mystery denoting that the God-beloved consecrator is manin Christ.

134 Dionysius the Ai'eopagite festor of the supremely Divine choice, — not of his own accord or by his own favour leading those who are ordained to the sacerdotal consecration, but being moved by God to all the Hierarchical dedications. Thus Moses, the consecrator under the Law, does not lead even Aaron, his brother, to sacerdotal consecration, though thinking him both beloved of God and fit for the priesthood, until moved by God to this, he in submission to God, Head of consecration, completed by Hierarchical rites the sacerdotal consecration ^ But even our supremely Divine and first Consecrator (for the most philanthropic Jesus, for our sake, became even this), did "not glorify Himself," as the Logia say, but He Who said to Him, " Thou ^ art Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." Wherefore also whilst Himself leading the disciples to sacerdotal consecration, although being as God chief Consecrator, nevertheless He refers the Hierarchical completion of the work of consecration to His altogether most Holy Father, and the supremely Divine Spirit, by admonishing the disciples, as the Oracles say, not to depart from Jerusalem, but to " await the promise of the Father, which ye heard of Me, that ye shall be baptized in Holy Ghost "i." And indeed, the Coryphaeus of the disciples himself, with the ten, of the same rank and Hierarchy with himself, when he proceeded to the sacerdotal consecration of the twelfth of the disciples, piously left the selection to o Exod. xxix. 4. P Ps. ex. 4. <i Acts i. 4, 5.

071 the Ecclesiastical Hie7'archy. 135 the Godhead, saying, "Shew'" whom Thou hast chosen," and received him, who was divinely designated by the Divine lot, into the Hierarchical number of the sacred twelve.