The Theology of Divine Mercy in the “Great Penitential Canon” of St. Andrew of Crete
Wojciech Słomski
slomski@autograf.plVizja University in Warsaw, Poland (Poland)
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1532-0341
Abstract
The article offers a theological analysis of the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete in the perspective of the theology of Divine Mercy. Its point of departure is the recurring refrain “Have mercy on me, O God,” which functions within the structure of the hymn not only as a penitential formula but also as a mystagogical and soteriological key. The analysis of the principal Greek terms — ἔλεος, μετάνοια, and φιλανθρωπία — demonstrates that mercy in Byzantine hymnography is not limited to a moral notion of forgiveness, but expresses God’s dynamic and ontological action within the history of salvation. The study also examines the relation of the Great Canon to the liturgical spirituality of the Triodion, the hesychast tradition, and selected forms of its reception in Byzantine theology and iconography. As a result, the Great Penitential Canon emerges as one of the most significant syntheses of Eastern soteriology, in which Divine Mercy is both the revelation of God and the path of human renewal and deification.Keywords:
Andrew of Crete, Great Penitential Canon, Divine Mercy, Byzantine theology, hymnography, hesychasm, metanoiaReferences
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Authors
Wojciech Słomskislomski@autograf.pl
Vizja University in Warsaw, Poland Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1532-0341
Prof. Wojciech Słomski is a philosopher and theologian affiliated with Vizja University in Warsaw. His research interests focus on the philosophy of religion, systematic theology, patristics, and the metaphysics of participation, with particular emphasis on Byzantine thought.
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