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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


The presbyter Chrysippus of Jerusalem composes an Encomium on *Michael (the Archangel, S00181), which he delivers during a festival in his honour. Written in Greek, probably in Jerusalem, 455/479. Skeleton entry

Evidence ID

E04679

Type of Evidence

Literary - Hagiographical - Other saint-related texts

Literary - Sermons/Homilies

Major author/Major anonymous work

Chrysippus of Jerusalem

Chrysippus, presbyter of Jerusalem, Encomium on Michael the Archangel (CPG 6707, BHG 1290b)

The author composes an encomium in praise of Michael, referring to several Old Testament passages about him.

Liturgical Activities

Service for the saint
Sermon/homily

Festivals

Saint’s feast

Non Liturgical Activity

Composing and translating saint-related texts

Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy

Source

Chrysippus (c. 405-479) was born in Cappadocia and grew up in Syria. Together with his brothers, Kosmas and Gabrielios, he came to Palestine and joined the ascetic community (laura) of *Euthymios. At the instigation of the empress Aelia Eudocia, then living in Jerusalem, the three brothers were ordained priests in 456. Chrysippus and Kosmas joined the clergy of the Anastasis, whereas Gabrielios was appointed abbot of the shrine of Stephen the First Martyr. In 467, Chrysippus became staurophylax (Keeper of the True Cross), succeeding in this office his elder brother, Kosmas, who was ordained bishop of Scythopolis. Chrysippus died in 479. Our source about his life, Cyril of Scythopolis' Life of Euthymios, reports that Chrysippus excelled as an author. From his work, only four homilies are known.

The text is known from one manuscript, on which see:
http://pinakes.irht.cnrs.fr/notices/oeuvre/4782/


Discussion

The text provides no evidence about the date, venue and occasion of the homily. It was very probably delivered during a festival in Jerusalem.


Bibliography

Text:
Sigalas, A. "Χρυσίππου πρεσβυτέρου γκώμιον ες τν ρχάγγελον Μιχαήλ," πετηρς ταιρείας Βυζαντινν Σπουδν 3 (1926), 88-93.

Further reading:
Arnold, J.C., The Footprints of Michael the Archangel: The Formation and Diffusion of a Saintly Cult, c. 300‒c. 800 (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013).

On Chrysippus:
Di Berardino, A., Patrology: The Eastern Fathers from the Council of Chalcedon (451) to John of Damascus (+750). English translation A. Walford (Cambridge: James Clarke & Co., 2006), 251-252.

Sigalas, A. 
Des Chrysippos von Jerusalem Enkomion auf den hl. Johannes den Täufer. Untersuchungen und Ergänzungen zu den Schriften des Chrysippos (Texte und Forschungen zur Byzantinisch-Neugriechischen Philologie 20; Athens: Verlag der "Byzantinisch-neugriechischen Jahrbücher", 1937).


Record Created By

Efthymios Rizos

Date of Entry

25/01/2018

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00181Michael, the ArchangelΜιχαὴλCertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Efthymios Rizos, Cult of Saints, E04679 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E04679