The theme of the heart in the Philokalia
Article summary proposed by the Contacts review with LLM assistance
This article constitutes the first study in a series devoted to the theme of the heart in the Philokalia, considered within the framework of an Orthodox Eucharistic anthropology. Adopting a synthetic and systematic approach, Rodi Antoniadou explores the patristic conception of the heart drawing from Philokalic texts, relying in particular on Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite, Saint Gregory Palamas and Saint Diadochos of Photike. The central idea is that the heart, far from designating the mere fleshly organ, constitutes a triple metaphysical center — natural, contrary to nature and supernatural — where the encounter between man and God takes place. The theological contribution of the article lies in highlighting the heart as the privileged locus of divine revelation and participation in the uncreated energies, thereby articulating anthropology, hesychasm and the theology of energies within a coherent and well-documented perspective.
This article has not been translated yet — it is available in its French version here.
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