The Lord’s Transfiguration

Saints Paisios and Porphyrios for the Transfiguration of the Savior

 Agios Paisios

Saint Paisios the Saint often emphasized the importance of the Transfiguration as a revelation of God’s glory and an example for our own spiritual transformation. He was saying that the Transfiguration of Christ was not just an event that happened in the past, but something that we can experience personally through our spiritual life and our relationship with God. For St. Paisios, the Transfiguration was an invitation to transform our lives and become bearers of divine grace.

 Saint Porphyrios

Saint Porphyrios of Kausokalyvite also stressed the profound spiritual significance of the Transfiguration of Christ. He considered the Transfiguration to be a revelation of Christ’s Divinity and a foretaste of the eternal glory that awaits the faithful. He explained that the Metamorphosis calls us to seek our own inner transformation through prayer, humility and love for God and neighbor.

According to the Evangelists, our Lord Jesus Christ took from the disciples Peter (see June 29), John (see September 26) and James (see April 30) and went up to Mount Tabor to pray.

His three disciples, as they were tired from the difficult ascent to Tabor and while they sat down to rest, fell into a deep sleep. When they awoke, they saw an unexpected and exquisite sight. The face of the Lord shone like the sun, and His garments were white as light. Two men surrounded Him and talked with Him, Moses (see September 4) and Elias (see July 20).

After the disciples had somewhat recovered from their astonishment, the ever-enthusiastic Peter, wishing to preserve this holy intoxication caused by the radiance of the Lord, implored them to set up three tents. One for the Lord, one for Moses and one for Elijah. However, before he had time to finish his sentence, a cloud came and covered them and through it a voice was heard saying: “This is my beloved son; listen to him” (Luke, i’ 28-36). That is, This is my beloved Son, whom I sent to save the world. Listen to him.“

Therefore, we must not only listen to Him, but also obey Him. In whatever path it leads us, we are bound to discipline ourselves.

Customs of the Transfiguration of the Savior:

The Transfiguration of the Redeemer, as a great despotic holiday, is an exception to the customarily established fish-eating, within the short but strict fast of the Fifteenth of August.

In many places they believe that on the eve of the night, at some time, the heavens suddenly open and the “holy light” appears, to those who had the patience and faith to stay awake. On other days, they offer the first grapes of the year to the temples, to be blessed by the priest after the divine service, and to be distributed as a blessing to the faithful. The grapes symbolize Christ’s blood and the transformation that can happen to us, if we allow it, through the holy communion. In some places they even offer the first oil of the year to the temple, to be blessed, so that the blessing extends to the rest of the production.

Sources : http://www.ekklisiaonline.gr and http://www.vimaorthodoxias.gr