Η περί φαντασμάτων θέση του Αγίου Γρηγορίου Νύσσης
Part of : Παρνασσός ; Vol.ΜΓ, No.1, 2001, pages 177-186
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177-186
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St Gregory of Nyssa ’s position on ghosts
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Since St Gregory of Nyssa was one of the few Fathers of the Church who commented on the subject of ghosts, it is interesting to examine his position in the frame of the popular beliefs of his time. St Gregory, explains the author, did not altogether reject the existence of such phenomena, witnessed by many of his contemporaries; nevertheless, he tried to explain them away by means of Christian doctrine. In antique times, pagan authors attributed the ghostly apparitions to the restless dead, who either were not buried according to funerary customs, or desired to take some kind of revenge over the living. St Gregory of Nyssa proposes a different interpretation, arguing that a ghost can only appear near the place where the dead body is buried, and that this “shadow-like” apparition is provoked by the excessive dependence of that person, during his/her earthly life, on material goods.Thus, his/her soul cannot be liberated from its material bonds, and continues to err in this world. As for ancient and contemporary testimonies about ghostly apparitions in a different context, these should be attributed to demonic manifestations. Therefore, a good Christian, leading a pure life and devoted to the spiritual values of the Church, should under no circumstances fear any of these apparitions, either “shadow-like” or demonic.
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