An Apology for the Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity: Eustratius Presbyter of Constantinople, On the State of Souls after Death (CPG 7522)

Abstract

Toward the end of the sixth century, Eustratius, a leading presbyter of Constantinople, refuted a series of arguments which threatened to undermine both the cult of saints and the church's ritual care for the souls of the dead. Based in part on more scientific and materialist models of causality, along with the concern to protect the sovereign activity of the divine, Eustratius' opponents denied the ability of dead souls to involve themselves in, or be affected by, the affairs of the living. However, rather than reject the then widespread phenomena of saintly apparitions, Eustratius' critics argued that they were in fact produced by a divine power simulating the forms of dead martyrs and saints. Eustratius' refutation of these arguments applies the language of contemporary christology to the cult of saints in order to develop a theological anthropology and eschatology commensurate with ritual practice. Eustratius' work, and the arguments of his opponents, which have never been the focus of a major study, are here considered in detail, and this paper suggests that the views of both parties anticipate respectively the iconophilic and iconoclastic theologies of later centuries.