The Woman of Revelation 12-1, According to the Interpretation of the First Eight Centuries

The Revelation of John: Philological, historical, hermeneutical, theological problems

By Stergio N. Sakkos

Emeritus Professor Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Source: Presentations to the Synod of Orthodox Biblical Theologians. Nicosia September 26 – October 3, 1991.

Translated from Greek to English by Jonathan Photius

At the 10th theological conference of the metropolis of Thessaloniki (November 1989) I had the opportunity to present a presentation on the face of the woman mentioned in the 12th chapter of the revelation as “surrounded by the sun and the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (Ap. 12.1) 1. The subject is extremely interesting, as it is a decisive “sign”, “mega”, in the course of the revelation of Saint John, and it is of particular concern to interpreters, so that many and varied proposals are formulated for its understanding. The face of the Woman has already occupied several fathers and ecclesiastical writers from the very first centuries of the ancient hermeneutical tradition, who can offer today their opinions as a valid and authoritative aid to the research of the issue, I therefore considered it worthwhile and appropriate, in order to contribute to a conference on the sacred book of Apocalypse , to complete my previous introduction by specifically presenting the relevant interpretations of the ancient interpreters, Greeks and Latins , for the wife of Ap . 12 and systematically presenting their views.

A general consideration and a brief understanding of the positions of those early interpreters leads to the conclusion that there is no unanimity and identity between them, nor is there an exclusive and persistent engagement with the issue . Some writers content themselves with repeating the sentences, even the words, of their predecessors, and others pass the problem over indifferently. It is characteristic, on the other hand, that there is no concrete and indisputable testimony at least in the first post-apostolic years, in the second century. The apostolic fathers and apologists do not have a definite and special reference 2. Writers belonging to the 3rd century are clearly speaking for the first time. and it is remarkable that since then, from the very beginning, almost all the possible interpretations have been formulated which were later repeated by various people in the course of the centuries. From the time of Saint Hippolytus (martyred in 237 AD ), who is the first indisputable martyr, to the years of the Benedictine Spaniard Beatus (died in 798 AD ), wrote in AD 786), lists at least 24 names of Greek and more Latin exponents Hippolytus, Victorinus, Methodius, Ephraim, “Cyprianus”, Tychonius, Epiphanius, Jerome, Augustinus, “Augustinus”, Quodvultdeus, Primasius, Ecumenius, Cassiodorus , Gregory the Great, Paterius, Alulfus, Andreas of Caesarea, “Epiphanius”, Vedas, Ambrosius Autpert, Beatus, Alcuin, Arethas and others anonymous.

The fact that the Western and Latin interpreters are superior is of course explained by the fact that the Apocalypse was treated with reservations about its regularity by the Greek interpreters of the East 3 . It is the only book of the New Testament for which not only are there no very ancient records in the East (the first dates from the 5th century, while the first in the West is from the 4th century), but all the old records that had writing have been lost and mutilated 4 .

There are four main interpretations proposed for the Woman and in which all the above interpreters are classified:

a) Represents the Church of Christ,

b) It is a symbol of the ancient Church, the Old and the New Testament.

c) She is the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos Mother of our Lord.

d ) It means the Virgin Mary, but also the Church of Christ.

I will examine separately each interpretation with its exponents and I will formulate my personal opinion at the end.

a) That it is about the Church of Christ was supported from the beginning and by most of the writers of the ancient tradition. It is specifically mentioned by the following: Hippolytus, Bishop of Rome, student of Irenaeus, in his work On the Antichrist 5 . Methodius, Bishop of Olympus (martyred around AD 312), in his work Symposium 6 . “Cyprian” (c. 253 AD) from Africa or Rome in a work against the heretic Novatian 7 . Tychonius, a moderate shaker in Africa (died 390 A.D.), a perceptive interpreter, in his famous note on the Apocalypse of John, which prevailed and influenced later Latin writers for centuries until the Renaissance, but survives only in fragments, among which the interpretation in Rev. 12,1-6 8 . “Augustine” (5th-6th century AD), in a note on the Apocalypse 9 . Primasius, Bishop of Adrymetus of Africa (died around 552 AD), in his note on the Apocalypse, which is of particular value, because it contains almost all of the lost work of Tychonius, of which he makes extensive use 10 . Gregory the Great, in his Sermons on Job 11 . Paterios, Gregory’s secretary, in his interpretive work on various passages of the Holy Bible 12 . Alulfus, disciple of Gregory 13 . Andreas, Bishop of Caesarea of ​​Cappadocia (6th-7th century AD), in his note in Revelation 14 . Vedas, Benedictine Priest in Jarrow, England (672-735 AD), profound scholar of the fathers, in his note on Revelation 15 .

These interpreters see in the person of the woman the Church on the basis of the various characteristics, which John describes and which are appropriately applied to the history of the Church. However, not everyone agrees on the explanation of individual characteristics. The sun that surrounds the woman is of course recognized by most to be Christ, “the sun of justice” according to the Prophet Malachi (Ma 4,2) 16 , the Word of God who became man 17 , but by some it is understood that it also means the hope of resurrection 18 or the action of truth 19 . The moon has various versions. It is said to signify the heavenly glory that adorns the Church. 20 The faith of those who are cleansed from corruption with the bath of baptism, because its light is rather like lukewarm water and because the liquid substance depends on it. At the same time, the energy of baptism is also not understood, since with it believers are reborn like the new moon 21 . But it is also said on the contrary, that it signifies hypocritical men and bad Christians, 22 all temporary things that are easily changed, 23 temporary glory 24 and the Jewish law 25 . The twelve stars that weave the wreath on the woman’s head symbolize, according to common confession, the twelve Apostles, with whom the Church was founded 26 . From one point of view, the odes of childbirth mean the persecutions endured by the Church from the unbelievers 27 , but from the prevailing point of view they indicate the spiritual labors of the Church for the rebirth of the world in Christ 28 . Finally, the male child that the woman gives birth to is recognized on the one hand as the historical Christ, whom Herod asked to be devoured 29 , but it is understood that he is also the mystical Christ, whom the Church gives birth to in the hearts of people 30 , And all the members of Christ, the children of the Church 31 . Certain interpreters, emphasizing the characteristic “male”, which emphatically and emphatically identifies the “son” that the woman “begotten”, comment that it manifests “the character and the expression and masculinity sincerely of Christ”, which are adopted by those who are baptized 32 or even the people of God who are valiant, free from women’s passions 33 . Others mean that the male signifies the victor against the devil who fights the woman 34 .

The rapture of the child is considered as an indication that the Christ child is a heavenly and not an earthly king 35 and as an allusion to the ascension of Christ, which also applies to the Church in the sense that the members of Christ are where their head is 36 . The desert, where the Woman took refuge and the place that God has prepared for her indicates this world and this life, where there are scorpions and snakes, but they cannot harm the Church (compare Lk. 10,19) 37 . And the two “wings of the great eagle”, which were given to the Woman in order to be saved, according to Hippolytus, symbolize faith in Jesus Christ, who spread his two hands on the cross like wings “inviting all to him believing and covering” as vultures’ chicks'” 38 , according to others the two Testaments of the Church, which secure it 39 or the two Prophets who according to Rev. 11/a appear in the end times, one of whom they recognize as Elijah 40 . As a river is meant persecution 41 , while as land that helped the Woman by swallowing the river, is meant the land of the saints, the saints, who with their prayers protect the Church from her enemies 42 or the God-man Christ himself, who intercedes for us and has swallowed death 43 .

b) That it is about the ancient Church, of the Old and the New Testament , few authors suggested. Victorinus, Bishop of Pettus (died c. 304 AD), in his epistle to the Apocalypse, which is the earliest known Latin epistle 44 . Hieronymus (340-420 AD), in the revision of Victorinus’ memorandum 45 , which was edited so that it is entitled to be accepted as an authentic work of Hieronymus 46 . Regarding Rev. 12, however, Jerome did not make many changes to Victorinus’ interpretation. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (354-430 AD), interpreting Psalm 142 refers to Rev. 12 on the occasion of the Lord’s birth from a Virgin 47. Beatus de Liebana, Benedictine abbot of Valcavado in Spain (died 798 AD), in his commentary on the Apocalypse, which he wrote in 786 in the order of a catena 48 .

According to this view the Woman symbolizes the ancient Church of the fathers and the Prophets and the Apostles. They, like the woman smelling the pangs of childbirth, tasted the odors of lust for the Messiah, cried out their longing to have him, and were tormented by the desire of his presence. Finally the Israel of God gave birth to Christ and then Christ with his Church gives birth to his members, the believers. In this point of view, the interpretation of Victorinos is dominant, which is essentially repeated by the other interpreters 49 .

In particular, the sun signifies, according to Victorinus, the hope of resurrection and the glory of reward. The moon of the saints, who also die, but have the hope of the resurrection like the light of the moon in the dark, the crown with the twelve stars, the dance of Christ’s forefathers in the flesh. The child, of course, is Christ, whom the dragon cannot devour, because he rose on the third day. Of the Woman’s flight into the desert Victorinus is of the opinion that it indicates the salvation of the Catholic Church in the last days. The rapture of the child refers to the ascension of Christ, the two wings of the eagle are the two Prophets of the last years, Elias and the other who comes with him. The river symbolizes the people, who at the command of the serpent persecute the Church, while that the earth swallowed the river means the punishment of the persecutors. However, Victorinos does not fail to note that all the signifieds do not belong to the same time period50 .

Augustine expresses the same interpretation in a special way. The woman is the ancient city of God, which has its beginning in Abel and is called Jerusalem and Zion. The sun, with which she is clothed, and the son she gave birth to is Christ, the sun of justice, who founded Zion and was born in Zion 51 . The moon under the woman’s feet signifies the mortality of flesh which flourishes and declines, and which the state of God tramples upon with virtue. And the desert symbolizes the virgin birth of Christ, since only Christ was born in such a way, i.e. from a Virgin 52 .

The opinion was expressed that Augustine as the wife of Rev. 12 considers only the Israel of the Old Testament 53 . However, from the study of the general work of “De Civitate Dei” it is concluded that the holy father identifies only one state of God, which includes the people of the Old and New Testaments together 54 .

c) That it is about the Virgin Mother of the Lord (see also the 1st part ), it was supported to us even before the time of Methodius (312 AD), as we conclude from information of Andreas of Caesarea, who writes that Methodius opposed s ‘ this interpretation supporting his own 55 .

We do not know who held the position in question, but from the polemic of Methodius it seems that they would have been prestigious people and many would have shared their opinion. Later, in the 9th c. AD, we find this interpretation again in Arethas, who in his note on the Apocalypse, while he mentions both the Church and the Virgin as equally valid interpretations, it is clear that he prefers the second 56 . It is also embraced by the following: Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis of Cyprus (4th century AD), in his work “Panarion” discussing the issue of the death of the Virgin Mary 57 . Ephraim the Syrian (4th century AD), who in his hymns about the birth of the Lord alludes to the mention of Ap. 12 58 . Ecumenius, a scholar, closely connected with the monophysite Severus from Antioch (first half of the 6th century AD), in his note on the Apocalypse, which was used extensively by Andreas of Caesarea 59 . “Epiphaneus” (6th or 7th century AD) in one of his speeches, where he praises the Virgin 60 .

The interpretation in question is fully exposed by Ecumenius, who even theoretically enshrines it by using reasons of unity and relevance. In other words, he explains that, in order for the apparition to “finally” erase the antichrist, it is necessary to commemorate the incarnation of the Lord, since this was the reason for Satan to manipulate the antichrist. And the beginning of the incarnation of the Lord is his conception in the flesh and his birth, since he begins with these “and the Theotokon we paint” 61. The Mother of Christ appears “in heaven” because she is pure in soul and body. He is an angel, a heavenly citizen, because he left God who rests in heaven and because he has nothing in common with the earth and its evils, but is all high and worthy of Heaven, even though he has our nature and our essence. The cries and odes of her childbirth should not be understood literally, but metaphorically, as the impatience and sorrow that the Virgin would have felt towards her suitor Joseph due to the fact that she was found to be pregnant without his knowledge. The child is definitely the historical and personal Christ, and the river is understood as the test that the Virgin Mother suffered at the death of her Son.

Arethas further explains specifically the symbolic correspondences of the vision: “But even the covering of the sun, the veiling of the holy Virgin to the sun of the mind, that is, to Christ, we can endure, and the moon, worshiped according to the law, are degraded and much less herself being moved by the evangelical spirit” 62 . The image of the woman’s rescue from the dragon with the help of two wings is the only one mentioned on the surface to merely tentatively formulate the hypothesis that it is possible to fulfill the Virgin Mary and her death 63 . As for Ephraim and “Epiphanius”, they refer to the incarnation simply using the vocabulary of Rev. 12, without specific reference 64 .

The view that the woman is the Virgin Mary is expressed on the other hand, by certain iconography of the Virgin in the Church of the East, which present the scene with the dragon 65

The historical interpretation, especially for the woman’s childbirth, was strongly rejected by Methodius, presenting two reasons: First, the mystery of the incarnation had already been fulfilled long before the Apocalypse was written, so that it needed to be prophesied by John, who “institutes about things present and things to come” . Secondly, the rapture of the child to the throne of God immediately after his birth does not agree with the events of the birth of Jesus 66 . Later, Primasius made another objection to the reference to the birth of the Virgin Mary: “it is not possible to believe”, he notes, “that the blessed Mary had odines, because we know that she did not commit the sin of pleasure to anyone during her conception” 67 . Later this view flourished much in the theology of Roman Catholic writers 68 . However, it is not necessary to take the odins of the woman in Rev. 12 as the natural odins of Mary’s childbirth. It is an interpretive rule that Revelation uses physical and historical data to denote supernatural and spiritual events. However, the correspondence of the known to the unknown, the visible to the invisible, does not necessarily apply in terms of individual elements, but in terms of the main and meaningful component of the image used and the subject it symbolizes 69. Describing the woman’s childbirth, John will certainly also talk about the pains that are an element of the human event, but not a point of interest for the event he wants to signify. Callista may specifically mean the birth of the Virgin, but not refer specifically to the particulars of that holy birth, not being interested in information about whether the Virgin was in pain and how much she was in pain, but simply asking to declare that it is a birth by describing it with his normal traits. Therefore the odes of the woman in Ap. 12 are not allowed to become a decisive point for any interpretation.

d) That it is about the Virgin Mary, but also about the Church of Christ or rather about the Virgin Mary as a symbol and archetype of the Church of Christ is supported by the reasoning that Christ can also be considered as the head (the historical and personal Christ) and as members (the Church) and that it is easy and possible to pass from the species (Virgin) to the genus (Church).

This reasoning constitutes the fourth rule of interpretation of the Holy Bible out of the seven composed by Tychonius and is partially applied to the other interpretations concerning the Church, but it is fully valid in this case 70 . With this, the divinely inspired tactic of the Revelation is clarified, which I already mentioned in the question of natural odes, and the historical and symbolic interpretation are harmonized.

This is the interpretation of the following: Quodvultdeus, Bishop of Carthage (died c. 453 AD), a close friend and faithful disciple of Augustine, in the work De Symbolo, which Migne cites as Augustine’s work, but it is generally thought today that is a compilation of Quodvultdeus 71 . Also Cassiodorus, a monk in Calabria (died 583 AD), in his interpretative work on Revelation 72 . Ambrose Autpert, a Benedictine monk in Benevento, Italy (died AD 784), in his note on the Apocalypse, written in 772 and in which he includes all the interpretations of the Apocalypse available in the Latin language up to that time 73 . Alcuinos, advisor to Charlemagne (735-804 AD), in his interpretation of the Apocalypse, the authenticity of which, however, has doubts 74 .

These authors clearly apply the fourth rule of Tychonius, since most of their works are a reproduction and repetition of the work of Tychonius and Primasius, who saves him. Noteworthy is a note by Quodvultdeus, that this interpretation was not unknown to the Christians of his time and was accepted as early as the 5th century. AD at least in the Church of Africa 75 . Characteristic and representative of the perception of this opinion are the comments of Ambrosios Autpert, which I quote:

“And because usually the genus is found in the species, the blessed and holy Virgin in this passage represents the face of the Church, which daily gives birth to new peoples, of which the whole body of the Mediator is composed. Thus it is not strange if he modeled the image of the Church, in whose blessed womb the same Church deserved to be united with her leader. For also in the words which follow are described things which literally cannot befit the blessed Virgin in particular, but which suit the Church of the elect in general according to the secret narrative… Either we say that the Virgin and mother Mary gave birth to Christ or that the virgin does it and mother Church, in any case we are not far from the truth. Mary gave birth to the Head, the Church gives birth to the members of the Head 76 . The child is Christ both as head and members. Odines are not the sufferings that the Church endures, until Christ is born in full stature 77

***

Considering in general and weighing the above interpretations comparatively, we notice that the Greeks of the East proposed that the Woman depicts the body of the Church or the face of the Virgin Mary, while the Western authors proposed that the Woman symbolizes either the body of the Church as old and new Israel or the body of the Church together with the person of the Virgin Mary.

The opinions of the fathers and ecclesiastical writers guide us and lead us to a fuller understanding of the vision of Woman. The evangelist John sees the central theme of his book, the Church of Christ, at the center of his revelation. He needs an image for her, with which God will show him her history, the present and the future, he needs a “sign” with which he will “signify” his messages to him (Rev. 1,1). And he sees before him a figure well known to him, revered and holy, the Mother of his Lord.

The Virgin is the essence of the chosen remnant, the people of God, but also the root, the yeast of the new Israel, the Church.

Of the chosen remnant of Israel Mary was born. From the seed of the Virgin Mary without a man, by the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ was born. From the side of Jesus, with the resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Church was born. The first perfect person of the Church is the Mother of God. In her person we have God’s successful experiment for the new creation and at the same time the representative and triumphant form of the Church.

Thus John in the Apocalypse, without mentioning the name of the Virgin Mary even once, makes the most important and beautiful mention of the Virgin Mary: he projects her at the center of his visions and identifies her with the Church.

THE WOMAN OF THE REVELATION Ch. 12 ACCORDING TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THE FIRST EIGHT CENTURIES

Summary

Re ch. 12 refers to a woman “clothed the sun” who is presented as a “great miracle” in the eyes of John the Evangelist. Scholars from the ancient times until our age studied in Revelation the person of the Woman and they gave several interpretations. It is important and useful for our subject to have in mind the interpretations that ancient interpreters, Greek and Latin, gave during the first eight centuries because they are a reliable contribution and because they have already set out all the probable suggestions. These were apparently repeated by others later so that we have in them the whole course of its interpretation.

There are four main aspects about the point in view.

a) The Woman represents the Church of Christ. Those who accept this view are Hippolytus, Methodius, “Cyprianus”, Tyconius, “Augustinus”, Primasius, Gregory Magnus, Paterius, Alulfus, Andrew bishop of Caesaria, Beda.

b) The Woman is a symbol of the ancient Church, the Church of Old Testament and New Testament. In favor of this view are Victorinus, Hieronymus, Augustinus, Beatus.

c) The Woman is Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Lord. This is what early interpreters believe who are implied anonymously by Methodius. Also this is accepted by Epiphanius, Efraim Syrus, Oecumenius who lived in 6th c, “Epiphanius” and Arethas.

d) The Woman is Virgin Mary and the Church of Christ as well. This is the interpretation of Quodvultdeus bishop of Carthage, Cassiodorus, Ambrosius Autpert, Alcuinus.

To my personal thesis leads the meaning of the whole Book of Revelation which has as its central theme the history of the Church. John the evagelist, in ch 12, in the heart of his book, presents the church of Christ by using as a picture of her, according to the symbolic manner of the book, the person of the Virgin Mother of our Lord. The Woman of Re 12 is the Church that has as its symbol Virgin Mary.

Notes

Note In quotation marks I put the names of the authors, to whom are attributed works whose authenticity is questioned by research.

1. The introduction was published in the volume of the Proceedings of the Theological Conference of I. M. Thessaloniki in honor of the most holy Theotokos and immortal Mary, Thessaloniki 1991. S. N. Sakkou, The woman covered with the sun (Ap. 12,1 et seq.) , pp. 349-366.

2. Allusions to Rev. 12 are recognized by some interpreters in the work “Hermas’ Shepherd” (Or. 4,1,1-10. 4,2,1), as well as by Ignatius (Eph. 19,1) and Clement of Alexandria (Pedag. 1,6,41-42). But these are just hints of questionable testimonial value.

3. See S. N. Sakkou, Introduction to the New Testament, ed. 2a, Thessaloniki 1984, pp. 40-41.

4. See P. Bratsiotou, The Apocalypse of John, Athens 1950, pp. 41-42.

5. Hippolytus, Bishop of Rome, Testimony concerning Christ and Antichrist, PG 10,725-788.

6. Methodius, Bishop of Patara, Symposium of the ten virgins or on chastity, PG 18,28-220.

7. Anonymi, Tractatus, Ad Novatianum haereticum, PL 3,1205-1218. Migne publishes the work as a treatise by an anonymous author, but in the prologues it is said by D. Lumper that according to common acceptance the author is a contemporary and contemporaneous of Cyprian.

8. Tyconii Afri, Fragm. commentary in Apoc. (ex Cod. Taur EIV, 1, olim Bohiens. 62), Spicilegium Cassiense III,I (1897),261-331. The edition is difficult to find, so I use the text as quoted byB. J. Le Froisin his monograph on Rev 12, The Woman Clothed with the Sun, Roma 1954.MignepublishesTychonius Fragmenta, Commentarii in Apocalypsim PLS 1,621-652.

9. In B. Joannis Apocalypsim expositio, PL 35,2417-2452. Migne lists the work as an Appendix to the works of Augustine, without identifying the author. In the quotations (ad m onitio) of the work it is said to be full of discourses of Victorinus par excellence but also of Primasius and Veda.

10. Primasii, Adrumetani episc, Commentariorum super Apocalypsim B. Joannis, Libri 15, PL 68,795-936.

11. S. Gregorii Magni, Moralium Libri sive Expositio in B. Job. PL 75,527-76,782.

12. S. Paterii, De testimoniis in Apocalypsim S. Joannis apostoli, PL 79,1107-1121,

13. Alulfi, Expositio super Apocalypsim B. Joannis apostoli, PL 79,1397-1424.

14. Andrew, Bishop of Caesarea Cappadocia, Interpretation of Revelation, PG 106,216 – 457.

15. Bedae Venerabilis, Explanatio Apocalypsis, PL 93,133-206.

16. Tychoniou, Spicilegium Cassiense III, 1,326: “In mulierem Ecclesiam significavit quae Christum solem justitiae in baptismi purificatione se induit”. According to Tychonius, the Church is clothed in the sun of justice, Christ, with the purity of baptism. Primasius, PL 68,872 CD. Andreas, PG 106,320D. Vedas, PL 93,165D166A.

17. Hippolytus, About the Antichrist LXI, PG 10,780Β781A : “The one ‘woman clothed with the sun’ clearly declared the Church clothed with the Word the Father before the shining sun.” Methodius, Symposium, I’, V, PG 18,145B-148A. “receiving (the Church) the rising light, the splendor of a garment clothed with the Word, it is here.”

18. “Augustine”, PL 35,2434. “Sole autem amicta spem resurrection is significat, because it is written ‘Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father’ (Mt 13,43)”.

19. M. Gregory, e. a. “In sole enim illustratio veritatis”. The same is repeated by the disciples of Paterios, PL 79,1114A and Alulfus, PL 79,1410D.

20. Hippolytus, e. a.

21. This strange belief is mentioned by Methodius, Symposium, VIII, VI, PG 18,148AB C:”Moon, as I lead, tropically the faith of those who are excommunicated from the corruption of the baths say, because of the familiar light of her rather warm water and all of her wet substance is filled. The Church is enthroned upon our faith and acceptance according to that of the moon in summary, until ‘the fullness of the nations shall come in’… Whence, out of this necessity, they are enshrined in the bath, seeing that those who bathe are born in this way, for the moon is also called in this way, and the energy about the bath is , because the reborn will shine renewed with a new aura, the fire will be a new light, whence also the newly enlightened are called periphrastically, the spiritual full moon for them during the period of passion and the memory of a new ephemera, as if the dawn and the light were the perfect sunrise of the great day ».

22. “Augustine”, e. a. • “Ecclesiam dicit, partem suam, id est, homines fictos et malos Christianos sud pedius habere.” Exactly what Le Frois renders “fictos” as “lying” = liars (note, 25).

23. Andreas, e. a. : “the worldly life changed like the moon under the feet is acquired”. M. _ Gregory, e. a. “In luna autem, quae menstruis suppletionibus deficit, mutabilitas temporalitatis accipitur”. The holy Church, therefore, which is covered with the brightness of the heavenly light, as if clothed with the sun, because it indeed overlooks all temporal things, tramples the moon under its feet. The same Paterios, eh. a., and Alulfus, e. a.

24. Vedas, e. a. :”Ecclesia Christi lumine cincta, gloriam calcat temporalem. He says : In his days he will establish justice and a multitude of peace, until the moon is withdrawn (Psalm 71 :7). That is, the abundance of peace will increase until it consumes every variable of mortal nature, when ‘the last enemy death is abolished’ (1 Cor . 15,25)”.

25. Andreas, e. a. : “And for the legal light of the night-glow moon…”. The Jewish law is shown to illuminate the spiritual night as the moon until the gospel sun comes.

26. Hippolytus, e. a. Tychonios, e. a. “Stellae 12 apostolos designavit quos Christus 12 tribus Israel in capite Ecclesiae suae velut coronam imposuit”. “Augustine”, e. a. Primate, PL 68,873A. Vedas, PL 93,166A, where he even distinguishes that the name head can mean either Christ or the very foundation of the Church.

27. Hippolytus, e. a.

28. Methodius, e. a. Tychonios, e. a., 327 “In utero clamat… ie ut praedecatione sua gentium congregaret rudimenta. Cruciatur in partu donec aut multitudo gentium congregaretur, aut de gremio eius hypocritae excludantur’. “Augustine”, e. a., and Primasios, e. a., who emphasize that the Church gives birth daily and unceasingly. Andreas, PG 106,321A. Vedas, eh. a., clarifying that “spiritually, the Church also gives birth to those whom it blesses, and those already born does not cease to bless”. And the fathers refer to the relevant passage of Ap. Paul Ga l. 4,19 (Primasius, Andreas, Vedas).

29. Tychonios, e. a., 328 “Aliud signum… contrarietatem ipsius diaboli designabit, qui Herodem livoris incendio inflammaverat ut Christum occideret”. Primasius, PL 68,874A, who characteristically separates the labor pains from the virgin Mary”excepto cruciatu, quem in partu B.Mariam non est credendum habuisse”.

30. Hippolytus, e. a. Vedas, PL 93,166D.

31. Methodius, Symposium, I’, VII, PG 18,148C – 149B, absolutely rejecting the version that the historical Christ is meant : “There is a need for confession especially in the Church, it is the one who despised and gave birth to the redeemed”. Tychonios, e. a. “Semper draco in caelo per caelestia quaerit devourare nascentem qui natus est ad Deum atque ad eius rapitur sedem. Omnis itaque Christianus hoc patitur quod caputest passus, qui post tertia die erat in gloria resurrecturus’. “Augustine”, e. a. Primate, PL 68,873AB. Andreas, PG 106, 324B. Vedas, PL 93,166AB.

32. Methodius, Symposium, VIII, VIII, PG 18,149BC.

33. Methodius, e. a. VII, PG 18,149B “Did they escape the dragon or whatever, did they give birth to the people or did Zion conceive the man, the one of female passions and of the emancipation in the unity of the Lord who was present and did not study the study?”

34. “Augustine”, e. a. Primate, PL 68,873D. Vedas, PL 93,166D.

35. Hippolytus, e. a., Vedas, PL 93,166D – 167A.

36. Primasios, PL 68,874A, where he refers to the passages of Eph . 2.6 , Phi . 3.20 , K’l 3.1. Vedas, PL 93,167A.

37. “Augustine,” PL 35,2434 and 2435. Primasius, PL 68,874B. 877A. Vedas, eh. a.

38. Hippolytus, PG 10, 781B.

39. “Augustine,” PL 35, 2435. Primasius, PL 68, 876D – 877A. Vedas, PL 93, 168B.

40. “Augustine”, e. a.

41. “Cyprian”, PL 3,1215A. “Augustine”, PL 35,2435. Primatius, PL 68, 877C. Vedas, PL 93,168C, who makes a fine observation : “The Church, therefore, not only lifted up by the word of God (cf. the two wings of the covenants), but also pushed by the violence of persecutions, hastens to fly from the world”.

42. “Augustine”, e. a. Primate, PL 68,877C – 878A. Vedas, eh. a.

43. Primasius, PL 68,878A. Also Vedas, e. a., with the wording that holy land is the care of the Lord who swallows death.

44. S: Victorini, Scholia in Apocalypsin B. Joannis, PL 5,317-344.

45. Victorinus Petovionensis, Commentarius in Apocalypsim, edito Victorini, recensio Hieronymi cum additamentis, posteriorum, PLS 1,103-172.

46. ​​See_ HL Ramsay, Le commentaire de l’ Apoc. par Beatus, Rev. d’ Hist. Litt. Rel. 7(1902) 431, note 2. G. Bardy, Labriolle-Bardy, Hist. I, 320 compared J. Haussleiter, e. a., XXXVI – XLV.

47. Aur. Augustini, Enarratio in Psalmum CXLII, PL 37, 1845-1855.

48. Beatus de Liebana, ed. The. Sanders, rather than Le Frois, mn. e., p. 37e.

49. Victorinus, PL 5,335D 336A• “Mulier amicta sole… antiqua Ecclesia est patrum et prophetarum et sanctorum et apostolorum? quae gemitus et tormenta desiderii sui habuit, usquequo fructum ex plebe sua secundum carnem olim promissum sibi videret Christum ex ipsa gente corpus sumpsisse’.

50. Victorinos, PL 5,336A – 337C.

51. This view is also found in another work of Augustine, in De Civitate Dei, 1,17, XVI, where we read: “This people, the Israelites, both in flesh and in faith, are the city of God who gave birth Christ himself in the flesh, when he was among these Israelites alone. Truly the Virgin Mary was like that and from her Christ took flesh to become a man… Before Christ God became a man in this city through Mary, he himself established it through the patriarchs and the prophets”.

52. Augustine, PL 37, 1815-1816.

53. Thus J. Sickenberger, Die Messiasmutter,. ., TubThQ126(1946),371.

54. See_ Le Frois, min. e., 36.

55. Andreas, PG 106,320A . “Woman surrounded by the sun, but some for all the (Virgin) Theotokos were born, before her divine interest was known, things suffered. And the great Methodius in the holy Church was taken, unbecoming of despotism to give birth to the things about it as a leader”.

56. Aretha, Bishop of Caesarea Cappadocia, Collection of explanations from various holy men on the Apocalypse of John the beloved and evangelist, PG 106, 500-785. See pp. 660-661.

57. Epiphanio, Against sects, Bibl. 3.2, air. 78.11, PG 42.716AD.

58. Ephraim of Syros, Hymnus de Nativitate Domini, ed. Assemani, Romae 1732-1743.

59. Ekoumeniou, Commentary on Revelation, ed. C. Hoskier, The Complete Commentary of Oecomenius on the Apocalypse, University of Michigan Studies, vol. 23 (Ann Arbor 1928). The identity of Ecumenius, the interpreter of Revelation, is debatable. Some claim that he is Bishop Trikkis Ecumenios, who lived later, in the 10th century. However, the most recent research attributes the interpretation of Revelation to Ecumenius, a friend of the monophysite Severus. See B.Altaner, Patr. 466. CompareRB. 38(1929), 626.

60. “Epiphanio”, Homil. 5, Praise to the Holy Theotokos, PG43,485-501.

61. Oikoumenios, H. C. Hoskier, mn. e., 135.

62. Arethas, PG 106,660D.

63. Epiphanius, PG 42,716BC: “For I do not dare to speak, but intellectually practice silence. For wherever we find traces of that blessed Saint, we do not even find her death. But Simeon says about her: “And a sword pierces your soul”… and in the Apocalypse of John the Baptist that the dragon rushed upon the woman and gave birth to a male child and she was given eagle’s wings and was taken into the desert, as if don’t take her dragon. Thus it cannot be fulfilled. In any case, I do not define this and I do not say that he remained immortal, but I am not sure that he died either.”

64. Ephraim, mn. e., 17(12)1. 16(11)11. Assemani, II,430D and 429F-430A respectively. “Surface”, PG 43,493CD.

65. See_ M._ James, The Apocalypse in Art, London 1931,74.

66. Methodius, Symposium, VIII, VII, PG 18,148AC.

67. Primasius, PL 68, 874B.

68. See Le Frois, mn. e., pp. 39.

69. Compare what I. Chrysostom writes about the parables of the Lord: “do not use all the things in the parables word by word, but having learned the purpose for which it was composed, it is finished, and no one talks about it further” (PG 58,613) .

70. Tyconii Afri, Liber de septem regulis, PL 38, 15-66. The fourth rule is found in columns 33-46 and is also quoted by John Augustine in his work De Doctrina Christiana, bibl. 3, PL 34,83-86. Tychonius writes: “The Spirit … often encloses the genus in the species or the species in the genus… Therefore, while speaking of the species, it passes into the genus in such a way that the transition does not immediately appear clear, but in passing it puts such words that fit and in both (genus and species) until it progressively moves beyond the measure of the species and the transition becomes clear, since what began with the species fits (now) only in the genus. And in the same way he leaves the genus returning to the species” (PL 38.34 A ).

71. Aur. Augustini, Hipponensis episcopi, De Symbolo, Ad Catechumenos sermo alius, PL 40,659-668. For the identity of the authorsee The. Bardenhever, Geschichte der altkirchlichen Literatur, vol. 4thed. __ of 1924, Darmstadt 1962, 461. 522.

72. M. Aur. Cassiodori, Complexiones in Apocalypsin S. Joannis, PL 70, 1403-1418.

73. Ambrosii Autpert, In Apoc, vol. 10, Max. Bibl. Vet. Patr., Lugduni 1577. The edition is hard to find, so I quote the work from the references of Le Frois, note. e., 55-57.

74. FI. Albini or Alcuini, Commentariorum in Apocalypsin libri quinque, PL 100, 1087-1156. A doubts the authenticity. Wilmart, Auteurs sprirituels et textes devots du moyen age latin, Paris 1932, 52, para. 6.

75. The disciple of John Augustine writes, commenting on Revelation 12:4 to those who were about to be baptized: “None of you is ignorant that the dragon is the devil, that that woman meant the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to our head without corruption unworn. She herself also declared in her person the form of the holy Church, so that, as she remained a virgin while giving birth to her Son, so also she (the Church) gives birth to her members in all times, without losing her virginity” (PL 40,661).

76. Ambrosios Autpert, e. a., see 5,530. 532.

77. Auto. 531.