Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Baptismal Regeneration in the Writings of Romanos the Melodist (d. 555)

The following excerpts are taken from:

 

Saint Romanos the Melodist: Hymns of Repentance (trans. Andrew Mellas; Popular Patristics Series 61; Yonkers, N.Y.: St Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2020)

 

Hymn 3: On the Prodigal Son, Stanza 4:

 

English:

 

  The Savior of all, seeing his son then clothed

  in filthy apparel, was filled with compassion,

  and, therefore, he cried at once to the servants who were serving:

  “Quickly, give my child the first robe,

  which the baptismal font weaves for all,

  which the grace of my Spirit prepares,

             and hasten and clothe him. (p. 73)

 

Greek:

 

  Σωτὴρ ὁ πάντων κατιδὼν ῥερυπωμένην ἐσθῆτα

  τότε ἠμφιεσμένον τὸν υἱὸν κατεσπλαγχνίσθη·

  εὐθὺς οὖν τοῖς δούλοις τοῖς ὑπουργοῦσιν ἐβόα·

  «Δότε συντόμως τὴν στολὴν τὴν πρώτην τῷ τέκνῳ μου

  ἣν ἡ κολυμβήθρα πᾶσιν ὑφαίνει,

  ἣν κατασκευάζει χάρις ἡ τοῦ πνεύματός μου,

             καὶ σπεύσαντες ἐνδύσατε·(p. 72)

 

Stanza 11:

 

English:

 

  Holy also is your Son,

  willingly sacrificed as an unblemished calf,

  and who hallows those who are baptized

  by the power of the font. (p. 81)

 

  ἅγιος ἔστι δὲ καὶ ὁ υἱός σου

  ἑκὼν θυόμενος ὡς μόσχος ἄσπιλος,

  ὃς καὶ ἁγιάζει τοὺς βαπτιζομένους

  ἐν τῇ δυνάμει τῆς κολυμβήθρας·(p.80)