St Nicodemus of the Holy Mount. A Panegiric Sermon on the Bishop’s Dignity

A translation from Ancient Greek, an introduction and notes by Fr Leontius (Kozlov)

Abstract

After the disappearance of the charismatic gifts of the first century, the bishop's ministry is one of the highest in the life of the Church. According to Church tradition, the bishop is the image of Christ and the head of the local Church he rules. In the most central event of the life of the Christian community, the Eucharistic assembly, the bishop, in the words of St Ignatius of Antioch, "presides in the place of God". "He who honours the bishop will be honoured by God, but he who dishonours him will be punished by God".