Constantine Cavarnos Explained

Honorific Prefix:	Schemamonk
Constantine Cavarnos
Birth Date:	1918
Death Place:	Florence, Arizona
Nationality:	American
Occupation:	Professor and monk
Known For:	Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies
Website:	Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies
Alma Mater:	Harvard University
Main Interests:	Christianity, Byzantine studies, history, theology, and philosophy

Schemamonk Constantine Cavarnos (1918, Boston – March 3, 2011, Florence, Arizona) was an American philosopher, Byzantinist, and Eastern Orthodox monk.^{[1] [2]}

Early life and education

Cavarnos was born in Boston in 1918.

He graduated from Harvard University in 1948 with a doctorate in philosophy.^[3]

Career

Cavarnos taught philosophy at Tufts University, the University of North Carolina, and Wheaton College. In 1956, he founded and became director of the Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (IBMGS) in Belmont, Massachusetts.^[4] In 1978, he joined Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, as a professor of philosophy, later becoming professor of Byzantine art. He has also lectured at various Orthodox seminaries.^[5]

He died on March 3, 2011, at St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery (SAGOM) in Florence, Arizona.^[5]

Publications

Cavarnos has written almost 100 books and various papers on philosophy, theology, history, among other topics.

His 15-volume Modern Orthodox Saints series consists of the following titles.^[6]

1. St. Cosmas Aitolos.
2. St. Macarios of Corinth.
3. St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite.
4. St. Nikephoros of Chios.
5. St. Seraphim of Sarov.
6. St. Arsenios of Paros.
7. St. Nectarios of Aegina.
8. St. Savvas the New.
9. St. Methodia of Kimolos.
10. Saints Raphael, Nicholas and Irene of Lesvos.
11. Blessed Elder Philotheos Zervakos.
12. Blessed Hermit Philaretos of the Holy Mountain.
13. Blessed Elder Gabriel Dionysiatis.
14. Blessed Elder Iakovos of Epiros, Elder Joseph the Hesychast, and Mother Stavritsa the Missionary.
15. St. Athanasios Parios.

His various books include the following, organized by topic.

Art, music, and iconography:^[7]

• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Byzantine thought and art: a collection of essays . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1974 . 0-914744-22-4 . 4079066.
• Book: Kontoglou . Phōtēs . Cavarnos . Constantine . Byzantine sacred art: selected writings of the contemporary Greek icon painter Fotis Kontoglous on the sacred arts according to the tradition of Eastern Orthodox Christianity . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass., U.S.A. . 1985 . 0-914744-60-7 . 12077741.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Orthodox iconography: four essays dealing with the history of Orthodox iconography, the iconographic decoration of churches, the functions of the icons, and the theology and aesthetics of Byzantine iconography: in addition, three appendixes containing authoritative early Christian texts on icons, explanations of the techniques of iconography, and a discussion of two Russian books on icons . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1977 . 0-914744-36-4 . 3447104.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . The Icon: Its Spiritual Basis and Purpose . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1988 . 0-914744-19-4 . 948503711.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Spiritual beauty: a discussion, in English and Greek, of the concept of spiritual beauty by reference to philosophic, religious, and literary writings that date from antiquity to the present = To pneumatikon kallos . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1996 . 1-884729-13-4 . 35208039.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Aristotle's theory of the fine arts: with special reference to their value in education and therapy . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2001 . 1-884729-63-0 . 48991791.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Fine arts as therapy: Plato's teaching organized and discussed . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1998 . 1-884729-32-0 . 42048672.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Pythagoras on the fine arts as therapy: a lecture delivered in 1993 at Wellesley College . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1994 . 1-884729-00-2 . 32124642.
• Book: Cavarnos . Constantine . Αχταρίδη . Σοφία . Byzantine churches of Thessaloniki

  an illustrated account of the architecture and iconographic decoraton of seven Byzantine churches of Thessaloniki, together with important historical data

  . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1995 . 1-884729-08-8 . 34960800.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Byzantine church architecture . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2007 . 978-1-884729-84-3 . 191879109.
• Book: Cavarnos . Constantine . Kontoglou . Phōtēs . . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1992 . 0-914744-95-X . 28539589.
• Book: Kontoglou . Phōtēs . Cavarnos . Constantine . Fine arts and tradition: four essays by the renowned Greek icon painter, writer, and philosopher Photios Kontoglou (1895-1965) . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2004 . 1-884729-76-2 . 60375529.

Ancient philosophy:^[8]

• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . The Hellenic-Christian philosophical tradition: four lectures delivered at Boston University ... . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1989 . 0-914744-83-6 . 21040368.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . A dialogue between Bergson, Aristotle, and Philologos: a comparative and critical study of some aspects of Henri Bergson's theory of knowledge and of reality . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass., U.S.A. . 1988 . 0-914744-79-8 . 19323897.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . The classical theory of relations: a study in the metaphysics of Plato, Aristotle, and Thomism . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1975 . 0-914744-28-3 . 1818711.
• Book: Cavarnos . Constantine . Moore . G. E. . A dialogue on G. E. Moore's ethical philosophy, together with an account of three talks with G. E. Moore on diverse philosophical questions . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1979 . 0-914744-43-7 . 5939796.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Greek letters and Orthodoxy: significant relations of Orthodox Christianity to the Greek language and to ancient Greek philosophy, rhetoric, and poetry . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2004 . 1-884729-75-4 . 57415939.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Plutarch's advice on keeping well: a lecture delivered at the International Congress of Psychopathology of Expression and Art Therapy which met in September 2000 at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, together with an anthology of relevant texts from Plutarch's works . Inst. for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass . 2001 . 1-884729-60-6 . 834132186.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . The seven sages of ancient Greece: the lives and teachings of the earliest Greek philosophers, Thales, Pittacos, Bias, Solon, Cleobulos, Myson, Chilon . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1996 . 1-884729-16-9 . 35643940.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Plato's view of man: two Bowen Prize essays dealing with the problem of the destiny of man and the individual life, together with selected passages from Plato's Dialogues on man and the human soul . Belmont, Massachusetts . 1975 . 0-914744-26-7 . 1529037.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Dostoievsky's philosophy of man: a general discussion of Dostoievsky's view of man's nature and destiny, together with pertinent discussion-reviews of six of his works . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1998 . 1-884729-44-4 . 42047894.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Orthodoxy and philosophy: lectures delivered at St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary: an illuminating discussion of Orthodox Christianity with reference to ancient Greek and modern Western philosophy . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2003 . 1-884729-71-1 . 54400352.

Modern Greek studies:^[9]

• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Modern Greek thought: three essays dealing with philosophy, critique of science, and views of man's nature and destiny. . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1986 . 0-914744-11-9 . 38887038.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Modern Greek philosophers on the human soul: selections from the writings of seven representative thinkers of modern Greece: Benjamin of Lesvos, Vrailas-Armenis, Skaltsounis, St. Nectarios, Louvaris, Kontoglou, and Theodorakopoulos: on the nature and immortality of the soul, translated from the original Greek and edited with a preface, introduction, notes, and glossary . Institute For Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1987 . 0-914744-77-1 . 15721856.
• Book: Cavarnos . Constantine . Tovar . Saúl A. . Cultural and educational continuity of Greece: from antiquity to the present . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1995 . 1-884729-03-7 . 32545827.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . The Hellenic heritage: two lectures dealing with Greek culture: ancient, Byzantine, and modern . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek studies . Belmont, Mass., U.S.A. . 1999 . 1-884729-50-9 . 43596079.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Philosophical dictionary: English-Greek and Greek-English: a new instrument for scholars in the fields of philosophy, the classics, modern Greek studies, the sciences, theology, and the humanities in general . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2006 . 1-884729-81-9 . 228117564.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Orthodox Christian terminology: a discussion of the subject of developing a satisfactory, acceptable, standardized English-language terminology in Eastern Orthodox theology, hagiology, Church services, and the sacred arts, together with Greek-English and English-Greek glossaries . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass., U.S.A. . 1994 . 0-914744-98-4 . 32018720.

Lives of saints:^[6]

• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Saint John Damascene: a concise account of his life and works as a theologian and hymnographer, together with and analysis of his superb Paschal (Easter) canon, which is presented both in the original Greek and in precise English translation . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2010 . 978-1-884729-93-5 . 708740508.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Saint Mark of Ephesos: renowned Greek theologian of the late Byzantine period and eminent philosopher and church hymnographer: his life, character, thought, writings, and influence . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2008 . 978-1-884729-87-4 . 320799675.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . St. Photios the Great: philosopher and theologian . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1998 . 1-884729-42-8 . 42047900.

Monasticism:^[10]

• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Anchored in God: an inside account of life, art, and thought on the Holy Mountain of Athos . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1975 . 0-914744-30-5 . 2072456.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . The Holy Mountain; two lectures on Mount Athos, of which the first deals with its scholars, missionaries, and saints, and the second with its music, musicians, and hymnographers, together with an account of a recent visit to Athos. . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1973 . 0-914744-38-0 . 821103.

Collected works:^[11]

• Book: Cavarnos . Constantine . Cavarnos . John P. . New library . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1989 . 0-914744-82-8 . 21038260. (2009 reprint)

Theology and spirituality:^[12]

• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Immortality of the soul: the testimony of the Old and New Testaments, Orthodox iconography and hymnography, and the works of Eastern fathers and other writers of the Orthodox Church . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1993 . 0-914744-96-8 . 29021851.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Holiness: man's supreme destiny: four orthodox homilies in which are discussed the concept of holiness, hunger for holiness, and striving for holiness . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2001 . 1-884729-64-9 . 48991275.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . The concept of Christian love: a lecture delivered at Columbia University, together with a Swedish version of it . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1996 . 1-884729-09-6 . 35172373.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2002.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Victories of orthodoxy: homilies in which are discussed in a forthright and analytical manner iconoclasm, Orthodox mysticism, the false union of Florence, the calendar change, traditional iconography, sacred music, and ecumenism, and the stand of the Orthodox Christian Church regarding these . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1997 . 1-884729-30-4 . 40330168.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Ecumenism examined: a concise analytical discussion of the contemporary ecumenical movement . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 1996 . 1-884729-18-5 . 37277298.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Man's spiritual evolution . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2006 . 1-884729-83-5 . 244004315.
• Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . The priest as spiritual father: an Orthodox Christian homily, together with gems from St. John Damascene on the spiritual life, counsels of St. Gregory Palamas, and a discussion of the Ladder of Divine Ascent . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2002 . 1-884729-66-5 . 51552383.

Further reading

• Book: Kontoglou . Phōtēs . Patapios . Hieromonk . Chrysostomos . Archbishop of Etna . Two modern Greek titans of mind and spirit: the private correspondence of Constantine Cavarnos and Photios Kontoglou (1952-1965) . . Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies . 2014 . 978-1-938943-01-0 . 898158506.
• Book: González, Sergio . Constantine Cavarnos and the Hellenic tradition . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2014 . 978-1-884729-99-7 . 927350617.

External links

• Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (IBMGS)

Notes and References

1. Book: González, Sergio . Constantine Cavarnos and the Hellenic tradition . Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies . Belmont, Mass. . 2014 . 978-1-884729-99-7 . 927350617.
2. Book: Cavarnos, Constantine . Orthodox Tradition and Modernism . Patrick G. . Barker . 1992 . Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies . Etna, California . Monographic Supplement Series . 5. (From the Greek original, published in Athens by "Orthodoxos Typos" Editions, 1971; A Monographic Supplement to Orthodox Tradition (ISSN 0742-4019))
3. Web site: Memory Eternal, Schemamonk Constantine (Cavarnos). Protecting. Veil. March 10, 2011. protectingveil.com.
4. Web site: About the Institute. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (IBMGS). 2022-08-26.
5. Web site: Constantine Cavarnos, Schemamonk and Professor, Has Reposed (1918-2011).
6. Web site: Lives of Saints. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (IBMGS). 2022-08-26.
7. Web site: Art, Music & Iconography. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (IBMGS). 2022-08-26.
8. Web site: Ancient Philosophy. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (IBMGS). 2022-08-26.
9. Web site: Modern Greek Studies. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (IBMGS). 2022-08-26.
10. Web site: Monasticism. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (IBMGS). 2022-08-26.
11. Web site: Book Reviews. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (IBMGS). 2022-08-26.
12. Web site: Miscellaneous. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (IBMGS). 2022-08-26.