George of Cyprus and his World

9.00

Coffee/tea

9.30

Welcome by Agathe Kalispera

9.35

Introduction by Charalambos Dendrinos

9.45

Joseph A. Munitiz, S.J. - Former Master of Campion Hall, Oxford

“Editing Byzantine Texts at the University of London Postgraduate Working Seminar”

The University of London Seminar on editing Byzantine texts was established in 1985 through the co-operation of fellow scholars headed by Dr Joseph A. Munitiz, SJ, the late Julian Chrysostomides and Dr Athanasios Angelou, initially with the aim of studying Byzantine literary works, the first of which was Nicephorus Blemmydes' Autobiography. It later developed into a working Seminar on editing Byzantine texts, joined by graduate students and visiting scholars who happened to be in London. The Seminar, the only of its kind in London, has been the focus of Byzantinists specializing in various areas, such as textual criticism, language and literature, palaeography, history and historiography, theology and art history. This short paper offered some reflections on the past, present and future of the Seminar.

10.00

Costas N. Constantinides - Professor of Byzantine History, University of Ioannina

“Sailing to Byzantium: the life and career of George of Cyprus”

The paper gave an overview of the life and career of George-Gregory of Cyprus (1241-1290), using as a guide the concise Autobiography composed by the author in 1285 to serve as an introduction to the edition of his works. His voluminous correspondence and other surviving works shed light both on his teaching and his involvement in theological debates. Additional information can be culled from the works of his students as well as his contemporaries who were either in friendly relations or proclaimed enemies of his. As a young man George left secretly his native island to pursue higher studies in Nicaea and then in Constantinople under George Akropolites. Eventually, he became a distinguished teacher of rhetoric in the Higher Imperial School c. 1273 and ten years later he was elevated to the patriarchal throne as Gregory II (1283-1289). Six years later he was forced to abdicate and died in Constantinople shortly after. His students formed a leading group in the capital and dominated the intellectual circles for nearly two generations.

11.00

Aristeides Papadakis - Emeritus Professor of History, University of Maryland

“George of Cyprus as a theologian”

The paper examined, above all, George of Cyprus-Gregory II as churchman and theologian. Attention briefly at the outset was given to his attitude to state-sponsored unionism under Emperor Michael VIII (1259-1282), and, in particular, in connection to a recent scholarly paper on this topic. Gregory’s “world” also required assessment, especially when set against the trends in theological methodology and mentalities unfolding in the West at the time. We often forget Patriarch Gregory II (1283-1289) was a contemporary of Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). A short discussion of the Synod of Blachernae and Gregory’s approach to Rome’s unilateral revision of the Creed —on the procession of the Holy Spirit—served as conclusion.

12.00

Inmaculada Péréz Martín - Scientific Researcher, Instituto de Lenguas y Culturas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid

“George of Cyprus and Aelius Aristides. Some Considerations on their Works and their Transmission”

Though so far no autographs of George of Cyprus have been attested, his handwriting has been identified in a number of manuscripts. This evidence enables us to explore the major crossroad in his literary training, namely his discovery of the Greek orator Aelius Aristides (ad 117-181). The paper explored the manuscripts of Aelius Aristides copied by George of Cyprus and the joint transmission of Aelius Aristides and of George of Cyprus, in an attempt to classify them in various ways: some manuscripts come to us via the Patriarchate of Constantinople and others through the Monastery of Chora. This evidence led to some reflections on the Byzantine rhetorical canon and on the transmission of Byzantine oratory.

13.00

Lunch

14.00

Sofia Kotzabassi - Professor of Byzantine Philology, University of Thessalonike

“George of Cyprus as a scribe and bibliophile”

The paper explored George of Cyprus’ activities as scribe and bibliophile mainly through his letters addressed to his students and fellow scholars. The information contained on these aspects of his work in his bulky correspondence reflects the literary tastes and scholarly interests of the higher intellectual circles in Byzantium in this period. The frequent references by George on the copying and exchange of manuscripts he owned, or borrowed from, or lent to, his fellow scholars testify his love for books and the study of Greek literature. They also provide evidence for his own copying activity and editorial work.

In Professor Kotzambassi's absence the paper was read by Dr Andreas Meitanis.

15.00

Charalampos Chotzakoglou - Hellenic Open University, Director of the Cultural Foundation “Forum of Religions and Cultures” of the Kykkos Monastery, Nicosia

“Art in the era of George of Cyprus”

The paper began by briefly examining the religious background of George of Cyprus in the context of the ecclesiastical situation in his native Cyprus, then under Frankish rule. His early experiences of the co-existence of the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches in Cyprus must have marked his attitude and substantially contributed to his future activity and work concerning the Tomos of the Council of Blachernae. The confrontation between the two Churches is also reflected in the art of the period as it was formed in Constantinople and the Byzantine periphery, where more frescoes and icons were preserved. The art in Cyprus of that era offers interesting examples of this development. The new iconographical subjects, the change of style and the distinctive formation of the art in East and West represent two different theological approaches, influenced by the doctrinal issues raised during Church Councils. George of Cyprus expressed views concerning Byzantine apophatic theology, which stresses the notion of energetic revelation in Greek patristic thought, made him a forerunner of the fourteenth-century Palamite theology, which also found expression in Byzantine art.

16.00

Coffee/tea

17.00

Christopher Wright - The A.G. Leventis Foundation Research Fellow in Greek Palaeography, Royal Holloway, University of London

“Towards an electronic annotated edition and translation of George of Cyprus' Correspondence”

Since 1997 the University of London Working Seminar on Editing Byzantine Texts has been engaged in editing the correspondence of George of Cyprus. More than fifty letters have been completed to date, and publication of the finished texts is desirable. Given the gradual nature of the process and the size of the corpus, a conventional publication requiring the completion of the entire collection is unrealistic, so efforts are underway for an incremental online publication. This approach also offers the possibility of increasing the accessibility of manuscript material, by presenting it through an interactive system that assists the reader’s palaeographical and linguistic comprehension of the text. This paper demonstrated, with the help of Mr Philip Taylor, the product of a pilot project for the electronic presentation of a Greek manuscript, which constitutes the first stage of development towards this goal, and discussed future challenges and some of the implications of this approach to publication.

18.00

Andreas Pelendrides - Member of University of London Working Seminar on Editing Byzantine Texts

Re-reading “George of Cyprus: Self-portrait of a Scholar” by (†) Julian Chrysostomides

This paper was originally delivered by Julian Chrysostomides at the Colloquium Celebrating Cyprus organized jointly by the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies and the Institute of Classical Studies in memory of Constantine Leventis in November 2004.
In her short paper Julian explored George of Cyprus’ life, character and personality, reflecting on his achievements and disappointments, his humour, his compassion and his determination and tenacity in the face of extreme adversity. This paper, which closed ther Colloquium, offered Julian’s remarks on the legacy of Constantine Leventis.

19.00

Closing remarks by Charalambos Dendrinos

19.15

Reception