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48 HARVEY GOLDBLATTIn seeking to counter the calumny and blasphemy directed against the"theology of Chrysostom," the Athonite monk makes the following threepoints:(1) It was Chrysostom himself, in homily VI, who stated that there couldbe no rank of priest, leader, or pastor (i.e., those who are obliged to workfor the salvation of others) until illumination, perfection, and spiritual wisdomhad been achieved. 43In other words, only after a person is"dispassioned"—that is, "purified" through separation from this world—andoccupied in mind and heart with the continual presence of God, can hebegin to deal with the ideal of the apostolate. One should note, in thisregard, that, in the excerpt from homily VI found in eclogue XIV, Chrysostomstresses the fact that the apostles were able to convert the whole world,and achieve salvation for it, "by their angelic mode of life." 44Morespecifically, as apostolic teachers they surpassed the deeds of others "by livingin hunger, in thirst, and nakedness," that is, by relieving themselves ofthe material goods of this world and by virtue of their ascetic quest for perfection.45No less important was the way of life of Chrysostom himself.VySens'kyj reminds his readers that, instructed by God, "Chrysostomendured hunger, left the priesthood and went from the turbulence of the cityinto a cave, still being unwhole. And when he had achieved a victory overthe passions, he returned to his people" (212.16—19). 46We should not forgetthat at the time he was writing the treatise On the Priesthood Chrysostom"dreaded the possibility of becoming an unworthy priest." 47In hisview, "undefiled purity," "unworldliness," and "holiness" were all fundamentalrequisites for the sacerdotal office, as we read in book VI of thetreatise, where, in response to a question from his friend Basil—On thePriesthood is composed in the form of a Platonic dialogue—Chrysostom43"Pervo izrek Zlatousty, iź' svjaScennikom, vozdem і nastavnikom mnohix byti ne moźet,kto prosvßcenenija і soversenija s mudrostiju slovîsnoju (vîdati, jak koho spasati razlićno) nedostihnît" (212.9).44"... i żitiem ñvjaxu anhel'skim" (KS, p. 227). For the "angelic life" of the monks, as wellas the comparison between priest and angel, see Ladner, The Idea of Reform, p. 125, fhs.51-52; L. Meyer, Saint Jean Chrysostome, maître de perfection chrétienne (Paris, 1933), pp.192-206.45It is noteworthy that in the lines from homily VI immediately prior to the excerpt presentedin eclogue XIV, Chrysostom explains the reason for the disjunction between the age of theapostles and "this present life": "Why then do not all believe now? Because things have degenerated:and for this we are to blame.... For surely not even then did they trust to signs alone,but fry the mode of life as well [άλλα ναι από τοΰ βίου] many of the converts were attracted"(italics mine) (Epist. I ad Corinthios, homil. VI, 8, PG LXI, 52).4 647Cf. Palladii Dialogus 5, PG XLVn, 17.Ladner, The Idea of Reform, p. 127, fh. 54.