Veneration of the Precious Chains of the Holy and All-Glorious Apostle Peter
Categories: orthodox-life, hymns, feast-days
Date: 16 January 2005 02:14:15
 | You came to us without leaving Rome, By the precious chains which you wore. O first-enthroned of the Apostles We bow down to them in faith and pray: By your prayers to God grant us great mercy. Troparion Christ the Rock, who greatly glorified the first among Apostles, Kontakion |
Today is the Feast of the Veneration of the Precious Chains of the Holy and All-Glorious Apostle Peter. Last night at Vespers we had a short homily on the St Peter's chains. (Today we were blessed to have the Melbourne Youth Director come up and preach on the Gospel reading for today, the The Healing of the Ten Lepers.)
Acts 12:1-11 contains the account of an angel of the Lord removing St Peter's chains and leading him out of prison. These chains of Peter, which were kept in Jerusalem for three centuries, granted healing to many.
I remember visiting the church of St Peter in Chains in 1998. The chains were visible, and various Catholics and one Orthodox person on the same tour (Contiki...ah: the memories...argh: the rush!) took the matter with a great deal of solemnity and reverence. I viewed them as one views a piece of art in an Art Gallery or a stone carving in a museum -- simply nice to look at and giving some form of link to the past.
From the homily I've gained some understanding to the different reactions. In Orthodox theology, and I assume Catholic theology as well, material objects can be means of grace and healing (cf Paul's handkerchief in Acts 19). For those we call saints, holiness is something that affects their entire person -- not just the soul. Holiness extends to their bodies; so it is that both the body and the soul of a saint are sanctified. And any objects they come into contact may also sanctified and becomes means of grace.
This is a hard teaching for me. I still have some "matter is bad and can't be a means of grace" feelings within me. Intellectually, it does make some sense -- a lot of sense in fact; but when it comes to a practice of it or a defence I feel I'd fall flat. God took on matter, so matter can be raised to a higher level -- as our bodies one day will. It is still a struggle at times. May God help me!