St. Epiphanius of salamis

quotes from Epiphanius of Salamis: →

Epiphanius of Salamis (310-403) was a bishop of Salamis best known for composing the Panarion, a very large compendium of the heresies up to his own time.  One of the heresies mentioned was Collyridianism, an Early Christian heretical movement condemned by the Church, whose adherents worshipped the Virgin Mary as a goddess.  Epiphanius was also able to speak in several tongues, including Hebrew, Syriac, Egyptian, Greek, and Latin, and was called by Jerome on that account Pentaglossos (“Five tongued”).

Extant Writings:

  • Panarion Adversus Haereses (Medicine Chest Against Heresies)
  • The Man Well-Anchored 

Quotes & Excerpts:

“We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of all things, both visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God . . . who for us men and for our salvation came down and took flesh, that is, was born perfectly of the holy ever-virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit” (The Man Well-Anchored 120 [A.D. 374]).

“At Rome the first apostles and bishops were Peter and Paul, then Linus, then Cletus, then Clement, the contemporary of Peter and Paul, whom Paul remembers in his
Epistle to the Philippians (Phil 43)…” -Medicine Chest Against All Heresies 27:6 [A.D. 375]).

“How will holy Mary not possess the kingdom of heaven with her flesh, since she was not unchaste, nor dissolute, nor did she ever commit adultery, and since she never did anything wrong as far as fleshly actions are concerned, but remained stainless?”- Panarion Adversus Haereses 42:12 (Written 375 A. D.)

“It is needful also to make use of Tradition for not everything can be gotten from sacred Scripture.
The holy Apostles handed down some things in Scripture, other things in Tradition.” – Medicine Chest Against All Heresies 61:6 (Written in 375 A.D.)

“And to Mary, the title of ‘Virgin’ is invariably added, for that Holy Woman remains undefiled.” -Panarion Adversus Haereses 78:6 (Written 375 A.D.)

“Let them search through the Scriptures and find neither Mary’s death, nor whether or not she died, nor whether or not she was even buried. Though John travelled throughout Asia, yet nowhere does he say that he took the Holy Virgin with him. Scripture simply kept silence because of the overwhelming wonder… The Holy Virgin may have died and been buried, but her falling asleep was with honour, her death in purity, her crown in virginity.”- Panarion Adversus Haereses 78:11 (Written 375 A. D.)

“‘Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you’ (Lk 1:28). This is she who was prefigured by Eve and who symbolically received the title mother of the living. For Eve was called mother of the living. . . It seems odd that she should receive such a grand title after having sinned. Looking at the matter from the outside, one notices that the entire human race took its origin from Eve. Mary, on the contrary, truly introduced life into the world by giving birth to the Living One, so that Mary has become the Mother of the living.” – Panarion Adversus Haereses 78:17-19 (Written 375 A. D.)

“We must consider another marvelous aspect of the comparison between Eve and Mary. Eve became for men the cause of death, because, through her, death entered the world. Mary, however, was the cause of life, because life has come to us through her… In paradise, Eve, who was still a virgin, fell into the sin of disobedience, once more, through the Virgin, came the obedience of grace…” – Panarion Adversus Haereses 78:17-19 (Written 375 A.D.)

“Notice, I pray you, how precise Scripture is.
Of Adam, it is said that he was formed. In the case of Eve, it does not say she was formed, but rather she was built up. ‘He took’-it says-‘one of Adam’s ribs and built it up into a woman’ (Gen. 2:21) to show that the Lord formed Himself a body from Mary, but the Church was built up from His side, when His side was pierced and the mysteries of blood and water poured out for our redemption.” – Panarion Adversus Haereses 78:19 (Written 375 A. D.)

“Whoever honors the Lord also honors the holy vessel;
who instead dishonors the holy vessel also dishonors his Master. Mary herself is that holy Virgin, that is, the holy vessel. – Panarion Adversus Haereses 78:21 (Written 375 A.D.)

“If the holy Virgin is dead and has been buried, surely her dormition happened with great honor; her end was most pure and crowned by virginity. If she was slain, according to what is written: “A sword shall pierce your soul” (Lk 2:35), then she obtained glory together with the martyrs, and her holy body, from which light shone forth for all the world, dwells among those who enjoy the repose of the blessed. Or she continued to live. For, to God, it is not impossible to do whatever he wills; on the other hand, no one knows exactly what her end was.” – Panarion Adversus Haereses 78:23 (Written 375 A. D.)

“Like the bodies of the saints, however, she has been held in honor for her character and understanding. And if I should say anything more in her praise, she is like Elijah, who was virgin from his mother’s womb, always remained so, and was taken up, but has not seen death.” – Panarion Adversus Haereses 79 (Written 375 A.D.)