Are there Messalian Syneisakts in Gregory of Nyssa’s De virginitate 23,4?

Abstract

This chapter draws attention to one of Gregory of Nyssa's ascetical and more practical writings, namely his De virginitate . It discusses Epiphanius of Salamis, the only contemporary of Gregory of Nyssa who wrote an extensive account on Messalianism, Panarion . Following an investigation of the history of syneisaktism and of writings of Gregory of Nyssa's contemporaries, the chapter explains whether Gregory had Messalian syneisakts in mind when he wrote De virginitate 2 3,4 . Syneisaktism is a little investigated ascetical practice which is generally known in modern scholarship as 'spiritual marriage'. It is especially interesting that Epiphanius started to write this work Panarion only a few years after Gregory of Nyssa's De virginitate appeared. Yet, while reading Epiphanius' passage on the Messalians it is hard to find even the slightest reference to the practice of syneisaktism. Syneisaktism already existed long before Gregory of Nyssa wrote his treatise on virginity. Keywords: De virginitate; Epiphanius of Salamis; Gregory of Nyssa; Messalian syneisakts; Panarion; spiritual marriage