Gregory Palamas was a Byzantine Greek theologian and Eastern Orthodox cleric of the late Byzantine period. A monk of Mount Athos and later archbishop of Thessaloniki, he is famous for his defense of hesychast spirituality, the uncreated character of the light of the Transfiguration, and the distinction between God's essence and energies. His teaching unfolded over the course of three major controversies, (1) with the Italo-Greek Barlaam between 1336 and 1341, (2) with the monk Gregory Akindynos between 1341 and 1347, and (3) with the philosopher Gregoras, from 1348 to 1355. His theological contributions are sometimes referred to as Palamism, and his followers as Palamites.
Painting of Saint Gregory in Monastery of Vatopaidi, Mount Athos, Greece by Manuel Panselinos. The captions call him, among other titles, Νέος Χρυσόστομος: A New Chrysostom.
Church of Saint Gregory Palamas housing his relics, in Thessaloniki (architect: Ernst Ziller)
Interior of the Church of St. Gregory Palamas in Thessaloniki
The reliquary of St. Gregory Palamas
Hesychasm is a contemplative monastic tradition in the Eastern Christian traditions of the Eastern Catholic Churches and Eastern Orthodox Church in which stillness (hēsychia) is sought through uninterrupted Jesus prayer. While rooted in early Christian monasticism, it took its definitive form in the 14th century at Mount Athos.
Gregory Palamas