The Byzantine Commonwealth stands out in the annals of history as an indelible construct which exercised a profound influence on the preservation and continual reinvigoration of the Greek cultural heritage. Functioning as the custodian of ancient Greek legacies, it served as a bulwark against the tides of time and also facilitated the dissemination of these cultural elements to the burgeoning civilizations of the Medieval Age. As the ultimate bastion of the Hellenistic tradition, the Commonwealth evolved into a “crucible”, wherein profound Christian theological inquiries flourished, thus laying the groundwork for an authentically ecumenical Orthodoxy. This epochal transformation served as the cornerstone for the delineation of the spiritual and intellectual contours that came to define the Eastern world in its entirety. Hellenism served not only as a cultural foundation but also as a dynamic force in fostering national consciousness and resistance against conquering powers. In the end, the resilience of Byzantine culture contributed significantly to the formation of modern Neo-Hellenic/Neo-Byzantine identities, influencing contemporary sociopolitical movements and policies. This paper offers a review of key historical events and philosophical shifts which defined this long process and shaped the development of modern East European nations. It also highlights the complex interplay between historical heritage and modern national identity

Ἡ θεολογικὴ παραγωγὴ τοῦ Μαξίμου Μαργουνίου, καὶ ἰδιαιτέρως ἡ Πνευματολογία του, τὴν ὁποία προσπαθήσαμε νὰ ἰχνηλατήσουμε στὴν ἀνὰ χεῖρας μελέτη, παραμένει αὐστηρὰ Ὀρθόδοξη ἀκόμα καὶ ὅταν ἡ πληθωρικὴ ἀνάλυση τοῦ Ἐπισκόπου Κυθήρων δανείζεται ἐπιχειρήματα ἀπὸ τὴν «ἑνωτικὴ» φιλολογία ἢ/καὶ ἀπὸ τὴν Σχολαστικὴ Θεολογία. Γνώμονάς του παραμένει ἡ ἀνάγκη τῆς ἑνώσεως τῶν δύο Ἐκκλησιῶν καὶ μὲ αὐτὴν τὴν προοπτικὴ πραγματεύεται ἕνα εἶδος θεολογικῆς διπλωματίας, ποὺ ὡς βάση ἔχει τὴν Πατερικὴ ὁμοφωνία τῆς ἀδιαίρετης Χριστιανοσύνης. Μολοντοῦτο ἡ θεολογία του ἀκολουθεῖ καὶ ταυτίζεται μὲ τὴν Τριαδολογικὴ ἀντίληψη τοῦ Παλαμᾶ καὶ τῶν ἐπιγόνων του, τὴν ὁποία προσπαθεῖ νὰ ἀποδώση μὲ πνεῦμα κατευνασμοῦ καὶ συμφιλιώσεως. Ἡ ρήση του «Ἡ Ῥώμη φιλέλλην οὐδέποτε· εἰ δέ ποτε, ἀλλ’ οὐ πολὺν χρόνον» ἀποδεικνύει ὅτι, παρὰ τὴν θεολογικὴ προσπάθεια προσεγγίσεως, παρέμενε κριτικὸς ἔναντι τῶν Λατίνων, ἀναγνωρίζοντας τὴν ψυχολογικὴ ἀπόσταση ποὺ δημιουργοῦσαν τὰ ἱστορικὰ προηγούμενα. Τέλος, ἂν καὶ δὲν κατάφερε νὰ ἀναβιώση τὴν διάθεση τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν ταγῶν γιὰ τὴν ἕνωση, κατέλειπε λαμπρὴ μνήμη τόσο γιὰ τὴν ἀγαθότητα τῶν προθέσεών του στὴν διακονία τῆς καταλλαγῆς, ὅσο καὶ γιὰ τὴν ὑψηλὴ ποιότητα τοῦ ἔργου του.