I’m not sure who looks worse in all this: the EP who thought this might somehow clarify his point (when in fact it distracts, at best) or the audience for whom such a reference was assumed to be appropriate.

Right you are Andrew. The term “apophaticism” functions these days to mean “you can’t really know the Orthodox faith so I am going to tell you what it is”, and then people take license to say whatever is on their mind. Ideas end up floating in space, a kind of pick and choose Christianity but Orthodox style.

(I am not implying that His All Holiness is doing this of course, merely confirming that I see the same misuse of the term in many places as well.)

Why is the meaning of a biblical reference (Heavenly City) clarified by a reference to a mythological explication of time and purpose? Further, given that the speech is primarily a moral exhortation, doesn’t it implicitly posit two centers of authority — scripture and Greek (pre-Cappadocian Hellenism) mythology?

Granted, the “ancient god Janus” is mentioned only in passing. But why mention it at all?

Also, every time I hear apophaticism these days, I cringe. All kind of shenaigans are justified by a misunderstanding of apophaticism. In some circles apophaticism is the new relativism.