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What the Fathers say

Revelation 21:25

Eastern Fathers

Oecumenius

And its gates he says shall not be shut by day. The meaning is twofold: for either this says that there will be peace and absence of fear, such that there will be no need to keep watch over the city by day or to bar the doors ever, or that the apostolic teachings, for we called the apostles gates, will not be silenced even there, but the apostles will be present there as teachers of new doctrines and of more divine things to the saints; for the righteous are "children of day and light," (1 Thess. …

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Western Saints

Bede

And its gates will not be closed by day, for there will be no night there. He recalls that the perpetual light of the Lamb, or rather the Lamb himself as the eternal light, will be in that city, with the time of night removed. But the fact that the gates will not be closed is a sign of complete security. For there it is no longer said: "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Matt. XXVI), but rather: "Be still and know that I am God" (Ps. XLV).

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Alcuin of York

THERE FOLLOWS: And the gates thereof shall not be shut by day: for there shall be no night there. ANSWER: He is saying that there will be in that city the perpetual light of the Lamb, or rather that the Lamb himself will be there as a perpetual light, while nighttime will have been eliminated. As for the gates not being shut, it is a sign of the fullest security; for there it is no longer said, Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation, [Matt. 26:41, Mark 14:38] but rather, Be still and see that I am God. [Ps. 45:11]

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Victorinus of Pettau

And that the gates cannot be shut, it is evidently shown that the doctrine of the apostles can be separated from rectitude by no tempest of contradiction. Even though the floods of the nations and the vain superstitions of heretics should revolt against their true faith, they are overcome, and shall be dissolved as the foam, because Christ is the Rock by which, and on which, the Church is founded. And thus it is overcome by no traces of maddened men.

Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John ↗