Philokalia (Dobrotolyubiye) — Table of Contents All chapters of the book «Philokalia» systematically grouped by author for convenient reading: Anthony the Great Instructions of Our Holy Father Anthony the Great…
Afterword of the translator The reader has now become acquainted with one of the most significant books of the Eastern Church, which, ever since it first appeared, has remained the…
An Ascetic Discourse by the Same Venerable and God-bearing Father Nilus the Faster Many Greeks and many Jews attempted the pursuit of wisdom, but only the disciples of Christ attained…
Preface on Prayer by Our Venerable Father Nilus the Faster When the flame of unclean passions was burning me, you cooled my intellect — which was fainting under the most…
From the Same Venerable Cassian, to Abbot Leontius: On the Holy Fathers of Skete and on Discernment A discourse full of great profit. The coming to Abba Moses Saint Germanus…
Saint John Cassian the Roman on the Eight Passionate Thoughts Among these writings I composed a Word on the common life, and in this Word, relying on your prayers, I…
On the Venerable Cassian (Introduction) On the Venerable Cassian. Our venerable father Cassian the Roman lived during the reign of Theodosius the Younger in the year 433 after the Birth…
Active and Contemplative Chapters by the Same Author 692 Part Four 31 The quality of the grain is seen from the ear, and the purity of contemplation is revealed by…
Contemplative Chapters by the Same Author Contemplative Chapters by the Same Author. The mind, raised to the height of contemplation, is enlightened after reading these words, and when it falls…
FLOWER-GATHERING: Advice of Zealous Lovers of Wisdom, compiled by Elias the Ekdikos FLOWER-GATHERING Advice of Zealous Lovers of Wisdom. Elias, the most humble presbyter who is called the Ekdikos, loved…
Preface to the Flower-Gathering We do not know whether this divine father Elias, who is also called the Ekdikos (defender), was that Elias of Crete who studied the Words of…
Of the Same Venerable Father of Ours, Theodore: A Contemplative Discourse A contemplative discourse of our venerable father Theodore. It is a great struggle to break these strong bonds and…
Texts on Ascetic Practice by Our Venerable Father Theodore of Edessa 1. Since by the grace of the good God we have turned away from Satan and his wicked works…
About Abba Philemon: A Most Profitable Discourse It was related of Abba Philemon the anchorite that he withdrew into a cave called Romeou, not far from the Lavra, and there…
The Same, Briefly, on Prayer The same, briefly, on prayer. Unceasing prayer consists in always calling upon the Name of God: whether a person is speaking, or eating, or doing…
The Method of Attentive Prayer of Saint Kallistos, Patriarch of Constantinople In the body of an ascetic who is attentive in prayer there arise, as it were, certain movements beneath…
Chapters of Kallistos Kataphygiotes (Angelikoudes) 1. Every living creature that is brought to birth finds one and the same rest and delight in the activity that is best suited to…
Of the same Nikitas, the third century of chapters on love and the perfection of life 1. God is a dispassionate Intellect, a Light beyond every intellect and every dispassion,…
Of the same, the second century of natural chapters on the purification of the intellect 1. The beginning of the love of God is contempt for visible and human things;…
Nikitas Stethatos, Venerable Monk and Presbyter of the Most Holy Monastery of Stoudios: First Century of Practical Texts 1. I think there are four causes that move us to write…
Blessed Diadochos: One Hundred Practical Texts on Spiritual Knowledge and Discernment Of blessed Diadochos, bishop of Photiki in Epirus: one hundred practical texts on spiritual knowledge and discernment — on…
Блаженного Діадоха, єпископа Ілірика Фотікійського, Слово подвижницьке (Границі) Блаженного Діадоха, єпископа Ілірика Фотікійського, Слово подвижницьке із 100 глав, а перед ними подано 10 границь. Перша границя віри Безпристрасні думки про…
The Ascetic and Greatly Consoling Discourse of Blessed John of Carpathia to the Monks from India Blessed John of Carpathia, to the monks from India who asked him about this.…
Our Venerable Father John, Bishop of Carpathia, to the monks who wrote to him from India, 100 consoling chapters When petitioners come before earthly kings and bring them flowers, they…
The Same Venerable Father of Ours Peter of Damascus, Book Two: Twenty-Four Short Discourses Full of Spiritual Knowledge This is the first Discourse and the letter «alpha», which contains spiritual…
The First Book of Our Venerable and God-bearing Father Peter of Damascus The beginning of this book, with God, of our venerable and God-bearing father, the hieromartyr Peter of Damascus.…
Saint Isaiah the Solitary: 27 Chapters on Guarding the Intellect Of Saint Isaiah the Solitary 27 chapters on guarding the intellect 1 The intellect possesses a natural anger against the…
The Same, from the Chapters on Sobriety The same, from the chapters on sobriety 1 A monk should always be as though he were to die tomorrow, yet govern his…
The same Evagrius the Monk: Chapters on the distinction between passions and thoughts 1. Of the enemies who oppose the art of the ascetic life, the first to come out…
On Monasticism, by Evagrius the Monk, Teaching How One Should Struggle and Keep Stillness The Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah: “Do not take a wife, and do not have…
Monks Kallistos and Ignatios Xanthopoulos: Directions to Hesychasts — a method and rule, accomplished with God’s help, for those who wish to live the monastic life in stillness A method…
Chapters on Prayer by the Blessed Kallistos, Patriarch Chapters on Prayer by the Blessed Kallistos, Patriarch 1 When you want to know the truth, imitate the cithara player. He bows…
By the Same Theoleptos of Philadelphia (Chapters) By the Same Theoleptos of Philadelphia 1 The mind, withdrawing from external things and gathering in internal ones, concentrates in itself, that is,…
A Discourse by Theoleptos, Metropolitan of Philadelphia, Explaining the Hidden Activity in Christ and Briefly Describing the Labor of the Monastic Order The monastic order – is a tree with…
The discourse of Nikephoros the Monk on sobriety and the guarding of the heart A discourse full of great profit for you who desire to obtain the beautiful divine revelation…
Our Venerable Father Philotheos of Sinai: Forty Texts on Watchfulness 1. There is within us a noetic warfare more grievous than the warfare of the senses. He who works at…
Hesychios the Presbyter: A Word to Theodoulos on Watchfulness and Virtue (The Beginning and True Pledge of the Soul’s Illumination: Chapters in Answer and Chapters on Prayer) 1. Watchfulness is…
Monk Theophanes: The Ladder of Divine Gifts The monk Theophanes, when he was in compunction, composed the Ladder of Divine Gifts, which the God-bearing fathers know from experience 10 Perfection.…
An Excerpt from the Life of Our Venerable Father Maximus, Called Kapsokalyvites The divine Gregory the Sinaite came to Saint Maximus and, conversing with him, said to him among other…
The same venerable father of ours, Gregory of Sinai, chapters on stillness: How one who keeps stillness should sit and pray How one who keeps stillness should sit and pray…
The same author: On stillness and the two ways of prayer, in fifteen chapters Chapter 1. The two ways of communion with God There are two ways of communion with…
Famous Reflections on Stillness and Prayer by the Same Author, and Also on the Signs of Grace and Delusion Famous reflections on stillness and prayer by the same author, and…
Other Chapters by the Same Author Other chapters by the same author 1 Everyone who has been baptized into Christ must reach the full measure of the stature of Christ,…
Chapters of our holy father Gregory of Sinai: various texts on the commandments, doctrines, torments and promises, and also on thoughts, passions, virtues, stillness and prayer Chapters of our holy…
Discourse of the Same Father of Ours, Symeon the New Theologian, on the Three Methods of Prayer By the same father of ours, Symeon the New Theologian, Discourse on the…
By the Same Author: A Discourse on Faith, and Instruction for Those Who Say That It Is Impossible for Those Who Remain in the World and Have Worldly Cares to…
152 Practical and Theological Chapters of Our Venerable Father Symeon the New Theologian Of Our Venerable Father Symeon the New Theologian 152 Practical and Theological Chapters 1 Faith means to…
A Letter to Nicolas the Monk, by the Same Venerable and God-bearing Father Mark the Ascetic The occasion of the letter Beloved son Nicolas, some time ago you told us…
On Those Who Think They Are Made Righteous by Works, 226 Texts 1. The error of those who believe only in outward appearance will be exposed in what follows by…
200 Chapters on the Spiritual Law by Our Holy and God-Bearing Father Mark the Ascetic Of Our Holy and God-Bearing Father Mark the Ascetic on the Spiritual Law 200 Chapters…
