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 principal handbook of inner prayer. The publication of the Philokalia ...
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The Same, Briefly, on Prayer
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 anything else. At every time and in every place it ...
The Method of Attentive Prayer of Saint Kallistos, Patriarch of Constantinople
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 the skin; some regard these as delusion. Warmth also comes ...
Chapters of Kallistos Kataphygiotes (Angelikoudes)
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 its nature; in that activity it rejoices, and toward it ...
Of the Same Nikitas, the Third Century of Chapters on Love and the Perfection of Life
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, and the Source of good light; He is Wisdom, Word ...
Of the Same, the Second Century of Natural Chapters on the Purification of the Intellect
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; the middle is the purification of the heart and of ...
Nikitas Stethatos, Venerable Monk and Presbyter of the Monastery of Stoudios: First Century of Practical Texts
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 about things that save the soul. The first is freedom, ...
Saint Isaiah the Solitary: 27 Chapters on Guarding the Intellect
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 passions, and without this anger there will be no purity ...
The Same, from the Chapters on Sobriety
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 body as though he were to live for many years. ...
The same Evagrius the Monk: Chapters on the distinction between passions and thoughts
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 to battle are those entrusted with the appetites of man, ...
On Monasticism, by Evagrius the Monk, Teaching How One Should Struggle and Keep Stillness
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 sons or daughters in this place… they shall die a ...
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
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 and rule, accomplished with God’s help and attested by the ...
Chapters on Prayer by the Blessed Kallistos, Patriarch
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 his head and, listening to the singing, strikes the strings ...
Monk Theophanes: The Ladder of Divine Gifts
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. First of all comes pure prayer. 9 Illumination of the ...
An Excerpt from the Life of Our Venerable Father Maximus, Called Kapsokalyvites
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 things: “I beg you, my holy father, tell me: do ...
The same venerable father of ours, Gregory of Sinai, chapters on stillness: How one who keeps stillness should sit and pray
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 1. Sometimes, because of the hardship of the labour, it ...
The same author: On stillness and the two ways of prayer, in fifteen chapters
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 God, or two entrances into the state of prayer, which ...
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 Also on the Signs of Grace and Delusion Famous reflections on stillness and prayer by the same author, and also on the signs of grace and delusion, on the ...
Other Chapters by the Same Author
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, for they have received the power for this and, by ...
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 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 father Gregory of Sinai, arranged in the Greek text as ...
Discourse of the Same Father of Ours, Symeon the New Theologian, on the Three Methods of Prayer
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 Three Methods of Prayer: three methods of attention and prayer, ...
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 Reach Perfection in the Virtues
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 Reach Perfection in the Virtues Of the same venerable father ...
152 Practical and Theological Chapters of Our Venerable Father Symeon the New Theologian
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 die for Christ’s sake for His commandment and to believe ...
A Letter to Nicolas the Monk, by the Same Venerable and God-bearing Father Mark the Ascetic
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 about yourself: how you grieved over your salvation and were ...
On Those Who Think They Are Made Righteous by Works, 226 Texts
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 those who believe firmly and have come to know the ...
200 Chapters of Our Holy and God-Bearing Father Mark the Ascetic on the Spiritual Law
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 1 Since you wish very much to know what the ...
Instructions of Our Holy Father Anthony the Great in 170 Chapters on Human Character and a Virtuous Life
Instructions of Our Holy Father Anthony the Great in 170 Chapters on Human Character and a Virtuous Life Instructions of Our Holy Father Anthony the Great in 170 Chapters on Human Character and a Virtuous Life 1 People often make ...
The Ten Commandments according to Christian law
On the commandments of God and the Christian life “The Lord your God, the Lord is one” (Deut. 6:4), known in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit: in the Father unbegotten, in the Son begotten without beginning, ...
The Ascetical Homilies of Isaac the Syrian
The fear of God is the beginning of virtue; It is there the offspring of faith and is sown in the heart when the mind is removed from the worldly absent-mindedness, so that thoughts whirling from soaring to gather ...