The tasbeha, or the midnight praise, is an important component of the life of the church and all of her members. For many generations, it has been prayed daily by thousands of monks in monasteries all over the world and the question that we thus need to ask is “Why?” What is the point of …
The books of the holy Fathers on the monastic life must be, read with great caution. It has been noticed that novices can never adapt books to their condition, but are invariably drawn by the tendency of the book. If a book gives counsels on silence and shows the abundance of spiritual fruits that are …
The Apophthegmata Patrum is an extraordinary anthology. In its pages, one finds “a diverse band of colorful characters, wild adventures, and stinging, memorable ‘one-liners.’” Its publication marked an important milestone in the literature of late antiquity. As Peter Brown has noted, “The Sayings provided a remarkable new literary genre, close to the world of parable …
Why Do the Monks wear Black? It has been recorded in the monastic literature such as the (Historia Monachorum) that the community of monks that gathered around abba Apollo looked like an “army of angels, drawn up in perfect order, robed in white.” It also says about abba Or that the monks lived with him …
Why do we address Bishops as Rabbi “My lord”? While we have one Lord God. Who said: "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren”. (Mat 23:8) The Lord Jesus uttered these words to criticise the pride of the pharisees and the scribes. (Mat …
The brethren said, “By what means did the Fathers sing the Psalms of the Holy Spirit without wandering of mind?” The old man said, “First of all they accustomed themselves whenever they stood up to sing the service in their cells to labor with great care to collect their minds from wandering, and to understand …
How can one practice relaxation of fast during the Pentecost and still keep his spiritual life intact? St John Cassian answers this question in his Conferences as follows: The celebration of the aforesaid days is to be observed in such a way, that the relaxation which has been conceded helps rather than hinders the well …
St Theodore once asked Apa Pachomius “I desire you to tell me, O my father, that I shall see God; otherwise, what good is it to me ever to have been born?” Our father Pachomius asked: “Do you wish to see Him in this world or in the world to come?” Theodore answered: “I wish …
How can man pray continually, as the body becomes ill through constant prayer? What limit ought there be to prayer? And suppose I am talking with someone, how can I fulfill the command? The standing up of a man in his prayer [once] is not said to be prayer, but he must do so continually. …
How do I benefit from what I read? Whoever reads much with meditation, exercises his spiritual senses for the intent that he finds an atmosphere for spiritual meditation in all subjects of his reading. He may come out with a benefit from any good book he reads, if he reads it in a spiritual manner. …
