Part 1. “On the battle of thoughts”
Ch. 1. "About good and evil thoughts"
Abbess of the Monastery of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
nun Filothea with sisters in Christ.
Geronda, how do animals understand that a person has kindness?
Animals have intuition. Therefore, if you love them, if you feel pain for them, they feel it. In Paradise, animals felt the fragrance of Grace and served Adam. After the Fall, nature sighs together with man. Look at the poor bunny: he always has a frightened look. His heart beats anxiously, knock-knock-knock. The poor thing doesn't sleep at all! How this tiny, innocent creature suffers because of our sins! However, when a person returns to the state in which he was before the Fall, the animals again approach him without fear.
Part one. About the battle of thoughts
“Seeing everything through good thoughts, a person purifies himself and accepts the Grace of God. And with evil, “left” thoughts, a person condemns and unjustly offends others, prevents the coming of Divine Grace, after which the devil comes and torments him
Chapter one. About good and evil thoughts
The power of a good thought
Geronda, in the Old Testament, in the Fourth Book of Maccabees, the following is said: “A pious thought is not an eradicator of passions, but their opponent.” What does it mean?
Look: passions are deeply rooted within us, but a pious, good thought helps us not to fall into slavery to them. When a person, constantly including good thoughts in his work, makes his good state solid and stable, [his] passions cease to act and it is as if they do not exist. That is, a pious thought does not eradicate passions, but fights them and can overcome them. The Fourth Book of Maccabees describes the [torment] that the seven Holy Youths, their mother Saint Solomonis and their teacher Saint Eleazar, were able to endure, having pious thoughts.. I think that the writer [of the Holy Book] speaks about this in order to clearly show the power good intentions.
One good thought is equal in strength to an all-night vigil for many hours! He has great power. Now there are anti-missile systems that use laser beams to hit an enemy missile at the launch pad and prevent it from taking off. So are good thoughts: they prevent the takeoff of evil thoughts from the devil’s “airfields” on which they are based, and do not allow them to take off into the air. Therefore, as much as you can, try not to give the devil time to plant evil thoughts in you. Try to get ahead of him yourself and plant good thoughts in yourself, so that your heart becomes a flower garden and your prayer is accompanied by the divine fragrance of your heart.
If a person holds [in himself] even a “slightly leftist”, that is, evil, thought about someone, then no matter what feat he performs - fasting, vigil or something else - it will all go down the drain. How will asceticism help him if he does not fight against evil thoughts, but accepts them? Why doesn’t he first want to clean the vessel from dirty oily sediment, suitable only for soap, and only then pour clean oil into it? Why does he mix the pure with the unclean and make the pure good for nothing?
One pure, good thought has greater power than any ascetic feat. For example, the devil raised up a battle of unclean thoughts against a young man. To get rid of them, the young man performs all-night vigils, fasts, and abstains from food and water for three days in a row. However, one pure thought included in his work has greater power than all his vigils and fastings, and provides him with more significant help.
Geronda, speaking about “pure thoughts,” do you put a narrow [ascetic] meaning into this word or do you use it more broadly?
In the patristic ascetic vocabulary, the word “thought” can mean both a simple thought that arises in the mind, and a mental movement directed towards good or evil. In addition, “thought” can be understood as a good or evil attraction acquired with the help of the mind, conscience, feelings and will. Any deed is preceded by thoughts, therefore, in order for the spiritual struggle to be correct, it must be directed primarily to the consideration of thoughts in order to cultivate good thoughts and drive out evil ones. All Christians should engage in this work, but monks engage in it especially deeply. And widely too. Through good thoughts, a person is cleansed and receives Grace from God. And through “leftist” [bad] thoughts, he condemns and unfairly accuses others. By doing this, he prevents the arrival of Divine Grace. And then the devil comes and torments this person.
That is, Geronda, by condemning others, a person gives the devil the right to torment him?
Yes. The whole basis is a good thought. It is he who elevates a person and changes him for the better. One must reach such a level that one can see everything as pure. This is what it's all about
Christ said: “Judge not personally, but judge righteous judgment.” And then a person enters such a state that he sees everything not with human vision, but with spiritual eyes. He finds justification for everything - in the good sense of the word.
We need to be careful not to accept the devil’s crafty telegrams.
By accepting them, we will desecrate the “Temple of the Holy Spirit”, the Grace of God will be removed from us, as a result of which we will become [spiritually] blind. Seeing our heart immaculate, pure, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells in it. After all, the Holy Spirit loves immaculate purity. That is why He appeared [on the Jordan] in the form of a dove.
Thoughts from the left are the greatest disease
Geronda, when I have to sort out some problem, I get very worried and cannot sleep.
Your main problem is many thoughts. If you didn’t have these many thoughts, then you would work with much greater dedication both in obedience and in spiritual life. But I will teach you one way by which you can avoid many thoughts. Listen here. For example, if a thought appears in your mind about some task that you have to do tomorrow, tell your thought this: “This task is not for today. Tomorrow I will think about it.” And in the event that you have to make a decision, do not torment yourself with the thought of what is the best thing to do, and do not put off making a decision further and further. Choose something, take a decisive step, and leave the worry about the future to God. Try to avoid scrupulousness, excessive thoroughness, so as not to break your head. With curiosity7 do what you can do. At the same time, behave simply and with complete trust in God. By placing our future and our hope on God, we, in some way, oblige Him to help us. Many thoughts will make even a healthy person good for nothing. If a sick and suffering person gets upset, then he has an excuse. However, if someone, being healthy, is worried and suffers from thoughts from the “left”, then it’s time to put him in a straitjacket! [Is it conceivable] to be in excellent health and tormented by your own thoughts!
The most serious disease of our era is the vain thoughts of worldly people. They can have whatever you want, except good intentions. They suffer because they do not approach their circumstances spiritually. For example, a person is driving somewhere by car. On the road, the engine begins to malfunction, and he arrives at his destination with a slight delay. Having a good thought, the latecomer will say this: “Apparently, the Good God slowed me down for a reason. Who knows: maybe if this delay had not occurred, I would have had an accident! My God, how can I thank You for saving me out of danger!" And such a person glorifies God. And the one who does not have a good intention will react to what happened unspiritually and will begin to blame and blaspheme God: “What kind of bad luck! I should have arrived earlier, but I was late! Everything is awry! And all this God...”
By accepting what happens to him through the “right” thought, a person receives help. And working “to the left”, he suffers, is tormented, loses balance.
I remember how many years ago we came from the Holy Mountain to Ouranoupolis and were planning to go further to Thessaloniki. They handed us a truck, already loaded with all sorts of things: suitcases, oranges, fish, empty dirty fish baskets... People began to climb into the same truck: children from Athonias9, monks, lay people. Those who could sat on the boards, the rest stood on their feet. One obese layman squeezed onto the bench next to me. The cramped space made him very uncomfortable, and he began to loudly indignant: “What a disgrace this is!” And a little further away from him sat a monk, all covered with stinking fish baskets - the poor fellow had only one head left outside. The truck set off along a broken country road, shaking and swaying over potholes. The baskets inserted one into the other fell on the monk, and he, trying to protect his head, pushed them away with his hands. And my obese neighbor on the bench continued to loudly express displeasure that he was sitting a little cramped. “Why are you still shouting?” I reasoned with him. “Look what your neighbor is going through! How are you doing, father?” - I asked the monk. “It’s better here than in hell, Geronda,” he answered with a smile. One sat and suffered at the same time, and the other rejoiced, despite the fact that mountains of stinking fish baskets were falling on him. But the road was not close - about two hours' drive. The layman's mind imagined how comfortable a bus ride would be, and he was ready to smash everything to smithereens. And the monk rejoiced, thinking about the suffering that he would experience in hell. “In two hours we will reach the place and get out of this body,” the monk reasoned. “And the unfortunate [sinners] are tormented in hell forever. And the hellish torment there is no match for all these baskets and the crush of people. Glory to You, God, it's not as bad here as there."
Geronda, what is the reason that, for example, two novices have different degrees of trust in their Elder?
The reason is in the mind. You can have a damaged thought towards anything and anyone. Without having a good thought and without removing his “I” from each of his actions, that is, acting out of self-interest, a person will not receive benefit even from the Holy One. Even if he had a Holy Elder or Elder, even if his Elder was Anthony the Great - what can I say - even all the saints [if they were his Elders] would not be able to help him. Even God Himself cannot help such a person, despite the fact that He really wants to. If a person loves himself, that is, suffers from self-indulgence, then he interprets everything according to the liking and taste of his “I”. Some interpret everything as sinful, others interpret it as they like. Gradually, absurd interpretations become “natural” for such a person. And no matter how you behave, such people are still tempted. And some, you just have to give them a little attention, say some kind word, and they take off as if on wings. But if you don’t pay attention to them, they become very upset and rush to extremes. These extremes are from the enemy. For example, such people notice some trifle and based on it they build their [baseless] assumption. And then they come to the certainty that things were exactly as they expected. For example, seeing that someone is deep in thought, such people think that he is angry with them for something, although the person may be thoughtful because he is preoccupied with something.
A few days ago a visitor came to me and asked about one of his acquaintances: “Why did he talk to me before, but now he doesn’t? Maybe the reason is that I recently reprimanded him?” “You know,” I told him, “he could see you and simply not recognize you. Or one of his loved ones fell ill, and he was preoccupied with the thought of how to find a doctor. Or he was going to to go abroad and was preoccupied with the exchange of money. There could have been something else.” And it turned out that the person in question was really preoccupied with a lot of worries in connection with the illness of one of his loved ones. And his friend wanted him to stop and talk to him at all costs, and as a result he began to torment himself with a whole bunch of thoughts.
Good thoughts bring spiritual health to a person
Geronda, what are the distinctive features of a weak thought?
What do you mean? This is the first time I’ve heard [about a weak thought].
You said that by accepting a thought from the “left” and being offended by someone’s behavior, a person...
And I called such a thought “weak”?
I remembered how someone wanted to remain a novice with you and you told him: “I won’t take you because your thoughts are weak.”
No, I told him differently. “I don’t take you as a novice because you don’t have spiritual health,” that’s what I told him. "What does 'spiritual health' mean?" he asked. “You don’t have good thoughts,” I explained. “As a person, I may have shortcomings, but like an old monk, I may also have some virtues. But if you don’t have a good thought, then both my shortcomings and my virtues will harm you." It can be said about a small child that while he is still immature, his thoughts are weak. But the same cannot be said about an adult.
Geronda, are all adults mature?
Some have immature heads. Now we are not talking about those for whom it simply does not cook. If a person does not behave simply, then his thoughts are directed towards evil and interpret everything awry. Such a person does not have spiritual health, and even goodness does not help him. Even from goodness such a person is tormented.
Geronda, if some kind of disorder or disorder occurs [in the monastery], is there any point in looking for the culprit?
First, look to see if this is your fault. That way it will be better!
Geronda, however, what if others themselves give me a reason [to think that they are to blame]?
How many times have you given them the same reason? Once you think about it, you will realize that by treating things this way, you are making a mistake.
And when we say: “Most likely, [this disorder] occurred due to the fault of such and such sister,” are we accepting the thought “from the left”?
Are you sure your sister is really to blame?
No, but she's done this before.
If I’m not sure, it means it’s a thought from the “left”. And besides, even if this sister is really guilty, then who knows how and why she did this.
Geronda, however, if I see that, for example, such and such a sister has a certain passion?
What are you, abbess? It is the abbess who is responsible [for you] and therefore must watch over your passions. But why do you keep track of what passions each other has? You have not yet learned to work on yourself. If you want to learn how to work on yourself, then do not study what others are doing, but include good thoughts in your work O what you see in them. Regardless of what goal a person is pursuing, include good thoughts in your work.
A good thought contains love. It disarms a person and encourages him to treat you kindly. Remember the nuns who mistook the robber for the Elder? When he revealed himself to them, they decided that he was a fool for Christ’s sake and therefore was portraying a robber. After this they began to treat him with double respect. And in the end, these nuns saved both the robber and his accomplices.
Geronda, what should I do if my sister tells me a lie?
What if she was forced to tell this lie because of your fault? Or maybe she [just] forgot about something and what she told you is not a lie? For example, a hotel room asks the cook for some salad, she says that she doesn’t have it, but she’s the first to know what she has. If the hotel lady does not have good intentions, then she will say: “What a liar!” However, if she has good intentions, she will say: “Poor thing, she got busy with work and forgot that she had salad left.” Or she can justify her sister with the following thought: “Apparently, she decided to save the salad for some other [more important] occasion.” So do you: you think in this way because you do not have spiritual health. If you had it, then even the unclean you would see as clean. You would look the same way at the fruits of fruit trees and at manure, because manure helped [the trees] to produce their fruits.
He who has good thoughts is spiritually healthy and turns evil into good. I remember how, during the occupation, those children who had a strong body ate a piece of corn bread by both cheeks and were in excellent health. And the children of rich parents ate wheat bread with butter, but remained sickly because their bodies were weak. In spiritual life the situation is exactly the same. Take, for example, a person who has good intentions. Even if someone hits him unfairly, he will say: “God allowed this so that I could atone for my previous sins. Glory to God!” If a person does not have good thoughts, then even if you want to stroke him affectionately, he will think that you are swinging your hand, wanting to strike him. Look at drunk people: an evil person in a drunken stupor destroys everything. If a drunk has a kind soul, he cries and forgives everyone. One such good-natured man, getting drunk, began to mutter: “You’re looking at me unfriendly... Okay... I’ll shower you with gold. Straight from the bucket!”
He who has good thoughts sees everything as good
When some told me that they were tempted by seeing a lot of inappropriate things in the Church, I answered them like this: “If you ask a fly if there are flowers here in the vicinity, it will answer: “[I don’t know about flowers]. But there are plenty of cans, manure, and sewage in that ditch." And the fly will begin to list to you in order all the garbage dumps it has visited. And if you ask the bee: "Have you seen any here in the vicinity? uncleanness?", then she will answer: "Uncleanness? No, I haven't seen it anywhere. There are so many fragrant flowers here!" And the bee will begin to list to you many different flowers - garden and field. You see how: the fly knows only about garbage dumps, but the bee knows that a lily grows nearby, and a hyacinth has bloomed a little further away."
As I understand it, some people are like a bee, while others are like a fly. Those who are like a fly look for something bad in every situation and do only that. They don't see an iota of good in anything. Those who are like a bee find goodness in everything. The person is damaged and thinks damaged. He treats everything with prejudice, he sees everything topsy-turvy, while the one who has good thoughts - no matter what he sees, no matter what they say to him - includes a good thought in his work.
One day a boy came to my kaliva - a second-grade student at the gymnasium. He knocked on the gate door with an iron rivet. Although there was a whole bag of unread letters waiting for me, I decided to go out and ask what he wanted. “Well,” I say, “what do you say, well done?” “Is this,” he asks, “the kaliva of Father Paisiy? I need Father Paisiy.” - “Kaliva,” I answer, “he is, but Paisius himself is not there - he went to buy cigarettes.” “Apparently,” the boy answered with a kind thought, “the priest went for cigarettes because he wanted to do someone a favor.” - “For himself,” I say, “he’s buying. He ran out of cigarettes, and like crazy, he rushed to the store to get them. He left me here alone, and I don’t even know when he’ll come back. If I see that He’s been gone for a long time, so I’ll leave too.” Tears sparkled in the boy's eyes, and he - again with a good thought - said: “How we tire the Elder!” - “Why do you need it, I ask?” “I want,” he says, “to take his blessing.” - “What a blessing, fool! He’s so charming! Such a dissolute little man - I know him like crazy. So don’t wait in vain. After all, when he returns, he will be very out of sorts. Otherwise he’ll show up drunk - In addition to everything, he wouldn’t mind pawning him by the collar.” However, no matter what I said to this guy, he treated everything with a kind thought: “Well, okay,” I said then, “I’ll wait for Paisius a little longer. Tell me what you want, and I’ll tell him.” “I have a letter for the Elder,” he answers, “but I will wait for him to take his blessing.”
See how! Whatever I said, he accepted everything with good intentions. I told him: “This Paisiy, like crazy, rushed to get cigarettes,” and when he heard this, he began to sigh, tears appeared in his eyes. “Who knows why he followed them?” - he thought.
He probably wanted to do a good deed." Others read so much [and have no good thoughts]. But here, a second-grade student at the gymnasium has such good thoughts! You spoil his thought, but he makes a new one, better than the previous one, and on the basis of it comes to a better conclusion. This child delighted me. I saw this for the first time.
Thoughts of a holy man and thoughts of an evil man
Geronda, does a person who has holiness understand who is evil [and who is not]?
Yes, he understands both the evil man and the holy man. He sees the evil being committed by someone, but at the same time he sees his inner man in the evildoer. He distinguishes that this evil comes from the tempter, that it comes to a person from the outside. With his spiritual eyes, he sees his own sins as great, and the sins of others as small. He really sees them as small, and does not deceive himself. He can understand that what someone is doing is a crime, but - in the good sense of the word - justify the wickedness of an evil person. He does not despise such people, does not consider them inferior to himself. He may even consider such people to be his best and consciously - for many reasons - tolerate the evil they commit. For example, seeing the anger of a criminal, such a person thinks that no one helped this criminal, and therefore he stooped to the point of committing atrocities. And he also understands that he himself could have been in the place of this unfortunate man if God had left him without His help. [By treating evil] in this way, such a person receives much Grace. And with a wicked manthe opposite happens. Seeing the holiness of the righteous, he does not know his good thoughts - just as the devil himself does not know them.
He who performs subtle work [on himself] justifies others and does not justify himself. And the more he moves forward in spiritual terms, the more freedom he gains and the more he loves God and people. Then he cannot understand what malice means, since he constantly has good thoughts about others; his thoughts are constantly pure, and he looks at everything spiritually, holy. Even the downfalls of others benefit such a person. He uses them as a reliable brake for himself, in order to be attentive and not crash. And on the contrary: a person who has not purified himself thinks cunningly and looks at everything around him cunningly. With his deceit he stains even what is good and kind. Even the virtues of others do not benefit him, because, being darkened by the black darkness of the murderer [the devil], he interprets virtues with the help of his “Evil Dictionary.” He is always upset and constantly upsets his neighbors with his spiritual darkness. If such a person wants to free himself, he must understand that he needs to cleanse his soul in order for spiritual enlightenment, purity of mind and heart to come to him.
Geronda, why sometimes the same person is sometimes wicked and sometimes kind?
In this case, it is subject to corresponding influences and changes. Man is flexible. Evil thoughts can come from the devil, but it happens that a person himself thinks evilly. That is, the enemy often creates certain situations to cause evil thoughts in people. Once an archimandrite came to my kaliva, but I did not have time to receive him. When he came the second time, I was seriously ill and again could not talk to him and asked him to come again. Then the archimandrite began to torment himself with thoughts that I didn’t want to see him, that I hated him. He went to the monastery to which my Cell was subordinate and began to complain about me. All this happened due to the illusion of the evil one.
A person’s thoughts are an indicator of his spiritual state
Geronda, why do two people look at the same thing differently?
Do all eyes see equally clearly? To see clearly and purely, you must have very healthy eyes of the soul. After all, if the spiritual eyes are healthy, a person has inner purity. And why, Geronda, sometimes it happens that one person considers the same event a blessing, and another - a misfortune?
Everyone interprets what is happening in accordance with their own thoughts. Any event or phenomenon can be looked at from both the good and the bad side. One day I heard about the following incident. In one area there was a monastery. Little by little, buildings began to be erected around and gradually the monastery found itself surrounded by secular houses on all sides. Vespers was served there at midnight - together with Matins. The laity who lived around also came to worship. One day, a new young monk, leaving for service, forgot to close the door of his cell, and a woman came into it. When the monk found out about this, he became terribly worried: “Trouble! The cell has been desecrated! That’s it, the end is gone!” Without thinking twice, he grabs a bottle of alcohol, pours the contents onto the floor and sets it on fire! "Disinfecting the floor!" A little more and the monastery would have burned down. He burned half of the cell, but did not burn his thoughts. And it was precisely this that had to be burned, because the thought contained evil. If, having included a good thought in his work, the monk had said to himself that the woman had entered his cell out of reverence, wanting to receive benefit, to take grace [as a monastic blessing], and then to struggle at home herself, then a spiritual change would have occurred to him and he would have glorified would be God. The spiritual state of a person is evident from the quality of his thoughts. People judge things and events in accordance with what they have in themselves. Lacking spirituality, they make erroneous conclusions and treat others unfairly. For example, someone who at night, wanting to remain in obscurity, gives alms, and about a passerby he meetslate at night on the street, never thinks badly. And the one who spends his nights in sin, seeing a belated passerby, will say: “What a beast, where has he been all night?”, because he judges from his own experience. Or, for example, a person with good intentions, hearing a knock on the top floor at night, will rejoice: “They are bowing down!”
Anyone who has no good thoughts will angrily mutter: “We danced all night long!” One, hearing the melodic singing, will say: “What wonderful church hymns!”, and the other will get angry: “What kind of songs are they chanting!”
Do you remember what attitude the two thieves who were crucified with Him showed toward Christ? Both saw Christ crucified on the Cross, both felt the earth shake, both were in an equal position. However, what did one think and what did the other? One, the one who hung on his left side, blasphemed Christ and said: “If You are Christ, save Yourself and ours.”
The other - on the right hand - confessed like this: “We have received our worthy deeds: This one has not done a single evil.” One went into eternal torment, the other was saved.
Who cares about others today? Nobody. Only about myself. We will give an answer for this. Therefore, before God, Who is Love, we will answer for this indifference.
God wants men to be taught by men.
About the life of Elder Paisius
The blessed elder schemamonk Paisiy Svyatogorets (secular name Arseniy Eznepidis) was born on July 25, 1924 (old style) in the village of Farasy, in Cappadocia (Asia Minor). As an infant, he was transported to Greece due to the Asia Minor disaster, as a result of which the Greek population, after approximately 2.5 thousand years of constant residence in this region, was forced to move to the territory of modern Hellas as refugees in order to avoid persecution and massacre by the Turks.
In addition to little Arseny, there were nine more children in the family. Before leaving for Greece, the boy was baptized by Saint Arsenius of Cappadocia and gave him his name, prophetically saying: “I want to leave behind me a monk.”
The Elder's family eventually settled in Konitsa in Epirus, in the northwestern part of Greece. There Elder Paisius spent his childhood years.
A special spiritual calling, chosenness, was discovered early in him, as Saint Arsenius of Cappadocia prophesied about him. From childhood, Arseny lived as an ascetic, enjoyed reading the lives of saints, and zealously, with extreme zeal and amazing uncompromisingness, sought to imitate their exploits. He had a great love for Christ and the Mother of God, and really wanted to become a monk. Arseny devoted himself to unceasing prayer, trying to develop in himself the main Christian qualities: love, humility, patience. In great spiritual sobriety, in prayers and fasting, young Arseny prepared with ardent zeal for an ascetic life.
I went to the mountains... and climbed onto some rock to pray there, like the ancient stylites
“I went to the mountains in the morning, taking some water with me, and climbed onto some rock to pray there, like the ancient stylites. As a teenager, I didn’t hang out with my peers; they went and killed birds and did other things that I didn’t like. And I interacted with small children. They, as the eldest, respected me as their leader and rejoiced at our friendship. I kept fasts - they wanted to fast too, so I had problems with their mothers. “Don’t hang around with him, he’ll drive you to consumption,” mothers told their children,” this is how the Elder told Afanasy Rakovalis, the author of the book of memoirs about the Elder “Father Paisiy Told Me...”, published in 2003, with a smile.
At a young age, the future elder learned the craft of a carpenter, wanting in this to be like Christ, who until the age of 30 worked as a carpenter in the house of His father Joseph, before going out to preach for three years. When the civil war between the government army and communist rebels began in Greece (1944–1948), Arseniy Eznepidis was drafted into the active army, received a military specialty as a radio operator and served his homeland for 3.5 years. In the army, he continued his ascetic life, distinguished by courage, self-sacrifice, high Christian morality and diverse talents.
“When some dangerous operation was planned,” said Elder Paisius, “I tried to participate in it. If I had shown indifference and someone else would have gone instead of me and would have been killed, then I would have been killed all my life (that is, I would have been killed many times), but in the war I would have been killed only once...
Once our camp was bombed. I found a ditch nearby and took refuge in it. Soon someone passes and says: “Can I come here?” "Let's!" - I say. And there is just enough space for one person. In fear, wanting to protect himself, he squeezes me out. Then another one came up. I was forced to get out of the ditch completely. “Nothing,” I say, “don’t worry, God won’t leave you!” As soon as I left, a bullet flew by and shaved my head. (The elder laughed.) Just like that, it almost touched the skin and cut a stripe in my hair. A centimeter lower - I would have killed. I marveled."
Ruthless conscientiousness, courage, courage, reckless, unconditional dedication - this is what Elder Paisios was in his youth. “He won the love and respect of everyone - both soldiers and officers. The Elder's self-sacrifice, even before he became a monk and took the path of a warrior of Christ, extended to his readiness to accept death for the sake of love for his neighbor! How far are we, modern people, from this,” notes Afanasy Rakovalis.
Having repaid his debt to his fatherland, at about 30 years of age Arseny embarked on the path of monastic life - the one to which he had strived since childhood. Note that at the same age Christ came out. The elder endured many trials, but was not abandoned by the Lord. While still a layman, he more than once experienced divine experiences of life in Christ. But when he became a monk, the special favor of the saints, the Most Holy Theotokos and the Lord Himself towards him became most obvious, as the sisters of the monastery he founded in Suroti say. At the same time, he led a truly ascetic life and open warfare with the human enemy. “I think the ascetic deeds of the Elder go far beyond the boundaries of our era, with its characteristic effeminacy of people who are spoiled even in terms of their way of thinking,” says Athanasius Rakovalis. “Therefore, the exploits of Elder Paisius are comparable only to the exploits of the ancient ascetics of the 4th century. In our relaxed state, it can be scary to even hear about these exploits!”
In 1950, Arseny became a novice of the gracious confessor - Father Kirill, later abbot of the Kutlumush monastery († 1968). Some time later, Father Kirill sent the novice to the Esphigmen Monastery, where in 1954 Arseny accepted the ryassophore with the name Averky. The novice monk resignedly and joyfully carried out any obedience, and having completed his own, he helped other brothers to finish their work. Averky constantly prayed, trying so that those around him would not notice. In the same year, on the advice of his spiritual father, he moved to the monastery of Philotheus and became a student of Father Simeon, known for his virtue. Two years later, Father Simeon tonsured Father Averky into the minor schema with the name Paisius - in honor of Metropolitan Paisius II of Caesarea, who was also a native of Farasa of Cappadocia. In the new place, Father Paisius led his former life: he labored out of curiosity and helped the brethren as much as he could.
Father Paisios labored in the Stomion monastery in Konitsa, where he fed wild bears from his hands, spent three years in solitude in the desert of the holy Mount Sinai (in the cave of St. Epistimia), only on Sundays going down to the monastery of St. Catherine, and spent most of his life in the kaliva Mount Athos. He spent his life in obscurity, completely surrendering himself to God, who revealed and gave him to people. Many, many came to the Elder and found guidance and consolation, healing and peace for their tormented souls. The Divine overflowed from the sanctified soul of the Elder, the radiance of Divine grace emanated from his venerable appearance. For days on end, Elder Paisius the Svyatogorets tirelessly took away their pain from people, lavishing divine consolation around him.
On June 29/July 12, 1994, after truly martyrdom, which, according to the Elder himself, brought him greater benefit than the ascetic work of his entire life, he rested in the Lord. The place of his blessed death was the St. John the Theologian Convent (founded by the Elder himself), located near the village of Suroti, not far from Thessaloniki, in Greece. Elder Paisios is buried to the left of the altar of the monastery church of St. Arsenios of Cappadocia, who baptized him in childhood. Nowadays, in church shops you can find amazing icons with the image of St. Arseny, on the back of which there is a photograph of Father Paisius, which evokes a touching feeling of unity between two ascetics, an inextricable spiritual connection between teacher and student, who will also be solemnly glorified by the Church in the near future.
An interesting detail: today Father Paisius is revered by many as an intercessor on the road, especially for drivers on the road at night. At the monastery in Suroti, pious drivers, and not only drivers, of course, can purchase photographs of the Elder with a sticker specifically for the car, so that the Elder will prayerfully keep them on the road.
On the grave of Father Paisius, on a white marble tablet, his modest, humble testament to people is written: to pray unceasingly. The line to the Elder’s grave is not decreasing...
“I am the monk Paisius, having examined my life, I saw that I had transgressed all the commandments of the Lord, that I had committed all the sins. And it doesn’t matter if I committed some of these sins to a lesser extent, because I have no extenuating circumstances at all, since the Lord has shown me great benefits. Pray that Christ will have mercy on me. Forgive me, and may all those who believe that they have upset me in some way be forgiven by me... I am very grateful and again I ask: pray.”
Hundreds and thousands of pilgrims flock to Suroti every day, walking in an endless stream, as it was during the life of Elder Paisius, to pray, collect soil from his holy grave, see with their own eyes those places where the Elder carried out his ascetic feat, breathe the same air, enjoy view of the picturesque plateau at the foot of the valley, a breathtaking view of which opens from the mountain where the St. John the Theologian Monastery is located.
“People today are spiritually sick”
- Tell us something, Geronda.
– What can I tell you?
– What does your heart tell you?
“My heart tells me this: “Take a knife, cut me into pieces, distribute them to people and then die.”
One can talk endlessly about the talents of Father Paisius. “The Elder himself is for the people. Don't think this is an exaggeration. No, this is reality,” says Athanasius Rakovalis, author of several books about the Elder. – Who, if not God, adorned and honored him with so many gifts! And just as He Himself is infinite and unlimited, so can the gifts of God be.”
Of all the Elder’s gifts, love made the greatest impression on people who had the chance to come into contact with the Divine Light pouring out from his heart. “Love without boundaries, without internal hesitation, with absolute self-sacrifice,” says Rakovalis. – Love is fiery, sweet, omnipotent. Divine. Love pouring out from the depths of his soul, without reasoning, equally warmly accepting into its embrace good and evil, friends and enemies, close and distant, worthy and unworthy, Orthodox and non-Orthodox, people and animals, and even plants, but most of all directed towards God. It was inhuman love. Only the Holy Spirit can give birth to such love in a person’s heart. Our human “loves” are so insignificant and self-interested, so temporary and fickle, so selfish and despotic, so easily turning into antipathy and hatred, that it is shameful and wrongful to compare them with the love of the Elder.”
A contemporary of Paisius the Holy Mountain, Elder Porfiry said the following about him: “The grace that Father Paisius has is worth more, because he acquired it through his exploits, while God gave it to me from an early age to help people. God sends such saints (like Father Paisius) to earth once every 400 years!”
Blessed Elder Paisios left a spiritual testament to the world - conversations with nuns and laymen, which resulted in a six-volume publication of the Elder's teachings. Just recently, the long-awaited sixth volume of the series, “On Prayer,” was finally released in Russia; You can purchase the book at the Sretenie store.
“Words” are conversations about everything that may concern a modern person on his spiritual path. These are the answers to all the questions that may worry people in our turbulent times. This is a good guide-friend in the search for truth and finding love for God. These are books about the most important things in the lives of each of us. It is impossible not to become attached to these books with all your heart.
A simple monk who received only an elementary education in elementary school, but was generously blessed with wisdom according to God, Father Paisius truly exhausted himself for the sake of his neighbor. His teaching was not preaching or catechism. He himself lived according to the Gospel, and the teachings stemmed from his own life, the characteristic feature of which was love. He “educated himself” according to the Gospel and, first of all, taught his contemporaries with his whole appearance, and only after that - with his Gospel love and God-enlightened word.
The “words” of Elder Paisius are extremely relevant. This is understood by everyone who discovers for the first time this spiritual wealth left to us by the great love of the Lord. The “Words” of Elder Paisius can and should become a reference book for us – a good friend and adviser. However, the Elder always emphasized and insisted on the importance of applying the teachings in practice, because spiritual work is needed on what is heard and read. Otherwise, a lot of knowledge will not bring any benefit.
We are all one big family and brothers among ourselves, because all people are children of God
The uniqueness of Elder Paisius’ personality also lies in the fact that he spread his own gift of speech mainly in Greece. His wise teachings and instructions were addressed primarily to his compatriots - the Greek people. However, later they turned out to be extremely in tune with the needs and requirements of people of various nationalities. And of course, the literary heritage of Father Paisius Svyatogorets resonated with a warm chord in the hearts of the Russian people. During his lifetime, the Elder himself gave a simple explanation for this phenomenon: “We are all one big family and brothers among ourselves, because all people are children of God.” In Russia, Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets is perhaps the most famous of the Athonite elders. Just like the most famous Russian saint in Greece.
“Words” – a spiritual storehouse
During the life of Elder Paisius, no books were written about him. There was no mention of him on radio, television or in print. However, advice, consolation and stories about miracles that happened through the prayers of Elder Paisius were passed on from person to person. In addition, the prudent sisters of the monastery of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian in Suroti, which Father Paisius founded and looked after until his death, wrote down his words and wise instructions. First by hand, and in the last years of the Elder’s life - with the help of a tape recorder. In addition, each nun of the monastery, immediately after her personal conversations with the Elder, wrote down their contents in detail. The letters that Father Paisius sent to the monastery have also been preserved. Subsequently, these verbal treasures grew greatly and are now a truly priceless repository, a golden spiritual fund, a pearl of great value.
Thanks to the efforts of all those pious people who made efforts to preserve the living monument to the Elder - his words - the unique spiritual heritage is now systematized and published in the form of separate thematic volumes, united in the series “Words” of Elder Paisius the Holy Mountain.
In 1998–2001, the first three volumes of the “Words” of Elder Paisius were published in Greek. It was decided to start translating the complete collection of teachings into Russian from the second volume, “Spiritual Awakening,” since its themes are especially topical today. The translator of almost all the volumes into Russian, Hieromonk Dorimedont (Sukhinin), especially noted the importance and poignancy of the Elder’s instructive legacy, since people in the modern world are spiritually sick, distorted, distorted, involved in a web of negligence, indifference, petrified insensibility, despondency and other passions. And the kind “Words” of Elder Paisius, carrying the warm message of heartfelt love, are a truly unique, powerful weapon in “resisting evil efforts to plunge humanity into a sinful sleep.”
The language of “Words” is amazingly lively, figurative, replete with dialectisms, phraseological turns, jokes, sayings... The structure of the text is such that the books are read easily and quickly - literally “swallowed”. After reading each volume, I can't wait to pick up the next one. And it’s a pity that there are only six of them so far. After all, every time it is a Meeting, after which you feel a long aftertaste.
I would also like to note the excellent design of the six-volume book: a convenient large book format (60x100/16), a pleasant-to-touch white binding, easy-to-read text, color illustrations, individual mini-chapters and subheadings in the text in red italics, which allows you to quickly navigate the search relevant topics, convenient pointers. The circulation of each book is 5–7 thousand copies.
Each volume of the Words can be considered a separate book. The first - entitled “With pain and love about modern man” - is divided into four thematic sections: about sin and the devil, about modern culture, about the spirit of God and the spirit of this world, about the Church in our era. The second volume - “Spiritual Awakening” - consists of five parts: about the responsibility of love, about asceticism and reverence, about spiritual courage, about dependence on Heaven, about spiritual weapons. The third volume - “Spiritual Struggle” - talks about the battle of thoughts, about justice and injustice, about sin and repentance, about the power of confession, as well as about the black forces of darkness. The fourth book – “Family Life” – is the Elder’s reasoning about how to create a family, about parents, children and their responsibilities, about spiritual life, trials, death and the future life. In the first section of the fifth volume of “Passion and Virtue”, Father Paisius examines under a magnifying glass such important sins as selfishness - the mother of all passions, pride - the root of evil, condemnation - the greatest injustice. In the second part of the volume, the story is about the virtues opposite to these passions: patience, love for one’s neighbor, nobility, curiosity and reasoning, which the Elder calls the crown of all virtues.
Reasoning has always been the measure of the words and actions of Paisius the Holy Mountain. The ultimate goal for him was to save the soul of a person who turned to him with his pain, problem, insoluble situation. Those who knew the Elder remember the tenderness that appeared in the heart from his words, no matter how strict they sometimes were. This happened because Father Paisius’s task was always to heal evil, and not to brand a person with shame. He did not pillory his interlocutor’s passion, but helped him free his soul from it. The Elder treated any person - a perfect creation of God - with comforting love, heartache and humble disposition.
Do you know what kind of spiritual profit and spiritual experience a person gains if he spiritually works on everything that comes his way?
Nun Filothea, abbess of the monastery in Suroti, says: “The Elder’s communication with the sisters of the monastery was usually structured in the form of his answers to questions. The main topic of personal conversations has always been spiritual achievement. The elder knew how to extract benefit from everything for the soul. Any little thing or trifle could become a reason for a conversation on a serious topic. He said: “I use everything to connect with the heavenly, with Heaven. Do you know what kind of spiritual profit and spiritual experience a person acquires if he spiritually works on everything that comes his way?” When meeting people who were so different from each other, the Elder did not just patiently listen to what they trusted him. With his characteristic simplicity and reasoning, he penetrated into the very depths of human hearts. The Elder made their pain, anxiety, and difficulties his own. And then - in an inconspicuous way - a miracle happened: a person changed.”
Elder Paisios hoped that his instructions, stories, parables, histories and examples from life, which for 28 years were collected bit by bit and carefully preserved by the monastery community, would instill good concern in the nuns and laity. So that we strive with curiosity, and evil recedes and the peace of God reigns on earth. In the teachings of the Elder we find answers to many pressing, insoluble, in our opinion, questions. Questions that concern and worry everyone who thinks about their life and their own salvation. Anyone who is not indifferent to the spiritual horrors and sorrows in which humanity is mired. Anyone who seeks light in the darkness of the spiritless. Everyone in whom the fire of creativity burns, who is “languished with spiritual thirst.” In the hearts of caring, responsive readers, the spiritual seed of Elder Paisius will find good soil and will certainly bear abundant fruit. “They hear the word and accept it, and are fruitful” (Mark 4:20).
With pain and love about modern man
God works a miracle when we share our hearts in another person's pain.
Blessed Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets
According to Elder Paisius, the task of spiritual life is to discard one’s own selfishness, selfishness and self-obsession. Precisely those “virtues” that are now especially promoted in a society where the postulates are the slogans “We only live once!”, “Take everything from life!”, “Live for yourself!” And here, like a sip from a pure life-giving source, are the bright, joyful words of Elder Paisius, breathing with faith, hope and sincere love: “When you throw out your “I,” Christ rushes into you.” The elder repeatedly emphasized that without developing the spirit of sacrifice in oneself, it is impossible to partake of the life of Christ. Without sacrifice, one can only become a formal Christian, a person without inner life.
“The good God first of all cares about our future life and only then about earthly life,” noted the Elder. He himself, as nun Philothea writes in the preface to the first volume of “Words” of the monastery of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, communicating with people, had the same goal: helping a person to know the will of God and unite with his Creator, Father Paisius prepared him for. Citing examples from the field of nature or science, art or everyday human existence, the Elder did not consider them abstractly, in isolation from spiritual reality. He sought to awaken the souls of his interlocutors from sleep, with the help of a parable he helped them to comprehend the deepest meaning of life and “grab hold of God.” “I warm you like the sun,” said the Elder, meaning that the warmth of the sun is necessary for flower buds to bloom, and a gentle pastoral touch to the soul helps it to reveal itself and heal from illness.
“This was truly a divinely enlightened pastorate,” notes Abbess Filothea. – It often prepared the ground for the soul to accept a stern word about the gospel truth that does not allow compromise. Therefore, even the stern word of Elder Paisius is perceived by the heart as healing dew.”
The depth of the spiritual theological content of the Elder’s letters, which he wrote to the monastery in Thessaloniki, suggests that they are the fruit of Divine enlightenment. “The Word of God is born, not written.”
Elder Paisios wanted every person—whether he was a monk or a layman—to seek “monastic life,” which comes from a person’s total self-giving to God. Thus, a person is freed from the feeling of insecurity generated by faith in his “I”, and in this life he tastes heavenly joy.
“How people suffer!”
If people have not trusted God enough to fully rely on Him, then they cannot avoid suffering.
Father Paisiy was sympathetic to the events that took place and continue to happen in the world. He was heartbroken for people and had compassion for them. “The world is tormented,” said the Elder, “it is perishing, and, unfortunately, all people are forced to live among this worldly torment. The suffering of people has no end. General decomposition - entire families, adults, children. Every day my heart bleeds. Most people feel great abandonment, indifference - especially now - they feel it everywhere. People have nothing to hold on to. Just like the proverb: “A drowning man grabs his own hair,” that is, a drowning man is looking for something to grab onto, how to save himself. People are looking for something to lean on, something to grab onto. And if they do not have faith to rely on, if they have not trusted God enough to fully rely on Him, then they cannot avoid suffering. - a great thing."
With his wise instructions, the Elder gives consolation and hope, speaking about the only possible way out of human suffering - this hell on earth. He once again reminds us of the need to break away from our selfhood: “If you get sick and worry about others, and not about yourself, then the whole world is visible, as if on an x-ray, which is illuminated by spiritual rays. The years we are going through are very difficult and dangerous, but in the end Christ will prevail. Amid the reigning laxity, an ascetic spirit is needed. Saints, and not people of this world, should be models in spiritual life.”
“God does not leave us to our fate”
Father Paisiy constantly emphasizes that today every person does what he wants and what comes into his head. But he notes that God does not abandon His creation, He helps people. With this, the Elder gives us hope for salvation, that we will finally “come to our senses,” awaken spiritually and rise up against the human enemy. But the realization of this salvation is possible only if the person himself makes an effort. He will make his own choice in favor of light and goodness.
God protects the present world with both hands, whereas in former times - only with one
This is how the Elder spoke about the position of man in the modern world: “Today, if a person wants to live honestly, spiritually, then there is no place for him in the world, he has a hard time. Others captivate him and lead him along with them. If everyone is going to the same place, then it is difficult for one person not to go with everyone else - even if he does not want to. And if he is inattentive, he will roll downhill, he will be carried down by the worldly stream. Despite the fact that we have brought ourselves to this state, God does not abandon us to our fate. He protects the present world with both hands, whereas in former times he protected it with only one. Today, when a person is surrounded by so many dangers, God protects him, like the mother of a child starting to walk. Most people are in such a state that it’s scary to say. One is drunk, the other is disappointed with life, the third is dizzy, the fourth is exhausted from pain by insomnia. All these people drive cars, ride motorcycles, do jobs that involve risk, and work on dangerous machines. How many people could have been injured long ago! How God protects us, but we don’t understand it.”
The elder protected people from the spirit of rationalism prevailing in the countries of Western Europe: “You must think that you - and you should be like your Creator in everything. If it is this thought that motivates a person to action, then he is moving in the right direction. Otherwise, he runs the risk of falling into humanism.”
The saddest thing is that people now really don’t understand, don’t realize and, unfortunately, don’t want to realize where the world is heading. The world has turned upside down: moral values have been turned upside down, they are distorted, and young people’s moral guidelines are generally distorted. Indifference, insensitivity, suffering, disunity of souls and loneliness are constant companions of modern man. But this applies to a non-believer. A spiritual person, according to the Elder, has no sorrows: “When love multiplies in a person and his heart is scorched by Divine zeal, then sorrow can no longer find a place in him. People cause such a person pain and suffering, but their great love for Christ overcomes them.”
Father Paisius warned that we should not draw conclusions about a person based on what he sees, since we are not able to discern what he hides within himself. This is a very important note. “A person is a mystery to another person,” he often repeated. “Let us not draw conclusions based on appearances without checking everything, especially if we lack Divine enlightenment or experience.”
Spiritual struggle
He who truly knows himself has humility.
Blessed Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets
Who am I? Why am I living? What is the meaning of my life? There is probably no person who has not asked these questions at least once. To get closer to understanding the purpose that the Creator intended for His creation, Elder Paisios invites a person to constantly immerse himself in introspection: “Exploring oneself is the most useful of all other studies. A person can read many books, but if he does not take care of himself, everything he reads does not bring him any benefit. But if he takes care of himself, then the benefit he receives is great, even if he reads a little. In the latter case, a person’s actions and behavior become more refined, no matter what he does. Otherwise, he makes gross mistakes and doesn’t understand it.”
According to the Elder, man’s task is to know himself. Without realizing his old man, it is impossible for a Christian to learn humility - the mother of all virtues. If a person does not have humility, he will not be able to enter the spiritual orbit. Thus, man remains in the worldly orbit. “A person who does the work necessary to know himself,” explained Father Paisiy, “is like someone who digs deep into the ground and finds minerals in it. The more we delve into self-knowledge, the lower we see ourselves. Thus, a person humbles himself, but the right hand of God constantly exalts him. And when a person finally knows himself, humility becomes his state and necessarily has the right to “renew the lease” in his heart. Pride is no longer a threat to such a person. And the one who does not do this to himself constantly adds more and more new things to his spiritual garbage, increases his garbage heap, sits proudly on top of it for a short time and ultimately falls down.”
From conversations with the Elder:
“- Geronda, what helps a person improve most of all?
– First of all, will. Will, the desire to improve is, in some way, a good initiative. Then the person must realize that he is sick and begin to take the appropriate spiritual antibiotics."
Elder Paisios lovingly points out to us, the careless children of the Lord, that the main thing is a person’s awareness of the fact of the need to know and recognize his ailments. In addition, a prerequisite in the process of studying one’s own essence is a feeling of joy: all our actions must be accompanied by inner joy. Only after this can a person begin “treatment” - when he is internally ready to take spiritual pills. And then Christ will begin to strengthen him. It is extremely important for a person to realize his own weakness and sinfulness. Elder Paisios affectionately reminds a person that without admitting one’s mistakes and shortcomings, it is impossible to “turn” oneself inside out and see one’s true face – one’s old self. And without this, as mentioned above, neither knowledge of oneself, one’s own “I”, nor salvation are possible. However, if a person admits his weaknesses, he will be freed.
Good self-knowledge brings God to tenderness and gives us Divine help and heavenly joy
“Knowing yourself well,” said Father Paisius, “brings God to tenderness and gives us Divine help and heavenly joy.” But he immediately warns that there is also the opposite of self-knowledge - unkind. This happens when a person justifies himself and calms his thoughts. That is, he has an erroneous knowledge of his inner man. “We must always make at least a little effort to improve,” the Elder noted. In order for a person to correct himself, there must be internal contrition with sincere repentance.
From conversations with the Elder:
“- Geronda, is it possible to realize your mistake and not succeed?
– When a person realizes his sinful mistake and again, unwillingly, commits it, this means that he has pride or a predisposition to pride. And so God does not help him succeed. If a person realizes his sinfulness, then this is a great power, a great thing. Then a person begins to abhor, humbles himself, attributes all good things to the love of mankind and the goodness of God and feels great gratitude to Him. Therefore, God loves sinners who realize their sinfulness, repent and live with humility, more than those who struggle a lot, but do not recognize their sinfulness and have no repentance.”
Experience from our falls
In studying ourselves, as the Elder reasoned, it will be very useful to look at your life from time to time: step by step, starting from childhood. This is necessary in order to see where a person was before, where he is now and where he should be. Without comparing the past with the present, it is impossible to understand that, even being in more or less good condition, a person is still not where he should be. And he will not understand what upsets God.
Falls help you to know yourself. Everything comes out, and little by little useful work is done on oneself.
When a person is young, he has the excuse that he is not in very good condition. However, he has no excuse if, after leaving a young age, he remains in the same state or does not improve enough. Elder Paisios emphasizes that the more years pass, the more spiritually mature a person should become. He spoke about falls and mistakes as benefits for a person that one must be able to extract: “Often, even changeable ups and downs in spiritual struggle help a person to fruitfully and confidently make his spiritual path to God. By carefully monitoring everything that happens and using everything for good, we gain experience, using which we receive considerable help. Falls help you to know yourself. Everything comes out, and little by little useful work is done on oneself.”
In order not to spill, preserve and increase spiritual wealth, you should “catch yourself in the act,” as the Elder liked to say. The one who does this puts off his old man and enters the right spiritual path. Our old man plunders what the new man does. Having learned to catch our old man in the act of crime, we catch with him all the other thieves who steal the good things that God gives us. Thus, spiritual wealth remains with us.
Spiritual doing with a magnifying glass
“Our old man is the evil “tenant” living within us,” said the Elder mockingly, whose speech was always distinguished by the apt use of epithets. – In order for this “tenant” to leave, we must destroy his home and begin to erect a new building - to build a new person. But this grandiose construction (which can be called the main work of our life) must begin with updating the foundation on which the entire building will rest. While our old man acts as a foundation, it is dangerous to erect a new building due to its instability and lack of reinforcement.”
It is impossible to be born again, to be resurrected without repentance - this is where the renewal of the old man begins. It's like old skin, like dried paint that peels off layer by layer to reveal a smooth, clean canvas, ready to accept a new palette of colors. “We have no excuse when we do not want to repent and confess,” noted Father Paisius, “but we want to remain dirty. There are people who, thinking that they will fall into the same sin, do not confess, that is, they add new dirt to the old one (however, if their clothes get dirty, they wash them).”
From repentance comes the Divine. Elder Paisios explained that one must learn to give oneself to the world and one’s neighbor, then peace and tranquility will reign in a person’s heart. In those moments when we truly forget about ourselves (doing deeds of mercy and charity, giving our time to our neighbors, helping the sick, caring for a child), we find the true meaning of life.
Give, give without thinking about yourself. The more you give, the more you will receive!
“Give, give without thinking about yourself. The more you give, the more you will receive, because God will abundantly give you His grace and love. He will begin to love you deeply, and you will love Him, because you will stop loving yourself, your “I”, which requires that it be nourished by pride and selfishness, and not by the grace of God, which supplies the soul with all the necessary juices, changes the flesh with divine change and makes a person shine immaterial light."
Elder Paisios calls those people who do not want to repent the most unreasonable in the world - not only because “they constantly have a heaviness in their souls, since they do not repent in order to free themselves from this small hell, leading to an even worse, eternal one, but and because they are deprived of heavenly joys on earth, which are much stronger in heaven, near God.”
Feat
“Since our body is connected with the soul and the task of the flesh is to submit to the spirit and obediently serve it to bring the soul into a good dispensation, from the body we need only partly its strength, and not its excesses,” reasoned Elder Paisius.
“Therefore, caring for the foal (flesh) should be done with judgment. We must feed him suitable barley so that we can keep him in check and so that he does not run amok, does not kick or otherwise - God forbid! – didn’t throw us into the abyss. The trouble is that the flesh casts the soul into hell, while the colt of a donkey, at most, can throw its rider into the abyss, which will not harm the soul of its owner.”
Love
Conscience is the main law that God wrote deep in the heart of man. This law, according to the Elder, each of us, when born, receives from our parents, like a photocopy. “Those who refine their conscience through daily self-examination already feel like strangers to this world, and their refined behavior seems strange to worldly people. However, those who do not examine their conscience do not benefit from either spiritual reading or the advice of elders. They cannot keep God’s commandments, because they become insensitive.”
The elder said that every person passes exams in this life in order to get into another life, the eternal one.
The ardent love of Christ nourishes better than any material food, giving the soul and body many calories.
“Ardent spiritual love makes sensitive people even more sensitive, and shameless people more shameless. The ardent love of Christ nourishes better than any material food, giving the soul and body many calories, and often heals incurable diseases without drugs and calms souls.”
“The Elder pushed us to heaven with him”
It's like when you are next to a fireplace, you feel warmth, although there is no action on your part.
Afanasy Rakovalis
Studying the literary heritage left to us by Elder Paisius the Svyatogorets and carefully collected by the people who loved him, it is impossible not to be imbued with reciprocal love. Love with a hint of heartache. From how much we do not understand and how little love we give to God, the world, our neighbor. While every word of Elder Paisius is permeated with the breath of bright, sincere love for the world and man.
In every verbal message that, out of the Lord’s great love for man, was left from Elder Paisius, there is a father’s quiet pain for his careless children. No matter which page of his letters or conversations with laymen and nuns one opens, the spirit of love and joy is clearly felt everywhere. The elder instructs us with the love that he was gifted with, teaches us with a pure, open, sincere heart. No matter in what mood a person turns to the help of the Elder, from the pages of his teachings he invariably receives light, joy, and a feeling of peace. And Elder Paisius’s sense of humor is simply impossible not to notice and feel – it is amazingly insightful. Like well-aimed arrows, lubricated in the oily solution of the Elder’s love, they hit the target exactly, echoing in the soul with quiet joy and jubilation.
It is especially worth noting the amazing speech of the Elder, which the translator of the “Words” series, Hieromonk Dorimedont (Sukhinin), tried to convey to us. It is very lively, rich, the tone is soft, joyful and optimistic. It is also for this reason that after coming into contact with the works of Father Paisius, there is always lightness and peace in the heart. Every time there is a smile on my lips. Even the words themselves, interjections, exclamations, figures of speech, diminutive suffixes, with which the Elder’s speech abounds from an excess of love, are colored in warm, gentle tones. In which there is love. Love for the world, man, animals, plants, even grains of sand - every Divine matter on earth.
The words of the Elder glow with endless inner light. This light and these words are from God. When you comprehend and accept these speeches and words, all human problems and problems seem insignificant and ridiculous, they lose their meaning, often far-fetched due to the weakness of human nature. With his wise teachings, parables, stories, stories, jokes, Elder Paisius, at first glance, easily and without difficulty managed to “raise” a person above everyday life, to make him go beyond his shell, his “I” and look around. I turned my face to the world, at least for some time I was able to forget about my own selfishness, to see myself and my neighbor as in a mirror. And at least for a moment to touch the Divine love that emanated from the Elder in order to feel true joy - the joy of contemplating the amazing beauty of every moment of life.
Elder Paisios taught me to see this beauty in every creation of God. Nothing in our life happens by chance. Therefore, I am grateful that it was Elder Paisios who, through the written word, became my first “spiritual mentor.” But love is not a corporeal matter; it has no body, no flesh. It was through the word that the Lord brought us to the Church - through the radiant “Words” of Elder Paisius the Holy Mountain, which, like a luminous cloud, envelop the human soul. This cloud is the warm embrace of the Elder, his feat of prayer for us to the Lord, his sparkling love that fills the world and the hearts of people, in which pain, the pangs of loneliness, despondency, and oblivion disappear, even for a moment. And this once again proves that the Holy Spirit can shed His light into the heart of each of us. But for this we need to work hard, and not “blow to our own tune,” as the Elder loved to jokingly scold those lucky ones whom God vouchsafed in earthly life to join the unique personality of the blessed Elder Paisius the Holy Mountain.
Bet Qatrae (Qatar)
Nineveh
Biography
Very little is known about the life of St. Isaac the Syrian. From the few sources that have survived to this day, it is only clear that together with his brother he entered the Mar Mattai monastery near Nineveh. The brothers were distinguished by their scholarship and high ascetic lifestyle, and they were offered leadership of the monastery. The Monk Isaac, not wanting this and striving for silence, left the monastery and went into seclusion. His brother repeatedly urged him to return to the monastery, but the monk did not agree. However, when the fame of the holy life of the Monk Isaac spread everywhere, he was elevated to the episcopal see of the city of Nineveh; The ordination was performed by the Catholicos-Patriarch of the East Givargis I (659-680) in the Beit Abe monastery. Seeing the rude morals of the inhabitants of this city, the monk felt that he was unable to correct them, and, moreover, he yearned for the silence of the hermit’s life. All this weighed heavily on the holy husband, and he, leaving the bishopric, retired to the Hermitage Hermitage (Rabban-Shabor Monastery). Here he lived until his death, achieving high spiritual perfection. It is also known that at the end of his life the monk became blind due to excessive crying [ ], and his disciples wrote down his instructions for him.
The legacy of St. Isaac the Syrian, translation problems
After the death of St. Isaac the Syrian, from the beginning of the 8th to the beginning of the 18th century, nothing was known about him in Europe except his name and writings. Only in 1719 was a biography of the saint, compiled by an anonymous Arab author, published in Rome. In 1896, information about St. Isaac expanded. The French scientist-soteriologist Abbot Chabot published the work of the 8th century Syrian historian Jesuden, Bishop of Basra, which contains information about the Monk Isaac the Syrian.
Saint Isaac was, apparently, one of the most prolific writers. According to the Syrian writer of the early 14th century, Ebed-Iezu, “St. Isaac of Nineveh compiled seven volumes on the guidance of the spirit, on the Divine mysteries, on judgments and on decency (politia).” Daniel Tubanita, Bishop of Beth-Garme, according to the same Ebed-Iezu, “wrote the resolution of the divine fifth volume of St. Isaac of Nineveh." What kind of “volumes” Abed-Iezu speaks of is unknown, and, apparently, not all of them have reached us. In 1909, the printed Syriac text of the works of Saint Isaac was published for the first time under the title: “ Mar Isaacus Ninivita de perfectione religiosa, quam edidit P. Bedjan" Here, judging by the title, there are 107 words, or chapters, but the publisher says that this is only “the first part of the work of St. Isaac”, that he could publish both the 2nd and 3rd volumes of this work, if only he could compare the manuscripts he had with other parallel ones. And the publisher is very sorry that he cannot do this and publish these new volumes, he regrets it because there are “many beautiful pages.”
In Arabic translation, four books of the works of Saint Isaac have reached us, and in the first book there are 28 words, in the 2nd - 45 words, in the 3rd - 44 words, in the 4th - five, in total, that means 122 words ( according to other sources, 133 teachings have been preserved in Arabic translation, under the title “Monastic Rule”, and a letter to Simeon the Stylite). In the Greek translation, only 86 words and four messages have reached us (according to other sources, 99 of his teachings are known in the Syriac original and in the Greek translation), and even less in the Latin.
The Greek translation of the works of Saint Isaac known to us was published in 1770 in Leipzig by Hieromonk Nikifor Theotokis, later Bishop of Astrakhan, on behalf of Patriarch Ephraim of Jerusalem.
This translation was originally made by the monks of the Lavra of St. Sava, Abraham and Patrick, probably in the 9th century, and was not done satisfactorily in all respects. In addition to the fact that it is incomplete - since it lacks 41 words compared to the Arabic translation, and even more compared to the Syriac original - it also has other shortcomings. Chabot, who compared it with Syrian manuscripts, has this to say about it:
The first feature of the Greek translation is the omission of difficult passages, and since Isaac the Syrian is one of the most difficult Syriac writers, there are many such omissions; the second feature is that the translation often does not follow the meaning of the author.
Although the translation tries to be literal, according to Chabot, the distortion of meaning comes partly from an inept choice of the meanings of Syriac words, partly from literalness itself: the Syriac language, like other eastern languages, very different in its construction from European languages, does not lend itself to literal translation on them.
Latin translation of the works of Saint Isaac, " de contemptu mundi", placed by Min in his patrolology, is completely incomplete; its 53 chapters are equal to only 23 words of Greek. The translation language, according to Shabot, is darker than Greek, and the translator often confuses phrases.
The printed Slavic translation belongs to Elder Paisius Velichkovsky and was published with notes to it by Optina Hermitage in 1854. It is an almost exact copy from the Greek edition, only some additions and word order are taken from one Greek manuscript and older Slavic translations.
The Russian translation of the works of Saint Isaac appeared first in Christian Reading for the 1820s. It was made from the Greek edition of Nikephoros Theotokis, but only 30 words were translated. In 1854, a complete Russian translation from Greek, made by the Moscow Theological Academy (MDA), was published. The translation of 30 words in “Christian Reading” is quite successful and literary, but sometimes free; The MDA translation is more literal, but darker.
The modern translation of St. Isaac into Russian was carried out by Abbot Hilarion (Alfeev) from the Syriac language and concerns the newly acquired second volume of his works, the manuscript of which was found in 1983 in the Oxford Library (while “Ascetic Words” is a translation of the first volume). In 1998, the publishing house of the Conception Monastery, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus', published this book entitled “Reverend Isaac the Syrian. About Divine mysteries and spiritual life." The second volume contains 41 "Conversations". The third conversation has 400 chapters and makes up almost half of the work in volume, the so-called “Gnostic chapters” (or “Chapters on knowledge”). However, Hilarion's book includes only a small fragment of the 3rd conversation. The author explains this by saying that he does not decide “to fully translate this Conversation until there is a critical edition of its text (there is only an Italian translation).” In 2018, the journal “Theological Works” published an article with the publication of the Syriac text and a commentary translation of selected chapters of the 2nd centenary of the treatise prepared by A. D. Makarov.
Theology Rev. Isaac the Syrian
The Monk Isaac was an ascetic, a hermit who lived in the mountains, but his writings have a universal character, since they are addressed not only to hermits, but also to ordinary laymen, not only to monks, but to all believers in Christ. He spoke a lot about the last stages of spiritual achievement, about the limits of the spiritual path, about contemplation. Reading “Ascetic Words” brings grace-filled consolation and inspires every Christian to spiritual deeds. In his spiritual experiences, Saint Isaac is very similar to such ascetic contemplatives as St. Simeon the New Theologian, Rev. Maximus the Confessor, Rev. Macarius the Great. These holy fathers spoke a lot about the ultimate goal of ascetic deeds, about the deification of man, about the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. One of the constant themes of the theology of the holy fathers is the theme of prayerful contemplation of God.
Rev. Isaac the Syrian and Orthodox ascetics
Creations of Rev. Isaac has always enjoyed and continues to enjoy enormous respect among Orthodox ascetics of faith and piety.
Rev. Peter of Damascus, a 12th-century writer, makes abundant use of the writings of St. Isaac the Syrian and constantly refers to him.
Rev. Nicephorus the Solitary, who escaped on Mount Athos in the 14th century, in his essay “On Sobriety and Preservation of the Heart,” makes an excerpt from the works of St. Isaac the Syrian.
Famous Russian saint - Rev. Nil of Sorsky, in his “Charter on Living in the Skete,” constantly cites the thoughts of St. Isaac on various issues of spiritual and moral life.
Bishop Theophan the Recluse of Vyshensky even composed a prayer for St. Isaac the Syrian. Here it is:
“Reverend Father Isaac! Pray to God for us and with your prayer illuminate our minds to understand the lofty contemplations with which your words are filled, and moreover, bring up or introduce into the secret places of prayer, the production, degrees and strength of which are so depicted by your teachings, so that, inspired by it, we can freely mother-in-law according to the commandments of the Lord, unswervingly, bypassing the obstacles encountered along the way and overcoming the enemies who arm themselves against us.”
Teaching
Notes
Literature
Whose memory is celebrated on January 28 (February 10, new style). He was canonized by both the Orthodox Church and the Assyrian Church of the East. He left many works in the Syriac language, such as: about courts, deanery, about divine hiding places and about spiritual administration, known as the monastic rule. The content of all his teachings is an analysis of various states of righteousness and sinfulness and methods of Christian correction and self-improvement.
Biography
About earthly life Rev. Very little is known about Isaac the Syrian. From the few sources that have survived to this day, it is only clear that together with his brother he entered the monastery of Mar Matthew near Nineveh. The brothers were distinguished by their scholarship and high ascetic lifestyle, and they were offered leadership of the monastery. Rev. Isaac, not wanting this and striving for silence, left the monastery and went into seclusion. His brother repeatedly urged him to return to the monastery, but the monk did not agree. However, when the glory of the holy life of St. Isaac's life spread everywhere, he was elevated to the episcopal see of the city of Nineveh, having been consecrated in the Beth-Abe monastery by Patriarch George. Seeing the rude morals of the inhabitants of this city, the monk felt that he was unable to correct them, and, moreover, he yearned for the silence of the hermit’s life. All this weighed heavily on the holy husband, and he, leaving the bishopric, retired to the Hermitage Hermitage (Rabban-Shabor Monastery). Here he lived until his death, achieving high spiritual perfection. It is also known that at the end of his life the monk became blind, and his disciples wrote down his instructions for him.
Rev.'s legacy Isaac the Syrian, translation problems
Isaac the Syrian (miniature 1802)
After the death of St. Isaac the Syrian, from the beginning of the 8th to the beginning of the 18th century, nothing was known about him in Europe except his name and writings. Only in 1719 was a biography of the saint, compiled by an anonymous Arab author, published in Rome. In 1896, information about St. Isaac was further expanded. French scientist-soteriologist Abbot Chabot (French. Chabot) published the work of the 8th century Syrian historian Jezuden, Bishop of Basra, which contains information about the Monk Isaac the Syrian.
St. Isaac was, apparently, one of the most prolific writers. According to the Syrian writer of the early 14th century, Ebed-Ieshu, “St. Isaac of Nineveh compiled seven volumes on the guidance of the spirit, on the Divine mysteries, on judgments and on decency (politia).” Daniel Tubanita, Bishop of Beth-Garme, according to the same Ebed-Iezu, “wrote the resolution of the divine fifth volume of St. Isaac of Nineveh." What kind of “volumes” Abed-Iezu speaks of is unknown, and, apparently, not all of them have reached us. In 1909, the printed Syriac text of the works of St. Isaac under the title: “Mar Isaacus Ninivita de perfectione religiosa, quam edidit P. Bedjan.” Here, judging by the title, there are 107 words, or chapters, but the publisher says that this is only “the first part of the work of St. Isaac”, that he could publish both the 2nd and 3rd volumes of this work, if only he could compare the manuscripts he had with other parallel ones. And the publisher is very sorry that he cannot do this and publish these new volumes, he regrets it because there are “many beautiful pages.”
Four books of works by St. have come down to us in Arabic translation. Isaac, and in the first book there are 28 words, in the 2nd - 45 words, in the 3rd - 44 words, in the 4th - 5, in total, that means 122 words (according to other sources, 133 teachings have been preserved in the Arabic translation , under the title “Monastic Rule”, and a letter to Simeon the Stylite). In the Greek translation, only 86 words and 4 messages have reached us (according to other sources, 99 of his teachings are known in the Syriac original and in the Greek translation), and even less in the Latin.
The Greek translation of the works of St. Isaac was published in Leipzig by Hieromonk Nikifor Theotokis, later Bishop of Astrakhan, on behalf of Patriarch Ephraim of Jerusalem.
This translation was originally made by the monks of the Lavra of St. Savva, Abraham and Patricius, probably in the 9th century, and was not made satisfactorily in all respects. In addition to the fact that it is incomplete - since it lacks 41 words compared to the Arabic translation, and even more compared to the Syriac original - it also has other shortcomings. Chabot, who compared it with Syrian manuscripts, has this to say about it:
“The first feature of the Greek translation is the omission of difficult passages, and since Isaac the Syrian is one of the most difficult Syrian writers, there are many such omissions; the second feature is that the translation often does not follow the meaning of the author.” Although the translation tries to be literal, according to Chabot, the distortion of meaning comes partly from an inept choice of the meanings of Syriac words, and partly from literalism itself: the Syriac language, like other eastern languages, very different in its construction from European languages, does not lend itself to literal translation on them.
Latin translation of the works of St. Isaac, “de contemptu mundi”, placed by Migne in his patrolology, is completely incomplete, its 53 chapters are equal to only 23 words of Greek. The translation language, according to Shabot, is darker than Greek, and the translator often confuses phrases.
The printed Slavic translation belongs to Elder Paisius Velichkovsky and was published with notes to it by Optina Hermitage in 1854. It is an almost exact copy from the Greek edition, only some additions and word order are taken from one Greek manuscript and older Slavic translations.
Russian translation of the works of St. Isaac appeared first in Christian Reading for the 1820s. It was made from the Greek edition of Nikephoros Theotokis, but only 30 words were translated. In the city, a complete Russian translation from the Greek language, made by the Moscow Theological Academy, was published. The translation of 30 words in “Christian Reading” is quite successful and literary, but sometimes free; The MDA translation is more literal, but darker. In 1998, the publishing house of the Conception Monastery, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus', published a translation from the Syriac language by Abbot Hilarion (Alfeev), containing 41 “conversations” (chapters).
Theology Rev. Isaac the Syrian
The Monk Isaac was an ascetic, a hermit who lived in the mountains, but his writings have a universal purpose. They are addressed not only to hermits, but also to city dwellers, not only to monks, but to all believers in Christ. He spoke a lot about the last stages of spiritual achievement, about the limits of the spiritual path, about contemplation. But reading the “Ascetic Words” brings blessed consolation and inspires every Christian to deeds. In his mystical experiences, Saint Isaac is very similar to such ascetic contemplatives as St. Simeon the New Theologian, Rev. Maximus the Confessor, Rev. Macarius the Great. These holy fathers spoke a lot about the ultimate goal of ascetic deeds, about the deification of man, about the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. One of the constant themes of the theology of the holy fathers is the theme of prayerful contemplation of God. According to other views, the influence of such so-called can be traced in the works of St. Isaac. Nestorian authors like Theodore of Mopsuestia and Diodorus of Tarsus. Christology of St. Isaac the Syrian is in question, and his canonization by both the Assyrian Church and the Orthodox Church is an ecclesiological incident and has been repeatedly discussed without a definite result.
Rev. Isaac the Syrian and Orthodox ascetics
Creations of Rev. Isaac has always enjoyed and continues to enjoy enormous respect among Orthodox ascetics of faith and piety. Rev. Peter of Damascus, a 12th-century writer, makes abundant use of the writings of St. Isaac the Syrian and constantly refers to him. Rev. Nicephorus the Solitary, who escaped on Mount Athos in the 14th century, in his essay “On Sobriety and Guardianship of the Heart,” makes an excerpt from the works of St. Isaac the Syrian. Famous Russian saint - Rev. Nilus of Sorsky, in his “Charter on Living in the Skete,” constantly cites the thoughts of St. Isaac on various issues of spiritual and moral life. Bishop Theophan the Recluse of Vyshensky even composed a prayer for St. Isaac the Syrian. Here it is:
“Reverend Father Isaac! Pray to God for us and with your prayer illuminate our minds to understand the lofty contemplations with which your words are filled, and moreover, bring up or introduce into the secret places of prayer, the production, degrees and strength of which are so depicted by your teachings, so that, inspired by it, we can freely mother-in-law through the commandments of the Lord, unswervingly, bypassing the obstacles encountered along the way and overcoming the enemies who arm themselves against us.”
Teaching
God's Love and Eternal Torment
According to the Orthodox Saint Isaac the Syrian, God never ceases to love people. “However, everyone who has made a choice in favor of evil voluntarily deprives himself of God’s mercy. Love, which for the righteous in heaven is a source of bliss and consolation, for sinners in hell becomes a source of torment, because they recognize themselves as not participating in it. .
“The sinner is not able to imagine the grace of his resurrection. Where is Gehenna that could make us sad? Where is the torment that frightens us in various ways and conquers the joy of His love? And what is Gehenna before the grace of His resurrection, when He will raise us from hell, cause this corruptible to be clothed with incorruptibility, and raise up those who fell into hell in glory?... There is a reward for sinners, and instead of rewarding the righteous, He rewards them with resurrection; and instead of the corruption of bodies that have trampled upon His law, He clothes them with the perfect glory of incorruption. This mercy is to resurrect us after we have sinned, higher than mercy is to bring us into being when we did not exist.”
Affairs
“Reward is not for virtue and not for labor for it, but for the humility that is born from them.”
Notes
Literature
- Complete Orthodox theological encyclopedic dictionary. In two volumes. St. Petersburg: publishing house P. P. Soikin, 1913. [Reprint: London: Variorum reprints, 1971. SBN 902089 08 0.]
- Creations like our holy father Abba Isaac the Syrian, ascetic and hermit, who was the bishop of the Christ-loving city of Nenevia. Ascetic words. - Sergiev Posad: Printing house of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, 1911 (3rd ed.). - P. III-XI., 1-534
- Moral and ascetic views of St. Isaac the Syrian. Thesis work of Tobolsk Theological Seminary graduate K. Gavrilovsky.
- Archbishop Hilarion (Alfeev) The spiritual world of St. Isaac the Syrian
- Ganstrem E. E., Tikhomirov N. B. Works of Isaac the Syrian in Slavic-Russian writing // Bulletin of Church History. 2007. No. 1(5). pp. 134-197.
| Isaac the Syrian in Wikiquote | |
| Isaac the Syrian on Wikimedia Commons |
Categories:
- Personalities in alphabetical order
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- Church Fathers
- Church leaders of the 7th century
- Christian theologians
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See what “Isaac the Syrian” is in other dictionaries:
ISAAC SIRIN- [Isaac of Nineveh; sir. , ], Greek ᾿Ισαὰκ ὁ Σύρος] (no earlier than the middle of the 6th century, Bet Qatrayeh (Qatar) no later than the 1st half of the 8th century, Khuzestan), St. (mem. January 28), bishop. Nineveh, Father of the Church, author of ascetic works. Life Biographical information about... Orthodox Encyclopedia
ISAAC SIRIN, Bishop of Nineveh (2nd half of the 7th century) Christian writer and mystic. According to the testimony of the East Syrian historian of the 9th century. Ishoden, Bishop of Basra, was born in Qatar on the shores of the Persian Gulf. Belonged to the Church of the East,... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia
: about courts, deanery, about divine hiding places and about spiritual government, known under the name of the monastic rule. The content of all his teachings is an analysis of various states of righteousness and sinfulness and methods of Christian correction and self-improvement.
Memorial Day in the Orthodox Church is January 28 (February 10). Isaac the Syrian of Nineveh and Isaac the Syrian of Spolet (April 12 (25)) should not be confused.
Encyclopedic YouTube
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About the life of Rev. Very little is known about Isaac the Syrian. From the few sources that have survived to this day, it is only clear that together with his brother he entered the monastery of Mar Matthaya near Nineveh. The brothers were distinguished by their scholarship and high ascetic lifestyle, and they were offered leadership of the monastery. Rev. Isaac, not wanting this and striving for silence, left the monastery and went into seclusion. His brother repeatedly urged him to return to the monastery, but the monk did not agree. However, when the glory of the holy life of St. Isaac spread everywhere, he was elevated to the episcopal see of the city of Nineveh; The ordination was performed by Catholicos-Patriarch Vastoka Givargis I (680-659) in the Beit Abe monastery. Seeing the rude morals of the inhabitants of this city, the monk felt that he was unable to correct them, and, moreover, he yearned for the silence of the hermit’s life. All this weighed heavily on the holy husband, and he, leaving the bishopric, retired to the Skete desert (Rabban-Shabor monastery). Here he lived until his death, achieving high spiritual perfection. It is also known that at the end of his life the monk became blind, and his disciples wrote down his instructions for him.
Rev.'s legacy Isaac the Syrian, translation problems
After the death of St. Isaac the Syrian, from the beginning of the 8th to the beginning of the 18th century, nothing was known about him in Europe except his name and writings. Only in 1719 was a biography of the saint, compiled by an anonymous Arab author, published in Rome. In 1896, information about St. Isaac was further expanded. The French scientist-soteriologist Abbot Chabot (French Chabot) published the work of the 8th century Syrian historian Jesuden, Bishop of Basra, where information about the Monk Isaac the Syrian is found.
St. Isaac was, apparently, one of the most prolific writers. According to the Syrian writer of the early 14th century, Ebed-Iezu, “St. Isaac of Nineveh compiled seven volumes on the guidance of the spirit, on the Divine mysteries, on judgments and on decency (politia).” Daniel Tubanita, Bishop of Beth-Garme, according to the same Ebed-Iezu, “wrote the resolution of the divine fifth volume of St. Isaac of Nineveh." What kind of “volumes” Abed-Iezu speaks of is unknown, and, apparently, not all of them have reached us. In 1909, the printed Syriac text of the works of St. Isaac under the title: “Mar Isaacus Ninivita de perfectione religiosa, quam edidit P. Bedjan.” Here, judging by the title, there are 107 words, or chapters, but the publisher says that this is only “the first part of the work of St. Isaac”, that he could publish both the 2nd and 3rd volumes of this work, if only he could compare the manuscripts he had with other parallel ones. And the publisher is very sorry that he cannot do this and publish these new volumes, he regrets it because there are “many beautiful pages.”
Four books of works by St. have come down to us in Arabic translation. Isaac, and in the first book there are 28 words, in the 2nd - 45 words, in the 3rd - 44 words, in the 4th - 5, in total, that means 122 words (according to other sources, 133 teachings have been preserved in the Arabic translation , under the title “Monastic Rule”, and a letter to Simeon the Stylite). In the Greek translation, only 86 words and 4 messages have reached us (according to other sources, 99 of his teachings are known in the Syriac original and in the Greek translation), and even less in the Latin.
The Greek translation of the works of St. Isaac was published in Leipzig by Hieromonk Nikifor Theotokis, later Bishop of Astrakhan, on behalf of Patriarch Ephraim of Jerusalem.
This translation was originally made by the monks of the Lavra of St. Savva, Abraham and Patricius, probably in the 9th century, and was not done satisfactorily in all respects. In addition to the fact that it is incomplete - since it lacks 41 words compared to the Arabic translation, and even more compared to the Syriac original - it also has other shortcomings. Chabot, who compared it with Syrian manuscripts, has this to say about it:
“The first feature of the Greek translation is the omission of difficult passages, and since Isaac the Syrian is one of the most difficult Syrian writers, there are many such omissions; the second feature is that the translation often does not follow the meaning of the author.” Although the translation tries to be literal, according to Chabot, the distortion of meaning comes partly from an inept choice of the meanings of Syriac words, partly from literalness itself: the Syriac language, like other eastern languages, very different in its construction from European languages, does not lend itself to literal translation on them.
Latin translation of the works of St. Isaac, “de contemptu mundi”, placed by Min in his patrolology, is completely incomplete, its 53 chapters are equal to only 23 words of Greek. The translation language, according to Shabot, is darker than Greek, and the translator often confuses phrases.
The printed Slavic translation belongs to Elder Paisius Velichkovsky and was published with notes by Optina Hermitage in 1854. It is an almost exact copy from the Greek edition, only some additions and word order are taken from one Greek manuscript and older Slavic translations.
Russian translation of the works of St. Isaac appeared first in Christian Readings for the 1820s. It was based on the Greek edition of Nikephoros Theotokis, but only 30 words were translated. In the city, a complete Russian translation from the Greek language, made by the Moscow Theological Academy, was published. The translation of 30 words in “Christian Reading” is quite successful and literary, but sometimes free; The MDA translation is more literal, but darker.
Modern translation by Rev. Isaac into Russian was written by Abbot Hilarion (Alfeev) from the Syriac language and touches on the newfound Volume II of his works, the manuscript of which was found in 1983 in the Oxford library (while “Ascetic Words” is a translation of Volume I). In 1998, the publishing house of the Conception Monastery, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus', published this book entitled “Reverend Isaac the Syrian. About Divine mysteries and spiritual life." Volume II contains 41 “Conversations”. The 3rd conversation has 400 chapters and makes up almost half of the work in volume, the so-called “Gnostic chapters” (or “Chapters on knowledge”). However, Hilarion’s book includes only a small fragment of the 3rd “Conversations”. The author explains this by saying that he does not decide “to fully translate this Conversation until there is a critical edition of its text (there is only an Italian translation).”
Theology Rev. Isaac the Syrian
The Monk Isaac was an ascetic, a hermit who lived in the mountains, but his writings have a universal purpose. They are addressed not only to hermits, but also to city dwellers, not only to monks, but to all believers in Christ. He spoke a lot about the last stages of spiritual achievement, about the limits of the spiritual path, about contemplation. But reading the “Ascetic Words” brings blessed consolation and inspires every Christian to deeds. In his spiritual experiences, Saint Isaac is very similar to such ascetic contemplatives as St. Simeon the New Theologian, Rev. Maxim the Confessor, Rev. Macarius the Great. These holy fathers spoke a lot about the ultimate goal of ascetic deeds, about the deification of man, about the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. One of the constant themes of the theology of the holy fathers is the theme of prayerful contemplation of God.
Rev. Isaac the Syrian and Orthodox ascetics
Creations of Rev. Isaac has always enjoyed and continues to enjoy enormous respect among Orthodox ascetics of faith and piety.
Notes
Literature
- Isaac the Syrian // Orthodox Theological Encyclopedia. Volume 5. Petrograd edition. Supplement to the spiritual magazine “Strannik” for 1904.
- Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev). Isaac the Syrian // Orthodox Encyclopedia. - M.: Church and Scientific Center "Orthodox Encyclopedia", 2011. - T. XXVI. - pp. 695-731. - 752 s. - 39,000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-89572-048-6.
- Bumazhnov, Dm. A world beautiful in its weakness: St. Isaac the Syrian about the Fall of Adam and the imperfection of the world according to an unpublished text Centuria 4.89 // Symbol No. 61 (Syriaca - Arabica - Iranica). Paris-Moscow, 2012, pp. 177-194.
- Creations like the saints of our father Abba Isaac the Syrian, an ascetic and hermit who was the bishop of the Christ-loving city of Nenevia. Words of asceticism. - Sergiev Posad: Printing house of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, 1911 (3rd ed.). - S. III-XI., 1-534
- Archbishop Hilarion (Alfeev). The spiritual world of St. Isaac the Syrian
- Ganstrem E. E., Tikhomirov N. B. Works of Isaac the Syrian in Slavic-Russian writing // Bulletin of Church History. 2007. No. 1(5). pp. 134-197.
Isaac Sirin in Wikiquote Isaac Sirin on Wikimedia Commons Apostolic men
and apologistsBarnabas Apostle†61 Clement Roman†97 or 99 or 101 Ignatius Antioch†107 Codratus of Athens†no earlier than 130 Aristides of Athens Polycarp Smyrna†156 Papias of Hierapolis †155 or 165 Ariston Pellsky†OK. 160 Justin Philosopher†165 Tatian†OK. 180 Theophilus of Antioch not earlier than 180-181 Athenagoras of Athens†c. 190 Meliton Sardian†ca. 190 Irenaeus Lionsky†202 Marcus Minutius Felix†OK. 210 Clement of Alexandria†OK. 215
Didache(end of the 1st - beginning of the 2nd century) Shepherd of Herma(2nd century) Message to Diognetus(approx. 130)Greek patristics Origen†OK. 254 Dionysius Alexandrian†265 Gregory Neo-Caesarean†ca. 275 Pavel Samosatsky(er)†ok. 275 Lucian Antioch†312 Methodius Olympian†312 Eustathius Antioch†337 or 346 Eusebius Pamphilus†OK. 340 Jacob Aphraates†ca. 345 Anthony the Great†356 Ephraim Sirin†373
