Humility leads to Perfect Rest in God

St Silouan the Athonite and 

behind him Archimandrite Sophrony

of Essex

"Prayer is the best of all activities for the soul. Prayer

is the path to God. Through prayer we obtain humility,

patience and every good gift...

The Lord showed great pity on me and made me 

understand that I must weep all my life. Such is the way

of the Lord. And so I write now out of pity for those who

like me, are puffed up with pride, and therefore suffer. I

write that they may learn humility and find rest in God...

Only to the humble does the Lord reveal Himself in the

Holy Spirit, and if we do not humble ourselves we shall

not see God. Humility is the light in which we may behold

the Light which is God - in the words of the Psalmist:

'In thy light shall we see light' Psalm 36:9...

The humility of Christ dwells in the lowly ones - they are 

glad to be the least of men. The Lord gave me understanding

of this...

Books That Touch Your Heart and Mind (Part 17)

After considering the issue of pride, Fr. Gabriel turns back to books—particularly to books that relate to the issue of sin and grace. So this week we look at the twofold work by Archimandrite Sophrony on the life and teaching of St. Silouan the Athonite, The Monk of Mount Athos, and Wisdom from Mount Athos. Many people have been touched by these books (available also in one volume entitled St. Silouan the Athonite), and Fr. Gabriel has turned to them for his lenten reading again this year.

Aphorisms of Elder Sophrony (Sakharov)

Archimandrite (Sakharov) Sophrony

The following words of Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov) were recorded by various Athonite monks.

“I am neither Greek nor Russian; I am an Athonite.”

“I have been wearing a cassock for sixty years, but whenever I meet an Orthodox Christian or any other person, I bow my head low before him.” (Thereby the Elder wished to indicate that he feels himself to be the most unworthy.)

“Theology is the content of our prayers.”

“Domestic Theology”

Feb 12, 2014 

Archimandrite Zacharias

In a presentation centering on Christian identity, Archimandrite Zacharias, a monk of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist, Tolleshunt Knights by Maldon, Essex, England, inspired an audience of more than 100 people with what he termed "domestic theology"—that is, "simple things"—in church life that bear profound consequences. Father Zacharias, a disciple of Father Sophrony (of blessed memory) who was a disciple of St. Silouan of Mount Athos, emphasized the importance of each Christian becoming a living temple of God, but in particular, priests.

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Lord will Give You His Grace, and You will Know Him through the Holy Spirit

St. Silouan the Athonite

The Lord is love; and He commanded us to love one another and to love our enemies.

And the Holy Spirit teaches us this love.

The soul that has not come to know the Holy Spirit does not understand how it is possible to love one’s enemies, and will not receive this commandment.

But in the Lord is pity for all men, and he who would be with the Lord must love his enemies.

How may we know whether the Lord loves us or no?

Here are tokens: If you battle firmly against sin the Lord loves you.

A Conversation with the Elder Sophrony

The abbot of the Great and Holy Monastery of Vatopedi, Archimandrite Ephraim, spoke with Elder Sophrony of blessed memory at the Holy Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Essex, England on 20 September 1992. 

From this meeting, one is struck by Elder Sophrony’s spirituality and ascetic vision, and can appreciate the value of his contribution to the contemporary life of the Church. 

The abbot of the Great and Holy Monastery of Vatopaidi, Archimandrite Ephraim, in the garden of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Essex (1992) with Elder Sophrony, among the many pilgrims who found spiritual comfort near the venerable Elder