What is the beauty and why is it dangerous?translated

The word "beauty" in modern language usually has a pleasant connotation: we say "what a beauty!" when we see something cute, beautiful, or charming. But in the ecclesiastical and ascetic language, this word has an entirely different meaning. Here, beauty is associated with deception, seduction, and leading astray. To be ensnared by beauty means to accept what is false as true, to trust what only seems right and spiritually attractive.

Where does beauty come from?

One of the main causes of beauty, according to the holy fathers, is pride and excessive self-confidence. The danger of falling into beauty increases when a person begins to consider their own thoughts and feelings as the measure of spiritual truth, attributes special virtues to themselves, or seeks unusual spiritual experiences, revelations, signs, and miracles.

At the same time, the life of such a person often appears externally very pious. He prays, fasts, reads spiritual literature, goes to church. Of course, these actions in themselves do not lead to beauty. The problem begins when a person uses them as confirmation of their own spiritual superiority: he believes that his faith is deeper, his prayer stronger, and his understanding of God's will...