The price of holiness

Contents Preface First meeting Vocation of the rosary Shelter of St. Tikhon Love of God Oatmeal Schema-Archimandrite Volodya My report Answers to questions Brotherhood Orthodox word. “The Orthodox Word” St. John of Kronstadt Western saints Lesson of self-abasement Tie Rotten Moses Orphan giver Trial of a saint Monasticism Tomb Dormition Conclusion About how the akathist was written When the image of a holy man appears before us, because of his inherent otherworldliness and the improbability of the events taking place in his life, this image moves away from us, ascending, as it were, onto the pedestal of a monument - unreal and inaccessible, and most importantly - never, it seems, unattainable. But this man is servile to us, only having handed over his life entirely to God, having been crucified with Him. And we need a sense of connection, closeness to such people and a sense of being able to follow them. The revelations of living accomplices and witnesses to the lives of the saints give us this thread, the opportunity to grab onto this chain of patristicism, and, seeing before us a living person like us, to touch his unearthly side, as if emerging through the story of the events of earthly life. Here we have before us a living testimony of holiness in our apostasy days, written very beautifully and vividly, conveying the inspiration that can kindle us with the flame of love for God, so let us not miss our chance. (Russian Pilgrim Magazine)