Venerable Theodore the Studite – teacher of monasticism

Dissertation for the degree of candidate of theology The Monk Theodore the Studite is one of the greatest ascetics and teachers of Orthodox monasticism. The fruit of his ascetic zeal were numerous teachings, words and letters full of spiritual wisdom, fatherly love, and sincere devotion to monasticism. Their value not only for the monk, but also for every Christian is self-evident. By getting to know them, everyone will be able to find answers to a wide variety of questions of spiritual life that are useful for their soul. They show the spiritual experience of the Holy Father and his deep understanding of the human soul in its positive and negative phenomena, as well as the means for healing the latter; reflects the ardent aspirations of the Reverend to help every person achieve the Kingdom of Heaven. All this indisputably indicates that these creations have not lost their guiding significance in the salvation of a Christian to this day. Saint Theophan the Recluse, who worked on translating the teachings for volume IV of the Philokalia, noted that “for monks these teachings are all treasures” 1 . Saint Theodore, says Saint Theophan, almost never goes to heights, but walks around the monastery..., giving lessons on every little thing to spiritualize it...” 2. Before proceeding directly to our work, let us give a brief overview of the available works on the Monk Theodore the Studite. The following works are of particular interest: 1. Grossu N., priest. Venerable Theodore the Studite, his time, life and creations. This work consists of two parts. The first is dedicated to “the church, social and monastic activities of St. Theodore.” After a brief introduction, a biography of the Holy Father is given (chapters I–IV). Along the way, a description of the iconoclastic movement of the 8th century is given (pp. 8–18), an assessment of Theodore’s behavior in the Michian disputes (pp. 61–68) and an assessment of him as a reorganizer of monasticism, along with a description of the order of the Studite monastery in his time (Chapter III, pp. 69–117). The first part consists of a general description of the Holy Father, a brief history of the glorification of his name after death and the persecution of the Studite monks under Patriarch Methodius (pp. 158–162). The second part is devoted to the literary activity of St. Theodore (chapters I–V). A presentation, analysis and assessment of the teachings of the Holy Father on icons and icon veneration are given (pp. 198-205), a description of his catechetical teachings to monks (pp. 206-239), as well as a presentation of his views on social, everyday and church-canonical issues - on second marriage, on the death penalty for heretics, on the advantages of the Roman bishop (pp. 275-295). An index of proper names is attached at the end of the work (pp. 307–310). 2. Dobroklonsky A.P. Venerable Theodore, confessor and abbot of Studiya. The study begins with an outline of the religious and moral disorder in the Greek-Eastern Church by the 8th century and the resulting church reform of the emperors of the Isaurian house (chapter 1, pp. 4–100). Then the author sets out the issue of icon veneration that is of concern to the era and its theological argumentation, setting out along the way the views and arguments of iconoclasts and Orthodox Christians (pp. 101–164). The author begins the third chapter with a critical review of sources and literature about St. Theodore (pp. 165–284). All this constitutes, according to the author, an introduction to the study. He divides the study itself into two parts. The first is devoted to depicting the life and work of St. Theodore, revealing the issues and movements that arose in his time, as well as presenting the views of the Holy Father on monasticism, icon veneration, on the illegal marriage of Emperor Constantine IV and others (pp. 285–928). The second part is devoted to the literary works of St. Theodore. Here the author gives a chronological overview of the editions of the Holy Father’s works with critical comments about them (p. 3–51), examines in great detail the letters of St. Theodore (pp. 52–528). Each part ends with a conclusion, which indicates the significance and assessment for the subsequent period of activity (I part) and the written works of Theodore the Studite (II part). Applications are attached to both parts. Both mentioned authors, in their studies, examine in some detail the life and work of St. Theodore 3, however, there are issues that they have not fully covered. Their main attention is drawn to the iconoclastic movement and the attitude of the Holy Father towards it. Regarding the monastic activity of the Reverend, the emphasis is on its external side. They consider not so much the ascetic views of the Studio abbot, but rather the monastic order. In the studies of the mentioned authors, the ascetic St. Theodore the Studite, thus, seems to be dissolved in the presentation of monastic orders. This course essay is an attempt to consider and present in a consistent and systematic order the foundations of asceticism, which are revealed by the Holy Father in his creations. The work is based on the translation of “The Works of Our Venerable Father and Confessor Theodore the Studite,” carried out by the St. Petersburg Theological Academy in 1907–1908. 4 As for the translation itself, the editors note that it “made every effort to make it the most accurate, correct and expressive of the thought and presentation of the original” (vol. I, p. VIII). Let us add that this translation is currently the most complete, meeting scientific requirements and, moreover, the only one. All quotations from the works of St. Theodore the Studite are given from this translation. A citation is indicated by three numbers in parentheses, separated by colons. The first digit means the serial number of the works indicated at the end of the work, the second is the number of the announcement or letter, and the third is the page. Where two numbers or a letter and a number appear in parentheses in a work, the first indicates the serial number of the creations, and the second indicates the page. No matter how difficult and troubled the times were in the life of the Church of Christ, God’s Providence always erected for human salvation lamps of faith, unshakable pillars of Orthodoxy, zealous confessors and ascetics of piety. Among these in the 8th–9th centuries was the Monk Theodore, who received the name Studite after the famous Studite monastery in Byzantium, which owed him entirely its exemplary improvement in all respects and the exceptional prosperity of monastic life. Possessing extraordinary spiritual strength, the Monk Theodore, from the very first steps of his practical activity, managed to attract the attention of his contemporaries and, one might say, “was the only fighter for Orthodoxy and the most outstanding defender of the Church and its institutions in the critical period of church-historical life, the most passionate and convinced inspirer of modern society in doing good and truth... a selfless organizer of the Byzantine-Eastern monastic system, tending toward decline and destruction under the influence of iconoclasm" 5 . The Monk Theodore saw the end of the reign of Constantine V Copronymus (741–775), under Empress Irene (780–802) he began to restore monastic life and further, during the reign of the emperors Nikephoros (802–811), Leo the Armenian (813–820) and Michael the Tongue-Tie (820–829). gg.), did not weaken his efforts in this field. During the life of the Reverend, the Seventh Ecumenical Council took place. The Holy Father died during the reign of Michael the tongue-tied in 826. The Monk Theodore devoted his entire life to the service of the Church, which was very diverse. To give preference to any aspect of this service would, in our opinion, not be entirely correct. Because the Monk Theodore worked in all areas of his ministry with selfless zeal, with complete dedication of himself, worked solely for the benefit of the Church, and was an obedient servant of the Church. “Fighting for the inviolability of the sacred canons, he was a canonist; defending holy icons, he was a dogmatist; he restored the cenobitic (civic) order, and also took care of the establishment of proper liturgical regulations in his monastery”; - and the last thing, which we will focus our attention on in the future, is “Reverend Theodore served the souls of his monks and taught them his asceticism, being their mentor and shepherd” 6. For a clear understanding of the latter, that is, the asceticism of the Venerable Father, which made his name as glorious in the history of Eastern monasticism as the name of Saint Basil the Great, a review of what Eastern monasticism was like, which opened to the gaze of Saint Theodore, is important. As sad as it is to state, this is a fact: his condition was extremely unsatisfactory. Complaining about the monks of his time, the Monk Theodore says that the present generation is cowardly and has retreated from strict life, and taking a model from them is vain and useless (6:115:480). Elsewhere, St. Theodore says that the examples provided by the lives of contemporary monks and nuns are distorted and corrupted (6:19:358) (5:8:218). Although the number of monks in the Byzantine Empire reached 100 thousand people at the beginning of the 8th century, 7 however, the high ideals of monasticism (obedience, non-covetousness, chastity) were abandoned in practice. The teachings of Basil the Great, his monastic ideal 8, embodied in his monastic works, were practically not applied in life. Thus, examining the history of Eastern monasticism according to the canonical decrees of the Ecumenical Councils about it, one can point out some of the shortcomings of monasticism of that time. What attracts attention, first of all, is such an ailment within monastic life as monks leaving their monastery, as well as vagrancy. The latter was a fairly common occurrence in the monastic environment, when some, burdened by life in a hostel, retired to seclusion in cities and villages “not for the sake of seeking good, but for the sake of empty glory,” and then, having achieved this glory, “arbitrarily retreated from this solitude” 9 and led a wandering lifestyle. The temptation they produced was very great, because the rule of the Trullo Council (692), directed against them, sounds strict and menacing. Among the monastics there were those who, neglecting the ancient communal system of monastic life, left monasteries and built separate cells for themselves, so that they could then live at their own discretion. Taking advantage of the opportunity of this kind of life, many, especially among rich people, even after accepting monasticism in the monasteries they built, led a completely non-monastic lifestyle, having slaves and servants, living “in grand style,” trying to accumulate as much material resources and wealth as possible 10 . Such people do not know that “they work in vain and in vain...,” writes St. Theodore. “Such a renunciation is not in accordance with the commandment of the Lord, according to which one should renounce all property and renounce property...” (6:139:542). The dark side of monastic life was also secularization, that is, a violation of one of the main vows of monasticism - renunciation of the world. The essence of this shortcoming was that some monks, even after accepting the angelic image, did not completely break their ties with the world, as required by the monastic ideal. Worldliness had the most varied forms of expression in the monastic environment. There were also cases when some of the monks, who left the monasteries without the knowledge of their abbots, spent time in worldly houses and were not always prudent regarding the reasons for sin 11 . It happened that the monks were carried away by secular ladies, trade and even became, as Dobrosklonsky put it, participants in political intrigues as a result of their passion for social life 12. It should be noted that not only ordinary monks were far from monastic ideals, but also their leaders, the abbots, were often not up to par. Delivered indiscriminately, they for the most part turned out to be inexperienced in management and lacking energy in the fight against the shortcomings of the brethren, if they were not themselves infected by them. Some of them, not caring at all about observing the ancient monastic rules, arranged life in the monastery according to their own invention. Testifying to this, the Monk Theodore says: “Nowadays... almost everyone, one might say, relies on human customs and on the institutions of their neighbors, which are contrary to the commandments of God, and want to better observe the way of life of such and such an abbot than of our divine fathers” (5: 8: 218); “countless numbers of traditions and self-invented decrees appeared...” (6:165:556–557). It happened that abbots accepted people into their monasteries for money 13 and tonsured them indiscriminately, “illegally and imperfectly, from which everything was perverted” (6:165:556). In addition to all this, the abbots allowed the monks to engage in everyday affairs and have their own property in the monastery. Kinovia, according to Grossu, began to represent “a community with goals more economic than religious and moral” 14. As a result, discipline in the monastic environment became even more unstable. Monks often lacked humility and obedience; grumbling and indignation against the monastic leadership were not uncommon. Finally, there were cases when a monk, after several years of monastic life, completely left it, went out into the world, entered into marriage or cohabitation with his wife, and entered military service and civil positions. A dark stain on monasticism was cast by double monasteries (male and female), which served as a temptation and stumbling block for many. Living together in such monasteries gave rise to adultery 15. The common reason for the mentioned shortcomings of intra-monastic life, first of all, was the oblivion of the laws of the communal system formulated by Saint Basil the Great, the lack of zeal for the fulfillment of monastic vows, and the desire to act of one’s own will. All this happened, according to the Monk Theodore, “from a change in free will, which had become impoverished in love for God and turned its attachment to perishable things, unwilling and hesitant to follow praiseworthy examples and display the original and paternal God-like image” (5:8:218-219). The desire to follow one’s will in most cases gave rise to dissatisfaction with life in a previously chosen place, the wandering of monks around monasteries in order to find a way of life that suited personal tastes and habits, or various unauthorized attempts at personal organization of monastic communities. As a result, in the monasteries, according to the Rev., “disorder and disobedience prevail” (5:8:218). The presence of the aforementioned dislocations is to a certain extent explained by external reasons. People who were ascetically minded did not always go to the monastery to please God and save their souls. “Others went to avoid military service and other state duties; slaves fled here from their masters; sometimes criminals are exempt from liability before the law; others came from hard work and need, looking for idleness and prosperity. There were also unauthorized tonsures - those who were tonsured in childhood by the will of their parents, and those who were forcibly tonsured as a result of political intrigues” 16. It is clear that such a thoughtless and clearly unconscious acceptance of the monastic title, as well as the acceptance of this title for reasons and motives that had nothing in common with the true ascetic life, was one of the reasons discrediting monasticism. Another important reason explaining the presence of such frequent deviations from the ideal of monastic life was the scarcity of true ascetic monks and model monks in the monastic environment. At the same time, however, one should not think that there were no worthy ascetics at all. Undoubtedly, there were ascetic monks worthy of their title, as evidenced by the surviving lives, who consciously and sincerely strove for the implementation of monastic principles, remaining devoted to them throughout their lives, and who, through ascetic deeds, achieved the highest spiritual perfection that is possible for a person 17. But in general, in its actual state, monasticism, as we saw above, was far from meeting its high purpose as “the salt of the earth and the lamp of the world” (Matthew 5:13–14) (4:26:142; 6:137:509), with which it appeared in the consciousness of himself and society. The revival of truly monastic life became especially noticeable during the period of persecution against monasticism as a result of the iconoclastic turmoil. These persecutions represented perhaps an even more terrible feature of the era than the fight against icons. The existence of monasticism in general was threatened. Thus, under Constantine V Copronymus (741–775), monasteries were ruined or sold into private hands, turned into military barracks or stables, monks were threatened with threats to renounce monasticism, subjected to public desecration, stubborn and dangerous people were punished with exile, imprisonment, beatings and other tortures, various types of mutilation and sometimes death 18 . Among the people, a mocking and mocking attitude towards monasticism was organized. The measures to combat monasticism were sympathized with by all those who were incomprehensible and even disgusted by the monastic denial of the world. Thus, things seemed to be heading towards the complete destruction of monasticism. However, such severe disasters that befell monasticism at the height of the iconoclastic movement, “like a crucible, cleansed it from moral infection, on the one hand, freeing it from the most unreliable members who renounced the monastic image and returned to the world, on the other hand, elevating and straining its spirit, distracting it from worldly vanity to the high feat of the struggle for faith and furnishing external life instead of peace and contentment with constant hardships and dangers" 19. The result of this “purification” was a positive outcome in the struggle of monasticism for holy icons and Orthodoxy, in which the great mentor of the monks, Theodore the Studite, took the main part. It was he, brought up on the monastic ideas of St. Basil the Great, who was destined to breathe new vitality into the morally degenerate Byzantine monasticism, so that it would again be adorned with the flowers of virtues. Having become abbot, the Monk Theodore saw the main task of his activity in eliminating the shortcomings of both the external and internal life of the monks and in transforming the monasteries into real monasteries on the model of Saint Basil the Great. Having accepted the ascetic teaching of the latter into his soul, the Monk Theodore became his “herald” (2:38:547). He took special, exclusive concern for himself to correct the way of life of the monks subordinate to him, taught them in word and deed to fulfill monastic vows and aroused their spirit to care for the heavenly and eternal. To correct evil and stop its spread, the Monk Theodore used every means of influencing the monks that was at his disposal (3:78:841). He resumed the long-forgotten weekly announcements to the brethren, in which he denounced evasion of monastic discipline, warned against this and instructed the faithful in the rules of monastic life. With a similar content, he sent district letters to monks who lived in dispersion, which is why some of them are inscribed as “catechumen” (6:112:474; 6:124:490; 6:131:500; 6:140:512; 6:147:521). Finally, he wrote private letters to the violators of the monastic rules themselves, denouncing, exhorting and threatening (6:88:448–450; 6:102:464–466; 6:105:467–468; 6:107:469–471). With his edifying words, personal deeds and example, the Monk Theodore thus had an irresistible influence on his disciples, and through them on all Eastern monasticism. He became not only the organizer of the communal system, the culprit of the rise of moral life among Orthodox monasticism, but also, according to his biographer, “a legislator who set out for the monks the God-given commandments, which he accepted from God, having ascended the mountain of high life and entering the darkness of divine and blessed knowledge, and which were inscribed with the finger of the Spirit on the tablets of his hardest heart, as if on stone boards" 20. The instructions of the Holy Father, addressed to the monks and deeply sunk into their souls, thus became one of the main means of improving monastic life. Chapter I. Monasticism as a special kind of Christian life Christ the Savior indicated two paths, two ways of life for those who believe in Him: the path or life that brings salvation, and the path or life that brings perfection (Matthew 19:16-22). The Lord called the last path and residence following Himself, since they serve as the most accurate expression of the teachings taught by the Lord, and a feasible imitation of the way of life that He led during His earthly wanderings. Some, such as the Apostles, were called directly by Him to follow the Lord; but, in general, following the Lord is granted by Him to the permission of everyone, which is clear from many places in the Gospel. “If anyone wants to walk after Me...” (Matthew 16:24), “if anyone wants to be perfect...” (Matthew 19:21), “if anyone will come after Me...” (Luke 14:26), says the Lord about following and Christian perfection. Monasticism, or monasticism, according to the teachings of St. Theodore the Studite, is precisely in its essence that way of Christian life, through which there is a complete dedication of oneself to God and His will, the desire to fulfill Christ’s teaching in all severity and completeness, in other words, monasticism is that way of life through which salvation and likeness to God are achieved. The Studian ascetic says that monasticism is a gift of God’s ineffable mercy and love for people, equal in significance, firstly, with our existence and, secondly, with the restoration of fallen humanity (1:24:274). The first and most important goal of monastic life, according to the Holy Father, is the salvation of the soul and spiritual perfection. The same goal is assigned to every Christian (6:117:482). However, for those living in the world, bound by worldly cares, family life and all kinds of worries, it is difficult to achieve this goal (2:75:643-644). In monasticism, thanks to the special way of life, it is achieved with incomparably greater convenience. That is why monastic life is superior to worldly life. “Those who remain in the world,” the monk says to the monks, “are blinded by the confusion of worldly vanity, live in darkness and do not yet see the light. But you... came out of the world and keep the eye of your heart constantly fixed on God” (2:3:462). “For those who turn to public life, the eye of the mind cannot be so pure as to gaze unhindered at the beauty of the glory of God, being blinded by carnal addiction, as if from some kind of pus. But for us, who must renounce everything and are commanded to take up only the cross of Christ, it is convenient to contemplate God, that is, to have nothing else and not think about anything other than how to please the Lord, to serve Him with a pure heart, rejecting all carnal disposition” (6:43:398-399). Monasticism stands immeasurably above all worldly ranks, is “heavenly citizenship” (2:72:636–637), and is complete martyrdom, since monks condemn themselves to the unconditional and constant shedding of blood, expressed in the cutting off of their will (2:33:536). According to the Monk Theodore, “great and humble is the angelic image, and blessed is he whom the Lord has chosen for himself from worldly humiliation and who has resorted to this high way of life, so that from here he can see the Kingdom of Heaven by contemplation of the mind” (2:64:617–618). Monasticism is a high and sublime image that cleanses from all sin due to a perfect life (8:855). Drawing attention to the height and superiority of the monastic image, the Monk Theodore considers it strange to doubt the legality of its establishment, as some doubted at that time. He answers their doubts like this. “To ask: where is it commanded to renounce the world and become a monk, is nothing more than asking: where is it commanded for someone to become a Christian? He who established the first according to the apostolic tradition also established the second...” (6:165:555). In support of his words about the monastic way of life, the monk cites the statement of “the divine and wise Dionysius the Areopagite,” who includes monastic tonsure among such sacramental acts as enlightenment (baptism), communion, consecration of the world, priesthood, burial 21 . Thus, “he who doubts one of the things said, obviously doubts the others, whether they exist according to divine tradition; and with the destruction of one, the others must also be destroyed... Not to mention the fact that all the famous God-bearing fathers were monks and praise the monastic life as angelic...” (6:165:556). The Monk Theodore looked upon entering monasticism as the greatest feat of his life. Therefore, renunciation of the world and the choice of a monastic way of life should not be hasty. Anyone who wishes to enter the path of monastic life, first of all, must test himself and first accustom himself to the patience of bodily and mental sorrows. “You need to know,” says the monk, “what the monastic vow is and how high this life is, so that, having decided rashly, you will not be exposed to danger during the voyage. After all, renunciation of the world is nothing more than a vow to the cross and death. What does it mean? “According to the word of the Lord, whoever wants this needs to renounce all his property and, taking up the cross, follow Him” (Luke 9:23) (6:159:542), he must say goodbye to everything, he must be naked from everything, he must renounce all attachments, family, friends, and relatives, and voluntarily alienate himself from the whole world” (6:164:554) in order to truly follow Christ. After a thorough test, firm confidence and conviction of complete readiness and determination to leave the world and endure everything for the sake of God and eternal life, right up to death, a person seeking monastic achievements can, according to the thought of the Holy Father, enter a monastery. Those persons who are imbued with worldly interests and do not want to completely renounce attachment to the world and its delights should not at all bind themselves to monastic vows and enter into monastic solitude. Expressing his extreme fear for the fate of those who chose monasticism inappropriately and the responsibility of monastery abbots for accepting into the ranks of the monastic brethren people who are unprepared, who are completely unaware of their entry into the monastery, people with interests alien to monasticism, St. Theodore says: “Although it is not safe to refuse anyone who desires monasticism, for the Lord says: “He who comes to me I will not cast out” (John 6:37). ), however, to accept simply and indiscriminately and to tonsure without testing is not pious,” moreover, “it is dangerous and very disastrous for both the tonsured and the tonsured” (6:164:554). As stated above, the Monk Theodore, following Saint Dionysius the Areopagite, looked at tonsure as a sacrament and equated it with baptism, calling it “the second baptism,” “the baptism of repentance and renunciation” (7:9:685). Both in the sacrament of baptism, so here, the one who is tonsured, according to the Holy Father, receives the permission of all previous sins, puts off “the old man, which is corrupting” (Eph. 4:22), is born of the Spirit, puts on “the new man, created according to God, in righteousness and in honor...” ( Eph. 4:24) and receives the Spirit of power against visible and invisible enemies (7: 9: 685). This is the third grace given to man (1:24:274). The Monk Theodore considered renunciation of monasticism and a return to worldly life unacceptable. “It is impossible,” he writes to one monk who left monasticism and got married, “it is impossible to express what a sin this is, what darkness, what madness” (6:88:449). After all, composing a monastic image is the same as composing baptism (6:164:554). For the one who rejected monasticism trampled on the Son of God, “taking up the blood of the covenant filth” (Heb. 10:29), having outraged the Spirit of grace (7:233:787); “he, by his actions, declared to God: “I do not want to lead Your ways” (Job 21:14) ... as if God, who accepted the vows and is coming to judge everything, does not even exist at all ... such a one trampled on the divine agreement, renouncing everything that he agreed to before the terrible throne of God” (3:82:851). Monasticism is not an ordinary business; it requires “a lot of work and effort” from those who choose it (3:85:860). Therefore, it is not enough to put on a monastic image at random, but at the same time one must lead a real life in it, according to the rules, and assimilate all its distinctive properties. “Let us remember,” the monk addresses the monks, “the glorious words: “Arseny, why did you leave the world?” Of course, not for the purpose of calming one’s flesh and not for enjoying pleasures, just as not in order to self-indulge, seek glory or strive for primacy, preference or power, nothing like that at all... But in order, the monk further explains, in order to be cleansed of sins, in order to be clothed with the fear of God, in order to humble himself “even to death, the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8), that is, to the mortification of desires our soul and our own desires for the war with the enemy the devil..., in order not to give in to the various temptations of the flesh" (2:19:506-507). A monk, according to the thought of the Holy Father, must be distinguished by the activities that his vow imposes on him; his entire system and way of life should shine with good deeds. Only in this case will he give grace to those who come into contact with him, both monks and laity (3:55:792). He must be careful in every possible way so as not to return back and reassimilate for himself what he has renounced (2:51:579); remember to “not fall behind those who live in the world” (2:77:647). “For as much as a monk is respected,” says the Monk Theodore, “he will answer for the depravity of his life” (2:48:570). The law of life for a monk should be to fulfill exactly the commandments of the Lord; He should not think about anything else and desire nothing else, “as soon as to please God through the mortification of passions and the acquisition of virtues” (3:58:797). With all guarding, he must guard his heart, not giving room to the devil, but immediately repelling his attacks. It is no coincidence that St. Theodore defines monasticism as “the art of arts and the science of sciences” (1:95:385), “spiritual martyrdom” (3:15:699). The immense feat of martyrdom is not, however, something extraordinary in the Church; martyrs are all those who live piously, who truly love God. “A God-loving person prefers to die every day for Christ. This is how all the saints lived, with such intentions they solemnly testified to their fiery love for God” (1:78:358-359). The Monk Theodore recognized monastic, communal life as the most perfect form of asceticism. The latter was preferred by the monks as providing the most convenient and perfect conditions for the fulfillment of the main monastic vows, while solitary life, in the form of anchorage or hermitage, presented many reasons for temptation, especially for new monks who were not strong in spiritual life and unstable in fulfilling the commandments of monasticism. Any separation from the brotherhood, according to the monk, is the cause of a fall. “What becomes a sheep that is separated from the flock? Is it the prey of the beast? “So is the one who breaks away from the brotherhood” (1:71:348). “I pity,” says the Holy Father in another place, “and mourn those who... live apart, since they are in plain sight, like ready prey for the devil” (1:101:397). More than once the Monk Theodore confirmed this with specific examples of fallen monks (6:107:470). Thus, an experienced Mentor does not approve of isolated asceticism due to the obvious danger for the monk, from which neither previous spiritual experience nor faith in one’s own strength and invulnerability from the spirits of evil are often relieved. In addition, monks living in isolation are deprived of saving obedience, wise guidance and timely help in temptations (B: 87; 1: 101: 396–397; 1: 117: 424). Only in a communal monastery, “as if in some kind of harbor” (2:17:501), according to the teachings of the Holy Father, is it possible to lead a truly monastic life. Cenovia or a hostel similar to the Cappadocian Cenovia of St. Basil the Great - this is the ideal of the monastery, in which, according to the view of St. Theodore, one can more conveniently fulfill the vows of monasticism and demonstrate all the variety of virtues. The social order presents the requirements - to avoid personal desires, not to allow personal discretion and self-will, to confess one’s actions; it also requires abstinence, prayer, contrition, humility and other good deeds, and most importantly, obedience, since through this virtue the community, according to the monk, “embraces everything and succeeds in everything” (2:34:538). Community is “the royal way, which the Fathers set above every other way” (2:46:565). “Of course,” says the wise Mentor, “great are those who serve God “in the mountains, in dens and in the abysses of the earth” (Heb. 11:38), as well as stylites, hermits and other kinds of ascetics. However, our Lord Jesus Christ himself, the dispenser of unspeakable blessings, having descended to earth, chose not the desert, not the pillars, or any other kind of life, but the law and the commandment of obedience (John 6:38, 14:10, 12:49; Luke 22:27) (2:42:556). That is why the community is so high that there is nothing higher than it (2:81:655), for here it is easier than in other types of monasticism, according to the thought of St. Theodore, the salvation and spiritual perfection of a monk (2:34:538). Even during the dispersion of the brethren during the period of persecution of holy icons and monasticism, the monk persistently exhorted the monks to stay together, in community with one, two or more brethren, pointing out the danger of living separately. “Woe,” says the Holy Scripture, “to that one who falls, and there is no second to raise him up” (Eccl. 4:10). Because “if he had a friend, then although he had fallen, he could, with his help, rise again, again mourn his sin” (1:9:249). So, according to the teachings of St. Theodore, monasticism is a special kind of Christian life, the main goal of which is the achievement of salvation and the Gospel ideal of spiritual perfection, to which the Lord calls. The most convenient way to achieve this, according to the instructions of the Holy Father, is in a communal monastery. Because it is here that the monk has the opportunity to discover in himself, with the help of the vows he has pronounced, the secretly living passions and vices, to see his inner bonds and dissolve them by the grace of God. Chapter II. About monastic vows The essence of monastic life is to heal one’s will, damaged by sin, to unite it with the will of God, to sanctify it by this union. Those who have chosen the monastic path are helped in this by three vows pronounced during tonsure: the vow of virginity, non-covetousness or arbitrary poverty, and the vow of obedience. Understanding the necessity and importance of these vows for a monk follows from the words of the holy Apostle John the Theologian. “All that is in the world,” writes the beloved disciple of the Lord, “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not from the Father, but is of this world” (1 John 2:16). By the vow of virginity, monasticism strives to overcome the lust of the flesh, by the vow of non-covetousness - the lust of the eyes, so as not to be seduced by the world, which, according to the word of the Apostle, “lies in evil” (1 John 5:19), by the vow of obedience - the pride of life. Thus, the vows of monastic life are contrasted with secular life. The first vow of monasticism is the vow of virginity. Our Lord Jesus Christ sanctified virginity as a special way of life through His example and teaching. While preaching the way of salvation to people on earth, He, without obliging everyone to virginity, points to it as the most perfect example of Christian life. Due to the fact that “not everyone can comprehend this word...” (Matthew 19:11), the Savior does not elevate virginity to the level of a commandment, but leaves it to free choice. “He who is able to contain, let him contain” (Matthew 19:13), said the Lord. “You see how this gift is inconceivable for many and is given only to those who crucify themselves with their lives” (1:35:292), we read in the teachings of the Saint. The life of those who voluntarily chose virginity, that is, those who “are eunuchs who have distorted themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matt. 19:12), St. Theodore calls “the greatest feat that exceeds nature, coming into contact with the angelic way of life and introducing a person to the original state that was in paradise” (1:110:411). According to the Holy Father, “there is no virtue as high as virginity. For virginity is the virtue that shone first of all in paradise, before the serpent insidiously deceived our first parents. Virginity makes people angels... and raises the world to incorruption" (1:46:311-312). “Virginity,” says the Venerable One elsewhere, “produced the Life of all. Virginity is the queen of virtues..., the bride and mistress of Christ” (1:65:339). While praising the virtue of virginity so highly, the Monk Theodore, however, believed that celibacy alone was not enough to become chaste. According to the Holy Father, it is necessary that the morals and the very life of a monk be virgin. To do this, you need to keep yourself clean from everything that excites or feeds lust, and avoid everything that the enemy of salvation uses to seduce a virgin. One must always remember that the higher the virtue, the more diligence is required (1:65:339). Every person has “the fire of passions in his entrails” (4:42::65). Therefore, monks, as those who have chosen a temperate and pure life, should behave “as carefully as possible,” knowing that “both in former times and now many have fallen from this height - some, being struck by pride, others, giving in to carelessness” (1:35:293). In order to remain at the height of a pure, chaste life, unscathed by any temptations, a monk must avoid excess, condemnation and in every possible way beware of not only a close acquaintance with a woman, but even a simple conversation with her. If, for any reason, a monk has to enter into a conversation with a woman, then it is necessary, on the advice of the Reverend, to behave with extreme caution, “keeping the mind down and the sight down” (1:75:355), “with full attention to oneself, lowering the eyes, so as not to receive a sting and an arrow in the heart” (1:3:239). Urgently demanding that not only the ordinary monk, but also the abbot, avoid communication with women, the Monk Theodore in his “Testament” writes to the latter the following: “You should not make friends with a nun, visit a nunnery, talk alone with a nun or a lay woman, unless necessary,” and even then in the presence of two or more strangers. “You should not eat food with women except your mother according to the flesh and your sister” (8:857). It must be said that it is no coincidence that the Monk Theodore looked so strictly at this question. He, as a most experienced ascetic, saw in this the reason why a monk could easily fall, breaking such a high vow and finding destruction for his soul. The one who violated the vow of virginity is compared by the Holy Father with the fallen Adam, seduced by Eve and subjected to strict penance (6:88:449; 6:102:465; 8:835). Bearing in mind the weakness of human nature and the tendency to sin, one who has taken a vow of virginity must avoid everything that could cause arousal of passions. Shamelessness in relation to each other should be avoided. For shamelessness, according to the Saint, is “a fire that burns the soul” (6:98:460; 3:92:880), a great and deadly evil (2:48:570), a door of iniquity (7:167:751), leading to fornication, the sin of Sodom and other vices (2:87:666). Shamelessness is aroused and nourished by mutual glances and smiles, private conversations, the closeness and contact of bodies, overeating, drinking wine, and so on (3:65:814). Therefore, the Monk Theodore, as an experienced mentor, forbids monks to establish close friendships with anyone in the monastery and to have a love for one of the brethren that is preferable to others; prohibits attracting the gaze of others by excessive grooming of one’s face and panache. The Reverend also advises to beware of shamelessness in relation to your own body. “Do not look at your nakedness,” he says, “lest you be cursed like Canaan... for fornication occurs even when the body does not come close to another” (2:48:571). Even when a natural need is fulfilled, the monk must, according to the thought of the Holy Father, maintain his appearance. Thus, according to the teachings of St. Theodore, everything should be pure and immaculate in a monk who has dedicated himself to the virgin life. Mere renunciation of marriage is not enough to be a true and perfect virgin. It is imperative to maintain purity of both body and soul (3:14:696), putting off unbridled lusts. Only in this way can a monk who lives easier and more unhindered serve God. Another monastic vow is the vow of non-covetousness or voluntary poverty. According to the thought of the Holy Father, non-covetousness consists in abandoning all property, in refusing to acquire it, in complete indifference to the objects of everyday convenience. Anyone who has entered a monastery and taken upon himself the good yoke of Christ must certainly remain in non-covetousness, being content only with what is most necessary and avoiding excess in clothing, cell supplies, and money. Knowing how detrimental the latter, that is, money, has on the life of a monk, the experienced mentor forbade having it at all. “A strict monk who rules over the world through non-covetousness,” says the Venerable One, “does not have even one piece of silver...” (6:180:574). The property, wealth and treasure of a monk should be the Lord Jesus Christ, the eyes of the mind and heart should be turned to Him and constantly directed; The monk must place all his trust in Him; All the monk’s hope should be concentrated in Him. It is impossible for a monk to maintain such a spiritual mood with property. Therefore, the Monk Theodore, referring to St. Basil the Great, removed from the monastic environment and the private use of the brethren everything that seemed vain decoration and excess. Panache and any whimsicality in a monk’s clothing or in his cell accessories were strictly prohibited by the Reverend, both for the ordinary monk and for the abbot of the monastery (3:6:678); 3:106:919–920; 8:858). In everything, according to the instructions of the Holy Father, there should be simplicity (7:20:712-715). An exception, however, was made only for sacred vestments (8:858) and, one might assume, for church utensils and church furnishings. The vows of virginity and non-covetousness are crowned in monasticism with the greatest virtue - obedience. This is the third vow of monasticism we are considering. According to the Monk Theodore, obedience stands above all feats and has the crown of martyrdom, since it requires the monk to cut off his own will and voluntarily completely submit himself in everything to the will of “the one who leads” (1:53:322), that is, the spiritual leader 22 and the senior monastic brethren. The idea of ​​obedience, according to the Holy Father, is very deep. It is rooted in the mystery of the economy of human salvation and has the most important basis for itself. Disobedience to God's commandment plunged all of humanity into the abyss of suffering, disease and curses. Only obedience can now return a person to the path to salvation. “We were expelled from paradise for disobedience and disobedience,” says St. Theodore, “therefore, the all-good God was pleased that we would receive times again through obedience and obedience” (1:111:413). A monk is obliged to show perfect obedience, first of all, to God as his Creator and Savior and must, in accordance with His all-holy will, which, according to the Apostle, “is... good, acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2), arrange his life for salvation. The image of true obedience was given to everyone in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was obedient to His Heavenly Father even to the point of death on the cross (Phil. 2:8). Therefore, looking at his Divine Teacher, the monk must imitate Him, showing the abbot and other monastic authorities all humility and obedience according to the word of the Lord, who said: “Listen to you, He listens to Me; and if you are swept away, I am swept away” (Luke 10:16). The monk must unswervingly, at the first request, carry out their orders and not refuse assigned obediences under any pretext (1:125:438–440); in everything he must follow the order established in the monastery (2:36:542), doing everything in good faith and sincerely, and not haphazardly and hypocritically, without any contradiction or grumbling. “A true novice,” says the wise Mentor, “obeys even a dry stick set by a superior, and even more so a man and a brother” (2:57:597). For such a person there are no limits to obedience. He obeys, according to the Reverend, like a slave to his master, like wax to a master, like iron to a blacksmith, in everything that is required of him, in accordance with the divine commandment (3:63:809; 2:40:550–551). “...Like a blameless lamb, he, following the example of his Master, does not argue, does not cry, but even if he needs to be slaughtered, he goes for it and obeys his father and brothers..., in obedience and humility he goes wherever he is ordered” (3:99:901). Unquestioning obedience is for a monk the basis and condition for a comfortable march towards spiritual perfection, and for his soul the source of eternal, blissful life. “What could be sweeter,” says St. Theodore, “more pleasant and beautiful than for a monk to live according to the commandment and do nothing of his own will? This is true obedience, this is the blessed life... one who lives for God” (1:114:401). Sincere and unquestioning obedience gives the monk the opportunity to improve and prosper by the grace of God in spiritual life (1:77:357). The soul of an obedient monk, in which there is no place for one’s own desires and one’s own will, but only the desire to subordinate oneself to the will of the mentor, “is sanctified, the will is mortified,” and, according to the words of St. Theodore, “a complete unity of the spiritually born (novice) with the one giving birth (elder)” occurs (B: 156). The greatest saints considered the virtue of obedience as the basis of their deeds. “Our great leader Anthony” and “equal-angel Arsenius”, “the divine Pachomius and Hilarion”, “the all-holy Euthymius” and “the sanctified and most reverend Savva... and others,” says the Monk Theodore, “would not have been glorified if they had not previously possessed the gift of obedience” (2:72:637-638). Their faithfulness to this virtue worked wonders: it tamed fierce animals, “witness of which is the one who, by order of the spiritual father, tied up the hyena”; raised the dead, which “was proved by Akaki, who uttered a voice from the grave” (1:125:439). The complete cutting off of one's will through obedience to the abbot and the senior monastic brethren elevates the ascetic to the degree of martyrdom (3:81:655). Just as the feat of martyrdom begins with various torments of the body, and is accomplished by death, so the feat of monasticism begins with the cutting off of one’s will and one’s understanding, renunciation of carnal pleasure, and is accomplished by the mortification of soul and body for sin, revival for God. “No one is a martyr,” says St. Theodore, “without experiencing torment. Therefore, we too, without weakening, will commit martyrdom to our conscience, enduring everything complacently: censure as scourging, cutting off our desires as shedding blood” (1:104:401). Calling on the monks to make obedience the basis of their spiritual life, the wise Mentor also pointed out the need for this virtue in monastic life. “Neither by abstinence, nor by vigil, nor by sleeping on the ground, nor by any other labor,” he says, “can we earn praise and so testify to the feat of the cinematic life, as by cutting off our will” (1:39:300-301). Everything that goes against this, such as self-will and self-rule, is alien to true obedience, and, therefore, should, according to the thought of the Holy Father, be removed from the monastic community, which requires only one virtue - this is holy obedience. The Monk Theodore regrets those who live according to their own will and do not obey their mentors. Warning fatherly, the wise Mentor addresses them with the following words: “Obedience is life, and disobedience is death... Let no one (therefore) imagine that by disobedience he will achieve a quiet life for himself: this is a deep deception; whoever follows this path acquires for himself only a painful eternal burden, but from obedience, on the contrary, light peace” (3:108:926). So, anyone who wishes to undergo the field of monastic achievement with benefit for the soul and to be saved in monastic solitude must necessarily acquire the virtue of obedience. True obedience, according to the instructions of St. Theodore, being, on the one hand, obedience to elders, is, on the other hand, constant crucifixion, mortification, cutting off personal desires and will. Obedience, which is important in itself for a monk, is especially important in the community. Because only it ensures peace, unanimity and integrity of the established system here. On the contrary, lack of obedience creates discord and disorder in the monastery (6:93:455). Chapter III. About faith and the commandments of God. “Our salvation, beloved children, consists in believing correctly in the Holy Trinity and doing the deeds witnessed by the holy commandments of God” (6:156:535-536). Man was created by God for eternity, therefore the main goal of his earthly life, according to the teachings of St. Theodore, is salvation (3:40:759), that is, the restoration of human nature damaged as a result of the Fall and the achievement of communion with God. But human salvation is impossible without faith (Matthew 16:16). The primary importance of faith in the matter of salvation can be seen from the fact that the Lord Himself saves only the believer: “Do you believe that I can do these things? - He asks two blind men who want to see. - He said to Him: “Yes, Lord” (Matthew 9:28) (7:130:725). So, faith is the first condition for a person’s salvation, it is the door through which God opens to a person. But what is the true Christian faith? The Holy Father answers this question with the following words: “The true faith of Christians,” he says, “is this: according to the teaching about God, to believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in whose name baptism is performed..., in one God, and not in three..., for there is one Divinity, not divided into three hypostases, but everything in each person is inseparably contemplated; according to the teaching about the economy (of our salvation - i.e. T.) again to believe that “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14), that is, one of the Holy Trinity was born of the Most Pure Virgin Mary, remaining the same as he was, God unchangeable and co-eternal with the Father, but taking on our nature through birth from the Virgin in the Holy Spirit. He is wholly God and wholly man, bearing within Himself completely all the properties of both natures of which He consists” (6:158:540). Faith, therefore, consists in accepting in its entirety the teaching about God revealed by God Himself. As a divine, revealed teaching, it surpasses human reason, and therefore cannot be accepted except by heartfelt feeling and faith. Speaking, however, about the need for salvation to contain “right faith” (6:43:399), the Reverend points out that faith must be living, active, expressed by the whole being of a person. According to the Holy Father, one must not only believe with the mind and heart, confess faith with the lips, but also express and prove it with life. The holy Apostle James demands this active, living faith from every Christian when he proclaims that “faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself,” for “by works is faith made perfect” (James 2:17:22). Emphasizing the thought of the Apostle, the Monk Theodore says that “neither life without right faith, nor faith without divine works can save” (6:43:399). Therefore, whoever wants to inherit salvation and eternal blessed life and, even in this earthly life, enjoy a foretaste of heavenly blessings, must, according to the teachings of St. Theodore the Studite, testify to his faith by fulfilling the holy commandments of God (6:156:536). Keeping God's commandments is a direct expression of a person's faith and love for God and neighbor. Keeping God's commandments is an indispensable condition for spiritual improvement, which the ascetic of Christ strives for. Therefore, reading the catechetical teachings of St. Theodore, one can see that the mentor, experienced in spiritual life, often draws the attention of monks to their fulfillment of the “life-giving commandments” of God (1:43:307). “Strive for the commandments of God,” he says, “follow them and bring into our community, as if some treasury, each his share..., let no one be left without virtues, let no one appear “lean” (Ex. 23:15) before the living God” (2:28:524). “Continue your good life,” says the Holy Father in another place, “keeping the commandments of the Lord” (3:58:797). “Keeping God’s commandments should be as strict as possible” (2:19:507). Such a constant reminder to monks to fulfill God’s commandments is not accidental. After all, they, in essence, are the will of the all-good God, who “wants all men to be saved and to come into the understanding of truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). The Lord Jesus Christ called His teaching and all His words commandments (John 14:21:23). “Come to Me,” He said, “all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest: take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and find rest for your souls: for My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). The yoke and burden of Christ are the gospel commandments. They are called a yoke for the reason that they require self-sacrifice, but they free and revive the soul, fill it with inexplicable peace and pleasure, and therefore they are called a good and easy yoke. Pronounced, according to the Monk Theodore, by true lips with a necessary meaning, they must necessarily be observed, and not perverted, so that one can either observe them or not, or observe them for some, but not for others, or sometimes observe them, and sometimes not. They must certainly be observed always, by every person and at all times (6:39:393). “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me: and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:21). The Lord’s words clearly indicate the need to study the divine commandments so that they become the property of the mind, after which it is possible to fulfill them exactly as the Lord requires. For this reason, the monk, according to the Monk Theodore, must study with all possible care and attention, that is, “learn and observe in everything the commandments and justifications of the Lord” (3:120:958). Fulfilling the commandments of God, as stated above, is an active expression of our faith in the Holy Trinity, providing the executor with an experimental knowledge of the corruption of human nature, providing him with eternal salvation (6:156:535–536). Fulfilling God's commandments is the glorification of God and that is the only goal, according to the Holy Father, for which we were sent into this world (3:78:842). The Holy Fathers, who achieved spiritual perfection, achieved it by nothing other than the exact fulfillment of the commandments of God, and they left us an example of their life. Therefore, a monk must imitate in everything, according to the Reverend, the holy ascetics, “keeping the commandments of the Lord and our God” (2:57:596), and always be firm and unshakable in their implementation (2:51:579). Spiritual life itself will be conducted correctly only if the monk does not consider anything preferable to the commandments of God. This is characteristic, according to the instructions of the Holy Father, of all true Christians and monks (1:61:333). Chapter IV. About the fight against passions Man was created to communicate with God. The highest good for man lies in continuous communication, in union with his Creator. However, this union is broken by sin. Through disobedience to the Creator, man darkened the image and likeness of God in himself, frustrated his spiritual powers (1:100:395) and lost communication with true life - God. Sin, having penetrated human nature, distorted it, making it spiritually, morally, and physically sick. Being subject to his inner weakness, as well as to various temptations from the devil, man often began to lean towards sin and fall into it, becoming a slave to his own lusts, passions and all kinds of evil. In order to restore the “previously fallen image” and the union of man with God, broken by sin, and through this achieve the eternal salvation of his soul, a person needs to enter into a struggle with sin, it is necessary to enter into a struggle with the devil, who has captivated a person and is leading him to sin, it is necessary to cleanse himself of passions. This struggle, according to the teachings of St. Theodore the Studite, is an integral part of the spiritual work of a monk (8:819). Based on personal experience, the Studite ascetic says that the monk will have to struggle with passions for the rest of his life (1:2:237; 3:79:845). The languor and feat into which the monk is elevated by this invisible, internal struggle, ascends in their meaning to the feat of martyrdom (7: 161: 747). The Wise Mentor, speaking every time about passions, draws attention to their very significant sign: being an obstacle to communication with God. Knowing about the inclination of his nature to sin, a monk should therefore carefully monitor his spiritual state and fight against the sinful inclinations of his soul. It must also be remembered that any vice, any passion, if it prevails in a monk, can destroy the soul. Relaxation of one sinful skill or passion can open the entrance to the soul to many sins and vices. Warning against this, the Reverend says that “passions living in us and thoughts arising from the carnal way of thinking, which, like traitors, open the door to hostile demons; they should be expelled and guarded with all security, so that our city, that is, our soul, is not taken, so that we are not robbed by sin and so that we do not conclude a truce with disastrous passions...” (1:99:393). “The spirits of evil,” the Holy Father says in another place, “attack like storms: the spirit of fornication, the spirit of gluttony, the spirit of avarice, the spirit of laziness, the spirit of sadness, the spirit of pride, and we must be careful lest we drown in the harbor” (1:4:240). According to the instructions of St. Theodore, the passions are numerous and varied. “How many and what kind of passions are there? They are without number" (3:74:829). In the teachings of the Reverend there is no detailed analysis of each passion separately. He does not set such a goal for himself. His teachings are the living word of an experienced confessor and good shepherd. The actions of this or that passion and methods of combating them are considered by the Holy Father in his teachings only as the need arises. All passions and vices, which are countless, come from pride, the most dangerous passion of the soul. “The first cause of mental illness,” says the experienced Mentor, “is pride” (2:80:652). Anyone who is subjected to this passion naturally moves away from God and thereby takes the wrong path. While on this path, he will never be able to please God, draw closer to Him and unite with Him, even if he observes virginity, fasting, prays and other virtues. One blinded by pride does not have a clear idea of ​​himself, of his spiritual state. Such, according to the Reverend, is far from God and sick in soul. How to get rid of this passion? The best remedy against it, the Reverend believes, is “humility in unconditional obedience” (2:80:652). You should never think highly of yourself, boast and exalt yourself before others, but, on the contrary, always looking to Christ as the most perfect example, imitate His greatest humility, consider yourself worse than others, put yourself in last place (2:82:656). By humbly thinking about itself, the monk’s soul attracts the mercy of God (7:157:744) and becomes the abode of God’s grace (2:37:545). The words of St. Theodore “in unconditional obedience” clearly indicate that humility as the main remedy against pride can be easily acquired by a monk if he obeys his spiritual father in everything, rejecting his will and reason and captivating him into obedience. In addition to pride, St. Theodore the Studite in his teachings warns against envy, through which “death enters the world” (Wis. 2:24). Coming from the spirit of malice, envy is insatiable in its malignancy, and as the ancestor of evil and all deceit, it is capable of sowing harmful seeds in the heart of a monk and thereby depriving him of a blissful life. “This passion,” teaches the Reverend, “usually gradually burns, consumes and destroys a person due to the desire to appear better than his neighbor...” (3:77:837). Envy is the beginning and source of ill will towards others. Many examples can be found in the Holy Scriptures about the destructiveness of this passion. The best weapon against envy is love for God and neighbors, which, according to the Apostle, “does not envy” (1 Cor. 13:4). In addition, St. Theodore advises fighting against it “through hatred of earthly glory” (3:77:837). It often happens that pride and envy reveal themselves in outbursts of anger. The Monk Theodore teaches that anger is a consequence of the absence of the fear of God in the soul. Experiencing a “painful mood,” an angry person, says the Holy Father, loses his outer human appearance, having “a swollen face, inverted eyes, dilated nostrils, compressed eyebrows, standing hair…” (2:29:528). The Reverend considers meekness to be an effective means for eradicating anger and excessive irritability. Therefore, he says to the monks: “Fight anger with meekness” (3:54:790). When arousing the above passion, it is also useful for the monk to remember that he angers God every day, but God forgives him; therefore, he should not be angry and irritated with his neighbors, having a command from God to forgive them; if he does not forgive, then the Lord will not forgive his sins. The passions of gluttony and fornication are also very dangerous. The first danger is that the glutton, satiating the flesh, burdens the soul, making it lazy and careless about its salvation. And when the soul becomes lazy, then access to many passions opens up in it, first of all, prodigal. The passion of gluttony, according to the teachings of St. Theodore the Studite, is cured by abstinence (1:49:316–317; 1:133:453–454). Abstinence, first of all, is manifested in the monk’s control over the natural needs of the flesh. The main principle of abstinence, according to the Holy Father, is moderation. Each monk, in accordance with his physical strength, body condition and age, must eat as much food as is necessary to maintain the vigor of the body. “Conduct yourself,” advises the Reverend, “regarding food, drink and everything else in such a way that you rule, and do not obey desires, - dominate, and not be slaves of the flesh; …the higher should not be enslaved by the lower” (3:14:697). Such abstinence, according to the view of the Monk Theodore the Studite, contributes to the fact that the body of the ascetic monk becomes an obedient instrument of his spiritual aspirations. Abstinence in food will help the ascetic monk in the fight against fornication. This passion defiles not only the body, but also the soul, and thereby deprives one of eternal bliss. The reason for the emergence of fornication, according to the Saint, is external feelings, through which sin enters the soul (1:4:240). This is largely due to the negligence and carelessness of the monk. The Holy Father describes the emergence of fornication as follows: “The poison begins to be prepared - first by the acceptance of inappropriate thoughts; then, having inflamed the heart with the lusts of flesh and blood, he challenges him to say something that is forbidden; then inspires insolence... finally, in this way, causes death..." (1:113:417). The pleasures delivered by fornication, according to the teachings of St. Theodore, are always very short-lived and, as a rule, have an admixture of bitterness, delivering sorrow and suffering instead of the expected pleasure. “This disease,” says the Holy Father, “is similar to scabies. Just as a person with scabies, when itching, apparently receives pleasure, but in fact receives not pleasure, but suffering, so one captured by the passion of lust receives not pleasure, but sorrow, not tranquility, but slavery, not a good mood, but despondency. Such a one is pitiable, hopeless, timid, afraid even of shadows, not to mention the future judgment” (1:113:417). Prodigal passion in all its forms and manifestations brings enormous harm not only because it upsets health, darkens the soul, and torments a person’s conscience, but also because it plunges him into the abyss of destruction, depriving him of eternal salvation. To combat this very dangerous passion, the most experienced Mentor advises “to watch your eyes, so as not to cast glances at random, for this is the way the evil one introduces his fire into us” (2:27:522). In the fight against prodigal passion, the ascetic monk should pay special attention, in the words of the Reverend, to “firm resistance to the attacks of thoughts.” Effective weapons against prodigal attacks are: prayer, sighing before God, tears. “When passion comes..., struck by it, quickly get up, pray, sigh, shed tears,” advises the Reverend, “and it will soon go away, but you will rest in the Lord” (1:113:417). In addition, the Monk Theodore persistently commands to avoid places that could lead to a fall, as well as conversations and treatment of women. “Even if anyone seems to have kept himself in practice, he will not be saved in the heart, according to the saying of the Lord (Matthew 5:28) ... Therefore, flee as from fire, men from women and women from men; if it becomes necessary to have intercourse, then as much as need and benefit require, while avoiding leading others into temptation” (6:137:521-522). “True confession” (2:48:571), as well as frequent remembrance of death, which is a healing remedy against all passions in general (6:134:504), can help a monk a lot in the fight against fornication. Revealing the action of passions in the soul and ways to combat them, the Monk Theodore the Studite attaches great importance to the very attitude of the monk to temptations. Without temptations, the experienced Mentor teaches, a monk would not have learned to fight (1:74:353); without temptations, victory over the passions would have been impossible, because passions are revealed during temptations. The best means of exterminating all passions is to patiently and joyfully “endure all sorrows - whether from people or from demons, which happen in ... common life” (3: 9: 685). The Reverend advises to contrast each passion with its opposite virtue: gluttony - abstinence, fornication - chastity, love of money - non-covetousness, anger - meekness, sadness - joy, despondency - patience, vanity and pride - humility. It is necessary, first of all, to arm yourself against the prevailing passion, which manifests itself more often than other passions, the one that most worries the monk (3:77:837). A powerful weapon in the fight against all passions is invoking the name of the Lord. This is how the Holy Father speaks about this: “We must meet all... passions, enter into battle with everyone and destroy everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is coming to give us the reward for victory on the day of retribution for victory” (3: 4: 674). As soon as any passion makes itself felt, the monk must immediately turn to God with heartfelt sorrow for help. In spiritual warfare, the Monk Theodore teaches, the special attention of the ascetic monk should be directed to his natural feelings, which play a huge role in the emergence of passion. By assimilating enemy attacks, they arouse in the monk a sinful interest in the image proposed by the demon. Therefore, the Studian ascetic advises “to keep ourselves within ourselves from wandering of the senses” (1:117:423). “Bind yourself by rules regarding the eye, and hearing, and smell, and taste, and touch... so that you are not drowned by the pressure of passions” (1: 4: 240). “Let the eye learn to see rightly, let the ear be closed to hear evil, let the tongue restrain itself from speaking vain things, let the hand not touch what it should not touch...” (1:43:306). The main reason for the emergence of passions, according to the instructions of St. Theodore the Studite, is sinful thoughts. “...The beginning and root of our sins,” the Holy Father teaches, “is an inappropriate thought” (1:133:453), which bites “like snakes” and pours “poison into the soul, which must be removed with all diligence, as soon as this happens, so that delay does not make the wound difficult to heal” (1:1:235). The Monk Theodore, who with God’s help conquered the old man within himself with his “passions and lusts,” warns monks against being carried away by sinful thoughts. He teaches that thoughts begin with a pretext. Thus, depicting the process of gradual development of passion in the soul of every person, the Holy Father says that “the devil, first of all, tries to make us accept the pretext, then he instills something bad in the heart, and then, having deceived in this way and poisoned the soul, he takes it out of its natural state and makes it mad, senseless and blind, striving for what it should not do” (8:819-820). But pretext is not yet a sin. In this case, the monk can accept or reject the pretext and thereby prevent himself from being “dragged to the limits of sin” (8:820). When the monk accepts him, talks with him and agrees, then he “little by little passes into the works of darkness. Hence – spiritual death” (1:133:453). The Devil and the spirits of malice that have fallen away with him, teaches the Reverend, are infected with fierce hatred of the human race. For this reason, with great bitterness and hellish art, they wage invisible spiritual warfare with man. “We, who are all familiar with the Holy Scriptures,” the Reverend addresses the monks, “know what and how much he has done, generation after generation, to the human race. Even now He ambushes us, hisses, grovels, flatters, slowly enters, exits and carries away those who are unstable in soul” (3:96:890). The devil, and along with him the spirits of evil, use every effort to lure a person onto the path of destruction, to separate him from God. “The fierce serpent and dragon - the devil” (2:12:486), being the “artist of evil” (1:25:275) and the “initiator of sin” (4:19:105–106), day and night does not stop his attacks, insidious ambushes, seeking to destroy a person (3:90:874) and seeking means to steal his salvation (1:113:416). Experienced in fighting people and destroying them through “cunning and deceit,” the devil spreads “many nets” across the earth to ensnare people (1:102:398). He harbors special malice towards monks. The fall of the latter is considered for those who fell away with the devil as a “glorious victory and a great trophy” (3:49:781; 1:101:397). Mostly spirits of evil act on a person through thoughts. Therefore, in order to resist the spirits of evil and defeat them with the grace of God, the monk must “not open the door to the devil through the acceptance of evil thoughts” (1:90:377). Based on personal experience, the Studio ascetic advises not to enter into conversation with sinful thoughts, but to reject them immediately from the moment they appear. This should be done especially in relation to prodigal thoughts and dreams. “It’s hard and difficult,” the Reverend admits, “not to be captured by inappropriate thoughts. If we are captured by them, we will try to quickly eliminate them with prayers, tears, heartaches born from the fear of God, so that, if delayed, they will not cause death...” (1:124:436-437). “We will not allow,” says the Holy Father in another teaching, “for the artist of evil to poison us with criminal thoughts. But as soon as he instills carnal lust or any other evil, let us quickly repel the evil one” (1:25:276). The necessary tools for gaining victory in the invisible battle are repentance before God and timely disclosure of disturbing thoughts to a spiritual leader. “If ... an unstable soul is defiled by evil thoughts, which, admittedly, very often happens (for whoever boasts that he has a blameless heart), then it is necessary to cleanse it as quickly as possible and bring it back to its previous state of mind, so that, having taken root in evil, it will not bring death” (1:20:267). “An illness can only be cured by lying down; so the mind, burdened with thoughts, is relieved in no other way than by openly announcing them” (1:98:391). One must speak about one’s thoughts without any embarrassment, false shame, and as simply as possible, realizing that the sooner the monk reveals them, the sooner he will free himself from them. Under no circumstances, according to the experienced confessor, should you hide your unclean thoughts. “Those who did not open them in order to receive help for themselves, little by little fell from their divine vow, becoming the prey of the devil” (3:69:821). “Thoughts, when hidden, give rise to passions, and when they are confessed, they become pleasing to God” (8:830–831). Sincere and sincere confession of one's thoughts eradicates everything sinful in the monk's soul, giving room for good to develop and take hold. True and sincere confession of thoughts helps the mentor himself to more easily judge the spiritual growth of the monk. By revealing his inner heartfelt thoughts and wishes to his spiritual leader, the monk thereby acquires the skill of self-observation and correct assessment of them. An effective tool for repelling sinful thoughts and dreams is to immediately turn to God with the warmest prayer for driving away invisible enemies. According to the thought of the Holy Father, as soon as a monk senses the coming of sinful thoughts, and with them the primordial enemy, he must rise to prayer, kneel and cry with tears to God for help (1:25:276; 1:124:436). With the help of prayer, the monk defeats the offensive hostile force and repels repeated attacks from the dragon (2:64:618). Marking oneself with the sign of the cross is another means of repelling sinful thoughts, as well as demons that inspire these thoughts in the ascetic. “When the devil,” says the Venerable One, “begins to raise whole mountains of thoughts and open abysses of passions, we have nothing to fear; we calmly mark ourselves only with the seal of the Life-giving Cross, and it will be discarded” (4:33:182). In spiritual warfare against sinful thoughts, prayer must be combined with physical labor. When the body is at rest or idle, the mind indulges in distraction or daydreaming. However, as soon as a monk engages in any work, he concentrates and the unreasonable movement of his thoughts stops. “Where there is... labor,” notes St. Theodore, “there is no place for sin to penetrate the soul. When the heart is inactive and insensitive, then lust quietly penetrates, irritating and disturbing us and not allowing us to return to our previous state” (1:105:403). The Reverend gives a similar thought in another teaching: “Idleness,” he says, “is the mother of depravity, but work is the preservation of the mind” (1:48:330). So, the acceptance of sinful thoughts is the starting point for the emergence of passion. The entire course of the gradual development of the latter, that is, passion in the soul, from beginning to end, is determined by the different attitude of the ascetic to thought. If he freely accepts the crafty attacks implanted by demons, then passion develops and flourishes in his soul. And vice versa, when an ascetic, concentrating his attention, wages an invisible struggle against sinful thoughts, they are suppressed, and the further development of passion stops. Thus, the victory of one who struggles over sinful thoughts, according to the teachings of St. Theodore, also means his overcoming of passion. Due to the fact that a monk in his life is constantly forced to resist emerging thoughts and passions, spiritual life, according to the thought of the Studite ascetic, is called spiritual struggle, or warfare (1:84:369). Using all means for this struggle, the monk must remember that his weak forces are not sufficient to defeat sinful habits or passions and demonic attacks. In addition to the resistance required from one struggling in the spiritual struggle, and humility, the gracious help of God is also necessary, for “there is one hope, one invincible weapon and one invincible banner,” the Rev. testifies, “this is the help of the Lord, girding the weak with strength (1 Samuel 2:4)” (2:25:517). “Our good God, knowing the pliability of human nature and the fact that even those who seem to walk upright, a little carelessly, fall unconscious, kindly granted repentance, which restores a person from a fall and returns him to health” (6:50:407). The first sermon addressed by the Savior to man, and the commandment given by Him, was about repentance: “Jesus began to preach and say: Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is drawing near” (Matthew 4:17). These same words are still proclaimed in the Gospel, calling every sinner to repentance. Why to repentance first? – Because all people, after the fall of their ancestors, became involved in sin, fell away from God, losing the opportunity for close communication with Him. Now, in order to get closer to God, a person must admit his fall, his unworthiness, admit his sinfulness or illness of nature. Repentance, according to the thought of the Holy Father, is precisely the only medicine through which a person is cleansed and gets rid of sin, approaches God, healing his nature damaged by sin and being spiritually reborn. It is no coincidence that St. Theodore calls repentance the first and last medicine for a sick soul (7:179:756). And no matter how great the sin and no matter how many times it is repeated, true repentance can heal it. “Whoever wants to be saved,” says the Monk Theodore, “has no obstacle, and whoever has reached the final limit of evil has no excuse to keep him from returning to God again” (1:93:381). Thus, in accordance with the teachings of the Church, the Reverend believes that there are no sins that exceed God’s mercy. True repentance begins when a person’s soul, burdened with many sins and wanting to be freed from them, begins to hate its reprehensible life. Following inner contrition and repentance, one should reveal one’s actions and thoughts in confession to one’s spiritual father. And although confession, in the words of St. Theodore, “is a sorrowful memory,” it nevertheless has the power to lead the repentant “to the good path” and “to extinguish the eternal fire” (8:830). True repentance also lies in the firm determination, having left the previous sinful life, to begin to live according to the will of God, revealed in the Gospel. By fulfilling the Gospel commandments, the ascetic acquires the skill of struggling with sin and comes to an even clearer vision of his natural damage. Repentance, according to the thought of St. Theodore, is the essence of monastic life. Entering into monasticism is a consciousness of one’s sinfulness, and living itself is an uninterrupted field of repentance. Thus, according to the instructions of an experienced Mentor, the main occupation of a monk should be “purifying the soul and turning one’s gaze to dispassion” (1:60:332), that is, active and constant repentance. Being a mediator between God and his brotherhood (2:25:518), the Monk Theodore established in the monastery a “great and saving activity” - the confession of their thoughts by the monks before the abbot. This was, according to the Holy Father, the best medicine, a salutary prevention of moral corruption, the healing effect of fatherly advice and guidance on the spirit of the monks, restless and exhausted under the burden of evil desires and disastrous passions (1:133:452-454). The Monk Theodore demanded that the monks constantly reveal their souls to him, and commanded them not to have anything “secret and not destroyed,” so that an evil thought “would not turn into a whole ulcer” (2:38:548). “Open everything in confession” (2:51:580; 2:14:494), “gain complete frankness in all your deeds and thoughts” (2:34:539), the experienced Mentor advised the monks. The monk, therefore, must reveal every thought and every movement of his heart before the abbot - a person placed by God in this responsible position and who has care for each of the brethren, giving an answer to God for them. Only in this case does the devil have no access to the soul of the repentant. To recognize all kinds of sins and thoughts, it is very useful for a monk to retire into the cell of his soul, testing himself and repenting daily before God of his sins. For “nothing should be left unhealed even for one hour,” says the Venerable One, “because death is a thief, and we do not know at what hour the thief will come... but leaving the body unprepared is very dangerous and appearing before the judgment seat of Christ is very scary” (1:82:365). Having surveyed the past day with a spiritual gaze and having found something contrary to his duty and calling, the monk must tell these sins to the abbot through confession, so that the latter can heal his weakness with his advice and prayer. And no matter how many times you have to be struck, no matter how many times you have to fall into sin for some reason, a monk should not fall into despair. We must remember that “every time is convenient for the salvation of the soul and every day is favorable, if we want” (1:130:447). Therefore, it is necessary to resort to repentance and confession as soon as possible, then the monk will receive healing from the sinful ulcer. “Open,” the wise Mentor advises, “the wound to your doctor, tell it and do not be ashamed, approach with faith... and with gentle simplicity and, as if from the mouth of God, accept all his advice” (8:830). Confession is “the true, spiritual birth, ... the continuous progress, ascension and deification of the one who has acquired this gift” (3:25:725). After the monk has sincerely repented and, with the help of God’s grace, has completely “extinguished and incinerated” the sinful feeling, his soul “rejoices and becomes more and more courageous and, being in the light of the path to God, rises higher and higher, deified and soaring in the sky,” for “the evil serpent is defeated and torn out of the heart” (3:105:917). So, according to the teaching of St. Theodore, the beginning of salvation lies in repentance. It embraces the entire life of a monk and is an act of spiritual recreation of fallen human nature. A monk only walks correctly when he is filled and guided by a feeling of repentance. When the feeling of repentance recedes from his heart, this serves as a sure sign that the monk is carried away by false thoughts. It is impossible, due to the weakness of human nature, not to sin. However, it is possible, having sinned through recklessness or infatuation with an evil enemy, to immediately change by resorting to repentance. Therefore, “until the doors are shut (Luke 13:25), says the Venerable One, but they are shut in death” (6:45:401), we must resort to the great and saving sacrament - repentance. Chapter VI. About fasting, abstinence and prayer “The great weapon for a monk is abstinence” (4:35:70). One of the surest means for a monk to succeed on the path of salvation, leading to the knowledge of his weakness, his sinfulness, is fasting. Christ the Savior, preparing Himself to serve the human race, began His redemptive feat with a forty-day fast in the desert, thereby indicating the need for His followers of this virtue. Revealing the greatness of the latter in his teachings, the Monk Theodore says: “Fasting is a renewal of the soul, for the holy Apostle says: “Even if our outer man decays, yet the inner man is renewed all the days” (2 Cor. 4:16) (1:54:323). Helping the ascetic in the fight against passions, fasting tames them and subordinates the flesh to the spirit. “Without a doubt, fasting torments and exhausts the body” (1:59:330), but the soul, freed from the power of the flesh, “is adorned in the image of pristine beauty,” thereby lovingly attracting to itself the One who said: I and the Father “will come and make our abode with him” (John 14:23) (1:54:323). Having himself experienced the power and benefits of fasting, St. Theodore, however, reminds ascetic monks of the need to be very careful and judicious in the practice of this virtue, remembering that immoderate and overly strict fasting can undermine their physical strength. “That you enslave and suppress the flesh,” we read in one of the Rev.’s letters, “is good, but observe the measure..., maintaining bodily health” (7:235:790). The Monk Theodore expresses a similar thought in his teaching to the brethren: “Let us not strain ourselves beyond our strength...,” he says, “but together with good spirits we will protect the health of the body” (1:56:327), and this is “the best” (7:236:790). By going through the feat of fasting in this way, the monk retains his ability to perform soul-saving activities. Arousing zeal for abstinence in monks, the Monk Theodore, on the one hand, extols it with great praise, as we saw above, on the other hand, exposes all the destructiveness of incontinence, through which death entered the world. “Our ancestor Adam,” says the Reverend, “while he abstained from forbidden food in paradise, he rejoiced and had fun, filled with divine instructions and insights. When he did not abstain and touched the tree of disobedience, he was immediately expelled from the paradise of sweetness, and intemperance became for him the mother of death. In the same way, the Sodomites, “in the abundance of bread” (Ezek. 16:49), raged, incurred the wrath of God, being consumed with fire and brimstone. In the same way, despised Esau, carried away by voluptuous eyes, gave up his birthright for one meal... Therefore, brothers, we flee from intemperance even in what we are allowed to enjoy, knowing that intemperance is the mother of sin” (1:39:316). The strictness of observing fasting should, however, consist not only in abstaining from modest food, but in general, according to the Monk Theodore, from all kinds of evil: “envy and hatred, anger and discord, rage, murmuring, pride and every other vile passion” (4:46:91). In support of his words, the Reverend cites the statement of St. Basil the Great, who says that “true fasting is renunciation from all evil, and the measure of strict abstinence is to not have a single passion” (4:31:172). The Monk Theodore thereby tries to focus the attention of the ascetic in fasting not on its external, physical side, but on the internal, spiritual. The distinctive properties of true fasting are numerous types of virtues, including peace, meekness, decorum, compassion, obedience and humility. The last thing, that is, humility, according to the Holy Father, is especially important. It must lie at the basis of fasting, must “precede it” (2:18:504). “He who abstains,” the Venerable Apostle Paul quotes, “let him not exalt himself as if it were some great deed, for “he does not place us in vain before God” (1 Cor. 8:8) (2:55:591). Thus, we see how great importance the Holy Father attaches to abstinence for the spiritual life of a monk. It helps in the fight against passions and the invisible enemy, is a source of spiritual benefits for those who strive in it and, being placed in inextricable connection with all other virtues, is, according to the Rev. the Reverend, an “introduction” to them (4:35:70). The correctness of abstinence should be determined not by physical deeds, although they must take place, but, mainly, by spiritual deeds, to which prayer belongs. If abstinence renounces carnal passions, then prayer fights spiritual passions. It is no coincidence that prayer should be the main feat of a monk. It is in it, in prayer, that all his exploits should be concentrated and combined. Through prayer, the monk cleaves most closely to the Lord, uniting “in one spirit with the Lord” (1 Cor. 6:11). Unceasing, contrite prayer, according to St. Theodore, “does not give a place to the devil in a monk” (1:89:375), helps in the fight against the various tricks of “spiritual predators” (7:153:742) and defeats their “hostile and offensive power” (2:64:618). Prayer, according to the Reverend, inspires the mind of the person praying and makes him an interlocutor with God. It attracts Divine grace, which, enlightening the mind, sanctifying the heart and strengthening the spiritual strength of the one praying, makes him “adopted to God” (2:64:618). Through prayer, confidence in God’s help is instilled in the heart of the person praying, and strength is given to patiently endure all sorrowful circumstances. She is a support in the life of a monk. “Pray earnestly,” the Reverend Father calls, “so that we will spend our lives in patience and gratitude and be fully prepared for everything sad, even to death” (7:78:685). Prayer is a necessary duty of a monk. He must pray not only for himself, for his salvation, but also for the brethren (1:107:406) and his abbot, so that grace will accompany him in the saving management of the monastery (2:86:663). The monk is called to prayer for the salvation of the whole world. “We, as true and unfalse disciples,” teaches St. Theodore, “must not only take care of ourselves, but also grieve and pray for the brethren and the whole world” (1:64:338). To make his words convincing, the Reverend cites the words of the Apostle, who commands “to make prayers, supplications, petitions, thanksgivings for all people, for the king and for all who are in authority” (1 Tim. 2:1-2). In order for a prayer to be heard and bring tangible benefit to the soul of a monk, a reverent and attentive attitude towards it is necessary on the part of the latter. “...Let us be attentive to prayers,” says the Reverend Father, “so that by praying purely to the pure God, we may be more enlightened and not darkened” 23 . So, prayer is the basis of the spiritual life of a monk; his whole life must be permeated with it; according to the words of the Holy Father, every work must begin with it (2:14:493). Like any virtue, prayer requires diligence. Anyone who wants to acquire this virtue must constantly force himself to do this, asking for this gift from God. Chapter VII. On reading the word of God and patristic works “Listen to and assimilate the divinely spoken sayings of the Gospels, Apostles, Prophets, and also those of the inspired fathers. Before you is a sumptuous meal for spiritual pleasure” (4:19:108). In close connection with prayer is the teaching of the monk in the word of God. Being the word of the Divine Truth itself and enlightening the “hairs of the heart,” it reveals to the monk the will of God, “good, acceptable and perfect” (Eph. 1:18; Rom. 12:2). The Word of God, according to the word of the Apostle, is a lamp shining in a dark place (2 Peter 1:19), accompanying and leading into the Kingdom of Heaven those who read it with their lives. The Monk Theodore, who himself knew the word of God well, as evidenced by the numerous quotes he cited from both the Old and New Testaments, advised the ascetic monks to devote the time free from obedience and prayer to reading the Holy Scriptures and patristic works. By reading the word of God, the monk, according to the thought of the Reverend, nourishes and saves his soul. A gracious renewal takes place in his soul, for the Lord Himself “with His Divine Scriptures” turns him away from all evil and “raises him to all kinds of God-like deeds” (2: 4: 464). Taking advantage of the “spiritual meal,” the monk, according to St. Theodore, “is changed by a good change” (1:73:352). “If he was careless, he abandons his negligence; if he was diligent, he becomes even more zealous” (1:40:301). According to the Reverend, a monk should not, however, be content with just hearing and reading the word of God; it is also necessary to “delve into the meaning of the Divine Scriptures” (7:60:673). Such attentive and reverent study of the word of God must be preceded by a humble prayer to God for the enlightenment of the mind and heart. He who studies in this way in the word of God, according to the words of the wise Mentor, “is contrite, purified, enlightened, becomes clear, rejoices..., yet he considers everything here to be a fleeting shadow, he considers everything as rubbish in order to gain Christ” (1:78:358). In order for the sublime word of God to become even more accessible and understandable, this requires, according to the experienced Mentor, the abandonment of a sinful life, earthly addictions and pleasures; holiness of life is needed, for like is known by like. The monk also learns the true understanding of the word of God, living according to the Gospel commandments, right faith, salvation and Christian perfection from the writings of the fathers. The Holy Fathers and ascetics of piety, whose glory, according to the instructions of St. Theodore, is “unquenchable” (1:42:304), experienced human nature, all its infirmities, passions, vices, causes of sins, all the tricks and slander of the spirits of evil, and, thereby, showed the way to overcoming sinful filth and eternal salvation and perfection. They left this entire experience in their writings as the greatest spiritual heritage, gratefully admiring which, St. Theodore says: “Tell me, what is more pleasant than contemplating the immortal deeds of our holy Fathers, their miracles and rewards for victory over demons? It seems to me that even stones feel this benefit, not to mention a reasonable person” (1:41:302–303). Reading the lives of the saints, their immortal creations, “the monk’s mind is enlightened, putting aside the darkening wisdom of the flesh..., the soul is touched, soaring to Divine love” (1:41:303). Seeing the good life of the saints, their great exploits, which seem to exceed human strength, the monk sees that, in his sinfulness, he is far from the perfection of the Holy Fathers. From this, his soul descends into the depths of humility, mourning his disastrous state. However, speaking about the spiritual benefits of reading the patristic writings, St. Theodore at the same time advises the monk to be selective in what he reads. He must choose for himself the reading of the Fathers that corresponds to his way of life: since he lives in a monastic dormitory, then he must read the works of the Fathers who wrote instructions for monastic dormitories. “Just as in a hospital,” says the Monk Theodore, “everyone chooses a medicine according to his illness, in the same way we must pay attention to those close to us in life, from here we will receive something useful” (1:41:303). The wise mentor seems to emphasize that reading is necessary, which certainly corresponds to the way of life, otherwise the monk will be filled with thoughts, although holy, but unfulfillable in practice and, moreover, dangerous for his spiritual salvation. The goal of their lives, their deeds, was the fulfillment of the will of God and the salvation of the immortal soul, and this, undoubtedly, is the main content of their creations. Therefore, the monk, according to the thought of St. Theodore, must not only read their works, but also be a zealous imitator of their “divine deeds, painting his soul after their example with the colors of piety” (2:37:544). Encouraging the monks to implement the patristic instructions in their lives, the wise Mentor says: “Let us arrange our lives according to the model of the fathers and that of ancient times. Let us follow in the footsteps of their virtues, let us love their deeds, let us reflect in ourselves their way of life” (2:72:637). The monk thereby makes it clear to the monk that reading the fatherly writings without actually fulfilling what is read cannot bear fruit in spiritual life, cannot help in the salvation of the soul. What is read must certainly be applied in practice, so that, in the words of St. Theodore, “the name will not be taken in vain” (1:41:303). Everything stated thus clearly shows that, after prayer, the most important cell activity for a monk should be, according to the thought of the Holy Father, reading and studying the word of God and the works of the fathers. He who evades this saving reading causes the greatest damage to his soul, since he does not have a clear idea of ​​the purpose of his life, a correct understanding of spiritual work, and, therefore, grows cold for spiritual life. The student, on the contrary, comes to life in soul for everything spiritual and, turning away from evil, begins to strive with zeal in the work of his spiritual improvement and salvation. “Where there is humility of mind, there is every good work” (7:194:766). The means that can spiritually heal a person, heal his soul (2:49:573), is, according to the teachings of St. Theodore, humility, the most necessary and most important virtue in spiritual life. Emphasizing its importance, the Rev. says that “there is not a single saint who would please God without humility” (2:37:544). It is “the source of virtues,” “the divine garden that produces all kinds of fruits of immortality” (3:89:871). The essence of humility, according to the Holy Father, is to consider oneself the most sinful of all, having done nothing good before God, not to condemn anyone, but, on the contrary, to “blame only oneself, and not one’s neighbor” for everything (7:67:677). Elsewhere, revealing the same idea, St. Theodore says that a true monk is distinguished by “the readiness to put himself in last place, to consider many above himself...” (2:82:656-657). Considering himself “earth and ashes” (7:28:836) and giving thanks to God for everything, the humble monk still here on earth finds true spiritual peace. The grace of God descends on his soul and “brings about the purification of his heart” (2:37:545). In turn, the heart, because of humility before others and because of love for them, comes to life for spiritual relationships with God, for which it was hitherto dead. Imitating the Lord, the humble monk is “meek and quiet, does not quarrel and does not shout, but if it happens, he himself is more likely to be insulted than to offend” (1:47:313). From the humility that fills the soul, as from a “good root,” grows “all joy and peace, meekness and piety, all obedience and perseverance in goodness, politeness and meekness, everything good, pleasant, everything desirable, which distinguishes a true man of God” (2:80:652), because “every humble and contrite soul “brings forth good treasure” ( Matthew 12:35) according to the Gospel. The Venerable Abbot, being himself a humble monk, wanted his brethren in the monastery to strive most of all for this virtue. “Prefer humility” (2:59:605), “rise through humility...,” he told them, “be first by being ready to become last” (3:13:695). Drawing the attention of the brethren to the need for humility in the fight against temptations and the devil, St. Theodore says that the “divine fathers,” through humility, “counted all Satan’s snares as nothing and, having bound their builder himself, threw him, as it is said in the Gospel (Luke 10:19), under their feet” (2:37:544). If the primordial enemy of the human race managed to sow enmity and discord among the monks, the Reverend then advised to destroy his machinations with the humble word “forgive” towards one’s brother, which, according to the Holy Father, is also “the greatest weapon against the devil” (3:104:916). Further, the Monk Theodore teaches that without humility all deeds and exploits are insignificant and useless. “Any success,” says the wise Mentor, “unprotected by humility is not lasting...” (1:24:275). “For everything that is usually considered important is nothing in comparison with what is truly important. Well, what, in fact, is the art of composing tunes, or the art of singing, or reading, intelligence, possession of a strong voice... compared to laudable and all-loving humility..." (3:77:838). Due to the exceptional importance of the virtue of humility, the question arises: how to acquire it? Like other sacred virtues, humility, according to the thought of St. Theodore, can be acquired by anyone who wants it. To do this, it is necessary, firstly, by fulfilling the commandments of God, to imitate the humility of Christ in your life. “Be attracted and imitate,” the Venerable Monk calls on the monks, “that humble thing that the Lord did: He seemed low in appearance..., he often walked and sat down from fatigue, did not respond to curses, was subjected to suffering, did not threaten, endured those who beat Him on the cheek, did not have an abundance of clothes, was content with one small tunic and cloak, did not recline on soft beds, did not ride horses and mulah..., His food was only bread and water” (2:80:652–653). While fulfilling the commandments of God and imitating Christ in his life, the monk, however, should beware of vanity. Warning against this, the wise Mentor says: “Let no one be exalted either by his spiritual successes or by his bodily advantages” (2:3:462). Secondly, humility can be achieved, according to the Holy Father, through self-reproach, internal condemnation of oneself for sins. “For every reason,” advises the Reverend, “it is always good and godly to blame oneself, and not one’s neighbor” (7:67:677). Reproaching himself, the monk begins to lament his sins, his imperfection, and thereby rushes to God with repentance, asking for His help and mercy. Self-reproach, however, should not be expressed only externally - in words and behavior, but must come from a contrite heart. Thirdly, whoever wants to acquire the virtue of humility, according to St. Theodore, must be “quick to obedience” (3:17:705), since in obedience the cutting off of one’s will is manifested, and this gives rise to humility. Chapter IX. On patiently enduring sorrows “He who lives in the Lord is in tribulation, for “the path is narrow and strait, leading into the belly” (Matthew 7:14), and the opposite is of the opposite nature” (6:19:359). The Lord established the path of salvation, which leads to eternal life (Matt. 7:13), narrow and sorrowful. Established by both the all-holy example of the Lord and His all-holy teaching. Being innocent and all-holy, the Lord spent His entire earthly life in constant sorrows, without uttering any word against these sorrows that would express displeasure; on the contrary, he called them a cup given by the Heavenly Father, which must be drunk without question. The Lord foretold suffering for all His followers, saying: “You will be in a world of sorrow” (John 16:33). These sorrows constitute the cross that every true disciple of Christ must bear in his life (Luke 9:23; Mark 8:34). According to the teachings of St. Theodore, sorrows are primarily the lot of the monks themselves. “If we have to experience something..., then there is nothing to worry about, because we agreed to this, for this we entered the monastery and made such vows when taking monastic vows. And we need to endure insults, temptations and grief due to the cutting off of our will” (2:1:458). All the saints went through sorrows, all kinds of trials and hardships. “Remember,” the Venerable One says to the monks, “about the saints who have been from time immemorial, that none of them pleased God without temptation and many sorrows. One was “beaten” 24, another was “stoned,” another was burned, another was “beaten” (Heb. 11:34–37). And will there be enough time to number “the cloud of witnesses surrounding us” (Heb. 12:1) (6:58:144)? The Lord, according to the Reverend, “knows what is useful to everyone” (6:32:374). Therefore, sorrows, illnesses and disasters must be accepted as if from the hand of God, because by the Providence of God they are sent for our eternal salvation. A monk who lives a serene life, undisturbed by any sorrows, due to the sinfulness inherent in every person, can completely cleave his soul to the earth and completely forget about his heavenly fatherland. Sorrows remind him of the impermanence of earthly well-being, tear him away from the earth, and illnesses herald the inevitability of the hour of death, followed by eternal bliss or eternal torment. The sorrows endured with gratitude to God awaken faith in God in the monk’s heart, move him to prayer, cleanse his heart from sins, and strengthen him in virtues. Understanding such a beneficial effect of sorrows on the soul of a monk, the Monk Theodore therefore advises not to strive to obtain a comfortable and carefree life here. On the contrary, he calls on the monk to rejoice when he suffers, suffers deprivation, embarrassment and shortcomings. For this, according to the Rev., consists of our martyrdom (2:11:485), this is monastic glory (3:59:801). In the soul of a monk, tested in the crucible of sorrows and temptations, that virtue is born that is difficult to acquire in a calm life, free from suffering. Tribulation gives rise to patience, from which, according to the Apostle, comes experience; from experience hope, and hope does not disappoint (Rom. 5:3-5). Encouraging the monk to patiently endure the sorrowful circumstances encountered in life, the Monk Theodore teaches to see in them “a cleansing medicine for the soul” (3:113:939), calls for enduring them with gratitude (3:32:741). In patiently bearing sorrows, a monk must be strengthened by faith and everything that happens to him must be accepted with humility and submission to the will of God, strengthened by hope for future blessings (4:45:90). Sorrows endured in this way bring great benefit to the monk in his spiritual life. They make up for the lack of monastic work and, most importantly, cleanse the soul from sins and passions. Further, the Monk Theodore teaches that the Lord, pitying a person, never allows him to suffer sorrows that would be beyond his strength. “We,” the Venerable One writes to the monks kept in prison for the word of God, “are given over to sorrows and oppression not as much as those who oppress us seek and desire it, for in that case the temptation would be unbearable, as well as that inflicted on us invisibly by demons, but as far as the hero of the feat allows... our Christ, who by righteous judgment assigns feats according to the measure and degree of each person’s strength or as punishment for sins, if we voluntarily we go to suffer, or to reward those who advance from glory to glory with crowns of victory” (6:21:360-361). Often tribulations are sent to test devotion and love for God, and not just as a punishment for sin or prevention from it. “God,” says St. Theodore, “in order to test our love for Him, allows temptations to happen to us for a short time, whether we will prove firm in sorrowful circumstances” (3:30:734). Sorrow, therefore, according to the instructions of the Monk Theodore, is a certain seal of the election of man by God. Therefore, in sorrowful circumstances one should not lose heart and be afraid; on the contrary, according to the thought of the Holy Father, one should be comforted and be reasonable, “for earthly sorrows are insignificant and pass relatively quickly, like a dream and a shadow...” (2:82:656). One must firmly know that the sorrows that occur do not come by themselves, but by God’s permission. Turning his gaze to God, the monk must thank and glorify Him for establishing this order and method of salvation for all His servants. Chapter X. On remembering death “Where there is concern for death, there is removal from passions” (6:134:504). “Although there are many useful stories that usually touch the soul, none of them contain as much benefit as the news of death. For death is a terrible mystery, both when we hear about it and when we think about it” (1:121:431). Repeatedly in his catechetical teachings, the Monk Theodore tells the monks about the need to reflect on death as often as possible. This occupation is very “beautiful and beneficial for the soul” (1:88:373) and is, according to the Rev., “the work of prudent people” (1:109:410). “Remember your last,” says Scripture, “and you will never sin” (Sir.7:39). The holy martyrs and ascetics of Christ spent their lives in saving meditation on death. “Where do the feats of the saints that exceed nature come from? Where does the duration of patience come from? Where does the constancy of obedience come from?.. Where does the cutting off of members come from? Where does the bloodshed come from? - asks the Monk Theodore and answers: “From their reflection on the frailty and transience of life, on the need to appear before the terrible Judge and on the infinity of eternal torment” (1:109:410). Mortal memory, assimilated by them, cut friendship with sin, with all sinful pleasures, and united them with God. The destiny of all people on earth, the inevitable destiny, is death. Nothing, according to the Reverend, lasts forever on earth. “Kings are replaced,” he says, “princes fall, “like men” (Ps. 81:7), the rulers of the earth die. Those who marry, after a little time, separate, remain lonely and leave each other. Beauty soon fades, youth flies, pleasure passes, wealth disappears...” (2:29:527). Sin, which gave birth to death, has taken away and is taking away from man the knowledge and feeling of all truth: it steals from man, erases from his thoughts the memory of death, which is so important to him. And a person begins, according to the Rev., forgetting about death, “to spend real life like an animal, or a sheep, which is not led to slaughter” (2:29:527). Knowing how dangerous such negligence is, a monk must encourage himself to reflect on the inevitable death that lies ahead of him, and in due time achieve constant remembrance of it. “Brethren,” the Venerable One says, turning to the monks, “we must always and constantly remember death and try to ensure that “not according to human lusts, but according to the will of God, we may live in the flesh for the time being” (1 Peter 4:2-3) (1:115:420). Remembrance of death, according to the wise Mentor, contains many virtues and “that which is above the world” (1:115:420). The memory of death is a bitter medicine against our sinfulness. This memory reflects “all lust, all negligence, all pride, all despondency, all depravity” (1:76:356), with it we kill “the evils that are on the earth” (Col. 3:5) and purge from the soul the love of pleasure (1:119:428). The monk, according to the thought of the Holy Father, becomes capable of doing what is pleasing to the Lord (1:76:356). Always remembering death and thinking about it is also one of the excellent ways to prepare for it, and is the guarantee of a fearless exit from this life (1:28:281–282). Remembrance of death gives rise to zeal in the common monk to carry out obediences, helps in enduring dishonor and reproaches, and sobers up the insensibility of the soul. In order to acquire this useful and soul-saving memory of death, so that it takes root in the soul of a monk, it is necessary on the part of the latter, according to the experienced Mentor, not to postpone the fulfillment of God’s commandments for the future, to fear the hour of death and to prepare for it every hour (1:82:365) (1:21:269). After all, no one knows what the end of his earthly life will be and what death he will die: “suddenly or after falling ill, on land or at sea, in solitude or being with his brothers. “Who understands the mind of the Lord? Or who will be His adviser? (Rom.11:34) - to know the day and hour, manner and place of your death” (1:112:415). God established the unknown hour of death “so that we,” the Venerable One says to the monks, “would be prepared for the outcome every day” (1:37:296). Thinking about this, the monk must constantly be in ascetic endeavor and be extremely attentive to himself. “We must watch,” the Rev. instructs, “so that the devil, deceiving us day after day, does not lead us to the last hour, when worries about repentance are useless and in vain” (1:21:269). Being a gift of God 25, mortal memory is given to the doer of Christ’s commandments. The latter, in turn, purify the mind and heart of the ascetic, mortify them for the world, revive them for Christ: the mind, detached from earthly attachments, often begins to turn its gaze to its mysterious transition to eternity - to death; the purified heart begins to anticipate it. The blessed memory of death is preceded by the monk’s own efforts to remember death. To do this, it is useful to devote some time to thinking about death, about the judgment of God. Forcing himself to often remember death, the monk must assure himself of the undoubted truth that he will certainly, no one knows when, die. “Let not a single day pass unreasonably and outside the rules,” the wise Mentor instructs the monks, “and thus not consume our life in vain and fruitlessly; let each day, according to the instructions of Saint Anthony 26, be considered as if it were the last, and thus improve us and make us ready for the outcome” (1:28:281). After such forced training of oneself to remember death, the merciful Lord sends the ascetic a living foretaste of it. This memory, although bitter, is nevertheless spiritually beneficial for the monk, helping him in the fight against the invisible enemy, turning him away from sin and guiding him on the path of salvation. Chapter XI. About the appearance and behavior of a monk Any monastery lived and lives according to the rules. The monastic charter contains rules relating to both the internal and external aspects of monastic life. The latter, which is in close connection with internal work, is something that the Monk Theodore the Studite, as an experienced mentor, pays a lot of attention to in his catechetical teachings. Every true monk, zealous for his high rank, is obliged to observe his appearance and behavior, which must be strictly proportionate and orderly. The Monk Theodore gives here a whole series of useful advice and instructions regarding the appearance of monks, their relationships with each other and outward behavior, both in the monastery itself and outside it. These instructions are imbued with fatherly love, the desire to warn monks from moral corruption and consequences disastrous for the soul. Let us now move on to consider them. The true model for a monk in life should always be the Lord Jesus Christ. Referring to Him as the most perfect example in everything and the example of the ancient ascetics who wore patched hair shirts, bad kukuli, shirts made of sailing canvas and disheveled shoes, the God-wise Mentor constantly inspired the monks that their appearance should be decent and simple. Thus, emphasizing the need for simplicity in clothing, the Monk Theodore cites the statement of one ancient father: “a monk’s dress should be one that, lying abandoned on the road for three days, was not picked up by anyone” (4:4:26). As a sign of modesty and repentance, as a sign of deep sadness for the deceased soul, the color of clothes is black (4:30:165). Any kind of panache and whimsicality in the clothes or shoes of a monk was strictly prohibited. This is explained for the reason that the monk’s soul is conformed by its state to the state of the body and cannot retain within itself a feeling of repentance when the body is decorated with lush and shiny clothes, from which vanity and other vices arising from it appear in the monk. The author of the biography of St. Theodore the Studite testifies that the experienced Abbot himself always chose coarser and worse clothes for himself, thereby setting a personal example of simplicity in monastic attire (B:22). The true beauty of a monk, according to the Holy Father, should not lie in preening, for “this means seeking what is completely opposite” to true beauty, “but in ordering one’s mental habits, steadily rebelling against passions and keeping oneself at peace from senseless lusts. “Above all this,” the Reverend concludes, “a monk needs to be unpretentious…” (3:59:801). The Wise Mentor, thus, focuses the attention of the monks not on the outer side of their way of life, although even here one must act “as commanded,” “in good manner and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40) (3:96:892), but on the inner side, the spiritual side. Appearance in itself, as the Holy Father says, does not mean anything, it is nothing. Not the monk who wears “black robes” and “a long beard,” “not at all,” says the Venerable, “for it happens that both a fallen person and an actor have all this,” but the monk who strives to have “an orderly appearance and inner life...” (4:30:165-166). The outward behavior of the monks is the next topic of the catechetical teachings of the Holy Father. Here questions such as, for example, what a monk should do, his voice, his manner of deportment, how he should behave at meals and in general in the monastery and when absent from it, are revealed here. From the very moment he enters the monastery, a monk must pay attention to protecting himself with reverent customs, study them and make efforts to acquire them. Decency will immediately be communicated from the body to the soul, and the improvement of the body will very soon lead to the improvement of the soul. The Monk Theodore testifies that a monk in everything, even in actions that seem insignificant in his opinion, must have “a strict attitude towards himself and his life, as our holy Fathers teach” (3:80:847). Whether he goes where, out of necessity, he must walk reverently, “with a modest movement of his eyes” (3:96:892), without looking around here and there and not allowing himself to shout, discordant, overly free body movements, which harms him, those around him and, ultimately, the order in the monastery. The monk notes that “our demeanor should be humble and should not drive people away from us; no need to give yourself a stern look...” (3:96:892). When meeting any of the brethren, one must “be attentive to oneself, avoiding all insolence, as it is the destruction of the soul” (7:273:805). The social rules do not require a monk to remain silent all day; “Unreasonable silence, according to the Holy Father, does not bring any benefit” (1:53:322). However, even when it is allowed to speak, he must, while maintaining “restraint in words” (3:96:891; 3:54:790), say only what is useful, edifying and appropriate for a monk (1:46:311; 4:39:79). “Our manner of speaking... must be pleasant, with moderation in words and tension in the voice” (3:96:892), remembering that “under our Fathers nothing was said without reason, but meekly and decorously” (1:39:300). In order to avoid idle talk and ridicule, one should not engage in “inappropriate conversations” (2:40:552), for in such a way the fear of God and the good will for an ascetic life are destroyed in the monk’s heart. You should especially beware of unnecessary conversations during worship, in the refectory, during general monastic work, as well as when leaving church services and from the refectory (2:12:487; 2:14:492; 8:840). Avoiding chatter and idle talk, which deprive the monk of his inner spiritual peace, “one should by no means swear and in oaths pronounce the glorious name of God with one’s lips,” says the Venerable One, “for it is impossible for one who swears to be saved” (6:120:485). A monk worthy of his title, according to the Holy Father, prefers “to spend a life of abstinence in silence, limiting himself only to answering questions” (2:52:583). Strict order and reverence are prescribed by the Monk Theodore the Studite to be maintained in the refectory. The body, exhausted by labor throughout the whole day, weakens, in need of food and rest. “Therefore,” says the Holy Father, “the Creator of nature arranged it so that the body would be strengthened by daily nutrition and remain capable of further work, and would not be upset and weak...” (1:55:326). The monk should come to the meal with everyone else, without being late, eat leisurely, without noise or conversation, listening to the prescribed reading. After the prayer of thanks, all monks are ordered to leave the refectory (8:839). Eating food should be in moderation so that the monk’s body is strengthened “to facilitate the fulfillment of God’s commandments” and “does not rebel against the soul” (6:37:387). For the same reason, the Reverend forbids the consumption of meat food (3:31:739; 3:91:875), except for those cases when the monk is completely weakened from illness, but each time with special permission (8:848). Referring to St. Basil the Great, St. Mark and other Fathers who commanded not to drink wine (2:55:591), St. Theodore advises monks to adhere to this rule. Exceptions may again be cases of illness, as well as fatigue from work. “It is good,” says the Apostle, “not to eat meat, rather than to drink wine...” (Rom. 14:21). And I, my brothers, do not command, but advise for the sake of your precious souls, and then only for the healthy, and not for the sick, - it would be good not to drink wine at all, and especially for the young of you, for wine inflames passions. We already have a whole storm of natural passions within ourselves, so why add anxiety from wine into it? “Taste,” therefore, “and see” (Ps. 33:9) how beneficial it is to abstain from it... However, the Reverend concludes, in the form of maintaining health or in case of fatigue, do as best you can: I am giving only advice, not a command” (3:14:696–697). Further, the monastery charter prohibits a monk from leaving the brotherhood and moving from monastery to monastery. Moreover, the very act of leaving the monastery walls without a blessing and meeting people leading a different way of life is considered harmful for the monk. This is explained by the fact that a monk, especially a novice, leaving the monastery for some reason, loses what he acquired with much labor in spiritual life, his strength to continue the path of ascetic life weakens, moreover, he can be damaged in his soul from frequent viewing of temptations and from mixing with them. Warning against the danger that may arise in the event of leaving the monastery without permission, without any blessing, the experienced Mentor says that “just as a sheep who wanders away from the yard and gets lost, it is impossible not to be caught by the beast, so it is impossible not to be caught by demons who left the monastery lawlessly, of his own free will, and is in a place that is not looked after by the Lord.” (5:19:236). This dire warning also applies to the monk who decided to leave the monastery where he labored in the hope of finding a new one that would suit his personal taste and habits. Over time, even that one will seem unsuitable for living in it, and the thought of finding another will arise again. Not seeing at all that he has been wounded by a demonic arrow, he can thus go to the extreme limit, completely abandoning monasticism. That is why the Monk Theodore, as a zealot for the strict ascetic life, could not pass over with a word of reproof and admonition the monks’ transition from place to place, which was a consequence of the weakening of their zeal for the exploits of monasticism. Regarding absence from the monastery, if such a need arises, then each time one must ask for the blessing of the spiritual father, even if his absence was for a very short time. When leaving the monastery walls, a monk should remember that “many eyes are watching him and many mouths are interpreting him” (4:34:68–69). Therefore, he must be extremely attentive to himself and careful not to give rise to temptation, but so that those who look at him glorify the Lord (1:2:237). Particular care should be taken in conversations with the laity, so that, in the words of the Holy Father, “not to shake up the brotherhood” (3:14:697) with impressions borrowed from the worldly environment. The mutual communication of monks and their relationship to each other is another topic that is revealed in the teachings of St. Theodore, being vital in the monastic community. A monastic community is a family headed by a spiritual father or (in a nunnery) a spiritual mother - the abbess, therefore the most important thing for monks should be peace in the monastery, which is an indispensable condition for the spiritual growth of each of the monks. The acquisition and preservation of the peace so desired by the monastery is greatly facilitated by the living of the monks in harmony and love. The Lord Himself testifies: “By this they all understand that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). The living of monks in harmony and love is, therefore, a distinctive sign of true Christian living. The relationships of monks to each other should be based on the principle of Christian love. Love is “the first and last of all goods” (2:61:610), says the Reverend; without it “nothing godly can be accomplished” (B:140). Neither prayer, nor fasting, nor almsgiving - nothing will help a monk to remain in communion with God if there is no love for his neighbor in his heart. Only one governed by love, in the words of the Holy Father, “will save the ship of his soul, heading to the harbor of salvation under the wind of the Spirit” (7:180:756). Pointing the way to the acquisition of this high virtue, the experienced Mentor called on the monks to be lenient towards the shortcomings of their neighbors, to show restraint, to self-reproach, and to forgive mutual offenses. “Do not offend each other,” he says, “do not quarrel, do not look down on each other, do not be vain, do not boast that you sing harder, or work harder, that you are smarter, or nobler in origin, or more beautiful in appearance, for all this should not even be mentioned. But acquiring humility in everything and submitting yourself in obedience before God and your superiors, go on your way...” (2:44:559). The brethren, being, in the words of the Holy Father, members of the one body of Christ, “honorable members” (2:14:494), must treat each other meekly, yield in conflicts, be imbued with mutual goodwill and take care of each other (1:44:308). In addition, we must encourage and help each other both in bodily labors and in spiritual improvement, sharing with each his grief and joy, considering his fall and successes common to the entire brotherhood (1:48:315; 1:71:347–348). If one of the brethren sins, then it is the direct duty of each monk either to heal the sinner himself or, when he himself cannot do this, to tell the abbot about it. He who reproaches a sinner must do this in the spirit of brotherly love and out of zeal for the commandments of God, and not out of any passion or hostility. “You should show good zeal towards those,” the wise Mentor advises, “who do evil: hate vice and turn away from it, and not consider them as enemies, but admonish them as brothers (2 Thess. 3:15) - so that you are worthy of the praise of the Apostle, who says this: “in everything, present yourself pure in things” (2 Cor. 7:11) (1:96:388). He who tries to correct his brother’s mistakes, however, must himself live in such a way as not to tempt anyone by violating God’s commandments or by unreasonably using what is permissible for a monk. How terrible condemnation is for the one who seduces can be seen from the words of the Savior, who says: “If he has nothing to eat, let the millstone of the village be destroyed on his neck, and he be cast into the sea, even if he causes one of these little ones to stumble” (Matthew 18:6). Therefore, in order not to fall under this terrible condemnation, you must carefully watch your every word and deed. As the greatest danger, one must avoid becoming acquainted with that brother who, despite reproofs from other monks, continues to live and behave carelessly, serving as a temptation. Warning against this kind of acquaintance, the experienced Mentor gives the following advice to monks: “We will watch where and with whom we contact; and if there is harm there, one must move; if with a seducer, one must leave” (6:37:387). The Reverend's advice is truly wise. After all, nothing is so sticky, so contagious, as the weakness of your neighbor. Therefore, by avoiding a brother who lives carelessly, not like a monk, the monk avoids the causes leading to new sins and vices. It happens that a monk, wanting to help a brother who is sinning, is unable to do this himself. In this case, he must inform the abbot about this so that he can take action against evil in advance. Such an act, according to the Holy Father, will only serve the benefit of both the sinner and the entire brotherhood. “Perhaps,” says the Monk Theodore, “some ignoramus and fool will object to me that by such an act he can arouse self-hatred and slander from the brethren. Not true: if they are a false people, what can their praise mean to you? And if they are true children, then you will see how they will certainly praise you” (2:38:548; 8:840–841). This is how high the demands of the Monk Theodore are on a monk. Covering all aspects of his outward behavior, they do not ignore the smallest, seemingly insignificant actions. According to the Holy Father, a monk must demonstrate “in everything, even in his small affairs, the perfection of the monastic way of life, so that its perfection remains with him in other matters” (2:63:615). Compliance with the above instructions and advice from an experienced Mentor of spiritual life can bring a monk’s outward behavior into order and accustom him to constant reverence and self-observation. Having improved his behavior and his skills, he becomes capable of spiritual activity. Relying in his assessment of the abbess on the authority of St. Gregory the Theologian, the Monk Theodore, following him, recognized the particular difficulty of managing the monks in the monastery for the “abbot of spiritual sheep” (3:82:851), (3:10:686). One cannot but agree with this statement. After all, before every abbot, abbot of a monastery, there are many people of different ages, and besides, each has their own character and habits. So, some, for example, have a hot disposition, and some are lazy, some are ambitious, and some are God-loving, some are submissive, and some are disobedient. And for each of them the abbot must give an answer to God. For correct and saving leadership, the abbot requires knowledge of the human soul, experience in spiritual life and attentiveness in observing the behavior of each monk. Understanding such a high responsibility before God and the greatest difficulty in managing the monastic brethren, the Monk Theodore gives the abbot a lot of valuable and useful advice and instructions. First of all, the Monk Theodore, as an experienced abbot and mentor, tries to fatherly support and strengthen those appointed by the Providence of God to be the leader of the verbal sheep. “Nothing is more pleasing to God,” he writes, “than to shepherd and guide his neighbors. The Lord Himself says to the great Peter: if “you love Me, feed My sheep” (John 21:17)... Whoever, having been called, accepts shepherding out of obedience to God, will be a friend of God, can save others and be saved himself” (6:134:504-505). The abbot, chosen from among the brethren (3:89:871), is entrusted with the general leadership of all monastic life, both internal and external. He is a shepherd who must constantly care, watch over his flock and protect it. “Stand, my son, at the head of the flock and stay awake,” the Reverend writes in a letter to Abbot Gregory, “heal the weak, convert the erring, admonish, admonish, remind of the kingdom promised to those who live holy and, on the contrary, of endless condemnation to those who live viciously, “and you yourself,” thus, “being saved, and those who listen to you” (1 Tim. 4:16 ) (6:103:466). The abbot himself must set a high example of imitation for the brethren in everything and be the most strict executor of the monastic charter. He must not in any way violate the laws and rules of his fathers, especially St. Basil the Great (8:857). According to St. Theodore, the most important duty of the abbot is to teach the brethren. Being himself a zealous preacher, the Reverend demanded this from others. “Try,” writes the wise Mentor to Abbot Nicholas, who took over the management of the monastery, “to be sure to teach catechetical teaching three times a week, and in the evening; for this was handed down from the fathers and is saving” (5:10:222). Let the teaching be brief, but even this can serve as “for those who have fallen into sin - as a medicine, for the careless - as a threat, for the diligent - as encouragement, for beginners - as a rule for obedience, for those weakening in exploits - as an incentive to patience, and in general, for everyone for everyone, just to achieve salvation” (3: 9: 686). If the job of an ordinary monk is to pay attention to himself, trying not to notice the shortcomings of his brothers, then the indispensable duty of the abbot is to observe the brethren, notice the imperfections of each and heal “compassionately and condescendingly caring for them as if they were his own members” (6:97:459). In his relations with the brethren, the abbot must be impartial, sincere and fatherly attentive (3:68:819). Considering that each person has his own special habits and passions, the abbot must also apply his medical art, depending on what suits someone better. “After all, for some, as the fathers teach, a stick is needed, and for others a bridle; for some, punishment is required, and for others, forgiveness; some need to be rebuked, while others can simply be ignored” (3:59:800). Acting in this way, the abbot in the monastery combines, according to the Reverend, not only administrative duties, but also the duties of a confessor for the brethren (B:91). In resolving various issues of monastic life, the abbot must comply with the opinion of monks who have succeeded in monastic life in knowledge and piety. “Do not do or dispose at your own discretion,” the Monk Theodore addresses one abbot, “neither regarding travel, nor regarding selling and buying, nor regarding the acceptance or expulsion of a brother, nor when changing positions, nor in any other of their carnal affairs... do not dispose of knowledge and piety without the advice of those superior..., as commanded by the fathers” (5:10:222-223). In the matter of receiving those who come and express a desire to be saved in monasticism, the abbot must be very careful and judicious. If it turns out that someone who wants to enter a monastery is ready to “renounce the world and intends to truly follow Christ,” then only “after a thorough test in virtue, with the testimony of many (on the part of the monastic brethren - I.T.), will he be awarded monastic perfection 27” (6:164:554). The Monk Theodore believed that anyone who expresses a desire to follow the monastic path should be accepted into the monastery, based on the words of the Savior: “Whoever comes to Me, I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37) and “Leave the children... to come to Me, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 19:14). “I submit and accept,” says the Reverend, “children, and the young, and the elderly, and the celibate, and the married, and the healthy in body, and the crippled..., doing this not in exaltation, as if I were doing something great, but as a responsibility and duty, according to the divine fathers. Otherwise, I find myself violating the commandment” (2:55:592). If the abbot is not looking for his own benefits and peace of mind, but for the salvation of his loved ones, then his abbess is inevitably associated with sorrows and restlessness. The Abbot, who has learned this from experience, says to the brethren: “Being among you, on the outside I may seem calm, but inside I am worried, tormented and, as it were, oppressed by you” (2:24:515). It is no coincidence that, therefore, charging the abbot with the main concern for the salvation of the monks entrusted to his leadership, and not for the external prosperity of the monastery, the Monk Theodore commands that he should not unnecessarily change in anything the order and rules that he accepted from his spiritual monastery, that he should not make frequent absences and travels, unnecessarily leaving his flock, that whatever he does or says, he should do as if he had evidence from Scripture or from fatherly custom, without violating the commandments of God (5:10:221–222). In order not to succumb to the temptation of love of fame and pride, the abbot, as the first among the brethren and serving as a role model for all, according to the advice of the Reverend, must “dress and put on shoes modestly, not be luxurious either in spending on himself or in receiving guests, for this is characteristic of the sensualists of this life, but turn all his concerns to souls” (5:10:222). So, according to the teachings of St. Theodore, abbess is a “great and terrible” thing (2:60:605). The abbot is entrusted with the greatest responsibility for the salvation of the verbal sheep entrusted to his leadership. It requires a lot of effort and work, vigilant care, great, as said at the beginning, knowledge of the human soul, constant appeal to God for help. And only when the abbot is a model for the brethren in everything, living according to the commandments of God and the rules of the Fathers, when he pays his main attention to the salvation of those entrusted to him, when he, in the words of the Reverend, “goes ahead in every good deed” (8:855), his leadership will be salutary. Chapter XIII. Rules of spiritual “healing” - penance (6:162:547) In order to ease the difficulty of the abbot's service in resolving issues of a disciplinary nature, as well as to save the abbot from discontent and attacks from the brethren 28, the Monk Theodore the Studite established various types of penance, which include the following: bowing, standing at meals, dry eating, deprivation of blessings, deprivation of Holy Communion, excommunication 29 (8:830-853). It should be noted that penances, as an indispensable part of the monastic charter, have their roots going back to ancient times. Thus, a researcher of the life and work of the Studite abbot Dobroklonsky writes that “ever since the time of the first organizers of monastic monks, penances became part of their discipline. Taking shape in practice, they were eventually recorded in written penance rules...” 30 . Among the latter are the penance rules of St. Basil the Great, which formed the basis for the disciplinary part of all subsequent monastic regulations, among which the Charter of St. Theodore the Studite occupies a prominent place. A distinctive feature of this Charter is that St. Theodore “modifies his penances somewhat in accordance with the changed spirit of the times, supplements them and regulates them more precisely” 31 . A detailed discussion of the issue of penance can be found in Grossu (op. ed. pp. 111–117) and Dobroklonsky (op. ed. part 1, pp. 534–541). We will focus our attention on how the Reverend himself looked at penance and how he taught the monks to look at it. According to his instructions, penance is not a punishment in the proper sense, but a measure of healing for those who have sinned and a warning for others. Thus, in one of the teachings of the Reverend we read: “A doctor, in order to cure some disease, uses lancets, cauterizations, and razors. And we have lancets, and rods, and instruments for purification - these are penances...” (2:51:580), which are “medicines for the soul” (2:33:536). The abbot, whose authority usually includes the assignment of penances, must impose punishment on the sinner with caution, because incorrect punishment may not be a means of healing, but a means of death for the sinner. Taking this into account, the abbot must proportion the punishment to the severity of the offense, taking into account the age of the culprit, his physical strength and state of mind. The offender is required to accept everything not with grumbling and discontent, but with joy (2:56:596), having the same feelings of gratitude towards the punisher (3:32:741), as a sick person towards his doctor, offering bitter medicine for his recovery, like a son towards his father. Sin must never be tolerated or tolerated in a monastic environment, and those who sin must either be corrected or, if they turn out to be faulty, sent away from the monastic hostel. The Monk Theodore on this issue gives the following instruction to the abbot: those who “are in evil and do not heal their mental illnesses,” he says, “should be cut off from the brotherhood, like rotten members, so that healthy ones do not become infected from touching them; for the Lord said: “For thou art, only one shall perish by thy flesh, and not thy whole body be cast into hell of fire” (Matthew 5:29) (6:164:554). However, the Monk Theodore resorted to expulsion from the brotherhood only as a last resort and, as he himself testifies, he often, out of condescension, did not expel those who deserved it (3:43:766). To better familiarize yourself with the penances used in studio monastic practice, we will present some of them 32. About a monk who secretly eats meat except for illness. – Whoever ate meat secretly, apart from necessity and the blessing of the father, should not eat fish, or eggs, or cheese for forty days, for it is written: “And do not please the flesh through lust” (Rom. 13:14) (1). About a monk who did not confess for a whole week. – Anyone who has not confessed his deeds and thoughts to his father during the seven days of the week should not eat until he confesses (2). That a monk should not work without a robe. – Whoever does any work without a robe or kukulya must undergo penance as a contempt (4). About not drinking water after Compline. – Who drinks water after Compline or has intercourse with someone into a conversation, he must make one hundred bows (5). About the one who, through negligence, does not receive communion. – Anyone who has remained without Communion for more than forty days without penance must indicate the reason, and if it turns out that he did this out of negligence, he must undergo penance for forty days (6). A monk who makes worldly speeches, for example, where and how long ago he has been descended from, must be excommunicated for three days, undergo penance for dry eating and make fifty prostrations, for from the day on which he took the schema, he renounced his relatives according to the flesh and clung to Christ (9). If a monk kisses any woman, he must remain without Communion for forty days; even on the very day of the Lord’s resurrection, he should not kiss his mother (11). Whoever rejects the holy schema must remain without Communion for three years (12). Whoever fasts on Holy Pentecost and allows it on Maundy Thursday under the pretext of distinction, dishonors the entire Holy Pentecost (13). If anyone is not present during the canon, he must spend one day in dry eating and make one hundred bows (16). If anyone leaves Vespers or Compline, he must not drink wine and make fifty bows (17). If anyone leaves the monastery without the permission of the abbot, he must remain without Communion for one week, making forty bows a day (19). If anyone acquires an item without the knowledge of the abbot, he must remain without Communion for fifteen days, carrying dry food at the ninth hour and making fifty bows (20). If anyone conspires with another or secretly leaves the monastery, he must remain without Communion for thirty days, indulging in dry eating and making one hundred bows (21). If anyone receives penance from the abbot and does not fulfill it, he must be excommunicated from the brotherhood for one week, indulging in dry eating and making one hundred bows daily (22). If anyone begins to wear his brother’s clothes or anything else without his permission, he must perform the penance of dry eating for three days, making one hundred bows (23). If anyone is seen at night in a secret conversation with another, or changes his place in the bedroom, or remains outside it without the permission of the abbot, he must be excommunicated for one week, bear the penance of dry eating and make seventy bows (24). If a brother changes his needlework, while the abbot did not allow this, he must carry out the penance of dry eating for forty days, making eighty bows (25). If anyone eats outside the meal without the blessing of the abbot or in addition to illness, he must carry out the penance of dry eating for three days, making two hundred bows (27). If anyone speaks or laughs during a meal, he must certainly stand up and make a hundred bows (29). If anyone causes grief to his brother and, having neglected, does not reconcile, but remains angry, he must be excommunicated for two weeks, performing the penance of dry eating and making fifty bows (30). If someone did not receive communion on the day of the liturgy, he must indicate the reason, and if he does not indicate, then he must fast until the evening, making fifty bows (31). Whoever is late for the beginning of any psalmody, other than for official business or a necessary reason, must make one hundred bows (33). Whoever, through carelessness, omits the canon or vespers, or other psalmody, must carry out the penance of dry eating for one day, making a hundred prostrations (34). Whoever through negligence does not sit at the table with the brethren must then fast until evening (35). Whoever unnecessarily gets up from a meal before others should not drink wine for three days, making a hundred bows (36). If anyone is overcome by fornication, he must perform the penance of dry eating for forty days, but if the struggle does not stop, then he must bear this penance until the struggle disappears, making three hundred bows day and night (39). If anyone is guilty of fornication in a dream, he must be without Communion that day, making forty bows and saying the fiftieth psalm and “Lord, have mercy” a hundred times (41). Anyone guilty of malakia must be without Communion for forty days (42). A liar must remain without Communion for forty days (43). The slanderer is also forty days (44). He who blasphemes - in any way and no matter what - must not speak for forty days, making fifty bows daily (45). If a monk of great schema is subjected to voluptuousness, he must remain without Communion for five years, and if a monk of little schema, he is deprived of Communion for two years; the same definition should apply to nuns (47). If a monk gets drunk and falls into fornication, he must be without Communion for two years (48). If he laughs in front of the people, he must remain without communion for forty days (49). If he vomits due to satiety, then he must also be without Communion for forty days (50). If a great schema-monk begins to walk without a kukul, then he must be without Communion for forty days, for such a person does not have the power to work, or sleep, or go anywhere without the signs of the holy schema (51). If anyone contradicts his superior or any of his brothers, he must be without Communion for forty days (52). If a monk feasts with the laity, he must be without communion for forty days (53). If a monk or nun runs away from their monastery, then as a penance they will be deprived of Communion for twelve years... (54) A monk who has eaten or drunk before the end of the meeting (divine service) must make fifty bows during the meal (55). If a monk is present in a church meeting and by the end (of the service) is not there, apart from a higher command or except for great necessity, then he must make forty bows and say “Lord, have mercy” forty times (56). If any monk sleeps on his bed without a belt, he must make fifty prostrations (58). A monk who laughs in a meeting (worship) must make forty bows (61). A monk or layman who is not under penance and, due to his negligence, does not begin Communion for forty days, should be excommunicated from the Church for one year (62). A monk or nun who has entered into a criminal relationship, after the cessation of sin on their part, must have as penance deprivation of Communion for three years (63). If someone, having been attacked by the devil, deviates from the straight path and turns again, he will bear penance for one year. If he repents at the hour of his death, God will accept him, for Christ had mercy on him, saying: “There is joy in heaven for one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:7) (65). The principle that determined the direction of the penance rules of the Monk Theodore the Studite was, as Dobroklonsky noted, “the combination of severity with leniency” 33. Most often, as you can see, the wise Mentor resorted to such penances as fasting, kneeling with prayers, which corresponds to the monastic vows of abstinence and unceasing prayer. The most severe punishments are determined by the Holy Father for violating the vow of virginity (48 and 63), for escaping from the monastery (54). One thing is certain, that the above-mentioned penances originate from the holiness of the personal life of the Studite abbot, his fiery zeal for the fulfillment of God’s commandments and sincere devotion and love for monasticism. “By their fruit you will know them... For every good tree produces good fruit...” (Matthew 7:16-17). These words of Christ the Savior involuntarily come to mind after studying the ascetic life and works of St. Theodore the Studite. Having completely devoted his life to serving the Church in the most difficult time of iconoclastic upheavals, in constant labors, exploits and prayers, he sought only to assimilate and implement the highest example of Christian perfection presented in the Holy Scriptures and in the works of the Holy Fathers. He was especially a lover and imitator of Saint Basil the Great, revering him as “the most profound... and the most eloquent of all who have ever been” 34. Having become the abbot of the monastery, the Monk Theodore became a true educator of the monks, a mentor and leader of their spiritual life, aware of his responsibility for each monk. Caring for the salvation of everyone, the abbot of Studia preached, instructed, aroused and instilled in the monks with unflagging zeal. His energy in the field of teaching was inexhaustible. He pronounced his catechetical teachings before the monks two or three times a week (1:47:312), and when he saw that the brotherhood had achieved some perfection, he began to pronounce only one catechumenate a week (2:11:485). His extraordinary spiritual experience and deep knowledge of the human soul, combined with fiery fatherly love, gave him every opportunity to beneficially influence monastics with his instructions. Everything is directed towards one goal - to show the monks the purpose of their life, its meaning and the final result. A monk is a true martyr. There is a crown prepared for him in heaven. To receive the latter, you need to firmly stand on the chosen path of ascetic life, since “it is not the one who took up a good deed, but the one who completes what he started well that is worthy of satisfaction” (7:16:646). There are temptations and falls. An abbot experienced in spiritual life considers it his duty to lend a helping hand to someone who is falling. He strengthens those who are weakening, and guides those who have slipped to the right path. Every incident in monastic life gives St. Theodore a reason to extract from it instruction useful for monks. The church holiday provides him with material to clarify its meaning and directly draw a life lesson. The time of fasting comes, and the Monk Theodore demands abstinence not only of the body, but also of the soul, raising the thoughts of the monks to the final judgment and reward for incontinence. The death of a brother makes him talk about preparing for death and cleansing himself of passions. The monk left the monastery, and the abbot explains that the reason for this was inattention to oneself and self-will, and teaches them to remain faithful to the Heavenly King. In a word, every event, even a random one, in the monastery, and sometimes in the worldly community, gave St. Theodore a reason to raise the thoughts of the monks to the heavenly and eternal. In addition to the soul-saving teachings that played a huge role in the organization of monastic life, the Holy Father’s own life served as a “silent edification” for everyone, a living example of a truly monastic spirit, the exact fulfillment of monastic rules, work, prayer, abstinence and other virtues 35 . By creating a “school of ascetic life” 36 on patristic principles, a brotherhood bound by bonds of love (1:134:454–455), St. Theodore the Studite thereby revived and strengthened Eastern monasticism. The monks of the Studite monastery, educated by him and brought to a high level of spiritual life, according to the biographer St. Theodore, became an example and model of virtue for many. They have collected in their souls, as if in a common treasury, all that is best and most useful: a supernatural life, useful morals, joyful works, harmonious psalmody and everything else that is honorable and useful for the virtuous 37 . The pastoral and monastic activity of the Monk Theodore the Studite thus ignited the fading monastic spirit, poured, as it were, a new stream into the body of Eastern monasticism, and with renewed strength it emerged from the crucible of the iconoclastic era and began to live on. The ascetic teaching of the Holy Father, proclaimed in the era of the decline of the morals of monasticism, has reached our time without losing its vitality. Moreover, it will forever remain not only for monks, but also for all Christians who are zealous for the salvation of the soul, the richest source of instructive and enlightening patristic wisdom. A. The Bible is in Slavic. M., 1890. B. Theodore the Studite, Rev. – Creations. T. I. St. Petersburg, 1907. 2. The Great Announcement. Part 1. 3. The Great Announcement. Part 2. V. Theodore the Studite, Venerable – Creations, Vol. II. St. Petersburg, 1908. 4. The Great Announcement. Part 3. 5. Letters to various persons. Part 1. 6. Letters to various persons. Part 2. 7. Letters to various persons. Part 3. 8. Creations of mixed content. 1. Andreev I. Saint Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople. – Theological Bulletin. 1899, No. 6, p. 143–180. 2. Vyshtykalyuk V., archpriest. Preaching of St. Theodore the Studite. Coursework. Zagorsk, 1972. 3. Herman, archimandrite. Heir of St. Basil the Great (teaching about the shepherd St. Theodore the Studite). Typescript. M., 1932. 4. Grossu N., priest. Venerable Theodore the Studite. His time, life and creations. Kiev, 1907. 5. Dobrosklonsky A.P. Venerable Theodore, confessor and abbot of Studiya. Part 1. Odessa, 1913. 6. Dobrosklonsky A.P. Venerable Theodore, confessor and abbot of Studiya. Part 2. Odessa, 1914. 7. Philokalia. T. 1; 4. Trinity-Sergius Lavra, 1993. 8. Zotov A. Moral improvement of a Christian according to the works of St. Theodore the Studite. Coursework. Zagorsk, 1960. 9. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), saint. Creations. T.I.M., 1993. 10. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), saint. Creations. T.V., M., 1993. 11. Ishchenko D. S. Catechetical teachings of Theodore the Studite. – Byzantine temporary book. 1979, vol. 40, pp. 157–171. 12. Lutkovsky P., priest. Saint Dionysius the Areopagite. About the church hierarchy. (Translation from Greek). Typescript. Kiev, 1983. 13. Mansurov M., priest. Essays on the history of the Church. – Theological works. 1971, No. 6, p. 79–116. 14. Maren, abbot. Constantinople monasticism from the founding of the city to the death of Patriarch Photius (330–898). Book 1. St. Petersburg, 1899. 15. Monastic life according to the sayings of the holy ascetic Fathers about it. Pskov-Pechersky Monastery, 1994. 16. Naucratius the confessor, a district letter about the death of St. Theodore the Studite. – Christian reading. 1837, part 4, p. 217–246. 17. About the three vows of monasticism: virginity, non-covetousness and obedience. Ed. 5. M., 1913. 18. Rules of the Holy Apostles, Holy Councils of the Ecumenical and Local and the Holy Fathers with interpretations. M., 1913. 19. Preobrazhensky V., priest. Venerable Theodore the Studite and his time. M., 1896. 20. Sokolov Seraphim, priest. The doctrine of morality according to the works of St. Theodore the Studite. Fellowship report. Zagorsk, 1963. 21. Tikhon (Agrikov), hieromonk. Venerable Theodore Studite, as the organizer of cenobitic monasticism. Coursework. Zagorsk, 1954. 22. Theophan (Govorov), saint. Creations. Collection of letters. Vol. 1. M., 1898. 23. Theophan (Govorov), saint. Creations. Collection of letters. Vol. 7., M., 1901. 24. Filaret, Archbishop of Chernigov and Nizhyn. Historical teaching about the Fathers of the Church. T. III. St. Petersburg, 1859. Theophan (Govorov), saint. Creations. Collection of letters. Vol. 1. M., 1898. P. 84. Theophan (Govorov), saint. Creations. Collection of letters. Vol. 7. 1901. P. 213. Two ancient complete lists of the life of the Holy Father, on the basis of which the studies of Grosso and Dobroklonsky were compiled, are placed in the complete collection of the works of St. Theodore the Studite. See: vol. I. St. Petersburg, 1907. pp. 1–118. There is also a translation of the works of St. Theodore the Studite in Russian (mainly his catechetical teachings), made by St. Theophan the Recluse (“Philokalia” vol. IV). This translation was not taken as a basis for the reason that it does not represent the complete teachings of St. Theodore, but only extracts from them, as stated at the very beginning of the collection (pp. III-V), and the purpose of which is not a scientific, but an edifying publication (p. VI). Fyodor the Studite, Rev. Creations. T. I. St. Petersburg, 1907. P. 11. Herman, archimandrite. Heir to St. Basil the Great. M., 1932. P. 14. Andreev I. Saint Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople. – Theological Bulletin. 1899, no. 6. P. 161. Saint Basil the Great, who during his travels in the East studied the life of Egyptian, Palestinian and Syrian ascetics and based on this study, as well as his own ascetic experience, formed a high ideal of a Christian ascetic, settled on the monastic community (community of monks) as the most perfect form of monasticism. For practical acquaintance with this kind of community life, Saint Basil the Great founded his cenobitic monastery in Pontus, following the model and near which other monasteries soon appeared. According to the Saint, “everything in the monastery was common - one common God, one common purchase of piety, common salvation, common exploits, common labors, common crowns, here many make one, and one is not unique, but in many ways.” See Grossu N., priest. Venerable Theodore the Studite. His time, life and creations. Kiev, 1907. pp. 70–71. Rules of the Holy Apostles, Holy Councils of the Ecumenical and Local and Holy Fathers with interpretations. M., 1913. P. 420–422. (Sixth Ecumenical Council, rule 41). Dobrosklonsky A.P. Venerable Theodore, confessor and abbot of Studi. Part 1. Odessa, 1913. P. 13. Rules of the Holy Ecumenical Councils. Decree. ed. pp. 437–438. (Sixth Ecumenical Council, rule 46). Dobrosklonsky A.P. Decree. ed. Part I. pp. 8–9. Rules of the Holy Ecumenical Councils. Decree. ed. P. 644 (Seventh Ecumenical Council, rule 19). Grossu N., priest. Decree. ed. P. 76. Rules of the Holy Ecumenical Councils. Decree. ed. pp. 722–724 (Seventh Ecumenical Council, canon 20). Dobrosklonsky A.P. Decree. ed. Part I. P. 9. Reverend Martyr and Confessor Stephen the New († 767). The Monk Plato, Confessor of Studite († 814) is the spiritual father of the Monk Theodore the Studite. Dobrosklonsky A.P. Decree. ed. Part 1. P. 48. Theodore the Studite, Rev. Decree. ed. T. I. P. 82. Saint Dionysius the Areopagite. About the church hierarchy. Translation by priest L. Lutovsky, Kiev, 1983, pp. 63–64. The spiritual leader during the time of St. Theodore was the abbot himself (1:133:452–453; 2:25:517–519). Monastic life. Pskov-Pechersky Monastery. 1994. P. 101. John Climacus, Rev. Ladder, Word 20. Sergiev Posad, 1894, p. 93–94. Anthony the Great, Rev. Philokalia. T. 1. Trinity-Sergius Lavra, 1993, p. 107. We are talking about monastic tonsure. It must be remembered that it is not the abbot who punishes, but the rule, the rule that the monk promised to obey until his death. Excommunication is understood as a temporary separation from communication with the brethren in prayer, food and obedience (see: Maren, abbot, Constantinople monasticism from the foundation of the city to the death of Patriarch Photius (330–898). Book 1. St. Petersburg, 1899, p. 79). Dobroklonsky A.P. Decree. ed. Part 1, p. 540. Grossu N., priest. Decree. ed. P. 111. Venerable Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. II. St. Petersburg, 1908, pp. 848–853. (In brackets is the serial number of the penance specified in the Charter of St. Theodore). Dobroklonsky A.P. Decree. ed. Part 1, p. 541. Theodore the Studite, Rev. Decree. ed. T. I, p. 9. Theodore the Studite, Rev. Decree. ed. T. I, p. 13, 76.