Teachings of St. Ephraim the Syrian about virtues

(according to ascetic creations) The book that the reader holds in his hands tells about Christian virtues. Christian virtue is a person’s moral need for good deeds. But the inner mood of each person can vary greatly and be different from person to person, which is why the holy fathers talk about various virtues: abstinence, purity and chastity, love for God and neighbor, prayer, repentance and the fear of God. The book contains descriptions of these virtues according to the teachings of St. Ephraim the Syrian, and also provides advice on overcoming the obstacles that inevitably arise for a Christian following the path of acquiring them. We hope that it will be read with interest and many spiritual benefits by the modern Christian reader. Priest Rostislav Yarema graduated from the Moscow Theological Academy in 2000. Currently he serves in the Moscow church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy”, which is in Maryina Roshcha. This is not the first book by Priest Rostislav: he coordinated the publication of a book and booklet about his church, which were published in 2004, for the 100th anniversary of the church. In 2005, priest Rostislav published the books “Power and the Church on the eve of the Lviv Church Council (1944–1946) and “Autocephalist schisms in Ukraine (UAOC and UOC-KP) in the 1990s.” The author expresses deep gratitude to the Locus Standi company, the Snitenko family - Lyudmila Mikhailovna, Maxim Viktorovich, Alexander Viktorovich, who did everything possible to publish this book in memory of Viktor Petrovich Snitenko. We ask you to pray for the repose of the soul of God's servant Victor. In the history of Christianity, the 4th century is called the “golden age” of patristic literature. At this time, the power of the theological thought of such holy fathers and teachers of the Church as Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom, Gregory of Nyssa, Ambrose of Milan, and Saint Macarius of Egypt was especially revealed. Among their hosts, the general church consciousness also included the Monk Ephraim the Syrian, who entered the history of the Church primarily as a preacher of Christian morality and a teacher of repentance. The purpose of this work was to reveal the teachings of this Father of the Church about the virtues, whose exegetical, ascetic, polemical and liturgical creations became part of its Sacred Tradition. In addition to the works of the reverend himself, published in eight volumes, there are a number of works in which his life and work are explored. The St. Petersburg Theological Academy preserved two pre-revolutionary student works: A. Svetlova “Saint Ephraim as a Preacher” and N. Dobromyslova “Saint Ephraim as an Interpreter of the Old Testament Holy Books.” From modern research, we will name the following works devoted to the works of this saint: “Ascetic feat according to the works of St. Ephraim the Syrian” by Abbot Nikanor (Abramov); “Reverend Ephraim the Syrian and the peculiarities of his preaching” by Deacon I. Kasyan; “Disclosure of the Christian doctrine of repentance (according to the works of St. Ephraim the Syrian)” by monk Bartholomew (Kalugin); “Christian teaching about virtues, conditions and means to achieve them (based on the works of St. Macarius of Egypt and St. Ephraim the Syrian)” A. Kokhno; as well as the work of K. Romanov “Dogmatic teaching on the works of St. Ephraim the Syrian.” This book consists of an introduction, nine chapters and a conclusion. Chapter 1 presents a brief life of St. Ephraim and gives a general overview of his creations. Chapter 2 talks about the understanding of virtue as such by the monk himself. The subsequent chapters contain a systematic presentation of his teaching about those virtues that the monk especially emphasizes: about humility, lowliness and meekness (3rd chapter), about patience and obedience (4th chapter), about prayer, fasting and works of mercy (5th chapter), about abstinence, chastity and purity (6th chapter), about repentance (7th chapter), about love to God and neighbor (chap. 8), about the fear of God (chap. 9). The author’s task was to bring together descriptions of these virtues, scattered throughout many of the saint’s works, to show their signs, the fruits they bear, as well as the necessary means for acquiring them and advice for overcoming obstacles that arise on the path of the ascetic. The basis for the exposition of the saint’s teaching on virtues is his creations, mainly ascetic ones. Chapter I. Life and works of St. Ephraim the Syrian Our sources of information about the life of the Monk Ephraim the Syrian are, first of all, his own creation “Reproach to himself and confession” 1 and “A word of praise to the Monk Ephraim”, written by St. Gregory of Nyssa 2 , as well as the surviving Syrian biographies: a short one and two lengthy ones (one of which was included in its entirety in the 3rd volume of the works of the Monk Ephraim in the Syriac language) 3 and, finally, “Ecclesiastical History” by Ermius Sozomen, a Greek historian of the 5th century 4. Of the modern sources, the most detailed biography of St. Ephraim is an essay by the bachelor of the Moscow Theological Academy, Archpriest A.K. Sokolov, supplemented by prof. M.D. Muretov. This essay was placed in the first volume of the saint's works as a preface 5 . The Monk Ephraim was born at the beginning of the 4th century in Nizibia, a large and populous city in Syria, which is why he later became known as Sirin. His parents were hardworking but poor farmers, as he himself says: “My ancestors were beggars who lived on alms. The grandfathers who prospered in life were farmers. My parents did the same thing and were members of an unimportant priesthood. R .> kinship with city residents” 6. Distinguished by their virtuous life, the parents tried to raise their son in strict obedience and fear of God (although in some sources the parents of the saint are called pagans) 7 . But it was not easy: in his adolescence, Ephraim often upset his parents with his irritability, and in his youth with reckless hobbies and quarrels. “Even in my young years,” he says in his “Confession,” “I made a vow; However, in these short years I was ill-tongued, beat, quarreled with others, quarreled with neighbors, was envious, was inhuman towards strangers, cruel to friends, rude to the poor, got into quarrels over unimportant matters, acted recklessly,” and doubted even the Providence of God until I was admonished from above. It happened like this: one day, on an unjust accusation of stealing sheep, Ephraim was imprisoned. While in deep despondency, Ephraim suddenly heard a voice in a dream calling him to repentance: “Be pious, and you will understand Providence; go over in your thoughts what you were thinking about and what you were doing.” Later, acquitted at trial and released from prison, Ephraim realized that “there is an Eye that watches over everything.” While still in prison, he made a vow to devote his life to repentance, and therefore, returning home, he soon left the world and retired to the mountains to live with hermits, where he became a disciple of Saint James, later Saint of Nizibia 8 . Under the spiritual guidance of Saint James, the Monk Ephraim practiced obedience and prayer, and soon through his exploits he acquired meekness, humility and submission to the Providence of God. The saint then assigned him to preach sermons and teach children, which forced Ephraim to diligently study the Holy Scriptures. Over time, he became the soul of the theological school in the city of Nizibia. He achieved a deep knowledge of the word of God and became famous as a teacher of broken lament. “Crying incessantly for Ephraim was the same as for others - breathing air,” says St. Gregory of Nyssa. “Whoever reads his writings will see that he not only cries when he talks about repentance, but also in words of praise, where others usually express joy” 9 . For his pious ascetic life, Christians treated St. Ephraim with deep respect and love and looked at him as a saint. Once, having been slandered for a grave sin, he voluntarily accepted the blame. But rumors about this caused great unrest among the people, and to stop them, the monk miraculously showed that he was accused in vain. In 325, Saint James took St. Ephraim with him to Nicaea for the First Ecumenical Council, where Ephraim defended the Orthodox presentation of the faith from the false teachings of Arius. Returning to his homeland after the Council, Saint Ephraim continued to remain in obedience to Saint James until his death in 338 10. After the capture of Nisibia by the Persians in 363, the monk, like many Christians, left the city and headed to the city of Edessa. He settled in its environs, in one of the monasteries, where he led a strictly ascetic life in unceasing prayer, contemplation of God, vigil, fasting, and continued to study the Holy Scriptures. Soon, many who wanted to receive instruction from him began to flock to his secluded cave. The monk began to teach the people orally and in writing about faith and piety, and then opened a school in Edessa, from which many famous teachers of the Syrian Church subsequently emerged. In addition, the Monk Ephraim initiated a movement aimed at the restoration and revival of monastic life in Syria and in the surrounding countries. His writings to the monks formed the basis of the later monastic regulations of the Syrian Church. The Monk Ephraim was distinguished by extreme gentleness and meekness, with which he defeated evil and admonished the lost. He urged his listeners to lead a virtuous life and strictly denounced the false teachers who were disturbing Christian society at that time. Many pagans, hearing the preaching of Saint Ephraim, converted to Christianity. There are several known cases when the monk brought harlots to repentance. Thus, when one of them, wanting to seduce or at least anger the saint, inclined him to sin, the monk meekly agreed, but offered to commit the sin in a crowded city square. The harlot asked in surprise how he was not ashamed of people, to which she received the answer: if we are afraid of the condemnation of people, then shouldn’t we be more afraid of the Omniscient God? Struck by the monk’s answer, the harlot repented and left her vicious life 11. After many years of strict solitude in Nizibia and Edessa, the Monk Ephraim went to Egypt, where he asceticised with the Egyptian hermits, participated in theological disputes with the Arians, and wrote many of his works. Here, on Mount Nitria, as the monk himself writes, he had delightful conversations with the God-fearing monk Paisius, visited other Egyptian ascetics, leaving a good memory of himself among them as a very God-enlightened man 12 . On his way back from Egypt, he undertook a journey to Caesarea in Cappadocia to see St. Basil the Great, father and teacher of the Church. Saint Basil wanted to ordain the Monk Ephraim as a presbyter, but the Monk Ephraim considered himself unworthy of the priesthood and, at the insistence of the saint, only accepted the rank of deacon 13 . When the Bishop of Edessa died, Saint Basil sent his disciples to the Monk Ephraim, wanting to elevate him to the See of Edessa. But he, avoiding glory, took on the appearance of a madman and continued to play the fool until a new bishop was elected in Edessa. The monk wanted to spend the rest of the days of his life in the Edessa desert, remaining in prayer and fasting. But God's Providence once again called him to serve his neighbors. When famine struck in Edessa, the Monk Ephraim came out of solitude and, by the power of his word, persuaded many rich people to help those in need. Using the donations collected, the monk established an almshouse in Edessa. With the onset of the harvest year, he again retired to his cave. Soon the Monk Ephraim fell ill. Anticipating his imminent death, he wrote a will and died peacefully, according to some sources, in 372, and according to others, in 373 14. The Monk Ephraim the Syrian enjoyed universal respect in the Church both for his ascetic life and as an outstanding teacher of many generations of Christians. Here is what St. Gregory of Nyssa writes about St. Ephraim: “Renunced from all earthly attachments, devoted to unceasing prayer, fasting, vigil, thought of God, non-covetousness, mercy and service to others, an unusually humble ascetic, a zealous and subtle denouncer of heretics, a tireless and thoughtful interpreter of the Holy Scriptures, a sincere and a skilled hymn-writer, a rare expert on the human heart and a most ardent preacher of repentance and moral renewal, St. Ephraim truly contained within himself everything that constitutes the distinctive characteristics of man according to God.” And then the saint continues: “I need to glorify the one who is on the lips of all Christians - Ephraim, whose life and teaching shine throughout the whole world. For he is known to almost the entire sunflower (universe - Priest R.), and only those who do not know him are those who do not know the great luminary of the Church - Basil the Great" 15. And Blessed Jerome writes that the Monk Ephraim achieved such fame that his writings in some churches were read after the Holy Scriptures 16. The significance of Saint Ephrem’s works for his contemporaries is also evidenced by the fact that many of his works were translated into Greek during the saint’s lifetime 17 . The works of St. Ephraim the Syrian can be divided in content into exegetical (interpreting the Holy Scriptures), spiritual-moral (ascetic), dogmatic-polemical (theological) and liturgical. Exegetical works occupy a prominent place in the patristic heritage of St. Ephraim, since he is known as one of the best and deepest interpreters of the Holy Scriptures. Saint Gregory of Nyssa writes that the Monk Ephraim interpreted all the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, “starting from the Creation of the world to the last book of grace,” 18 in which he was helped by his knowledge of the Hebrew language and the customs of many eastern peoples. In the interpretation of sacred texts, the Monk Ephraim adhered primarily to the literal meaning, since he belonged to the Antiochian theological school, 19 but he did not leave without explanation those places where he understood the mysterious meaning of Scripture. In his spiritual and moral works, St. Ephraim appears as a preacher of Christian asceticism and, first of all, repentance. The monk did not talk or write as much about anything else as about the need to constantly mourn his sins, and he himself was imbued with a feeling of constant and deep contrition. The “Handbook for Clergy” says this about St. Ephraim: “Knowledge of the spiritual nature of man, acquired through constant self-deepening, condescending love for fallen, weak man, learned from the knowledge of one’s own infirmities and from reflection on the great love of the Redeemer for people, cordiality and fiery animation, shining through in every instruction of the ascetic teacher - these are the qualities that give His moral teachings are especially attractive, irresistibly acting directly on the heart and will of the reader. The teachings of Saint Ephraim amaze and crush the soul with fear, but at the same time they console it, filling it with tenderness and causing it to shed tears” 20 . St. Ephraim preaches the need for personal feat, first of all, the feat of faith in the humble assimilation of the truths of Orthodoxy, and the feat of Christian life. In the era of great theological disputes, when the Monk Ephraim lived, the enemies of the Holy Church tried with particular force to shake the foundations of the Orthodox faith. And in his dogmatic and polemical writings, the Monk Ephraim appeared as a defender of the truth, opposing the heretics who embarrassed the Christians of Edessa with their false teachings. The heretics presented their theories in poetic form and thereby led many into their delusions. Therefore, the Monk Ephraim also answered them in verse, which contributed to the return of his compatriots to the true faith, so that “many abandoned and forgot the songs of the heretic Bardesan” 21 . The Monk Ephraim the Syrian also wrote many prayers and hymns and thereby greatly enriched the liturgical life of the Church. The chants he wrote can be divided into laudatory, penitential and funeral. Of the compiled prayers, the touching prayer “Lord and Master of my life...”, read by the Church during Great Lent, is especially famous. There is currently no complete edition of all the works of St. Ephraim the Syrian. Many of his creations were lost. Moreover, it is still not possible to finally separate the authentic from the inauthentic in the mass of works that are inscribed with the name of the saint 23. The Orthodox Church canonized Ephraim the Syrian as a saint. His memory is celebrated on January 28/February 10 (new style). Chapter II. The concept of virtue The concept of virtue as a category of ethics occupies an extremely important place in the teaching of Christian morality. In ancient philosophy, the concept of “virtue” (ἡ ἀρετή) meant, on the one hand, external, material, although certainly valuable and positive qualities (for example, fertility was considered as “ἀρετή of the soil”, acute vision as “ἀρετή eyes”, etc.); on the other hand, this word denoted properties of a purely internal, psychological nature (for example: courage, kindness, spiritual nobility and, in general, any moral perfection). The Holy Fathers and teachers of the Church introduced new, Christian content into the ancient concept. In virtue they saw, first of all, the constant striving of the human soul to fulfill the commandments of God with the assistance of the grace of God. Therefore, in patristic writing, ἀρετή is already used in the sense of righteousness, holiness and takes on the literal meaning of good deeds. St. Ephraim the Syrian derives the noun ἀρετή from the verb αἱρεῖσθαι (to choose), for “virtue,” he says, “is arbitrary, and we do good by our own choice and arbitrariness, and not against the will and not under compulsion” 24 . And from this point of view, the main point in the concept of virtue is the act of its voluntary election, which certainly presupposes that the person choosing it has self-awareness and free will. Therefore, if a person does good or chooses something that is aimed at a good goal, this can be called a good deed, or virtue. The one “perfect virtue”, adorned with “all that God loves,” is called by the saint “one-person virtue, containing all the beauty and all the variety of virtues,” that is, perfect virtue 25. St. Ephraim compares perfect virtue to a “royal diadem” composed of many precious stones and choice pearls; but if only one stone or one pearl is missing from the diadem, then it can no longer shine on the royal head. Likewise, “one-person virtue”, if it lacks the beauty of one virtue, then it can no longer be called perfect virtue 26. Being the crown of all virtues, “one-person virtue,” according to the teachings of St. Ephraim, combines “all the varieties” of other virtues, because “they are all interconnected, and one rests on the other; like some kind of spiritual chain, they all depend on one another: love from joy, joy from meekness, meekness from humility, humility from helpfulness, helpfulness from hope, trust from faith, faith from obedience, obedience from simplicity” 27 . And so all the particular virtues are closely connected with each other, due to which only the one who has acquired a single aggregate “single-personal virtue” can be called truly perfect. The one who acquires such virtue will never “offend God or do evil to his neighbor,” for virtue “makes people friends of God” 28 . Perfect Christian virtue, teaches St. Ephraim, has “inexhaustible wealth.” It “does not shrink if many take it up and many succeed in it,” and “the acquisition of virtue is such that even if everyone took part in the share, its wealth would not be exhausted” 29 . The monk divides all virtues into mental and physical. He identifies four generic virtues: courage, prudence, chastity and justice, from which “the following spiritual virtues are born: faith, hope, love, prayer, humility, meekness, generosity, patience, kindness, non-anger, knowledge of God, non-irritability, simplicity, indignation, impartiality, love of truth, freedom, aversion from condemnation, vanity, arrogance, pride, envy, deceit and love of money, compassion, mercy, generosity, respect, reverence, attraction to future immortal benefits, desire for the Kingdom of God” 30. He includes the following among the bodily virtues: “abstinence, fasting, hunger, thirst, vigil, all-night standing, kneeling, constantly not going to the bathhouse, self-satisfaction with one tunic, dry eating, later, and then in small quantities, eating food, drinking only water, reclining on the bare ground, poverty, non-covetousness, exhaustion, carelessness in clothing, lack of pride, solitude, silence, hopeless stay in a cell, poverty, contentment with little, silence, manual exercise in needlework, every kind of suffering and every bodily feat” 31. All of the above virtues, according to the teachings of the saint, are necessary for every Christian for his internal improvement. But just as “the soul is incomparably higher than the body, so the spiritual virtues are higher than the physical virtues” 32. Virtue becomes such only when it is performed not only externally, but also with the appropriate disposition of the heart. “God does not require what is apparently good, but requires the intention with which good is done... when the mind loses sight of the pious goal, then an apparently virtuous act does not deserve praise, because what is done without reasoning and unintentionally, although it will be good, not only does not bring any benefit, but also harms” 33. But in order to discern such shades of spiritual life, you need knowledge of its laws and attentiveness to your inner structure. To do this, the ascetic must acquire the gift of prudence, which, according to the saint, “is the beginning of all virtue.” This is why he puts it “above all virtues,” saying that prudence is “the queen and virtue of virtues” 34. In spiritual life, no one can win and receive the unfading crown of eternal life without struggle, therefore, if an ascetic wants to “prove himself perfect,” he must always be “clothed in virtue, just as one should not take it off with clothing” 35 . Finally, St. Ephraim calls on all Christians to have constant care and concern for their departure from earthly life. Everything will pass, everything will disappear, and nothing will benefit us at that (death) hour, except for the good deeds that we had here. These good deeds are those virtues that “are done by angels: love, humility, generosity, self-control, patience, prudence, obedience, silence, courage, justice, virginity, contrition and the like... These virtues will intercede for us at that hour,” says St. Ephraim, “and no one will resist them” 36. The Monk Ephraim the Syrian in his works dwells in most detail on the main gospel virtues: humility, patience, prayer, fasting, chastity, repentance, love, fear of God, which will be discussed below. Chapter III. About humility, lowliness and meekness The instructions of St. Ephraim the Syrian regarding these most important Christian virtues are based on Gospel teaching. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself showed divine humility and meekness in His earthly life; He called upon His followers to have humility and meekness, saying: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29) 37. Humility is a virtue that is the most important and fundamental in its meaning in spiritual life. Without it, all other virtues not only have no value, but are simply impossible. “Our Lord places love at the top of all virtues,” says St. Ephraim. - But who is rich in love if not the humble? Through humility, love, hope, and faith are acquired. It makes fasting a true fast, it protects virgins, it gives value to alms, it makes sacrifice pleasing to God. He who fasts without humility angers God with his fasting; and fornicators are better than proud virgins; alms given without humility are not accepted in heaven, and sacrifices offered without humility are not pleasing to the Holy Spirit. He who does vigil and prayer without humility is no better than a sleepy man; and the prayer of the humble, although he is sleeping, is a fragrant censer before God” 38. And further the monk writes: “Do you love cleanliness? By humility you will acquire a pure heart. Do you desire holiness? It will make you a saint. Do you want to become perfect? It is the path of the perfect. And you will ascend to every height through humility.” Therefore, “all treasures are found in humility; all blessings, all spiritual riches can be found in it. Count and list them if you can, because everything is in humility” 39. The root of all passions and vices that overwhelm a person is pride, which “killed our father Adam and kills all his children.” Therefore, St. Ephraim advises ascetics, “who have entered into spiritual warfare and want to win, to put on the armor of humility. <It> is the weapon of our Lord, <with which He> overthrew Satan from the heights of arbitrary dominion” 40. Further, the monk says: “Gird yourself with this weapon, disciples of Christ, because with it you will gain victory and become heirs of the Kingdom. He who loves victory should arm himself with this weapon; whoever wishes to enter the Kingdom, enter through these gates... <For> humility is the door of heaven, it is the ladder along which a person ascends to heaven. For them God descended from the heights to the abode of the earthly, for them the descendants of Adam ascend from the depths to the abodes of the heavenly beings. By him every good is acquired, by him every adversity is overcome." 41 The virtue of humility conceals within itself the power of grace, so that even a person burdened with sins, but wanting to be freed from them, “if he acquires humility” 42, makes him righteous, and this is because humility brings him closer to God, from Whom we receive remission of sins. Humility is related to humility. These virtues can be compared to a tall, mighty tree, which with humility, like its roots, goes deep into the ground, and with its top, with humility, it stretches high into the sky. The first (that is, humility) is not extolled, since it does not even think about what grows from it; the second (that is, humility), with its characteristic wisdom, does not philosophize within itself, realizing that its life completely depends on the moisture supplied by the roots. Therefore, both virtues, humbled by the word of God, are exalted. The monk, in humility and humility, sees that trunk of the tree of the spiritual life of the ascetic, from which the branches of virtue grow. St. Ephraim gives signs of true humility. They are as follows: “reproach yourself at all times, in every place and for every matter; not to blaspheme anyone and not to find a person on earth who would be more vile, or more sinful, or more negligent than himself, but to always praise and glorify everyone; never condemn anyone, do not humiliate anyone, do not slander anyone, but at all times remain silent and do not say anything unless ordered or absolutely necessary; when they ask, and there is an intention, or extreme need forces you to answer, then speak quietly, calmly, rarely, as if under duress and with shame; do not set yourself up as the measure (of truth) in anything, do not argue with anyone about faith or anything else, but if someone speaks well, say to him: “Yes”; and if it’s bad, answer: “You know”; to be submissive and abhor your will as something harmful; have your gaze always lowered to the ground, have your death before your eyes; never idle talk, don’t talk idle, don’t lie, don’t contradict the highest; joyfully endure insults, humiliation and losses; hate peace and love work, not upset anyone and not hurt anyone’s conscience.” St. Ephraim calls the one blessed who has these signs of true humility. Already here on earth, such a person “begins to be called the house and church of God, <because> God dwells in him, and he becomes the heir of the Heavenly Kingdom” 43. Only perfect people reach the heights of humility. Irritability no longer finds a place in a humble heart; on the contrary, it is filled with love, peace, joy of spirit and joy of wisdom 44 . The monk says that a person pleases God with humility much more than with sacrifices and offerings. Through humility, the righteous receive forgiveness of sins, achieve perfection and inherit eternal life 45. Speaking about the power of humility, Saint Ephraim writes: “The humble does not become vain, does not take pride in serving the Lord out of fear of Him. The humble person does not establish his own will by contradicting the truth, but obeys the truth. The humble person does not envy his neighbor’s success, does not rejoice at his contrition, but, on the contrary, rejoices with those who rejoice and weeps with those who weep. The humble one is not humbled in deprivation and poverty and is not arrogant in prosperity and glory, but constantly remains in the same virtue. A humble person does not slander brother against brother (this is a satanic act), but serves as a peacemaker for them, not repaying evil for evil. The humble person respects not only his superiors, but also his inferiors. The humble person strives for reverence with all his might. A humble person does not get carried away by irritability, does not insult anyone, does not shout at anyone. A humble person is not stubborn and is not lazy, even if they call him to work at midnight, because he has placed himself in obedience to the commandments of the Lord. The humble person knows neither vexation nor guile, but with simplicity and integrity serves the Lord in holiness, in peace and in spiritual joy. The humble man does not get drunk with wine, does not indulge in gluttony, fearing the commandment of the Lord. A humble person, if he hears a reprimand, does not complain, and if he is bitten, will not lose patience, because he is a disciple of Him who endured the Cross for us. The humble person hates pride, which is why he does not strive for primacy, but considers himself in this world to be like a temporary swimmer on a ship. The humble person loves to listen to spiritual speeches and does not remove his mind from the commandments of the Most High, because he has truly denied himself in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ” 46 . As he progresses in humility, achieving spiritual and moral perfection, the ascetic gradually acquires humility, so that he does not even allow the thought that he has achieved something. His elevated state does not prevent him from “humiliating himself in his mind,” for humility, according to the saint’s words, consists in “recognizing the many and great things in oneself, and not imagining anything great about oneself.”47 Calling humility the beginning and end of (all) good things, the Monk Ephraim says that without it, “every ascetic endeavor, every abstinence, all submission, all non-covetousness, all much learning is in vain” 48 , and without humility it is impossible to achieve salvation. One must love and preserve this virtue, which is “an insurmountable wall in the face of the enemy, a rock against which the guns and kindled arrows of the evil one strike and are crushed” 49 . Without humility, according to the saint, “a right (righteous - priest R.) life is impossible.” To achieve success, everything must be done in “humility of mind, in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, and through this the fruit (of labor) will ascend to heaven.” Whoever achieves humility becomes like Christ and “never falls into the devil’s snare, because, soaring on swift wings, he will always be much higher than the enemy’s snares” 50. “Those who come to monastic life” should especially be distinguished by humility. The Monk Ephraim admonishes such people “not to be arrogant, not to be arrogant, but to show in themselves all meekness and humility, remembering and reasoning about the good deeds of the Lord, about the difficulties of this age from which the Lord extracted them, in all their deeds to acquire humility for themselves, which is the mother of obedience” 51 . The monk says: “Have humility and meekness, and the grace of God will descend upon you” 52 . And further: “If an ascetic loves humility, through which he becomes meek, then the Lord will teach him His ways by which he will achieve salvation” 53. In his teachings to new monks, St. Ephraim calls on them to be meek, obedient and prudent. He writes: “Be meek to the point that if the boy asks of you, follow him, do the work and silently return to your cell, silently with your lips, but praying with your heart” 54 . If the ascetic wants to “become a truly victorious person, endure the labors of virtues courageously, with wise meekness” 55. The monk calls on everyone to acquire this virtue, saying: “I beg you, acquire meekness, because the meek are adorned with every good deed. The meek, even if offended, rejoices; even if he is sorrowful, he gives thanks; he pacifies the angry with love; taking blows, he remains firm; during a quarrel he is calm, in submission he is cheerful, he is not hurt by pride, he rejoices in humiliation, he is not proud of his merits, he does not boast, he lives in silence with everyone; He is submissive to any authority, ready for any task, deserves approval in everything, everyone praises him. He runs away from wickedness, far from hypocrisy. He does not serve cunning, does not submit to envy, abhors slander, does not tolerate falsehoods, and hates scolders. Oh, blessed wealth is meekness! She is glorified by everyone" 56. Chapter IV. About patience and obedience Humility brings a Christian to the realization of his spiritual poverty, which prompts him to be condescending to the weaknesses of the people around him, to have compassion for them, and to complacently endure all the annoyances and insults from them - both deserved and undeserved. This helps him and this is at the same time the virtue of patience. Patience, according to St. Ephraim, is “constancy in goodness, inspired by zeal for pleasing God.” A Christian needs it at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of his life’s journey. Anyone who “begins to work for God” and strives to acquire virtues will inevitably be allowed many temptations, which are defeated by the most reliable weapon against them - patience 57 . In this sense, to endure for an ascetic means “to courageously endure the sorrows, disasters and needs that he encounters: whether it be physical illness and suffering, or reproach and insults from people, or various invisible sorrows that evil spirits bring to the soul with the intention of leading it to relaxation, negligence and impatience, and thereby preventing it from entering eternal life” 58 . The basis of the feat of Christian patience is trust in God. Therefore, the ascetic must daily bear his cross (see Matt. 10:38), that is, be ready to endure for the sake of Christ every sorrow and every temptation, open or secret, and always be strengthened by trust in the Lord. Because if he “does not take courage and does not endure with patience all kinds of temptations and all kinds of sorrows, but becomes upset, despondent and careless, then he loses his hope, which with undoubted faith awaits the mercy of God, and then such an ascetic becomes unworthy of eternal life. well-skilled in everything, faithful and worthy, having endured to the end and maintaining the hope of faith, having been deemed worthy of deliverance by grace, he becomes an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven” 59 . For only those who maintain “courageous patience and trust” can resist the evil one. The monk also repeats the words of the holy Apostle Paul that “God does not allow a soul that trusts in Him and is patient to be tempted to such an extent that it reaches despair and falls into such temptations and sorrows that it cannot endure” 60. And the more a person endures sorrows and attacks from the enemy, “the more glory he gains from God” 61. Patience, according to the saint, “is required in many virtues... without perfect patience it is impossible to succeed in anything” 62. The patient ascetic, says St. Ephraim, “attains every virtue. In sorrows he rejoices, in needs he turns out to be well-versed, in temptations he admires (that is, he is soon freed from them or does not feel sorrow if God allows him to continue. - Priest R.). He is ready to obey, adorned with long-suffering, filled with love. He blesses for insults, keeps peace in quarrels, is courageous in silence, is not lazy in psalmody, is ready for fasting, is patient in prayers, is not reproachful in deeds, is straightforward in his answers, is submissive in correcting assignments, is diligent in life, is kind in providing services, is attractive in his manners, is pleasant in community with brotherhood, is sweet in meetings, is not sweet in vigils. gloomy, diligent in caring for the strange, helpful in caring for the weak; the first assistant in a difficult situation, sober in thought, kind in every matter. He who has acquired patience has acquired hope. For he is adorned with every good work." 63 Patience, tempered by trials and feats, imparts to a Christian an abundance of all blessings, strengthens and turns into long-suffering. The Holy Scripture praises the long-suffering, saying about him: “... a man who is long-suffering is wise in understanding” (Proverbs 14:29). “Be patient,” St. Ephraim also calls, “in order to become strong and in prudence... a wonderful gift that drives out hot temper, anger and contempt, and brings the soul to a peaceful state. He who is long-suffering is always in joy, in gladness, in admiration, because he trusts in the Lord. He who is long-suffering is far from angry, because he endures everything. He who is long-suffering is not quickly inflamed with anger, does not resort to insults, and is not easily moved by empty speeches; if offended, he is not upset; those who resist do not resist; is firm in every matter; does not quickly fall into deception, is not prone to irritation, rejoices in sorrows, gets used to every good deed; people who are not satisfied with anything, pleases them in everything; when they order him, he does not contradict; when they reprimand, they do not frown; in any case, he finds healing for himself in long-suffering” 64. The Lord exhorts His followers: “In your patience gain your souls” (Luke 21:19). And, according to the teaching of St. Ephraim, the ascetic “must have patience until his last breath” 65, because only “he who endures to the end” is saved (Matthew 10:22). Patience is closely related to the virtue of obedience. The difficulty of spiritual life and various dangers force the prudent ascetic not to rely on his own strength, not to rest on his achievements, not to trust himself, but, guided by the instructions of an experienced spiritual mentor and remaining in obedience, to find serenity in the sorrows themselves. True obedience requires not contradicting in anything the one to whom you have entrusted your soul, accepting the commands of the elder with trust and simplicity, as the will of God Himself. “Whoever listens to the admonitions of an elder,” says the monk, “will rejoice with the righteous” 66. He advises those who are in obedience not to do “works of disobedience,” so as not to suffer, as Gehazi did (see 2 Kings 5:20–27), but to “bear perfect fruit for the Lord Jesus Christ through excellent obedience” 67 . St. Ephraim says that whoever has acquired true obedience becomes an imitator of our Good Teacher, Who “was obedient even to death” (Phil. 2:8). The Monk Ephraim writes about the good fruits of obedience as follows: “Whoever has obedience is united with everyone by love, he has acquired great wealth, great wealth. He who is obedient is pleasing to all, praised by all, and glorified by all. The obedient one quickly (that is, quickly) rises and soon shows success. The obedient is commanded and does not contradict; they give a command, and he does not pervert it; reprimanded, and he is not angry. He is ready for any good deed. He is not easily overcome by temper. If he hears a reproach, he is not embarrassed; does not become incensed from insults, rejoices in sorrows, gives thanks in sorrows. He does not move from place to place, does not move from monastery to monastery. Exhortations do not frighten him; he stays in the place where he is called and does not give in to despondency. He does not humiliate his father and does not dishonor his brother; does not shy away from staying in the monastery. He does not like to indulge in peace, is not captivated by locations, does not enjoy the air, but, according to the word of the holy Apostle, he remains in the place where he is called (see 1 Cor. 7:20). So, the fruits of obedience are truly many, and therefore blessed is he who has acquired it. But he who has not acquired obedience but indulges in murmuring is worthy and pitiful of damnation” 68 . St. Ephraim also says that obedience can be both “for the sake of God” and “for the sake of sin,” so you need to find out what kind of obedience is pleasing to God and fulfill it. Obedience for God's sake leads to salvation. Obedience for the sake of sin, that is, that which is performed proudly and without humility, leads the ascetic to destruction. Thus, in spiritual life, the virtues of patience and obedience have great beneficial power, which can elevate a person to a degree of perfection. Therefore, an ascetic who sincerely, conscientiously and patiently fulfills all the obediences assigned to him and is guided by the advice of his spiritual father, soon achieves high spiritual states that lead him to salvation. Chapter V. About prayer, fasting and works of mercy St. Ephraim the Syrian notes the inextricable connection between the virtues of patience, obedience and prayer. An ascetic who wishes to acquire the virtue of patience must pray that the Lord will give him strength to endure sorrow. And obedience is saving only when it is accompanied by prayer, and not grumbling. Prayer also has a connection with other virtues, nourishing, strengthening, sanctifying them and helping the ascetic achieve perfection. St. Ephraim says that it is necessary to acquire virtues through “constant presence in prayer” 69 . Prayer, according to St. Ephraim, is, first of all, a conversation between the soul and God. “The prayer of the perfect,” he writes, “rises directly into heaven itself. Angels and Archangels admire her and present her to the throne of the Holy and Exalted Master of all,” 70 and then there is great joy in Heaven. St. Ephraim sings the prayer in these words: “Prayer is the mother of sinners, for with tears it heals their ulcers and makes them healthy, like a doctor.” 71 It “is a preventive measure for chastity, training the heart, taming arrogance, cleansing from memory of malice, exterminating hatred, correcting wickedness. Prayer is strength to the body, prosperity to the home, improvement to the city, power to the kingdom, a sign of victory during battle, strength to the world. Prayer is the seal of virginity, the fidelity of marriage, the weapon of travelers, the guardian of those who sleep, the trustworthiness of those who are awake, the fruitfulness of farmers, the salvation of those who swim. Prayer is the intercessor of those on trial, consolation for prisoners, consolation for those who mourn, joy for those who rejoice, encouragement for those who cry, a crown for spouses, burial for the dead. Prayer is a conversation with God, equality with the Angels, success in good, aversion from evil, correction for those who sin. Prayer is a great weapon, an inexhaustible treasure, never-exhaustible wealth, an untroubled pier, the foundation of silence. Prayer is the root, source and mother of thousands of blessings. She is stronger than the kingdom itself." 72 St. Ephraim divides prayer into public and private. Public prayer, which takes place in the church, is of great importance. The monk writes: “As rain grows a seed, so church service strengthens souls in virtue” 73 . Prayer is especially important and saving for a Christian when it is offered at liturgies, where the faithful partake of the Flesh and Blood of Christ the Savior 74 . Rev. Ephraim calls “not to neglect church services under the pretext of some business” 75 and to honor “holidays, celebrating not magnificently, but divinely, in a Christian way: “in psalms, and songs, and spiritual songs” (Eph. 5:19)” 76. Prayer performed in church is especially close to God and saving for Christians, since in the church of God “with sorrow and tears the Church cries out for her children” 77 so that the Lord will preserve and save them. Private prayer, according to St. Ephraim, should also be performed with attention, so as not to be distracted during prayer. He says: “When you stand before God in prayer, stand before Him with fear and trembling. All around, cut off from your heart thoughts and concerns about everything earthly. At the hour of prayer, be entirely a heavenly Angel and make every effort so that your prayer is holy, pure, undefiled, so that the gates of heaven see it, and, welcoming it, the Angels and Archangels all greet (greet) with joy and bring it to the holy and exalted Throne of the Most Pure Lord. So, at the hour of prayer, always prostrate yourself before God, like the Cherubim and Seraphim” 78. And again the monk writes that “you need to pray with vision,” that is, the ascetic, having stood up for prayer, “should not allow his thoughts to wander, but must understand who he is and who he is facing, and with whom he is talking. And then his prayer will come closer to God, his soul will prosper more and more through grace, and the enemy will flee like dust before the wind, driven by the angel of God” 79 . Prayer, according to the teachings of the saint, should be dissolved with humility and love, because whoever prays with love, tears, in a humble and pure heart, “reflects God Himself, as in a mirror, in his mind” 80. If prayer is not accompanied by these virtues, then this is only the “guise of prayer” 81. The Monk Ephraim teaches that if an ascetic has enmity against a brother, then before beginning prayer, he must reconcile with the one whom he has upset, because the Lord Himself is angry with him in the face of the upset 82 . And “the Lord does not accept prayers from someone who remembers evil against his brother” 83. Prayer must be reasonable and definite, that is, when turning to God, the ascetic must clearly understand what he is praying for and what he hopes to receive. The monk says that if an ascetic intends to ask God for something, then before turning to the Giver of all good things, he must consider his request: is it pure, and carefully delve into the reason prompting him to ask 84 . But the ascetic does not always know what is saving and what is harmful in his petitions. Therefore, Saint Ephraim instructs the monk, saying: “If you ask something from God, stand firmly in your request, opening up to Him and saying: “If it is, O Lord, your will that this should happen, then do it and make it successful. And if it is not Your will for this, do not allow this to happen, my God! Do not betray me to my own desires, for you know my foolishness. Do not give me over to delusion and my foolishness, but, as You Yourself know, protect me according to Your condescension!” 85. For “The Lord is the all-wise Distributor. He looks at the benefit of the person asking, and as soon as he sees that what he is asking is harmful or, at least, useless to him, he does not fulfill the request and refuses the imaginary benefit” 86. But the Lord listens to every prayer; and the one whose prayer is not fulfilled receives from Him the same saving gift as the one whose prayer is fulfilled. If a monk prays, asking God for something good, this does not mean that he will immediately receive what he asks for, for “the good Giver looks at both the request and the time. Just as fruit taken before its time is harmful, so a gift given at the wrong time causes harm, but later it is useful. If the request is not timely, then the Giver is slow to fulfill it” 87. Following the apostolic instruction to pray unceasingly (see 1 Thess. 5:17), St. Ephraim speaks of frequent and persistent prayer. Weak human nature, without the special protection of God's grace, cannot prevent itself from falling. Hence the constant need to pray to God, to ask Him for help and intercession. “We must continually,” says the monk, “pray to the Lord that we may rise above the wiles of the demons” 88 and obtain victory over the enemy. “Let us watch, let us be diligent in our holy prayers, so that on the day of resurrection we may meet the Bridegroom with the wise virgins” 89. About monastic prayer, the Monk Ephraim writes in the “Instructions for Ascetics”: “Let the monk’s hymnology be incessant, because the Seraphim praise incessantly. In your mouth, monk, let there be a spiritual song, lightening the burden of befalling temptations for you. Don’t stop praying: when you can, openly, and when you can’t, pray with your mind. Do not wait for Sunday or a holiday, do not distinguish between places, but, as the prophet David said, pray “in every place of His dominion” (Ps. 103:22). Therefore, whether you are in church, or at home, or in the field, whether you are tending sheep, whether you are engaged in construction, whether you are at a feast, do not abandon prayer; and when possible, kneel, and when it is impossible, pray with your mind in the evening, and in the morning, and at noon; for you do not know when the one who demands your life will come” 90. If “prayer precedes the work, and, having risen from bed, you devote your first movements to prayer, then sin will not find access to the soul” 91. Thus, prayer is the basis of the spiritual life of a Christian. Through it, a person enters into communication with God and opens his heart to Him, praying for the forgiveness of his sins with hope in God’s mercy. The ascetic spends his entire life in prayer. But prayer alone is not enough to defeat the enemy. Reverend Ephraim says that fasting is also needed, “because without fasting and prayer no one can defeat the evil one” 92 . Thus, these two virtues are combined together. Through fasting and prayer, the ascetic becomes a relative of his Guardian Angel; our Lord Jesus Christ, the angels, the prophets, the apostles, the martyrs, and all the saints rejoice in him. St. Ephraim calls on everyone to be zealous in fasting, so that together with the fasters and blessed righteous people they can ascend to Heaven and “recline at the supper of bliss” 93 . The monk writes: “Fasting is a worthy and godly deed. Fasting is a chariot that ascends to heaven. Fasting gives birth to prophets and makes legislators wise. Fasting is a good protection for the soul, a reliable servant of the body. Fasting is a weapon for the valiant, a school for ascetics. Fasting reflects temptations and anoints one to achieve the feat of piety; he is the companion of sobriety, the author of chastity. Fasting is valor in battle. Fasting extinguished the fiery power. Fasting stopped the lions' mouths. Fasting raises prayer to heaven. Fasting is the mother of health. Fasting is a mentor to youth, an adornment to elders, and a good companion to travelers. Those who fast have an honest body and a precious soul. Fasting laid Lazarus to rest in the bowels of Abraham. Therefore, we too will love him,” the monk exhorts, “so that Abraham’s bosom may also accept us.” Let us flee from luxury and drunkenness accompanied by noisy laughter - this mother of fornication. Drunkenness is not acceptable to the Lord. Drunkenness removes the Holy Spirit from us. Fasting is the improvement of the city, the deanery of the marketplace. Fasting - peace in homes. Fasting is the guardian and protection of virginity. Fasting is the path to repentance. Fasting is the culprit of tears. Fasting does not love the world (worldly), nor what is in the world. Therefore, let us not lose heart while fasting, because the Angels in every church record those who are fasting. Fasting does not allow rancor. And those who collect in memory their sorrows and the evil they have done, although they apparently pray and fast, are like people who draw water and pour it into a broken barrel. Fasting is a sword that never becomes dull." 94 But not every fast, says Saint Ephraim, is pleasing to God. Thus, fasting “extended to the extreme” 95 is reprehensible, because it makes the ascetic powerless and incapable of activity. Also, if “whoever fasts and hates his brother, he is the same before God as one who indulges in gluttony, because he is full of deceit and hatred, and has lost the love of our Lord. He who fasts and is angry and harbors enmity in his heart hates God, and salvation is far from him.” Whoever has “deceit, hatred and condemnation in his heart, let him first cleanse his soul, and then he comes and fasts and prays,” for the ascetic needs to have peace with everyone and become “perfect in love and the hope of faith” 96. Fasting, like prayer, is a means of healing not only mental, but also physical ailments and diseases. Fasting brings sobriety to the mind, while prayer is the weapon of the mind with which it drives away invisible enemies. Fasting humbles the soul, freeing it from bitterness and pompousness, and the prayer of the fasting person receives special power because it is brought from the very depths of the heart. But fasting and prayer are saving only when they are combined with other virtues, in particular, with works of mercy. “Prayer and fasting are wonderful,” says the monk, “but they are strengthened by almsgiving” 97 . Therefore, “blessed is he who breaks his bread and gives it to the poor; Christ rejoices over him and rewards him with the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed is he who clothes the naked; he will be clothed in the robe of the Kingdom and will one day rejoice in the bright chamber” 98. Chapter VI. About abstinence, chastity and purity Fasting is only one aspect of the general virtue of abstinence. In the chapter “On Virtues,” St. Ephraim writes: “Love reverence and abstinence in order to receive great benefit. Abundance destroys, and abstinence creates, but one is opposite to the other and one cannot be combined with the other. Having devoted yourself to abstinence, do not worry about many costs to yourself, but be content with the present. Three, four or five crackers, a small amount of lentils, or beans, or herbs will satisfy the necessary need. And in all this you have the Lord as your helper and helper, who enriches your spiritual strength with good hope” 99. So, if an ascetic wants to overcome gluttony, he must love abstinence, through which he will gain victory over this passion. But both “filling oneself with food” and “extending abstinence”, like unreasonable fasting, are reprehensible. The first excessively excites carnal passions and raises a strong war on the soul, and the second makes the ascetic incapable of activity. But “flesh of the flesh,” most often caused by demons, sometimes also comes from “extreme abstinence.” Therefore, it is necessary to take food in moderation, “so that in case of complete immoderation, the ascetic does not suffer violence from the movements of the flesh” 100. St. Ephraim, like many holy fathers, teaches not only about bodily abstinence, but also about spiritual, by which is meant abstinence “from all passion, from evil and vain thoughts.” Carried out in this broad sense, abstinence is “the destruction of sin, alienation from passions,” and the pinnacle of such a feat is the complete “renunciation of one’s own desires” 101 for the sake of fulfilling the will of God. The virtue of abstinence is of great importance for the spiritual and moral development of a Christian. According to the saint, “whoever devotes himself to abstinence and curbs himself by it, will easily overcome passions and thoughts” 102. But abstinence is useful only when it is done “with a pious thought” 103 (purpose - Priest R.). In the chapter “On Abstinence”, the Monk Ephraim says that one must abstain: “in the tongue - not to talk a lot and not to speak empty, to master the tongue and not to slander, not to offend with a word, not to swear, not to talk idlely, not to slander one another, not to judge a brother, not to reveal secrets, not to engage in what is not ours; in hearing – to master one’s hearing and not be amazed by empty rumors; for the eyes - to control vision, not to fix your gaze on everything pleasant and on anything indecent; in irritability - control anger and not suddenly flare up; from glory - to control your spirit, not to desire glorification, not to be arrogant, not to seek honor and not to be arrogant, not to dream of praise; from thoughts - to cast down thoughts with the fear of God, not to be inclined towards seductive and flaming thoughts, and not to delight in them; in victuals (food) - to control oneself and not to look for victuals, in abundance, or expensive dishes, not to eat at the wrong time or except at a certain hour, not to indulge in the spirit of gluttony, not to be aroused to greed by kindness (taste and appearance. - Priest. R.) food and not desire one or the other; in drinking - to control yourself and not go to feasts, not to enjoy the pleasant taste of wines, not to drink wine unnecessarily, not to look for different drinks, not to chase the pleasure of drinking skillfully prepared mixtures, not to drink excessively not only wine, but, if possible, also water; in desire and in vicious voluptuousness - to control the feeling, not to indulge accidentally aroused desires, not to be inclined to thoughts that inspire voluptuousness, not to delight in what subsequently arouses hatred towards oneself, not to fulfill the will of the flesh, but to curb passions with the fear of God. For he is truly self-controlled who desires (desires) these immortal blessings and, rushing towards them with his mind, turns away from carnal lust, abhors carnality as something plunging into the shadows; does not like to look at women's faces, is not captivated by physical appearance, is not attracted by beauty, does not enjoy what is pleasant to the senses, is not caught by words of flattery, does not stay with women, especially immodest ones, and does not have long conversations with wives. He abstains from every thought and overcomes every desire with the desire for a better thing and the fear of the future age. Blessed are such, for heavenly joys await them,” 104 concludes St. Ephraim. Thus, the monk teaches that in the matter of abstinence, moderate use of everything that God gives for the benefit of man is required. But this becomes possible only when a person learns to control his mind, will and all his feelings. By striving in abstinence, a Christian greatly facilitates the work of acquiring two more virtues - chastity and purity. St. Ephraim teaches that chastity consists of being free not only from fornication and carnal pleasures, but also from other passions. Therefore, “he is truly chaste who not only keeps the whole body from fornication, but also every member of the body; when, for example, the eye and tongue observe chastity, each in its own activity, and in the inner man spiritual thoughts do not enter into combination with vicious thoughts” 105. Purity and chastity, according to St. Ephraim, are “a bridle for the eyes, leading the whole body from darkness into light; the gift of God, full of kindness, edification and knowledge; a pier full of peace and structure; a light burden that does not drown in the waters (of the temptations of the world), and eternal wealth hidden in the soul of a Christ-loving person, which the one who owns it will find in times of need; a spiritual chariot that raises its owner to heights; a beautiful estate that is not devastated by wild beasts or burned by fire; the ancestor of love and the life of angels. drive away despondency and inspire patience; diminish passions and produce dispassion; generate spiritual joy and kill sadness; enlighten the righteous, darken the devil and quickly flow to the honor of the high calling in Christ; They delight the heart that has acquired them, and inspire the soul to the heavenly. Resting in the souls of the meek and humble, purity and chastity produce people of God; bloom like a rose among the soul and body, and fill the whole house with fragrance; they appease God, achieve His promises, and find grace among all people. The saints loved them; Saint John the Evangelist loved them and, having loved them, was worthy to recline on the chest of the Lord of Glory. Not only the ever-virgins, but also those living in marriage receive honors” 106. “Pray fervently to the Lord,” says the monk, “to grant you the spirit of perfect chastity,” 107 because whoever achieves chastity, the Spirit of God dwells in him and glorifies him, and such a person becomes the church of God 108 . But true purity and true chastity are established in the soul of an ascetic only after many works in which he has demonstrated his loyalty to God. And “blessed is the man,” says the monk, “who always tries to prepare a pure heart for grace, so that when it comes, it finds the fragrance of virtues and the holiness of the soul, and dwells in it forever and ever.” 109 The Monk Ephraim also writes about the signs by which one can determine whether a soul strives to acquire chastity and purity. Such a soul “oppresses and enslaves the flesh, and gazes into the heavenly; abhors luxury, bodily grace and the decoration of clothing; hates expensive food and runs away from drunkenness; turns away from evil and cleaves to goodness; has a pure heart, a sweet throat and a bright face; has immutable wealth in his hands and drives away negligence” 110. The Monk Ephraim also says that purity and chastity are achieved through abstinence, meekness and silence in love. They help the ascetic acquire new virtues, through which he climbs higher and higher on the spiritual ladder. As a result of the Fall of our first parents, human nature lost its pristine purity, without which a truly moral life becomes impossible. And only repentance, says St. Ephraim, “restores nature and returns to it its own dignity” 111. The penitent cleanses his heart from all impurity, preparing it to receive grace. Through repentance, other Christian virtues are also acquired. On the contrary, if there had been no repentance, then “the human race would have perished long ago” 112. Repentance is necessary for every Christian. True spiritual life begins with repentance as renunciation of everything sinful and vicious. The Lord Himself prefaced His sermon with the call: “Repent! "(Matthew 4:17). In case of unrepentance, the righteous Judge threatens the person with eternal death (see Luke 13:3). From the words of Christ the Savior it is clear that He lovingly expects repentance from a person and is ready to forgive and accept every soul, no matter what grave sins it has committed. Saint Ephraim the Syrian is primarily a singer and preacher of repentance. At every opportunity, on almost every page of his works, he speaks of repentance with all the convincingness of inspired eloquence and the fullness of Christian humility. “Repentance is an abundant fruit, <because> it brings valiant deeds to God in every way. This is a fruitful field because it is cultivated at all times. This is the tree of life because it resurrects many who have died through sins. God rejoices in it, as in the power of His creativity, because those whom sin tries to destroy, it restores to God’s glory. Repentance is an abundant gain from God, because it brings people to Him and gathers sinners in crowds. Repentance is the font of God. Repentance is the altar of God, because through it those who sin propitiate God. Repentance is God's meal, because through it God tastes human salvation. Repentance is the wonderful bread of God: God tastes the confession of conscience in it, He drinks tears of tenderness in repentance; in him he enjoys a fragrant will, a sincere feeling of sighs, because for God they are like fragrant wine” 114. Repentance is varied. “It feeds God with praise and also with confession; feeds Him with abstinence, piety and asceticism; feeds Him with various alms. Repentance is a great furnace that takes honey into itself and turns it into gold; takes lead and gives silver. Repentance is a mirror, so the evil one does not leave it in us, lest we see ourselves in it and wash away our impurities” 115. What does repentance consist of? “True repentance consists in turning away from sin and hating it, like the one who says: “I have hated and detested unrighteousness” (Ps. 119:163); and again: “I have sworn and appointed to preserve the fate of Your righteousness” (Ps. 119:106). And then God joyfully accepts those who come to Him” 116. But only those who really decided to leave sin receive forgiveness from God, so the monk says: “Step back, cry, wash your vessel, defiled by sin, promise not to sin again, for only then will you be healed when you fulfill this, because God is the God of repentants” 117. But “do not be a repentant today, and a sinner the next morning, and one day be among the sinners, and the next among the repentant, but walk the path of repentance all the time, so that God’s love for mankind will meet you. Because the Lord accepts the one who brings voluntary repentance with love” 118. Every day a person sins in deed, word and thought, so he needs constant repentance. Repentance itself does not have a specific time, and there is no time that would not be suitable for repentance. St. Ephraim writes: “Even if you sin a thousand times, but then again resort to repentance, you will again be cleansed of defilements and of the iniquities you have committed. In one day you sin seventy times seven times, then God does not close the door of bounty for you, if only you repent. If, when you went to bed at night, you gave sin a place with you on your bed, then the next morning go to the Doctor’s house with repentance, and He will heal you. If during the day you have another painful purulent scab, then in the evening go to the Doctor’s doorstep, and He will heal your purulent ulcers. Come in contrition and in simplicity of heart, and fall before God, because He is good and merciful, and saves those who repent” 119. Repentance is necessary for everyone: both sinners and righteous people, because, as the Church teaches through the mouth of the Apostle Paul, “all who have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). In constant repentance lies salvation from sins and passions, which, with negligence and weakening of the feat, can soon prevail over a person’s soul. Having committed a sin, you need to get up and continue the fight with faith and hope for God’s help. Through repentance, says the monk, a person “becomes beautiful and noble, and, avoiding defilements, reaches the Kingdom of Heaven” 120. The power of repentance is great and irresistible, which in an instant can change the eternal fate of even the most inveterate sinner. God wants to hear from a repentant person his sins not because he does not know them. He wants a person to come to the consciousness of his sins through confession and receive forgiveness for them. The Lord, according to the reverend, “does not demand anything heavy or difficult from us, but only expects a contrite heart, tenderness of thoughts, recognition of the fall, a tireless and intense fall to God, asking for forgiveness for what we have sinned” 121. “The Lord is our Shepherd,” writes St. Ephraim, “and we are His flock, just as in paradise. He gave us repentance as water of cleansing so that we could wash ourselves with it when we sinned in something. Therefore, we have a bath not only of “regeneration”, but also of “renewal” (Titus 3:5), and if we sin in anything, then, having been washed by repentance, we become clean” 122. Repentance must be unfeigned, sincere and firm, because the Lord does not accept repentance that is brought only externally. Such repentance is condemned by God and is added to the sin of the one who brought it, in particular, because “it also disposes others to similar hypocrisy” 123. “Try,” the monk exhorts, “to help yourself in this short time, in order to appease the long-suffering and merciful God with true repentance and tears. Because no one will help us on the Day of Judgment, neither friend nor relative, except repentance brought here on earth and the virtues that contribute to it: true love, humility, obedience, abstinence and purity” 124. Correction is possible only in this life - after death there is no place for repentance. There is an area of ​​retribution for what has been done. Therefore, St. Ephraim says: “For the sake of the few tears shed in this short time, and for the sake of repentance, God forgives all sins. Cry a little here, so as not to cry there forever and ever, in pitch darkness. For, shedding tears here, you receive relief and all kinds of consolation, but there, while crying, you will be subjected to punishment and the collection of countless talents” 125. “Blessed are those who weep day and night, for they will be delivered from the wrath to come” 126. “Let us cry here, so as not to cry there,” the monk urges, “as much as we wish, the good God forgives as much” 127 . St. Ephraim points out that the most perfect instrument of repentance is crying. All those who achieved salvation began with crying and ended their lives with crying. Crying marks the beginning of turning to God, tears soften the difficult path to Him, and crying ends a person’s difficult life. Without repentant crying, bodily feat is imputed to nothing and, moreover, contributes to the development of arrogance and pride. Blessed crying, on the contrary, washes every sinner from his sins. St. Ephraim says: “The beginning of crying is knowing oneself. Let our mourning be not for man and not for people to see, but for God, Who knows the secrets of the heart. Crying creates and preserves; crying wipes the soul with tears and makes it clean. Crying gives birth to chastity, cuts off whims, improves virtues. Crying is pleased by God (see Matthew 5:4) and receives consolation from the Angels” 128. Therefore, the Monk Ephraim calls on everyone, saying: “Let us cry before the Lord our God until we are imprisoned in total darkness. Every day we will ask the Lord for tears of contrition, so that when we begin to cry over our sins, our souls will flourish, freed from the drought of sin. For through tears grace is attracted into the heart of the repentant, which washes the soul from sins and cleanses it from iniquities, and every day brings new fruits” 129. In the chapter “On Eight Thoughts,” the monk tells the ascetic how to achieve repentance: “If you want God to grant you tears, contrition and dispassion, then constantly bring to mind your death and your grave, <and then> you will acquire true repentance, which will lead you to salvation.” 130 According to the teachings of St. Ephraim, there are “tears for visible things, and they are very bitter and vain, because they lead to destruction.” There are “tears of repentance when the soul desires eternal blessings, and they are very sweet and useful, because they lead to salvation.” And there are “tears of repentance where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12) - and these tears are bitter and useless, because they are completely unsuccessful, since there is no longer time for repentance” 131. True mourning is a gift from God, and it is achieved through much effort. Crying and lamentation about sins is contrition of the heart, and this “mental crying” is powerful to cleanse the sinner of sins, washing away all spiritual dirt from him with abundant tear currents. He is the only condition that the Church sets for a sinner at confession and which alone is necessary for the forgiveness of sins and for the acceptance of God’s mercy. Thus, through repentance, a person comes first to the knowledge of himself and his condition, and then to the knowledge of what is higher than him, that is, to Divine things, and little by little acquires the necessary virtues. “Repentance with tears is a wonderful and godly holiday, on which the Lord will celebrate with (man)” 132. Chapter VIII. About love for God and neighbor The clearer and deeper a person’s awareness of his own sinful depravity, the clearer the need for Divine help and Divine condescension seems to him, the stronger his attraction to God, which in repentance seeks forgiveness of sins. Thus, love for God and repentance have a deep internal connection with each other. They return a person to the true Christian life and lead him to salvation. But the crown of all virtues is love, without which spiritual success is impossible. Love is also the goal of the entire ascetic deed of a Christian. The soul’s desire to acquire love is the desire to find God Himself and unite with Him, for “God is love” (1 John 4:16). Like many holy fathers, St. Ephraim speaks of Divine love as “the totality of perfection and the completion of the entire ladder of virtues” 133. “He who has love,” says Saint Ephraim, “fulfills the whole law, for “the fulfillment of the law of love is” (Rom. 13:10). Neither in heaven nor on earth is there anything more precious than love. Divine love is the leadership of virtues, the cause of all good things, the fulfillment of the law. By love everything is built up towards salvation, death is abolished, hell is overthrown, Adam is called out, Eve is liberated. Through love, angels and men were made into one herd. By love the oath is resolved, paradise is opened, life is revealed, the Kingdom of Heaven is promised. She, having caught the fish-catchers, made them fishers of men. She labored with the martyrs and strengthened them; she turned the deserts into comfortable hostels. She sang psalmody to the mountains and dens. She made angels from men; she taught husbands and wives to walk the narrow path... Oh, blessed love, giver of all blessings! Oh, blessed love, making those who love you blessed! Blessed, truly blessed is the man who has acquired love from a pure heart and a clear conscience!” 134. And further the monk exhorts: “Keep love as the apple of your eye, because in it is light and life; keep her, she is a joy for all who are committed to her. She is Divine acquisition, she is angelic dignity. Keep her. If you love her, “your youth will be renewed like an eagle” (Ps. 102:5). If you keep it, it will be your joy before God and before the Angels; if you love her, you will prosper in all your undertakings. If you love her, the grace of God will dwell in you, and grace, like a source, will exude healing for people, and its fragrance will rejoice your heart. She is the pillar of all virtues; there is no mortal sadness in her; it teaches truth and courage, patience and peace; she is the house of God" 135. Elsewhere, St. Ephraim writes: “The love of God is an immortal fire that rises from the earth and hates earthly things. It becomes a pledge of God in the soul; she is a pillar and affirmation in the holy soul" 136. In the chapter “On Love,” St. Ephraim calls blessed a person who has acquired the love of God, because such a person carries God within himself and, together with God, (abides) above all else: he is not afraid of anything, because love casts out fear; never disdains anyone: small and great, glorious and inglorious, poor and rich, but, on the contrary, “he covers all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:7); he does not puff himself up before anyone, does not become arrogant, does not slander anyone, and turns away his ears from those who slander him; does not walk around with flattery, does not stammer himself and does not trip up his brother’s feet; does not compete, does not envy, does not look with a hateful eye, does not rejoice at the fall of others, does not denigrate the fallen, but sympathizes with him and takes part in him, does not despise a brother in need, but intercedes and is ready to die for him; fulfills the will of God and is a disciple of God; he never appropriates anything to himself, does not say about anything: “This is mine,” but everything that he has, he offers to everyone for common use; He considers no one a stranger to himself, but everyone is his own; is not irritated, is not proud, is not inflamed with anger, does not rejoice over untruth, does not dwell (does not remain) in lies, does not consider anyone his enemy, except the devil alone.” Such a person will move to God and will live with the Angels. And the one who has not acquired love is “ill-fated and pitiful... - an instrument of the devil... wandering along every path and not knowing that he is walking in darkness, he will never see the heavenly abodes” 137. Whoever strives for immortal life, as St. Ephraim teaches, must become higher and greater than everything that exists in this century; fleeing from earthly glory, to love the heavenly glory of Christ, without mixing anything else with this love, and not to love anything in this life. For the one who has acquired true love for God, “like a two-edged sword, cuts off all the love of this world.” Such a soul can no longer be held back by anything visible: neither pleasure, nor fame, nor wealth, nor the bonds of carnal love, nor anything material. The soul that loves the one God conquers all earthly and material love, “and all evil is brought into inaction” 138 by the acquisition of perfect love for God. Saint Ephrem calls those who neglected earthly things and loved the one Lord “friends of Christ” 139 . The greatest gift is love, which “endures forever” 140. The monk says: “If someone has acquired love, then he has acquired God” 141. Such a person “rejoices when he does good, delights when he does deeds of love, and is glad when he performs obedience. The ascetic also sees God assisting him, for everyone knows the one who does the same thing with him.” “Love does not look at (its) truth and does not show another its holiness... invisible to carnal eyes... visible to the eyes of the soul” 142. Instructing the ascetic in this great virtue, the Monk Ephraim says: “Have no hatred for anyone in your heart and do not repay evil for evil, but acquire for yourself love, which the Divine Scripture has placed above all virtue, because it has likened it to Himself who created everything.”143 True love for God is inextricably linked, according to the Savior’s word, with love for one’s neighbor (see Matt. 22:40). The monk says: “Instead of a belt, gird yourself with perfect love for God and your neighbor: love will make you flow (you will rush on the path - priest R.) and will not encounter obstacles,” because he who loves his brother will be loved by God, who will save him from all sin. And for this, “have love with everyone and withdraw from everyone, so that you do not hate people, but sin” 144. In his “Admonition to Monks,” Saint Ephraim talks about how one can easily succeed in loving one’s neighbor if “the first (the commandment of love for God. - Priest R.) is put in first place, and the second (the commandment about love for one’s neighbor. - Priest R.), following the first, is accomplished in order. But if someone, having neglected the first and great commandment - about love for God, which with God's power is formed in us from an internal disposition, a good conscience and sound thoughts about God - intends to take care of the second, external only service (to one's neighbor), then it is impossible that he will be able to fulfill this service purely and sensibly, because the machinations of malice, finding the mind far from the remembrance of God, from love and from the desire for God, or they create murmurs and complaints in the soul about the service performed for the brethren, or they seduce (the ascetic) with the thought of their righteousness” and thereby destroy him. But if one who labors on the path of the Lord, “the very mind and spiritual disposition are always occupied with the thought of God” and are directed towards Him, then “then, in accordance with the love of God, he always receives the most perfect success.” But this is achieved by “struggle and labor of the mind,” because “the enemy always hinders the beautiful, deceives or captivates the mind, so that when remembering the beautiful, it does not love the heavenly, but seduces its will with some earthly thoughts and desires. For this is death, defeat to the evil one, when the mind is occupied with love for God and remembrance of Him. From here can come pure love for a brother, as well as true simplicity, meekness, humility, sincerity, kindness, prayer, and perfect adherence to the holy commandments” 145. The monk teaches that first of all you need to forgive your brother his sins, so that there is peace and love between everyone, because only then will “prayer be favorable and the offering acceptable” to God. “Let the sun not set on your anger,” the monk quotes the words of Holy Scripture. “Let us forgive all debtors and establish love, because it covers a multitude of sins” 146. Without love, on the contrary, “every deed and every action is unclean.” So even “if someone has acquired virginity, or fasts, or remains on vigil, or prays, or gives shelter to the poor, or thinks of giving a gift, or firstfruits, or fruits, or builds churches, or does anything else, but without love, then all this will be counted as nothing by God, because it is not pleasing to God.” Moreover, if someone has enmity against a brother and thinks to offer something to God, then such a person will be accepted on a par with “one who sacrifices a dog or the price of a harlot.” Therefore, the monk concludes, “don’t do anything without love” 147. According to the general teaching of the Holy Fathers, only those who have love for their enemies can be considered to have achieved perfection. And St. Ephraim calls on his disciples to “compel their hearts” to achieve this love, humbly forgive every insult and strive to have peace and love with everyone. As we see, for St. Ephraim, love for God is the basis of love for one’s neighbor, and through love for one’s neighbor success in love for God is achieved. Love elevates the ascetic to the heights of perfection. All other virtues are only means to achieve love, as the main goal of Christian asceticism, and any feat without love loses its meaning. Love, according to the teachings of the saint, is “the mother of all virtues, and embraces them all, leading people to the desired unity “in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3)” 148. Chapter IX. About the fear of God The spiritual and moral works of St. Ephraim the Syrian begin with a discussion about the fear of God. Saint Ephraim calls the one who has acquired this virtue “blessed” 149. The fear of God is inseparable from love. In the “Admonition to Monks”, the monk says that the ascetic with all his might should strive “to have in his heart the sacred love and fear of God, and let (the Christian) constantly ask for them from God, and let him acquire them by frequent, or better yet incessant, reminders (to himself) of the Lord and heavenly love” 150 . And then nothing will be able to overcome the fear of God, and it “overcomes all torment and all death... equal to love, and love equal to mercy; these three virtues are God’s abode” 151. The fear of God in the souls of ascetics is initial and complete. The first is characteristic of those beginning the Christian life, the second - of those who have already achieved a certain perfection. It is common for a beginner to do the will of God “out of fear of torment.” And this is a necessary stage in spiritual improvement, for only through it does the ascetic come into “perfect fear.” The Monk Ephraim says that a monk first needs to have human fear, so that it will keep him from everything sinful, and then the fear of God will be born, with which the ascetic will “bridle his mind” 152. The monk also says that only one who has love for God and has acquired the fear of the Lord can be considered to have achieved perfection, because all others are acquired by these virtues. “Fear God and you will find grace and eternal life,” says Saint Ephraim. – The fear of the Lord is the source of life. The fear of the Lord is the stronghold of the soul. The fear of the Lord puts spiritual thought in order. The fear of the Lord is the storehouse of the soul. The fear of the Lord in every activity gives grace to those who fear the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the pilot of the soul. The fear of the Lord enlightens the soul. The fear of the Lord destroys wickedness. The fear of the Lord weakens passions. The fear of the Lord brings back love. The fear of the Lord kills every evil desire. The fear of the Lord cuts off voluptuousness. The fear of the Lord is the school of the soul, and proclaims good hopes to it. The fear of the Lord rewards with peace. The fear of the Lord fills the soul with holy thoughts and hands it the scepter of the Heavenly Kingdom.” No man can compare with the one who fears the Lord. “Whoever fears the Lord is like a light, showing many the way to salvation. He who fears the Lord is like a fortified city standing on a mountain, and wicked demons tremble before his face. Very blessed is the soul that fears the Lord, because it always sees the righteous Judge before it” 153. Blessing the God-fearing, St. Ephraim also writes about the properties of a soul that has the fear of God. “Whoever is afraid does not soar with his mind here and there, because he is waiting for his Master, “so that the sleeping one will not come suddenly and spread him half” (Mk.13:36; Matt.24:21). He who has the fear of God is never careless, because he is always sober. He who is afraid does not sleep without measure, because he is awake and awaits the coming of his Lord. He who is afraid does not remain indifferent, so as not to irritate his Master. He who is afraid is not lazy, because he always rejoices in his possessions, fearing to fall into condemnation. He who is afraid always prefers what is pleasing to his Lord and prepares it, so that the Lord, when he comes, will praise him for many things. Thus, for those who acquire it, the fear of the Lord becomes the cause of many blessings!” 154. Such people are already beyond any enemy’s tricks and have escaped all the enemy’s intrigues. Whoever has the fear of God “is conveniently saved from the plans of the evil enemy. The enemy does not catch him in anything” 155. The fear of God is, as it were, a guide and educator in a person’s life, protecting him from sinful thoughts, words and actions. The monk calls the one who does not have the fear of God “accursed,” for he “soars in mind and is indifferent to good, sleeps without measure and is careless about his deeds, boasts in passions, loves peace, flees from suffering, abhors humility and kisses pride” 156. In the chapter “On the Fear of God and the Last Judgment,” St. Ephraim says that whoever fears God keeps all His commandments, does His will and fulfills every word of Him. He who fears the Lord is wise. And where there is no fear of God, “nothing good can be found there.” One must “love the fear of God and follow his path without stumbling in order to find the paths of life that will lead to the Kingdom of Heaven.” And the one “who fears the Lord and keeps all His commandments, the Lord will invest him with authority over all His possessions and will entrust to him all His riches” 157. “The creatures feared the holy men and obeyed their commands,” says Saint Ephraim, “because the holy men feared God and were His dwelling place, and God dwelt and abided in them. Seeing His great power in them, the creatures obeyed them in everything. And not only creatures, but also heaven, and earth, and sea, and air, and everything in them, obeyed those whose whole heart was filled with the fear of God" 158 . He who fears the Lord is above all fear. “Even Satan fears the one who fears God, and his hordes tremble before the one who fulfills the commandments of God... Even death is afraid to approach the one who fears God and then only comes to him when she is commanded to separate his soul from his body” 159. “If you want sin not to prevail over you,” the saint writes, “keep the fear of God always before your eyes,” 160 because “the fear of God is a strong pillar in the face of the enemy. Do not destroy this pillar, and you will not be taken captive" 161. “As long as your soul loves the fear of the Lord, you will not fall into the snares of the devil, but you will be like an eagle soaring on high” 162. In the fight against the enemy, use “the fear of God” instead of a sword, because the fear of God is a two-edged sword that cuts off every evil desire. If “with all your strength” you fear God, then “He will make you wise, just as you must be saved,” and if “you begin to neglect the fear of God and indulge in sin, then you will be condemned” 163 and perish. The Monk Ephraim discovers the connection between the fear of God and other virtues. “If an ascetic acquires humility and meekness, then the grace of the fear of the Lord will descend upon him” 164. “Silence associated with the fear of God is a fiery chariot that carries those who acquire it to heaven” 165. And from the fear of the Lord and chastity “are born love, joy, peace, obedience, generosity, self-control, patience and everything that is appropriate for Christians” 166. And then God will dwell in the ascetic and will remain in him, “driving away from him all the horrors of the world” 167. We have completed the presentation of the teachings of St. Ephraim the Syrian on virtues. In his life, the monk walked this difficult path of spiritual perfection. His soul acquired the richest ascetic experience, which was reflected in the works he wrote. Therefore, all the instructions of the monk, as based on personal experience, are of great value. St. Ephraim, in his ascetic works, reveals the doctrine of Christian virtues and shows their importance in the matter of moral improvement of man. But virtues for a Christian are not an end in themselves, but only something that brings him closer to God. In this sense, all virtues are necessary in the matter of salvation, but their value is different. They form, as it were, some kind of single chain, and their acquisition is successful only when a certain order is observed, the exposition of which we discover when studying the works of the monk. The path to spiritual perfection is difficult, and constancy and work are necessary to acquire Christian virtues. This feat represents a continuous process of spiritual activity, a person’s never-ending struggle for his salvation. However, no work will bring any benefit to someone who does not turn to God for help. And finally, St. Ephraim says that every Christian should strive to acquire virtues, for without prayer, humility, repentance, love, fear of God and other Christian virtues, salvation is impossible. The teaching of St. Ephraim the Syrian about Christian virtues allows us to better understand the laws of spiritual life and shows how, through the feat of acquiring virtues, one can achieve Christian perfection, so that, while living in body on earth and benefiting one’s neighbor, one can live in heaven in spirit in the imperishable joy of eternal communion with God. 1. Bible. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments: in Church Slavonic. M.: Russian Bible Society, 1997. – 1658 p. 2. Ephraim the Syrian, Rev. Creations. Sergiev Posad, 1907. T. 1. – 76, 399, III p. 3. Same. T. 2. – 430, II p. 4. Same. T. 3. – 428, III p. 5. Same. T. 4. – 533, IV p. 6. Same. T. 5. – 520, II p. 7. Gregory of Nyssa, Saint. Creations. M.: Type. V. Gautier, 1872. Part 8. – 535 p. 8. Barsov N. Saint Ephraim the Syrian as a preacher // – Christian reading. – B. m., 1886. T. 5. pp. 732–770. 9 . Barsov N. Efrem Sirin // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron / Ed. I. E. Andreevsky and others. St. Petersburg, 1894. T. 22. P. 695–696. 10. Bulgakov S.V. Handbook for clergy. M., 1913. Part 1. – 944 p. 11. Varnava (Belyaev), bishop. Fundamentals of the Art of Holiness. Experience in presenting Orthodox asceticism. N. Novgorod: Brotherhood in the name of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky, 1998. T. 4. – 412, II p. 12. Bartholomew (Kalugin), mon. Disclosure of the Christian teaching on repentance (based on the works of St. Ephraim the Syrian): Course essay. Zagorsk, 1962. – 116, XXV p. In the back: Moscow Theological Academy. Department of Moral Theology. - Typescript. 13. Denisov L. Soul-saving conversations about repentance. M., 1912. – 64 p. 14. Demetrius of Rostov, saint. Lives of the Saints. Reprint. Publication of the Holy Vvedensky Monastery of Optina Pustyn. January. Part 2. – 459, IV p. 15. Zarin S. M. Asceticism according to Orthodox Christian teaching. Ethical and theological research / Preface. A. I. Sidorova. M.: Pilgrim, 1996. – ХХХП, 694 p. – (Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church in the Studies of Orthodox Scientists). – Rep. ed.: St. Petersburg, 1907. 16. Kasyan I., deacon. St. Ephraim the Syrian and the peculiarities of his preaching: Course essay. Zagorsk, 1971. – 198 p. In the back: Moscow Theological Academy. Department of Homiletics. - Typescript. 17. Kokhno A. Christian teaching about virtues, conditions and means to achieve them (based on the works of St. Macarius of Egypt and St. Ephraim the Syrian): Course essay. Zagorsk, 1956–1957. – 162, 2 p. In the back: Moscow Theological Academy. Department of Moral Theology. - Typescript. 18. Nikanor (Abramov), abbot. Ascetic feat based on the works of St. Ephraim the Syrian: Course essay. Zagorsk, 1968–1969. II, 138 pp. In the back: Moscow Theological Academy. Department of Patrology. - Typescript. 19. Romanov K. Dogmatic teaching on the works of St. Ephraim the Syrian: Course essay. Zagorsk, 1974–1975. – 131 p. In the back: Moscow Theological Academy. Department of Dogmatic Theology. - Typescript. 20. Sozomen E. Church history. SPb.: Type. Fisher, 1851. – 430 p. 21. Filaret (Gumilevsky), archbishop. Historical teaching about the Fathers of the Church. Reprint. Publication of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, 1996. – VII, 384 p. 22. Florovsky G.V., prot. Eastern fathers of the 4th century. Reprint. M., 1992. – 240 p. Rev. Ephraim the Syrian. Creations. In 8 volumes. T. 1. Sergiev Posad, 1907. pp. 23–29. [Next: Works of St. Ephraim the Syrian]. St. Gregory of Nyssa. Creations. Part 8. M.: Type. V. Gautier, 1872. P. 3. [Next: St. Gregory of Nyssa. Creations]. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 2. Sozomen E. Church history. SPb.: Type. Fisher, 1851. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 1–76. Arch. Filaret (Gumilevsky). Historical teaching about the Fathers of the Church. Reprint. Ed. Holy Trinity Lavra of Sergius, 1996. P. 99. – See also: Barsov N. Efrem Sirin // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron / Ed. I.E. Andreevsky and others. T. 22. St. Petersburg, 1894. P. 695–696. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 5–9. Right there. P. 63. – See also: St. Gregory of Nyssa. Creations. pp. 269–270. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 11–12. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 15. Right there. pp. 51–53. It should be said that researchers of the life and work of St. Ephraim still face many problems - both in terms of the chronology of his life, and in terms of consecrating many facts of the life and works of the saint. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 53–54. – See also: St. Gregory of Nyssa. Creations. pp. 260–263. Archbishop Filaret (Gumilevsky). Historical teaching about the Fathers of the Church. Reprint. Ed. Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, 1996. P. 105. According to Archpriest A.K. Sokolov, St. Ephraim wrote in Syriac (see: Works of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 55). But Archbishop Filaret (Gumilevsky) believes that some of the works “were written by the Monk Ephraim and in Greek” (see: Cited ed., p. 107). St. Gregory of Nyssa. Creations. P. 268. The Antiochian theological school, in contrast to the Alexandrian school, had a negative attitude towards allegories in the interpretation of Holy Scripture. The followers of this school interpreted Scripture literally, trying to correspond as closely as possible to the historical state of affairs, and only after that gradually moved on to expound the sublime meaning of Scripture. Bulgakov S.V. Handbook for clergy. Part 1. M., 1913. P. 61. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 68. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 18. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 71. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 394. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 73. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 340. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. pp. 385–386. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 393. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 60. – See also: T. 3. P. 356–357. Quotations from the Bible are given according to the edition: Bible. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments: in Church Slavonic. M.: Russian Bible Society, 1997. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 116. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 115. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 397. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 118. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 259–260. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 409. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 29. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 199. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. pp. 94, 97. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 85. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 85. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 287. St. Ephraim the Syrian writes that he who endures sorrow for the Lord is likened to “building his house on the rock” - see. : Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 207. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. pp. 346–347. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 8. – See also: T. 2. P. 383. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 8–9. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 7–8, 337. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 381. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 274. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 14–15. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 341. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 188. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 13, 407. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 129. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 107, 184. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 402. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 275. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. pp. 73–74. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 239. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 344. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 212. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 17. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 5. P. 177. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 302. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 225. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 5. P. 178. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 358. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 297. In his “Testament”, the Monk Ephraim says: “Day and night remain in prayer... The Lord loves a constant prayer book and shows him His bounty; in a person’s entire life there is no treasure more precious than prayer” - see the Works of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 13, and also: T. 4. P. 284. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 381. – See also T. 3. P. 371. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 108. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. pp. 16–17. – See also: T. 4. P. 120. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 404. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. pp. 110–112. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 128. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 112. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 283–284. – See also: T. 2. P. 391. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. pp. 403–404. Zarin S.M. Asceticism according to Orthodox Christian teaching. Ethical and theological research / Preface. A.I. Sidorova. M.: Pilgrim, 1996. (Holy fathers and teachers of the Church in the studies of Orthodox scholars.) - Rep. ed. St. Petersburg, 1907. P. 610. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 211. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 19–20. – See also: T. 2. P. 354. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 389, 399. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. pp. 151–152. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 380. – See also: T. 1. P. 131. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 206. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 181. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 159. Denisov L. Soul-saving conversations about repentance. M., 1912. P. 5. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. pp. 154–168. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 5. P. 220. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 232. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 23. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 134. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 212–213. – See also: T. 4. P. 153–154. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 5. P. 27. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. pp. 368–369. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 161. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 356. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 195. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 354. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 194. Right there. pp. 281–282. – See also: T. 2. P. 65–66. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 392. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 142. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 355. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 8. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 388–389. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 63. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 6–7. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 117. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 267. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 209. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 166. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 300–301. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. P. 296. – See also: T. 1. P. 310. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. pp. 337–338. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. pp. 5–6. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 199. – See also: T. 3. P. 267. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 4. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 3. pp. 336–337. Let us give here one example of the gracious union of these great virtues: “Fear and love,” writes the monk, “stand guard over the lips, this source of words. Fear stops shameful words, love plagues honorable words. The lips might not utter a kind word, but love will not allow this; They could have brought out the evil word, but the fear of the truth will not allow this” (Works of St. Ephraim the Syrian. Vol. 5, p. 177). Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 99. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 268. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. pp. 86–87. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 5. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 95. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. pp. 96–97. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 136. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 2. P. 193. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 1. P. 98. Creations of St. Ephraim the Syrian. T. 4. P. 97.