Часть I

About the need to please God every day 3 Brothers and fathers. It is fitting and necessary for me, as far as possible, to show my care, diligence and care towards you in word, deed, reminders, exhortations, instructions, approvals, my own example, models of the virtue of others, so that in this way I can guide you towards the divine desire and towards our goal, that is, to please God. I am weak, I do not have enough strength even for myself, for my sin is before my face from earth to heaven 4. Despite this, I must bear the burden placed upon me of leading you in the hope of the assistance of your prayers 5 . Our goal is to please God May the death of our Lord and God Jesus Christ move your souls. For He, being immortal, shed blood; Creator of the angelic host, He was bound with military hands; He who would come to judge the living and the dead (see Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:1) was led to judgment. Truth, He became the subject of lies. King of glory (see 1 Cor. 2:8), He was slandered, beaten, spat on and hanged on a cross 6. He endured all these reproaches and torments not because He Himself needed them - He was sinless as a man - but in order to deliver us from the dominion of sin, through which death entered the world and deceived our forefather. Christ's sacrifice is for us Therefore, if we have to experience something similar to the suffering of Christ, then there is nothing strange in this, for we agreed to this, for this we entered the monastery and made such vows when taking monastic vows 7 . And we need to endure insults, temptations and grief due to the cutting off of our will 8 . For the fathers call all this the shedding of blood. A monk must certainly be like this, and by living in this way, following the example of Christ, we will have the opportunity to acquire the Kingdom of Heaven. For salvation does not belong to those who fall, who do not live in pleasure, and who do not fulfill their desires. Let us renounce the world, because we have nothing in common with it. We must forget our previous life 9, renounce carnal vanity with disgust and not enjoy anything that belongs to this life, but only find joy and food for ourselves in one thing and apply our zeal and care to one thing only, this is how to please the Lord. And how will it all end! What a life all the saints will have! What will be that indescribable light and true beauty of paradise! And also vice versa: what will be the pitch-black fire, the eternal bite from worms (see Mark 9:47-48), the hopeless darkness separating the righteous from the sinners, condemnation, hand and foot shackles and rejection from God! And how infinitely many more similar things can be remembered and cited, so that, immersing our minds in them, we distract it from earthly thoughts and keep it pure and free. For whatever one decides to have him here, such he will certainly turn out to be in the future life. Monasticism - shedding blood in likeness to Christ Be diligent in your obediences, for you serve (see Heb. 9:14) God Himself, and not just work for people. Be zealous for your spiritual service, amusing yourself with divine chants. Be diligent in your work to satisfy yourself, your weak brothers, and strangers 10. It happens that sometimes someone will suffer insult, abuse, inattention to oneself, or being overly aggravated by a task, but then the time of reward, joy and prosperity comes. Let us rejoice more when we are dishonored than when we are honored; when we have to fast than when we have to enjoy. As the mind is here, so it will be in the next life. In view of this, let us avoid the shameful act of eating at the wrong time under the pretext of illness, especially on Wednesdays and Fridays. God writes it down, will ask and reward you for every word and every sip. Your success, your zeal is my courage. God will reward every word and every sip I earnestly pray and ask you: fulfill my joy, that we may all be wise in the same way (Phil. 2:2) and that we may obey the same rule (see Phil. 3:16), following after our blessed fathers, so that we may then be rewarded with joy together with them in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever. forever and ever. Amen. About harmful shamelessness 11, as well as about enduring illness with gratitude The special grace of monasticism My fathers and brothers. God brought us into the world so that, by serving Him with good deeds, we would become heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven (see Matthew 25:34). In addition, He bestowed upon us, monks, a special great grace. This grace consists in the fact that, having chosen us from the whole world (see Luke 6:13; Eph. 1:4), He placed us before His face to serve His power. Therefore, let each of us look and observe whether he lives in accordance with his calling (see Eph. 4:1; 1 Cor. 7:17, 24) to which he is called, whether he strives for anything other than pleasing God. For the devil in many ways and little by little does not cease to lead us all behind him through deeds, words, thoughts, attacks from the outside, even when we do not agree to follow him. Therefore, let us take care of ourselves, let us avoid looking at each other, [avoid] this great harm - shamelessness. Let's not start chatting among ourselves, make each other smile, arouse lustful love in each other, let's not allow our dainty eyes to admire the beauty of faces, that this one is smooth, that one is white, and that one is ruddy, that one has such a physique, that one has a sweet speech, a beautiful gait. All these are arrows, spears and swords of the devil. Understanding all these deceptions and seductions of his, let us love spiritual beauty and merge in spiritual love. Those who are appointed stewards (see Rom. 13:2), although in appearance they should behave in a commanding manner, but by disposition let them be slaves to their subordinates: in this way, according to the Lord, they will be first 12 (Mark 10:43–44). Those in subordination must do everything as if God Himself orders them - in this way they will become blessed and slaves of the Lord. All types of monastic work and obedience are saving From healthy people, God requires hard work: if we don’t hide it with false excuses 13, then we have enough of it for everyone. But, on the other hand, you should not boast about yourself because of this, as if you are doing something especially important, so as not to hear: cursed is the man who trusts in the strength of his own arm (cf. Jer. 17:5). The sick should show a grateful and affectionate disposition towards those who care for them - let them be content with what they are given 14, even if it was even just bread, for you yourself promised so. Woe to you if, after such a promise, you drag yourself into destruction by murmuring! But you, who care for the sick, if you do your work with fear and trembling, there will be a great reward for it... 15 What can I say about the cellarers? And they, if they do well what they are commanded, will rejoice with the first martyr Stephen. In the same way, the baker, if he is in perfect order, diligently and strictly performs his ministry, will be pure bread 16 for the Lord. You, gardener, if you behave silently, calmly and humbly, you will reap the blessings of paradise and become its resident. Together with all the mentioned persons, and even preferably before them, the plowman 17, if he devotes himself with all his might to work, here will become a pillar and affirmation (see 1 Tim. 3:15) of the whole brotherhood, and there he will plow the land of the meek (see Ps. 36:11; Matt. 5:5), the ever-living ears of immortality with which they will saturate it forever and ever. And in general, everyone, no matter what he does - whether he works in the vineyards, squeezes wine, does carpentry, serves as a gatekeeper, serves at meals, sews shoes, or does anything else at all - if he does his job according to his conscience, for the sake of this very good alone, he will deserve the same fate. Take courage, my divine brethren, Christ-imitating youths and God-born fathers, stand, strengthen yourself, awaiting death daily in order to live forever. Avoid being carried away by bad thoughts, as well as verbosity when working, for it is many sins, as well as laughter, because it is fornication, and gluttony and satiety, since they enslave the passions. Woe is our thought, down with our eyes! Let us be pure both in body and heart, let us be firm in hope, fresh in soul, like young men, let us fear nothing on earth except God alone. And if we set ourselves up this way, we will forever rejoice with the Angels and rejoice with all the saints. If spiritual affairs are in order, then everything else will be in time I'll add one more note here. Some people report to me that we do not have time to perform both physical and spiritual affairs at the same time. Only one thing, one concern If we do not have time in bodily affairs, then this does not entail any evil, because since spiritual affairs are in order, then everything else will be done. But if things are going the other way around for us, then it seems ridiculous to me that we, having abandoned all concern for the real matter, are busy with secondary things. We have only one thing, one concern, one occupation day and night - this is virtue, faith in God, love for each other, order in life, silence, reverent mood, loyalty to me, the humble one, patience, humility, complete orderliness of our soul. The rest, if we manage to complete it, is good; if not, then we’ll say goodbye to him. If, on the contrary, we are for the sake of grapes, figs and other fruits, and also for the sake of wheat, wine and oil, for the sake of what pertains to the belly, pleasure, which means the flesh and makes it hostile, fierce and insidious for the soul - if for the sake of all this we leave what is commanded to us by God, then woe to us and incomparable lamentation both here and in the next century. I believe and consider the words of him who knows no lie to be true (2 Cor. 5:21) Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who in the Gospel clearly calls and cries out to every soul: seek first the Kingdom of God... and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33). And this will be so for all who hope in Him, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. That brothers, although they are divided into many members, need to unite spiritually into one body 18 Listen to each other, help each other Brothers, fathers and children. As a result of the folly of our forefather, God condemned our nature to corruption and sorrow. For when He expelled him from paradise, he said: “By the sweat of your brow you shall eat your bread” (Gen. 3:19). Therefore, all his descendants must lead a sorrowful life, endure winter cold, summer heat, starve and be exhausted, and in this way get rid of the shackles and guards that we carry in this body. Whoever, according to the Providence of God, judged correctly and saw good, escapes from a vain and sorrowful life, settling in the commandments of God - either leading a monastic life, or pleasing God in other ways in the world itself. For those who remain in it are blinded by the confusion of worldly vanity, live in darkness and do not yet see the light. You, God-called men, have correctly looked at the very essence of the matter, wisely stepped out from the world and keep the eye of your heart constantly fixed on God. Live constantly in a manner pleasing to God, and let no one be exalted either by his spiritual successes, or by his bodily advantages, lest he hear: what have you received? Have you also accepted that you boasted as if it were not accepted? (1 Cor. 4:7). He who can work does so by the grace of Christ: he did not obtain his strength himself, but received it from God, for the sake of his neighbor. In the same way, he who directs and commands must observe moderation and humility, for the Creator of nature has made him a distinguished and more honorable member of the body. Listen to each other, help each other, so that you can maintain the relationship between members. For if the eye does not lead the hand, one hand does not support the other, the leg does not serve the whole body for movement, but each member does what it wants, then it itself will not remain healthy, and along with its death will entail the destruction and disintegration of other members. Therefore, the one who suffers more than others, who is cold, gets wet in the rain, roasts in the sun, etc., let him rejoice more. And whoever does nothing, let him cry and lament, because he hangs on the body like a worthless member and like a holy fool and inactive - what other fate does he deserve than being cut off? Receiving the Kingdom of Heaven in exchange for insignificant labors and short hardships, let us not consider all this hard, but in our zeal we will begin to do it as if we needed to drink a cup of cold water (see Matthew 10:42). After all, the martyrs had to shed blood, endure the cutting off of members, the breaking of bones, and, however, they were not upset by this, but with a contrite spirit (see Dan. 3:39) they cried out to God: they are unworthy of the passions of the present age for the glory that wants to appear (Rom. 8:18). For if our Lord and God Himself (see John 20:28) was slain, pierced with nails in the hands and feet and, like a dead man, was laid in a tomb, then what is important and special about it if we need to endure the same thing? On the contrary, we must strive for this. We don’t have to endure cutting off members or shedding blood (although those living in strict obedience can do this too); so how can we not, after this, endure complacently small adversities, so that, according to Scripture (see Heb. 10:35), we receive the perfect reward for this? What kind of Christians should be towards each other? So, I, your unworthy and pitiful father and brother, ask you: devote yourself more zealously to pleasing God. Strive with each other, sympathize, have compassion, rush to each other's aid, be firm towards each other, grateful, polite, lovingly disposed, in a heavenly way, and with hatred for earthly things, be humane, gentle, thinking about one thing (see Phil. 2:2) and hoping only for what God loves, what God desires. But He desires and He is pleased that we, having forced ourselves 19 (see Matt. 11:12; Luke 16:16) at the present time and having renounced all the devil’s deeds, become equal to the angels 20 and joint heirs (see Rom. 8:17) of His eternal Kingdom. Therefore, be content with the food, wine and clothing that is given to you. For some people even need bread, they cannot taste the oil and smell the wine, and there is nothing to even mention about cheese and fish. Therefore, we, who by the grace of Christ have all this and constantly, in sufficient measure, eat bread, as well as wine, oil, fruit in abundance and even other things - if we are not grateful for this, but we strive for greater pleasure of the flesh, we speak rudely or reveal habits unkind to God, we begin to boast that we work a lot and eat little, then we will fall spiritually and will be worthy of damnation, even if we had many other virtues. But enough of that. The righteous, says the wise one, has mercy on the souls of his cattle (Prov. 12:10; cf.: 27:23; Sir. 7:22) 21. And you, brothers and children, be compassionate towards your livestock, for a compassionate person spares not only those livestock that serve him for the needs of life and are in his hands every day, but even just a flying bird (see Matthew 10:29). Therefore, do not shower oxen and mules with heavy beatings and do not exhaust them with backbreaking work, but do everything with moderation and reason. And you, elders 22, if you conduct all your affairs in order, I am sure you will hear: good and faithful servant, you have been faithful for a few things, I will make you ruler over many (Matthew 25:21), - and in the glory of God you will receive power over ten cities (Luke 19:17). And all the rest, united among themselves by the commandments, will find themselves under the same roof and in the same tabernacles of the saints in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion forever. Amen. That the canonarch, the lamp-bearer and the hospital worker perform their obediences with the fear of God and complete care My brothers and fathers. I address you today with my humble word, as if it were in your personal presence 23 . Listen to him with attention, so that my work does not turn out to be in vain, but so that you, from my instruction, show the same improvement that happens when I speak to you directly. I was separated from you for a short time and I don’t know if you remain in your usual position. For from the holy fathers, and especially from my righteous father 24, I know that the devil does not sleep and does not give up worries about the destruction of our souls. He is awake, trying and sowing, as the Divine Gospel says, his tares among those who are spiritually asleep (Matthew 13:25). So, my God-taught children, stay awake and sober (see 1 Thessalonians 5:6–8) so that none of you somehow falls into the devil’s trap. I am pleased to hear about the success of each of you: I delight in the obedience of one, the humility of another, the hard work of a third, and, on the contrary, I feel disgust and are upset by all your deviations and disorders: my soul hates disobedient sons (see Eph. 2:2), repels arrogant people and proud people, turns away from those unworthy even of bread - lazy people (see 2 Thess. 3:10), refuses clumsy people, does not allow gossips and talkers to come to him. And, in my conviction, I do this not on my own (for what am I, the damned? I only receive help in this), but our Lord and God Himself, Who, with His Divine Scriptures, turns us away from all evil and elevates us to all kinds of God-like deeds. Therefore, I cannot be slack or negligent in this great and dangerous matter of caring for your souls. I am a bad shepherd, but since I am still your shepherd (although I cannot understand how this happened to me), then you are my God-gathered and well-fed sheep, who constantly walk along the royal path with the word of the Lord 25. Therefore, my children, all graze as best you can, walk together, being saturated with the Divine will. Let no sheep lag behind its well-lived brethren because of gluttony, but let all be content with common food. For here somewhere there is already a wolf lurking 26 our souls: having beckoned with a small green lawn, he then carries away the stray sheep. Listen to my voice, the voice of your shepherd, and do not be careless about my instructions, because whoever lags behind can get lost and perish in many ways. Try to understand what I am saying. After all, I know that you are reasonable people. Salvation is a difficult matter, it is an ascent that requires much effort, diligence, labor, sobriety, little eating, vigilance, so that, having risen, we can then enjoy smooth and serene virtue. Look, my children, out of all the rest of your brothers, you are the only one who is here, and you, being in a special position 27, are for them glory and the completion of 28 their spiritual shortcomings. For it is absolutely right that you fulfill your obediences more intensively and show silence and decorum in everything. Our Lord and God daily distributes rewards and gives crowns to each worker in accordance with his work. Therefore, you, my child canonarch 29, as the head of the first and great work of Divine service and glorification, keep yourself in a wakeful state, strictly monitor the order of each chant, excite those who sing, do everything as commanded to you, sedals, stichera, be attentive to every task: whoever is worthy of singing in church, let him not be consumed by the passion of envy, but sing. Likewise, whoever can be allowed to read, allow him to do so. Sometimes it happens on the contrary, that the one performing a certain part of the service is not only not carried away by the passion of showing himself, but performs his duty carelessly, without attention and lazily; In this case, you correct the matter, and the offender should receive punishment on time. Be careful, child, that this does not happen to you, for you will give the answer to God: be sober and try. On holidays and other days, with all fairness, indicate to each brother that on such and such a day to sing, they say, this, and to read this, and on the next day, such and such. See that the reader reads loudly, clearly and fluently, for the benefit of those who happen to be strangers, try to do everything gracefully and in order (1 Cor. 14:40), so that you (may you actually receive such a fate) will later rejoice in heaven with the saints and with your brotherhood. In the same way, perform the versification of the psalms as it should, without haste, support those singing, guide them, correct them on mistakes and bring them all into one consonant singing in a given voice (for the fathers also command to do this). Also willingly try to ensure that the brethren memorize the prescribed stichera and troparia, especially those who are capable of this and approach you with deep humility; multiply the talent that has been given to you by God in order to hear those blessed words: Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful for a little, I will make you over many (Matthew 25:21). And you, too, lamp holder, fulfill with fear and diligence the service entrusted to you: it is from God and relates to God. Observe the church lighting as if it were your own eyes, for this light shines before the face of God. If the one who lights a candle in front of the king behaves extremely carefully in order to please his gaze, then for the All-Tsar God, who is carried 30 by all creation, you, my child, with incomparably great love and awe, must light the light, adjust the lamp, remove carbon deposits from it, moderate the light - so that the float is kept in the very middle of the lamp, so that from moving the lamp towards anything didn't happen. Use the oil prescribed for lamps carefully: if possible, use it only for one church lighting, and if this is not possible, then for other, but certainly clean, tasks. Most of all, take care that the lamps do not somehow go out 31. For they serve as an image of that Old Testament unquenchable lamp, which constantly burned in the sanctuary before the Holy of Holies (see Ex. 27:20). Twice a week, clean the church, clear it 32 of dust, do not spoil anything needlessly, even, if necessary, a two-inch lamp 33 , for a monk is required to be careful in everything. The third one I want to mention here is you, child hospitalist 34; do as you are commanded - in your laborious, incessant, tested, high and worthy service, you are worthy of considerable crowns. Don’t look for rest here, you will get it there; if you actually do your work here, you will undoubtedly achieve peace there. A monk is required to be careful in everything Let others read, let others pray, let some remain silent or engage in some other praiseworthy deeds: you walk on an equal footing and even ahead of them. As soon as the day begins, go around all the sick, each one by one, find out about their illness, prepare what they need, depending on their age, habits and characteristics 35 for, as it is said, not everyone is given everything equally, but whoever needs what (see Acts 4:35). By remaining in this, you will enter crowned into the Kingdom of Heaven. You, the sick, 36 accept the care with gratitude, be content with what they give you. If you need to ask for something, then remind us of it and, as the brother assigned to you fulfills your request, be happy with it, grateful, and in no way allowing any grumbling or grumbling. For it is enough that your brother, for the love of God, makes himself a slave and, according to the wealth of the monastery, provides everyone with the possible comforts. If you do not do this, you will find yourself worthy of great punishments. In general, brethren, God forbid that any of you should begin to get out of hand, speak foolishly, commit bad actions, grumble, bicker, or fail to work to the best of your ability. In particular, I will remind you, hospitalist, of one more thing: even in the case when all the patients are satisfied with your care, you yourself do not allow addiction to penetrate your soul and do not give preference to anyone because of your personal sinful inclination, and not because the patient himself needs it. However, I don't expect this from you. After all, haven't you abandoned everything? Can we allow our soul, which is most precious 37 of all, to perish because of insignificant pleasure and whim? Let us do everything for the sake of this soul. I also intended to say something now to those in other obediences, but in view of the fact that the announcement exceeds the prescribed measure and I, in turn, am currently rushing to other matters, I will end here, leaving you with our father’s prayer as a parting word. In it may we all be established and attained to the measure of perfection (see Eph. 4:13) in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. About obediences, namely, that the one who zealously fulfills them brings a pure sacrifice to Christ Members of the body of the monastic community My brothers, fathers and children. Addressing you, according to established custom, with my bad word, I still open my mouth. Let us, my God-loving children, look at the heavenly heights and delve into the earthly depths, look at our nature, remember that we, as people, will die and will be transferred from here to the above-ground world. The path is long, a large reserve for the road is required, we will appear naked before the Judge to give an answer for our deeds, and then the Kingdom of Heaven will accept us for our good deeds, and if death overtakes us in our sins, then there will be unquenchable fire. Let us remember the mood with which we once came to the monastery, what speeches we said then, what promises we made! Let us compare what we were like when we entered the monastery and what we are like now. Then, when you first stood for several days just before the gates of the monastery, did you not utter plaintive words and requests, did you not show ardent obedience, did you not show hard work, reverence, submissive answers, did you often repeat the word “forgive”? 38 And now all this has disappeared, so that you notice arrogance, and rudeness, and an angry widening of the nostrils, wrinkling of the eyebrows, raising of the shoulders, majesty in gait and importance in the manner of speaking, as if we were something special compared to other brothers, the main persons in the monastery and in other matters. If this happened because of me, then alas for me, wretched one! But no, I know that my children were spoiled not as a result of imitating me. Do you know what we are commanded to do? He who is diligent in bodily matters is also diligent in spiritual matters. Remember the divine Barsanuphius 39, who says that in old age he is the same as he was at seventeen years old, for with what ardor and with what love he entered the monastery, with exactly the same he left there. Oh, if only we were just as good at maintaining the established order in both deeds and words! So, whoever takes the place of the head with us, as a head, take care of the whole body 40 . You who perform the duties of the mouth, be holy lips, speak what God wants, do not speak rashly, do not utter hurtful words: let not every corrupt word proceed out of your mouth (Eph. 4:29). Those who work are my hands. Work, my hands, and do not tire of straining yourself to do what you must, for the hand of the Lord will support you in both spiritual and physical matters. Because you are satisfying the needs of the whole body through your work, do not allow yourself to rebel against your other members. You overseers 41 are my eyes: therefore, look carefully, provide and warn those who fall from danger, so that you may prove worthy of Divine supervision. I also have legs. My feet, stand in the righteousness of the Lord’s commandments. Provide mutual assistance These are the ones who bear the burdens (Gal. 6:2) of the other brothers with strength and courage: if they remain the same, they will be transferred to eternal rest. I am explaining all this to you not because I want to amuse you, but in order to excite those who are lazy, inspire those who are lagging behind and strengthen those who are discouraged 42 . Why should we be discouraged? Aren't we going to leave here in a little while? Will we not, in the words of the divine and great Basil, leave our shell consisting of several bones? 43 Rejoice, rejoice, be inspired by zeal, do not turn away from any mental or physical labor, for your carnal labor, as dedicated to God, is spiritual. Now it's time to squeeze out the oil. The Provider has sent us a bountiful harvest of olives: let us try not to lose it, for he who is diligent in bodily matters is clearly the same in spiritual ones. Encourage and encourage each other through prayer, obedience and humility, as well as through work: work together, quickly, with all your might, pick the olives all the time: when the work goes well, then joy and peace reign. And whoever is lazy here, lags behind, procrastinates, is unfit and defective in spiritual work. Pahari is also my courage. Try to cut the layers evenly, do not make gaps, but draw furrow to furrow so that the seeds, falling into the loosened soil and going deeper into it, produce abundant fruit. Do not lose sight of each and every one of them, so that in those places where trees grow, slightly deflect the plow from their roots. Do everything well, imitating your elder, and let him, in turn, keep himself among the best of his subordinates. Everyone understand each other's situation and provide mutual assistance. You, children, according to the Divine word, are the body of Christ, and you shall receive from part (1 Cor. 12:27), and I believe so, because our head is Christ. And since He is your head, then whom should you fear (Ps. 27:1)? What kind of pleasures you will get! You will have dominion over heaven and earth and inherit all promises. Now I turn to you, my child cook 44: you constantly work in front of the fire, chop wood, cook food, carry water, peel and squeeze vegetables, your face is smoked with smoke, your dress is dirty, your body is covered in soot, you sweat and fry in order to keep up and properly prepare food for your brothers; for this you will receive a share with the saints (see Col. 1:12) and the bosom of Abraham will warm you. Just endure it patiently and spend your day with joy, be so zealous in your work that you even dream of your obedience. Make sure that your pots, as well as your bowls, do not burst from lack of water; do not let the pots of brew roast in vain on the fire, do not push the dishes too far into the flame so that the food does not smell of smoke and acquire an unpleasant taste; Boil food, boil vegetables, boil onions so that they do not turn out to be raw and unusable. From early morning, hurry to your obedience, so that you can redo all your affairs and finish them well. In general, everyone make your valiant journey, walking the same road and animated by the same God-loving mood. I am constantly with you in spirit, although I am somewhat distant in the flesh, 45 because this is what the matter requires. The Lord God of my father, who raises and lifts me constantly, thanks to your help, from the pit of the netherworld of my sins, will cover, strengthen, bless, inspire, exalt, heal you spiritually and physically and give you the Kingdom of Heaven in Christ Himself, our Lord, to Whom be glory and power with the All-Holy Father and His Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages. centuries. Amen. About ever-blessed repentance and about how, through humility, we should be diligent towards all that is good Advice: imitate the good, but not imitate the bad My brothers and spiritual children. According to established custom, I, insignificant, again begin to tell you my announcements. They are cold and do not have the heat that comes from business. You yourself will fill in what is missing with your good deeds. Believe my sincere words, which I often, even now, repeat, that when I think about my unworthiness, trembling and horror seizes me, and that I, whom you call father, am not even worthy of being called just a fellow student. You yourself are my dear fathers and brothers, all hope for salvation rests on you. But, although I am so pitiful, I am still obliged to preach, because I strive for your salvation. Therefore, I am turning to you out of love, as if with advice, and, I would add, in a fatherly way. So, now are the good days 46, the time of doing, seeking God. Whoever turns out to be wise will preserve this and understand the mercies of the Lord (Ps. 107:43) in the next century. Let us try not to lose a single day, not a single hour, beloved brothers. Let us show tireless deeds and efforts, good rivalry with each other and competition in spiritual and physical success. Sailing on the sea of life If we notice that someone displays virtue, silence, reverence, obedience, humility and other praiseworthy deeds, then we will encourage ourselves with good desire to run with such a person, for in this way a union of peace is born (see Eph. 4:3) and a loving disposition towards each other. Let us in no way imitate opposite models: seeing, for example, that someone lives carelessly 47, we ourselves will not live in exactly the same way; if anyone is gluttonous, let us not begin to gluttony ourselves; If someone talks a lot, we ourselves will not do the same. But, as those who are wise and taught by God (see 1 Thess. 4:9), in every tempting way, let us hold on to what is good (1 Thess. 5:21), let us raise the anchor of our faith, spread the sails of hope, and with all our might we will sail across the great sea of ​​this life 48 . During the voyage, from time to time we must encounter contrary winds, that is, uprisings of the flesh, disturbances of carnal lusts must arise, whirlwinds and storms must arise from the depths of the heart’s thoughts, and everything else that usually accompanies a sea voyage: sea robbers, that is, nasty demons, reefs, that is, blindness arising from ignorance, underwater rocks, that is, unforeseen intrigues against our soul, overflowing the ship with sea water, that is, burdening the soul with lack of frankness in confession. It happens that sailors, having fallen into carelessness and fallen asleep, die along with their captain. Let us, most honest brethren, take care of ourselves from all this and watchfully walk the path of the Lord, at the same time and first of all, confessing our hearts, so that, according to the prophetic saying, many waters of thoughts may not pour out on our souls and the last abyss will not pass us by (Jonah 2:6; see Ps. 67:23; 68:3). Just don’t stop bailing out the water yourself, and I, although a sinful person, with God’s help and with the assistance of the prayers of our father, I will handle the steering wheel and make you without sorrow (Matthew 28:14). Whoever is diligent in brotherhood both in relation to mental pursuits and physical labor, shines like a star in the sky and illuminates many. He who is zealous in reverence, angelic, free from vanity, serious, silent, is an Angel who on earth, as if on a cherubic throne, serves God and the Master of creation. He who, through his virtues, brings benefit to others and excites them to living spiritual activity, serves as a kind of sun, which shines with rays, illuminates with golden light and warms brotherhood. Who, in contrast to all this, is gloomy, dark, like the night, who darkens others and makes them like himself? Yes, the one who, through pride, lust, ridicule, idleness, shameful deeds, slander, shamelessness and impurity of thoughts, is likened to Satan who fell from heaven. We must refrain from imitating such people. Don’t you dare, my brothers, to be jealous of bad people. As befits saints, stick only to what is good and useful. Your labor is short-lived, but the reward for it is eternal; your adversity is insignificant, but your joy is boundless; anxiety is temporary, but peace is endless. You will rejoice where the dwelling of those who rejoice is the home (Ps. 86:7), from where sickness and sorrow and sighing flee (Isa. 35:10; 51:11), where there is no crying, but only joy. So do you then run in vain or labor in vain (Phil. 2:16; Gal. 2:2)? No, no way. Biblical history repeats itself spiritually in the life of a Christian You wisely, highly, marvelously, blessedly, apostolically, martyrically, fatherly, angelically, heavenly, godly, came out of the world, came here, were born for me by birth in the Spirit 49 (see 1 Cor. 4:15), grew up, became warriors, armed themselves with the armor of the Spirit, defeated the Amalekites, Amorites, Canaanites and other tribes of passions, under the leadership of our father 50 crossed the worldly sea and with an enlightening and washing second rebirth ) 51 passed the Jordan and thus begin to take possession of the land that our unfaithful God showed us in His promises, a land flowing with honey and milk (see Ex. 3:8, 17; 13:5, 33:3) of immortality and eternal life. For then it was given to people, still children in age, and in a representative sense (τυπικώς), and to us it will be given in reality (έν ά λητεία), when we grow into men perfect in the fulfillment of Christ (Eph. 4:13). After all, the Lord God became our firstfruits (see 1 Cor. 15:20, 23): He sincerely partook of our flesh and blood (Heb. 2:14), became our elder brother (see Col. 1:15, 18), our head (see 1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 4:15; 5:23; Col. 1:18), Bishop (see Heb. 4:14), Conqueror and Destroyer of our enmity with the Father and our God (see 1 Pet. 3:18; Col. 1:20), which was established thanks to the sins and folly of our forefather. Now, having fulfilled all his care for us, the incarnate Christ, our all-perfect God, ascended into heaven and bestowed His peace (see Col. 3:15), saying: My peace I give to you (John 14:27). This does not apply to the apostles only, for the Giver of Life Himself said: ... I pray not for these only, but also for those who believe their word in Me, that they may all be one (John 17:20-21), just as You and I are one. To this, my most honest brethren, it is appropriate to add the well-known apostolic words: who will separate us from the love of God: sorrow, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or misfortune, or the sword? (Rom. 8:35), or, I will add, excitement of the flesh, or devouring with its flame, but not burning those who daily punish it, lust, or dishonor from curses, or officials who love primacy, or being burdened with difficult tasks, or poverty of clothing, or scarcity in food and delicacies, or vigils all night with psalmody, or the requirement to be constantly attentive, or in general every matter, small or large, mental or physical? Nothing, for it is said: For your sake we are put to death all day long: I am counted as sheep of the slaughter (Rom. 8:36; Ps. 45:23). Rejoice in all this, my brothers, rejoice and be glad, contemplating God’s mercy. Life is before our eyes, joy is before our faces, bliss is before our feet. Life, joy, bliss The door is open: Tecitite, that ye may comprehend (1 Cor. 9:24). Who can get lazy under such circumstances? Who, on the contrary, will not strive more and more for this, overtaking each other, as for the treasures presented, not to some kind of corruptible and earthly, but to the eternal and immortal? I, accursed and prodigal, not having behind me any required good except love for you, have already told you a lot of empty and unreasonable things. The Lord God, through the prayers of my father, grant to you that you will all settle in good things, run your race firmly, be entered into the lists, crowned with crowns of victory and receive all the blessings that we may all be worthy to receive through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and with the Holy Spirit be glory and power, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. About firmly enduring all the hardships of life according to God in the hope of endless life My fathers, brothers and children. Although there are few of you here 52, I, humble, cannot treat you with disdain, for the Lord in His Holy Gospel says: do not despise one of these, for I say to you, for their angels in heaven will always see the face of My Father in Heaven (Matthew 18:10). After all, He Himself, having suffered death on the cross, shed His blood for each of us. Therefore, despite my complete worthlessness 53, I still constantly try, both in word and in written teachings, to explain to you what you should say and do. Pay attention to my words, do not sleep behind my insignificant announcements, but perceive what is useful there. So, I ask you, beloved, stand, be courageous against the devil’s wiles, remember that our struggle is not against flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12), but against the invisible and evil persecutor - Satan and the forces that have fallen away with him. Therefore, if a passionate thought creeps into someone, let him not be frightened or embarrassed, but through prayer, lamentation and shedding of tears, let him overcome and drive it out, bringing to mind the future fire, and also that the fire now kindling in our body intensifies the future flame. Therefore, no matter how many times it rises during the day, it must be constantly extinguished, and it will not bring judgment upon us. If you find despondency and darkness of mind, which begins to indicate the burden and boredom of the ascetic life, what is its duty, how to accomplish it - let the eye of your heart at that moment look at grief 54, and with your courage and the thought of the constantly approaching death, destroy the machinations of the demon. So, let everyone who labors, thinking about rest in eternal life, do his best. May the grace of the Lord overshadow you, beloved children, and may it give you the strength to firmly endure the hardships of this life. Strive to fight (see 1 Cor. 9:26), run, do not fall. And if this happens (I pray that this does not happen), quickly rise up, look at what surrounds us: the sky, as it is said, is high, but the earth is deep (Proverbs 25:3), and who of those defeated by sin can ascend to it? Therefore, renounce the earth, turn away, brothers, from it, hold on to what is good, do what is pleasing to God. What to talk about Along with important matters, I ask you, we will also correct what is considered small things, I mean verbosity and laughter. Be modest, my children, in both respects. When you, in order to disperse despondency, start a conversation, then it should be of an appropriate nature, for example, about your work, about some question from Scripture and paternal works, about liturgical readings, about the life of some saint, our separation from the body, about the coming of Angels to us, about our answer before the Lord and God for our life in the flesh, about how the saints will enter into unspeakable joy (see 1 Pet. 1:8), and sinners into eternal torment. But how, you begin to ask, can you destroy these passions and acquire the indicated virtue? By shedding tears 55. But how do they flow and how do they flow out? Yes, through unfeigned obedience, humility and silence of the mouth - then they water the sprouts of the soul, grow, as in paradise, the tree of life and, on the contrary, dry up verbosity, laughter, inappropriate looks, grumbling, rudeness, drowsiness and overeating; in general, if we wish to destroy any other passion in this way, then all this is in our power. Do you force yourself to remain obedient in everything and not show your displeasure even with your facial expression? Do you strictly guard yourself from offensive speech towards your neighbor as if you were doing it towards yourself - although, however, a person does not deserve reproach for his offensive speech if he does it in an appropriate way, for in response to Peter’s remark to the Lord that the Pharisees were upset by his words, the Lord said: Every garden that My heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted (Matthew 15:13)? This is what your business is, this is what your life is. For this very purpose, we, having come out from the world, established ourselves in His house, in order in this way to please Him, so that through our patience we might win our souls (Lk. 21:19), in order to be zealous for good, rejoicing with the joy of the Lord, being covered all together with the holy prayers of our father in Christ Jesus our Lord, with Him to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, honor and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. That students, even in the absence of their abbot, should live godly My brothers and children. Our Lord and God, emitting the rays of His love for mankind, gives His goodness to people so that they all strive for Him. To us, monks, He showed this in a special way by leading us from darkness to light (see Col. 1:13; 1 Cor. 1:2). What gratitude should we give to God who chose and called us? It is that we, having put aside (see Eph. 4:22) a passionate and lustful life, live godly. Therefore, brethren, let us know our calling (see Phil. 3:14; 1 Cor. 1:2), let us delve into the monastic commandment, into our vows that we made before His Angels 56, we will live in good readiness and with insatiable joy, as if we were moving from a country of wandering to our own place of residence, as God commands us to do this. Look at the phenomena of this insignificant life, pay attention to the fickle and fleeting human life. There is only one good destiny here (Luke 10:42), only one happiness in life, only one joy 57, which cannot be satisfied, this is to gain God by observing His commandments. This requires work and intense self-constraint 58 . But this is all short-lived. Just as sometimes a blizzard comes, brings with it a cold for a short time, and then disappears again, so spiritual unrest, no matter how much it overwhelms the ascetic, does not last long and soon passes. And just as travelers who have endured a blizzard then achieve the fulfillment of their goals, so those who have endured the narrowness of the narrow path (see Matthew 7:14) of God receive rest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Gaining God by Obeying His Commandments I am tormented, tormented, grieving and burning with impatience from the desire to constantly see my brothers and children before my eyes, but my desire is not fulfilled 59 . I know that you, on your part, feel the same and strive for me, but things are not going the way we want. But, children, for those who live spiritually, carnal communication is not the main thing, it may not exist. Such people live quite divinely and completely even with only spiritual communication. In fact, let us first of all listen to the high and wondrous voice of our Lord and God Himself, who calls to His disciples: Go and do this and that, and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19–20). In the same way, the apostles of the Lord did not keep their disciples with them constantly, but the great one, for example, Paul sent one to the Corinthian Christians (1 Cor. 16:10), appointed another for the Christians of Crete (Titus 1:4), sent a third to another place; They, having divided the places of preaching among themselves, separated and dispersed to all the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The divine fathers who shone after them in the world did the same. Remember, for example, how the wonderful Anthony sent our holy father Hilarion 60 to the brethren in Palestine. Glorious Pachomius 61 - was he not in charge of many monasteries? Still, he lived only in one of them, and only visited the others 62. Remember the life of the blessed and divine Savva 63, how he ruled over seven monasteries, and was abbot in only one. If you like, you can find many such examples that clearly show that they served God not by hard living together, but by the unanimity of a pious life. All of them, as if being together, possessed one heart, without at the same time having any property (see Acts 4:32). For what good is it for people to live together outwardly when they are not of the same mind in piety? Therefore, children, I do not feel displeasure and am not upset, although at the same time, of course, I do not rejoice at my separation from you. After all, we are separated not for a year, not for a month, even often not for a week, and besides, this is a physical separation, but mentally I constantly have meetings with you, talk and treat you, listen, speak and treat you with attention; sinner, I can boast (see 1 Cor. 11:2) that I hold you all in my heart and I dare, O prodigal, to say that you are not oppressed in my womb (see 2 Cor. 6:12). Remembering all this and realizing that a little separation is completely harmless, do not be upset and do not consider your labors useless. By the grace of the true God and our Lord, in my words there is nothing treacherous, or unreasonable, or introducing sin, anything hypocritical or arbitrary, but everything is beautiful, right, good, joyful, tested, examined and confirmed and witnessed, unless I fell into error. But I am not mistaken, because my holy father confirms this. You are my muscle, my strength, affirmation and strict implementation of a virtuous life, you are truly citizens of Jerusalem, residents of paradise, members of the choir of 64 holy Angels, if only you remain steadfast, strive, endure; force yourself and observe abstinence until you are released from here, as David puts it, the guards (Ps. 142:8), who, by the good pleasure of the Father, gave Himself redemption for the world (1 Tim. 2:6; cf. Matt. 20:28). You work there, we do the work here, and vice versa, we sing here, and you watch the chants there - equally together we praise and work, we do both. Show each other as much love as possible Rejoice, my children, in the fear of the Lord and cleanse yourself from filth, be convinced and shine as children of light (Luke 16:8)! Be zealous, maintain proper relationships with each other, treat your superiors with respect, show obedience and obedience, show each other as much love as possible and turn away from arbitrariness and self-will. The day of Divine Epiphany has come: the Lord is coming from heaven; Let us meet Him clean, for we, the earthly, are going to Him. Let us prepare good aspirations for Him. To Him to whom all creation brings gifts, let us offer as gifts peaceful life, God-like zeal, God-loving ardor; further, some - love of silence, some - vigil, some - intense prayer, some - abstinence, some - obedience, some - resignation, in general everyone, if possible, everything or at least some things, even one thing - in abundance, while at the same time not remaining completely alien to the rest. God, through His saints, announces our future glory. Paul, for example, exclaims: the passions of this present time are unworthy of the glory that desires to be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18); Saint David sings: Better is one day in Thy courts than a thousand, and: I will be satisfied when Thy glory is revealed (Ps. 16:15, 83:1); one of the prophets exclaims that from there sickness and sorrow and sighing will escape (Isa. 35:10; 51:11). And how many more places can we collect that show us the indescribable pleasure and endless joy from the benefits promised to all those who please Him (see Heb. 11:5)! Let us stand in this, be strengthened, be built up and perfected in Christ our God, with whom be glory to the Father together with the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the separation of the soul from the body and the fact that at that moment tearful prayer provides great help Endless eternity of immortality My children and most honest brothers. I open my mouth and give you a word of guidance. This ministry was given to me completely undeserved. You are already perfect, have everything in sufficient measure, perfect, full of everything, do not need much instruction: you are able to educate yourself and have your own means for teaching (see Rom. 2:21). For through divine readings, gospel announcements and paternal instructions, God's knowledge was revealed to you, the light of the fear of God shone and shone in our minds (see 2 Cor. 2:4, 6). My work has nothing to count, for I am dark in both deed and word. But despite this, I am still inspired; I stand in a row with you, walk with you, point out to you the stones lying on the way, which are all kinds of difficulties arising from passions. Therefore, do not be bored by my announcements, do not be lazy in serving the Divine, do not look at the difficulties of this life, so as not to lose the pleasures of the next century. Accept and bear all deeds and words complacently, tolerating each other in the love of God, helping each other in difficult matters. Understand that an entire hundred-year ascetic life cannot even be called one hour in comparison with the endless eternity of immortality, and it is a blessed and profitable thing to endure a short period of time, like sleep, in order to receive endless life for it. Let us not spare our body, for the saints considered it an enemy 65 when they humbled it with abstinence, since serving it runs counter to spiritual life. A little more and we will depart from this life. The evidence is constantly before our eyes. Our brothers, one after another, run to the grave (recently ten people drowned at once 66 , recently two also died together) and leave behind only memories and an image devoid of reality. Are we going to stay here too? Reflections on the hour of death. The benefits of good deeds upon death No, no way. Alas, brethren, what a terrible thing this death is! How we must constantly engage in mental contemplation and imagine that we are already dying, we must think about how the separation of the soul from the body, the appearance of the Angels of God and - God forbid - the coming of demons (for this also happens to those who are tempted by passions) 67. Then let us imagine that terrible gaze and call: “Come out, soul.” Think how difficult and painful this separation will be! Then good deeds and a clear conscience will provide great help, comfort and mercy to those who acquire them. Then obedience will gain boldness, humility will be listened to, tears will be appeased, hard work will conquer demons, patience will take over in every matter, opponents will leave empty-handed and the soul will go to the Savior with great joy. But if the soul, having given itself over to passions, is captured in sins, then - horror, for in this case the demons win and carry it, the unfortunate one, along with them into the underworld, into darkness, into the tartarus of torment. Therefore, my most honest brothers, let us purify ourselves from now on, let us shed our blood through asceticism, so that neither the difficulty of the task, nor the requirement to strain ourselves, nor pleasure, nor rest, nor a comfortable life will separate us from the commandment of the Lord; even if we were required to die even daily, we will bear everything with joy, we will live above worldly thoughts and before the terrible God we will not fear anything else, neither man, nor beast, nor fire, nor sword, nor sea, nor anything else that is usually considered terrible, for man, created in the image of God, is made lord and ruler of all (see Gen. 1:28). And we need to ascend again to where we were cast down and become equal to the Angels. I have wonderful hopes for you, but for myself my hope is unfavorable, because my life is spent in negligence; As a rector, I am an unworthy person and have a passionate soul. Despite this, I teach you, admonish you, excite you, raise you, ascend with you, remain and reveal - according to the power given to me (whatever it may be) - the pleasantness and sweetness of the blessings awaiting us, if only you, in turn, remain steadfast, if you take courage, do not become lazy if you completely cut off your will. For under this condition, it is as if you are renouncing life, although you will not cease to exist, you eat and at the same time do not eat, you continue life, but are not in this world. I, unworthy, pray and ask that you, through the prayers of my holy father, 68 be preserved in this order of life. And you, in turn, diligently offer prayers for me. I ask you to be God’s chosen ones (see Col. 3:12), proven disciples, true novices, imitators of our former holy fathers. Rejoice with Dositheus, rejoice with Akakios, rejoice with Zechariah 69 and in general with everyone whose path and whose life you follow. For I believe that they will receive you, as fellow citizens and imitators of the same kind of life with them, into eternal habitations in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. On the acquisition of virtue through a moderate life and on renunciation from the world My beloved and dear children. Do you perhaps think that I am tired and bored because I have to pronounce catechumens to you and teach you the word of salvation? But I don’t feel anything like that, I am always the same and I believe that my announcements are not only not enough for you, but that, on the contrary, they are not enough for you and that I do not do what is necessary, but, on the contrary, remain in debt to you. If I teach you day and night and teach you the daily bread for your souls, then I am not doing anything special, I am obliged to do this, for the divine apostle says to one of his disciples: for three summers, night and day, teaching you one with tears (Acts 20:31), to others he writes that he continually prays for them (Col. 1:9; 2 Tim. 1:3 ), as well as to the third: I prayed that I myself would be excommunicated for my disciples, adding that he has an ongoing illness in my heart (Rom. 9:3, 2). For all this truly befits a shepherd of souls. That's what he was like! What can I, the accursed one, discover and what have I shown in relation to you? Truly, absolutely nothing: I turn to my heart and mind so that they can show whether I am providing you with any benefit. You yourselves, my children, like good soil, watered by the grace-filled streams of the Holy Spirit, give birth and bring forth virtues, ever-living ears of corn. Plow the land of your souls like fields, cleansing it with the fire of the fear of God and the sword of truth from the thorns of thoughts. If at the same time your work seems difficult, then pay attention to the good consequences that carefully cultivated land brings. For by sowing in this way, you grow abundant fruit. So, my children, according to the apostolic commandment, sow not to the flesh, lest you reap what is of the flesh, that is, corruption, but sow to the Spirit, so that you may reap spiritual things (Gal. 6:8). Necessary qualities for a monk. Abstinence. Vigil Cultivate in yourself patience, firmness, endurance, humility, love for each other, turn away from envy, deceit, deception, insults, slander. Acquire abstinence; abstinence consists in being content with the amount of food that is given to satisfy the need, so that the food does not constrain the body too much, and on the other hand, does not make it completely light, just as if a lot of cargo is placed on a ship, it will sink it, and if it is not enough, it will capsize it. In the same way, you should only sleep as much as you need. For in this case, with a moderate life, a person easily gives up sleep, he has vigor in psalmody, attentiveness to the readings he listens to, understanding and understanding of every single word in Divine chants. The soul thus pleased enjoys, rejoices and is enlightened and then exhibits meek behavior. From a lot of sleep, on the contrary, what happens is that a person has difficulty getting out of bed, his mind is clouded, he sings indistinctly, his lips move sluggishly, his physical and mental eyes are dim, because with external feelings the internal ones weaken, a spiritual thief comes and steals what he wants. That is why the Lord said: watch (Matthew 25:13). So, be vigilant, my children, be vigilant, do not fall into a bad mood of spirit, so that you do not start the day unprepared and so that all day long you do not feel heavy with all your work, for God loves gentle speech (see 2 Cor. 9:7), an answer imbued with humility, a calm expression of the face, a meek disposition, humble conversation. And those who behave too proudly, are arrogant, throw fierce answers and glances, give reason to laugh at themselves and offend God (see Gal. 6:7). He who endures more hardships than others, who gives thanks even when he lacks a dress, shoes, a bag, or a blanket, such a person is a worker of God who sacrifices temporary and insignificant things for the sake of future benefits. I wish that you all enjoy a comfortable life, receive sufficient clothing, food and other necessary items, because in this case bodily work goes more successfully 70. And what I said above, I said so that in the event of unfavorable circumstances we would not lose heart, would not be upset, would not grumble. There are people among you who are so inflamed with love for God that they take on such feats of their own free will. In general, anyone who gratefully accepts what is given to him, no matter what it is, does well. In no way, my beloved children, will we be sad because of such constraints. After all, we do not work because of some insignificant profit. Remember that in this way we serve God, pay attention - after all, we have the Kingdom of Heaven ahead of us, do not forget that the reward will be immortal life. Who, in view of such blessings, will not try, who will not want to delight in the treasures offered, who will not willingly endure adversity, go poorly dressed, live under the open sky, be cold and kill himself (see Rom. 8:13) by exploits? And you are not deprived of a share in this, for by cutting off your will, renouncing everything, being patient in all matters, you die every hour (see 1 Cor. 15:30–31), and endure the cold, and renounce the world, and have your life hidden in Christ Jesus our Lord (Col. 3:3). When, according to Scripture, Christ appears, our life (Col. 3:4; 2 Cor. 4:11), then you will rejoice with Him forever. Therefore, do not look for any rest or peace for yourself here, but accept the suffering here as a sign of the peace there. You are my only joy, my crown (see Phil. 4:1), my firm hope, and - God is my witness - I have no one else to prefer to you in love, or in care, or in favor: neither father, nor mother, nor brother, nor relatives, nor friends, nor worldly glory, nor authorities, nor nobles, nor kings, nor any other thing here, small or large. But in the face of God, who watches everything with His all-seeing eyes, in everything, in every way and under all circumstances, I think and gain you, life, bliss, mercy, peace, salvation and remission of sins. Rejoice in the Lord (see Phil. 4:4) that you have to endure grief in the flesh, for such joy is indicated by God and we are constantly taught to rejoice in it. Rejoice in remembering death, for in it you will find life. Enjoy poverty and every meal, whatever it may be, even if it consists even of only bread, water and vegetables, for in this way you will receive living and incorruptible honey and milk (see Jer. 11:5) through Christ Jesus our Lord, with Him to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, honor and worship, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. About the Jerusalem above, where those who have led a pious life will enjoy eternal glory Divine rewards for monastic deeds Children and brothers. By the grace and favor of our Lord Jesus Christ, who bestows knowledge on man and brings all who feed on His Divine teachings and strive for the heights of truth into men of perfect spiritual stature of His fulfillment (Eph. 4:13), and I, the most pitiful of all people, am worthy to see daily how you improve and mature in life and deeds according to the commandments of God. And this is the effect of the prayer of my holy father 71, thanks to which both I and you are equally established and preserved in everything that is most holy and good. In view of the established good order of life, I praise first of all the elders, those who constantly guide the rest of the brothers so well in all matters, and then also those who follow the commands of their superiors with obedience and humility. In this way, by gradually forcing yourself and forcing you to endure, you have achieved a good state and, making it your habit, you have the opportunity to live in virtue. And I, for my part, pray for you, praise and please you, and the Lord God will fulfill your intention. So, continue to walk daily in the way of God, the Lord, by His own promise, will be with you. For He, through His apostles, said to all those who seek His covenant and testimonies (see Ps. 119:2) that He will be with them until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). His paths and ways, as the divine David sings, are unknown (Ps. 77:20). He appears invisibly to spiritual eyes and appears and converses with a pure heart. Follow your path sincerely, avoiding the snares of the envious devil. Take the wings of God's love, so that, escaping earthly snares, you can fly to the clouds (see Isa. 60:8). Anoint your feet with the oil of gladness (see Ps. 44:8) and chastity, and do not move your feet from the narrow path of the Lord. If you become thirsty because of loss of spirit, then drink the water of patience (see Sir. 15:3); if you become hungry from mental fatigue, then eat the bread that nourishes and strengthens the human heart (see Ps. 103:15), that is, the bread of wisdom and courage. Be well girded and equipped, beware of grief, do not be burdened with unbearable burdens, that is, bad desires, for it is possible for a traveler from earth to heaven to make his journey cheerfully only if he has no burden. You resolved the matter perfectly, wisely left the world, as it should be, moved into the house of the Lord, became slaves of the Lord and serve Him every day, turning away from everything temporary: clan, fatherland and all carnal desires and customs. Your work is angelic 72: if we bear our burden a little, conquer a little, endure a little more, then the end of our life will come, we will be taken by the Angels and will rejoice forever, inheriting along with all the saints the blessings promised to us (see Heb. 11:9). Then none of you will repent that in his ascetic life he had to endure hardships and torments, that he then had to fast, watch, be cold, and generally endure refusal to fulfill his lusts. On the contrary, we will then bless ourselves and please the day and hour in which God deigned for us to flee from the world and take on the monastic form, and then each of us will be given a reward in accordance with the type of suffering that we had to endure here, and for our sorrows we will then receive joy and an eternal reward 73 . Therefore, let none of you refuse to endure unpleasant circumstances that happen, for in return we will receive eternal joy, just as, on the contrary, those who do bad deeds will receive punishment. May God deliver us to experience something like this and hear such speech: “Thou hast received thy goodness in thy belly. He is comforted... Between us and you a great abyss has established itself” (Luke 16:25–26). These Divine words, terrible both for hearing and for thought, separate the sinner from the righteous: as heaven is from earth (see Isa. 55:10), so great is the distance, abyss, distance and falling away of those in sin from the Lord our God. And those who, like us, desire to constantly be His friends and true servants, will enter with Him into the Heavenly Kingdom, into the highest Jerusalem (see Gal. 4:26), into the great city, where there are wondrous objects that cannot even be imagined, where there is endless glory, eternal power; there we will see and recognize each other, and if we fulfill the will of God, then, I believe, we will be together in eternal joy. If all this is so, then will we not work, will we not begin to suffer willingly, will we not drink the cup of ridicule and reproach like milk (see Job 34:7; 30:1, 9; Ps. 43:14); Don’t we really wish for the last place, the last degree, so that we can be lower than everyone else; Shall we not, counting ourselves as the gentle lambs of Christ (Rom. 8:36), die daily of our own will? Exhortation: Our Martyrdom Yes, my children and fathers, this is precisely the way in which the saints pleased God. Let us in no way strive to achieve a comfortable and carefree life here. On the contrary, rejoice when you suffer, rejoice when you work, endure hardships, constraints and lack of various necessary items, money, premises, food, wine, shoes, clothing, activities, etc., for this is our martyrdom and in this way the one who labors in obedience is glorified, as one who suffers daily. If things are not going well for you, then it is clear that you are not on the list of obedience, and if you are, then you are doing your job lazily, hypocritically, in order to gain favor for yourself. But regarding you, I know that you obey sincerely, live gloriously, like angels, having support from the arm of the Lord, support in the consolation of the Holy Spirit and help from the holy Angels and all the blessed martyrs and saints. Be strong in the Lord, ascend together with the great-voiced prophet Isaiah to the mountain of God and to His holy house (Isa. 2:3), see that no one lags behind, no one sits down, everyone, united in firm love, help each other. I see that each of you enters into the position of the other, as if dividing himself and merging with his neighbor; the peasant unites into one soul, into one heart and into one body with the city dweller, the strong with the weak, the zealous with the less diligent, staying at home with the one working in the field, and I, your accursed and prodigal father, am divided among all and replenished from all. Separate yourself and merge with your neighbor I am canceling one announcement, partly because I don’t have time to do it, and partly because I see that instead of listening to many, it is enough for you to listen to only one announcement per week. For you yourselves are perfect, you yourself can be your own teachers, you yourselves have already been taught in goodness and fully taught by God (see 1 Thess. 4:9). Treat each other kindly and kindly And when I do not speak instructions, then you yourself make up for the lack I cause (see 1 Cor. 16:17). Brace yourself, economy; take heart, senior plowman (πρωτοαροτριων); help, cellarer; Be strong, cook, and you, all the other plowmen, as well as those who bear other obediences, especially the elders among you - grace to you, peace and strength from God. Rejoice also, you overseers 74, wake-up callers 75, who have to watch and take care of the fulfillment of their obediences. Keep the pledge (see 1 Tim. 6:20) of my humble instructions, refrain from indecent laughter, violent outbursts, long idle conversations; I shouldn’t even hear about irritability and disobedience on your part (see Eph. 5:3); I wish your speeches to be sedate, condescending to each other, be hospitable, treat each other kindly and affably. Hold everything that tempts, as the apostle says, that is good, scavenge from every evil thing (1 Thess. 5:21-22), and the Lord of peace (2 Thess. 3:16), who raises me, through your prayer, from the pit of the grave (see Ps. 87:7) of my sins, may He give your souls strength and strength, may He Himself protect you and bring you up on calm waters (Ps. 22:2), turning you to the paths of righteousness (Ps. 22:3), protecting you from the snares of the evil serpent and the wolf, rejoicing, delighting, making meek, comforting and worthy of us and the Kingdom of Heaven, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About renunciation of the world and kinship and about devoting oneself to works of virtue Heal your ulcers, and then start healing others My fathers, brothers and children. Through this written conversation 76 and reasoning, I am now, as it were, visiting you and showing you what is due, announcing you and proclaiming to you the justifications of the Lord (see Ps. 18:9). And you, in turn, constantly pray for me, so that I, who preaches to you, as it is said, the will of the blessed God and our Savior Jesus Christ, will be given the gift of speech. I know and remember how I should be in relation to dispassion. For the word of truth (see 2 Cor. 6:7; 2 Tim. 2:15; Eph. 1:13) requires a leader who would first himself rise above passions, so that he could then give a hand to those who labor. But I am far from the proper order of things, and so much so that the words are quite applicable to me: doctor, heal yourself (Luke 4:23); and: first remove the beam from your mind (Matthew 7:5); and: heal your ulcers, and then begin to heal others. For I realize that I am mired in sin more than any man. But despite all this, I do not abandon or turn away from the great and terrible task of leadership that has fallen to my lot, but I strive and devote myself to you in everything. So let us, my children, all together, zealously and more and more serve God and please Him, let nothing hinder or stop us in this, let us completely renounce the world, overcome the flesh, abandon kinship, trample passions, take up work and everything else, and do and do deeds of virtue, so that, remaining unswerving in our promises, we can inherit the Kingdom Heavenly. The fierce serpent and dragon (see Ps. 90:13), the chief of evil (ό άρχίκακος) the devil, creeps up every day and plots for our destruction, slowly creeps and creeps into our hearts and sows the seeds of evil to everyone. To one he inspires the sweetness of sin to look at faces, so that through a little pleasure and pleasant excitement lasting just one hour, he can deprive a person of the enjoyment of eternal blessings and send him to the eternal fire. In another he instills another equally murderous passion - envy of the preference shown to his brother; it darkens the mind of such a person and does not allow him to see the glory of God, as if he were living in darkness, in order to make him a new Cain. Then he entices the third with swinish stomach stuffing, so that, having conquered him with the passions of the belly, in this way he removes him from God. Further, in whom he plunges into despondency, in whom he instills hatred of vows, or comrades, or the monastery, whom he makes angry at psalmody, reading, silence, poetry 77 - and in general, from everywhere he raises a terrible and inexplicable whirlwind 78 against the humble monk in order to force him to retreat, to destroy and lead him astray from the right path. Therefore, take heart, and let your heart be strengthened (see Ps. 31:25), for we have placed our hope in God, who destroyed the power of death (see Heb. 2:14) and gave us the power to tread on the serpent, and on the scorpion, and on all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). All the saints defeated the devil Thus the great Anthony made his strength so weak that he could not bear even the shadow of his holiness 79 . And all the God-bearing fathers, as well as all those who have given themselves entirely to serving God in the present generation 80, defeat him. Let us ask and implore the Lord for one mercy - so that we may remain with God all the days of our lives through a pious life. My children, I seem to be poured out and divided into individuals and have compassion for each of you in his bodily, and especially in his spiritual, labor. For I see that you are straining yourself in your work, straining yourself day and night. But your glory is apostolic (see 1 Cor. 9:13-15), your way of life is angelic, in this way you sacrifice yourself to God (see Rom. 12:1) 81, receiving everything you need from your labors and, in addition, giving a small part to strangers 82. May your work be rewarded and remain free from all censure. But how can this be achieved? Work in silence, let no word come out of your mouth untimely; avoid boasting, turn away from shamelessness, acquire humility (see 1 Pet. 5:5), practice obedience. Be careful that sinful death does not snatch you away, do not get close to each other out of passionate attraction, do not go alone in twos, 83 do not touch each other, if possible, with any member whatsoever, for this threatens an explosion of passion, fire and death. Listen to the readings, stay awake at Matins, flock to the psalmody; When you stand before God, do not slumber, accept gifts from Him, for He constantly distributes them to those who are awake. This is truly a sad matter when some receive gifts and favors from the king, while others are driven away with nothing, although apparently both served equally. But the latter performed it lazily and drowsily, as a result of which they failed and were deprived of reward, while others worked sincerely and served in good conscience. To whom does God give His gifts? Don't lose your reward There is one God for all of us, I am one, humble, you have a father, and you, in turn, have acquired one heart among each other in everything (see Acts 4:32), - also become for me the one, whole and true body of Christ Himself, our true God 84. Yes, my children, hurry, try, flow (see Phil. 3:12–13), warn so that the door does not close on you (see Matt. 25:10), so that the time of our life does not pass, the holiday does not end, so that we do not go to the grave unprepared, so that our separation from the body does not happen when we have not yet had time to bring repentance, so that when the soul is separated we do not see the holy Angels timid, so that the high to heaven would not take us for our sins, as the great Anthony 85 saw him, the Ethiopian, so that we would not be swallowed up by the terrible abyss and the underworld, nor would the hissing eternal fire comprehend us, nor the sobbing and groaning in Tartarus, nor other torments and punishments. With God's help, we will fly over and pass the mountain (see Ps. 17:30), so that we can achieve silence, eternal life, in order to worship Christ and our Master God and joyfully see the true beauty, the unapproachable shine of the glory of His face (see Matt. 17:2), - there we will rejoice with the holy Angels and have fun with all the saints, from there we will escape sickness and sorrow and groaning (Isa. 35:10; 51:11), there is no change, no transformation (James 1:17), no decrease, no addition, no satiety, no shortage, or anything of that kind, but everything is calm, unperturbed, everything is unchanged and unshakably remains exactly the same forever and ever in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. That we, while in the flesh, should think about what is above the flesh and acquire the promised blessings My children and brothers. Again I return to you with a word and open my weak lips to tell you the usual announcement. I do not have enough strength to anoint you for your spiritual race and train you on the racecourse, so that you achieve God-crowned victory and heavenly grace-filled pleasure. But I still have a desire for this, and I put into action all the mental powers of my limited and weak being in order to collect and present to you, as if some gifts, aromas and ointments, admonitions regarding the path leading to piety. So now, as always, I am trying with all my might to deliver the best to my dear masters, rulers and fathers: after all, since you have been adopted by me by spiritual adoption (see: Rom. 8:15, 23; Eph. 1:5; Gal. 4:5) through the love of God and, as faithful servants, promise to be like me in everything, then how can I not confess after this that I, in turn, am also yours have a wicked child and your most insignificant slave? Therefore, children, I urge you: arise, let us go from here (John 14:31), as the Lord said to the disciples. And I will not stop constantly calling you: let us mentally renounce this world, just as we were once introduced into it. With these words, I do not invite you to separate from the body before the command from God, who has united body and soul for testing in virtue, 86 but I call you to, while in the flesh, think about what is above the flesh (see 2 Cor. 10:3), and, as the God-speaking Paul writes, crucify yourself to the world (Gal. 6:14) or, as he calls in in another place, who are Christ’s, have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts (Gal. 5:24). Therefore, my children, bear all burdens and sorrows courageously and rule over yourself: if Adam in this regard had remained obedient to the instructions given to him by God, then he would not have inherited death instead of life for his intemperance. Fast and do not eat, if possible, even in thought, from the bitterness of sin. Do your best to preserve the organs of your activity: do not devour evil sights with your greedy eyes and do not be seduced by them; turn your ears away from listening to foolish things and unprofitable conversations; Train your mouth to sing what is pleasing to God and to refrain from long conversations; Protect your arms, legs and all your members in general from any passionate activity. You are all like my one eye, one my heart and one body 87. But, on the other hand, one member of me is superior to another or turns out to be more honorable than another, as we see in the body. Therefore, you, who have received the position of steward, try to act blamelessly and without stumbling among your brothers, disposing of every matter humbly. You, plowman, with your inherent wisdom and strength, be strong in carrying out your tasks. Forbear and sympathize with the difficulties of newcomers, as well as of old brothers; Let your word, according to the Scripture, be mixed with salt (Col. 4:6), and give grace to those who hear (see Eph. 4:29). Be polite, restrained in words, kind, teaching (see: 1 Tim. 3:2; 2 Tim. 2:24), reasonable, managerial, first to get down to business and go ahead of those who work. Let my child Sophrony also equally share his worries with you, let him struggle, work and acquire eternal blessings with you. You, cellarer, trust in God and strengthen His strength in the power (Eph. 6:10), shed your blood 88, give your flesh, waste yourself in your worries, so that, by acquiring brothers for yourself, you also gain God Himself: you do not feed people, but, if you wish, the apostles of God 89. Prepare and deliver the best food and wine you have. We are not talking about fish or any sauces, delicacies and tasty dishes with which those who live like pigs stuff themselves every day, for this is not characteristic of pious people, but take care that you have vegetables and bread and water ready. This is a joy for the pious, and I, humble, approve of such food. For our fathers considered it a great consolation when they had sufficient bread, water, fruits and vegetables. And you, my child cook, try to please the brotherhood, since you have undertaken to fry and cook food for the brothers, so that you may shine like the sun in the Kingdom of Heaven. Gardeners and gardeners, work and provide the brethren with sufficient quantities of all kinds of vegetables and fruits, so that by serving them you will serve God Himself and enjoy eternal sweetness. Assistant cellarer, with all diligence, devote all your strength to the task, even to the point of shedding blood, and agree with the senior cellarer, for you depend on him. You who work in the arable land are pleasing to both God and me: you work for others, but on the other hand you will receive double crowns. For each of you who works more than others, or cares, or worries, or suffers in spiritual or carnal affairs, will, without a doubt, receive a greater reward. Therefore, let everyone strive to surpass his neighbor more than those who live in the world strive to surpass their neighbors in wealth. Yes, I also forgot about the employees at the mills. I turn to you last: do nothing more than what is commanded you (Luke 3:13) in food, drink and in everything else. You have to remain without Matins, psalmody and other services; This is undesirable for me, but due to necessity I cannot do it any other way. Focus on your work: instead of you, we will do what is necessary, although we ourselves are sinful people. Let us try not to cause harm to each other; you try, stay awake, keep the fear of God, avoid worldly conversations and see that the water mill works as successfully as possible, so that in this way we too may receive some carnal benefit. Purify yourself - accept God into yourself Then, all of you, rejoice and take courage against the fierce devil, for his swords will fail in the end (Ps. 9:7), and we have stood against him as youth and are constantly trampling on his head. As you purify yourself, you accept God into yourself. Therefore, constantly cleanse yourself, and do not darken yourself in bad thoughts or deeds, but, being constantly luminous with your mind, receive into yourself the light and the joy that brings with it good hopes, which serves as the beginning of the joy of eternal rest, from where sickness and sorrow and sighing will flee (Isa. 35:10; 51:11), where the voice of those who celebrate and rejoice in Christ Jesus, Our Lord, with whom be glory to the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. About love in Christ and about being diligent in all psalmody and services My dear children and beloved brothers. Just as I, weak, insignificant and who did not deserve to become your father, show my strength in communicating to you what pertains to your God-loving salvation, so you, for your part, open your ears for the teaching of the Lord (see Isa. 50: 4-5), listen with attention to my words, so that I do not speak in vain and do not throw seed into dry ground. After all, I myself do not reap anything - you yourself remain without fruit, as if you were not good land, but one that brings thorns of passions. Therefore, all of you must pay attention in every way and constantly, especially on the day of the announcement. For now is the time of our salvation, or the time when the danger of destruction has disappeared, now are favorable days, a productive life, a smooth road: let us strive and hasten to please God in everything. We ourselves have both death and life (see Deut. 30:19). Let us remain within ourselves and in the obediences indicated daily. Continue in the works of your hands, in your good order of life, in sincere and envy-free love for each other. For where there is love, there is peace associated with it (see: Eph. 4:3; Col. 3:14–15), everything bad flees from there (see James 3:16). And where it is not there, hatred, the devil and other passions penetrate there. Let us live in strict obedience to the laws, rules and commandments, and not in a disorderly, arbitrary, so-so way - neither good nor bad (άδιαφόρως), nasty and lawless. Therefore, submit to me, all of you, so that we may all have one soul, even one heart (see Acts 4:32), and also one will, so that we may be ordered in everything. Well, answer me, how are you doing, how are your affairs going, how are you fulfilling the rule of obedience? 90 How do you, elders, submit? Do you act according to the will of God and avoid any unauthorized actions? On the other hand, you who are in subordination (οί υπακούοντες) - do you carry out orders as if they came from God Himself? If things go wrong, then they are in a deplorable state: for few joys you are preparing your own destruction. Now is the time of vigil, the time of wakefulness, the time of self-compulsion, and so strong as to be ready even to shed blood, as is shown by the case of one reverend father who spat out bloody saliva 91. So, self-coercion; and to those who force themselves belongs the Kingdom of Heaven (see Matt. 11:12). Force yourself, first of all, in the morning. How? Together with beat 92, everyone comes together at once, cheerfully and in unison, as if an Angel is calling you in order to sing songs to talk with God, serve Him, to accept gifts that are not perishable or temporary, but come from God and revive [your] souls. Rising loudly, as if with one voice, trumpet the praises of the Lord God, listen carefully to the troparia, stay cheerfully with the readings, be enlightened by spiritual joy through the psalms and songs, and thus perform the service to your benefit, shaming the devil. What happens otherwise is clear in itself. Along with all this, we need to soberly perform prayer 93 so that, appearing clean before the Pure One, we are not darkened, but are enlightened even more. Matins 94 has ended - we will leave silently. And let anyone go to his lesson, thus not losing through idle talk (δια τής άργολογίας) the benefit received from psalmody, but adding to this the teaching 95. The other one, if he wants to rest, let him go to his bed and there let him cross himself, lie down gracefully, reading a psalm, meditating within himself, so as not to suffer temptation from the tempter. For demons love to confuse our souls after Matins, since we frightened them at Matins, and they wish to destroy in evil what we have acquired. For this purpose, they darken the mind, excite the body, already tired of psalmody, and arrange nasty conversations and agreements between the two of them, and sometimes even retire to a secret place. But they are afraid of the one who controls himself, who takes on some other task and does not immediately throw himself on his bed unless he is in a strong sleep - such a person remains free from temptations. After this, everyone appears cheerfully and decorously for the first hour 96. For what good is it to lose the reward and bring condemnation upon your conscience? Having prayed to God that the work of our hands will be corrected (Ps. 89:17) and that the whole day will pass in good deeds, proceed to your labors anywhere or together, as circumstances require. And then get to work with poetry. With prayer and reverence, take on some arable land, some on cultivating a vineyard, some on cooking or any other upcoming task. Observe the established distribution of hours: during them, work conscientiously, preceding the work with poetry. If you are talking about bodily matters, then talk about subjects that are appropriate for you, and if you are talking about spiritual matters, then talk about troparia or some other similar activities. Be jealous of each other's gifts, for each has a deficiency in one of them, each has a deficiency in one of them and he can make up for it through his brother. Let everyone be a diligent, hardworking bee who flies around all the flowers. The ideal of a single body: mutual completion of deficiencies in talents All of you are my friends, all of you are my children, people committed to me, my heart, spirit, joy, favor, crown, glory, strength, salvation, although I am not worthy to use such expressions. I myself, although a prodigal man, still want you all to be saved, all to be perfected and become glorious: cleanse yourself, rise up, and I have hopes in our Lord and God, for whose sake we have gathered here together, that through the prayers of our holy father you will become, and in part become, such. So that we do not have laziness at all, procrastination must be driven out, we must be ardent in relation to God and enduring in the work of achievement, and then nothing can turn us away from striving for God: neither fasting, nor vigil, nor cold, nor heat, nor resentment, nor poverty in necessary things (see Rom. 8:35); Considering all this a matter of secondary importance, let us prefer the matter of our own salvation, reminding ourselves how for our sake our God and Master endured these hardships and all other sorrows. Can a slave equal his Master in this? But He is good and, out of His goodness, accepts our little zeal. He is close to those who wait for Him (see Ps. 129:6) and, as Scripture says, is found by those who seek Him (Is. 65:1); we will knock, and He will open to us (see Matt. 7:7–8), we will be patient, and He will lead us into His heavenly joy, into the palace of the Kingdom of Heaven not made by hands. My gift of speech and my life are insignificant and pitiful, and I am not able to describe the great works of God (see Acts 2:11), His surpassing goodness towards us and how He will come to honor and glorify those who have pleased Him and at the same time punish the disobedient. I appeal to you and present heaven, earth and the holy Angels as witnesses - see, do not allow yourself to be careless about your salvation, do not even despise any single commandment 97, do not live in the darkness of unconfessed sins, do not eat secretly, do not be entangled in sweets, do not touch your souls or your members with the sword, that is, shamelessness, for these are members of Christ (see Rom. 6:13; 1 Cor. 12:22–24), honest members; do not curse each other, do not be angry, do not envy temporary things, do not repay evil with evil (see 1 Thess. 5:15), do not seek covetousness, do not prematurely strive for positions, and for this purpose restrain your thoughts. Exhortation: Priesthood, Service, and Deification Reveal everything in confession and in this way be healed, be healthy and show obedience, for this is the priesthood, service and deification 98 (και ιερατεία, και λειτουργία, και θέωσις). Many priests, priests, hierarchs, prophets and wonderworkers will fall into eternal torment, for the Lord says that “many will say to Me: Did we not do this and that in Your name, and they will hear: We do not know you, depart from Me (Luke 13:27), and whoever will perish under the curse, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angel (Matt. 25:41)". Who is my priest, my priest, my celebrant, my initiator, my god (for one can even express it this way if we remember the words: az reh: ye are gods by nature and sons of all the Most High (Ps. 82:6))? Who will be saved and who will perish He who, by confessing to me, the humble one, remains pure, who has acquired humility for himself, who places himself lower than every creature and does not seek more than what has been given to him from me, the humble one, even if in his virtues he were the second Ignatius 99. To follow my orders and notice that I sent this one here, and that one there, placed one in this position, and the other in another, is an unsafe thing for you and completely inappropriate. The Lord our God, who brings a worthy person out of his unworthy position, lifts up the wretched from the pit (Ps. 112:7), gives grace to the humble (Prov. 3:34; Ps. 17:28) and understanding, girdes with strength (Ps. 17:33) the weak, may he prosper you, may he pacify you, may he reward you, may he give you a good life, May he strengthen you in everything, for every perfect work, to fulfill the commandments, to please God, to imitate the Angels and to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, so that we may all together with one mouth sing up a song to God on the endless day, when the dwelling of all who rejoice will be revealed (Ps. 86:7) and joy in Christ our Lord, with whom be glory to the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. About the flight of brother Tarasius, who, thanks to this announcement, returned back again 100 How should I speak and where should I start this letter to you? Now is the time for tears for me, the time for sobbing and lamentation. Together with the loud Isaiah, I dare to say: I gave birth to a conceived spiritual son and, as far as I, weak, could, by the power of the Lord, through a godly life, raised him up, and he left me. Indeed, I knew the ox who acquired it, etc. (Isa. 1: 2-3 et seq.), but Tarasius did not know me and my disciple did not understand. How my beloved offended me (see Deut. 32:15), how this is the true vine (John 15:1), which God planted (see Jer. 2:21) in a monastic environment, and I, as an insignificant cultivator of the word, fenced, dug up and pruned to the best of my ability (see Mark 12:1; Matt. 21:33 ), so that she would give wine that gladdens the heart of man (Ps. 103:15), how did this vine become bitter for me? One demonic attack happened and destroyed everything, made my chosen and beloved son an apostate and alienated him from the brotherly union in the Holy Spirit. What a fall (we need to add this too) from the sky the star (Isa. 14:12), that is, how did the one who previously shone so much by confessing the secrets of his heart and revealing bright thoughts fall from our common and heavenly life? Now, dwelling in the land of passion, that is, hiding and not revealing what is happening in his heart, he has become darkness. In vain I worked, in vain I suffered over you. Remember, brother, the former days (see Deut. 32:7), remember the vows made before God, remember your firm devotion, when you shone with the light of love for me. Remember that you said that neither father, nor mother, nor friend, nor relative, nor your own party, nor hometown, nor life, nor death, neither present nor future (Rom. 8:38) will separate you from your love for me, that you are more committed to me in your devotion than even the most steadfast of the brethren, and that the future will prove this. I remember very well how you said all this and persistently asserted 101. Where did this patience go, which you, at my invitation or as a result of my reproofs, were ready to show both night and day; and in the morning, and at noon, and in the evening; and in cold weather, and in frost, and in warm weather, and in hot weather? For if you want to remember, you can easily do it yourself - I’m not saying anything false, you know it all yourself. What have you done to me, child? Why did you extinguish your love for me? Why did you break away from your brotherhood? Where are your vows that you made before God and people, in the presence of witnesses, holy angels, when you, preparing to accept the holy image, gave consent to everything before the throne of God and promised to endure everything, even shed your blood 102, rather than retreat from our union? And by the grace of Christ you were able and endured everything, so that you even endured exile with others for the commandments of the Lord and reunited with us again 103. And so, after you had so successfully run so many laps on the lists and when the time had already come to receive the crowns (for I do not think that you will live long), you recklessly, driven by the devil’s desire to please the devil and having given leadership to the evil thought that carried you away, evaded and did not achieve victory. You, my child, made a terrible fall and bequeathed to me bitter weeping; my grief for you does not subside, but constantly stands in my soul, torments it, presses it and makes me passionately desire to see you. Sober up, my child, stand up like that dove that, not finding a dry place, returned again to Noah (Gen. 8:9). Turn, my soul, my Tarasius, to your rest (Ps. 115:6), to your community, to your martyrdom, to your own place; do not settle, like a wanderer and vagabond, in another and foreign monastery, so as not to become the subject of jokes and ridicule among prudent people. You have no obstacle to returning here: after all, David, as it is written for our edification, also fell, but rose again and again received his former gift (2 Sam. 11; 12:13); Peter also denied, but then became supreme among the apostles (Matthew 26:70–74; John 21:15–17). Remember also the glorious Malchus 104, who stumbled and did the same thing as you, and suffered many hardships for his recklessness, but then returned and for this received his former dignity. All books are full of such examples that prove how blessed and praiseworthy repentance is. For, according to St. John Climacus, it is human nature to fall and then soon get up again 105; Therefore, nothing strange happened to you, except for the ordinary illness of our common nature. In addition, as the great Theologian Gregory says, after an illness, health becomes to some extent stronger, because a person has a warning from a previous illness so as not to fall ill with the same disease again. If someone is in a state of goodness and a fall happens to him, then it is much more difficult for him to fall a second time than to remain good from the very beginning 106. Return, I ask you, my womb (Phil. 1:12), my crown (see Phil. 4:1), my pride, my hope, return to me! Do not allow me to remain so lonely, without communication with you, do not disgrace me with yourself on the day of Judgment, as well as before people, so that I do not have to answer for your apostasy. Have mercy on me, your pathetic father. It is I, child, who sinned, I am to blame for your fall, but, on the other hand, the duty of a good child is to bear his father’s burdens, and if the father loses his mind, then, according to divine wisdom, he must find leniency from the child (see Sir. 3:13). How do you remember me now? Is it really indifferent? I don’t think so, as far as I can judge from myself: when I remember you, these memories are like nails driven into my heart, longing for you stings me, and I cry out (although it is impudent of me to put it this way) just as David cried out over Saul and Jonathan: Mount Gilboa, let not the dew fall below the rain upon you (2 Sam. 1:21) for that you took their blood. In application to our affairs, I will say: be deprived of the visitation of God to those places and monasteries that received my lost sheep, and even more so if you do not send it back to the court from where our common enemy stole it, but, as it were, eat it with deceitful and lying speeches in the ditch of destruction. Great, child, is the judgment, great is the judgment seat; you are bound in heaven and earth, and not only by my sinful command, but also by the command of the law and the Holy Spirit, for it is said: whoever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and if anyone on earth you permit, he will be permitted in heaven (Matthew 16:19; 18:18), if those who have this power use it fairly and with reason. If, child, I act incorrectly and unfairly, then you indicate this, and I, according to the commandment of St. Basil, if I have caused any damage to your soul, I will try to correct the matter 107, but you cannot completely renounce our union. You have no other way to return. Even if Peter himself, or Paul, or the bishop, the king, or any other person begins to beg me, threaten me, then I will not listen and will not allow you to return otherwise, against the Divine law and our charter. You now find yourself a parricide, out of fellowship and a prey. You face the judgment of Elijah (1 Kings 4:18), the death of the murmurers (Num. 14), the death of Ananias (Acts 5:5), the fate of Gehazi (2 Kings 5:27) and Judah (Matthew 27:5). How long will you be in oblivion? How much will you have to enjoy in your present state? Don't you think that then the hour of death will come? What state will your soul be in? What answer will you give? What will be your separation from your body? With a bitter feeling and awareness of inevitable punishment? No, my child, try not to let this happen. Try not to cry completely in vain after this, but, foreseeing the end of all things, considering the future already present, fly to me, break the bonds of the devil who has bound you, for I pray and hope to certainly receive you with open arms and an open heart through the mediation of our brother Meletius, whom I sent for this purpose as a person capable of snatching you up and bringing you here. About the abbot, what kind of abbot he needs to be, and about how he explains the future to his subordinates Humility and self-reproach Rev. Theodora Studita My dear children and my beloved brothers. Although I am constantly weak in both word and deed, but while, by the condescension of God, I am still alive and while I am still in your midst, I will not hinder my lips, I will not hesitate and be lazy in preaching, instructing, exciting and showing you what I should, because I have to experience great torment and fear for my unworthy leadership of you. I am horrified by the awareness of my passion, my head is spinning at the thought of the abyss of wisdom that is required from a good shepherd so that he can shepherd the souls of his flock well. Only an Angel or saints equal to the angels can do this. I am far from this, and it is no longer news that, being darkness, I am appointed to enlighten others, being sinful and unclean, I am appointed to sanctify others and, being cut off from God, I am chosen to bring others to him. But, as you know, I did not do this arbitrarily, but gave myself up to this task only to fulfill the duty of obedience. Nevertheless, there will be no protection for me, no condescension, when God comes to judge the secret darkness, to reveal the counsels of the heart (1 Cor. 4:5) and find out from the shepherds how they shepherded their flock, whether they visited the sick, whether they bound the broken, whether they converted the erring (Ezek. 34:4), whether they looked vigilantly ahead and drove away the tempting demons - whether they healed and whether they looked after each of their flock, to the best of their strength and ability, so that the acquired creation of God, for the sake of which Christ, who appeared in the flesh, shed blood (see 1 Tim. 3:16), did not perish. In view of this, I should not stop my announcements. On the contrary, come, children, listen to me (Ps. 33:12), listen (Ps. 77:1) to my words and inspire my verbs (Ps. 5:2). I appeal to you all, I urge you all: ascend to God, renounce your attachments. The prophetic word cries out to you: come, let us ascend to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob (Isa. 2:3) - dispassion, and let us see with our spiritual eyes the joy laid aside for us in the promises of heaven. So, my beloved children, arm yourself with zeal, take fiery wings, as the Scripture says, like a dove (Ps. 54:7), fly from here and settle in the right lands of virtue (see Matt. 25:33), accept the joy and spiritual desire of love for God, taste His sweetest love and, considering everything else after it a secondary matter, trample on vain glory and carnal lust (1 John 2:16), and anger that hardens a person, so that nothing that is usually considered sweet can prevail over you; let us be girded, free from every burden, let us be sharp with our eyes and light with our feet for our journey from earth to heaven. Travelers usually have to endure hardships, the same goes for us: as you can see, you have to suffer from sorrows, do hard work, you cultivate the land, you almost die, you make terrible efforts, you are exhausted, you are hungry, you are thirsty - some in arable land, some in caring for vineyards, some in squeezing oil, some in cooking, some in carpentry, some in baking bread, some in cellaring. obedience and in other matters. All such persons follow the path of the Lord, approach the great city, and after death they will be brought into the indescribable joy of the blessings prepared for all who love God. In obvious matters, if I see that a person lives well, I praise him; If he is stubborn, then I try to correct him as much as possible. Let your secret affairs remain known to you and God. Look, let none of you do anything illegal secretly, as if in the dark, for he will not run away from the great eye, even if he hides from me - in this I remain innocent. Be careful that something like this doesn't happen to you. I don’t know well whether there is Judas among the eleven, whether the evil one Gehazi is with the teacher, whether his soul has not become infected with eternal leprosy (2 Kings 5:27), whether there are among you persons like the sons of the high priest Eli, greedy for food, eating secretly, as they ate meat, and angering God (1 Kings 2:11-17), - for this I too, a sinner, especially Elijah and those who became like his sons, faces a sadder and bitter fate (see Phil. 3:19). Lord forbid that we also suffer something like the example of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:5, 10). They planned to deceive the power of the apostles and fell from a terrible death; this may be the case among you when one of you holds a lie in your heart, does not answer questions truthfully, or does not speak the truth in conversations. Finally, I am afraid of the fall of Simon Magus, who wanted to appear before the Apostle Peter in all human glory, although the Apostle tried to convince him to become his disciple (Acts 8:9-24), - see therefore that none of you plots to violate the duty of obedience for a while. But someone will object that after so many years I can do this or that. To this I will answer: you who say this, not even knowing how to spend today, beware lest you hear: foolishly, this very night your soul will be taken from you, and what you have prepared, who will it be? (Luke 12:20; cf. Acts 8:20). Let us imitate the indissoluble union of the apostles with the Teacher of all and our God. Therefore, as if being in the eyes of God, hasten to your salvation. Let us willingly decide to grieve a little so that we may rejoice forever. Let us accept the small, albeit painful, burden of this life in order to enjoy the endless day in the Kingdom of Heaven. God calls us, stretches out his hand to us. The Holy Spirit helps us, the Lord Jesus Christ supports us with His right hand. We will not be afraid. God Reaches Out His Hand to Us: The Assistance of the Holy Spirit The devil is defeated, we have won victory over him, Christ has risen, and death no longer rules (Rom. 6:9), the power of Belial has been crushed. You are dear sons, beautiful in your perfection of virtue, the noblest, purest of gold, shining more than semi-precious stones, like brides, beloved of God, born again, wondrous, because you have only one property, one fatherland, one life, one kinsman - God, the Lord and Creator of creation. A little more and we will win; a little more and death will come. Save yourself, everyone, take courage in the Lord, pay me for my weak and insignificant word with obedience, love and your all-holy prayers - through them I hope to gain mercy, through them I am able. I, like all of you, am especially indebted to the prayers of my father: for their sake may we be worthy of the Kingdom of Christ our God, to Whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About true faith and the fact that those who have perfected it have traveled a good path Examples of faith and obedience of the holy fathers My brothers and fathers. You and I have avoided many everyday dangers and, having accepted this sacred image, we have entered, as it were, some kind of haven. But while we are still here on earth, we are as if at sea, we do not know when the demonic storm will break out over us, which is trying to sink the ship of our soul, or what spiritual sea robbers we will meet, what rocks of passions we will stumble upon, due to our oversight, in the future of our lives, and in general, whether we will be able to complete our journey from earth to heaven without a wreck. Therefore, children, we should pay attention, beware, be vigilant, look out for and inquire about the attacks of insidious demons, so that, if passion is aroused, we can successfully resist and repel them, continue our voyage without harm to ourselves and hold on to our faith like an anchor (see Heb. 6:18-19). That disciples are usually enlightened by the example of their fatherly virtues is absolutely clear, and no one will object to the fact that a novice needs to be like his abbot in virtues 108 . This explains the phenomenon that the ancient divine men were so valiant and became worthy of the divine title, although this was not without exceptions; there were also examples of the opposite kind. In general, I will say that there is no other means for salvation except faith alone. By faith (see Heb. 11), the wondrous Dositheus walked the path of obedience, and then walked with cheeks flushed from the heat of the stove, then drove oxen under a hail of ridicule, and then resignedly endured hardships in one thing or another 109. By faith, Blessed Avvakir easily and courageously endured strangleholds, ridicule and persecution from his brotherhood for fifteen years, as if he did not feel or see all this, and when the Holy Father asked him about this, he zealously stood up for his offenders 110. By faith, one of the same wonderful disciples, according to the order given to him, deliberately endured completely undeserved censures 111, another suffered defrocking 112, the third, although he was old in mind and body, remained standing all the time while the rest of the brethren ate 113. By faith, the sacred Theodore, excommunicated for three years by the great Pachomius for thinking about becoming abbess, did not allow himself to resist this 114. By faith he reaped the ripe fruit of obedience who for three years decided to water his father's rod 115. I will also name those fathers who once lived in negligence. By faith, the ever-living Akakios sometimes walked with a black eye, sometimes with a wounded church, or even with a broken member, and in this way achieved immortality 116. By faith, the ever-memorable Zechariah, although he was already filled with the Holy Spirit, endured the beatings and was not separated from his father 117. By faith, one wondrous ascetic showed a pig to be a deer 118, and another crossed the river on a crocodile 119, the third returned from a fall to salvation 120. And in general, every saint, not only during the time of the first novice Abraham (Gen. 22) or after him, but also among new, already perfect men, with the weapon of faith, passed through fire and water, the snare of the evil one, and achieved eternal rest. Examples of disbelief and betrayal Judas, being with such a wonderful and great Teacher - Christ our God, Who worked miracles, countless of them, did not receive any benefit, but retreated from the sacred apostolic face and betrayed the Lord of glory with an insidious kiss (see 1 Cor. 2:8). Sixty brothers are also known who, having agreed among themselves, acted godlessly and badly with Savva the Sanctified and cast themselves into destruction 121. Why didn’t both he and the others pay attention to the saving power of being with their teachers and to the Divine signs that were being performed? Therefore, as it is said, if the soul becomes weak in faith, then it means that it has already fallen from faith, for everything that is not from faith is sin (Rom. 14:23). I am telling you all this in order to show you - although I am the only sinner of my kind on earth and do not have any abilities to teach and enlighten you to salvation - that if you wish, then be saved, there is no obstacle for this, this is a completely possible thing. Examples are before your eyes. Therefore, work, my children, reject disobedience, drive out disobedience. Do not be blinded by my sins, but be purified by your good faith, live in the fear of the 122 commandments of the Lord, seek and you will find, seek, and I am confident and convinced, and it will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7). Fulfill your obediences without any laziness, uncomplainingly and tirelessly carry out what you are ordered to do. Do not be fickle and easy to contradict or respond to insults, do not start bad conversations, do not act shamelessly to the detriment or destruction of your soul. Do not seek glory, and you will find it in abundance not only in the next century, but also here. Do not fight among yourself, my beloved brothers, and do not argue over first places or honorable obediences, and you, according to the promise of the Lord (Matthew 19:30; 20:16), will rise and recline first in the eternal and Divine abodes. But if we live differently, then, of course, the opposite fate will befall us, and every soul that does evil will fall (Rom. 2:9) wrath, rage and dishonor, now and in the next century. May this not happen to you, but may the mercy of the Lord be upon you abundantly and forever, as you trusted in Him (Ps. 32:22), for to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the fact that those living in the hostel were jealous of the lives of the apostles of Christ Do good for the creation of both yourself and your neighbor My fathers, brothers and children. I would very much like to offer you, along with the announcement in words, also the announcement by your deeds, in order by these means to attract you to virtue and a pious life (ίνάεον πολιτείαν). But since I am poor in both, I am confused, grieving and do not know how I can do this, for my, brethren, humble soul strives and, as it were, disappears for your salvation (Ps. 119:81), so that you may walk along the true path and constantly move forward. For I hold in my thoughts your renunciation, withdrawal from the world, irrevocable renunciation from loved ones, renunciation of all property and the crucifixion of your will, as well as the fact that you are united into one, into one spirit and into one heart. I am sad if you, having gone astray in some way by the example of my pitiful life, do not achieve the blessings for which we hope (see Heb. 11:1). Of course, according to the law 123, as I am, you must be the same. Because every subordinate usually looks at his boss, takes his example, strives to become equal with him and, in his image, begins to discern what is God-loving and righteous. But I am passionate and obscure; what righteous thing can I show you, what pious things can I arouse you to, or how can I lead you and call you to what is promised to us in heaven? But since your loyalty to me is firm, your vows are unshakable and your love is ardent until death, I therefore believe and am convinced that you can do whatever you want. It is not proper to strive for what is higher than strength Therefore, my beloved brethren, let each of you do good for the creation of both yourself and your neighbor, constantly showing yourself without stumbling and impeccable before God and your brothers. Be guided in your actions not by a sense of competition, not by harmful grumbling, not by pride hostile to God, not by slavish adherence to passions, 124 but do everything with obedience, quietly, peacefully, without vanity, without ambition, according to conscience, for the sake of the good itself, for holy brotherhood, for the sake of the Divine commandment and my command and in general for the sake of your own salvation, seeking and striving day by day for what is pleasant God until the end of this life comes. It will come, children, very soon, and it has already arrived. Therefore, as if it has already arrived and stands before us, may it frighten you, may it shake you off, may it cleanse and wash you away from all sin and from all shortcomings, so that you can then spend your life reverently, silently and in a good mood, as well as in the study of the Divine word, in pure prayer and feasible work. And fasting is a means to subjugate the body, but only if it is preceded by holy humility. We have not yet reached such a level that we can bear the feats of our fathers, just as it is not proper to strive for what is higher than strength. For even external [sages] say that the greatest need is the unsatisfaction of needs 125. And we, for our part, will do as stated above; in the structure of our life, where obedience is the basis, we will choose what is suitable here, and we will fulfill the communal rule (τον κοινοβιακόν κανόνα) 126 as it is prescribed - we will eat and drink, eat food once and twice, consume not only bread and vegetable food, but also wine, and oil, and sometimes fish and cheese, with due moderation, eating everything not at my own discretion, because only disorderly persons do this, but as ordered by me. In the same way, we will sleep and lie down to rest, come up, sit down, gather and live together and celebrate wisely and judiciously; I would also like to add here: to plant, and to sow, and to build, and to do carpentry; We will, of course, use everything sufficiently, namely, only to satisfy needs, and we will not lag behind the great fathers. Monastic hostelry is a great miracle and wondrous thing The gathering and unification in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of men from different localities, men who are strangers to each other, with different characters and different ages, arranged and ordered into one body, which can exhibit all activities, is one of the same great miracles and wondrous works as the casting out of a demon by some saint, or the healing of a blind man, or the cleansing of lepers, or the resurrection of the dead, or the changing of the elements, or the removal of mountains from one place. to something else, or drying up the sea, or generally something else of that kind. This body, although it has many souls, many hearts, many minds, is of one mind and one accord, not for any evil deed, but for fulfilling the will of God and serving the Trinity. It cannot be destroyed and killed not only by any ordinary person, but also by the worldly authorities, nobles and kings, 127 and not even by the chief of the demons himself. You remember what was said to our great father Pachomius on the occasion of the beating that took place during the attack on his holy monastery 128. This is how high the order of our life is: it is as glorious as great miracles. But, in addition, if we want to strictly carry out our life and do not grasp at what we have not yet achieved and in which we cannot yet remain, then we too will have wonderful things to do. Don’t we, for example, cast out demons? Why not? Almost every day, and not just in rare cases: when each of us begins to work miracles and cast out the demon of fornication, then despondency, then anger, then memory malice, then slander, then murmuring, then other passions, they cry, scream and cry out terribly. As you can see, you, if you want, can also be miracle workers. And our Lord and God approves of this system of life in the same way as the hermits and pillars who performed many miracles and wondrous deeds - there is no difference, not even the slightest, between the one and the other. If I, a known liar, a deceiver and a word spinner, suppose I am lying, but saints do not lie. For if I alone praise and extol the community, then I will stop my blasphemies. But if Christ Himself also praised him, when he showed this by creating a community of twelve of His holy disciples, and then self-seers and servants of the Word (Lk. 1:2) by the organization of communities of four and five thousand people (Acts 2:44–45; 4:31), I will omit the examples that came after them. How can you, my children, not agree with me after this? So, one thing is required of us: that we live as the essence and nature of our life require (by the grace of Christ, you are already doing this), correcting our mistakes, and before others, I, who am so in need of everything. And Christ our God will confirm you in His love, will grow you in perfection, for He is our life and strength together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About constantly paying attention and being sober against the devil’s temptations, and also about not being self-pleasing Why monastic withdrawal from the world? My brothers, fathers and children. The Divine Apostle teaches us to forget what is behind and reach out to what is before (Phil. 3:13). Therefore, I should not consider the number of announcements that I told you before to be sufficient, but I am obliged to go further and, by the goodness of the Holy Spirit and with the assistance of the prayers of our father, direct my speeches all towards the same goal. I, the foolish one, taught you and will not stop teaching you again. I showed you, children, what should be done, and I will try to do it again; Having experienced the devil’s temptations myself, I explained them to you with my weak mind and will not stop doing this further. Let us therefore pay attention, be vigilant, and direct our thoughts towards God. Let us remember the glorious words: “Arseny, why did you leave the world?” 129 Of course, not to soothe your flesh, my brothers, and not to enjoy pleasures, nor in order to engage in literature, or philosophy, or the art of calligraphy, or to please yourself, or to practice the art of reading, and also not in order to seek fame or strive for primacy, preference or power, for absolutely nothing of the kind. So why? In order for us to be cleansed from sins, in order to be clothed with the fear of God, in order to humble ourselves even to the point of death, the death of the cross (Phil. 2:8), that is, to the mortification of the desires of our soul and our own desires, for war with the enemy the devil (see 1 Pet. 5:8), for the struggle to the beginning, and to the authorities, [and] to the ruler of the darkness of this age (Eph. 6:12), in order not to give in to the various temptations of the flesh, and, finally, in order to rationally, with firm faith, become foolish (see 1 Cor. 1:21) in the hands of the abbot - with this means it is truly possible to extinguish all the arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:16) 130. How are things going for you? I push you: pay attention, listen, understand, understand. And blessed is he of you who keeps the commandments, who has not given himself up as a prey to sin (see Ps. 123:6), who strictly observes obedience, who is enlightened by frank confession, who shines with God-given humility and Christ-like submission shining like gold, who, as if in a scarlet mantle, is dressed with unshakable loyalty to the abbot 131 , who is not double in his actions, does not invent any news against his orders and believes that there is no other more savior for him on earth than this abbot. The latter, however, does not mean me, since I am wicked, but those who live according to the commandments of the Lord. Understand, you who are falling, that everything that happens to you, namely, that God leaves you or that you fall under the power of the devil, is due to the fact that you do not comply with the above requirements, for the instructions given to you from the fathers cannot be considered false. After all, the souls sent here by God come in order to save themselves in our community - observance of the commandments of God must be as firm as possible: they came in order to be enlightened, and not in order to be darkened; to be seasoned, and not to be overcome (Matthew 5:13). For, my brethren, although I myself am dark, you still shine, although I have become possessed, you can salt with the gifts of virtue. What should be your pride? To give in to your brother in conversation, not to argue at all, and even more so not to grumble—to be gentle, meek lambs who do not offend our Chief Shepherd Christ (see 1 Pet. 5:4), to avoid shameless laughter, passionate and shameful hints, to stay awake during psalmody and be sober during prayer. So, become even more wise, children, purify yourself, become chaste, sanctify yourself, become (although this is a bold expression) gods, for this was promised by the Savior Himself through the psalmist: I said: You are gods by nature and sons of the Most High (Ps. 81:6; John 10:34–35); To him be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. On examining with all accuracy the instructions of the fathers, as well as the catechumens Rev. Theodore about his announcements My brothers, fathers and children. Although I have a weak voice and a slow tongue, I, the accursed one, will not stop because of this in giving you instructions regarding the salvation of your dear souls. For how else can I be useful to you and why else have I been made your head, not according to my merits? What can I say in my defense if I am lazy in this matter? For if even now, when I do all this, I bother and remind about death, about repose, about the Last Judgment, about the Kingdom of Heaven, about condemnation to eternal fire and about terrible retribution - and so, even now, due to obstacles from many sins and our enemy the devil, we barely achieve our salvation and barely maintain our well-being, then what would happen if I somehow fell silent and interrupted a series of announcements? Therefore, do not get bored with the announcements, do not criticize them, and if you criticize them, then do not interpret them, at least do not say that their content is always the same and that I am constantly talking about the same thing. And what else should I talk about? Have we changed the life we ​​began so that we can therefore change the subject of our conversations? No way. And I will not stop often repeating and saying the same thing, I will not stop glorifying virtue and blaspheming vice, I will not stop pointing out that true renunciation from the world is good and blessed, that the common life of the brethren is like the ointment that comes to the joy of Aaron (Ps. 132:2), that whoever entered into it cleaves to humility (see: Col. 3:12 ; 1 Pet. 5:5), clothed in obedience, has achieved the cutting off of his will, such a person acquires a whole abyss (άβυσσον εξ αβύσσου) of love for God (cf. Ps. 41:8), passes from one spiritual power to another (Ps. 83:8), loves everything (1 Cor. 13:7), endures the entire rule of communal 132 suffering, and also does not sin or be guilty (due to a sense of pride or because of arbitrariness, which alienates the weak novice from God and from the abbot) in anything that is prescribed there. Achieve only what is useful to everyone Therefore, my brethren, let us love all the features of the community as holy and deserving of reverence, even if to some many things in it seemed not entirely attractive - I mean here the noise, moving from place to place 133, the burden and change of various affairs and persons. For with all this we are, as it were, rounded off, tested and cast down, according to the expression of Scripture, beyond the stones holy on the earth (Zech. 9:16) 134. Although outwardly all this is heavy and inconvenient, in this way we are trained, inflamed and shown to be pleasing to God and sacred. Therefore, brothers, all render services to each other, do not pursue personal goals, but pursue only what is useful to everyone. Straining your souls more and more, strengthen yourself in your unyielding obedience, be renewed daily, and as days, months and years pass, you too move on to better and better things. For now is the time when we need to work a lot, the time to acquire [spiritual] wealth and become adored; let us not sleep, sit, fall, or waste this life, which can be spent with great benefit, in negligence. In the future life we ​​will receive the fruits of these announcements; then you will understand why I, humble one, am so concerned about them, and also what we have gained by listening, and what we have lost by not listening to them. Blessed are the souls of our saints and reverend fathers, who were truly prudent, wise, eloquent, well-mannered, educated, glorious and noble. They did not listen to the instructions in vain; the word did not fly away from them. They did not prefer what is here and perishable to the invisible and eternal, but they actually worked, toiled, were humble, cut off their will, loved to be last, did not contradict, restrained their tongue, suffered: some of them, according to the father’s command, behaved like a gentle lamb (see Jer. 11:19), who obeyed the abbot, like a slave, who was kindled by fidelity, who kept silence, who endured everything like a diamond, who suffered grief from his brother, so that, as a result of his martyrdom, he even coughed up blood 135. And why should I talk a lot? You yourselves, my beloved children, know your predecessors - so be their followers, companions and imitators, so as to be worthy of their glory in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom befits the Father and the Holy Spirit glory, power and worship, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. About uplifting humility and about the fact that those who are especially zealous in business should also shine with self-conceit that has been brought down to the ground My brothers, fathers and children. I hasten to fulfill my duty to you, that is, to say the word of announcement. Oh, if only I could do this with divine inspiration, so that my word would have an effect on you and satisfy you, and would not be boring, meager and ineffective, which is why I am so different. But since a good soul, having received the word, bears abundant fruit in righteousness (see Phil. 1:11), therefore, beloved children, accept at this moment the seed of the catechumen, sprout it, give flower and become for me fruitful fields, whitened by the light (see John 4:35) of the knowledge of Christ, so that in the end you may become pure wheat of Christ 136. How can this be achieved? If you continue the work in the same way as you started, if you not only do not interrupt your good deeds, but constantly strive, hasten, ignite, renew yourself and rise to the heights of heavenly life. Obedient ones, in order for you to reap the fruit of obedience, demonstrate your virtue even more strongly, obey not only those in charge, but also the very last ones, do what they tell you without any dispute. Let the humble humble themselves even more; with your self-conceit laid low, with a humble appearance and friendly speech, obey and submit to everything: forget that you may be of noble birth, or took your hair a long time ago, or hold a high position, or have worked a lot before, and also that you are smart, have many talents, eloquent, dexterous, etc.; do not wrinkle your eyebrows, do not walk with an important gait, do not refer to some of your rights and do not demand this or that. Be careful not to even think about it. Diligent in your work and diligent in the indicated obediences, try even more, for you serve not people, but God: show yourself to be unashamed workers (2 Tim. 2:15), who take on the most difficult tasks and rejoice that they have to work for their neighbor, knowing that a great reward is prepared for them in heaven. And in general, everyone: cellars, hospital workers, scribes, winegrowers, gardeners, shoemakers, cooks, housekeepers, deans, overseers, alarm clocks, canonarchs, lamp-bearers, bakers, carpenters and in general all people with important or minor occupations - with continuous labor and an unquenchable desire for eternal blessings, we will courageously endure everything, endure everything complacently and perform everything properly, entering the position of friend friend, providing mutual services, and so much so that everyone is ready both spiritually and carnally to lay down his soul (see 1 Thess. 2:8) for his brother. And if the Only Begotten Son of God, Who, out of obedience to God the Father, exhausted Himself to such a degree of humility that, being the Master, became a slave and tasted death, the death of the cross (Phil. 2:7-8), if He persuades and inclines you to all of the above, then to me, hopeless, joy and joy are inexhaustible and unspeakable 137. Joy and unspeakable joy also to you, the fulfillers of His commandments: from now on you will not only be praised by every person who has seen your virtues, not only will you defeat the enemy and resist all his attacks and intrigues, but also in the next century you will rejoice, you will be enrolled in the angelic choirs and in the triumph of the saints, where, most honest brethren, truly is the dwelling of all who rejoice (Ps. 86:7). So, here is my instruction to you, here is my announcement that does not achieve its goal, here is the work and feat that I, foolish, carry out, here is this ardent thirst for spiritual love for you! Make me happy with your great salvation, enrich me with your spiritual wealth, glorify me with the splendor of your heavenly life. I earnestly ask you about this, my beloved children, men of desire (Dan. 9:23), workers of the Lord, purified children indeed, the people of Israel, helpers and ministers of the church of the Lord, the sons of Kohath and Merari (Num. 3:19-20), who bear the most precious furnishings of the true tabernacle (Heb. 8:2). Christ, bringing your path and feat to an end, will save and preserve you, for to Him belongs glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About enduring everything with gratitude and not being angry with those who take first place An exhortation to fortitude Fathers, brothers and children. The farmer is pleased by a rich field, but the leader of souls is even more pleased by the spiritual fruitfulness of his subordinates. Therefore, you, children, my field and God’s planting, delight me with the growth and, as it were, the offering of your virtues. I rejoice to see on the part of each of you diligence in doing what is due, vigilance and concern for one’s salvation, namely: some have meekness, some are thorough in their work, some have intense work, some have modesty or reverence, some have resistance, inflexibility and tirelessness in the fight against the attacks of enemies, some have the absence of any displeasure with the obedience entrusted to him and perseverance in performing it, some have spiritual meekness and quietness and the absence of pretense and, as a result, tirelessness in the fight against passions, who has loyalty to my insignificance, extreme, above my real significance, devotion to me and confidence in me, who has the absence of weaknesses and the desire for panache - in a word, everyone and in everything has spiritual growth and mature fruits, and this is because you are united by the Divine and higher power and the sacred prayer of our father. One thing I am quite surprised at (and one cannot help but be surprised by this), and even more constantly I fear this: lest God, no longer tolerating my inattention and being angry at my sins, would take His providential right hand away from us and something would happen to us that cannot only be said, but which cannot even be thought about, namely, the falling away and death of someone’s soul or someone’s secret or obvious fall. But in order, children, to place both me, the all-accursed, and yourself among the saints, in the lot of the righteous (see Col. 1:12) and achieve great glory, continue to do the same thing - strive, try, rise and fly from lordship to lordship (see 2 Cor. 3:18), from contemplation to contemplation, from one stage of a godly life to another, without moving from what they once promised before God, the Angels and me, the humble one. We will not allow ourselves to relax and get tired of the apparent length of life; in fact, it is not like that, it flies by like a dream or a shadow. Likewise, in order to strengthen, as required, through the study of the Divinely inspired Scriptures, our humility and obedience, let us not allow ourselves to become loose, let us not, through the vanity of our minds, seek the sting of sin in knowledge, in eloquence, in the art of recitation and reading, as well as in our wisdom, diligence, in diligent psalmody, understanding in the sciences, in the art of composing chants, and in others talents All these gifts should serve you for fear and humility before the God who gave them, for in this way we will make Him merciful and generous, we will be filled with blessings and, adorned with more and more new gifts, we will become God’s holy church. But if we boast before the Giver God and are proud before our brethren, we begin, as it were, to lift the head of our soul, wrinkle our eyebrows, raise our shoulders, walk with an important step, demand this and that, start conversations and condemn why this is so, otherwise, why was I not made the head of such and such obedience and why is he superior in such and such a matter, then we will work in vain, engage in empty chatter and draw, as it is said, from broken treasures (Jer. 2:13). Let's not, let's not do that, my brothers! Let us not turn the time intended for enrichment into a time for loss, or the time of doing into a time of loss; Let us climb the walls of virtue and not slip and fall into sin. Auspicious time to achieve eternal benefits Now is the sweetest time and the most desired days, for these are the days of fulfilling the commandments of God, achieving eternal blessings, acquiring the "Kingdom of Heaven. I ask you, I fall at your feet and beg you, my heart (see Phil. 1:12), my life, my joy, pride, crown (see Phil. 4:1; 1 Thess. 2:19-20), glory and praise, - let us rush forward, let us hasten. You all, both old people and newcomers who came from other monasteries, and local residents 138 , who have now become sheep and children of one flock and one shepherd (for all disagreements must be abandoned), - as you have already begun to seek, as you renounced and lived before, so continue to live, strive and be perfected in Christ Jesus, our Lord, to whom be glory and power, now and ever and unto ages of ages. About the commandments of the Lord, namely that one should not omit any of them My brothers, fathers and children. Do not be offended by the words with which I, in humility, address you, for I constantly do this out of love for you and out of diligent concern for you. Since I am your unworthy shepherd, I must fulfill my ministry and, to the best of my ability, without any delay, carefully and diligently observe, supervise, call, gather, bear the infirmities of others, and also reprove in timely and untimely ways (2 Tim. 4:2) and not leave without punishment any seemingly unimportant violations of God’s commandments, so that I, in my unreasonable condescension, become like (I almost already did) Elijah (1 Sam. 2:29; 3:13). The High Priest Eli, because he did not stop his sons when they ate meat from the cauldrons (1 Sam. 2:12–14), died with them, as the Scripture says, a bitter death (1 Sam. 2:34; 4:18). You are not like that, God save you from this. But so that through small transgressions you do not gradually destroy your royal image of virtue, in view of this, I, accursed, out of a feeling of love for you and in caring for my masters, children and rulers, I beg you and exhort you, and sometimes punish 139 (as, for example, yesterday I imposed excommunication on your elders) so that you remain blameless and unashamed before the Lord. For why do we anger Him with little things and stumble over them ourselves? On the spiritual path, even a small fall stops the forward movement. Therefore, children, clear before your eyes the path of God’s commandments from barriers and obstacles, such as disobedience and dissent, walk the straight path, and you will find, as it is said, rest for your souls (Matthew 11:29). But enough of that. Further, blessed be God that He did not reject my father’s prayers and did not take His mercy from me. What did this mean? Yes, the fact is that when our enemy, under some respectful pretext, as he constantly creeps in, wanted to rob our brotherhood, you did not give up, were not embarrassed and did not allow yourself to be robbed, but, armed with fidelity to me, a sinner, and most of all, faith in God, you cast down all disobedience into the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:4-5). The villain will have absolutely no access to you and cannot boast that if you walk correctly, he will trip you up 140. Just be, my children, Christ’s phalanx and a God-ordered regiment: whenever the enemy attacks you and you meet him in dense formation, he will take flight, complaining and shouting, as the divine Macarius saw him in a revelation: “I have no access to anyone, everyone turns away from me” 141. He will say this in relation to you, but let none of you turn out to be as flexible as a weather vane and ready to obey him. You have a guide - Christ, you are protected and covered by His Angels. Do not let your feet be troubled; they will not sleep, as it is said, but the guardian of Israel will fall asleep (Ps. 121:3-4). I also praise those to whom the misfortune happened because they returned back so quickly: by this they showed that they love me more than their delusion. This is how God arranges things, and it turns out to be impossible to neglect the law, customs and rules, but one must treat them with respect and observe them. In conclusion, may Christ our God, the right hand of the Most High (see Ps. 77:11), intercede, guide, preserve and save you until the end of your life, for to Him belongs glory forever and ever. Amen. To cast off all carnal thoughts by cutting off desires The complexity of the abbot's ministry My fathers, brothers and children. We, being humans, are dual and are located in the soul in one way, in the body - in another 142. Distinguish the same thing in me, the humble one: being among you, on the outside I may seem calm, but inside I am worried, tormented and, as it were, oppressed by you. For despite the fact that I am unreasonable and do not display any quality of pastoral virtue, I am obliged to keep you all in my humble heart and in my thoughts, to observe, embrace you, condescending and taking into account the habits, aspirations and weaknesses of each and trying with all my might to nourish and warm each and every one. Then the ongoing increase in brotherhood and the increase in my worries and cares force my soul to expand and expand. Therefore, I ask you, children, to pray to our Lord and God, that He may cleanse my inner being with the Holy Spirit (Ps. 102:1), expand my heart and increase my ability to work, for for me, weak and unworthy to be called a worker of the Lord, the harvest turns out to be abundant (Matthew 9:37–38). Thanks to your, as I constantly repeat, divinely inspired union, brilliant growth and improvement, glory is given to God. Rising and located at the top of the mountain of virtue, you truly are the city of God: you are known in the capital, pious people talk a lot about your Godly life - even the patriarch and even the tsar himself 143 pronounce your sacred name with respect. Thanksgiving for the great beneficent goodness of God, from which every human good deed, for all is from God, through Him and for Him (see Rom. 11:36). And if anyone wanted to imagine that he was something important (see Gal. 6:3), then he would hear from the apostle, the evangelist: what did you receive, what did you carry? Even if you have accepted that you boasted, as if it were not accepted? (1 Cor. 4:7). Yes, children and brethren, you need to fight, run with all your might, constant zeal is required with humility strengthening, protecting and confirming our spirit in divine piety, so that you do not deviate from your good beginning, do not disgrace your previous exploits by any mistake and do not turn from virtue to evil, but so that, changing for the better 144, you are purified, enlightened and constantly ascend upward, become brighter than the sun, rising from the brilliance of the stars to the brilliance of the sun and passing from strength to more perfect strength (see Ps. 83:8). Therefore, I ask, tear out from yourself all carnal thoughts (see Rom. 8:6-7), especially the main obstacle to virtue - worldly glory, cut off with a spiritual sword all attachments and all carnal lusts, uniting with God, ascending to Him with a mental ladder, daily laying the beginning of life 145, establishing yourself on a spiritual foundation, overthrowing by cutting off the will of the rebellion of the flesh, extinguishing the rising fires with streams of tears and replacing the pleasures of food, drink or anything else vain associated with suffering with the contemplation of future benefits. Until now, the Lord, through the prayer of our father, has watched over us: you have succeeded, you have walked correctly and entered the palace of virtue, you have been clothed with the beauty of dispassion, you have seen true good and a real object worthy of desire; this is nothing more than the desire to free oneself from passions and, after defeating them, to reign 146 and rule over everything earthly and co-reign with God. Do not forget this, do not fall asleep behind the angelic life devoted to you and carried out by you, but enter more and more into His gates in confession, into His courts in singing (Ps. 99:4). Be kind enough to confess to the Lord in the morning, at midnight, in the evening and at noon (see Ps. 54:18). Constantly collect the fruits of obedience, for from them you can drink the wine of tenderness that gladdens your sacred hearts (Ps. 104:15). Follow all other rules and precautions in your godly pursuits, namely, maintain silence, do not offend your brother’s conscience by feigned and unauthorized abstinence from any food, do not speak rudely, do not be grandiloquent, do not put on airs, do not envy, do not be self-indulgent, do not prefer your own benefit to the peace of your neighbor; sharing with others, you yourself, in turn, accept their prosperity from your neighbors and be all in Christ Jesus our Lord, one soul, one heart (see Acts 4:32) and one will, having Him as your head (see Eph. 4:15; Col. 2:19). Then, in the power of His strength (Eph. 6:10), endure the sorrows that happen, keep in mind the general mystery of our death and imagine how short and quickly the time of our life flies, for all of it for those who work with love, in the words of Gregory the Theologian, is only one day 147. For this, my children, for a single day, for the sake of temporary sleep, for the sake of the fleeting and passing speed of time, we will acquire the Kingdom of Heaven, endless joy for ever and ever in Christ our God, to Him be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the abbot, namely that the abbot, by the will of God, should feel great fear My brothers, fathers and children. As you know, we are waging an unspoken war, which is more terrible than any physical war. If there, in a worldly war, an intelligent commander is needed so that he can defend his army, lead it forward, repel the enemy and crush his ranks, then how much more is a spiritual commander and leader needed here, with us, who could intercede and protect his brothers, so that, following the example of the servant of God Moses, with the weapon of righteousness (see 2 Cor. 6:7), with outstretched hands (Exod. 17:12–13) and with prayerful help to encourage you, the chosen people of the Lord and the true new Israel, in the struggle and reflection of the spiritual Amalek (cf. Ex. 17:9–16) with all its demonic hosts. I, my children, am still young in spiritual age, I do not have the whole armor of virtue, as well as the three stones of strength and purity, in order to throw them at the villain (see 1 Samuel 17:40–49). How, then, can I protect you? How can I prevent ambushes and attacks from enemies? All this is beyond my strength. I have only one hope, one invincible weapon and one invincible banner - this is the help of the Lord, which girds the weak with strength (1 Samuel 2:4), the assistance of the prayers of our father 148, your zeal, unwavering fidelity and most ardent love for God. I, child, like a weakling, am kindled and torn over each of you, and my damned soul is divided into parts: both to those living outside the monastery and in the monastery itself, to those who are successful and to those who are slipping, as well as to babies and to the elderly, to those newly admitted, and to the recently born, and to the elderly, to those who live in an orderly manner, and to those who behave carelessly, are distinguished by bad morals and disobedience and are corrupted due to lack of attention. And in general, I am shocked by great fear, trembling, a cloud of thoughts and immeasurable horror: how and with what power can I lead you so that this is in accordance with the will of God (see Acts 20:27)? Responsibility of the abbot's ministry Therefore woe to me on every side. Woe to me because I do not preach (1 Cor. 9:16), the primacy is high for me, the abbess is scary, art is difficult - this is a matter for an impassive being, or, rather, for God Himself. Why am I, foolish and all-damned, placed in such a ministry that is above me (see Ps. 131:1)? After all, I was made a mediator between God and people and was appointed in order to counteract the beginning, and the power, [and] the ruler of the darkness of this world (Eph. 6:12). What kind of light do I need to have to enlighten others? And how close to God must I stand in order to lead you all to Him! Now you understand, my brethren, my concern and the truth of my words. Oh, that there might be found either among yourselves, or from somewhere outside, a God-given man, a true man of desire (Dan. 9:23; 10:11, 19) and an angel of the Lord Almighty (see 2 Cor. 6:18), who would go ahead of you and save you from the present age (see Gal. 1:4), from the demonic paths surrounded by many dangers and lead you to a virtuous and heavenly life! I, children, for my part, will not allow negligence, but while I am alive, in my care and love for you I will not spare this insignificant flesh of mine, for I was jealous of you with jealousy (see 2 Cor. 11:2) and loved you with love, since you, unworthy of me, are children or, more correctly, children of God; I perfectly see your impeccable obedience, your pure life detached from the world, relatives, loved ones and friends and the nobility of the morals of your enlightened soul; As a result, I grieve, torment and tremble lest any failure should occur in your endeavor and lest you, due to my inability and inexperience, get lost [and deviate] from the path of the Lord. Therefore, children, place your hearts in His strength, overcome His difficulties, so that in another way (cf. Ps. 70:18; 77:4) the remains of virtue 149 may be told that such is our God forever and ever. After all, He shepherds you in your good life, feeding you on calm waters, instilling immortality in the green place (Ps. 22:2) and not depriving you of any of the eternal blessings. An exhortation to help each other So strive, my lords (I already honor you with this name) and lords. Fight against the wiles of the devil (see Eph. 6:11), with his threats constantly coming at you, fight with the fire of lust, with the darkness of despondency, with hesitation that threatens death, with the beast of ill will, with untimely conversations and laughter that weaken the soul, and in general with every passion that fights you. The first help the last, the strong - the weak, the experienced - the inexperienced, the rich - the poor, the successful - just beginning, the old - beginners; extend your hand to each other, encourage, show the best, provide everything useful, so that in this way you yourself will be saved, and you will also save me, the foolish one, so that we may become disciples of Christ and children of the Lord, lambs of Christ, sons and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven. Look how many years your asceticism has been going on, how many different temptations have happened during this time; let each of you remember how he got into trouble, was exhausted, fell into cowardice, gave up and lost patience, and then with encouragement, brotherly (and, of course, my fatherly) prayer he was able again, strengthened and received the spirit of life 150, took up the feat again and was established in the strength of God. This, children, also applies to your further exploits; but even now we will pass through fire and water (Ps. 65:12) and enter the peace of dispassion. So, let no one become discouraged, let no one fall: in love, long-suffering, forbearance, in zealous application to His holy commandments, let us beg, let us encourage each other. And our Lord Jesus Christ, our true God, the strength of the despairing, the support of those who fall, the physician of the sick, the good companion and relief of those who travel, and in general the hope of all the ends of the earth and those who are far off at sea (see Ps. 64:6), will facilitate, soften and direct every action and movement of yours on the straight path, to perfect salvation, so that it reaches the city of His residence (see Ps. 106:7), for all glory, honor and worship are due to Him, together with the Originless Father and His Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. About enlightening the soul with patience in the work of virtue The right time for a feat When I, my beloved children, saw the brothers who came here to us, especially from Abba Vissarion 151, I was very happy about this. For what could be more desirable for a father to see and meet with his children? In view of this, despite my unworthiness, when your venerable brothers came here, I experienced and continue to experience this feeling, since mentally they represent the entire brotherhood, and through them I received all of you who were absent, you seemed to appear before me, I looked at you, hugged your honest heads and fell on your neck, just as Jacob once embraced Esau (Gen. 33:4) or the great Joseph recognized his brothers (Gen. 45:15). Your dear letters told me that things are going well for you. And as a result of the news from the stories and from the letter that all your affairs are carried out correctly, with unanimity, like-mindedness, love, obedience and good humility, I felt relief from the burden of worries that lay on me. Remember, children, that I do not forget about you for a minute and constantly send up sighs from my bad heart to God and shed meager, true, but bitter tears (and this is not a lie, but the truth) so that you live in God (see Acts 17:28), abide in Him, so that the wisdom of your flesh is buried (see 2 Cor. 5:4), so that your spirit is directed to heaven alone and so that wondrous monastic life really manifests itself in your monastery, without any desecration for it and without any falsehood. My children, my brethren, look what a suitable time is now, what a convenient day for you to strive, purify yourself and motivate yourself with the edge of God’s love, the guarantee of which you have already received the Kingdom of Heaven here. Can anything else take possession of us, or hinder us, or delay us in our pursuit of this? Nothing like this should happen. Even if fire or sword and all sorts of other temptations and torments try to hinder us, you, despite this, must strive forward, as the great Paul once exclaimed: who will separate us from the love of Christ? Whether it is tribulation, or distress, or famine, or persecution, or trouble, or a sword (Rom. 8:35) and so on. And he had the right to say so, for he recognized the misery of his Master. Didn’t He really, for the sake of us, who had become useless and perishing, endure this sad life when he was hungry, when he was thirsty, he walked, he was in danger of being stoned, and he went so far as to be betrayed by His own disciple? And after so many and such good deeds, the wicked Jews, for whom He was light and life, nailed Him to the cross, pierced Him with a spear and laid Him in a tomb. But, having risen and raised up the whole world, He lifts us up to a higher life and teaches us through the enlightenment of the heart to love His compassion. Cutting off the will is martyrdom Now He does not require us to shed blood, but only to cut off our will (which the fathers call martyrdom), humility, obedience and self-abasement. Why, children, do some of us, as rumors reach me, strive for primacy and never stop getting angry and saying obscene things? Even if someone occupies a high position, he should not, because of this, seek primacy and seek honor for himself: whoever really wants to be saved, he looks at only one thing - the will of God, the will of his abbot and the entire brotherhood. I will keep silent about the rest. On the occasion that some asked the brothers who were leaving prison why they were imprisoned and what it was like to sit there, as well as about the repentance that one blessed brother brought out loud in front of everyone 152 My fathers, brothers and children. My spirit is willing towards you, but my flesh is weak (see Matt. 26:41); I am weak not due to any bodily disorder, but because my soul is possessed by passions. I strive to heal all of you, but, in turn, I myself am seriously ill and cannot formulate a cure. What should I do in this case and what should I come up with? All I can do is look up to God with a strong cry (Heb. 5:7) and prayer: after all, He is the only one who can, with the assistance of the holy prayers of our father, heal you and me and lead us to spiritual strength and full health. Although you are now healthy, you must become even healthier through the exercise of fighting and constant striving for it. For stopping in virtue is the cause of evil 153. Therefore, children, you need to strive and ascend to the heavens of virtue (1 Kings 8:27). But he who ascends must be tired; sweating, he struggles to stay on the path of the Lord. Since you have to sweat, then you need to cool down. You, the people of God, are thirsty, but where, then, are the streams, where are the words that flow forth? Here we stop in complete bewilderment. Pray that my petrified heart, through the power of your prayers, like a cut stone (see Ps. 77:15; 104:41), will bring out the waters of life for you and pour out spiritual rain. I hear you repeat that the present time of year is hot and sultry, but hot, in fact, is not what is called the four-syllable name of the present month, 154 but what happens in the soul, where the heat from the coals of sin rages, when sparks and fierce flames of passions fan in our hearts. This is why you have streams of the Spirit, which flow in whole rivers from the Divine lips; with them you can extinguish your multi-passionate flame and, like the three divine youths in the fiery furnace (Dan. 3:24), even remain untouched by it. To do this, you need to protect your feelings: you need to watch your eyes so as not to cast random glances at each other, for the evil serpent especially introduces his fire into us this way. You must then beware of any aggravation of the body with food, drink and excessive sleeping, conversations and all other bodily indulgences, for from such versatile abstinence the possession of versatile virtue is created, and on the contrary, as a result of inattention in any one respect, slavery to many sins arises. Free yourself from this through a divine vow, do not return back to sinful slavery (see Gal. 5:1), do not attract double punishment on your head: on the one hand, for falls after baptism, and on the other, for falls after taking on the holy image. Here before us is the lists and the struggle. He who strives, who runs successfully, whose spirit (νους) is firmly established and detached from the wild growths and passions of sin, wins true victory; having been crowned with the honors of immortal glory, from now on he will be declared the son of God and recognized as an heir (see Gal. 4:4-7; Rom. 8:17) of eternal blessings. But whoever becomes burdened with pleasures, allows himself to be carried away by the baits and follows the devil, suffers a terrible defeat, is covered with the shame of sin, becomes the son of the devil (see Acts 13:10), a substance for the fire of Gehenna and the subject of other various eternal torments. Look at yourself, my beloved children, test your faith (see: 2 Cor. 13:5; James 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:7) and determine where and how you are and are going. If on the straight and royal path, then this is very good; but if you are on a path that makes you go astray and goes among dangers, then get off it onto the straight path before you are yet seventy years old, for the eighth decade already brings with it judgment and retribution (see Ps. 89:10). Enough about this. Beware of conversations with those brothers who, after serving their sentence, are released from prison, so that you do not pay with punishment for your negligence. Don’t start conversations with them about what it’s like to sit there, or what sin they were imprisoned for, because no one else is supposed to know except me. Mainly, one should not call such persons sinners, because they have not sinned in anything against those chatterboxes who question them. As you know, I decided to start this custom on the basis of the sacred and God-ordained “Ladder” 155. Elika was already ordained, but was ordained for our punishment (Rom. 15:4), although, of course, not in all its strength, severity and not in all its volume. For on our part it is enough to imitate at least a little the customs of our fathers and approved by God. In the same way, you should beware of secretly talking and gossiping about a circumstance that happened five days ago, namely, about the confession that one brother brought 156 when he was struck by serious illness. Again, here I did exactly as the same wise book 157 indicates. The man, believing that his last hour had come, immediately asked to have his hair cut; I could not reject his prayers and sobs, I could not, with the severity of my heart, shut out the many-merciful, most loving and accepting heart of our Lord Jesus Christ with joy even before the very death, Who desires salvation for every person. Therefore, I taught him the beginning of the holy image 158, since I found that he had sufficiently revealed his zeal for salvation: he, accused without guilt, previously obsessed with sinful habits and deeds, so forced himself to repentance that without any fear he conquered the secret works of darkness (see 1 Cor. 4:5) not only before me alone, but even before the whole brotherhood. Thus, he was saved and after some time will be clothed in the holy image 159, and you did not receive any damage from this, on the contrary, some of you turned out to bear fruit, because some of their previously secret deeds have now become apparent (see Mark 4:22). As a result, do not reproach a person, lest you fall into grave condemnation (see James 3:1). I warned you about all this, as my children, and showed you the right and wrong paths. Take care of yourself in everything, my beloved children. Blessed be the Lord, who day after day guides you in all good deeds and gives strength to the powerless, strength to the weak, and preserves everyone; To him be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the blessings of the Kingdom of Heaven that are promised to us, and also about the fact that in order to be saved we need to flee My fathers, brothers and children. Wishing you, as the Lord's workers, all that is good and useful, I turn to you with the words of David: the blessing of the Lord is upon you, blessed are you in the name of the Lord (Ps. 129:8). Well, how are you doing? How is your health? As if having already received the answer that everything is fine, I praise my good God, rejoice and rejoice. For for me, a sinner and lost, to live kindly for you and die for you is great gain (Phil. 1:21). This is how I care, this is how I fuss and worry with my insignificant soul about each of my beloved children. Therefore, I ask you, my children, strive for the commandments of God, hurry, hurry, as much as possible for you, time is running out, sow virtues in your hearts, so that you can later reap the fruit of righteousness. Let no one sit idly by, lest he hear from the writer of Proverbs: go to the wicked, the lazy, and to the busy bee (Proverbs 6:6, 8). Let no one be hypocritical or false, thinking one thing and saying another, lest he be driven out by the sacred singer David, who says: The Lord will consume all flattering lips, a lofty tongue (Ps. 11:4). Let no one remain idle and let no one relax in soul and body, so that the divine Paul does not strike him with his words: if anyone does not want to work, let him eat (2 Thess. 3:10). Let no one be eloquent, lest he be exposed by the great James, who said: The Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). But all of you live vigilantly in the Lord, fulfill His commandments and contribute to our community, as if into some treasury, each his share, some fulfilling the duties of a steward, some as a steward, some as an assistant, some as a worker, one in liturgical affairs, another in vigils and hymns that are intense compared to others, another in caring for the sick or in serving, as well as in calligraphy, in working in the vineyards, in undergoing cellar obedience - and in general, let no one be left without virtues, let no one be empty (Ex. 23:15) before the Living God, for He accepts offerings not only from those who carry out services similar to the above, but also from those incomparably lesser. He accepts the offering of the one who constantly reminds us to remember death (since he can no longer do anything else), as two mites of a widow (see Luke 21:2-3), for, like God, He weighs intentions and values ​​deeds according to them. The goal of ascent is a place of dispassion Having, therefore, my children, a good and merciful God, who wants our salvation more than ourselves, let us follow His right path, and we will find peace for our souls (Matthew 11:29; Jeremiah 6:16). Let none of life's adversities hinder anyone's progress in this gospel life. Although this path is uneven and steep, we will still run quickly, we will be courageous and inspired, we will overcome and pass path after path, mountain after mountain, until we ascend to the mountain of the Lord and stand in His holy place (Ps. 23:3), that is, in the place of dispassion. Comrades along the way, as you know, lighten each other's [burdens]. Therefore, you, my brothers, bear each other’s burdens in the apostolic manner (Gal. 6:2) - make up for each other’s poverty (2 Cor. 11:9): today, let’s say, there is cowardice, but tomorrow it will be replaced by courage; at the moment the soul is overwhelmed with sadness, and then it cheers up and becomes cheerful; at one time there is an uprising of passions, and then God’s help follows, the passions are conquered and subsided. For, my beloved, the day after tomorrow you will not be shaky as the day before, and you will not remain forever in the same position. The grace of God will appear to you and the Lord will intercede for you. You will ask Him then, like the great Anthony: “Where have You been until now?” And He will answer you: “I was waiting to see your exploits” 160. Therefore, my children, let us endure. Let us show our endurance, my brothers. Let us constrain ourselves, let us mortify our body, enslaving it (1 Cor. 9:27) and diligently throwing away passions. Who receives the crown without passing the competition (see 2 Tim. 2:5–6)? Who rests without first working? Who reaps the fruits of life if he does not first plant virtues in his soul? Plant, cultivate, labor, work, children, workers of God, imitators of angels, zealots of the disembodied, lights of the world (see Phil. 2:15), soldiers of the Lord, enemies of the devil and destroyers of Satan. Don't you already notice the end of your exploits? Aren't our brothers dying one by one? Don't we perform funerals every day? Why, after this, do not you who are troubled take courage, and you who sit do not flee? Without fail, without fail, I ask you, my dears, to run. Death is coming soon. For if it is unknown whether you will live this day, then it is quite likely that you will die tomorrow. With what joy will you depart from this world and move to things above, to God, to the unapproachable light (see 1 Tim. 6:16), to the uneven day, to unspeakable joy, to incomprehensible glory, to the dwellings of the saints, to the courts of the Lord (see Ps. 83:3), to the church of the firstborn (Heb. 12:23), to the bosom of Abraham (see Luke 16:23), to a beautiful paradise full of all sorts of blessings, to a palace not made by hands, to blessings inaccessible to the eyes, to unheard of joys, to indescribable sweets, to angelic choirs, to prophetic assemblies, to apostolic thrones, to the palace of the Heavenly King and to the city of the God of Jacob (see Ps. 47:2, 9)! Who will you see there? The Mistress of the world and the Mother of our Lord God, the ethereal Powers, the Cherubim and Seraphim armies, the ranks of saints and saints, the countless regiments of the local inhabitants and, finally, the Blessed Trinity. Really, my brother, doesn’t all this please you? Is it possible that if you hold this firmly in your mind, will you feel pain when someone cuts your body? After this, will we really become offended because of some small insult, reproach, punishment, scarcity of drink or food? No way! Christ our God Himself will save you, my beloved children, put my worthless instruction into your sacred hearts, make them strong, enlighten and sanctify them, so that I, the prodigal, the only sinner of my kind among people, may somehow be saved through you, through the prayers of our father, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages. centuries. Amen. On the futility of attachments to various worldly objects, as well as on the right and left paths Changeability of earthly life My fathers, brothers and children. I will begin this announcement with an apostolic appeal: rejoice in the Lord always (Phil. 4:4). And how can you not rejoice and rejoice when, according to the foreknowing and predetermining calling of God (see Rom. 8:29–30; 11:2), who governs everything in His wisdom, you have been honored to be included in this gospel image and are now, as it were, on some kind of high peak of life that has soared far upward? From there you see human life, how insignificant and base it is, how it worries like the sea, moves in every possible way due to the impermanence of affairs. As you can see, nothing [there on earth] is eternal, no thing there remains constantly in the same state: kings change, princes fall, the rulers of the earth die like men (Ps. 81:7). Those who marry separate a little later, remain lonely and leave each other. Beauty soon fades, youth flies, pleasure passes, wealth disappears, and in general all property flees from those who believe that they really have something through it, running away like a dream. Crying and groaning in case of failure or difficulty in the pursuit of temporary goods, despondency and despair when what they are striving for is lacking, constant movements and labors among those who in vain and in vain strive either for a happy marriage, or for obtaining a position of authority, for acquiring wealth, for an unfaithful victory, for satisfying a feeling of ill-will towards their neighbor, for envy that excites quarrels, or for destructive and ruinous pleasure. Almost no one thinks of fighting for what is eternal and reliable, one tries to oppress the other, the poor man goes crazy from the deceptions of life, and, being reasonable and godlike, he, in carelessness about death, spends his real life like an animal or a sheep that is led to the slaughter (see Isa. 53:7; Acts 8:32). Isn't that right, kids? I am convinced that you will agree with me, because you look at this life not only with condemnation, but also understand the essence of the matter. In contrast to this, how and where are you called, my brothers? Fulfillment of promises of rewards for leaving earthly goods You have ascended the mountain of the Lord (see Ps. 23:3; Is. 2:3) and contemplate the wonders of heavenly life. At the same time, you can tell God that for the sake of You and Your Gospel we have left fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters (see Matt. 19:29), wives, children, relatives, friends, everything that concerns the flesh and pertains to the world and the ruler of the world (see Eph. 6:12). God, who has raised you to such a height, will strengthen and confirm you to constantly do what is pleasing to Him in holiness and righteousness (see Luke 1:75). Look, my children, what is your title, look at the paths of our holy fathers who lived in it and follow them. Instead of earth, you are given heaven, instead of parents - God, the first and true Father, instead of relatives - companions and brothers born of the Spirit, instead of friends - disembodied and godlike Angels, instead of great treasures - a wealth of virtues, instead of high positions - the great, incomprehensible and endless Kingdom of Heaven, instead of lustful lust - sweet dispassion, which is impossible to get enough of, instead of proud horses and of all property - incomprehensible and ineffable benefits. Raises perfection, brings down negligence Therefore, children, fear the living God alone, put on yourselves in spiritual armor, arm yourself with the commandments, take up the spiritual sword, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:17), defeat the rulers of the darkness of this world and the spirits of evil (Eph. 6:12), so that you have the right to say with Paul: we have fought a good fight, we have finished the race, we have kept the faith; We are kept the crown of righteousness, which the Lord will reward on that day (2 Tim. 4:8). They ascend, says the Psalmist, to the heavens and descend to the abysses (Ps. 106:26). We must understand this spiritually 161. How? Gradual and little-by-little improvement elevates one to the very pinnacle of virtue, while negligence, on the contrary, relegates one to the abyss of destruction. What are the reasons for this? Answer this yourself, because you have the knowledge. The deeds of the deeds build Christ-like obedience, combining humility with God, the absence of boasting, vanity, love of primacy and ostentation, simplicity, renunciation of gloating, ambition, ridicule, the habit of boasting, forgetfulness of the past life, that I am the son of so-and-so, I had such a position and this is what I did (shame: what needs to be hidden, that is what we boast about, not understanding my God-imitating title), and I will also add to the above unanimity and agreement with brotherhood, modesty, lowering the head (for, as it is said, whoever lifts it up is like a hawk. What we need to hide is what we boast about This is a disgrace!), at the same time, downcast eyes, modesty in the movements of arms and legs, negligence and dirtiness of clothing, 162, and above all this - frankness in every emotional movement and, not to prolong the words, in general all those virtues that have the same meaning. What brings down bad deeds is, first of all, the lack of fear of God. Where there is no fear of God, there, according to the apostle, there is all sorrow and anger and blasphemy (Eph. 4:31) and what is connected with this: a painful spiritual mood, a swollen face, bulging eyes, dilated nostrils, knitted eyebrows, standing hair, as if such people among the brotherhood (this is due to my sins) are some kind of pigs who have forgotten their covenant with God, terrible vows and future Last Judgment. Oh, you who are thoughtless and inert at heart, do you understand (cf. Luke 24:25) what I told you before and that we once promised to love! Have we not promised to endure thirst, hunger, nakedness (see 1 Cor. 4:11), ridicule, reproach, perforation and death? So why do you, vain people, give up this because of small adversities? Therefore, everyone, think about this, come into the fear of God, do not take up again what you have already abandoned: when mourning the laity, beware lest we ourselves, in turn, become mourned by them in this and the next century. What good is it that people call you saints and seek blessings from us, wild and unblessed (see Gen. 27:38–40)! The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, heeding the prayers of our father 163, may He keep those who walk correctly along His path, and may He again set those who fall on the path of His commandments (see Matt. 3:3) and at the same time may He strengthen you to refrain from laughter, harmful shamelessness, drawing closer and touching each other. This is so that some of you, who have not heard such instructions, will not slip due to temptation. Still, in general, achieve salvation and be saved; I am firmly convinced that you will achieve this. Pray also for me, so that I, a sinner and self-condemned (see Titus 3:11), may not be cast into the furnace with eternal fire (see Matt. 13:42), but that although I may be the last to be with you in eternal life, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, unto the ages of ages. Amen. An admonition to count everything temporary as nothing for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven Humility and self-reproach Rev. Theodora My fathers, brothers and children. Due to the fact that I have been entrusted with the care of your precious souls, I am worried, afraid and do not find in myself enough abilities either for teaching or for work; I don’t feel in myself either the experience, knowledge, or other talents needed to guide your salvation. For to guide without misleading, to abbot as it should be, and to bring souls created in the image of God to salvation is a difficult task. Before me are many people, different ages - young men, men, old men, youths 164, and then different morals and habits: some are hot, some are lazy; some are ambitious, some are God-loving; some are submissive, some are disobedient; some are careful, some are careless; some are well-mannered and even, and some are ill-mannered, rude or generally striving for extraneous things and infected with the darkness of lusts. In all this I am at a loss, lost in mind and confused in spirit, how, by what means, when and to what extent will I be able to demonstrate in relation to each of you what is necessary and what is useful, uniting you all into one will. Oh woe, children, to me, weak, or rather worthless! There is great height here, and I am insignificant; here is a high goal, and I grovel at the very bottom! Alas, I have no light, so that when one of you is darkened, I can lead him to the path of peace (see Luke 1:79)! Alas, I do not have the weapon of righteousness (see 2 Cor. 6:7; Rom. 6:13), so that when someone is in battle, I could intercede for him and drive away the enemy! Try to organize and save yourself As a result of all this, I can only cry, weep, scream and seek the only helping medicine of God’s great mercy, the intercession of the Mother of God and the prayers, first of all, of our great rulers - the Forerunner 165 and the Theologian, then of all the saints and our father. Remember, my children, do not forget, feel and think about where we are and where we will go a little later. If, therefore, someone has planted the love of God in his heart and constantly lives among his brothers in readiness to depart from here, who burns with the desire for heavenly blessings, trembles with the fear of prepared punishments and, as a result, humbles himself, labors in the works of his hands and strives in various virtues, in silence, hymns, prayers, obedience, resignation and unquestioningness, he loves and endures everything (1 Cor. 13:7 ) everything that happens from brothers, with or without reason, orders, punishment, scolding and humiliation, or poverty of food and drink, as well as dirty clothes and in general everything else that usually happens in our life - such a person is blessed, and I myself would like to be worthy of his fate. Whoever lives differently, his fate is known even without my explanation. Therefore, my children and brothers, come, let us worship and fall down (see Ps. 95:6) The Second Coming of Christ and the Resurrection of the Dead Christ Himself, our King, and we will begin our work again, we will begin to bear fruit again, let there be among you absolutely no people of bad character, disobedience and bad behavior, but let us all, one after another, try to order and save ourselves - and by doing this, you will be magnified tens of thousands of times not only on earth, but also in heaven and, perhaps, you will be able to somehow save me, the outcast. So, we have one King and our God, we serve Him, we expect to receive Him into ourselves through good deeds, and we desire His appearance (2 Tim. 4:8). But we must pray that we may be preserved from times of temptation, which the Lord will not allow us to experience, but at the same time prepare to fight against them. We, after all, are soldiers of Christ, should joyfully die for our Lord and not be afraid, according to His Gospel words, of those who kill the body and cannot kill the soul (Matthew 10:28). According to the child, the divine apostle, time has already ceased (1 Cor. 7:29). And if so, then a little more and it will come true. It is fitting for the Son of God to descend from heaven, as it is written, on the clouds (see Lk. 21:27) and to resurrect every soul that has ever existed since the foundation of the world. The righteous and saints, who ended their lives either in torment or in piety, will meet Him with indescribable joy, will be crowned and will rejoice with eternal rejoicing in heaven, and the devil with his angels and with me, a terrible sinner, will be condemned to the torment prepared for forever and ever. Therefore, listen, look at the birth of childbirth, tremble, be shaken, give glory to God that you have still been given time to do good deeds. Do not cease to work until your death, so that at your death or at the end of the whole world (see Matt. 13:39) you may achieve the fulfillment of your good hopes in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About a righteous life, and also about the fact that those who behave for the sake of God in everything are patiently destined for a heavenly crown Praise to the exploits of the monastic brethren Brothers, fathers and children. Ask and pray to God that He will send to my weak lips the gift of words to exhort, console and encourage your honest souls. For I see, my brothers, what great works you are constantly doing. You move from vigil to vigil, from matins to matins, from getting up until midnight or at midnight, from one established daytime hour to another 166 (according to the words: by the sevenfold day we praise Thee about the destinies of Thy righteousness (Ps. 119:164), from some established bows to new ones, and also sometimes, depending on the circumstances, from conclusion to conclusion, from standing to standing, as well as from being burdened by one bad thought to another, more serious thought, from the shame of discovering sin to unwavering confession, without which no one can escape or throw away the arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:16), from one part of the daily verses prescribed by the rule to another, from awakening during Matins by the brother appointed for this to a new awakening, from abstinence to abstinence, from cutting off the desire for certain food, or drink, or activities that the flesh is accustomed to demand, to another cutting off, from reproach or reproach from a brother - it doesn’t matter whether this was done thoroughly or without reason (see 2 Tim. 4:2) - to further similar cases, from the weekly change of dress, when you have to receive not quite clean clothes, perhaps not suitable for your physique, and sometimes not even quite durable, again to the same thing - and in general I will say: from various orders, such as: don’t say this, don’t look at this, don’t touch this, don’t go there, abstain from that, don’t be cowardly in this, be zealous in that, don’t go there descend - to other similar orders. And for all these continuous and endless hardships, sorrows and adversities, which at the same time, because of their goal - salvation - are also joyful, beautiful and sweet, for in them we prevail for the commandments of our beloved (Rom. 8:37) of the Lord and God, you, children, are prepared for a heavenly crown of martyrdom, unspeakable joy and unceasing joy among eternal blessings. Wise and learned, fools and simpletons Therefore, take heart, be strong, all who trust in the Lord (Ps. 30:25), practice the ascetic and blessed life further and further, acquiring the wealth of virtue by long-term stay in it, prospering in physical and spiritual age (see Eph. 4:13), becoming wise and knowledgeable in the matter of humility, obedience and cutting off the will and fools and simpletons about pride, contradictions, desires to make objections, resist, and also regarding wickedness, those who are wicked, as it is said, will be consumed, but those who endure the Lord will inherit the earth (Ps. 37:9; Matt. 5:4). Do not cause any harm to your neighbors Do not cause one another to stumble by self-pleasing, but strive to do everything in such a way that you do not cause any harm to any of your neighbors (see 2 Cor. 6:3). Your word, children, [may it be] always, as the apostle says, mixed with grace in salt ( Col. 4:6 ), may it be, I ask you, free from slander, pride, pompousness, exaggerated importance, guile, vanity, contentiousness, pretense, insolence, talkativeness, jokes and idle talk - it must be combined with simplicity of heart, with meekness of thoughts, with observance decency, with contrite and downtrodden wisdom, with humility and compliance; finally, it must also be quiet, harmonious and orderly, so that, on the one hand, we can save others, and on the other, edify ourselves. Crush the insolence of desires aroused by the devil, smash the shelves of enemy thoughts, beat the crowds of undiscovered desires in confession; through this you will be healthy, you will begin to prosper, run successfully and rush forward. Remember that all these instructions do not come from me, contaminated with sins, but were taken by me from the teachings of my fathers, I only communicate them to you and give them a verbal form, putting them in one or another expression, but the content is taken from there. Therefore, my children, wash the faces of your souls with their life-giving streams and be clean; take away, as it is said, all the wickedness from your souls... learn to do good, seek judgment, deliver (Isa. 1:16-17) your soul, offended by Belial (see: 2 Cor. 6:15; Deut. 13:14) (I am skipping some of the further words): if you want, it is said, and listen to Me, you will destroy the good of the earth; If you do not want, then listen to Me, you will girdle the sword of eternal fire: for the mouth of the Lord speaks this (Isa. 1:19-20), To Him be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. That although those who left everything for the sake of Christ and followed Him are humiliated, they, despite this, will receive great benefits The love of Christ can do anything My fathers, brothers and children. You, accepting my insignificant instructions, like the rich and good earth, constantly bear fruit, constantly grow, like some kind of paradise speckled with the flowers of virtue. For I perfectly see your labors and efforts, and I accept from some meekness, from some ardor, from some hard work, from whom a cheerful mood of spirit - in a word, from one one thing, from another another 167, and in general from everyone - your irresistible and unyielding persistence in observing the way of common life. And I am surprised how some, having lived a little life for the sake of God, have forgotten their former pleasant life, become as if different, courageously endure all hardships, are compared with the elders and lead the same way of life as them. Indeed, the love of Christ can do everything (see 1 Cor. 13:7), which persuades and encourages the noble to humble themselves, those accustomed to a pampered life to be content with little, and the rich to become poor. I marvel not only at these people, but also at all those who for the sake of the Gospel of the Lord have left everything, namely: some - parents, some - brothers, some - wife, some - relatives, some - homeland, some - home, some - neighbors, for everyone has renounced something. And very often the one whom people considered insignificant and whom the greats of this world did not deign to pay any attention to suddenly turns out to have accomplished a great and difficult feat. For even if he does nothing except renounce the nature that oppresses us, striving for birth and full of desires, then he will sufficiently demonstrate his martyrdom and can, like the supreme apostle, say to Christ: behold, we have left everything and died after You: what then will happen to us? And He will answer: in the regeneration... you will sit on the double throne, judging the deceived ten tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:27, 28). In view of such rewards prepared for us, brothers and fathers, how can we not force ourselves even more to perform holy deeds? Under such conditions, how can we avoid suffering all sorrow, all the hardships of life in God, namely abstinence, vigilance, punishments, submission, commands, revelation of the soul, the work of praise and generally everything else, repeating after the prophet: For Your sake we are killed all the day long, counted as sheep of the slaughter (Ps. 43:23; cf. Rom. 8:6; 2 Cor. 4:11)? And indeed, my children, you are not far from this. After all, aren’t you hardened by the cutting off of desires, the wounds of reproaches and this constant life under authority? Doesn’t blood also flow from your hearts, though not sensually, but spiritually? 168 But rejoice in all this, for for this you receive rewards and achieve, as the apostle says, an unfading crown of glory (1 Cor. 9:25; 1 Pet. 5:4). I, children, am not deceiving you and not fooling your minds, far from it - on the contrary, I am not even giving you a true image, but only vaguely depicting things with my dark word. And I repeat to you that at the end of your life you will receive great rewards. And blessed is he who not only listens, but also does what is read or said (see: Matt. 7:24; James 1:22, 25). For me, the all-damned one, it would be good for me to receive remission of sins and heavenly glory, to be subjected to reproach, strangulation, ridicule, and shame, these good passions, according to Christ’s example, as well as exile, and death, which at the same time frighten and do not frighten: they frighten because everyone loves his body, they do not frighten because the soul is the more precious part of us beings (see Matt. 6:25), there will be no time with her and the body itself will taste the promised blessings. The more precious part of our being May the light of non-misleading knowledge 169 shine upon you, children, for this purpose, the desire for God, which separates you from the world, and the desire for eternal life, which mortifies passions. And may God lead and elevate all of you in firmness of heart and strength of thought to the heights of life and to the limit of piety and may he not allow any of you to be deprived of the good part and the lot that our previously deceased brothers received, for, without a doubt, we will all go there, recognize and see each other in some other way compared to the earthly way; let us also add to this that then we will taste that which eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and has not entered into the heart of man (1 Cor. 2:9) in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the labors that one has to endure in the sacred community, namely, that those who labor in them receive for this the crown of martyrdom Good travel reserve to the end My fathers, brothers and children. In my opinion, neither I, for my part, labor in vain (see Phil. 2:16) in my humble preaching, announcing to you, nor do you waste time in vain when you listen to me. Our work will not drag on forever, for soon, soon the hour of perfect silence will come. We are not immortal, a little more, as the will of God determined, and I, and all of you, will leave here. All that is required of us is that our exodus be completed with good travel provisions, with the fulfillment of the commandments and pleasing our Lord Jesus Christ. So what do the announcements tell us so that we can hear, learn and take on these matters? Yes, of course, about the fact that in our large brotherhood we have to constantly be on the move. For I know, children, how you constantly work in your obediences: whoever does not sleep while preparing bread, torments his hands there over felting it and roasts on the stove fire, who is in poverty on the way, who is engaged in various works - sewing, writing, washing, cooking, setting the table, blacksmithing, who is busy with cellar chores or labors in hospitals, then you all unmissably visit matins, the first, third, sixth and ninth hours, vespers and compline, stand there, sing, pray, and all this is not lazy or somehow, because for this there is a threat of punishment - in a word, everywhere and everywhere I see your labors and the constraints and hardships that you have to endure. Monastic works and worship But do not lose heart, for in all these, says the apostle, we are victorious because we love the Lord (Rom. 8:37). In view of this, although you have to endure such labors, but since from them eternal joy and endless salvation will shine upon you, you must rejoice, have fun, indulge in even greater exploits and suffer in the martyrdom of the common life without falling in this, without turning back and without getting tired of its sorrows and difficulties. I earnestly ask you, my children: stand, come and throw yourself into every good and virtuous work and, according to the word of the Lord, build up your souls with your patience (Luke 21:19). Constantly remembering death, be renewed daily and, for the love of the Lord, consider everything a matter of secondary importance, observing yourself in decorum, in understanding (σύνεσις) and spiritual love, detached from the destructive shamelessness, so that you may be obedient to each other, uncomplaining, free from hatred, envy and rivalry, so that each of you assimilates the good of your neighbor, on occasion, he endured his brother’s dislike for any reason, he also accepted the punishments that befell him as medicine for the soul, he did everything in the face of our immortal Master meekly, cheerfully, with frankness in everything, without vanity and calmly. This, children, is what our martyrdom consists of. Why do some hotheads often seek bodily torture for Christ? Endure courageously and properly the torments and sufferings here, without bowing your knees to Baal (see: 1 Kings 19:18; Rom. 11:4), without making sacrifice to the passions of the soul, without renouncing what you previously confessed, and without leaving the lists and the arena until the very end, and you will become equal, as the holy fathers proclaim, with the blood of the martyrs. You already know what kind of martyrdom is called true, namely, not the kind when a person simply receives one wound or endures a lot of torment, but when he endures to the end (Matthew 24:13), since whoever renounces and abandons blessed obedience even in the middle or even at the very end, he will suffer the most pitiful and lamentable crash: he will lose not only his previous exploits, but also on the day of God’s righteous Judgment will still fall into eternal damnation (see Rom. 2:5). Martyrdom of the communal system So keep yourself, my children, completely unharmed and do not think that I am trying to force you to obey me and these instructions of mine in order to achieve a peaceful life for yourself, at the desire of bodily slavery and human glory. No, I swear to you (you see, I even use an oath to confirm my words) by your deeds for the sake of virtue - not for such purposes, but for the salvation of all your souls, for the glory of God and to achieve a good fate together with our fathers in heaven, where is the great and lamp of lamps Anthony, as well as the God-bearing Euthymius, the Christ-bearing Pachomius, where is the glorious Sava, the all-blessed Theodosius, the divinely enlightened Dorotheus, where, further, the equal-angelic Dometian, the all-holy Acacius, the primate of God Dositheus, where, finally, the ever-living Basil (I mean here the obedient Basil), the spirit-filled Zechariah and the god-obedient Afre 170. And why count others? Let’s just say better where Peter and Paul are, the chief leaders of the apostolic twelve, where are the villages of saints, priests and holy martyrs. For even if we are not worthy to join their rank, we will still not be deprived of the opportunity to see them, talk and approach them. We hope, further, to contemplate the Lady Herself, our All-Tsarina and Lady, the Mother of God, and to fall at Her feet, and also, although it is bold on our part to say this, to contemplate even the Lord of all, our Lord. For the divine Paul says that after our rapture into the clouds to meet the Lord, we will always be with the Lord in the rebirth (1 Thess. 4:17). In view of such glory, joy and life awaiting us, who will not rejoice, will not be seduced, will not be inflamed, will not be inspired by the love of God and will not begin to do what he should? Only I, my children, alone, having fallen away from God because of my bad deeds and working together with the evil demons, as their collaborator and assistant, am an exception to this. But pray that I too will be saved in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. An admonition that after a good start one should not return to bad deeds It’s a good thing to make a habit for yourself My fathers, brothers and children. And today, as far as I have the strength, I will try to offer you my insignificant and weak ordinary announcement. I strive in every possible way to preach to you as much as possible about everything useful, to decorate my instructions with fatherly reasoning and pious deeds, and in this way to inflame you with the Spirit and inspire you with love for God. And yet, despite all this, due to the limitations of my mind, lack of the gift of speech and lack of action, I do not achieve this goal. You, my beloved children, interpret me as you wish, just do not cease to honor me, although not because of my merits, but out of love, by forcing yourself to do what I am telling you about. Community rules I look and observe each of you one by one and see how firmly and Godly you live and how you submit humbly and wisely. And I, remembering how unworthy and worthless I am, I hasten to give glory to God. But then, after this glory and joy, I mourn how weak and frivolous human nature is capable of changing its decisions and returning to the old ways. For it is not the one who deserves praise who has just begun a good work (cf. Phil. 1:6), but who has mastered it little by little and made it for himself; how to remain constantly at the same height and not be overcome by powerful sin is a difficult matter, then I ask you and pray: let us follow the true, royal and middle way of the Lord, not turning aside, as it is said, either to the right hand or to the left (Joshua 1:7), but, Living in accordance with the rules, commandments and law of the social system, we will spend this fleeting life. The social order makes all the easy demands: here you cannot have your own personal desires, you cannot allow your own discretion and be arbitrary, you cannot, furthermore, leave misdeeds without confession, nor commit many sins, nor be demanding, nor try to find out everything, you cannot, finally, take on many feats and, as a result, worry and exhaust yourself. Communion requires abstinence, prayer, contrition, humility with the addition of some other good deeds, or rather, only one single virtue - blessed and holy obedience, for through it community, as the fathers explain, embraces everything and succeeds in everything. Therefore, I pray to you: stand watchfully on the rock of your faith (see: Rom. 11:20; 1 Cor. 16:13) and walk without stumbling along the path of your virtue. May it never happen to me, a sinner, to see with my own eyes that any of you, in any way, either because of the lust of the flesh, or because of the disease of love of power, or because of pride, or because of childish vanity, or through anything else, became the prey of the devil. After all, you, my children, have already worked a lot, done a lot and collected a wealth of virtues into the treasuries of your souls; let each of you remember, starting from the day he accepted monasticism, how many and what kind of temptations he did not accept and did not endure: he fell in spirit and despaired in life, was caught and received wounds either from satanic thoughts, or from all sorts of accidents in the community, and how our good God carried through all this, as if some unrest or a series of storms, how he delivered us from them and gave us the opportunity to gain a reward for patience. Looking at these exploits and at our previous labors, we will continue to do so; we will not allow any sorrow, sinful or human weakness to engulf us and then distract us from our good intention. I earnestly pray to you, my children: looking at God, as if you were already separated from the body (see 2 Cor. 5:6), as if you were already seeing the ranks and faces of angels, especially as if you were experiencing the last hour of death, then give an answer to the Judge and receive eternal benefits - strive, destroy temptations, remove obstacles and stumbling blocks from your path and ascend to the mountain of heavenly life, until the desired day will not come. Acquire complete frankness in all your deeds and thoughts, as well as indifference to primacy, respect for each other, unanimity, vigor in the performance of obediences, in works, in psalmody, in vigils and in everything that is good and holy. Blessed are those who have immersed themselves in this; Blessed are those who make many people talk about themselves; and all-blessed, who do not cause any reproach from anyone. By the grace of Christ you already have all this, but try, I remind you, to have even more; You have already acquired this, but strive to further increase your acquisition in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. A reminder of how unceasing and eternal the enjoyment of eternal blessings will be Brothers, fathers and children. When you listen with attention and zeal to my weak announcements, then I zealously carry out this work and, as it were, constantly thirst and thirst to sow the words of my weak lips in your sacred souls. Now we carry out our labors together: I by what I say, and you by what you listen and do what you hear. When summer and harvest time come, then we will completely rejoice in what we worked for, sighed, endured hardships and oppressions, bent over, became despondent, talked, lost heart, became tired, fell into an apparently hopeless situation, and also went hungry, thirsty, deprived of parents, friends, brothers, relatives, homeland and everything earthly and worldly to receive from the righteous The rewarder of God is rewarded forever and ever. Which one exactly? Imperishable and eternal glory and honor, inexpressible and enduring joy, joy and life, sweetness that cannot be satisfied, and the tasting, more than any tasting, of unseen, unheard and unspeakable blessings, the Kingdom of Heaven, the sonship and inheritance of our Lord Jesus Christ (see Rom. 8:15–17), the true God and King of the ages. In view of all this, my children, no matter how bitter real life is, no matter how bitter the trials to which we are subjected every day, when we are driven in different directions, forced to submit in every possible way, wounded and tormented by the martyrdom of obedience, let us not allow ourselves to become lazy and we will not refuse these blessings, but, as the apostle says, forgetting what is behind, we will stretch to what is before, to the honor of the highest calling ( Phil. 3:13–14), competing in divine aspiration with other saints who died either in martyrdom or in a pure life, considering everything secondary in comparison with these blessings and not allowing the slightest deviation from this. In fact, weren't they also people who experienced the same hardships as us? But they endured all this because they had a strong desire and love. So we, if we want to get closer to God and begin a high life, can achieve this. Therefore, I ask you, pay attention to your obediences and perform in them: the scribe is to write clearly, beautifully, assiduously, without looking around, so that his work continues all day; the cellarer in the performance of his cellar duties, in satisfying bodily needs without any displeasure, without laziness, with an appropriate and peaceful mood, decorum and affection, giving and receiving what is needed; diggers - in digging up vineyards, and in other work that you have to do there, whether in cutting the earth, or in carrying, or in digging, doing all this zealously, resignedly, obediently, with poetry in mind, silently, without fuss; gardener and cook - the first is to work tirelessly all day long, cultivating vegetable gardens and orchards and delivering the necessary vegetables for the brotherhood, and the second is to diligently prepare food and, without weakening, endure the heat and exhausting work; the hospital worker and the canonarch - the first is to strain his strength and foresight in caring for the brothers and treating, sometimes with food, sometimes with words, their bodily or mental illnesses, and the second is to loudly and clearly proclaim at the appropriate time with the divine trumpet 171 and sing hymns separately. In accordance with this, the lamp maker, the parchment maker, then the cutler, the baker, the goldsmith, the mason, the refector, especially the blacksmith, the fisherman, the teacher of children, the tailor, the mechanic, the net weaver, and even earlier, the head of the clothing with his assistants, the shoemaker with his apprentices, the tanner with his employees must also do; their labor is great, but their reward is incomparable; then the gatekeepers, alarm clocks, overseers, property managers, especially the dean, and finally the housekeeper with his assistant 172; there is nothing left to mention about me, for only thanks to the prayers of my father, as well as yours, I am still the small value that I am, not bringing any benefit to anyone. You, young men, you, beginners, beware of your youthful instability, flow and hurry while there is still time, in order to make goodness your habit, mature in goodness and not cause me any difficulties and troubles. If these people must do this, what can I then say about middle-aged people and old people? Let us all try, give glory to God for what we have already achieved, and let us never tire of moving forward in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. About the sick, namely, that they should be satisfied with the care provided to them, for this they will have a great reward My fathers, brothers and children. It brings me joy to see your life change and move towards the better. And that's how it should be. For, just as when traveling on foot, until a person gets used to it, it seems painful and difficult to him, and when he has covered some distance and his veins straighten out and his body warms up, he walks easier, stronger and more successfully, the same thing is observed with us when we walk along the path of the Lord. For God, after we had overcome all difficulties and temptations, finally allowed us to know which path for the soul is straight and which is crooked, and how we can little by little reach its end. So let us go, children, along the royal path; Let's begin to measure, as the fathers put it, his miles, avoiding the abysses that lie on both sides of him - lack and excess 173. Only one thing must be observed: not to transgress a single rule, not a single commandment - whether in food or drinking, vigils, poetry, memorization, prayer, silence, secret work of the heart, for everything that is shown to me, although a sinner, is light (Eph. 5:13), and whoever walks in the darkness of lack of frankness is heading towards abysses that he does not notice; thinking to please God, on the contrary, angers Him and, harming oneself, causes harm to others. Therefore, children, go where the path of obedience calls you, and do not discuss or dissect the incomprehensible and inaccessible to your mind matter of obedience and the manifold actions of my abbot’s authority, so that, as a result of my myopia, you do not fall into death. A great feat for a beginner is to reject worldly habits, cleanse the mind of the above-written prejudices 174 (πρόληφις) and, as if from the storm and excitement of worldly cares and passionate affairs, enter the haven of detachment from worries and love of God. But no less, and even more difficult, is the feat of preserving oneself without any damage after testing, leaving the world and escaping from it. For then other thoughts arise in us 175 and other sea robbers appear in the sea of ​​life - demons who seek to sink the shuttle of our soul with all its good cargo. If we sail under the favorable wind of humility and show some attention to the helmsman by willingly submitting to him, then without any doubt we will safely reach the pier of the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, children, let us be attentive, let us become wise like a serpent, and purposeful like doves (Matthew 10:16), engaging in good and holy deeds, each remaining diligent in his obedience, who is assigned to what - whether for correspondence, or for digging vineyards, or for construction, for worship, for blacksmithing, for cellaring, for cooking duties, for weaving or any other of the activities available in our monastery. And those who endure all this and force themselves, those are blessed. But this cannot be called the others, who rush about like clouds (see Jude 1:12), lose hour after hour and day after day, completely without any action, under all sorts of cunningly, or rather, false, excuses. For such people are not pleasing either to God or to me, a sinner. Let's move on to the patients now. I was informed that they were unhappy with their contents. What is the reason for this? If you complain about inattention towards you, then you are lying before God Himself, for His goodness has given you more than you yourself are worth. After all, don’t we have attentive and reasonable people assigned to this task? Are you not given clean bread, wine and oil, as well as olives and various special dishes and dishes, soft bedding and comfortable beds? Since we entered the city 176, we have a bathhouse, baths, and all sorts of amenities. And after all this, the murmur? Do you know what fate he threatens the madman with? Is it not the fate of those who laid down their bones in the wilderness for this very reason (Heb. 3:17)? They answer that the murmur started because they recently changed the wine and that the current wine is tasteless. But listen, you fools: where can we get you tasty and old wines? How have you forgotten your promises and the life of the holy fathers? For them, a cup of sour wine was already considered a whole delicacy and treat. Therefore, do not be stupid, but let us change our habits so that, in accordance with what has been said, we are content with only bread and a single cup of wine. Also stop arguing - mainly because it does not lead to anything good, but due to the fact that rumors from outside are brought into the brotherhood 177, the soul that is at peace is inflamed and the heart enjoying peace is confused. In view of the fact that the nights have become longer, from now on, after Matins, devote some time to studying the troparions and sedals of Matins. For in this way both psalmody is enlightened and the body is restrained, which, due to the long rest after Matins, will no longer rebel against your soul (see Col. 3:14), since you are already familiar with demonic attacks and the struggle of passions. Over all these (Col. 3:14) unite yourselves in a union of love, establish like-mindedness among you all, living in one spirit and one soul, also glorifying God for the return of your brother Serapion 178: he was dead, and is alive again; he bent, and was found (Luke 15:24), again putting on the holy image, which he had previously cast off, having despised God. Pray that He will give him confirmation and may he be worthy to accomplish the deeds that lie ahead in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About humility, namely, that its fruit is sweet and pleasant Becoming living icons of saints through imitation of their exploits Fathers, brothers and children. The instructions which I, humble, impart to you, are free from the spirit of severity and authority and, as I believe, are not empty in their content, but are filled with admonitions and encouragements regarding the teaching and life of the divine fathers. Divine grace has already revealed to you what is holy, righteous and pious: you know perfectly well where and how you should go in order to achieve the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, remember and bring to mind, day by day, the salvation of God (Ps. 95:2) and the divine deeds of the venerable fathers and, painting your souls after their example with the colors of piety 179, become their imitators. The beginning and end of their feat was to clearly feel the fear of God. Hence, they had a high humility before God, with the help of which they not only imputed all Satan’s traps to nothing, but, having tied up their builder himself, threw him, as it is said in the Gospel, under their feet in order to step on him and laugh at him (Luke 10:19). To give you at least one example, I will remind you of yesterday morning’s reading. You read about St. Silouan 180, and the reading is still fresh in your memory. You remember what high perfection he achieved after taking his vows and how he drowned the devil with the weapon of humility and a whole sea of ​​tears, ascending to the height of the most perfect life and only appearing in the likeness of the great Father Pachomius, despite his short life in the holy image and quick death after perfection. But it is especially marvelous that he was previously an actor and yet appeared above Theodore the Sanctified, the blessed Petronius, the all-praised Orsisius 181 and all this sacred brotherhood and with angelic hymns departed from here to heaven. So great, children, is the gift of humility, and there is not a single saint who would please God without this virtue! So you, my brothers, cleave to him and, giving up the art of singing, composing chants, memorizing, the art of reading and other such talents, let us adhere to the indicated virtue. I’m not saying that you need to completely abandon all these things, but I just want to say that they should be considered in the background and companions of the Lady of Virtues. In view of this, if we allow ourselves to be proud in front of those who cannot sing, or to rise above the unlearned, or to lift our heads in front of those who do not possess the art of beautiful reading, or to look with contempt at those who do not know how to speak smoothly and choose the right expressions, then we are working in vain, we are not shooting at the target, but we only wound ourselves and become prey to the devil. Therefore, we should not do this, children, but let us humbly talk, and work, and read, and sing, and walk, and eat, and with humility, finally, give answers, and then we will actually be convinced how sweet, pleasant and all-bright its fruit is, which makes us imitators of God, for learn from Me, it is said, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find peace to your souls (Matthew 11:29). For in humility there really is peace, thanks to it waves of grace rise in souls. Thanks to him, the purification of the heart takes place, with it there is an outpouring of tears, in it there is a welling source of contrition, in it there is wisdom, prudence, reverence, abstinence, silence, the absence of vanity and laughter and all sorts of other good things. Many benefits come from humility So this is what humility is. And you, children of God, as well as the children who belong to me, the humble one, perceiving the seeds as good soil, bear with appropriate gifts and good deeds fruits of thirty, sixty and a hundred (Matthew 13:8) and keep yourselves from every evil deed, avoiding shamelessness, pursuing brotherly love, throwing away wickedness and loving silence, for in kindness, it is said, and in righteousness I cleave to me (Ps. 24:21). Let no one love anyone more than others more than he should, just as let no beardless man lead another beardless man into shamelessness, and also let him not hang out in secret and unsupervised places. But all of you, stand indestructibly against the devil’s machinations, extinguishing the fire of passions with divine prayers and invocations. The emergence of passions is a property of our nature, but our job is to drive them away at their very first intrusion. The enemy has come and begins to set you on fire - you run away. When the tempter presents you with an unsuitable sight, close the eyes of your soul; when the hated fisherman casts the bait of sin into your heart, throw away the bait of sweetness; when death, who has whispered into Evan’s ears, begins to tell you something, close your ears - do not touch, do not touch (Col. 2:21), do not smell; when, finally, this master, the world-maker and supplier of various baits, offers them to you while you are sitting or walking, do not accept them, for this, as it is written, will make you spin like a weather vane. How to deal with passions So, strengthen yourself, child, on all sides, become a strong and walled city, be a copper wall and an immovable stone, so that you remain unshakable, no matter how many times storms strike you; try more to step on demons than, due to the flabbiness of your soul, to suffer from them 182, so that in this way you can become a soldier of the Lord, a conqueror of Christ, a martyr of grace and say with Paul: I have fought the good fight, I have died, I have kept the faith, etc. I have been kept a crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:7-8) in Christ Jesus our Lord, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About those who stealfully strike up friendships with each other My brothers, fathers and children. Truly our life is like the sea. You and I were all sailing in calm weather, when suddenly a hurricane broke out from an evil air spirit and, thanks to the opposition and self-will of some brothers, disturbed our lives. But He who said to the sea: be silent, cease (Mark 4:39), through the prayers of our father, commanded him the same thing now, and we again entered into our former peaceful life. But I, my child, completely lost my mind, my spirit fell into despondency, and I almost despaired for myself, the damned one, when those who were considered the pillars of brotherhood and my eyes for observing weak brothers instead turned out to be rotten and became blinding for me and the entire brotherhood. However, one should not despair of them, for they all again corrected themselves in the best possible way and each of them, as much as he had previously fallen into frivolity, then showed the same humility; just as before he ran away, so in the same way, and even stronger, he then rushed back; and as much as before he had gone into inconstancy, now he has shown his firmness - and they all again became my members, who do not disagree and are not separated from me, but are in the same position as you, everyone else. The sin of self-will. An exhortation to humility This case is strange, but at the same time it is not surprising; it is quite natural, but it should not have happened to us. But since it has now happened, we must remember this lesson and in every possible way avoid what those of our brothers were passionate about. What is this? Yes, nothing more than simple self-will, 183 which begins in a monk from vanity and is born from infirmity. Therefore, my brethren, let us remain in the calling to which each of us is called (see 1 Cor. 7:24), let us not raise our feet above the required step or raise our heads, appropriating for ourselves what is above us. You must make your statements with humility, if absolutely necessary, and at the same time observe the order of the persons appointed for this, namely, convey your statements to me, the humble one, through the elders. I am a herald, although more like a mosquito, and a defender of the commandments of St. Basil [the Great]. Can the authorities in the monastery deprive the abbot of the right to accept applications? 184 You know, of course, that I had to fight a whole war because of this. And didn't it end as you were told? I am again constantly in close relations with you, you come to me and speak to me only in an appropriate manner and with complete humility, for it is equally dangerous if I do not accept statements from you and block your lips, or if, on the contrary, I indiscriminately allow anyone to come to me with a statement. Inadmissibility of private friendship in a monastic brotherhood But let us turn again to our incident. The second reason for it is that; that you make private friendships and secret parties with each other. When, child, such a person begins to approach you, jump away from him and under no circumstances listen to him. When he begins to tell you something in order to undermine your devotion and love for the abbot, run from him like from fire, for the evil that is slowly creeping in is directed to the most important point of salvation. And it’s true that there were secret thieves’ meetings. The one who swore by his sacred rank and did not want to admit what he was asked about was caught by one brother. And I believe that it was only thanks to such slander that Thalassius deteriorated. Therefore, if you want to obey me, do not open your soul to anyone and do not take anyone but me as your leader. Don’t you dare turn to anyone for this, just as, on the other hand, don’t look at bad speeches as mere chatter, saying: why bring this or that to the attention of the abbot? Do not do this, children, but each of you, when someone begins to lead him into treachery to the detriment of the entire brotherhood, let him immediately run to me and declare it. Perhaps some ignoramus and fool will object to me that by such an act one can arouse self-hatred and slander from the brethren. Not true: if they are a false people, what can their praise mean to you? And if they are true children, then you will see how they will certainly praise you. Exhortation to Confession of Thoughts In conclusion, I generally remind you: constantly open your souls to me, do not leave anything secret and undestroyed, because it can turn into a whole ulcer. But, continuing your former good life, strive, my beloved brothers, all together in harmony, make your way in the Lord, courageously enduring everything: insults, labors, worries, kindling, sorrows, darkening of thoughts, surges of despondency, and all other phenomena that are common among us, having one help over all - unashamed hope in God and invincible protection (see. Ps. 30:2; 70:1), which comes from fulfilling God’s commandments by turning your thoughts to death and constantly cutting off your own desires. For in this way you will acquire for yourself the crown of martyrdom, and then you will rejoice in the Kingdom of Heaven in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen. About the purified soul, namely, that it clearly recognizes the products of sin Signs of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the soul My fathers, brothers and children. The enemy is constantly furious and rushes at us, but he is also constantly driven away by Divine forces, by the prayers of our father 185. He can steal prey only when someone himself opens up access for him, driving away the Holy Spirit from himself and introducing an enemy who teaches him what deeds and words he loves. To find out the distinctive properties of both states, with your permission, let’s talk about this a little. For I, most honest brethren, am obliged day and night to vigilantly, cheerfully and skillfully repeat and instruct you in this. So, whoever has the Holy Spirit in him, joy, peace, long-suffering are noticed in him (see Gal. 5:22; John 4:14), his speech is sweeter than honey and honeycomb (Ps. 19:11), for they flow, as our Lord said, from the abundance of the heart (Matthew 12:34) and for those who listen to them they are enlightenment and consolation. Because there are so many good words in them! “Forgive, bless, father, I am unreasonable, I am one sinner, I am not worthy to be considered a member of the brotherhood, I am the lowest creature.” Even if the divine apostle, this light of the world, together with other saints, calls himself a monster (1 Cor. 15:8), then how can we then call ourselves in exact accordance with the degree of our dignity? You can’t even find a suitable expression. Despite the fact that we call ourselves this, it is a sure sign that we have the Spirit of God within us (see 1 Cor. 3:16). Signs of the presence of an evil spirit in the soul Want to know about another, opposite condition? But you yourself know this very well (αυτομαΰζις και αυτοδίδακτοι) 186. For what else can such a heart exude other than anger, rage, slander, reproaches, inconstancy, hostility, hatred, pride, disobedience, disobedience, disobedience? From such a soul enlightenment, sanctification and righteousness have truly fled, humility, contrition and patience have disappeared, weeping, tears and sobbing have dried up (see Isa. 35:10; 51:11), the ability of heavenly contemplation, the memory of death and the departure accompanied by Angels have flown away, thoughts about the world-wide appearance before the Last Judgment Seat have been forgotten. Christ and about the terrible answer for every movement of our imagination, mind and body, starting from the day of birth and our acceptance of monasticism, for then everything will become clear; Along with all this, such a soul is also forgotten, on the one hand, eternal punishment with unbearable, incomparable and endless torment, as well as fiery torture, and on the other, the enjoyment of ineffable, unprecedented and inexplicable blessings prepared in the Kingdom of Heaven. A terrible answer for every internal movement of a monk For in such a soul the seeds of sinfulness, ears of love for the world and the properties of lawlessness grow: fornication, adultery, murder, theft, aversion to vows, even rejection of them, hatred of Christ, hatred of the father’s life and, so as not to prolong the announcement with verbosity, I will simply say - darkness and obscurity of thoughts and complete falling away from Divine communion. Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to Thy name give glory about Thy mercy and Thy truth, 187 so that not when, because of this condition of ours, those who formerly glorified us say: Where is their God? (Ps. 113:9–10). These nasty fetters, children, are not formed immediately, but gradually; as soon as we start, they begin to weave like a chain and then entangle us in a circle and strangle us, like the hater of light and lover of obscurity Judas (see Matt. 27:5). The Ideal of Christian Brotherhood So come to me, my children, brothers and fathers! For I, laboring with love and caring for you as children, caring with all my might as my own and like-minded brothers, and treating you with reverence and respect as fathers, I go ahead of you, guide you, ask you, beg you, try for you, rush here and there and even cry and sob, so that one of you does not become, as it is said, the son of destruction, rebellion and apostasy (John 17:12; Heb. 2:2; 2 Thess. 2:3), a reproachful, untrue and father-hating child, a homeless sheep caught by wild beasts, a vessel of wrath (Rom. 9:22) and a weapon of the enemy, but so that all may be children of light (Eph. 5:8), sons of the day (1 Thess. 5:5), heirs of God (Rom. 8:17), joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17), elect (Acts 9:15) and sanctified vessels (2 Tim. 2:21), sacred sacrifices, God-fed sheep, workers of obedience, disciples of the Lord, who shed the brilliance of obedience on earth and in heaven, who are all united in one spirit (see 1 Cor. 1:10) and in one will and who sing together with the wise David: Behold, what is good, or what is good, but shall the brethren live together? Like ointment on the head, which comes down on the bard, the bark of Aaron (Ps. 133:1-2). Do you know how highly the brotherhood (συνάθροισμα) places the word of God? It is sacred, dedicated to God, and is His body and organ 188. Shall I take the hooks of Christ, asks the apostle, and create the hooks of the harlots? Let it not be (1 Cor. 6:15); and in another place: if anyone corrupts God’s church, God will corrupt him (1 Cor. 3:17), no matter what you are. Let all that is unwanted be removed from you, and all that is desired, on the contrary, come to you in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. About obeying the abbot, as iron obeys the blacksmith, so that thanks to this you can live without any fear My brothers, fathers and children. Observing how the face of our brotherhood is constantly increasing, like some fertile land, I fear for myself, because the seeds of my insignificant preaching are not only few, but, in addition, they are dry and are not able to embrace every soul, cleanse it with instructions, renew it and throw into it the seeds of gradually increasing improvement in the Divine commandments. Despite this, I try my best to fulfill my duties in the hope that it can be useful. On the other hand, you, my brothers, being, according to the word of the Lord, a good land (Matthew 13:8), bring both to me and to Him deeds and the salvation of your souls. Until we entered the sanctuary of God and found ourselves together with the Lord in the place of His dwelling 189 (see Ps. 72:16-17), we, as it is said, must work. Therefore, intense labor, spiritual sweat, divine feat, right zeal, spiritual running are required in order for us to achieve victory on the lists (e ί ς το στάδιον) and through holy death receive victorious crowns. You yourself can observe how labor gives birth to peace, sorrow is certainly replaced by joy, sobs feed living sweetness, constraint produces space; hunger, fasting, constriction of the throat bring immortal faces; thirst and drying up of saliva pour out that water, which the Lord called water into the eternal belly (John 4:14). Let me also remind you here of the words of the sacred singer David: those who sow with tears will reap with joy (Ps. 126:5). So, if this, as it is said in Scripture, is a blessed message, if you do it (John 13:17). A foolish man does not know, and a foolish man does not understand these things (Ps. 91:7). You are reasonable, understanding, judicious and shrewd people, and as a result of this, you have already learned some virtues, you are learning others and, of course, you will continue to learn them, for the commandment has no boundaries (see Ps. 119:96), but the more someone begins to love God, the more he feels that he is far from the commandment. So I give you my commands, I lead you, I forbid one thing, I protect you from another, I allow you to go to another, and you, in turn, obey me in everything and, like iron to a blacksmith, obey me, no matter what I demand of you in accordance with the commandment. Thanks to this, your voyage is easy, without worries, and your life flows without storms. You, on your own, regardless of my instructions, do and remind each other everything that you find good and useful. For we all strive for the common good. We are, as it were, on a ship sailing on the sea, we have a captain and sailors. My responsibilities and yours are distributed as follows: I need to steer the helm, stay awake with my eyes raised up to heaven, and, looking at the star of righteousness, steer the ship. And in the same way, you have the responsibility to stay awake, take part in the service of the ship, run, rush hither and thither, watch lest we suffer, lest we stumble upon the rock of ignorance, lest we accidentally hit a reef; you, like those standing at the ship's rigging, must obey me, where to release and where to pull them, in order to bring the cargo of our souls safely to the pier of salvation. For this we left the world, everything carnal, connections and desires. Let us, my brethren, endure great deeds and endure all sufferings with patience; I am sure that we will receive the crown, we will be heavenly inhabitants and we will rejoice where we escape from... sickness and sorrow and groaning (Is. 35:10). Arm yourself with strength, arm yourself with strength, let the lamp of your zeal be nourished by the oil of steadfastness, so that it does not go out and we do not experience such an unwanted fate of the careless 190 virgins (see Matthew 25:1-13). The meaning of silence in the hostel Acquire, my most honest fathers, silence (ησυχία). I don’t want to say by this that you should not speak a single word at all, for our life does not require this, but that you should not start inappropriate conversations and not raise laughter from here, for by speaking too much, the wise man declares, you will not avoid sin: but by sparing your lips, you will become wise (Proverbs 10:19). Be careful in your obediences, do not break the necessary things and tools with careless work: carts, plows, pens, axes, memorial plaques, cups, etc.; As a result, your work stops, and this free time, which should be spent on spiritual work, is wasted on trifles. I also remind you about food: do not transgress what I have determined, lest you become lazy. For do not turn aside, it is said, either to the right hand or to the left (Josh. 1:7), but walk in the royal way, for things are very difficult, and for anyone, even though they do not seem so, abstinence will still be very difficult for him. Show as much diligence as possible in everything you can and pray to God for mercy against invisible and visible enemies 191 In Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. About spending time in work and at work and in this way achieving eternal benefits My fathers, brothers and children. Since my legs hurt, I cannot show up for the work you perform, and this saddens me a lot. True, I will not bring you any benefit with my presence, but I would like to see and encourage each of you in his zeal, obedience, patience and hard work, and also to observe and watch how you all try and bear spiritual and physical labor. And I pray to my God, may your strength not fail (see Luke 22:32), may your spiritual love not weaken towards me, insignificant (see Matt. 24:12), but may you be established in the same understanding (1 Cor. 1:10) and in the same way of thinking and may you fulfill the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Greatness of Monastic Work I know that you suffer, grieve, endure hardships, sweat, but strengthen yourself, I ask you, with the love of the Lord and persistently do the good fight (2 Tim. 4:7), so that later you will be crowned in heaven with rejoicing. Oh, if only I could work with you, children, if only I could come to work with you and humble my bad body with labor! For it is a blessed thing to work together with your brothers to the best of your ability, and a holy thing to do work in the field. With these works you sanctify your bodies and make your soul completely dispassionate, like true workers of the Lord. But all this, you need to note, only happens if you properly observe what is commanded to you. Namely, elders must make their orders with the fear of God and love, and ordinary brothers must remain obedient to these elders. Therefore, you, my child, assistant steward, then my dearest senior plowman, Sophrony, my beloved Zosima, my venerable Ephraim, my most glorious assistant cellarer Pimen and gardener Lucian 192, as well as the managers of work and arable land, and, finally, you, first above all (that is, the steward), - watch how you order and give your orders; do not use your authority to aggravate the work, give orders not harshly and carelessly, but diligently, skillfully, kindly and judiciously, for the brethren are not all equal in their habits, age and strength. If you have already begun to manage the brotherhood in this way, then you are blessed and will be richly rewarded with eternal benefits. And you, my children, who are in obedience, Nil the honest, Dositheus, Tiphoi 193, Afre and Diy (I don’t have time to list them all), watch how you accept the instructions of your elders, how you obey, how you act. May you, my children, not have laughter that grieves the Lord. May you not notice the idle talk that saddens the Holy Spirit, as well as mutual grief, for the apostle said: let all sorrow, and anger, and wrath be taken away from you, along with all malice (Eph. 4:31), and also: let not every corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but just as it is good for the building up of faith, let it give grace to those who hear (Eph. 4:29). Be kind to one another (Eph. 4:32), kind, brotherly, loving one another (Eph. 4:2), bearing each other's burdens (Gal. 6:2), yielding to each other, apologizing with reverence and fear of God, honoring each other and exalting one another (see Rom. 12:9). If you do this and if you live this way, then you are my saints, and first of all, God’s, His earthly Angels, admirers of His power, servants of His glory, heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven, cohabitants of the saints, inhabitants of paradise, people destined to enjoy the ineffable blessings prepared for them. Therefore, as an unworthy person, I pray, as a prodigal, I ask, as a weak person, I beg that your steps may be constantly directed by God, so that you may be strong in the power of His strength (Eph. 6:10) and that through me no temptation or stumbling may occur to you, as well as death from disobedience, or death from murmuring, or death by shamelessness, or delusion, bad thoughts, or generally something forbidden and disastrous. In every movement and deed, may the light of God’s understanding come before you, may a peaceful mood guide you, and may the silence of brotherly love rule over you. Therefore, may the Lord our God assign to you an Angel of peace, a faithful mentor, the guardian of your souls, so that he will be with you day and night, drive away evil demons and keep you in complete well-being. May the Lord God open to you the door of righteousness (see Ps. 117:19), the path of truth (see 2 Pet. 2:2), may He accept you to Himself, educate you, make you an organ, a sweet psalter for His amusement, may He create you as perfect, living churches and may He live in you and may He give you a guarantee of future bliss here. As you can see, my present announcement, as always, is weak and worthless, but accept, imitators of Christ, from me, the poor, these seeds, like two mites for a widow (see Luke 21:1-4), and try to put them into practice. For I do not need any praise other than fulfilling my instructions. Do not be surprised that I often repeat the same thing, for, even despite this, we do not carry out exactly everything that is indicated to us. Therefore, until my death, I must preach with pleasure, and you listen. May the Lord and our God preserve, establish (see 1 Pet. 5:10) and direct your path and deeds, making you glad, glad, and delighting your hearts, and in this way also making you worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. About not extolling any other system of life except the communal one My fathers, brothers and children. I am lying sick and therefore cannot appear to you in person and pronounce my insignificant announcement before you. But if you are alive and healthy in soul and body, then I do not feel any illness or suffering. For you are truly my children, my health, strength, rest, comfort, joy and crown (see Phil. 4:1). With you - prosperity, happiness, celebration, fame, wealth, joy, pleasure and pleasure. But if your soul is bad (from which God forbid), then I also feel sorrow, illness and despondency. Therefore, as a father (although unworthy of such a name), as a brother, as a child, as your servant, I ask you, I exhort and beseech you: stand, endure, be strong, take courage, be lifted up in thought, soar in the heavens, so that you may see in your mind our Lord Jesus Christ, sitting on the throne of glory, Whom the Cherubim, Seraphim and all the angelic ranks stand before and serve with fear and trembling, for those who have valiantly completed their feat, not seduced by any temporary joy and not mired in the sweetness of worldly vanity, will hear the blessed voice of the Lord and the righteous, it is said, they will be enlightened like the sun (Matthew 13:43), when they come from the east, west, north and sea (Ps. 107:3) and lie down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in inexpressible joy (see Matthew 8:11) and when our King and Lord begins to distribute His rewards according to merit. Yes, yes, my children, what glory will not the blessed (see Phil. 4:1) and holy ascetics taste! Monastic community - in imitation of Christ Everyone, of course, will receive benefits according to the rank in which he pleased God. Of course, great are those who serve God in the mountains, in dens and in the abysses of the earth (Heb. 11:38), as well as pillars of all kinds (στυλῖται και κιονίται), hermits ( εγκεκλεισμένοι) and other kinds of ascetics 194. But remember, my beloved and dear, that the Distributor of unspeakable blessings, our Lord Jesus Christ, having descended to earth, chose not the desert, not the pillars, and not any other of these lives, but the law and the commandment of obedience. For He Himself says: I came down from heaven, not that I should do My will, but the will of the Father who sent Me (John 6:38). What I say, I do not say about Himself (John 14:10), but the Father who sent Me gave Me commandment, whatever I should speak and whatever I should say (John 12:49). He girded himself with a towel and, taking upon himself the duties of a servant, washed the disciples’ feet and dried them with the towel. At the same time, He said: I am in your midst as one who serves (Luke 22:27). Seeing, my children and my brothers, this service of the Lord, as well as how He accepted our way of life for everyone, don’t you really feel joy, joy, are you not filled with pleasure and delight at the fact that you imitate the Lord with your life? Can you then praise anything else and strive for other types of life? If you only strictly carry out your way of life, you should not praise any other more than him. That is why in Saint Gerontik 195 it was indicated through revelation that of the three types of salvation - desert, in illness and in obedience - the novice turned out to be the most glorious when he fulfilled obedience 196. Live as if you were going to die today Yes, I repeat to you, my brothers, our life is great, and you, running with all your might, will be glorified with Abraham, rejoice with the martyrs and dwell with the righteous. Therefore, run well, do not let the devil deceive you (see Gal. 5:7; 3:1), do not stumble, anoint your feet with the oil of strength, so that, having softened the veins of your soul, you can run. Put on the clothing of righteousness and joy, drink the water of purity and chastity (see: 1 Tim. 4:12; 2 Tim. 1:7). Don't ask how long this will continue. Only lazy people say that. We don't live for a thousand years. In the Old Testament people once lived for nine hundred, seven hundred, three hundred, or at the very least a hundred years; so, for example, lived Noah, Enoch, Enos, Abraham, Job 197 and others who pleased God. In our generation, the most that anyone can comprehend is seventy years: the days of our years, according to the divine David, are precisely seventy or eighty years (Ps. 89:10). We see babies, children at an early age die before they grow up or become strong enough. So we, children, will live as if we were to die today, and so, according to the father’s commandment, set yourself up every day. In this way our holy fathers endured this short life 198. May there be upon you, according to the holy prayers of my father, mercy, peace, love, obedience, goodness, mutual assistance and love, and may envy, ill-will and vanity be driven away from you. Live in these virtues, revolve in them, praying at the same time for me, insignificant, that I may not be cast into eternal fire, which we may all be worthy to escape, being worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven in Christ Jesus our God. To Him is due all glory, honor, worship and majesty, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the terrible Day of Judgment and about the torment prepared for sinners My fathers, brothers and children. Although I am physically ill, I am still able to speak a little, therefore, in order to avoid the accusation of laziness, I want to teach you a little, so that among you there are not sick people, or those who sleep mentally or, on the contrary, are awake in sins, or, further, those who, thanks to the passions that kindle them, are exhausted from thirst and need a drop of a word that cools them (see Luke 16:24), or, finally, those who perish from hunger, but not due to a lack of bread and water, but the word [of salvation] (see Amos 8:11), which is a mortal danger for the soul. Request Rev. Theodora about herself The Lord sees 199 how you live and how you dispose to live, how you move and how you exercise yourself, how you keep yourself in word and in every movement in divine life. Help me, the accursed one, with your strength, having mercy on me. Carry your worthless father like loving children. It is reported that some birds, joining in pairs, lift their aged father onto their wings and so fly from place to place. So you, too, raise me up in the same way, renew me and look after me, who have grown old not in the flesh, but in sins. And this all consists in each of you keeping love in the bond of peace (see Eph. 4:3; Col. 3:14-15) and having the Lord at your right hand (see Ps. 16:8; 120:5), so that you never stagger to lust, nor to anger, nor to envy, nor to laughter, nor to idle talk, nor to anything else that brings you to the bottom hell. What, my children, is a person free from the power of hell like? Do you know what Saint Dorotheos says about this? “He who is not possessed by sin,” he writes, “is like an eagle flying at will, and if even one claw gets stuck, then he has already fallen into a trap and caught by the hunter” 200. Therefore, pay attention, force yourself, for to those who force themselves belongs the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 11:12). What fear and horror will seize you upon death! I judge this by the illness that recently happened to me; I felt unspeakable suffering from it. And if it is so painful and unbearable in a small illness, then what will we experience, my gentlemen and masters, when death itself comes, when the soul begins to tear away from this fleshy shell? But even more, how will we endure - if anyone decides to live carelessly - that terrible day when, at the sound of the Archangel trumpet, all people will rise up (see 1 Thess. 4:16) and all tribes, every tribe and every tongue will go to Judgment. Then the sky will burst with a noise, the elements will burn (see 2 Pet. 3:10, 12), every creation will change, all the countless thousands of Angels will appear with fear, then the Judge of all will sit and begin to expose the deeds and words of everyone, presenting to our face all the evidence, and the sin itself, and the place, and the way, and the time of its commission, and all this in the blink of an eye (see 1 Cor. 15:52). Then, it is said, those who have done good will go into eternal belly, and those who have done evil will go into eternal torment (Matthew 25:46), there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (see Matthew 8:12), their fire will not go out and the worm will not die (see Isaiah 66:24). First, demons will be sent there, as if with their hands tied behind them - the holy Angels will chase them with beatings and plunge them into torment, and then after them those who are condemned with them. Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to Your name (Ps. 113:9), let us give glory on that day by standing at Your right hand 201 . Receive this insignificant announcement from me and reward me for it with obedience, prudence and love until death, so that we can say with joy and cheerfulness: who will separate us from our love for Christ? Is it tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or trouble, or a sword? For for Your sake we are put to death all day long: we are counted as sheep of the slaughter (Rom. 8:35–36). To him be glory forever. Amen. About love for monastic life, about humility and fulfillment of Divine commands 202 My children, brothers and fathers. Since, due to illness, I could not see you and then say goodbye to you with prayer on the main day, that is, Sunday, now, by the love of God, having strengthened myself a little, I considered it a good thing to talk with you. I need to explain to you where my illness came from. The true reason for it is my sins, but the accidental reason is this: in the evening that day I had a terrible pain in my thigh, as a result of which a chill arose in the lower part of my thigh, followed by a severe fever; At present, as I already told you, the fever has passed, but the chill still lingers. But I hope that, according to your prayers, a little more and I will recover completely. Know, my dear children, that, despite the intense fever and severe pain, I still continued to think and ache in my heart about you, so that my sins would not lead any of you to any bad deed. And you, my children, since from many years of experience you have already become accustomed to the divinely inspired way of monastic life, do not allow any hesitation, do not abandon your good disposition, but love and observe everything commanded to you and abide in my sinful love, just as I love you (see John 15:9-10) more than your parents, more than your brothers, relatives and the whole world. The devil has many different tricks (see Eph. 6:11), and if he finds someone unstable (see 2 Pet. 2:14; 3:16), then he can easily do us harm. But those who are nailed down by the fear of God throw away his swords, which have become impoverished, in the words of the sacred David, to the end (Ps. 9:7), and, having said goodbye to them, they lead the feat of piety and engage in heavenly contemplations and deeds. Advice: Do not offend each other As if being present with you, children, personally, I see how one of the brothers, let’s say, allows a cruel word, insult, abuse or something else. You, brother, who has to receive this, do not get angry, do not immediately fly into a rage and do not explode, like frivolous people, at the slightest push, but be firm and unshakable, because insult and ridicule will fall on the one who allowed them, and whoever endured them in cold blood will get victory. The latter is a man of God (see 1 Tim. 6:11), and the latter is an unbreakable slave who will be punished at the same hour. Therefore, I ask you, my dear children, do not offend each other, do not quarrel, do not look down on each other, do not be vain, do not boast that you sing or work harder, that you are smarter or that you are nobler in origin or more beautiful in appearance, for all this should not even be mentioned. But, acquiring humility in everything and submitting yourself in obedience before God and your superiors, complete your path, do not work in vain, strive profitably. For here I am, in the presence of the Lord our God, His holy Angels and all creation, I proclaim and bring good news to you that when you finish your course, you will rejoice with the martyrs, the bosom of Abraham will warm you in the eternal villages (see Luke 16:22) and the whole face of the righteous will receive you (see Luke 16:9). Endure hardships, but do not grieve for the sake of the expected benefits; labor, but for the sake of the heavenly inheritance do not fall; endure spiritual grief, but do not be embarrassed for the sake of Him who said: I am meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29), that you may be His sons and joint heirs (Rom. 8:17) of His kingdom. Watch and fast: eat even by weight of bread, some one liter 203, some less, some more, depending on how much nature requires from each 204. Endure the heat and heat, let your faces turn black from the sun, and at the same time rejoice, rejoice and fly with your hopes to the mountain, to heaven, for all this is insignificant and will last only a few days, and then you will receive them without seeing them, and without hearing them, and without breathing into the heart of man (1 Cor. 2:9), and all this will continue forever and ever. Once again, my brothers and children, I ask you: hasten to your salvation, ascend on good ascents (Ps. 83:6), pray for me, the prodigal, so that I alone will not cause your stumbling and destruction. Pray also for our father, for as long as he lives, so we live. Finally, pray for our absent brothers, and especially for those who have recently gone on long journeys, so that our Lord and God, having preserved everyone in peace, will bring them back. The reason why I recently called the brothers together was not my illness, because I already wanted to invite everyone. The reason for this is that one person wanted to cut his hair, and this person is of high position: he holds the title of ipata from the king 205. He is single and has a fair amount of wealth. Rejecting all this for the love of God and being delighted with our monastery, which he was told about and which some people advised him to choose, on that very day at an inopportune hour he left his country estate and arrived here. In view of this kind of circumstance, since not everyone is tonsured under the same conditions, I immediately decided to give him the initial tonsure, and then the perfect holy image 206. Therefore, having invited your elders along with the brothers who are here for the necessary work, I fulfilled the will of God, and he took the initial tonsure. With the permission of Christ, come tomorrow evening to clothe him in the holy image on Thursday. Thank the Lord that, despite my damnation, erring people come to faith and come here in order to be saved. And I persistently repeat to you that if we seek with all our might the Kingdom of God, as the Lord Christ Himself said, and righteousness (Matthew 6:33), then He will magnify this place and glorify it with complete mental and physical well-being. Only we ourselves, as I said, must not transgress His commands in anything. May the Lord give you success and strengthen you (see 1 Pet. 5:10), may he establish, restore, exalt and keep you all in peace in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. About those who, through carelessness or simplicity, placed the steward on an equal footing with the abbot My children, brothers and fathers, I did not think of telling you this announcement, but since some occasions presented themselves, the time has come to tell you what has accumulated in me for a long time. What I mean is that you, perhaps out of ignorance, perhaps through carelessness or, finally, with malicious intent, praise the steward to my detriment and completely overshadow me with his personality, often repeating to each other, for example, such speeches that if the steward were here, then such a thing would have been done differently, but better, and even incomparably better, and also: “Alas, alas, where is the steward? How would he feel about this? And you speak these praises in my presence. Some even allow you to express yourself like this: “Leave it, leave it, the steward will give orders, and then we’ll see how to proceed in this matter.” Is all this appropriate and useful for us, that is, the steward, me and you? On the contrary, are you not splitting the brotherhood into parties, are you dividing it and destroying it? Are you not showing yourselves to be untrue and disobedient children, are you not showing by this that the steward has violated the order and that I am not acting for Divine purposes and am acting in a carnal way, namely, that I am attached and favor him as a carnal brother? Do you not thus introduce two masters (see Matt. 6:24), two rulers, two powers? Unity of power - in the likeness of God But our Lord Jesus Christ said that a kingdom divided into... will not exist (Matthew 12:25). Once there are two powers, then there is already a plurality of commands, and if there is a plurality of commands, then troubles arise, and troubles are the cause of death. What kind of misfortune are you bringing upon yourself by not keeping yourself within proper boundaries and not maintaining proper relations with him? I am a sinful and prodigal person (I will say more, I have no merits and it is only out of my own insolence that I occupy this holy place) and in my stupidity (cf. 2 Cor. 11:1) I still dare to say that neither for the sake of my brothers, nor for the sake of relatives, nor for my mother, nor for my father, nor for my neighbors, nor for the sake of anything carnal in general, will I renounce what is due, but if it turns out to be necessary, then, with God’s help and with through the prayer of my lord and father, I will not hesitate to give up my accursed body and blood, just so as not to do anything harmful to myself and you. One, as it is said, is the Lord and the Lawgiver (James 4:12), one power, one authority and one authority (ΰεαρχία) over everything. For this unity of command, the source of all wisdom, goodness and order, extends to all creatures created by Him and subject to Him, but His likeness is given only to one person. The Divine Moses in one place in the history of the creation of the world writes, as if from the words of the Divine voice: Let us create man in Our image and likeness (Gen. 1:26). According to the model of this unity of command, all government and all power are further structured, and first of all in the churches, both in their highest circles and in the lower ones: one patriarch, one metropolitan in his metropolis, one bishop in his bishopric and one abbot in the monastery. It’s the same in the world: one king, one commander in the regiment, one captain on the ship, one center in the circle, one daylight. Let's pay attention to the birds: one is flying ahead of the flock of cranes. Let's also look at thieves: the whole gang is ruled by one, and if all his subordinates do not obey his one will, then the gang will not remain a gang, the enterprises will go unsuccessfully and everything will go disorganized. And why say too much? It is wrong and imprudent that you make the above speeches; being flesh, you want to force me to live in a carnal way. You don’t want to look at our head, namely at my master and father [Plato], that after he (I don’t know for what reasons) agreed, according to your election, to make me abbot 208, then from then on he completely abstains from all orders, but follows my will. And I speak the absolute truth, and do not lie, for I do not ask any more from any of you than from him, I present all my demands to him, and he, despite the fact that he is the master, obeys all my orders. So this is about my father and master. Then I will point you to our presbyter 209, who is both physically older and spiritually higher than me. What can I say about him? You yourself know very well how boldly I put him in this position, and he did not contradict or object. Have I changed his title? Did I transfer him from the position of housekeeper? Didn't he endure all this completely silently? So why then do you present the economist as my opponent and as if he disagrees with me? Someone told me that he considers all three of us to be one person. Oh, what ignorance and what misunderstanding! For if he believes that the three of us act together, then he thereby says that you are subordinate to me on other grounds than those two persons, and if the fool thinks otherwise (that is, that power is divided between us), then he introduces multiple commands or accuses me of partiality and carnal considerations. This is not the case. My father's personality, as well as mine, if you wish, you can (although I am unworthy of it) call one, just as the father himself instructs you. But in relation to the personality of the confessor and steward, this should not at all take place, so as not to make them equal to me as deputy abbot or chief superiors. Their personalities are one with all your personalities, although each of you differs from the other in his position, but that’s all. This is how I think before God, you also adhere to the same way of thinking, so that, harming both yourself and them, you do not perish, as you do not expect. When you think in your own way, you keep a carnal way of thinking and equate them with me, because one of them is my uncle, and the other is my brother. Where is the spirit after this? Where is renunciation? How can you be called my children? You are showing yourselves to be false children. If I were as inclined as you think, then I would not agree to become your leader; and if I turn out to be like this in the future, then run away from me, because that means I am unworthy to be your abbot, just as I am unworthy to be now, when such things are happening among us. The only excuse for this is that, apparently, all this stems from your frivolity. Therefore, you must establish yourself in this evil (not to call it anything else) thought of mine, so that you are not shaken not only by any confessor or anyone else, but even by a saint or an apostle himself. If, therefore, Satan attacks you, then with your love and loyalty to me, like a sharpened sword, drive him away, thereby revealing the strength of your obedience; in other words, if one of the elders, or perhaps one of the middle ones, or one of the younger ones, shows stubbornness in anything or makes inappropriate speech, shows disobedience, then you will restrain him with a harsh word, so that he will correct himself and you will not experience damage. Do not be offended, children, by my words, for they were spoken out of love and out of sorrow of heart (cf. 2 Cor. 2:4), so that you do not, out of ignorance, stumble upon the sting of death, that is, sin (1 Cor. 15:56). Anyone of you who does anything at the will of the steward or elder without my permission to do so, let him be a stranger to me, the humble one, and I dare say also to God Himself. Anyone, further, who, together with any of the elders or the younger ones, conceives any matter besides me, let him be outside the truth; He’s hanging around here in vain, he’s not my child. If I, in turn, fall in love, become attached and begin to show favor to any of my relatives or in general to anyone close to me more than to you, the rest, then let me be anathema (see Gal. 1:8-9) I myself. By this I bring condemnation upon myself, for I am full of passions and sin, but what I have established, let it remain so. Let my writing serve as strengthening for those who are innocent, and as healing for those who are guilty, and in general, I said all this for your benefit, so that you may be strengthened. The Lord and God, through the prayers of my father, may he elevate you, may he increase you, may he perfect you in further success, in the highest understanding and the firmest strength, and may he make you all worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven in Christ Jesus our God, to whom be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About fasting and the future Last Judgment 210 My beloved children and brothers. The Lord, who governs everything harmoniously 211 in His wisdom, transcending times and years, showed us real saving and soul-beneficial days, which serve as a kind of propitiation and cleansing of the sins of the entire past year. Thanks be to Him who showed them to us and made us worthy to comprehend them. Even without this, we must constantly live in purity and purity and keep all the commandments of God, and especially now. The time of purification - so let us purify ourselves; time of abstinence - let us abstain. Let us not do this in relation to food alone, for this is not enough, but let us abstain from lust in the heart, from shameful acts in the imagination ( προλήψεων), let us not envy the preference shown to our brother, let us not be angry and furious with our neighbor, let us not leave our tongue unbridled so that it can spin as it pleases, but he too must know the limits, time and measure in order to say what is appropriate. Further, let the eye not cast out prodigal glances, let the ear be tightly closed so as to listen only to what is pleasing and pleasing to God. I earnestly ask you, children: make yourself an organ, a sweet psalter of the Holy Spirit. Protect your hands from bad deeds, do not touch with them anything that evokes a desire for pleasure, do not allow yourself to be indulged by lust. Be peaceful to each other. And that the all-honorable Pentecost is painful for the body, don’t be discouraged by this, be patient a little; when you get used to it, you will feel good, and especially after the first week has passed. This fast is enough for us to limit ourselves to bread, water and something else. Our most blessed fathers, as you know, spent it almost without food, and some did not eat anything during Lent, some ate after a week, some after one day, some after three, and some ate a little every day. We eat every day, and even a variety of foods. May the Lord remember us in our humility (cf. Ps. 131:1); undoubtedly, this small feat is pleasant to Him and He places it as highly as the feat of the great Anthony. For we live communally and follow the royal path, which the fathers put above every other path. The Royal Path of Communal Monasticism So, my children, keep yourself always healthy in the cage of your soul and do not dare to do anything to the detriment and destruction of your souls. Let us fear the Lord, who is coming to reveal the secret darkness and reveal the counsels of the heart (1 Cor. 4:5) and reward everyone not only for his deeds alone, but also for his words and simply for his thoughts, and the most terrible thing - even for sins committed out of ignorance. Who can be justified before Him? Who wouldn't run away after that? Who, in view of this, will not begin to stay awake and cut off his slowness and drowsiness of laziness? Get up, the night has passed, the day of the coming existence has already shone [with the morning dawn] 212 (see: Rom. 13:12; 2 Pet. 1:19). May death not overtake you unprepared, may it not cause you an incurable and eternal wound. I, accursed and worthy more than any other person - even alone of all people - of eternal torment, am afraid, horrified and trembling at separation from the body and the appearance of Angels. How will I get through the air areas? How will I speak to the ruler of the world in accordance with how it is described in the life of St. Antonia? 213 Oh, I am weak! What awaits me? Why am I ruining myself, constantly snoring and dozing in sins? How will I answer God, the Judge of all and the Lord? With what eyes will I dare to look at the One who with His gaze dries up the abyss and destroys the mountains with a terrible word (see: Ps. 67:8; Is. 41:15)? How can I protect myself? Who will I take as my defender? How will I beg the Inexorable One, how will I bow with the bitter tears of my heart, pitiful speeches and cries of the Inexorable One in His justice? Woe is me, my brothers, woe! I already foresee my fate from here: I am cursed, rejected and consumed. Only one hope does not allow me to despair; this is my father’s prayer 214 together with your blessed prayer. Let us rise and hasten to everything that pleases God, courageously enduring the present and rejoicing in what is expected. Let us despise the body, and labor, and ridicule, and scolding, and strangulation, and exhaustion from work, and everything else. If you live this way, if I, a sinner, remind you of this, then, without a doubt, we will be saved and rejoice in heaven in joy forever, along with all those who have pleased Christ from the ages. Destroy laziness, be friendly, even, calm, easy-going in heart, help each other, do not take on any worries or troubles, for for this you have me, humble to every rule. And why do you need to care and make a fuss about many things? I advise you to choose the good part (Luke 10:42), namely, to obey my humble instructions. Save yourself, my children, in the Lord and rejoice in His fear, study the rules, memorize what is commanded to you, imitate the good examples in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. On the ascetic and equal-angelic life Blessed, my beloved children, is God, who, according to His great humane mercy and in accordance with what His will foresaw (see 1 Pet. 1:2), called us by the holy calling to completely exalt ourselves to Him in this holy image and devote ourselves to His closest service and angelic praise; Who inclined your hearts to renounce your parents, relatives, homeland, neighbors and everything else and take upon yourself His easy and saving yoke (see Matthew 11:30); Who finally made me, insignificant, worthy to unite with you for a common good life, for I do not dare to think about leadership and shepherding on my part (although I was appointed for this). Rejoice always, my beloved children, in the Lord (Phil. 4:4). Rejoice, inhabitants of heaven, exiles on earth, inhabitants of Jerusalem above (Gal. 4:26), homeless here 215, heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven, having no lot or share in earthly sweets! Rejoice, zealous travelers who suffered exile and retired to a foreign land for the commandments of God! Rejoice, you who are the last in the world and possessors of blessings that are beyond reason (cf. Phil. 4:7)! Rejoice, good and God-gathered brotherhood, unanimous, like-hearted, wholehearted and brotherly loving assembly, angelic regiment on earth, renewers of the ancient life of our all-holy fathers! Rejoice, workers of God, hard workers and apostolic men, who work night and day with their hands so as not to burden others, and who thereby satisfy not only their own needs, but also their weakest brothers, as well as strangers in need! Rejoice, indestructible system, God-united face, which was not crushed by either the royal threat, 216, or fear of the authorities, or even ready death! Rejoice, you who rejoice for each other and each assimilate the distinction of his brother, in whom there is no envy, no rivalry, no ill will, but instead peace, love and harmony! What I mean here is not that we have no struggle at all - for who is crowned except the one who is attacked and, in turn, resists, who is beaten by the fired arrows and, for his part, wounds these shooters - but that we do not completely fall from satanic attacks. Eat, then, my God-gathered children, in the pastures of the Spirit and drink the water given by the Lord, after tasting which a person will never thirst, and it will be for him a source of water flowing into an eternal belly (John 4:14). Winter has come, but we have few rooms and they are cramped 217. But do not be discouraged because of this, for you yourself are extensive in virtue and marvelous in that you do not consider anything regrettable, although you are forced to perform a painful task - pleasing God. If we remember our holy fathers, as well as modern ascetics, we will find that we still live in a palace. Don't you see that only the servants of the Lord even now live right under the open sky? Others are imprisoned in crevices, in burial caves, and some wear chains, eat meager food - some live on bread alone, while others do not even have this and live on chestnuts, eating them every other day. This is actually done in our time. Don’t be upset by this, you don’t lag behind them a single step, but, as the fathers say, you go along with them and even overtake them - just be ready, get even more inflamed, strengthen yourself even more firmly, throw the enemy to the ground, striking him with your humility, with the sword of frankness in confession, with the knife of obedience. May the Sun of righteousness shine constantly in your heart (Mal. 4:2), dispelling the darkness of passions. For when it rises, the beasts gather and lie down in their beds (Ps. 103:22). Understand this spiritually. Let us also go out to our work for the sake of the Lord, from the morning of life until the evening of death, fulfilling our work (see Luke 11:28). A little more, and our victory is ready and we will be blessed. Then our homeland, our parents and relatives will also become famous. Follow the rules, orders, regulations. If your brothers fall, you lift them up; if they weaken, strengthen them: you are tired, but another is strengthened; he dozed off, but this one rushed zealously; someone grumbled or went beyond the bounds of obedience, but an elder imposed punishment on him or some brother persuaded him and thus destroyed disobedience; so-and-so was irritated, but the other softened him with calm words; someone got angry, but then, thanks to a good adviser, they made peace; the other laughed immoderately, but, looking at his brother’s serious or even simply calm face, he healed himself; Someone was idle or spoke harmful speeches, but a good person was found nearby and raised the fallen one. And in general, everyone should find help, protection and means for correction in their brothers, as it is said: brother helps brother, like a city is strong and high (Proverbs 18:19). Living this way, my children, help me with your holy prayers, for sins dominate me more than any other person. Listen to the readings carefully and note the most appropriate sayings. You, my beloved child, assistant steward, constantly lay down your soul firmly and brotherly for your brothers (see John 15:13), just as you, my beloved child, senior plowman (πρωτοζευγων), shed your blood for the whole brotherhood, being a model and rule for your subordinates. Stay awake, cellarer, for my eyes are constantly looking at the table of my children - watch how you act and how you intend to serve me. Look after their food and arrange it as at the table of God. Show your vigilance in everything, equalize the portions on every dish, put better or even larger portions for more respectable persons, for this is fair before God and people. Gardeners, deliver vegetables to the brethren in sufficient quantities, as if every time you bring them to the Heavenly King Himself. Carpenters working near the olive trees, plowmen, bakers, all work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), especially you who are assigned to the mills, watch how you walk (Eph. 5:15), do not take the sword into your hearts, do not be careless about your spiritual affairs. For some brothers told me about you that you admit something bad: you enter into conversations with women who expelled us from paradise. Haven't you heard what Eve did to Adam? Away from seduction, from the evil bait! Run, run, like the great Martinian 218, if not physically, then mentally. In general, I receive news that you live well. Why didn't any of you come here on Sunday? Make sure this doesn't happen in the future. Exhortation to Mutual Aid Behold, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, constantly lifting me with the arm of His strength (see Luke 1:51) from the depths of my iniquities, through the intercession of my father and through your prayers, may He grant you the same wisdom (Phil. 2:2), to have one mind, one spirit, one mind, one will, so that you may live holy and righteous (see Titus 2:12), achieve the blessings promised to all saints from eternity To Him who was well pleased, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be glory and power, honor and worship with the Father and the All-Holy and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Children are my spiritual and most honest brothers. I do not feel lazy in preaching to you as often as possible and confirming you (see Phil. 3:1) with the words of truth, so that any of you, either ignorantly or deliberately, does not stumble upon the sting of death, that is, sin (1 Cor. 15:56), breaking the commandment and doing what should not be done. Even now, when this is done, we see that the insidious enemy Satan is at work in some persons, for whom I weep and because of whom sadness gnaws at me. For I, the unclean one, on the day of righteous judgment and revelation (Rom. 2:5) will give an answer to the Master for all and in every way the sins you have committed, for not preaching and teaching on time. Therefore, woe to me if I do not preach to you, but especially woe to me because, being unworthy to be called even a sheep, I have the rank of shepherd! How can I answer this? What can I give in my defense? I am darkness, and I am appointed to shine for others; I am oppressed and overcome by passions, but I must heal the weak. But I bear this out of love for you and as a result of my father’s command that I myself should rather go alone to kindle Gehenna than harm you. I, my brothers, daily mentally contemplate the judgment of God and imagine how terrible it is and how God demands from a person that he be perfect, filled with all sorts of virtues, especially from a preacher. What should I do after this? What to resort to? Who should you take as your assistant? There is only one thing that remains - to take your fervent prayers and our lord and father 219, so that, strengthened by them, I would be able to govern myself well, fight against my passions and walk correctly in the will of the Lord. To us, my brothers, lies before us 220 the Kingdom of Heaven. Let us admire him by fulfilling the Divine commandments. Let's not allow the desire for pleasure, let's not be lazy, let's break away even more from the world and worldly things (see 1 John 2:15), let's swim through the turbulence of passions, overcome opposing winds (see Eph. 6:12), let's save ourselves in the calm haven of eternal life. What a bitter punishment is inflicted on the careless! What anger and rage there is for every soul of a person who does evil (Rom. 2:9), and of a Christian in general, especially a monk! For as much as we are respectable, we will also be responsible for the depravity of our lives. The special responsibility of a monk before God The sorrow from forcing ourselves will not last long, and eternal pleasure will come for it, when we inherit a good fate for an insignificant constraint on ourselves, either in food, or in sleep, or in anger, or in bad thoughts, or in anything else. After all, if we want and begin to constrain ourselves, then the Lord will give us strength, and the path of virtue will be smooth and even for us. Sin, for those who follow His path, is difficult, strewn with abysses, cramped, dark, disgusting and destructive. So come, my children, let us walk along the narrow and at the same time free, narrow but also wide path of God (see Matthew 7:14). Drive away fatigue by vigils, sing diligently, pray, love one another, avoid shamelessness. For shamelessness is a great evil and a thing that causes death. The cunning devil, when someone does not look after himself, quickly sneaks up and runs into our soul and wounds us with the arrow of his sin, drawing our attention to the beautiful faces of youth, and excites both sides with voluptuous smiles to raise passions. For when he, having seduced someone, forces him to love fornicately the one for whom he has passion, then after that he tries to arouse the corresponding passion and mutual love in this other. And then begins a mutual exchange of views, imagining each other in the imagination, mental softening, the ignition of lust, and if the great help of God, fatherly care and recognition of temptation by those who have been subjected to it do not come in time, then trouble arises, the fire of Sodom and the death of Gomorrah. Let's all avoid this. And I am the first, experienced even before, to extend my hand to all of you who suffer from this. The great protection here is guarding the eyes and true confession. Further, let us also not get angry at ourselves, for here too death is hidden. Those who don’t know this don’t need to open it. But everyone must take care that those who do not know the worst due to inexperience do not fall into the pit of destruction. Shamelessness is a great evil and causes death Those affected by this, you know what I'm talking about. Don't touch, don't touch any of your dicks. Do not look at your nakedness, lest you be cursed like Canaan (Gen. 9:25–26). For the great pillar in the desert fell, as the divine Anthony said, not from any cause, but because it was captivated by this sin 221. Fornication also occurs when the body does not come close to another. Be careful how dangerously you walk (Eph. 5:15), so that death does not snatch you away. When you meet a great need, sit gracefully. Likewise, when you emit water, do not look at how it flows, and do not touch your penis with your hands. Damned man! Do you know what the apostle says, namely: who will deliver me from the body of this death? (Rom. 7:24). You live with a wild beast, with a fierce lion - flesh. If you do not prepare a sword for him, he will kidnap, tear to pieces and destroy you. It is difficult for you to touch the dragon with your bare hands and fingers. It is better to arm yourself with a bow and a sword and remain unharmed and alive. Attitude to the body - your own and others Have pity, have pity, my children and brothers, do not bring further fire upon my head for my countless sins. On the contrary, with your good deeds, scatter the multitude of my sins, which surpasses every man. For it is said: a wise son makes his father glad (Prov. 10:1), even if his understanding fails, he has forgiveness for him (Sir. 3:13). I, children, must tell you all this, give you advice and receive in turn from you information about why we suffer, direct my words against secret deeds and not consider such conversations shameful, for we would rather talk about harmful things than do them, since thanks to this we are strengthened and get the opportunity to drive away the devil. Be strong in your obediences, strengthened in your deeds, with the joy of hope (see Rom. 12:12) and in the spiritual joy of godliness bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2). Grow constantly and become perfect in Christ Jesus our Lord, with Him to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the deceit of unclean spirits and about the reward that awaits those who obey well My fathers, brothers and children. The duty of the abbot requires that I preach to you daily about the way of the Lord. Scripture says that the priest is the angel of the Lord Almighty and at the same time a teacher, and requires him to instruct his flock in the law (see Mal. 2:7). And I, unfortunate one, became lazy and stopped speaking, because my lips are unclean (see Isa. 6:5), and my heart is vicious and does not know God, although I live among holy people, even moreover, I preside over them. However, out of love for the Lord [from time to time], I break the silence, now teaching, now warning you along with myself from the temptations to which I am exposed, in one case - talking brotherly, in another - with filial boldness, including myself, for I recognize myself as your indecent child. In what way, my most honest brothers, will we correct our path (Ps. 119:9)? Of course, in keeping the words of God and deciding His righteousness. After all, we have a strong and constant struggle with the rulers of the darkness of this age; on the other hand, their anger towards us is great and tireless; according to the “Ladder” 222, they pounce on us, outrage us, raise a whirlwind of desires in us, tickle us with movements in the womb, like a mother in childbirth, and [do this] mainly with the young. They light the furnace of wishes, diversify their tricks; they have deadly drinks in their vessels. They defeat a weak, careless person by any of these [means]: either by mortal envy, or vanity, or secrecy, or cunning considerations that incline [to sin]; each of them can plunge a soul susceptible to passions into hell. In general, anyone who has succumbed to any other suggestion no longer has God, the Kingdom of Heaven, has lost eternal life, has lost endless joy; he inherits an unquenchable fire, an endless worm, dark tartarus and a society of demons. Oh, if only, brethren, we had not been subjected to any of this! Let us avoid his snares, fight [him] courageously, let us endure the fire of wishes, and it will completely fade away. Almighty Divine help will not allow us to become inflamed for a long time; we will go out and breathe in the coolness of innocence, chanting Him, like the holy youths (see Dan. 3:50–90). And if we are overcome by hatred of suffering, we will arm ourselves, and the small danger will pass; if it lasts an hour, or three hours, or even a whole day, it will disappear on your bed, for we are taught to drive away, when going to sleep, what we had in our hearts throughout the whole day. Since you are considered a militant soldier of Christ, you will receive not punishment, but crowns. You are wounded, but you also inflicted a wound; fell (may it not be!) - get up quickly; by a word you were inclined to lawlessness, by sight [you are carried away] to destruction, you gave in to mental laziness, you were convicted of laughter - turn, respond to the call, repent, give glory to God, bring confession, shed warm heartfelt tears, sigh from the depths of your heart, become more serious, more modest, lament, humble yourself - this is the healing of the soul, as it is written: when you turn, you will sigh, then you will be saved and you will know where you are. You have not yet finished your words, and He will already answer: Behold, I am (Is. 65:1), and in another place he says: I saw that he returned and was broken, and healed his ways (Is. 57:17-18). This is how good our God is, how merciful, easy to entreat, and quick to obey. He is the propitiation for our sins (see 1 John 2:2), He became poor for our sake and for the sake of our salvation He was tormented, wounded, mocked, disgraced, ridiculed, drained of His all-holy blood, and by His wound we are healed, as it is written (Isaiah 53:5). Let us turn to Him and fall down, my brothers, and weep before Him, since He is our God, and we are the people of His heritage and the sheep of His hand. Now let us obey His voice, let us not cause Him to become bitter (see Ps. 94:6–7). We will not deviate, as [the Jews] once did, into the murmur of disobedience (see 1 Cor. 10:10). Let us not be lazy to go to the land of His promise, reached by a narrow (see Matt. 7:14) and sorrowful path, so that our souls do not perish in the desert of vengeance (see Ps. 95:8). If the [Jews] of that time had listened to the leader Joshua and Caleb Jephunneh (see Numbers 13–14), they would have inherited the promises of God. But since they became daring, neglected the rocky path and were afraid of the resistance of the tribes they met [on the way], although they were supported by God, the invincible Power, they were destroyed, and their memory perished with noise (see Ps. 9:7). The same can now be seen in us. If you listen to us, unworthy, and do not turn back, do not become attached to sensual inclinations, remembering Egyptian slavery 223 and slavery to the passions of this world, from which you will be freed by the gift and mercy of God, then awaken with us, arise cheerfully and with a fiery heart, shod with your feet in preparation for the Gospel of peace (see Eph. 6:15) and putting on the armor of unshakable faith (see 1 Thess. 5:8), offering up spiritual prayer for everyone, and we will follow the mental path, defeat the alien and barbaric passions that we encounter along the way and triumph over them. Let us cross the mental Jordan of tears and inherit a land where eternal life increases and where there is an abundance of blessings that surpass the mind (see Phil. 4:7). Always, as now, we strive, my brothers, to develop your souls with our short and unworthy speeches. But you accept the insufficient [word] that we have, and by your departure multiply my small and bad word thirty, sixty and a hundred times (see Matt. 13:8). Yes, I ask you, my most honorable brethren, my love, my crown, my glory, my chosen [people], or rather, the chosen property of God, the holy part, the royal priesthood (see 1 Pet. 2:9), - to such an extent I dare to extol you - bear the labors of your life, the ministries entrusted to you. Walk in joy, cellarer; take heart, assistant steward; gather your strength, manager of the arable land, together with your colleagues; Be strong, you who manage the vegetable garden; rejoice, carpenters; cellarer's assistants, strengthen yourselves; those working at the creamery, strengthen yourself; working at the water mill, may God and your humility always be with you. Rejoice, cook, and with your labor console my children; have fun, canonarch presiding over divine services, do not grieve God, watch how you walk, treat all brothers with firm humility. Rejoice in the Lord, hospital director and his assistant. He who exalts himself over his neighbor is an abomination to the Lord and people Strengthen yourself, scribes, by working in the love of philosophy, for you draw out the law of God and write down the words of the Spirit, publishing tablets, that is, books, not only for the present generation, but also for the future; observe both signs and divisions into verses, even, separate and clean writing. He who manages the lamps and kindles the church fires, serve God with goodwill, clothed in humility, so that the Church of God may be adorned with it. Let the librarian keep the sacred books, as the most holy tablets of God, and demand from the readers to treat them with care, so that the book is put in the proper place, and not just where it happens, so that when it is opened, it does not gather dust, so that it is not littered [by running a finger] while reading individual words incoherently, in addition, so that in its place [in the library] each book is carefully collected and adjusted to one another. Keeper of the sacred utensils, or skevophilax, with fear and trembling, perform the service entrusted to you, with clean hands and an immaculate soul, approach holy [objects], and not profaned ones, so that the fire does not burn you. Vestiary, with your assistants, succeed in preserving the clothing of the brotherhood, distributing to each one decent and appropriate clothing. I consider your service to be on par with that of the farmers; with them, you, who are in charge of the weeks, can have good hopes, being workers who deserve a great reward for the maintenance and care of my most honest children under your care, who may rejoice with you as they walk the path of God. Vegetable grower, poultry keeper, gatekeeper, supplier and caretaker of beauty, all of you rejoice in me, all of you prosper. What should monks be like? Let no one grumble, strive for another, or exalt himself above his neighbor, for such a person is an abomination to the Lord and people. Let no one, either in body or in soul, do anything shameful, eat in secret, lie, gossip, make untimely remarks, invent excuses for sins, let no one be bilingual, not an earphone, not arrogant, not stirring up quarrels, not grandiloquent, not a hypocrite, not a brother-hater, not immovable, not inflexible. On the contrary, all my eternally beloved children, be successful in the path of God, easily mobile, accessible, submissive, non-irritable, bowing your neck down, obedient, bright-faced, free from insolence, loving one another, not idle talkers, so that, by living and acting in this way, we may complete the task set before us (see Heb. 12:1), pleasing God, and obtain the promised good things for us, which may we all achieve through the mercy and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Him be glory, power, honor to the Father with the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. On the difference with which city dwellers and villagers should be treated The need to remember the beginning of your monastic feat My brothers, fathers and children. Since I found myself in the position of your father, although not in dignity, I cannot neglect this issue. I always care about the best guidance for you, so [this time I] will not block my lips (see Ps. 39:10). I am a watchman and I hear the Divine voice saying: “Speak and bear witness to this people” (see Isa. 6:9). For the grace of the Lord has appeared, saving all man, according to the words of the divine Paul, so that, having rejected worldly lusts, especially we who have chosen the monastic way of life, we will live chastely, righteously and piously, waiting for ... the hope and appearance of the blessed God and our Savior Jesus Christ (Tit. 2:10-13), one who grants the Kingdom of Heaven according to their firmness in good deeds, and to the quarrelsome and to please carnal passions, those who have withdrawn from good aspirations - anger and endless punishment with eternal fire. Observe, children, how we live, is it according to our original decision? After all, you remember where you came from. Is it not from darkness to light? Is it not from ignorance 224 to the knowledge of God? Is it not from humiliation and the carnal yoke that many come to honor - honor not only spiritually, but also in this world? Look and understand what you have suffered and from whom you are honored, to whom you are identified and with whom you live. After all, you received honor from the princes of this life, and you reaped glory from the [king] of the temporary kingdom himself 225. There is rumor and glory about you as saints and ascetics. In no case will we disgrace our former [life]. Let us who have become like incense and were once fragrant, let us not finally turn into dust. Previously, we, like a lamp that eternally shines, were placed on the candlestick and gave light to everyone who is in the church, as Scripture says (Matthew 5:15), let us not be taken down towards the end, because being saved from condemnation is more important than virtue [itself]. We humans are somewhat unsteady and are easily carried away by what is lawless, according to the well-known expression of the Divine voice [of Scripture]: a man's mind is diligent towards evil from his youth (Gen. 8:21). Having renounced the world, let us not again appear attached [to it] and partial. Having trampled upon the glory [of the world], let us not strive for it foolishly. You came here, declaring that you have thrown off both desires and everything external. Why do we, having so soon forgotten about our promise and about Him with whom we made a covenant, sealed by the testimony of Angels and people, are looking for some primacy, others for some kind of knowledge, others for rest, and some are greatly indignant if in some respect they are bypassed and not all are honored as the most reverend; We do not mean death, not the terrible judgment seat of thoughts and deeds, not the weight of sins that follows us, but what our heart strives for and what delights us and what our captivated imagination pictures: it chooses one, raises another to the degree of abbot, enriches another with the word of wisdom, property, the establishment of monasteries and in other everyday relationships. Isn't this a temptation and the deceit of Satan? Of course, we do not accuse everyone of this; as the modern proverb says, [this applies] only to some, and everyone is generally free [from it], I am the first guilty of what I am talking about. So, my children, all of us, recognizing all this as insignificant and renouncing earthly things, will strive to achieve the goal that we have set for ourselves, which we have set out to achieve. And we went out to be in poverty, to endure grief, hunger, thirst, to be merciful (Matthew 5:7), pure in heart (Matthew 5:8), peacemakers in soul (Matthew 5:9), to endure shame, persecution, if necessary, slander, to become masters of peace (see 1 Cor. 4:11-13); finally, if the time of torment comes, then accept death for the One who died for our sake. Those who are ready for this every day, even if this does not happen to them, are still considered as if they suffered and, thus, will be glorified and reign together with our one God and the All-King Christ. My children, do not be grumpy and do not envy the successes of others, do not strive at all costs to compare with them. You are known to us on one side, and on the other; This one from simplicity [from a low position] reached heights, that one - on the contrary. This one lived a pampered life, and sometimes he limited his food to bread. The same thing [is observed] in clothing. What one does not consider decent even for a servant or maid, another would like to have as his clothing. The same can be said about shoes and in general about the attitude towards bodily needs. One spends the whole day with no use for his hands, not even considering it possible to walk on his own legs, but he is carried in a chariot, perfumed and dressed up, or, not tolerating even a drop of dirt on his shoes, he moves under a canopy, [he] spends time in the royal palace and [wanders] back and forth on the city boulevards; others take care of his food and even its quantity and observe all his other needs, even in his illness: one [dispenses] a small dose, another a medium one, a third a double dose. Another turns out to be alien to all this 226, passing through lands and abysses, with an ax in his hands, chopping down pines and oaks, or doing something even more difficult; his occupation corresponds to his clothing, and shoes, and food, and drink; he is covered in dirt, suffers hardships day and night, his company is sometimes made up of a herd of bulls or sheep; no accident threatens him in any way. How should one treat all of this and how to distinguish between them? Perhaps without order and mixed, not guided by the information received? In no case: it would be unfair and displeasing to God. I will give to all whoever requires it, we hear the apostolic command (Acts 2:45); or, as they say in the wonderful life of our great father Theodosius 227, in inequality there is equalness and in difference there is identity, just as not all members of the body deserve equal honor and equal care. All of you, having taken this into account, please do not interfere in our activities, as we treat everyone. After all, on the Day of Judgment we will not give an answer to you. I have one love for everyone, and everyone is my child; and the one who, having left everything, follows our humble leadership, seeking those on high, and this is the true son and man of God, even if he seems the most insignificant of all, even if he has given only one vow - to take out manure. True son and man of God Do not be upset, my sanctified brethren, I am not telling you this for the purpose of reproach, and not because I do not take into account your daily labor and good deeds; but what I often have to listen to or guess about myself, I consider it necessary to remind you and speak out for your reflection and salvation. But be complacent and take courage, and no one will take your joy from you (John 16:22), and your glory is in heaven, for the Lord shows us what is high and worthy of praise; Every day you approach the gates of heaven, from sadness to indescribable joy, from obligatory labor to the pleasure of relaxation. The sweat of your labors is a sacred offering to Him; many of you feed the Lord in the person of weak brothers (see Matthew 25:40). And daily doing real mercy, if you continue in this way, if you are persistent in this, you will save me, and you yourself will enter the Kingdom of Heaven in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the Divine Commandments, about not beating any of the brethren, and about Brother Orsisia You can't laugh at God My fathers and brothers. Accept today my insignificant word, offered to you out of duty and necessity. I pray you, brethren, for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins (see Gal. 1:4), be always firm and unshakable (see 1 Cor. 15:58) in the implementation of the Lord's holy and life-giving commandments 228. Let no one, having dozed off, slip into sin, let no one succumb to the temptation of the devil. Let no one sin secretly and cunningly, trying to appear one before us and being another before God, who watches the ways of men and understands the secret. Here I am, pathetic and unfortunate, who unworthily received the responsibility of leading you; I [myself] already testify what kind of condemnation awaits me at the judgment of Christ, to which every soul will appear naked and uncovered (see 2 Cor. 5:10). But you, my children and brothers, do not destroy yourselves, do not deprive yourself of the joy set before you through eternal hope (see Col. 1:5), on the contrary, be saved, as it is written, from this unfaithful and corrupt generation (Matthew 17:17); prepare for yourself eternal life, while hating the world and the things in the world (see 1 John. 2:15): addiction, inclination to pleasure, self-will, self-will. Now we have changed for the world 229, we began to be imbued with the fear of God, we died to sin, we should no longer object, nor go back, nor re-assimilate for ourselves what you renounced before us. You came here as a fugitive from worldly things - show a good and wondrous determination to give yourself as slaves of obedience and for the sake of Christ willingly endure everything until you bleed (see Heb. 12:4). You have already promised this in your oath, with God and His Angels as witnesses. If you are like that, you know it yourself. Look, O man, you cannot laugh at God. The Law of Moses says: he who denies before two or three witnesses will not remain without punishment (see Heb. 10:28). How much more punishment, I think, deserves the one who, having destroyed his oath, trampled on the Son of God, bringing up the sacred blood as a defilement (Heb. 10:29). He Himself suffered for us. Can you, servant, endure what your Lord endured? So why are you angry, my dear? Why are you lamenting? Why are you worried? Why? Have you been abused? The same is true for your Lord. Flagellation? Did He not offer His cheek to the one who struck? Did they laugh at you? But also over your Lord. The reproaches of those who reproach You attack me (Ps. 68:10; cf. Rom. 15:3). You have dug up my hands and my nose, and cut off all my bones (Ps. 21:17–18). Whose stony heart will not soften at the thought of the life-giving passion of Christ and His death for us? Will it not willingly sacrifice itself every day for His sake? Attitudes towards fighting, insults and shaming This is true; and as I think, you are zealous about what was said above, even imitate the [passions] of the Savior and have compassion for Him, so that you may be glorified with Him (see Rom. 8:17) in the Kingdom of Heaven. In this one is superior to the other, one rises above the other to the extent of its inherent strength. May the Lord give you all strength and strength to achieve a perfect husband, according to the age of the fulfillment of Christ (Eph. 4:13). So, I, my children, turn to you with my stinking lips and tell you, my neighbors, about myself, rejoicing, and I want you to share with me both joy and sorrow. Now I have been touched by sorrow for my brother Orsisia, unless the Lord forgives my sin. Since yesterday he has disappeared from our eyes, and the reason for this is not in anyone or anything else, but in me and my sins, only in the bad shepherd, who was not prudent and did not heal the sick man. Woe is me, I will be brought to account and handed over to the tormentors. Therefore, have mercy on me and protect yourself. Let the reference to the abbotship not be the cause of death for me. Let everyone protect themselves 230. Reveal everything in confession. Whoever is called to what, let him abide in it. Having made a vow, try to be the first, so that this does not happen due to the lack of will of some of you, when you go beyond what is due and are not guided in all [cases] by what and how I demand from every monk. I hear you fighting - I never allowed you to do this; this is prohibited in the Divine Scripture, and if permitted by the holy fathers, then out of necessity, in certain cases 231, at a certain time, without noise and through another, not with the aim of satisfying the passions [of vengeance]. You swear - it is indecent and indecent, and some have turned it into an occupation. It is necessary to lead the brethren with a word of conviction, meekness and an example of virtue, for power [should not be] tyrannical, but turns to good will. If there are some expressions of censure, such as: about the foolishness of Galatians (Gal. 3:1), madness (Luke 12:20), generation of vipers (Luke 3:7) or some other, then they are not used in a personal sense; even if it is personal, it is not from the indignation of the punisher, but from the condescension and love of the one forced towards them, and they turn out to be a saving medicine, just as a doctor, in order to cure some disease, uses a lancet, cauterization, and razors. And we have lancets, and rods, and tools for purification - these are penances, accusatory words, which we must resort to in relation to each other 232. However, if we have fallen, we will rise again and stick to our path, developing within ourselves a merciful disposition, especially towards the imperfect; in regard to sleep, food, rest and deprivation, it seems that the perfect cannot be compared with the imperfect. Therefore, I wish that beginners be given some relief and not be exhausted. Are our brothers here to work, for the vineyards and olive gardens? In no case; only to save your soul. The first [guards] must take care of this first of all, and then about bodily needs. Every humble and contrite soul wears out good treasures (Matthew 12:35), according to the Gospel, its punishment and reproach are sweet for the recipient, sweeter than the most pleasant drink. A proud soul produces reproaches; her words are bitter and insolent, her eyes are angry, her nostrils flare, her face takes on a brutal expression. How can [she] heal someone in need? We listen to this in order to be corrected, so that those who are tempted may become above temptation. So pray that the Lord will be merciful to show your brother, since he has caused us great sorrow and caused bitter tears. Do not consider this matter insignificant if Orsisius is the fugitive, since he is the last or is being tested for cutting off. He means a lot to me because Christ died for him (see 1 Cor. 8:11). Hold on to all that is tempting (1 Thessalonians 5:21); Protect each other and be carefree from evil, so that the Lord God will accept you all into His Kingdom, into the ineffable glory, into the endless joy of the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen. To what has been said, it is necessary to add what came to my mind. All of you, heads of services and leaders of groups, do not embarrass or intimidate the brothers, feel free to come and reveal to me what will happen, and regarding the head of the group, that you received [from him] inappropriate orders, that he does not condescend to them, does not pay attention to them, or that the boss is biased towards someone. Those in power, do not do this, but give them permission and permission to boldly come and confess according to the circumstances; do not look harshly, do not say a bitter word and do not impose the most difficult work on the one who confessed to me. This will happen in some way and someone will be frightened by this and calmly begin to evaluate his word, experiencing sadness, then, not being able to contain it, suffers mental harm. This is not good and not pleasing to God. But listen, everyone, especially the last ones, from the steward to the heads of the weeks: if anyone wants to say something about someone, especially not out of passion, but for the right decision, let him come to me and speak and not be afraid, for I will shed my blood if I despise the offended, even if [the offender was] our lord our father himself, which it is impossible to even imagine that he would do this. This [my] word, apparently, pleases everyone, and may all be saved in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. (On Friday of Palm Week) About the end of the Holy Pentecost, about blissful silence and about the terrible condemnation of frequent laughter Most honest brothers and fathers. I must always bring you a word of instruction, but, not having yet mastered it sufficiently, I tremble and cry out for help: oh, if only I had the mind and language that the word requires, so that with their help I could bring you the best! But in the end it is enough if God, with the help of my small and dark words and reasonings, gives me the strength not to get tired, but to strive for the upcoming [feat]. The Day of the Lord of salvation has already drawn near, and the Lord is coming, riding on lots (John 12:15). So, with the strength of our understanding, let us go out to meet Him and instead of clothing, let us put on pure and immaculate deeds. This is what it means to celebrate and turn to Him, cleansing yourself from the vices of the flesh (see 2 Cor. 7:1). The Holy Pentecost has also passed. The days follow [one after another], like a river rushing forward and not stopping. Therefore, death cannot be avoided. Who is the man who will live and not see death? - as Scripture says (Ps. 89:49). Man has become like spring grass (see Ps. 103:15), and his days flow by like shadows (see Ps. 143:4). The saving power of the memory of death Let us not give in to infatuation, my most honorable brethren, and let us not appear unprepared for the day of the coming of the holy Angels. But, as we are ready to accept what can happen every day, let us appear completely reasonable and ready for good in all our behavior, in every movement and word, expecting every moment from the God of all and our King, as it were, a sign of wandering. If we are so determined, then no evil will penetrate [our environment] and oblivion will not obscure [in our consciousness] the judgments of God, then we will not fight each other, we will not allow disputes, we will not demand honor from each other. Let us not be upset by the fact that we did not study, do not know excerpts by heart, and did not become wise men. But, according to the proverb, having put all this into a dream, we will strive for only one thing - to be clean from spiritual passions and to get closer to God. If I say this, it does not mean that I am commanding you not to study; I admit this too; I precisely demand that you study the [monastic] rule in its entirety. But, firstly, you need to take care of this and then about that, since this is business, and this is business; one cannot even say an indifferent word about the first, and if one is far from it, one may not strive for the second. The Lord our God, who girdes the weak with strength, who raises the needy out of the mud (see Ps. 112:7), who transforms a newborn into a perfect man (Eph. 4:13), He strengthens and perfects you in godliness every day. He shows us [mercy] beyond our dignity - and we thank, and deeply thank, but at the same time we will constantly strive to achieve and acquire what is missing. If, for example, you are even a star, be a shining sun. If you have even entered into the court of God and are numbered among those who are being saved, still strive to become higher than five or even ten cities (see Luke 19:17, 19). Multiply your talent so that you may be set over many (Matthew 25:21, 23); love much, so that much may be given to you (Luke 7:47). Be a faithful servant of the Lord (see Matt. 25:21), so that you may be preeminent over all the inhabitants of the house (see Heb. 3:2; 5:6). If we listen and ponder these divine and terrible words, then they show us [the path] from glory to glory (see 2 Cor. 3:18). As for me, I am not among those being saved and would not be able to work even until my last breath, since I cannot live well in view of the evils ahead of me; but you are those who are being saved and can take courage against the devil and repel his attacks. Love much, so that much may be given to you I warn you, I have heard rumors that some of you talk idlely, getting together in the evenings, carelessly indulging in jokes; This is a stain on the one who does it and on the one who allows it. Each of you inserts his own humorous word, and the foolish laughter started by one infects everyone, and the devil rejoices [at this]. He manages it and enjoys it. The Lord and His holy Angels are ashamed of this evil deed. The sweetest fruits of silence You are ashamed and afraid of the speech, but if this is not true, then prove me wrong, and I will remain silent. And if not, watch out. Why, on the contrary, does not each of you prefer to spend a temperate life in silence, limiting yourself only to answering questions? Don't you know about the sweetest [fruits] of silence? The soul [of the one who observes] it is beyond all joy, for it has the Holy Spirit as its interlocutor. Behold, you consider it [silence] to be a small thing and do not know that it protects from all evil. The tongue, as the divine James said, is unrestrained, full of deadly poison, and whoever bridles it is a perfect man (James 1:26; 3:5, 6, 8). Do not be indignant, my child, although I upset you. After all, I am a father: who makes me happy if not the one who is saddened by my words (see 2 Cor. 2:2)? Do you prefer to talk? I rejoice, but if [this is done] when studying troparia or poetry, or when presenting sacred stories, or regarding necessary and urgent matters; it is acceptable to talk about such and such a village, or about a fence there, about a bull, or a manger, or about anything else. But not everyone can ask and not everyone can answer. Only the one to whom they speak, let him give the answer. If, however, another’s mind suggests something, let that one also add a word of his own to remind him. In general, and in small cases, apply what has been said to you. Let this be observed in the pantry, in the kitchen, and in the bakery. He who remains silent has the Spirit of God in him He who remains silent has the Spirit of God dwelling in him. Otherwise, it’s understandable. A little more, and you will all return here, we will see and hug each other, meeting with our holy and all-blessed fathers, who on the day of St. Lazarus gather for a common hymn of prayer according to the custom of ancient times, and which they now preserve with the grace of the Holy Spirit assisting them. In this [prayer] let us be strengthened by the prayers of our father by grace to our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. (Wednesday of Holy Week) About the life-giving passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and that those appointed must humbly accept obedience 233 My brothers and fathers. Always rejoice in the Lord, I, the prodigal, now address you with an apostolic greeting. The Lord is near, do not worry about anything (see Phil. 4:4-6), for we have entered the holy and glorious week, according to the event - the week of Christ's passion, and we are again learning what, how much and when exactly for our sake the Lord of glory (see 1 Cor. 2:8) and our God and Creator. We are enlightened when we understand this. Whose stony soul will not be touched and not crushed upon hearing how the Lord was sold as a disciple, sold into the hands of the wicked (Acts 2:27), bound by a military hand, led to judgment, as the Truth is condemned, as the Savior listens to everyone - “a flatterer and a sorcerer” (see Matt. 27:63), is strangled and bears [this], spits and does not resist, for the purpose of reproach crowned with a crown of thorns and does not scorch the daring; like a King, he dresses in purple and, like a villain, takes blows with a cane. Finally, the Life of all is crucified, perforated, tastes death, and immediately rises, raising us from our deep fall and leading us into endless immortality. Alas, alas, our God and Creator! What will we, dirt and dust, bring to You because You, without despising Your perishing creation, determined, in Your rich and infinite goodness, to come and save us in the form of extreme and inexpressible humility? However, You strengthened and saved us, and we bring You with sinful and unworthy lips the praise and thanksgiving that are available to us. Therefore, let us refrain, my beloved brethren, imitating, jealously and repeating the great and the Lord's, and clinging 234 to the small and servile. For this is called giving thanks worthily; gratitude is demonstrated not by words, but by deeds themselves. Now you have received obedience, a change has occurred and everyone has been introduced to the work entrusted to him. In this way, brotherly love, unanimity and the order of life betrayed by the fathers are observed. Three categories of those staying in the monastery After all, you remember the teaching of Cassian the Great 235, the rule of the holy and blessed Theodosius and other holy fathers. You could talk to me about this in detail and carefully. Some of you accepted it without burden, others were burdened. Some were able to suppress their desires, others were unprepared; some love friendship, others are naked, so to speak, free from it, and dispassionate; some hate the difficulty and humiliation of obedience, others are far from both. In all these cases [there is] inequality 236, and this circumstance I consider evil. Firstly, those who accepted [obedience] as from God and suppressed their desires with their own strength, performing their service! willingly and shamelessly - these are great and worthy of praise; inspiring others with zeal to imitate, they are great martyrs. The second category includes those who accepted [obedience] with a painful feeling and with grief, but nevertheless without delay ascends to the better, these are [people] useful and ascetics who brought a bloody libation to God 237. And in the third category, those who dwell on difficulties for a long time and refer to their passions are renegades who are not pleasing to either God or us. There are no such people and there never will be among us. However, I am speaking for everyone. Not everyone should say to me: Lord, Lord, but do the will of My Father, who is in heaven, he is My true disciple, as the Scripture says (Matthew 7:21). The Lord Himself said: if you love Me, you will keep My commandments (John 14:15; cf. 1 John 5:3). Therefore, let us not philosophize in words, lest we subsequently find ourselves outside of those [goods] we are talking about. Or do you not know that, having often heard from you: “Behold, we are bleeding because of you; Look, we are dying - maybe you want us to throw ourselves into the sea, remain naked, eat stones, so that we are torn to pieces? - Hearing this, I rejoice, I, accepting, thank God. But then, when I come and find you in a state that does not correspond to the words, I groan, complain and repeat: these people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me (Matthew 15:8; Isaiah 29:13). I don't blame you for this. I have received [proof] of your readiness to obey, especially some, like the angels of God. But I say this for others. And these [truth] are not persistent in their desires, but as a precaution it is necessary to say [something] against [this], so that in reality we behave with dignity. You often ask about the crowns [awards] of the fathers and about those times when great executors of the will of God appeared, and I answer you: here they are, before you. If you imitate their way [of life], and God will not move away from you, and times will not be shortened, and circumstances will not change, and the elements will not be renewed. On the contrary, from the beginning of creation (see 2 Pet. 3:4) and until fulfillment, according to the divine Gregory of Nyssa 238, and even better - according to the high and great Basil 239, everything moves along the same path - and you don’t believe me? Let your actions match your words Do you wish to keep the gift? Do you want to become equal to Dositheus 240, to stand next to Avvakir, to equal in glory with Isidore, in dignity with Akaki 241, in honor with Zechariah 242; then, how much time did you spend regularly on one obedience? [And of them] one spent seven years at the gate, without refusing further [service], but as a confessor he received those who came to repentance; another spent five years in hospital; the third, suffering beatings all his life, did not answer sharply, although he had the Holy Spirit. Therefore, having died, you will not respond to the question as if you were alive 244 if you do not do this, and at the end you will not be surrounded by a host of Angels, if you do not appear like that, and you will not shine in the crowd of fathers, if you do not endure the same as they. In this case, we, the humble ones, will limit obedience to one year. Let's work hard. Direct your mind here, brothers, and let your actions correspond to your words. What you really are is what you appear to be, according to St. Vasily 245. Because of my sins, some of you are sometimes, and even often, subject to temptation. I know that you all strive for salvation and belong to those being saved, but I say this so that we do not fall before further temptations. In any case, no matter what blow we suffer, we will rise again, drive away sleep, and awaken immediately. I do not blame you, let it not be. For me, you are God’s servants and children [close] to my heart. And it is natural for a father to want good fame for his son. Loving you, that’s why I behave and speak this way. Love me and obey me, the prodigal, renouncing all desires and thoughts, so that you, together with the first martyr Stephen, may rejoice forever. I would like to tell you something about our ever-memorable brother Euphemia, about the discovery of his remains. But in order not to prolong the announcement, I will postpone this subject until the next word. So, save yourself, my good brothers, reverend and righteous, men who love God and have renounced [their] will. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ protect you all and show you worthy of His divine Kingdom. To him be glory and power and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. (On Saturday of Holy Pentecost) About the discovery of the remains of our brothers and about all the [generally] dead My fathers and brothers. The great and most sacred sacrament - I mean Holy Easter - has ended, and we have entered the beginning of a new year of difficult days. Let us go forward first to the spiritual struggle, and then to physical labor, willingly, without laziness, seriously, soberly, with the memory of death and with the thought of the blessings prepared for us forever (see Col. 1:5). May the Lord God correct the works of your hands (see Ps. 89:17) and strengthen and prosper you in everything when you truly fulfill His commandments; Let no temptation or stumbling appear before you, but let [God] be your guide and leader on the path from earth to heaven. I quickly finished the word, wanting to move on to another subject, the one that I once promised to present to you long ago: about the dwelling of the soul of our beloved brother Abba Euthymius. The sacrament has already taken place both in relation to him and in relation to the others, according to the command and determination of our all-good and all-good God, who builds everything humanely 246: they did not die a natural death, all ten brothers, drowning in the sea from a strong wind and a severe storm. This [circumstance] had such an end, and the memory of this does not leave our thoughts, frightening and preparing us for this or that outcome. And what type of death awaits us - we will not expand on this now, because [we know] that we will all die. There is another miracle of the same kind: the Lord deigned that our same brother Euthymius 247 appear in a dream to four living brothers, tell and comically imagine their suffering. To one of the four he says: “I and all the others escaped and took refuge in the harbors”; and to the others [he told the three] where he had gone, where he lay, and where he had come from and appeared; and you know this, having heard from others, that they all rest in the vicinity of Cyzicus 248. We did not find the others, except for the three [lying] here, and this Euthymius was found after finding his personal veil and extracted with the help of a net, paying honor to the relics. What condition was the body in? It is decent to talk about the reasons for this, although [the body] is before us; this is a drop of words for the benefit of both them and us. The result was some kind of terrible spectacle, as if it were a man, but not a man, who had lost all signs of animation. As if flesh and bones, but not this [in reality], for there was no movement in them, no breathing in the nostrils. They looked for the beautiful color of the body on them - and saw putrefaction and the outflow of condensed matter. Where are the eyelids? Where is the hair on your head? Where are the eyebrows? Churches, cheeks, nose, ears, tongue movement, lip movement, where is the mind that is revealed in external movements? Where are the conversations, smiles, beard? Where are the arms, the womb, the chest, the [natural] appearance of the neck, chest, abdomen, other secret [parts of the body], the development of the hips, the strength of the legs? Before us is a body without all this. We see some kind of mass of a certain length, which has some hint of a human body. The teeth are exposed, deprived of the covering of the lips and jaws; the skull is exposed; and the secret parts of the body below the belly emit a stream of strong stench, so that even those of us who wish cannot approach. Someone we willingly kissed recently, we even disdain to approach and touch. The voice cannot be heard: he does not answer questions. Death and flesh. See ourselves in the dead What is this secret about us, brothers? What refuge awaits us and what place is there for everyone? Three-yard coffin. Having come from the earth, we will again find ourselves underground; it is here that the flesh and the soul ascend upward. What were we before, being in immortality, and what have we become as a result of the perversion of the commandment? It was this that gave birth to death, and that is why we became corruptible. We must see ourselves in the deceased, for we too will die. What awaits us? Where will we go? How will we face [death]? Why did we cherish our and at the same time not our flesh? Our friend and [at the same time] our enemy? This evil and prudent, destructive and saving flesh? No matter how much we nourish it, please it, or delight it, in the near future it will turn into corruption and a worm. What good is it for me to worry about the dust and suffer because of the blood? For flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, says Scripture (1 Cor. 15:50). Therefore, children, let us take diligent care and not spend our lives like animals. What is characteristic of animals and what is characteristic of humans? The business of unreasonable creatures is to love the flesh, thicken the belly, support the innate desires of the flesh, let the blood boil, accumulate fat, spin, jump and quickly perceive all sorts of impressions. None of this is characteristic of a person who truly honors the image of God (see Gen. 1:26) and lives his life [according to the purpose] for which he was created. It is typical for him to do the work of Angels - to reflect on heavenly blessings, about the structure of the world, to strive for the love of great Love (προς άγάπην του μεγάλου έρωτος) and the true God, to rush towards demons, to think humbly, if one feeds on flesh, then only the remnants and necessities, and then in small quantities. I ask you, brethren: let us think correctly, and we will be convinced that we have not made a mistake or been deceived. If we walk this way, [this] is for the next century, when the righteous will be rewarded according to their own aspirations, and the sinners will be condemned to eternal fire. A short and raw word is [offered] to you. But even such a word from the father is pleasant to the grateful son, as a great instruction and story. Rejoice and rejoice with me, all of you, constantly concerned with the multiplication of good deeds, remaining alien to quarrels, disputes and insolence, praying for our humility, so that the Lord will give us another word in the opening of my humble lips - to correctly communicate the justifications of God to you, called for His sake [to feat] and subject to our humility. May Christ our Lord Himself cover you, give you strength and strengthen you, may He give you the spirit of prayer, strength and courage, making you worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. To Him belongs glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. On drinking wine in small quantities and on accepting children, the crippled and the wretched Monastic work - both sacrifice and offering My fathers and brothers. I must always and unfailingly bring you a word of conviction. Present yourselves, according to the apostle, as servants of righteousness unto holiness (Rom. 6:19). Adopt even more of the divine way of thinking. Appreciate the dear and angelic dignity of our honest image, although you have come to know and in humility completely surrendered yourself to God and suffer daily in spiritual and physical struggles. Both are equally favorable and mutually related [to each other]. One spends time reading, another prays, a third sits and does handicrafts, another works in the air - either digging vineyards or making furrows in the ground, another manages, another builds. No one is idle, no one is idle; everyone brings according to the strength they have. In my opinion, one should not reject even the one who watches those entering or drives away the birds from the waste [areas]. And this one forms a part in the whole body, occupying the smallest place of a leg or finger (see 1 Cor. 12:12–21). We are all one soul, one will. This is how we should always be. If anyone unreasonably refuses to bear the sorrows of his brothers, then let him not separate from them, maintaining at least the appearance of unity with them. All of you, sanctify your hands: your work is exalted as a sacrifice and an offering. Am I telling a lie? Do you not feed the elderly abundantly? Do you not content strangers with bread, kind strangers with herbs, a cup of cold [water] (see Matt. 10:42), pure wine and everything that is available in the monastery? Are you not comfortable with yourself? Do you not feed and support us? So what is [all] this? Isn't it an offering to God? For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice (Hos. 6:6; Matt. 9:13; 12:27), as it is written. So you are merciful; and whatever is given - whether money, clothes, or anything else, it is not I who give, but we all give on our part. You are my children and you share everything mental and physical with me. My heart burns for you (see Luke 24:32); although I am a sinner, I embrace you all with my love, although I am prodigal, I accept each individual into spiritual friendship, I address you with a diminutive name and strive to be undead and surrounded by all sorts of worries. Let no one rebel against another, not the steward or his assistant, even against one occupying the lowest level; whoever rebels [against him] will rebel against me, because this one is me. Therefore, may you have peace and spiritual love, mutual respect and mutual assistance. You, the lower ones, treat the outstanding and first [elders] as you treat me: with fear, love and respect, obey [them] in everything. He who does not obey my word is not my child. Attitude towards drinking wine Enjoy, my children, first of all the joys of your soul, fulfilling the rules in sobriety and vigil and [performing] prayers; then, due to the tedium of labor, strengthen yourself physically with bread, boiled herbs and wine in moderation. The latter applies to patients with stomach 249. And whoever is inclined to abstain, let him abstain for the glory of the Lord. During Thomas Week 250, some persistently demanded that I [establish] complete abstinence from wine. I said that this was my intention and that I had received such a commandment. Now, in general, I answer that while the resolution of dishes continues and bows and hours at the appointed time are canceled, whoever has a good intention, let him fulfill it, let him be content with water, with the exception of Saturday and Sunday or [the day of] the canon. If he feels exhausted, let him take a cup of mixed [wine] and get stronger, or even two for the whole day. And let others - those who are sick and have old habits - always drink. Let the drinker not fall, but rise in humility; and let him who abstains not boast of [this] as if it were some great deed. For goodness does not place you before God (1 Cor. 8:8) if you turn out to be vain. Who will deny that abstinence from wine is a common occurrence among young people? Moreover, to us, and precisely, as stated above, to those who are alive, it was indicated by both Saint and Great Basil, and St. Mark, and other fathers 251 not to drink wine (see Rom. 4:21). Besides, [in general] it is good, my children, to abstain. When you allow, always be content with one or two bowls, as said, four ounces in size 252. So, in any case, always abstain from wine. In view of the desire of many to reject the use of wine, I allow this for some, and not forever, but for a certain time. Heavenly glory and honor will crown you, God-given mercy and peace will overshadow you; thirdly, the blessing of our Lord and Father will seal you and keep you inviolable. You know, brethren, that novices come to us [in large numbers], or rather, almost every day, and, as I have often said, I accept them, not striving for there to be more of you than in other monasteries, and not wanting to be proud of it, since [in general] I am not vain. We want you to increase in the glory of God and in His will, for the more [people] gather for one purpose in His name, the more glory they send to Him. And if He rejoices over one repentant sinner (see Luke 15:7), then how much more over many? And if with two or three He is co-present (see Matt. 18:20), then with a larger number 253 how will He not joyfully enter into fellowship? But, seeing my own weakness and susceptibility to many passions, I refuse to lead even myself, and not one or many. But according to the commandment that commands: everyone who comes to Me I will not cast out (John 6:37) and leave little children to come to Me, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 19:14), I submit and accept both young children, and young people, and the elderly, and the single, and the married, and the healthy in body, and the crippled, and the armless, and the lame, and I do this not in exaltation, as if I were doing something great, but as a responsibility and duty, [according to] the divine fathers. Otherwise, I find myself violating the commandment. What do you say? Do you agree with me, do you accept [my words], yes or no? Answer me each one so that I will become more zealous. Fulfillment of the commandments is a circle and a harmonious whole After all, these are your works, or rather, God, who fulfills every animal's good pleasure (Ps. 145:16) and gives their food to livestock and the chick of the corvids that call on Him (Ps. 146:9), who said: look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap, and your heavenly Father feeds them (Matt. 6:26). Therefore, supported by your opinion, I hope that we will keep the commandments and will not be condemned in anything. I do not want to somehow find myself violating even one commandment by not accepting the elderly and not giving access to the crippled. The fulfillment of the commandments is a circle and a harmonious whole, one commandment supports the other 254. If we allow one commandment, we will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven (see Matthew 5:19). And to hear the word “least” [means], according to [the explanation of] the divine and great Chrysostom, nothing more than to be punished 255. So, let us begin to accept children, and the elderly, and the crippled, and the good God will not despise us, but may he give us everything we need for soul and body, as we have enjoyed from the first day to this day. In the near future, [our] separation from you is accompanied by sadness. But do not be sad, children, I am with you, although I am prodigal. May the grace of the Lord keep you intact through the prayer of our father, and I will again see you healthy in both respects [body and soul] and rejoice (see John 16:22), as I, desperate, hope. Christ our God, all-merciful and all-good, will strengthen you for every good work (see Heb. 13:21), fill you with all spiritual joy and make you perfect in the Holy Spirit; to Him be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the fact that in the brotherhood, nothing from food and drink should be given or taken without blessing It is unsafe to take care only of yourself, without thinking about the benefit of your neighbor. For the sake of Zion I will not keep silent, and for the sake of Jerusalem I will not let go, say the Divine words 256 (Isa. 62:1). Likewise, I, a sinner and humble one, for the sake of the salvation of your holy souls, will not cease to care about instructing you in the lessons of piety 257, but [I will try] to ensure that you always learn this in every way. If those to whom the word is addressed listen, then perhaps they will hear that both I and they have remained beyond condemnation. If they burden their ears and do not listen, then I find myself having fulfilled my duty, I am not subject to condemnation on my path, and those who are heavy-hearted (see Ps. 4:3) will see [their fate]. Don't let each other go down the wrong path In general, it is not safe to care only about your own benefit, without thinking about the benefit of your neighbor. It is harmful if tares are mixed with pure wheat (see Matt. 13:25–30). If you saw a thief, says the saying, then what are we singing about? [About nothing else] than the fact that you assisted him and united your fate with an adulterer (see Ps. 49:18), and do not live in the midst of my house, create pride: speak unrighteously, without correcting yourself before my eyes (Ps. 100:7). Therefore, my most honest children, do not allow each other to follow a bad path, but show good zeal and appropriate brotherly love towards those who are indifferent among you and do not heed my humble words. I say this so that we can all be saved. For our Lord Jesus Christ said that the will of His Father who is in heaven is that no one should perish (John:17:12). So, all of you, try and strive to appear to God pure, as you were and were created from the beginning, having the likeness of the Divine image (της Βείας εικόνος την όμ, οίωσιν) (see Gen. 1:26), - peace-loving and humble. Do not indulge in laughter at evening meetings, and do not do this in common work, causing each other to fall. My stomach hurts me and the feelings of my heart are troubled, says Jeremiah loudly in one of his God-enlightened words (Jer. 4:19). And here I, unclean and unfortunate, proclaim to you: I am overwhelmed by sorrow and wounded by the arrows of thoughts when I hear that you are behaving badly. Fear the terrible God, my children, and do not ruin your long feat and blessed labor with your carelessness. We are [almost] finished with the long voyage. How can we be shipwrecked at the pier? We have come a long way - how can we sleep at the very refuge of holy places? Think about what I’m saying, because we have been given reason by God. Take courage and let your heart be strengthened (see Ps. 30:25). Fight and put on humility. Do not be capricious and do not therefore fail to carry out my orders with joy. If someone mortifies his will, no matter how difficult the command may be, then such a person does not refuse, does not fall into frivolity, into grief, but readily obeys and submits, yields, does not contradict, just as a foolish animal [does not resist] the one who binds him, as God’s word says (Is. 1:3). Let each one of you therefore watch yourselves, how he walks and how he obeys (see Eph. 5:15). But I also testify [to this] on the basis of external movements and inner secret [feelings]. He who does not have his own will, I repeat what was said above, according to Dorotheus, no matter what happens in the monastery, considers everything to relate to him - such a one is always honored with repose 259. But whoever does not [conduct himself] in this way becomes exhausted and withdraws from fellowship, carried away by his manifold lust (see James 1:14), attracted and possessed by one thing or another. Let [this] not happen, and if it does, let this one not remain so among you. Let us all serve God purely (see 2 Tim. 1:3). If I [desire] one thing and you another, that’s war, that’s division. If you all turn out to be seeking what is [pleasing] to God, and I am seeking what is pleasing to the devil, then your [desire] must be allowed, and let mine disappear. And if you recognize what I tell you as good, what is it that opposes me? Why are you giving me struggles and worries? Those who consider themselves hardy, be careful; after all, it is written that good soil, which remains uncultivated for a long time, gives birth to thorns (Gen. 3:18; Heb. 6:8). Whenever I punish such people, I act to benefit both them and myself. For I say and do all [this] in order to save both myself, the unfortunate one, and you. I reminded you of this and will not stop reminding you as long as there is breath in my nostrils. To this, brethren, I must add another reminder why you do not fulfill this commandment, like others, and it, being seemingly small, destroys our great successes. Why do we talk about the great and the little [commandments]? Every commandment of God must be fulfilled (see Matt. 5:19), and any disobedience entails a sentence of punishment (see Heb. 2:2; 10:29). I have often told you, and with a threat, that not everyone has the right to give each other something edible or drinkable. This [right] belongs to me, the steward, his assistant, or even the cellarer or other elders to whom I have entrusted or am entrusting this; such, in any case, are the first of the plowmen, or the hospital worker 260 for the sick, or someone else. So, from today I command, and let no one do this, for he is subject to punishment for secret eating; be careful not to unexpectedly fall [into this condemnation]. You are inappropriately shy of each other and afraid of fear where there is no fear (see. Ps. 52:6), and you grieve God and me, unworthy, not wanting, as you say, to grieve your brother. You have a strange respect! This is a sign of thoughtlessness, this is enmity towards God, self-indulgence and carnality. Even if there is an Angel [before you] (see Gal. 1:8), I dare say, let no one accept anything from him. You often receive blessings on vegetables; let everyone eat them, and if he cannot taste them due to illness or for some other reason, let him either return them to the cellarer, or declare his desire to give them to [another], and then he can do this without being condemned. Don't you realize that in this way you are acquiring a bad kind of friendship? 261 And sometimes you pass it on to those with whom you have sexual relations. And even if this is not the case, don’t temptations, whispers and grave sorrows arise? Therefore, when one receives and the other watches, the latter, in any case, recognizes himself as offended. And if you say that you are not transmitting in the presence of another, then it means that you need to choose both the place and the time. Then, do you form secret societies ( άποκρυφάς συμφατρίας )? What does Saint Basil the Great say? The fact that blinking eyes and whispering in the ear means to an outside observer that some evil deed is supposed to be intended 262 . Since nothing good follows from this, then why should our freedom be judged by someone else’s conscience (see 1 Cor. 10:29)? And this happens to me, your father, if you do not think carefully about your actions, especially with others. If anyone says that [I do this] because the enemy is reconciled with me when I give him [my part], then I yield, only so that this is with the knowledge, for you, as has already been said, without a statement, you do not have the right to do this, except for those who have received orders. Whoever falls [into this sin], of course, will be punished. The Lord loves him, punishes him, and beats every son he accepts (Prov. 3:12; Heb. 12:6). Therefore, rejoice in my punishments and feel that I do it out of love, although I am lost. I accept your labors and your diligence as a world of great value; you offer them to God as a fragrance (see Luke 7:37–38). Remember about your death, the separation of your souls from your body, the intercession of Angels, about that long journey and foreign land, about appearing before the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ, about a terrible and full account of all your deeds, about eternal trials and torment, about the Kingdom of Heaven and its invisible and ineffable 263 promised blessings (see 2 Cor. 9:15), which we all have We will achieve, by grace and love for mankind, our Lord Jesus Christ, and with Him to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. On departure to Constantinople and the order that the entire brotherhood should submit to the presbyter instead of the abbot Departing from you, I leave my sinful soul and my insignificant word. And so I leave you not to your sins, but to the holy prayers of my lord and father and your father, who are able to establish you (see Rom. 6:25) and always keep you steadfast. So keep the commandment of our Lord and God, the traditions of our holy fathers and my humble instructions. Observe, my children, how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise (Eph. 5:15), not as in my absence, but as if in my presence. The absence of a teacher, as it is written, causes joy in insincere students, and sadness in sincere students. And you, being worthy of God, live reverently and righteously (see 1 Thess. 2:10–13). Blessed is that servant, says [Scripture], who, when his master comes, will find himself doing as he was commanded (Matthew 24:46). We are not worthy to apply such sayings to you, but for the sake of your safety I am forced to tell you what concerns you. I wish, if God deigns, to find you again as he left you, united in unanimity, like-mindedness and in one heart (see Acts 4:32; Phil. 2:2). I know, my children and brothers, that Satan has many temptations. The abbot should neither be too kind nor too strict [Now] it’s spring time and the days are conducive to rest; Beware lest the arrow of sin pierce anyone (see Eph. 6:16). First of all, you yourself, child and brother, who received the lot in my place to preside over the brethren 264, help them in everything, being merciful, caring for the spiritual, observing the order of chants and prayers, yielding where due; punishing when it is timely. Do not [be] exclusively kind, but not the other way around - exclusively strict, so that neither insolence nor contempt arises from this, but be both, combining both, sharing their illness with the sick, sharing their grief with the grieving, coming to the aid of the working people. Do you hear what Paul, the great teacher of the universe, says? Who faints, and I do not faint? Who is tempted, and I am not relieved (2 Cor. 11:29)? Do you understand what I'm saying? After all, [God] has given you understanding for all [things] (see 2 Tim. 2:7). You have our common master, father and ruler 265; follow in all his holy advice and commands. If you bring out the honest from the unworthy, as my mouth will become, says the Divine Word (Jer. 15:19). The leader of the brethren will be called great in heaven (see Matt. 5:19), if he properly manages his subordinates. What does the Lord say to Saint and Great Peter? If you love Me more than these, feed My lambs (John 21:15). The sheep of the Lord are you, my children and brothers. I beg you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins (see Gal. 1:3–4): obey the elder in everything, let no one resist his orders. For if you resist authority, you resist God’s command (Rom. 13:2). Next comes the assistant housekeeper. If true novices obey even a dry stick set by the abbot, 266 then how much more so to a man and a brother. Let no one despise him [for] his youth (see 1 Tim. 4:12). Old age is not honest for many years, says Divine Scripture (Wis. 4:8). He who has a wise mind is already old. Both are respectable for everyone. You are all reasonable, all wise as an old man, honorable in age, do not have children’s minds, as the Divine Word says (1 Cor. 14:20), but always understand that the will of God (Eph. 5:17) is good, acceptable and perfect (Rom. 12:2). So behave yourself. I also have other leaders: Mr. Daniel, Abba Agathon with Dionysius and Amphilochius - let them be instead of Athanasius and Sophronius 267. And you, my children, do not treat your subordinates like a boss or like a master, but, being brotherly and spiritually loving, share the monastic labors with them and, to the best of your ability, make up for the shortcomings of your brothers, rejoicing that you can bear each other’s burdens (see Gal. 6:2), so that in due time you too will receive the same. Leaders of the weeks, Abba Zosima and Mr. Ephraim, now show your readiness, [ability] to encourage, care for, and monitor those numbered among you. You see that among them there are very young, underage boys. Let [them] not have friendship with strangers, solitary conversations, arrogance, boasting, shameless laughter, let them not cast glances in all directions, let the young man not live with the young man. Watch them get into bed; Let them not lie together, let them not touch each other’s bodies. This applies to you. But my other children, do not be burdened by my humble words, for for the sake of the salvation of your honest souls, I say this, moved by love. Overseers, be attentive to the obedience to which we have assigned you with the blessing of our father; be observant, quick-witted, collect information at night, at midday and after the canon [matins], report [them] to the presbyter. In the same way, you, alarm-mongers, do not be careless in your obedience, for you will be rewarded [for it] with a heavenly reward. Suppliers 268 Abba Gerasim and Jeremiah, guardians of the monastery, employees of the assistant steward, useful to all the brethren, consider, be attentive and, in a divine manner, deliver the items [needs] to the monastery. Take courage, you too, hospital worker with your [helpers], for you are doing the work of God, you are the consolation of [those lying] in illness and the true support of the exhausted; abide also, my children, Kelari, in your strength, meeting halfway and giving yourself to the whole brethren in their everyday needs, feeding the brothers as yourself, submitting after the presbyter and the word of the assistant steward, as if the steward himself. Kitchen [brothers], always praised for their humility, and now be blessed if you look after the brotherhood to the end. The gatekeeper 269, guarding the gates of God, for the monastery is God's, stands before those entering and leaving in a proper manner, accepting and releasing [them] as the presbyter commands you. Vinedressers, take care of the vineyard of the Lord, for you too are the vines of God after your own soul. Builders, I recognize that the benefit you bring to the brotherhood is great; nevertheless, continue to devote yourself to construction with all your might. Calligraphers, you are scribes first of all of good thoughts, and then of external [events]; so do you most of all carry out the work of singing, as those who know it for certain. And first of all, you, my child canonarch, as one who stands before the eyes of God, properly maintain order in all cases, giving timely signs in the divine service. In the same way, you, my child Tarasius, chief of officials, observe order in the church and among the brethren, since order reigns in both heaven and earth. Order reigns in heaven and earth Assigned to the mills 270, be even more persistent, giving a lot of strength to the whole monastery. And you, assistant steward, be attentive to them, sending them shifts so that they can come to the monastery on Sundays, and satisfying them in all other respects. Bakers, do not be careless in baking bread for the needs of the brethren. Vestiary, and first of all, you, my child, protovestiary, calm my humble spirit and take care of the brothers’ clothes properly, hand over the laundry on time, remove stains, mend what is torn, doing everything in order. Shoemaker, foot of the entire brotherhood, shoe us, strengthen us with your useful hands with the help of my honest children who are with you. Replacing Barsanuphius 271 Litoius 272, my Christ-loving child, treat my children and children as a teacher cares for her generation; I recognized you among them as an [adult] person: teach them to read and write and good stories 273 until I return. Gardeners, rejoice and be strong and offer your strength as to God, so that the brethren may have an abundance of vegetables for the kitchen; perform everything that relates to your duties. Together with these, the dyer, the vegetable farmer, the cattleman, and the substitute for the dishwasher 274 , the procurers, the substitute for the priest Agapius 275 , my child, the hotel workers, the fishermen and whoever else - all present yourself to God in a worthy manner by your active obedience. If, during my absence, anyone has a sad thought that hides the temptation of the devil, let him report this either to our lord and father [Plato] - he replaces me in my absence - or to the presbyter, for this is what he was appointed for; or the smallest ones - to the assistant housekeeper; or to the first ploughman, whichever applies to him; or first in weeks are those who are subordinate to them. I do not want this to be communicated to [anyone] else and how it will happen, for not everyone is given understanding, as the sacred text says, and not everyone is perfect (1 Cor. 8:7). And if the passion remains unhealed, then, with the help of God, I will immediately appear before your eyes, and let no one lose heart or be drawn to the worse. All of you in general, my children, as befits men, with all your soul and safely flow, walk, work, eat, drink and do everything in general. When you are invited to work, be sons of obedience and cheerfully accept the invitation, do not [refuse under the pretext that] one bought a village, another bought a wife, another bought a husband of oxen (Luke 14:18-20). You can make excuses like these, but your obedience should be your priority above all else. But, on the other hand, the bosses who give out orders do not increase labor beyond what is required. In accordance with what orders you would like to receive from others, give orders yourself and adapt to each one your own. Rejoice in the Lord, all of you, be healthy and strong, take courage and hold on, all of you remain safe, sheep of the Lord, lambs of Christ, let no one of his own free will be caught up and fall into the snare of the evil beast. A little more, a little more, and like a blind man strives for the light, so I will return to you again and see you, if the Lord covers my sins, and I will rejoice with you in the consolation of the Holy Spirit (see John 14:16; Acts 9:31). I ask you, children and fathers, remember me, a sinner, in your prayers, so that God will save me and not drown me in the abyss of my sins or in sea water; May He give me good entry and words to open my mouth before those I meet and a peaceful return, so that you may meet me healthy and unharmed, as we wish to see you. Let's pray for each other, kiss each other with all our hearts. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayer of our holy father, be with us all, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. To Constantinople, to brother and steward 276 Attitude to imperial power I rejoiced at your letters, brother and child, and in all respects accepted your justification, which exceeds my humility. I think it is clear to everyone how sinful we are and how unworthy of the abbot we bear. If not, then we know ourselves well, and you and other brothers and children will receive a reward for praise. Proceed well in this [respect] and end your life kindly. This is about it. Why did people rebel against us and [why] were they upset or, more correctly, quarreled? Although we are generally despicable and accept reproach for good reason, we have not repented of what we have done. Who am I, the prodigal, that I was worthy to accept dishonor for the piety and commandments of my Lord? 277 So I am glad of this, and although I am open to attacks, however, with the help of your zeal and defense, I will not cease to take up arms for every commandment of God and preserve in all accuracy 278 the rule of our life. If the emperor had issued a decree that every abbot would certainly appear before the royal majesty, then when we then did not appear, everyone had the right to be indignant [at us] for violating general regulations. But if not everyone [is obliged], but only those who wish [can] come to the court, then they are in vain irritated that we do not serve them as gods, and are indignant that we are not before them as saints from early morning. Or do they want to rule over our soul? No way. What I said is what we remain. And to bring you the apostolic saying, [I will say] that everyone who wants to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim. 3:12) and will accept all other types of dishonor. We are not worthy [to apply to ourselves] this, for we have not endured anything. Our father and you, lovers of God, tasted this. After all, as the Lord said, the sons are free (Matthew 17:26), but so as not to be tempted, he paid the tax, like others (see Rom. 13:6). It is in this sense that the attached letters were written. With our pitiful writing we have convinced the soul of the logothete 279 that we ourselves think; The situation is exactly the same with regard to the king. This is what we decided to do at the meeting. Therefore, as soon as you receive the letters, immediately, child and brother 280, go wherever [the court] happens, in the capital or outside it, and hand the letters to the logothete and read to him even those letters that are addressed to the king, so that he is prepared to defend his husband. And you yourself, my beloved child and brother, become more and more strengthened in the fear of God and strengthened in your firm mind, putting on humility and moderating yourself in everything: word, movements, answers, reception, following, food and drink, so that, in this you become like the son of God, you will be accepted in heaven as great and honest. Be careful, sober, and provide well for your brothers in everything, both spiritual and physical. Use soft words at the right time and striking ones when you should, in order to gain approval in both respects. And all of us, brothers, will strive for future blessings, for the Kingdom of Heaven; Let no one be frivolous or lazy. My child Nikolai, give up the habit of long sleep, if you still have it, so that you can be an even greater adornment to your brothers, and immediately appear according to the rules. You, the same-named Anfimu, be an adornment of virtues. Show yourself to me with a gracious soul towards the Divine ear, Eulalia 281. But you, my Theoktist, be the value and acquisition of the Divine commandment, be obedient to the steward in everything, as I am to myself, becoming useful to the brothers in everything. Rejoice, my Anthony, gray-haired both in hair and in mind; continue in your patience and inherit the fate of Abraham. And you, my Meletius, the subject of Divine care, be attentive to your virtue and impeccable both for internal 282 and external 283 . And you, Paphnutius, be jealous of the virtue of the one whose name you have adopted: be holy, and let there not be even a form of guile in you. With them, you too, brother Pionius, infuse yourself with more strength and strength and be the muscle of the monastery. But you too, my Palamon, hand of God, strengthen yourself; and even you, my Serid, be the support of the monastery and adorn yourself with good deeds. In the same way, having made a good start, go your way, my Serapion 284 great name. [But] first of all and after all 285 you, my dear child and dear steward, rule over the passions, like Joseph over the tribes, adorned with chastity and other virtues. Instead of me, you are their head, and leader, and father. Keep my children and your brothers safe. Nothing [remained] unknown to you, nothing studied; Depart from every evil deed, and cleave to everything that is good. Do what you are commanded without fail; take care of them [the brothers] physically, because it is easy to get sick in the city. All the brothers, each individually, especially our father and I, the presbyter, Mr. Savva 286 and the newly received ones, warmly kiss you and the other brothers. Offer up your prayers in return for ours. Remember us constantly. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the blessing of our Father be upon you, protecting, strengthening, reviving, keeping you uncondemned in everything, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About peace and love and about the protection of those who want to live according to God My children and brothers. Do not be sluggish in hearing and do not close your eyes, but give ear and watchfully and soberly listen to our humble voice. I speak not aimlessly and not with the intention of disturbing your ears, and I am forced to teach not to satisfy my habit, but so that the words come true. You know well that it is God who requires your life to please Him, so that you live this age in ascetic closeness and receive eternal life for this. So, fear Him who alone is terrible, and behave well, my beloved children, do not please carnal desires, dragging one another into your own passions; I heard that you love to argue in your conversations, without considering and not striving for the common good, but towards what everyone is drawn to by their own inclination for personal pleasure. In this case, you are not fulfilling the apostolic commandment to care for each other as members of one body (see 1 Cor. 12:25). If you meet with each other in agreement, this is a good thing for you. If you are self-willed and generally selfish, 287 reasonable in your own eyes and learned, then in this case you fall under the prophetic “woe”. For the loud Isaiah says: woe to those who are wise in themselves and understanding before themselves (Is. 5:21). He lives well and is perfect in all respects, who does not show disobedience in anything, but shows himself to be perfect through the truth and if he says or does something, it is not for the sake of his personality, but only as urgent need requires. If you were like that at all, you would not fight each other, defeat, boast, mock, or speak pitiful words to each other. Otherwise, you will have to see not only what was said, but also much more. And [at the same time] you still disagree, are not of the same mind, have different desires (see Acts 4:32). Do not refer to either the multitude or the abundance of work; after all, there are no more of us than the faithful who are spoken of in the divine Acts of the Apostles; there were four thousand of them 288 - and how many and how great both the needs and constraints, as can be understood, are indicated as having to be comprehended! And yet it is written that they had one soul and no one said that he had his own desire or his own possessions (Acts 4:32). My children, the life of a monk is full of care and work; diligence, perseverance and, most importantly, humility are required. One who is distinguished by this cannot fall, according to the words of the holy fathers, 289 and, like refined gold, is suitable for any processing and turns out to be precious for any type. I know you suffer and are exhausted in your labors; but God will reward you with mercy and a joyful life after you leave here, and even here we find satisfaction according to the flesh in the fruits of our labors. You have information that we are not the only ones who live through labor, but every monastery also spends its life in labor and illness. We cannot allow deviation from the words of our most unfaithful God (see 1 John 1:10), who said to [our] forefather: in labor, and in sickness, and in the sweat of your brow, bear your bread (Gen. 3:19). No way. But some people receive even this in this life and end up in destruction, while monks stock up on what is truly profitable and eternal. Your boss, as the leader among you in obedience, [the habit of] consulting [with others] and not doing anything at will, shows the way well; those behind him, also benevolent in mutual relations, live correctly; all others who show obedience follow the path of God. Receive peace and blessing from our father. Receive also from our humility an insufficient and weak blessing, for, as an unworthy one, I hourly pray to God my Father to keep you in peace and undisturbed, treating each other with care, mercy, kindness, so that when the time comes for each of you to depart, he will depart from this life with an uncondemned conscience and good hope and enjoy his eternal reward. Monk Pachomius and his virtues Your brother Pachomius passed away yesterday. Remember the virtue of this man, how silent he was; after all, until his death, no one knew that he was separated from his wife and child, but moreover, from what area he was from. Also, to what extent did he possess self-control! Our father told us that as a gardener he was not tempted to eat any vegetables except what was given to him at meals, or for anything else. And as I learned from some, and from what he received outside the meal, he did not want to eat in the garden, so that someone [having] suspicion of him would not be harmed. Then [I know] that he did not laugh. Very often, brought to the point of smiling, he maintained a serious and stern appearance. Truly a worker of God, he worked, as you know, day and night and died blessed, and do not forsake him from time to time to honor him with great honor. It depends on everyone what they will be like after death. Be jealous of what is good, so that those of you who pass away 290 may leave good memories and good habits for the whole brotherhood. In the same way, it depends on your will what kind of person each of you will turn out to be after death, whether blessed, or saint, or reverend, or which other of these divine names he would like to be called. This is possible for him if he already here begins to improve himself in this way. There is no difficulty in this, no impossibility! This is proven by those who desired and received. You, my beloved children, wish to all be called blessed, equal to the angels, divine. This is necessary so that we are restrained in our wishes, accustom ourselves to make an effort on ourselves and prefer humility, although, on the other hand, I believe that you are and will be like that. There are already many of you among you and there will still be more of them, and every day by their internal deeds they show themselves to be honest before God. I truly come to inspiration and delight, although my unworthiness is very great, that God has given me such brethren, I dare say, in no way inferior to the ancients, but with similar virtue they alienated [from their relatives] and submitted and gave themselves for the name of God even to their death. Those who [impartially] accept [these speeches] about us also confirm my word; and gratitude [befits] God who called [us] and who in the last days revealed His elect, for everywhere and throughout the whole earth there are many who please Him well. Of all people, I alone was born and perfected in sin, and [I remain] in it every day. And I hope, maybe it will be too late, someday, through your prayers, I will be saved. For the name of God even until death Rejoice in the Lord and be glad in the fear of Him. Seek Him and you will see Him giving you the Kingdom of Heaven. To Him belongs glory and honor with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About what kind of abbot should be and the abdication of the [abbot] himself due to the height of primacy My brothers, fathers and children. Listen [attentively] with your hearing and understand [accurately] with your understanding (see Wis. 6:1; Matt. 15:10) what I will tell you today; because not out of partiality, not out of feigned humility, God is my witness, but realizing my own unworthiness, seeing how great and terrible it is to rule over souls and to be at the head of the abbess, [I say this]. I am still not worthy to be among the primates, nor to be listed among the abbots, nor to be the judge and savior of your honest souls, of which the world is not worth (see Heb. 11:38). Therefore, my brethren, do not be indignant at what I say. I refuse and run away from power because of my weakness. I see the incorrigibility of my heart, I see the disorder of my life, passion in my habits, ignorance, lack of learning, and also the inability to teach those who want to seek the doors of God’s mercy. Forgive me, I was forcibly brought [to power], as you know, by the irrevocable order of our father 291. If the command was secretly perhaps accompanied by a desire for power, let them think about it as they wish. However, no matter how much I wanted to, I was proposed and rose to the heights of abbotship, although I cannot compare [even] with beginners. Then, looking at the boundless sea of transition from earth to heaven, how many and how great are the difficulties here, the influence of contrary winds, tempting demons, continuous storms of passions, rough and insidious eclipses [from] sin, how exalted the mind of a ruler should be, directed upward to God, in addition to all this, realizing my poverty and complete rejection, I lost faith, became timid and renounced everything as limited heart, mind and word. Therefore, I ask you to choose another, for the situation with me is as I say - [another] who could save you and govern you and lead you into the haven of salvation. Oh, that the Lord, the good Shepherd and Savior of all, would give you a lawgiver and a leader (cf. Acts 3:15) in a virtuous life, an eye and a light [for] unerring guidance, Moses, going ahead of you along the impassable path of a partial life, so that he would cross the sea of ​​sin and lead you into the possession of the perfection of dispassion! I am a worm, and not a man, a reproach of people and humiliation of people (Ps. 21:7), I am subject to passion and sin from my inner evil and in no way can control life. For from here, of course, discord and uneven relations arise between you. But if I were a God-loving soul, I could manage you well, lead you along the straight path, inspire you with the desire for God, remove you from the world, and from now on classify you among the angelic Powers. Such [for example] is Blessed Savva 292, whose memory was committed by us yesterday, as the descriptor [of his life] told us [about him] 293, or each of the saints: they elevate those who follow [them] from an earthly way of thinking to a heavenly way of life; They, conquering and suppressing passions, give others some of their own strength. But if a blind man like me leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit, according to the words of the Gospel (Matthew 15:14). That is why it is good for you that the abbot should not be me, unworthy, but someone whom the Lord has ordained and who would be able to bear the illnesses of the weak. And I, with everyone and before everyone else, will submit to the one who appears. But so that, by talking about this for so long, I do not seem intrusive to you, I turn to someone else. Believe me, if you only believe my humility, that I want to serve your salvation in everything and give myself [to this] as long as I exist. I do not refuse this and do not reject it as long as I breathe, since there is no other [to replace the abbot]. This is what I say first of all. It is good for you to reject [personal] desires; it is necessary to become unanimous; It is useful not for each to seek [his own] in exaltation, but to imitate how the head rules the whole body. This is a serene life, this is a calm and God-loving behavior. Am I not the one who desires that you all be filled with the Holy Spirit? Certainly. And who else is [greater than me]? How could it be otherwise! Is it not I who want you to be wise and purposeful (Matthew 10:16)? How else? Is it not I who [always] strive in everything for you to be prudent and intelligent, to write well, and to sing well, and to pronounce words well, and to be teachers, and in general in other respects to be filled with the grace and favor of God? Of course, and this is fair. Who has ever hated his own members, and does not [in the apostolic way] nourish and warm his own flesh (Eph. 5:29)? Or I do not pay attention or do not understand that each of you, out of love for the Lord, separated himself, cut himself off from his father, from his homeland, from the village, from home, slaves, female servants, associates, friends, fame, superiors, the royal court, soft clothes, from his mother, a luxurious lifestyle, from gentle baths, from sweet idleness while others work, and from other worldly matter: from gold, transparent stones, from riding horses, mules, from estates, from all kinds, of every kind and kind, of the vanities of this world, which some already possessed, and others were facing? Monastic renunciation of the world Truly, from all this, although not all, but everyone renounced one thing or more or even everything and came to my humility, looking only into my eyes and surrendering into my hands. Shouldn't I, having realized all this, recognize you as mine, as my soul, and heart, and flesh, and property, and everything like that? Yes, this is so in reality (although I, unfortunate one, do not lead you to salvation) and so I must look at each of you and accept you all as my children, and seek your glory, for it is mine, and your joy, because it is my joy, and your salvation, for it is also my salvation. What fear and terrible trembling! The Lord and Master, by the power of His foreknowledge, has determined each of you to perform a good deed (see Eph. 4:12), of which he is [capable]. I, blinded, will not cease to adapt everyone to this, so that it does not [happen] that God wants one thing, and I do another. So, He determined for one to be the head, another the eye, the hand, another the teacher of the Church, and another the head of the heads, someone’s foot or one of the members 294 (see 1 Cor. 12:12-21). Therefore, if I, the darkness of sin, do not strive for virtue, conform to the Divine will, cooperate with God and serve His command, then what will I turn out to be? What will I be charged with? Woe, for the abbot must be prudent, [have] reason, as insightful as possible and generally equal to the angels. Various members of the one Body of the Church Therefore, I tremble and fear, I do not sleep and do not cease to observe that this one is well-placed in one respect, another - in another obedience, this one is especially useful in this and that. For I see that all of you can be useful, not in one way, but in many and different ways. My work and work with the help, reasoning and goodwill of our father... [I carry], for my hope is in God, and in the smallest... [deed] I am strengthened and empowered by His strength. And... [have]... small mercy 295. This is how I look, this is how I live, this is how I transfer you all, transferring you from one obedience to another, in order to present all of you as perfect and acceptable, as far as it is possible for me. The Lord knows how strong my desire is, and what I seek, I seek in my eyes [fairly]. For I want you to be intelligent, distinguished by knowledge and distinguished by exploits, to be humble and obedient, hardworking and meek. What should a rector be like? But one received one gift from God, another another, for not everyone, as Scripture says in many places, can become an eye, or a hand, or a foot (cf. 1 Cor. 12:4-30), but the one to whom God has given an advantage in this regard. This is what I strive for and want to do - to teach one to learn sciences in the affairs of another, so that no one is deprived of what he is capable of. What monks should be like: the ideal of a single Body But both are incompatible, and we will not resist Divine creativity, for in this case a man might wish to be a woman, or vice versa. But [everything] exists as it came from the Creator, and we are all attached to what God has honored us with. However, we all have all the advantages, since we constitute one body 296. Let envy go away, arguments stop, jealousy disappear. Who enters the Kingdom of Heaven. Attitude towards scholarship As I know through the advice of my father, so I will reason: what is good for you, you love and hold; do not look for your desires, for they are a matter of grief and cause me labor and painful burden. I endure and wait for requests, because, of course, you will not continue to be the same as you are now. But, to the extent that the conditions of the time are favorable, and the clarification of the [characters] of individuals, and the behavior of those who strive, we do this and will continue to do so. You all know that the apostle commanded us to always rejoice (1 Thess. 5:16). The coming of the Lord is already near, let us all rise up and stand before His Judgment. What enters there is not a dialectician who does not pour out a multitude of texts from his mouth, not one who is talkative and well-read, not one who has read a lot or memorized a lot, not a singer and not a sweet-voiced one. As you read, by the way, in the Patericon, in the life of one blessed man, God listened not only to the many singers, but also to those who fear Him, which constitutes the main wisdom. For the beginning of wisdom, it is said, is the fear of the Lord (Ps. 110:10; Prov. 1:7), and the fathers consider wise not the one who knows a lot, but the one who, even if he was not taught to read and write, led only a pure and blameless life, they consider him learned and wise. Otherwise, even if he went through all the science, he is unwise and unlearned and will be condemned forever. Either choose what you like, or obey what I command. You can be saved, even if you do not distinguish an alpha from a vita, but if you seek your own will, then, even if you have mastered all the knowledge, even the Egyptian letter, you will [still] see the fire that burns you in this century and in the future. I will also say something about vanity, for what could be worse than that. Let it disappear and dissipate without a trace. Here we will strive for what pleases God, what the abbot approves - this is useful and saving. Keep [these] words, keep our little exhortation. Give us your obedience and prayers, on which we hope to establish ourselves. The Lord our God will preserve everyone through the prayers of our father and may he be worthy of His Heavenly Kingdom. To him belongs glory, honor and power, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About fasting and what one should, while in labor and illness, working with one’s hands, eat food with gratitude 297 My brothers, fathers and children. From you I have no peace in my humble spirit (see 2 Cor. 2:13)... [I see] that the devil stands on guard day and night... to lead your souls astray. And if the best shepherd neglects, leaving his flock even for one hour, what we [may] be subject to! How can I not care and seek your salvation? True, instead of me, you always have the blessing of our father with you, shepherding you and protecting you from strangled animals. There is also a presbyter. And we allow you to think that neither the things there [heavenly] nor the things here [earthly] were left unforeseen. [And most importantly,] there is our one Lord Jesus Christ, our true Shepherd and Master, who, through your sincere and ardent love for Him, will lead [us] out and nourish us on the waters of rest (see Ps. 6:22) and will dwell you in the courtyard of His commandments. My sheep, He says, hear My voice, but do not follow strangers (John 10:3-5). If we, children and brothers, are truly His pets, we begin to follow His will, and we will avoid the abysses and wilds of biased actions and thoughts. Let no one lose heart. This is what we strongly desire. Let no one limp or lag behind for his own pleasure. Kind love is equal to everyone We all graze together, collect the grass of asceticism together, surround each other, and, of course, sin will not touch us. Although our life causes much sorrow [according to] the flesh, although the path is rocky, narrow (see Matt. 7:14) and sad [due to] abstinence, let us not become indignant, nor pity, nor imitate infants. Real [life] delivers this in various forms. But we, having hopes for eternity and looking with the eyes of our souls at the blessings of the promises and the endless joy of the saints, at that unapproachable and unevening light (1 Tim. 6:16), at a long and blessed life, let us be inspired and will take courage and strength, nobly withstanding the undermining [treachery] and the sorrow that attacks every day from without and from within. So stop hesitation, slowness and daring; everyone take up work and obedience in the morning; Conduct yourself cheerfully, as if you stand before the eyes of God. Every good [corresponds], in contrast, to evil, and you know that next to virtue there is also vice. Good love is the first and last of all blessings, but even it, no matter how great it is, if it has no boundaries in relation to one’s neighbor, becomes a sinful poison. Therefore, let no one be more inclined towards one than towards others. This is a shame for him, and he becomes a source of temptation for the brotherhood. But let equal love shine for all. I say this mainly to you, sensualists. Do not shamelessly look one in the face of another, for this too is a form of impudence, as St. Dorotheus 298; Let it be better for everyone to look within themselves. Remember about the first man that he, carried away by the sight of the tree, suffered death and was expelled from paradise, and Lot, who did not look back, escaped to the mountain of virtues (see Gen. 19:17). How much I suffer for you with my soul, only God knows about this. I know, my children, that the coming days are a time of fasting and that you are distressed by the deprivation of food and eating once a day. True, this does not apply to everyone: those who bear the heaviest labor eat twice [a day]. For your present hunger you will be filled with heavenly blessings, and for your thirst you will draw water that lives forever (John 4:14; 7:38), and for being scorched in the sun, the winds of the Holy Spirit will guide your souls. Children, stay in the field and in the place of struggle of your obedience, and you will rejoice with the martyrs. The one who slipped and left the field was left uncrowned. Here we have rewards for struggle, songs of victory and praise; Our God and Lord Himself is the hero of heroism. Whoever persistently flows, who will fight to the end, standing up to the canon during the night, the singing of psalms, hours, liturgies, [withstanding] the invariability of a certain kind of food, insults from a brother, humiliation, the burden of other work, the shame of slander, the transition from [one] task [to another], constant manual work, comments from superiors, the pitiful and dirty appearance of clothes, the worthlessness of shoes and everything else - he will climb the mountain the Lord, he will stand in His holy place (Ps. 23:3), as well as the one who lived by mortifying his will, renounced real honor, who loved the Lord more than parents, children and brothers (Matt. 10:37), who did not run and did not even turn back, did not seek real glory and did not even take into account how glorious and pampered he might have been in the world. Do not strive, children, for abbess or primacy - and you will be the first in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 20:16), however, perhaps you will happen to be in charge here too; do not covet, my brothers, the inheritances and possessions that you left on earth, and you will be joint heirs with the Lord (Rom. 8:17). Receive the spirit of strength, the spirit of strength and chastity, the spirit of wisdom and understanding (see Isa. 11:2; Col. 1:9; Rom. 2:10), let no one slander his brother, treat each other with respect. Let no one remain idle, lest he be condemned to deprivation of food (see 2 Thess. 3:10). In addition to all the advantages, may you also have what the apostle was proud of. What is this? [Namely,] that with these hands you should serve my demand and those who are with me (Acts 20:34), working night and day, so that we may not burden you with a single one (1 Thess. 2:9). Let no one be a whisperer, a gossip, or a secret eater, or an inappropriate talker (see 2 Cor. 12:20), or reveal his nobility according to the flesh, even [by accident], let him not spy to find out what is happening with his brother, that he says this and that, takes food or drink, has such supervision, but I do not, and, adding word to word, passes [it] on to another brother, and through he reports to the next; such a one commits the work of the devil, feeding his brothers with insidious corruption (see Hab. 2:15). If such a [brother] is deprived of anything deserved, let him report it, and, of course, we, who even lay down our lives for you, will all the more reward you with something of the flesh. Do not prefer to sit locked up at home and work at your own [discretion], because if we all stop at this, then how will we live? How will work be performed in the air? Who will plow? Who will mow the grass? Who digs the vineyard, who gardens? Who bakes the bread? And in general everything is different. Brotherly support each other We are all brothers, and therefore we must support each other as brothers. Run and voluntarily take on the most difficult tasks. And then, at least] let everyone remain with what he is assigned to. As it is said, for these small and insignificant works, my brothers and children, we will be saved, and darkness and eternal fire will not overtake you (see Matt. 22:13; 18:8). Let us hope so, and we will become co-kings with Christ (see 2 Tim. 2:12) and will enjoy ourselves with all the saints. Rejoice and be glad in the Lord. Remember our humility too. May the blessing of our Lord and Father cover you in everything and keep you whole and perfect (see James 1:4) now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the Last Judgment and the [necessity] of giving thanks for those [cases] when everyone is saved from the temptations of the devil 299 Brothers, and fathers, and my spiritual children. We hear how clearly the divine David cries out and proclaims: God will come, our God, and will not remain silent; a fire will kindle before Him and a green storm will surround Him (Ps. 49:3) and so on. Therefore, children, let us fear, tremble, put ourselves in order, prepare ourselves, let us watch, for the Lord is near (see Phil. 4:5), and we will be required to speak and will be held accountable. Oh, if only one sinner would act on my [advice]! So the hour [has] arrived and daylight savings time. Let us cut off passions from ourselves with the sword of obedience, like ears of corn with a scythe, so that evil 300 seeds do not sprout in our hearts. Let us sow in tears so that we can reap in joy (Ps. 126:5), for, as it is written, For whatever a man sows, he will also reap (Gal. 6:7). Oh, that, brethren, we would mortify our members on earth (see Col. 3:5) and die to sin (see Rom. 6:2)! Oh, that we would carry within us the joy of dispassion (see Gen. 37:1), as Jacob says! So we will begin to live in the monastery in simplicity and kindness. Blessed is the man who daily, like a holy stone, rolls among his brethren, as the prophet said (Zech. 9:16); he seems to eat, drink and sleep with others, but in secret he always looks to God and imagines heavenly things, envisages death and thus rejects passions. Life in anticipation of heavenly blessings What is good, or what is beautiful, or what is pleasing to God, he collects in his soul: the memory of the holy, the correction of life, the way of heavenly living, song and praise, prayer, for example, “Lord, have mercy” (Ps. 57:1), or “Glory to Thee, O God” (Ps. 57:6: 107:6), or “I thank Thee, O Lord” (Ps. 9:1; 110:1), or “What will I repay You for what You have done for me (see Ps. 115:3), saving me from the sea of ​​my sins and bringing me to a holy knowledge of You; wherein I sinned before You, staining myself and making myself unfit, [from all this] You cleansed me in a [monastic] way 301. Thanks be to God for His ineffable blessings And what I shied away from in word or deed after that, You forgave me through repentance. And now, Lord, You do good to me every day and do not allow me to completely fall under the burden of my [sin], but as soon as I barely fall, You stretch out your hand to me and again raise me up with the words: “Arise, My son, and do not despise the punishment of the Lord” (cf. Heb. 12:5); You grant [me] complacency and strength. I am exhausted at work and lose heart, and You strengthen me unexpectedly. I do not hope to withstand even one hour in the struggle against the passion that greatly torments me, and You supported me for days, and times, and years. What can I repay You? I will accept the cup of salvation (Ps. 116:4).” This means, my brothers, to please Him, to sacrifice yourself even to the point of bleeding. But whatever I say, unfortunate one, I bring as a sentence against myself. For, thinking deeply about this, I always fall and am condemned. But for your sake I attempt to tell you what you deserve. Be saved by me, my dear children. Be careful, my most spiritual brothers; mutually refine each other in the spiritual, rejecting everything that is evil (cf. Rom. 12:9), adopting what is most God-loving. O brothers, children, fathers, let us hurry, let us hurry - the field is great! - while there is time, until the sun of our life has set, so that we can see the unapproachable light (see 1 Tim. 6:16), our Lord Jesus Christ, who forever shines and shines with immortality on those who love Him. To him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. About carrying out monastic affairs carefully and with heartfelt attention as the Lord’s An exhortation to little sleep and early awakening My most honest brothers and spiritual children. What I had to preach orally, now, as always, I am trying to tell you in writing. For our good God has given us the use of the word, as the great and divine Basil says, so that we may reveal to each other the counsels of our hearts 302. So, I tell you how the matter of our humility stands - namely, that although I despair in view of the multitude of my sins, but, leaving aside the danger [threatening me] and powerlessness, I turn all my concern to you, and I am afraid, and trembling, and experiencing an [internal] struggle for all of you. Whoever faints and does not faint [with him], I say in my madness. Who is tempted, and I am not liquefied? (2 Cor. 11:29, 21), I say in my foolishness; and this, as I have already said, [I say] abounds in the desires of the passions, as Proverbs expresses it. He who is zealous for his salvation is not my child, but my master, master and father, and I fall with my soul at his feet. My body is composed of him who is quick and diligent in his obedience; my strength, courage and strength (see Ps. 17:3) - strong, humble and trembling at the words of God (see Isa. 66:2), he is my soul, and heart, and mind. But the idle one is disgusting to me, who is not even worthy to eat, according to the judgment of the divine Paul (2 Thess. 3:10), as well as the slow 303, lazy, grumbling, sleepy, sleeping over the good, for he ruins half of his life. Therefore, rise with me, my children and brothers, companions and companions on the path leading to heaven. First of all, take up the spiritual ardently and firmly, heated like fire, going willingly to the night psalmody and daytime prayers, then sit through the night doing physical manual work, until dawn, so that the sunrise does not find you on your bed, as our great teacher Basil 304 legitimized; and in the [midday] heat, one hour of sleep is enough for you, and get up quickly. After all, you hear what is written in the Divine Gospels - that early in the morning the woman came to the tomb (Mark 16:2); Peter and John hastened very early (see John 20: 3–4); At midnight Paul and Silas rose up to pray (Acts 16:25), as is sung in the psalms (see Psalm 119:62). What does Paul say about himself? Working night and day, let us not burden you with a single thing (1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Thess. 3:8). Here is an apostle, here is a preacher of the Gospel, who captivated the world with such a great ministry of the word, even engaged in work, giving us a model of life according to God. Do not be forgetful listeners according to what is written (James 1:22), but creators of the law and doers (see Rom. 2:13) of what was preached to you according to the Divine will. Compete with each other in zeal for obedience Compete with each other and try to see who is more zealous in obedience. Without waiting for the order to be repeated, who is superior in humility, obeying at the first word and taking upon himself all blame. If you are in such a state, then I know very well that you are rejoicing, having fun, being lifted up by the hope of dispassion, consoling yourself with the expectation of heavenly things, that you are pure in soul, unenvious, rather, completely dispassionate, for even if you are tickled and irritated by passions, yet with weapons [in the form of] the above feats you put [to flight] the attacking demons. And is there a warrior who, even having won, would not be defeated, and how could such a one not be crowned by the Heavenly King, even if he had a thousand wounds, so long as he was not killed by sin? Be merciful, as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:36), but the wombs of the wicked are unmerciful, as it is written (Proverbs 12:10), but the righteous also have mercy on the souls of his livestock (Proverbs 12:10; 27:23; Sir. 7:22). The righteous man is kind even to animals First, show mercy to yourself (Proverbs 11:17), and then to the animals, so that they do not remain unfed, unwatered, but at the appropriate time let them be given both food and drink, and this is a very clear sign for the monks that their animals, carrying heavy loads, are well-fed 305 and strong; otherwise, they belong, of course, not to monks, but to rude, or better yet, unreasonable laymen. Show in everything, my children, even in your smallest deeds, the perfection of your way of life, so that your perfection remains with you in other matters; even let the greens not be thrown at random, [and also see to it] that the vegetables do not rot, so that rags, even some old scrap [of just] an inch, no matter what it is, is not despised, and especially clothing. Perfection in the smallest matters. The Need for Thrift If, as it is written in Patericon 306, a monk must wear such clothes that, if thrown out of the gate, no one would pick them up for three days, then how is it permissible to neglect anything at all? I’m not just talking about this, but let not even a stick fit for any purpose, or even a piece of board the size of four fingers, be thrown away or burned untimely. Likewise, [even] the slightest spill of wine, splashes of oil. ABOUT! Is this decent? The Fathers instruct us to abstain even from smelling wine, and you know how much oil that [ascetic] who uncorked the jug with a needle 307 ate, but we taste them in sufficient measure, not to say abundantly. And now, through inattention, or rather, through immoderation, we spill them and water even the earth, while others, due to abstinence or poverty, would be glad to try. A common expression can be cited here, unless in saying [this] I am going beyond the bounds of decency. They say that when the butcher's children are full, they make rings for themselves from the intestines of the slaughtered [animals]. Let it not be so, my children. For everyone begins to grow rich from a little, both in spiritual and material [things]. I don’t know if there is anyone [among you] who is greedy or lost. After all, you daily await your permission, when we will appear before the terrible face of the Lord. Therefore, let tears be bread for you day and night (see Ps. 41:4), and, remembering this, pour out your hearts before Him (see Ps. 62:9), and I hope that you will move to the place of a wonderful spectacle and be installed almost in the very house of God with exclamations of joy, with the breath-shaking cry of those celebrating (see Ps. 41:5) in heaven. Therefore, do not be sad and do not be disturbed by passions, even if they greatly disturb you. Having raised the sail of your soul, complacently cross the great and painful sea of ​​this life, guided by the prayers of our father. The Art of Spiritual Sailing If through small holes, through the senses, the water of wickedness penetrates, or through sight, when you, perhaps even against your will, looked with passion, or through hearing, having perceived an intoxicating sound or song, or through the sense of smell [of lipstick] with which one anoints the body, or of something else fragrant, or through taste, delighted by some dish, or through the most humiliating contact either with one’s own body, or with neighbor, intentional, maybe involuntary - erase it as soon as possible through confession and tears; and if passion blows stronger, let it be a sign of hoisting the sail, that is, of true humility. And if the rope breaks, which signifies the power of instability, rush quickly to strengthen the mind. And in this way you will hide in the calm harbor of life those of your virtues that are easily carried away, gaining well and being enriched with eternal things and rejoicing with our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom befits all glory, power, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the fact that one should not be tempted by those who come to the monastic lifestyle and cannot maintain it Who and what in the underworld Brothers, and fathers, and children. In view of the fact that [the brothers] came from our distant villages healthy, unharmed and without defects, and you succeed in keeping yourself unharmed and safe, adhering to the sole desire and will of the Lord, how can I not rejoice, how can I not rejoice in the praise of the Lord, or how can we not praise you, who turned out to be the reason for such mercy towards me! You, my children, are truly the light of my eyes, you are truly the salt of my bad nature (see Matt. 5:13; Col. 4:6), with your march along the straight path you reveal in me, an unlearned, inexperienced and exposed to many dangers, a leader, a teacher and a savior of souls; you strengthen me, unwise, disordered and completely devoid of [any] positive qualities, with your success, showing [the spectacle of] an Olympic victory. I say this because, both by staying at home and being in front of us, you protect yourself and remain restrained; sent outside the monastery and being far from us, you prefer [to be] unashamed and saved and, moving and moving from place to place, show the same proof of your virtue. Prayer adopts us to the Holy Spirit and God Thanks be to the Lord, who sustains you and strengthens you abundantly 308. But even if someone happens to slip, because this generally happens to the majority, and especially to be tempted by newcomers who, unable to bear the easy yoke of Christ (see Matt. 11:30), due to their frivolity and their attachment to the world and to sin, return back like a dog to vomit (2 Pet. 2:22), then there is nothing surprising in this and nothing that could lead to your fall - on the contrary, it should lead you to repentance and reflection on the words of the Lord, Who said: the flock which My Father has gathered is small (Luke 12:32), and the way that leads into life is narrow, 309 and few are they who find it (Matthew 7:14), and also: if anyone does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and also his own soul, he will not May I be my disciple (Luke 14:26). From these words of Christ it is clear how great and humble is our angelic image 310, beloved children, and blessed is the one whom He chose for himself from worldly humiliation and who resorted to this high way of life [in order] from here to see the Kingdom of Heaven by contemplation of the mind. For in the underworld there is darkness and heat and, as in a night battle, almost every person who, instead of the incorruptible and ineffable and incomprehensible eternal blessings, chooses the vain, pernicious and short-term, collides, is subjected to disasters and rushes around, as in a storm 311. Who raised his head, who came to his senses, who escaped, who from the flock of those caught in the devil’s net flew up like a bird of heaven to the high mountain of this life, with Satan mocked and trampled underfoot? Behold, I give you, says the Lord, power to tread on the serpent, and on the scorpion, and on all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). Advance, my children, and trample on its manifold heads and defeat its hostile and offensive force, armed with ascetic unceasing prayer, and give glory to [God] in it. It [prayer] adopts us to the Holy Spirit and adopts us to God. If, during the trials that occur, you do not in the least waver in your desire for God, do not weaken, even when war arises, internal or external, even to the shedding of blood (see Heb. 12:4), but, on the contrary, if with stubborn persistence you keep your hope in it [that is, prayer], then you will receive crowns. And one more thing: take courage when repelling the attacks of the dragon. You know the rebellions of the flesh, you know the internal incitements against the holy house - I mean an honest soul; you know the terrible wolves - [attacks of] passions, how from the outside they are transformed into sheep's clothing, but inside they are destroyers. By their fruit you will know them, says the Holy Gospel (Matthew 7:16). All the thoughts that arise in you - about love for God, about purity, reverence, about tenderness, patience, the memory of death, about the outcome, meeting, appearing and answering before God, I will say in addition, and these last ones - about obedience, humility, cutting off the will, rejection of pride or anything like that - all of these are properties of the right part, they guide you in ascension to the Heavenly Kingdom. And what [thoughts] are opposite to these is clear. This is attachment to the world, to sin, to pleasures, insolence, idle talk, drowsiness, grumbling, vanity, disobedience, distrust, and reverence for one’s will. Why further list all the passions? If you list them, they will turn out to be more numerous than sand (see Ps. 139:18). Qualities required for a monk So, children, knowing right and evil [thoughts], run far away from some, for the divine Apostle James writes: resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). And with others - draw close, convert, enter into fellowship, for [Scripture] says: draw near to God, and he will draw close to you (James 4:8), - loving everything, enduring everything (cf. 1 Cor. 13:7), going through everything with the help of your humility, according to the rules, according to the commandments, according to the commandment, nowhere [do not show] selfishness, nowhere [are you guided by] your decision, your opinion. The proverb calls these [properties] a tool for tempting ascetic monks. But everywhere [discover] brotherly love, sincerity, kindness, indifference to the world, non-boastfulness, pliability, humility, godly wisdom, divine decency and perfection. In this may Christ our God preserve and preserve, protect and protect, multiply and perfect (see Eph. 4:13) all of you, for to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About those who fall, how they must rise, and a useful explanation about penance and binding from the holy elder My fathers, brothers and children. So, I am obliged to deliver and proclaim my humble and unpleasant word to you, the children of God, who are truly laboring daily in the field of submission, and, as it were, to inspire you with convictions, to raise and gather you with requests and secret reminders to make you more bold and courageous, especially when you are so zealous and not lazy and joyfully open your ears to the reception of what is to be said. And we, the children, are going through a struggle, a difficult and persistent struggle. For what does the divine apostle say: for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, and against the powers, [and] against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12). And just as a military leader before a battle arouses the jealousy of his people with a word of conviction and encourages him to defeat the enemy in battle, so I, the unfortunate one, not just for one day, but forever must, and am obliged, and, of course, I strive, although this is beyond my strength, to make you experienced, to protect, to breathe courage into you, the army of the Lord, to disgust the demonic hordes and ridicule the manifold passions (see Rom. 1:26). True, the work 312 is no small and the feat [undertaken by you] in your spiritual struggle is not insufficient, as one might think based on what has been said, my Christ-loving brethren, but it is very long, it is befitting a warrior and an ascetic, it is amazing and humble 313. You are always subjected, as to an outpouring of blood, to the cutting off of your will, and, as to dangerous wounds, blows from collisions, and, as to a struggle in a battle, to the fulfillment of obediences. Without violating what is due and required, it is impossible to bypass any of you, for you are all struggling side by side, subjected to hardships and weakened, drawn and stunned by everything that relates to asceticism - hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness, glory and dishonor and other things in which the apostle exalted himself (2 Cor. 6:8; 11:23-27). But rejoice, my children, rejoice and strive not for what is visible, but for what is invisible, for what is visible is temporary, but what is invisible is eternal (see 2 Cor. 4:18). Our life is hidden in Christ, and when Christ, our Life, appears in rebirth, then you too will appear and rejoice forever (see Col. 3:3–4). For deeds according to the flesh - invaluable rewards And for your deeds in the flesh, our Master, the Lord, will reward you with invaluable rewards. Abide, abide, my lords and rulers, in the love of God (see John 15:9). And just as He loved us and for us gave Himself up to the condemnation of death, and the death of the cross (see Phil. 2:8), so we will completely give ourselves up for His sake, bringing a gift to the Lover of mankind - the Master, who has deigned us for the sake of His name to renounce - [it makes no difference] whether we are city dwellers or villagers - from parents, relatives, acquaintances, loved ones, friends, comrades, peers and leave the motherland that nurtured and raised us, cities, fields, theaters, horse shows, games, worldly shows, habits, laughter, high position, its locality, chambers, courtyards, villages, hamlets, activities, actions, carnal friendships and things peculiar to this age. Now we are all one in Christ Jesus, and spiritually I have begotten you (see 1 Cor. 4:15). And for all this, how will we repay (see Ps. 67:29; 116:3) to God who strengthened us? What else, if not to ruin what has been achieved through negligence and insensitivity, not to neglect the present, not to stop further struggle in the future, but, if it turns out to be necessary, to suffer until you bleed. May this be pleasant and most desirable to us! Thus, I am trying to reason, preserve, protect you, my honor and glory and my pride in pious habits. This is the content of [my] reminder. Be strong, my children, and strengthen yourself again and again, more and more, strongly and intensely, godlike and continuously from now on and forever (see Ps. 113:2). In view of the fact that we sent two brothers to one of the local monasteries, having learned about the departure of poor brother Thalassius there, listen to this [word], which can bring you no small benefit, but, on the contrary, greatly strengthen and establish you, since it is amazing and quite acceptable. This monk appeared to Elder Sikeot, asking for permission to resolve his insoluble bonds. When the elder rejected [the request], since neither he nor anyone else can resolve [them], except for my humility, he continued to insist, expressed himself boldly and said: “And if I do not receive permission from him, then I will remain completely out of communication.” He gave him the following story, as he himself told these brothers when they left. The story of the prohibition of eating bread “Listen, child,” he said, “what I heard from my father: this is true, since this event actually happened to him and is known to many. Several years ago, in one place there lived an old man with a very famous disciple. Since the working monastery cattle spoiled the fields of neighboring villagers, complaints about this reached the father, and he attacked the student with force, threatened him and even forbade him to eat bread if he did not quickly go and bring in the donkeys and henceforth take precautions. And so, when the brother went to fulfill the order, the elder, by God’s will, died. Then, returning and finding him dead, [the student], as he should have, discovered great sorrow; distressed, [he] spoke plaintive words, sobbed and said that he had lost his father, that his light had gone out, that he was orphaned in reality more than in the flesh, that eating bread remained forbidden for him. After the burial, he informs the worthy about the event, asks them for healing and permission to punish, but no one was found to heal the wound and resolve the bonds, everyone avoided and sent this person to the elder. Since he did not receive help from any of those there, then, on the advice of the majority, he leaves from there, heading to the reigning city, and turns to the primate of the Church (he was then like our father Herman 314); [the monk] sets out the matter, asks for help from him, as from the head of the bishopric; but even here [does not find] resolution and healing. What's next? A council gathers, the main issue is discussed, and a student is called. And with all this, an amazing and noteworthy thing happened, of course, well thought out by such a bishop and confessor: neither he nor the convened council decided to cancel the bonds imposed on the student, since the one who tied him died unexpectedly, even if even he did not want to keep [the penance] in force; but, as bound by him on earth and in heaven (see Matt. 16:19), they let [the student] go without touching him or allowing him, not daring, even as priests, bishops and the head of the Church, [to undo what was done] by one person, even perhaps not a priest, who decided to punish his student. So that brother continued not to eat bread until his death. This is what I heard, poor thing, and I was surprised, and delighted, and pleased both the true bishop and the wise disciple, and was imbued with respect for the laws of the fathers, how they are unshakable 315 and generally inviolable for the pious.” Honor them, children, and be amazed, and keep this word until death in the treasury of your soul. For it is a fortress and a steadfast hedge for your submission and obedience, awaiting a fivefold reward in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. (On Sunday of Cheese Week (cheese week)) About the departure of the abbot of the “Pure” monastery and about the joyful beginning of the Holy Pentecost My fathers, brothers and children. We had to grieve over the departure of the abbot of the “Pure” monastery, that is, our brother and his companions; we were very saddened, because the deprivation of it, even for a short time, 316 sufficiently touched both you and me, and this is commendable, for this is a property of love and an indicator of spiritual closeness. And indeed, the feeling generated by pious order is pleasant and blissful. However, even when we let go [of them], we do not abandon them, and when we separate, we do not separate. [I say this] not because the brother went to the “Pure Ones” to manage the monastery there according to our intention 317 and primarily because of the [vow of] obedience, but if he had [left] from there and further to some other place to the east, or west, or wherever it happens, to any place of the Lord’s dominion (see Ps. 103:22), willingly or against his will, [exiled] by persecutors, We, children, believe that we are together and inseparable, for God is present with us everywhere, we are connected with each other in His Spirit and united in His peace. So, enough of that. [Come] here, my children, we will begin the announcement again and again we will listen to decent things. Where should I begin to compose [my word], I, awkward and unreasonable, who do not have my own merits, in order to find a reason for you in them. I decided to say a word about this event, the relocation of the brothers. I turned to myself and, in view of this temporary separation, brought to my mind, beloved children, a real great mortal separation, and I groaned and was upset in my unhappy soul. How will we endure that transition and such a great division and separation of the soul from the body, going to another, foreign land, entering another path, moving into another world - unusual, unexplored, unknown, unspeakable and ineffable! After all, no one returned from there and told us about the terrible and extraordinary meetings and accompaniments there, about the spectacles and consequences. Who and what kind of ministers will be sent to us from God to take us to heaven? Will this commission be fulfilled by wicked angels? Let us fear, my children, the example of [the rich man – see Lk. 12:20]. Who will accompany us? Who will depart with us and be sent to a certain resting place? Perhaps in the voice of rejoicing and confession, in the exclamation of those celebrating (see Ps. 42:5)? But let our rest not be a [place] of fire, and water (see Ps. 65:12), and darkness, and a poisonous worm, and other countless torments. Thinking about this, my child, I am amazed, and amazed, and tremble, and afraid, and I want to mourn my countless sins, so that I can be cleansed a little here before I experience that all-consuming and endless fire. But you, listening and thinking about this, rejoice and be proud, since you [are] in exploits and, in view of the rewards for virtues, strengthen yourself and live in the Lord; although the circumstances are sad, nevertheless, in the pursuit of the eternal, make your way miraculously and diligently. Now the Holy Pentecost has arrived, an enlightening and cleansing period of honest days. Let no one fall into cowardice, my children, or negligence: in them [these days] there is sweetness, tenderness, harmony of sacred thoughts, display of heavenly sights, cleansing of the heart and flesh, rejection of the abomination of the heart, washing in the tears of divine tenderness. Just as we use the time of bodily rest, so, if you allow, we will also use [the time of rest] of the soul. And you can refuse the first rather than the second. For whatever we collected during the first time, everything turned into corruption and nothing of what we had accumulated remained in our belly; perhaps it even harmed [us], inflaming passions and arousing bestial and unreasonable blood boils, [becoming the reason that] we, people, were mistaken, stubbornly caring about the fleeting and striving for the fragile - dust, dung, hay and decay, and generally collecting everything like this. And what we receive during the second, there is nothing shameful, nothing fleeting and perishing, but [everything] remains and lasts and truly feeds your honest souls with immortal food. In it there is joy and peace, faith, hope, love (see Gal. 5:22; 1 Cor. 13:13), enlightenment and purification, propitiation and, finally, deification. Let us turn [to this], my most honest brethren, for there is nothing so great that we would strive for: not renunciation of all kinds of food, for we have enough and what is due, as established and determined in former times - a sign of the royal path, since we eat every day; nor all-night vigils, for we have midnight uprisings; nor all-day silence, for we have conversations in good time; nor sleeping on the floor or refusing to change outer or underwear, for we have adopted a weekly change. Only one thing [is required] is to humble yourself with divine humility, to obey without hypocrisy, to cut off the evil desire at the roots 318, just as you cut it off. And in this way, peace and spiritual love and great joy will be established in the Holy Spirit, unhinderedly leading us to the Holy Resurrection of Christ. How many days are there in total? Seven weeks, and they are so pleasant and joyful and, gradually passing 319, approach the divine and life-giving passion of Christ. Although I am simple, but, as responsible and obligated to remind of all this, I will remind you, my children, my light, my honest members and sweet heart, my masters and masters, thanks to whom I exist and without whom I do not exist, through whom I am glorified and without whom I will not be glorified, through whom I hope to be saved and without whom nothing is sweet to me either on earth or in heaven. So keep my humble commandment and humble word, and may you be sealed with the seal of the Holy Spirit and may you be gathered into gracious unanimity and receive the firstfruits of good things with the perfect 320 assistance of the Divine Trinity, praying for the rest of our brothers who are in other places and who are lagging behind, that we may all be saved in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen. About the waywardness of the world and what we should thank for our deliverance from it My fathers, children and brothers. When the day before yesterday, by order of the bishop, I left the monastery and went to the patriarchate and from there to the palace to be present at the royal [divine] service, I stayed [there] the whole day, watched spectacles and saw faces, experienced the variability of worldly things, the care that draws people here and there, their talkativeness, petty fussiness, their worldly enterprise - and this in the days of the honest and Holy Pentecost! - then I changed in my appearance, my hearing was deafened by incessant conversations and my gaze weakened from diverse and useless visions. In this state, I take advantage of a convenient time and a somewhat secluded place to tell you, my children in spirit and flesh, about what happened to me. Just as [large] drops sometimes fall from a cloud that has descended in the summer, so tears flowed from my eyes, and I let out a sigh from the depths of my heart and, holding back the excitement of my thoughts with the help of the overflowing divine calmness, I brought decent thanksgiving to the Lord and blessed you, my beloved children, that you went out and separated from this environment and completely refused to touch worldly uncleanness, remaining in the field of submission and struggling daily in the arena of patience and mentally ascending to the heights of virtues with his divine behavior. Who could be more blessed than you? What is more desirable and decent? You are truly children of Christ, servants of God and the Father and haters of flesh and blood (see Matthew 16:17). The world belongs to them, and heaven belongs to you. Their fate here is bleak joy, beggarly enrichment and hungry pleasure, I cannot express it otherwise; and your destiny is joy in hope, the pleasantness of the future age and, in the presence of bodily poverty, enrichment with eternal blessings (see 1 John 2:16), constraint in abstinence and enjoyment of unspeakable blessings. Therefore, let us not please anything else, we will not turn our gaze or strive for anything else, except for what has been given to us by definition from above, what the Holy Spirit has given us. Come, children, let us give glory to Him who called us; Let us love, beloved, the One who loved us; Let us serve Him sincerely so that we may prevail over everything. Come, let us fear Him, so that the Lord may be merciful to us and love our angelic council; Come, let us cleanse ourselves from evil deeds and thoughts, so that He, as a real Light, is Unapproachable (see 1 Tim. 6:16), shone upon us with the brilliance of the Spirit and raised us to the high mountain of divine life and showed people that we constituted the city of God. What does the Holy Father say 322 in the Patericon? Is it not that if we honor the One, that is, God, then everyone will honor us; and if we dishonor Him with our malice, will we receive the opposite? Who can not love the Lord? Who will not love the great and endless Light? Who will not hasten to the great Hero and Distributor of crowns? Who would not wish to co-reign with the All-King of the age (see 1 Tim. 1:17)? Who would not choose to be adopted as sons of the One from whom the whole family in heaven is worthless (Eph. 3:15), the Father of mercies (see 2 Cor. 1:3) and the Lord of all? Who would not wish to co-heir with the Lord Jesus Christ (see Rom. 8:17) in that paternal inheritance, which neither word can convey, nor hearing can contain, nor understanding can inherit? So, you, children, wished and desired, came out and came, began, achieved perfection and remain in it. The end of the exploits has not yet come, the end of the competitions is not yet over. You still need to run, and run strongly, according to the [expression] of the great and golden lips of the Spirit 323. It's still competition time. Do we not hear what Paul, the light of the world, the universal apostle, says? This is how I flow, not as if it were unknown; this is how I strive, not like the air beating; but I mortify my body and enslave it, so that if I preach to others, I myself will not be enslaved (1 Cor. 9:26–27). Do you see how the man of God put it? We need mortification, the abstinent enslavement of the unbridled horse, this flesh. Let's pull him up, let's bridle him - yes, children, I ask you, many-passionate and many-sinful, so that he does not bite the bit and throw off the rider - the mind - and do not make us the object of gloating of our enemies. Therefore, [we will try] to move away from steep places in order to walk safely. Understand what I'm talking about! Woe to bad eyesight, because it brings sinful poison into the soul! Woe to disastrous insolence, because it even more quickly brings fire into the house of virtue! Woe to the youthful smiles of those without beards and even those with beards towards them [young men], because with one movement they plunge us into the very depths of passions! Alas for the satiety of the belly and the pleasure of sleep, for they give rise to vile seeds of fornication. Alas, when two are connected by the same thing, have relatively frequent conversations with each other, sit and deliberate for a long time, even if they were from the first [chiefs] or elders, and especially when they arouse in each other secret and biased thoughts under the guise of providing and receiving benefits, for there is not my Christ in the midst of them, but Satan. Woe to the carelessly disposed - these are not my words, but the words of our divine and great father Ephraim - for on the day of Judgment he will inevitably suffer punishment 324. I, my children, have received each such grief as the executor of them all, although I have clothed the speech in such a form. But, of course, be careful in view of my example - and you will overthrow the armies of the devil, and speed up yourselves in [assimilating] the fear of God; and rise more and more in heavenly ascent, small and great, leaders and those who have taken monastic vows, successful and backward, having good and bad habits, healed and cured, punished and rewarded, priests and sanctified, in rules, in hymns, in vigils, in obedience, in humility in Christ Jesus the Lord ours, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. About the snares of the devil, with instructions on how to avoid them My fathers, brothers and children. Often listening and heeding from the Inspired Scripture about the responsibility that lies with the primate, I fear, and tremble, and am amazed, and, although I cannot bear the silence of the word even for a short time, I am forced to announce to you what is due and useful - the justifications and judgments of the Lord our God (see James 3:1), which are [so] known and known to you. So, do not be lazy to listen, do not be burdened by repetitions of catechumens, knowing that in our humble hearts we feel constant concern for the salvation of each of you, striving not to save ourselves from condemnation, but to save you from proper anger for disobeying the commandments of God. I loved you greatly, my children, although I am not worthy to say this, and with desire I desired you, as my most honorable brothers, although I myself am unclean, and I experience some kind of love - forgive me - and an insatiable desire that you, my lords and rulers, for the sake of my Christ and the Lord, who have left flesh, and race, and blood, and the world, and everything earthly and who have entrusted yourselves to my pathetic baseness, do not lose the great promises and heavenly promises, but may you be saved and kept, may you be kept into His chosen generation, into a holy tongue, a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9; Titus 2:14; Phil. 1:11), for His glory and praise, for the pride and means of salvation of us sinners. I am truly convinced, my beloved brethren, that when you are saved, the Lord will not send me completely into total fire, although I am subject to it because of my sins. Forgive me, I have no words to inflame your souls to divine and blissful love; I do not have the power to raise your thought to the height of heavenly spectacles, unless you yourself excite yourself and march successfully. So, if anyone has fallen asleep carefree, let him awaken to jealousy; If anyone's hands have given up mentally and he is limping on both sides (1 Kings 18:21), let him walk upright and jump along the path of the commandments of the Lord. If anyone is blind because of a biased mind, let him wash his eyes in the font of tears (see John 9:7) and, having received his sight to dispassion, let him give glory to the Lord (see John 9:24). If anyone is leprous [from] nasty sin, let him ardently run to the Lord and hear: I want you to be cleansed (Matthew 8:3), and, having been cleansed, let him no longer be defiled (see John 5:14). The height and difficulty of the monastic path. The need for caution If anyone is deaf in soul and dumb in mind, let him hear and speak, for Scripture affirms that the Lord heals all those who suffer according to the inner man (see Rom. 7:22). So for the sake of the weak, I have spoken to you. Health, according to the word of the Gospel, does not require a doctor, but those who are sick (Matthew 9:12). So, children, this great and glorious image [monasticism] is not passed through as it happens, but through many works and deeds of piety; as high and divine and angelic as it is, it requires heroic deeds. We, being in the flesh, imitate those who are incorporeal (see Eph. 6:12); being in the world, we strive to behave as if in heaven (see Phil. 3:20); connected with flesh and blood, we are forced to live disembodied and bloodless, for flesh and blood, according to the Apostle, cannot inherit the kingdom of God; below, corruption inherits incorruption (1 Cor. 15:50). Therefore, we need greater security, caution and haste. The flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are opposed to each other, according to the apostolic expression (Gal. 5:17). See that good is not defeated by evil, that the dominion of the soul is not enslaved by the servile passions of the flesh, that we do not walk on our heads, like a snake, holding our feet up. Punishment for sin for every generation What is the bitterness of sin? The fact that he expelled the primordial Adam from paradise and, having conceived death from the God-given commandment, brought him fruit. Oh, how he still deceives those around him, enchants them, builds intrigues for them and captivates them with a short pleasure, depriving them of heavenly blessings! Where are Sodom and Gomorrah and the fire that fell on them (see Gen. 19:1–30) for the sin of sodomy? Where is [the reason] for the complete destruction of the generations contemporary to Noah? The fact is that they played and laughed, got married and committed violence (see Matt. 24:37–38) and did not heed the word of the Lord. How much wrath and righteous condemnation (cf. Rom. 2:5) is sent from heaven every time to every generation for corrupting sin! Therefore, brethren, let us be careful and fearful, let us keep ourselves pure and undefiled, and let us not be carried away by what caused the above-mentioned to fall into destruction. This was brought to them by greed and satiety with food and drink and satiation with sleep, the uncontrolled desire of the flesh, the unbridled desires of passion; inflamed, they could not bear it to triumph; crowned, did not endure the battle to rejoice in victory; They did not bother, restless, to rest forever, but under the pressure of demonic attacks, like cowards, they rushed to run, completely deprived of Divine power. Let us avoid, brothers, let us look you straight in the face, avoid insolence. When you have reached the touch of a hand, [this means] you have reached a treacherous kiss. When you find yourself in an unauthorized embrace, you have achieved eternal death. Therefore, turn and do not respond to a word with a cheeky word, and especially not to a word [without reason], but to a glance - with an attractive and responding gaze. If you stop these first impulses, then you will not fall into the net like a lured fish, and, protecting yourself from them, you will observe other rules of your obedience, God-bearing and completely enlightened and zealous in your holy and reverend labors even to the point of bleeding. But, in order not to extend the announcement further than necessary, let us interrupt our words here in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the end of the Holy Pentecost and the arousal of jealousy for the continuation of the feat Angelic Face and Cathedral of Saints My fathers, brothers and children. The grace of the Holy Spirit brought us to half of the most honest Pentecost in strength and great courage. I believe that [the entire Pentecost] will pass and grace will lead us to that [great] life-giving and light-giving day [Easter] in the remission of sins and the greater strengthening of your wonderful successes. Turn around and see what your position was once and to what extent it has now risen. Once the soul has experienced the impulse to salvation, it imperceptibly moves faster and ascends to the heights of virtues, striving for the heavenly. So we, brethren, having all turned together and putting aside everything that was difficult and hindering, went forward and showed success, having adopted good order, became one instead of another and, carefully observing the commandments, did not lose what we had successfully acquired. And so my heart rejoiced and my spirit rejoiced (see Ps. 15:9; Luke 1:47) that our divine work was accomplished and [the object of] our sacred desire passed into a better state. All this is the work of neither willing nor existing, as the apostle puts it, but of a merciful God (Rom. 9:16), from whom the weak are strengthened and the sick are girded with strength (see 1 Samuel 2:4). But let us not be content with what has already been achieved, we will cheerfully [strive] to the highest, and the youth of our souls will be renewed like an eagle (Ps. 103:5), and we will forever go upward and succeed; we will not be content with any measure of goodness and height of ascent, until through death we achieve the transition from the temporal to the eternal. And we will be truly blessed, brethren, and will receive the inheritance of the blessed saints. What glory and honor do we have for this way of life? The Lord of all rejoices when he sees us. All the saints rejoice and rejoice, applaud us and crown us from heaven. Just as we watch with our bodily eyes those running in the field, so God and the entire angelic face and the council of saints look at our actions and approve in each case. Let us run, brothers, truly let us run on this great arena of the path leading from earth to heaven, we will defeat the enemy, we will defeat him when he tries to start a fight with us. By the force of our courageous excitement we will throw him far away: he is cowardly, weak and can easily be despised. Therefore, the brother of God James says: resist the devil, and he flees from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you (James 4:7–8). Let us not turn back at all 325 (see Luke 17:31), because this is not characteristic of those who run quickly. Let us not advance unsteadily, for by this it is impossible to recognize those striving for victory, but having relieved ourselves of both things and desires and looking up to heaven, let us finish our journey so that we, together with Paul, can say the following words: we have fought the good fight, we have died, we have kept the faith; otherwise the crown of righteousness will be kept for me (2 Tim. 4:7–8). Some - for one, others - for others, will shine like the sun (Matthew 13:43; 17:2) before the face of God, and we, bearing the apostolic image, will, I hope, find ourselves close to the apostolic tabernacles (see Matthew 17:4). Therefore, rejoice, rejoice and be filled with the spirit of gladness. And blessed is that soul that cannot set measures either in the love of the Divine, or in the desire for the future, or in the rejection of the present. When you enjoy those benefits, remember my humble words, how I loved you, what benefit I brought you in the Lord, and how much I desired that you would be distinguished in Divine glory. Then you will see that I alone suffer for not fulfilling the good things I spoke about. But if you begin to pray, then perhaps you can save me, the prodigal. This is about it. And you, brother steward, manage your words and deeds with reasoning, also the overseers and each of the leaders and those in obedience, and then other people, like the flock of Christ, obediently led and not burdened by this, but rather seeing in this a disposition towards us, listen to my humble voice and you will rest and graze in life-giving pastures (see Ps. 22:2). And let no one from your midst be sick in soul, lame in mind, hide predatorily and isolate themselves, perish in soul or grieve satanically [desperately]. But all of you gather together, rest, lie down and rise (see Deut. 6:7) in a bright plain, in bright openness and clean places. And Christ our God, protecting, will protect and, protecting, will protect, so that none of you is carried away by wild beasts, is not torn to pieces and does not turn back, and in general, so that no one is corrupted and perishes, since glory is due to Him forever. Amen. About the economist Arseny 326 and that one should punish with compassion, and those punished should be patient My brothers, and fathers, and children. I consider - and not only I, but, as I believe, God Himself - in any case, every justification before me and every objection to the questions contained in the announcement deserves attention. And where do I get this from (see Luke 1:43), so that my masters—I cannot say “disciples”—turn to me with these saving and honorable [words] that exceed my weakness, calling me savior and teacher and the only patron of their lives after God? [Where does this come from] that you accept me, unworthy, as an Angel of God (see Gal. 4:14), ready to the point of bleeding for my preaching of obedience and lovingly disposed towards my humility, so that if I had a need, you would readily pluck out your eyes and give them to me (see Gal. 4:15); and I don’t know to what [high] degree [you need to be] convinced so as not to accept convictions from people outside, no matter who they are, [leading] to the destruction of your God-ordained life and the state betrayed in the fatherly rules, and, in all [deeds] and all [relations], standing on the unshakable foundation of our faith, not to deviate and not to renounce your God-ordained obedience. This covers [with delight] my poor soul, and in response to this I consider it [worthy] for myself to shed even my very blood for your salvation, if the Lord gives me the strength to do this. After all, where does your disposition and attitude towards me or my attitude towards you come from? And from what or from whom [does it come] that we choose the same thing for ourselves, seek the eternal, and put aside the worldly, and despise the temporal, and strive for the holy, and do godly deeds? From nowhere, no, no, but only from Him who gives life to all and accomplishes soul-saving things in everyone (see 1 Tim. 6:13; 1 Cor. 12:16). Therefore, He [befits] from me and from you gratitude and praise for the fact that He provided for us in this way, united us well and spiritually combined and showed His desire on so many faces - over three hundred of our brothers; In view of this, we may have the right to say that our head is Christ (see Eph. 4:15; Col. 1:18). He commands us and is our leader. Who could be more blessed than you, if only you do not fall away from such great unanimity of yours until the very end? I try and dare to say this not out of error, but out of the truth of your martyrdom and ascetic life. After all, the saints [fathers] do not deceive us when they claim this. And may the Lord grant to you, children, to treat [one another] well, to be pure forever and always to be enlightened and to continually strive for gradual success, to be intelligent, to be perfected, to be purified, to be sanctified, to be prosperous and perfect in Christ Jesus our Lord. See what rank you belong to. Be careful not to ignore anything, so that your many years of fruit do not slip away from you through a small gap, for even a small pebble, if it comes off, can drag the entire river into the abyss, as Gregory the Theologian says 327. Be comfortable in your condition. Let everyone fulfill his obedience as assigned to him, let him be attentive and not arrogant, let no one rebel against another, observing decorum in this way. You are the first, child of the housekeeper, be attentive to your care, meekly punishing those who resist and resort to excuses, albeit valid ones, and do nothing out of inclination, or cowardice, or ardor. But the infusion, says the apostle, is timely and timeless (2 Tim. 4:2). Do not think that the word untimely is used here out of thoughtlessness, but in the sense that you should be observant and sober at all times. Who should you imitate, having me, the corrupted one, above you? However, although I am low, be as you see me - allow as much as I allow; let go as much as I let go. If I strike, strike; if I spare you, spare you too; if you love, love so that you may hear the following words: good and faithful servant, you have been faithful for a few things, I will make you ruler over many, enter into the joy of your Lord (Matthew 25:21). Likewise, the one who follows you, and those who follow him. This is a very good law, so that those who are governed should conform to the person in charge. As much as those in power should be diligent, so those who are subordinate should be submissive, not contradict, be humble, contrite, obedient and quick to [fulfill] every command, for God did not put us on a disorderly and disorderly task (see 1 Thess. 5:9). Love punishments and the exchange of obediences and manual labors, aimed at the benefit of those who are disposed to them. Everything that is done is not done without labor, but with vigilance and effort. Out of lack of will and because of my sin, you who fall into the prohibited and fall, do not untimely demand permission from me. For I have been appointed over you by the Lord as a guardian of bonds, even though I am a sinner. If you bind him on earth, He told me through the great and chief of the apostles Peter, he will be bound in heaven, and if he looses him on earth, he will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19). How, forgive me, children, will I resolve what will happen to someone who is unresolved? How can I untie someone who is tied? Don't you see that the terrible Divine word acts with me in these connections and resolutions? Where, then, will our light be found to clarify differences, make decisions, and forgive together with God? Although this expression is very daring, it is true. I am amazed, let me also say, I am plunging [into the abyss], I beg the earth to part and swallow me and the mountains to gather and cover me (see Hos. 10:8; Luke 23:30). Woe to me, woe to me, a sinner, what I have come to. Knowing this, do not force me, because even if I allow, He will not allow and will reject my prayer. For the most pure power will not cooperate with my unreasonable actions and permissions and will deprive me of the priesthood and reject me, like Elijah (see 1 Samuel 2:2235; 3:12-19), and it’s also good if like Elijah, and not worse than Elijah and anyone else. Let God assure you, my brethren, that I am not saying this with the aim of upsetting you, nor to arbitrarily constrain and oppress you, nor to arbitrarily dispose of you, nor to shepherd the flock of Christ unwillingly and forcibly (see 1 Pet. 5:2). No, Lord, let this not happen! What good does it do me? But in order to bring you, the lambs of Christ and the sheep of God, to salvation by all means. For [in response] to the question of the divine Peter, He pointed to this as the first and greater proof of love for Him (see John 21:15–17). Composing such words in your heart (see Luke 2:19) for the confirmation of your souls and keeping them safe, flow and rejoice in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About relief in the days of Pentecost, about the fact that death is approaching every day and that one must be diligent 328 An Exhortation to Spiritual Prosperity My fathers, brothers and children. So we celebrated the main day, Easter, were enlightened by the Divine sacraments 329 and accepted the sanctification of the Spirit in the bond of peace (see Eph. 4:3) and in mutual spiritual love. Now it’s the beginning of the year again and the opening of other days. Let us change during their good change, having become better than before, in no case will we return back (see Luke 9:66), having dishonored the feat of the previous time [of the Fourth Day] and spiritual work, but on the contrary - believing ascent to ascent (see Ps. 83:8) and adding others to the previous virtues, so that successfully found and acquired success in piety, or silence, or purity, or clarity, or fasting, or in some other feats remained, remained, increased and improved every day, successfully developing. Let us resort to God, my most honest and sincere brothers, strive for the Kingdom of Heaven, for light, life, for unspeakable joy (see 1 Pet. 1:8), for a sweet and blessed paradise, for eternal abodes (see Luke 16:19), for places of wonderful glory (see Ps. 41:5), to angelic rejoicings, to the triumph of saints, to the councils on high, to an eternal, undying inheritance. Let us not lose sight of the goal set before us, let us not stray from the upward path. Let us not give ourselves over to inappropriate worries. Let us not, my children, be inclined to pleasures, to decorations, to please the flesh; let us not reap corruption, the spoils of eternal fire. Let us not love the flesh, nor the appearance, nor the color of the body; we will not be pampered or enchanted by the appearance, gait, smile of one or another. Let's look at ourselves, says Gregory the Theologian 330. What will debauchery and voluptuousness lead to? Do you know what happened to Eve when she was seduced by the beauty of the sinful fruit? Oh, that we had never seen anything like it! For where can debauchery and sensuality lead us? To ensure that we have no benefit and receive great shame before God and people. Friend, God brought you [from fasting days to Holy Pascha], revived you with the Communion of His Holy Body and Blood 331. Why do you, [unhappy one], repay God to those who are contrary? Why do you turn to the indifferent things left behind? Didn't God give you intelligence, didn't He give you reason? Are you deprived of mental eyes? Why are you behaving like a dumb, brute? Why don’t you see the unattainable beauty of the Lord on your right side and don’t fly to it with your soul, but turn your eyes to the left? Before you is the light of the sun, the height of heaven, the peace of the stars, the wondrous structure of the sea, the diversity of every creature that exists on earth, plants, stones and every other substance. Why do you turn your eyes to darkness, to the abyss of sins and shameful passions? The mystery of death and the Judgment of God are inevitable Let us be sober, brothers, let us take care of bliss, rise to it and hold on to it. I say this in simplicity and talk about things not for the pleasure of the ear, not for the fulfillment of a teaching, not for the noise of praise. Don't think so. But, dragged, and stretched, and sawn, and tormented, and overwhelmed with fear for your leadership, and shaken with trembling for your salvation - for we are serving and the inevitable judgment is being prepared, and a judgment seat is being assembled, which cannot be spoken at, nor rewarded, and its reward is endless, for their worm does not die, and the fire does not go out (Mark 9:44), - (I shout, I hit with my forehead, I beg and I lie at your feet): let us not die unprepared [prematurely], let negligence not set the limit of life for us. After all, we are already approaching, and the mystery of death is already working among us (see 2 Thess. 2:7). As you see, our brothers continuously follow before us. Stop mentally at each of them. But what about us, aren’t we going to die the same way? Shall we stay? And if we stay, how long will we live? Isn't it a small stone waiting for us? Before us is the coffin where we will be laid, our tomb, infested with worms and full of an unbearable stench. For there is no man who will live and not see death, we hear the words of David (Ps. 89:49). They sin as if they were immortal We, as people, will not wait for tomorrow to come and, in any case, will spend the present day well. Meanwhile, some compete, strike each other, argue and respond to disputes, object and envy; They, like mortals, did not put aside worries about tomorrow, but as if they were immortal among us. Lazy, unreasonable and hard-hearted, how long will you be insensitive and wrong! endure the disasters that befall [you] with patience, and will you harm yourself in the eternal, keeping your soul and body in disorder? I, the speaker, do it myself. But behold, I testify to you before God and His Angels, let us correct ourselves so as not to trouble the steward and especially the epistemonarchs, we will complacently accept punishments, recovering [from them], we will not hide in secret places, we will not form special friendships in twos, let those who consider themselves to be something [special] not be mistaken, and do not gather crowds of young men around them, so as not to inherit our mutual hostile clashes and the prophetic: woe to those who join house to house and village to village who draw near (Is. 5:8). For He who searches hearts and bellies will come and will not crush (Hab. 2:3; Heb. 10:37; Jer. 11:20) and He who rewards everyone according to his deeds (see: Ps. 62:13; Jer. 17:10; Matt. 16:27; Rev. 2:23), He who will deliver us from eternal fire, if we observe yourself in good condition. For to Him belongs glory, power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About our divine fathers, how they shone and became glorified in virtues Heavenly citizenship is immeasurably higher than all earthly honors My fathers, brothers and children. For what other purpose am I among you, if not to arouse in you the constant jealousy of the soul and ask you to remain in the labors of piety? So, we must rejoice in the fact that we are called by God, accepted into the holy image, and rejoice to such an extent that, for the sake of hope for future pleasures, we forget the difficulties of exploits and consider easy everything sad that happens in this virtuous life. Let us not choose and value either military service, or civil position, or the rank of taxiarch, or strategist, or even the dignity of a king, so important among the Romans, but rather what is much greater than all this and immeasurably higher - heavenly citizenship, or, better, if we need to express ourselves precisely, true and infinite, since it lies not in words only, but in deeds. If we suffer Him, says the apostle, we will also reign with Him (2 Tim. 2:12; Rom. 8:17). And so, having achieved such great power and dominion, and all this freely, from God, and not for the sake of our merits, how we, children, should rejoice and be merry, give thanks and pray, and say and do everything for the One who [can] preserve it and keep it unadmired by the manifold and hostile plans of the ruler of the world! Therefore, my brethren, for the sake of the commandment given to you, let all labor be pleasant for you and all work sweet and successful, and therefore let asceticism seem to you a pleasure, separation from the world - as if approaching God, withdrawal from pleasant things - participation in good things, the sorrow of abstinence - the enjoyment of space. Let us all drink water and eat dry [bread] 333, get tired, working with our hands (see 1 Cor. 4:12), be unstable and sad in our thoughts, be scorched and inflamed by the temptations of the flesh, and cut off desires from ourselves, and kill ourselves with deprivations, let us in this life be as if without friends, without property, unknown, without clan, without father and mother (see. Hebrews 7:3). What of this? After all, we, children, have eternal life ahead of us and are prepared for the Kingdom of Heaven and the enjoyment of many and unspeakable blessings, the joy of great triumph and immortality, enrichment with glory and honor in everything that human language is not capable of describing, grace and mercy. We will run harder, especially the lazy, and disobedient, and hard-hearted, and obstinate, like the cursed fig tree (Matthew 21:19; Mark 11:13, 21-22), if you do not correct yourself. We add fertilizer to it and there is no [sign of] rooting; we feed it with words and there is no growth. Already the ax, they say, lies at the root of the tree (Luke 3:9), but I will remain silent about what follows. Let us kiss the rewards of victory, [let us work] in virtue until we sweat, we will delight in crowns, we will gain praise, we will store them in our treasures, which no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has the heart of man sighed (1 Cor. 2:9). Let us arrange our lives in the image of our fathers and the ancient creation. Let us follow in the footsteps of their virtues, let us love their deeds, let us reflect their way of life. The virtuous examples of holy ascetics are innumerable Such is our great leader Anthony, the first to overcome the enemy and show us the path to ascetic victorious glory. Such is the ever-memorable and equal-angelic Arseny, who ascended to the heights of virtues and is our glory. Such is the divine celebrant Pachomius, called our forefather. Such is the divine Hilarion, equal to the morning star with the lightning of virtues and always shining in the morning. Such is the all-glorious and all-holy Euthymius, truly the namesake of joy 334, and with him the sanctified and most reverend Savva, the clearest lights of the universe, also the most sacred and most angelic Theodosius 335 and others. But let us turn to the subject of speech and to those who were perfect in obedience, for even those named above would not have been glorified if they had not previously possessed the gift of obedience. Brethren, he invites us to unconditional submission, as the son of light (see John 12:36; 1 Thess. 5:5), Dositheus, our God-given father; Dometian, our God-enlightened father, confirms us in fatherly love; Avvakir, our God-confirmed father, edifies us to endure battles and blows; Zachary, our all-honorable father, outlines for us an image of humility; Silouan, our many-tearful and much-humble father, guides us to a good change. Jonah 336, our much-loving father and heavenly fulfiller of the commandments of the Lord, confirms us in manual work. Where is the love of God of the divine Petronius? 337 And the quick obedience of the divine Aphrè? And the divine writing of St. Mark 338? The simplicity of the wonderful Paul 339 ? And what about the virtues that come next in order? We won’t have enough time to go through the properties of each one. But will we awaken [to address] them? Shall we imitate their actions? So we will try to act with them, we will all follow them. Let us also perform holy and righteous deeds, so that we, together with them, may enjoy their glory and be crowned and rejoice with them in the Kingdom of Heaven, in Jesus Christ our Lord, to Whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About easily enduring insults and blows in the hope of future benefits Spiritual weapons and the longed-for haven of salvation My fathers, brothers and children. And I, a sinner, strenuously strive to ensure that you continually increase and multiply, so that you remain in exploits and acquire experience and contemplative and active 340 (γνωστική και πρακτική), in truth, strength; [with all this, I] rise to a high and inaccessible tower and, looking around, [I see] at what height of leadership I stand, unfortunate, and how large and spacious the mental sea of ​​​​our life is, and where exactly the pier of salvation is located - somewhere high, in the heavens of heaven. I cannot say how numerous are the misfortunes and storms and disturbances of contrary winds, the excitement and shock of human conflicts and jealousies. Therefore, I am embarrassed, my children, how I, disorderly, can lead you from earth to heaven, from the material to the Divine and eternal. Have pity and help me and take part with me in affairs, in defense, gather together, rise up, let everyone take spiritual weapons, namely: let one look forward, another helps, another stays awake, another goes around, the other peers into the depths of sins, so that a rock does not get in the way, so that an underwater stone does not block [the road], a storm does not break out, neither of those things that you know, understand and see happen. daily. We say this as if in an allegory so that we can all take refuge in the longed-for haven with God’s help and through the prayer of my father and your father. The sufferings of the saints are their path to unspeakable blessings in endless centuries Of course, you will not think, my most honest brothers, that achieving the Kingdom of Heaven is a small thing. For his sake, as it is written, the saints walked in sheepskin, and in goatskin, in deprivation, sorrow, embitterment; The whole world is not worthy of them, wandering in the deserts and in the mountains and in dens and in the pits of the earth (Heb. 11:37-38). And [namely] Isaiah was sawn apart, Jeremiah was thrown into a stinking pit (Jer. 38:6), Jonah was thrown into the sea and swallowed up by a whale (Jonah 2:1), Daniel was given to be eaten by lions and for three weeks abstained from the coveted bread (Dan. 10:3), three youths were thrown into the fiery furnace (Dan. 3:23), Zechariah, the father of the Forerunner, died, killed by the sword (Luke 11:51), the Forerunner himself was beheaded by the sword (John 14:10–11). And I will not have time to talk about the divine Paul, who said this, [his patience] in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness, in labor and illness (2 Cor. 11:23-32), and [in general] I will stop talking about his countless exploits. The first martyr Stephen was stoned (Acts 7:58–60). Jacob, the brother of the Lord, was killed 341. And why should I go into listing countless numbers, turning to other sufferings of the apostles, to the rewards of the host of holy martyrs, to the exploits of the Council of the Reverend Fathers? Exhortation to asceticism As it is said, my beloved brethren, in this very way they achieved promises and unspeakable blessings throughout endless ages. So we, the humble ones, will begin to struggle like this. I ask my children, like fathers, and I beg, for, according to the words of the divine Basil the Great, honor belongs to the same one to whom the labors and crowns are intended for the winners 342. Let's compete. We will always be ready for heroism, we will fight the enemy. We will not renounce the arena, we will not retreat before fist blows, we will not show our rear; let the zeal that is in us lead [us] forward and nothing will stand before our eyes, and even demons will flee, since it is written that they melt like wax before such spiritual fire (see Ps. 67:3), and people will fear or at least be ashamed, and, having passed everything, we will ascend to where our life is (Col. 3:3-4) and ineffable peace. Have mercy, have mercy! Why do we weakly resist and cannot endure the work - we who know the ant say: “Oh, lazy!” (see Proverbs 6:6). But I would say differently. Let us, brethren, pay attention to our situation. Here is a man, embraced by unreasonable love, covers everything, endures everything (see. 1 Cor. 13:7), dreaming only of the face he loves; he is deprived of the satiety of food, the satisfaction of drinking and tranquility in sleep, and in general any other pleasant and soothing rest 343. The unfortunate person is ready, even if it happens, to accept other labors and illnesses, to the point of bleeding, with the goal of what to master, what to acquire? Only with the goal of destroying your soul in the hell of endless fire. And after this, for the sake of our good and beautiful attraction and love, the ineffable and most beloved Christ of our God, will we not submit to this blessed and holy obedience until old age, if it is useful, and will we not endure every sorrow and arrow of thought, and blow, and collision, temptation and hardship, abuse, contempt and humiliation, stains, or anything like that? After all, we, children, are reasonable; we should not be equal to unreasonable creatures and be like them. But what we have now worked on, what path we have followed, achieved success and in the middle of which we stand, so in the future we will walk correctly, we will walk and finish our path in the Lord. So, brethren, let us be joyful and complacent, let us be strong, embrace and kiss each other with love, let us protect ourselves and be saved in Christ Himself, our Lord, to whom be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the fear of God and the fact that, by truly submitting, we make God’s determination from ourselves The abbot will give an answer at the Court for each of his monks My fathers, and brothers, and children. What else is there to do but to affirm you, my flock, my honor and my destiny? After all, if someone, having received an appointment to management or military leadership from a mortal king, concentrates his thought and his efforts on this every day 344, lest he do something contrary to the desires of the king and suffer some damage or punishment, then how much more I, the unfortunate one, who received the lot to command over you, the true warriors of Christ, should not waste time, a year or an hour, but [do this] with every perseverance and diligence, which I am obliged to demonstrate both in word and in deed, although I do not master either one. Therefore, in an unworthy and insignificant [form], I remind, proclaim, admonish, punish, beg my love, my light, my pride, and every time I do this, I do not weaken, but I have word after word, concern after concern, conversation after conversation, fear to fear, circumstance to circumstance, and every day I gather, and my heart burns, and from everywhere [crowdedness] envelops me, especially when I am I see in the face of one of you that he bows to sin, is sick with carelessness and, so to speak, is limped by disagreements or, in other words, is crushed in verbal disputes or malicious intent penetrates into him. And when a message reaches my humble ear from someone, like from a spy telling the commander what concerns the war, I worry and am at a loss before what is happening due to my sins. But this happens, my children, due to the weakness of the mind, the overwhelm of the soul, because I do not have the strength of spirit to be a superior in the full sense of the word. Therefore, I openly admit that I am not worthy even to touch on this issue. But, by the grace of God, through the prayers of my father and yours [together] and our lords - the Forerunner and the Theologian 345, [I dare to do this], to keep you, the army of God, unbroken and unbesieged, adapting and governing according to His command. And therefore, just as great joy awaits me when I think about the salvation of all of you, there is equally great timidity, fear, and bewilderment when I foresee that I will have to give an answer for each individual. You, my fathers, as a defense for all [cases] and in all [cases] before the Last Judgment Seat of Christ, present your obedience to the Lord. And I, unfortunate one, will somehow and in some way type words before the Creator and present everyone’s case impeccably and impartially. Hence I have trembling, and fear, and lamentation, and oppression 346 of my unfortunate soul. But help me, children, and although you have ended up with a bad father and a blind leader, do not despair. Together, intercede and save me, the pathetic one, together with you, and do not lose heart, fulfilling what is commanded: genuine submission, unconditional obedience, God-imitating humility, strong faith, enlightening confession, vigor in work, thoroughness in psalmody, tirelessness in abstinence, change of clothes, insolence, calmness, prudence, loving and non-hostile attitude [towards others], unostentatious friendliness. Rejoice, steward and first observer of deanery, eyes of supervision, hand of labor, mouth of promises, ears of attention, sense of smell discerning things, divine feet of obedience! The body has a chest that observes secret words, it also has a mouth that speaks songs of praise, and not one of the members is useless, but they all form one and [serve] one need, mental and physical, are irreplaceable, do not mislead each other, but are [governed] by one soul, like-minded and together participate in the glory of one another and the glory of God, [participants] of which we may be worthy to both be and be known in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the joy of the abbot when those following him are prosperous according to God, or vice versa Humility and self-condemnation Rev. Theodora My fathers, and brothers, and children. One day I will fall silent once and for all, I know this, with my last silence, and as long as I have breath, I will not stop reminding you out of duty. I beg you to be careful and listen to my words, and especially at this hour, when sleep tyrannically [distracts] us from the canon; rest assured that they [my words] arise in me not without pain and not on the basis of [mere] guesswork, but out of great care and grief of heart, I will add, and the ardent love of the spiritual friendly disposition that surrounds me for you, since you have become children of me, rude. I have no words of wisdom, no deeds, no small, much less great virtues, but only the ineffable mercy of God and a fatherly blessing to govern and guide you. And now, children, I am overwhelmed with great joy when I look at your deanery, at the restraint and salvation of everyone - I am all encouraged, I enjoy and relieve myself in hopes, it seems to me that I am reigning and for me there is nothing more pleasant, neither food nor drink, although I am a glutton, nor money, nor property, nor income, nor fame, nor pleasures, although I am ambitious, I will add, not even the sunshine dear to everyone, nothing else that is visible or audible. And when I see any disorder between you, I am annoyed and sad, and the gravest sadness covers my soul, since I see the reason for this in my sins, in my unworthy superiority and leadership, and I repeat to myself so that you can hear: can anything good come from Nazareth? (John 1:46), knowing his weakness and many sins. Therefore, you, my children, with your prosperity, provide me with praise by inheriting the good part; present me as useful, by your good deeds in your blessed obedience give me [the opportunity] to rejoice, enjoy good fame and be saved. For indeed, my children, you have come to the holy rank and have achieved the venerable life and are numbered among the angelic rank, having become executors of the Divine words: if you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor (Matthew 19:21) and let him take up his cross and come for Me (Matthew 16:24). Behold, you have been crucified to the world (cf. Gal. 6:14) and now you no longer belong to it. If we were quicker from the world, the world would love its own, says... Scripture, and preserve it; but because you are not from the world, according to the word of the Lord, the village [probably] hates you because of the world (John 15:19). Thus, on that day you will triumph along with the holy apostles, who said to the Lord: Behold, we have left everything and are dead after You (Matthew 19:27) and that we did not love above You, neither father nor mother, nor brothers nor sisters (Luke 14:26), but having counted all this in our minds (Phil. 3:8), we considered it to be a great wealth to acquire You. And am I really lying? Isn't this true? Isn't that what you did? And for this you will hear: Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matt. 25:34) and: Good, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful for a little, I will send you over many; enter into the joy of your Lord (Matthew 25:21) and other similar and equivalent things. Divine reward for the righteous Having achieved such a good thing and having experienced such a wonderful and heavenly life, do you not rejoice and triumph? Do you not sing with David: What will I repay to the Lord for all that I have repaid? Yes, but add something further: I will accept the cup of salvation (Ps. 116:3–4). And this indicates the exhaustion of blood when the time of martyrdom comes. Ah, my children, how many longingly desire to see what you see, to hear what you hear (see Matt. 13:17), to achieve what you achieve! Cup of salvation. Reasons why many do not accept monasticism But either because of a union with a wife, or looking after children, or because of carnal friendship, worldly fame, or abundance of money, sinful preference, spiritual cowardice, or lack of leadership, or lack of true protection, or due to everyday habits, or for many other reasons, they cannot escape and do not dare to resort and continue to seem joyful on the outside, but in their internal state they grieve. Let us, my beloved children, give glory to God for this, and may there always be in us prosperity, always a desire for God, new edification, so that we, thus improved and in this way elevated, remain non-hostile to each other and are peaceful, perfect in word, and in movement, and in action, and in confession, serve God and be well-ordered at the time of death in Christ Jesus our Lord, To whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About regret and prayer for those who foolishly separate from the brotherhood, and that [should] avoid destruction 347 My fathers, brothers and children. What is 348 most suitable for us, as Divine instructions say, if not the position and character of what? After all, usually the helmsman, sailing across this great and mental sea 349, often has to encounter the winds, that is, unclean spirits, the continuity of waves, insurmountable confusion and storm - who can stand the noise of his waves? - according to the expression of the psalm (Ps. 64:8). And indeed, [for example,] the boats of our humble souls rise to heaven and descend to the abyss (see Ps. 107:26). Since it sometimes happens that we become overwhelmed, we are flooded with water, [our] ship is thrown in all directions, the ropes on it crack and it crashes into the rocks - there is no need to lose heart before this, although this does not inspire hope, there is no need to despair, although this is unbearable, but, on the contrary, we need to rise up more courageously. In these [circumstances] the test of the helmsman and the judgment of salvation take place, for if, in view of the contrary winds and flooding of water and the throwing out of the cargo, the helmsman becomes completely confused and loses reason to such an extent that he begins to scream and changes his face, then even before the danger he has caused death and inspired despair, first for himself, and then for those sailing on the ship. Therefore, children, if any of the brethren turns out to be agitated, as if by a storm at sea, or broken, like the skeleton of a ship, or begins to contradict and be insolent, like contrary winds, and we, the poor, fall, then we will immediately shake you and rush without a rudder in danger. It is sad [also] if a brother separates due to recklessness, as is now the case with respect to the humble Tarasius. After all, how can you not regret it when someone does not enter into communication and becomes overwhelmed! This is true; but, of course, for the sake of this, do not abandon your intentions and do not stop swimming! On the contrary, you should strive to reconcile what is torn off and soften the opposite, to say and do everything for your benefit and salvation. That is why we always pray for those who stumble, especially for poor Thalassia, the arrogant, noisy and deceiver. For God does not dislike and turn away from those who fall as much as from those who are proud, for the brother of the Lord says: The Lord resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). And let us protect and protect ourselves, and by asceticism we will avoid the jaws of the dragon who seeks to devour us (see 1 Pet. 5:8), and we will abide in the courts of the commandments of the Lord, fed and grazed where [grows] not destructive, disease-causing and deadly, but life-giving grass, healing and softening your honest souls, and given water not where the drink is disgusting, bitter and sinful, but [there] where the streams are sweet, restful and God-given. God has cut the stone for us (see Exodus 17:6) - drink the water of salvation (see Isaiah 12:3); manna was given from heaven - gather and eat (see Ex. 15:15–16); the sea is divided - pass on (see Ex. 14:21, 29), walk and reach the land of eternal blessings. And so as not to prolong the words due to the brevity of the night time, contain everything, withdraw from every evil deed in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. That with the help of asceticism [we must] return to where we came from, and not be consigned to eternal fire, living carelessly 350 My fathers, brothers and children. Glory to God, and I will say again - glory to the One who, from our mother’s womb, determined us to this sacred line of work, who called us to the wondrous and blissful heights of monastic life. Indeed, it has been given to us - although this is a bold, but not unfortunate [expression] - to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 13:11) more than those who live according to the habits of the world, for many of them, mentally short-sighted, and seeing do not see (Matthew 13:13) what the state of things is. For what and what is it like with them? They consider wealth and local glory to be bliss, and rejoice in pleasures and pleasures; they are delighted by lipsticks and perfumes, carousing, soft clothes, herds of horses, the beauty of houses, the shine of transparent stones and other various kinds of vanity; they laugh, jump and gallop like goats, gorge themselves and grow fat like pigs for slaughter (see James 5:5), - let’s not talk about many other passions, because in conversations they try to avoid their origins and consequences (see Eph. 5:3). For them it is a matter of pride and triumph, deserving praise, but not for those who crucified, as the apostle puts it, the flesh with its passions and lusts (Gal. 5:24), as are we, who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. After all, we, children, have a different desire and aspiration for a different one. Those who have chosen monasticism: losing everything, dominating everything We seek and dream of our ancient order of life, life in a paradise of sweetness, from which we were previously expelled for recklessness, we repeat and recognize the ancient and paternal residence of those saints who, having passed away in sheepskins and goatskins, whose world is not worthy of poverty (Heb. 11:37-38), we leave the false world and go to God; we look up to the sky and recognize the causes 351 of creation (λόγοι κτίσεως) 352 and, losing everything, we dominate everything. Oh, great title! Who separated us from flesh and blood, from those who gave birth and begotten, from our usual peers, the fatherland, squares, and meetings, and communities, and everything worldly? Who convinced us to enslave ourselves to confessors, abbots and fathers and begin the ascetic struggle, carried out daily in abstinence, vigil, sleep on the bare ground? Who enlightened us so that we would see unpervertedly and not consider gold, silver, beauty or vanity, and even the royal diadem and purple robe, as something great, but consider it more pleasant, worthy and valuable to dress in these rags, clothes with numerous patches, and place them above shiny cloaks? Who gave us the strength to avoid material things and the flesh and, through virginity, to be numbered among those above and, like the Angels, to remain incorruptible and pure? All this, brethren, is a subject of [good] pride that God has given to us, who have loved and yearn for the unapproachable light of the future (see 1 Tim. 6:16), eternal glory (see 1 Pet. 5:10), inexpressible joy (see 1 Pet. 1:8), unceasing joy, heavenly inheritance, continuous rejoicing, blessed contemplation, immortal wealth and about everything that is good or that is red (see Ps. 132:1) [from those blessings] which were promised to the holy Angels or to the blessed fathers from time immemorial and are being prepared for the time of His great Coming (see 1 Tim. 6:14–15). After we have discussed and outlined this in this way, let us watch and beware lest we again take up the opposite and end up behind those who live in the world. Therefore, let us cleanse ourselves again and again, let us be virgin and immaculate in mind and eyes, heart and body. How did the morning star fall from heaven and rise in the morning? - says [Scripture] (Isa. 14:12). From one's neighbor is life and from one's neighbor is death Woe, woe, can I also exclaim, how did the one who walked among us stumble? How has he who watches and supervises others become darkened? Don’t you tremble, sigh heavily and weep loudly, don’t you cry out, following the example of the Lord’s disciples: who can be saved (Matthew 19:25)? Think about it, please understand, learn with your heart and resolutely do not inspire courage in the demons. A word calls forth a word, and the gaze of one seduces the gaze of another, and negligence accompanies negligence, and little by little, scattering into corners and living alone, like night owls, we conceive a sinful death. [Yes] it will not [be] like this, my children, I pray and ask. Beware of each other. From one’s neighbor is life and from one’s neighbor is death, according to the one who said 353, but the abyss causes regret, the reward of eternal fire. When you turn back, do not say: you returned after slowing down”; do not say: “I was late, strengthened”; Don’t think: “I’m stronger.” A little negligence and neglect, which suddenly seizes you and subjugates you, immediately plunges you into the abyss of sin. Think about it and look, great and small, leaders and imitators, superiors and subordinates - we are blessed [in heaven], but here we are unhappy; glorified there, dishonored here; there they lived angelically, here they were kept satanically. It would be good for him, they say, if that man had not been born (Matthew 26:24). It is useful to say the same in this case. But we need to rise up and convert. I have added this to this announcement not with the aim of saddening you, but so that, my children, you, thanks to the warning, would avoid the coming sword of sin, and deliver 354 your souls from eternal death, and my poverty from the ordeals there, always coming to the most beautiful repentance and eternally strengthened by the good repetition of divine deeds in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be glory and power with the Father and the Holy One. Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the sorrows occurring in the community, and about how, despite the increase of the brethren, the Lord God constantly provides what is necessary By what sufferings for Christ can we be exalted in the next century? My fathers, brothers and children. I dared and dare to lead you and patronize you not by virtue of my word, for it, as you see, is weak, nor the example of my life, for it, as you know, is in a careless state, but only thanks to the mercy of God and my apparent good disposition, supported by the blessing of mine and your father. I know to whom this work should belong - precisely those who have shone and shine with dispassion, have acquired sufficient speech, are sober, reasonably prudent, merciful and can bear, as the apostle puts it, the burdens of the weak (see 1 Thess. 5:14; Rom. 15:1; Gal. 6:2). I am small and weak, my children, and have absolutely no strength to live worthy of God, but I try to convey to you, without admixture, changes or omissions, not only the saving word of God, but also my unfortunate soul. Therefore, I am not sure whether my work is pleasing to the Lord; it can become like this for the sake of you, who are zealous and cheerful and who have decided to do the commandments of God with me. As you know, my children, I am beset by petty sorrows, embarrassments, and circumstances, but I do not lose hope and do not think that I am enduring something undeserved and unexpected. After all, for this, for this and as a result of this, I am what I am (1 Cor. 15:10). I must watch over your souls (see Heb. 13:17), spend the nights, sit until the morning, speak, pursue, hasten in deed and word, strive to bring you to moderation, but [so] that you do not grow weary, my brethren, and if I am unworthily called your teacher, then I am ready to endure it for you, and you are obliged for me and for each other to suffer together in this, to be exposed to troubles and misfortunes together, not being alienated, not being frightened, not throwing off burdens and not being amazed by the upsets that happen. What does God require of us? Imitations of Christ After all, my children, we have not yet resisted sin to the point of bleeding (see Heb. 12:4), have not passed through fire and water (see Ps. 66:12), like the holy martyrs, iron has not pierced our souls, like the blessed Joseph (see Ps. 104:18). We have not yet been struck and scourged, like each of the saints and righteous. In the next century, by what sufferings for Christ can we be exalted if we do not cheerfully and courageously endure even this small thing, namely: reproach, shame, insult, dishonor, sidelong glances, humiliation? [To this] I will add: dry eating, scarcity of drink, wearing simple clothes, fatigue from work, rebellion against the [prayer] rule, standing for psalmody, imposed penance. Yes, my children, I pray you, let us endure them steadfastly, let us sing with David: I have endured the Lord, and have heeded me and heard my prayer (Ps. 39:2). All bear fruit for the next century: the blessed martyrs have blood, the venerable fathers have the greatest deeds, and we sinners have the enumerated virtues, and I know well that we will not be deprived of their fate, as the divine Anthony tells us 355. Most of all, my children, strive for God, and your soul will live (see Isa. 55:3; Ps. 104:13); try to always reflect His face in your pure heart (see Matt. 5:8). Remember His miracles, which He showed us (see Ps. 104:5) in the past and still [now] shows in this city, as I, a blind man, see, although many oppose the truth and almost no one agrees with us. He, keeping us unharmed in the Divine, multiplying and increasing brotherhood, nourishes and endures and does not deprive us of anything necessary for real life. Honor and good glory of a monk My most honest brothers, let us discover even more strongly and give Him due credit for what He does this to us for. What else does He demand from us if not the fear of God, love for Him with all our hearts and with all our thoughts (see Matthew 22:37) and, if possible, imitation of His life according to the flesh? He came down from heaven to earth (see 1 Cor. 1:27–28) so that we, with our thoughts, would move away from our own desires. He obeyed the Father, so that you too would steadfastly obey me, the unworthy. He humbled Himself even to the point of death (see Phil. 2:8) so that you too would become wise, becoming weary and humble in thoughts, in deeds, in words, and in movements. What is divine and true glory? Only in dishonor before people for God's sake. And what, my brethren, is the honor and good glory of a monk if not to dishonor himself for the sake of God and to appear among the despised, for my Savior and God chose the humble and humiliated in order to disgrace the glorious and rich in people (see 1 Cor. 1:28). Therefore, He was born in a den, was laid in a manger, was called the son of a carpenter, was called a Nazarene, wore only a small tunic and a cloak, walked on foot, worked, was stoned by the Jews (see John 10:31), was mocked, captured, crucified, gored, buried and, finally, resurrected, so that we, my brothers, could be convinced to choose the same thing as He, before His angels (see Luke 12:8; 15:10), so that we may be crowned in the Kingdom of Heaven, in Christ Himself, our Lord, to Whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever. Amen. About the promise of those who take tonsure before God My fathers, brothers and children. You are a wonderful people if [your] leader [rules] in the Lord, and a most wonderful flock if [your] leader is the best shepherd. But, knowing that this is the height of heaven, and I am weak, corrupt and easily defeated, I begin to fear, tremble and bewildered at the depth of wisdom in it [shepherding], strength and knowledge (see Rom. 11:33). Who, my fathers, will come to my aid? Who will assist? Who should I look to? Who should I take comfort in? We are straitened everywhere (2 Samuel 24:14). There is no [correct] way of life, there is no word. My eyes have ceased to hope in my God. My sins have multiplied more than the hair of my head (Ps. 39:13; see Ps. 68:4–5). Maybe you consider me an empty person (true, I am) and think that I am exaggerating? Let it not be, do not think so, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). I said this so that you, knowing about my weakness, labor and struggle, would together support, strive and compete, run together and become for me a saving defense, a fortress and an irresistible force. What do I want, or, more correctly, what does the Lord of all and our God want and demand? Only good submission and unconditional obedience to the blood and immutability of our promise and disposition declared and confirmed in the face of the holy Angels. You know what you promised and offered, and under what words and obligations I tonsured each of you, presented you to God, enlightened you, and, as it were, baptized you a second time with this baptism and clothed you in the robe of joy and gladness (see Isa. 61:10), resolving unresolved guilt in the hope that God resolves in heaven while I humbly resolve on earth, and binding terrible wounds in the hope that God in heaven binds at that time, how I humbly bind on earth (see Matt. 16:19). Therefore, there is no other bath, no cleansing. Therefore, why these inappropriate thoughts, reckless judgments, foolish words, indecent passions, contrary to what is determined and established in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ through the mediation of my and your father and the general reasoning of yourselves, the outstanding [elders]? One wants to fast voluntarily, another to remain silent, as it pleases him, a third - learning, as he considers best, another - dignity, as pride demands. Next are arbitrary desires, then personal aspirations, and hence the destruction of the whole. Is this what you have gathered for, my children? Have you teamed up for this? Did Christ share the food, as Divine Scripture says, or was he baptized in the name of Paul (1 Cor. 1:13)? These are like those who apply themselves to their own tastes, do not look at one thing and do not strive for one thing (see Phil. 2:13), which, after long reflection, indicates my humility. God urgently demands and strongly desires from us not [life] on a pillar or column, nor in a pit, nor on a mountain, nor in a cave, nor in the desert, nor in the clefts of the earth, nor in thickets, nor with wild animals, nor with one or two, nor with five or ten, nor sitting inside [in a room], nor in the air, nor city life, nor village life, nor Jerusalem, Rome, Egypt or Constantinople, nor anything else. small or great, neither humble nor high, neither praiseworthy nor amazing - but only life in the community to which He called us, and, I dare not say, [submission] to the shepherd whom He gave you in the person of us, unworthy and many sinners, so that we could live, abide and organize our lives in him for the glory of His worshiped name. What God, the Lord of all, wants and demands After all, this is a great sign and truly a work of miracles, and moreover, real martyrdom and a place of exploits of your honest souls. There is nothing surprising in the fact that you are exposed to temptations, but avoid submitting to [even] small praise or blame, lower the head of your soul, and with it your body. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God (see 1 Pet. 5:6) and do not use such prudence in words and thoughts to please the devil (see Rom. 13:14), the enemy of the Lord, but to endure to the end, to benefit your neighbor, to be distinguished in humility, to be exalted in love, not to attract the attention of others, not to be impudent, not to raise eyebrows, do not proudly raise your head, do not strive for primacy and glory, do not be arrogant and boast, do not argue, compete and win in interviews, do not foolishly clever and uselessly bicker to corrupt your listeners. What wise man will observe this and understand the mercies of the Lord (see Ps. 106:43)? The monastic hostel is a real martyrdom and a place of exploits I only talk and am inactive in all these [relationships]. Therefore, gird your loins with truth, and put on the breastplate of righteousness, and put on your shoes for the preparation of the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:1415), and may the Lord God prosper and save you from now on and forever, for to Him be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen. That those who came from city life to the monastery should be humble in wisdom and not exalt themselves over others 356 and that everyone should live in peace My fathers and brothers. I have joy and jealousy that you [abide] in the Lord, living well and succeeding and protected by the fear of God. In this case, nothing upsets me or plunges me into despair. After all, a carnal father is inspired with hope when [his] children study successfully, and a doctor values ​​the recovery and uprising of the sick, and a shepherd rejoices when his flock multiplies and prospers. In the same way, I, humble, think that I too succeed with the success of everyone and take care of the deanery of everyone, namely [I am afraid] that we would not get sick, become emaciated, or catch the germ of some disease, but were prudent and guarded against any such damage. The first cause of mental illness is pride, because of which the star that rises in the morning has fallen (Isa. 14:12; 35:10); the second is disobedience, because of which the first created was expelled from the paradise of sweetness (see Gen. 3:23–24) and from which thousands of genera and types of disgusting sin arose. Therefore, whoever wants to prefer health, let him move away from pride and adopt the highest humility in unconditional obedience, and joy and gladness will be on his head. For what does not [only] grow from this good root? All joy, and peace, and meekness (see Gal. 5:22), and godliness, all obedience and perseverance in goodness, politeness and meekness, everything good, pleasant, everything desirable, which marks a true man of God. You who have come from a proud life, do not think highly of yourselves, for you stand low in matters according to God; do not boast that you come from a noble family, do not boast that you have had both, for perhaps you are poor and in need of Divine grace. What marks a true man of God But, looking at Christ, our Lord and God, the Lord of all things, be drawn to and imitate the humble things that He did (see Rom. 12:16): He seemed low in appearance, obeyed his parents for a time, often walked and sat down from fatigue, did not respond to curses, being subjected to suffering, did not threaten, endured those who beat Him on the cheek, did not have an abundance of clothes, was content with one little thing a tunic and a cloak, did not recline on soft beds, did not ride horses and mules, slept on heaps [of straw], and His food was only bread and running water (see John 4:6). If we, having everything in abundance, are still embarrassed and despondent, then how can we resist in imitation of the Lord? Therefore, let us be long-suffering and make our lives imitative of God. [Having come] from a low life in the world, let us not be burdened and denied, because we enjoy ourselves along with some in food and clothing. Remember what you were and what you have become. With these words, I do not wish to separate the first from the second, for you are all one, but that you submit and obey orders and do not enter into a discussion of my orders, how, for what and why this or that is done, for under such conditions the Holy Spirit rests [on you]. Therefore, even now, since circumstances forced us to imprison Brother Thalassius due to his escape, let none of you ask about what does not concern him. This is how we determined it, in accordance with his wishes, and this is beneficial both for him and for you, both internal and external. He is not considered imprisoned, but, on the other hand, he is imprisoned not for virtue and not forever, but for [time] until I test him, and, as I said, for the sake of his salvation and for the benefit of the brotherhood. And now I learned that he began to fear God and was returning to his former state; so pray that the Spirit of strength, and strength, and might come upon him (see 2 Tim. 1:7), so that he, being patient, will tolerate the Lord - and He will immediately hear his prayer and bring him out of the pit of wickedness and from the dirty mire (see Ps. 39:2-3) of the sinful disorder that has happened to him. God is able through your prayers to return him to good moderation, so that the benefit will more than cover the damage and temptation [suffered by him] for many, cover his rebellion in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Him be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen. That everyone should be zealous in brotherhood and accept penances Hegumen's medicines My fathers, brothers and children. If the divine and universal apostle in one of his sacredly written [God-inspired] words says: let man hate us, as the servants of Christ and the builders of the mysteries of God (1 Cor. 4:1), attributing true dignity to God, then what will I say, pitiful and unfortunate, if not that each of you considers me like an unworthy slave (see Luke 17:10; Matt. 25:30) and the last member of the entire brotherhood. As long as I am among you, as I am, I want, children, to fulfill my obedience (see 2 Tim. 4:5), as each of you fulfills what is entrusted to him. Hence my humble insistence, and consistent teachings, and intimidations, and orders, and distinctions, and threats, and affirmations, and objections, in order in every way to keep you whole, keeping the commandment of God and far from passionate malice. Hence my punishments and blows, requests and searches, excommunications and reproaches, imprisonment [in prison], and sometimes in chains, and this is fully consistent with the manifested evil, emerging habits, personal dispositions, peculiarities of the way of thinking, since I look up, although I bow down with my mind; I look to God, although I am blind in soul; I try to save everyone, although I myself am dead; I strive for the salvation of everyone, although I myself am disordered; to please the Lord, although he himself is unhappy; Here I grieve the body so that [there] the soul may flourish forever. About what [only] I don’t get sick, I don’t get upset! What I don’t cry for, what I don’t grieve about, what I don’t talk about! Yes, my children, believe me that I have compassion for those who suffer and grieve along with those in need. But how useful it is to be a little sad here so that we can rejoice there, here to be punished so that we can have fun there, here to endure constraint so that we can have peace there! Even if we succeed, we should still prefer and desire corporal punishment and be punished in due time and untimely (see 2 Tim. 4:2). Why did the saints use severe punishments? How should we not take life-saving medicine when we stray from the path of God? Therefore, I think, our most philanthropic and holy fathers, moved by divine love, saved their disciples in these and similar ways. One of them left a dead man on the mountain unburied 357, which caused his relatives to be greatly upset; another sent to the place of grief those who, by voluntary or involuntary actions, turned out to be guilty 358; he imprisoned 359, and even subjected others to beatings. Why did they do this? Of course, only so that those who obey will be saved. After all, we sometimes correct ourselves in the face of human threats. So, if you, my beloved children, endure burdens from me and calls, I swear to you before the Living God that you will be saved in His Heavenly Kingdom (see 2 Tim. 4:18), from where you will escape sickness and sorrow and sighing (Isa. 35:10); if you bear the yoke of obedience, you will be freed from sinful passions and elevated to adoption (see Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5); if you endure the heat of desires, you will drink the water of gladness in eternal life (see Jn. 4:14); if you follow the path of obedience, you will be crowned before the Great King. The height of community and true obedience Therefore, the community is great, great, and there is nothing higher than it; it is heavy and light, for such is the yoke of Christ (see Matt. 11:30). As reality itself testifies and truth itself shows, no one considers a stylite, a hermit, a hermit, or a wearer of chains above tears, or praises 360 or pleases them to the same degree as a true novice. I said true; and the true [novice] is the one who gave his soul completely, even to the point of bleeding 361 (see Heb. 12:14), to his leader, even though he did not develop any merits. Therefore, having achieved such a great good, we should especially rejoice and be proud, my beloved children, and especially that we are numerous, for this is the most wonderful thing. People ask in surprise what you feed yourself, dress yourself, whether you have sufficient supplies, how the whole [order of life] is carried out - and everyone talks about this as if it were their own and at the same time continues to be humble, as if they possess nothing. We do not respect the hermit, even if he has legally retired, to that extent, for his desires are so great that it is not enough for him to even ascend to heaven. So let us only look after our own [deeds], let us not be lame in our thoughts, and let us keep our obedience intact. We will not agree with those who praise or blame us if the situation is different. You know that people make us, as people, a subject of discussion, sometimes kindle temptations in us; but if we fear God, then we will not fear people (see Ps. 55:12; 117:6) and will not succumb to reproaches. Let us adhere to our goal, follow the path of the Lord, and He will correct everything through the prayers of our common father in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. That it is better to be last and to endure dishonor and reproach with gratitude 362 My fathers, brothers and children. Like military leaders to their soldiers, teachers to their students, artisans to their apprentices, so we are obliged to tell you, as children, what you deserve. Stand firm, my children, [firmly] in your exploits, obedient competition and martyrdom, and, day after day, spending time in this life, win your souls in virtues (see Luke 21:19), acquire the pledge of the Kingdom of Heaven and collect the promised ineffable blessings. The path of God is narrow and sorrowful, I will say along with the Scriptures, but the rest awaiting you is wide and vast (see Matthew 7:13–14). Continuous demonic temptations seem to scorch the house of our soul, but the dew of the Spirit quenches them, preparing for us the water of joy in eternal life. [Here] is distress and sorrow (see Rom. 2:9; 8:35), neglect and forgetting, doing and watching, desire and failure, wearing dirty clothes and suffering from insects, labor and illness, effort and work, fatigue and sweat, reproof and blows, excommunication and expulsion - but for all this there is in store for you joy unspeakable and joy without end (see 1 Pet. 1:8). So let us, children, endure these few and most decisive days courageously and receive crowns of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8). How much our blessed fathers worked in fasting, tears, vigils, in prayers, in every ascetic calamity, and now they do not experience the bitterness of the past at all, since [this] was followed by indescribable joy and eternally blissful pleasure. In the same way, we, I ask you, will be reasonable, for earthly sorrows are insignificant and pass relatively quickly, like sleep and shadow; Let us not be afraid or be alarmed, but let us fulfill the commandments of the Lord with inexhaustible zeal. Let not reproach upset us, let not reproach lead us astray, let not reproach lead us astray, let not grief bring us down, and let not pride puff up us. Let us lower our eyes downwards, and strive upward with our souls. Let us be helpful and forgiving, patient and enduring towards each other; If someone accidentally said a harsh [word], what does it mean that you are offended, child? Didn’t Christ our God also hear: the demon imashi (John 7:20) - and did not remain silent? Wasn’t He reproached like Beelzebub... cast out demons (Luke 11:15) - and was not worried? And we, by nature humiliated and worthy of reproach, bristle like wild boars. Why, on the contrary, not reap the sweetness of humility? Why don't we experience good obedience? Why not buy the tools of true monks? And they are not in writing, not in singing, not in washing armlets, increasing height, dressing smartly, not in being gentle or harsh, being modest or carrying oneself in a worldly manner, not in loud words, boldness and opposition, or anything else like that, but in willingly putting oneself in last place, counting many above oneself (see Phil. 2:3), not saying anything. thoughtless, and even more so rude, not to be boastful, not to expose oneself, but, on the contrary, to hide oneself - strive for humility (see Rom. 12:16) and be guided by humility, be frank, kind, non-hostile and non-envious. You have been taught everything as disciples of God (see: John 6:45; Isa. 54:13), - do what is pleasing to Him (see John 8:29). Finally, during these days, my children, endure the illness that has occurred with courage, for many among you are sick. Take with gratitude what is given, and if you need anything else, then humbly remind them of it. Be perfect and sincere in everything (see Phil. 1:10; 2 Pet. 3:1), welcoming, giving me joy, so that you may walk in orderly formation in the common hope of the calling in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About courageously enduring befalling [disasters] in order to become an imitator of Christ, who suffered much for us Don't be afraid, don't retreat, don't fall asleep mentally Fathers, brothers and children. If people, called on earth by the king to glory, prosperity, wealth and pleasure, do not go [to the call] lazily, but with zeal and joy, much more we, called by the God of all and the King, must strive, push and rush every day and hour with zeal and joy and tireless desire, not for the above-mentioned insignificant and perishable [goods], but for the Heavenly Kingdom, the unsetting light, the endless life, ineffable bliss, adoption 363 and inheritance of eternal blessings, not to be afraid and not to retreat 364, so to speak, neither before sadness, cramped conditions, hunger, thirst, nor before danger, nor before the sword, nor death (see Rom. 8:35-38; 2 Cor. 11:27), but with courage, strength and generosity, walk the path of exploits and endure everything as something empty and light, in view of what lies ahead and our all-blessed aspirations. To fall and neglect your achievements means to fall asleep mentally. Therefore, I ask you, children and brethren, knowing to what end this our work leads - great, divine and ineffable - let us bear and endure our excellent obedience and its deeds: renunciation of our desires, movement and work in complete obedience, frequent and numerous reproaches from many brethren, restrictions from above and below. It is quite fair to apply to us the well-known apostolic expression: until this present hour we hunger, and thirst, and are hungry, and we suffer, and we wander, and we labor (1 Cor. 4:11), but in all these, says [the apostle], we prevail for our beloved (Rom. 7:37). You too, much-desired children, be strengthened in the power of His power (see Eph. 6:10) and add present and future to your previous exploits and temptations, counting it a great joy (see James 1:2) that you have been worthy to willingly endure this for the Savior Christ and become imitators of His sufferings. This alone is worthy of great reward for the wise. Remember, children, what He suffered for us. Was He not a child in the flesh? Didn't he avoid being killed by Herod? Did you disobey your parents? At the age of twelve, without learning to read and write, did you denounce those who were in the church? I say this for the illiterate, so that they will not be upset. Have you often traveled on foot and, when tired, have you sought food on a fig tree? Wasn't he reproached by the Jews? Have you not heard: imashi demon (John 8:48) and: about Beelzebub the prince of demons will cast out demons (Luke 11:15)? Wasn't he almost stoned and escaped the slayers? And besides all this, during the forty-day fast, was He not tempted as a man by the devil, precisely when he said to Him: All this I will give to You, if you fall down in worship, and heard from Him: Follow Me, Satan (Matthew 4:9-10) and so on. Did He not, like a servant, wash the feet of His disciples? Did the traitor deny Him? Was He captured by the Jews? Wasn't he bullied by Annas and Caiaphas? Was he not strangled by the hand of a slave, scourged by Pilate, struck by the hands that he created? Didn't they put a crown on Him in mockery, did they lift Him up to the cross? Did they not pierce His holy hands and feet with nails? On the cross, didn’t He listen to many ridicule, wasn’t He pierced in the left side by a spear, wasn’t He given a drink of gall in thirst, wasn’t He buried and rose again, like God, for three days? Well, can we say that we have suffered as much? Show me, brother, your back, cut like that of your Christ, your bruised cheeks, countless ridicule, reproaches and mockeries, [show] all your members, sanctified by suffering. Of course, you have none of this. In this case, at least patiently love the little things, and in His highest goodness the Lover of Mankind will glorify you in the future for the sake of this [monastic] image. And the image is nothing more than a promise to [bear] His cross and death. What is the monastic image? We reminded you of this to a small extent, without having carried out any of what was said, but in order by this reminder to arouse jealousy in you and in ourselves, so that we can rise again, stand up and hasten, without omitting observing and fulfilling the obedience that has been given to anyone in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. That brotherhood should be in peace and unanimity Praise to Rev. Theodora's achievements of the brethren My fathers, brothers and children. I see that by the grace of Christ, our true God, who gives life to all, and with the assistance of the prayer of our common father, you have moved to another state that deserves praise and not blame. Now, hostile envy, which resulted from sins, and proud arrogance, and the resulting desire for division, and the Jewish schism 365 have somehow disappeared from your midst - and all this is, as it is said, God’s gift (see Eph. 2:8) and the consequence of your exploits. The divine and venerable were not accomplished by my humility, which, on the contrary, was accustomed to rule over me. So, children, this is what and how great a state your obedience and gradual striving for the same thing has led you to. What did it not bring! Peace, silence, sincere faith, unbreakable unity, saving sorrow, a favorable response, tenderness before the Divine, moderate modesty, brotherly love, fatherly love, unrepentant repentance. In all this, to put it apostolically, present yourself clean through proper works (see 2 Cor. 7:11). Blessed is the Lord, for you have visited and created deliverance for His people - for you are His people, a chosen people - and raised up the horn of salvation for us (Luke 1:68-69) through the good state that has again been established among us. This is joy and gladness for you, children, this is glory and favor. This will be considered wisdom, and science, and the highest knowledge - to lead a praiseworthy and pure life before God. True, some of the outsiders in some cases compare their qualities with ours. He says: “I consider him wise who has developed an immaculate and pure way of life, even if he did not know literacy and had no idea what the Greeks considered a subject of serious study.” If even those who are recognized only as having the ability to speak and listen are of such an opinion, then we have nothing to think about other than the rule of the saints [the fathers]. Be wise, my children, in fear and trembling before the Lord to keep His commandments, and grace will make you vessels of His election (see Acts 9:15), prepared for every good work (see 2 Tim. 2:21; 3:17). After all, where for the sake of spiritual purity did the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit dwell (see John. 14:23), there is so much that is good, wise, warming, useful, instructive (see 1 Tim. 3:2; 2 Tim. 2:24), smart, impressive! Everything else - cold words, deception, boasting, cunning, stupidity, unreasonableness and everything else - are the properties of the dishonest. Listen to the reading (see 1 Tim. 4:13), and let not the word of Scripture fall to the ground [useless] from your mouth (see 1 Sam. 3:19), [let] it not be ostentatious, but directed towards salvation; not criminal, but [aimed] at keeping the commandment. You understand what I'm talking about, because you have intelligence. Keep your tongue from evil (see Ps. 33:14), and especially those devoted to the art of calligraphy, in particular beginners and the most unrestrained of them, about the disordered and known poison of the deadly tongue, as a result of which many of us often and easily fall into sin. Evil and Jewish friendship in couples From now on, let there be no more bad gatherings, no more evil and Jewish friendships between couples, no more conversations in secret and no more appropriation of [the exclusive right to] sincere conversations, following the example of Ananias and Sapphira (see Acts 5:2). Let there be no more secret and evil deeds and intrigues following the example of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Let the words “mine” and “yours” no longer be heard, full of countless evils, as Chrysostom says 366. The ancient thing passed by, and behold, it was all new (2 Cor. 5:17). Therefore, one needs to remember the ancient things as applied to oneself in order to avoid passions similar to their [passions], and not in order to kindle the fire of thoughts in each other. I am convinced, my children, of the [and] better salvation awaiting you and [I believe] that for this purpose we probably fell into the original state, so that, as if from the sea, storm and strong unrest, we could enter a peaceful and quiet harbor and no longer love the dangerous storm, but calm down from the unrest in the harbor of humility all the days of our life (see Isa. 38:20) in Christ Jesus our Lord, To whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About acquiring the right life and turning away from those who are wicked and corrupt in heart My fathers, brothers and children. So, as you can see, we are ascending from glory into festive glory. Yesterday, having celebrated the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Mother of God, we immediately turn to the Exaltation of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross. And celebrating in holy company (see 1 Cor. 5:8) is bliss. He who dwells in it 367 celebrates unceasingly and daily, enlightened and purified, elevated and worshiped by God, and truly deified. My most honest brethren, a word no longer comes to mind that is worthy of uttering a lesson. My desire is great and my heart burns in me for you to be saved, and on all occasions I have told you about the path of salvation. I ask and implore you: move on your own, desire and be guided in what is good and pleasing to God, and lift up your eyes to the contemplation of eternal blessings. Therefore, willingly accept, bear and endure everything, [whether it be] sorrows, oppression, violence, coercion, insults, curses, submission and obedience, labor, sweat, hunger, persecution or anything else beyond this, only to find what you want and achieve the goal for which you set out on the journey. Oh, how blessed, my fathers, to live correctly, without making mistakes and being in perfection; Oh, how reverent it is to spend life in tenderness, humility and reverence and prepare for the outcome, meeting and answer before God, the terrible and one Judge of all (see Heb. 12:23). The all-holy and saving saying says: “Arseny, why did you come out?” 368 Let us think and understand why we came out. To do this, we encourage each other, decorate our lives with the beauty of virtues and, like brides, are brought to the Lord God in the majesty of virgin radiance, we keep ourselves pure and immaculate, for we are called churches of God (see 2 Cor. 6:16). If anyone, the Scripture says, corrupts God's church, God will corrupt him (1 Cor. 3:17). Rev.'s censure Theodore of the brethren Therefore, I weep and weep over some, because, although they were not tempted to have God in their minds for salvation, God gave them over to an unskilled mind to do things that are not like them (Rom. 1:28). I am embarrassed to say that you too became arrogant, and did not become upset, on the contrary, so that the one who committed this deed would be removed from your midst (see 1 Cor. 5:2). From here flows censure and servility, for you do not turn away [from this], as you should, do not be angry with me for the reproof, and are indifferent to such an extent that I will say that you accept such a [person], lest such a person be sacrificed through much sorrow (2 Cor. 2:7), carelessly gather together and indulge in laughter in destruction. By doing this, you do not understand [the saying]: if you saw the thief, you flowed with him, and you made your participation with the adulterer (Ps. 49:18). And I, the perilous one, grieve, and my heart breaks. I know that they are helping me, and therefore I will not blame everyone. But why don’t you all agree and strive with me for all-beneficial salvation? Woe is me (1 Cor. 9:16), if I do not punish and avenge God’s right (see Rom. 1:32); but woe to you too if you do not share my anger. After all, who am I, unfortunate and unclean, that I should live among you (see Isa. 6:5) and have you as children? But it happened. And now I ask for time and look for a way (see Gal. 4:20) and I don’t know whether the Lord will give it to me and whether I will be worthy of dispassion to promote your salvation, for my sins, which you imitate, are preventing this. Pray, my children, to the Lord God that He will completely save both me and you with His almighty and ineffable love for mankind. For to Him is due all glory, honor and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About passing the days of our life in simplicity of heart and with a meek spirit, and about the fact that the sick should remain patient 369 My fathers, brothers and children. I am not content with one, two, or frequent sermons, but for me this has become an incessant task - to remind, instruct and invite you to zeal, to preach good things to you while you are engaged in deeds of piety, leading an ascetic and blessed life. Therefore, be patient more and more, be enduring and strong. Bear, love and serve the visible and invisible reproaches that come upon you from demons and people. Who doesn’t know that our life is difficult? Who will not testify that our path is full of sorrows? On this side, wars arise against you every day, on the other, painful dangers arise, and this comes either from the brethren, or flows from ministries; We rush everywhere, we are thrown in all directions, and we seem to swim across this great and most difficult sea of ​​life, raising the sail of hope and striving for the sky. But first of all, pray that your helmsman, by Divine power and through fatherly prayers, will open [his] mental eyes, watch carefully and stay awake, steer well and lead your ship to the pier of life. Then rejoice and be glad (see: Matt. 5:12; Rev. 19:7) that, having passed through this life with so many difficulties, you will inherit eternal life (see Matt. 19:29). You should not hesitate, stop or hold back at anything, but step complacently and zealously and with strength and go forward and learn what you can use to trample on the serpent-devil and fulfill the commandments of the Lord 370. You are young and recently enlightened - hurry up and strive for humility and obedience, so that, having made a good beginning, you can gradually ascend to perfection. You have managed to spend enough time in monasticism - prove to be outstanding in virtue, and not in degree, so that you are truly considered the first in deeds, and not in words. I say this because I hear about the empty conversations and disputes going on among you, unrest and bitterness and anger, beatings and slander and indignation. But this is not true for everyone. The question is, brethren: where did this come from, for what reasons did it happen? I think it’s only because you don’t have humility. I ask you, in the words of the Apostle, not to be children in your minds, but to be childish in malice (1 Cor. 14:20), do not talk about anything useless and, wanting to confirm your word, do not speak or speak nonsense, referring to this and that and [bringing] accusations. Who is a man, says Scripture, who, though he may love the days, see good things? The questioner himself answers and says: keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking flattery. Turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and marriage (Ps. 33:13–15). Why did Saint Dorotheus live good days and a serene life? Why the wondrous Dositheus, the ever-memorable Akaki 371 and their entire cathedral? If only this is not impudent, I will say [also] why some of our companions, present and deceased, lived blissfully, carefreely without worries? The reason for living a blissful, carefree and worry-free life Isn't that why? Is it because each of them considered himself nothing and was ready to devote himself to any cause. But for me, not to say for you, vanity, self-will and the inclination to pleasure that come first do not allow us to live well, in peace, simplicity and kindness, to pass kindly through the short and few days of this century. Whoever worries and is at enmity, let him blame himself, not his neighbor. Whoever wants to follow the straight path and come to his senses in soul and body, let him not defend his inclinations - and sorrows will cease, and sorrows will cease, and the wild beasts, as Job puts it, will be reconciled to him (Job 5:23), although not because they are brothers close in character and way of life. For wearing clothes that are not the ones we want, for torn boots, for being covered with a mantle that we do not want, for accepting obedience, stopping progress, being subjected to blows, enduring punishments, for both of these, so to speak, small and great, insignificant and precious [properties], you will have the Kingdom of Heaven. Let us strive, brethren, let us strive, as long as we are able to serve the Lord. And blessed is the one who, as if before God Himself, maintains, performs and fulfills his service. Now is an unhealthy time, and many of the brothers have fallen ill. So take heart, hospital worker 372, the time for your work has come. Collect yourself rewards for caring for the sick instead of gold and precious stones. And you who are sick, [gather] the fruits of patience. Do not demand more than what is given, so as not to become mentally ill along with your body. Why are some of you so rude that when a doctor comes, you all run to him, ask questions, show your limbs, suffering, illness? Aren't you ashamed in front of a layman? Usually he is absolutely forbidden to enter here, but for the sake of the sick I am forced [to allow him in]. So why don't you keep your order? Why don’t you report what’s happening [with you] through sick leave or first? And, of course, the necessary will be done. But this disorderliness of yours causes you another kind of harm. So that this, child, will not happen again. Then, do not make illness a reason for idleness, and upon recovery, do not behave haphazardly and in vain. Do not be intemperate and do not get sick because of this, and thus do not bother the healthy. But you, living children, endure for the sake of the Lord and brotherly love, serve and bear the burden of the weak - and we will survive this month, enter the new year and move on to a more spiritual way of behavior, so that, having modestly and honestly completed our life cycle, we may receive the crown of life in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. About the ingenious cunning of demons and how [how] their cunning is destroyed and destroyed Prayer for vengeance for the blood of Christians My fathers, brothers and children. At present we are beset by an invasion of Arabs 373 who are seeking to capture into their hands many Christians - husbands, wives, elders, infants and all ages. And so some fall from their sword, and innocent blood is shed without mercy and regret, like the blood of animals, others, chained in iron, are led into bitter, barbaric and complete slavery! And out of duty we offer prayers and supplications for them, as for our brothers; together with them we are sick and weep, trying to appease God to avenge their blood. But if we think about our [position], then our sufferings are not much different from theirs; rather, ours are more terrible, since they are spiritual and mental, very different from bodily destruction. You see, children, that it is not temporary and periodic cold or wind that befalls us, but daily, hourly, minute-by-minute attacks of a vengeful demon, and that during these indescribable attacks against us there are numerous and varied invasions of us, sieges, formations and battles, skirmishes and clashes, stabbings and wounds, bloodshed and mutilation, captivity and capture. Nothing can be compared or placed higher than such a war, so full of dangers. Spiritual warfare and weapons for it For example, one is driven to one goal by three demons, and not three, or five, or seven, but seventy times seven. One is captured, another is pierced with a sinful arrow, another is bound by the dominion of passions and is actually taken into captivity in mental Egypt 374 . One is beaten endlessly, another has all the members of his soul cut off with terrible wishes. One is strangled by hiding the word of God. And in general, in various ways the destroyers apply everything terrible and difficult to us. And blessed is that warrior of Christ among you who is shot at, but is not wounded, 375 who is wounded, but is not harmed, taken captive, but does not surrender. On the contrary, with his spiritual sword of faith he wounds seven hundred and eight hundred [demons], for he is a warrior like David and helps his brothers. Let us weep, children, for ourselves, let us constantly bear in mind the war rising against us, let us judiciously line up against our enemies, helping each other and for the destruction of demonic fortifications (see 2 Cor. 10:4) arming ourselves not with physical, but with spiritual weapons. We will repel those who fight against us (Ps. 34:1). Let no one be without weapons, which, according to the apostle (see Eph. 6:13–18), is good faith; no one without a shield, that is, humility; no one without a sword, that is, divine prayer; no one without a helmet, that is, obedience; no one without a horse, that is, spiritual jealousy; no one - without other higher weapons that protect our inner man (see Eph. 3:16; 2 Cor. 4:16; Rom. 7:22). May we not receive wounds from our enemies, may we not be crushed and fall at their feet. The Lord, mighty in battle (see Ps. 23:8), who destroyed the principles and powers of the world ruler of this age (see Eph. 6:12), gave us the power with the weapon of His cross to tread on the serpent, and on the scorpion, and on all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). You see that when you become impudent, amazed, you perish, that, satisfying your passions, you die an eternal death, that, giving access to evil thoughts, you are taken into captivity, falling into disobedience, being naked, falling into pride, being exposed to the sinful sword, being in negligence and lagging behind the labors of singing and needlework, you remain in the hands of the devil, especially those who indulges in secret vice and appears different from the outside than he is on the inside. About such the apostle says: take heed how dangerously you walk, not as unwise, but as wise: redeeming time, for the days are evil (Eph. 5:15-16). Defeat in Spiritual Warfare Since we children have already lived, we should have sufficient military experience; and if someone learns to fight, he is not afraid of enemies and he does not fall by accident. Therefore, I ask and pray to you, the honest army of the Lord, His sacred people of chosen warriors, let us not be upset and give in if we receive a wound, but we will be healed through repentance. Must gain military experience Even if we are wounded, we will live again through penance and tears; even if we are taken to mental Babylon 376, we will be saved by being redeemed by the Communion of the honorable Body of our Lord Jesus Christ; and if we endure little by little, the war will cease, our enemies will flee far beyond our spiritual limits, and the world of dispassion will again shine in us, and thus we will be called sons of God. Blessed, says [Scripture], are peacemakers, for [these] will be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9). Grown-ups, watch over children, 377 the sensible ones over the simple-minded, the respectable ones over the disorderly ones, and especially over those who are under Clidonius. Everyone, avoid bad company and individual love, or rather, deception, from which solitude in twos and agreements to do sodomy arise. Listen and take heed. What do you want? - says the apostle - will I come to you with a club, or with love and a spirit of meekness? (1 Cor. 4:21). Likewise, I, unworthy and stained, prefer to always appear to you meek; If someone forces me to change my image, then the fault is not mine, but his. That's what it should say. So, pray, my children, that I will walk firmly, and I believe that you too will walk correctly along the path of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. The first announcement of the first book of the “Great Announcement” by Rev. Theodore the Studite in the Patmos manuscript No. 111, from which the translation was made, was preserved only in its final part (begins with the words: “... γραφεύς εστι και εξεταστής"). The full announcement was published in the publication: Nova patrum bibliotheca / Ed. Iosepho Cozza-Luzi. T. 10. Roma, 1905. P. 110–113 (λόγος 102). The French edition of the TSGC added: “in rejecting with fear all the vanities of this world.” – Ed. Wed: St. Athanasius the Great. Life of Rev. Antonia, 66. – Ed. In the French edition of TSGC: "my father's prayers and yours." – Ed. Wed: St. Meliton of Sardis. About Easter. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 79 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 1. P. 412. – Ed. Cutting off one's will is an important element of monastic asceticism and is considered as shedding blood, as a kind of martyrdom. See: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 32; 50; 53, etc. Also among other holy fathers: Rev. Barsanuphius and John the Prophet. Guide to Spiritual Life, 589; Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful Teachings 7, 84 (TSGC. R. 138–139). – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Rules set out at length 6, 1 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 165. – Ed. According to Leroy, this expresses classical monastic teaching: a monk should not live on alms, but earn a living by his labor, and in addition, help the poorer. About this see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 12; 50; Great Announcement II, 30; 36; 51; 86; St. Basil the Great. Rules stated at length 37, 1–2; 42, 1–2; Rules summarized 176; 207 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. S. 203–204, 210, 283; Kirill Skifopolsky. Life of Rev. Euphemia, 14; Blzh. John Mosch. Spiritual meadow, 12 (TSGC. R. 140). – Ed. The word παρρησία, as Leroy writes, often used by the Holy Fathers of the Desert and in monastic literature, has a dual meaning - both positive and negative. In a positive sense, this word means trust, openness and good freedom in communication, but more often with Rev. Theodora, this word takes on a negative meaning - in the sense of excessive freedom in circulation, lack of respect and reverence. In addition, he also uses this word for sodomy. See: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 12; 14; 17; 29; 33; 37; 41; 48; 61; 64; 68; 77; 87; Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 4, 52, 54; 15, 164 (TSGC. R. 140). – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Rules, stated at length, 30 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 195; Rev. Macarius the Great. Great Message, 6, 5–6; St. Gregory of Nyssa. On the establishment of the Christian 6, 5. – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Ascetic statutes, 31 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. pp. 372–373. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 4. – Ed. The French edition of the TSGC adds at this point: “The gardener is also worthy of praise, and his part is with the saints. Thrice blessed is the cook if he does his work with fear and trembling, like the apostles of God.” See also: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams 14, 8 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3. – Ed. Wed. St. Ignatius the God-Bearer. Epistle to the Romans, 4. - Ed. Rev. Theodore attaches special importance to the work of a plowman (see: St. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 44), mentions the special severity of his work among other monastic activities (see: He. Great Announcement I, 13) and his special services to the brotherhood (see: He. Great Announcement I, 47) (see: TSGC. R. 144). – Ed. In this and other cases, Rev. Theodore turns to the teaching of the Holy Apostle Paul about the Church as the Body and Christ as the Head of this Body (see: Rom. 12:4–5; 1 Cor. 6:15; 12:12–31; Eph. 4:15–16; 5:30; Col. 1:18). This is the mystical teaching of the Apostle St. Theodore, following other eastern and western fathers of the Church, applies in relation to the monastic community, which was thought by the holy fathers (and primarily St. Basil the Great), a kind of church evangelical life in the purest form of all worldly things; he also views the community as the Body of Christ, where the Head is Christ. See: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 12; 13; 24; 55; 60; 74; 79; Great Announcement II, 21. Σ. 152; 63.Σ. 441; 73.Σ. 502; 81. Σ. 568; St. Basil the Great. Prologue 5, 1; Ascetic statutes 18, 1; Rules set out at length 7, 2 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 145, 352, 167; Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 6, 77; Rev. John Cassian. Institutions of the Egyptian ascetics 1, 2; 2, 5; 4, 5; 7, 13, where Cassian uses the expression “body of brotherhood” (corpus fraternitatis); in the “Rule of Rev. Benedict”, 61 the expression “body of the monastery” (corpus monasterii) is used (see: TSGC. R. 145; Leroy, 20–21). – Ed. Forcing oneself to feat and work to please God through fulfilling the commandments is a frequent instruction from St. Theodore (see: St. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 8; 11; 14; 43; 48; 56; 84) (see: TSGC. R. 150). – Ed. This expression, starting with Clement of Alexandria, is a classic among church authors as an expression of the ideal of Christian perfection in general, and, in particular, of monastic life. – Ed. About this see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 63. – Ed. Greek O! – πρώτοι (the first) were the “middle management” of the monastery, heads of separate groups of working monks, for example those plowing the land - senior plowmen (πρωτοζευγών, πρωτοαροτριών) (see: St. Theodore Studit. Great Announcement I, 11; the elder over the fishermen is also mentioned (see: Same. Great Announcement II, 50. £. 365), senior head of monastic clothing (see: Same. Great Annunciation II, 16. £. 109; 36. £. 267), senior hospitalist (see: Same. Great Announcement II, 7. £. 44), senior gardener, senior shoemaker, senior calligrapher, etc. (see: Same. Great Announcement II, 36. Σ. 267) (see: TSGC. R. 151). – Ed. Obviously, Rev. Theodore sent this announcement in the form of a letter to the monastery, and it was read to the monks by someone else. – Ed. We are talking about Rev. Plato - uncle, spiritual father and mentor of the Venerable. Theodora. – Ed. The Royal Path (βασιλική οδός) is one of the favorite patristic expressions regarding the passage of ascetic and generally spiritual life. The teaching contained in this concept contains important ideas of proportionality, harmony, not going to extremes and a long, smooth march towards salvation along the path of acquiring virtues. At the same time, virtue itself was often understood by the holy fathers as the golden mean between extremes, which represented vice, as disharmony and deviation from virtue (cf.: St. Basil the Great. Conversations on Psalms 7, 7; Ascetic Rules 4, 2 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 1. P. 479, 338; Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 10, 106–107; This expression has a biblical basis. See the story about the request of the Israelites to Edom to go through the “royal way”: let us pass through your land: we will not go through the fields and through the vineyards and we will not drink water from [your] wells; But let us go along the royal road, we will not turn to the right or to the left, until we have crossed your borders (Num. 20:17); cm. the same to the king of the Amorites Sihon (Num. 21:21–22); cf.: Proverbs. 4:27. – Ed. At Rev. Theodore the Studite, it is most often used in relation to the communal structure of monastic life as the “golden mean” between the extremes of worldly relaxation and the extreme severity of solitary asceticism. See: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 40; 34; 36; 66; II, 58. £. 410; 92.Σ. 655; It's him. Small announcement 47; 102; cf.: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise ladder 1, 26; Rev. Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet. Guide to Spiritual Life, 58 (see: TSGC, p. 153). – Ed. Judging by the indication of a somewhat privileged position, this announcement was addressed to the brethren of the monastery in Sakkudion, the very location of which was distinguished by privacy and silence (see: TSGC. R. 154). – Ed. Wed: 1 Cor. 16:17; 2 Cor. 8:14; Phil. 2:30; Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 8 (TSGC. R. 154). – Ed. The indicated monastic position during the time of St. Theodora Studita differed in meaning from the modern Athonite. If in the latter case the canonarch only reads (sings) the beginning of the text, which is then sung by the psalt (the chanter), then in the first case the canonarch had a very wide range of responsibilities, and in general he was responsible for organizing the divine service and directing the readers, singers and even calligraphers (scribes) involved in the reproduction of liturgical texts (see: Leroy, 62). – Ed. Dorinosity (δορυφορούμενος) – solemnly “carried on spears” (from δορύς – “spear” and φορέω – “to wear”). See the “Cherubic Hymn” of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. Traditional interpretation: coronation by the emperor's soldiers. – Ed. We are talking about unquenchable lamps burning in the altar. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams, 102 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3; Kirill Skifopolsky. Life of Rev. Euphemia, 76 (see: TSGC. R. 157–158). – Ed. In the French edition (see: TSGC. R. 158) the word ύλογραφία appears here - “icon”, “iconographic image” That is the smallest lamp. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams, 17 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3. – Ed. In the French edition there is the word άστειότης, literally meaning the degree of culture, participation in city life, which was contrasted with the rudeness of rural life (see: TSGC. R. 158). – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams, 18 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3. – Ed. Wed: St. John Chrysostom. Eight words on the book of Genesis 2, 1 (PG. T. 54. Col. 588); Rev. Ambrose of Optina: “That’s how precious the human soul is! She is more valuable than the whole world, with all its treasures and benefits.” – Ed. Wed: Rev. Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet. Guide to Spiritual Life 620, 713, 764; Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 1, 9; 2, 27 (see: TSGC. R. 162). – Ed. Rev. Barsanuphius the Great (about 540). Born in Egypt, he arrived in Palestine in his youth and entered the monastery of Abba Serida near Gaza. After spending a long time in the monastery, he went into seclusion, where he died. See: Rev. Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet. Guide to spiritual life. – Ed. Comparison of the monastic community with the body, and its individual members with bodily members, see also: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 6, 77. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams, 9 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3. – Ed. About the passion of despondency (άκηδία) and its danger and severity in monastic life, see: Rev. John Cassian. Regulations 10, 2; Interviews 5, 2–3, 10–11; Rev. Neil of Sinai. About the eight evil spirits, 11; Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder, 13 (TSGC. R. 164). – Ed. Quote not identified. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Letter 101 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 608. – Ed. Wed. Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams, 14 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3. – Ed. Like the previous one, this announcement was addressed to the monastic brethren in the absence of the Venerable himself. Theodora. It appears that this written sermon was addressed to the monks of the Sakkudion monastery. According to Leroy, at this time Rev. Theodore was in the monastery of St. Christopher, located further, but also in the area of ​​Mount Olympus in Bithynia (see: TSGC. R. 166). – Ed. French publishers suggest that this announcement was pronounced during the Nativity Fast, since the one following it mentions the upcoming holiday of Christmas (Epiphany) (see: TSGC. R. 167). – Ed. Wed: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful Teachings 12, 136–137. – Ed. That μέγα πέλαγος τοΰ τήδε βίου. The image of sailing on the sea of ​​life is found in the works of St. Theodore the Studite very often, for example: Great Announcement I, 10; 17; 36; 38; 40; 48; 56; 60; 63; 64; 73; 76; 81; 84; 86 (see: TSGC. R. 168). – Ed. On the spiritual fatherhood of the abbot, see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 13; 65; 68 (TSGC. R. 170). – Ed. This means Rev. Plato, uncle of the Rev. Theodora Studite. – Ed. The second revival of St. Theodore calls the adoption of a monastic image (schema). The first rebirth, baptism, has a purifying (cleansing from sins) and enlightening effect; the adoption of the monastic image has the same effect, which is why it is called the second rebirth (see: Great Annunciation I, 62; 79). On the essence of the monastic image, see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 68; 83; 86; about his equal angels: He is the same. Great Announcement I, 47; 55; 64; 68 (TSGC. R. 171). – Ed. As in the “Great Announcement” I, 4, Rev. Theodore addresses the monks of one small monastery, not so distant from the Sakkudion monastery. Rev. Theodore stayed in a significant monastery (most likely in Sakkudion) and came to this minor monastery to preach or sent it in writing (see: TSGC. R. 174). – Ed. Not uncommon for Rev. Theodora's word of self-deprecation. See also: Great Announcement I, 28; II, 23. £. 163; £64. 452 (see: TSGC. R. 174). – Ed. Wed: Martyrdom of St. Polycarp 2, 3; St. Athanasius the Great. Life of St. Antonia, 91 (TSGC. R. 175). – Ed. On the role of tears in spiritual life, see: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 11, 122; Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise staircase, 7; Rev. Simeon the New Theologian. Chapters theological, speculative and active I, 66 (TSGC. R. 176). – Ed. Wed: Rev. John Cassian. Regulations 4, 36, 2. – Ed. In TFS: “lovely.” – Ed. Wed: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise ladder 1, 12. – Ed. These words hint at the absence of the Rev. Theodore in the monastic community, to which he addresses the catechumenate, and on the growth of the monastic community of St. Theodora (see: TSGC. R. 179). – Ed. Rev. Hilarion the Great (about 293–371). Born into a Palestinian pagan family in the Gaza region, he converted to Christianity when he went to study in Alexandria. Leaning toward monastic life, Rev. Hilarion visited Rev. three times. Anthony the Great in the desert and received his blessing to become a monk. Returning to Palestine after the death of his parents, he left his fortune and began to lead a harsh ascetic life in the Gaza region. He became famous for his numerous miracles. Fleeing from the crowds and fame, he went to Egypt, visiting Sicily and Dalmatia along the way. He remained in Cyprus, lived and worked in the Paphos region, where he died. The relics of St. Hilarion were transferred by his disciple Hesychius to Gaza, where they were seen until 570 (DHGE. T. 24. Col. 471). – Ed. Rev. Pachomius the Great (290–346). Founder of Egyptian cenobitic monasticism. Born in Upper Egypt from pagan parents. After serving in the army in 313, he converted, was baptized, and began asceticism under the leadership of the ascetic Palemon. He founded his monastery in Thebaid near the Nile around 320, and then a number of monasteries: a total of nine men's and two women's. The information is not entirely correct: Rev. Pachomius the Great lived for a long time in two monasteries - Tavennisi and Pabau. – Ed. Rev. Savva the Sanctified (439–532). Native of Cappadocia. In 478 he founded the Great Lavra (Mar Saba) in Palestine near Jerusalem. In 490, against his will, he accepted the priesthood, and in 492, the Patriarch of Jerusalem appointed him in charge of all the monks of Palestine. Founded a number of monasteries. The author of his life, Cyril of Scythopolis, provides a list of his monasteries. See: Kirill Skifopolsky. Life of Rev. Sava the Sanctified, 58. Rev. Savva is also mentioned in the letters of St. Theodora: 149, 555 (TSGC. R. 180). – Ed. Rev. Theodore considers the relationship between body and soul in man from the point of view of ascetic life. See: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Catechumen I, 54 (“the flesh is our friend and at the same time our enemy”); 5; 10; 13; 32; 36; 41; 48; 67; 81. At the same time, the body is an enemy, not as God’s creation (then it is a friend), but after the Fall, when it is at enmity with the spirit. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Conversation 22, 7; The ascetic word 13, 4 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 1. P. 10641066; T. 2. P. 142; Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise ladder 14, 31; 15, 30, 88. – Ed. In the “Great Announcement” I, 54 Rev. Theodore reports about shipwrecks that occurred in the Propontis in the region of Cyzicus. It is possible that among these ships there was also a ship with monks heading to the Studite monastery (see: TSGC. R. 185). – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement II, 59. Σ. 422–427. – Ed. Here and further - Plato, the former abbot of the monastery. – Ed. Rev. here. Theodore the Studite lists examples of saints who were especially famous for their obedience. Rev. Dosifei (f 515) – student of Ven. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. About him see: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. The Legend of Rev. Dosithee. Memory of Rev. Dositheus of Palestine in the Orthodox Church - February 19 / March 1. About Rev. Akacia of Sinai (f 305) see: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise ladder 4, 110. Memory in the Orthodox Church - July 7 / July 20. About Rev. Zechariah, see: Memorable Tales. Abba Zechariah; Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 72. Commemorated in the Orthodox Church - December 5 / December 18. – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Ascetic statutes 4, 1 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. pp. 333–334. – Ed. Plato the Studite - uncle of the Rev. Theodora. – Ed. Wed: St. Theodore Studite Great Announcement I, 3. – Ed. Wed: St. Theodore Studite Great Announcement I, 2; 13; II, 122.Σ. 914–15. – Ed Overseers (επιτηρηται). The duties of the alarm clocks (άφυπνίσται) were to wake up the monastery brethren after sleep for divine services. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams, 16 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3 (TSGC. R. 199). – Ed. This announcement was also sent in the form of a letter, and not pronounced by the Rev. himself. Theodore. – Ed. By versification (στιχολογ᾿ια) is meant the reading of the psalms verse by verse, not only during the service (see: St. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement II, 32. £. 235; 16. £. 110), but also outside it, for example during work: (see: He. Great Announcement I, 14; 35; Great Announcement II, 52. £. 69. Σ. 481; – Ed. A whirlwind of inspired sinful thoughts, mental warfare. – Ed. Wed: St. Athanasius the Great. Life of Rev. Antonia, 48. – Ed. This refers to monastic life. Monks are called especially to be soldiers of Christ against the devil. – Ed. Rev. Theodore repeatedly compares monastic work (including physical work) with the liturgical Sacrifice and Offering to God (see: Great Announcement I, 50; 55; 62 (TSGC. R. 203); thereby he highly values ​​monastic work as pleasing God and a saving activity. - Ed. Rev. Theodore points here to one of the important principles of ancient monasticism: the monks not only worked to provide for themselves, but also gave part of their earnings as alms to the poor and sick, thereby fulfilling the Savior’s commandment about active love (Matthew 25:34–40). – Ed. Wed: St. Theodore Studite Great Announcement I, 69; 71; 84; 87; Great Announcement II, 29. Σ. 209; 67.Σ. 472 (TSGC. R. 204). – Ed See note. us. 226. – Ed See: St. Athanasius the Great. Life of St. Antonia, 66; St. Palladium of Ellenopol. Lavsaik, 34. – Ed. The purpose of the creation of man according to Rev. Theodora - an exercise in virtue. – Ed. See note. us. 226. – Ed. See note. 5 on p. 254. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams, 13 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3. – Ed. In Greek lit.: how do you obey? – Ed. Wed: Memorable tales. Abba Achilles, 4. – Ed. "Αμα του κρύσματος. Beat (κρουμα) is a wooden board, an analogue of a Russian bell, which is struck with a wooden hammer; every monk must obey this signal (see: TSGC. R. 212). - Ed. That εν νηφει ποιεΐσθαι την ευχήν. The Greek προσεύχεσΰαι - “to pray” - here is the opposite of φάλλειν - “to chant”. If the second means church chants, then the first means quiet and mental prayer. Rev. here. Theodore expresses the prayerful ideal of worship: the church singing performed should not be devoid of inner prayer (see: TSGC. R. 213). – Ed. In Greek lit.: canon (κανών). – Ed. We are talking about spiritual lessons learned from past and recalled worship services. Rev. Theodore advises his monks to memorize troparia and other hymns and readings of the divine service in order to repeat them and comprehend them while working. See: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 36; 52 (see: TSGC. R. 213). – Ed. For a list of parts of monastic worship, see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 33. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 55. – Ed. This concept, fundamental to all Eastern Christian theology, is also found in its various variations in St. Theodore the Studite (see: Great Announcement I, 66; 19; 20; 85). – Ed. French publishers do not identify this Ignatius with anyone. However, we can assume that we are talking about the most famous saint by that time with this name - sschmch. Ignatius of Antioch, God-bearer (f 107), famous for his martyrdom, to which he voluntarily and consciously strove because of his fiery love for Christ crucified. – Ed. Leroy notes that this announcement is actually a personal letter addressed to the monk Tarasius, who left the monastery. This letter does not contain the traditional catechumens of the plural in address (“Brothers and Fathers”) and the praise of God at the end. It should be explained why it is among the announcements. Letter 9 to monk Gelasius, who also left the monastery, is close in content to this announcement. Presumably letter 9 refers to the years of the second exile (809–811) and there is also no mention of persecution or any external difficulties of the Studites. The only reason that can justify placing the letter to Tarasius among the announcements is its dating. Despite the silence of these texts about the dating, it is worth assuming that one of them ended up among the collection of letters of St. Theodore, because the Studite community was scattered by persecution, and the other (letter to Tarasius) was among the catechumens, because it was written at a time when the monastic life of the Studites proceeded without serious difficulties, in a peaceful period, shortly after the first episode of the “Michian” history. (See: TSGC. R. 218). – Ed. The words that Tarasius spoke before his tonsure. – Ed. Wed: St. Theodore Studite Great Announcement II, 57. Σ. 407; 82.Σ. 575; 118.Σ. 878. – Ed These words indicate that Tarasius, together with others, survived the Mikhian persecution of the monks by St. Theodore, since in a number of letters from this period the Rev. Theodore uses a similar expression, which was not used when we were talking about persecution from the iconoclasts. That is, this letter was written after 797, when the monks returned from dispersion and gathered around the Venerable. Theodore and Plato (see: TSGC. R. 218). – Ed. See: Blzh. Hieronymus of Stridon. Life of the warrior Malchus, 53–60. – Ed. See: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 4, 31. – Ed. See: St. Gregory the Theologian. Homily 22, 1 // St. Gregory the Theologian. Creations. T. 1. P. 278. – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. The word ascetic 11, 4; Rules, stated at length, 27 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 130, 192. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 70. – Ed. See: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Life of St. Dosithea, 8. – Ed. See: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 4, 29–30. – Ed. See: Ibid. 4, 23–24. – Ed. See: Ibid. 4, 31–33. – Ed. See: Ibid. 4, 25–26. – Ed. See: 1st Greek “Life of St. Pachomius the Great" (G 1), 106. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Abba John Kolov, 1. – Ed. See: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 4, 110. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Abba Zechariah, 4. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Abba Mark, 2. – Ed. See: Apothegma anonymous, 46. – Ed. See: Kirill Skifopolsky. Life of St. Savva, 33–36. – Ed. In the French edition, instead of “in fear” there is “in light”. – Ed. The NPB does not contain the expression “by law”. – Ed. The Greek term προσπάθεια means passion for the world and its goods. See: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 16; 24; 51; also: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 12; 16 (TSGC. R. 236). – Ed. The TPS translation of the Greek expression των ϊξω (external) as “laity” is incorrect. Even in the New Testament, this word was used to refer to non-Christians, i.e. pagans. The very closest statement in meaning is found in Plato (“Laws”, 736e). – Ed. Leroy notes that the “Charter” ('Ύ ποτύττωαις) by Rev. Theodore the Studite was compiled only after his death, but also before the “Rule” in the monasteries of St. Theodore there was a regulation, some unwritten rule. It is possible that Rev. Theodore retained for his monks one of the versions of the monastic rule of St. Theodosius the Great. References to it are found in the “Great Announcement” (I, 53; III, 40). In addition to this, the rules could be used and acquired the force of law in monastic life by St. Theodora and other individual rules. For example, the rules regarding the use of wine from St. Basil the Great (see: St. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 63) or St. Stamp of the Ascetic. In general, it can be noted that Rev. Theodore was not content with only existing rules, but determined himself and changed them at his own discretion in accordance with emerging needs (see: He. Great Announcement I, 56). – Ed. Perhaps this is an allusion to the persecution of monks by St. Theodora during the period of the “Michian schism” (see: TSGC. R. 238). – Ed. See: 1st Greek “Life of St. Pachomius the Great" (G 1), 81. – Ed. Rev. Arseny the Great (f 449) was a noble nobleman close to the imperial court. In 394 he became a skete monk together with Venerable. John Kolov. Here are his words that he often spoke to himself. See also: Memorable tales. Ava Arseny, 40. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 1; 51. – Ed. In NPB: προς τον κοαθηγούμ, ζνον. – Ed. In TFS: “public”. – Ed. We are talking, perhaps, about the movements of monks from Sakkudion to the Studite monastery and back (see: TSGC. R. 245). – Ed. See: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 62; II, 1.Σ. 3; 100.Σ. 725; III, 10. P. 99; 31. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Akhila, 4 (TSGC. R. 247). – Ed. Wed: St. Ignatius the God-Bearer. Epistle to the Romans, 4. - Ed. In TFS: “which cannot be satisfied and which cannot be eaten.” – Ed. Leroy notes that the monastic settlement from Sakkudion moved to the Studium monastery, where a small number of monks already lived (about a dozen, according to Leroy); These monks joined the brethren, in which Rev. Theodore was abbot (see: TSGC. R. 253). – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Penances are common to the entire brotherhood; Daily penances for monks // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 2. – Ed. Memorable tales. Abba Macarius, 3. – Ed. In TFS: “A person lives a double life: he feels one way in his soul, but another in his body.” – Ed. In the French edition - “queens”, i.e. St. Tarasius and St. Irene in 798 and 802. (See: TSGC. R. 258). – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 72. – Ed. Wed: Memorable tales. Avva Pimen, 85; Abba Silouan, 11. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 77. – Ed. Wed: St. Gregory the Theologian. Homily 26, 2 // St. Gregory the Theologian. Creations. T. 1. P. 316. – Ed. The NPB does not contain the phrase "the assistance of our father's prayers"; present in TSGC. – Ed. Here the remains of virtues can be understood as the few righteous people in future generations. In the French edition: par le souvenir de vos vertus - “through the remains of your virtues,” that is, memorial signs, reminders of them. – Ed. In NPB: “to encourage.” – Ed. See letters to him from Rev. Theodra: 128, 235, 252 and letters in which he is mentioned: 186; 190; 195; 199 (TSGC. R. 266). – Ed. The French edition added: "Theosost". This name appears several times in the letters of Rev. Theodora, sometimes as abbot (letters 48, 51), sometimes as a Studite monk (letter 503) (see: TSGC. R. 267). – Ed. Wed: St. Gregory of Nyssa. On the life of Moses the Lawgiver 1, 4. – Ed. In the Byzantine calendar, the name of the month of August consisted of four letters - “Loos” (Λώος) (see: TSGC. R. 270). – Ed. Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 4, 11. – Ed. Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Ladder of Paradise 4, 11. See also: Sir. 2:2. – Ed. Small schema (see: TSGC. R. 272). – Ed. Great Schema (see: TSGC. R. 272). – Ed. St. Athanasius the Great. Life of St. Antonia, 10. – Ed. At NPB, Rev. Theodora stands here φυχικώς (spiritually). – Ed. Some neglect of hygiene in the monasteries of that time was an element of renunciation of the world (see: TSGC. R. 282). – Ed. In NPB: “through the prayers of our father.” – Ed. This refers to children who were raised in a monastery, but were not members of the monastic community. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 55 (TSGC. R. 284). – Ed. St. John the Baptist is the patron saint of the monastery. Theodora (see: TSGC. R. 285). – Ed. For a complete listing of the sequence of monastic services, see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 33. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Letter 1, 181. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 1; 3; 26. – Ed. See: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 8, 92; 17, 178. – Ed. Rev. Euthymius (f 473) – abbot of the Lavra Paran; Rev. mentioned Theodore also in the “Great Announcement” (I, 72) and letter 500. Rev. Theodosius the Great (424–529); Rev. mentioned Theodore also in the “Great Announcement” (I, 50; 53; 72) and letter 149 (cf.: Cyril of Scythopolis. Life of St. Theodosius). Rev. Domitian Melitinsky (f 473); Rev. mentioned Theodore also in the “Great Announcement” (I, 72) and letter 8 (see: TSGC. R. 298–299). About Rev. Dorotheus of Gazsky and his student Rev. For more information, see note. 2 on p. 246, about Rev. Zechariah - note. us. 247, about Rev. Pachomius and Rev. Savva the Sanctified - note. 1, 2, 3 on p. 243. St. Basil (V-VI centuries) – student and associate of St. Theodosius the Great. See “Life of St. Theodosius the Great." Rev. Afre of Nitria, student of Ven. Ora (f 5th century) – Ed. Leroy notes that we are talking about a trumpet not in the literal sense, but figuratively - about a wooden beater that makes a sound when struck with a mallet (see: TSGC. R. 306). – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams, 7 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Abba Benjamin, 5; Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 1, 26. – Ed. Wed: Rev. John Cassian. Interviews of Egyptian Ascetics 4, 7–13. – Ed. Wed: Rev. John Cassian. Interviews of Egyptian ascetics 3, 6–7. – Ed. French publishers believe that from this instruction one can judge the place and date of creation of this announcement: it was pronounced after the settlement of St. Theodora with his monks in the Studian monastery in Constantinople (presumably around 798), after the first exile, which ended in August 797 (see: TSGC. R. 310). – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams, 27 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 2. – Ed. Mentioned in the “Great Announcement” (I, 58). – Ed. Teaching on icon veneration by Rev. Theodore is here placed in a broad context - anthropological and ascetic. – Ed. Rev. Silouan the Egyptian - student of St. Pachomius the Great, whom he (Venerable Pachomius) glorified for his humility and obedience. See: 1st Greek “Life of St. Pachomius the Great" (G 1), 104–105. Rev. Theodore of Tavennesia (Consecrated; 306–368) – student of Venerable. Pachomia. Born in the Egyptian city of Shnee (Latopol, now Ishna). Rev. Orsisius (f about 380) – the second successor of Venerable. Pachomius the Great in the leadership of the monastery after the death of St. Pachomia. Rev. Petronius (f 346) – comrade-in-arms of St. Pachomius the Great, whom St. Before his death, Pachomius appointed him as his successor. After two months of control he died. – Ed. See: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 10, 112. – Ed. Self-will (ιδιορρυθμία). See: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 56; 8; Letters 20; 59. Wed: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 4, 5 (TSGC. R. 319). – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Rules, stated at length, 27 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 192. – Ed. In the NPB the words: “by the prayers of our father” are missing; present in the French edition of TSGC. – Ed. In the French edition it says: “You, you, you, taught from yourself (αυτοδίδακτοι), and you are your own teachers!” At the same time, αυτοδίδακτοι is clearly contrasted with θεοδίδακτοι (taught by God). Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 6; 1 Thess. 4 (TSGC. R. 323). – Ed. In NPB: “Not to us, Lord, not to us, says the divine David, but to Thy mercy and Thy truth.” – Ed. A more accurate translation: “one-body and co-corporeal with Him.” Rev. here. Theodore uses Greek words such as ομόσωμον (single-corporeal) and σύσσωμον (co-corporeal) (cf. Eph. 3:6), which in the patristic tradition have the Eucharistic meaning of participation in Christ. – Ed. In the NPB and TSGC, the words from the TPS: “and we were not found with the Lord in His dwelling place” are missing, but instead: “and we will reach Him even to the last.” – Ed. In TFS: “holy fools”. – Ed. Invisible enemies are unclean spirits; speaking about visible enemies, Rev. Theodore may be alluding to persecutors (see: TSGC. R. 329). – Ed. Zosima and Ephraim are the beloved Studite monks. Theodora. Ephraim is mentioned in the letters of St. Theodore for 817–820. as a candidate for the position of abbot in the Lavra, and also as one of the martyrs (see: St. Theodore the Studite. Letters 68; 181). Zosima is mentioned in the “Small Announcement”, 38 - for his unhypocritical obedience. Letter 114 of 816 reports his death in a shipwreck. Lucian is also mentioned in various letters of St. Theodora (see: TSGC. R. 331). – Ed. Neil and Tiphos are also mentioned in the letters of Rev. Theodora. – Ed. The NPB adds: “those who glorify God by their way of life.” – Ed. “Gerontikon” is the original core of the collections of “Apothegmas” - “memorable tales” about holy ascetics. Apparently, a link is given here to: Memorable Tales. Abba Rufus, 2 (see: TSGC. R. 337). However, it appears that Rev. Theodore quotes this tale from memory. In this apothegma we are talking not about three, but about four ranks of the righteous. It also talks about the rank of those who received strangers and served them. – Ed. In NPB, instead of: “when he performed obedience”, it stands: “when he carries that Gorgon.” – Ed. Added Abel (before Abraham) to NPB. Noah lived 950 years, Enoch - 365 years, Enos - 905 years, Abraham - 175 years, Job - much more than 140 years. – Ed. Wed: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise staircase, 6; Rev. John Cassian. Interviews of Egyptian ascetics 16, 6; 21, 8. – Ed. In NPB: "God sees." – Ed. Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 11, 123. – Ed. The Greek text of the NPB allows for a slightly different translation: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory and praise in that day by standing at Your right hand.” – Ed. The French edition has a different title: “On the fact that those who have perfected are nailed down by the fear of the Lord, and on the return of brother Peter.” – Ed. A liter is a Byzantine unit of weight, equal to approximately 319–324 g (ODB. P. 1238). – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams, 13 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3; Great Announcement I, 50 – Ed. Ipat is a title given to persons who were part of the synclit (the council of the nobility under the emperor). – Ed. Stages of monastic tonsure in Byzantium: the ryassophore - a monk still “imperfect” (ατελής), who has taken only “initial tonsure” (ττροσχήματάριον); one who has accepted the small schema is on the path to the perfect image (εντριβής); and, finally, the one who has accepted the great schema is the “perfect monk” (τέλειος μοναχός) (see: TSGC. R. 345). – Ed. This announcement is a letter (see: TSGC. R. 347). – Ed. In 794. See: Life 1, 15–16 and Life 2, 11. – Ed. “(confessor)” was added to the TFS. We are talking about Joseph, the brother of St. Theodore, who was a housekeeper for some time, and a presbyter. From the above words, French publishers conclude that Joseph was older than Theodore (TSGC. P. 350), but the generally accepted tradition is that Joseph was younger (born in 762). – Ed. The NPB has another inscription: “That everyone should fear the last hour.” – Ed. In NPB: "all is beautiful and wise" (παγκάλως και σοφώς). – Ed. In TFS: “the morning of the future has already dawned.” – Ed. See: St. Athanasius the Great. Life of Rev. Antonia 21; 65. – Ed. In NPB: “my spiritual father.” – Ed. A hint of expulsion due to the “Mikhian” case (see: TSGC. R. 358). – Ed. Another allusion to the “Michian” persecution (see: TSGC. R. 359). – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams 16; 20 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3. – Ed. Rev. Martinian (f 422) is a holy hermit who labored in Palestine in the region of Caesarea. When a storm washed to the island on which he labored, a board with a maiden who survived a shipwreck (later - St. Photinia of Palestine), St. Martinian saved her. He himself, leaving food for the girl and saying that in two months the shipowner who supplied him would arrive, rushed into the sea to swim to look for a new place for exploits. So he was saved from the excuses of fornication. Rev. Theodore praises the flight of St. Martiniana. Memory of Rev. Martiniana 13/26 February. – Ed. In the NPB the words “our lord and father” are missing. – Ed. That is, it is proposed. In TFS: “belongs.” – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Abba Anthony the Great, 14. – Ed. Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 1, 24. – Ed. For the holy fathers, Egypt became a symbol of slavery to sin and carnal lusts. See: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 13, 142 (TSGC. R. 372). – Ed. See: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 1, 1; Rev. Macarius the Great. Great Message, 1. – Ed. There is a hint here of the expulsion of 797 due to the “Michian” affair and the return from exile (TSGC. R. 378). – Ed. Wed: Memorable tales. Abba the Roman, 1. – Ed. See Cyril of Skithopolis. Life of Rev. Theodosius the Great, 15. – Ed. See: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 1, 6; 2, 10–12; 3, 40; 17, 178. – Ed. In the French edition - “crucified to the world” (Gal. 6:14). Wed: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 1, 13. – Ed. See: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 5, 64. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Studio Charter, 25. – Ed. Wed: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Word to the Shepherd, 2. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Small announcement, 125. – Ed. In TFS: “to mix in.” – Ed. See: Rev. John Cassian. Institutions 4, 19–23. – Ed. In TFS: “irregularities”. – Ed. That is, a bloody sacrifice. – Ed. See: St. Gregory of Nyssa. Discourses on Ecclesiastes 8 (PG. T. 44. Col. 753A); On love of poverty, 1 (PG. T. 46. 461C). – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Conversation 8, 7; Rules set out at length 2, 3 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 1. P. 937; T. 2. pp. 158–159. – Ed. About Rev. For more information, see note. 2 on p. 246. – Ed. About Habakkir, Isidore and Akaki, see: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 4, 23–24; 29–30; 110. – Ed. About Rev. Zechariah, see note. us. 247. – Ed. In TFS: “not incomparable.” – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Rules, briefly stated, 56 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 241. – Ed. See: About the Dead. Troparion, tone 8. Also see in the rite of requiem. – Ed. Euthymius is the younger brother of Rev. Theodora. Drowned in a shipwreck; his body was fished out of the water. In one of the letters to Plato (letter 1; dated by Fatouros on March 25, 797), Rev. Theodore encourages Euthymius, imprisoned in Constantinople with Plato. In letter 6 to his mother Theoktista, Rev. Theodore informs her about the death of her brother Euthymius. It presumably dates back to 798–799, after the resettlement to the Studite monastery (see: TSGC. pp. 399–400). – Ed. A city in Asia Minor, in Phrygia, on the shores of the Sea of ​​Marmara (see: TSGC. R. 402). – Ed. Compare: 1 Tim. 5:23. The reverend himself Theodore was also sick with the stomach (see: Life 1, 123 // St. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 1. P. 166) (TSGC. R. 408). – Ed. In the French edition: “on the Feast of Renewal.” – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. The word ascetic 12, 2; Rules, stated at length, 19 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 137; 183–184; Rev. Mark the Ascetic. Letter 9. About fasting, 2. – Ed. 1 ounce is a little over 27 grams. – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Ascetic statutes 34, 1 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 375. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Macarius the Great. Great Message 8, 1; St. Gregory of Nyssa. About the purpose of life according to God and about true asceticism, 8. – Ed. See: St. John Chrysostom. Conversations on the Gospel of Matthew 16, 4. – Ed. In TFS: “saith the Scripture.” – Ed. In TFS: “in the dogmas of piety.” – Ed. In NPB: "divine abode". – Ed. See: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 1, 20. – Ed. “(paramedic)” has been added to the TFS. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 71; 84; St. Basil the Great. Prologue 5, 2 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 146; Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise ladder 15, 45; 26, 99. – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Letter 22, 2 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 482. – Ed. In TFS: “unspeakable”. – Ed. Appeal to brother Rev. Theodore to Joseph, the former presbyter, whom Theodore leaves as abbot during his departure. – Ed. Rev. Plato is the uncle of the Rev. Theodore and Joseph. – Ed. Mr. Daniel is also mentioned in the “Great Announcement” (II, 68.Σ. 479) and letter 165; held a high position in the monastery of the "Pure". About Abba Agathon, see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Letter 68; written in 815–820 About Dionysius, see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Letters 168, 223, 265, 433, 543. Athanasius – Studite monk, protopresbyter; about him see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Letters 41, 45. About Sophronia, see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 13 (TSGC. R. 422). – Ed. “(Commissioners)” has been added to the TFS. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams, 26 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 13; 47. – Ed. In accordance with the “Great Announcement” (II, 64. Σ. 489; 68. Σ. 475), he later became abbot of the monastery of the “Pure” (see: TSGC. R. 425). – Ed. Lithoy is mentioned quite often in the letters of St. Theodora 815–821 From letter 127 it is clear that he wavered during the second period of iconoclasm, but returned to Orthodoxy, to the great joy of St. Theodora (see: TSGC. R. 425). – Ed. In 802–803 in the Studii monastery there was a school for children preparing to become monks; here they received their primary education. See: Life of St. Nicholas Studite (PG. T. 105. Col. 869C) (TSGC. R. 426). – Ed. In the notes to the French edition, we are not talking about a vessel, but about skeuphylax - the keeper of sacred church vessels (see: TSGC. R. 426). – Ed. See: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Letter 432, 1 (written in 818–819); here Agapius is mentioned among the confessors of Orthodoxy, persecuted by the iconoclast emperor Leo V (TSGC. R. 426). – Ed. At this moment Rev. Theodore was in Sakkudion and corresponded with the Studite capital community. – Ed. A hint of the “Michian” persecution of St. Theodore and his monks (cf.: Great Announcement I, 47) (see: TSGC. R. 429). – Ed. The Greek ακριβασμός, or otherwise ακρίβεια (akrivia), is literally translated as “precision”, “rigor” (in the application of canonical rules). An important Greek term, especially in the era of the "Michian controversy". It is the opposite in meaning to oikonomia (οικονομία) - a soft and condescending attitude towards the observance of canonical rules. – Ed. Logothetes was a Byzantine government official who was responsible for monetary expenditures in various areas of the empire's economy. – Ed. Appeal to Brother Joseph. – Ed. The Greek name Εύλάλιος is translated as “kind-hearted”, “good-talking”. – Ed. “(our own)” has been added to TFS. – Ed. “(strangers)” has been added to TFS. – Ed. Companions of the Venerable are listed. Theodora. Nikolai Studite, one of the students of Rev. Theodore, whom he was preparing for the abbess (see: St. Theodore the Studite. Letters 10 and 416), or Abba Nicholas (see: St. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement II, 74. £. 512). Anthimus (see: Aka. Letters 266 and 457) was in the service of Joseph, brother of the Venerable. Theodore and the Bishop of Thessalonica. His Rev. Theodore knew since childhood. Eulalia left the monastery (see: Same. Great Announcement II, 43. Σ. 307). Theoktist is a Studite monk (see: He is also. Letter 123); survived three persecutions. In accordance with the “Small Announcement” (84), he was banished to the island of Halki. Anthony is a student of Rev. Plato (see: Same. Word of praise to Abbot Plato 3, 15). Meletius - presbyter; departed for Sakkudion in 815. Later, during persecution, he fell away, but again returned to Orthodoxy. About Peony, see: He is the same. Letter 3, 85. About Serapion, see: He. Great Announcement I, 36; he left the monastery and returned there again (TSGC. R. 432–433). – Ed. An obvious indication that Rev. Theodore begins his personal addresses with an address to his brother and ends with him. – Ed. Presumably, the abbot of the Studite monastery before St. Theodora (see: TSGC. R. 434). – Ed. On the passion of self-love, see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 64; St. Basil the Great. Rules summarized 54; 272; Ascetic statutes 22, 5; 30 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 240, 305, 366–367; 372 (see: TSGC. R. 435–436). – Ed. In the Acts of St. apostles, a different figure is indicated - five thousand (Acts 4:4). – Ed. See: Rev. Macarius the Great. Spiritual Conversations (Type II) 19, 8; Rev. Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet. Guide to Spiritual Life, 253. - Ed. In TFS: “will be transformed.” – Ed. That is, Rev. Plato. – Ed. Rev. Savva the Sanctified. Memory 5/18 December. – Ed. Kirill Skifopolsky. – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Rules, stated at length, 24 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. pp. 190–191. – Ed. The Greek text is corrupted. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Rules set out at length 2, 7 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 167. – Ed. This announcement is a letter (see: TSGC. R. 448). – Ed. See: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 4, 53. – Ed. In NPB there is a different inscription: “That one should be grateful to the Lord for everything.” – Ed. The TFS added: “(schema).” – Ed. See: St. Basil the Great. Conversation 3. To the words: Listen to yourself, 1; Letter 2, 2 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 1. P. 882; T. 2. P. 444. – Ed. In TFS: “motionless.” – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Rules set out at length 37, 5 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 206. – Ed. In TFS: “very fat.” – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Pamvo, 6. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Abba Benjamin, 1. – Ed. In TFS: “with a surplus.” – Ed. In TFS: “inject into the stomach.” Wed: St. Basil the Great. Rules, briefly stated, 241 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 293. – Ed. That is, the monastic image is a schema. – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. The ascetic word, 11 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. pp. 125–135. However, researcher Gribomont believes that this work does not belong to the pen of St. Basil, but comes from a circle of ascetics - followers of St. Vasily, who settled in the vicinity of Mount Olympus in Bithynia, i.e. where St. Theodore began his monastic path, where the monasteries of Sakkudion, “Pure” and Symbols were located (see: TSGC. R. 465). – Ed. See: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 1, 8. – Ed. On the role of work in monastic life, see: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement I, 9; 72; 82. – Ed. St. Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople (715–730). – Ed. In TFS: “motionless.” – Ed. The indication for a short time indicates the territorial proximity of the monastery of the “Pure” (in the area of ​​Mount Olympus) to the place where this announcement was pronounced, and therefore, it is more likely that at the time of the sermon of St. Theodore was in Sakkudion (TSGC. R. 474). – Ed. The monastery of the “Pure” was part of the community of monasteries of St. Theodora Studite. – Ed. See: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 10, 108, 110, 112; 12, 8–10. – Ed. In the French edition it says: “from strength to strength” (Ps. 83:8). – Ed. Literally – “beginning-fulfilling” (τελεταρχικός). The word “god-beginning” (θεαρχικός) was used a little higher. Both of these terms got their origins in the Areopagitica (TSGC. R. 478). – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Ascetic statutes 2, 1 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. pp. 328–329. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Abba John Kolov, 24. – Ed. Wed: St. John Chrysostom. Conversation 9 on 2 Epistle to Timothy, 2 // PG. T. 62. Col. 653; Discourse 12 on Philippians 1 // PG. T. 62. Col. 271; Discourse 13 on Romans 8 // PG. T. 62. Col. 59. – Ed. See: Rev. Ephraim the Syrian (Greek). A Word about Bliss and Woe. – Ed. See: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 3, 11. – Ed. Arseny is a student monk. There are mentions of him in letters: 41; 43; 48; 216 (TSGC. R. 493). – Ed. See: St. Gregory the Theologian. Homily 3, 12 // St. Gregory the Theologian. Creations. T. 1. P. 31. – Ed. The NPB has a different inscription: “So as not to be relaxed on holidays.” – Ed. In NPB and TSG θ "Divine mysteries" (ταΐς θείαις μυαταγωγίαις). – Ed. See: St. Gregory the Theologian. Word 28, 22; 44, 6 // St. Gregory the Theologian. Creations. T. 1. P. 344, 555. – Ed. Regarding the attitude of Rev. Theodore to the Eucharist, we can say that in one of his letters (letter 553) he recommends frequent Communion, and from another (letter 554) you can find out that he himself served the Liturgy every day, and even while in prison (if it was possible). In the first "Antirrhetic" Rev. Theodore says that the Eucharist contains briefly the entire Divine Economy of Salvation (TSGC. R. 500). – Ed. That is, the Romans. This is what the Byzantines called themselves. – Ed. In the French edition - “we are engaged in dry eating,” which is somewhat broader in meaning than “we eat dry [bread].” See: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Studio Charter, 28–33; Rev. John Cassian. Regulations 4, 21. – Ed. The name Euthymius (Ευθύμιος) – from Greek. ευθυμία - “joy”, “cheerfulness”. – Ed. About them, see note. us. 274, 243, 242, 302, 243, 302 respectively. – Ed. See: Life of St. Pachomius the Great (Paralipomena) 28, 156 – 31, 157. – Ed. About them, see note. us. 246, 302, 349, 247, 309, 309 respectively. – Ed. Pupil of the Rev. Silouan Skitsky. About him, see: Memorable tales. Abba Mark, 1 (TSGC. R. 500). – Ed. Rev. Pavel Presimty is a student of Rev. Anthony the Great. About him see: St. Palladium of Ellenopol. Lavsaik, 22; Memorable tales. Pavel Simple (TSGC. R. 507). – Ed. Two important ascetic concepts - speculation and action - became firmly established in Christian ascetic usage, starting with Evagrius of Pontus in the 4th century. – Ed. See: Eusebius of Caesarea. Ecclesiastical History II, 23. – Ed. See: St. Basil the Great. Conversation 13. Incentive to accept St. Epiphanies, 7; The rules are laid out at length. Prologue 4, 2 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 1. P. 997; T. 2. P. 150. – Ed. Wed: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 30, 13. – Ed. Wed: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 28, 53. – Ed. Heavenly patrons of the monasteries, Ven. Theodora; The church in the Studite monastery was dedicated to St. the prophet John the Baptist, and in Sakkudion - St. to the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian (see: Life 1, 10 // St. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 1. P. 115). – Ed. In TFS: “capture”. – Ed. The NPB has a different inscription: “That one should perceive the falls of one’s neighbor as one’s own.” – Ed. Here and further in this announcement, the first person pronoun is in the plural, either due to the traditional naming of high-ranking officials in Byzantine church vocabulary, or due to the fact that Rev. Theodore speaks here not only about himself, but also about other people close to him in the management of the monastery (for example, about St. Plato, brother Joseph, etc.). – Ed. Wed: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 26, 15. – Ed. The NPB has a different inscription: “That there is nothing higher in life than obedience.” – Ed. The TFS added: “(laws).” – Ed. The expression of Evagrius of Pontus is “logoi of creation,” which constitutes the essence of his teaching about the spiritual contemplation of creation. It was often used by Rev. Maximus the Confessor. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Abba Anthony the Great, 9. – Ed. In TFS: “extracted”. – Ed. Wed: St. Athanasius the Great. Life of Rev. Antonia, 91. – Ed. Monks in the Studite monastery, St. Theodore, who was in the capital, came mainly from the urban population, but some of the monks, Ven. Theodore brought with him from Sakkudion, and they were, apparently, from the countryside. Rev. Theodore more than once notices the difference between them and considers it his pastoral task to smooth it out with his exhortations (see: St. Theodore the Studite. Great Announcement II, 52. Σ. 378) (TSGC. R. 536). – Ed. The French edition added: “after burning his clothes.” See: 1st Greek “Life of St. Pachomius the Great" (G 1), 103. – Ed. See: St. Palladium of Elenopolsky. Lavsaik 39, 3. – Ed. See: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 5, 26. – Ed. Wed: St. Basil the Great. Rules, briefly stated, 115–116 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 2. P. 258. – Ed. The NPB has a different inscription: “About not wanting the first places, but the last.” – Ed. In TFS: “sonhood”. – Ed. See: Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 1, 27. – Ed. French publishers see in these words a hint of the iconoclasm of Emperor Leo V, who essentially resurrected the Jewish ban on icon veneration (see: TSGC. R. 550). – Ed. St. John Chrysostom. To those who are at war with those who attract to monastic life 3, 11 (PG. T. 47. Col. 366). – Ed. The TFS added: “(in the dormitory).” – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Ava Arseny, 40. – Ed. The NPB inscription reads: “That the sick should bear their illnesses with thanksgiving.” – Ed. See: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 7, 88; 13, 138; Letter 13, 198. – Ed. See: Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Life of Rev. Dosithea; Rev. John of Sinai (Climacus). Paradise Ladder 4, 110. – Ed. Wed: Rev. Theodore the Studite. Epigrams 17 and 18 // Rev. Theodore the Studite. Creations. T. 3. – Ed. This invasion dates back to around 802, when, after a period of calm during the reign of Empress Irene, the Arabs under the leadership of Harun al-Rashid resumed hostilities (see: TSGC. R. 563). – Ed. Mental, or spiritual, Egypt for the holy fathers means slavery to the devil and passions. The roots of this image are in the book of Exodus, which describes the Egyptian slavery of the Jews. – Ed. Mental, or spiritual, Babylon, just like mental Egypt, figuratively denoted slavery to the devil and passions among the holy fathers. See Rev. Abba Dorotheus of Gaza. Soulful teachings 1, 3; 11, 115, 116; 13, 142 (see: TSGC. R. 566). – Ed. Indication of the presence of children in the monastery of St. Theodora (see: TSGC. R. 566). – Ed. You might be interested in: