Athonite Fathers and Athonite Matters - By Elder Paisios the Athonite (Greek)

Athonite Fathers and Athonite Matters - By Elder Paisios the Athonite (Greek)

Excerpt from the Preface:
My conscience troubles me greatly for not keeping detailed notes about the virtuous Fathers who lived in recent years, of whom devout Elders used to tell me when I was a novice Monk. Likewise, regarding my subsequent great negligence, for not retaining, even in my memory, all the divine events experienced by those holy old Elders, which they narrated to me with great simplicity to help me spiritually.

The Fathers of that era possessed great faith and simplicity. Most of them had little formal education, but because they possessed humility and a struggle-loving spirit, they continuously received divine enlightenment. In our times, however, despite the abundance of knowledge, human reason has unfortunately shaken people's faith to its very foundations and filled souls with questions and doubts. Consequently, it is natural that we are deprived of miracles, for a miracle is experienced and cannot be explained by logic.

This pervasive worldly spirit that prevails in modern man—who has directed all his efforts toward how to live better, with greater comfort and less labor—has unfortunately influenced most spiritual people as well. They, too, try to become holy with less effort—something that can never happen, because "the Saints gave blood and received the Spirit." And while one rejoices now over this great turn toward the Holy Fathers and Monasticism, and admires the remarkable young people who dedicate themselves with high ideals, at the same time one feels pain. For one sees all this good material failing to find the appropriate spiritual leaven, and thus this spiritual dough does not rise, ending up like unleavened bread.

Cover: Hardcover

Dimensions: 14 x 21 cm

Pages: 255

Author: Saint Paisios the Athonite