Elder Joseph the Hesychast on Starting Early in the Holy Life
“So if you don’t struggle and labor now when you are young, you won’t reap the benefit when you’re old; you won’t have anything in your ‘retirement fund.’ So,...
Elder St Paisios on the Final Moments of Life
“When a soul is well prepared and ascending to Heaven, the demons can’t assault it. If it isn’t prepared, it is tormented by the demons. Sometimes, God may allow...
Elder St. Porphyrios on Laziness
“If you see someone who is indolent, then the person is sick in the soul. Often when we see a quiet, discreet and circumspect person, we say, A very...
Joseph of Vatopaidi+ on the Example of Holy Ones
“These people, as participants in the all illuminating charisma of the Spirit, may repeat along with Paul “We are not unaware of Satan’s schemes” (B Corinthians 2, 11). They...
Elder St Paisios on Preparation for Death
“In other words, they want to let him go without the benefit of Holy Communion, so that he won’t realize he is dying and start to worry? It would...
Elder Ephraim of Arizona on the Burden of Spiritual Leadership
“It is Christ Who helps us; otherwise, who would be able to support such a weight of souls, when we are not even able to support ourselves? The only...
Elder Ephraim of Arizona on Longsuffering in Theosis
“The struggle is not small; it does not last for only one day, but until our last breath. Therefore, let us arm ourselves with the sweetest name of our...
Elder Anthimos+ on Confession
“If we don’t confess our thoughts, they will become snakes and beasts and will eat us up. The farmer who found a frozen snake and put it next to his breast was...
Elder Joseph the Hesychast
“The icon must depict externals, but also interior life, holiness, and proximity to Heaven. The principal means for accomplishing this is in the face, the facial expression and its...
Elder Amphilochios+ on Facing Trials
“Whoever plants a tree, plants hope, peace, and love and has the blessings of God…I am like the old tree in whose shade the meek sheep of Christ gather...