On the Prayer of Jesus

Publication Data: Liberty, TN: Saint John of Kronstadt Press, 1995
Format: hardcover
Number of Pages: 112
Dimensions (l × w × h): 23.6 cm × 15.8 cm × 1.2 cm
Additional Information: black-and-white illustrations
ISBN: 0‒912927‒61‒5

   
by Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov
with Introduction and “The Prayer Rope” by an exiled Athonite monk

“The Jesus Prayer, ‘O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,’ is one of the most ancient prayers of the Christian Faith, being an amplification of the cry of the publican in the parable which Christ related to His disciples (Luke 18: 13-14). In this our merciful Savior has provided his followers with an example of a penitential prayer which justifies the one who uses its words with sincerity. Bishop ignatius (Brianchaninov) was among the first spiritual writers to stress the Christian antiquity of the Jesus Prayer. His exposition on its proper use and effects is founded firmly on the teachings embodied in The Philokalia, the renowned compilation of the works of the ancient ascetic writers and later hesychast authors, the purpose of which is to lead its readers to theoria, the true contemplation of the Godhead in Its divine energies.”
—“Foreword”

CONTENTS

Introduction
About the Translator
Concerning the Texts
From the Editor
On the Prayer of Jesus
Open to All
Power to Expel Demons
Greek and Russian Guides
Preparation for the Art of Arts
The Safe Way for Beginners
Teaching of Saints Barsanuphius, Dorotheus the Russian, and Seraphim
The Method of Saint John of the Ladder
Higher Levels of Prayer
Teaching of Saint Nil Sorsky
Saint Gregory the Sinaite
Saint Nicephorus of Mount Athos
Saint Kallistus Xanthopoulos
Material Aids
The Danger of Delusion
Human Opposition
Prayer and Life
The Prayer Rope:
   Meditations of a monk of the Holy Mountain
An Explanation of the Lestovka,
   From the Old Orthodox Prayer Book