A Night in the Desert of the Holy Mountain: Discussion with a Hermit on the Jesus Prayer

Publication Data: Levadia, Greece: Birth of the Theotokos Monastery, 2009
Format: softcover
Number of Pages: 225
Dimensions (l × w × h): 19.4 cm × 12.1 cm × 1.6 cm
ISBN: 978‒960‒7070‒31‒9

   
Third edition

Metropolitan of Nafpaktos Hierotheos
translated by Effie Mavromichali

“‘A Night in the Desert of the Holy Mountain’ is a book which brings to light the quintessence of Orthodox spiritual life: the Jesus prayer or prayer of the heart and how it can be practised by both monks/nuns and lay people. The discussion flows in a spontaneous and immediate way with the dialogue form of the book contributing to this. The reader enjoys the simple presentation of the teaching of the Church on the Jesus prayer, through the authentic experience of an Athonite hermit. And ‘when a hermit’s mouth opens, it fills you with fragrance.’ The Holy Mountain is a blessed place for the entire Church. There are monks there who practise the Jesus prayer without ceasing and who struggle to live the ascetic life, which is actually life according to the Gospel. Thus they become bearers of the Holy Tradition of the Church. It is with such a monk and ascetic that the author of this book enters into dialogue.”
—“Foreword”

CONTENTS

Foreword for the New Revised Edition
Preface
Introduction
Silence, Speech and the Life of the Monks
Sunset on Mount Athos
Ascending to my own Tabor
Encounter with the Hermit
Discussion with the Gerondas on the Jesus Prayer
1. The Significance of the Jesus Prayer
2. The Stages of the Jesus Prayer
3. Ways of Praying the Jesus Prayer
4. The Devil’s Warfare and Countering It
5. The Advent and Withdrawal of Grace
6. The Fruits of the Jesus Prayer
7. Errors in Practising the Jesus Prayer and How we Cope with Them
8. The Jesus Prayer is Necessary for Clergy and Laymen who Live in the World
9. Saying the Jesus Prayer for Others
The Requests of the Hermit
Midnight in the Desert of Mount Athos
Celebration of Divine Liturgy
Descent from my own Tabor
Epilogue
Glossary