The Philokalia: Writings of Holy Mystic Fathers in which is Explained how the Mind is Purified, Illumined, and Perfected through Practical and Contemplative Ethical Philosophy
Compiled by St. Macarios of Corinth and edited by St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite Translated from the original Greek and Edited by Constantine Cavarnos
“Two books are known by the title of Philokalia (Φιλοκαλία), a Greek term which means ‘love for what is beautiful.’ One of them is a compilation from the writings of Origen (c. 185-254) made in the fourth century by St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen. The other is an anthology of writings by some thirty Mystic Fathers, ranging from the fourth to the fifteenth century, compiled and edited by two holy men of the Eastern Orthodox Church: St. Macarios Notaras (1731-1805), Archbishop of Corinth, and St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite (1749-1809). The full title of the second Philokalia, with which we are concerned here, is Philokalia of Our Holy Mystic Fathers. It has the subtitle: ‘In Which It Is Explained How the Mind is Purified, Illumined, and Perfected trough Practical and Contemplative Ethical Philosophy.’ The term ‘love for what is beautiful’ signifies in this work love of spiritual beauty: the love of the beauty of God, the love of the beauty of the soul, of its virtues, and the love of the most beautiful way of life, the spiritual.” —“INTRODUCTION”
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION PROEM BY ST. NICODEMOS THE HAGIORITE ST. ANTONY THE GREAT BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF ST. ANTONY COUNSELS ON THE CHARACTER OF MEN AND ON THE VIRTUOUS LIFE ST. ISAIAH THE ANCHORITE BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF ST. ISAIAH ON GUARDING THE MIND EVAGRIOS THE MONK BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF EVAGRIOS MONASTIC SKETCH TEACHING HOW ONE OUGHT TO LEAD A LIFE OF ASKESIS AND QUIETNESS ON DISCRIMINATION OF PASSIONS AND THOUGHTS CHAPTERS ON INNER WAKEFULNESS ST. JOHN CASSIAN THE ROMAN BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF ST. JOHN CASSIAN ON THE EIGHT EVIL THOUGHTS REGARDING THE HOLY FATHERS OF SKETE AND A DISCOURSE ON DISCERNMENT ST. MARK THE ASCETIC BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF ST. MARK THE ASCETIC TWO HUNDRED TEXTS CONCERNING SPIRITUAL LAW TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX TEXTS CONCERNING THOSE WHO THINK THAT MEN ARE JUSTIFIED BY WORKS INDEX
Item Number: BKC859C Publication Data: Belmont, MA: Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 2008 Format: hardcover Number of Pages: 340 Dimensions (l × w × h): 23.6 cm × 16.1 cm × 3.0 cm Additional Information: black-and-white illustrations ISBN: 1‒884729‒79‒7
