“Over the course of one century—from Elder Leonid’s arrival in 1829 until the Monastery’s forced closure by the Communists in 1923—Optina, with its Skete of St. John the Forerunner, was at the center of a tremendous spiritual revival in Russia. [...]With the arrival of Elder Leonid, the practice of eldership was introduced in Optina. This is the prophetic ministry of the Church, which has existed since apostolic times, and through which God’s will is directly revealed to those seeking guidance. An elder is one who, through inward purification, has become a vessel and conduit of the action of the Holy Spirit. This ministry was passed on in Optina from one Elder to the next, in a remarkable chain of sanctity that lasted a full century.” —“Preface to the Second English Edition”
CONTENTS
Preface to the Second English Edition Preface to the 1976 Centennial Russian Edition Forword to the 1876 Russian Edition THE LIFE OF ELDER LEONID I. The Youth of Father Leonid II. Father Leonid Settles at the Optina Monastery III. The Opponents of Eldership IV. The Distinctive Qualities and Spiritual Gifts of Elder Leonid V. Stories About Elder Leonid VI. The Persecution of Elder Leonid and his Belev Nuns VII. The Last Days and Repose of Elder Leonid SPIRITUAL COUNSELS OF ELDER LEONID I. A Disciple’s Questions and the Replies of the Elder II. The Questions of Another Disciple and the Replies of the Elder THE LIFE OF ELDER THEODORE OF SVIR APPENDICES I. A Letter of Elder Theodore of Svir II. Righteous Anthony Ivanovich, Fool-for-Christ of Valaam III. The “Pancake” Commemoration of Elder Leonid Glossary Index
Item Number: BKP171 Publication data: Platina, CA: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 2002 Format: softcover Number of pages: 271 Dimensions (l × w × h): 21.0 cm × 13.5 cm × 1.5 cm Additional information: black-and-white illustrations ISBN: 0‒938635‒66‒2
