Shepherd of Souls: The Life and Teachings of Elder Cleopa, Master of Inner Prayer and Spiritual Father of Romania (1912–1998)
By Archimandrite Ioanichie Balan
“Whenever I ponder the fact that I met Elder Cleopa personally—not just once but many times—I realize that I encountered a man who knew God and who lived in Paradise even while here on earth. I met someone who had received a spiritual wholeness by growing up in a traditional Orthodox society. This wholeness was transmitted to his developing soul not only through the religious life of the Romanian people but through all aspects of village life. Thus, the shepherd boy grew and developed with an integrity rarely seen in the contemporary world.” —“Introduction”
CONTENTS
Introduction by Mother Nina PART I: THE LIFE OF ELDER CLEOPA OF SIHASTRIA 1. Childhood 2. Cozancea Skete 3. Temptations of Youth 4. Young Ascetics 5. Basil and Constantine Leave Home 6. A New Life 7. A Brief History of Sihastria Skete 8. Archimandrite Ioanichie Moroi—Renewer of Sihastria Skete 9. Entrance into the Monastery 10. The Sheepfold 11. Meeting with St, John the Romanian 12. First Instructor—Fr. Galacteon 13. Trials 14. Christopher the Hesychast 15. The Power of the Psalms 16. Brother Constantine Is Healed 17. Ryassaphore Monk Basil (1905–1931) 18. The Prophecy of St. John the Bishop 19. The Marvelous End of Br. Basil 20. Monk Gerasim Ilie (1907–1933) 21. Heavenly Vision of Br. Constantine 22. Miracle of St. John the New 23. Departure to the Army 24. The Bond between Schema-monk Paisius and Br. Constantine 25. Tonsure into Monasticism 26. The Fire of 1941 27. How Monk Cleopa Was Chosen Abbot 28. Rebuilding the Skete 29. The Last Days of Abbot Ioanichie Moroi 30. Ordination 31. Sihastria Skete (1945–1946) 32. Sihastria Raised to the Rank of Monastery 33. Fr. Cleopa Tonsures His Mother into Monasticism 34. A Miracle of the Mother of God 35. Joys and Sorrows 36. The Lost Sheep 37. How Fr. Cleopa Delivered a Woman from Death 38. Elder Pasius Olaru Enters Sihastria 39. Communists Take Over Romania 40. Fr. Cleopa Escapes into the Wilderness 41. The Renewal of Slatina Monastery 42. Abbot Cleopa—Renewer of Monastic Life in Moldavia 43. How Abbot Cleopa Was Delivered from the Abbotship of Neamts 44. Second Flight into the Wilderness (1952–1954) 45. Monastic Revival 46. Sihastria (1949–1959) 47. Persecution (1959–1964) 48. Fr. Cleopa’s Third Exile to the Wilderness 49. Sihastria during Fr. Cleopa’s Absence 50. The Tears of Mother Agafia 51. The Return of Fr. Cleopa 52. The Good Shepherd 53. Uncreated Light 54. Woman of Prayer 55. Pilgrimage to the Holy Land 56. Pilgrimage to Mt. Athos 57. The Eldership of Fathers Paisius and Cleopa 58. The Spiritual Qualities of Fr. Cleopa 59. He That Endures until the End Shall Be Saved 60. In the Image of Adam 61. His Last Days 62. Departure to Christ 63. Burial 64. The Forty-Day Memorial 65. Christ is Risen! PART II: THE FINAL WORD OF ELDER CLEOPA TO THE COMMUNITY OF SIHASTRIA PART III: WORDS AND DEEDS OF INSTRUCTION Glossary Index
Item Number: BKP577 Publication Data: Platina, CA: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 2000 Format: softcover Number of Pages: 230 Dimensions (l × w × h): 20.9 cm × 13.4 cm × 1.3 cm Additional Information: black-and-white illustrations ISBN: 1‒887904‒04‒2
