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Orthodox Books

Optina Hermitage
Optina Hermitage
Optina Hermitage

On this page, you will find some very fine Orthodox material.  We will offer books and audio to help you in your spiritual walk.

Brand New Arrivals!

A Beacon of Hope: The Life of Father Ilarion
A Beacon of Hope: The Life of Father Ilarion
A Beacon of Hope: The Life of Father Ilarion
The Bible and the Holy Fathers for Orthodox
The Bible and the Holy Fathers for Orthodox
The Bible and the Holy Fathers for Orthodox
A Champion of Good: The Life of Father Ilarion
A Champion of Good: The Life of Father Ilarion
A Champion of Good: The Life of Father Ilarion
JUST IN: "Beacon of Hope: The Teaching of Father Ilarion" "The Bible and the Holy Fathers for Orthodox, ed. Johanna Manley.  Also, "A Champion of Good: The Life of Father Ilarion."
Featured Books

Genesis, Creation and Early Man (2nd Edition)
NEW Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition!!!  Amidst the creation/evolution debate that is now raging, with evidence being offered for both sides, few have made use of what Fr. Seraphim Rose called “the missing evidence”: the timeless teaching of the Orthodox Holy Fathers on the events of creation, the first-created world, the natures of created things, the original nature of man, and the cosmic consequences of man’s fall.

In the present volume, this teaching has been gathered and set forth in a thorough, detailed, and above all honest manner. Perhaps more than anyone else in our times, Fr. Seraphim Rose searched, studied, prayed, and struggled to understand how the Holy Fathers noetically apprehended the beginning of the world as revealed in the Divinely inspired book of Genesis. Having ac­quired their mind, he has presented to the modern world the har­monious Patristic vision of the cosmos.

    A much-needed answer to today’s “crisis of meaning,” this book sheds unique light on the origin and primordial condition of man and the cosmos, showing how these mysteries are inextricably tied to those of our redemption by Jesus Christ and of creation’s redeemed state beyond the general resurrection. The Divine vi­sion of the Fathers opens up deeper levels of awareness concerning God’s creation and His ultimate intention for it—levels that can­not be reached through merely rational or scientific means.
 
    Genesis, Creation, and Early Man has been compiled posthumously from a rich array of materials left behind by Fr. Seraphim. The second edition contains much new material to supplement Fr. Seraphim’s work, including an updated preface outlining new developments in the creation/evolution debate, such as the rise of the intelligent design movement in the West and the defense of the Orthodox Patristic teaching on creation by theological writers and scientists in Russia; new explanatory notes on many topics pertaining to Genesis and creation, with further quotations from the Holy Fathers and extensive references to Patristic works; an article detailing the Scriptural-Patristic teaching on the incorruption of man and the cosmos before the fall, and showing its relevance to other aspects of Orthodox theology; and critiques of the modern philosophy of evolution by
saints and holy elders, as well as by Orthodox scientists working in the fields of biology and geology.

1144 pages, paperback, with Smyth-sewn binding, illustrated.
1144 pgs Paperback :  $35.00

The Path to Confession
Fr. Artemy Vladimirov
Fr. Artemy, pastor of All Saints Church in Moscow here offers a way to prepare our children (and ourselves) for the sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion. Tens of thousands of books have been sold in the original Russian version, and now English-speakers can benefit from Fr. Artemy’s gentle, sober counsel. With beautiful, full-color illustrations on every page, The Path to Confession is a feast for the eye as well as the soul.
Hardcover, color illustrations - 128 pages
Hardcover :  $22.95

A Champion of Good: The Life of Father Ilarion

By Natalia Mikhailovna Kopyttseva Translated by Nathan K. Williams


In Father I saw a person who lived for God…. In all life’s situations, Fr Ilarion maintained a grace-imbued state of spirit, the fruits of which were love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and the other virtues that made it impossible to be near him and not feel glad just to be alive.


Many lovers of literature are familiar, through Dostoyevsky’s works, with the concept of the Russian "Staretz," or spiritual elder. This biography offers a vivid portrayal of an authentic Staretz of our own day, Father Ilarion—a monk of the renowned Glinsk hermitage in modern-day Ukraine, who spent much of his life as a parish priest in a village in the Novgorod region of Russia. His life offers a vision of a simple Christian life in the contemporary world that will captivate the reader and awaken or rekindle a desire to live a life centered on the love of God and neighbor rather than on the pursuit of material wealth.


It also presents unique insights into the Orthodox Church in Russia under communism and in the immediate post-communist period, demonstrating how the Faith was kept alive after the closure of so many churches and monasteries and the exile or execution of clergy and believers. The account of the life of the Glinsk hermitage is particularly detailed. With many first hand contributions from Father Ilarion’s spiritual children, this history also provides a glimpse into contemporary Russian culture and religious perspectives.


The book includes an eight page glossy photo insert.

paperback 222 pgs. :  $22.00

A Christian Ending: A Handbook for Burial in the Ancient Christian Tradition
TEMP OUT . . . more coming!  :)  By J. Mark & Elizabeth Barna

From the Foreward: "How should Christian people prepare for death, their own and that of loved ones? No question can be more important than this, since death is the final reality of our earthly life. Yet particularly in the United States, we tend to avoid the question as much as we can. We consider death to be brutal and tragic, whatever its circumstances and causes. It marks an end to our ambitions, while it underscores the ephemeral nature of our existence. Therefore we treat it like a "last enemy" from which there is no escape, no salvation. Death appears as a specter, a menacing evil, that evokes a reaction of dread.

Written in a genial, conversational style, this book offers the Christian reader a solid foundation in both the theology and the psychology of death: its place within God's creative and saving work, and the personal impact it makes on those facing death and those who grieve for them. It also clarifies a great many misconceptions held by most people concerning professional funeral practices, making clear that a truly "Christian ending" to our life can mean beauty and utter simplicity both in the rituals that surround it and in the burial itself.

Many readers will be surprised to learn that it is not at all necessary, legally or practically, to use the services of a funeral home. There is indeed "another way," one more in keeping with the Gospel imperative to honor the physical body as a temple of the Holy Spirit. This work includes a section on the actual preparation of the body of the deceased, together with prescribed readings of psalms and prayers, all of which can be accomplished with or without the participation of clergy. Finally, an extensive bibliography is followed by a list of items needed for preparation, as well as various post-mortem forms the reader will find indispensable." - Fr. John Breck
169 pgs. pp :  $17.95

A Guide to Orthodox Life: Some Beliefs, Customs, and Traditions of the Church
Written by Protopresbyter David Cownie and Presbytera Juliana Cownie

A popular, lucid, and utterly practical introduction to the Orthodox way of life, this guide covers the whole spectrum of daily living according to the Holy Tradition of Orthodoxy. This is essential reading for all Orthodox, but especially for prospective or recent converts. It supplies detailed information, unavailable for the most part anywhere else in English, on Orthodox piety, fasting, maintaining a regular cycle of prayer in the home, family life, management of money, Church etiquette, preparation for the Mysteries, and proper behavior towards clergy and when visiting monasteries.

From The Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies.
paperback 124 pgs.
paperback :  $8.95

A Practical Handbook for Divine Services
Compiled and edited by Father Gregory Woolfenden (+ 2008). A brand new book from Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, this handbook will encourage the laity who desire to enter more fully into an understanding of the Church’s Typicon, the “rule” which governs how Divine worship is offered in the church, and to internalize the principles that underpin it. It is an invaluable guide to all -- priests, deacons, servers, readers and singers -- who seek to “to celebrate a service in splendor.”  168 pages, paperback
Paperback :  $17.95

Beacon of Hope: The Teaching of Father Ilarion
By Natalia Mikhailovna Kopyttseva Translated by Nathan K. Williams

O my God and Creator… do Thou Thyself teach me to speak what I ought, both for myself and for the people here present, unto salvation of soul.

The Russian village priest, Fr. Ilarion, used this prayer of the twelfth century Greek saint, Symeon the New Theologian as he preached over a forty-year period from 1966 until his death in 2008. Here we are offered a selection of these sermons given on Sundays and other days throughout the Christian year. They are startling in their clarity and universal in their appeal. The theme of hope is persistent whilst always rooted in the necessity of repentance. Fr. Ilarion tells us that:

"Repentance is the first step on the path to turning to Christ, on the path to Christian life. Without repentance, Christianity is impossible and unthinkable. Whoever wishes to follow Christ must begin with repentance. Repentance is God’s call to men to come out of the kingdom of sin and slavery and into the kingdom of virtue and freedom… The spiritual Sun, Jesus Christ, appears, and the sinner, illumined by His presence and pervaded by His desired voice, receives His summons: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest (Mt. 11:28).”

This book is the ideal companion to the previously published Champion of Good: The Life of Father Ilarion (Holy Trinity Publications, Jordanville, 2011). All who have already encountered Father Ilarion through his life will be equally engaged by his words. Those who meet him first through his preaching will want to go on to read his life. Together, they convey a potent message of the possibilities that open to the human soul that turns to God with singleness of mind and humility.

The sermons are grouped by subjects. One index lists the sermons in church calendar order and the other index lists the sermons in chronological order for those who wish to see what was preached in an historical context.
paperback 240 pgs. :  $20.00

Fr Arseny, 1893-1973
It is one of the great mysteries of life that in atmospheres of the harshest cruelty, a certain few not only survive but emerge as beacons of light and life. Father Arseny, former scholar of church art, became Prisoner No. 18736 in the brutal "special sector" of the Soviet prison camp system. In the darkness of systematic degradation of body and soul, he shone with the light of Christ's peace and compassion. His sights set on God and his life grounded in the Church, Father Arseny lived by injunction to "bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).

This narrative, compiled from accounts of Father Arseny's spiritual children and others whom he brought to God, gives stirring glimpses of his life in prison camp and after his release. It also tells the stories of people whose lives, often during times of almost unimaginable crisis, were touched and transfigured through their connection with Father Arseny. Emerging from the context of the particular tragedies of Soviet Russia, this book carries a universal impact certain to be felt by readers in the West today.

6 x 9, 279 pages, paperback
paperback :  $22.00

Fr Arseny: Cloud of Witnesses
The stories of Father Arseny and his work in the Soviet prison camps have captured the minds and hearts of readers all over the world. In this second volume readers will find additional narratives about Father Arseny newly translated from the most recent Russian edition.

6 x 9, 244 pages, paperback
paperback :  $20.00

The Bible and the Holy Fathers for Orthodox
Edited by Johanna Manley

A beautiful and hefty volume!

Based on the sequence of daily scriptural readings (NKJV) from the liturgical calendar of the Orthodox Christian Church, this resource includes comments from the church fathers on each Epistle and Gospel passage. Sections of the Old Testament are also included to support the church lectionary for major feast days, Great Lent, and Holy Week.

Additionally, writings from contemporary Orthodox theologians and scholars are included. The life and tradition of the Church inform the reader's personal meditations on Scripture and attune the reader to the annual, rhythmic cycle of fasts and feasts.

Hardcover with gold-stamping, 1132 pgs.
Gold-stamped hardcover :  $60.00

The Mystery of Faith: An Introduction to the Teaching and Spirituality of the Orthodox Church
By Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev

"Founded on spiritual experience, Orthodox theology is a living entity today no less than hundreds of years ago. The same questions have always confronted us: What is truth? What is the meaning of life? How can one find joy and peace of heart? What is the way to salvation? "Christianity does not aim to dot all the i's by answering every question the human spirit asks. But it does open up another reality which transcends all that surrounds us in this earthly life."

In The Mystery of Faith Hilarion Alfeyev provides a personal commentary on the teaching of the Orthodox Church, its historical development and its relationship to the spiritual life. Drawing on ancient texts and contemporary sources, he combines a clear exposition of the central doctrines of God, the Trinity, creation, the Church, prayer and the sacraments with an exploration of their meaning for today.

Newly translated from the hugely successful Russian edition, The Mystery of Faith is now available in English for the first time. The English translation is edited by Jessica Rose.

HILARION ALFEYEV,Metropolitan of Volokolamsk, is chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations. He has studied under Metropolitan Kallistos Ware at Oxford University, lectured at the Moscow Theological Academy and is the author of more than 300 publications on dogmatic theology, patristics and church history as well as several compositions for choir and orchestra.

JESSICA ROSE is an author and a practitioner and teacher of pastoral care.
paperback 267 pgs. :  $28.00

The New Chrysostom: Bishop Nikolaj Velimirovic
BRAND NEW book on the life of St. Nikolai Velimirovic by Bishop Artemije! "Thirty years have passed since Bishop Nikolaj departed from this world to a much better one, to God's eternal world. Long before, however, this great man from Lelich, the Bishop of Ohrid and Zhicha of blessed repose, was rightfully known as our New Chrysostom"

"On this thirtieth anniversary of his repose, it is my pleasure to reveal some more facts about his than are generally known by the people or Lelich in particular, the Serbian people in general, and by the Orthodox and Christian world at large. I am aware of my modest means in contrast to the complexities and greatness of the person and works of Bishop Nikolaj. However, as his closest compatriot and neighbor, I will attempt to present his evangelical life and his varied and prolific pastoral work, beginning with his birth in Lelich in 1880 and ending with his blessed repose in America in 1956" Bishop Artemije

Softcover, 150 pgs.
Softcover :  $14.95

The Rush to Embrace
Perhaps best known for his relationship with Blessed Fr Seraphim Rose, Fr Alexy Young (Priestmonk Ambrose), a former Roman Catholic, explains why today's "union fever" places Orthodoxy at a great risk. He appeals to Roman Catholics to examine the "reforms"  which over the centuries have cut their Church from its ancient roots, and strongly urges his fellow Orthodox Christians to consider the consequences of uniting with a Church so radically different in dogma and spirit. 96 pages, softcover.
paperback :  $6.00

These Truths We Hold - The Holy Orthodox Church: Her Life and Teachings
The most extensive catechism in English compiled by a monk of St. Tikhon's Monastery, These Truths We Hold, has been reprinted and is now available! A wealth of excellent spiritual information!  394 pages!
paperback  :  $32.95

Treasures New and Old: Writings By and About St. Nikolai Velimirovich
Before us is a book about a theologian, a minister, a missionary, a writer, a poet, an apostle, a saint, a man of dialogue: this book is about St. Nikolai Velimirovich, Bishop of Ohrid and Zhicha (1880 - 1956), who along with his many other attributes is regarded, with good reason, as an Enlightener of the Americas, The renewed interest in this man and his works has resulted in the materialization of this book for English-speaking readers who wish to become acquainted with this extraordinary person. The collected texts provide an extensive over view of his life, present important testimonies about his personality, and offer essential insights into his theology. The authors penetrate the depths of his thought with remarkable precision and also elucidate his actions. The authors agree that the appearance of Nikolai Velimirovich marks an era of change in the ecclesiastical and theological paradigm as a result of his spirituality, ecclesiastical work, and theological position. Softcover, 167 pages,  6x9
softcover :  $18.00

Unseen Warfare
Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, ed.

This spiritual classic was written by Lorenzo Scupoli, a sixteenth-century Venetian priest. Immensely popular in its own day, it was ranked by Francis de Sales with the Imitation of Christ. In the general rapport between Western and Eastern Christendom, it reached Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, who first recognized its immense spiritual worth, and later, in the nineteenth century, Theophan the Recluse, both of whom edited and translated the work.

Rich in its references to the teachings of the saints and Fathers, Unseen Warfare combines the insights of West and East on that spiritual combat which is the road to perfection and the stripping away of all that militates against it. Staretz Theophan wrote in his foreword, "the arena, the field of battle, the site where the fight actually takes place is our own heart and all our inner man. The time of battle is our whole life."

Translated by E. Kadloubovsky & G.E.H. Palmer
5.5 x 8.5, 280 pp
paperback :  $21.95

Way of the Ascetics
Way of the Ascetics is a rich, compact introduction for modern readers to the Eastern Christian spiritual tradition that has been an inspiration to millions for centuries. These compassionate and insightful reflections on self-control and inner peace are meant to lead the readers to fuller union with God. The author makes a generous selection of succinct yet profound extracts from the spiritual Fathers and provides an illuminating commentary and practical applications for daily devotion. He tempers austerity with common sense, warmth, and even humor, as he urges us on our journey toward God. Written for laypersons living fully in the world as much as for clergy, Way of the Ascetics is an excellent resource for daily meditation, authentic spiritual guidance, and a revitalized religious life.  110 pages. By Tito Colliander

paperback:  $14.00

Special Order Book

Special Order Book
 
Book :  $18.00

Optina Elders Series

Elder Ambrose of Optina vol. IV
This edition of Elder Ambrose’s life is a faithful English translation of the original Optina edition, printed in Russia in 1912. Through its pages we enter the world of a heavenly man, an angel in the flesh who beheld the mysteries of the future age: the perfect love and silent oneness of immortal spirits. paperback, 470 pgs.
Elder Ambrose :  $17.00

Elder Anthony of Optina vol. II
ELDER ANTHONY OF OPTINA is compiled not only from the information of his own personal notes, journals, and letters, but also from the recollections of his spiritual children, particularly those of a disciple of St. Herman of Alaska—the saintly Sergius Yanovsky—who became a monk and a disciple of Elder Anthony after returning to Russia from America. paperback, 272 pgs.
Elder Anthony :  $10.00

Elder Barsanuphius of Optina vol. VII
Elder Barsanuphius (1845–1913), a disciple of Elder Anatole (Zertsalov) and Elder Nektary, was a highly cultured man and a successful colonel before entering the monastic life at a relatively late age. Due to his purity of heart and spiritual sobriety, he was transformed by God into a grace-filled Elder virtually overnight. The period before the first World War and the Russian Revolution was a complex one. The world was seething in unprecedented passions, and one could clearly sense the approach of darkness. With a sympathetic soul Elder Barsanuphius attended to the world, and the Lord parted a curtain before him, showing him the horrors of the future. Paperback, 840 pgs.
Elder Barsanuphius :  $23.00

Elder Leonid of Optina vol. I
Elder Leonid was very significant for Optina Monastery and for all of Russia. He introduced and firmly established in Optina the ancient tradition of eldership transmitted through St. Paisius Velichkovsky—a tradition founded on the Holy Scriptures and the teachings of the Holy Fathers. Also included in this volume is the Life of Elder Leonid’s preceptor, Elder Theodore of Svir. paperback, 272 pgs.
Elder Leonid :  $12.00

Elder Macarius of Optina vol. III
ELDER MACARIUS OF OPTINA is a translation of the prima vita written by one of his closest disciples, Archimandrite Leonid Kavelin. The book also contains memoirs by his spiritual children, as well as selections from his profound letters of counsel.paperback, 386 pgs.
Elder Macarius :  $14.00

Elder Nektary of Optina vol. V
Elder Nektary (1853–1928) was the last Elder to function as such at Optina. He was in Optina when it was forcibly closed by the communists in 1923, and spent his remaining years in exile from his spiritual home. He lived through a time of persecution worse than any other in the thousand-year history of the Russian Orthodox Church. At this time of immeasurable sorrow for Christian believers, God gave Elder Nektary to Russia as both a consoler of souls and a voice of prophecy. Paperback, 520 pgs.
Elder Nektary :  $19.00

Elder Sebastian of Optina vol. VI
The spiritual image of Elder Sebastian (1884–1966) is that of a longsuffering, quiet bearer of the vision of the Optina monastic tradition—destined to preserve Optina eldership through decades of communist persecution of the Church. After the closure of Optina Monastery in 1923, Fr. Sebastian—a disciple of both Elder Joseph and Elder Nektary—matured rapidly into a truly compassionate pastor. He suffered arrest and imprisonment by the communists in 1933, and was sentenced to ten years in the Karaganda concentration camps of Kazakhstan. Paperback, 496 pgs.
Elder Sebastian :  $19.00

Little Russian Philokalia Series

Abbot Nazarius of Valaam vol. II
The second volume of the Little Russian Philokalia Series is dedicated to the “Grandfather” of an entire century of great ascetics of Valaam Monastery, Blessed Abbot Nazarius (1735–1809). He was the spiritual father of St. Herman of Alaska and was responsible for sending the first Orthodox mission to North America in 1794. The  Little Russian Philokalia Series, Volume II also contains a short spiritual ladder by Abbot Nazarius’ disciple, Hilarion of Valaam and Sarov Monasteries, and contains several hymns composed by Fr. Seraphim Rose in honor of Blessed Nazarius. Paperback, 144 pgs.
Abbot Nazarius :  $10.00

St. Seraphim of Sarov vol I
The first volume of the Little Russian Philokalia Series contains the Life of St. Seraphim, his “Spiritual Instructions to Laymen and Monks,” his soul-saving conversation with Nicholas Motovilov “On the Acquisition of the Holy Spirit,” and his prophetic “Great Diveyevo Mystery”—which, until the publication of this book, had never been revealed in the English language. Paperback, 160 pgs.
St Seraphim :  $12.00

St. Theodore of Sanaxar vol. V
Elder Theodore, a spiritual instructor of St. Herman of Alaska, was born into a noble family in Russia in 1719. He served in the elite Preobrazhensky Regiment in St. Petersburg and was personally known to Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. However, shaken by the sudden death of one of his companions, he abandoned his life of ease and advantage and fled to the wilderness to take up a life of repentance and prayer. The fifth volume of the Little Russian Philokalia Series is dedicated to a remarkable Holy Father central to the spiritual blossoming of 19th-century Russia. Contained in this book are: the Life of the Elder, his spiritual counsels to the monks and nuns under his direction, a number of his letters, the monastic rule of Sanaxar Monastery, and a first-hand account of his canonization. Paperback, 192 pgs.
St Theodore :  $12.00

Blessed Fr. Seraphim Rose

Blessed Fr Seraphim Rose of Platina
20th c. Serbian style Ikon of the Blessed Fr Seraphim Rose of Platina.  Mounted on solid wood!
8 x10 :  $27.95

Righteous Seraphim Rose of Platina
Blessed Fr Seraphim Rose, 20th c. style in Slavonic
8" x 10" (Slavonic):  $27.95

Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works

This epic biography of Hieromonk Seraphim Rose tells the unique story of a man who, having grown up in a typical American home in southern California, became one of the greatest teachers of Orthodox Christianity in our times, loved and revered throughout Russia and Eastern Europe.

    Quoting at length from his letters, journals, manuscripts, recorded lectures and published writings, this book traces Fr. Seraphim’s intense search for truth and his philosophical development, setting forth his message and offering a glimpse into the soul of a man who lived, even while on this earth, in the otherworldly Kingdom of God.

    “We who are given the fullness of true Christianity are obliged to be working on ourselves, to be watching the signs of the times, and to be extremely joyful, as St. Paul is constantly saying: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say: Rejoice!’ (Phil. 4:4). We rejoice because we have something which all the death and corruption of this world cannot take away, that is, the eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ.”

—Fr. Seraphim Rose, 1979, from the new book

    A greatly revised version of Not of This World, this new Life of Fr. Seraphim incorporates years of new research and includes much additional material. Because it deals closely with events in the recent history of Orthodoxy in America, the book has been reviewed prior to publication by clergy, monastics and laypeople from most of the Orthodox jurisdictions represented in this country.

• New, previously unpublished material by Fr. Seraphim.
• New reminiscences by those who knew Fr. Seraphim.
• 63 new photographs.
• Expanded and updated bibliography and source notes.

1160 pages, 234 illustrations, paperback,
Smyth-sewn binding for greater durability

    "THIS is the Fr. Seraphim I remember, and how wonderful it was to read this biography and relive it all. Fr. Damascene’s work is a fine reconstruction of the Platina Years’ that affected so many of us in a positive way. But most important of all, Fr. Seraphim lives again in these pages—just as I recall him—a warm, clear-thinking advocate of that which we need so badly these days: a suffering Orthodoxy of the heart.… This is a truly exceptional book, worthy of the noble and righteous Fr. Seraphim!”

—Hieromonk Ambrose (formerly Fr. Alexey Young), author of Letters from Father Seraphim

    "The Light of Christ, shining through Fr. Seraphim, illumines the path of faith and encourages us who attempt to follow in the way. Hieromonk Damascene presents this light-filled life in words so clear and inviting that the reader eagerly follows, page after page.”

—Frederica Mathewes-Green, National Public Radio commentator, author of At the Corner of East and Now and The Illumined Heart

    "This new biography of Fr. Seraphim Rose is an outstanding portrait of an American convert to Orthodoxy, who, having found the fulfillment of his life in the Orthodox Church, paved the way for thousands of others to follow him. This excellent book is both a challenge and an inspiration to all who are searching for intellectual and spiritual integrity, not only in word and thought, but as a whole way of life.”

—Hieromonk Jonah, Abbot of the Monastery of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, editor of Divine Ascent

    "In this new account of the life of Fr. Seraphim, Fr. Damascene has given a great gift to the Church—he has revealed to us the true life and ministry of an American-born saint. Here Fr. Seraphim speaks as an authentic witness, a true ‘martyrios’ and ‘confessor.’ To those who are afflicted with doubt, out of his own doubt he bears witness to the Truth. To those who are wrestling with passion, out of his own struggle he bears witness to Dispassion. And to those who are suffering, out of his own intense pain he bears witness to joy.”

—Fr. John Mack, author of Ascending the Heights and Preserve Them, O Lord

    "Fr. Seraphim Rose was a lover of tradition who was also far ahead of his time. His inspiring life and thought deserve to be more widely appreciated.”

—Phillip E. Johnson, author of Darwin on Trial and The Wedge of Truth

smyth-sewn paperback:  $29.99

God's Revelation to the Human Heart

“When conversion takes place, the process of revelation occurs in a very simple way—a person is in need, he suffers, and then somehow the other world opens up. The more you are in suffering and difficulties and are ‘desperate’ for God, the more He is going to come to your aid, reveal Who He is and show you the way out.…”

—Fr. Seraphim Rose

What does man seek in religion, and what should he seek in it? How does God reveal Himself in order to bring man to a knowledge of the Truth? How does suffering help this revelation to occur? Fr. Seraphim Rose addressed these and other issues during a lecture at the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 1981. GOD’S REVELATION TO THE HUMAN HEART is a transcription of that lecture, together with the question-and-answer session that followed between Fr. Seraphim and the university students.

“Why is the truth, it would seem, revealed to some and not to others? Is there a special organ for receiving revelation from God? Yes, though usually we close it and do not let it open up: God’s revelation is given to something called a loving heart.”

—excerpt from GOD’S REVELATION TO THE HUMAN HEART

Drawing upon a wealth of sources—the Holy Scriptures, patristic writings, the Lives of ancient and modern saints, and accounts of persecuted Christians in today’s world—Fr. Seraphim leads the audience to the core of all Christian life: the conversion of the heart of man, which begins to burn with love for Christ and transforms one into a new being.

48 pages, illustrated, full-color cover, paperback

paperback:  $6.00

Letters from Father Seraphim

From the 12-year correspondence of
Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose) with Father Alexey Young

 

Hieromonk Seraphim Rose is well known to many as an Orthodox Christian writer. He edited The Orthodox Word and authored numerous articles and several books-including the best-selling Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future and The Soul After Death—before his tragically early death, in 1982, at the age of 48.

 

More personal and spontaneous than his formal writings, these letters reveal the development of many ideas that came to form the core of his teachings. There is the call for "less head, more heart"-"Do not trust your mind too much; thinking must be refined by suffering, or it will not stand the test of these cruel times"—and his increasing emphasis on the "royal path," the need to steer between the dangers of modernism and ecumenism to the left and the more subtle dangers of phariseeism—what Fr. Seraphim called "the correctness disease"—to the right. The letters are instructive, engaging, and strikingly relevant.

 

This correspondence is particularly valuable in revealing for the first time Fr. Seraphim as a spiritual father: unpretentious, never overbearing, guiding, never dictating, always bringing into focus the very essence of Christianity. Here is Fr. Seraphim in the mission fields, and in the daily struggle of monastic life in the northern California wilderness. From these letters there emerges a truthful portrait of Fr. Seraphim in his spiritual maturity, compelling by virtue of who he was as much as by what he wrote. His own unstinting devotion to Christ, after a restless search for truth in his youth, gives weight to his counsel, bluntly expressed in his conviction that today "one cannot be a half-hearted Christian, but only entirely or not at all."

 

Nikodemus Orthodox Publication Society - paperback, 336 pgs, with 40 pgs photos
paperback 336 pgs :  $19.95

Nihilism: The Root of the Revolution of the Modern Age

“What does Nihilism mean?” wrote Friedrich Nietszche. “—That the highest values are losing their value. There is no goal.…There is no Truth, no ‘thing in itself.’ There is no answer to the question: why?”

    “Nihilism has become, in our time, so widespread and pervasive, has entered so deeply into the minds and hearts of all men living today, that there is no longer any ‘front’ on which it may be fought.”

—Eugene (Fr. Seraphim) Rose

    In 1962, the young Eugene Rose (the future Fr. Seraphim) undertook to write a monumental chronicle of the abandonment of Truth in the modern age. Of the hundreds of pages of material he compiled for this work, only the present essay has come down to us in completed form. Here Fr. Seraphim reveals the core of all modern thought and life—the belief that all truth is relative—and shows how this belief has been translated into action in our century. Today, four decades after he wrote it, this essay is more timely than ever. It clearly explains why contemporary ideas, values, and attitudes—the “spirit of the age”—are shifting so rapidly in the direction of moral anarchy, as the philosophy of Nihilism enters more deeply into the fiber of society. Nietszche was right when he predicted that the 20th century would usher in “the triumph of Nihilism.”

    “Atheism, true ‘existential’ atheism burning with hatred of a seemingly unjust or unmerciful God, is a spiritual state; it is a real attempt to grapple with the true God.… Nietzsche, in calling himself Antichrist, proved thereby his intense hunger for Christ.”

—excerpt from NIHILISM

    This new second edition contains a superb essay entitled “The Philosophy of the Absurd,” written by Fr. Seraphim at the same time that he was working on “Nihilism.”

128 pages, full-color cover, paperback

paperback :  $10.00

Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future

   The psychic phenomena of today are symptoms of the emergence of a new spirituality that is molding the world religion of the future—phenomena such as Yoga, Zen, Tantra, Transcendental Meditation, Guru Maharaj-ji, Hare Krishna, UFO’s, the Charismatic Movement, and Jonestown.

    “None of these by itself … has a crucial significance in the spiritual makeup of contemporary man; but each one in its own way typifies the striving of men today to find a new spiritual path, distinct from the Christianity of yesterday, and the sum of them together reveals a frightening unity of purpose whose final end seems just now to be looming above the horizon.”

–Fr. Seraphim Rose

    This work is a concise and unequivocal Orthodox statement on contemporary trends; its urgent message rings loud and clear. Viewed from the foundation of patristic teaching, many of the spiritual movements of today are seen to be spiritual deceptions which have existed since the beginning of the Church—and not achievements of a “new religious consciousness.” Addressing soberly and directly the trends of pseudo-spirituality which appear enticing today, ORTHODOXY AND THE RELIGION OF THE FUTURE provides a beacon of discernment in these times of widespread deception.

    ORTHODOXY AND THE RELIGION OF THE FUTURE examines a broad spectrum of issues facing modern Christians—each from the perspective of the early Church Fathers. As the “New Age” is becoming a household concept and is moving into wider acceptance by mainstream society, the “new religious consciousness” can be seen progressing precisely along the lines described by the late Fr. Seraphim. Included in this edition is an epilogue that chronicles the signs of the religion of the future that have made their appearance since this book was first published.

252 pages, full-color cover, paperback

Paperback :  $10.00

The First-Created Man

THE FIRST-CREATED MAN is a collection of seven homilies which deal with Adam’s fall and our redemption by Jesus Christ.

    A knowledge of the beginning and end of all things is essential for us to understand the purpose of our existence here on this earth, and what lies beyond it. For a true interpretation of the first and last things, we must turn to those teachers who beheld the beginning and end in a state of divine vision. Among these great seers was St. Symeon the New Theologian (949–1022): he speaks of the mysteries of the beginning and end precisely because he has seen them.

    St. Symeon’s profound homilies on Adam and the future age give the theological foundation for the Christian life of struggle. The original state of man from which Adam fell tells of our deepest nature, of which our present fallen nature is a corruption that is to be overcome; and the future state of blessedness is the goal to which our Christian struggle is aimed, and to which we can attain, by God’s grace, despite our fallen state.

    “Adam did not wish to say, ‘I sinned,’ but said rather the contrary of this and placed the blame for transgression upon God Who created everything ‘very good,’ saying to Him, ‘The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I ate.’ And after him, she placed the blame on the serpent, and they did not wish at all to repent and beg forgiveness of Him.”

—St. Symeon, Homily 45

    These homilies of St. Symeon have been selected, translated, and introduced by Fr. Seraphim Rose with the aim of reconnecting modern man with the ancient understanding of the true purpose of life.

124 pages, illustrated, full-color cover, paperback

124 pgs. paperback :  $8.00

The Place of Blessed Augustine in the Orthodox Church

When Fr. Seraphim learned that the early Western Father, Blessed Augustine of Hippo, was being attacked in contemporary Eastern Orthodox circles, then he—himself a Western convert to Orthodoxy—rose in his defense. This book is the outcome. Fr. Seraphim said he wrote it in the hope that it would help remove Augustine as a scapegoat for today’s academic theologians, and thus “help free us all to see his and our own weaknesses in a little closer light—for his weaknesses, to a surprising degree, are indeed close to our own.”

    “Narrow is the mansion of my soul; enlarge Thou it, that Thou mayest enter in … for without Thee what am I to myself except a guide to my own downfall?”

—Blessed Augustine of Hippo

    After discussing Blessed Augustine’s strengths and weaknesses, Fr. Seraphim examines the views of other Holy Fathers concerning him. “His main benefit to us today,” he writes, “is probably precisely as a Father of Orthodox piety—something with which he was filled to overflowing.… Here he is one with the simple Orthodox faithful, as well as with all the Holy Fathers of East and West who, whatever their various failings and differences in theoretical points of doctrine, had a single deeply Christian heart and soul. It is this that makes him unquestionably an Orthodox Father.”

    This new edition of THE PLACE OF BLESSED AUGUSTINE IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH contains letters written by Fr. Seraphim concerning Augustine, passages from Augustine’s Confessions which Fr. Seraphim found especially moving, and an Orthodox service to Blessed Augustine, commissioned by St. John Maximovitch.

144 pages, illustrated, full-color cover, paperback

143 pgs paperback :  $10.00

The Soul After Death

The spiritual realm after death defies observation, yet mankind persists in its desire to peer beyond this threshold—a threshold through which we all must pass.

“You will not die. Your body will die, but you will go over into a different world, being alive, remembering yourself and recognizing the whole world that surrounds you.”—St. Theophan the Recluse, 19th Century

THE SOUL AFTER DEATH is a comprehensive presentation of the 2,000-year-old experience of Orthodox Christianity regarding the existence of the other world, addressing contemporary “after-death” and “out-of-body” experiences, the teachings of traditional Oriental religions and those of more recent occult societies.

Although the mystery of what lies beyond the veil of death is not fully visible to us in this life, nonetheless, writings and teachings of ancient Christianity dating from the first century have proven timeless and straightforward, yielding sound insights into the spiritual world beyond death. From the firm foundation of Orthodox patristic teaching, Fr. Seraphim Rose offers an interpretation of the meaning of the contemporary experiences which have been publicized by Drs. Kubler-Ross, Moody, Osis and Haraldsson, and other researchers.

“He who has the memory of death as his constant companion, painfully seeks to learn what awaits him after departure from this life.”—St. Symeon the New Theologian, 11th Century

Principal teachings of Orthodox Christianity concerning the properties of the soul after death are presented in a clear concise manner, as taught by Church fathers and teachers of the early centuries. THE SOUL AFTER DEATH offers an undiluted draught of pristine, mystical Christianity as it has existed since the time of Christ. 296 pages, full-color cover, paperback

paperback:  $10.00

Living the Orthodox Worldview
“Living the Orthodox Worldview” is a recording of a lecture given by Fr. Seraphim Rose at the 1982 St. Herman Pilgrimage at the St. Herman Monastery in Platina, California. It was the final pastoral talk of Fr. Seraphim’s life—the fruit of his spiritual growth as an Orthodox Christian and his matured outlook as an Orthodox pastor. It contains many of the themes that he emphasized during the final years of his life: the need to have one’s Orthodox Faith enter into and transform the whole of one’s life, not just certain compartments of it; the need to cultivate a loving, merciful, and forgiving heart, to be simple and innocent in one’s spiritual life; the need to have a conscious Orthodox Faith, an Orthodox worldview, so that one will not be easily influenced by worldly ways of think­ing and behaving; the need to be aware of the signs of the times and of the totalitarian demands that the modern world makes on one; the need to be down-to-earth and at the same time to have one’s heart in the other world with Christ; the need to nourish oneself with the Divine services, the Holy Mysteries, the Holy Scriptures, the Lives of Saints, and the writings of the Holy Fathers; the need to form the soul through the best artistic expressions of Christian culture, including Western Christian culture; and finally the need to take lessons from the experience of suffering Orthodox Christians behind the iron curtain.

“Living the Orthodox Worldview,” is the first in a series of digitally-mastered audio recordings of lectures and talks given by Fr. Seraphim.


CompactDisc,71minutes,
16-page, full-color liner notes, $13.00
CD :  $13.00

Orthodox Books

A Manual of the Orthodox Church's Divine Services
 A must read for anyone who wants to deepen their knowledge of the Orthodox Liturgy. This book is a thorough description of Orthodox church buildings, the vestments of the clergy, Holy Mysteries, & Divine Services. Written in Russia before the revolution. Newly edited.
by Archpriest D. Sokolof
176 pp, softcover
softcover:  $13.00

A Son of the Church
This title, newly translated from Slavonic to English by Fr. German Ciuba, is arranged in 100 short chapters, and has been among the favorite reading material of Old Believers for generations. It was written about 400 years ago for a convert to Orthodoxy from Catholicism. Fr. German writes in his Preface: “The little work which is here offered to the reader is presented as a primer of piety, an antidote to ignorance and indifference. It is a concise manual of rules of piety in outward behavior, but at the same time it breathes a spirit of deep inward reverence and reflectiveness. It does not merely give directions for what to do, but impresses upon the reader the importance of acting with a clean heart and a right spirit. Although it is written for those new to the life of the Church, mature Christians would do well to review it and examine their own conduct against its simple, solid standards. When we are asked for practical advice by our children, we can humbly hand them this composition which has been preserved and handed down through the centuries, as a statement of those ideals towards which we are always striving, even if we ourselves fall short of them.” 2001 Paperback, 53 pages, 4.25" x 6"

paperback:  $9.00

All Ye Saints, Pray to God For Us! An Alphabetical Listing of Orthodox Saints and Feastdays
St Xenia Skete has published this beautiful volume that contains the Saints of the Orthodox Church, and the dates of their feasts! “We offer—as a companion to the Church Calendar—the present reference work, All Ye Saints, Pray to God for Us! Names of saints, icons and feast days are arranged alphabetically. Where possible, the names are followed by the year of the saint’s repose, or the year of the icon’s appearance. The month and date of commemoration follow in the right column, so that one can easily look up the day in the Calendar, Synaxarion or Prologue to learn more.” Softcover, 204 pgs.
Softcover 202 pgs :  $12.00

An Extraodinary Peace: St. Seraphim, Flame of Sarov
Having been out of print for a few years, the work of Archimandrite Lazarus Moore has been reprinted in this beautiful edition of the life of St Seraphim of Sarov. This edition contains: Original artwork (frescos on covers, portrait of St. Seraphim, 5 illustrations, portrait of Fr. Lazarus, small liturgical-style renderings throughout, some page ornamentation), added footnotes, a reflection on Fr. Lazarus Moore, manuscript history and editorial notes, Prayer Rules of St. Seraphim, and an Akathist to St Seraphim, translated by Fr Lazarus.

A wonderful volume, available in paperback, 350 pgs and printed on 55# durable stock paper. Measures 6" x 9"
paperback 350 pgs:  $19.50

Christ the Eternal Tao
By Hieromonk Damascene

Not until now has the ancient wisdom of Lao Tzu been presented alongside the otherworldly revelation of Jesus Christ in a way that encompasses the full significance of both. Avoiding the common pitfalls of religious syncretism, Christ the Eternal Tao shows Lao Tzu’s Tao Teh Ching as a foreshadowing of what would be revealed by Christ, and Lao Tzu himself as a Far-Eastern “prophet” of the Incarnate God.

 

Inspired by Fr. Seraphim Rose’s early studies of the Tao Teh Ching, this book draws from the unpublished translations and teachings of Fr. Seraphim’s Chinese philosophy teacher, Gi-ming Shien, in order to uncover the esoteric core of the Tao Teh Ching. Then, through the transmission of mystics of the ancient Christian East, Lao Tzu’s teaching is brought into a new dimension, exploding with new meanings.

Part I contains a “New Testament” of the Tao Teh Ching, which looks at Christ through the eyes of Lao Tzu and presents the Gospel in Lao Tzu’s own intriguing way. Part II unfolds the history of the revelation of God, from the creation of man, through the fall, primordial civilization, Lao Tzu, Confucius, and the ancient Hebrews, and finally to God’s Incarnation in Jesus Christ and His ultimate revelation of His Being as Three Persons. Part III offers practical advice from Eastern Orthodox teachers on how to unite oneself to Christ the Incarnate Tao/Logos and acquire His Divine Grace (in Chinese, Teh).

 

Much more than a mere study in comparative religion, Christ the Eternal Tao uses Lao Tzu’s intuitive realizations as a springboard by which to catapult the spiritual seekers of our day all the way into the mystical depths of Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

 

552 pages, illustrated, full-color cover, paperback
552 pgs pp:  $19.00

Christology - St. Nektarios

An excellent work of St. Nektarios showing the identifying characteristics of Jesus Christ as the Savior and the brilliance of the Christian Faith. Christianity is a mystery since the content of the Christian faith is the incarnate God, our Lord Jesus Christ. As such, it is impossible to be grasped by the human intellect. How then can we be assured that the Christian faith is the only source of all truth? How can we know that Jesus Christ is the incarnate God? How can we be certain that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and the Giver of eternal life? The identifying characteristics of the Savior—which are outlined with brilliant clarity in this book—are so many in multitude and such in quality, that the sincere reader will find it difficult not to confess with enthusiasm that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the perfect God Who became perfect man.

Engish. Softcover. 273 pp. Published by St. Nektarios Monastery, Roscoe, NY.

paperback 273 pgs :  $24.99

Experiences During the Divine Liturgy
TEMP OUT OF STOCK This book provides in-depth yet easy to understand commentary on the entire Divine Liturgy, based on the writings of the Holy Fathers along with actual events and experiences of holy priests, monks and lay people of our times. This book will be of great interest to any priest or a lay person.

In English, 557 pgs, softcover & printed in Greece.
Maroon Softcover :  $40.00

Four Great Saints
This volume contains the lives of St Paisius the Great, St Pachomius the Great, St Euthymius the Great and St Theodosius. Printed in 2007 by Holy Trinity Monastery. 160 pgs paper
paperback :  $12.00

Great-Martyr Tsar Lazar of Serbia: His Life and Service
Life by Fr. Daniel M. Rogich
Service translated by the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood

Great-Martyr Tsar Lazar was one of the greatest men in the history of the Serbian nation and the entire world. He ruled the Kingdom of Serbia, which was united by him, at a most pivotal moment in history. At a time when the Moslem horde was threatening to overrun all of Europe, this truly valiant leader, having been inspired by an angelic vision, sacrificed himself and his army at the fateful battle of Kosovo on June 15, 1389. Choosing the heavenly kingdom over the earthly one, he and his army went to victorious martyrdom. When receiving the Eucharist at the Divine Liturgy prior to battle, they all chanted in unison, “For the honorable Cross and golden freedom!”,followed by the famous words of St. Sava of Serbia, “Give up everything for Christ, but Christ for nothing!”

As a result of the battle that Tsar Lazar waged on Kosovo Field, the Moslems never regained strength to take Western Europe. Thus, the Orthodox Kingdom of Serbia must always be acknowledged by Western Europe as that “sacrificial” kingdom which stood in the path of total Moslem captivity. The Holy Great-Martyr Lazar was a sterling example of an Orthodox Christian monarch, both through his own pious life and trust in the Lord, and through his many acts of charity. During his reign he built and restored a great many churches and monasteries in his own country and abroad, including on Mount Athos. His holy and incorrupt relics lie to this day in Ravanica, a monastery that he himself founded. This large-format book, printed in two colors and suitable for use in church, contains the Life of this Great-Martyr and a complete Vigil Service to the Saint, translated from Church Slavonic.

56 pages, illustrated, full-color cover, paperback
paperback:  $9.00

Guidance Toward Spiritual Life
By Saints Barsanuphius and John

Translated by Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina.

With the practical aim of guiding the brothers at his monastery in the wilderness of northern California, Fr. Seraphim Rose set out to select and translate these counsels of Saints Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet, Desert Fathers of 6th-century Palestine. He found that many of the questions posed to Saints Barsanuphius and John were not unlike those asked by Christian strugglers of today. The answers of the saints expose the nature of the vices, and show how to overcome them and acquire virtue.

GUIDANCE TOWARD SPIRITUAL LIFE includes the Life of Saints Barsanuphius and John by Saint Nicodemus of Mount Athos, as well as selected passages from the Spiritual Homilies of St. Macarius the Great of Egypt.

182 pages,illustrated, full-color cover, paperback.
Paperback :  $12.00

Indication of the Way Into The Kingdom of Heaven

Originally published in Aleut in 1833, and now in it's 7th English printing, this "little" book written by St Innocent of Alaska is truly a soul-saving book!  St Innocent clearly states (based on the words of Jesus Christ!) what is needed to enter Heaven: "let him deny himself," "take up his cross," and "follow me."  This is one little volume you will not put down once you start!

48 pgs softcover Holy Trinity Monastery

48 pgs softcover:  $6.00

Kindling the Divine Spark: Teachings on How to Preserve Spiritual Zeal
"Theophan the Recluse is an Orthodox Holy Father for the 20th century. Steeped in the ancient patristic and ascetic tradition, he spent twenty eight years in reclusion, yet he was down to earth, and very real, making profound, mystical realities understood by those he counseled. This present volume of his instructions given to women examines many essentials of the spiritual life, including: how the heart is purified, inner suffering, spiritual zeal, hot to train oneself to pray, and mystical union with the Lord. St. Theophan had the exceptional gift of being able to encourage all, no matter where they were on the spiritual path, to go further in their fight against the passions and in their preparation for union with the Bridegroom Christ. His inspirational teaching is for all who sincerely seek the heavenly realm."  (from the back cover) Softcover 159 pages.
Softcover 159 pgs :  $9.95

Knowledge of God
Written by St. Tikhon's Seminary professor Harry Boosalis, the present study comprises two introductory lectures in Orthodox theology. Written in a reader-friendly style with a deliberate attempt at presenting the spiritual themes of Orthodox theology in a clear and simple way, this brief book will benefit anyone interested in Eastern Christian spirituality and the study of Orthodox theology. Based on Holy Scripture and patristic teaching, this short study refers to the writings of a wide variety of Orthodox theologians, especially those of Eastern European backgrounds. This book is also original in that it preserves its teaching purpose by maintaining a practical approach as well as an appropriate level of language. 104 pages, paperback, 2009.
paperback :  $14.95

Lives of the Georgian Saints
By Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze
In A.D. 326 the Georgian king Mirian proclaimed his dominion to be a Christian kingdom. Since then, the Georgian people have preserved their Orthodox Faith despite the constant assault of unbelievers. Not only have they maintained their Faith, but in the midst of turbulent circumstances they have excelled in producing a singular Christian culture. Their music, architecture and iconography are distinct in their beauty and otherworldliness, conveying the deep spirituality of the Georgian lan
d.

Since the time of the ancient Greek historians, Georgia has been viewed as an enigma hidden behind impenetrable mountains and a complex language. Little has been written about this small country and its saints. Now, the entire collection of the Lives of the Georgian saints has been translated for the first time into English. These lives encompass the seventeen hundred years of Orthodox Christianity in Georgia. The stories of ascetics and bishops, warriors and noblemen are intertwined with the tumultuous history of the Georgian land. Beside these Lives the magnificent culture of Georgia is presented in full-color photographs of icons, churches and landscapes.


506 pages, full color cover, profusely illustrated with rare full color icons and photos, cloth bound only
hardcover :  $29.00

Living Without Hypocrisy
A wonderful book!  This collection of sayings from the Holy Elders of Optina Monastery is newly translated by Archimandrite George of Holy Trinity Monastery. These brief and powerful instructions on the spiritual life are comparable to the sayings of the Desert Fathers, whose spirit and way of life the Optina Elders truly shared. The book provides an excellent source of spiritual nourishment for Orthodox Christians of all walks of life and all levels of spiritual experience. It may also serve as a powerful introduction to Orthodox spirituality for those who have but newly encountered the fullness of the Apostolic Faith. Hardcover 205 pgs.
Hardcover :  $17.99

Man of God: Saint John of Shanghai & San Francisco
Out of Stock . . . more will be coming

Archpastor, apostle, ascetic, miracle-worker, theologian, man of prayer... Archbishop John Maximovitch (1896-1966) was a spiritual phenomenon. Those who knew him have described him as "a living source of God's wonders," "the embodiment of all Christian virtues," "a miracle of ascetic firmness," "a model archpastor," who had the gift of being able "to see into the human heart and draw it to Christ." His was a life of total surrender to God, a life that offers a glimpse into the mystery of holiness.

 

As a hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, the newly-glorified Saint John was a devoted shepherd, accessible to the least among his flock and keenly aware of the problems of modern life. At the same time, his wisdom and his ways belonged not to this world but to the timeless reality of the heavenly realm. And it is from this realm that he reaches down even today with his extraordinary power of prayer, healing the sick, guiding the lost, and igniting tired and discouraged hearts with the miracle of renewed faith and love. The reminiscences, sermons and testimonies of miracles compiled in this volume reflect a spiritual vitality so refreshingly different from the pallid experience of today's Christianity. Here, truly, is a man of God.

The reminiscences, sermons and testimonies of miracles compiled in this volume reflect a spiritual vitality so refreshingly different from the pallid experience of today's Christianity. Here, truly, is a man of God.

 

Nikodemus Orthodox Publication Society – paperback 250 pgs, 20 pgs photos, 2nd edition.
paperback :  $14.95

Orthodox Dogmatic Theology

By Fr. Michael Pomazansky

Translated by Fr. Seraphim Rose

Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky’s Orthodox Dogmatic Theology has long been regarded as a standard source of Orthodox theology. Since its publication in Russian in 1963, it has been used as the main theology textbook at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville, New York; and since the publication of the first English edition in 1983, it has come to be regarded throughout the English-speaking world as one of the best introductory books on Orthodox theology. Written clearly, simply and concisely, this modern-day classic is accessible not only to theology students but to the contemporary layman in general. As one deeply rooted in the tradition of the Orthodox Church, Fr. Michael quotes abundantly from the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the Holy Fathers, being concerned to present, not human opinions, but Divine Revelation, which has been handed down to us as the Church’s certain, unchanging teaching.

“In the writings of Fr. Michael Pomazansky, one may see a characteristic of genuine Orthodox theology that is so often lost sight of in our cold, rationalistic age. Theology is not primarily a matter of arguments, criticisms, proofs and disproofs; it is first of all men’s word about God, in accordance with the Divinely revealed teaching of Orthodoxy. Therefore, its first purpose and intent is always to inspire, to warm the heart, to lift one above the petty preoccupations of earth in order to glimpse the Divine beginning and end of all things and so to give one the energy and encouragement to struggle towards God and our heavenly homeland.…

“Fr. Michael’s theology is in this warm-hearted and inspiring tone. He is not the only one to write Orthodox theology with this intent today, but he is one of the few, in an older generation that is fast vanishing, who can serve as a link between us and the genuine theology of the Holy Fathers.… Orthodox Dogmatic Theology is his masterpiece.”

—Hieromonk Seraphim Rose

EXPANDED THIRD EDITION: In the first English edition, Fr. Seraphim added many substantive footnotes in order to provide clarification on certain points or to introduce helpful information not included in the main text. In this third English edition, yet more notes have been added, primarily consisting of quotations from the Holy Fathers, in order to further elucidate Orthodox doctrines. This edition also includes a new preface, a new bibliography, and an expanded index.

436 pages, paperback, Smyth-sewn binding

436 pp Smyth-Sewn:  $19.95

Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives
“Love little things, and strive for that which is modest and simple. The Lord watches over us, and He is pleased that you long for His peace. Until the soul is ready, He will only sometimes allow us to see that He is present everywhere and fills all things. At these moments the soul feels such joy!… But then the Lord conceals Himself from us again, in order that we might long for Him and seek Him with our hearts!” —Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica Elder


Thaddeus of Vitovnica was one of the most renowned spiritual guides of Serbia in the twentieth century. As a novice he lived in obedience to Elder Ambrose of Miljkovo Monastery, a disciple of the Optina Elders. From him Fr. Thaddeus learned the Prayer of the Heart and the selfless love that came to characterize his whole ministry to the suffering Serbian people.


Born in 1914, Elder Thaddeus lived through all the suffering endured by Serbia in the twentieth century. Over the course of two World Wars, during the Communist takeover, and through the nato bombings of 1999, he co-suffered with his people. He taught, counseled, and prayed for all who came to him in pain and sorrow. His words of love and hope provided spiritual balm for people from all classes of society. In 2002 Elder Thaddeus reposed, leaving behind a large collection of his teachings, preserved by his faithful spiritual children. His life, teachings, and spiritual conversations are here presented for the first time in English.


Paperback, 212 pages

Paperback 212 pgs :  $15.00

Reflections of a Humble Heart

A fifteenth-century text on the spiritual life - adapted and translated into Russian by Archimandrite Ambrose Pogodin, English translation by Mary Mansur


When entreated for words of wisdom, the author of this text, an unknown "elder of blessed memory," begins by declaring, "There is nothing eternal under the sun except the human soul." He goes on to elucidate with penetrating simplicity the central facts of human existence: the creation and fall of man and his restoration in the God-Man Jesus Christ. Speaking with rare authority born of experience in the authentic Christian life, the elder urges his listener towards spiritual vigilance: "Heed the signs, and do not relax your trust in God." His own profound love for God and neighbor suffuses these reflections with warmth and joy, evidence of "what blessedness it is to be a slave of Christ."

 

"Earthly life," the elder reminds us, "is short, insecure, mutable. O Man, seek what is everlasting, eternal, and trustworthy. And what is eternal and trustworthy can be found only in God." Here is a brief work of enduring value, a text that speaks directly and convincingly to those seeking not only to know but to attain that which is eternal.

 

Nikodemus Orthodox Publication Society - Softcover, 99 pgs.
paperback :  $7.95

Repentance and Confession
Confession is the life-saving medicine for society because it is capable of saving many souls from destruction...Confession from a moral standpoint is the greatest benefaction of the Church to society. The spiritual father is the moral physician of society. He alone is capable of intercepting all the bad things that afflict society today...This is what confession is from a moral standpoint, which we unfortunately have not realized and have abandoned. This is why many bad things exist, which afflict society. - St. Nektarios. The countless miracles performed by Saint Nektarios - which have become know throughout the entire Orthodox world - have overshadowed the Hierarchs wealth of teachings and writings. This initial volume entitled "Repentance and Confession" is the first of any of Saint Nektarios works to be translated into English. It is vital for every Orthodox Christian who is concerned about the salvation of his soul to read this theological yet concise and easily understood study on a much-neglected commandment of God.
62 pp Paperback:  $12.00

Saint Herman of Alaska: His Life and Service

Saint Herman of Alaska, America’s first canonized saint, was an Orthodox Christian monk of holy life who lived in Valaam Monastery in Russia. In 1794, along with nine other monastics he was sent to Alaska to evangelize the natives there. In time St. Herman would become the sole survivor of the original missionaries. Throughout his long life he cared for the natives of the Kodiak area, nursing them in their illnesses, educating them, and defending them from the abuse of the Russian fur-traders. By his meekness and firm faith he won the love and respect of all who came to know him, and inspired many to follow Christ. Eventually settling on nearby Spruce Island, he lived a mostly eremitic life, while also establishing an orphanage for the children of parents who had died during epidemics.


By the power of God, St. Herman was able to see into the hearts of others, as well as into the future. He worked miracles during his life, such as stopping a forest fire and a tsunami by his prayers. To this day he remains a wonderworker, healing the souls and bodies of those who ask for his intercessions before the throne of God.


Presented here is a Life of St. Herman, originally commissioned by Abbot Damascene of Valaam and incorporating the latest research on the Saint’s early years, as well as a complete Vigil Service to the Saint, composed by the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood and Archbishop Alypy (Gamanovich) of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.


Softcover, 48 pages

48 pgs. :  $9.00

Saint Seraphim Wonderworker of Sarov
From St Xenia Skete comes this volume on the life of St. Seraphim of Sarov written by Helen Kontzevitch and translated St. Xenia Skete. In the preface, “At the beginning of the nineteenth century [...a] renaissance occurred. [...] St. Seraphim appeared as the greatest and brightest example of this epoch of rebirth. In his holiness he was not only one of the saints of the Russian nation, but he holds a place among the greatest lights of the Christian world—‘as one of the ancients.’ He is a great gift of Orthodox Russia to Universal Orthodoxy.” Softcover 366 pages, 2004
Softcover 366 pgs. :  $17.00

Salt of the Earth

By St. Paul Florensky: SALT OF THE EARTH is the heartwarming biography of Hieromonk Isidore (1814–1908), the great Elder of Gethsemane Hermitage in Russia.

    Radiant with Christ-like love and childlike simplicity, Elder Isidore lived in another world, yet kept both feet firmly planted on the ground. He was one of those whom Christ called the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13)—a repository of the rare otherworldly savor of ancient Christianity.

    “One glance of his could destroy all human conventions, because he was above the world and enjoyed the highest spiritual freedom. It seemed as if he didn’t walk upon the earth, but was rather suspended by invisible threads to some other land. All of this filled him with an inner lightness. All those who came to him heavily burdened would lose their heaviness. With a light smile, as if playing, he could, with impunity, turn any human conditions of common life into joy.”

—excerpt from SALT OF THE EARTH

    In SALT OF THE EARTH, both the life and personality of Elder Isidore have been captured with remarkable clarity by the Elder’s spiritual son, New Martyr Paul Florensky (†1937). He takes the reader directly into Fr. Isidore’s world, so that by the time the book is finished, the Elder is already a dear friend.

    “…It is impossible to distinguish his simplicity and love from his detachment to all worldly things. He turned everything upside down and in such a way that it was impossible to find one ounce of self-will or anything ostentatious. His simplicity was an irony and his irony was simplicity itself. He could change all existing conditions in order to allow them to be seen through the window of eternity; and—amazingly enough—he would do this without offending anyone. He would uproot everything in his guests; he would push each one off his pedestal of self-complacency and bring him back down to earth….”

—excerpt from SALT OF THE EARTH

This revised second edition contains additional material on the Elder by Metropolitan Benjamin (Fedchenkov).

176 pages, illustrated, full-color cover, paperback
paperback :  $10.00

Spruce Island, Alaska: A Pilgrim's Guide
Since the first centuries of Christianity, pilgrims have traversed land and sea to pray at the holy sites associated with the life of our Lord Jesus Christ and His saints. Every Orthodox land has its own places of pilgrimage, to which the faithful come to supplicate the saints for salvation, health and peace.

North America has not been left without the consolation of its own pilgrimage sites— Spruce Island, Alaska being the first. In the early nineteenth century, St. Herman, America’s first saint, made Spruce Island his home. There, he lived the ascetic life while serving as a father to the local native population. Through his prayers and miracles, St. Herman sanctified the island, leaving his grace-filled legacy for future generations.

Hundreds of pilgrims come to Spruce Island each year to visit the saint’s grave, drink from his holy spring, and ask his intercession before the Lord. Spruce Island, Alaska: A Pilgrim’s Guide is the first full-color guide to St. Herman’s beloved isle. It includes pictures and descriptions of all the holy sites on Spruce Island, a brief history of the Russian Mission to Alaska, and a brief Life of St. Herman. It is an indispensable guide for those planning a trip to Spruce Island or for those who just want to know more about America’s first saint. Softcover, 48 pages, full color

Spruce Island paperback :  $8.00

The Arena

St. Ignatius was a great 19th century Russian hierarch, monastic leader, and teacher of the Church, who wrote this book initially for monks and nuns. An austere call to a more ascetic life.

by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
276 pp, paperback

paperback:  $18.00

The Explanation of the New Testament by Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria
Now Available in softcover!
This classic Orthodox commentary of the New Testament was written about the year 1100 A.D. by a brilliant and saintly Byzantine Churchman. His commentary has remained a primary text of New Testament interpretation throughout the Orthodox world of Greece, Russia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Blessed Theophylact distills the teaching of the earlier Church Fathers, especially Saint John Chrysostom, in language that is profound, powerful and direct. A fundamental, patristic, New Testament commentary of the Orthodox Church, and the first verse-by-verse Byzantine commentary of the New Testament to appear in English. Beautiful hardbound volumes for each Gospel are available!

St. Matthew, 270 pgs.:  $24.95
St. Matthew softcover :  $19.95
St. Mark, 144 pgs:  $24.95
St. Mark softcover :  $19.95
St. Luke, 328 pgs.:  $24.95
St. Luke softcover :  $19.95
St. John, 328 pgs. :  $24.95
St. John softcover :  $19.95

The Forgotten Medicine
TEMP OUT of stock . . .  more coming :)THE FORGOTTEN MEDICINE is the first volume to appear in a series of spiritual writings by Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev. It provides not only the Scriptural and theological foundations for repentance and Confession, but also a clear instruction for one’s own approach to this Sacrament. 72 pgs Illustrated paperback
72 pg Paperback :  $5.00

The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Temporarily out of print by the Monastery, but they hope to have again by the end of the year.
St. John Climacus exposes the sinful passions in clear detail, showing us also the way to overcome them. Useful both for monks and laymen, the Ladder has stood for centuries as an essential handbook for the Christian struggler. By St. John Climacus 275 pp, hardcover-clothbound, illustrated.

The Meaning of Suffering and Strife & Reconciliation
 THE MEANING OF SUFFERING and STRIFE & RECONCILIATION are presented as a two-volume sequel to Forgotten Medicine. These volumes reflect a depth of insight and experience which can touch the souls of all those in the world today who are hungry for God—written by an outstanding contemporary pastor, spiritual writer and theologian.  112 pgs, Illustrated Paperback
112 pg Paperback :  $8.95

The Orthodox Veneration of Mary The Birthgiver of God

By St John Maximovitch, translated by Fr Seraphim Rose

“For He hath looked upon the lowliness of His handmaiden; for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”

—(Luke 1:48)

    A right understanding of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is not possible without a right understanding of Mary, the Birthgiver of God. When her image is distorted, the image of her Son also becomes distorted.

    This concise work is a classic exposition of how the Church has venerated the Mother of God throughout the ages, and the chief errors that have attacked this veneration: both ancient heresies and the modern deviations of Western heterodoxy. It clearly tells why the Virgin Mary should be honored by all generations, but not considered a co-redemptress along with Jesus Christ, the only Savior of the world.

    This book is of special value in that it was written by a saint and miracle-worker of modern times who had direct spiritual contact with the Mother of God. The sources of St. John’s theology are the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Fathers (especially the great Fathers of the 4th and 5th centuries), and the divine services of the Orthodox Church.

    From apostolic times, all who truly love Christ give veneration to her who gave birth to Him, raised Him and protected Him in the days of His youth. In THE ORTHODOX VENERATION OF MARY THE BIRTHGIVER OF GOD, St. John traces her veneration from the time of the Apostles to the present.

88 pages, illustrated, full-color cover, paperback

paperback:  $7.00

The Path to Salvation
This classic textbook of spiritual life by St. Theophan the Recluse is now offered for the first time in English in its entirety. St. Theophan’s psychological understanding, his intricate experience in spiritual struggle, and above all his love, compassion and all-consuming desire that everyone might be saved, breathes in every line, inspiring the reader with a sober longing and rational hope for acquiring the Kingdom of Heaven. He provides an infallible system for taking the Kingdom of Heaven by force, in a Christian life of grace and repentance. 366 pgs softcover.
Softcover :  $19.95

The Prologue of Ohrid
The NEW 2nd edition set of The Prologue of Ohrid, complete with many Icons (some in color), artwork, and a ribbon marker.

St Nikolai of Zica (Velimirovic) (1880-1956) has been called the "Serbian Chrysostom" for his theological depth and golden-tongued eloquence. Now for the first time, a complete and unabridged English translation of St. Nikolai's Prologue of Ohrid has been made available. St. Nikolai's Prologue has become a much-loved spiritual classic for Orthodox Christians worldwide. An inspirational source-book of the Orthodox Faith, it contains within its pages a summation of the Church's wisdom and Her experience of sanctity through the Grace of Jesus Christ. Lives of Saints, Hymns, Reflections and Homilies are presented for every day of the year. St. Nikolai's beautiful Hymns have never before appeared in English. These two volumes of the Prologue from Ohrid, cover the entire 12 months from January through December.

Vol 1 (Jan - June) contains 650 pages, and Vol 2 (July - Dec) contains 752 pages. Sold as a 2 volume set, both are hardcover with dust jackets. In English.  Complete and unabridged. 2008
Hardcover 2 Vol Set :  $119.00

The Spiritual Life and How To Be Attuned to It
By St. Theophan the Recluse

Once, in the middle of the dance floor at some annual ball, a young lady had a sudden glimpse of the immortality of her soul; and as this vision flashed upon her inward eye she was struck with the thought that all this swirling around the dance floor was utterly futile. Amazed and disturbed, she wrote to the then recluse-bishop Theophan, evoking a correspondence which resulted in this volume of his letters. This is a valuable text book on spiritual life, written in a simple and accessible manner.

304 pgs, stitched paperback
paperback :  $15.00

The Truth of Our Faith vol 1
An illumined and trustworthy instructor of Christian Truth is hard to find in this age of doctrinal relativity and spiritual insensibility. Thus, when one encounters the wisdom, inspired knowledge of Scripture and authority with which the Staretz Cleopa (1912-1998) speaks it is not hard to distinguish his discerning words from the myriad of opinions bantered about by so many today. As an inheritor of two thousand years of Apostolic Tradition, trained from his youth in the ascetic struggle against the passions, a man of continual prayer and fasting, and possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of Holy Scripture and the Holy Fathers, Elder Cleopa is an exceptionally qualified guide of the Christian Faith. In nearly one thousand references and explanations of Holy Scripture, Elder Cleopa answers the questions of inquirers on such subjects as: the presuppositions of personal salvation, the study of Holy Scriptures, the veneration of icons, relics, the Saints and Angels, the Virgin Mary, and the True Cross, the offering of prayer for the dead, the Second Coming of Christ, His thousand year reign, speaking in tongues, and the keeping of the Lord’s feast on Sunday instead of Saturday. Nineteen discourses, a preface by Athonite Abbot Joseph of Xeropotamou, a brief biography of the author, over thirty photos and icons and a scriptural index make this book an ideal introduction to the truth of our Faith for every seeker of Christian Orthodoxy. 256 pgs paperback
Paperback 256 pgs :  $20.00

The Truth of Our Faith vol 2
The inner life of the Church, where man becomes “god by grace” (St. Athanasios the Great) through the reception of the Divine Energies or Grace of God, is centred on the Holy Mysteries (or Sacraments). In this volume, Elder Cleopa explains the origins, meaning and purpose of the Holy Mysteries of Baptism, Chrismation, Holy Communion, Confession, the Priesthood, Marriage, and Holy Unction, while also deconstructing the errors of those who misunderstand or reject this life in Christ. Squarely based, as always, on Holy Scripture and its interpretation by the Holy Fathers of every age, Elder Cleopa brings to light neglected knowledge and rejected counsel stored up for so many centuries in the Orthodox Church — insights that could have helped avoid the disintegration of the Western church, and which may still aid in its restoration and renewal even today. Paperback 144 pgs
Paperback 144 pgs :  $12.50

We Shall See Him As He Is

“Now at the close of my life I have decided to talk to my brethren of things I would not have ventured to utter earlier, counting it unseemly.…” Thus wrote Archimandrite Sophrony, then ninety-two years old, in We Shall See Him as He Is, his spiritual autobiography. In this book Fr. Sophrony, one of the most beloved orthodox Christian elders of our times, revealed to the world his own experience of union with God, and the path to that union. Drawing near to God with intense love and longing accompanied by struggle, self-emptying and searing repentance, Fr. Sophrony was granted to participate in the life of God Himself through His uncreated Energies.

 

Like Orthodox saints throughout the centuries, he experienced God’s grace as an ineffable, uncreated Light. It was in this Light that Christ was transfigured on Mount Tabor before His Apostles, and it is in this Light that we shall see Him as He is (I John 3:2).

 

248 pgs Paperback, St. Herman of Alaska Press

248 pgs paperback:  $15.00

What Has God Done for Our Salvation

A nourishing collection of select chapters from St. Nikodemos' classic work, "Spiritual Exercises," this beautiful translation is available for the first time in the English language.  Ranging from topics such as: "On the Greatness of the Divine Eucharist" & "The Denial of Peter" to, "Our Sins and Ingratitude towards God" & "The War that Christ Began," both the clergy and laity alike will find all 18 chapters easily accessible and soul-profiting.

 

95 pages softcover Holy Trinity Monastery

95 pages softcover:  $10.00

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