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The Monk of Mount Athos: Staretz Silouan 1866-1938
Staretz Silouan's disciple interprets the life, personality and teachings of his master, and the spiritual struggles which made Silouan truly a "staretz" or "elder." Companion volume to Wisdom From Mt Athos.
124 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
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About the author
Sophrony Sakharov
25 books57 followersArchimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov), also Elder Sophrony, was best known as the disciple and biographer of St Silouan the Athonite and compiler of St Silouan's works, and as the founder of the Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Essex, England.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 25, 2019
I asked an Orthodox Priest for his top recommended books on Orthodox Christianity. He told me this wasn’t a book on Orthodox Christianity, it was an Orthodox book.
Indeed it is.
A wonderful Orthodox book of wisdom and spirituality.
Indeed it is.
A wonderful Orthodox book of wisdom and spirituality.
March 17, 2023
One of the books I’ve taken care to read this Lent, on the advice of my father-confessor, has been
The Monk of Mount Athos
by Saint Sophrony of Essex, who was glorified by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2019. It is a spiritual biography of Venerable Silouan of Athos, a monk who lived for most of his life in the Saint Panteleimon Monastery on the Holy Mountain. I found it to be an intensely powerful portrait of a spiritual struggler, and an important exposition on the importance of humility and love for enemies.
Bearing in mind that this is a book which was written by a monk, about a monk, it has a usefulness which extends considerably further than a small audience of Orthodox monastics. Humility is, after all, one of the virtues which is accessible to all regardless of their lot in life. In addition, the idea of what it means to be a person (any person) is explored at great depth in this work, making its appeal to a certain degree universal...
Read the full review here.
Bearing in mind that this is a book which was written by a monk, about a monk, it has a usefulness which extends considerably further than a small audience of Orthodox monastics. Humility is, after all, one of the virtues which is accessible to all regardless of their lot in life. In addition, the idea of what it means to be a person (any person) is explored at great depth in this work, making its appeal to a certain degree universal...
Read the full review here.
April 18, 2024
This was my second read through this book. I read the book first in the 1970's. I remember only back then preferring the companion book, Wisdom from Mount Athos. I found it an enjoyable and insightful read, presenting St Sophrony's experiences with St Silouan. Not a lot is known about St Silouan's life, St Sophrony puts together a biography of sorts, but the book consists mostly of things Sophrony recalled Silouan saying about various aspects of the monastic life, monastic spirituality and Orthodox theology. Silouan felt those inspired by the Holy Spirit will pray for everyone in the world especially one's enemies, which he considered a sign of the Spirit's activity in a Christian's life. Though Sophrony is presenting Silouan to the world at large, the focus of the sayings still is aimed at and for monastics.
December 3, 2012
I finished this book while I was visiting my friend at Sibley Hospital. I especially enjoyed the beginning half of the book that described the life, actions, and prayer life of Staretz Silouan. I liked Fr. Sophrony's explanations of doctrine and explanations of spiritual disciplines, but I found stories of Fr. Silouan and his life more compelling than the commentary.
August 16, 2024
As per recommendation: this is the book that eventually led to the glorification of St. Silouan. It's part biography, part theology and was a hard one to rate. It's good but a little beyond the average reader.
The author was a spiritual child of the monk Silouan and took it upon himself to write about the monk's life, death, and the lessons learned from him so that the larger world would understand just what sort of monks live on Mt. Athos and how their prayers and simple lives have a bigger impact on the world than one might think. Included is an explanation of the phrase that St. Silouan is known for: "keep your mind in hell, and despair not".
This is a true gift of love from a student to his teacher. It inspired me, as a writer, to understand the gift we've been given in being able to use our words to reveal God's great works in others to the rest of the world. St. Silouan was unlearned and did not write, but what a gift that his student decided to use his education to capture his life for the benefit of others. I learned a lot and found it thought-provoking, convicting, and encouraging, especially in his insistence that true love of God is found in loving our enemies.
My biggest issue with this book is that the theology portion is well beyond the reading level of the average person, and I'm not sure it needed to be? I think the author was trying to impress upon the intellectual Orthodox scene just how important monasticism is and that you don't need worldly "knowledge" or study to understand the deep things of God by describing what he learned from this simple monk in very scholastic terms. But for the regular Christian, it's a pretty dense book, overly dense in my opinion. I also question how much of the theology was actually from St. Silouan and how much is just the author's own understandings because that part isn't very clear.
I think this is definitely a good classic for the seminarian to study, and the average reader could benefit from the biographical portions that are written more simply. I'm not sure if it would be easily understood by the non-Orthodox though, and I would definitely not dive into the theology without having a firmer foundation in Orthodoxy than most catechumens or new converts.
St. Silouan, intercede for us to know your love and humility!
The author was a spiritual child of the monk Silouan and took it upon himself to write about the monk's life, death, and the lessons learned from him so that the larger world would understand just what sort of monks live on Mt. Athos and how their prayers and simple lives have a bigger impact on the world than one might think. Included is an explanation of the phrase that St. Silouan is known for: "keep your mind in hell, and despair not".
This is a true gift of love from a student to his teacher. It inspired me, as a writer, to understand the gift we've been given in being able to use our words to reveal God's great works in others to the rest of the world. St. Silouan was unlearned and did not write, but what a gift that his student decided to use his education to capture his life for the benefit of others. I learned a lot and found it thought-provoking, convicting, and encouraging, especially in his insistence that true love of God is found in loving our enemies.
My biggest issue with this book is that the theology portion is well beyond the reading level of the average person, and I'm not sure it needed to be? I think the author was trying to impress upon the intellectual Orthodox scene just how important monasticism is and that you don't need worldly "knowledge" or study to understand the deep things of God by describing what he learned from this simple monk in very scholastic terms. But for the regular Christian, it's a pretty dense book, overly dense in my opinion. I also question how much of the theology was actually from St. Silouan and how much is just the author's own understandings because that part isn't very clear.
I think this is definitely a good classic for the seminarian to study, and the average reader could benefit from the biographical portions that are written more simply. I'm not sure if it would be easily understood by the non-Orthodox though, and I would definitely not dive into the theology without having a firmer foundation in Orthodoxy than most catechumens or new converts.
St. Silouan, intercede for us to know your love and humility!
January 3, 2022
“However wise and learned a man may be, however honourable his conduct, if he does not love every one of his fellow human beings he has not attained God. And, conversely, however simple and ignorant a man is, if he carries this love in his heart he dwells in God and God in him.”
The stories of the actual Staretz Silouan's life read a bit easier and more compelling than the interpretations of his wisdom, which are a lot to take in in the second half. But it's really something I could see myself revisiting any time I need a reminder of what's truly important in life, moreso than any "self-help" book in the world.
The stories of the actual Staretz Silouan's life read a bit easier and more compelling than the interpretations of his wisdom, which are a lot to take in in the second half. But it's really something I could see myself revisiting any time I need a reminder of what's truly important in life, moreso than any "self-help" book in the world.
May 16, 2025
Parts of the book were a little slow reading but I enjoyed the overall book. I particularly liked the way it discussed and made me think about intellect and its relationship with the spiritual life.
March 19, 2023
A very different theological perspective and idea of spirituality from my tradition.
April 5, 2023
Read for a history class.
March 20, 2023
Wisdom for the journey from the holy Staretz Silouan.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews