Customer Reviews

The Way of a Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues His Way

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How does one obey the scriptural imperative to "Pray without ceasing?" The simple pilgrim (we learn his background in bits and snatches) sets out to learn how... from both the wise and the simple he meets on the road. In a period and place where a cup of tea is a rare treat and a book one's sole possession, glimpses of disaster and survival, madness and understanding, suffering and joy, simplicity and layers of implications appear with every turn in the road.

"Pray, and do not labor much to conquer your passions by your own strength. For 'greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world,' (1 John 4:4), says holy Scripture."

I have read this book twice....I especially like French's translation. It opens an aspect of the Christian Life which is not delt with in Western Christian thought or spiritual disciplian. It opens an aspect of Christianity which I found very meaningful and powerful. The book was a true blessing.

Fr. David Belding

A great Christian masterpiece! Reading this book gives one appreciation and thanks for the Lord's grace and mercy. A wonderful guide to life - especially in this hectic modern society. Very mystical but also very practical following in the tradition of most Orthodox spiritual essays. Highly recommended to all Christians seeking a deeper understanding of taking up one's Cross.

This is the story of an anonymous 19th-century Russian peasant who wanted to learn to "pray without ceasing" (I Thess. 5:17) and was introduced to the Jesus Prayer--the continuous repetition of "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner"--a practice that comes from the Eastern Orthodox Church and has its roots in the desert spirituality of early Christianity.

I have found this book helpful and inspiring for both my Zen practice and my Christian practice. Incidentally, this is the book that Franny is reading in J. D. Salinger's novel "Franny and Zooey" (which I also recommend).

For the Christian mystic, an element that is all but shunned in the current state of the Christian religion, this book will refresh, enlighten and renew your search for Truth and do it within the "confines" of religious doctrine. For the fundamentalist Christian, this book will soften your heart slowly, bit by bit, and before you know it, "the world" will not appear as evil and as frightening as it can sometimes appear.

Though virtually unknown in Western Christianity, THE WAY OF A PILGRIM, is one of the most revered classics of Orthodox spirituality. In the first portion of this book the unnamed pilgrim introduces the reader to hesychasm through use of the "Jesus Prayer" (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner). I found this journal of the pilgrim's travels tedious. The second portion of the book is more of a theological question and answer session between the pilgrim and his companions. I enjoyed this section more. All in all, this is an important book for Protestants to read because it enlarges their awareness of the greater Christian world, but it probably will not make a profound impact by itself.

The book's greatest strength is its usefulness as an introduction to the PHILOKALIA. The PHILOKALIA is a five-part collection of writings on mysticism in the Christian Orthodox tradition. It was written over a period of 11 centuries. 4 of the 5 volumes have been translated into English and are for sale through Amazon.com.

Sergius Bolshakoff in his book "Russian Mystics" writes that there is a manuscript copy in the St. Panteleimon Monastery in Mount Athos. Writing in 1956 he adds that this copy is longer than the existing printed version with five extra episodes and a postscript.
The first printed version came out in Kazan in 1884 and was called "Sincere Tales of a Pilgrim to His Spiritual Father". The introduction of this version tells it to be a reproduction of manuscript which Paisius, abbot of St. Michael of the Cheremissi, found and copied on Mount Athos. Paisius died in 1883.
Bolshakoff writes further that he found the above when he was studying the correspondence of Fr. Jerome Solomentsev. He concludes that the pilgrim perhaps visited Mount Athos and wrote or dictated his story for Fr. Jerome.
However, the above is not the whole history. Bolshakoff found further new information on the pilgrim from two letters of Staretz Ambrose of Optino to a nun who was a prioress of a convent and who had read the manuscript of the Tales before it was printed in Kazan.
Bolshakoff: "In his letter Staretz Ambrose writes: "You write that you came across a manuscript which indicates a simple method to learn the Prayer of Jesus, vocal, mental, and of heart. This manuscript was written by a peasant from the province of Orel who was taught the Prayer of Jesus by an unknown Staretz. You write that the manuscript of this peasant ends in 1859. Shortly before that time we heard from our late staretz, Father Macarius, that he was visited by a layman who had attained to such a high degree of spiritual prayer that Fr. Macarius did not know what to tell him. This layman, in order to receive advice, described to our staretz various states of prayer. Fr Macarius could only tell him: 'Be humble' be humble'. Afterwards he told us about this experience with astonishement. I thought at the time that this concerned the Orel merchant Neumuitov who was a great man of prayer, but I think now that he might well be that peasant of whom you write." (p. 236)

I've been waiting for years to somehow find a way to be so ever close to God, even through all my faults. If you are torn between your busy life of family obligations and work, this book will grant you inner peace. It tells you that the simple Jesus prayer which can be recited anywhere, will give you the comfort of His prescence and that you are OK. Spread the word!

This book describes the adventures of a nineteenth-century peasant who spends much of his God-centered life wandering around Russia. It is an inspirational story about the value of praying. In fact, I cannot think of another book which contains as much valuable information about the incessant prayer mentioned by St. Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to get closer to God!

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by PRAYER and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

- Philippians 4:6-7