Saint Silouan The Athontie Archimandrite Sophrony Book Cover gallery image

This book presents the life and teaching of Saint Silouan the Athonite as portrayed by his disciple Saint Sophrony the Athonite.

In the autumn of 1892, Saint Silouan, being a young peasant then with the name Simeon from the province of Tambov reached Mt Athos. Although he was unlearned and ignorant in the ordinary sense – two winters at the village school were all he could boast of in the way of scholarship – tireless inner striving gave him a personal experience of Christianity identical with that of many of the early ascetic Fathers.

Saint Sophrony went to Mt. Athos in 1925 and there, at the Monastery of St. Panteleimon, became amanuensis to Staretz Silouan whose writings were pencilled in laborious, unformed characters on odd scraps of paper.

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Saint Silouan the Athonite

EnglishHardback Clothbound with Dust Jacket504 pages1991, Reprinted 20231st editionSee all book details ↓

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Book details

AuthorSaint Sophrony Sakharov

Translated byRosemary Edmonds

LanguageEnglish

Book coverHardback Clothbound with Dust Jacket

Print length504 pages

PublisherThe Stavropegic Monastery of St John the Baptist

Edition1st edition

Publication year1991, Reprinted 2023

ISBN978-0-951-27868-0

Weight0.838kg

Dimensions21.7 x 14 x 3.4 cm

Foreword

PART I

The Staretz’ Life and Teaching

I. Childhood and Early Years

II. Arrival on Mt. Athos

III. Monastic Striving

IV. Portrait of the Staretz

V. The Staretz’ Doctrinal Teaching

VI. Pure Prayer and Mental Stillness

VII. The Imagination and the Ascetic Struggle against its Various Aspects

VIII. Uncreated Divine Light and Ways of Contemplation

IX. Grace and Consequent Dogmatic Consciousness

X. Spiritual Trials

XI. ‘Keep thy mind in hell, and despair not.’

XII. The Divine Word and the Bounds of Created Nature

XIII. On the Purport of Prayer for the World

Afterword

XIV. The Staretz’ Demise

XV. Testimonies

Postscriptum

PART II

The Writtings of Staretz Silouan

Foreword

I. Yearning for God

II. On Prayer

III. On Humility

IV. On Peace

V. On Grace

VI. On The Will of God and on Freedom

VII. On Repentance

VIII. On the Knowledge of God

IX. On Love

X. We are Children of God and in the Likeness of the Lord

XI. On the Mother of God

XII. On the Saints

XIII. Concerning Shepherds of Souls

XIV. Concerning Monks

XV. Concerning Obedience

XVI. Concerning Spiritual Warfare

XVII. Concerning Intrusive Thoughts and Delusions

XVIII. Adam’s Lament

XIX. Reminiscences and Conversations

XX. Thoughts, Advice and Observations on Asceticism

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Excerpts (3)

Listening to Father Stratonicos the day before, Silouan had noticed that he ‘spoke from his own mind’, and that what he said about the meeting of man’s will with God’s will, and about obedience, had been obscure.

He began by asking Father Stratonicos the answers to three questions. ‘How do the perfect speak?’ ‘What does surrender to the will of God mean?’ ‘What is the essence of obedience?’

In all probability the spiritual atmosphere in which Father Silouan dwelt at once affected Father Stratonicos. He sensed the deep significance of the questions and became thoughtful. After a silence he said, ‘I don’t know… You tell me.’

‘The perfect never say anything of themselves. They only say what the Spirit inspires them to say?’

At this point Father Stratonicos evidently entered into the state of which Father Silouan was speaking. A new mystery of the spiritual life, unknown to him till then, was disclosed to him. He saw his shortcomings in the past. He realised how far he still was from perfection – that perfection which he had sometimes thought to possess because of his obvious superiority over other monks (and he had been in contact with many remarkable ascetics). He cast Father Silouan a grateful look.

Once the first question had been resolved in the depths of his soul by his actually experiencing what Father Silouan meant, thanks to the latter’s prayer, it was easy enough for him to master the other two.

— Excerpt from: Saint Silouan the Athonite (p. 57)

A monk is one who prays for the whole world … The Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, accords the monk the love of the Holy Spirit, and because of this love his heart continually sorrows over people, because not all will find salvation. The Lord Himself so grieved for man that He gave Himself up to death on the cross. And the Mother of God likewise mourned in her heart … The Lord gave the same Holy Spirit to the Apostles and our holy Fathers and pastors of the Church … This is our service to the world. And because neither pastors of the Church nor monks may engage in worldly affairs but must follow the example of the Mother of God, who in the temple, in the holy of holies, meditated day and night in the law of the Lord.

— Excerpt from: Saint Silouan the Athonite (p. 222)

Revelation concerning God declares, ‘God is love’, ‘God is light, and in him is no darkness at all’. How difficult for us mortals to agree with this! Difficult, for both our own personal life and the life of the world around us would appear to testify to the contrary.

Indeed, where is this light of the Father’s love if we all, approaching the end of our lives, in bitterness of heart can lament with Job, ‘My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart … If I wait, the grave is mine house . . . Where is now my hope?’ And that which from my youth my heart has sought secretly but fervently – ‘Who shall see it?’

Christ Himself attests that God is concerned for all creation, that He does not ignore a single small bird, that He clothes the grass of the field, and His concern for people is so incomparably great that ‘the very hairs of our head are all numbered’.

But where is this Providence that is attentive to the last detail? We are all of us crushed by the spectacle of evil walking unrestrained up and down the world. Millions of lives that have often hardly begun – before they are even aware of living — are strangled with incredible ferocity.

So whyever is this absurd life given to us?

And lo, the soul longs to meet God and ask Him, ‘Why didst Thou give me life? … I am surfeited with suffering. Enveloped in darkness. Why dost Thou hide Thyself from me? I know that Thou art good but wherefore art Thou so indifferent to my pain?’

‘Why art Thou so . . . cruel and merciless toward me?’

‘I cannot fathom thee.’

— Excerpt from: Saint Silouan the Athonite

Reviews (30)

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Customers overwhelmingly praise "Saint Silouan the Athonite" as a profound and essential spiritual guide, offering deep insights and answering theological questions. Many consider it a timeless classic, comparable to foundational Christian texts, providing immense hope and inspiration. Reviewers also frequently commend the book's beautiful physical quality, robust binding, and the excellent, caring service received.

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United Kingdom (UK)
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Mark Lindsell (verified owner) – 4 days ago

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One of the best books I've read in my entire Christian life
I started reading this book in March 2026. It’s now October 2026 and I’m near to finishing it. I was told one had to read this book in small doses, and that is absolutely true. I have been a follower of Christ since 1973 (53 years). I am a Protestant believer but have studied Orthodoxy for 30+ years. I was a minister in a Protestant denomination with academic degrees. I have read widely (I only mention this because of what I am about to say – it means very little to me now). I can honestly say that this book with the writings / thoughts / insights of St Silouan is just about one of the best Christian books I have ever read. It has shattered me spiritually and encouraged me at the same time. Yesterday I read the chapter on spiritual warfare and I have to say it was not what I expected. It was a thousand times more than I had expected. I saw so much about myself: pride, arrogance and all the rest which you don’t want to know about. Our warfare is not just against the devils, but against our own flesh. God is using this book to change me, and I give Him all the glory and praise!

I shall be re-reading this book as soon as I have finished it. It will be my constant companion alongside my Bible and prayer book. I recommend it to everyone. It is truly a book of endless spiritual treasure. Thank you for making it available.

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Lucia Dunn (verified owner) – 1 week ago

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“keep thy mind in hell ,and despair not “ A lesson in hope
There are some books that you pick up at the wrong time, and somehow the words just don’t reach you. Then, months later, you open the same book again and suddenly it speaks to you in a completely different way.

This is what happened to me with Saint Silouan the Athonite. It had been sitting on my bookshelf for a few months, and although I had always intended to read it, I just wasn’t drawn to it yet. Then one day I started, and I found myself completely absorbed.

What has struck me most is how deeply personal and human St Silouan’s spiritual journey feels. His struggles, his longing for God, his humility, his moments of suffering and the incredible depth of his love and compassion make you realise that holiness is not about being untouched by struggle. It is about how we turn to God in the middle of it.

The chapter “Keep thy mind in hell, and despair not” had a particularly profound effect on me. I kept coming back to those words. At first they sound so severe, but the more I reflected on them, the more I understood that they are actually words of immense hope.

To recognise our own weakness and failures honestly, without making excuses or running away from them, but at the same time never to despair of God’s mercy. To be humble without losing hope. That is something I feel I will carry with me.

I think perhaps I was simply ready for this book now. And that has made me think about spiritual reading in a different way too. Sometimes it isn’t the book that has changed: it is us. We read something at one point in our lives and it passes over us, and then at another moment, the very same words can reach somewhere deep inside us.

This is a book I don’t feel I have simply “finished”. I know I will go back to it, slowly, perhaps opening it at different times and finding something new each time.

And apart from everything it contains, the edition from the Monastery of St John the Baptist in Essex is simply beautiful. There is something very special about holding a book connected with that place and with the spiritual tradition of St Sophrony and St Silouan.

It has become one of those books that I know I will treasure for the rest of my life.
Lucia Volpi Dunn

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Iain Webb (verified owner) – 5 days ago

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Saint Silouan The Athonite
I have not read yet as I’m currently on The Way of a Pilgrim. However, what I will say is “ The book came beautifully packaged and arrived as expected, in first class condition “.

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Evroulla (verified owner) – 6 days ago

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St Silouan book.
Haven’t had the chance to read yet as I’m reading another but it was Beautifully packaged. Cannot wait to read this book.

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Ray Farah (verified owner) – 4 weeks ago

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A must read for any Person during their lifetime.
This book has been an incredible spiritual guide. Moreover, it answered a plentitude of Theological questions that I had, some of which I was not aware that I had–lying in the back of my mind, which was a help beyond description. Saints Silouan and Sophrony pray for us!

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James Burgess (verified owner) – 5 months ago

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Saint Siliouan
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Radu Iacob (verified owner) – 5 months ago

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The best spiritual book
After the Bible, I believe every Christian—not only Christians, in fact—should read at least once The Sayings of the Desert Fathers and this book. It is an essential spiritual work for every soul seeking the Truth and searching for salvation.

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Sonny (verified owner) – 5 months ago

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Saint Siliouan
I honestly can’t believe just how stunning the quality of these books are.

I treasure mine dearly.

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Adam Garber (verified owner) – 8 months ago

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This book is a timeless classic for Orthodoxy. It really speaks to the heart. If I’m ever asked questions about Orthodoxy I cannot help but think of this book. For lack of better words, the life of St Silouan shows us the goal and fruit of the Christian life.

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Patrick Mclean (verified owner) – 10 months ago

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Excellent service. Thank you. I was very happy to get a hard back book of St. Silouan that was very much like the original.

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