The book “minimum” of an Orthodox person is the Gospel (or the entire New Testament) and a prayer book. Maybe also the Psalter. This does not mean that they themselves guarantee you a correct spiritual life, but without them you will definitely not have a correct spiritual life. The Gospel is the Word of God and the basis of foundations. A prayer book is a collection of prayer rules. The Psalter is comfort and support for the soul at any time of the day.
However, if you come to a large Orthodox store - for example, “Trinity Book” at the Moscow Compound of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, you will see that there are thousands of Orthodox books. It's easy to get lost in this diversity.
One of the halls of the Trinity Book store at the Moscow Compound of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra in Moscow
Let's try to help.
We have selected several books that, in our opinion, are the “best” of those written in the 20th or 21st centuries, and they are a must-read for every Christian.
Of course, “The best Orthodox books” is a relative concept. First of all, it is subjective. These are not necessarily the books with the highest circulation and not necessarily written by saints or about saints. First of all, we believe that these are very powerful books that can inspire everyone to spiritual life, and perhaps even convert a non-believer. All of them are understandable to modern people (they were written recently, their language and realities are similar to ours), but at the same time they carry the full depth of Christian teaching.
All these Orthodox books are a real spiritual treasury. We don't want this to sound like a ranking, but they really are the best of the best in some ways.
Is there any book that we, in your opinion, have unfairly forgotten about? Write in the comments!
The best books about Orthodoxy written in the 20th and 21st centuries
"Elder Silouan"
Perhaps this is the best Orthodox book that has been written in the last 100 years. Its author is Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov, an elder hesychast who spent part of his life there and labored there in the most severe manner.
Later, he wrote a book, which he dedicated to his confessor, the Rev., calling it “Elder Silouan.” Formally, this is the life of St. Silouan. However, the life story of the elder in it is only an excuse to talk about Christian teaching and spiritual life in general.
The uniqueness of the book is that Elder Sophrony describes such depths and laws of spiritual life, beyond which words already fall apart and only eternity remains. They did the same thing in their books and, but these are the first centuries of Christianity and it is difficult for an unprepared person to read them and is not always necessary. And the book “Elder Silouan” is relatively simple in this regard.
Saint Silouan of Athos was from Russia and asceticised on Athos at the beginning of the 20th century
The second part of the book is the amazing writings of the saint himself, which were discovered only after his death in his cell.
Lord, give me Your humility, may Your love dwell in me... It is hard to live without love for God; the soul is gloomy and boring; but when love comes, then it is impossible to describe the joy of the soul.
from the writings of St. Silouan
In Soviet times, the book was circulated in samizdat and converted many to faith. Now it is available in all major Orthodox stores and online stores in Russia.
"The Life of Paisius the Holy Mountain"
This is also a book about an Athonite saint, which was also written by an Athonite monk - and therefore the spirit of monasticism, the spirit of Athos, and the life of Elder Paisius are very well conveyed in it.
He died quite recently. He was an amazing monk. There are hundreds of testimonies of healings through his prayers, cases of clairvoyance and other miracles that do not fit into our usual framework. He was seen rising above the ground or being in two places at once. Some pilgrims who stayed in his house overnight heard demons coming to the elder - knocking on the roof and making all sorts of noise. Elder Paisios might not appear on film if the photograph was taken without a blessing: there is a photograph, everything is depicted on it, but in the place of the saint there is nothing.
These are all miracles that, of course, can impress everyone. But most importantly, Elder Paisius was an image of incredible self-denial, humility and love. A real Christian. The pilgrims fell in love with him because he spoke to everyone in the most understandable, living and modern language. When appropriate, I tried to joke. When necessary, he was as direct or strict as possible.
The book “The Life of Paisius the Holy Mountain” consists of two parts. One of them tells the life path of this saint - from birth to death - and this is a very fascinating story (in addition, it contains many memories of the elder). The second part consists of stories about his help to pilgrims and Orthodox Christians - both during his life and after his death.
Many books have been written about St. Paisius, including great lives. But this one is the best.
"Thoughts of a Christian"
This is not a book in the literal sense of the word, but a spiritual diary - or rather, excerpts from it. They were written by one of the most revered Russian saints - the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, who died shortly before the revolution.
Divine services, everyday life, joys, illnesses, hardships - everything can be found on these pages.
A holy man lives and writes holy. Therefore, every page is permeated with love for God and Love in general.
Thousands and thousands of Christians went to Saint John of Kronstadt for blessing and help. Everyone who spoke to him received healing or consolation.
Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt (1829-1909) is one of the most famous non-monastic pastors in the history of the Russian Church.
We also have the opportunity to come into contact with the elder. All you need to do is buy this book. On its pages you can meet this saint like this - at a distance and through time. And thus - through the lines of his diary - receive a kind of blessing!
Your Lord is Love, love Him and all people in Him as His children in Christ. Your Lord is Fire; do not be cold in heart, but burn with faith and love. Your Lord is Light; do not walk in darkness or do anything in darkness of mind, without reasoning and understanding or without faith. Your Lord is the God of mercy and bounty; be a source of mercy and generosity for your neighbors. If you do this, you will receive salvation with eternal glory.
from the book “Thoughts of a Christian”
"Conversations on the Gospel of Mark"
This book can be called a very good textbook. Not in the sense that there are hundreds of boring pages hidden under the cover. Vice versa! This is one of the most lively and touching Orthodox books. It was written shortly before the war by the holy martyr Vasily of Kineshma.
Formally, these are conversations on one of the Gospels - written by the Apostle Mark. However, as in the case of the book “Elder Silouan,” comments on the Gospel story are only an excuse to systematically present Orthodox teaching.
And if Sophrony (Sakharov) wrote about Christianity from the depths of the Athonite hesychast experience and by that time was already in England, then Hieromartyr Vasily compiled this book in the Soviet Union - for his own spiritual children, Soviet people from villages, villages and small towns.
The result is a book that will definitely be close and understandable to every heart.
"Unholy Saints"
This is perhaps the best missionary book in the entire history of Christianity - if this quality is measured by circulation.
The first edition of the book was published in 2011 and immediately sold out. The same thing happened with the second and third editions, which were released next.
Now I can’t even believe it - in the Moscow metro you could meet a person with this book almost every day. It was read by both Orthodox Christians and even those who had never been to church.
Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) spoke on his pages about the people he met during his life. These were the monks in the Pskov-Pechersk Lavra, where he labored for some time, and the elders whom he saw there or about whom he heard stories. Several chapters are devoted to laymen - “the simplest” and celebrities.
It turned out to be a kind and full of love book. But the main thing (and this is probably why everyone loved her) is that there is not a drop of such artificial sweetness in her. This is just a book about goodness and miracles - which really happened. And in fact, they happen all the time around us!
To date, the book has already been published in 2,500,000 copies and has been translated into many languages.
“Letters of Archimandrite John (Krestyankin)”
Elder John was one of the most revered monks in Soviet and post-Soviet times. People also came to him from all over the country. Those who could not come wrote letters. And he, a strong-willed monk and seer, tried to answer everyone.
All his letters are simple and understandable. There are few words in them - only the essence. There are no fancy ideas or polite evasions in his letters. He answers people directly, sometimes even sharply - if he understands that only a firm answer without sentimentality can guide or save a person.
Archimandrite John (Peasant).
A big plus of letters is that it is clear from them exactly what question the person addressed to the elder with. This makes them not only more interesting, but also more useful. Some people ask about marriage, others about divorce. Some are about studying, others are about which path to choose. Some are complaining, some are confused...
Perhaps many of you will find answers to your own questions on these pages.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the most useful Orthodox books.
"Inspired at the Trinity"
In some ways this book is similar to Unholy Saints. Although it is more correct to compare them in reverse order, because the book “Inspired at the Trinity” was written much earlier - back in Soviet times. And some people think that she is better.
This book was written by Archimandrite Tikhon (Agrikov) from the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra and dedicated it to the monks of this monastery. Moreover, only to those who have already died. And the death of the hero is an integral and important part of every story, because death is the path to Eternity.
Someone he writes about is an old man. Someone is a very young monk.
On the one hand, this book does not have the outward showiness of “Unholy Saints.” But the depth of the narrative here is incomparably higher. Every line is filled with love. Each page conveys the pure monastic spirit - with all its depth, joy and trials.
"Father Arseny"
The book tells about a very difficult time for our Church - Stalinist repressions.
It is unknown who wrote it. Whether Father Arseny was real or a fictional character is also unknown.
Someone says that “Father Arseny” is a book that is not indisputable in its own way and that it was edited under the supervision of the KGB - since in some places it sympathizes with the “good security officers.” But all this, believe me, is absolutely unprincipled.
In Soviet times, this book was also circulated in “samizdat” and was passed from hand to hand.
Now it can be found in many stores. We highly recommend reading it, because it introduces the reader not only to a certain time, but also to the human soul as a whole. With those vices that are revealed in certain people, and with those incredible powers to love that the Lord gives a person - and supports him in the most difficult - sometimes it seems unbearable - conditions. Its pages tell a deep story.
If we take Orthodox literature, the book “Father Arseny” is one of the best.
Read this and other posts in our group at
Of the three notebooks of the Diary of Novice Nikolai Mitrofanovich Belyaev (1888–1931) (later Hieromonk Nikon, the last confessor of the Optina Monastery before its closure in 1927, confessor; canonized in the host of the Reverend Elders of Optina by the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1996), only one from which several initial pages have been lost. But even on the basis of the surviving text, it is possible to form a fairly complete picture about the spiritual quest of the future elder, about his first steps in the ascetic life, about his relationship with his spiritual mentor, which is exceptional for our time. Two bright images vividly appear before the reader - the head of the Optina monastery, the confessor of the monastery, an elder both in spiritual and physical age, Venerable. Barsanuphius and, on the other hand, a twenty-year-old youth, a seeker of Truth, who decided to take the path of not only rational, but active knowledge of It. The diary reflections of the novice Nicholas himself and, even more so, the instructions of Elder Barsanuphius recorded by him represent one of the last valuable pages of the two thousand-year-old spiritual tradition of the Orthodox Church - the tradition of struggling with passions, making commandments, prayer...
But any diary is always a personal, more or less subjective document. This is an almost daily series of all - not only bright, but also negative experiences, all - not only true, but also erroneous judgments and thoughts. In addition, the author of the diary, even if we are talking about a holy ascetic, writes, as a rule, only for himself, hardly thinking about how what he wrote can be understood and perceived by another person. In addition, a diary is also a collection of small details (facts, observations, comments), which, although perhaps important milestones in the fate of this particular person, are unlikely to be of significant significance for people living in other conditions, in other times. era.
Therefore, when preparing this publication for publication, we did not consider it necessary to publish the full author’s text. The following were omitted from the original: firstly, minor (everyday, biographical, etc.) details that would have increased the volume of an already considerable book and therefore would have made it less accessible to a wide range of readers; secondly, facts, observations, thoughts that are of a purely personal nature (complicated relationships with brother Ivan, negative assessments given to specific individuals, examples of fatherly love and care of Elder Barsanuphius towards the author, etc.) - publish them , in our opinion, is simply indelicate; thirdly, some judgments by Rev. Barsanuphius, which, reflecting the individual traits of his own spiritual and life make-up, are not entirely consistent with the experience of the majority of Orthodox saints, and therefore could, in our opinion, become a “stumbling block” for many readers; finally, those places in which the author’s thought is not expressed clearly enough and therefore can be distorted and reinterpreted.
At the same time, it should be especially emphasized that when preparing the Diary for publication and editing it, we were guided solely by considerations of spiritual and moral expediency, and not by “censorship” concerns. Unlike the editors of the book “The Diary of the Last Confessor of the Optina Hermitage” (St. Petersburg, 1994), which is precisely an example of strict and very tendentious censorship, we have preserved in our publication all (apparently, seemed too “edgy”) passages from the “Diary” ", which touch upon complex issues of Russian history (for example, the so-called Jewish question), and pressing problems of church life (the decline of monasticism, the lack of genuine spiritual leadership, the disastrous state of spiritual education, the corruption of morals in Russian society and the people as a whole, etc. .).
We hope that this publication will be interesting and, most importantly, useful not only to everyone already walking along the path of spiritual life, but also to everyone looking for this path, to everyone preparing to follow it.
Andrey Pogozhev 07/11/2018, 11:20
Orthodox literature is multifaceted. Here you can find both light humorous stories and deep literature that is difficult for the unprepared mind.
Many authors sometimes disagree in their thoughts about God, which is why interesting disputes arise. One priest can write that all illnesses are sent to us by the Lord as punishment for sins. Another, on the contrary, will show you the idea that the Lord does not punish anyone for anything, because He is Love. If you become interested in reading Orthodox books, then you will probably have something to discuss with other Orthodox readers.
To understand the variety of books, we offer you a list of the main ones. These books have been bestsellers for many years. They also contain references to more complex books. So, after reading books for beginners, you can determine for yourself a list of more in-depth literature.
Books about the Orthodox faith
Archimandrite Andrey Koanos in recent years he has become the most read and quoted living author in the Orthodox community. He lives in Greece and hosts a morning radio show. His books fill you with joy and love. We recommend starting with the book “God Will Not Leave You.”
Alexey Ilyich Osipov- one of the most famous modern theologians. Gives lectures and writes books. We recommend reading it if you are interested in the questions “what does the soul feel after death?”, “who is the tempting serpent in the Old Testament?”, “how does Orthodox teaching differ from Catholic teaching?” This author's most popular book is God.
Archpriest Alexander Torik, judging by the reviews of readers, he led many to faith with a series of books about Flavian. These are half fiction, half documentary books about how two childhood friends met. One became a businessman, the other a priest. And so, gradually, from book to book, a person from the world plunges deeper and deeper into the spiritual world.
Archpriest Andrey Tkachev He writes a lot, hosts a show on the Spas channel, and actively publishes on the website Pravoslavie.Ru. In his books you will find answers to questions about life after death, about sins, about relationships between spouses, about children, about the church and much more. In the book “Fugitive from the World,” Andrei Takchev discusses reading secular literature. Could this be of spiritual benefit to the believer?
Priest Daniil Sysoev, who suffered a martyr's death, left behind a literary legacy for all aspiring Christians. He was a missionary and told people far from the faith about sin, about God, about Orthodoxy. His most famous book is “Instructions for Immortals, or What to Do if You Still Died.” It talks about what awaits us after death.
Archpriest Alexey Uminsky specializes in questions about family and education. Many of his books are devoted to how to create a happy Orthodox family and build relationships with children. However, the most popular book by this author is the brochure “Divine Liturgy. Explanation of the meaning”, in which Alexey Uminsky talks about proskomedia, antiphon, Eucharist, litany and other things incomprehensible to a beginning Christian.
Priest Valery Dukhanin- Candidate of Theology, specializes in spiritual things hidden from view. Among his works one can find books about the occult and corruption. But the most famous book of this author is “The Hidden World of Orthodoxy,” which provides answers to questions about the meaning of life, the creation of the world, and prayer.
Bible Interpretations
The main book in Orthodoxy is the New Testament. It contains the Gospel, which tells about the earthly life of Jesus Christ, as well as the acts and revelations of the apostles. The New Testament, together with the Old Testament, is part of the Bible. And all the books together are usually called the Holy Scriptures.
To better understand the books of Holy Scripture, it is recommended to read them together with interpretations. The interpretations tell us how to correctly understand the words of Christ and the apostles, as well as the historical era in which the events described took place. For example, what laws and customs existed during the Trial of Christ, what the Roman Empire was like, which opposed the apostles, and other points.
Orthodox fiction
Orthodox prose is the most popular section of spiritual literature. Most of all, people like to read stories from parish life, written with both humor and deep meaning.
For many people, the world of Orthodox, spiritual literature is mysterious. After all, we don’t get to know him at school or college. The abundance of books published today by Orthodox publishing houses raises many questions: where to start with your self-education? Are all books useful for a layman to read? We are talking about this with Bishop of Pokrovsky and Nikolaevsky Pachomius.
— The concept of “spiritual literature” is quite broad. This is a whole series of books on various topics. Often, spiritual literature includes the works of holy ascetics, who set forth in them the experience of their spiritual life. The main criterion for the spirituality of literature is its compliance with the gospel spirit. These books help you understand the Gospel, get to know the Divine world, improve spiritually, learn prayer, and most importantly, learn to compare your actions with the commandments of Christ.
In the modern world, the concepts of “spirituality” and “spiritual development” have acquired a slightly different meaning than that which is put into it in Christianity. An Orthodox person puts into the concept of “spirituality” the development of the human soul, its desire for God. Therefore, we can probably talk about Muslim and Buddhist spirituality. This is what the authors of the course Basics of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics proceed from today, assuming the presence of confessional spirituality. And talking about some kind of abstract spirituality, when a person simply imagines images, concepts of some vague spiritual life, is not serious. Sometimes this can even lead to tragedy. Because, not wanting to understand the spiritual, supernatural world, a person can fall under the power of fallen spirits and be seriously damaged.
— Where should a person begin to get acquainted with the world of spiritual literature: from serious works or from the basics?
— The first spiritual book that every person needs to read is the Gospel. Then it’s worth getting acquainted with the interpretation of Holy Scripture. Because the Gospel is a rather specific book, it contains many deep images, historical allusions, and examples. In order to understand them, you need to have a certain skill, knowledge, and conceptual apparatus. Many patristic works allow us to correctly interpret the Holy Scriptures and help us understand what Christ is telling us and teaching us. You can recommend, for example, the works of St. John Chrysostom or Theophylact of Bulgaria.
And then we need to go on a broad front. On the one hand, church life is determined by external actions, a set of rules of external behavior. A lot of good literature is being published on this subject these days. You should definitely read “The Law of God,” which tells us what a temple is, how to behave correctly in it, how to confess and receive communion.
The second important direction is the development of a person’s inner spiritual life. Because you can learn to observe all the rules of external Christian piety, but at the same time not really understand what is happening in the Church and what spiritual life is. It is imperative to become familiar with patristic literature. Every Christian needs to read “The Ladder” by St. John Climacus, “Soulful Teachings” by Abba Dorotheos, “Invisible Warfare” by Nicodemus the Holy Mountain. Because this is a kind of primer of spiritual life. In order to apply the Gospel in your life, you need the example of ascetics, whose works, exploits, and quests we meet on the pages of spiritual books.
— Modern people often refer to the lack of time that could be allocated for serious reading. What would you suggest?
— I don’t think that this is a problem only for modern people; it’s unlikely that there was more time in ancient times. There is only one piece of advice: start reading and devote even the shortest, but still constant time to it during the day. For example, for 10-20 minutes before going to bed, anyone can read “Soulful Teachings” by Abba Dorotheus. You know, when they talk about modern man, I always remember a scene from the cartoon about Prostokvashino: “I’m so tired at work that I barely have the strength to watch TV.”
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— Fulfilling any order is always associated with certain difficulties. It is always difficult to do things that cause difficulties. And when we read about the fulfillment of a certain virtue - such as love towards one's neighbor, forgiveness, humility - it is always difficult. But here it’s worth remembering the Russian proverb: “You can’t pull a fish out of a pond without difficulty.” Therefore, the main principle here is: read it - start, even with the smallest thing. The man says: “I can’t pray, I don’t have enough time.” Start praying with one or two prayers, reading with one or two pages a day. So that you do not become like people who are always learning and can never come to the knowledge of the truth (see: 2 Tim. 3:7). Priests are often asked: “How to learn humility?” You cannot do this without starting to humble yourself in front of your boss, husband, wife, children, and everyday difficulties. So it is with other virtues.
—Can serious ascetic labors harm a person? After all, sometimes you can hear the following statement: “These are books for monks; it is better for lay people not to read them.”
- No, I think that spiritual books cannot harm a person. You can also say: “Can the works of professors and scientists harm a schoolchild starting to study physics?” Everything has its time, and everyone has their own measure. A beginning Christian needs to read spiritual literature. And although by definition it is almost entirely monastic, what is written in it can be applied to any Christian. After all, by and large, how does a monk differ from a layman? Only a celibate life. All the rest of the instructions that are offered in spiritual literature are valid for both the monk and the layman.
But at the same time, you need to understand perfectly well that the main virtue, which the holy fathers often write about, is reasoning. You need to be able to correctly evaluate what you read. Man is designed in such a way that it is always easier to perceive extremes. Since the book was written by a monk, and I am not a monk, then I don’t need to read it. Often such a thought becomes a reason, an excuse, that the small measure of spiritual development that I have determined for myself is enough for me. But if we open the Gospel, we will see that Christ calls man to perfection. Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect (Matt. 5:48).
— It’s difficult to say about each person. Perhaps we can call it the Gospel for everyone. By the way, you can meet many people who call themselves churchgoers, but have never read the Gospel or Holy Scripture. I think calling yourself a Christian and not reading the Gospel, knowing how to read, is very shameful. And then you need to get acquainted with the interpretations of the Holy Scriptures, and with hagiographic historical literature, which makes it possible to evaluate your life using the examples of pious ascetics. You need to be interested in modern church literature and read periodicals. There is a lot of literature, and the main thing is to set priorities correctly. Help with this should be provided by a priest with whom a person can meet in church and have a thoughtful conversation.
Unfortunately, today people read little at all, and therefore there are few people interested in spiritual literature. Therefore, it is important that the priest in the church tells parishioners about the benefits of spiritual reading, about new books, and about spiritual writers. There should be a good library at the temple, a selection of books on a candle box or in a church shop. The assortment of books sold on the candle box always gives an opportunity to understand how the parish lives. In private conversations with parishioners during non-liturgical times or during confession, the priest should recommend spiritual books.
— We are now celebrating Orthodox Book Day. Various events will be held by the parishes of the Intercession Diocese. How can every Christian celebrate this holiday?
— The most direct way: take a spiritual book and start reading it.
If until this day you have been putting off regular reading of Christian literature, then two reasons have appeared for this grace-filled deed. Firstly, March 14th— Orthodox Book Day. The holiday is very young, introduced 4 years ago. But reading for a Christian is an important part of spiritual work. And now, the other day, a wonderful time for spiritual exploits begins!
The most important book for a Christian should undoubtedly be the Holy Scripture. In addition, these are patristic works, the lives of saints. In addition, recently a lot of different books by Orthodox authors have appeared on the book market. And, of course, we must remember that not all of them are equally valuable. Among these books there are completely non-Orthodox in essence, there are those in which genuine Orthodox teaching is mixed with occult or pseudoscientific ideas. Every person has their own favorite books. According to the website lib.pravmir.ru, we offer you 10 most read modern books, useful in spiritual work.
1. - book by Archimandrite Tikhon Shevkunov. Published in 2011. The book aroused great interest among the reading public. Thus, by October 2012, the total circulation of the book was one million one hundred thousand copies. As Archimandrite Tikhon himself said: “I told almost all the stories that were included in the book during sermons. All this is part of our church life.”
2. is the last work of the Orthodox author Viktor Likhachev, who passed away in 2008. The writer did not have time to finish his book, but he hoped that everyone who reads it would recognize himself in it, feel that boundless love for Russia, for the Russian village that the author had, and let into his heart faith in God and hope that that the Angels, our heavenly patrons, will never leave us...
3. " Prologue in teachings for every day of the year"— the book was compiled in 2007 by Archpriest Viktor Guryev. “Prologue” is an ancient Russian hagiographic collection, originating from Byzantine month books, in which the lives of saints are arranged in accordance with the days of their church memory. In addition, the “Prologue” is decorated with understandable and often entertaining passages from the ancient Patericons, parables imbued with thoughts of repentance, mercy, Christian love for one’s neighbor, spiritual perfection and salvation of the soul.
4. "Father Arseny"- this book, published from the pen of an unknown author, clearly shows the reader the triumph of love over evil, life over death. Father Arseny is the image of a holy elder - a zealous man of prayer, sober, meek, who has completely surrendered himself into the hands of God. The first editions spread throughout Russia and beyond its borders and made the book “Father Arseny” one of the most beloved in the Orthodox world.
5. "Soul after death"(O. Seraphim Rose) - there is probably no book that so clearly, accessiblely and understandably reveals a person’s post-mortem experience and gives the concept of the angelic and otherworldly world. The book contains two thousand years of experience of the holy fathers. The publication has a twofold purpose: firstly, from the point of view of Orthodox Christian teaching about the afterlife, to provide an explanation of modern “posthumous” experiences that have aroused such interest in some religious and scientific circles; secondly, cite the main sources and texts containing Orthodox teaching about the afterlife.
6. "Red Easter"(Pavlova N.A.) - it was after this book that the author became widely known. The book is already 11 years old, but it does not lose popularity. It tells the story of the three Optina new martyrs - Hieromonk Vasily and the monks Ferapont and Trofim. These are three completely different people, their paths to God were special. The ascetic life is amazing; many readers note that after this book they immediately want to visit Optina Pustyn.
7. “Who will hear the linnet?”(Likhachev V.V.) — a novel about the Motherland and the Russian soul. He leads the reader along the roads of the Russian province. The main character is drawn into real adventures: he carries a miraculous icon, evading a bandit pursuit... And internally, he goes through the path of spiritual growth: from unbelief to faith, from confusion to blessed peace, from mental blindness and deafness to insight and hearing miracle of God.
8. "Heavenly Paths"(Shmelev I.S.) - a novel about the fate of the skeptic-positivist engineer Viktor Alekseevich Weidenhammer and the believer, meek and internally strong Darinka, a novice of the monastery who left the monastery to connect her life with Viktor Alekseevich. Through suffering and joy, in mysterious and incomprehensible ways to the worldly mind, these heroes are led to the Source of Life. The internal plot of the book is “spiritual warfare” with passions and thoughts, temptations and attacks of dark forces.
9. "Chief of Silence"(Vsevolod Filpyev) - the book addresses eternal questions - love and hatred, loyalty and betrayal, truth and lies. The characters in the book resolve these issues differently and sometimes unexpectedly. An action-packed, realistic narrative draws the reader into the events that take place in the winter of 2002 in Moscow and North America. Together with the heroes, the reader finds himself in St. Petersburg of the 19th century and in the historical times of princes Boris and Gleb. The parable story is intended for a wide range of readers, and everyone is free to interpret it in their own way.
10. "Repentance is left to us"(abbot Nikon Vorobyov) - letters addressed to his spiritual children, laity and monastics. Father Nikon edifies, instructs, calls for repentance and patience, shows what needs to be done, what thoughts need to be kept, consoles, teaches how to properly relate to sorrows: “The Fathers have long said about our times that people will be saved only by sorrows and illnesses. Healthy and happy people forget about God, about the future life: they live as if they will live forever on earth and will never die. And sorrows and illnesses force a person to break away from earthly interests and turn to God... Save your souls through repentance, patience and humility.”
Enjoy reading!
Prayer before reading spiritual books:
Lord Jesus Christ, open the eyes of my heart, so that when I hear Your Word, I understand it and fulfill Your will. Hide not Your commandments from me, but open my eyes, that I may understand the wonders of Your law. Tell me the unknown and secret of Your wisdom! I trust in You, my God, and I believe that You will enlighten my mind and meaning with the light of Your mind, and that then I will not only read what is written, but also fulfill it. Make it so that I do not read the Lives of the Saints and Your Word as a sin, but for renewal and enlightenment, and for holiness, and for the salvation of the soul, and for the inheritance of eternal life. For You, Lord, are the illumination of those who lie in darkness, and from You is every good gift and every perfect gift. Amen.
Veronica VYATKINA