The Saint of the Middle

[Ioustinos]

So often when we read hagiographies of saints - both past and contemporary - we read of their early life and the end of their life with a focus primarily on the exalted experiences of their spiritual lives.

I am wanting to know if there is a book about a saint that details their struggle in the in between years from birth to sainthood. I want to see their struggle not the divine vision. I struggle in my spiritual life and so I cannot relate to the visions of glory. I need a saint of the middle - the place of struggle and pain.

Any suggestions?

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Augustine
St. Francis of Assisi

 

[Phronema]

St. Anthony dealt with demonic attacks during his mid-life per St. Athanasius during his writing on the life of St. Anthony. Not sure if that's exactly what you're looking for, but it's a great book if you have a chance to read it.

Edit: Also, I'm of course not Orthodox, but I lurk in TAW, and in TAW only. I know that doesn't qualify me to answer here in lieu of the Orthodox folks, I'm simply hoping to help

 

[Abel Gkiouzelis]

So often when we read hagiographies of saints - both past and contemporary - we read of their early life and the end of their life with a focus primarily on the exalted experiences of their spiritual lives.

I am wanting to know if there is a book about a saint that details their struggle in the in between years from birth to sainthood. I want to see their struggle not the divine vision. I struggle in my spiritual life and so I cannot relate to the visions of glory. I need a saint of the middle - the place of struggle and pain.

Any suggestions?

Hi! You can read the books about Saint Paisios of Mount Athos, Greece (+1994).

PDF Books & Quotes of Saint Paisios of Mount Athos (+1994) in 13 Languages

 

[jckstraw72]

Fr. Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works is quite detailed, including his pre-Orthodox life where he struggled quite a lot.

St. Silouan had a 15 year struggle. Yes, he had seen the Divine light already, but then that led him into a great struggle of God's seeming absence.

 

[ArmyMatt]

St Porphyrios' Wounded By Love has his life as a young struggler on Mt Athos.

 

[All4Christ]

Hi! You can read the books about Saint Paisios of Mount Athos, Greece (+1994).

PDF Books & Quotes of Saint Paisios of Mount Athos (+1994) in 13 Languages

I also recommend purchasing it to support the monastery. St. Vlad's put out a second edition now.

 

[graphite412]

The book on the life of St. Paisios does have his middle years in it. It mentions his time in the army and his time at St. Catherine's monastery. He also helped rebuild a monastery in Greece in his younger years. It is all fairly intense though, spiritual from start to finish; he never lived a life like a modern, secular American.

https://www.amazon.com/Saint-Paisios-Mount-Athos-Hieromonk/dp/9608976456/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

 

[All4Christ]

The book on the life of St. Paisios does have his middle years in it. It mentions his time in the army and his time at St. Catherine's monastery. He also helped rebuild a monastery in Greece in his younger years. It is all fairly intense though, spiritual from start to finish; he never lived a life like a modern, secular American.

https://www.amazon.com/Saint-Paisios-Mount-Athos-Hieromonk/dp/9608976456/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

It's an intense book as well very good, but also lots of material...700+ pages worth! I'm still in the first section myself.

 

[Phronema]

The book on the life of St. Paisios does have his middle years in it. It mentions his time in the army and his time at St. Catherine's monastery. He also helped rebuild a monastery in Greece in his younger years. It is all fairly intense though, spiritual from start to finish; he never lived a life like a modern, secular American.

https://www.amazon.com/Saint-Paisios-Mount-Athos-Hieromonk/dp/9608976456/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Here's a video on St. Paisios. The video really hit me hard having never heard of St. Paisios, I was blown away to find out he lived during a time that I was alive. So, I really need to read that book. Though for someone who has a little extra time (40 mins) I thought this video was outstanding.

 

[Ioustinos]

Hi! You can read the books about Saint Paisios of Mount Athos, Greece (+1994).

PDF Books & Quotes of Saint Paisios of Mount Athos (+1994) in 13 Languages

The book on the life of St. Paisios does have his middle years in it. It mentions his time in the army and his time at St. Catherine's monastery. He also helped rebuild a monastery in Greece in his younger years. It is all fairly intense though, spiritual from start to finish; he never lived a life like a modern, secular American.

https://www.amazon.com/Saint-Paisios-Mount-Athos-Hieromonk/dp/9608976456/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

It's an intense book as well very good, but also lots of material...700+ pages worth! I'm still in the first section myself.

Here's a video on St. Paisios. The video really hit me hard having never heard of St. Paisios, I was blown away to find out he lived during a time that I was alive. So, I really need to read that book. Though for someone who has a little extra time (40 mins) I thought this video was outstanding.

For those of you who suggested St. Paisios the Athonite, I appreciate your replies. I am aware of his life and have read his biography as well as several books he has authored.

The issue I have with this suggestion is that St. Paisios was quite virtuous even as a small boy. And as you read his life - early years, military service, etc. - you see that virtue on display many, many times.

I am looking for a saint who struggled against the passions. I know all saints struggle against their passions, but that struggle often is skimmed over quickly only to point out their victories against them. The only example I can think of from St. Paisios' life that shows a specific struggle against passion was when he judged a lady from the nearby town because of her licentious desires. Because of this God allowed him to feel the strength of the passion this woman wrestled against and the only way he could distract his mind from the grip of this passion was to take an axe and skin his shin (if I am recalling correctly). This experience led him to repent of his judgement of the woman.

These are the types of saints' lives I wish to read. I want to see their struggles and how they overcame them. Not just the end, but the process which led them to victory.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[Ioustinos]

Fr. Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works is quite detailed, including his pre-Orthodox life where he struggled quite a lot.

St. Silouan had a 15 year struggle. Yes, he had seen the Divine light already, but then that led him into a great struggle of God's seeming absence.

I am interested in the life of Father Seraphim Rose. St. Silouan is difficult to identify with because, as you said, he entered into this stage of spiritual abandonment after seeing the divine light. I know that he committed fornication and almost killed a man prior to entering monasticism, but from Elder Sophrony we only get a glimpse of St. Silouan's life after the vision of divine light and his spiritual struggle from then on. I would like to know how he went from fornicator/violent man to seeing the divine vision. Not that my goal is theoria (at least in this life), but to see how to battle against the flesh and the passions and my own foibles which hinder me in my faith.

 

[Ioustinos]

St Porphyrios' Wounded By Love has his life as a young struggler on Mt Athos.

Not trying to sound repetative but St. Porphyrios is similar to St. Paisios - he demonstrated virtue very early in life. I mean he went to Mt. Athos to live as a boy and so his elder had to lie so that he would not be forced to leave.

One story that does help comes from when he was the priest of the polyclinic and each Sunday a local vendor would blare secular music during the divine liturgy to the point that he was distracted as he served. How he approached the situation is very applicable to our lives. It is the "rubber meets the road" type of hagiographies I would like to read. I believe it was the Apostle Paul who said to the Apostle Timothy, imitate me as I imitate Christ. It would be nice to see the struggles of the saints to that we can imitate them in the pursuit of union with Christ. Not that there is a specific formula we must derivate, because each persons struggles will be different, but rather to model after.

 

[Phronema]

I am interested in the life of Father Seraphim Rose. St. Silouan is difficult to identify with because, as you said, he entered into this stage of spiritual abandonment after seeing the divine light. I know that he committed fornication and almost killed a man prior to entering monasticism, but from Elder Sophrony we only get a glimpse of St. Silouan's life after the vision of divine light and his spiritual struggle from then on. I would like to know how he went from fornicator/violent man to seeing the divine vision. Not that my goal is theoria (at least in this life), but to see how to battle against the flesh and the passions and my own foibles which hinder me in my faith.

I'd like to inquire about your usage of the word "theoria". I'm to understand that the definition of theoria involves contemplative prayer. Why would this be discouraged? Have you perhaps mistaken this word for "theosis"? I mean no offense, I'm genuinely curious.


Edit: 2nd portion of my post didn't make sense considering the OP.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Not trying to sound repetative but St. Porphyrios is similar to St. Paisios - he demonstrated virtue very early in life. I mean he went to Mt. Athos to live as a boy and so his elder had to lie so that he would not be forced to leave.

One story that does help comes from when he was the priest of the polyclinic and each Sunday a local vendor would blare secular music during the divine liturgy to the point that he was distracted as he served. How he approached the situation is very applicable to our lives. It is the "rubber meets the road" type of hagiographies I would like to read. I believe it was the Apostle Paul who said to the Apostle Timothy, imitate me as I imitate Christ. It would be nice to see the struggles of the saints to that we can imitate them in the pursuit of union with Christ. Not that there is a specific formula we must derivate, because each persons struggles will be different, but rather to model after.

sure, but you can see their struggles and whatnot. if you want a really applicable one to our day, I second the life of Fr Seraphim Rose

 

[Ioustinos]

I'd like to inquire about your usage of the word "theoria". I'm to understand that the definition of theoria involves contemplative prayer. Why would this be discouraged? Have you perhaps mistaken this word for "theosis"? I mean no offense, I'm genuinely curious.


Edit: 2nd portion of my post didn't make sense considering the OP.

From my understanding theoria is the vision of the uncreated light of God. While this is ultimately our goal, I say it is not necessarily my goal in this life because very few actually experience this visitation. It is given as a grace of God but typically only after one has been purified from the passions. As a very passionate man, I don't expect to obtain this visitation in this life, but hopefully in His mercy I may behold the Lord in the life to come.

 

[Phronema]

From my understanding theoria is the vision of the uncreated light of God. While this is ultimately our goal, I say it is not necessarily my goal in this life because very few actually experience this visitation. It is given as a grace of God but typically only after one has been purified from the passions. As a very passionate man, I don't expect to obtain this visitation in this life, but hopefully in His mercy I may behold the Lord in the life to come.

Now I'm trackin. Thank you so much.

So, only the Saints have achieved Theoria?

 

[Ioustinos]

Now I'm trackin. Thank you so much.

So, only the Saints have achieved Theoria?

Typically this is the case. Although, this is not achieved merely by personal effort. It ultimately is a gift of God for no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:20) and so he condescends to allow us to see him in theoria.

Also remember that there are many saints of whom we are unaware - people who have purified their hearts before Christ and yet are hidden from the world.

This makes me think of a story I heard about a priest from Greece. He was a professor at a local university and an academic theologian. He was assigned by the local Bishop to serve as the priest of a rural parish. The people of the parish were very simple and uneducated. When he arrived at the parish he wondered how he would be able to "dumb down" the lofty theology of the Orthodox Church so that these simple laymen could understand. One day after liturgy, during coffee hour, the priest began to strike up a conversation with some of the parishioners and they started speaking of this great bright light that they would see during services. The priest recognized that these simple believers were living pure lives and had been granted visitations of the uncreated light.

So its not always just big S saints, but also the everyday saints that often are hidden from the world.

 

[Phronema]

Typically this is the case. Although, this is not achieved merely by personal effort. It ultimately is a gift of God for no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:20) and so he condescends to allow us to see him in theoria.

Also remember that there are many saints of whom we are unaware - people who have purified their hearts before Christ and yet are hidden from the world.

This makes me think of a story I heard about a priest from Greece. He was a professor at a local university and an academic theologian. He was assigned by the local Bishop to serve as the priest of a rural parish. The people of the parish were very simple and uneducated. When he arrived at the parish he wondered how he would be able to "dumb down" the lofty theology of the Orthodox Church so that these simple laymen could understand. One day after liturgy, during coffee hour, the priest began to strike up a conversation with some of the parishioners and they started speaking of this great bright light that they would see during services. The priest recognized that these simple believers were living pure lives and had been granted visitations of the uncreated light.

So its not always just big S saints, but also the everyday saints that often are hidden from the world.

That's truly extraordinary. Thank you for sharing that! I enjoyed reading it.

Also, some of what you wrote I had heard from Deacons on AFR, but the portion about the priest from Greece, I had not. Overall, thank you

 

[ArmyMatt]

From my understanding theoria is the vision of the uncreated light of God. While this is ultimately our goal, I say it is not necessarily my goal in this life because very few actually experience this visitation. It is given as a grace of God but typically only after one has been purified from the passions. As a very passionate man, I don't expect to obtain this visitation in this life, but hopefully in His mercy I may behold the Lord in the life to come.

not only that, but one can also see what God's Light does to the rest of creation. Elder Joseph the hesychast could experience the world as Adam did prior to the Fall, where he could hear the rocks and trees praising God