The Way of a Pilgrim (Lychnos, April 2024)

The Way of a Pilgrim “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thess 5:16-17 In many Orthodox settings, it is not uncommon to hear that The Way of a Pilgrim was the first spiritual book someone had read or that it was their first introduction to the Jesus Prayer. This Russian classic, which sets out the Orthodox approach to prayer, has been recognised by Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike as a masterpiece. It details the pilgrimage that the anonymous author takes across Russia, starting from Siberia with the aim of reaching Odessa, that he might go on to the Holy Land. At the onset of this journey, the pilgrim recalls having heard in church the words of St Paul to the Thessalonians: “Pray without ceasing”. These three confronting words led the initially perplexed author to throw himself entirely into the hesychastic tradition with a special focus on the Philokalia, a compilation of monastic writings on prayer. Having then received guidance from a local monastic elder (staretz in Russia), the pilgrim set out to acquire ceaseless prayer through repeating the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner”. Eventually overcoming the initial pain and struggle involved in acquiring true prayer, the pilgrim writes: “I grew so used to the prayer that I went on with it all the time. In the end I felt it going on of its own accord within my mind and in the depths of my heart, without any urging on my part. Not only when I was awake, but even during sleep, ORTHODOX MISSION BOOKSTORE orthodoxbookstore.org.au 217 Bexley Rd, Kingsgrove, Sydney NSW (02) 9787 9779 | Monday – Saturday 10am–2pm

just the same thing went on. Nothing broke into it, and it never stopped even for a single moment, whatever I might be doing. My soul was always giving thanks to God and my heart melted away with unceasing happiness.” After his elder’s passing, the pilgrim recounts the many journeys and trials he endured in his travels after having set out with nothing but a Bible, a prayer rope, and some dried bread. He describes that in each of these trials, the fire that burned within his heart through invoking Christ’s name provided constant solace and peace. He speaks to the people he meets of prayer and the teachings of the Philokalia, always displaying humility, discernment and remarkable clarity in describing the steps to acquiring prayer of the heart. Before being published in Russia in 1884, the manuscript for this remarkable work was initially discovered in the Russian monastery of St Panteleimon on Mt Athos, the same monastic haven in which the Philokalia was compiled. It has been noted that The Way of a Pilgrim is a foretaste to the depths of the Philokalia. The impact of this book and its potential to help those beginning in the way of the Jesus Prayer was recognised by St Joseph the Hesychast, who not only encouraged reading the book but also urged gifting it to others, recognising its potential to kindle the fire of prayer in the inexperienced.