Letters of St. Anthony, Elder of Optina

Preface to the Letters of St. Anthony, Elder of Optina

Father Hegumen Anthony, whose letters to various persons are offered here, came from a pious merchant family. In the 21st year of his life (in 1816) he withdrew from the world, and spent more than five years in the Roslav forests, in labors and exploits of severe wilderness life together with his elder brother Fr. Moses. Later, again together with him, he was one of the first founders and workers of the Forerunner Skete at the Optina Hermitage, in which he was also the head for 14 years, having lived there for only 18 years. Here a terrible, painful illness befell him in his legs, exhausted by many years of asceticism, an illness that lasted about 30 years, that is, until his very death, and which caused him severe sufferings, which he endured with amazing patience and good humor, without abandoning his voluntary, monastic feats and labors, and occupations in his office. In 1839, in spite of his ill condition, he, to his great sorrow, was appointed hegumen of the Maloyaroslavets Nikolaevsky monastery, and for 13 years he bore the very burdensome burden of abbess. He spent the last 12 years of his life in retirement in the Optina Hermitage, where he reposed in the Lord in 1865 on the night of August 8.

From the time when Fr. Anthony lived at Optina Skete, many people, both lay and monastic, looking at his life, began to turn to him for spiritual advice. In his humility, Fr. Anthony always, as far as possible, evaded the high duty of spiritual guidance; but on the other hand, out of love for his neighbors, he could not despise their requests and spiritual needs; and therefore he did not refuse, as far as his strength permitted, to give both verbally and in writing his spiritual edifications to those who turned to him with faith. Having received an insufficient, primary education (at home) in his childhood, Fr. Anthony subsequently supplemented the scarcity of it with constant, attentive reading of the Fathers and other generally useful books, and many years of experience; moreover, he possessed the gift of natural eloquence, or even sweet speech. His word, both oral and written, was simple and soft in its nature, always dissolved in spiritual salt, and was distinguished by a special kind of accuracy and peculiar expressiveness and power; and often in a simple, or even humorous form, it contained a high edification. Everyone felt that Fr. Anthony's teachings, oral and written, were the fruit of many years of monastic labor, an experienced knowledge of the writings of the Fathers, the personal, attentive observation of all kinds of people, and a monastic active life and understanding. Often, both in letters and in conversations, he cited as an example, in a joking way, himself and his infirmities; but those who knew him understood well that, in covering up his strict monastic life in this way, he had in mind the spiritual benefit of his neighbors: speaking as if of himself, he expressed useful lessons to others.

The letters of Fr. Hegumen Anthony, which are now being published, were in all probability not intended for publication by him. But knowing from experience how useful and precious at the present time are the true, spiritual knowledge and sincere words of such an ascetic, we consider ourselves not entitled to conceal the obscurity of these letters; and we think that in publishing them, we do not act contrary to the will of the deceased Elder, because from his very life we see that he was always ready to do everything possible on his own, in which he saw the spiritual benefit of his neighbors, and wished to do good to them even after death.

From the letters delivered to us, when they were printed, what relates to the private circumstances of the persons to whom it was written, and therefore has a special meaning only for them; And only that which can contain spiritual edification common to all, according to our extreme understanding, is placed. From the correspondence of the letters, it turned out that some postscripts (Post scriptum) were placed in the wrong places; But this does not interfere with anything.

To all those who have given us the letters of Fr. Hegumen Anthony that they have in their possession, we offer our sincere gratitude; And we, for our part, ask our readers to cover with Christian indulgence all the errors and shortcomings that will be found in this edition.

Optina Hermitage, March 9, 1868

1. Glory to God for everything

I bring you my congratulations on the upcoming feast of the Nativity of Christ, which God grant you to greet and see off with a joyful heart; and then vouchsafe you to begin the New Year in the renewal of the spirit. The current year has been little gratifying for you, and the new one is not yet known what it will be; About him, as about a newborn baby, it is impossible to say definitively whether he will be pleasant or not! This, only as it grows, can be judged. However, whatever it may be, we must endure everything with childlike obedience, both pleasant and unpleasant, and glorify the good God for everything, that is, if any sorrow or illness has come upon us, let us say: Glory to Thee, O Lord! Have sorrows and sicknesses multiplied, again: Glory to Thee, O Lord! Joyless sorrows and illnesses have intensified and lead to the grave, again: Glory to Thee, O Lord! for after death we shall live forever and rejoice in the brightness of the Saints. And therefore, no matter what happens to us, let us thank God for everything and say: Glory to Thee, O Lord!

December 19, 1853

2. Peace and love in the home are the joy of the Angels, and the enemy is a sharp knife

You inform me that you and E.G. have remained in the inherited house as full owners, of which thank God! For the master is in the house, as Adam is in paradise. May God grant that this joy of yours may continue longer and longer. But it is remarkable that in which house peace and love are preserved with each other, it is like a sharp knife in the throat of the devil. And therefore he is already trying to shake you well through N. He, the devil, set up your peasants at the very beginning to resist the new owners and not to pay the former tribute. Wherefore ye pray earnestly unto the Lord God, and humbly beseech Him, saying, Our Father, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; For it is Thine, that Thou hast mercy on us and saved us from all His wiles.