Volume I

St. Ignatius Brianchaninov 5. II (17. II). 1807 — 30. IV(12. V). 1867

Preface

The reader who is familiar with the Tradition of the Orthodox Eastern Church will easily see that in the Essays offered to his attention there is set forth the teaching of the Holy Fathers on the science of sciences, on monasticism, a teaching applied to the requirements of modernity. The main feature that distinguishes the activity of ancient monasticism from the activity of modern monasticism is that the monastics of the first centuries of Christianity were guided by divinely inspired teachers, and now, remarks St. Nilus of Sorsky in agreement with other later Fathers, monastics should be guided most by the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers, because of the extreme impoverishment of living vessels of Divine grace. The explanation of this trend and the need for it constitutes the main idea of the Experiments throughout their space.

The articles that make up my book were written at different times, for various reasons, mainly about the ascetic questions that arose in the society of monks and God-loving laymen who were in spiritual contact with me. At the end of my earthly pilgrimage, I considered it my duty to revise, correct, supplement, compile and publish in print all the articles I had written in the rank of archimandrite [42]. I considered it my duty to do this for two reasons: first, because many of the articles were distributed in manuscripts with greater or lesser errors; secondly, because I consider myself obliged to submit to the Christian community an account of my observation of the Promised Land, which is full of spiritual gifts and blessings, of the contemplation of monastic life, as it appears in the Holy Tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and as God's Providence has led me to contemplate it in some of its living representatives.

Then it remains for me to ask the readers for indulgence for my stupidity and prayers for my poor soul.

Bishop Ignatius.

1865.

On Following Our Lord Jesus Christ

If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me [43], said the Lord. Every Christian, by the vows pronounced at Holy Baptism, took upon himself the duty to be a servant and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ: every Christian must follow the Lord Jesus Christ.