The Philokalia - vol I

“Two books are known by the title of Philokalia (Φιλοκαλία), a Greek term which means ‘love for what is beautiful.’ One of them is a compilation from the writings of Origen (c. 185-254) made in the fourth century by St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen. The other is an anthology of writings by some thirty Mystic Fathers, ranging from the fourth to the fifteenth century, compiled and edited by two holy men of the Eastern Orthodox Church: St. Macarios Notaras (1731-1805), Archbishop of Corinth, and St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite (1749-1809). The full title of the second Philokalia, with which we are concerned here, is Philokalia of Our Holy Mystic Fathers. It has the subtitle: ‘In Which It Is Explained How the Mind is Purified, Illumined, and Perfected trough Practical and Contemplative Ethical Philosophy.’ The term ‘love for what is beautiful’ signifies in this work love of spiritual beauty: the love of the beauty of God, the love of the beauty of the soul, of its virtues, and the love of the most beautiful way of life, the spiritual.”

Compiled by St. Macarios of Corinth and edited by St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite
Translated from the original Greek and Edited by Constantine Cavarnos.

INTRODUCTION
PROEM BY ST. NICODEMOS THE HAGIORITE
ST. ANTONY THE GREAT
   BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF ST. ANTONY
   COUNSELS ON THE CHARACTER OF MEN AND ON THE VIRTUOUS LIFE
ST. ISAIAH THE ANCHORITE
   BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF ST. ISAIAH
   ON GUARDING THE MIND
EVAGRIOS THE MONK
   BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF EVAGRIOS
   MONASTIC SKETCH TEACHING HOW ONE OUGHT TO LEAD A LIFE OF ASKESIS AND QUIETNESS
   ON DISCRIMINATION OF PASSIONS AND THOUGHTS
   CHAPTERS ON INNER WAKEFULNESS
ST. JOHN CASSIAN THE ROMAN
   BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF ST. JOHN CASSIAN
   ON THE EIGHT EVIL THOUGHTS
   REGARDING THE HOLY FATHERS OF SKETE AND A DISCOURSE ON DISCERNMENT
ST. MARK THE ASCETIC
   BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF ST. MARK THE ASCETIC
   TWO HUNDRED TEXTS CONCERNING SPIRITUAL LAW
   TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX TEXTS CONCERNING THOSE WHO THINK THAT MEN ARE JUSTIFIED BY WORKS
INDEX