The Way of a Pilgrim

Hope Publishing House, 2nd Edition, 1989

The Way of a Pilgrim is a story of an 18th century Russian pilgrim who encounters and experiences the deeper meaning of prayer through his life of struggle and yearning for God. His deep interest and enlightenment began when one day he entered a Liturgy during the Epistle reading and heard the words “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17).

The pilgrim made it his mission to understand their importance, and went to find a spiritual father. After some time, and by the grace of God, an old man guided him to a monastery and he began his everlasting mission in prayer. The pilgrim started from a basic level with the prayer rope and advanced throughout his life to greater heights. This pilgrim is one without a permanent home, a little bit of bread in his knapsack, a copy of the Philokalia, a little pocket Bible, and the grace of God in his heart and soul.

His guide is Christ and his eternal goal is to attain Christ. In one of his experiences he meets a wise priest who tells him: “For a pure and satisfying prayer one should chose simple but powerful words and repeat them fervently so as to get an appetite for prayer”. The pilgrim grasped this message throughout his journey. When he practised the Jesus prayer all day and night, he became so accustomed to the prayer that it started to form roots inside him and it became almost automatic; engraved in the heart and soul.

This book contains a lot of advice and practical examples that help not only the pilgrim but the reader in their understanding of prayer. For example: When you call on God’s name, you weaken your enemies. Knowing this, do not cease to call on God’s name for help. This is what prayer is, and Scripture says that we should pray constantly. God listens to our prayers with love and grants us His blessings and abounding grace. I encourage all of you to read this amazing book that will guide you as pilgrims in the Christian world through a spiritual journey to paradise and eternal life.

Source: Lychnos June – July 2017