Holy Mountains, Holy Men

Mount Athos is often referred to as the centre of Orthodox spirituality, and so it has been for over a thousand years. Each chapter in this collection focuses on a turning point in the spiritual history of the Mountain. Some of the names mentioned may be unfamiliar, but that is because monks do not seek to publicize their activities. They are humble men who devote themselves to prayer. And yet their influence is often immense with repercussions that impact the whole of Christendom. Such is the significance of Mount Athos for the world. The chapters in the book follow roughly chronological order and cover such themes as the holy mountains of Asia Minor, the arrival of St Athanasios on Athos, the hesychast controversy of the fourteenth century, the publication of the Philokalia in the eighteenth century, Russian saints of the nineteenth century, saints of the twentieth-century Athonite revival, and the impact of Athonite thinking on Orthodox theology today. “One mountain—Athos, but many holy men: Athanasios the Athonite and Gregory Palamas; those involved in publishing the Philokalia (including one woman!) and its growing influence, first among the Russians, later through the recent monastic revival with its ripple effect in a widespread ‘philokalic’ theology. A fascinating story!” - Fr Andrew Louth