"A good and virtuous priestmonk from the holy Monastery of St. Paul reposed outside the Monastery while sitting on a small rock, blessing with his right hand."

"A great contemporary hesychast who had to go out into the world for medical reasons for a few days said to me: "When I returned to the Holy Mountain, a month had to pass before I was able to gather my mind from its roaming and wandering during prayer.""

""Patience must be acquired, it cannot be bought," an ascetic used to say."

"The famous father Dionysius, one of the Kartesonians, once advised monk Daniel saying: "My son, from the things you hear against someone, you should not believe anything, and out of what you see, believe half. And not even half, for many pretend to be fools. Do not judge anyone.""

"When St. Akakios of Kafsokalyvia stood in prayer, he resembled a steadfast pillar; and when seated he was unaware of his body, as it were, because he was in an elevated state of being, filled with grace and divine, uncreated light."

"A monk asked another elder, who was over one hundred years old: "Now that you will depart from this temporary life, what do you feel?" "I feel so joyful and peaceful, as if I am going to a wedding," he replied."

"Another said: "Why don't we have many saints in our times? Because we have put aside prayer and stillness.""

"Elder Modestos the Konstamonitan would say: "Act as if you can't see. Do not look at another's faults.""

"Geronda D... you are poor and have no money," I once said to a truly poor Skete-dweller. And he replied: "Only the devil is poor!..."

"A virtuous monk advised: "Show love to all, but have no particular friendship with anyone.""

"An elder said: "I am unable to describe to you, my son, the joy I felt in my heart every time I was unjustly treated by others. I felt that I was clothed in the cloak of injustice also worn by Christ.""

"A contemporary hermit would say: "Today there is plenty of dough, but there is no yeast...""

"An elder used to say: "A monk resembles a small, clever fish. He knows how to escape the world like the fish which avoids the bait that hides the deadly hook.""

"Εΐπεν ένας γέρων μοναχός:"

""Elder, is monastic life difficult?" we asked a wise monk. "It is not difficult. There comes a time when you forget yourself entirely and you realize that it is the lightest burden to carry," he replied."

"The elders of Mount Athos say: "Not where you live but the way you live is going to save you.""

"Later, when I had heard that there are twelve anchorites at the peak of Athos – some said seven – I got to thinking, so I related the incident to some experienced Elders, who told me: “That would have been one of the righteous anchorites who live invisibly at the peak of Athos”!"

"Living in a state of high spirituality, and of perfect possessionlessness – we do not know if they are still alive – were seven, or twelve according to others, hermits in the virgin forests of the Holy Mountain. Totally naked, living like the birds of the air on wild greens, on roots, on chestnuts, on pine cone seed etc. It has been said that they would go and receive Holy Communion at the cave of St. Peter from the eminent hesychast Father Daniel. The learned Lavriotan and physician, monk Spyridon Kambanaos wrote concerning these earthly angels and heavenly men: "And what can we say of those who live in the area of Krya Nera, where only the all-seeing eye of God knows their way of life.""

""We suffer because we have no love. Whoever does not love does not have peace, even if he was placed in Paradise," said an elder."

"An elder said: "To the monk, the world is a charcoal-maker" (that is, the world dirties one's soul, like one who handles charcoal)."

"A brother asked an elder whose hair had grown white over many years which he had spent in ascesis: "How old are you, Geronda?" The elder replied: "One does not count age by the passing of years but by one's pure thoughts and pure way of life.""

"An elder said: "He who loves God does not only love his fellow man, but also all of nature: trees, grass, flowers. Everything with the same love.""

"St. Savvas from Kalymnos was a Hagiorite. He was from St. Anne's. He had absolutely no love of money. He did not even want to hold it in his hands."

"An elder said: "The spiritual life requires patience, steadfast patience. Man undergoes all sorts of changes even from one day to the next.""

"An elder said: "Illness is a divine visitation. Illness is a great gift from God. The only thing that man can give to God in return is his pain.""

"After the daily liturgy, the great hesychast father Daniel the Hosiopetritan would withdraw into his cell for an hour for silence. It was an hour dedicated to tears and compunction. He would say: "While the lantern indeed gives light to many, its wick holder is usually burned...""

"An elder said: "The spiritual life of a monk begins when he distances himself from all visible and invisible things, save God." And he also said: 'When I was in the world everyone would say: 'The monk, the monk.' So I said to myself, 'If you're a monk, then, what are you still doing in the world?'""

"A hermit said: "A monk is one who stands continually before the invisble God, as if He were visible.""

"While the superior rejoiced and was delighted with Romanos' obedience, zeal and propriety, in his mind Romanos pined away, desiring that he might again abandon the tumult of the world, and that he might live in a a deserted place far from men, like the turtledove which loves solitude. He had learned about Paroria where a monastery was being built by a great man before God, Gregory of Sinai, who brought souls to God each day by the music of his words and the example of his life. Romanos was engrossed in planning a departure and wished he had wings so that he could fly through the air and get there as quickly as possible. So great a yearning did word of that holy man inspire in him, as I have heard him relate. From that time on then, while Zagora held his body, the wilderness of Paroria possessed his soul. Just as the thirstiest deer seeks the fountainhead he thirsted, and he asked God that he might go to Paroria."

"Ἐν πάντι καιρῷ ἔστω ὁ χιτὼν τοῦ μοναχοῦ ἄσπιλοϛ οὐκ ὁ ὕϕαντοϛ ἀλλ’ ὁ πνευματικόϛ. Ἐν μέσῃ γὰρ νυκτὶ ὁ τοιοῦτοϛ συνεισελεύσεται τῷ νυμϕίῳ Χριστῷ εἰϛ τὴν παστάδα. Ἔλαιον ἐπικομιζέτω ὁ μοναχὸϛ εἰϛ ἀπάντησιν τοῦ νυμϕίου."

"Ζωὴ μοναχοῦ κατὰ μίμησιν ἀγγέλου γινέσθω, καταϕλέγουσα ἁμαρτίαν. Ζωὴ γὰρ μοναχοῦ ἐστιν ἡ τῶν μετανοούντων ὁλοκάρπωσιϛ."

"Ἱλαρὸϛ τῇ ὄψει μοναχόϛ ἀσκητοῦ ἀνάπαυσιϛ καὶ λογισμῶν πονηρῶν καθαίρεσιϛ."

"Ἡσυχία μοναχοῦ μετὰ καθαρὰϛ καρδίαϛ δυσωπεῖ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον."

"Εὐχομένου μοναχοῦ καθαρῶϛ ἐν νυκτεριναῖϛ εὐχῆϛ. Ἐν ἡμέρᾳ δὲ τοῦτο λαμπρύνει Κύριοϛ καὶ ὡϛ ἡμέραν καθαρὰν ἀναδείξει."

"He also said: “It is good to eat flesh and to drink wine and not to eat the flesh of your brothers in backbiting.”"

"He also said: “By whispering, the serpent expelled Eve from Paradise, and he who bites back at his neighbor is like it, for he ruins the soul of him who hears and does not keep his own safe.”"

"He also said: “The monk’s treasure is voluntary destitution; lay [it] up in heaven, brother, for the ages of repose are limitless.”"

"Abba Hyperechios said: “Just as a lion is fearsome to the wild asses, so is the well-tried monk to lascivious logismoi.”"

"Νόμοϛ πηγὴ ζωῆϛ μοναχοῦ ἐν χείρι πρακτικοῦ."

"He also said: “Let your consciousness always dwell on the Kingdom of Heaven and soon you shall inherit it.”"

"Θησαύρισον, μοναχὲ, ἐν οὐρανῷ ἀπέραντοι γὰρ τῆϛ ἀναπαύσεώϛ σοι αἰῶνεϛ."

"Χρυσὸϛ δοκιμάζεται ἐν καμίνῳ πυρὸϛ καὶ μοναχὸϛ ἐν πλήθει μοναχῶν γνωσθήσεται. Ἀλλ’ ὁ ἀκίβδηλοϛ σωθήσεται."

"Χιόνοϛ λαμπρότεροϛ εὐρεθήσεται μοναχὸϛ ἀνώτεροϛ τῶν σαρκικῶν ἐπιθυμίαν ὑπάρχων. Χριστὸν ἀντὶ χρυσοῦ ποθῶν, ὅψεται αὐτὸν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἀγαθοσύνηϛ στεϕανοῦντα αὐτόν."

"If Hyperechios were with us today, he would not be on Wikipedia, or Twitter, or Facebook, or any of our phantasmagoriae of social media."

"Φάοϛ καθαρὸν ἐπὶ γῆϛ μοναχὸϛ ἀπαθήϛ, πὰρ’ ᾧ οὐχ εὑρέθη ϕιλαργυρία. “Φιλαργυρία γὰρ πάντων κακῶν ῥίζα,” ἤ οὐ τίκτει καρπὸν ἀγαθόν ποτε."

"Ῥεῖθρον Ίορδάνου καθάρσιον ἁμαρτημάτων δάκρυα. Χριστὸϛ γὰρ εἶπε, “Μακάριοι οἱ κλαίοντεϛ, ὅτι γελάσονται.”"

"Πηγὴ ἀένναοϛ ὁ Χριστόϛ. Ἐκ ταύτηϛ ἀρυόμενοϛ τὴν δυσώδη πυρκαϊὰν ἀποσβέσον."

"Ῥιπίζεται μοναχὸϛ ὑπὸ λαίλαποϛ λογισμῶν. Ῥήμασι δὲ ἀγγελικοῖϛ στηριζέτω ἑαυτὸν κραταιῶϛ."

"Στέϕανοϛ μοναχοῦ εἰρήνη καὶ ἁγιασμόϛ. Ὁ κεκτημένοϛ αὐτὰ ὅψεται τὸν Κύριον."