Desert Fathers

"My name is Onnophrius, and for sixty years I have lived in this solitary place and desert. I walk in the mountains like the wild beasts, and I live on the plants and trees, and I have not seen anyone I know."

"I rose and stretched out my hands and I prayed, and suddenly a man of light came to me, the one who had come to me the first time. And when he came, he stood over me and he strengthened me as he had done the first time. In short, seventeen days passed while I journeyed in this manner. Suddenly I looked in the distance. I saw a man coming who was completely fire, his hair spread out over his body like a leopard’s. Indeed, he was naked, and leaves from a plant covered his shameful parts. Now when he came close to me, I climbed up on a mountain ledge, thinking that he was a mountain man. Now when he came closer, he threw himself under the mountain ledge in the shade because he was exhausted and because of his hunger and thirst. Indeed, he was in grave danger of dying. He raised his eyes to the mountain ledge and called to me, saying, “Paphnutius, come down to me, man of God. I, too, am a man of the desert, like yourself. I live in this desert on account of God.”"

"My son, obey God and keep his commandments, and be wise and remain in your dwelling, which is your delight, and your cell will remain with you in your heart as you seek its blessing, and the labor of your cell will go with you to God. For you will know God in your cell. Keep him with you and the Devil will depart from you, which will allow you to tame him. Do not forsake God. Do not forsake your cell. For the incense of God is a wise man in his cell. The altar of God is a wise man in his cell. The glory of God will appear to him there. A poor man who remains in his cell is a king and lord. Honor him, for God is dwelling in him."

"Be like the master sailors piloting their ships as you watch the wind to see what direction it is taking you, whether it is a good wind or bad that is coming."

"Do not be like the thorny acacias that grow on the mountain, which is God (Coptic: pnoute). Instead, be like a reed growing in the water, which is the abyss (Coptic: pnoun)."

"Truly the lion leaves the desert and erases his pawprints with his tail. If he prevails over the person who has come out to [hunt] him, he goes up in complete confidence. Now then, you who are poor, you shall look boldly upon your enemies like the roaring lions.”"

"When Antony] entered the cave he saw the lifeless corpse in a kneeling position, its head erect and its hands stretched out toward heaven. At first he thought that Paul was still alive and so he knelt down beside him to pray, but when he heard no sighs from the praying man, as he usually did, he fell upon him in a tearful embrace, realizing that even as a corpse the holy man, by means of his reverent posture, was praying to God for whom all things live."

"The same Abba Isaiah called one of the brothers and washed his feet, then he threw a handful of lentils in a pot and served them when it came to the boil. The brother said to him: “It is not yet cooked, abba,” and he said to him: “Is it not enough for you that it saw the bright [flame] totally? That is great consolation.”"

"Amma Sarah sent someone to say to Abba Paphnutius, 'Have you really done the work of God by letting your brother be despised?' and Abba Paphnutius said, 'Paphnutius is here with the intention of doing the work of God, and he has nothing to do with anyone else.'"

"Abba Pior he used to eat walking around. When somebody enquired: “Why do you eat like that?” he said: “I do not want to treat food as work, but as incidental.” To somebody else who had asked about it he replied: “It is so that my soul may not experience any physical pleasure even when I am eating.”"

"As soon as this earth's great elder, the blessed Antony, who prayed for the whole world, departed, everything has been torn apart and is in anguish, and the Wrath devastates Egypt. While he was truly on earth, he extended his hands and prayed and spoke with God all day long. He did not let the Wrath descend on us. Lifting up his thoughts, he kept it from coming down. But now that those hands are closed, no one else can be found who might halt the violence."

"Abba Moses asked Abba Silvanus: “Can a person make a fresh start each day?” and Abba Silvanus said: “If he is a real worker, a person can make a fresh start each day and each hour.”"

"Abba Zeno, the disciple of the blessed Silvanus, said: “Do not dwell in a famous location or stay with a person of renown, and do not ever lay a foundation so you can build yourself a cell.”"

"Abba Isaiah said: “Nothing benefits a beginner as much as an insult. A beginner who is insulted like that and tolerates it is like a tree that is watered each day.”"

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

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

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

"They used to say of Abba Theodore of Phermē that he exceeded many in these three points: indifference to possessions, spiritual discipline, and avoiding people."

"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."

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

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

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

"A brother asked Abba Serapion: “Tell me a saying.” The elder said: “What can I say to you? That you took the goods of widows and orphans and set them in this embrasure?”—for he saw that it was full of books."

"Abba Serapion said: “Just as the soldiers of the emperor standing before him cannot turn their attention to left or to right, so too if a person stand before God and rivet his attention on his presence, in fear of him all the time, no action of the enemy can terrorize him.”"

"Abba Abraham used to say of one of the people at Scete that he was a scribe and that did not eat bread. A brother came begging him to write out a book for him. The elder’s mind was rapt in contemplation; he wrote in continuous lines without punctuation. When the brother took it and wanted to punctuate it, he found it lacked some verses and he said to the elder: “There are some lines missing, abba.” Said the elder to him: “Go away, and first practice what is written; then come back and I will write the rest for you too.”"

"He also said: “Woe to that man whose reputation is greater than his performance.”"

"Abba Doulas the disciple of Abba Bessarion used to say: “Once, while we were travelling along the seashore, I was thirsty and said to Abba Bessarion: ‘Abba, I am very thirsty.’ The elder offered a prayer and said to me: ‘Drink from the sea.’ The water was made sweet so I drank. But I poured some into the vessel in case I got thirsty further on. Seeing me, the elder said: “Why did you pour [some into the vessel]?” I said to him: “Forgive me; in case I get thirsty further on,” and the elder said to me: ‘God is here and God is everywhere.’”"

"Once when Abba Daniel and Abba Ammōes were travelling, Abba Ammōes said: “When are we too going to stay in a cell, father?” Abba Daniel said to him: “Who is taking God away from us now? God is in the cell, and God is outside too.”"

"They used to say of Abba Zeno that when he was staying at Scete he came out of his cell by night meaning to go to the marsh but he lost his way; he spent three days and three nights walking around. Exhausted, he became faint and fell down to die. Then there stood before him a youth with bread and a bottle of water. “Get up and eat,” he said to him. Up he got and prayed, under the impression that it was a vision but, in response, the other said to him: “Well done,” so he prayed again a second time and likewise a third and he said to him: “Well done,” so the elder got up, took, and ate. After that [the youth] said to him: “The more you walked around, the further you were from your cell, but get up and follow me.” Immediately he found himself at his cell, so the elder said to him: “Come in and offer a prayer for us.” When the elder went in the [youth] disappeared."

"Abba Macarius said to Abba Zachariah: “Tell me, what is the task of the monk?” “You are asking me, father?” he said, and Abba Macarius said: “I have full confidence in you, Zachariah my son, for there is somebody inciting me to ask you.” Abba Zachariah said to him: “In my opinion, to constrain oneself in all things: that is being the monk.”"

"They used to say of Abba Cheremon at Scete that his cave was forty miles from the church, and twelve miles from the marsh and water. Thus he took his handiwork to his cave carrying two water jars side by side, and stayed there in hesychia."

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

"If your brother has prepared a dish that is not good, don't say to him: “You cooked it wrong!” For that is death for your soul. Rather, examine yourself. If it had been you who had heard that from someone else, how you would have been troubled by it!"

"If you ask an old man about a “thought,” freely disclose the “thought” to him if you know that he is worthy of confidence and that he will keep confidential what you have said to him."

"Love to pray without ceasing, so that your heart will be enlightened."

"Think each day: “I have only today to live in the world,” and you will not sin against God."

"A brother visited Abba Elijah who was living in hesychia at the coenobion of the cave of Abba Zabba and he said to him: “Abba, tell me a saying.” The elder said to the brother: “In the days of our fathers these three virtues were cherished: indifference to possessions, meekness, and continence. Now cupidity, gluttony, and arrogance hold monks in prey. Hold fast to which you will.”"

"Abba Theodore of Phermē possessed three fine books. Visiting Abba Macarius, he said to him: “I have three fine books and I benefit from them; the brothers borrow them and benefit too. Tell me what I ought to have done. Am I to keep them for my benefit and the brothers’ or sell them and give [the proceeds] to the poor?” In answer the elder said: “Deeds are good, but indifference to possessions is greater than all.” On hearing this he went and sold them, donating the proceeds to the poor."

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

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

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

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

"Νόμοϛ πηγὴ ζωῆϛ μοναχοῦ ἐν χείρι πρακτικοῦ."

"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."

"If you do your manual labor, do not be negligent, but apply yourself with the fear of God, in order not to sin by ignorance."

"There was an elder at The Cells named Apollo, and if anybody came asking him to undertake any task, he would go off joyfully saying: “Today I am going to work for my soul with Christ, for he is its reward.”"

"Concerning Spyridon, so great was the sanctity when he was a shepherd that he was deemed worthy to become a shepherd of men too. He was called to be bishop of one of the cities of Cyprus, Trimithus by name. Being a very modest person, he tended his sheep while holding the bishopric. Once in the middle of the night some thieves crept up to the sheepfold intending to steal some of the sheep. But God, who was saving the shepherd, saved the sheep too: the thieves were trussed up near the fold by an unseen force. At first light the shepherd came to the sheep and, finding [the thieves] with their hands [tied] behind their backs, he realized what had happened. He offered a prayer then released the thieves. He admonished and exhorted them at some length to pursue honest work rather than live from evil-doing. He gave them one ram and sent them on their way; calling out laughingly he said: “The ram is so you will not seem to have been up all night for nothing.”"

"If you do something wrong in some matter, do not be steered by shame, but be converted and say, “Forgive me,” and your fault will pass away."