Reading List for Novices & Candidates
This reading list is a long term project, and designed to provide an introduction to the Orthodox Christian monastic tradition and its context in the Orthodox Church.
The Orthodox Church wrote, edited and published the New Testament. It is the most important book of our Tradition. First, read one of the Gospels (the first four books); then start in on the Epistles of St. Paul. Read it slowly and prayerfully.
The Prayer book teaches us how to pray. Use its Morning and Evening Prayers as a daily prayer rule. This gets you to pray with the Church in the words of the saints.
The rest of the material is a general introduction to Orthodox Christianity. Ask a priest to help guide you through it.
The Holy Scriptures, Orthodox Study Bible
Prayer Book, Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY
The Orthodox Church, Timothy Ware
The Mystery of the Faith, Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev
God’s Revelation to the Human Heart, Fr. Seraphim Rose
Door to Paradise, published by St. Herman Press
Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven, St. Innocent of Alaska
The Faith of the Saints, St. Nikolai Velimirovich
The Truth of Our Faith, Volumes 1 & 2, Elder Cleopa
The Arena, St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
Epistles, Elder Paisios
Abba Dorotheus: Practical Teaching on the Christian Life
Wisdom from Mount Athos, Sayings of St. Silouan
Saint Silouan the Athonite, Saint Sophrony
The Prologue of Ohrid
St. Dimitri of Rostov’s Lives of the Saints
The Synaxarion: The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church, published by Simonos Petra
The Optina Elders
- Elder Moses
- Elder Leonid
- Elder Anthony
- Elder Macarius
- Elder Ambrose
- Elder Joseph
- Elder Barsanuphius
- Elder Nektary
- Elder Anatoly
- Elder Sebastian
Saint Nektarios: The Saint of our Century, Sotos Chrondropoulos
Contemporary Ascetics of Mt. Athos; Volumes One & Two
An Extraordinary Peace: St. Seraphim of Sarov, Archimandrite Lazarus Moore
Precious Vessels of the Holy Spirit
Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works, Hieromonk Damascene
Nihilism, Fr. Seraphim Rose
Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives, Elder Thaddeus
My Life in Christ, St. John of Kronstadt
Wounded by Love, Elder Porphyrios
Spiritual Counsels, Elder Paisios
Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain, Priestmonk Christodoulos
Way of the Ascetics, Tito Colliander
Discourses and Sayings, Abba Dorotheos
Sts. Barsanuphius & John, Guidance toward the Spiritual Life
The Art of Prayer, compiled by Igumen Chariton
Letters to Beginners, Abbess Thaisia
Living Without Hypocrisy: Spiritual Counsels of the Holy Optina Elders
A Spiritual Psalter by St. Ephraim the Syrian, arranged by St. Theophan the Recluse
The Spiritual Meadow, John Moschos
Paradise of the Holy Fathers (read online; Volume 1, Volume 2)
Spiritual Life and How to Be Attuned to It, St. Theophan the Recluse
The Way of a Pilgrim & The Pilgrim Continues his Way
The Little Russian Philokalia, Volume 1: St. Seraphim, Spiritual Instructions
The Little Russian Philokalia, Volume 2: Abbot Nazarius of Valaam, Counsels
The Little Russian Philokalia, Volume 3: St. Herman of Alaska: Treasury of Spirituality
The Little Russian Philokalia, vol 4: St. Paisius Velichkovsky: Field Flowers
The Little Russian Philokalia, vol 5: Elder Theodore of Sanaxar: Sayings