Reading List for Novices & Candidates

Below is the reading list for novices as well as a secondary list as one progresses. These are for our spiritual benefit and any questions for us go to our Abbot or those he assigns to help. We include the list here for any who may be interested in an introduction to monastic literature. 

• The Bible (Orthodox Study Bible EOBible, RSV) - It is a pious custom to read one chapter of the Gospels and two chapters from the Acts & Epistles so by reading three chapters a day you will go through the New Testament roughly every three months. 
• Synaxarion (often read at trapeza) 
• Seek First the Kingdom by Metr. Jonah (Paffhausen) 
• The Arena by Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov)
• Discourses and Sayings by Saint Dorotheos of Gaza
• The Lives of the Desert Fathers & the Sayings of the Desert Fathers (many versions out there, but especially good is the ones published by St Anthony's Monastery which we have in our bookstore) 
• Wisdom from Mount Athos by Saint Sophrony of Essex
• Wounded by Love by Saint Porphyrios of Kapsokalyvia
• The Way of a Pilgrim
• The Ladder of Divine Ascent (which we read during the Great Fast)

 

Further books and authors include:

• Elder Ephraim of Arizona
• Saint Joseph the Hesychast
• Saint John Cassian (esp the Conferences)
• 400 Chapters on Love by Saint Maximos the Confessor (found in vol. 2 of the Philokalia)
• Writings of Saint Symeon the New Theologian (found in vol. 4 of the Philokalia)
• Prayers by Saint Isaac the Syrian
• Saint Silouan the Athonite by Saint Sophrony of Essex
• Writings of Saint Nil Sorsky (also known as Nil of Sora)
• Lives of the Saints (Great Synaxarion, Life of Saint Anthony the Great by Saint Athanasius, etc)
• Writings of Father Zacharias of Essex
• Writings of Elder Aimilianos of Simonopetra

 

 

Saint John Chrysostom remarks that without spiritual reading, we cannot be saved! While this may be hyperbole, it shows the great importance we should make use of the treasure trove of edifying reading we have in the Church.