'On Prayer' is the 28th chapter of St John Climacus' 'Ladder of Divine Ascent', a treatise comprised of 30 chapters (steps) concerning the spiritual life. St John urges his readers to "pray in all simplicity" and to forget over-complicated words in prayer. The "simple and unadorned lisping" of children is enough to win the heart of the Lord. St John reminds us that the tax collector and the prodigal son both received forgiveness by a single phrase. Our prayer should therefore contain more heart than intellect. The reader is warned that our minds can be distracted in searching for words. [...]

St Gregory the Theologian on the Nativity of our Lord Like many of the celebrated hymns of the Church, the much-loved Katavasies of Christmas were inspired by the writings of the Fathers of the Church, and in this case, one of the giants of Orthodox Theology in Saint Gregory the Theologian. His 38th Oration on the Nativity of Christ is full of the joy and poetic eloquence we find amongst so much of St Gregory’s work. Christ is born, glorify Him. Christ from heaven, go out to meet Him. Christ on earth; be exalted. Sing unto the Lord all the [...]

From the Holy Fathers St John Climacus on Repentance “The Ladder of Divine Ascent” by St John Climacus is one of the most studied books in Orthodoxy. St John (579-649 AD) entered the monastic life at a young age, later becoming abbot of the central monastery on Mt Sinai. He wrote the “Ladder” as a spiritual guide for monks in a neighbouring monastery, which helps explain the uncompromising tone of the “Ladder”. Although written for monks, it has nonetheless been treasured by lay people for hundreds of years. The “Ladder” is divided into 30 steps, or chapters, to guide the [...]

St John of Damascus On the Holy Cross   Saint John of Damascus is an important father of our Church who lived in Syria in the seventh century. A monk, but also a polymath, he was very knowledgeable in the areas of law, philosophy, music, science and astronomy. Above all, he was gifted in tying all of these disciplines with the field that he is most famous for: Theology. In his premier work, the Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, he writes at length about the importance and significance of the Holy Cross on a number of levels, as it represents [...]

St Basil the Great on the Holy Spirit At the time St Basil wrote his treatise On the Holy Spirit, controversies abounded concerning the divinity of both Christ and the Holy Spirit. St Basil compared the state of the Church under siege to a naval battle being fought in the midst of a raging tempest, in which the two fleets are so broken up by the dark storm that banners can no longer be seen, signals are no longer recognised, and one cannot distinguish one’s ally from one’s foe. St Basil denounces these errors as the end-product of vanity and [...]