What are your favorite dessert father sayings you live by?

Is anyone here planning on doing Exodus 90 this coming Lent? It’s a very difficult but rewarding way of adopting some of the ascetic practices of the desert fathers for a limited time to kickstart some spiritual growth and foster community with other Christian men.

Amma [Mother] Syncletica said, "In the beginning, there is much struggle for those who come near to God. But after that, there is indescribable joy. It is just like building a fire: At first it is smoky and your eyes water, but later you get warmth."

Syncletica of Alexandria was a Christian saint, ascetic, and Desert Mother from the 4th century AD. She was born in Macedonia to a wealthy family. Her family eventually moved to Alexandria and her parents died. Syncletica cut her hair and gave her possessions to the poor, choosing to live in a small cell outside the city. Though she tried to reject the attention and following of devout women and girls, her dedication to the ascetic life drew a following. Syncletica died at the age of 80 from disfiguring cancer of the mouth, which she refused treatment for until it was necessary to prevent possible infection of her caregivers. She is venerated as a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, on January 5th and January 6th, respectively.

A great short video (just over six minutes long) on Moses the Black. The Patristix videos are easy to listen to and just the right length to give a good overview without becoming longwinded.

St Moses the Black (Patristix on YouTube)

St. Moses the Black was a North African slave until he was dismissed for suspected theft and murder. He turned to a life of crime as a robber and criminal for many years. He was a big, scary dude who did a lot of bad, violent things to people. Eventually, he took shelter with some monks and their example served as the catalyst for his conversion, though there was some initial suspicion and hesitation from the monks. Plagued by decades of bad habits St. Moses the Black struggled mightily with sin. However, he continued struggling and became a spiritual leader in his community. He was eventually ordained a priest and named abbot of a monastery. In the early 5th century, Moses' community came under attack by bandits. His monks wanted to take up arms to defend their monastery, but Moses instructed them to retreat rather than fighting. He, however, stayed behind, saying that a violent death was an appropriate earthly end for a former robber. He was martyred on July 1, 405 AD.

His relics are found in the Church of the Virgin Mary in the Paromeos Monastery, a Coptic Orthodox monastery located in Egypt.

Moses the Black is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, many Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion. He feast day is celebrated on August 28th (Roman Catholic), July 1 (Oriental Orthodox), or July 2 (Anglican Communion.)

Hello. This community has been without a moderator, so I have taken on that task. The community is now public, so any user can contribute to the discussion. This is a new field of study for me, and I’m looking forward to sharing what I learn, as well as learning from the community.

Please share if you have insights, book or movie recommendations, or anything else valuable to share about the topic.

Hello. Long story short, after reading some history and going through family history, I become interested in Orthodox. I eventually came across The Desert Fathers and became quite interested. With that said, I have very little Christian-based background but wish to learn more. Can anyone suggest a great place to start or some materials?

Thank you.

Hesychia is a general-purpose community for Orthodox Christians. Think of this as a digital coffee hour, where you can chat about anything from your dog eating your shoes to deep theological concepts. Whether just learning about Orthodoxy or the bishop of an Orthodox diocese, or if you're just looking to talk, you're more than welcome here.

https://discord.gg/JDHNxXb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1_78eLjaB8

The trials of St. Anthony the Great (251-356 AD), as described in St. Athanasius's Life and the medieval Golden Legend, have been a favorite subject of Western artists since the Middle Ages. Anthony, a desert monk, was frequently assaulted by Satan, who when he could not win by normal temptations, sent his demons in the form of wild beasts, beautiful women, soldiers and even monks to torment and distract the Desert Father.

Artists have long been fascinated with these episodes, finding in them an opportunity for the most outlandish feats of imagination. In this episode, Catholic art historian Elizabeth Lev traces the development of this artistic subject from the Middle Ages on, with special attention to the phantasmagorical work of Hieronymous Bosch. From Bosch we proceed through the intervening centuries to the modern era, where this theme was taken up again but perhaps not in the most edifying spirit.

In this podcast (the YouTube version of which includes images of the paintings), the first 40 minutes or so are spent introducing the story of St. Anthony and examining some early medieval depictions as well as later ones which focus heavily on his traditional attributes. Then we take off with the increasingly complex depictions of Anthony's demonic trials, starting with Bosch, examine various early modern variations, and conclude with the nightmarish (yet spiritually distinct) visions of Max Ernst and Salvador Dali.

Our audiobook of St. Athanasius’s Life of St. Anthony https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-athanasius-life-st-anthony-full/

Podcast on St. Anthony’s life and legacy as one of the Church Fathers https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/anthony-desert-solitary-celebrity

A brother questioned Abba Euprepius about his life.

The old man said: 'Eat straw, wear straw, sleep on straw: that is to say, depise everything and acquire for yourself a heart of iron.'

A brother who shared a lodging with other brothers asked Abba Bessarion: 'What should I do?'

The old man replied: 'Keep silence and do not compare yourself with others.'

I'm a 24 year old Christian who wants to study the Desert Fathers more due to the Roman Catholic Church coming into existence partly because of these holy men and their sayings about God and the Christian religion in general.

I'm also seeing similarities between The Jedi Order from Star Wars and the philosophies of the East as explained by people like Alan Watts in the 20th century.

Here is what I have on my list so far...

John Michael Talbot - Desert Dangers and Delights: Stories, Teachings, and Sources.

Henri J.M. Nouwen - The Way of The Heart

The Lives of the Desert Fathers: Historia Monachorum in Aegypto (Cistercian Studies No. 34) (Volume 34)

Thomas Merton - The Wisdom of The Desert

The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection

What are some other important books that I am missing from this list?

Are their ways that I can learn more about The Desert Fathers though watching a documentary on them?

Heck, John Michael did an entire episode of All Things are Possible about these guys.

Are their also authors similar to Merton and Watts who use the example of The Desert Fathers to find "common ground" between Early Christianity/Catholicism and Hinduism & Buddhism such as Thich Nhat Hanh's book Living Buddha, Living Christ?

Hello,

I just wanted to let you know about an audiobook podcast I produce, with works of the Church Fathers and other great Christian works read by a trained voice actor. In particular, we have recently put out a reading "On Self-Accusation" by St. Dorotheus of Gaza: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/st-dorotheus-gaza-on-self-accusation/

We also have done St. Athanasius's Life of St. Anthony, which you can find here: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/audiobook_authors_titles.cfm

Note that to access all of the parts of the latter work, you'll have to sign up (for free) on our website, as only the most recent 15 episodes of the podcast at any given time are available without signing up.

I hope you find some benefit in our work.

God bless you!

The nature of water is soft, that of stone is hard; but if a bottle is hung above the stone, allowing the water to fall drop by drop, it wears away the stone. So it is with the word of God; it is soft and our heart is hard,⁵ but the man who hears the word of God often, opens his heart to God.

"There are many who live in the mountains and behave as if they were in town, and they are wasting their time. It is possible to be a solitary in one’s mind while living in a crowd, and it is possible for one who is a solitary to live in the crowd of his own thoughts.”

When we turn our spirit from the contemplation of God, we become the slaves of carnal passions.

I may be wrong but I think nothing needs so much effort as prayer to God. If anyone wants to pray, the demons try to interrupt the prayer, for they know that prayer is the only thing that hinders them. All the other efforts in a religious life, whether they are made vehemently or gently, have room for a measure of rest. But we need to pray till our dying breath. That is the great struggle.

"If you observe the following, you can be saved: Be joyful at all times, pray without ceasing and give thanks for all things.”

"Why, words, did I let you get out? I have often been sorry that I have spoken, never that I have been silent."

If the Desert Fathers were isolated in the desert does that mean they not receive Holy Communion very frequently?

“This (patient endurance) is the queen of virtues, the foundation of virtue, a haven of tranquility. It is peace in time of war, calm in rough waters, safety amidst treachery and danger. It makes those who practice it stronger than steel. No weapons or brandished bows, no turbulent troops or advancing siege engines, no flying spears or arrows can shake it. Not even the host of evil spirits, not the dark array of hostile powers, nor the devil himself standing by with all his armies and devices will have power to injure the man or woman who has acquired this virtue through Christ.”

• St Nilus of Ancyra

23. Abba Poemen said, 'If a man has sinned and denies it, saying: "I have not sinned," do not reprimand him; for that will discourage him. But say to him, "Do not lose heart, brother, but be on guard in the future," and you will stir his soul to repentance.'

‘The acquisition of Christian books is necessary for those who can use them. For the mere sight of these books renders us less inclined to sin, and incites us to believe more firmly in righteousness.’

He also said, ‘Reading the Scriptures is a great safeguard against sin.’