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Discerning Of Spirits
Discernment of spirits is a term used in Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Charismatic Christian theology to judge the influence of various spiritual agents on a person's morality. These agents are: # from within the human soul itself, known as concupiscence (considered evil) # Divine Grace (considered good) # Angels (considered good) # Devils (considered evil) Discernment of spirits is considered necessary to discern the cause of a given impulse. Although some people are regarded as having a special gift to discern the causes of an impulse intuitively, most people are held to require study and reflection, and possibly the direction of others, in the discernment of spirits. Judgment of discernment can be made in two ways. The first is by a ''charism'' or spiritual gift, held as divinely granted to certain individuals for the discerning of spirits by intuition (1 Corinthians 12:10). The second way to discern spirits is by reflection and theological study. This second method is by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions and has played a prominent role in the history and development of Western civilization.Gerald O'Collins, O'Collins, p. v (preface). The church consists of 24 Catholic particular churches and liturgical rites#Churches, ''sui iuris'' (autonomous) churches, including the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches, which comprise almost 3,500 dioceses and Eparchy, eparchies List of Catholic dioceses (structured view), around the world, each overseen by one or more Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishops. The pope, who is the bishop of Rome, is the Papal supremacy, chief pastor of the church. The core beliefs of Catholicism are found in the Nicene Creed. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Ladder Of Divine Ascent
''The Ladder of Divine Ascent'' or ''Ladder of Paradise'' (Κλῖμαξ; ''Scala'' or ''Climax Paradisi'') is an important ascetical treatise for monasticism in Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, written by John Climacus in AD at Saint Catherine's Monastery; it was requested by John, Abbot#Eastern_Christian, Abbot of the El_Tor,_Egypt#Monastery, Raithu monastery. The ''Scala'', which obtained immense popularity and made its author famous in the Church, is addressed to anchorites and Cenobitic, cenobites and treats of the means by which the highest degree of religious perfection may be attained. Divided into thirty parts, or "steps", in memory of the thirty years of the life of Christ—the "Divine Model" for the faithful Christian—it presents a picture of all the virtues, and contains a great many parables and historical touches, drawn principally from the monastic life and exhibiting the practical application of the precepts. At the same time, as the work is mostly wr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theoria
Christian mysticism is the tradition of mysticism, mystical practices and mystical theology within Christianity which "concerns the preparation [of the person] for, the consciousness of, and the effect of [...] a direct and transformative presence of God in Christianity, God" or divine ''love''. Until the sixth century the practice of what is now called mysticism was referred to by the term ''contemplatio'', c.q. ''theoria'', from ''Contemplation, contemplatio'' (Latin; Ancient Greek, Greek :wikt:θεωρία, θεωρία, ''theoria''), "looking at", "gazing at", "being aware of" God or the divine.William Johnson, ''The Inner Eye of Love: Mysticism and Religion'' (HarperCollins 1997 ), p. 24 Christianity took up ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joseph The Hesychast
Joseph the Hesychast (; born Fragkiskos Kottis, ; 12 February 1897 – 15 August 1959) was a Greek Orthodox monk and elder who led a small group of monks at Monastic community of Mount Athos, Mount Athos. He was canonized as a saint by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 2020. His feast day is celebrated on 16 August (Orthodox liturgics), 16 August. Early life He was born Fragkiskos (Francis) Kottis () on 12 February 1897 in Lefkes, a village on the Greek Aegean island of Paros. His parents were Georgios and Maria Kottis. He was the third of seven children in his family. When he was a child, Francis' father died, leaving his mother Maria to care for the family. Until his teenage years, he remained in the village, helping his mother and his family with various tasks for a living. He attended school until second grade. He also served in the Greek Navy. At approximately the age of 23, he worked as a vendor in Piraeus and Athens. While in Athens, he began to read about th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barsanuphius Of Palestine
Barsanuphius (; ; ; died after 543), also known as Barsanuphius of Palestine, Barsanuphius of Gaza or Barsanuphius the Great (in Eastern Orthodoxy), was a Christian hermit and writer of the sixth century. He is considered one of the Desert Fathers. Together with John the Prophet, they gave spiritual direction and advice to a variety of people in the region through letters, of which over 850 have been preserved and influenced especially Orthodox monasticism. Barsanuphius is venerated as a saint in both the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. Life Hermit Born in Egypt, Barsanuphius entered the hilly region of Thavata close to Gaza at some point in the early sixth century and begun to live as a recluse in a cell near the village. The reasons for his move are uncertain, but it is possible that he did so due to the pro-Chalcedonian stance of the region compared to his native Egypt. He was already an experienced ascetic before his arrival and experienced in the tra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seraphim Of Sarov
Seraphim of Sarov (; – ), born Prókhor Isídorovich Moshnín (Mashnín) [Про́хор Иси́дорович Мошни́н (Машни́н)], is one of the most renowned Russian saints and is venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Anglican Communion. He is generally considered the greatest of the 18th-century Starets, ''startsy'' (elders). Seraphim extended the monasticism, monastic teachings of contemplation, theoria and self-denial to the layperson. He taught that the purpose of the Christian life was to Descent of the Holy Spirit, receive the Holy Spirit. Perhaps his most popular quotation amongst his devotees is "Acquire the Spirit of Peace, and thousands around you will be saved." Seraphim was glorification, glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1903. Life Born 19 July (O.S.) 1754, Seraphim was baptism, baptized with the name of Prochor, after Prochorus (deacon), Prochorus, one of the first Seven Deacons of the Early Church and the Disciple (Chri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gregory Of Sinai
Gregory of Sinai, or in Serbian and Bulgarian Grigorije Sinaita ( 1260s – 27 November 1346), was a Greek Christian monk and writer from Smyrna. He was instrumental in the emergence of hesychasm on Mount Athos in the early 14th century. Biography Born in Smyrna, he was captured by Seljuk Turks as a young man, and eventually ransomed to Cyprus, whence he became a monk at Saint Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula. Later, he moved to Crete, where he learned the practices of hesychasm from a monk named Arsenios. In 1310, he went to Mount Athos, where he remained until 1335. At Mount Athos, he was a monk at the Skete of Magoula near Philotheou Monastery. Increasing Muslim raids on Athos pushed Gregory and some disciples into the Bulgarian Empire, where he would find protection under Bulgarian Emperor Ivan Alexander. He went on to found a monastery near Paroria, located in the Strandzha Mountains of southeast Bulgaria. Gregory's disciples also included Nicodemus of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hesychius Of Jerusalem
Hesychius of Jerusalem, also spelt Hesychios and also known as Hesychius the Priest, was a Christian priest and exegete, active during the first half of the fifth century. Nothing certain is known as to the dates of his birth and death (450s?), or, indeed concerning the events of his life. Bearing as he does the title πρεσβύτερος "priest", he is not to be confused with Bishop Hesychius of Jerusalem, a contemporary of Gregory the Great. Attribution The writings of Hesychius of Jerusalem have been in part lost, in part handed down and edited as the work of other authors, and some are still buried in libraries in manuscript. Whoever would collect and arrange the fragments of Hesychius which have come down to us must go back to the manuscripts; for in Migne's edition of the Church Fathers the works of various writers named Hesychius are thrown together without regard for order under the heading "Hesychius, Presbyter of Jerusalem". About half of the matter under "Hesychius" m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nilus Of Sinai
Saint Nilus the Elder of Sinai (; also known as Neilos, Nilus of Sinai, Nilus of Ancyra, Nil Postnik ("the Faster"); born 4th century; died 12 November 430 or 451) was one of the many disciples and stalwart defenders of St. John Chrysostom. Life A native of Constantinople, Nilus was a layman, married, with two children. As a relatively young man, he was appointed eparch of the city. He was a disciple of the patriarch, John Chrysostom (before his first exile: 398–403). He directed Nilus in the study of Scripture and in works of piety. Chrysostom had a profound Influence on Nilus and his wife, and sometime between 390 and or 404, the couple decided to part and each pursue the monastic life. Nilus left with his son, Theodulos, and went to Mount Sinai to be a monk. His wife and daughter went to a women's monastery in Egypt. Nilus and his son were at Sinai until about the year 410 when Saracen raiders captured Theodulos and took him prisoner. They eventually sold him as a slave, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nilus Of Sora
Nilus of Sora (also Nil Sorsky or Nil Sorski; ; secular name: Nikolai Maikov; ; – 7 May 1508) was a Russian Orthodox monk, spiritual writer, theologian, and the founder of the Sora Hermitage. He is best known as the founder of a tendency in the Russian Orthodox Church known as the non-possessors (''nestyazhateli'') which opposed ecclesiastic landownership. The Russian Orthodox Church venerates Nilus as a saint, marking his feast day on the anniversary of his repose on 7 May. Early life Nilus of Sora, a great ascetic of the Russian Church, was born in 1433, and descended from the Maikov nobility. Before becoming a monk, Nilus of Sora worked as a scribe and was engaged in book copying. He also journeyed to Palestine and Greece early in his life and was acquainted there with the Hesychast movement. Later in his life, he took monastic vows at the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, which had been known for its hostile stance towards monastic landownership. The founder of the monast ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Cassian
John Cassian, also known as John the Ascetic and John Cassian the Roman (, ''Ioannes Cassianus'', or ''Ioannes Massiliensis''; Greek: Ίωάννης Κασσιανός ό Ερημίτης; – ), was a Christian monk and theologian celebrated in both the Western and Eastern churches for his mystical writings. Cassian is noted for his role in bringing the ideas and practices of early Christian monasticism to the medieval West. Biography Cassian was born around 360, most likely in the region of Scythia Minor (now Dobruja, a historical region shared today by Romania and Bulgaria), although some scholars assume a Gallic origin. The son of wealthy parents, he received a good education: his writings show the influence of Cicero and Persius. He was bilingual in Latin and Greek. Cassian mentions having a sister in his first work, the ''Institutes'', with whom he corresponded in his monastic life; she may have ended up with him in Marseille. As a young adult he traveled to Palestin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Climacus
John Climacus (; ; ), also known as John of the Ladder, John Scholasticus and John Sinaites, was a 6th–7th century Christian monk at the monastery on Mount Sinai. He is revered as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church and Catholic Church. History Many details on his life are unknown. There exists an ancient '' vita'' (life) of the saint by a monk named Daniel of the Raithu monastery, which is the principal source about the life of John. Daniel, though claiming to be a contemporary, admits to no knowledge of John's origins—any detail on John's birth is the result of much later speculation, and is confined to references in the Menologion. Daniel also does not provide any chronology and his knowledge of the life of John is both scanty and vague. If Daniel's ''Life'' is trustworthy (there is nothing against which to judge its accuracy), then John came to the ''Vatos'' Monastery at Mount Sinai, now Saint Catherine's Monastery, and became a novice when he was about 16 years o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
