The Letters of Barsanuphius and John

Barsanuphius and John:  Letters, Volumes 1 and 2

Barsanuphius and John; translated by John Chryssavgis

Volume 1: 344 pp. paper $44.95; Volume 2: 346 pp. paper $44.95

While an impressive corpus of ancient monastic writing has been translated or re-translated into English during the last thirty years, the Letters of Barsanuphius and John have been awaited longer than most. Two elderly monks, the “great old man” (Barsanuphius), and the “other old man” (John), lived near Gaza in the early sixth century. Rather than breaking their voluntary seclusion to give counsel to those who came to them with questions, they chose to carry on extensive written correspondence. As they became increasingly popular despite their inaccessibility, they were called on to dispense wisdom in both spiritual and practical matters. Eight hundred and fifty questions and answers, presented here in two volumes, shed light, not only on the spiritual tradition of the Desert Fathers and their complex historical and cultural milieu, but also on the timeless inner terrain of the human soul.

Barsanuphius:

"Those who sail at sea, even if they happen upon calm weather, yet while they are in the ocean, always expect storm, danger, and shipwreck. Therefore, they could never benefit from a short period of calm. Then, and only then, do they feel safe, when they actually enter the harbor. In the same way, a sinful person who is still in the world must always tremble at the thought of shipwreck."