Nile of Sinai - "about eight evil spirits" and other ascetic creations. Venerable Nile of Sinai

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Venerable Nilus of Sinai (Ancyra) († about 430) - a disciple of St. John Chrysostom and the great father of the Sinai desert. The book contains his moral and ascetic works: "On the Eight Evil Spirits", "On the Preference of Those Living in Silence in the Deserts over Those Living in Cities", "Exhortation to the Monks", "Thoughts that lead a person away from the corruptible and stick to imperishable", "Exhorting chapters", "About the teacher and students". The Monk Nilus of Sinai, following Evagrius of Pontus, develops a well-known classification of eight basic sinful thoughts (passions): gluttony, fornication, avarice, anger, sadness, despondency, vanity and pride. His subtle ascetic-psychological analysis of these passions helps the Christian to successfully fight them and improve himself internally, which makes the book useful both for monastics and for the widest range of Orthodox readers.

Venerable Nil of Sinai (Ankir)
"On the Eight Evil Spirits" and other ascetic creations

Published by: Creations reverend father our Nile, the ascetic of Sinai. Ch. 1–2. M., 1858 (Creations of the Holy Fathers, in Russian translation, published at the Moscow Theological Academy; v. 31-32). pp. 201–222, 246–256, 197–232.

Foreword

Rev. Nil of Ancyra, also called Nil of Sinai and Nil the Faster, is a great ascetic, holy father of the Church of the 4th-5th centuries, so famous that in ancient times even works that did not belong to him began to be signed with his name. The memory of the Nile of Sinai Orthodox Church celebrated on November 12/25.

Information about prep. Nile are very sketchy, so some scholars even hypothesized that St. There were two Nilovs: one was the author of the largely biographical "Tale of the massacre of the monks on Mount Sinai and the capture of Theodulus, the son of Nilov", and the other was the author large body letters, as well as treatises on monastic life and a commentary on the Song of Songs. It was to the second Nile that the works written somewhat earlier by Evagrius of Pontus were subsequently attributed. However, the question of the validity of such assumptions remains unresolved, and therefore, on the basis of ancient church testimonies and surviving works under the name of St. Nil, we will briefly describe the life path of this holy father as one historical figure.

The Byzantine historian Georgy Amartol in his "Chronicle" in the middle of the 9th century classifies St. Nile among the disciples of St. John Chrysostom (355–407), Archbishop of Constantinople, along with Saints Proclus of Constantinople, Palladius of Hellenopolis, Mark the Ascetic and Isidore Pelusiot. This holy father is also testified by some other historical sources: the Synaxarion of Constantinople, historians George Kedrin and Nicephorus Callistus. As can be seen from the letters of the Rev. Nile, until the end of his days, he deeply revered the memory of his teacher John Chrysostom and in one of his letters he even refuses to pray for the capital to Emperor Arcadius himself, considering the disasters that happened to the city as a result of an unfair trial of Chrysostom.

Some modern historians believe that St. The Nile is called Ancyra, because he was born, raised and spent an ascetic life in Ancyra - in Asia Minor. However, one can also say this: the Nile was born and raised in Ancyra, and then retired to the Sinai desert, which is why it is called Sinai.

Rev. Neil was born in rich family somewhere around 340-350. Having received an excellent education, he became a bishop or prefect of the capital - Constantinople. He took monasticism around 390, and died around 430. “In the world, Saint Nilus was married and had two sons, but the desire for solitude and ascetic life grew more and more in his God-loving soul. It forced Nilus to leave the high position of prefect and family life"which, however, did not happen without a heavy internal struggle. With one of his sons, Theodulus, he goes to Sinai. The wife of St. Nile retired to one of the Egyptian monasteries."

According to the Hieromartyr Seraphim (Zvezdinsky), the life of the Sinai “hermit monks” is depicted by St. Nile with sublime, ideal features. here this great man contemplated Jehovah with trumpet sounds, amid the brilliance of lightning and peals of thunder, listening to His Divine plans (Ex. 3:19). God (1 Kings 19). Living in the country of these two great Old Testament ascetics, the hermits imitated their virtues, learning from their arrogance. In quiet silence, far from any rebellion, they worked on themselves, purifying their soul in order to make it capable of entering into fellowship with the heavenly world, elevate it to the level of constant contemplation of the Divine... Spiritual, inner beauty is a hermit's was fully reflected in their external life, which was a copy of their inner life. It should be noted that the hermits lived a life of two kinds. Dungeons and caves served as dwellings for some, built huts for others ... But even during life in huts, the basic principle of hermitage was preserved in all its strength: strict isolation from each other, complete solitude. Hermit huts were located one from the other at a distance of 20 stages (about 3 Vi versts and more) ... A touching picture should have been the general meetings of hermits on Sundays, when all of them from their huts and caves flocked to one church, partake of the Divine Mysteries here, delighting each other with exercise in decent conversations, anointing one another with moral advice . In addition, the hermits participated together in night vigils, which differed from them. long duration and ended by late morning.

Around 410, barbarians attacked the monastic settlement. Having killed some of the brothers, they captured others and, taking them to themselves, were preparing to sacrifice pagan gods or sell. Among the captives was the son of St. Nila Theodulus. Remaining at large, Rev. Nil did everything to save his son, and the Lord heeded his fervent prayers: he did not give the barbarians the opportunity to kill Theodulus by sacrificing him - he was sold into slavery, then ransomed by a Christian bishop, and in the end found st. Nile. The bishop, who ransomed Theodulus, ordained father and son to the priesthood and released them back to the desert in peace to the monks, where St. Neil continued his exploits.

After the death of Rev. Nile, his body was transferred by Emperor Justin the Younger (r. 565–578) to Constantinople to the Church of the Holy Apostles, from where later the remains of the holy father were transferred to Athos. The participants of the 7th Ecumenical Council have already mentioned St. Nile as a "holy and glorious father."

Among the works of Nil of Ancyra, researchers distinguish three groups: authentic; those that can be attributed to Nil of Ancyra with a grain of salt; only inscribed with his name, but not belonging to him. Creations of Rev. The Nile is preserved in Greek, Syriac and other languages. Most of the creations Greek was published in the 19th century in Minh's Patrology. In Russian, these works appeared in the series "The Works of the Holy Fathers in Russian Translation", and some were translated by St. Feofan

A recluse and published in the "Philokalia". The following creations are taken for the publication offered to the reader.

Philokalia. Volume II Corinthian Saint Macarius

Venerable Nil of Sinai

Brief information about Saint Nile

The Monk Nilus came from a rich and distinguished family, and probably even then, as St. Chrysostom was a preacher in Antioch, was his listener and disciple. His noble birth and personal merit elevated him to the rank of prefect of the capital. But the aspirations of his spirit did not agree with the proper chores and routines of life in the capital. Why, having agreed with his wife, with whom he already had two children, he left the world, so that in solitude he would be more successful than his mother-in-law by salvation. He, taking with him the son of Theodulus, settled in Sinai; and his wife and daughter found shelter in one of the Egyptian convents.

In the Sinai desert, St. Nil lived extremely strictly: with his own hands, with his son, they dug a cave for themselves and, living in it, ate not even bread, but wild bitter plants. All the same, their time passed in prayer, the study of the Scriptures, contemplation of God, and labors.

Leaving the world, however, St. Neil did not leave communication with people. From all places and all sorts of people turned to him with their spiritual needs, and no one was left without the necessary admonition and edification. And the king wrote to him, asking for prayers, and he wrote to the king, reproaching him for his injustice to St. Zlatoust. Other writings of the monk are predominantly moral and ascetic in content. From everything he wrote, it is clear how vast and deep his knowledge was, and how tireless his work in this matter.

To test his love for God there was a special temptation for him. Wild barbarians from Arabia attacked Sinai and its surrounding areas and plundered everything, killed many, and took others prisoner. Among the latter was Theodulus, son of St. Nile. This misfortune was very sensitive for the monk, and he did not find peace for himself, especially when, on the second or third day after the common misfortune, the news was brought to him that the savages had sacrificed his son to the matinee - the star Venus, without asserting whether was the definition. But God did not allow his parental heart to languish for long. He soon learned that the sacrifice did not take place and the captives were sold to Christian countries. The search later found him in the city of Eluse, whose bishop bought him from the barbarians along with others and was already preparing him for the service of the Church, for which his father, who had come for him, was also entreated. The love of desert life did not allow them to agree to this; and the bishop, consecrating them as priests, blessed them to go to their beloved Sinai, where they remained until the end of their lives.

Rev. The Nile left the world in 390; he lived in the desert of Sinai for 60 years and died about 450. His memory is November 12 and January 13. Under Justin the Younger, his holy relics were transferred to Constantinople and laid in the church of Sts. apostles.

From the writings of St. Nile into the Greek Philokalia, and from it into the Slavic, are taken - the word about prayer and the word ascetic. A Word on Prayer we also take into our Philokalia; instead of the word ascetic, we prefer to take the word about the eight spirits of evil, and two collections of short sayings and precepts, of which one is entitled:— chapters or exhortations,- and the second: - thoughts that lead a person away from the corruptible and cling to the imperishable.– But as for prayer and the struggle with passions, a lot of most beneficial advice and instructions were expressed by the monk in his other writings, just as everywhere in the same place there are abundant thoughts of edifying thoughts about the moral system in general, and especially about life estranged from everything: then thinking that it would be unfair to deprive our Philokalia of these treasures, we decided to borrow them from the aforementioned writings of the monk, placing what relates to prayer, under the word about prayer, - what relates to the fight against passions, - under each of the eight passions, which - to general edification, - under the collection of sayings. We imitate the ancients in this. For in Patrol. graec. Migne t. 79, where all the writings of St. Nile, after thoughts that lead away from the corruptible and cling to the imperishable,- pp. 1249-1250, - a note is made that in the manuscript from which these thoughts were printed there, there follow four dozen more thoughts, borrowed from the word about non-possessiveness, from the article about superiority staying in silence before life in the city. Most of these borrowings are not printed; but the example does not lose anything through this.

Quotations of these borrowings will be indicated at the end of the articles, indicating the volume and page, according to the publication of the works of the monk in Russian translation. Articles without citations are on the same page as above.

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Commemoration: November 12 / 25

The Monk Nil of Sinai (†450) is a disciple of John Chrysostom, the author of ascetic works and an interpreter of Holy Scripture.

P Rev. Nile of Sinai

***

A Word on Prayer

Foreword

You promptly raised me, lying in a burning fever of impure passions, with the touch of your God-loving letter, and my mind, ailing with the most shameful ailments, encouraged me with consolation, blissfully imitating the great Mentor and Teacher. And it's not surprising. It has always been your share to seek the glorious and significant, as well as the blessed Jacob. Why, having worked well for Rachel and received Leah, do you also seek your beloved, just as he who completed seven years (of work) for her (Genesis 29:20-28). And I do not refuse to admit that, having labored all night, I did not catch anything; but, according to your word, he cast down the net, and brought out many fish, I do not think that they were great, but a hundred and fifty and three (John 21:11). And I send them to you in the box of love; and thus I fulfill your command, compiling an equal number of chapters (on prayer). I marvel at you and greatly appease your beautiful will that you desired (nothing else), but chapters on prayer; and, moreover, he not only wished that they were written on charters by hand, but that they were implanted in the mind with love and gentleness. Since "all the things are one against the one," according to the words of the wise Sirach (42:25), then not only accept them by the letter, but also comprehend them in the spirit. For the paucity of heads do not scold, as he who knows how to "both be satisfied and be deprived" (Phil. 4:12). Do not scold her, remembering that the Lord did not reject even two of the widow's mites, but accepted them more favorably than the rich contributions of many others. But more than that, knowing how to keep goodwill and love in relation to your sincere brethren, pray for the weak, so that he becomes healthy, and taking his bed began to walk, by the grace of Christ. Amen.

One hundred and fifty three chapters on prayer

1. If someone wants to prepare fragrant incense, then according to the law, he must put in equal parts "pure lebanon, cassia, onych and stakti" (Ex. 30:34). This is the quadruple of virtues. When all of them are present in the soul in full perfection and in equal strength, then the mind will not be betrayed (treasonably, of course, by some inner traitor).

2. The soul, having been cleansed by the fullness of virtues, puts the mind in a state of steadfastness, making it capable of accepting the dispensation that is required (in prayer).

3. Prayer is a conversation of the mind with God. What arrangement does the mind need in order to be able, without being illumined backwards (or everywhere and everywhere), to ascend to its Lord and converse with Him without any intermediary?

4. If Moses, who intended to approach the burning bush of the earth, was forbidden to do so until he wears his boots from his feet (Ex. 3. 5), then how can you not renounce every passionate thought from yourself when you want to see Him Who is higher every feeling and thought, and be His companion?

5. First of all, pray for the receipt of tears, in order to soften the cruelty that exists in the soul (Greek - “savagery”) by weeping and confessing the “iniquity of the Lord” (Ps. 31:5) to receive remission of sins from Him.

6. Use tears as a tool to receive any request; for the Master rejoices greatly over you when you pray with tears.

7. When you shed streams of tears during your prayer, do not at all rise up in yourself, as if you were higher than many. Your prayer received this help from above, so that you, diligently confessing your sins, propitiated the Lord with tears.

8. Do not turn the means against the passions into passion, so as not to anger Him who gave you this grace (ie, tears). Many, shedding tears for sins, forgot the purpose of tears and, having become enraged, they perverted (from the right path, or went crazy).

9. Stand patiently and pray hard, weaning off the wounds of worldly cares and all sorts of thoughts; for they disturb and disturb you in order to upset your prayerful striving.

10. When the demons see that someone has zeal and zeal to pray, as they should, then (during prayer) they put into him thoughts about something that is necessary (and depart), and after a little while again arouse the memory of that, moving the mind for consideration of that (if this is a question, and permission, if a thing, for the acquisition); - and he, not finding what he is looking for, is annoyed and mourns. Then, when he starts to pray (this zealous zealot of prayer), they remind him of what he was thinking and what he was looking for, so that the mind, moving again to recognition (not resolved before), would make prayer fruitless.

11. Strive your mind during prayer to make deaf and dumb; and then you will be able to pray as you should.

12. When temptation comes upon you, or someone’s contradiction irritates you, so that you either rise up in anger against the one who opposed you, or even utter some unsimilar word; then remember about prayer and about the judgment during it (over you in conscience before the face of God), and immediately the disorderly movement will be tamed in you.

13. Whatever you do in vengeance against your brother who told you the truth, everything will be a temptation to you (it will embarrass you) during prayer.

14. Prayer is a branch (from the tree) of meekness and without anger.

15. Prayer is a manifestation (penetration) of joy and thanksgiving.

16. Prayer is a cure for sorrow and despondency.

17. "Go, sell your possessions, and give to the poor" (Matt. 19:21), and taking up the cross, deny yourself (- 16:24), so that you can pray without distraction.

18. If you want to pray a praiseworthy prayer, deny yourself during prayer and, enduring extreme bitterness, be wise for the sake of prayer.

19. If you have to endure any sorrow, you will be wise; then you will obtain the fruit of this during prayer.

20. If you wish to pray as you should, do not sorrow of the soul (or do not keep grief in the soul); otherwise, your course (or your prayer work) is in vain.

21. "Leave your gift," says the Lord, "before the altar, and when you go, first make peace with your brother" (Matt. 5:24), and then, having come, you will begin to pray without embarrassment; for malice brings darkness on the dominating mind of the one who prays, and darkness surrounds his prayers.

22. Those who gather sorrows (sorrows) and resentment in themselves, and hold (in this state of prayer), are like those who draw water and pour it into a leaky tub.

23. If you are patient, you will always pray with joy.

24. When you pray as you should, you may come across (or come to mind) some deeds for which it seems righteous to you to be angry with your neighbor. (Beware). – There is absolutely no anger against a neighbor who would be righteous. And if you look, you will find that you can arrange things well without anger. Why try in every possible way - not to move to anger.

25. See that, thinking about healing another, you yourself do not remain unhealed, and do not punctuate your prayer.

26. Sparing others and not being angry with them, you will also find mercy for yourself, you will show yourself reasonable in your opinion of yourself and you will be among those who truly pray.

27. Arming yourself against anger, you will never endure the attack of lust; for it gives food to anger, but this one disturbs the intellectual eye and damages the dispensation for prayer.

28. When praying, do not confine yourself to external bodily movements and positions, but raise your mind to the feeling of spiritual prayer with great fear.

29. Sometimes, as soon as you start to pray, you will immediately begin to pray well; and sometimes, even if you work hard, you will not improve this desired goal; (and this is allowed to you in order) so that you seek (prayers) even more diligently and, having received, have a prayer perfectly serviceable, safe from theft.

30. When an angel approaches us, immediately all those who are appalling us (demons) leave immediately: the mind is then in great joy and prays soundly. And sometimes, during the usual swearing, the mind beats and struggles and is not allowed to arise (to divine thought and well-being). This is for the fact that he was previously qualified by various passions (he was carried away, tasted them). However, if he looks for more, he will find, and if he is not too lazy to push, he will open himself.

31. Do not pray, let it be according to your desires; for they do not agree with the will of God in everything. But it is better to pray as you have learned, saying: "Let Thy will be done" on me (Mt. 6:10). And in every matter so ask Him: for He always desires good and useful to the soul yours, and you don't always claim it.

32. Many times, praying, I asked that it be good for me, and insisted on asking, unreasonably forcing the will of God, and not betraying God to arrange better what He knows is useful for me. But having received (asked), he was later in great sorrow, and precisely because he did not ask - so it would be better according to the will of God; for things did not turn out for me as I thought.

33. What is good but God? Let us surrender to Him everything that concerns us, and it will be good for us; for the Good One is, of course, also the bestower of good gifts.

34. Do not grieve if you do not immediately receive from God what you ask for. He wants to do you more good by the very fact that he makes you patiently stand before Him in prayer longer. For what is higher than to extend the conversation to God and embrace to be fellowship with Him.

35. Undistracted prayer is the highest mental deed.

36. Prayer is the ascent of the mind to God.

37. If real prayer is desirable for you, renounce everything so that you inherit everything.

38. Pray, firstly, to be cleansed of passions, secondly, to be delivered from ignorance and forgetfulness, and thirdly, to be delivered from every temptation and abandonment.

39. Seek in your prayer only truth and kingdom, i.e. virtues and knowledge, and everything else will be added to you (Mt. 6:33).

40. He righteously prays not only for his own cleansing, but also for the cleansing of every person, in imitation of the Angelic order.

41. See whether you truly stand before God in your prayer, or whether you are overcome by the desire for human praise and try to catch it, covering this (not a good desire with a plausible) length of prayer.

42. Whether you pray with the brethren or alone, strive not only to satisfy the custom, but to pray in feeling.

43. Prayer (this - in feeling) is characteristic of self-deepening with reverence, tenderness and spiritual pain, during confession with unspoken sighs of sins.

44. If your mind steals away during prayer, then it is not like a monk praying, but there is still a layman decorating the outer tabernacle.

45. When you pray, keep your memory with all your might, so that it does not offer you its own; but in every possible way elevate yourself to a reasonable stand (with the consciousness of whom and for what you stand). For during prayer, the mind is usually very overwhelmed by memory (it brings to mind things, persons, events, and with them distracts the attention of the mind from prayer).

46. Memory brings to your mind during prayer or imagination of old deeds, or new worries, or a face that offended you.

47. The demon is very jealous of a person who is praying and uses all sorts of tricks to frustrate such an intention of him; therefore, it does not cease to arouse thoughts about various things through memory, and through the flesh sets in motion all the passions, in order to somehow interfere with its beautiful flow (i.e., prayerful labor) and transmigration to God (ascent by attention).

48. When the all-sly demon, having used many tricks, does not have time to prevent the prayer of the diligent (prayer book); then he does not weaken (his attacks) much, but for that later, when he finishes the prayer, he takes revenge on him. For, either by inflaming it with anger, it destroys that beautiful mood that is acquired by prayer, or by irritating some wordless sweetness (the urge to taste sensual pleasure), it laughs at the mind.

49. Having prayed as you should, expect what you should not, and stand courageously, guarding your fruit. This is what you have been placed on from the very beginning, i.e. to "do and keep" (Gen. 2:15). Why, having done (having performed a prayer as it should), do not leave without protection what you have acquired by labor; otherwise, there will be no benefit to you from prayer.

50. All the warfare waged between us and the unclean spirits: there is no other reason than spiritual prayer, for it is very antagonistic and intolerable to them, but it is saving and favorable to us.

51. Why do demons want to arouse gluttony, fornication, avarice, anger, vindictiveness and other passions in us? So that the mind, having become emaciated from them, could not pray as it should; for the passions of the unreasonable part of us, having begun to act (having come into motion), do not allow the mind to act rationally.

52. Virtues are passable, because they are required by nature; we submit to nature for the sake of the Word that existed in it - (the Lord). This word is usually made clear to us (it is clearly imprinted in our consciousness) in a state of prayer.

53. The state of prayer is a dispassionate dispensation, with extreme love admiring the wise and spiritual mind to heights.

54. Not only anger and lust must be ruled by those who want to truly pray, but also be a stranger to every passionate thought.

55. He who loves God always converses with Him as with the Father, turning away from every passionate thought.

56. Not everyone who has improved dispassion even prays truly; for such a one can still be busy with simple thoughts (about things, without passionate movements) and amuse themselves with their stories (perhaps with their pictures and their various combinations), and be far from God. (There are no passionate movements, but the mind dreams).

57. But even when the mind does not stagnate in simple thoughts about things, it does not mean that it has already reached the place of prayer: for it can be busy with (philosophical) speculation about these things and delve into their causal relationships. Although all these are abstractions, but since they are speculations about things, they imprint their images in the mind, and lead it far away from God. (Passion is not in motion, but the mind philosophizes and does not pray: the state of scientists).

58. Let the mind be higher and speculations about material nature, it does not follow that he has already seen the real place of God: for he can be busy with the knowledge of mental creatures (the Angelic world), and dazzle with them (be full of various thoughts and ideas about them) .

59. If you want to pray properly, then you need God, who gives prayer to those who pray. Call upon Him in prayer, saying: “Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come” (Matthew 6:9, 10), i.e. Holy Spirit and Your Only Begotten Son. For thus the Lord Himself taught, saying that it is worthy to bow down to the Father in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

60. He who prays in spirit and in truth does not borrow thoughts from creatures to glorify the Creator, but from Himself he draws contemplations for glorifying Him.

61. If you are a theologian, you will pray truly; and if you truly pray, then you are a theologian.

62. When your mind, burning with desire for God, little by little, as it were, renounces the flesh and turns away from all thoughts that come from sensory impressions or from memory, being at the same time full of reverence and joy; then conclude that he has approached the limits of prayer.

63. The Holy Spirit, condescending to our weakness, comes to us even when we are not yet clean; and if it only finds our mind sincerely praying to Him, finds it and disperses the entire crowd of thoughts and ideas surrounding it (makes it disappear), disposing it through it to the desire for spiritual prayer.

64. Others (spirits - good and evil) through their influence on the body introduce thoughts, ideas and imaginations into the mind; but the Lord acts in the opposite way: flowing into the mind itself, imparting to it the knowledge of what He pleases, and through the mind tames the intemperance of the body.

65. Worthy of all reproach is the one who, loving true prayer, is angry or resentful: for he is like one who wants to look sharply, and meanwhile closes his eyes.

66. If you wish to pray as you should, do not do anything that resists (hostile) prayer, so that God will come closer to you.

67. When you pray, do not give the Divinity any form, and do not allow your mind to be transformed into any image, (or imagine yourself under any image, or that any image is imprinted in your mind); but insubstantially approach the immaterial, and you will come together with it.

68. Beware of the nets of the enemy: for it happens that when you pray purely and serenely, some strange and alien image suddenly appears to you. The enemies do this in order to make you conceited, instilling the idea that the Divine (appeared to you) is here - and further so that you think that like this, the Divine that suddenly appeared to you quantitatively (occupies a place, an extended , has parts), while the Deity has neither quantity nor form.

69. When the envious demon does not have time to set the memory in motion, then it affects the blood and juices in order to produce in the mind through them the imagination of something alien and fill it with images; he, accustomed to revolve in thoughts, is easily carried away by this, and thinking that he is flowing towards an immaterial and formless knowledge, he is deceived, accepting smoke instead of light.

70. Stand on your guard, guarding your mind from thoughts during prayer and trying to stand in a peaceful dispensation, so that "He who has compassion on the ignorant" (Heb. 5:2) will come to you and give you to receive the glorious gift of prayer.

71. It is impossible for you to pray purely, entwined in material matters and agitated by unceasing cares: for prayer is the laying aside of (all external) thoughts.

72. The bound cannot run - and the mind, working any passion - see the place of spiritual prayer; moreover, he drags and rushes about with passionate thought, and does not have an unshakable standing.

73. When the mind finally begins to pray purely and dispassionately, then the demons attack it no longer from the cheeks, but from the gums; purpose of prayer. This, as one man who knows the matter (Evagrius), said, it happens from the passion of vanity, and from demonic touch to a certain place in the brain and from shock (or inflammation) lived in it.

74. I think that the demon, touching the said place, as he wants, turns the light that is near the mind; from this, vanity is moved to a thought that compels the mind to frivolously appropriate to itself Divine and essential knowledge. Since he is not disturbed by impure fleshly passions, and he is purely present in prayer, he does not think that there is any enemy action here - and he is convinced that this is definitely a Divine phenomenon, while it came from a demon who , using extreme cunning, through the brain, as we said, it changes the light associated with the mind and forms it itself (gives it an image itself, or makes one imagine).

75. An angel of God, appearing, with a single word stops the enemy's action in us and incites the light of the mind to act uncharacteristically.

76. What is said in the Apocalypse about the Angel, that he brings incense, "that he will give to the prayers of the saints" (Rev. 8: 3), I think, points to this grace, acting through the Angel, which imparts the ability to truly pray; so that the mind finally stands on prayer without confusion of thoughts, without despondency and cowardice.

77. Vials with incense are, as they say there, "the prayers of the saints", which were brought by "twenty-four elders" (Rev. 5:8). The phial should be understood as fellowship with God, or perfect, spiritual love for Him, in which prayer is acted upon in spirit and in truth.

78. When you think that during your prayer you do not need to weep over sins, then look how far you are from God, being obliged to always abide in Him, and you will shed the warmest tears.

79. Truly this: realizing your measure (poverty and insignificance), you will weep in sweetness, cursing yourself like Isaiah, - as "being unclean and unclean of the mouth" and living among such a people, i.e. opponents (God's - unclean forces or thoughts), you dare to stand before the Lord of Hosts (Is. 6:5).

80. If you pray truly, you will receive a complete confirmation in many ways, and the angels will gather to you, as they did to Daniel, and enlighten you with knowledge of the reasons why things happen.

81. Know that Angels excite us to prayer and stand with us on it, rejoicing and praying together for us. So, if we are negligent and accept contrary thoughts, then we will anger them extremely; for while they struggle so much for us, we do not want to beg God for ourselves, but neglecting our service to God, and leaving their God and Master, we are talking with unclean demons (in thoughts).

82. Pray peacefully and serenely, sing wisely and well-disposed, and you will be like a chick of eagles rising to the heights.

83. Psalmody lulls the passions and subdues the impulses of bodily intemperance; and prayer attunes the mind to its proper mental activity.

84. Prayer is an activity worthy of the dignity of the mind, or better, its real use.

85. Psalmody is an image of manifold wisdom; and prayer is the beginning of immaterial knowledge.

86. Knowledge is a wonderful thing; it contributes to prayer, arousing the mental power of the mind to the contemplation of Divine knowledge.

87. If you have not yet received the gift of prayer or psalmody, then ask persistently and you will receive.

88. "Then (the Lord) said, 'and a parable to them, as it is fitting to always pray, and do not chill' (Lk. 18:1). Therefore, do not grieve and do not be discouraged that you have not yet received; for later you will receive. To the parable The Lord added this also: "If I do not fear God, and I am not put to shame: but this widow does not work for me, I will avenge her" (– 5). ) Be merciful with diligent patience, remaining in prayer.

89. Do not wish that what concerns you be as it seems to you (better), but as God pleases; and you will be serene and thankful in your prayer.

90. Even if you were already with God, apparently, beware of the demon of fornication; for he is very seductive and cunning, and in every possible way strengthens to overcome the striving of your sober mind, and to distract him from God, even when he stands before God with reverence and fear.

91. If you are anxious about prayer, then prepare yourself for demonic obsessions and patiently endure their scourging, for they will attack you like wild beasts and all your body will ulcerate.

92. Get ready, as an experienced wrestler - do not hesitate, even if you suddenly see what kind of ghost, - do not be embarrassed, even if a sword is pointed at you, or a flame is directed at your face, - do not lose heart (do not be shy), at least the ghost (mug) presented itself to you, what an ugly and insidious one; but stand still, making a good confession, and look boldly at your enemies.

93. Whoever endures sadness will also be vouchsafed joyful things; and whoever endures unpleasant things will not be deprived of a part in pleasant things either.

94. See that evil demons do not deceive you with any kind of vision. (If something like this happens, then) being collected in yourself, turn to prayer and ask God that, if it is from Him (for enlightenment), He Himself will enlighten you, and if not, then quickly drive the deceiver away from you. And dare; for these dogs will not stand still when you flow to God with warm prayer, but immediately, invisibly and invisibly beaten by God’s power, they will run away from you.

95. You should also know the following deceit of demons. Sometimes they divide themselves into groups. Some come with temptation. And when you seek help, others enter in angelic form and drive the first ones away, so that you are seduced by the opinion that they are real angels, and fall into conceit that you are worthy of it.

96. Try to be as humble and courageous as possible, and the enemy attack of demons will not touch your soul and their scourge will not come close to your body. "by His angel command about you" (Lord) "keep thee" (Ps. 90:10. 11); and they will invisibly reflect from you any enemy action.

97. Although noise, and trampling, and cries, and curses will be heard from demons, trying to keep a pure prayer, but he will not sink in thought and will not betray him to them, saying to God: "I will not fear evil, for you are with me" (Ps. 22:4), and the like.

98. During such temptations, incessantly use short but intense prayer.

99. If demons threaten you, that they suddenly appear in the air to amaze you and steal your mind, do not be afraid of them and do not worry at all about such a threat from them. It is they who frighten you, torturing you whether you put them into something, or whether you have already completely despised them.

100. If you appeared to God the Almighty, the Creator and Provider in prayer, then why do you stand before Him so foolishly that, having left His fear unconquerable, you are afraid of flies and mosquitoes? Or do you not hear what the Prophet says: "Be afraid of the Lord thy God" (Deut. 10:20), - and again: "All fear him and tremble at the presence of His power" - and so on (2 Chronicles. 36: Manasseh's prayer) .

101. Just as bread serves as food for the body, and virtue for the soul, so spiritual prayer is food for the mind.

102. Pray not as a Pharisee, but as a tax collector in the sacred place of prayer, so that you too may be justified by the Lord.

103. Strive not to pray against anyone in your prayer, so as not to destroy what you create, making your prayer disgusting (before God).

104. May the debtor of "my talents" teach you that if you do not leave (the debt) to your debtor, then you yourself will not receive the abandonment (of your debt); for it is said: "I betrayed him with a tormentor" (Matt. 18:34).

105. Put bodily needs aside during your prayerful stand (to God), so that the bite of a flea, mosquito and fly does not deprive you of the greatest gain that prayer brings.

106. It has come down to us that one Saint, when he stood up to pray, the evil one fought so much that as soon as he raised his hands, this one, transformed into a lion, raised his front paws up and, plunging his claws into the sides of the ascetic, did not retreat, until he gave up. But he never dropped them until he had finished his usual prayers.

107. Such, as we know, was John the Lesser, silent in the ditch, or rather, the greatest monk, who relentlessly abode in intelligent coexistence with God, when a demon in the form of a dragon coiled around him, gnawed his flesh and vomited it in his face .

108. Of course, you read the lives of the Tavennisiot monks, which say that when Abba Theodore spoke a word to the brethren, two echidnas crawled up to his feet, and he, not in the least embarrassed, bent his feet as if in a vault and, letting the echidnas under them, continued the word to the end ; and then he already showed them to the brethren, having told this matter.

109. We also read about another spiritual brother, that when he was praying, a viper crawled up and touched his leg; but he did not lower his hands before, as if he had made an ordinary prayer. And this one, who loved God more than himself, suffered no harm.

110. Keep your eye on those who are not having fun while praying, and having renounced the flesh and soul, live with the mind.

111. To another certain Saint, a strong man of prayer, who was silent in the desert, demons appeared and for two weeks they played with him, as with a ball, throwing him up and picking him up on the mat; however, they could not at all lower his mind from fervent prayer.

112. To another still God-loving monk, when he was doing mental prayer, walking in the wilderness, two angels appeared and went along with him, having him in the middle. But he did not pay attention to them for a minute, so as not to suffer damage in the best, for he remembered the saying of the Apostle, who says: "neither angels, nor principles, lower than power can separate us from the love of Christ" (Rom. 8: 38. 39 ).

113. A monk by prayer becomes equal to the angels, desiring "to see the face of the Father who is in heaven" (Mt. 18:10).

114. Do not at all desire and do not seek to see any face or image during prayer.

115. Do not want to see sensually Angels, or Forces, or Christ, so as not to go crazy, mistaking a wolf for a shepherd and bowing to enemies - demons.

116. The beginning of the delusion of the mind is vainglory, by which the mind, being moved, attempts to describe the Divine in some image and image.

117. I will speak my own, what I said to the beginners; blessed is the mind that maintains perfect silence during prayer.

118. Blessed is the mind that, praying without distraction, receives more and more desire from God.

119. Blessed is the mind, which during prayer is immaterial and non-possessive.

120. Blessed is the mind that, during prayer, maintains complete insensitivity to everything.

121. Blessed is the monk who reveres every man, as it were, as a god after God.

122. Blessed is the monk who regards the accomplishment of salvation and the prosperity of all as his own.

123. Blessed is the monk who considers himself the scum of all.

124. A monk is one who, separated from all, is united with all.

125. A monk is one who considers himself to be with everyone and sees himself in everyone.

126. He makes a prayer who always brings all his first thoughts to God.

127. Avoid every lie and every swearing, like a monk who strongly desires to pray; Otherwise, in vain you take on an appearance unusual for you.

128. If you wish to pray in the spirit, do not borrow anything from the flesh, and you will not have a cloud spreading darkness before you while you are praying.

129. Entrust your bodily needs to God, and it will be obvious that you also entrust your spiritual ones to Him.

130. If you are able to receive the promises, you will reign. Shouldn't you, in view of this, endure real poverty with pleasure?

131. Do not deny poverty and sorrow (of life), these instruments (wings) of easy prayer.

132. Let the bodily virtues be the pledge of spiritual ones, the spiritual ones spiritual ones, and these ones - immaterial and essential knowledge.

133. If, praying against what thought, you notice that it quickly and easily subsided, then consider what it happened from, so as not to fall into an ambush, and, being deceived, not become a traitor to yourself.

134. It happens that sometimes the demons, having put some thoughts into you, themselves induce you to pray against them, to contradict them, and immediately run away; so that you fall into delusion, thinking that you have already begun to conquer thoughts and frighten demons.

135. If you pray against any passion or any demon that threatens you, remember the words of the Psalmist: "I will marry my enemies, and I will comprehend, and I will not return, until they die: I will offend them, and they will not be able to, they will fall under my feet," and so on (Ps. 17:38, 39). But say it in good time, arming yourself against the resistance fighters with humility of wisdom.

136. Do not think of acquiring virtue without first fighting for it to the point of bloodshed. It is necessary, according to the Divine Apostle, to stand against sin until death, striving in order to remain blameless (Heb. 12:4).

137. It happens that, having done a favor to one, you will suffer harm from another (due to the intrigues of the enemy), so that when you meet in slander, you say or do something inappropriate, and thus squander the evil that you collected good. That is the goal of the crafty demons. That's why you need to be smart about yourself.

138. Being exposed to demonic aspirations towards you, take care in every possible way, so as not to fall into their slavery.

139. At night, crafty demons try to confuse the spiritual teacher; and during the day - through people, surrounding him with unpleasant accidents from them, slander and troubles.

140. Do not refuse to endure these fullers. Let them beat and trample with their feet, stretch and stroke; but through this garment yours is made brighter.

141. Until you completely renounce passions and your mind still reveals resistance to virtue and truth, until you find fragrant incense in your bosom (i.e. pure and warm prayer).

142. Do you wish to pray (as you should)? Having migrated from here, always have a residence in heaven, not only in words, but by angelic deeds and Divine understanding.

143. If only when you are in distress (subjected to strong temptations, being in danger of falling), you remember the Judge, how terrible and unwashed He is, then you have not yet learned to "work for the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling" (Ps. 2:11) . Know that in the presence of spiritual comforts and consolations, it is even more necessary to serve Him with fear and reverence.

144. Wise is the man who, before perfect repentance, does not cease with grief to remember his sins, and the righteous punishment for them in eternal fire.

145. He who dwells in sins and wrath of God, and shamelessly daring to reach out to the knowledge of Divine things and to immaterial prayer, may he accept the Apostolic prohibition that it is not safe for him to pray with a naked and uncovered head. Such a soul, let's say in the words of the Apostle, "should have authority to have an angel at its head" for the sake of those present (1 Cor. 11:10), clothed in shame and proper humility of wisdom.

146. Just as long and strenuous gazing at the sun, in the strongest light at noon, does not benefit a sick eye, so a passionate and impure mind will not benefit the imagination of a terrible and transcendent prayer in spirit and truth; on the contrary, the Deity will raise up against him to indignation.

147. If the one who comes to the altar with a gift is not accepted by the One who lacks nothing and is impartial, until he is reconciled with his neighbor who grieves against him (Matt. 5:23), then see what kind of self-protection and what prudence is needed in order to bring incense favorable to God on the mental altar.

148. Do not be philosophic or glorious; otherwise, it will clearly be that “sinners are doing it not on the back,” but on your face (Ps. 129:3). And you will be a laughing stock for them during prayer, drawn and seduced by them into placeless thoughts.

149. Attention that seeks prayer will find prayer. Attention is followed not only by something better, but by prayer, for which every care should be taken.

150. Just as sight is better than all the senses, so prayer is more divine than all the virtues.

151. Praise to prayer is not just quantity, but also quality. This is shown by "those who have entered the Church to pray" (Lk. 18:10), and the following word: "But when you pray, do not speak too much," and so on. (Matthew 6:7).

152. As long as you pay attention only to the position of the body suitable for prayer and your mind cares only about the external beauty of the tabernacle (about other external accessories of prayer ... cf. ch. 44), hitherto (know that) you have not yet seen the place of prayer, but that her blissful path is still far from you.

153. When, standing in prayer, you are above all other joy, then (know that) you have truly found prayer.

154. Beautiful is prayer and reading; they stop the vain wandering of thoughts, tying up the thought that circles over what it shouldn’t, and usefully keeping it to themselves, not in the least entertained in this wonderful occupation (1:16).

155. Prayer sets us up for a conversation with God and a long-term habit in this brings us into fellowship with Him; with Him, who accepts even insignificant people in love and is not ashamed of a friendly approach to them, as long as the love abiding in them gives them boldness (1:17).

156. Prayer detaches the mind from all thought of the sensible, elevates it to God Himself, who exists above all, in order to converse with Him and boldly ask Him for anything; and thus makes a man spend his life in purity, as having already been in communion with God, and soon afterwards again preparing for this communion (1:19).

157. Paul teaches to "continue in prayer" (Rom. 12:12), by prolonged sojourn in it, establishing in oneself the habit of it (Col. 4:2; Eph. 6:18). And he also commands "to make prayers in every place" (1 Tim. 2:8), so that not a single negligent person can apologize for living far from the prayer temple. Every place is suitable for prayer. God accepts those who call on Him with a pure heart and righteous deeds, and looking at their disposition, listens to their prayer, even if the place where they call Him, in our opinion, was no different (1. 20).

158. Sometimes during the vigil it is necessary to read a psalm quickly, and sometimes the singing of psalms should be preferred. We have to change the mode of action, as opposed to the intrigues of enemies, which sometimes inspire to drive the tongue in speed reading, because of the embrace of the soul with despondency, and sometimes excite to majestic sweet singing (1:234).

159. When an enemy thought attacks your heart, do not seek this or that by prayer, but sharpen the sword of tears against the enemy. Coming up against the enemy in such strong weapons, we will sooner force him to retreat from us.

160. Love to practice needlework: but more so in prayerful memory; because that is not always, but this one incessantly delivers the fruit of its work. Do not stop praying until you have fully repaid the debt of prayer, and do not listen to the thought that it is time to sit down to work; Likewise, when you are sitting at work, do not be too busy with your work, so that in haste you will not stir up your heart and make it unfit for prayer.

161. The mind, from which the thought of God has been stolen and which has become far from remembrance of Him, indifferently sins with external feelings: for neither hearing nor tongue is able to be such a nurse, because from within it has departed commitment to ascetic labor. over himself (1:244).

162. It happens that we strive to create pure prayer and cannot; but it also happens that we do not force ourselves, but the soul abides in pure prayer. The first comes from our weakness, and the last - from the grace from above, calling us through that to seek spiritual purity, teaching us the same and others, not to ascribe to ourselves, if we pray purely, but to recognize in this the gift of the Giver. "For what we pray, as it is fitting, we know not" (Rom. 8:26). When we strive to make prayer pure and we cannot, but we become clouded; then, wetting our cheeks with tears, we will implore God, that the night of battle will dissipate and light will shine in the soul (1:264).

163. The memory of carnal lusts is outrageous; because not only does it not allow to converse with God, but even the mind, apparently praying, defiles with dreams of vile ideas. It is good to remain unceasingly in prayer and to exercise the mind in conversation with God. But is this the case with us? – Often distracted from the words of prayer, we follow the thoughts that lead us away, not renouncing them and not being upset by them – which would be a sign of disagreement of the will with those who do not inspire us. Although the appearance shows a prayerful appearance - for, bending the knee, looking at us, we seem to be praying - but with the thought we imagine something pleasant, we speak favorably with friends, we slander our enemies with anger, we feast with guests, we build houses for relatives, we plant trees, we travel, we do trade, we are forcibly attracted to the priesthood, with great prudence we arrange the affairs of the churches entrusted to us, and we sort through most of all this in our thoughts, to everything that our thoughts suggest, agreeing to incline our heart to it in any way our passion pleases (– 2:129 –130).

164. Prayer demands that the mind be pure from all thought and not let into itself anything that is not prayerful, even if it be honorable; but as inspired by God, having renounced everything, he made his conversation with Him alone (2:131).

165. Whoever divides his time between handicraft and prayer tames the body with labor and brings its disorderly demands to regularity, and the soul, which, working together with the body, longs for rest, through this disposes to prayer, as to an easier task, and leads to it zealously and with living forces. For she feels comfort in changing things and moving from one thing to another, while being bored for a long time doing the same thing; she is weary of monotony, but rejoices in the variety of occupations; it seems to her that leaving one thing, she, as it were, relieves herself of all trouble, why she starts another with fresh strength, as if only beginning to work - (2: 231. 232).

166. He who does not like to work feeds passions through inaction and gives freedom to desires to aspire to objects akin to them, which is most evident during prayer; for then the attention of the mind is all absorbed by what the heart is occupied with, and it does nothing but go over in its thoughts what is inspired by the passion that has set in motion, instead of conversing with God and asking Him for something useful for itself. Knowing this, St. Paul zealously attacks idleness and binds everyone to work by the Apostolic authority (2 Thessalonians 3:6-12). The deed is an anchor for thought and gives it a safe direction. Let storms approach from everywhere, and gusts of winds threaten to collapse, thought stands steadily, held by deed, like an anchor; she is somewhat agitated by rising thoughts, but is not carried away into danger, because the bonds that hold her are stronger than the winds that drive her (2: 232.234).

167. Those who refuse to do needlework under the pretext that they must pray without ceasing do not actually pray. In the same way, by what they think in idleness to give the soul freedom from worries, they entangle it in a labyrinth of inexhaustible thoughts and thereby make it incapable of prayer. The body, working on the matter, keeps the thought, which, no less than the eyes, must observe what is being done, and assist the body for infallibility in action, and the resting body gives freedom to the thought to whirl; because during rest the passions are aroused, and at every lustful recollection they carry away the thought and seize it as a prisoner (2:234.5).

168. There is the highest prayer of the perfect, a kind of admiration of the mind, its complete renunciation of the sensuous, when with unexpressed sighs of the spirit it approaches God, Who sees the disposition of the heart, open like a written book, and expressing its will in silent images. So Paul was caught up to the third heaven and did not know whether he was "in the body" or "if he was outside the body" (2 Cor. 12:2) (2:235).

169. After (below) the first there is a second prayer, when words are spoken, and the mind follows them with tenderness, and knows to Whom it is petitioning.

170. Prayer, interrupted by thoughts (lower) and united with bodily cares, is far from the dispensation befitting the one who prays. Such a person does not hear himself, rushing here and there with his thoughts and not remembering what words he utters. But if the one who prays is like this, then will the Divine ear listen to what, due to absent-mindedness, he himself does not listen to? Those who said: “Heed my supplication, give ear to my prayer” (Ps. 16:1), and “Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my prayer” (Ps. 129:2), the whole mind was carefully collected there, and did not spill, upon which the thought of the negligent, who do not control themselves, is usually spilled and scattered (2:236).

"Ascetic Instructions of the Monk Nilus of Sinai"- Rev. Nil of Sinai

"To Eulogy Monk"- Rev. Nil of Sinai

"To Monk Agathius"- Rev. Nil of Sinai

"About various crafty thoughts"- Rev. Nil of Sinai

"That those who dwell in silence in the deserts prevail over those who live in cities, although many of the inexperienced are of the opposite opinion"- Rev. Nil of Sinai

"Letters"- Rev. Nil of Sinai

Our Reverend Father Nil the Ascetic, Letters // Christian Reading, published at the St. Petersburg Theological Academy. Part 1, St. Petersburg. 1845

Brief information about him

The Monk Nilus came from a rich and distinguished family, and probably even then, as St. Chrysostom was a preacher in Antioch, was his listener and disciple. His noble birth and personal merit elevated him to the rank of prefect of the capital. But the aspirations of his spirit did not agree with the proper chores and routines of life in the capital. Why, agreeing with his wife, with whom he already had two children, he left the world, so that in solitude he would be more successful than his mother-in-law by salvation. He, taking with him the son of Theodulus, settled in Sinai; and his wife and daughter found shelter in one of the Egyptian convents.

In the Sinai desert, Nil lived extremely strictly: with his own hands, with his son, they dug a cave for themselves and, living in it, ate not even bread, but wild bitter plants. All the same, their time passed in prayer, the study of the Scriptures, contemplation of God, and labors.

Leaving the world, however, Rev. Neil did not leave communication with people. From all places and all sorts of people turned to him with their spiritual needs, and no one was left without the necessary admonition and edification. And the king wrote to him, asking for prayers, and he wrote to the king, reproaching him for his injustice to St. Zlatoust. Other writings of the monk are predominantly moral and ascetic in content. From everything he wrote, it is clear how vast and deep his knowledge was, and how tireless his work in this matter.

To test his love for God there was a special temptation for him. Wild barbarians from Arabia attacked Sinai and its surrounding regions, and they plundered everything, killed many, and took others prisoner. Among the latter was Theodulus, son of St. Nile. This misfortune was very sensitive for the monk, and he did not find peace, especially when, on the second or third day after the common misfortune, the news was brought to him that the savages had sacrificed his son to the matinee star Venus, without asserting whether was the definition. But not for long, God allowed his parental heart to languish. He soon learned that the sacrifice did not take place and the captives were sold to Christian countries. Searches later found him in the city of Eluse, whose bishop bought him from the barbarians along with others, and was already preparing him for the service of the Church, for which his father, who had come for him, was also entreated. The love of desert life did not allow them to agree to this; and the bishop, consecrating them as priests, blessed them to go to their beloved Sinai, where they remained until the end of their lives.

Etc. The Nile left the world in 390; he lived in the desert of Sinai for 60 years and died about 450. His memory is November 12 and January 13. His holy relics under Justin the Younger were transferred to Constantinople, and laid in the church of St. Apostles.

From the writings of Rev. Nile into the Greek Philokalia, and from it into the Slavonic, the word about prayer and the word ascetic are taken. A Word on Prayer we also take into our Philokalia; instead of the word ascetic, we prefer to take the word about the eight spirits of evil, and two collections of short sayings and instructions, of which one is entitled: chapters or exhortations, and the second: thoughts that lead a person away from the corruptible and cling to the imperishable. But as for prayer and the fight against passions, a lot of most beneficial advice and instructions were expressed by the monk in his other writings, just as everywhere in the same abundance there are edifying thoughts about the moral system in general and especially about life estranged from everything: then, having thought about what was it would be unfair to deprive our Philokalia of these treasures, we decided to borrow them from the said writings of the monk, placing what relates to prayer, under the word about prayer, that to the fight against passions, under each of the eight passions, which to general edification, under the collection of sayings. We imitate the ancients in this. For in Patrol. graec. Migne t. 79, where all the writings of St. Nile, after thoughts that lead away from the corruptible and cling to the imperishable, pp. 1249-50, a note is made that in the manuscript from which these thoughts were printed, there follow four dozen more thoughts, borrowed from the word about non-possessiveness, then from the article about superiority staying in silence before life in the city. Most of these borrowings are not printed; but the example does not lose anything through this.

A native of Constantinople, he lived in the century and was a disciple of St. John Chrysostom. Having received an excellent education, Neil, as a young man, was appointed to the important post of prefect of the capital.

By this time, Neil was married and had two children. The splendor of court life weighed heavily on the spouses. Saint John Chrysostom had a great influence on their lives and their aspirations. The couple decided to leave and devote themselves to monastic life. Neil's wife and daughter retired to one of convents to Egypt, and the Monk Nil with his son Theodulus went to Sinai, where they settled in a cave dug out with their own hands.

For forty years this cave served as a dwelling for the Monk Nilus. Through fasting, prayer, labor, the saint acquired a high spiritual perfection. People of every rank and class began to come to him - from the emperor to the farmer, and everyone found advice and consolation from the saint. In his seclusion, the Monk Nilus wrote a lot. His messages are known, among which are the angry denunciations of the emperor Arcadius, who expelled St. John Chrysostom. The ascetic creations of St. Nil, a worthy disciple of Chrysostom, are widely known: they are perfect in form, deeply Orthodox, filled with sincere feeling and clear thought.

In the desert, the Monk Neil endured many hardships. He experienced and subsequently described the massacre of many Sinai saints by pagans. At that time, the Saracens captured his son Theodulus, who was destined to be a sacrifice to the pagan gods. Through the prayers of the saint, the Lord saved Theodulus, and the monk found him with the Bishop of Emesa, who ransomed young man at the barbarians. The same bishop ordained both hermits to the presbyters. After the consecration, they returned to Sinai, where they labored together until the death of St. Nilus.

Prayers

Troparion, tone 8

Thou hast cultivated barrenness with the streams of the desert with thy tears, / and from the depths of sighing a hundred labors Thou hast fructified, / and Thou was the lamp of the universe, shining miracles, Nile, our father, / pray to Christ God to be saved to our souls.