Silouan the Athonite
Encyclopedia
Saint Silouan the Athonite, also sometimes referred to as Saint Silvanus the Athonite or Staretz Silouan (1866, Russia
– 1938, Mount Athos
), was an Eastern Orthodox monk of Russian
origin. He was born Simeon Ivanovich Antonov, of Russian Orthodox parents who came from the village of Sovsk in Russia
's Tambov
region. At the age of twenty-seven, after a period of military service, he left his native Russia and came to the monastic state of Mt. Athos (an autonomous peninsula in Greece
) where he became a monk at the Monastery of St Panteleimon
, known as "Rossikon", an Orthodox monastery
that houses Russian monks yet is, as all the Athonite monasteries, under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople
, and was given the name Silouan (the Russian version of the Biblical name Silvanus.)
An ardent ascetic, he received the grace of unceasing prayer and saw Christ
in a vision. After long years of spiritual trial, he acquired great humility and inner stillness. He prayed and wept for the whole world as for himself, and he put the highest value on love for enemies. He became widely known as an elder
. Thomas Merton
has described Silouan as “the most authentic monk of the twentieth century.” St Silouan died on September 24, 1938. His memory is celebrated on September 24.
Though barely literate, he was sought out by pilgrim
s for his wise counsel. His writings were edited by his disciple
and pupil
, Archimandrite Sophrony
. Father Sophrony has written the life of the saint along with a record of St. Silouan's teachings in the book Saint Silouan the Athonite.
Starets Silouan was canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1987.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
– 1938, Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
), was an Eastern Orthodox monk of Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
origin. He was born Simeon Ivanovich Antonov, of Russian Orthodox parents who came from the village of Sovsk in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
's Tambov
Tambov
Tambov is a city and the administrative center of Tambov Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Tsna and Studenets Rivers southeast of Moscow...
region. At the age of twenty-seven, after a period of military service, he left his native Russia and came to the monastic state of Mt. Athos (an autonomous peninsula in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
) where he became a monk at the Monastery of St Panteleimon
Monastery of St Panteleimon
St. Panteleimon Monastery , is a Russian Orthodox monastery built on the southwest side of the peninsula of Mt. Athos in Greece...
, known as "Rossikon", an Orthodox monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
that houses Russian monks yet is, as all the Athonite monasteries, under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
, and was given the name Silouan (the Russian version of the Biblical name Silvanus.)
An ardent ascetic, he received the grace of unceasing prayer and saw Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
in a vision. After long years of spiritual trial, he acquired great humility and inner stillness. He prayed and wept for the whole world as for himself, and he put the highest value on love for enemies. He became widely known as an elder
Starets
A starets is an elder of a Russian Orthodox monastery who functions as venerated adviser and teacher. Elders or spiritual fathers are charismatic spiritual leaders whose wisdom stems from God as obtained from ascetic experience...
. Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O. was a 20th century Anglo-American Catholic writer and mystic. A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, he was a poet, social activist, and student of comparative religion...
has described Silouan as “the most authentic monk of the twentieth century.” St Silouan died on September 24, 1938. His memory is celebrated on September 24.
Though barely literate, he was sought out by pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s for his wise counsel. His writings were edited by his disciple
Disciple (Christianity)
In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. While Jesus attracted a large following, the term disciple is commonly used to refer specifically to "the Twelve", an inner circle of men whose number perhaps represented the twelve tribes of Israel...
and pupil
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
, Archimandrite Sophrony
Archimandrite Sophrony
Archimandrite Sophrony , also Elder Sophrony, was best known as the disciple and biographer of St Silouan the Athonite and compiler of St Silouan's works, and as the founder of the Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Essex, England...
. Father Sophrony has written the life of the saint along with a record of St. Silouan's teachings in the book Saint Silouan the Athonite.
Starets Silouan was canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1987.
Quotations
- Those who dislike and reject their fellow-man are impoverished in their being. They do not know the true God, who is all-embracing love.
- Keep your mind in hell and do not despair, said to be a teaching God gave him through a voice from above.
- The soul that is in all things devoted to the will of God rests quiet in Him, for she knows of experience and from the Holy Scriptures that the Lord loves us much and watches over our souls, quickening all things by His grace in peace and love.Nothing troubles the man who is given over to the will of God, be it illness, poverty or persecution. He knows that the Lord in His mercy is solicitous for us. The Holy Spirit, whom the soul knows, is witness therefore. But the proud and the self-willed do not want to surrender to God's will because they like their own way, and that is harmful for the soul.” from the Life and Teachings of Elder Siluan by Bishop Alexander and Natalia Bufius translated by Anatoly Shmelev
External links
- Photographs of Saint Silouan the Athonite
- Silouan the Athonite
- St Silouan the Athonite
- On the Will of God by Staretz Silouan of Mt. Athos
- The Theology of St. Silouan, Archim. Zacharias Zacharou (video lecture)
- http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/siluan_e.htm.The Life and Teachings of Elder Siluan-Bishop Alexander and Natalia Bufius-Translated by Anatoly Shmelev.Missionary Leaflet # EA17 Holy Trinity Orthodox Mission, 466 Foothill Blvd, Box 397, La Canada, Ca 91011