The Paradise of the Holy Fathers, Volume I
Overview
The Paradise of the Holy Fathers is a compilation of the histories of the Desert Fathers—the Anchorites, recluses, monks, Coenobites, and ascetics of the early Church— as translated by E. A. Wallis Budge from the original Syriac manuscripts. It includes an introduction to Palladius and to Christian monasticism in Egypt, an overview of the life of St. Anthony, and “The History of the Monks” by Hieronymus.
Top Highlights
“It is laid down over and over again in The Sayings of the Fathers that a man is kept from sin by three things: flight from men, silence, and contemplation.” (Page lvi)
“from these we learn that each recluse did what seemed right in his own eyes.” (Page xli)
“divided into twenty-four grades, each of which was to bear the name of a letter of the alphabet.” (Page xliii)
“When they sat at table it was a mere matter of form, and they did so in such a way as to deceive each other, and to make each other say, ‘Behold, they are eating.’ Some of them only carried their hands to their mouths once or twice and took a piece of bread, or an olive, or a portion of something else of all the food which was set before them, and it was unto them sufficient for a meal; and others ate in silence a piece of bread only, and endured [hunger] without touching any of the other dishes of food which were placed before them; and others only reached out their hands to the dishes of cooked food three times and ate. Now their souls were weaned from everything.” (Pages 336–337)
“‘There are certain devils which cling to the passions, and on several occasions they turn our good desires into evil; therefore, O my sons, those of you who wish to drive away devils must first of all bring into subjection your lusts, for a man must vanquish not only every lust, but he must drive away the devil thereof. It is right that ye should overcome your lusts little by little, so that in the same way ye may drive away the devils which appertain thereto. There is a devil which belongeth to a wasteful and dissolute life, and he who is able to conquer the desire therefor is also able to drive away that devil.’” (Page 374)
- Title: The Paradise of the Holy Fathers, Volume I
- Author: E. A. Wallis Budge
- Series: The Paradise of the Holy Fathers
- Publisher: Chatto & Windus
- Print Publication Date: 1907
- Logos Release Date: 2013
- Era: era:modern
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Spiritual life › Christianity--Quotations, maxims, etc; Monasticism and religious orders › Egypt--History--Sources; Desert Fathers › Sources
- Resource ID: LLS:PARAHLYFATH01
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:34:56Z