The Philokalia: A Selection

A fresh translation of the foundational anthology of the Eastern Orthodox Church, available in Penguin Classics for the first time

A Penguin Classic

The Philokalia is an anthology of thirty-six spiritual texts written between the fourth and fifteenth centuries by the masters of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Its authors include several of the major Hesychasts (hermits), such as Evagrius Ponticus and Gregory Palamas. Its revival is most famously associated with Nikodimos and Makarios, as part of their tireless efforts to restore Orthodoxy in Greece and achieve independence from the political and religious authority of the Ottoman Empire between the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. First published in Greek in 1782, the collection was later translated into Slavonic (1793) and Russian (1877), in a bid to expand its readership from monks to ordinary Christians. Aside from the Bible, The Philokalia is considered the most influential book on the Orthodox Church in recent history. Revered for offering a rich tapestry of wisdom on the path to union with God, the texts serve as a guide to contemplative prayer, ‘inner asceticism’ and the purification of the soul. The foundational essence and enduring relevance of its themes testify to the importance of its republication, in a timeless Penguin Classics edition.

Penguin Classics is the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world, representing a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.