Ebook: In Search of True Wisdom: Visits to Eastern Spiritual Fathers

The Catholic monk Basil Pennington wrote another classic about his encounter with
Eastern Orthodoxy ("The Monks of Mount Athos"). Like that book, this one captures
the author's experiences and perceptions of Orthodox monasticism at the beginnings
of its amazing revival in the 1970s.

This book is a work of dual authorship. The whole first part is a description of
visits to various Russian Orthodox monasteries by Orthodox author Sergius Bolshakoff,
mostly during the height of Soviet power and repression of Orthodox life in the
Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc nations. It is inspiring to read and realize that now
monastic life is flourishing again in all these places! At one point, during a visit
to Valamo monastery in Finland during the 1950s, the author had a discussion of the
possibility (or lack thereof) of Orthodox monasticism in North America. It is
heartening to realize that there were almost NO Orthodox monasteries in America in the
1950s, but now there are over 50! Even in rocky soil, the seed can fall and bear fruit.

The best part of the book are the chapters written by Pennington, focused on the monastic
renewal on Mount Athos during the 1970s and the beginnings of Orthodox monasticism in
English-speaking nations during the same time period. On Athos, his focus is rightly on
Archimandrite Aimilianos, Elder Paisios, and Archimandrite Vasileios. In England, he
provides a rare account of a visit to Archimandrite Sophrony's monastery in Essex. And
to end the book with a blessing, he finishes with the only published account of visiting
Mother Alexandra, former Princess Ileana of Romania, at her monastery in Pennsylvania. All
Orthodox know that descriptions of being in the presence of true elders are worth their weight
in gold. This book provides that and more. Worth seeking out.