A night in the desert of the Holy Mountain

This book is set as a dialogue between Metropolitan Vlachos and a Gerondas (spiritual elder) of the Holy Mountain of Mt. Athos, Greece. It is an extended discussion of hesychasm and the Jesus Prayer. While it presents the prayer within a largely monastic context, it also emphasizes that it is a prayer intended for all Orthodox Christians to attain “purity of heart.” The Gerondas explains the stages of purgation, illumination, and theosis as well as offering practical advice on how to practice the prayer.