On Prayer – Problems and Temptations

The edition under the title ON PRAYER: Problems & Temptations puts into print the oral teaching of our revered Elder, Archiman­drite Aimilianos, as addressed to the monks of the Holy Monastery of Simonos Petras1 on 29 November 1978.

In this catechetical work, Elder Aimilianos unlocks the door to the depths of our souls, in the sense that he reveals to us the causes that daily bring to our attention various problems in our prayer in general, and in particular, in the practice of the Jesus Prayer. It often happens that, not knowing what is really in our best interests, we are led to mistaken conclusions, and attribute the responsibility for this to ourselves, with the result that we discontinue our prayer. “No,” says the Elder, “we have only to strengthen our conviction that our prayer is exactly as it should be, that we are on the right road, and that it will draw grace in its wake.”

Knowing that prayer comprises the main task of us all, we express the wish that this edition will help to solve many of the problems that arise in its realisation.

This is the first booklet being published after the Elder’s repose on 9 May 2019 with an English translation of one of his homilies. The task of translating it was undertaken by the erudite professor emeritus of the English language and astute scholar of Ancient Greek, Dr. Richard Matthews. As we express our gratitude to him, it is our wish that he also will reap from the spiritual benefit that will be received by all those who will read this work.