Theophan the Recluse

Common card · No. 496182

Theophan the Recluse (Russian: Феофан Затворник, romanized: Feofan Zatvornik), also known as Theophanes the Recluse or the Enlightener Theophan the Recluse of Vysha (Russian: святитель Феофан Затворник Вышенский; January 10, 1815 – January 6, 1894), was a Russian Orthodox bishop and theologian, recognized as a saint in 1988. Born as Georgy Vasilievich Govorov, he became a monk in 1841, taking the name Theophan. He is best known through the books and letters he wrote concerning spiritual life, especially on the subjects of the Christian life and the training of youth in the faith. He also played an important role in translating the Philokalia from Church Slavonic into Russian. The Philokalia is a classic of Orthodox spirituality, composed of the collected works of a number of Church Fathers which were edited and placed in a four volume set in the 17th and 18th centuries. In his works, a persistent theme was developing an interior life of continuous prayer and learning to "pray without ceasing...

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