Elder Anthony of Optina (Paperback)

Elder Anthony of Optina, one of the first Elders of the Optina monastery in 19th century Russia, was a humble soul on a determined path to acquire the Kingdom of Heaven. This book offers a unique view of his formative years in silence and prayer in a remote forest, his years of co-struggling with his older brother, Elder Moses, and his last years as Abbot of the Optina hermitage. Though his life included terrible hardship, Elder Anthony acquired perfect spiritual freedom through the careful guarding of his soul and the humble acceptance of God's providence.