Letters to Various Persons on Different Subjects of Faith and Life

St. Theophan the Recluse (in the world Georgy Vasilyevich Govorov; 1815-1894) - theologian, publicist-preacher. He occupies a special place among Russian preachers and saints of the 19th century. The saint saw his service to the Church of God in the endeavor of spiritual-literary creativity. "To write," he said, "is a necessary service of the Church." Throughout his pastoral activity, he devoted himself to clarifying the path of truly Christian life, based on spiritual concentration. Theophan the Recluse left an enormous theological legacy: works explaining the Word of God, translation works, writings on asceticism and psychology. His creations impress with their encyclopedic breadth and diversity of theological interests. The book includes letters united by a common theme - the questions of faith. The saint, answering the questions of his correspondents, speaks about the dogmas of the Orthodox Church and heresies, about genuine spiritual ascent and possible temptations, about the Second Coming of Christ and the general resurrection. The letters of St. Theophan are an inexhaustible source of edification and spiritual benefit, elevating the reader to the knowledge of the truth and confirming them in faith.