Elder Anthony of Optina

by Archimandrite Cherubim and Fr. Clement Sederholm

Book Overview

Elder Anthony, born Alexander Ivanovich Putilov in 1795, came from a pious family of the Yaroslav Province, raised in the fear of God. Of Alexander and his four brothers, three became righteous abbots... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0938635514
• ISBN13: 9780938635512
• Release Date: April 2012
• Publisher: St. Xenia Skete Pr
• Length: 269 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

A fascinating look at one of the founding Optina Elders

This book is a wonderful introduction into the very beginnings of the great Optina spiritual tradition. Especially fascinating is the realtionship between Elder Anthony and his brother and spiritual father, Elder Moses. Fr. Clement has provided the text of several letters between these two men from the period of Elder Anthony's abbacy at St. Nicholas-Maloyaroslavets monastery that give poignant insight into Elder Anthony's personal struggle with his heavy and often unwanted spiritual resposibilities. The additional texts from Elder Anthony's personal writings give the reader a glimpse into the mind and heart of the man himself and reveal his gentleness and humility of soul. As for this publication, the text itself pre-dates the 1917 Revolution and so it is thankfully devoid of any political undercurrent from the Russian Church's internal rift between the Synod and the Patriarchate of Moscow. The only thing that keeps this reader from giving this publication five stars is the Foreword, which has a tone of idealizing the past and maligning the present, a familiar foible of the publisher that one must simply put up with in light of the much greater service that St. Herman's Press has done in bringing us this present volume and all the others in the "Optina Elders" series. This is a worthwhile read for Orthodox faithful as well as those who take an interest in the history of Russian religious thought.

humility, humility, humility

If there is one word, which could sum up Elder Anthony's ministry and example it would be humility. He willfully submitted to so much during his earthly life. He submitted to his father's desire that he not become a monastic for a long time. Even against his own desires, he submitted to his earthly father.For a long time after he became a monk, his own brother was his Elder (Elder Moses of Optina)...and imagine submitting yourself to your brother, even if in a monastic setting (a most difficult task indeed.)Not only that, but he endured untold physical suffering. He had many and various ailments that he patiently endured as part of God's will.He also took the burden of becoming an abbot, something most monastics do not want to do, since it requires so much time handling earthly matters.All of these things he endured patiently without grumbling to others or about others. While many would call this weak willed, Elder Anthony showed strength and discernment in realizing that all these things helped him along the path of salvation.An inspiring story of a simple man that loved God with every ounce of his being.In addition to a biography of his life, the book also includes several letters he wrote and some of his teachings.A fantastic book of a true disciple of Christ.

Optina Tradition for Today

In the past several years, the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood has been devoted to producing books originally published in Russia nearly a century ago about the great Russian monastery of Optina and it's elders. This second volume in the series focuses on Elder Anthony (Putilov), the first abbot in the monastery and one of it's lesser known of the Optina Elders. A man afflicted by many excruciating illnesses throughout his life, and a man with an unbending faith in God, this biography proves that Orthodoxy is not a mystical way of life wrapped around incense but a faith of human proportions.