What is the story of the Russian pilgrim who longed to enjoy the practice of the Jesus Prayer?

The story of the anonymous Russian pilgrim who longed to enjoy the Jesus Prayer was first published in Russia in 1865, and translated into several languages including Arabic.²⁹⁷

297 See R. M. French, (trans.), The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way (New York: Seabury Press, 1974). Arabic translation published by St. George Church, Sporting, Alexandria. A summarized version was published as part of the first edition of Fr. Matthew the Poor, Orthodox Prayer Life , in Arabic (1952) and in English by St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press (2003). A large number of books that discuss The Way of a Pilgrim have been published in English, but also in Arabic in both Egypt and Lebanon.

This book is not just a story, but an inspiring spiritual journey that is essential to the Christian and was practiced by the Fathers of the Church in one form or another.

It was said of this Russian pilgrim that he was astonished when he entered a church and heard the words of the epistle being read: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). He began to ponder, “is it possible for a person to perform a single work for the whole of his life?” The Russian pilgrim narrates that he lived without a stable shelter, but instead wandered from one place to another, carrying nothing with him except for a basket on his back with some dry bread, and a Holy Bible. One day, he went to church and heard St. Paul’s words: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17, see also Eph. 6:18, 1 Tim. 2:8). He opened his Holy Bible and read the verse again and began to contemplate how he could fulfil this commandment when he was occupied with many cares. How could he pray at all times and in all places? He decided to travel from church to church to find the most famous preachers and spiritual guides with the best reputations, so that he could ask them for a practical answer to these questions. They spoke to him of the importance of prayer and its fruits, but he found no one who could speak to him of true prayer without ceasing.

He heard of a gentleman in a Russian village who spent all his time in prayer and reading devotional books. So, he found him and asked him how he could fulfill this commandment. The book continues: “He was silent for a while and looked at me closely. Then he said: ‘Ceaseless interior prayer is a continual yearning of the human spirit towards God. To succeed in this consoling exercise we must pray more often to God to teach us to pray without ceasing. Pray more, and pray more fervently. It is prayer itself which will reveal to you how it can be achieved unceasingly; but it will take some time.’”²⁹⁸ Then, he offered him some food and money for his journey.

The pilgrim was afflicted with a feeling of despair because the gentleman had not answered his question. He turned again to reading and contemplation and reflected upon all that this father had said to him. But still, he could not arrive at the truth. Bemoaning his ignorance, he began to find it difficult to sleep at night.

He walked over a hundred and twenty-five miles until he reached a monastery, where there was an abbot who was loving and kind-hearted, and he spoke with him. The book continues, telling us that the abbot welcomed him, and the pilgrim asked him:

“‘How can I save my soul?’

‘What? Save your soul? Well, live according to the commandments, say your prayers, and you will be saved.’

298 R. M. French, (trans.), The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way (New York: Seabury Press, 1974): pp. 2–3.

‘But I hear it said that we should pray without ceasing, and I don’t know how to pray without ceasing. I cannot even understand what unceasing prayer means. I beg you, Father, explain this to me.’

‘I don’t know how to explain further, dear brother. But stop a moment, I have a little book, and it is explained there.’ And he handed me St. Dmitri’s²⁹⁹ book on The Spiritual Education of the Inner Man , saying, ‘Look, read this page.’

I began to read as follows: ‘The words of the Apostle “ Pray without ceasing ” should be understood as referring to the creative prayer of the understanding. The understanding can always be reaching out towards God, and pray to Him unceasingly.’

‘But,’ I asked, ‘what is the method by which the understanding can always be turned towards God, never be disturbed, and pray without ceasing?’

‘It is very difficult, even for one to whom God Himself gives such a gift,’ replied the Abbot.”³⁰⁰

The pilgrim’s confusion only increased. He spent the night at the monastery and in the morning, he continued his journey for five days, continuing to read the Holy Bible. On the way, he met an old man who told him that there was an experienced monk in a nearby monastery. As they walked together to the monastery, he chatted with the old man about the topic of prayer without ceasing. The old man told him the following:

• a. This question needs spiritual understanding and not academic teaching.

• b. Some employ worldly wisdom inappropriately to explain divine matters. Some think that preparatory good works are necessary before prayer. On the contrary, prayer is the mother of virtues and good works.

• c. The apostle testifies that prayer has the priority over good works when he says, “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made” (1 Tim. 2:1). Without prayer, no good work can be performed; and without prayer, we cannot know how to encounter God and enter into dialogue with Him.

As they spoke, they came up to the monastery and the end of their conversation, so the pilgrim hastened to ask the wise old man:

“‘Be so kind, Reverend Father, as to show me what prayer without ceasing means and how it is learnt. I see you know all about these things.’

He took my request kindly and asked me into his cell. ‘Come in,’ said he; ‘I will give you a volume of the holy Fathers from which with God’s help you can learn about prayer clearly

299 Author’s Note: Dmitri of Rostov (1651–1709).

300 R. M. French, (trans.), The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way (New York: Seabury Press, 1974): pp. 3–4.

and in detail.’ We went into his cell and he began to speak as follows. ‘The continuous interior Prayer of Jesus is a constant uninterrupted calling upon the divine Name of Jesus with the lips, in the spirit, in the heart; while forming a mental picture of His constant presence, and imploring His grace, during every occupation, at all times, in all places, even during sleep. The appeal is couched in these terms, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.” One who accustoms himself to this appeal experiences as a result so deep a consolation and so great a need to offer the prayer always, that he can no longer live without it, and it will continue to voice itself within him of its own accord. Now do you understand what prayer without ceasing is?’

‘Yes indeed, Father, and in God’s name teach me how to gain the habit of it,’ I cried, filled with joy.

‘Read this book,’ he said. ‘It is called The Philokalia ,[ 301] and it contains the full and detailed science of constant and interior prayer, set forth by twenty-five holy Fathers. The book is marked by a lofty wisdom and is so profitable to use that it is considered the foremost and best manual of the contemplative spiritual life’ …

He opened the book, found the instruction by St. Symeon the New Theologian, and read: ‘Sit down alone and in silence. Lower your head, shut your eyes, breathe out gently and imagine yourself looking into your own heart. Carry your mind, i.e., your thoughts, from your head to your heart. As you breathe out, say, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.” Say it moving your lips gently, or simply say it in your mind. Try to put all other thoughts aside. Be calm, be patient, and repeat the process frequently.’”³⁰²

The old man asked the pilgrim to return to him so he could monitor his progress, and for honest confession, for it is silly to attempt such spiritual works without a guide to mentor us. The pilgrim felt a powerful desire to experience interior and continual prayer. The pilgrim learned that there was a village near the monastery, so he went and sought accommodation there, in order to remain near the old man. He found work tending the garden of a peasant for the summer, and was provided with a small, isolated hut in which to live.

For a week he followed the instructions of the old man, but he was soon beset by feelings of laziness and boredom and sleepiness. Certain thoughts assailed him, so he began to read the words of the Fathers and force himself to recite the Jesus Prayer. He confessed all this to the old man, who then asked him to repeat the prayer three thousand times a day, while standing or sitting, lying down or walking. The pilgrim received this instruction with joy and returned to his hut. It was difficult for the first two days, but after that it became an easy matter, so that whenever he ceased, he felt an urge to continue again.

301 Philokalia … “The Love of Spiritual Beauty.” The title of the great collection of mystical and ascetic writings by Fathers of the Eastern Orthodox Church, over a period of eleven centuries.

302 R. M. French, (trans.), The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way (New York: Seabury Press, 1974): pp. 8–10.

He returned to the old man, who told him to stay calm and to increase the number of recitations with the grace of God. He returned to his hut and continued to recite the prayer for a whole week without much trouble. And he learned how to keep his mind from distraction. The old man then said to him: “Now I give you permission to say your Prayer as often as you wish and as often as you can. Try to devote every moment you are awake to the Prayer, call on the Name of Jesus Christ without counting the number of times, and submit yourself humbly to the will of God, looking to Him for help. I am sure He will not forsake you, and that He will lead you into the right path.”³⁰³

The pilgrim goes on to say, “After no great lapse of time I had the feeling that the Prayer had, so to speak, by its own action passed from my lips to my heart. That is to say, it seemed as though my heart in its ordinary beating began to say the words of the Prayer within each beat. Thus for example, one , ‘Lord,’ two , ‘Jesus,’ three , ‘Christ,’ and so on. I gave up saying the Prayer with my lips, I simply listened carefully to what my heart was saying. It seemed as though my eyes looked right down into it; and I dwelt upon the words of my departed mentor when he was telling me about this joy. Then I felt something like a pain in my heart, and in my thoughts so great a love for Jesus Christ that I pictured myself, if only I could see Him, throwing myself at His feet and not letting them go from my embrace, kissing them tenderly, and thanking Him with tears for having of His love and grace allowed me to find so great a consolation in His Name, me, His unworthy and sinful creature! … ”³⁰⁴

“Again I started off on my wanderings. But now I did not walk along as before, filled with care. The calling upon the Name of Jesus Christ gladdened my way. Everybody was kind to me, it was as though everyone loved me.”³⁰⁵

Without doubt, this love he experienced from others was the result of their being attracted to the pilgrim, because of the joy that shone from his face and his behavior that reflected his enjoyment of the Jesus Prayer without ceasing.