Commemorated on June 5
The Monk Abba
Dorotheos was a student of the Monk John the Prophet in the Palestinian
monastery of Abba Serid in the VI Century.
In his youth he had
zealously studied the sciences (i.e. the secular disciplines). "When I
made study in the learning of things outward, – wrote the abba, – then at
first I was so very obsessed with the study, that when I went to take up a
book, it was as though a wild beast had grabbed hold of it. But when I pulled
myself away, then God help me, i had been so immersed that I did not know what
I ate, what I drank, whether I had slept, whether I was warm or not, – I was
oblivious to all this while reading. None of my friends could even drag me away
for meals, or even to talk with them when I was so absorbed in reading, even
though I loved socialising and I loved my comrades. When they let us have
philosophy... I went off there, and where I lived, I knew not what I would have
to eat, since I did not want to waste time over the arrangements for
food". So absorbed then was Abba Dorotheos in his book wisdom.
And yet it was with
an even greater zeal that he devoted himself to monastic activity, when he
withdrew into the wilderness. "When I arrived at the monastery, –
reminisced the monk, – then said I to myself: as heated as my love for outward
wisdom was, even moreso now ought it to be for virtue, and herein even to
become all the more intense".
One of the first
obediences of the Monk Dorotheos was to greet and to see to pilgrims arriving
at the monastery. It gave him opportunity to converse with people from various
different positions in life, bearing all sorts of burdens and tribulations, and
contending against manifold temptations. With the means of a certain brother
the Monk Dorotheos built a sick-house, in which also he served. The holy abba
himself described his obedience: "At the time I had only just gotten up
from a serious illness. And here there arrived travellers in the evening, – I
spent the evening with them, and also the camel drivers there, – and I prepared
for their needs; and often it chanced that when I had dozed off to sleep, other
needs arose needing me, – and then it approached the hour of vigil". In
order to fight against drowsiness, the Monk Dorotheos besought one of the
brethren to wake him for services, and another to see that he did not doze off
during the time of vigil. "And believe me, – said the holy abba, – I so
esteemed them, as though literally my salvation depended upon them".
Over the course of 10
years the Monk Dorotheos was cell-attendant for the Monk John the Prophet. Even
formerly he had revealed to him all his thoughts, and this new obedience he
devotedly fulfilled the will of the elder, such that it caused him no
tribulation. Distressed, that he was not fulfilling the command of the Saviour
over this, that it is with many sorrows one mustneeds enter the Kingdom of
Heaven, Abba Dorotheos revealed this thought to the elder. But the Monk John
replied: "Sorrow not, and let it not distress thee, who art in obedience
to the fathers, for this is proper a delight to the carefree and calm".
The Monk Dorotheos considered it a matter of happiness for him to serve the
great elder, but he was always ready to pass on this honour to others. Besides
the fathers at the monastery of Abba Serid, the Monk Dorotheos visited and
listened to the guidances of other great ascetics of his time, among which was
also the Monk Abba Zosima.
After the death of
the Monk John the Prophet, when Abba Barsanuphrios took upon himself complete
silence, the Monk Dorotheos left the monastery of Abba Serid and founded
another monastery, the monks of which he guided until his own death.
To the Monk Abba
Dorotheos belong 21 Discourses, some several Letters, and 87 Questions with
written down Replies by the Monk Barsanuphrios the Great and John the Prophet.
In manuscript form are known also 30 Talks about Asceticism, and written
Guidances of the Monk Abba Zosima. The works of Abba Dorotheos are imbued with
a deep spiritual wisdom, distinguished by a clear and insightful style, but
with a plain and comprehensible expression. The Discourses deal with the inner
Christian life, gradually rising up in measure of growth to Christ. The saint
resorted often to the advice of the great sainted-hierarchs: Basil the Great,
Gregory the Theologian, and Gregory of Nyssa. Obedience and humility, the
combining of deep love for God with love for neighbour, are virtues without
which spiritual life is impossible, – and this thought pervades all the
Discourses of Abba Dorotheos.
In his writings the
personal aspect of Abba Dorotheos is felt everywhere, and it is this which his
disciple, the Monk Dositheos (Comm. 19 February), characterises thus:
"Towards the brethren asceticising with him he responded with modesty,
with humility, and was gracious without arrogance or audacity; he was
good-natured and direct, he would engage in a dispute, – but herein prevailed
the principle of respect, of well-wishing, and that which is sweeter than
honey: of oneness of soul, the mother of all virtues".
The Disocurses of
Abba Dorotheos are preliminary books to entering upon the path of spiritual
action. The simple advice, how to proceed in this or that instance, together
with a most subtle analysis of thoughts and stirrings of soul provide hoped-for
guidance for anyone, who resolves on the path of experience to read the works
of Abba Dorotheos. Monks that begin to read this book, will never part from it
their whole life.
The works of Abba
Dorotheos are to be found in every monastery library and are constantly reprinted.
In Rus', his book of soul-beneficent instruction, together with the Replies of
the Monks Barsanuphrios the Great and John the Prophet, was very extensive in
the quantity of copies, right alongside "The Ladder of Divine Ascent"
of the Monk John and the works of the Monk Ephrem the Syrian. And it is known
that the Monk Kirill of Belozersk (+ 1427, Comm. 9 June), despite his many
duties as hegumen, with his own hand transcribed the Discourses of Abba
Dorotheos, as he did also the "Ladder of Divine Ascent" of the Monk
John of the Ladder.
The Discourses of
Abba Dorotheos pertain not only to monks: always this book should be read by
anyone, aspiring to fulfill the commands of Christ.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.