Silouan the Athonite
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Saint Silouan, (1866 - 1938) was born Simeon Ivanovich Antonov, of Russian Orthodox parents who came from the village of Sovsk in Russia's Tambov region. At the age of twenty-seven, after a period of military service, he left his native Russia and came to the monastic region of Greece called Mt. Athos where he became a monk at the Monastery of St. Panteleimon, a Russian Orthodox monastery known as "Rossikon", and was given the name 'Silouan' , (the Russian version of the Biblical name Silvanus.)
An ardent ascetic, he received the grace of unceasing prayer and saw Christ in a vision. After long years of spiritual trial, he acquired great humility and inner stillness. He prayed and wept for the whole world as for himself, and he put the highest value on love for enemies. He became widely known as a starets. Thomas Merton has described Silouan as “the most authentic monk of the twentieth century.” St Silouan died on September 24, 1938. His memory is celebrated on September 24.
Though barely literate, he was sought out by pilgrims for his wise counsel. His writings were edited by his disciple and pupil, Archimandrite Sophrony. Father Sophrony has written the life of the saint along with a record of St. Silouan's teachings in the book Saint Silouan the Athonite.
Starets Silouan was glorified to sainthood by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1987.
[edit] References
Saint Silouan the Athonite by Archimandrite Sophrony Publisher: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press ISBN-10: 0881411957
