St. Silouan on the Monk as Unceasing Intercessor for the World
The post presents five sayings attributed to Starets Silouan on the nature and purpose of monasticism. The first saying contrasts the layperson who prays occasionally with the monk who prays constantly, identifying the monk as an intercessor for all people. A second saying states that thanks to monks on earth, prayers to the Lord never cease, and that the world endures because of prayer.
A third saying describes monasticism among Serbs as an immense historical reality that has played a greater role than ktetorship (endowment of churches), because a ktetor gives all his possessions while a monk gives himself in service to God. A fourth saying defines monasticism as conscience, consciousness, and the revelation of the Kingdom of God in man.
The final saying repeats that the monk is an intercessor for all. The post is tagged with Visoki Dečani, Orthodoxy, the Serbian Orthodox Church, Kosovo and Metohija, and Serbia, indicating its connection to Serbian Orthodox monastic tradition and the monastery of Visoki Dečani.
Main points
- The monk prays unceasingly as an intercessor for all people, unlike the layperson who prays occasionally
- The world continues to exist because of the unceasing prayers of monks
- Among Serbs, monasticism has been a greater historical force than church endowment, because the monk gives himself entirely to God
- Monasticism is described as conscience, consciousness, and the revelation of God's Kingdom in man
- Attributed to Starets Silouan, posted with tags linking to Visoki Dečani and the Serbian Orthodox Church