A Practical Handbook for Priestly Ministry

The Apostle Paul commands his disciple Timothy to “be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” This exhortation encapsulates the Orthodox Church’s expectations from her clergy and forms the basis of her Pastoral Theology. The aim of the present work is to guide the contemporary Orthodox priest in his application of the Apostle’s words to his everyday life as a conduit of Divine Grace and shepherd of Christ’s flock. At the same time, its focus on the proper formation of the soul will benefit every Christian, whether ordained or not. Compiled from recent and historical sources reflecting the rich heritage of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The monks who came to Holy Trinity Monastery from Eastern Europe after World War II inherited a tradition of printing that stretches back almost to the invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century. Through the fathers’ tireless efforts, the monastery has been printing and publishing Orthodox Christian books for almost sixty-five years. In keeping with the humble spirit required of a monk, books which are written or prepared by members of the monastic brotherhood are published under the general authorship of Holy Trinity Monastery.