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Preaching Christ with his life a monk also helps his neighbour with his prayer. He is like a radio operator who is sent into the enemy rear. He is in the thick of things and he is giving out radio signals from there, calling to heavy artillery and air force for help.

He is turning to God for help in his prayer. God is called the Almighty and Pantocrator and our life same as the lives of our enemies and all people on the earth in general is in his hands.

He is turning to God for help in his prayer. God is called the Almighty and Pantocrator and our life same as the lives of our enemies and all people on the earth in general is in his hands.

However there is some time for private spiritual exercise: reading and prayer.

The brethren take special care of the preservation and enriching of mutual peace and love – the indispensable condition of good prayer.

We recall the words of the deceased Father Superior of the monastery Archimandrite Abel (Makedonov). Not so long before his death Father was edifying the brethren with his parting words and like St. John the Theologian who was teaching his disciples “My children, love one another!” he gave the saving precept of love “One mustn’t be angry. God will make you responsible with strictness. Don’t get angry, on the contrary, forgive and cover everything with love, so that God will cover us with His mercy. Live in mutual love.”

These words are in harmony with the exhortation of St. Venerable Ambrose of Optina, which Father also liked to repeat, “Don’t offend anybody. Don’t vex anybody. And my respect is for everybody.”

Nowadays twenty-two brothers live in the monastery of St. John the Theologian. The number of the brethren includes a few novices, two coenobites, two monks and monks who were ordained hierodeacons, hieromonks and hegumens. About thirty workers live in the two hotels outside the monastery.

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