Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview
  • The Sayings of the Holy Desert Fathers

  • By: Saint Palladius
  • Narrated by: James Walmsley
  • Length: 18 hrs and 58 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (7 ratings)

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Sayings of the Holy Desert Fathers

By: Saint Palladius
Narrated by: James Walmsley
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £18.99

Buy Now for £18.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

These are the words or sayings (Apophthegmata), of various monks (the abbas, i.e. fathers) who lived in the deserts of Egypt between 250 A.D. and 400 A.D. They cover topics such as love, poverty, fasting, humility, and prayer, and there is usually a short story that gives the context of the sayings. These sayings are one of the few surviving records of the first monks such as St. Anthony the Great and St. Pachomius, who followed a strict way of life that usually consisted of plaiting baskets from palms leaves, singing psalms and rarely eating while living in the harsh Scete desert of Egypt.

Their sole aim was to draw closer to God through their labours. Their sayings became a classic throughout the Eastern and Western Christian world, and are still regularly read in monasteries at mealtimes. This volume is made up of two books of sayings, as well as an appendix of questions posed by desert monks to their spiritual fathers.

©2016 London: Chatto & Windus (P)2021 Steven Burger
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith cover art
Religion of the Apostles: Orthodox Christianity in the First Century cover art
The Imitation of Christ cover art
Sermons on the Spiritual Life cover art
The Jesus Prayer cover art
Heroes of the Desert: The Lives, Faith, and Teachings of the Church Fathers and Mothers cover art
Revelations of Divine Love cover art
The Ancient Faith Psalter cover art
The Catechism of Trent cover art
The Ecclesiastical History of the English People cover art
The Interior Castle cover art
Introduction To Christianity (2nd Edition) cover art
Saint Padre Pio cover art
Writers of the Philokalia cover art
Thinking Orthodox: Understanding and Acquiring the Orthodox Christian Mind cover art
The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew cover art

What listeners say about The Sayings of the Holy Desert Fathers

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    6
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wise words!

Loved this this exciting book. So much wisdom relevant until the end of time.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The best collection of desert father sayings

Definitely the best book on audible! A wonderful complete collection on the great early Christian monks. Wonderfully read for a blessed change! I've read much on the desert fathers but this collection has offered so much more.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Complete Handbook on Ancient Monasticism

This is a terrific reading of the Desert fathers. This huge volume is like the bible of early Christian monasticism. There is much to glean from these ancient men and women and I'm very happy I made this purchase. Worth listening to over and over.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful