THE MOUNTAIN OF SILENCE

The Mountain of Silence - A Search for Orthodox Spirituality by Kyriacos D. Markides - My mom suggested I read this book since she didn't have time to do so. The Mountain of Silence is actually a metaphor for Mt. Athos in Greece. Mt. Athos is a peninsula in northwest Greece that has been home to monks living in ancient monasteries for many centuries. This book is about the monastic side of Orthodox Religion, about Saints and elders, about Grace, about the island of Cyprus, about vigils, about ceaseless prayer, and about the importance of humility. The events and conversations in this non-fiction book take place as interviews with monks and spiritual advisor Father Maximos, mostly on Cyprus. However, there is much that relates back to Mt. Athos and its mysteries. Mt. Athos has functioned in the same way for many many centuries, and life there is known to be untouched by the modern world. Females are not allowed on the peninsula which is about 10 miles wide by 30 miles long. Pilgrims (visitors to the mountain) mostly walk from one to the other of the 20 monasteries. This is a book of mysticism, belief and monasticism, and offers explanations and descriptions for living life apart from modern day societies. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is very readable especially if you are inclined to study the idea of ceaseless prayer. Mt. Athos: