The Hidden Man of the Heart, by Archimandrite Zacharias

The Hidden Man of the Heart consists of a series of presentations on the place of the heart in the spiritual life of the Christian, with special reference to the Hesychast tradition of the Orthodox Church, including two of the most influential figures in contemporary Christianity: Saint Silouan the Athonite (1866–1938) and Saint Sophrony of Essex (1896–1993). Delivered in Wichita, Kansas at the 2007 Clergy Brotherhood Retreat of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, each lecture is published here in full together with its corresponding Questions & Answers.

Archimandrite Zacharias

The Very Reverend Dr. Zacharias Zacharou is a disciple of St. Sophrony the Athonite, and a member of the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, Essex, England.

Of Greek Cypriot heritage, Fr Zacharias is the official translator of Elder Sophrony’s writings from Russian into Greek, and holds degrees in Theology from the Institute of St. Sergius in Paris, France, and the University of Thessalonica, Greece, also receiving the degree of Doctor of Theology from the latter institution for his work on the theology of Elder Sophrony, which was published in English as Christ, Our Way and Our Life: A Presentation of the Theology of Archimandrite Sophrony (2003).

Also published in English are The Enlargement of the Heart: "Be ye also enlarged" (2 Cor. 6:13) in the Theology of Saint Silouan the Athonite and Elder Sophrony of Essex (2012), Remember Thy First Love (Revelation 2:4-5): The Three Stages of the Spiritual Life in the Theology of Elder Sophrony (2010), and Man the Target of God (2016).

Archimandrite Zacharias is fluent in Greek, English, French and Russian, and is intimately familiar with the traditions of the Greek and Russian liturgical practice.

In May of 2011 Archimandrite Zacharias was awarded the honorary doctorate from Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary, in recognition of his remarkable contribution to the spiritual life of the Church in America.

About the Editor

Dr. Christopher Veniamin is a spiritual child of St. Sophrony the Athonite (1896-1993).

Born and raised in London, England, of Greek Cypriot parents, Dr. Veniamin holds his first degree in theology from the University of Thessalonica and his doctorate from the University of Oxford. He is Emeritus Professor of Patristics at St. Tikhon's Seminary in Pennsylvania, and Dean & COO Emeritus at the Antiochian House of Studies in California, where he also served as Professor of Patristic Theology and Dogmatics, established the Ph.D.Program in Orthodox Studies, and spearheaded the drive for full  accreditation with the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in North America and Canada.

Prof. Veniamin's works include Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies; The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition; and The Transfiguration of Christ in Greek Patristic Literature: From Irenaeus of Lyons to Gregory Palamas.

Dr. Veniamin also holds the four-year Degree in Byzantine Music from the celebrated School of St. Romanus Melodus and St. John Damascene in Thessalonica, and is a pupil of Eleftherios Georgiades, former Lampadarios of the Great Church of Christ.

Prof. Veniamin is also the Founder and President of Mount Thabor Publishing (MTP), established in 2005 to produce quality books in Orthodox theology and the spiritual life, and the presenter of videos and podcasts for The Mount Thabor Academy, on the interrelationship between theology and spiritual life of the Orthodox Church, with particular reference to the Holy Bible and the witness of the Church Fathers, past and present.