St. Silouan

St. Silouan the Athonite was born Semyon Antonov in 1866 into a Russian peasant family in the province of Tambov. After a robust and worldly youth and service in the army, he was drawn by the fear of God to the monastic life and in 1892 entered the Russian monastery of St. Panteleimon on Mount Athos, where he lived as a simple monk, laboring for many years as steward of the monastery's workshops.

Unlettered but granted profound depths of prayer, he passed through fierce spiritual trials and was given, in a vision of the living Christ, a grace that marked the rest of his life. His teaching, centered on humility, love for enemies, and prayer for the whole world, is summed up in the words he received from the Lord: "Keep thy mind in hell, and despair not." He died on 24 September 1938, and his life and writings, made known by his disciple Sophrony, spread his influence far beyond Athos. He was canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1987, and his memory is kept on 24 September.