Book club publications

A living monastic tradition in Finland.

The monastery dedicated to the memory of the Transfiguration of Christ, located in Papinniemi, Heinävesi since 1940, is a Finnish male monastery. Its centuries-old roots lie on the island of Valamo, which remained in the ceded territory. Many visitors ask the question of what monasticism means and what asceticism and struggle are. To that end, the brotherhood offers the questioner the opportunity to get to know the monastery through the pictures and pilgrimage of this book. Grace-giving asceticism is necessary for every Christian. With the help of asceticism, a Christian directs his steps on the path of virtues. Hardcover, 40 pages. Price €5.00

Bound 224 pages. Price €11.00.

The Philokalia, or “love of beauty,” is a collection of 300 writings by great competitors from the 15th century, translated into Finnish by Sister Kristoduli. The series consists of five works, the last part of which contains a name and subject index and a Greek-Finnish glossary of the most important concepts of the Philokalia. Price €50 / set (bound).

In his book, Kallistos Ware summarizes the central aspects of the liturgical life and spirituality of Eastern Christianity. Bound, 360 pages. The Inner Kingdom is a revised and expanded edition of a book that has already been published in English, French, Italian and Greek. It illuminates the central aspects of the liturgical life and spirituality of Eastern Christianity. Metropolitan Kallistos' thinking is profound, thoughtfully wise and balanced. His expression is direct and clear. Bound, 360 pages. Price €22.00.

On the Veneration of Icons is the first Orthodox book translated from Arabic. Thus, it opens up a completely new area of Orthodox culture for the Finnish reader. Bound, 118 pages. Price €19.50

The Romanian Orthodox Church experienced severe persecution during the communist regime. Many priests, monks and lay people were forced into hiding. Father Cleopa, the head of the Sihastrian monastery, hid in the mountain forests to live as a hermit. There, at the foot of the fir trees, in silence, he found peace and inner, unceasing prayer. Bound. 295 pages. Price €9.90.

The content of the book feeds our inner longing for God and provides plenty of practical instructions for achieving closeness to God. The colorful and lively work is a useful and interesting reading experience. How is it possible to pray without ceasing and how can the mind always be directed to God? The homeless wanderer in the book seeks answers to these fundamental questions among priests, soldiers, merchants and robbers in mid-19th-century Russia. In his backpack he has a bag of bread, the Holy Bible and the Philokalia. Bound, 126 pages. Price €13.90.

On Prayer is Archimandrite Sofron's (B. 1993) second book published in Finnish. The author is considered one of the most significant Orthodox elder and theological writers of the last century. The book consists of three parts, which discuss the nature of prayer, the Jesus Prayer, and spiritual life. Bound, 219 pages. Price €25.50.

Icons, People and War – a book about the difficult times of the Orthodox during the war

Kari Kotkavaara, Petter Martiskainen (eds.): Icons, People and War Publication date: January 2009

The book is divided into two parts, the first of which focuses on the stages of life experienced by people on both sides of the Finnish and then Soviet borders in 1939. The areas are the Karelian Isthmus, Lake Ladoga Karelia, Petsamo, as well as Viena and Aunus. In the second part, the subject matter is limited to a few camp churches of the Grand Duchy of Finland (1809 – 1917).

The book contains many pictures and, in addition to the page illustrations, a separate, almost 60-page appendix with magnificent color illustrations.

The authors in the first part are Academy Research Fellow, Docent, PhD Kari Kotkavaara, MA Katariina Husso, who is doing her doctoral dissertation in art history at the University of Jyväskylä, and PhD Žanna Belik, who has a doctoral dissertation in art history at the University of Jyväskylä and is currently a researcher at the Andrei Rublev Museum in Moscow.

The authors in the second part are TM Vladimir Sokratilin, a teacher at the folk high school in Valamo, and Helena Nikkanen, the chief conservator of the Valamo Conservation Institute, and Nina Rusakova, a conservator at the Museum of Russian Art in St. Petersburg.

Bound, 192 pages. Price €11.00.

Saint John Chrysostom of Antioch, the Golden-mouthed, is one of the greatest preachers of all time in Christianity. Around the year 390, he gave a series of sermons to the church of Antioch, in which he went through the entire Gospel of John. The sermons now published cover the verses of the Gospel from 3:35 to 10:21.  Bound, 324 pages. Price €15.00.

''The mark you have left in the Finnish Orthodox Church is indelible. Your name is inextricably linked to the history of the Finnish Orthodox Church and especially Karelia.''
This is what Archbishop Herman said about Sergei Okulov.
Who was Sergei Okulov? This pioneer of the Orthodox faith, who was born in Suistamo in 1853, worked his life's work in Sortavala and died in Kuopio in 1940, was a pioneer of Finnish-language Orthodox publishing, the rector of the Sortavala Theological Seminary founded in 1918, a pioneer of Finnish-language church services, and a defender of Orthodox identity in independent Finland.
This work examines Okulov's activities as a builder of Border Karelian and Finnish-language Orthodoxy. At the same time, the work outlines Okulov's view of what is most sustainable in Orthodoxy and how Orthodoxy should respond to changes in society. Hardcover, 421 pages. Price €9.90.

The Synaxarion is a collection of biographies of holy men and women of the Orthodox Church. Temporally, the collection covers the saints of the Old Testament and two millennia of Eastern Christian saints, including Western saints from the first millennium. Geographically, the collection extends from Ethiopia to Petsamo, from Britain to Persia, and from Tunisia to Alaska. The collection has been published in September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, and August. Price €33.00 / pc

Bishop Aleks's (1941-1984) collection of sermons "Faith, the Power of Life" contains almost ninety sermons from 1980-1983. Bishop Aleks's sermons are spiritual nourishment and they bring comfort and hope to life. A short biography of the forefather Aleks is included. The book also includes Metropolitan Vladimir's collection of thoughts, Spiritual Grains, translated from Russian by Bishop Aleks on his deathbed. Hardcover, 411 pages. Price €9.90.

The origin and history of the Orthodox Diocese of Oulu.
The Orthodox Diocese of Oulu is the largest in the country in terms of area; its northernmost churches are located in the municipality of Inari and the southernmost in the Vaasa region. "You strengthened the northern people" is a picture book and historical overview of the origins of northern Orthodoxy, its later historical development and the present, as well as the shrines in the diocese, the images that adorn them and the liturgical objects. Bound, 155 pages. Price €7.00.

The book has five themes: the faith of the Church, the life of the Church, the prayer of Jesus, asceticism and monastic life, and hope in a world of deficiencies. The lectures have been chosen so that they form a harmonious whole. The lectures will be given by, among others, Archimandrite Ephraim from Mount Athos, the leader of the St. Andrew's Skete, Archimandrite Zaharias, a priest-monk of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, from Essex, England, and nun Kristoduli from the Lintula Monastery. There is little material in Finnish on many of the book's themes.

Hardcover, 447-page work. Includes color illustrations. Price 10 €.

Georges Florovsky (1893-1979) is one of the most significant Orthodox theologians of the 20th century, whose influence is visible in many ways in the Orthodox world.

Florovsky has published several studies in the field of patristics. The two-volume, versatile analysis of history and theology, The Paths of Russian Theology, was published in Paris in 1937. The work describes in a personal way the various stages of theology and numerous influential figures starting from the 15th century, when Russia began to strengthen its relations with the West and its connections with Byzantium weakened.

Florovsky sharply criticizes the Western influences on Russian theology and defends the patristic tradition. Tradition signifies creative, living experience and the critical spirit of the Church. He does not hesitate to reject theological viewpoints or condemn people with whom he disagrees.

The translator of the book, Irmeli Talasjoki, has done a great job in compiling a huge amount of additional information for the explanations in the footnotes of the book and especially for the descriptions of the people mentioned in the text of the book.

Hardcover, 460 pages. Price 15 €/piece.

Bound 132 pages. Price €14.00.

The book is a review of the desert wrestling tradition from the origins of monasticism to hesychasm and the Jesus Prayer. The author of the work studied theology in Paris and is currently the Primate of the Estonian Orthodox Church. Hardcover, 192 pages. Price €15.00.

Athos - Reflections from the Holy Mountain tells nine fascinating perspectives and travelogues about a pilgrimage to the monastic kingdom of Mount Athos. People who have experienced this living reality of Orthodox monastic life and Byzantine culture share their experiences. On Athos, everyday life is far away, but the feeling of existence is real.
Mount Athos is located in northern Greece and is an autonomous region under the Greek state. Mount Athos currently has 20 monasteries and 2,300 monks.
Athos - Reflections from the Holy Mountain was born from the desire to share the experiences of Finnish visitors to Athos, and to tell in words and pictures about this unique place in the world.
Each author's relationship with Mount Athos is unique. Some have visited it once, while others have spent months there getting to know and participating in the life of the monastery. However, all the stories are united by a quiet wonder in the midst of this ancient world. The Byzantine cultural tradition has lived in the Mount Athos region for over 1000 years and continues to be vibrant.
The ever-growing number of pilgrims speaks of a longing for a simpler way of life in a time when busy schedules and accountability overshadow people's lives.
The authors are diverse, from politicians to religious scholars and monks to art historians.

Bound 271 pages. Price 12 €.

Icons from the 17th to the 19th century from Finnish collections. Edited by Archimandrite Arseni. 121 pages. Price 6 €.

Archimandrite Kerubim: The Garden of the Mother of GodTranslated by: nun Kristoduli

The Garden of the Mother of God tells of a life that has remained with almost all of us and easily remains unknown. It tells of how the monks of Athos and especially its hermits lived before the Second World War and, in fact, before and after it on Athos. This is because many things in that special life are certainly permanent and independent of time and year.

Bonded, 311 pages. Price 10 €.

Irinja Nikkanen (1920-2008) was strong-willed and energetic since she was a little girl. She also had a sensitive sense of justice. This nature lover, born in Ilomantsi, became a mother of four children and a versatile influencer of the Orthodox Church over the years. Irinja Nikkanen's unique, fascinating life story has been recorded by docent of religious studies, journalist and author Eira Hernberg.

Hardcover, 345 pages. Price €9.92.

The third collection of poems by teacher and poet Nina Karpi (1922-2008). This book also includes the poems previously published by Valamo Monastery, Under the Blessing Hand and Path in the Garden. Bound. 191 pages. Price €12.00.

The collection of writings by Kaisu Putkonen (b.1959) contains 50 short devotional writings according to the cycle of the church year. The themes deal with the major feasts of the church year, as well as the commemorations of saints and other current themes. Bound. 128 pages. Price €12.00.

The Virgin Mary in the Teachings of the Early Church. The book, edited by Serafim Seppälä (FT), reviews what early Christian thinkers wrote about the Mother of Jesus between 150 and 750. The book also provides an overview of Mary's position and significance in the Quran and Islam. Hardcover. 383 pages. Price €36.00.

Archimandrite Sergei (ed.) THE TREASURES OF VALAMON

Translations: Sergius Colliander, Helena Pavinskij, Irmeli TalasjokiPhotos: Henna Hietainen, Petter Martiskainen, Martti Markovaara, Pentti Potkonen, Vesa-P. Takala, Sergei Veretennikov, Akseli Virtanen

The work The Treasures of Valamo Monastery has been prepared for several years in collaboration with researchers from the Kuopio Orthodox Church Museum and the Andrei Rublev Museum in Moscow. The book is the most extensive information work on the churches and art treasures of Valamo to date. Some of the expert articles in the work deal with themes that have not been studied much before, such as the monastery's manuscripts, the collection of graphics and portraits, the archive and the collection of architectural drawings. In addition, there are articles about the monastery's icons, sacred objects, church textiles, enamel and wood carvings, landscape paintings and the conservation of icon treasures.

The authors include Bishop Arseni, Professor of Art History Heikki Hanka, Art Historian Vladimir Petrov, Leading Conservator Helena Nikkanen, and researchers Svetlana Bolshakova, Marina Baslykova and Zhanna Belik. The book has abundant and high-quality illustrations. The work is related to the 70th anniversary of the Valamo Monastery's operation in Heinävesi, which has been celebrated at the monastery with many events during 2010.

Publisher's introduction:

The book Valamo Monastery Treasures tells the story of the monastery's church and art treasures in pictures and words. Over the centuries, Russian emperors, merchants and wealthy friends of the monastery have remembered Valamo with many valuable gifts. They have been expressions of gratitude to God for the intercessions offered by the monastery, which have resulted in the expected answer to prayer or the gift given has been followed by a request for intercession.

This information book contains more than a dozen expert articles on various themes, such as icons, manuscripts, church textiles, sacred objects, and landscape and portrait paintings. This book has been produced in collaboration with researchers from the Finnish Orthodox Church Museum and the Andrei Rublev Museum in Moscow. The articles in the book contain a wealth of previously unpublished, new research information. Price €81.60.

"The two hundred-strong monk brotherhood of Valamo on Lake Ladoga was evacuated in the middle of the Winter War and ended up in Heinävesi. How did the brotherhood settle in the Papinniemi manor in practice? How did the aging brotherhood survive horse-drawn agriculture in the rocky Savonia fields. What was healthcare like when professional help was available in the church village, half a day's journey away by horse? This book is based on documents from the Valamo monastery archive. They provide a glimpse into the first three decades of everyday life in Papinniemi, when New Valamo became the home of the old brother. The beginning was difficult; the entire monastery as a concept was foreign to Central Finland, and the post-war period of shortages with its rationing economy caused endless correspondence with the authorities. Although the external framework changed with the evacuation and the change sometimes threatened to stifle the monastery, the 1970s already foreshadowed a new rise. The monastery's almost thousand-year-old The tradition still lives and influences Heinävesi. The work was written by a friend of the monastery and our long-time volunteer, Master Elsi Takala.

Bonded, 334 pages. Price 20 €.

The Valamo Monastery has produced an audiobook of the Book of Job in the Old Testament of the Bible – a living book about the secret of suffering. The audiobook consists of two CDs, each lasting just over an hour, narrated by actors who are well-known for their subject matter. The audiobook can be purchased from the Valamo Monastery online store (Valamo online store Tuohus)

The Book of Job. The Book of Job in the Old Testament presents Satan as the son of God, who appears before God’s throne. Satan asks God for permission to torment Job. He claims that Job’s devout faith in God is based only on the fact that God has given him an abundance of earthly good. Price €7.76.

Directed by Ritva Holmberg

Job: Hannu-Pekka Björkman

God: Kalle Holmberg

Satan: Viktor Drevitski

Eliphas: Timo Torikka

Image: Ville Virtanen

Sofar: Petri Korhonen

Elihu: Johannes Lahtela

Narrator: Pekka Milonoff

The work entitled The Alphabet of Spiritual Life by Dimitri Rostov was first published in Finnish in 1938 by the Valaam Monastery. Bound, 272 pages. Price €20.00.

Father Alexander Schmemann's diaries from the last years deal deeply with faith, worship and the church. The quietly personal, introspective and frank nature of the entries startles the reader and makes them stop to examine their own reality. Hardcover, 463 pages. Price €15.

Gillian Crow: This Holy Man - Impressions of Metropolitan Anthony BloomOriginal English work: This Holy Man. Impression of Metropolitan AnthonyTranslated from English by: Fevronia Orfanos

Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) of Suroz was one of the most respected churchmen, spiritual writers and radio voices of recent decades. Many of his books, such as The School of Prayer and Living Prayer, have become classics. As head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Britain, he was one of the most influential Orthodox in the world.

But who was Metropolitan Anthony, the man behind the public role of preacher and spiritual director? How did his work as a monk, doctor, bishop, parish priest and spiritual father influence his work as a church servant and writer?

This work is the first comprehensive presentation of the life and work of Metropolitan Anthony. In her book, Gillian Crow paints a fascinating portrait of a very contradictory person. On the one hand, Metropolitan Anthony was a charismatic, warm person who radiated the glow of his joyful faith to those around him. On the other hand, he had to struggle hard to overcome his shyness, insecurity and occasional depression. This sympathetic, honest portrait will be of interest to everyone who has been touched by Metropolitan Anthony's own works.

Gillian Crow is an Orthodox writer and Diocesan Secretary of the Suroz Diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate (Great Britain). He collaborated with Metropolitan Anthony for over twenty years.

Hardcover, 366 pages. Price €9.90.

The book tells the story of the history and present day of the Valaam Monastery in words and pictures. Hardcover, 151 pages. PRICE €4.00.

Letters to Inna - Letters from Schemaigumen Johannes to Ina Colliander from 1947-1957

Translation: Sergius Colliander

The book contains 85 letters from Schemaigumen Johannes to the artist Ina Colliander. The letters have been translated into Finnish by the artist's son, Father Sergius Colliander.

At the beginning of the book, the translator says that the letters were a treasure for his mother: a constant, inexhaustible source of strength. The Finnish letters now presented in the book, through their simple expression, open a safe path to a profound understanding of Orthodox spirituality.

Scheimaigumen John has said: "The writings of the holy fathers can only be understood through life, because they did not write with reason but with feeling, they wrote about what they themselves had lived. Their teaching cannot be properly understood with reason alone — it is a bit like taking medicine from a pharmacy without knowing chemistry and getting the exact opposite medicine."

Hardcover, 168 pages. Price 11 €.

The first extensive and illustrated work on the relics of our monasteries in Finnish, written by Deacon, TM Marko Mäkinen. Hardcover, 281 pages. Price €30.00.

Archbishop Paavali - Our Presbyter - photo book tells the story of the life of the respected and always remembered Archbishop Paavali of Karelia and all of Finland. Father Presbyter lived an interesting and complex life, rising to become the Archbishop of the Finnish Orthodox Church. His life was full of ups and downs. They made him a respected, beloved, strong person who always thought of the best for his denomination. Over the decades, he was also widely appreciated outside of Finland.

Archbishop Paavali was a monk, theologian, church musician, translator, writer, diplomat, composer, church shepherd, spiritual leader, educator, man of the spirit, a profound worshiper, for whom the Jesus Prayer was important.

This photo book is a tribute to Archbishop Paavali - one of the founding members and first chairman of the Orthodox Brotherhood - and an effort to preserve his memory from his youth until the last days of his life.

May you be remembered forever, our Father Pre-Pastor!

Bound, 127 pages. Price 12 €.

Marianna Flinckenberg-Gluschkoff's book about the essence of an icon, the meaning of details and the use of an icon. Hardcover, 189 pages. Price €32.00.

Archimandrite Panteleimon (compiled and translated): Work hard and pray - Father Yevlogin's letters

The priest-monk Yevlogin (1876-1969) was the last of the Valamo ascetics living in Heinävesi Valamo. The old man was known as an ascetics who led a deep spiritual life. This is also evidenced by the letters he sent to his confessors, which are collected in this book.

The book also tells about the lives of the recipients of the letters, the later schema nun Serafima and Yevpraksiya Petrovna Voronkova.

Hardcover, 128 pages. Price 12 €.

Alexander Schmemann: Of Water and The Spirit

 Original work: Of Water and The Spirit

Translation: Matti Sidoroff

This book explains the fundamentals of Christianity: baptism. One becomes a Christian through the sacrament of baptism and anointing, or "of water and the Spirit," as Jesus expresses it in the Gospel (John 3:5). Baptism is the gateway to the kingdom of God, or life in communion with God, which is liturgically realized in the sacrament of the Eucharist. The book "Of Water and The Spirit" emphasizes the concern that baptism is only weakly present in Christian consciousness, although it has not disappeared anywhere from the liturgical practice of the Church - even though it has lost much of its ancient luster there. It is clear to us that Easter is the greatest feast of the church year, but few realize that every year we also celebrate our own baptism, through which we have been able to rejoice in all that Christ has done for us. All this is expressed in the texts and rituals of the sacraments of baptism and anointing, which are reviewed and explained in detail in the book. Although the work was published in English in 1974, its message is still fresh and current, and is now available in a Finnish translation.

Hardcover, 272 pages. Price 20 €.

Father Arseni is one of the most popular spiritual books in the Orthodox world, which has been translated into several languages. The book, dedicated to the memory of the new martyrs and confessors of Russia, tells the story of an Orthodox priest-monk and elder who lived from 1894 to 1975. Originally trained as an art historian, the scientist chose the path of monasticism and priesthood at a time when the religious policy of the Soviet Union forced many believers to hide their beliefs and, if necessary, suffer for it. Father Arsenikin, who initially worked as a parish priest, was subjected to punitive measures by the authorities and spent about 20 years in deportations and camps, including in conditions of a strict discipline camp. Father Arseni lived the last years of his life in silence, helping and guiding his spiritual children, who secretly gathered with him for divine services. He especially emphasized helping one's neighbor and seeing the image of God in every person.

Second edition. Hardcover, 458 pages. Price €24.50.

In his book Temptations, Professor of Religious Studies René Gothónin tells what he has learned from Father Teofilos. In a hermitage on a deserted island, Gothónin asks the old man how we should act in this time so that we do not fall into temptation. Hardcover, 176 pages. Price €20.00.

Suvi Heino (ed.): From Lent to Easter

From Lent to Easter contains recipes for Lent and Easter. The work is designed especially for Lent, when meat and dairy products are not permitted foods. According to strict fasting rules, even fish is not eaten except on a couple of feast days during Lent.

From Lent to Easter, compiled by editor Suvi Heino, is divided into three parts. The book begins with the time leading up to Lent, Blini Week, and Shrove Sunday, when all dairy products and other foods not needed during Lent are used up.

In the second part, Lent has already begun. In this case, vegetables, mushrooms, berries, fruits, vegetable oils and nuts are used in cooking.

Finally, after 40 days of fasting, the feast of feasts, Easter, arrives, and the rich delicacies that set the mood for this are prepared in the third part of the book.

At the beginning of the book, the head of the Valaam Monastery, Archimandrite Sergei, talks about the meaning and tradition of fasting in the Orthodox church year.

Fasting is an old Christian tradition that has its origins in the Bible. Even in paradise, God gave Adam and Eve the rule of fasting, the commandment not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A complete fast is before communion, when nothing is eaten or drunk after midnight. The Orthodox Church encourages its healthy members to fast.

The recipes in the Fasting to Easter cookbook have been compiled from various sources. The book has its own section, which contains excellent recipes from the kitchen of the Valamo Monastery restaurant Trapesa.

Hardcover, 112 pages. Price 10 €.

The book discusses infinity from the perspective of philosophers, physicists and mathematicians, but also Christian writers. Viktor Riissanen, hardcover, 203 pages. Price €17.50.

Saint Basil the Great: The extensive monastic rule of Saint Basil the Great

Translated by: Fevronia Orfanos

The book is illustrated with illustrations from old manuscripts of the Valaam Monastery.

Orthodox monasteries throughout the world follow a common monastic tradition, which is based on the monastic rule of Saint Basil the Great. Each monastery has its own rules, but the basis is this Monastic Rule of Saint Basil the Great, which is now published by the Valaam Monastery for the first time in a Finnish edition.

Many books on Orthodox monastic life refer to these rules. They are presented in the form of 55 questions and answers. Some questions have received a short answer, while others have several pages of answers.

Although these rules date back to the 4th century, they are still useful for modern monks and nuns, but they also open up a view of monastic life for any reader.

Bonded, 160 pages. Price 12 €.

Valamo College's 30th anniversary book.
Valamo College was founded in 1986, when the strong interest in the Orthodox Church in society caused strong pressure on the Valamo Monastery and its limited resources. The college, located in connection with the monastery, has had over 40,000 students attend the college's courses over the past three decades. Students are offered the opportunity to experience holiness and take it with them into their own everyday lives.

In the anniversary book, the college's founders, employees, students and partners recall decades of activity
and reflect on the prospects for the future. Over 40 authors participated in the creation of the book. The anniversary book also contains many pictures
from the institute's fields of activity, from icon painting, pilgrimages and sewing Karelian folk costumes to bronze casting, silverwork and Easter egg painting.

The book has been edited by Elsi Takala.

Hardcover, 186 pages. Price 12 €.

The book "Saints of Everyday Life and Other Stories" by the rector of the Sretenie Monastery, the current bishop Tiihon Sevkunov, tells about the life of the Church during the difficult years of the Soviet Union. The book is full of wonderful true stories that strongly demonstrate God's influence in our modern world.
The author tells in a fascinating and humorous way about life in the monastery. Many of the stories are related to the Petseri Monastery and the fighters there, whom he knew personally. The reader is amazed by the strength and resourcefulness of its leaders in defending their monastery against the pressure of the Soviet leaders.

The book has become a bestseller in many countries. It has been translated into 13 languages so far.

Hardcover, 639 pages. Price €29.60.

The Valamo Monastery has offered a place of rest to countless people who have sought it. Receiving guests means work and numerous practical tasks for the residents of the monastery.

Help has been needed in many practical matters, and the friends of the monastery have been a solid support.

They have fulfilled their task without asking for it and have not sought publicity or glory for themselves. However, as exemplary friends of Valamo, it is necessary to tell more about them.

The book contains brief portraits of twelve friends of Valamo. Now they are all deceased, living in memories and prayers. Price €20.

Metropolitan Panteleimon (ed.): Letters to Jelena

The confessor of the Valamo monastery, Schemaimune Johannes, was born with a heart that understood, loved, and sympathized with his neighbor in suffering. This was also experienced by his spiritual mentors, and the closest of them - Jelena Akseljevna Armfelt. In his correspondence with his confessor, Father Johannes seriously considers Jelena's questions, her pain, and worries, and also rejoices in her good intentions.

In Letters to Jelena - the reader becomes a part of the guidance of the Valamo elder and at the same time takes a journey into the everyday life and celebrations of the post-war years of New Valamo.

The letters for the book have been translated into Finnish by: Archbishop Paavali, Metropolitan Panteleimon, and Father Sergius Colliander. The book contains numerous old photographs from the archives of the Valaam Monastery.

Hardcover, 179 pages. Price 18 €.

A beloved book now in a new, updated edition.

For some, the Valamo Monastery offers a home and a way of life, for others a respite and a place to rest. Laughter is often heard in the monastery.

My Valamo opens the doors of the monastery to readers. Visitors to Valamo, those who live and work there tell what the monastery means to them, and how it has affected their lives.

The authors' personal experiences were grouped into narrative tidbits about life in Valamo before and now.

The authors are artists, researchers, employees and students. The monks living in the monastery and the lay people working there also open their chests of memories. Price €21.

The work published in Finnish by the Valamo Monastery in October 2017 about the leader of the Valamo Monastery, Igumen Hariton, is a wonderful work, especially for readers interested in history, Orthodoxy and the monastic system. Its content is “weighty stuff”, and the reading moments offer the opportunity to dive into the core of both Russian and partly Finnish Orthodoxy, into those “years of danger”, when the existence of the entire church was threatened both in Russia and then in Finland.

Working as the leader of the Russian brotherhood that had fled the war and evacuated to Finland and as the abbot of a once mighty and large monastery came at a time that was not without problems. Russianness was viewed with reservations and the Russian inhabitants of the monastery viewed the Finns in the same way.

At the same time, the so-called The calendar dispute – whether to follow the new Gregorian church calendar adopted by the Finns in Valamo, or to stick to the old Julian church calendar, was almost enough to break up the entire monastery. In any case, it left a lasting and long-lasting mark on the memory and thoughts of many.

One small but excellent addition at the end of the book is a section with short biographies of the people mentioned in the book. At least the undersigned considered this to be an excellent addition to an otherwise interesting book.

The book also has wonderful photo pages. The photos come from the extensive photo archive of the Valamo Monastery.

Translated by: Tarja Kämäräinen

Hardcover, 468 pages. Price €28.

Marianna Flinckenberg-Gluschkoff: A Curious Compass – Navigating the Path of Many Cultures

The second book about her life by Marianna Flinckenberg-Gluschkoff (b. 1940), a retired Russian language lecturer at the University of Helsinki and icon painter, travels along the paths of many cultures – just as the book’s subtitle says. The book was published by the Valamo Monastery in 2017. 

A Curious Compass tells the story of the author’s colorful journeys in the sphere of influence of different cultures. Marianna Flinckenberg-Gluschkoff is known to many as the first Russian language teacher on television, a pioneer of Finnish icon painting and a photographer of the living conditions of our Siberian language relatives. The work is a sequel to “The St. Petersburg Trail Horse,” which tells about her childhood. He has previously written five books on icon painting, the language of icons, Orthodox Easter traditions, and his travels to Siberia.

The same themes are repeated in this work. It also introduces its readers to the academic world and Moscow diplomatic life, and takes them on a journey not only to the Sámi and Finno-Ugric peoples of Siberia, but also to the Chukchi and Eskimos. The friends, teachers, and fellow travelers who influenced the author's life choices are vividly present in the text. The theme that runs through the story is the praise of friendship.

Hardcover, 365 pages. Price €15.

Elder Joseph Hesychast was one of the most prominent ascetics of Mount Athos in the 20th century. He was born in 1897 on the island of Paros, and was baptized with the name Francis. He became interested in the biographies of the holy fathers at a young age, and through them a strong desire arose in him to compete himself like the ascetics he admired. After various stages, Francis left for Mount Athos at the age of just over 20, competing there at first under the guidance of a few experienced spiritual fathers, and later, having himself been ordained as a monk, he became a guide and instructor for many younger ascetics. Elder Joseph lived in the presence of God and achieved great humility, but the price of his profound spiritual wisdom and experiences of grace was an incredibly hard competition of body and spirit. He was extremely strict with himself, but gentle and understanding with those he instructed, defending and nurturing them to the end in his prayers and advice, as is evident from his letters now being published. Elder Joseph died in the New Scythia on Mount Athos on the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, August 15, 1959. It has been said that the revival of competitive life on the Holy Mountain, especially in the late 1990s, was largely due to the teachings of Elder Joseph and his followers. His legacy also extends to North America, where several monasteries have already been founded following his teachings. Elder Joseph loved silence and prayer, thus being an example and inspiration to thousands of others who, after him, have continued their own struggle on Mount Athos and around the world in the spirit of Jesus' prayer and hesychasm.

Bonded, 424 pages. Price €26.

Leena Säppi & Ilona Pelgonen: Roses and Poppies – Embroidered Treasures from the Valaam Monastery

In her foreword to the book, textile conservator Leena Säppi writes, among other things: “Monasteries have been significant preservers of national tradition throughout the centuries. They have been great centers of crafts and art that promoted the spread of traditional art. The Valaam Transfiguration Monastery continues this tradition in many ways, including through crafts. … The work “Roses and Poppies – Embroidered Treasures from the Valaam Monastery” opens up a completely new perspective on the world of hand-stitching, rich embroidery and never-before-seen lace. A significant part of this book is the monastery’s collection of Ukrainian hand-stitching. 

Hardcover, 144 pages. Price €26.

Scheemaigumen Johannes: Letters from the Elder of the Monastery

The Letters from the Elder of the Monastery is a collection of spiritual teaching texts sent to various people by the confessor of the Valaam Monastery, Schemaigumen Johannes (d. 1958). The recipients of the letters – emigrants who had fled the Russian revolution – had started a new life, some in Finland, some in Germany or even in America. The Valaam Monastery, both on the island of Ladoga and after the war in Papinniemi in Heinävesi, meant for them a living connection to the spirituality of their lost homeland, and the correspondence with Father Johannes provided answers, support and sympathy in everyday difficulties.

The collection of letters is a continuation of Father Johannes' previously published teaching collections Letters to Inna and Letters to Jelena. The foreword to the book was written by Dr. Paula Tuomikoski, Ph.D., and the biography of the elderly man attached at the end of the book was written by Metropolitan Panteleimon.

Bonded, 223 pages. Price €16.80.

Archbishop Sergei (ed.): Metal Icons – A Millennial TraditionTranslated by: Helena Pavinskij, Tarja Kämäräinen, Irmeli Talasjoki.

This book tells about metal icons and crosses, which have been cast especially by the Russian Old Believers from the 17th century to the present day. Articles by several Russian experts and abundant illustrations open up an interesting perspective for the Finnish-speaking reader on this little-known form of Orthodox church art, which is already a millenary craft tradition.

The Russian Old Believers Orthodox group was formed in the 17th century to oppose the reforms of Patriarch Nikon of Moscow in the church. The group was persecuted by both the state and the official church, causing the Old Believers to flee far into the Russian wilderness. Far from large population centers, but also in cities, Old Believers could secretly cast metal icons even when it was officially forbidden.

In addition to the excellent text, the large and heavy book contains many wonderful pictures and drawings of metal icons.

Hardcover,   324 pages. Price 35 €.

Viktor Riissanen: Joy 

Modern brain research supports the analogical conclusions that even fish feel joy. The deaf-blind Helen Keller impressively tells of her connection to the joy of a tadpole. For Beethoven, Rousseau and countless others, the whole of nature has expressed and given joy. As a microcosm, humans carry within their being the possibility of participating in all the joy and exultation that concerns being and existing.

The experience of joy is connected to its manifestation and adoption. The book focuses in particular on the treatment of the ten manifestations considered to be the most important. Three chapters are dedicated to joy itself.

The source material for the work comprises tens of thousands of pages. Many anonymously convey their own understanding of joy. About five hundred are mentioned by name. Each source person, including a comprehensive school student from Lieksa, provides material for examining the reality of joy. At the same time, each challenges the readers of the book to take a personal stance on joy and rejoicing.

Hardcover, 200 pages. Price 10 €.

Vladimir Losski's classic book is an uncompromising analysis of the connection between spirituality and doctrine in the tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Published in 1944, Losski's book was groundbreaking. It first inspired Georges Florovsky, Alexander Schmemann and John Meyendorff and later, among others, Metropolitans Anthony Bloom, Kallistos Ware and Ioannis Zizoulas. They all started from The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church, corrected and softened Losski's theses, but also recognized the greatness of the classic book. The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church has been translated into more than ten languages and is still the best general presentation of Orthodox doctrine. Hardcover, 334 pages. Price €19.

The bishop of the Orthodox diocese of Helsinki, Aleksanteri Karpin (1883-1969), was a prominent Christian thinker. In 1968, when the author was 85 years old, his work, Uskon portilla, was published, which attracted great attention and reached readers across denominational boundaries. Hardcover, 240 pages.

Ikkuna ääisyyuteinen was published in 1970, when the author had already passed through the gate of faith into life. It is the testament of the author's Christian life and worldview. Hardcover, 246 pages. The books cost €21.50.

Bishop Palladios (c. 365-c. 430) writes about the virtuous striving and admirable lives of the blessed and holy fathers, monks and hermits living in the wilderness. The book is an inspiration and example for those who want to achieve heavenly life and walk the path leading to the kingdom of heaven. Palladios traveled to many countries, cities, villages and monasteries and also met hermits living in the wilderness. Palladio met some of the monks personally, and he learned about the lives of others from ascetics he met. There are also stories about many striving mothers. The striving lives include prayer, fasting, abstinence from property, church services and singing. The temptations they faced have not been ignored either. Johannes Seppälä has translated the book into Finnish from the original Greek text. Bound, 293 pages. Price €18.

Archbishop Paavalin's historical biography, part 1 – stages up to 1955. Paula Tuomikoski's new historical biography of the life and stages of Archbishop Paavalin (1914 - 1988). The book is the first part of a two-part biography, now published. The book is based on the in-depth basic research by Doctor of Philosophy Tuomikoski, which he has conducted to clarify the unknown stages of the Archbishop's life. Price 20€.

The work consists of chapters originally based on lectures, in which Professor Andrew Louth introduces nearly thirty significant Orthodox thinkers of the last two centuries. The theme running through the work is the Philokalia, which, according to the author, marked a kind of turning point in the history of Orthodox theology.

The author examines the history of the birth of the Philokalia and its effects from Mount Athos to Russia and further to Europe and from there to the United States, Greece and England. The author does not seek to reflect on the history or dogmas of Orthodox thought or theology, but rather to reflect these through the lives and experiences of various thinkers. The author of the book, Andrew Louth, is Emeritus Professor of Patristics and Byzantine Studies at Durham University, and one of the most renowned experts on Orthodoxy today. Since 2001, he has also served as a priest in England in the Diocese of Surosh under the Moscow Patriarchate. Price €21.

Angels have fascinated people throughout history. When religion dominated people's lives, angels were a natural part of their world of thought. One of its reflections was the powerful presence of angels in visual art, music, and other cultural expressions. Even for those for whom angels have no religious significance, these winged spiritual beings are symbols of what is best in us humans: compassion, love of neighbor, and loyalty. For many who remember their childhood, angels still symbolize tenderness and security.

The book discusses angels in Orthodox icons. After a brief historical overview and an introduction to the tasks, classes, and characteristics of angels, there is a detailed examination of angel images in key iconographic themes. The book has rich four-color illustrations: the icons depicted come primarily from the most famous Russian and Finnish collections, Orthodox monasteries and parishes, and some notable Western collections. Also included are explanatory structural descriptions, including the clothing of angels in the icons. Price €32.

The Christian world is full of crosses. The history of the cross is a complex tangle of colorful stages and different levels of meaning. The history of the cross extends from paradise to the world to come, and the story takes place in hermitages and palaces of emperors, in deserts, mountains and holy cities.

Father Seraphim's latest book follows that story in the early Church and in the Christian cultures of the East. The book focuses on the first centuries of Christianity, which were the golden age of the Eastern Church and the era of the greatest turning points in the veneration of the Holy Cross. Price €23.

At the age of six, Ivan Smelyof was allowed to go on a pilgrimage with his father's elderly and faithful servant Gorkin to the renowned Holy Trinity and St. Sergius Lavra. The monastery is located seventy kilometers north of Moscow. From the details of the book's text, we can conclude that this happened in 1879. In the traditional way, the journey was made on foot.

The journey begins in southern Moscow, goes straight through the Kremlin and across Red Square towards the city's northern customs station. Then the journey continues over flat plains, through dark forests, past frightening gorges and caves. But in cozy Russian villages, samovars are waiting ready and pies are fragrant. Price €20.

Finland lost most of the Karelian region in the last wars, but not all of it. On the eastern edge of Kainuu, a piece of Viennese Karelia, which has grown over the course of history, can still be found on this side of the border. The daily life of the inhabitants of the border villages of Suomussalmi, Kuivajürven and Hietajärvi, and the small village of Rimmi in the northeast corner of Kuhmo Vartius, was closely connected to Viennese beyond the border until 1922. Living evidence and abundant memories of the distinctive way of life, Orthodox religious heritage, language, food habits and the entire Viennese cultural heritage of the Karelian inhabitants of these villages can still be found in the now outwardly silent villages. The outwardly barren but inwardly rich life of the Viennese villages has been studied and people have been interviewed, and the subject has been read and familiarized with through books, stories and pictures, both by those who left their circles and their descendants, as well as by anyone interested in the matter. The villagers themselves have been willing storytellers and Karelian hospitality towards those interested in them. There are many of us, friends of the villages of Viena.

 The work in hand tells and presents the history of our Karelian villages, the people and the efforts to preserve their distinctiveness. The work is a small thank you from the authors and the book's creators to the always remembered late storytellers and an inspiration to their descendants for love and permanent work for the good of their fathers' and mothers' home villages. The world around us is changing, so is life in Kuivajärvi, Hietajärvi and Rimm, but the landscape and memories remain. Price 15 €.

The book begins with a profound discussion between an atheist and an archbishop - Metropolitan Anthony Bloom's famous television discussion with Margharita Laski - about the essence and life of Christianity. Metropolitan Anthony speaks of the joy of the Christian life and the challenge of a Christian to grow to his full stature. He calls for a worshipful attitude towards God and a servant attitude towards life. In his essays The Doubts of a Christian, Man and God, and Holiness and Prayer, he shows the true nature of man by examining Christ, the true Man and the true God. Man becomes truly man only when he is united with God definitively, profoundly, inseparably, so that the fullness of God dwells in him. Thus, all holiness is the holiness of God in us, it is an expression of love - the gift of God's love for his Church. 200 pages. Price €20.

The Commentary on the Psalms was written in Greek over 900 years ago. The author is the monk Euthymius Zigabenos, who lived around 1050 -1120 and was a monk at the Periblebtos monastery near Constantinople. In addition to the Commentary on the Psalms, he has preserved explanations of the Gospels and dogmatic texts. Euthymius was not only very well-versed in theology but also a brilliant rhetorician.

In interpreting the Psalms, Euthymius Zigabenos relies on the Old and New Testaments, as well as Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian, and refers to the texts of translators who appeared in the history of the Septuagint, such as Symmachus, Aquilas and Theodotion. The interpretation leads the reader's thoughts through narrative from a historical, realistic starting point to the reality already foreseen by the prophet David, which was only realized during the new covenant.

The book has been translated by Rev. Johannes Seppälä (1944-2017). The text of the psalms is also his own Finnish translation according to the Septuagint. The book explains all 150 psalms verse by verse. The work also includes an article by Father Johannes on the ecclesiastical use of the psalms. Price €27.

In 1962, the young Eugene Rose (future Father Seraphim) undertook to write a monumental work on the modern rejection of Truth. Of the hundreds of pages he himself compiled for this work, only the present essay has survived to the end as a finished manuscript. In this essay, he reveals the fundamental belief that underpins modern thought and lifestyle, "all truth is relative," and shows how that belief has been harnessed into practical action. Now, sixty years after he wrote the manuscript, this essay is more timely than ever. It clearly explains why modern thought, values, and "spirit of the times" attitudes are so rapidly heading toward moral chaos, while the philosophy of nihilism is penetrating ever deeper into various sectors of society. Nietzsche was right to predict that the 20th century would usher in the triumph of "nihilism." Price €22.

The Orthodox Church's teaching about the world is deeply ecological, but it is not very
widely known. According to the Church's view, God appears and becomes visible
in His creation, where the task of man is to act as a connecting factor between the Creator and His
created world. Christian love is manifested in the proper
treatment and use of material nature.

Elizabeth Theokritoff's profound thoughts are based
on the teachings of the early Church Fathers, the biographies of saints, and the liturgical texts of the Church
as well as on very practical experiences of today's everyday life. Drawing on the Church's patristic, liturgical, hagiographic and iconographic traditions, she has assembled a clear and engaging mosaic of the Church's collective understanding of the created world and our place in it. Elizabeth Theokritoff completed her PhD in liturgical theology under the supervision of Bishop Kallistos Ware at the University of Oxford. She is an independent scholar and freelance translator of Greek theological literature. Price €24.50.

The Finnish Orthodox Church is under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which the Finnish Orthodox joined in 1923. The current year 2023 is the anniversary of the accession to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The work tells about the position of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the Orthodox world and its relations with the Finnish Orthodox Church, as well as the ecumenical patriarchate, presenting its present and history. For those interested in pilgrimage, the book also contains a small travel guide to the holy places of Istanbul, the churches of the patriarchate, Hagia Sophia and, among others, the basilica waterworks. The book also presents the ecumenical patriarchs over a hundred years and the visits between the Finnish Orthodox Church and the Patriarchate. Bound, four-color illustrations, 174 pages. Price 20 e.

The Silent Garden of Memories tells the story of Helsinki's oldest continuously used cemetery. For over 200 years, the crosses and monuments of the Lapinlahti Cemetery of the Orthodox Parish of Helsinki have reflected not only the history of the capital but also the development of the entire nation. Many who are laid to rest here have participated in fateful events in the world and history, while others have experienced the most peaceful phases of their lives. However, they have all, in their own way - some spectacularly, some modestly - built our society and enriched our cultural heritage. The gallery of people depicted is ethnically diverse, the spectrum of industries is wide, and the life stories are each more impressive than the other. The reader gets to know many of the creators and promoters of the monumental center of our capital. Bound, four-color illustrations, 247 pages. Price 25 e.

The Church of the Resurrection in Egypt's Anafora opens with a rich pictorial narrative of the events of the New Testament. Anafora's own icon painters and numerous volunteers have been involved in the church's murals over the years, from 2011 to 2022. The extensive project - a pilgrimage that has lasted more than ten years illustrating the New Testament - has been led from the beginning by Helena Nikkanen together with the Coptic nuns Hanuna and Marta. Next, the church's exterior walls will be painted based on the stories of the Old Testament. The work's magnificent illustrations are by photographer Petter Martiskainen. The text is written by Helena Nikkanen. Bound, hardcover, four-color illustrations, 176 pages.

The book was first published in 1984. This new 2nd edition is illustrated with lithographs by Pyotr Balashov (1835-1888) of the landscapes of Valamo, Lake Ladoga, found in the Valamo archive. The book contains twelve discussions on the practice of unceasing prayer in monasteries and in the world. Four of the discussions were recorded in Finland, including in the Valamo and Konevitsa monasteries. The text of the book was written by Sergei Bolshakoff. The original text of the book was published in Russian in 1971. Bound, softcover, four-color illustrations, 144 pages.

It is the Lord! A journey through the church year illuminated by the gospel

The book takes us on a journey through the church year accompanied by the gospel texts. The basic starting point is the good news of how the Creator of the universe has approached man by becoming man himself, and how he continues to work among people to bring man fully and eternally alive in his own connection. The gospels are recorded stories of how God, who became man, Jesus Christ, lived and worked on earth, and how he suffered, died and rose from the dead as the victor over death. The ideas presented in the book emerge from the themes of the church year's gospel texts and celebrations. The text progresses through the church year from Easter to Easter. The book is written by Archimandrite Mikael, who is the abbot or leader of the Valaam Monastery. Bound, softcover, 296 pages.