Book Club Publications

Living monastic tradition in Finland.

The monastery dedicated to the Transfiguration of Christ, located in Papinniemi, Heinävesi since 1940, is a Finnish men's monastery. Its centuries-old roots are on the Valamo island, which remained in the ceded territory. Many visitors ask what monasticism means and what asceticism and spiritual struggle are. The brotherhood offers the inquirer an opportunity to get acquainted with the monastery through the pictures in this book and a pilgrimage. Grace-bestowing asceticism is necessary for every Christian. Through asceticism, a Christian directs their steps on the path of virtues. Paperback, 40 pages. Price €5.00

Bound, 224 pages. Price €11.00.

Filokalia, or “love of beauty,” is a collection of writings by great ascetics from the 4th to 15th centuries, translated into Finnish by Sister Kristoduli. The series includes five works, the last of which contains a name and subject index, as well as a Greek-Finnish glossary of Filokalia's most important concepts. Price €50 / set (bound).

In his book, Kallistos Ware summarizes key perspectives on 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 appeared in English, French, Italian, and Greek. It illuminates the central perspectives of Eastern Christianity's liturgical life and spirituality. Metropolitan Kallistos's thought 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 Orthodox cultural area for the Finnish reader. Bound, 118 pages. Price €19.50

During the communist rule, the Romanian Orthodox Church experienced severe persecution. Many priests, monks, and even laypeople were forced into obscurity. Father Cleopa, the abbot of Sihastria Monastery, hid in the mountain forests to live as a hermit. There, at the foot of the spruces, in silence, he found peace and an inner unceasing prayer. Bound. 295 pages. Price €9.90.

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

On Prayer is Archimandrite Sophrony's (d. 1993) second book published in Finnish. The author is considered one of the most significant Orthodox spiritual elders and theological writers of the last century. The book consists of three parts, dealing with 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 in the throes of war

Kari Kotkavaara, Petter Martiskainen (eds.): Icons, people and war publication date: January 2009

The book is divided into two parts. The first focuses on the life stages people faced in 1939 on both sides of the border between Finland and the then Soviet Union. The areas covered are the Karelian Isthmus, Ladoga Karelia, Petsamo, and also Viena and Aunus. The second part's topic is limited to a few camp churches of the Grand Duchy of Finland (1809 – 1917).

The book contains numerous images, and in addition to the page illustrations, there is a separate photo appendix of almost 60 pages with magnificent color images.

The authors in the first part are Academy Research Fellow, Docent, PhD Kari Kotkavaara, MA Katariina Husso, who is writing her doctoral dissertation on art history at the University of Jyväskylä, and PhD Zhanna Belik, who defended her dissertation on art history at the University of Jyväskylä and now works as a researcher at the Andrei Rublev Museum in Moscow.

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

 Bound, 192 pages. Price €11.00.

Saint John Chrysostom of Antioch, the Golden-mouthed, is one of Christendom's greatest preachers of all time. Around the year 390, he delivered a series of instructional homilies to the Antiochian congregation, in which he expounded on the entire Gospel of John. The now-published homilies cover Gospel verses 3:35 - 10:21. Bound, 324 pages. Price €15.00.

''Your legacy in the Finnish Orthodox Church is indelible. Your name is inextricably linked to the history of the Finnish Orthodox Church and especially of Karelia.''
Thus stated Archbishop Herman about Sergei Okulov.
Who was Sergei Okulov? This pioneer of Finnish-language Orthodox publishing, born in Suistamo in 1853, who made his life's work in Sortavala and died in Kuopio in 1940, was a pilot of the Orthodox faith, rector of the Sortavala Theological Seminary founded in 1918, a pioneer of Finnish-language liturgical life, 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 on what is most enduring in Orthodoxy and how an Orthodox Christian should relate to changes occurring in society. Bound, 421 pages. Price €9.90.

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

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

The birth and history of the Orthodox Diocese of Oulu.
The Orthodox Diocese of Oulu is the largest in the country by area; its northernmost churches are located in the municipality of Inari and the southernmost in the Vaasa region. "You strengthened the Northern people" is an illustrated work and a historical overview of the origins of northern Orthodoxy, its later historical development and present, as well as the churches in the diocese, the icons adorning them, and the liturgical artifacts. Bound, 155 pages. Price €7.00.

The book has five themes: On the Faith of the Church, On the Life of the Church, On the Jesus Prayer, on asceticism and monastic life, and on hope in a world of imperfections. The lectures have been chosen to form a harmonious whole. The lecturers include Archimandrite Ephraim, head of St. Andrew's Skete from Mount Athos, Hieromonk Archimandrite Zacharias of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist from Essex, England, and Nun Kristoduli from Lintula Monastery. There is scarce Finnish-language material on many of the book's themes.

Bound, 447-page work. Includes color pictures. Price €10.

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

Florovsky has published several studies in the field of patristics. The two-part, diverse historical and theological analysis "The Ways of Russian Theology" was published in Paris in 1937. The work describes in a personal way the diverse phases of theology and numerous influential figures starting from the 15th century, when Russia began to strengthen its relations with the West and connections with Byzantium weakened.

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

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

Bound, 460 pages. Price €15/pc.

Bound, 132 pages. Price €14.00.

The book is an overview of the ascetic tradition of the desert fathers, from the genesis 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. Bound, 192 pages. Price €15.00.

Athos - Glimpses from the Holy Mountain offers nine fascinating perspectives and travelogues on pilgrimages to the monastic state of Mount Athos. Individuals who have experienced this living reality of Orthodox monastic life and Byzantine culture share their experiences. On Athos, everyday life is distant, but the sense 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 2300 monks.
Athos - Glimpses from the Holy Mountain was born out of a desire to share the experiences of Finnish visitors to Athos, and to describe in words and pictures this unique place in the world.
Each writer's relationship with Mount Athos is unique. Some have visited once, while others have spent months there, getting acquainted with and participating in monastic life. However, all stories are united by a quiet wonder amidst this ancient world. The Byzantine cultural tradition has lived on the Mount Athos region for over 1000 years and continues to thrive.
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 writers include various individuals from politicians to religious scholars and from monks to art historians. 

Bound, 271 pages. Price €12.

Icons from the 17th to the 20th century from Finnish collections. Ed. Archimandrite Arseni. 121 pages. Price €6.

Archimandrite Cherubim: The Garden of the Mother of God Translated by: Nun Kristoduli

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

Bound, 311 pages. Price €10.

Irinja Nikkanen (1920-2008) was strong-willed and energetic from childhood. She also had a sensitive sense of justice. This nature lover, born in Ilomantsi, became over the years a mother of four and a versatile influencer in the Orthodox Church. Irinja Nikkanen's distinctive, fascinating biography has been recorded by Eira Hernberg, Docent of Religious Studies, journalist, and author.

Bound, 345 pages. Price €9.92.

A poetry collection by teacher and poet Nina Karppi (1922-2008), her third poetry work. This book also includes the poetry collections previously published by Valamo Monastery, "Under the Blessing Hand" and "The Path in the Garden." Bound. 191 pages. Price €12.00.

Kaisu Putkonen's (b.1959) collection of writings contains 50 short devotional pieces following the cycle of the church year. The themes cover the great feasts of the church year, as well as the memorial days of saints and other current topics. Bound. 128 pages. Price €12.00.

The Virgin Mary in Early Church Teaching. Edited by Serafim Seppälä (PhD), the book examines what early Christian thinkers wrote about the Mother of Jesus between 150-750 AD. In addition, the book provides an overview of Mary's position and significance in the Quran and Islam. Bound. 383 pages. Price €36.00.

Archimandrite Sergei (ed.) VALAMO'S TREASURES

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

The work Valamo Monastery's Treasures has been prepared for several years in cooperation with researchers from the Kuopio Orthodox Church Museum and the Andrei Rublev Museum in Moscow. This book is the most extensive factual work on Valamo's churches and art treasures to date. Some of the expert articles in the work cover themes that have rarely been researched before, such as the monastery's manuscripts, graphics and portrait collection, archive, and collection of architectural drawings. In addition, there are articles on the monastery's icons, sacred objects, church textiles, enamel and woodcarvings, landscape paintings, and the conservation of icon treasures.

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

Publisher's descriptive text:

The book Valamo Monastery's Treasures describes in words and pictures the monastery's church and art treasures. Over the centuries, Russian emperors, merchants, and wealthy friends of the monastery have remembered Valamo with many valuable gifts. These have been expressions of gratitude to God for the monastery's prayers, which have received an awaited answer, or a prayer request has followed a given gift.

This factual work contains over a dozen expert articles on various themes, such as icons, manuscripts, church textiles, sacred objects, and landscape and portrait paintings. This work was carried out in cooperation with researchers from the Finnish Orthodox Church Museum and the Andrei Rublev Museum in Moscow. The articles in the work contain a wealth of previously unpublished, new research information. Price €81.60.

"The two-hundred-strong monastic brotherhood of Ladoga Valamo was evacuated in the middle of the Winter War and ended up in Heinävesi. How did the brotherhood practically settle into Papinniemi manor? How did the aging brotherhood cope with horse-drawn agriculture in the rocky Savo fields? What was healthcare like when professional help was half a day's journey away by horse in the church village? This book is based on documents from Valamo Monastery's Archive. Through them, the first three decades of everyday life in Papinniemi take shape, when New Valamo became home to the old brotherhood. The beginning was difficult; after all, the entire concept of a monastery was foreign in inland Finland, and the post-war shortage with its rationing caused endless correspondence with the authorities. Although the external circumstances changed with the evacuation, and the change sometimes threatened to stifle the monastery, the 1970s already heralded a new rise. The monastery's almost thousand-year-old tradition lives and continues to influence in Heinävesi. The work was written by a friend of the monastery and our long-time volunteer, Master Elsi Takala.

Bound, 334 pages. Price €20.

Valamo Monastery has produced an audiobook of the Old Testament Book of Job – a living book on the mystery of suffering. The audiobook consists of two CDs – each lasting over an hour – with well-known public figures as readers, who are very suitable for the topic. The audiobook can be purchased from Valamo Monastery's online store (Valamo online store Tuohus)

The Book of Job. In the Old Testament Book of Job, Satan is presented as a son of God, who appears before God's throne. Satan pleads with God for permission to torment Job. He claims that Job's fervent faith in God is based only on the fact that God has given him an abundance of earthly goods. Price €7.76.

Director Ritva Holmberg

Job: Hannu-Pekka Björkman

God: Kalle Holmberg

Satan: Viktor Drevitski

Eliphaz: Timo Torikka

Bildad: Ville Virtanen

Zophar: Petri Korhonen

Elihu: Johannes Lahtela

Narrator: Pekka Milonoff

Dimitri of Rostov's work titled Alphabet of Spiritual Life was published for the first time in Finnish already in 1938 by Valamo Monastery. Bound, 272 pages. Price €20.00.

Father Alexander Schmemann's diaries from his final years deeply address faith, worship, and the Church. The quietly personal, self-searching, and outspoken nature of the entries startles the reader and prompts them to examine their own reality. Bound, 463 pages. Price €15.

Gillian Crow: This Holy Man - Impressions of Metropolitan Anthony Bloom Original English work: This Holy Man. Impression of Metropolitan Anthony Translated from English by: Fevronia Orfanos

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

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

Gillian Crow is an Orthodox writer and diocesan secretary for the Diocese of Sourozh (Great Britain) of the Moscow Patriarchate. She collaborated with Metropolitan Anthony for over a decade.

Bound, 366 pages. Price €9.90.

The book tells the history and present day of Valamo Monastery in words and pictures. Paperback, 151 pages. Price €4.00.

Letters to Ina - Letters from Schema-Hegumen John to Ina Colliander from the years 1947-1957

Translation: Sergius Colliander

The book contains 85 letters from Schema-Hegumen John to the artist Ina Colliander. The letters have been translated by the artist's son, Father Sergius Colliander.

At the beginning of the book, the translator states that the letters were a treasure for his mother: a constant, inexhaustible source of strength. Now, the translated letters presented in the book open, through their simple expression, a safe path to a deep understanding of Orthodox spirituality.

Schema-Hegumen John has said: "The writings of the Holy Fathers can only be understood by living, for they did not write by reasoning but by feeling, they wrote about what they themselves had lived. Their teaching cannot be properly grasped by reason alone — it is somewhat like taking medicines from a pharmacy without knowing chemistry and getting the exact opposite medicine."

Paperback, 168 pages. Price €11.

The first more extensive and illustrated work on the holy relics of our monasteries in Finnish, compiled by Deacon, MTh Marko Mäkinen. Paperback, 281 pages. Price €30.00.

Archbishop Paavali - Our Primate - photo book tells in pictures about the life of the respected and always remembered Archbishop Paavali of Karelia and all Finland. Father Primate lived an interesting and multifaceted life, rising to Archbishop of the Finnish Orthodox Church. He experienced both ups and downs. These shaped him into a respected, beloved, firm, and always church-minded Personality. Over the decades, he became greatly esteemed widely outside Finland.

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

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

May you be eternally remembered, our Father Primate!

Bound, 127 pages. Price €12.

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

Archimandrite Panteleimon (compiled and translated): Work and Pray - Letters of Father Jevlogi 

Hieromonk Jevlogi (1876-1969) was one of the last ascetic fathers of Ladoga Valamo who lived in Valamo, Heinävesi. The elder was known as an ascetic who lived a deep spiritual life. This is also told by his letters sent to his spiritual children, which have been collected in this book.

The book also tells about the lives of the recipients of the letters, the later Schema-Nun Serafima and Jevpraksija Petrovna Voronkova.

Paperback, 128 pages. Price €12.

Alexander Schmemann: Of Water and the Spirit 

 Original work: Of Water and The Spirit 

Translation: Matti Sidoroff 

This book explains a fundamental aspect of Christianity: baptism. One becomes a Christian through the sacraments of baptism and chrismation, or "of water and the Spirit," as Jesus expresses it in the Gospel (John 3:5). Baptism is the gate to the Kingdom of God, that is, to 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 if it has lost much of its ancient radiance there. It is clear to us that Easter is the greatest feast of the church year, but few realize that in it we also celebrate our own baptism every year, through which we have come to rejoice in all that Christ has done for us. All this is expressed in the texts and rituals of the sacrament of baptism and chrismation, which are thoroughly reviewed and explained in the book. Although the work was published in English as early as 1974, its message is still fresh and timely, and now available in a Finnish translation. 

Paperback, 272 pages. Price €20.

Father Arseni is one of the most popular spiritual books in the Orthodox world, translated into several languages. Dedicated to the memory of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, the book tells of an Orthodox hieromonk and elder-guide who lived from 1894-1975. Originally trained as an art historian, this scholar chose the path of monasticism and priesthood during a time when Soviet religious policy forced many believers to hide their convictions and, if necessary, suffer for them. Father Arseni, who initially served as a parish priest, also became a target of official repression and spent about 20 years in exile and camps, including conditions in a strict regime camp. He spent the last years of his life in quietude, helping and guiding his spiritual children, who secretly gathered at his place for services. He particularly emphasized helping one's neighbor and seeing the image of God in every human being.

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

Professor of Religious Studies René Gothóni tells in his book "Temptations" what he learned from Father Theophilos. In a cell on a deserted island, Gothóni asks the elder how we should act in this time so as not to succumb to temptations. Paperback, 176 pages. Price €20.00.

Suvi Heino (ed.): From Fasting to Easter 

From Fasting to Easter contains recipes for Great Lent and Easter. The work is designed especially for the fasting period, when meat and dairy products are not allowed. According to strict fasting rules, even fish is only eaten on a couple of feast days during Great Lent.

Compiled by editor Suvi Heino, From Fasting to Easter is divided into three parts. The book begins with the preparatory period for Great Lent, Blini Week and Shrove Sunday, when all dairy products and other ingredients unnecessary during the fast are used up.

The second part has already descended into the fast. At this time, vegetables, greens, mushrooms, berries, fruits, vegetable oils, and nuts are used in cooking.

Finally, after 40 days of fasting, the Feast of Feasts, Easter, arrives, and abundant delicacies setting the mood are prepared in the third part of the book.

At the beginning of the book, the head of Valamo Monastery, Archimandrite Sergei, explains the significance and tradition of fasting in the Orthodox church year.

Fasting is an ancient Christian tradition with its origin in the Bible. Already in paradise, God gave Adam and Eve a fasting rule, the command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Complete fasting is before communion, when nothing is eaten or drunk after midnight. The Orthodox Church encourages its healthy members to fast.

The recipes in the From Fasting to Easter cookbook have been collected from various sources. The book has a section dedicated to excellent recipes from the kitchen of Valamo Monastery's Restaurant Trapesa.

Bound, 112 pages. Price €10.

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

Saint Basil the Great: The Extended Monastic Rules of Saint Basil the Great

Translated by: Fevronia Orfanos

The book's illustrations are taken from old manuscripts of Valamo Monastery.

In Orthodox monasteries throughout the world, a common monastic tradition is observed, based on the monastic rules of Saint Basil the Great. Each monastery has its own statutes, but the foundation is still these monastic rules of Saint Basil the Great, which are now being published by Valamo Monastery for the first time as a Finnish edition.

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

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

Hardcover, 160 pages. Price €12.

Valamo College's 30th Anniversary Book.
Valamo College was founded in 1986, when a strong public interest in the Orthodox Church created significant pressure on Valamo Monastery and its limited resources. The college, located in connection with the monastery, has seen over 40,000 students participate in its courses over three decades. Students are offered the opportunity to experience holiness and bring it into their daily lives.

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

The book was edited by Elsi Takala.

Hardcover, 186 pages. Price €12.

The book "Everyday Saints and Other Stories" by Bishop Tikhon Shevkunov, abbot of Sretensky Monastery, tells about the life of the Church during the difficult years of the Soviet Union. The book is full of miraculous true stories that strongly reveal God's influence in the world of our time.
The author captivatingly and humorously recounts life in the monastery. Many of the stories relate to Pechory Monastery and the ascetics there whom he knew personally. The reader will marvel at the firmness and ingenuity of its leaders as they defended their monastery against pressure from Soviet leaders.

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

Hardcover, 639 pages. Price €29.60.

Valamo Monastery has offered a resting place to countless those who sought it. Receiving guests means work and numerous practical tasks for the residents of the monastic home.

Help has been needed in many practical matters, and in this, the friends of Valamo have been a strong support.

Selflessly they have performed their duties and have not sought publicity or honor for themselves. However, it is necessary to tell more broadly about them as exemplary friends of Valamo.

The book compiles short personal profiles of twelve friends of Valamo. Now all of them are deceased, living on in memories and prayers. Price €20.

Metropolitan Panteleimon (ed.): Letters to Jelena

Valamo Monastery's confessor, Schema-Hegumen Johannes, had a God-given heart that understood, loved, and sympathized with the suffering of his neighbor. This was also experienced by his spiritual charges, and the closest among them - Jelena Akseljevna Armfelt. In his correspondence with his spiritual child, Father Johannes seriously delves into Jelena's questions, her pain and worries, and also rejoices in her good endeavors.

In "Letters to Jelena," the reader becomes a part of the spiritual guidance of the elder of Valamo and, at the same time, takes a journey into the daily life and festivities of New Valamo in the post-war years.

The letters in the book were translated by: Archbishop Paavali, Metropolitan Panteleimon, and Father Sergius Colliander. The book contains numerous old photographs from Valamo Monastery's archive.

Hardcover, 179 pages. Price €18.

A beloved book now in a new, updated edition.

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

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

The authors' personal experiences are grouped together with narrative tidbits from life in Valamo, then and now.

The authors include artists, researchers, officials, and students. Monks living in the monastery and laypeople working there also open their chests of memories. Price €21.

The work published in Finnish by Valamo Monastery in October 2017 about Hegumen Hariton, the head of Valamo Monastery, is an excellent book, especially for readers interested in history, Orthodoxy, and monasticism. Its content is "heavy material"; reading moments offer an opportunity to dive into the core of both Russian and partly Finnish Orthodoxy, into those "years of danger" when the very existence of the church was threatened in Russia as well as in Finland.

Serving as the head of the Russian brotherhood who fled the war to Finland as evacuees, and in his time as Hegumen of a powerful and large monastery, coincided with a period full of problems. Russianness was viewed with reservation, and the Russian monastic residents similarly regarded the Finns.

At the same time, the so-called calendar dispute – whether Valamo should adopt the new, Gregorian church calendar used by Finns, or stick to the old, Julian church calendar – almost broke up the entire monastery. In any case, it left permanent and long-lasting marks on many people's memories and minds.

As a small but excellent addition, at the end of the book there is a section with short biographies of the persons mentioned in the book. At least this undersigned considered this an excellent addition to an already interesting book.

The book also features wonderful photo pages. The photos are from Valamo Monastery's extensive photo archive.

Translated by: Tarja Kämäräinen

Hardcover, 468 pages. Price €28.

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

The second book by Marianna Flinckenberg-Gluschkoff (b. 1940), a retired lecturer of Russian language at the University of Helsinki and an icon painter, explores the paths of many cultures – just as the book's subtitle states. Valamo Monastery published the book in 2017.

Mischievous Compass tells of the author's colorful stages in the sphere of influence of various cultures. Marianna Flinckenberg-Gluschkoff is familiar to many as television's first Russian language teacher, a pioneer of Finnish icon painting, and a chronicler of the living conditions of our linguistic relatives in Siberia. This work is a continuation of "The Petersburg Rocking Horse," which tells about her childhood. Previously, she has written five books on icon painting, the language of icons, Orthodox Easter traditions, and her travels to Siberia.

The same themes recur in this work. It also introduces the reader to the academic world and Moscow diplomatic life, taking them on excursions not only to the Sámi and Finno-Ugric peoples of Siberia but also to the Chukchi and Eskimos. Friends, teachers, and companions who influenced the author's life choices are vividly present in the text. The praise of friendship runs as a theme throughout the story.

Hardcover, 365 pages. Price €15.

Elder Joseph the Hesychast was one of the most significant ascetics of Mount Athos in the 20th century. He was born in 1897 on the island of Paros and was given the name Franciscos at baptism. Already at a young age, he became interested in the biographies of the Holy Fathers, and through them, a strong desire arose in him to strive in asceticism like the ascetics he admired. After various stages, Franciscos departed for Mount Athos when he was just over 20 years old, striving there initially under the guidance of a few experienced spiritual fathers, and later, after being tonsured a monk himself, as a guide and mentor to many younger ascetics. Elder Joseph lived in the presence of God and achieved great humility, but the price of profound spiritual wisdom and experiences of grace was an incredibly harsh bodily and spiritual struggle. He was extremely severe with himself, but gentle and understanding towards his disciples, defending and caring for them to the very end in his prayers and advice, as is evident from his now-published letters. Elder Joseph died at New Skete on Mount Athos on the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos on August 15, 1959. It is said that the revival of ascetic life on the Holy Mountain, especially in the late 1990s, was largely due to the teachings of Elder Joseph and the influence of his followers. His legacy also extends to North America, where several monasteries have been founded following his teachings. Elder Joseph loved silence and prayer, thus serving as an example and inspiration to thousands of others who, after him, have continued their own spiritual struggle on Mount Athos and around the world in the spirit of the Jesus Prayer and hesychasm.

Hardcover, 424 pages. Price €26.

Leena Säppi & Ilona Pelgonen: Roses and Poppies – Embroidered Treasures of Valamo Monastery

Textile conservator Leena Säppi writes in the book's foreword, among other things: "Monasteries have been important preservers of national tradition throughout the centuries. They have been major centers of handicraft and art, promoting the spread of traditional art. Valamo Transfiguration Monastery continues this tradition in many ways, including through handicrafts. … The work "Roses and Poppies - Embroidered Treasures of Valamo Monastery" opens up a completely new perspective into the world of embroidered towels, rich embroideries, and unseen laces. A significant part of this book consists of the monastery's collection of Ukrainian embroidered towels.

Bound,  144 pages. Price €26.

Schema-Hegumen Johannes: Letters of a Monastic Elder

Letters of a Monastic Elder is a collection of spiritual instructional texts sent by Schema-Hegumen Johannes (d. 1958), the confessor of Valamo Monastery, to various individuals. The recipients of the letters – emigrants who fled the revolution from Russia – had started a new life, some in Finland, some in Germany, or even in America. Valamo Monastery, both on Lake Ladoga island and after the war in Papinniemi, Heinävesi, represented a living connection to the spirituality of their lost homeland, and the correspondence with Father Johannes provided them with answers, support, and empathy in the difficulties of everyday life.

This collection of letters is a continuation of Father Johannes' previously published instructional collections "Letters to Inna" and "Letters to Jelena." The foreword to the work was written by Ph.D. Paula Tuomikoski, and the elder's biography appended to the end of the book was written by Metropolitan Panteleimon.

Hardcover, 223 pages. Price €16.80.

Archimandrite Sergei (ed.): Metal Icons – A Millennium-Old Tradition
Translations: Helena Pavinskij, Tarja Kämäräinen, Irmeli Talasjoki.

This book tells about metal icons and crosses, which Russian Old Believers, in particular, have cast since the 17th century up to our days. Articles by several Russian experts and rich illustrations open an interesting view for the Finnish-speaking reader into this little-known form of Orthodox church art, which is already a millennium-old craft tradition.

The group of Russian Old Believers emerged 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 deep into the Russian wilderness. Far from large population centers, but also in cities, the Old Believers could secretly cast metal icons even when it was officially forbidden.

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

Hardcover, 324 pages. Price €35.

Viktor Riissanen: Joy

Modern brain research supports analogous conclusions, according to which even fish feel joy. Helen Keller, who was deaf and blind, powerfully describes her connection to the joy of a tadpole. To Beethoven, Rousseau, and countless others, all of nature has expressed and given joy. As a microcosm, humans carry within their being the potential to participate in all joy and jubilation concerning existence and being.

The experience of joy is connected to its manifestation and adoption. The book focuses particularly on discussing ten of the most important manifestations. Three chapters are dedicated to joy itself.

The source material for the work comprises tens of thousands of pages. Many convey their own understanding of joy anonymously. Approximately five hundred are mentioned by name. Every source person, including a primary school student from Lieksa, provides elements 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.

Bound, 200 pages. Price 10 €.

Vladimir Lossky's classic book is an uncompromising analysis of the connection between spirituality and doctrine in the tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Lossky's book, published in 1944, was groundbreaking. It first inspired Georges Florovsky, Alexander Schmemann, and John Meyendorff, and later metropolitans Anthony Bloom, Kallistos Ware, and Ioannis Zizoulas, among others. They all started with The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church, corrected and even softened Lossky's theses, but also acknowledged the greatness of the classic book. The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church has been translated into over ten languages and remains the best general overview of Orthodox doctrine. Bound, 334 pages. Price 19 €.

Bishop Aleksanteri Karpin (1883-1969) of the Orthodox Diocese of Helsinki was a notable Christian thinker. In 1968, when the author was 85 years old, his work, At the Gate of Faith, was published, which attracted great attention and reached readers across denominational boundaries. Bound, 240 pages.

Window to Eternity was published in 1970, after the author had already passed from the gate of faith into life. It is the author's testament to his Christian view of life and the world. Bound, 246 pages. Books at a combined price of 21.50 €.

Bishop Palladios (c. 365-c. 430) writes about the virtuous asceticism and admirable lives of the blessed and holy desert fathers, monks, and hermits. The book is for the inspiration and example of those who wish to attain heavenly life and walk the path leading to the kingdom of heaven. Palladios traveled in many countries, cities, villages, and monasteries, and also met hermits living in the desert. Palladios met some of the monks personally, while he learned about the lives of others from the ascetics he encountered. There are also stories of many ascetic mothers. The lives of ascetics include prayer, fasting, detachment from possessions, divine services, and singing. The temptations they faced have not been overlooked. Johannes Seppälä translated the book from the original Greek text. Bound, 293 pages. Price 18€.

Archbishop Paavali's Historical Biography, Part 1 – Stages up to 1955. Paula Tuomikoski's new historical biography of Archbishop Paavali's (1914 - 1988) life and stages. This book is the first part of a two-part biography, now published. The book is based on Dr. Tuomikoski's in-depth fundamental research, which she conducted to clarify the archbishop's unknown life stages. Price 20€.

This work contains chapters originally based on lectures, in which Professor Andrew Louth introduces almost thirty significant Orthodox thinkers of the last two centuries. The overarching theme of the work is the Filokalia, which, according to the author, marked a kind of turning point in the history of Orthodox theology.

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

Angels have fascinated human minds throughout history. With religion dominating people's lives, angels were a natural part of their worldview. One reflection of this was the powerful presence of angels in visual arts, music, and other cultural manifestations. Even for those for whom angels have no religious significance, these winged spirit beings are symbols of what is best in us humans: compassion, neighborly love, faithfulness. For many who recall their childhood, angels still signify tenderness and security.

The book discusses angels in Orthodox icons. After a brief historical overview and an introduction to the roles, classes, and distinguishing features of angels, a detailed examination of angel images in key icon themes follows. The book is richly illustrated with four-color images: the depicted icons are mainly from the most famous Russian and Finnish collections, Orthodox monasteries and parishes, and some notable Western collections. It also includes clarifying structural descriptions, among other things, of the angels' attire in icons. Price 32 €.

The Christian world is full of crosses. The history of the cross includes a complex tangle of colorful phases and different levels of meaning. The history of the cross extends from paradise to the world to come, and the story travels through hermitages and emperors' palaces, deserts, mountains, and holy cities.

In Father Seraphim's latest book, this story is followed in the early church and Eastern Christian cultures. 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 Smeljof was allowed to go on a pilgrimage with his father's elderly and loyal servant, Gorkin, to the famous Holy Trinity and St. Sergius Lavra. The monastery is located seventy kilometers north of Moscow. From the details of the book's text, it can be concluded that this happened in 1879. Traditionally, the journey was made on foot.

The journey begins in southern Moscow, passes directly through the Kremlin and over Red Square towards the city's northern customs post. Then the journey continues over flat plains, through dark forests, past frightening ravines and caves. But in cozy Russian villages, samovars are waiting ready and pies smell delicious. Price 20 €.

Finland lost most of its Karelian region in the last wars, but not entirely all. On the eastern edge of Kainuu, a piece of White Karelia, grown through history on this side of the border, can still be found. The daily life of the inhabitants of Suomussalmi border villages, Kuivajärvi and Hietajärvi, and the small Rimm in the northeast corner of Kuhmo Vartius, was in close connection with Trans-Viena until 1922. Living evidence and plenty of memories of the distinctive way of life, Orthodox religious heritage, language, eating habits, and the entire Vienan Karelian cultural heritage of the Karelian inhabitants of these villages can still be found in the now outwardly quiet villages. The outwardly stark but inwardly rich life of the Vienan Karelian villages has been studied, and people interviewed, and the subject has been available through books, stories, and pictures for those who left the area for the wider world and their descendants, as well as for all interested parties. The villagers themselves have been willing storytellers and Karelian hospitable towards those interested in them. There are many of us, friends of the Vienan Karelian villages.

The present work tells and presents the history of our Karelian villages, their people, and their aspirations to preserve their distinctiveness. The work is a small thank you from the authors and creators of the book to the always remembered departed storytellers and an inspiration to their descendants for love and lasting work for the good of their fathers' and mothers' home villages. The world around us is changing, as 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 debate with Margharita Laskin – on the fundamental essence of Christianity and life. Metropolitan Anthony speaks of the joy of Christian life and the Christian's challenge to grow to their full stature. He calls for a worshipful attitude towards God and a serving attitude towards life. In his essays Christian Doubts, Man and God, and Holiness and Prayer, he reveals the true nature of man by examining Christ, true Man and true God. Man truly becomes human only when he is united with God definitively, profoundly, inseparably, so that the fullness of God dwells within him. Thus, all holiness is God's holiness in us, it is an expression of love – the gift of God's love to His Church. 200 pages. Price 20€.

The Interpretation of the Psalms was written in Greek over 900 years ago. The author is the monk Euthymios Zigabenos, who lived approximately between 1050 and 1120 and pursued asceticism as a monk in the Periblebtos Monastery near Constantinople. In addition to The Interpretation of the Psalms, explanations of the Gospels and dogmatic texts have survived from him. Euthymios was not only extremely well-versed in theology but also a brilliant master of rhetoric.

In interpreting the Psalms, Euthymios 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, Aquila, and Theodotion. The interpretation guides the reader's thoughts through narration from a historical, realistic starting point to the reality foreseen by the Prophet David, which was only realized in the time of the new covenant.

The book was translated by Archpriest 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 Father Johannes' article on the ecclesiastical use of the Psalms. Price 27 €.

In 1962, the young Eugene Rose (the future Father Seraphim) undertook the task of writing a monumental work on the rejection of Truth characteristic of modern times. Of the hundreds of pages he compiled for this work, only the present essay has survived as a finished manuscript. In this writing, he exposes the basic belief supporting modern thought and way of life, 'all truth is relative,' and shows how that belief has been harnessed into practical action. Now, sixty years after he drafted the manuscript, this essay is more relevant than ever. It clearly explains why modern ideas, values, and 'zeitgeist' attitudes so quickly gravitate towards moral chaos, while the philosophy of nihilism penetrates ever deeper into various sectors of society. Nietzsche was right in predicting that the 20th century would lead to the triumph of 'nihilism.' Price 22 €.

The Orthodox Church's teaching on the world is deeply ecological, but it is not very
widely known. According to the Church's view, God manifests and becomes visible
in His creation, where the human task is to act as a unifying 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 early Church Fathers, the biographies of saints, and the Church's liturgical texts
as well as very practical everyday experiences. Relying on the Church's patristic,
liturgical, hagiographical, and iconographical tradition, she has compiled a clear and
interesting mosaic of the Church's collective understanding of the created world and our
place within it.

Elizabeth Theokritoff completed her doctoral dissertation on liturgical theology
under the guidance of Bishop Kallistos Ware at the University of Oxford. She is an independent researcher and a freelance translator of Greek theological
literature. Price 24.50 €.

The Orthodox Church of Finland is under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, to which Finnish Orthodox Christians joined in 1923. The current year, 2023, is the jubilee year of joining the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The work tells about the position of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Orthodox world and its relations with the Orthodox Church of Finland, as well as the Ecumenical Patriarch, presenting its present and history. For those interested in pilgrimage, the book also includes a small travel guide to the holy places of Istanbul, the Patriarchate's churches, Hagia Sophia, and, among others, the basilica cistern. The book also presents the Ecumenical Patriarchs for a hundred years and the visits between the Orthodox Church of Finland and the Patriarchate. Bound, four-color illustration, 174 pages. Price 20 e.

The Silent Garden of Memories tells about Helsinki's oldest continuously used cemetery. For over 200 years, the crosses and monuments of the Lapinlahti Cemetery of the Helsinki Orthodox Parish have reflected not only the history of the capital but also the development of the entire nation. Many who found their resting place here participated in the fateful events of the world and history, while others experienced more peaceful phases of life. However, all of them, in their own way – some prominently, some modestly – have built our society and enriched our cultural heritage. The depicted gallery of individuals is ethnically diverse, the range of fields wide, and the life stories more impressive than one another. The reader will get to know many creators of our capital's monumental center and promoters of cultural life. Bound, four-color illustration, 247 pages. Price 25 e.

The Church of the Resurrection in Anaphora, Egypt, opens a rich pictorial narrative of New Testament events. Anaphora's own icon painters and numerous volunteers have been implementing the church's wall paintings between 2011-22. The extensive project – a pilgrimage illustrating the New Testament lasting over ten years – has been led from the beginning by Helena Nikkanen together with Coptic nuns Hanuna and Marta. Next, the church's outer walls will be painted based on Old Testament stories. The magnificent illustrations of the work are by photographer Petter Martiskainen. The text was written by Helena Nikkanen. Bound, hardcover, four-color illustration, 176 pages.

The book was first published in 1984. This new 2nd edition is illustrated with lithographs by Pyotr Balashov (1835-1888) depicting the landscapes of Valamo on Lake Laatokka, found in the Valamo archive. The book contains twelve discussions on the practice of unceasing prayer in monasteries and in the world. Four of these discussions were recorded in Finland, including in 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, paperback, four-color illustration, 144 pages.

It is the Lord! A journey into the ecclesiastical year illuminated by the good news

The book takes you on a journey through the ecclesiastical year, accompanied by gospel texts. The basic premise is the good news of how the Creator of the universe has approached humanity by becoming human Himself, and how He continues to act among people to bring humanity completely and eternally alive into His own communion. The Gospels are recorded narratives of how God, Jesus Christ, having become human, lived and worked on earth, and how He suffered, died, and rose from the dead as the conqueror of death. The ideas presented in the book emerge from the themes of the ecclesiastical year's gospel texts and feasts. The text proceeds through the ecclesiastical year from Easter to Easter. The book is written by Archimandrite Mikael, who is the hegumen or head of Valamo Monastery. Bound, paperback, 296 pages.