Miracle on the Monastery Mountain springs from Professor Lyttle's twenty extended visits to the historic Byzantine Orthodox Monastic Republic of Mount Athos between 1972 and 1998. It is a chronicle, in facinating words and stunning photographs, of monastic life - from details of everyday life to the incomparable beauty and meaning of worship services in frescoed churches and chapels. In Miracle the reader meets monks as real people, not sterotypes, and experiences the monastic life as reasonable and deeply rewarding spiritually. He gives a detailed look in words and pictures at both historic and contemporary life in the Athonite monasteries, sketes and hermitages. Moreover, Professor Lyttle introduces the reader to the Fathers primarily responsible for the remarkable spiritual reawakening, many of whom he came to know personally.

A translation of the biography written by Pope Gregory the Great, this official biography is also known as the Second Book of Dialogues. It is the earliest and thus the most valuable biography of St. Benedict.

In Kyriacos C. Markides’s newest book, Eastern Orthodox mysticism meets Western Christianity as the internationally renowned author takes readers on a deep journey back in time to unveil the very roots of authentic spirituality. In his previous book The Mountain of Silence, Markides introduced us to the essential spiritual nature of Eastern Orthodoxy in a series of lively conversations with Father Maximos, the widely revered charismatic Orthodox bishop and former abbot of the isolated monastery on Mount Athos. In Gifts of the Desert, Markides continues his examination of Easter Orthodox mystical teachings and practices and captures its living expression through visits to monasteries and hermitages in Greece and America and interviews with contemporary charismatic elders, both male and female. Markides’s pursuit of a deeper understanding of Orthodoxy takes him to the deserts of Arizona and a stay at a new monastery in Sedona; to the island of Cyprus and a reunion with Father Maximos; on a pilgrimage to holy shrines aboard a cruise ship in the Aegean Sea; and finally to the legendary Mount Athos, home to more than two thousand Orthodox monks. Markides relates his journey and reflections in a captivating style while providing important background material and information on historical events to give readers a highly accessible, in-depth portrait of a tradition little known in the West. Gifts of the Desert will appeal to a wide range of people, from Christians seeking insights into their religion and its various expressions to scholars interested in learning more about the mystical way of life and wisdom that have been preserved on Mount Athos since the fall of the Byzantine Empire and the Great Schism that separated the Eastern and Western Churches. Perhaps most important, however, is the bridge it offers contemporary readers to a Christian life that is balanced between the worldly and the spiritual.

This study is based on a manuscript which was carried by a Chinese monk through the monasteries of the Hexi corridor, as part of his pilgrimage from Wutaishan to India. The manuscript has been created as a composite object from three separate documents, with Chinese and Tibetan texts on them. Included is a series of Tibetan letters of introduction addressed to the heads of monasteries along the route, functioning as a passport when passing through the region. The manuscript dates to the late 960s, coinciding with the large pilgrimage movement during the reign of Emperor Taizu of the Northern Song recorded in transmitted sources. Therefore, it is very likely that this is a unique contemporary testimony of the movement, of which our pilgrim was also part. Complementing extant historical sources, the manuscript provides evidence for the high degree of ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity in Western China during this period.

This study of the Egyptian mountain widely believed to be Mount Sinai examines its geographical features, sacred sites, and the effects of rising tourism. Amid the high mountains of Egypt's southern Sinai Peninsula stands Jebel Musa, “Mount Moses,” which many Christians and Muslims revere as Mount Sinai. In this fascinating study, Joseph Hobbs draws on geography and archaeology, Biblical and Quranic accounts, and a wide array of personal experiences—from Christian monks to Bedouin shepherds, medieval Europeans, and casual tourists—to explore why this mountain came to be considered a sacred place. He also shows how that very perception now threatens its fragile ecology and inspiring solitude. After discussing the physical and geographic characteristics of Jebel Musa that suggest it as the most probable Mount Sinai, Hobbs fully describes all Christian and Muslim sacred sites around the mountain. He also views Mount Sinai from the perspectives of the Jabaliya Bedouins and the monks of the St. Katherine Monastery, both of whom have inhabited in the region for centuries. Hobbs concludes his account with the international debate over whether to build a cable car on Mount Sinai and with an unflinching description of the negative impact of tourism on the delicate desert environment. His book raises important, troubling questions for everyone concerned about the fate of the earth's wild and sacred places.

This book is about a Holy Mountain, holy to indigenous Christians of the Middle East and the Orient who still use the language of Jesus. It is about monks who once lived on this mountain and pioneered the Silk Road, it is about a modern mission to counter the crisis in Iraq, Syria and Turkey that is terrorizing this religious minority.

It’s no secret that cats are a mystery writer’s best friend. Just ask the bestselling team of Rita Mae Brown and her furry partner, Sneaky Pie Brown, back on the prowl with another unforgettable whodunit. This time a controversial miracle in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains sparks religious fervor–and a suspicious death. Now the indefatigable felines Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, along with the dogged corgi Tee Tucker, must trust their animal instincts to sniff out the worst of human nature.... With the holidays approaching, Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen and her best friend, Susan Tucker, take a much-needed time-out at the mountain monastery of Mount Carmel. There, under the benevolent gaze of the statue of the Virgin Mary, their worldly worries are soon overshadowed. For in front of their very eyes the statue begins to cry tears of blood. Legend has it that Mary’s crimson tears are harbingers of crises. And though skeptical, the ever-practical Harry can already see one on the horizon. If leaked, news of the so-called miracle could turn the monastery and the town of Crozet into a circus. What Harry doesn’t foresee is murder.… When Susan’s great-uncle Thomas, a resident monk, is found frozen to death at the base of the statue, foul play is ruled out–at first. But at Harry’s urging, the body is exhumed for an autopsy. There’s just one problem: the coffin is empty. That’s when Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker get involved. Then there’s the shocking revelation of a mystery that has perplexed the citizens of Crozet for ages. With Christmas around the corner and the monastery overrun by the faithful, all Harry’s meddling menagerie can do is stay on her trail as she jumps knee-deep into an unofficial investigation–one that becomes more dangerous when another Crozet citizen meets an untimely demise. In this case it will be a miracle if Harry stays alive....

This book is my life story, as a Coptic Christian, raised in Egypt. Where no one from my family has ever moved away for thousands of years through the rise and falls of ancient pharaohs and deep roots of ancient Christianity. It is also the story of my parents raising 10 children since 1953 in an environment of extreme poverty where resources and opportunities were limited with unrelenting prejudice towards Christian minorities. So, I came to the United States, the land of opportunity, and became a prominent American neurosurgeon among the only 4000 active nationwide and the only one nationally and internationally to achieve five board certifications in five acknowledged medical disciplines. I continue to practice and serve the mission set before me. My home land was once prosperous and rich in history. Over the centuries, it joined the downfall of the majority of the developing countries of the world through its economic crises and injustices to many. It was the land for the fathers of early Christians and the foundation for worldwide Christians. Now the Coptic Christians are considered a minority constituting a mere 10% of the population and are joining the exodus of ancient Christians from their native African continent. This book chronicles my journey from the land of history, the land of my birth, to the land of opportunity, America. It outlines the socioeconomic and political changes that Egypt has seen over the last century. It is my hope that others may find inspiration and understanding of my culture through reading this book. I owe it all to Christ, the Lord, my cherished parents, my family and friends, my teachers, my mentors, and especially my beloved patients.