“We were a blessed brotherhood centered around are illuminated Elder full of experience who guided our souls straight to Christ. We were like a small cenobium. Geronda highly praised the cenobictic way of life but didn’t criticize the other monasteries. He even told us about a few contemporary cenobia that were renowned for their spiritual life. He held their orderliness in high regard because when a cenobictic monk has his work cut out for him, his food ready, the church services set, all his needs taken care of and submits to the rules with obedience, his salvation is easy. The same applied to us because we simply obeyed Geronda and didn’t have to worry about anything else.”
Elder Joseph
~ My Elder Joseph the Hesychast