Memories of Elder Sophrony of Essex by Dimitra B. Daviti

This book is available from Amazon

I love the saintly figure of Archimandrite Sophrony of Essex ever
since as a catechumen, my father in Christ Fr Nicholas, read the
book 'St Silouan the Athonite' out loud for us, his spiritual children,
during breakfast. We would attend matins at the Mission of the
Holy Apostles in Portland, OR at 5:30 A.M. where just a few of us
would follow the service eagerly, gathered around our priest like
little chicks seeking warmth and nourishment.

Afterwards, Fr Nicholas would have us follow him home where he
would lovingly prepare toast and coffee and even eggs or cereal for
breakfast. The book, 'St Silouan the Athonite' would be resting on
the shelf and Fr Nicholas would always manage to finish eating 
before any of us and then, he would open the book and begin to
read. 

I was enthralled. The reading felt as if it was coming straight from
the Gospel of John. It was hard to finish our meal, silence and peace
all around and in us and only the rich baritone voice of our father
speaking of things wondrous and indescribable. We were in another
world. And this would go on sometimes for hours...

Needless to say, I never cease to search, to be able to hear another
story, to find another witness, another life transformed by 
Archimandrite Sophrony of Essex and St Silouan.  Such a witness
is Mrs. Dimitra Daviti. She writes;

"I had always wondered how people became saints; what were their
lives like? What did they do? What rules did they follow? How was it
that we did not know their secrets? However, now I have known a
man altogether different from the others. By his presence alone you
sensed his holiness and that was confirmed by the conversations that
you had with him. Now we even talked and laughed with a human
saint. For each one of us personally this acquaintance was mystical 
life." from 'Memories of Elder Sophrony of Essex' p.66, by Dimitra B. Daviti,
Publications The Transfiguration of the Savior, Milessi, 2013

I received the book in the mail today. I will not go to bed until I have
finished reading it. May we all have Elder Sophrony's blessing.