`The Holy Fathers have taught us how to fast. Those who are physically weak and sick do not need to fast; they can take Holy Communion without fasting. But we who are physically healthy must prepare for Communion by fasting. This means that we eat less and only certain kinds of food, for by doing so we discipline our bodies and our thoughts. When the body is humbled, our thoughts become more peaceful, too.

• Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica ☦️`

`"Sons of the world see distraction as innocent," says St Ignatius (Brianchaninov), "but the Holy Fathers see it as the beginning of all evil." One of the greatest ascetics of old, St Poemen the Great, said, "The beginning of evil is distraction."

Archbishop Averky (Taushev)` ☦️

`“If you are a friend of Christ you should have as friends persons who are of benefit to you and contribute to your way of life. Let your friends be men of peace, Spiritual brethren, Holy Fathers. It is of such that our Lord was speaking when He said: ‘My mother and brethren are those who do the Will of My Father Who is in Heaven.’ (Matthew 12:49-50)."

• St Theodoros the Great Ascetic` ☦️

```
"The various patristic texts, which thank God are available by the thousands today, are very helpful. One can find whatever one needs and desires in these books. They are authentic spiritual nourishment and a sure guide on the spiritual path. However, in order to be of benefit to us, they have to be read with humility and prayer. Patristic texts reveal the inner spiritual condition of the soul, much as axial tomography reveals the inner structures of the body. Each sentence of the patristic texts contains a multitude of meanings, and each person can interpret them according to their own spiritual state of being. It is better to read the ancient text rather than a translation, because the translator interprets the original verse according to his own spirituality. In any case, in order to understand the writings of the Fathers one must constrain oneself, focus and live spiritually, for the spirit of the Fathers is perceived through and by the spirit only. "

• St Paisios of Mt Athos ☦️
  ```

`“If we want to follow the gospel commandment and the practice of the whole Church as it was founded initially upon the apostles, we should not follow our own notions or give wrong meanings to things rightly said. We must discard faint-hearted, faithless opinion and recover the strictness of the Gospel. In this way we shall be able to follow also in the footsteps of the Fathers”

• St John Cassian ☦️`

The characteristic feature that is opposite in the meaning to “pride” is “humility.” The latter is appreciated and welcomed by the Gospel, the Mother of God and by the Holy Fathers. No deed alone, without humility, is able to protect man from falling into the temptation of the sin of pride and depart from God. It is love that unites man with God, but without humility there is no love either. + Abbott Nikon Vorobiev ☦️

`“Let us return to the Christ-Bearing Ascetics and to the Holy Fathers.”

• St Justin Popovich ☦️`

“One must examine oneself while reading the Writings of the Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church, who help us use the light of the Gospels without error. The more a person delves deeply into himself and comes to know himself, the more he comes to recognise his passions, the different ways they act on him and attack him. Then he comes to know his weaknesses; then he can begin to destroy within himself all sinful qualities grafted into his nature by the fall. Then he can acquire the qualities indicated by the Gospels. And only then will his foundation for the edifice of Prayer be completely firm.” + St Ignatius Brianchaninov ☦️

The characteristic belief of the heresy of ecumenism is this: that the Orthodox Church is not the one true Church of Christ; that the grace of God is present also in other "Christian" denominations, and even in non\-Christian religions; that the narrow path of salvation according to the teaching of the Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church is only "one path among many" to salvation; and that the details of one's belief in Christ are of little importance, as is one's membership in any particular church. Not all the Orthodox participants in the ecumenical movement believe this entirely (although Protestants and Roman Catholics most certainly do); but by their very participation in this movement, including invariably common prayer with those who believe wrongly about Christ and His Church, they tell the heretics who behold them: "Perhaps what you say is correct," even as the wretched disciple of St. Paisius did. No more than this is required for an Orthodox Christian to lose the grace of God; and what labor it will cost for him to gain it back! + Blessed Seraphim of Platina ☦️

`Our holy father Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, was asked: “In what way
is the Son equal to the Father?” He replied: “In the same way that there is
seeing in two eyes.”

• Sayings of the Desert Fathers`