The Hagioretic Tome

In Migne the work is headed “Hagioretic Tome on behalf of the hesychasts”, and the heading adds that it is written because of those who, from their own inexperience and their disobedience to the saints, reject the hidden workings of the Spirit. It sets out in a prologue and a few short chapters the hesychast claim that the good things of the age to come are already given, in measure and as a pledge, to those whom the Spirit makes worthy, and that the grace and the light they receive are uncreated. The editors of the English Philokalia (vol. 4, 1995) date it to 1340.

It closes with a list of signatures: the protos of the Athonite monasteries, the abbots of the Great Lavra, Iviron, Vatopedi, the Serbian monastery and others, with a note that the abbots of Iviron and of the Serbian monastery and a Syrian elder signed each in his own language, and Bishop Iakovos of Hierissos, who adds that the whole Holy Mountain has signed through them. The signatories say that “our brother” the hieromonk Gregory has written these same things in defence of those who practise holy stillness, and that they follow exactly the traditions of the saints. See Gregory Palamas and the Hesychast Councils.