"Hatzinikolaou, Leonidas - The Holy Pledge" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hatzinikolaou Leonidas)

hours of an uneventful watch. When he heard the abbot he rose
quickly, slipping in a pocket the half-finished rosary he was weaving.
"Your blessing, Holy Father," he said softly, as he lightly touched
Theodossios's hand with his lips.
"God bless you, my child," answered the abbot, affectionately
patting his head. Approaching the wooden rail he peered at the
darkness, inspecting with sharp glances the corners of the court-
yard, the abbey's main gate, the rooftops of the buildings and the
domes of the church and the chapels.
All was as it should be.
"It's very late, Philippos," he said turning back toward the novice.
"You should get some sleep."
Philippos had come to the Sinai five months ago, and immedi-
ately upon his arrival had insisted to be shown to the abbot. He was
a handsome youth, but his long black hair and his dangling earring
had given the monk manning the gate pause. When he was finally
brought to Theodossios, Philippos had surprised him by requesting
to be accepted as a novice and by speaking eloquently of his irrevo-
cable decision to receive the monastic vows.
He had a teenager's looks but when the abbot had raised the
matter of his young age, Philippos had instantly produced his Greek
passport, which identified him as Philippos Manos, born in Athens,
age twenty-four.
After a long discussion the abbot had permitted him to stay on a
temporary basis, giving him a chance to try out the monastic life for
a six-month period-time enough to put his professed religious
fervor to the test.
The next day Philippos had surprised again Theodossios by
removing the earring on his own. The months had slipped by,
and as his trial period approached its completion he was consid-
ered by the other monks as the ideal novice: he followed all
advice offered, performed eagerly the assigned chores, and kept
repeating his firm resolve to dedicate his life to the service of
God. Determined to make a new beginning in life, he never
spoke of his past.
"I'm not the only one who spends the night in vigil, Holy Father,"
Philippos said, pointing toward a brightly lit window across the
courtyard. It belonged to the Old Library, where ordinary pilgrims
were not allowed to visit. "Father Gregorios returned a short while
ago and it looks like Orthros will find him there."
The abbot laughed good-naturedly. "In this particular case,
Philippos-and only in this one, mind you-I don't think Father
Gregorios offers the very best example to an aspiring novice. I've
told you again and again that our physical and spiritual resources are
to be treasured and to be exercised wisely and economically. Our
primary task here is not to serve the library, however much wisdom
it may contain. First we take care of our eternal soul, and by so
doing we worship the Lord. Then follows everything else." He
pointed with a glance at the library. "Of course, Father Gregorios is
perfectly familiar with all this," he added smiling, "although