About the Translation Class

Sisters at work

A “translation class” has existed in our monastery for several years already.

From the earliest times the translation and copying of the books of the holy Fathers were favorite occupations of monastic people. This was also popular in many Russian monasteries: on Valaam, in the Optina hermitage, and in the Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra. In our days, the good old traditions are reappearing. The need for familiarization with the works of the Holy Fathers has never been greater than today, but in the meantime, many of those compositions are inaccessible to the readers due to the absence of translations into modern Russian language. It is sufficient to name the “Flower Garden” by hieromonk Dorotheus, an ascetic writer from the XVIth century who was regarded very highly both by the elders of Optina, and by St. Ignatius Bryanchaninov, and who is altogether forgotten nowadays.

Understanding the great importance of the given problem, a “class of translators” has been organized at our monastery. Under the guidance of professor I. A. Letova from the Ural State University, we study Church-Slavonic and ancient Greek languages, we gather the necessary materials, and make attempts at translations. For example, we have recently completed a new translation of the “Statutes” by St. Nil Sorsky that was printed in the monastery’s publishing house.

The foundations have already been laid with God's help, and we hope that in the future this occupation will flourish in our monastery.