Gregory of Sinai facts for kids

Gregory of Sinai was an important Greek Christian monk and writer. He lived from around the 1260s until 1346. He was born in Smyrna, a city in what is now Turkey. Gregory played a big part in spreading a special way of prayer called hesychasm on Mount Athos. This happened in the early 1300s.

Gregory of Sinai's Life Story

Early Life and Becoming a Monk

Gregory was born in Smyrna around the 1260s. When he was young, he was captured by Seljuk Turks. Later, people paid money to free him. This is called being "ransomed." He then went to Cyprus. There, he became a monk at Saint Catherine's Monastery. This famous monastery is in the Sinai Peninsula.

Learning About Hesychasm

After his time in Sinai, Gregory moved to Crete. Crete is a large island in Greece. There, he met a monk named Arsenios. From Arsenios, Gregory learned about hesychasm. This is a special way of prayer. It involves deep quietness and focusing on God.

Time on Mount Athos

In 1310, Gregory traveled to Mount Athos. Mount Athos is a very important place for monks. It is in Greece. He stayed there until 1335. While on Mount Athos, he lived at the Skete of Magoula. This was near Philotheou Monastery.

Moving to Bulgaria

During Gregory's time, there were more and more attacks. These were from Muslim groups on Mount Athos. Because of this danger, Gregory and some of his students moved. They went to the Bulgarian Empire. There, the Bulgarian Emperor Ivan Alexander offered them protection. Gregory then started a new monastery. It was near a place called Paroria. This area is in the Strandzha Mountains of southeast Bulgaria.

Gregory's Students

Gregory had many students who followed his teachings. Some of his well-known students included Patriarch Kallistos I of Constantinople. Kallistos later wrote a book about Gregory's life. Another student was Theodosius of Tarnovo.

His Final Days

Gregory of Sinai passed away on November 27, 1346. He died in the mountains of Paroria. This area is close to modern-day Zabernovo, Bulgaria.

Gregory's Writings in the Philokalia

What is the Philokalia?

The Philokalia is a very old collection of writings. It contains important texts from Christian monks and spiritual teachers. These texts are about prayer and spiritual life. Gregory of Sinai's writings are a key part of this collection.

His Contributions

The Philokalia includes five of Gregory's works. These writings teach about many spiritual topics. They cover things like following God's rules and understanding thoughts. They also discuss feelings, good qualities, and how to find inner quietness. His texts also guide people on how to pray.

See also

• Athanasius the Meteorite
• Constantine of Kostenets
• Cyprian, Metropolitan of Kiev
• Gregory Tsamblak
• Grigorije of Gornjak
• Grigorije Vasilije
• Isidore I of Constantinople
• Romylos of Vidin
• Roman of Đunis