A hesychast in the Orthodox Church is a person similar to an anchorite: someone who chooses to practice their own deep spirituality by withdrawing inward, often to a life of total seclusion. Hesychasm itself does not necessarily entail complete seclusion, meaning a type of inward and devoted prayer, but in actuality the term "hesychast" was usually applied to those who withdrew completely from others and chose to lock themselves away in their pursuit of their own spiritual development and approach to Jesus Christ. The term was used from the fifth century in the early Orthodox church and saw particular application in Palestine during the sixth century. Hesychasts would often be affixed to their former churches and would receive sustenance from the parish.
No comments:
Post a Comment