This holy modern-day elder has not been formally glorified by the Church, though many are confident that in time he will be. He was born in Russia in 1896. As a young man, he lived an artist's life, trying to succeed as a painter while engaging in a wide-ranging spiritual search which included the study of the Eastern religions. He fled to Paris during the Russian Revolution.

The sources of Orthodox Christian spirituality are the Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition, the Dogmatic Definitions of the Ecumenical Synods (Councils), and the spiritual teachings of the Greek Orthodox Holy Fathers. Orthodox spirituality is mainly through prayer, daily Christian living, and worship, which ultimately lead to union with the Divine Uncreated Light.

Our Holy Tradition offers the Orthodox Christian believer guidelines on how one is to spiritually prepare to receive Holy Communion. All Orthodox Christians should have a father confessor, whether be his/her parish priest or a monk-priest in one of our monasteries who will serve as his/her spiritual guide and counselor. The father confessor is the one who will guide the penitent Christian on what spiritual steps he/she needs to take in order to prepare for the reception of the Precious Body and Sacred Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Saint Nikolai Velimirovich writes, "...[T]he enormous difference is clearly seen between a pagan philosopher and a Christian Saint. The one (the philosopher) loses himself in abstractions, in cleverly twisted words, in logical provocations, and in a thoughtful sport while the other (the Saint) directs his whole mind on the Living God and on the salvation of his soul. The one is abstract and dead, while the other is practical and alive."

When these words have been said, the whole sacred rite is accomplished, the offerings are consecrated, the Sacrifice complete, the Divine Oblation, slain for the salvation of the world, lies upon the altar. For it is no longer the bread, which until now has represented the Lord's Body, nor is it a simple offering, bearing the likeness of the true offering, carrying as if engraved on it the symbols of the Savior's Passion: it is the true victim, the most Holy Body of the Lord, which really suffered the outrages, insults and blows, which was crucified and slain, which under Pontius Pilate bore such splendid witness; that body which was mocked, scourged, spat upon, and which tasted gall, in like manner the wine has become the Blood, which flowed from that Body, it is that Body and Blood formed by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, which was buried, which rose again on the third day, which ascended into heaven and sits down at the right hand of the Father" (Saint Nicholas Cavasilas (+ 1371), On the Divine Liturgy).

The word "Grace" is used in Sacred Scripture with various meanings.

Sometimes it signifies, in general, the mercy of God: "God is the God of all grace" (1 Peter 5:10). In this, its broadest meaning, Grace is God's goodwill to men of worthy life in all ages. Old Testament prophets like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, the Prophet Moses, and the later Prophets.