Justin Sinaitis, Saint Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai
XXV International Ecumenical Conference of Orthodox Spirituality
THE GIFT OF HOSPITALITY
Bose, 6–9 September 2017
in collaboration with the Orthodox Churches
The spiritual work of xenitéia in John Climacus
Justin Sinaitis, Saint Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai
Father Justin (Hicks) is a monk of Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai since 1996. He is currently serving as librarian and is responsible for the photography of manuscripts of the monastery library (http://www.sinaimonastery.com/index.php/en/library). He regurarly posts his photos of Sinai on his blog: http://www.fatherjustinsblog.info/.
He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (USA) in 1971, where he studied Greek and Byzantine history. He entered monastic life three years later. He was tonsured in 1977 and ordained deacon and priest the following year.
Abstract
Saint John places ξενιτεία as the foundation for those who wish to begin climbing the ladder of divine ascent. It can be translated as ‘sojourn in a foreign land, exile’, or ‘isolation from the world, solitude’. ‘Love of God is the foundation of exile.’ We follow Him who was exiled from heaven to earth. ‘Flee from Egypt’: the typology of the Exodus runs throughout the Ladder. ‘Exile is separation from everything in order to keep the mind inseparable from God.’ The guarding of the mind in noetic prayer. Saint John remains the example for one translated to heaven while yet sojourning upon earth.