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Prelest

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Prelest in the New Testament: two quotes from 1 Timothy
'''Prelest''' (from {{lang-ru|прелесть}} - charm, seduction, {{lang-el|πλάνη - ''plani''}}), also known as: spiritual delusion, spiritual deception, delusion, illusion, – according to Holy Fathers of [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], a false spiritual state, a spiritual illness, "a wounding of human nature by falsehood" (St. [[Ignatius Brianchaninov]]).<ref name="ign">[http://orthodoxleader.paradosis.com/articles/on-spiritual-deception/ On Spiritual Deception. Orthodox Life, July-August 1980.]</ref> The concept of prelest should not be confused with somatic mental illness of any kind, prelest is rather a spiritual illness,<ref>{{Fr icon}} Jean-Claude Larchet, Thérapeutique des maladies mentales. L’expérience de l’Orient chrétien des premiers siècles (1992, 3rd edition 2008) ISBN 2204045187 {{Ru icon}} [http://www.sociodinamika.com/lib/larshe1.html Жан-Клод Ларше, Исцеление психических болезней. Опыт христианского Востока первых веков]</ref> an illness of the soul in its personal relation to God, an illness that originate originates from vainglory, pride and demonic suggestion and that is cured by humility and Holy Sacraments.
==General information==
To a modern reader, this subject is particularly well and clearly described in the writings of St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), in which he relentlessly kept the tradition of the Holy Fathers.
Also some modern ascetics wrote about prelest including: elder [[Joseph the Hesychast]],<ref name="joseph">[http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/kinds-of-spiritual-delusion/134-false-visions/310-true-visions-from-god-are-often-a-consolation-in-suffering Elder Joseph the Hesychast, Monastic Wisdom, From letter 55.]</ref> elder [[Paisios (Eznepidis)|Paisios of the Holy Mountain]],<refname="paisios">Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain, Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 3. Spiritual Struggle.</ref> elder [[Daniel Katounakiotis]]<refname="daniel">{{Ru icon}} [http://lib.eparhia-saratov.ru/books/10k/katunakskii/katunakskii1/16.html Elder Daniel Katounakiotis. Angelic living.]</ref> and others.
In Orthodox spirituality and ascetics, the concept of prelest is very important. It is one of the main dangers for a Christian (especially monastic) starting to pray with the [[Jesus Prayer]].<ref name="piligr">[http://www.pravmir.com/the-way-of-a-pilgrim-and-bishop-ignatius-brianchaninov%E2%80%99s-teaching-on-prayer-2/ Interview with prof. A.I. Osipov. "The Way of a Pilgrim" and Bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninov’s) Teaching on Prayer".]</ref>
In Acts 16:16–18, Apostle Paul expels the spirit of false prophecy.
 
In 1 John 4:1, Apostle John writes about false prophets and trust to spirits.
 
In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, Apostle Paul writes about false visions.
 
In 1 Timothy 2:14, Apostle Paul mentions the deception of Adam and Eve.
 
In 1 Timothy 6:20, Apostle Paul advices to avoid delusion - "oppositions of science falsely so called".
==Kinds==
[[Saint ]] Ignatius Brianchaninov notes that there are two distinct kinds of prelest:# ''self-conseit'' (pride, arrogance) – the person attributes to himself dignity before [[God ]] that he does not have.# ''imagination'' – the person imagines in himself or outside something that does not exist. This kind of delusion includes false way of prayer (with imagination of Heaven, Lord [[Jesus Christ]], [[Angels]], Saints) and real visions on the same subject originating from the demons.
===Prelest and insanity===
According to St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, St. Gregory of Sinai,<ref name="greg">Philokalia, Vol. 4, St. Gregory of Sinai, On Commandments and Doctrines, Warnings and Promises; On Thoughts, Passions and Virtues, and Also on Stillness and Prayer: One Hundred and Thirty-Seven Texts, Ch. 131.</ref> St. Symeon the New Theologian,<ref>[http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/symeon_threeways.html Saint Symeon the New Theologian, The Three Ways of Attention and Prayer.]</ref> Valaam Elder Schema-Abbot [[John (Alexeev)]]<ref>[http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/what-is-spiritual-delusion/413-how-to-pray Letters of the Valaam Elder Schema-Abbot John (Alexeev), On Prayer]</ref> and other ascetics, second kind of prelest very often leads to insanity. The first kind sometimes does not result is a mental disease, but the person cannot achieve salvation being in a state of one of the seven deadly sins - pride. ===False visions=== According to the Holy Fathers, false visions are associated with pride. St. Ignatius Brianchaninov says that those people, who want to see visions, and whose mind was not renewed and recreated by the Holy Spirit, are filled with pride.<ref name="ign1">{{Ru icon}}[http://www.hesychasm.ru/library/stbrianch/prelest.htm St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov). On prelest.]</ref> Archimandrite Seraphim (Alexiev) says: "Where there is pride and at the same time one has a vision - it can not be from God, but by all means - from the evil one."<ref>{{Ru icon}}[http://www.3rm.info/10811-nastavlenie-o-voznoshenii-sebya-i-lozhnyx.html Archimandrite Seraphim (Alexiev). Instruction on the self-conceit and the false visions.]</ref> Romanian elder Cleopa (Ilie) specifies 7 ways of falling into delusion of false visions and dreams:<ref>{{Ru icon}}[http://www.pravoslavie.ru/put/43216.htm Elder Cleopa. On dreams and visions. 2012.]</ref># Pride;# Vainglory;# Weak and inexperienced mind;# Reckless zeal;# Disobedience;# Following own will and concealment of thoughts in confession;# Not knowing self and the Divine Scriptures. If the person who saw a vision is humble, he rejects the vision as elder Cleopa also writes in his book "On dreams and visions", providing examples of different Saints from the Patericon. Elder [[Joseph the Hesychast]] says that true visions are always preceded or followed by very intense suffering and sorrows and are given by God only as a consolation.<ref>Elder Joseph the Hesychast. Monastic wisdom. Letter 37.</ref> Even if the vision is true, it is very difficult to withstand the fight with thoughts and not to get proud of the fact of the vision. "What happens after that? A person becomes the mock of the demons. They fool him with writings and visions, with dreams and revelations, with symbols and numbers, with oracles and a heap of superstitions."<ref name="joseph"/> Elder [[Paisios (Eznepidis)|Paisios of the Holy Mountain]] tells a story about a woman who had one true vision. Then the Devil suggested her a thought that she was chosen by God and she believed it. Then the demons started to torment her with different visions and revelations. In the end, she had another true vision and was told to write to elder Paisios so that he could help her.<ref name="paisios"/> So elder Paisios says that out of all her visions, only 2 were from God. False visions as any demonic action can be very harmful to the soul. Elder [[Daniel Katounakiotis]] writes in a letter about one hierodeacon by the name of Ierotheos who had a lot of visions. Even though he confessed everything, nobody of the confessors understood that this was a delusion. Then elder Sava advised him how to find out the truth. When the delusion was revealed and when the visions ceased after repeated exorcism, the injury to the soul of Ierotheos remained very serious and later he broke all monastic vows.<ref name="daniel"/>
===False gifts===
Sometimes the demons can "help"<ref>Saints Barsanuphius and John, Guidance Toward Spiritual Life: Answers to the Questions of Disciples. Letter 421.</ref> a deluded person. This "help" can include either advices about certain things, even theological and very complicated, or can take the form of false spiritual gifts: false healing ability,<ref name="cass">[http://www.tertullian.org/fathers2/NPNF2-11/Npnf2-11-65.htm Saint John Cassian, Conferences. Conference 15. The second conference of Abbot Nesteros. On Divine gifts. Chapter 1. Discourse of Abbot Nesteros on the threefold system of gifts.]</ref> false clairvoyance,<refname="nic">[http://www.roca.org/OA/66-68/66p.htm Living of Saint Nicetas of the Kiev Caves.]</ref> false gift of prophecy,<ref name="greg"/> false unceasing prayer,<ref name="raph">{{Ru icon}} [http://lib.eparhia-saratov.ru/books/16r/rafail/secret/33.html Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin). The mystery of salvation. Conversations about spiritual life. Schema-Archimandrite Seraphim.]</ref> false power over demons,<ref name="cass"/> false reading of thoughts,<ref name="ant">{{Ru icon}}[http://video.mail.ru/mail/lapin737/1170/1357.html?autoplay=1 Conversations with Bishop Anthony of Sourozh. On prelest. Spas TV]</ref> false dispassion<ref>{{Ru icon}} [http://www.hesychasm.ru/library/psychology/vlhs_4.htm#n4 Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos. Orthodox psychotherapy. Dispassion.]</ref> etc. The term "false" here means "not Divine". An inexperienced person, not knowing enough about true Divine gifts, can easily accept such false gift as being Divine. Usually, such false gifts or "help" are sent to an already conceited person, i. e. being in prelest of the first kind.<ref>[http://stvladimirs.ca/wordpress/letters-of-elder-macarius-of-optina/ Excerpts from the Letters of Elder Macarius of Optina.]</ref> Metropolitan [[Anthony of Sourozh]] recalls that when he was young, he had an ability to read thoughts of other people. Once he asked God: "If this gift is not from You, dispel it". And this ability immediately disappeared.<ref name="ant"/> It is very difficult for a conceited person to decline such gift, to consider oneself unworthy of receiving it and ask God to take the gift away. If these false gifts are accepted by the deluded person, it can lead him into demon possession or suicide.<ref>[http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/kinds-of-spiritual-delusion/136-healing-ability-from-demons/341-healing-ability-from-the-demons The Letters of Elder John (Krestiankin).]</ref>
===Trust in dreams===
===Passion of teaching===
Passion of unauthorized teaching becomes a kind of prelest when the desire of teaching is based on the passion of pride rather than on the wish to share some information with others. Speaking about vainglory, St. [[John Climacus]] says: "Ignore him when he tells you to accept the office of bishop or abbot or teacher. It is hard to drive a dog from a butcher's counter."<ref>St. John Climacus. The ladder of Divine Ascent. Step 22.</ref> The conceited teacher often does not notice that he causes harm to his students because they do not understand, understand incorrectly or even cannot understand at all some subject, but the teacher does not cease his teaching. Lord Jesus warns against teaching of those who is are unprepared and cannot understand: "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." (Matthew 7:6). St. [[John Chrysostom]] says that the corruption of life is the reason why the teaching is not understood.<ref>[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110.iii.XXIII.html St. John Chrysostom. Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew. VII.]</ref> The same idea is expressed by [[Apostle Paul]]: "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14)
Elder Joseph the Hesychast writes that when one passionate person starts to teach another passionate person, the first one immediately loses the gracebecause God gives the privilege of teaching only when the teacher achieved the state of dispassion and contemplation.<ref>Elder Joseph the Hesychast. Monastic wisdom. Letter 22.</ref> Elder Joseph and St. [[Symeon the New Theologian]]<ref>{{Ru icon}} [http://www.pagez.ru/lsn/simeon/83.php St. Symeon the New Theologian. Word 83.]</ref> say also says that the reason for this is teacher should know the subject from experience. Also elder Joseph notes that he witnessed many times that unless God gives will help with His grace to understand, no human efforts alone can make the privilege teaching successful. St. [[Innocent of teaching Alaska]] writes that only to those the one who know something from experience have plenty of faith and love can have a mouth and who achieved wisdom, which all hearts of the state listeners shall not be able to resist.<ref>{{Ru icon}}[http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/russian/innocent_alaska_r.htm St. Innocent of dispassion and contemplationAlaska. Instruction for a missionary priest.]</ref>
Also, in James 3:1, Apostle warns against unauthorized teaching. Archbishop [[Averky (Taushev) of Syracuse|Averky (Taushev)]] in his analysis of James 3:1 says that one should start teaching with the great caution and distrust to oneself.<ref>{{Ru icon}}[http://azbyka.ru/hristianstvo/bibliya/tolkovanie/averkiy_sobornye_poslaniya_10-all.shtml Archbishop Averky (Taushev). Exegetic analysis of the Epistle of James.]</ref>
Regarding the teaching in the church, the rule 64 of the 6th [[Sixth Ecumenical Council ]] reads: "That a layman must not publicly make a speech or teach, thus investing himself with the dignity of a teacher, but, instead, must submit to the ordinance handed down by the Lord, and to open his ear wide to them who have received the grace of teaching ability, and to be taught by them the divine facts thoroughly. <...> If anyone be caught disobeying the present Canon, let him be excommunicated for forty days."<ref>[http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0835/__P3S.HTM Canons of the seven [[Ecumenical Councils|ecumenical councils]]. [[Quinisext Council|Quinisext Ecumenical Council]]. Rule 64]</ref> The interpretation of this canon then reads: "But if any layman chance to be experienced in discourse and modest in manner, he is not prohibited from answering and teaching in private those asking questions, as Zonaras states, and ch. 32 of Book VIII of the Apostolic Injunctions declare. For they shall be, it says, all taught of God: in which manner Apollos spoke, and taught the facts about the Lord, and in spite of the fact that he only knew the baptism of the Lord (Acts 28:25), and Aquilas and Priscilla, who taught the same Apollos the way of God more exactly".
==Prelest and Jesus prayer==
Many Orthodox Holy Fathers and modern ascetics wrote about the dangers of wrong practice of the [[Jesus Prayer]] and prayer in general: Saint Symeon the New Theologian, Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, Saint [[Theophan the Recluse]], Saint Ambrosius of Optina, Saint Macarius of Optina, elder Joseph the Hesychast, Vallam elder John (Alexeev) and others.<ref name="ioann">{{Ru icon}} [http://www.ioann.ru/?id=424&partid=19 Gleanings from Holy Fathers on the dangers of the prayer of the heart.]</ref>
Professor of the Moscow Theological Academy [[Alexei Osipov|A.I. Osipov]] analyzes<ref name="piligr"/><ref name="apol">[http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/apologetics_osipov_e.htm A.I. Ospiov. Apologetics.]</ref> the teaching on the prayer by St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) and points out that the prayer should have three properties: attention, reverence, repentance. Also humility should be the basis of the prayer as St. Ignatius says: "Today I read the declaration of St. Sisoes the Great, which I always particularly liked. A [[monk ]] said to him: 'I am in constant memory of God'. St. Sisoes responded to him: 'That is not great; it will be great when you consider yourself to be worse than any creature.' St. Sisoes continues: constant memory of God is a very elevated activity!! However, this height is very dangerous, when the ladder to it is not founded on the solid rock of humility".<ref name="apol"/>
If at least one of the following meet:
#the person prays without keeping the attention in the words of the prayer and imagines heavenly hosts, Lord Jesus,<ref name="clim">Saint John Climacus. The Ladder of Divine Ascent. Step 28.</ref>
#the person does not use the prayer for repentance but seeks for some "spiritual feelings",<ref name="clim"/>
#the person does not truly repent of some sins, e.g. lives in licentiousness,<ref name="ioann"/><ref>{{Ru icon}}[http://www.ioann.org/pisma/molitva.html Letters of elder John (Krestiankin). On Prayer.]</ref>
he can fall into prelest.
St. Ignatius tells a story about proper way of the prayer. A monk came to him from [[Mount Athos]].This monk did not need warm clothes in winter because of internal heat in the body caused by the prayer and was wearing chains. At first, St. Ignatius thought that this is a true ascetic and wanted to hear something useful from him about the prayer. But then he found out that the monk uses wrong way of prayer with exaltation and imagination. St. Ignatius gingerly asked the monk to try to keep the mind in the words of the prayer. That was enough to cure him. All his visions disappeared and he could not make them return. When the monk returned later, he no longer looked conceited. He took off the chains and could not do without warm clothes.<ref name="ign1"/> St. Ambrose of Optina several times wrote in his letters several times that for a beginner, especially without an experienced mentor, it is much safer to start with audible verbal prayer rather with purely noetic (silent) one because many people who prayed with noetic prayer, were mentally deranged, while St. Ambrose does not know any examples of people falling into prelest with verbal prayer.
Also it is very important to confess frequently, including the confession of thoughts, as elder Joseph the Hesychast notes: "I have never seen a soul make progress in the prayer without frankly confessing secret thoughts".<ref>[http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/concealment-of-sins-in-confession/309-noetic-prayer-is-incompatible-with-concealment-of-thoughts Elder Joseph the Hesychast, Monastic Wisdom, From letter 55.]</ref>
Sometimes, very rarely, God gives some humble and pious individuals, who reached the highest degree of purification from passions, a gift of unceasing heart prayer.<ref name="ambr">{{Ru icon}} [http://www.optina.ru/starets/amvrosiy_letters_chart2_29/#294 Letters of St. Ambrose of Optina. Letter 294.]</ref> That is one of the greatest blessing from God that a person can receive. Many people, practicing the Jesus prayer, would like to receive such gift. But if the person is conceited, he may get a similar gift from the demons or may confuse the Divine gift with something natural.
Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin) writes about Saint [[Seraphim (Romantsov)]], elder of the Glinsk monastery, and about importance of obedience which is required to receive the Divine grace. Once Fr. Seraphim spoke to a nun who thought of herself as having an unceasing prayer. She lived in the mountains and severely fasted. Fr. Seraphim said: "Once a day, you have to have a hot meal". She stared at Father Seraphim: "Do I have to waste the time and distract the mind from the prayer to prepare lunch?" Fr. Seraphim widely crossed himself: "Cross my heart, that you do not have any prayer and never had it". When she left, Fr. Seraphim said, "She did not understand anything. The one, who gave her the schema, he was in prelest himself. Poor soul, how much struggles she will have!"<ref name="raph"/>
Another type of false unceasing prayer is when the person just got used to the repetition of sounds. St. Seraphim (Romantsov) once said to a monk: "You do not have any prayer of Jesus: you just got used to it, as some people get used to the bad language".<ref name="raph"/>
# Humility;
# Obedience;
# Prayer without foreign thoughts, especially without imagining Lord [[Jesus Christ]], [[Angels]], Heaven, etc., keeping the attention in the words of the prayer;
# Prayer of other people of the holy life about the deluded person.
# Reading the Holy Scripture;
 
The first way to cure prelest is the Sacrament of Confession. If the person saw any vision, he should tell it immediately to his spiritual father not concealing anything.<ref>[http://www.saintseraphimbookstore.com/?page_id=243 Nun Macaria, The Angel of Light and Spiritual Discernment in the Orthodox Tradition.]</ref> Other Sacraments are needed as well, but sometimes deluded persons are forbidden to take the Holy [[Communion]] by their spiritual father for some period of time, sometimes rather long (1–3 years).<ref>{{Ru icon}} Архимандрит Иоанникий (Коцонис). Афонский отечник. 2011. Стр. 352. ISBN 9785985990645</ref> Also in monasteries, sometimes persons in prelest are given ignoble obediences to humble them. Work therapy decreases pride and demonic attacks that cause prelest.
 
Nevertheless, even with Divine and human help, as Saint [[Ambrose of Optina]] notes, "It is easier to turn every sinner to repentance than to bring a deluded person to reason".<ref name="ambr"/>
 
==Orthodox saints who were in prelest and recovered==
 
When Saint Niphon, bishop of Cyprus, was an ordinary monk, he was struggling with demons and fell into partial insanity for 4 years but later was cured.<ref>{{Ru icon}}[http://ru.wikisource.org/wiki/%D0%96%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D1%81%D0%B2%D1%8F%D1%82%D1%8B%D1%85_%28%D0%94%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9%29/%D0%94%D0%B5%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B1%D1%80%D1%8C/23 Living of Saint Niphon of Cyprus.]</ref>
 
Saint [[Symeon the Stylite]] was deluded by demons who showed him a chariot wanting to take him to Heaven as it was with Prophet Elias. The chariot disappeared when St. Symeon wanted to enter it but made the sign of the Cross.<ref>{{Ru icon}}[http://ru.wikisource.org/wiki/%D0%96%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D1%81%D0%B2%D1%8F%D1%82%D1%8B%D1%85_%28%D0%94%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9%29/%D0%A1%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D1%8F%D0%B1%D1%80%D1%8C/1 Living of Saint Symeon the Stylite]</ref>
 
Saint Iakovos worshiped a demon who appeared as Lord Jesus and who disappeared after Iakovos made the sign of the Cross. <ref>[http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/06/saint-iakovos-who-was-deluded-to.html Living of Saint Iakovos.]</ref>
 
Saint Isaac the Recluse of the [[Monastery of the Kiev Caves|Kiev Caves]] was living in seclusion for 7 years and was deluded by a false vision of Lord Jesus. He was left by demons lying unconscious. Saints Antonius and Theodosius of the Kiev Caves were nursing him and praying about him for 2 years. After that, St. Isaac got better and in the end of his life he received the power over demons.<ref>{{Ru icon}}[http://ru.wikisource.org/wiki/%D0%96%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D1%81%D0%B2%D1%8F%D1%82%D1%8B%D1%85_%28%D0%94%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9%29/%D0%A4%D0%B5%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C/14 Living of Saint Isaac the Recluse]</ref>
 
Saint Nicetas of the Kiev Caves attempted an excessive feat of seclusion without sufficient experience. He was deluded by an "angel" who helped him and gave him a false gift of clairvoyance. When the Holy Fathers of the monastery unraveled the demon tricks and casted the "angel" away, St. Nicetas lost his supernatural abilities and even could not read at all. Later, following the way of humility, St. Nicetas became the Bishop of Novgorod and received the gift of miracleworking.<ref name="nic"/>
 
Saint Theodore and Basil of the Caves suffered heavily from the demon tricks. St. Theodore was deluded by a vision of "angel" and false appearance of a demon in the form of St. Basil and was listening to them. Later, St. Basil brought St. Theodore to reason and convinced that it was a delusion.<ref>{{Ru icon}}[http://ru.wikisource.org/wiki/%D0%96%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D1%81%D0%B2%D1%8F%D1%82%D1%8B%D1%85_%28%D0%94%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%A0%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9%29/%D0%90%D0%B2%D0%B3%D1%83%D1%81%D1%82/11 Living of Hieromartyrs Theodore and Basil of the Caves.]</ref>
 
Saint [[Silouan the Athonite]] was in delusion 2 times as written in the book of elder Sofronii. Once St. Silouan accepted a vision and nobody, whom he asked about it, told him that this was a false vision. "But I was beguiled by vanity and began to see devils again. Then I knew that I had been deceived, and I made full disclosure to my confessor and asked him for his prayers; and because of his prayers I am now saved and ever beseech the Lord to grant me the spirit of humility."<ref>Archimandrite Sofronii. "Saint Silouan, the Athonite". P. 432.</ref>
 
==Prelest in the liturgical texts of the Orthodox Church==
 
The notion of prelest is used in some of the liturgical texts of the Orthodox Church.
 
In the Akathist to the Mother of God:<ref>[http://www.stsymeon.com/akathist.html Akathist to the Mother of God.]</ref> "For thou hast quenched the furnace of deception" (Ikos 5); "For thou hast trampled on the delusion of error" (Ikos 6).
The first way to cure prelest is In the Sacrament [[Great Canon]] of Confession. If the person saw any vision, he should tell it immediately to his spiritual father not concealing anythingSt.[[Andrew of Crete]]:<ref>[http://www.saintseraphimbookstoreorthodoxchristian.cominfo/?page_id=243 Nun Macaria, pages/canon.htm The Angel Great Canon of Light and Spiritual Discernment in the Orthodox TraditionSt.Andrew of Crete]</ref> Other Sacraments are needed as well"I lie naked and ashamed, for the beauty of the tree, but sometimes deluded persons are forbidden to take which I saw in the Holy Communion by their spiritual father for some period middle of timethe garden, sometimes rather long deceived me" (1–3 yearsMonday, Ode 2).<ref>{{Ru icon}} Архимандрит Иоанникий ; "O God, Trinity yet One, save us from delusion, temptations and misfortune!" (КоцонисMonday, Ode 3). Афонский отечник. 2011. Стр. 352. ISBN 9785985990645</ref> Also in monasteries; "But you, my hopeless soul, have rather imitated Esau, sometimes persons in prelest are given ignoble obediences surrendering to humble themthe crafty evil the beauty you inherited from God. NeverthelessIn two ways, even with Divine works and human helpwisdom, as Saint [[Ambrose of Optina]] notes, "It have you been deceived and now is easier the time for you to turn every sinner to repentance than to bring to reason a deluded personchange your ways"(Tuesday, Ode 4).<ref name="ambr"/>
==References==
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