Useful Orthodox Christian books

This list will be updated frequently. If you have any recommendations, please send them here.


Advice for our Spiritual life:

- “The Philokalia” - Compiled by St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain & St. Markarios of Corinth

- “With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man” by Elder Paisios

- “Spiritual Awakening Volume 2” by Elder Paisios

- “Spiritual Struggle: Spiritual Counsels III” by Elder Paisios

- “Wounded by Love” by Elder Porphyrios

- “Little Russian Philokalia: St. Seraphim of Sarov”

- “My Life in Christ” by Saint John of Kronstadt

- “The Spiritual Meadow” by John Moschos

- “Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: The Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica”

- “The sayings of the Desert Fathers” by Benedicta Ward


Theology books:

- “On the Mystical life” (Volume I, II, III) by Saint Symeon the New Theologian

- “Unseen Warefare: The Spiritual Combat and Path to Paradise” of Lorenzo Scupoli (as edited by Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain and revised by Saint Theophan the Recluse)

- “The Path to Salvation: A Manual of Spiritual Transformation” by St. Theophan the Recluse

- “Celebration of Faith, vol. III: The Virgin Mary” by Alexander Schmemann

- Being as Communion” by John Zizioulas (Metropolitan of Pergamon)

“On living simply: The golden voice” by St. John Chrysostom


Orthodox Christian Doctrine, Worship and Tradition:

- “The Orthodox Way” by Met. Kallistos Ware

- “The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way” - A classic work of Russian Orthodox spirituality

- “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith” by St. John Damascene (you can find it online here)

- “Beginning to Pray” by Met. Anthony Bloom

-“The Celebration of Faith, vol. II” by Fr. Alexander Schmemann

- “For the Life of the World” by Fr. Alexander Schmemann

- Introducing the Orthodox Church: Its Faith and Life” by Anthony M. Coniaris

Inspiring convert stories:

- “Becoming Orthodox: A Journey to the Ancient Christian Faith” by Peter E. Gillquist

- “Jaroslav Pelikan or Facing East: A Pilgrim’s Journey into the Mysteries of Orthodoxy” by Frederica Matthewes-Green

- “Surprised by Christ: My Journey from Judaism to Orthodox Christianity” by Fr. James Bernstein


Modern times and Orthodoxy:

- “Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future” by Fr. Seraphim Rose

- “The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios” by Dionysios Farasiotis

On Church history:

- “The Orthodox Church” by Met. Kallistos Ware (You can find it online here)

- “His Broken Body: Understanding and Healing the Schism Between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches” by Laurent Cleenewerck