"Philokalia" means "love of the good—love of the beautiful." It was the name given to the celebrated 18th century Greek collection of Patristic texts on Christian spiritual life, teaching the path to inner sobriety and the fullness of union with God. This "Little Russian Philokalia" is a new collection of ascetic texts drawn from Russian sources, chiefly of the 18th through 20th centuries. The fifth volume is devoted to the newly canonized St. Theodore of Sanaxar (1719-1791), one of the most significant spiritual guides of 18th-century Russia. Living first as a desert-dweller for ten years in his youth, St. Theodore formed a model ascetic community not far from the famous Sarov Monastery. He functioned as an elder to both monastics and laymen, and crowned his work by suffering for righteousness' sake. Contained in this book the Life of the Elder, his spiritual counsels to the monks and nuns under his direction, a number of his letters, the monastic rule of Sanaxar Monastery, and an eyewitness account of his canonization.