The Scent Of Holiness: Lessons From a Women's Monastery

by Constantina R. Palmer

The Scent of Holiness: Lessons from a Women's Monastery

Every monastery exudes the scent of holiness, but women's monasteries have their own special flavor. Join Constantina Palmer as she makes frequent pilgrimages to a women's monastery in Greece and absorbs the nuns' particular approach to their spiritual life. If you're a woman who's read of Mount Athos and longed to partake of its grace-filled atmosphere, this book is for you. Men who wish to understand how women's spirituality differs from their own will find it a fascinating read as well.

Genres: Religion, Christian, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Christianity, Theology, Church

228 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2012

Reviews

[Kristofer Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is much that could be said about this book. In some places it is troubling; you find yourself asking if this is really what Orthodoxy is all about. In other places it is challenging. In yet other places it is comforting.

The structure of the book is curious. It is not always clear why some stories are there, or their relation to other stories in the chapter. The book doesn't proceed on a strict chronology, but the chapters are primarily arranged by similar themes. Sometimes the affect is additive, as when a theme introduced in an earlier chapter reappears in a different form in later chapters. In broad strokes the book follows a chronology, with the author's first pilgrimage to the monastery in the beginning, and an elderly nun's funeral toward the end. But you couldn't call it biography, and it is not exactly clear where the author is going.

Actually, that is the genius of the book. The reader is able to take exactly what they need from the book. Certain parts will speak to different people. Sometimes the same person, coming back to the book, will find something they missed or disregarded the first time around.

Entirely worth it, and a worthy addition to any Orthodox Christian library.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book seems an interesting project - insights into the wisdom and life of a Greek women's monastery told from the outsider viewpoint of a Canadian convert to Orthodoxy. What I can say in honesty and even flattery, is that Constantina Palmer has created a work that seems authentically Balkan. Like many similar works that come out of Greece, Serbia, and other parts of the Balkans, this work is simply a mosaic of stories. It's like sitting and having coffee with a friend, filled with random, disjointed, but charming stories. It was really hard to get hooked into it at the beginning, and it remains meandering throughout the work, but ultimately this is its charm. Although the quality of the audio is a bit sub-par, it was a delightful as an audiobook - just a chance to sit and listen to stories from Palmer's time in Greece. The insights offered are sometimes profound, and sometimes merely quirky, but it was still a pleasant experience.

[Jane G Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knot 30. "You have a lot to learn. You know nothing." Words spoken to the author by gerintissa. Somehow I feel these words are intended for me as well...

"To correct someone there is nothing simpler; but to do it in such a way that it bears fruit is difficult in the extreme. Everything must breathe with the most sincere and zealous love--not only the content of what you say, but even your glance, and expression, and tone of voice. Then it may be hoped that this will achieve its aim. But without this love, it is better not to undertake such a step: it will come out worse, produce the most sorrowful discord."
St Theophan the Recluse

This book is filled with little spiritual gems. Informally written, as though you are the author's friend or neighbor, one gets an intimate glimpse into life for these Greek women monastics.

33 knots.

I ask your prayers.

[CEGatling · Rating 4 out of 5]

The positive
Hearing the book left me with a decidedly different viewpoint than when I read it via Kindle in 2017. The book was narrated by the author and, even though she was striving to be neutral in her reading, it was very easy to tell that she was deeply affected by her experiences at the monastery/monasteries she visited. The stories came to life and I found myself smiling and re-winding and sometimes even cringing in sympathy with her stories. Her engagement with the story is what gave it more life than the printed version. I imagine she spins quite a good yarn in person.

This book is not meant to be a juicy "tell-all" about the ongoings behind the walls of women's monasteries, nor is it meant to be a theological treatise. It is a glimpse through the eyes of one young convert who chose to visit and grow in relationship with women monastics. You will find a few sparkly theological bits scattered here and there but that is not the point. If you read this book looking for deep theological musings you will be disappointed.

This is book is about a young woman visiting Orthodox monastics and her relationships with them. The lessons she learned about herself and about being Orthodox are found in those relationships told through brief vignettes that, at the end of the book fold into one message: We are not saved alone, but only in relationship. Even the hermits come to communion.

It's a lovely little book and I recommend it highly.

The negative
There are a few technical issues at the beginning and the end of the audiobook. KInd of an annoying echo or hollow sound during the introduction and first couple of chapters, and again in the epilogue. The chapters in between do not have this issue. I was afraid the echo would continue throughout and I would not have been able to listen to the entire book with that going on. It would have been too distracting.

4 stars.

Full Disclosure #1: I was given an Audible credit to purchase this book in return for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to do this, AFP!

Full Disclosure #2: I read the Kindle version in July 2017 so this is my second read. The first time I read this book, I was unable to get past the format in which it was written, by which I mean I was not sure if it was supposed to be a travelogue or a travel-diary or just a collection of entries from a diary strung together based on a loose relation between what seemed to be just a rand0om bunch of stories. To be honest, other than gathering a few thought-provoking quotes I didn't get a lot out of it at that time. The audio version was much, much more accessible for me for the reasons I state above.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of anecdotes is certainly worth reading if you are an Orthodox Christian or interested in Orthodoxy, or just curious about life in a monastery. It has a chatty, informal tone to it and is quite loosely structured. There are little gems of spiritual lessons within it. I appreciated the fact that it was written about life within a women's monastery, instead of a men's monastery. I would have liked much more detail, description, and information - I guess I'm still waiting for an Orthodox version of The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris!

[Lily Rose Dorothea · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I loved this book, the sweet and beautiful stories, the mix of holiness and humor in the nuns' lives. I found it touching how Constantina ended the book with Sister Marcella's death. I would have preferred to read this in text, as audiobooks don't seem to be for me, but I still feel like I got a lot out of it.

"Go and cling to a man who fears God, and from the fact that he fears Him, he will teach you to do likewise."

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book always reminds me of my own time in the monastery (monasteries?) and all the stories that I lived and heard about. Unlike Presvytera Constandina, I hold on to these stories; she shares hers as her talent, and I ponder mine in my heart (not because I am anything like the Mother of God, but because mine happened in such a different context that I feel I would be betraying something sacred if I let them go). Either way, God is so good, so very good, so marvelously and wonderfully good.

Να ‘ναι ευλογημένο.



P. S. Link to one of the songs [in Greek] that she mentions. It’s the one about pharaoh and noetic prayer.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S6R-cgI...

[Courtney Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read two books about monastics this month, and I have to admit this one paled in comparison to Everyday Saints. Its more than unfair to compare the stories that an abbot collects over several decades living in a monastery to the stories a lay woman collects over several visits to a monastery...but there it is. I also found her constant use of unfamiliar Orthodox terms (especially those in Greek) a bit irritating. I've been at an Orthodox parish for two years and consider myself fairly well versed, but I was still constantly looking things up. I think this book has to be approached by those already very familiar with both Orthodox customs and monastic customs, while I'd recommend Everyday Saints to anyone.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't have to get very far into the first chapter to know this book was going to be for me. As a convert to the orthodox faith, I find I'm always looking for relatable material to read/listen to.

Author Constantina Palmer, recounts stories told and experienced during regular daily chores of the monestary. I especially love to hear of the many ways God has worked through Saints in the lives of others who have gone to the monastery or spoke to the monastic women that the author has spent time with.

I recomend this book be listened to by just about anyone. Men, women, new and old in faith and age will enjoy this book's authentic approach to story retelling. At just under 7 hours long (6 hours and 44 mins) it wasn't a daunting task to commit my time.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of lovely bits of wisdom in this book, and told with great enthusiasm. Constantina Palmer is not a fabulous writer, but the stories she tells are wonderful.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first received this work I wondered to myself, "Why does God keep getting me to review books geared toward women?" Like the other books, I tried read this with an open mind. The introduction bothered me a little bit. Mrs. Palmer discusses how she went from Catholicism to Anglicanism to Orthodoxy, because the Orthodox Church had something the Catholic Church was missing. This upset me a little bit, because I love my Catholic faith, but also have a great love for the Orthodox faith as well. Needless to say, I was even more leery reading this work, as I felt it already had two strikes against it for me. 1. It was geared toward women. 2. It felt like an attack on my Catholic faith. I pressed on though, and I am glad that I did!

The book is divided into 33 chapters. This is done intentionally as the Orthodox prayer rope or chotki has 33 knots in it, so Mrs. Palmer demonstrates that this book is a prayer for her and the reader. Each chapter or knot provides valuable insight on what goes on in a women's monastery as well as the lessons Mrs. Palmer learned from the day-to-day happenings. Her insight and attention to detail provided me a mental picture of a place I will never be able to see with the clarity she did. Sure, I could visit a women's monastery, but I would never be able to access it as freely as she had since I am a man, so this was eye-opening.

The best part of the book for me was seeing the personality of all the sisters. I don't know about the rest of you, but when I see someone in the garb of their religious order, I tend to forget that they are human at all. Mrs. Palmer did a nice job of showing these sisters' human sides in their ability to laugh and find joy in silly things as well as their saintly sides in living out their vocation. Each sister had her own gifts and path to holiness, and that too reminded me that even though we are all different, we're all pursuing the same goal, Heaven and union with God.

If I had one gripe to make, it would be that Mrs. Palmer used a glossary as opposed to footnotes. There are a ton of Greek terms in this book, and I was only familiar with a handful of them. Someone in the Orthodox Church might not have trouble with these terms, but I had to take time to flip to the back of the book and look up most of them. It would have been easier if the term was defined in a footnote at the bottom of the page it was on. For this reason, I am deducting a 1/2 star from my rating and giving this work 4.5 out of 5 stars. The glossary inconvenience aside, this is still a great book and worth reading. We have many works of what goes on in men's monasteries, so this was definitely a welcome glimpse into what goes on in women's monasteries.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Palmer offers a first hand account of her contact with nuns in a Greek Orthodox monastery in Greece. I read this for my book club and absolutely loved it. I would recommend this for anyone wanting to know more about the lives of monastics. The foreword was written by Abbess Gabriella of the Holy Dormition Monastery in Rives Junction, Michigan. I have visited this monastery and have enjoyed meeting Abbess Gabriella and the other nuns at the Holy Dormition Monastery. the only criticism I have is the Glossary. As a Greek Orthodox Christian, I understood the Greek words she used, but if I were unfamiliar with these words, I would find going back to the glossary, a nuisance. I think it would have been better to use footnotes or just explain these words in the text.

[Pattee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This read like a novel, and was a fair reflection of one woman's experiences and impressions throughout several years friendship with a women's monastery. I was uncomfortable with some of her stories because I felt she betrayed personal things of the women of the monastery that were better left private there. But more importantly, I thought that her book had a lot of superstitious sort of thinking that may have been reflective of old cultural traditions in Greece that had lost their meaning, and were now passed on without context.
Orthodox Christianity certainly respects the Mystery, but I was uncomfortable with what appeared to be a little too superstitious. This book could deter seekers from the Orthodox faith because of sounding this way. I have never come across so much of this before and I have read a wide range of Orthodox readings.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I found it to be both informative and inspiring. I previously had not had much interest in the monastic side of orthodoxy, but now I am intrigued! I learned some wonderful things from this story, and also gained greater perspective about myself, humility, and the monastic life.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a long time to read this book as it was easy to read a "knot" and then put it down for a bit. I did enjoy Palmer's easy and open voice. Having spent a little time with the Sisters in Jordanville, I felt especially drawn to Constantina's experience.

[Maria Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book. Overuse of Greek terms was a bit irritating. The stories about the sisters were very heartwarming. The book left me asking questions and for more information....

[Saint Katherine BookstoreVA]

The Church Fathers and Mothers tell us that Saint Gregory of Palamas once received a vision of a vessel overflowing with fragrant wine. The holy man was commanded by the Heavenly Powers to share this wonderful drink—a symbol of divine wisdom—with all whom he encountered. Palmer offers in The Scent of Holiness her own small cup of myrrh-infused knowledge that was poured out
to her during her frequent visits to a women’s monastery in northern Greece.

Palmer, a convert, came to Thessaloniki to study more fully the theology of our ancient faith, but quickly realized that she needed to see “how Orthodoxy was lived, not merely stated” and began to visit the nearby cloisters of Orthodox nuns. She records her experiences with the holy women—who give off the powerful perfume of sainthood--in short, easy-to-read vignettes, as she calls them “knots on her prayer rope.”

Palmer works to give us a glimpse of the unique character of women’s monasticism, which she so beautifully shows is infused with much laughter (often spurred by Palmer’s pidgin Greek), tears, lots of food (for guests), and a focus on the angels. She says, that prohibited from living on Mount Athos, the sisters have created a Holy Mountain of their own, where through self-denial and obedience, they have attained great spiritual heights.

She relates that monks try to cut down their passions with an axe, while sisters strive to fight the power of the demons “consistently, but gradually.” She marvels at the nuns’ capacity for hard work—which she notes would tire the most well-conditioned athlete—and attributes this spiritual and physical strength to the power of the Holy Spirit. Palmer notes that the Holy Spirit shines clearly in the sisters’ radiant faces—youthful visages which often belie their chronological age. But, their hands are worn from doing God’s work.

Palmer comes to see during her many visits, that the monastery is a vision of heaven, overflowing with “good and perfect things from above.” The abbess or gerontissa (woman elder) instructs the nuns in whatever they do, “whether it is watering flowers, baking, cleaning, or cooking...to do it for God alone.”

The final “knot” in the book tells of the funeral of Sister Markella, an elderly nun and one of Palmer’s loving spiritual teachers. Sister Markella died on the Sunday of the Holy Cross during Great Lent, an appropriate time for a funeral, according to Palmer because it underscores Christ’s impending Resurrection and “a race well run” by the nun. In heartfelt words, Palmer describes how Sister Markella embodied the perfect life, where one’s attentions are “focused on dying well” and “living properly so that death is the beginning of new life, true life.”

[Jolie Boulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Scent of Holiness by Constantina R. Palmer is a must listen for anyone who desires to learn from the pearls of wisdom that comes from contemporary Orthodox nuns and novices. Although some books with monastic wisdom tend to be more solemn, Constantina does a beautiful job of using a storytelling format to convey the messages. This format makes the wisdom both easier to digest and humanizes monastics. I especially appreciate the humanizing aspects of this book because it reminds me so much of the nuns and novices that I have developed relationships with in a Coptic women’s monastery in the U.S.

It is because this book is full of stories that it makes Constantina’s narration of her own writing all the more meaningful. I will mention that the recording of the intro to the book felt just slightest bit choppy to me, but once the book itself started, the audio is very smooth and easy to listen to. The thoughtfulness and effort that went into the making of this book is evident, even with the smallest details as with the number of chapters (33) and calling each chapter a “knot,” as on a prayer rope, did not go overlooked.

Even further, I loved that Constantina took every story, no matter how small it may have seemed, and helped us see how we could be taking each opportunity to learn and grow closer to Christ. It is a perfect reminder that there is nothing so small or menial in our lives that cannot be directed towards God.

While I would recommend this book to everyone, I especially think women should read this book. Often, the lives of women monastics go overlooked, and this is a beautiful book both for young women and seasoned women alike who need some encouragement to keep living a life of holiness. I will without question be listening to this book again and because of how much I enjoyed it, I even sent the audible link to two friends while listening to it. A third person heard a snippet of this book while I was playing it on a car ride, and she is looking forward to listening to it as well.

[Alla Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent. Palmer writes so effectively, she induces curiosity and reflection with her stories. I still think about it months after reading it. Was such a good great lent read. We don't see a lot of Orthodox books from women's perspectives and this one is top-tier. I would wholeheartedly recommend it; great for YAs and on.

[Selah Combs · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorite spiritual books, especially as an Orthodox Christian woman! Combined stories from the author's collected time visiting a monastery in Greece; Constantina Palmer embraces the rhythm of Orthodox life at a monastery filling its pages with beautiful stories and inspiring advice from all walks of life, in pursuit of Christ and His Kingdom.

[Dannelle Kouf · Rating 5 out of 5]

The personal accounts of the authors' interactions with the nuns at a monestary in Thesolaniki Greece. From her social blunders to deep spiritual experiences, the author shares honestly. The Nuns are always gracious but also share their own struggles and victories. I was encouraged and inspired to a deeper spiritual life.

[Samantha (AK) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me far longer to read than I thought it would, but I'm glad that I took my time with it. The author tells the reader at the outset that she's sharing selected experiences, but the ones she chooses to share are lovely indeed. Lots to think on.

[Malamatenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Scent of Holiness is a bouquet of spiritual flowers, each with its own scent, that all together make you feel like you are sharing a part of Heaven on Earth. The stories shared in the book are didactic, in a soft, sweet, practical way. I have highlighted so many parts of the book!

[Anna Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love. Easy to pick up and put down at any moment. This one sat on my bedside table for a while. I just picked it up here and there to read a few stories at a time, and they were always very edifying.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! So easy to read and so relatable. The author is a Canadian and converted to orthodoxy which makes this book perfect for a western audience. Palmer explains everything so well to those of us who were born into orthodoxy and never even thought about some of these things.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting and beautiful glimpse into the lives of a Orthodox nuns!

[Anna Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true treasure of a book.

[Teri Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful chronicle of a visitor's experience of monastic life. The narrative is casual, and accessible.

[elora · Rating 5 out of 5]

this encouraged my heart to find a monastery and make friends with those in them. Such a beautiful book.

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. A wonderful Lenten read. A young American lady’s perspective of what it is like to spend lots of time at a Greek Monastery for women in Greece and what she learned while there.