Holy Fools: The Lives of Twenty Fools for Christ

by Oswin Craton, Emanuel Burke (illustrator)

The existence of “fools for Christ” in the Orthodox tradition mystifies many people, even some within the Orthodox Church itself. People often wonder what purpose these sometimes comical and oftentimes tragically misunderstood saints serve in the life of the Church—especially given their unconventional and seemingly bizarre behaviors. In Holy Fools we begin to gain a better understanding of these saints' curious manner of serving Christ, as we learn about the extraordinary lives of twenty of the most well-known fools for Christ in a series of brief hagiographies.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Spirituality

152 pages, Paperback

Published September 3, 2024

Reviews

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

My lovely Goddaughter gifted me this book of hagiographies of Holy Fools, knowing my love of the fictional Laurus. Interesting biographies of those who pointed out the follies of life and humans through being intentionally provocative. Read while brushing my teeth

[Youssef Botros · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I learned from these stories is that you don’t have to be a fool to be beloved by God. You do however have to be unwaveringly obedient and faithful. Reading these added more life to my life. The zeal of these holy saints moved me to more boldness in my admiration of His commandments. May God grant us more strength to love like these giants.

[Signe · Rating 4 out of 5]

27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
1 Cor 1.27

The phenomena of Holy Fools seems to be primarily found in the Russian tradition. As such, most of the Saints in this work lived in Russia. Not sure why that is so.

The hagiographies are very short, most only a few pages. Much of their lives is not revealed to us.

These Holy Fools did not exist only to shame, but also had great compassion when warranted, and also the courage to speak truth to power. Several of them gave Ivan the Terrible his comeuppance. One sent him fleeing. God gifted them with abilities such as healing and clairvoyance which they tried to hide from nearly everyone.

[w gall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty "fools;" of whom the world is not worthy. Most of their stories are three or four pages, though a few are a little longer. At the end of each of these stories my spirit longed for more. Their extreme humility pleased God, Who works wonders through them, during their earthly lives and beyond. They saw the danger in affirmation - pride. They were willing to endure humiliation and continual discomfort to avoid pride and see that all the glory would go to God.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Fools from Ancient Faith offers a moving and enlightening exploration of the lives of those who, through their seemingly unconventional behavior, reveal profound spiritual truths. The book weaves together historical accounts and spiritual insights, showing how these "fools for Christ" embraced humility and radical love for God, often at great personal cost. What makes this work especially compelling is the way it challenges readers to rethink the nature of wisdom, success, and holiness in our modern world. The inspiring stories all had a similar theme but each unique on their way to holiness. It reminds us that God's ways are often hidden behind what the world might deem foolishness. This book left me both inspired and humbled, opening my heart to a deeper understanding of what it truly means to live a life fully devoted to Christ.

[Sarah Meldrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the lives of the holy fools, and this was clearly well researched. Each story is a couple pages long, making this a great addition to your daily devotionals. I definitely see myself reading his sources in the near future for my own edification, as well as the lives of the holy fools listed at the end of the book. All in all, this was a great introduction to understanding how these saints lived out 1 Corinthians 4:10-13.

Perhaps I am nitpicking, but if the prose was as elegant as the book was thoroughly researched, this would have been a 5-star read for me... but that didn't stop me from shedding a few tears (on multiple occasions), especially when reading about Blessed Nicholas (Salos) of Pskov the Fool-for-Christ.

[Zach Zinser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Fools is a great read for anyone wishing to gain insight into the peculiar lives of the Fools for Christ. Their ascetic struggles, and refusal of worldly reputation are good examples to those of us seeking to live well. Details of the miracles worked through them are a great reminder of God's providence for the simple.

The text itself flows well, and all of the stories included are interesting and keep the reader engaged. Sources are cited for those who would like to do further reading, which is appreciated.

I highly recommend this book for anyone.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

inspiring stories of holy, humble men and women. Beautifully illustrated. Suitable for all ages.

[Arnold Keifer Navey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seemed to just be the same story over and over with a few variations. Wasn't for me.

[Tori Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new book is a wonderful introduction to the lives of various fools for Christ. Having been deeply drawn to this “genre” of saints due to the surprising and unpredictable nature of their lives, it is nice to have a single resource which allows me to “meet” them.

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read.

[John Considine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read.

[Evan Ziegenfus · Rating 4 out of 5]

They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy…

[Debbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book even more than his book about Celtics saints. It's a nice book to read slowly throughout the year.

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but ended up feeing somewhat repetitive.