The Threshold: Trials at the Crossroads of Eternity

The Collected Works of St Ignatius (Brianchaninov) #3

by Ignatius Brianchaninov

Death is a great sacrament. It is the birth of a person from this earthly, temporary life, into eternity. In this third volume of St Ignatius’ s collected works, published here in English for the first time, the saint examines the mystical boundaries that govern the life of a the one, between life and death; and the other, between the visible, physical realm and the invisible to most, but no less real, spiritual realm. Included in this volume is St Ignatius’ s “ Homily on Death,” one of his most popular works in his native Russia and often published separately. The reader will also encounter St Ignatius’ s teachings on the nature of the soul and the essence of the incorporeal beings, the latter theologoumena being a point of contention between the author and his contemporary, St Theophan the Recluse.

296 pages, Paperback

Published September 12, 2023

About the author

Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov (1807–1867) is a saint in the Russian Orthodox Church. He was born Demetrius Alexandrovich Brianchaninov, to a wealthy landowning family. He was educated at Pioneer Military School in St. Petersburg. Although successful in his studies he was deeply dissatisfied with the lay life and turned to a life of prayer.
In 1827 he fell seriously ill and left the army on this ground. He began pursuing a monastic vocation and in 1831 took monastic vows and received the monastic name of Ignatius. Soon after he was ordained a priest. He rose rapidly to the rank of archimandrite and at the age of 26 was appointed superior of the Maritime Monastery of St. Sergius in St. Petersburg.
In 1857, he was consecrated Bishop of the Caucasus and the Black Sea, but he retired only four years later to devote himself to spiritual writing.
He wrote a large amount of material, mostly about the spiritual life and prayer. Only a small portion of his writing has been translated into English. Although his writing was intended primarily for monks, his works are highly recommended for lay Christians by leading Orthodox figures such as Father Thomas Hopko.
He was glorified (canonized) as a saint by the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church of 1988. His relics are preserved at the Tolga Monastery, near Yaroslavl.