Professor-emeritus of the Pontifical Oriental Institute at Rome, Tomas Spidlak dedicated his scholarly life to studying and teaching the theology and spirituality of the Christian East in the hope of reconciling Eastern and Western Christian traditions. In this encyclopaedic overview of Eastern spiritual teaching he has created abridge by which Western Christians may pass over centuries of misunderstanding and obliviousness.

Sparkling in the ancient texts of the Fathers of the Church 'the bishop, monks and theologians who wrote during the first formative six christian centuries 'is a fountain of wisdom overflowing with spiritual nourishment for the world today. By presenting a passage for meditation each day through the year, the volume offers an introduction both to the Fathers and to monastic lectio. It speaks not only to the individual seekers but also to those who guide others along the paths of the spirit.