Bishop Paul of Tracheia is a well-known and popular figure in anglophone Orthodox circles, where he speaks on theology and comtemplative/corporate worship to a wide audience. At one level, his obvious delight in the creator's work as revealed in nature and the changing seasons, and their impact on the person of an aging hierarch, touch us all - Orthodox or Protestant, or of any faith under the sun. At a deeper level, Paul's verse stories about Noah, Daniel, the Pharisee and the publican, St Simeon and the mystery of Christ's Resurrection, together with his finely crafted sonnets and poems of...

Many of the sonnets in this collection deserve to be called inspired, and all of them are inspirational. Bishop Paul exhorts us to put aside the cares of the world, the ignoble strife of nations, and the strategic lies of the media. He suggests we empty ourselves of personal concerns, and talk to God through prayer. Prayer, he says, and contemplation of the Divine, are antidotes to life's ills, engendering patience, compassion, a new perspective on our surroundings, and above all fostering love. As he says: Love is good, and patient, kind and free, For Love's another name, O Lord, for thee....

If you have listened to Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons' you will know that winter, for all its downpours, snowfalls and icy pavements, has its own quiet beauty. For Christians, among whom the author ranks as a Bishop in the Orthodox Church, Christmas is the inauguration of the new creation, 'The Son of God becomes the Son of Man' - Jesus Christ, Who was born humbly in a cave in Bethlehem and later crucified, rising gloriously from the dead the third day. Christmas is always a time of joy for those who see, as well as the turning of the year, the pattern behind Jesus' miraculous birth, and His...

Then let us leave the bustle of this earth, And find success in spiritual rebirth. With Christianity falling into desuetude among many Western nations, and the strident voices of rival creeds ringing in our ears, it is comforting to hear the explicitly Christian messages contained in Bishop Paul's latest compilation. Here are over ninety sonnets, introduced by a poetic commentary on the Beatitudes based on St Matthew's Gospel. They are gentle, yet timely reminders of such unfashionable concepts as meekness, compassion, contemplation and silence, and the relegation of the self in a world that...

Bishop Pauls new collection of poetry marks a successful departure into narrative verse. His first story, The Strange Story of Samuel Parker Eatwell, is set in an English market town in the 1800s, and tells of a boy wrongly accused of poaching rabbits and sent, along with a young pickpocket called Snatcher, to the gallows. What happens there is a small miracle and a message of hope for everyone - except the judge!
Alexia is set in 1200 and concerns a mysterious coffin full of stones, a strange wandering lady who does good works, and a greedy Bishop intent on keeping control of his...

Aficionados of Bishop Paul's devotional verse will know that his poems fall into two categories: the short, reflective poems of prayer, and the longer 'narrative' pieces, woven round historical or life-changing events, which serve as parables for us today. The title poem, 'Ebenezer Moneypiece', is a stirring tale of high and low life, with a highwayman and his estranged son at its core. The second major poem uses a German submarine, 'U-666', as an extremely apt symbol of evil - an evil diffused by the miraculous intervention of St Nicholas of Myra. Geographically, Bishop Paul moves from his...

Christian readers of all ages and persuasions will find new delight in Bishop Pauls latest volume of poetry. The Bishop has turned his attention to the early Christianity of the British Isles, and in this Celtic mist we discern the noble figure of St Patrick, who converted Ireland to the true faith; St Aidan, the founder of Lindisfarne monastery; St Brendan, who went to sea in a boat and discovered America (maybe!); St Brigid, whose not-so-noble father tried to sell her to a neighbouring chieftain; and sweet St Iltut, the warrior saint who forsook king and court for a hermits life, saved a...

If you have ever struggled to remember the names and key facts about the 39 kings and queens of England who have ruled to date, this new work is the answer. Neatly summarising more than 900 years of history, it gives the salient facts about every monarcgh from william I to our present Queen - in verse. Not only much easier to remember, but far more fun than a conventional history book. This is the tenth book from Paul, Bishop of Tracheia.

(Inspired by David, prophet and king)
This BOOK OF SHORT PSALMS is unique in contemporary spiritual literature. Inspired by the Psalter of King David, which is the abiding expression of prayer, this book contains 150 psalms composed in classical poetic form. They contain profound reflections on life and death and spiritual life in all its varied forms. The reader will find how to engage constant invisible combat with the passions and other temptations through sincere repentance, based on firm faith in God-who-loves-His-creation and will also be introduced to many other important ascetical...

This book contains 200 sonnets and a concluding epilogue, which have
been conceived as a spiritual progression through the vicissitudes of life.
They share the same essence, and are joined together as a chain that sanctifies
human existence. This volume is unique in the spiritual literature of our time.
Some of these poems are spiritual, theological, ascetical and historical, and
others reflect on nature, and the passing seasons of the year.
This book should find a place on the bookshelf of the reader who searches
for a deeper meaning to life on earth.