The Reception of Father Professor Dumitru Stăniloae’s work in the monastic life and spirituality (II)

Father Professor Dumitru Staniloae believed that the Orthodox monasticism represents a true banner of defending and preaching the right faith, in all times of Christian history: the monasteries, oases of Orthodox spirituality and of national identity, and the monks, sublime models of the incarnation of Jesus Christ’s Gospel. Father Staniloae had high consideration for monastic life, affirming that this would be a fundamental landmark of Christianity, as long as it would keep its votes and ideals unaltered, fulfilling his vocation, by preaching a life of sinlessness. The relationship that Father Staniloae had cultivated with monasticism and the monks is one of mutual appreciation. Through his pilgrimages and through his spiritual relationships with the great confessors, Father Dumitru St\niloae experienced a closer approach on monasticism, that he always saw of as a factor of moral improvement of Christian life, in general. From historical perspective, Father Staniloae dedicated numerous efforts and pages to Orthodox Romanian monasticism and its central personalities, because of his profound beliefs regarding the vocation of spiritual Orthodox Romanian  synthesis, of its discernment. For all this merits and services, done for Orthodox monasticism, Father Professor Dumitru Staniloae was held in high respect and special appreciation by the monks, who believed that, even if he lives in family, he was still „one of them”, because they found him to be an authentic, loving defender of the high values of monastic life.