Many lovers of literature are familiar, through Dostoyevsky's works, with the concept of the Russian "Staretz," or spiritual elder, and this biography offers a vivid portrayal of an authentic Staretz, Father Ilarion--a monk of the renowned Glinsk hermitage in modern-day Ukraine. Offering unique insights into the Orthodox Church in Russia during communism and in the immediate postcommunist period, this account not only chronicles Father Ilarion's journey,...