Nilus of Sinai Quotes

Turkey, Saint
January 1, 400 – November, 12, 430.

Saint Nilus the Elder, of Sinai (also known as Neilos, Nilus of Sinai, Nilus of Ancyra), was one of the many disciples and stalwart defenders of St. John Chrysostom.

“Pray firstly to be purified of passions, secondly to be freed from ignorance and forgetfulness, and thirdly to be delivered from all temptation and forsaking.”

Nilus of Sinai
- Temptation
- Pray
- Passions
“Why do demons wish to excite in us gluttony, fornication, greed, anger, rancor and other passions? So that the mind, under their weight, should be unable to pray as it ought; for when the passions of our irrational part begin to act, they prevent the mind from acting rationally.”

Nilus of Sinai
- Pray
- Demons

“Prayer frees the mind of all thought of the sensory and raises it to God Himself, Who is above all, to converse with Him and daringly ask Him for anything. Thus a man spends his life in purity, as one who, having already experienced communion with God, is thereupon again preparing for this communion.”

Nilus of Sinai
- Life
- God
- Prayer
“He who endures distress, will be granted joys; and he who bears with unpleasant things, will not be deprived of the pleasant.”

Nilus of Sinai
- Bears
- Pleasant
- Joys