Spiritual maxims from Elder Thaddeus

A soul which has given itself up to God’s will does not fear anything and is not troubled by anything. About everything that happens, it says: it is God’s will.

Love is the strongest weapon that exists; there is no power or weapon which can fight love: it overcomes them all.

Cease to think evil of your superiors or colleagues at work, change your evil thoughts to good ones and you will see how the behaviour of your one time ‘enemies’ will change.

Those who are humble and meek in soul are pleasing to God. They do not get angry when they are insulted, they are full of goodness and peace.

 It is dangerous to be strict with others.

Those who are strict with others can only reach a certain level in spiritual life. They remain at the stage of physical asceticism.


We must remove earthly plans and desires from the heart, only then together with the Lord can we sincerely love our neighbour.

 As is our relationship to our neighbour, so is our relationship to God.

Here on earth there is nothing that can give us inner peace. For neither riches, nor glory, nor honour, nor position, nor family, nor neighbours can give us unshakeable inner peace. There is only one giver of life, peace and joy – God.