St. Nicephorus the Hesychast

Christian monk

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July 22, 2026

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St. Nicephorus the Hesychast was a Christian monk associated with Hesychasm, a form of monastic life in Eastern Christianity. Hesychasm emphasizes achieving divine quietness through continuous, contemplative prayer. St. Nicephorus developed a specific method of prayer, advising practitioners to focus their attention on the "middle of the body" and to synchronize their prayer with their breathing to achieve deeper concentration. This practice was later defended by St. Gregory Palamas, who argued that the body, when sanctified, could participate in experiencing divine light. Hesychast spirituality continues to be practiced today.1

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Hesychasm
…In the late 13th century, St. Nicephorus the Hesychast produced an even more precise “method of prayer,” advising novices to fix their eyes during prayer on the “middle of the body,” in order to achieve a more total attention, and to “attach the prayer to their breathing.” This practice was…
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…In the late 13th century, St. Nicephorus the Hesychast produced an even more precise “method of prayer,” advising novices to fix their eyes during prayer on the “middle of the body,” in order to achieve a more total attention, and to “attach the prayer to their breathing.” This practice was…
Read More