“...I don’t consider Philokalia as a book... Perhaps it is some kind of movement, even more precisely, it is Church Culture. The culture that alone has the right to be called Culture... Philocalia is the Culture of Life... Philocalia is sometimes translated into Russian as love of goodness. There is no mistake, in Greek it means both good and beauty. But I am more inclined to the word beauty for many reasons. This is a word that has been echoing in me since I heard the name “Philokalia - love of beauty.” And this, most likely, is the primary meaning of the Greek translation. "Kalos" primarily means "beautiful" in Greek. Looking in the dictionary of the ancient Greek language, I saw that the word “kalos” is translated both as beauty and as kindness, but the original meaning is preserved in the word beauty...”

From the creator of the electronic file. Translation of conversations of Hieromonk Raphael Noika carried out at the St. George parish of the city of Chisinau (Chisinau diocese of the Moldavian Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate). Translation by Tatyana Avdeeva, editing by Olga Koverina, under the general direction and editing of Archpriest Vitaly Shinkar. May Christ save them for their good works.