Nil of Sorsky (1433–1508) - Orthodox saint, major figure in the Russian church, founder of the hermitage in Rus'. All that is known about his life before becoming a monk is that he came from a peasant family, but was literate. He took monastic vows at the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, and then made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Athos and Constantinople. The Monk Neil stayed for a long time on the Holy Mountain, where he learned to live a solitary life of prayer and contemplation. Returning to his homeland, he founded a monastery, which later received his name, and gathered those who strive for hermitage, reading and copying books. The collection offered to the attention of readers includes the most significant works of Nil of Sorsky: “Our Reverend and God-Bearing Father Nil, the Ascetic of Sorsky and His Charter on monastic life”, “The Tradition of Elder Nil the Hermit to His Disciples” and “On the Mental Warfare in Us”. His main work should be called the “Rule of Hermitage Life,” consisting of two chapters. The “Rule” of St. Neil is not a regulation of monastic life, but an ascetic instruction in spiritual struggle. The monk pays great attention to “smart” or “heartfelt” prayer, citing Gregory of Sinaite and Simeon the New Theologian. There is no doubt that Nil Sorsky belongs to the mystical-contemplative direction in Orthodox monasticism, the revival of which is associated with the name of St. Gregory of Sinaite.