Recommended for publication by the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church

Back in 2004, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' said that catechetical conversations relate to the “traditional missionary activity of parishes” (report at the Diocesan Assembly , 2004).The Fathers of the Church - Cyril of Jerusalem, John Chrysostom, and the Savior Himself, addressing his disciples, also wrote about the need for catechumen before Baptism: “Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28, 19). This book is compiled from catechetical conversations conducted by missionary priest Daniil Sysoev since 2001 at the Optina Hermitage in Yasenevo (Moscow). The texts of the conversations retain a lively conversational style, which will captivate the reader with a large number of examples understandable to modern people, clear answers to the “tricky” questions of the speakers. Most of the listeners of Father Daniel's conversations, after receiving Holy Baptism, became permanent parishioners of Orthodox churches. The book will be useful to catechists, clergy, students of religious institutions - everyone who wants to always be ready to give an answer to anyone who demands an account of our hope with meekness and reverence about the foundations of faith. The conversations will also be of interest to the speakers themselves, as they contain real dialogues on issues of faith and the Church.

© Yulia Sysoeva, 2011© Charitable Foundation "Missionary Center named after Priest Daniil Sysoev", 2011