For a thousand years, The Spiritual Meadow has been one of the best-loved books of the Christian East. Written in the early seventh century by the Byzantine monk John Moschus, it gathers more than two hundred true-life stories of the desert fathers and mothers of Egypt, Sinai, Palestine, Syria, and Constantinople — hermits who tamed wild beasts, prayed in the ruins of pagan temples, and faced demons with nothing but trust in God. With his companion Sophronius, Moschus traveled for decades among the monasteries, collecting tales of astonishing asceticism, radiant humility, and startling divine mercy. This new edition renders the work in clear, modern English that keeps the directness and earthy wit of the original, while brief chapter introductions help today's reader enter a strange and beautiful world. Faithful to the spirit of the classic, inviting to present-day readers. Part of The World Scriptures Library.