Evagrius of Pontus (345-399) was one of the most famous of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, those who sought God through ascetical lives lived in the deserts of Egypt and Palestine in the 3rd and 4th centuries.

Evagrius has been revered through the centuries for his remarkable psychological insights and his practical advice about prayer and spiritual struggle. He holds a scroll on which is written one of his most famous sayings:  “If you are a theologian, you will pray truly. And if you pray truly, you are a theologian.”

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Tempera and gold leaf on wood; 9” x 12”; 2012. Private collection, Massachusetts.