The translation of the Philokalia

This article by Olivier Clément celebrates the completion of the full French translation of the Philokalia, published in eleven volumes by the Cistercian Abbey of Bellefontaine. Combining both tribute and doctrinal presentation, the text gives an account of the personality and spiritual journey of the translator, Jacques Touraille, whose itinerary — from Patmos to the Cévennes — illustrates a living reception of hesychasm in the West. Clément then sets out the major stages of the philokalic way: ascetic practice, contemplation through creation, and apophatic theology, all articulated around the prayer of the name of Jesus. The article makes a twofold contribution: it situates the Philokalia within the history of Christian spirituality and underscores its ecumenical significance, showing that this tradition of the Christian East now nourishes Catholic and Protestant communities in the West.