The Way of a Pilgrim

This article by Daniel Vigne offers an in-depth rereading of the *The Way of a Pilgrim*, an anonymous nineteenth-century text originating from the monastic circles of Optina, which stands as one of the major testimonies of the Russian Orthodox spiritual renewal. In the form of a study structured in three parts, the author successively analyzes the pilgrim's inner journey, the intellectual and spiritual objections raised by the practice of the Jesus Prayer, and the universal significance of this figure. The main contribution of the article is to show that hesychast prayer, far from being reserved for monastic circles, is addressed to every believer, regardless of their confessional affiliation, and that it incorporates a demand for rationality and discernment that is often overlooked. The article also highlights the ecumenical and anthropological dimension of the *Récits*, situating them within the broader context of world contemplative traditions.