Adalberto Piovano

This article by Father Adalberto Piovano, a Benedictine monk, offers a comparative study of Athonite monasticism and Western Benedictine monasticism. Drawing on accounts from Western pilgrim monks who have stayed on Mount Athos, the author examines the spiritual and ascetic convergences between the two monastic traditions, despite the historical divisions between Eastern and Western Christianity. The central idea is that the common quest for union with God constitutes a sufficient foundation for authentic and profound monastic dialogue, particularly around the practice of prayer. On the theological level, the article highlights a shared experience of divine light, drawing a parallel between Athonite hesychast spirituality and the witness of Saint Benedict, thus opening ecumenical perspectives grounded in the monastic tradition common to both Christian heritages.