‘Mysteries Of The Jesus Prayer’ Screening Planned

DANBURY — In 2003 Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, author, and theologian Dr Norris J. Chumley and historian and author the Very Reverend Professor John A. McGuckin began a journey tracing and documenting the origins of early Christian monastic life, meeting the keepers of 13 holy sites in the regions where Christianity and the Church began.

Over the course of eight years, the two gained the trust of the most eminent patriarchs, archbishops, abbots, abbesses, monks, and nuns, who allowed them unprecedented access to the inner sancta of sacred sites never before seen by the outside world. Their travels took them to the cave of St Anthony in Egypt; St. Catherine’s monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai; across the Mediterranean to the Greek peninsula of Mount Athos, to the forests of Transylvania in Eastern Europe, Ukraine, and finally to Russia.

Along the way, they repeatedly discovered the use of a simple and elegant ancient prayer, “the Jesus Prayer,” a simple and elegant ancient prayer that many believe is possible to communicate directly to God through its use.

A documentary of this journey, Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer, was released this past spring. A special screening of the documentary will be offered Saturday, December 3, at St Ann Melkite Greek-Catholic Church, 181 Clapboard Ridge Road (Route 5). The program will begin at 1:30 pm.

Cost is $7 per person, and the screening will be followed by a question and answer session with Dr Chumley.

Light refreshments will also be served.

For more information, call 203-743-5119.