Poustinia Retreat at Parcevall Hall – Lent 2025
Led by Bishop David Hawkins
A Poustinia is a hermitage, oratory or cell used by Russian Orthodox monks or nuns. The Russian word means ‘desert’. Whereas Coptic monks occupy cells or caves in the hot Egyptian deserts, Russian hermits retreat into their cold forests. Whatever the location and temperature the ‘desert experience’ is essentially the same – an opportunity to retreat and be alone with God, engaged in silent prayer and contemplation.
We are blessed at Parcevall in having a Poustinia located in one of the gardens — set apart from the Hall so as to ensure it’s always a place of silence and solitude. It’s the prayer of silent contemplation that this small building stands for. Sadly, the Poustinia at Parcevall has fallen out of use in recent times and so the Lent Retreat this year provides an opportunity to draw it back into the heart of the prayer-life of the Hall.
The Retreat will comprise of a series of short addresses explaining the tradition of the Poustinia and plenty of time for using the building for our own personal times of prayer, of one or two hours at a time. In our corporate worship in the chapel, we shall use the Orthodox liturgy of Compline and Morning Prayer and also, The Jesus Prayer. On Ash Wednesday we will celebrate the Eucharist with ashes, and our retreat will end with a Reflection on our experience of the week followed by a closing Eucharist. For those who would value the opportunity, there will be experienced listeners on hand to speak with confidentially during the week.
The main prayer traditionally used in the Poustinia is The Jesus Prayer, sometimes referred to as The Prayer of the Heart or The Prayer of the Name. The prayer consists of just twelve words in its longest form and is often shortened still further. It’s a prayer, therefore. that you can’t easily forget and may carry in your heart at all times:
‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner’
Our Lent Retreat is designed for those both new to silent retreats and those familiar with them. Anglicans from any churchmanship and Christians from any denomination are welcome. When it comes to silent prayer and contemplation, we are all beginners. The Poustinia provides a particular place to be alone with God without the distractions of mobile phones, laptops or books. It’s a place in which to listen to yourself and to God, who may choose to speak, or may just hold you in silence. At the beginning of Lent, it’s an opportunity to ‘empty’ yourself in the way Jesus emptied himself in his experience of Incarnation.
No preparation or previous experience of retreats or Orthodoxy is necessary. Whatever happens during the week, you will never be quite the same again and are likely to look back on the experience as an important milestone on your spiritual journey.
Russian women and men of prayer have this saying:
‘If there’s anything the Devil detests it’s the Poustinia!’
We look forward to welcoming you to our Lent retreat at Parcevall Hall this year