“Moreover, our life should be according to the description of the apostolic community in the Acts: The multitude of the faithful had one heart and one soul, and no one called his possessions his own, but they held them all in common, and great grace was on all of them. Our way of life, which is evangelical and apostolic, hence based on the source of Christian life, was conceived by Christ and the Holy Spirit and the Holy Apostles.” (The Spiritual Testament of Theodosius of Manjava)
I. The monks and nuns of Solus Christi, the Monastics of New Manjava, seek to develop a life of intimacy with the Lord through daily, unceasing prayer, and especially through the following spiritual exercises:
* Celebrating and sharing in the Divine Liturgy
* Reading the Word of God, writings of the Fathers and spiritual masters
* Prayer in silence
* Unceasing prayer in praying the Jesus Prayer and the monastic hours
* Devotion to the Theotokos
II. The monks and nuns of Solus Christi, the Monastics of New Manjava, develop in a special way a spirit of recollection, humility, and fraternal charity through acquiring the following attitudes:
* Being aware of the Presence of God in one’s life and in the life of others
* Abstaining from all negative and/or destructive criticism and all complaint
* Being of service to one’s fellow monastics and others in need
- Peacemaking and seeking to enflesh the teaching of the Beatitudes in one’s daily life
- Open, constructive, fraternal dialogue with one’s fellow monastics
III. On a daily basis, the monastics of New Manjava, in the manner of Jesus Christ, shall seek to exercise five concrete acts of charity in order to develop positive contacts with others.
IV. The monastics of New Manjava shall:
- Daily spend a minimum of one-half hour in silent, contemplative prayer
- Weekly select one day during which to spend at least one-half day in silent prayer
- Monthly choose one day during which to spend a complete day in silent prayer, in poustinia
“The fire already lit, even if still small, you will fan into
and a great flame in the furnace of this holy monastery
and by the light of your fire you will pass from strength
to strength.”
-- Theodosius of Manjava