These essays were first published to mark the revival of the hermit life in the Church. Prepared for a meeting of solitaries at St David’s in Wales in 1975, both their historical and contemporary content continue to speak to and encourage those called to the eremitic life.

For anyone who doubts its validity, they give a compelling and lucid explanation of this way of following Christ. The love of God shines through them; all readers may sense something of the attractive power of that love, whether or not they aspire to such a life. The contributors include Canon A. M. Allchin, Dom André Louf OCSO, Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, Father Roland Walls, Sister Benedicta Ward SLG and Mother Mary Clare SLG.