The Holy Fathers on Vainglory

Описание: Holy Fathers on Vainglory:

From the Greek word kenodoxia (κενοδοξια); this means vain, empty glory; Vainglory.

Vainglory, thus is the desire for praise and glory and honours.

Vainglory is a special temptation for those pursuing holiness. Many who seek a name for themselves in religious circles fall for this error for this very reason: they begin with good intention, but without prudence, they fall for vainglory and then seek to be lifted up and praised by others, often by taking down and destroying the good which hinders the reception of such praise. To seek honour, to take and accept awards as signs of one’s value, is to accept the temptation of vainglory, and those who do so will find themselves set up for a terrible fall from grace. Indeed vainglory, that is the promotion of the self and its glory (hence, a bad kind of “self-esteem”), is something which plaques us throughout our spiritual journey. It is a vice which comes back at us again and again, attempting to thwart us from the fullness of the good with the comforts which it brings to us instead.


“Vainglory and pride are one and the same thing. Vainglory manifests its works, so that people see how you go along, how adroitly (skillfully) you do things, while pride then begins to disdain everyone. Vainglory is like a worm—at first it crawls and bends. But when it grows wings, it flies up high, and that is what pride is like.”
(St. Ambrose)

“Having fallen from his heavenly rank through pride, the devil constantly strives to bring down also all those who wholeheartedly wish to approach the Lord; and he uses the same means which caused his own downfall, that is pride and love of vainglory. These and similar things are the means by which the demons fight us and hope to separate us from God.”
(St. Anthony the Great)

“The vainglorious man is an idolator, although he is called a believer. He thinks that he is honouring God, but in actual fact he is pleasing not God, but men.”

“Vainglory induces pride in the favoured and resentment in those who are slighted. Often it causes dishonour instead of honour, because it brings great shame to its angry disciples. It makes the quick-tempered look mild before men. It thrives amid talent and frequently brings catastrophe on those enslaved to it.”

“He who has sold himself to vainglory leads a double life. Outwardly he lives with monks (angelic), but in mind and thought he is in the world (worldly).”

“He who is without this sickness is near to salvation, but he who is not free from it is far from the glory of the Saints. This is the twenty-second step. He who is not caught by vainglory will never fall into that mad pride which is so hateful to God.”

“All who ask and do not obtain their requests from God, are denied for one of the following reasons; because they ask at the wrong time, or because they ask unworthily and vaingloriously, or because if they received they would become conceited, or finally because they would become negligent after obtaining their request.”
(St. John Climacus)



“The fight to overcome vainglory, or to be full of pride over your own achievements, is not an easy one. You can only win by secretly working on virtues and frequent praying. A sign that you have been successful is that you do not harbour resentment against anyone that have accused you in the past or presently accuses you.”
(St. Maximos the Confessor)

“Go to the tombs and see that the assurance of men is nothing. Why then does man who is dust indulge in vainglory? Why does he who is all stench exalt himself? Let us therefore weep for ourselves while we have time, lest, at the hour of our departure, we be found asking God for extra time to repent.”
(St. Pachomius)


“If you wish to be delivered from shameful passions, do not behave with anyone familiarly, especially with those toward whom your heart is inclined by a lustful passion; through this you will be delivered also from vainglory. For in vainglory is involved the pleasing of men, in the pleasing of men is involved familiarity of behaviour, and familiarity of behaviour is the mother of all passions."
(Saints Barsanuphius & John)


“Cut off thoughts that praise us and thoughts of vainglory by the fact that the most pleasing thing of all to God is humility, but you don’t have it; which means that you don’t have anything good. That’s what to do correctly—what you must do (seek humility).”
(St. Hilarion the Great)


St. Anatoly (Zertsalov) taught his (spiritual) children that sometimes being excessively upset about something also gives secret vainglory away:
“You’re afraid when you sing—out of vainglory. There is a lot of that in you.”


“A man who craves esteem cannot be rid of the causes of grief.”
(St. Isaac of Syria)


“Sometimes undertakings (deeds that are) good in appearance lead to their accomplishment for the sake of glory and human praise, but in God's sight this is equal to untruth, thievery and other sins.”
(St. Makarios the Great)

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