The author of The Pilgrim's Tale, which is devoted to various aspects of the Jesus Prayer, has been identified on the basis of other witnesses as Russian Orthodox monk Archimandrite Mikhail Kozlov. This translation is the first in English to be taken from the earliest version of the text preserved in Optino manuscript 456, written in the late 1860s. Other current versions are based on later translations.

Preceded by a preface by the eminent historian/author/educator Jaroslav Pelikan, The Pilgrim's Tale gives testimony to the depth and richness of the Russian spiritual tradition. It deserves a wide readership among spiritual seekers of all faiths and will be welcome in university and seminary courses on spirituality and theology.