SKU: 21785610232

Elder Ambrose of Optina

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Elder Ambrose of OptinaElder Ambrose (18121891) is considered the pinnacle of Eldership in Optina. He embodied the virtues of all the elders in the highest degree divine humility, purity of mind and heart, overflowing love, and total self sacrifice for thesalvation of his fellow man. So great were his gifts that hundreds of people flocked daily to his humble cabin at Optina, including the writers Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, and Leontiev. Elder Ambrose (1812 1891) is considered

Elder Ambrose (1812–1891) is considered the pinnacle of Eldership in Optina. He embodied the virtues of all the elders in the highest degree--divine humility, purity of mind and heart, overflowing love, and total self-sacrifice for thesalvation of his fellow man. So great were his gifts that hundreds of people flocked daily to his humble cabin at Optina, including the writers Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, and Leontiev.

Elder Ambrose (1812-1891) is considered the pinnacle of Eldership in Optina. He embodied the virtues of all the elders in the highest degree; divine humility, purity of mind and heart, overflowing love, and total self-sacrifice for the salvation of his fellow man. Because he had attained the depths of humility, the Lord blessed him with spiritual gifts by which to heal suffering souls. He read human hearts, was granted to know the past, present and future of people, and spoke to them the direct, revealed word of God. So great were his gifts that hundreds of people flocked daily to his humble cabin in central Russia. Among these were the writers Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Leontiev and Solovyev. Dostoyevsky was so moved by his pilgrimage to Optina and Elder Ambrose that he wrote his last and greatest novel, The Brothers Karamazov, with the specific intention of depicting the spiritual image of Optina Monastery and the Elder. The fictional character of Elder Zosima in his book was modelled after Elder Ambrose, whose words of counsel Dostoyevsky put directly into the mouth of his unforgettable character. "Whoever has an unfeeling heart should not despair, because with God's help a man can change his heart. You need only to watch yourself attentively, and not miss a chance to be useful to your neighbor, reveal your thoughts to the elder more often, and force yourself to give alms. Of course, it's impossible to do this right away, but the Lord is longsuffering. He only cuts short a man's life when He sees either that he is prepared to pass into eternity or that there is no hope for his correction."

This edition of Elder Ambrose's life is a faithful English translation of the original Optina edition, printed in Russia in 1912. Through its pages we enter the world of a heavenly man, an angel in the flesh who beheld the mysteries of the future age: the perfect love and silent oneness of immortal spirits.

"I sank into eternal rest. No longer was my spirit disturbed by anything. And I knew nothing else earthly. None of the tribulations of my heart came to mind, even for a minute. It seemed that everything that I had experienced before on earth never existed." Elder Ambrose of Optina

*Paperback 470 pp.

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SKU: 21785610232

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hellsbellstrudy
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
Saved My Skin and Healed My Eczema
Style: Restorative Protective Cream-1.3 Fl Oz, Style: Restorative Protective Cream-1.3 Fl Oz
I was having the worst skin winter of my life. I am hypersensitive and my skin started rejecting an expensive line I had used for many years (EL). My skin wasn’t healing even just using AQ balm on it and occasionally steroids when it was extra bad, and the pronounced eczema on my eyelids and neck for months was making me miserable and gross looking. I started researching brands I hadn’t tried for super sensitive skin and saw recommendations for Avene. We were leaving on a vacation and I was desperate to feel better so I ordered this and the matching serum. I started with only this cream and overnight I saw my skin start to heal. Within a few days it was like the last few months never happened. I carefully added the serum and had no issues. I used only these two products for the month I was gone and had glowing skin the whole time. This is thicker than a normal lotion since it is made to protect your skin but if you let it warm up a few seconds it smoothes easily. This will definitely remain a staple in my skin arsenal and I can’t thank you enough for making an actually gentle but effective product! This picture is two weeks after starting the product, smooth skin and confident to take selfies!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2026
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JNL220
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 5
Don’t let the bad reviews deter you from saving your skin
Style: Restorative Protective Cream-3.3 Fl Oz, Style: Restorative Protective Cream-3.3 Fl Oz
I avoided purchasing this product for a while due to the bad reviews. However, it is still highly recommended by several dermatologist for skin barrier repair. Upon doing my own research, the product can separate if it is stored in cold temperatures (41 degrees or less). This can be fixed people!! It literally says it on the bottle/box and there’s even a video that Amazon posted saying this can happen. It does not affect the product. It’s just the thermal spring water and some oil separating but it can be reincorporated. So I took the risk and ordered this. I’m a first time purchaser. It was already at my door when I was leaving for the gym at 5:30am so I let the package sit in my car for about 1.5 hours (temp was about 70s). I put the tube in a glass of hot sink water for 10 minutes when I got home. I rolled the tube in my hands for a few minutes to mix everything together. Guess what. It came out like a CREAM. No liquid shot out at me. If you can read, do a little research, and can follow instructions, you can get a working product. I have sensitive skin. It’s been a struggle healing my skin barrier but it was getting better. I decided to do something dumb and try dermaplaning. My cheeks have been very red and irritated since. I did avoid active products for a few days after dermaplaning but it was still irritated. Just with the first time use of this product, it was nearly instant relief of some of the redness. It’s fragrance less which is great. It is currently on sale so I think the value is good for what it is right now. I only used two pea-sized amount for my whole face so I think it will last awhile. This can significantly help your skin barrier! Do your own research and read the instructions!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2026
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S. Lewis
Houston, US
★★★★★ 3
Samples great, purchased product not
Style: Restorative Protective Cream-1.3 Fl Oz
My dermatologist recommended this cream after a laser procedure, and gave me some samples to take home. I found the thick, smooth cream calming and protective for my irritated skin. The zinc oxide leaves a whitish cast at first, which does tend to fade after it sinks in, but it could be problem if you have darker skin. Not an issue for me since I’m pale. Because I liked the samples, I ordered two full-size tubes. Both arrived with the product inside completely separated. The texture was nothing like the samples. I opened the first tube and clear, watery liquid spilled everywhere. I quickly recapped it, shook and squeezed the tube as much as possible to try to re-emulsify the product, and it remained stubbornly separated, with chunky white paste suspended in thin liquid. I’ve thoroughly shaken the second tube and continue to hear the sloshing of thin liquid. So apparently once the cream has separated, it will not re-mix. I don’t know what caused the unacceptable condition of the product—manufacturing variation, storage conditions prior to shipping, or conditions during shipment. Whatever it was, I would not buy this product in this way again. The samples were a five star product. The full size product I received was zero stars.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2026
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Najma Ahmed
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 4
Helped calm my damaged skin barrier, but expect stinging on very raw skin
Style: Restorative Protective Cream-1.3 Fl Oz
I bought this because I severely damaged my skin barrier and needed something gentle that would help my skin calm down and heal. My skin was extremely sensitive, raw, irritated, tight, and honestly uncomfortable even with water touching it. This did help, but I do want to mention that if your skin is VERY damaged or raw, there can be some stinging at first. I experienced that myself during the first few applications. The stinging didn’t last long for me, but I think it’s important to mention because people with damaged barriers are usually desperate for relief and can panic when products sting. What ended up helping me most was using this as part of a simple barrier repair routine instead of using it alone. What I personally did: * Wet my face first with either water or Avène Thermal Spring Water so my skin was damp but not soaking wet * Applied the Avène Cicalfate onto the damp skin * At night, I sealed everything in with CeraVe Healing Ointment (Aquaphor would probably work too) I repeated this every night before bed and sometimes during the day if I was staying home. If I was leaving the house during the day, I would do the same steps but use sunscreen instead of sealing with ointment. I honestly think sunscreen is extremely important when your skin barrier is damaged and trying to heal because irritated skin feels even more sensitive when exposed to sunlight. I used this day and night, very easy to use, and didn’t experience breakouts from it. The texture is thick but comforting once applied, especially when your skin feels dry and stripped. Overall, I would buy this again. I don’t think it’s some overnight miracle product, but it genuinely helped my skin calm down and recover when my barrier was damaged. I personally didn’t notice any strong fragrance, which I appreciated since my skin was already extremely irritated. I also like how versatile this product is. Even though I originally bought it for barrier damage, I can see why people use it for irritation from retinol, over-exfoliating, dry patches, or skin that just feels compromised in general.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2026
T
Verified Purchase
Taylor Ashley
Waukegan, US
★★★★★ 5
Holy Grail of Moisturizers
Style: Restorative Protective Cream-3.3 Fl Oz
I bought this after hearing a dermatologist on Instagram rave about this cream and now I see why. As someone who suffers from pretty severe eczema this is my go to holy grail for flair ups. Perfect for sensitive skin and can be used daily. It is very thick so provides a thick layer of moisture on your skin. I will say I have bought 2 sizes in this and the smaller size (1.3fl oz) did separate and had a liquid part that would come out. I have bought numerous tubes of the larger size (3.3fl oz) and never had an issue with separation with the larger size. I’m learning as I get older that more expensive does not mean better quality skincare. This is one that is not only affordable, but will also give you noticeable results. I have everyone in my whole family using this product!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2026

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