'Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer' debuts December 15

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

>Documentary on 2000-year-old Christian prayer
>is available December 15 on Comcast and FIOS

>     "Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer"

New York, December 7, 2010 -- The long anticipated Mysteries of the 
Jesus P rayer, a documentary film on a 2000-year-old Christian 
prayer, will begin d istribution December 15 for a three-month run in 
the SnagFilms Collection o n Comcast and Verizon FIOS.

The film will also be available on DVD and other on-demand channels 
and wil l open in theaters early in 2011.

The ancient prayer is still used by monks and nuns in far away caves 
and mo nasteries. The Jesus Prayer is essentially the Kyrie Eleison 
("Lord Have me rcy") that is thought to have been first practiced by 
the Apostles.

Serving on the Advisory Board of the project are Nikki 
Stephanopoulos, a me mber of the National Council of Churches 
Governing Board and NCC Communicat ion Commission, and her husband, 
Father Robert Stephanopoulos.
      
Traveling with cameras and crews to ancient lands of peace and 
solitude, th e Very Rev. Dr. John McGuckin, Ane Marie and Bent Emil 
Nielsen Professor of  Byzantine Christian Studies, Union Theological 
Seminary/Columbia Universit y, and Dr. Norris J. Chumley, a media 
producer and columnist for Beliefnet,  visited hermits, priests and 
nuns in caves and monasteries to record their  use of this ancient 
mystical prayer.

Their film and companion book from HarperOne retraces their steps and 
beyon d, bringing the wisdom of both ancient saints and modern 
Christian sages to  worldwide audiences.

The film and book begin with a visit to St. Anthony's in Upper Egypt, 
the o ldest existing monastery on earth, where Father Lazarus 
explains what the p rayer is and how to use it. The authors' voyage 
continues to St. Catherine' s monastery, in existence near Mt. Sinai 
since the fifth century, and to mo nastic communities in Eastern 
Europe, Romania, Ukraine and Russia.

The ancient prayer has been passed down through generations. 
Initially reci ted verbally, it was ultimately written in obscure 
instruction manuals inte nded only for monks. It was kept in secret, 
only to be revealed as part of  a dedicated life of isolation. Some 
spiritual counselors advise using it on ly with the help of a 
disciplines guide devoted to monasticism. Others say  anyone can use 
it.

The Jesus Prayer has great power. It is available in short form, long 
form,  and with multiple variations. The documentary feature film and 
companion b ook from HarperOne, Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer, will 
introduce this pray er taught directly by Christian spiritual masters 
early next year so that a nyone can use it at any time and in any 
place.

Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer 
(http://www.mysteriesofthejesusprayer.com/) i s a production of 
Magnetic Arts, LLC, New York, The film is a not-for-profi t project 
of the Hartley Film Foundation.               

Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of 
Christ  in the USA has been the leading force for ecumenical 
cooperation among Chri stians in the United States. The NCC's 37 
member faith groups - from a wide  spectrum of Protestant, Anglican, 
Orthodox, Evangelical, historic African  American and Living Peace 
churches - include 45 million persons in more tha n 100,000 local 
congregations in communities across the nation.

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office), 
646-853-4212 ( cell), pjenks@ncccusa.org