th ▁century . ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁this ▁Eastern ▁Christian ▁expression ▁of ▁the ▁er emit ic ▁voc ation ▁pou st in iks ▁are ▁not ▁solit ary ▁but ▁are ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁community ▁to ▁which ▁they ▁are ▁called . ▁The ▁pou st in ik ▁is ▁a ▁servant ▁of ▁God ▁and ▁God ' s ▁people , ▁in ▁commun ion ▁with ▁the ▁Church . ▁Histor ically , ▁one ▁who ▁experienced ▁the ▁call ▁▁ ▁"... to ▁the ▁pou st in ia ▁had ▁first , ▁after ▁se cur ing ▁the ▁bless ing ▁of ▁their ▁spiritual ▁director , ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁village . ▁He ▁generally ▁did ▁this ▁through ▁pil gr image ▁and ▁prayer . ▁Once ▁having ▁discovered ▁the ▁village ▁to ▁which ▁he ▁felt ▁God ▁drawing ▁him , ▁the ▁pou st in ik ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁el ders ▁and ▁asked ▁permission ▁to ▁live ▁there ▁as ▁a ▁pou st in ik . ▁Perm ission ▁was ▁happ ily ▁given , ▁as ▁Rus si ans ▁were ▁glad ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁pou st in ik ▁pray ing ▁for ▁them . ▁▁ ▁The ▁pou st in ik ▁lives ▁alone ▁pray ing ▁for ▁his ▁own ▁salv ation , ▁the ▁salv ation ▁of ▁the ▁world , ▁and ▁particularly ▁for ▁the ▁community ▁that ▁God ▁has ▁bl essed ▁for ▁him ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁member . ▁ ▁Trad itionally , ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁pou st in ik ▁was ▁also ▁available ▁to ▁the ▁people . ▁When ▁there ▁were ▁special ▁needs , ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁fire ▁to ▁fight ▁or ▁hay ▁to ▁bring ▁in , ▁the ▁pou st in ik ▁would ▁help . ▁And ▁whenever