This volume contains Blessed Theophylact’s commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians. Although St. Paul wrote this letter to address the particular issue of circumcision that was troubling the young churches of Galatia, its purpose goes much deeper. A central theme of the Epistle is the question of the essence of the Christian life—is it based on correct practices or on faith? St. Paul explains the purpose of the Judaic law, and the necessity of moving beyond its practice to the new, very different life based on faith in Christ. The depth of the Apostle’s care for his flock is evident as he strives to draw them away from the old understanding of sin, into the new knowledge of the glory and love of Christ.

In 2007, Chrysostom Press published The Explanation of the Gospel of John by Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria. This completed the four volume set of Theophylact's classic Gospel commentaries, composed about the year 1100 AD. Work is now underway to translate (from the original Greek) Blessed Theophylact's commentary on the Epistles. St. Nikolai Velimirovic—one of the greatest Orthodox figures of the 20th century—says of Theophylact’s work: "These commentaries on the Four Gospels and other books of the New Testament ... are the finest works of their sort after St. John Chrysostom, and are read to this day with great benefit." (From The Prolog from Ochrid, December 31)

Chrysostom Press is also translating and publishing the monumental series The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints, compiled by St. Demetrius of Rostov. This twelve-volume set is drawn from the ancient sources in Greek, Latin, Syriac, and other tongues, and rendered into Slavonic by St. Demetrius. The accounts in this series are distinguished by their completeness, superb literary quality, extreme fidelity to the originals, and sober, traditional tone. Unlike other collections of Saints' Lives currently available in English, St. Demetrius' versions are themselves authoritative patristic texts, having been compiled and edited by one of the greatest saints of Christ's Church.

The Great Collection is one of the most comprehensive collections of full-length lives of saints to be published in English, covering the universal saints of the first millennium, as well as Russian saints of the first half of the second millennium. The first seven volumes already available present the lives of one or more saints who are celebrated each day, from September through March. The eighth volume (for the month of April) will be published in 2011.

Chrysostom Press was founded in 1991 by Fr. Christopher Stade, the rector of St. John Chrysostom Orthodox Church, House Springs (St. Louis), Missouri. He is the translator of The Explanation series and the director of Chrysostom Press. Several parishioners from St. John Chrysostom Church ably assist him in producing the books, advertising, and order fulfillment: Kristen Vogt works in the Press office; and Ron Fruend provides invaluable business savvy; many other parishioners have helped with unloading shipments of books and in folding and sealing advertising materials.

In upstate New York, Fr. Thomas Marretta has been working mightily—in conjunction with Chrysostom Press since 1993—to translate The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints from the original Church Slavonic text of St. Demetrius of Rostov.  When Fr. Thomas completes the final draft of each volume, he sends it to Chrysostom Press in House Springs for layout and production.