Our Church honors the memory of Saint Paisios of Athonite on July 12. Paisios is perhaps the only monk in the modern history of Orthodoxy about whom the most books have been written.
Childhood
Elder Paisios was born in Farasa, Cappadocia, in Asia Minor, on July 25, 1924. His father's name was Prodromos and he was the president of Farasa, while his mother's name was Evlambia. The Elder even had 8 siblings. On August 7, 1924, a week before the Farasiotes left for Greece, the Elder was baptized by Saint Arsenios of Cappadocia, who insisted on giving him his own name "to leave behind a monk at his feet", as he said.
Five weeks after the baptism of the then little Arsenios, on September 14, 1924, the Eznepidis family, together with the caravans of refugees, arrived at Agios Georgios in Piraeus and then went to Kerkyra, where they temporarily settled in the Castle. His family stayed in Kerkyra for a year and a half. Then they was transferred to Igoumenitsa and ended up in Konitsa. There Arsenios finished elementary school and got his high school diploma "with a grade of eight and excellent conduct." From a young age, he always had a piece of paper with him, on which he recorded the miracles of Saint Arsenios. He showed a particular inclination towards monasticism and ardently desired to become a monk. His parents jokingly told him "grow a beard first and then we'll let you go."
Teenage years and the army
In the intervening time until he served in the army, Arsenios worked as a carpenter. When he was ordered to build a coffin, sharing the family's grief, but also due to the poverty of the time, he did not ask for money.
In 1945, Arsenios enlisted in the army and served as a radio operator during the Greek civil war. As long as he was not a radio operator, he asked to fight on the front line, so that some family members would not be harmed. However, he served most of his term as a radio operator. He was discharged from the army in 1949.
Childhood
Elder Paisios was born in Farasa, Cappadocia, in Asia Minor, on July 25, 1924. His father's name was Prodromos and he was the president of Farasa, while his mother's name was Evlambia. The Elder even had 8 siblings. On August 7, 1924, a week before the Farasiotes left for Greece, the Elder was baptized by Saint Arsenios of Cappadocia, who insisted on giving him his own name "to leave behind a monk at his feet", as he said.
Five weeks after the baptism of the then little Arsenios, on September 14, 1924, the Eznepidis family, together with the caravans of refugees, arrived at Agios Georgios in Piraeus and then went to Kerkyra, where they temporarily settled in the Castle. His family stayed in Kerkyra for a year and a half. Then they was transferred to Igoumenitsa and ended up in Konitsa. There Arsenios finished elementary school and got his high school diploma "with a grade of eight and excellent conduct." From a young age, he always had a piece of paper with him, on which he recorded the miracles of Saint Arsenios. He showed a particular inclination towards monasticism and ardently desired to become a monk. His parents jokingly told him "grow a beard first and then we'll let you go."
Teenage years and the army
In the intervening time until he served in the army, Arsenios worked as a carpenter. When he was ordered to build a coffin, sharing the family's grief, but also due to the poverty of the time, he did not ask for money.
In 1945, Arsenios enlisted in the army and served as a radio operator during the Greek civil war. As long as he was not a radio operator, he asked to fight on the front line, so that some family members would not be harmed. However, he served most of his term as a radio operator. He was discharged from the army in 1949.
Monastic Life
The early years
Father Paisios first entered Mount Athos to become a monk in 1949, immediately after his discharge from the army. But he returned to the world for one more year, in order to make sure his sisters were settled, so in 1950 he went to Mount Athos. The first monastery he went to and stayed for one night was the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Karyes. Then he settled in the Skete of Saint Panteleimon, in the Cell of the Entrance of the Theotokos. There he met Father Kyrillos who was abbot in the monastery and followed him faithfully.
A little later he left the monastery and headed to Esphigmenou Monastery. There the ceremony of "Rasoeuchi" was performed and he got his first name which was Averkios. And there he immediately stood out for his hard work, the great love and understanding he showed for his "brothers", his faithful obedience to his elder, his humility, since he considered himself inferior to all the monks in works. He prayed intensely and read constantly, especially Abba Isaac.
In 1954, he left the Esphigmenou Monastery and went to the Philotheou Monastery, which was an idiorrhythmic monastery where one of his uncles also lived. However, his meeting with Elder Symeon will be a catalyst for the course and formation of Paisios' monastic character. After two years, in 1956, through the laying on of hands he was made a "Stavrophoros" and took the "Small Schema". It was then that he was finally named "Paisios", thanks to Metropolitan Paisios II of Caesarea, who was also his compatriot. Elder Augoustinos during this period had a close relationship with Paisios.
In 1958, following an "internal message", he went to Stomio of Konitsa. There he carried out a project which concerned the heterodox but also included helping the tortured and impoverished Greeks, either with philanthropies, or by comforting and supporting them psychologically, with the word of the Gospel at the forefront. For four years he stayed at the Sacred Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Stomio, where he was much loved by the people of the area for his contribution and modest character.
From there he went to Mount Sinai to the Cell of Saints Galaktion and Episteme. The Elder worked as a carpenter and gave whatever he earned in philanthropy to the Bedouins, especially food and medicine.
Return to Mount Athos
In 1964 he returned to Mount Athos, from where he never left again. The skete that gave him hospitality him was Iveron. During his stay there, specifically in 1966, he became seriously ill and was admitted to the Papanikolaou Hospital. He underwent surgery, resulting in partial removal of the lungs. In the time until he recovered and returned to Mount Athos, he was given hospitality in the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, in Souroti.
He returned to Mount Athos after his recovery and in 1967 he moved to Katounakia, specifically to the Cell of Ypatos which is under the Great Lavra.
Since then he started receiving many visitors. Already his name had become well known far from the Holy Mountain, and all sorts of tormented people were led to it, learning of a charismatic monk named Paisios. The following year he was transferred to the Stavronikita Monastery. He helped significantly in manual work, contributing to the renovation of the monastery. In fact, he often helped as a chanter in the Skete of the Honorable Forerunner to the Elder Tychon. The two elders developed a strong friendship that ended with the Elder Tychon's repose in 1968. Paisios stayed in the cell of the Elder Tychon for eleven years after his repose, which was his friend's wish shortly before he died.
In Panagouda
In 1979 he left the Skete of the Honorable Forerunner and headed for Koutloumousiou Monastery. There he entered the monastic brotherhood as an independent monk. Panagouda was an abandoned skete and Paisios worked hard to create a "long-term" cell, where he stayed until the end of his life. From the time he settled in Panagouda, many people visited him. In fact, it was so crowded that there were special markings that pointed out the way to his cell, so that visitors would not disturb the other monks. He also received a lot of letters. As the Elder said, he would get very upset, because from the letters he only learned about divorces and mental or physical illnesses. Despite his busy schedule, he continued the intense ascetic life, to the point of resting very little, 2 to 3 hours a day. But he continued to receive and try to help visitors. He also used to make "embossed" icons which he gave to visitors as a blessing.
Diseases of the Elder
The history
In 1966 the Elder was hospitalized at the Papanikolaou Hospital due to bronchiectasis. After the operation to remove them and due to the use of strong antibiotics the Elder developed pseudomembranous colitis, which left him with permanent dyspeptic problems. At one point, while working on the press he had in his cell, he contracted an inguinal hernia. He refused to be treated and patiently endured the disease, which gave him terrible pain for four or five years. One day during a visit to Souroti, some doctors he knew literally kidnapped him and took him to Theagenio Cancer Hospital, where he was operated on. Despite the opposition of the doctors, the Elder continued the hard ascetic life and manual work, which further worsened his health condition.
The end of his life
After 1993, he began to experience bleeding for which he refused to be treated, characteristically saying that "everything will settle down with the soil". In November of the same year, Paisios left the Holy Mountain for the last time and went to Souroti, to the Hesychasterion of Saint John the Theologian for the feast of Saint Arsenios (November 10). He stayed there for a few days and while he was preparing to leave he fell ill and was transferred to Theagenio, where he was diagnosed with a tumor in the large intestine. On February 4, 1994, the Elder underwent surgery.
Although the disease did not stop (it metastasized to the lungs and liver), the Elder announced his desire to return to Mount Athos on June 13. But the high fever and shortness of breath forced him to stay.
At the end of June his doctors announced that his chances of living were two to three weeks at most. On Monday July 11 (the feast of Saint Euphemia) the Elder received Communion for the last time kneeling in front of his bed. In the last days of his life he decided not to take drugs or painkillers, despite the horrible pains of his illness.
Finally, on Tuesday, July 12, 1994 (with the New Calendar) at 11:30 in the evening, the silence was disturbed by a loud thunder! Then the whole Mount Athos was lit up with continuous lightning.
In the afternoon it became known that the Elder had already passed into eternity.
He was buried in the Sacred Hesychasterion of Saint John the Theologian in Souroti, Thessaloniki.
On January 13, 2015, the Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople convened and decided on the ranking of Saint Paisios the Athonite in the Hagiologion of the Orthodox Church.
Spiritual Legacy of Elder Paisios
Spiritual children of the Elder
There are many people who met Elder Paisios. Each of them can tell a story about the Elder or remember his simplicity. The closest people to Elder Paisios living today are:
Father Paisios the Mathematician who lived in a small cell near the Monastery of Koutloumousiou on Mount Athos. He received the name of the Elder and was the spiritual father of the nuns of the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Souroti.
Hieromonk Arsenios and Monk Isaiah who live in the cell of Panagouda as the Elder Paisios wished. The two monks keep the cell as the Elder had it and they welcome with great joy those who visit the little house where Elder Paisios lived.
The nuns of Souroti in the female Monastery of Saint John the Theologian possess two precious treasures: The relics of Saint Arsenios and the tomb of Elder Paisios. Many pilgrims from all over the world flock to the Monastery of Souroti every day to visit the tomb of the Elder Paisios.
Testimonials
There are, of course, many other people who met Elder Paisios, listened to his teaching, verified his holiness, accepted the gifts of his prayer. All of them confess that Elder Paisios the Athonite is one of the most important holy ascetics of the 20th century.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider supporting the work of the Mystagogy Resource Center:
