Venerable Cosmas of Zographou Monastery, Mount Athos

Saint Cosmas the Anchorite of Zographou Monastery was born into an aristocratic family in Bulgaria toward the end of the XVIII century, and was proficient in Greek as well as Bulgarian. When his parents desired him to get married, he left their home surreptitiously and headed for the far-famed Holy Mountain: Mount Athos. Along the way, the devil tried to thwart the young man's intentions, vexing him with a vision of the infinite abyss of the sea which surrounds the Holy Mountain, but the Saint was able to overcome this demonic temptation with prayer.

Arriving at Zographou Monastery, Saint Cosmas became a novice for a short time, and then he received the monastic tonsure, and was appointed to the position of Ecclesiarch. On the Feast of the Annunciation, Saint Cosmas was astonished to see the Most Holy Theotokos serving the monks of Vatopaidi Monastery, both during the Church Services and in the trapeza.

Because of his virtues, the Superior had the Saint ordained as a deacon, and then as a priest, which inspired him to even greater efforts. Zealous for his salvation, Saint Cosmas prayed to the Mother of God, and was granted a sign of her special favor. He heard her voice emanating from her icon, asking her Son, "How shall Cosmas be saved?" The Lord replied, "He must leave the monastery and live in solitude."

After obtaining the Superior's blessing, Saint Cosmas withdrew into the wilderness, where he lived in a cave. There he confessed those who came to him, and was found worthy of the gift of clairvoyance, working miracles, seeing divine visions, and even predicting the time of his death.

Not long before that day, Christ appeared to Saint Cosmas, informing him that before his departure to the Kingdom of Heaven, Satan and his demonic hosts would attack him and beat him. As he had done at the start of the venerable one's ascetic life, the Enemy of mankind tried once again to turn Saint Cosmas away from his intended path; thus the final days before his death were a grievous trial for him. Prepared to face these trials by the words of the Savior, the Saint endured the fearful demonic assaults. After three days of being severely beaten by the demons, he received the Immaculate Mysteries of Christ. With words of praise on his lips, he departed peacefully to the Lord.

God, Who glorifies those who glorify Him, also glorified Saint Cosmas at the time of his death on September 22, 1323. As he was buried, a multitude of beasts and birds flocked to his cave, as if they sensed the sorrow of the entire Holy Mountain. When the Saint's body was placed in the grave and they began to cover it with dirt, each of the mute creatures uttered a mournful cry, and then returned to the wilderness. In this manner, they paid their final respects to Saint Cosmas.

Forty days later, when the brethren opened the saint’s tomb after the All-night Vigil in order to move his relics to the monastery with honor, they were not to be found. The Lord had hidden them in a miraculous way.

Saint Cosmas is also commemorated on the second Sunday after Pentecost, the Synaxis of All Saints of Mount Athos.