Venerable Paisios of the Holy Mountain

Venerable Father Paisios (Paϊsios) of the Holy Mountain was born to devout parents, Pródromos (Prodromos) and Eulampίa Enzepίde (Enzepίdē), at Pharasa (Phárasa) in Cappadocia on July 25, 1924. Shortly before the family left for Greece because of the exchange of populations,¹ he was baptized by Saint Arsenios of Cappadocia (November 10). His godfather wanted to name the child Christos, after his grandfather, but Archimandrite Arsenios, the parish priest, refused saying, "Not so! He shall be called Arsenios. You shall have many other children, but I am a monk; I will have no children. I want him to be a reminder of me."

Archimandrite Arsenios, a man who lived a most holy life, also foretold that he was leaving a monk in his place. He gave the child a special blessing, and so, like Elijah and Elisha,² grace passed from the Spiritual Father to his child. He also predicted that he himself would not live more than forty days after he arrived in Greece. Forty days after their arrival in Greece, Saint Arsenios went to the Lord and was buried on the island of Kephalonia (Kephaloniá).

In Greece, the family of little Arsenios settled in Konitsa in Epeiros, where he spent his childhood and youth. Nurtured with stories about the wondrous life of Saint Arsenios, the boy, at the age of five, declared that he would become a monk. When he learned to read, he was loved by those who had not been taught. He went into the forest to study and pray in silence. Delighting in the Lives of the Saints, he tried to imitate their ascetical contests with fervent zeal and astonishing exactness. At the same time, he cultivated the virtues of humility and love.

After completing his studies, Arsenios did not wish to continue with his education, preferring to imitate Christ, and so he learned the trade of a carpenter, which he practiced with diligence and skill.

At the age of fifteen, he was deemed worthy of seeing the Lord, because of one philotimo³ thought, by which he repelled a demonic assault and a temptation toward impiety. From that time, the fire of God's love increased in him even more, as well as a longing for the monastic life.

Times of turmoil and upheaval followed for Greece, because of foreign occupation and civil war (1945-1949). However, he was both a citizen and a soldier during his service, displaying unparalleled courage and self-sacrifice. Sometimes he volunteered to take the place of married men with families, who were about to be sent to the Front. He was willing to give every moment, and even his life, to save others. In fact, he was often in the line of fire. Not only did he protect many soldiers by his fervent prayers, but he also guarded himself in a miraculous way.

For most of his military service Arsenios served as a radio operator. He said that they all felt secure only when they communicated with their Division every hour. "When our communication was limited to every two hours," he revealed later, "we felt a bit insecure. Sometimes, when we could be in touch with them just twice a day, we felt uncomfortable, lonely, and lost. The same thing applies to our prayers. The more we pray, the more we feel secure, on a spiritual basis, of course."

After all these things, he wanted to embrace the angelic life of monasticism, which gives wings of divine love.⁴ Thus, he went to the Holy Mountain seeking a guide to a life of godly silence. However, he did not manage to fulfill his desire right away. At the same time, people found themselves in great economic difficulty when they called on him for help. Thus, he returned to Konitsa and worked as a carpenter. In 1953, at the age of 29, he forsook the world and went to the Holy Mountain.

After visiting various Sketes (Skḗtēs) and Kalyves,⁵ the Saint finally followed the advice of a venerable Elder and joined the brotherhood of the Holy Monastery of Ἐsphigmenou, known at the time for its strictness. There he lived in the midst of everyone and engaged in severe asceticism, surpassing the others in his labors for the grace of Christ and his brethren. Then, on March 27, 1954, he was tonsured and received the name Averkios. But desiring a stricter life of asceticism, he received the Igoumen's blessing and went to live in the Holy Monastery of Philotheou, which was then idiorhythmic. Under the guidance of a hermit, they lived a very strict ascetical life. When his Elder reposed, he left and went to another hermit. This Elder would greet people he had never met by name, and that is what he did with Father Averkios. However, he did not permit Father to live with him. Instead, he told him to take care of another old and sick hermit, and then come back to him for Confession. In this way, Father Averkios prepared himself for the eremitic life, under the guidance of a wise monk, Elder Simeon.

On March 12, 1956 he was tonsured into the Small Schema and received the name Paisios (which means "child"), thanks to Metropolitan Paisios II of Caesarea, who was also his compatriot.

In August 1958, heeding divine counsel, he did not move to the desert, for which he was being prepared, but into the ruined Monastery of the Mother of God of Stomio, which is located near Konitsa. There he lived for four years, living an angelic life, struggling with temptation, working for the people of the region, saving many from the false teachings of Protestant sects who were active in their midst, and restored the Monastery with a great deal of labor.

In 1962, when the work of restoration and the danger from heterodox groups was ended, he left. The Saint pleaded fervently with God to remove the temptations which besieged him every day, and to show him the path he must follow. So, he accepted the invitation of a certain Hierodeacon to accompany him to the God-trodden Mount Sinai. In this waterless place, in the kelli⁶ of Saints Galaktion and Episteme (Epistḗmē) (November 5) near Saint Katherine's Monastery, living in solitude and in asceticism. One day, as he searched for matches to light his lamp in order to read, a light shone in his cell showing where the matches were. Father Paisios did not trust this, so he made the Sign of the Cross, and the light disappeared. At last he lived as he had wanted to live for years, alone and near God.

He was beloved by the Bedouins, giving them food and money which he earned by selling to the pilgrims wooden crosses that he made himself. The Arab children in the area often visited Father Paisios. He wished that he had something to give them, but when he brought his handiwork to the Monastery he asked for some cookies and was told that he had to bring more handiwork to obtain cookies. Father Paisios shortened his Prayer Rule and spent more time for his handiwork so that he might have cookies for the children. By this act of love, he discerned that he received even more grace from God.

Returning to Mount Athos in 1964, he did not cease his ascetical contests despite his bodily ailments, but maintained his former fervor in his soul. So, living as a stranger and a sojourner on the earth (Genesis 23:4, LXX), he became a citizen of the Heavens. He attained the heights and became a partaker of divine mysteries, with the blessing of the Mother of God. In addition, he conversed with the Saints who appeared before him, and he had a vision of his Guardian Angel. He also heard angelic hymns, and he shone with heavenly light.

In 1966 he became seriously ill and was admitted to the Center for Thoracic Diseases of Northern Greece (Papanikolaou Hospital). He had a major operation, which resulted in the partial removal of his lungs. Some young women who wished to become nuns donated their blood for his operation. When he recovered he helped them to establish their Convent at Sourote (Sourotḗ), and was able return to the Holy Mountain. He recuperated at the Holy Monastery of Saint John the Evangelist in Sourote in Thessaloniki, and returned to the Holy Mountain after his recovery.

In 1967, he moved to Katounákia, specifically to the Lavriote kelli of Hypatios (Vlachika), where he had a vision of the Uncreated Light. He also saw various Saints, the Mother of God, and even Christ Himself. On one occasion, he was visited by Saint Euphemίa, with whom he discussed certain Church matters.

On August 12, 1968, Saint Paisios came to the Holy Monastery of Stavronikita and lived alone in the kelli of the Holy Cross. There he was tonsured into the Great Schema by the Russian Elder Tikhon, who had the gift of tears. After the latter's repose, Father Paisios would visit the Elder's grave to ask him questions, and Father Tikhon would reply from the grave.

Saint Paisios became ill shortly afterward, and had to leave the Holy Mountain. Then he lived for a time in a monastery in northern Greece. As a consolation, he took with him the relics of Saint Arsenios, who had baptized him. Father Paisios did return to Mount Athos and settled in a cell.

In 1979 he left Holy Cross and, looking for a kelli, went to the Panagouda kelli of Koutloumousίou Monastery, near Karyes. He worked hard to create a kelli with a "Confessor", where he stayed until the end of his life. From the time he settled in Panagouda, a large number of people visited him. In fact, it got so crowded that there were special markers showing the way to his cell, so that the monks would not be disturbed by so many visitors. He also received too many letters. As the Saint said, he became very upset by reading the letters, because he learned only about divorces and mental or physical illnesses. Despite his busy schedule, he continued his intense ascetical life, pausing to rest only two or three hours a day. But he continued to receive and help visitors. He also used to make small printed icons which he gave to them as a blessing.

To the daily fatigue of Saint Paisios, some health problems were added, which tormented him. In the final years of his life, the pains of various diseases such as colitis, which left him permanently dyspeptic, an inguinal hernia, and especially from the cancer with which he had been diagnosed. There was more and more of this, nevertheless, he was calm and did not complain at all. On the contrary, he continued to pray for everyone.

In the early 1980s he moved near Karyes, to a kelli at Koutloumousίou.

After 1993 he began to hemorrhage, for which he was hospitalized, saying that "everything will be done, it is convenient for me." In November of the same year, he left the Holy Mountain for the last time, and went to Sourote, to the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian for its Feast Day; and later for the Feast of Saint Arsenios (November 10). He stayed for a few days, but when he was preparing to leave, he fell ill and was taken to Theageneio, where he was diagnosed with a tumor in the large intestine.

He asked God to grant him bodily and spiritual health. On February 4, 1994, he underwent surgery. The disease was not halted, but it metastasized to the lungs and to the liver. The Saint announced his desire to return to the Holy Mountain on June 13, but a high fever and shortness of breath forced him to remain. At the end of June, his doctors announced that he had only two or three weeks to live at most. On Monday, July 11, 1994 (the Feast of Saint Euphemia), Father Paisios received Holy Communion for the last time, kneeling by his bed. In the last days of his life he decided not to take medicines or painkillers, despite the horrible pains of his sickness. He reposed on Tuesday, July 12, 1994 at 11:00 and was buried in the Holy Hesychasterion of Saint John the Theologian in Sourotei, Thessaloniki, next to Saint Arsenios of Cappadocia, whose Life was written by Saint Paisios.

On January 13, 2015, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople met and decided to include Saint Paisios of the Holy Mountain in the Hagiologion of the Orthodox Church. May his blessing be upon us.

¹ Under the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne, Greeks living in Asia Minor were forced to move to Greece, and Turks living in Greece had to return to Turkey.
² 4 Kings 2:15 (Septuagint).
³ According to Saint Paisios, philotimo is a reverent distribution of goodness, the love shown by humble persons, from which every trace of self (ego) has been rooted out. Their hearts are filled with gratitude toward God and to their fellow man; and out of spiritual sensitivity, they try to repay the slightest good which others do to them.
⁴ "Life is blessed for those in the wilderness, as they fly upon the wings of divine love" (Sunday Matins: Hymn of Degrees, Tone 5, First Antiphon).
⁵ Skete: Typically a settlement of hermits near a common church, known as the kyriakon. Kalyva: cells gathered around a church.
⁶ A monk's cell, or a monastic establishment consisting of a building with a chapel in it, and some land. Usually, a kelli was inhabited by three monks.