Author Archives: little city hermit

Saint Paisios in Sarakina

Part One:

It all started most unusual. As I was walking in the street, at about 16:00, under the sizzling sun, on my way back to St Porfyrios after an obedience , I saw an old priest, nearly 80 years old waiting, all alone, at the bus stop. I stopped to get his blessing and inquire if he needed any help because this was not the right time for anyone to be all alone in the streets, under the scorching sun, esp. if you are 80+. But this priest was not your ‘ordinary’ elderly priest!

It turned out that Father Methodios was the parish priest at Thessaloniki St Gregory Palamas cathedral, and he was very excited about something and most eager to share his news with me! His tama to St Paisios —to build him a church—would be brought to fruition in just a few days, this Saturday evening before Pentecost, near Sarakina, a small, nearby town, 45’ drive from Thessaloniki. The main church will be consecrated to St Paisios, and the two chapels to St Gregory Palamas and St Porfyrios! Further on, he explained to me how he had offered the donation of 7.5 acres and how the monastery of the Assumption in Panorama had undertaken all the work. In the end, Father Methodios invited me to the the laying of the Foundation Stone for the construction of the Holy Church of Saint Paisios, gave me his private mobile number, supplied all necessary names and references, monastery ones included, offered ample navigation guidance for the trip to the ‘unknown’ he was inviting me, and kept repeating that I should come, that St Paisios had arranged our meeting at the bus stop!

He also described to me most vividly an overnight stay by St Paisios at his house! One evening, late in the night, his doorbell rang and the priest’s sister went to open the door. She returned pale and was utterly dumbfounded! When Father Methodios asked her who was at the door, all she could whisper was “A Saint!”. So Father Methodios went to the door and to his surprise saw St Paisios! ‘Father, how come you are here?’ And St Paisios smiled and told him: ‘Haven’t we been discussing about this visit and overnight stay all this time? Well, now is the time!’ And so he spent the night at his house.

What an amazing experience, a most exciting opportunity! How can one refuse such an opportunity? To tell you the truth, I was a little concerned that I have to drive on your own in these thickets, but how could I refuse? And deep in my heart, I felt that St Paisios would be with me. —And St Porphyrios.

I felt joy even at the prospect! It was such a joy to meet such an old, blessed priest, full of joy, radiating the Holy Spirit under the heat! I felt such joy that such priests still exist 🙏 Glory to God! If only you saw his eyes! These days I had been studying in detail the making of St Porfyrios monastery in Milesi, all the Saint’s work, toil, prayers, the volunteers, all the people who helped in every possible way. And while contemplating all this, I met this priest! Amazing!

So, if St Paisios and St Porfyrios would be travelling with me then it felt safe! Anyway, out of precaution, I also started making inquiries to the Monastery about the precise location —no gps it turned out, I am afraid,only vague road signs, cranes,oh dear…— trying also to find somebody else willing to join in the escapade. It turned out that nearly everybody was planning to be away this long weekend of the Monday of the Holy Spirit (nearly national holiday). Nearly.

Eventually, the Saints and my spiritual father’s prayers have provided me a travel companion for Saturday’s holy expedition. A fellow chanter had another obedience nearby so arrangement were sorted out really fast. And another chanter too, a blessed three tied cord, God will not despise? “And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threestrand cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12. Glory to God for all things.

Of course it was still a mystery where and what precisely this church was. But Mysteries are revealed not understood!🙂 My spiritual Father assured me that Our Lord said I am the Way the Truth and the Life. Without the way there is no going, without the truth there is no knowing, without the life there is no living. He was assured that the Way would find a way for me. He keeps encouraging me these days to be open to the Holy Spirit and be led by Him.

The ancient saints travelled many miles to many places. I wish I could do some of this traveling together with him. But maybe at hisspiritual stage, it is only conducted in Spirit? The thoughts are spiritual for a spiritual father who travels with his spiritual children, whether in this life or the next.

Part Two:

Well, it was not a wilderness we ended up, after climbing up and down Hortiatis mountain and traversing small villages. We arrived at a pretty ‘civilised’ place, a spiritual centre and a small church in a 7.5 acres land, dedicated to The Mother of God of the Life-giving Spring or Life-giving Font (Greek: Ζωοδόχος Πηγή, translit. Zōodóchos Pēgḗ, part of Father Methodios’ family inheritance. Here, Father Methodios would gather his spiritual children for years for spiritual retreats. Here, he also retreated in hesychia to pray. At its centre, this new church to St Paisios will be erected, a metochion to Panorama Monastery of the Dormition of Our Lady.

This is the original chapel of The Mother of God of the Life-giving Spring and the spiritual centre.

Father Methodios’ mother grave, behind the Theotokos chapel

Why a Cross on the Foundation stone?

“As is well known, the Passion of the Lord culminates in His Crucifixion. On the Cross, the God-man Jesus Christ, being “The King of Glory”, gave the hardest and most terrible battle in human History, defeating the Devil and Sin. With His Holy Blood that was shed on the Cross, He strengthened and secured His Church. That is why we placed the plaque with the engraved Holy Cross on the foundations of the Church, because the Cross is, first of all, the foundation of our faith. And every Orthodox church has not only in its foundations, but also internally, externally and on its roof (in the dome) the sign of the Cross to bear witness to the victory of Christ to all those who may be inside or outside the Church.

 Secondly, the Cross is the symbol of Sacrifice. Christ on His Cross gave the unique and unparalleled example of the supreme sacrifice for the human race, in order to teach us that, His earthly Church and Her members must always follow the path of sacrifice for the salvation of the world. This is the role of the Church and her children.

Thirdly, the meaning of the Cross is joy. “Behold, through the Cross joy has come to the world”, we recite every Sunday morning, but also every day for forty days after Easter. As the Apostle Paul writes, “if we die on the cross with Christ” (Gal. 2:20); if we live our personal crucifixion, daily crucifying “our sinful self with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24), then surely true joy will come to us, which, according to the promise of Christ, “no one will be able to take away from us.” (Jn 16:22)

Fourthly, the Cross is hope. Through the Cross, the secured and unwavering hope is born. If we rely on the Cross of Christ, we will never bend under the weight of trials and tribulations in our lives. (Source)

We arrived early and the place was rather empty, other than Father Methodios and some workers. All around us, Nature was enchanting.

Can you spot the squirrel?🐿️

Lots of water and a miracle with water when the original church of the Theotokos was founded.

Everybody is drinking from this abundant, fruit of prayer, holy water, gushing out!

“On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” (John 7:37-39)

Gradually, more people started arriving, and the place was crowded, Bishops arrived and the ceremony started.

Bishop Philotheos from Thessaloniki laid the Foundation stone, blessed us all sprinkling holy water to us and the new church’s four corners. We all chanted together the Apolytikion of St Paisios, St Gregory Palamas and St Porfyrios, the two chapels. This is the first church to be dedicated to Saint Paisios and St Porfyrios! The bishop used St Paisios’ holy cross with a piece of the True Cross of Christ, a gift to Father Methodios 52 years ago! Saint Paisios also prayed and blessed his calling to become a hieromonk. Amidst lots of chanting and prayer, Father Methodios thanked us all in tears and told us that he had been praying about this for the last 40 years of his life!

“Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation: which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and to be the glory of Thy people Israel (Lk 1.29–32)

Then, a traditional Greek bouffet followed, lots of brothers and sisters all over the region and Thessaloniki to greet.

Night arrived amidst joyful fellowship, we helped clean up and tidy the place, and left, full of joy, nearly midnight! What an experience! May God soon bless us to perform the Consecration of our Holy Church, so that the glorious and majestic name of God always be glorified in it.

A Miracle by St. Etheldreda

In thee the Image of God was preserved, O noble Audrey, for thou didst take up thy cross and follow Christ. Royal virgin, thou didst teach the multitude by thine example that the flesh is to be scorned as fleeting, while the soul needeth great care as immortal. Wherefore, O holy Audrey, thou dost now make glad with the angels.

VENERABLE ETHELDREDA, ABBESS OF ELY

Commemorated: June 23

Holy Queen St. Etheldreda, Abbess of Ely (AD. 636-679), (Aethelthryth, Audrey) is the most venerated English female saint. A Saint renowned for her perpetual virginity-despite her two marriages!- and glorified by incorruption.

Back on 18th July 2018, the Saint decided to make a powerful entrance into our lives, revealed herself as the patron Saint for our fellowship, and Father J. organically became the fellowship’s spiritual Father.

A powerful entrance indeed! I remember most vividly how we folded various female saints’ names as potential patrons in lots, put them in Father’s skoufia to draw, and when her name was picked and Father started blessing us with holy water, these ‘water’ drops burned, literally so, the surface of the table where the water bowl was placed on! Perplexed we turned to Father to explain to us what was happening, but he bowed and left in silence. God is glorified in His Saints!

What we found most moving in St Etheldreda’s podvig was the central role her spiritual father, St. Wilfrid of York, “the Apostle of Sussex”, played throughout her brief, yet tumultuous and full of suffering, sanctified life. This most powerful Patron Saint, always ready to help everybody in distress, especially married women in trouble with their husbands, humbly obeyed her spiritual father in every step she made and decision she took in her life. A holy rebel and a scandal she was, yet always under an Omoforion and an Epitrahelion!

To begin with, it was her spiritual father, who blessed her vow of chastity at a very young age and guided her during all her patient waiting for 15 or more years, until she would become a nun. (And until she had been twice married!) 

St. Wilfrid was such a close adviser to her that Egfrith, hew lawful, second husband —her first husband had already reposed after three years of “marriage” —entreated him to use his influence to induce his wife to become, in fact, what, as yet, she had been only in name. He even promised Wilfrid great things for himself and for his churches, should he be able to persuade the Queen that her duty to God was her duty to her husband. But Wilfrid feigned to enter into the King’s view of the matter, whereas, in fact, he steadfastly encouraged the Queen to persist in her celibate life and even advised her to ask permission to leave the court and become a nun. (Egfrith never forgave him.) 

During one of her escapes, it was St. Wilfrid who tonsured her a nun, and later on, when St Etheldreda eventually retreated to Ely and founded a double monastery there with communities for monks and nuns, who lived separately but prayed together in the common church, and became the first Abbess, her spiritual father continued to support her. It was St. Wilfrid who made her abbess and gave the veil to her first nuns. He obtained special privileges for her, from the Pope, and often visited her and helped her with advice and suggestions useful in the management of her large establishment. 

We found most moving this strong connection of the Saint with her spiritual Father. Nothing seemed to be able to separate her from him. Through her example, we understood more clearly how essential for all of us and vital in our sanctification is our obedience to a spiritual Father, especially through the sacrament of Confession, in the Church. Especially in times of suffering and temptation, when only the Church, the Saints and your spiritual father can truly support you and be your Rock, your icon of Christ the Rock.

This holy relationship between the faithful and their spiritual Fathers is a pattern we observe in many Celtic women Saints. For example, St Dymphna and her spiritual Father, St Gerebernus, fled together defying the Father King’s immoral demand to marry his daughter, crossed the Channel, and eventually faced martyrdom together. St Winifred and St Beuno is another like Celtic holy pair, where Winifred, from an early age, was instructed in the spiritual life by St. Beuno and lived under his care a chaste life, dedicated to God, until she met her martyrdom. Beuno took Winifred’ head and replaced it to her body, then prayed to God that she be restored whole. By St. Beuno’s prayers, Winifred came back to life. This miracle was just one of many in their holy relationship and life together until their glorification.

St Etheldreda, a queen and most powerful lady, is setting a clear example to us how important it is to endure the martyrdom of the dying of our will in our obedience to our spiritual father, in order to overcome our fallen nature, our old self, our tendency to become autonomous, form our own opinions, and become thus self-centred rather than God-centred. In all our life’s decisions, momentous or ‘small’. St Etheldred, the Saint and queen, may have abandoned two husbands but understood all too well that following our conscience and not acting in obedience, even in our most ‘pious’ endeavours, is a very tricky path and most of the times, if not all, the beginning of prelest.

By C.

Last Words from Father James Bernstein

In Memoriam: Archpriest James Bernstein

https://youtu.be/YIfavpjvuSs?si=7F8M4x9_u0u1VWKm

Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed!

With faith in Christ and hope in the resurrection, we share news of the repose of Archpriest James Bernstein, an alumnus of St Vladimir’s Seminary. Fr James fell asleep in the Lord in the morning hours of June 17, 2024, surrounded by his family.

The Very Rev. A. James Bernstein was born in Lansing, MI on May 6, 1946, and was raised in a conservative Jewish family in Queens, NY. A teenage chess champion, Fr James had a dramatic conversion experience at the age of sixteen after reading the New Testament. His spiritual journey included a number of twists and turns: he was chapter president of Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship at Queens College, helped found the Jews for Jesus ministry in San Francisco, was a staff member of the Christian World Liberation Front in Berkeley, served as a pastor of an Evangelical Orthodox Church near Silicon Valley, and in the 1980s was received into the Eastern Orthodox Church. Fr James went on to attend St Vladimir’s Seminary and graduated with a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree in 1989. He was ordained to the holy priesthood the year prior.

Fr James’ priestly ministry took him to the state of Washington, where he was assigned pastor of St Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church in Brier. He served there for more than twenty-five years before retiring in 2017. During his parish ministry he also authored numerous works through Ancient Faith Publishing and was a contributor to the Orthodox Study Bible: New Testament and Psalms (Thomas Nelson, 1993). Probably his most famous book is SURPRISED BY CHRIST: My Journey from Judaism to Orthodox Christianity. 2008. (Is in 4th printing). And what a book it is! Mesmerising! I especially enjoy the Audiobook version where one can listen Father himself reading his book.

Fr James with some of his children and grandchildren

Fr James is survived by his wife, Kh. Martha (Bonnie); children Kh. Heather (Fr David) Sommer, Holly Bernstein, Peter Bernstein, and Mary (James) Curry; grandchildren John (Audrey), Nicholas, Ephramia, Elizabeth, and Irene Sommer; Violet Bernstein; and Noah, Levi, Lina, and Sarah Curry.

Funeral information may be found on the Antiochian Archdiocese website, here.

May the memory of Archpriest James be eternal!

A section of this article was adapted from Ancient Faith Ministries’ website.

Source: St.Vladimir’s

Be still

Archimandrite Ioannikios Kotsonis, Saint Porfyrios’ spiritual child

“Be still and know that I am the Lord God.” Psalm 46:10

The excerpts below describe what happened to me when I met archimandrite Ioannikios Kotsonis, the spiritual father, the theologian and poet, at the Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration of our Saviour at Sohos last week. I was absorbed in the presence of the Holy Spirit and “reduced” to silence. “Be still and know that I am the Lord God.” Everybody else was asking him all kinds of questions, and only me remained silent by his side, so that in the end, puzzled he turned to me and asked me why I was not asking him any questions. “It is enough for me to see you, Father”, I replied. I was so absorbed in his presence! Such a tangible presence of holiness!

*

Fountains in the Desert (27)

Three Fathers used to go and visit blessed Anthony every year and two of them used to discuss their thoughts and the salvation of their souls with him, but the third always remained silent and did not ask him anything. After a long time, Abba Anthony said to him, “You often come here to see me, but you never ask me anything,” and the other replied, “It is enough for me to see you, Father.”

*

“In the summer of 2004, on a tour of Romanian Monasteries with a group of pilgrims from Ploiesti including my spiritual brother in Christ Fr. Bogdan Costin Georgescu, I had the privilege and blessing of meeting Father Ioanichie Balan in Sihastria Monastery. Father Ioanichie took us to the cell of his spiritual Father, Elder Cleopa and gave us a full tour of the monastery. As we made our way around the grounds he made the observation: “The English priest (referring to me) is very quiet!” After a translation, I replied “Forgive me Father but I have nothing to say!”

It was not that I was disinterested or reserved, quite the contrary I was fully engaged in the moment, and it had nothing to do with the language barrier. I was aware of being in the presence of a holy man and in a holy place. At such moments and places it is better to say nothing because the veil between heaven and earth is thin and we should cherish a glimpse of the uncreated light. We learn by listening and looking, but more than this, contentment of soul is to be found in sensitive stillness. For those in love, words are not necessary when one is absorbed in the presence of the other. Likewise when we live in harmony with God in the tangible presence of holiness, silence is to be preferred.”

Fr. Jonathan Hemmings

*

Elder Ioannikios was taught by Saint Porfyrios two things for spiritual grace: “the cheerful obedience to my Elders” and “unceasing noetic prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”

“Elder Porphyrios also stressed that, he had been greatly helped by study and diligence, that stillness – according to the expression, “Be still and know that I am the Lord God.”– generally found in the hymnography of our Church. He very much loved the hymns of our Church. He also liked to read, recite and sing them.

The hymns, the spiritual treasure of Orthodoxy, give a commentary, in the best possible way, of the Holy Scriptures, our Orthodox Tradition, the Patristic texts, the doctrines of the Church and the whole of Theology.”

Visit Here for more prophesies, testimonies and experiences with Saint Porfyrios —Elder Ioannikios

From Puppeteer to Actor of Christ 

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is josef.jpg


Yesterday, Saturday, June 1st, some friends from St. George Metochion took me to a pilgrimage to various hermitages outside Thessaloniki, near Ossa, where valiant Mothers lead ascetic lives, all alone, together with God, in the mountain wilderness. Surrounded by all these hermitages is the Transfiguration of Our Saviour Orthodox Monastery, in Sochos, a male monastery I have always wanted to visit for the last 12 months, since Josef Van den Berg has reposed there at 74, after an amazing meta-noia, conversion to God. (+ Oct. 16, 2023)

On Friday, October 13th 2023, the famous Dutch actor and puppeteer, Jozef Van den Berg, turned Orthodox Christ hermit reposed in the Lord at the age of 74 at Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Sochos, where he went to live the last few months of his life on earth, due to his failing health. His funeral was held on Tue 17th at the same Monastery and he was buried there. It was a blessing to light a candle and pray at his grave.

Jozef, who was born in Beers of the Netherlands on the 22nd of August 1949, was a very well known actor in the 1970’s and 1980’s in the Netherlands. He was initially an atheist and married with four children. Later, he began a successful career as a wandering puppeteer for children. Then he made his own performances in the theater, for children and adults. Van den Berg travelled the world, from Australia to Canada. In the 1980’s, Jozef Van den Berg played in his last play “Enough Wait” for his brother who was seriously ill and was in a wheelchair. On September 14, 1989, he would bring that performance to the De Sing but then something very special happened.

Let me begin a little earlier. On September 12th, 1989 was the Belgian première of Genoeg Gewacht at Antwerp [Belgium is a predominantly Dutch-speaking country]. That afternoon, Van den Berg had an encounter with God, as he described it later on. Sitting in his dressing room, he wrote a letter he wanted to use that night for the first time in his play. God asked him this question by his own pen: “Why don’t you ever see that I cannot come because I’m already here?” On September 12, 1989 he still played the premiere, which later turned out to be his very last show. Van den Berg was – according to his own words – being called by God, and had to answer that.

Before the evening show on September 14th, 1989 at De Singel Arts Center in Antwerp, he took his Bible and asked God what to do. He opened the Bible at the following words: “Go away from their midst and separate yourself” (II Cor. 6:17).

Before the beginning of the play he said to his audience:

“I will try to explain it to you. I hope that you have one thing for me and that is respect for my decision. I will never play again. I have approached a reality which cannot be played anymore. I have searched for a tremendously long time; have been everywhere. Eventually I came to the conclusion, and this conclusion, I have to admit, is that the seeker seeks but he is found. That’s why tonight is the last time I’m on stage. You don’t believe me, but that’s the deceitful side of theater.  Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, for this man, for Christ only, have I searched for this peace I wanted. And I know that it is so, and I quit this profession. For me, it’s over. I seek reality. I can’t say things that are not true for me anymore. I wish you a good day. I go. May you all go well. The money you paid can be given back at the box office.”

The audience was stunned. Was this real or was it theater? A deadly silence followed, and the theater audience reacted emotionally. Thus, on September 1989 at 7:55 pm, the theater career of Joseph Van den Berg came to an end.

That night was the beginning of an extraordinary conversion and odyssey. His quest led him to Maldon (Essex), Athens and the Holy Mountain of Athos, to further find out how he had to continue his road with God. His children and wife had difficulties understanding his conversion, and he was left all alone. Alone with God! Jozef gave up everything, job, fortune, family, everything, started living like a beggar, and eventually converted to Orthodox Christianity a year later, after paying visits to Elder Sophrony in Essex, Elder Porphyrios in Athens and Elder Paisos in Mount Athos.

An important event preceeded his conversion: a woman he knew from the Gurdjieff movement died in a serious traffic accident, and she had pointed out that she wanted to be buried in the Orthodox way. This happened on August 17th at Eindhoven. There, he heard the Trisagion for the first time in Dutch. That’s where he began to see that Gurdjieff wasn’t right.

At the end of September 1989 he went to the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint John the Baptist at Maldon, Essex, England, where he talked with Elder Archimandrite Sophrony, and he confirmed the experience God had given him and urged him to repentance. Elder Sophrony told him that he cannot sustain God’s Love if he does not endure the furnace of repentance. At the beginning of January 1990 he had a very important meeting in Athens with the Greek Elder Porphyrios. This last one too confirmed the experience God had given him in Antwerp, and he told him that he has to now to become an Actor of Christ. Saint Porfyrios urged him not to betray Christ and turn down His calling. He was then sent by Father Porphyrios to the Holy Mountain of Athos, where he had a meeting with Father Paisios, who too blessed him.

Back to Netherlands, with the blessing of three saints, things evolved in a different way than expected, everything started going seriously wrong as all three Saints had “warned” him, and he got in more and more trouble on all fronts. He couldn’t sleep anymore and  became over-tired. In the middle of this crisis, on June 18, 1990, he asked a priest in order to be accepted into the Orthodox Church. Months passed by in “dead-ends” and “walls” were raised all around him.

During the night of the 1st to the 2nd of June, he realized that he was left alone, and on June 2nd, 1991 he attended the Divine Liturgy at the [small Orthodox] Monastery of the Holy Prophet Elias at St. Hubert. That’s where he left what was left of his money on the collection plate. “Lord, from now on, You have to take care of me. I totally surrender.” There, Archimandrite Pachom read from the Gospel of that Sunday of All Saints: “He that loves father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more then me, is not worthy of me. And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me. He that finds his life, shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake, shall find it” (Matthew 10:37-39). Two hours later, after the Liturgy, he went straight to the Orthodox Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos near Asten, where he stayed for 19 days, and where he left his Mercedes Combi, because it didn’t want to start again. For him. It started for his brother a day later!

His only question was: “How does God want me to shape my calling?” Slowly, peace returned to him. From July 1991, Jozef Van den Berg started living as a hermit, first in the bicycle shed of the town hall in Neerijnen, later in a self-built chapel in the backyard of a fellow villager. There were four poles close to the quince tree, and Joseph understood from this that he had to build the “Pull-Up” under the quince tree. With this “messenger”, he built a small chapel of 2 by 1.5 meters, which still stands today. He prayed and received people every day. He lived on whatever people brought him. He had no connection to any utility whatsoever. Eventually, there was a toilet in the castle garden, which Joseph and his guests could use, and the last few years he hasd a mobile phone for emergencies.He obviously received a lot of a media due to his lifestyle since then…

In the end, he left Neerijnen in August 2023 and traveled to Sochos in Greece, where he reposed on the 13th 2023 at the age of 74 in the Greek Orthodox Transfiguration Monastery.

Read more here and here

More about this monastery and its founder and spiritual father, Archimandrite Ioannikios Kotsonis, the theologian and poet, the spiritual son of Saint Porfyrios in the next blogpost.

Under the Archangel’s Mighty Wings

This year, Holy Week was especially difficult due to an enforced isolation. A little city hermit delights in quietness and solitude, but not an enforced one, and not together with somebody else who is ‘difficult’, where one has to practice cutting your own will every minute. Nonetheless, His Will may be done, and so this painful week passed and that and most demanding obedience was concluded for the time being…

Thank God, the Bright Week which followed was “bright-er”. Its highlight was a pilgrimage by St. Arsenios Monastery, and especially our visit to the Monastery of Archangel Michael in Thassos on Bright Wednesday, the following day of its litany:

The Monastery of Archangel Michael is located on the way to Alyki, about 25 km, south of Limenas. It is built on the edge of a cliff, thus it gives a spectacular view of the Aegean Sea.

The view…

The Archangel Monastery is the biggest and by far the most popular monastery of Thassos, to pilgrims and tourists alike.

 

The monastery is a share of the Holy Monastery of Philotheos (at the monastic state of Mount Athos). Its historical origin is set in the Byzantine times. In 1090 AD the hermit Luke built a small chapel at the place obeying the command of Archangel Michael, who hit with his hand and a holy spring gushed out there. The holy water, which has been a source of many miracles, flowed in the chapel until the occupation of Thassos by the Turks. Then some irreverent Turks tried to pollute the spring mocking our faith and the result was that the spring dried out. Later the holy water gushed out again and keeps flowing until today in a different position, in a cave under some rocks near the sea. It is called the “on the knees” holy water because you enter the spring on your knees. It is still the source of miracles to the pilgrims who pray and ask for the Archangel’s help. 

In the convent is also found a piece of the Holy Nail, put in the right hand of the crucified Christ and it is kept in an artistically crafted hexapterygo (ie. silver six-winged plate) for the pilgrims to worship and for the protection of the convent and the island. This was dedicated to the Monastery of Philotheos by the emperor Nikiforos III Botaneiates and it was miraculously moved to this chapel as the Archangel wished. As part of religious celebration, every year, on the first Tuesday after Easter, the Monastery conducts a procession that starts at a small village of Theologos. During the procession, they carry the Holy Nail back to the convent.

This Monastery share remained abandoned until 1974, when the blessed Ephraim, Abbot of the Monastery of Philotheos, brought the first sisterhood in this place, where the facilities were rudimentary. The nuns have worked very hard to reconstruct the place and bring the convent to its present amazing condition.

The grace of the Holy Nail and the Archangel, as well as the plethora of miracles attract many pilgrims from all over the world, praying for help and protection from the trials and tribulations of life.  

Inside the cave

The Agiasma – Holy Water​

Nuns are most cautious when eager pilgrims want to visit the cave of the holy water. They insist that you should know that: 

  • Because  the journey has many difficulties, you must have the  appropriate physical health and condition and  ability and undertake personal  responsibility for the effort.
  • Most of the route consists of climbing  the rocks. Essential  supplies for the route are sports shoes and water. 
  • The duration is determined by the capabilities of each pilgrim.  It lasts an average of 2-5 hours.

From all 40 of us, only Father Nikodemus and two pilgrims attempted the descent and made it to the cave. The descent and the ascent took them a total of 6 hours, and then they disappeared for about another 6 hours to restore themselves until the night prayers. Have a look at the video below of the descent with the two company of two goats to see how difficult this descent is.

For more information about the miraculous spring of the Archangel and the Discovery of the Honorable Nail of the Saviour, go here.

The Earthly and the Celestial Pilgrims— Part 2

https://youtu.be/2MShiJk761s?si=s2Ga3kxsHLlmJiCL

https://youtu.be/WtlQEOeeCxA?si=bFDMsAXcZ42nwo7y

Upon entering the bright light of the monastery of St Porphyrios, I encountered two presences in its stillness.

Peter, St Porphyrios’ parrot

Peter, St. Porphyrios’ parrot, still looking for him after 30+ years and reciting the Jesus prayer the Saint taught him.

Watch him in the video below recite the Jesus prayer in St Porphyrios’ voice!

https://youtu.be/ewtDpSFC7mk?feature=shared

https://youtu.be/ov2Td4coraE?si=zL-cO15sUsp_cEUb

Nearby, one also encounters Giorgos Arvanitis’ grave, the only lay person buried in Milesi, a humble presence everywhere in the monastery,even in the Saint’s Cell, next to the Theotokos icon the Saint was photographed with.

Inside St Porphyrios’ cell. Listen to the Saint blessing us: https://youtube.com/shorts/mMxJjsr29Qo?si=uEZwJuq-z_tqxThM

It was St Paisios who sent Georgios Arvanitis to St Porfyrios when Georgios asked his counsel on Mount Athos which spiritual father he recommended for him. St Paisios also humbly confessed to all pilgrims that “his TV was only black and white, whereas St Porphyrios’ was a colour one!” 🙂 So Georgios met St Porphyrios and “was captured by him” [his words].

Georgios Arvanitis, the humble angel ministering St Porphyrios for over 30 years

Giorgos Arvanitis was a successful judge who gave up his career at the height of its success; he gave up everything to become the “beloved disciple” of St. Porphyrios, his “right hand” for over 30 years. He lived for years in a tent in the wilderness, next to St Porphyrios, when there was no monastery in Milesi, just forests and fields. In the beginning, he would sleep in his tent after long vigils together with the Saint, put on his suit and head to courts, then in the afternoon, return to his tent, take off his suit, put on his tracksuit and become one of the Saint’s workers. I’m the end, he gave up everything and was by the Saint’s side all the time, living in obedience.

His last interview before his reposal in the Lord, next to his beloved Father

https://youtu.be/dMSHtHE8pdY?si=1dkCM8plOobksC9

I spent all week studying Giorgos Arvanitis’ diaries and ‘anonymous’ books, and so wished I were him! I cannot begin to imagine what a blessing it must be spending 30+ years by the Saint’s side! Below is an except:

“The relationship between Sts. Porphyrios and Paisios was one of love and spiritual communication. Once, St. Paisios came to the little cell that St. Porphyrios had at first, and after they said whatever they said, St. Paisios left.

Then I [Georgios Arvanitis, the judge] went there, full of curiosity, to St. Paisios and told him: “What did you talk about, Elder? What did you discuss?”

He told me with disarming simplicity: “Eh, the ‘Lord Jesus Christ… [i.e. the Jesus Prayer]”

I expected them to discuss the 666, the 12 bishops, or various ecclesiastical topics. {Georgios Arvanitis, judge in retirement, is laughing} But they prayed together. They found an opportunity to pray together, to “breathe together” in prayer.” (Transcript of the recording here)

After studying closely the writings and memoirs of Archimandtite Mark Manolis of blessed memory and his spiritual children, and those by Georgios Arvantitis, it becomes even more obvious to me how vitally important is to find a spiritual father to do obedience and be in close, if possible, daily interaction with him and his whole spiritual family. God is glorified in His Saints!

Part 1

Pilgrimage to St Porphyrios — Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Milesi — Part 1

The Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration of Christ (celebrated August 6th), though technically a dependency, was founded by St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia in Milesi, Attica, geographically between Oropos and Malakassa in the northern suburbs of Athens.

From one’s first step as a pilgrim in the area, one encounters the sanctity of the place and the total silence. One is struck by the astonishing Holy Church and the beautiful green surroundings.

A multitude of people hasten to the holy Hesychasterion which honors the memory of the Venerable Porphyrios on December 2nd, the day of his repose, in order to partake in the grace of this Saintly Elder.

The building of the monastery began in 1981, and the building occurred in stages, with the Katholikon being founded in 1990, with permission of Archbishop Seraphim of Athens. The walls of the church were completed in the spring of 1992, a few months after the repose of St. Porphyrios. (1)

St Porphyrios on his bed at the monastery near the end of his life

Upon arrival, we were blessed with the Supplication to the Saint, chanted by a small group of pilgrims, and personal memories with the Saint treasured and shared by their priest.

The Earthly and the Celestial Pilgrims— Part 1

The first fellow pilgrim to honour is certainly Archimandrite Mark Manolis of blessed memory. Father Mark is the spiritual father of both Father deacon N. and the local “guide/ “driver” M. who helped me throughout this pilgrimage to St Porphyrios. Many a times, all these hours together with both of them, I have wondered if such are Father Mark’s spiritual children, what a blessed spiritual father he must have been.

Upon arrival in Athens, at the airport, M. gave me a recent edition of her late spiritual father’s life, and ever since I started reading this book, on my flight back home, I was unable to put it down before reading it completely at one stretch!

The more I reflect and distil the blessings, the clearer it becomes to my mind how important it is to be under the obedience of and in close interaction with a true spiritual father. Also: how crucial is to discover and become a member in a spiritual family, cultivate the fellowship in a sisterhood/ brotherhood/ parish for our spiritual growth.

“For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.” Romans, 14:7

One of the many testimonies about the late Hieromonk Markos Manolis at St. George parish church, in Dionysos, Attica (at the foot of Penteli Mountain, near Athens) is the following:

“I met hieromonk at the age of 23. The heights of his ascetics and self-sacrifice were unparalleled. He never slept and was always there for his spiritual children. A great many of his spiritual children had seen him walking above the ground during the Holy Liturgy. When he first saw me, he called me by my first name. I had never known him before. How come he knew my name?

His great humility and abstention from sleep and unceasing prayers had opened his spiritual eyes and he was endowed with the gift of foresight. He was one of the most militant adversaries of ecumenism, spiritual leader of the “Orthodox Press” newspaper, but above all a true spiritual father and leader of many spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ in villages, towns, hospitals, jails around Athens and in Athens itself.

Hieromonk Markos Manolis possessed the power of foresight which had been validated on multiple occasions . Personally speaking, he had foretold my future encounter with my husband two years before his departure from this world.” (2)

Inscribed on the tombstone: ‘Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Revelation 14:13

To be continued…

(1) Full of Grace and Truth

(2) In the Footsteps of Jesus, Sophia Kioroglou

For Granted

Taking things for granted is a trap most of us fall into. It is easy to get used to things and to stop noticing. We stop noticing God’s little gifts, little gestures of love of those around us, our comforts and advantages. The last four weeks, since Father J. has been taken gravely ill, have been a time of deep sadness but also of reflection and hopefully of growth.


Familiarity is a dangerous element in our spiritual life. I have spent so much time with Father J. over the last 18 years, I have relied so much on his advice, prayers, lifts to church, on his love, tolerance and good will that I think I have come to take it all for granted. In any crisis, I assume that he will be there to guide me and especially pray for me. In this crisis, for the first time, I had to pray for him and couldn’t ask for his guidance. I felt lost, but I also felt more than ever the power of prayer, the strengthening bonds of fellowship and I experienced once again the manifold grace of brothers and sisters in Christ praying together. For years now, I have felt that father joyfully carried me and every single person in his church on his back like a cross. His care and prayers make up for our negligence and lack of zeal, for all our lack of love towards God, the church and others.

As a community, especially the cradle Orthodox, we always take for granted that we shall have a church where the Holy Liturgy will be served every Sunday (take it or leave it as it suits us), that there will be a Father to come bless our house, cars, food and visit us when we are ill, that there will be a Father to sign the papers of church attendance for our children to get a place at a desired school and give us a reference of good character, that this Father will pray for us whenever we ask him, that he will be there to hear our confession whenever
we feel burdened, that he will settle our little squabbles, that he will baptise our children and read us the prayers on our death bed and serve at our funeral. In the case of our parish, we take for granted even more than that, that our Father will make sure everyone has transport to get to church, that he will answer the phone to hear our little troubles at any hour of the day or night, that he will arrive first in church and leave last and generally make sure that everything is well with the church and in our life. The last weeks have forcefully reminded me that all these are not our due or by any means guaranteed to be there and that we are blessed to have had all these for so many years through God’s grace and Father J.’s love, faith and energy.

Umberto Eco said: “Absence is to love as wind is to fire: it extinguishes the little flame, it
fans the big.” I cannot exactly quantify my affection for Father J., but I have thought
of him more over the last month than ever before. In his absence, so many touching memories and images came flooding in bringing along both sadness and joy. One of my favourite mental snapshots is of Father looking up to see somebody come through the church door. Every time his eyes light up with joy when his gaze rests on you as you come in through the door and I noticed that Father’s joy is even greater when someone comes who has not been to the church in months or years. This joyful, loving gaze makes you feel so welcome and loved and somehow special. It makes you feel that you are coming home. And this image lead on to another memory of Father crying when he reads the Gospel of the Return of the prodigal son. I cannot remember him ever reading it without tears in his eyes. His love for all these many prodigal children that we are is so great that he stands by us in prayer before God no matter what we are or have done. I know for sure he has stood by me with gentleness and patience even when I disobeyed his spiritual guidance or I argued back or wanted to leave the church.

St John of the Ladder teaches that it is more fearful to anger your Spiritual Father than to
disobey and anger God himself. If we anger God, our spiritual father has the grace to pray for us, to intercede and obtain forgiveness for us, but if our spiritual father turns away from us, we have no defence or advocate before God. This is how I have felt about my Spiritual Father, about Father J. He has been my advocate before God, my safety rope for the rock climbing. This rope has kept me connected to the rock when I fell, it stopped me from walking away and giving up when the going got too hard.

Fr Seraphim of Mull Monastery tells the story of the advice he received from his spiritual
father just before he was ordained. He told him that the value of his priesthood will be measured in the madness of his love for every single human being who will stand before him irrespective of what they look like, who they are, where they come from, what they have done.

This is exactly how I see Father’s ministry. In his love of all people and in his joyful daily sacrifices for us, I see the reflection of God’s love for all his children. By knowing Father, I feel I have come a step closer to understanding God’s love for every single one of us.


The church or monastery is like a beehive. The spirit of the queen permeates the whole hive and sets the tone for all the bees. If the queen bee is aggressive the whole hive will be an aggressive one, just so when a community has a very loving father, like us, the whole community is loving and gentle. And if at times this isn’t the case, Father dissipates all tension by his prayers and mild spirit.


As Father is recovering from his illness and there is a general sigh of relief in the community and a sense of joy and expectation, I have made a vow not to take my spiritual father for granted ever again or any of God’s gifts to our community, but rejoice in each of them and see them for what they are – signs of God’s love: the beautiful church filled with the gifts from Old parishioners, the people who have prepared the prosphoro, brought the wine, oil and candles and cleaned the church, the people who have come to give and receive and most of all the presence of a father through whose hand a gentle and humble God reaches out to his people. None of my or anyone’s giving of time, money or energy can match the wonder of these gifts.

A. McC.

* Kalo Stadio! A blessed Great Lent!

Attachments of the Heart

A sister in Christ forwarded this article to me when the situation with our seriously ill spiritual father began exploding and imploding our lives, to help me free my heart from every attachment, even to my spiritual father! Indeed, “The Lord tears us away from what the heart becomes attached, even the spiritual. The heart must be attached only to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Only this is worthy and meet—all else is a mixture of the lofty and the human, the passions, and tender feelings—not divine, but human, emotional. Therefore, the Lord changes situations in life…” 31 years of prayers–only five years of happiness!

“Happy is the man who has a place on the earth that he loves more than anything, a place where his heart lies. A place, a land, that as the ancient tales say, gives him strength. And for me, this place on the earth is the Pskov Caves Monastery. It’s the most beautiful, most beloved place, and can never be replaced in my heart. Although I grew up in Moscow, and have been to many places in Russia, to many other countries, there is no more beautiful, warmer, closer place than the Pskov Caves Monastery.

I thank God with all my heart that thirty-one years after I had to leave for Moscow on obedience, He heard my prayers. Thirty-one years went by, and I returned here. How could I ever have imagined that I, first a pilgrim and then a novice in the cow barn, would return to the Pskov Caves Monastery, which was wholly then and still is for me a sacred place, from every stone to every person, and though sinful and unworthy, become its abbot. But this happiness did not last long (smiles)—only five years. The Lord tears us away from what the heart becomes attached, even the spiritual. The heart must be attached only to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Only this is worthy and meet—all else is a mixture of the lofty and the human, the passions, and tender feelings—not divine, but human, emotional. Therefore, the Lord changes situations in life—sometimes inside the monastery, and sometimes outside of it.“

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE ON EARTH… Metropolitan Tikhon’s farewell sermon to the brothers and parishioners of the Pskov-Caves Monastery