Category Archives: 20th century Saints

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.

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

Day 4. Washing your face

overlooking the sea from the Monastery of St Arsenios in the mountains

Monasteries are places of healing and light. The Monastery of St Arsenios is one such place.

N.b.This is as close as I came to Agion Oros in the distance!

Another little miracle enabled us to meet Theologos and Vaiga with children again . We were joined by a priest from Germany Fr Victor with his Presbytera and children. The usual courtesies were extended to us, loukoumi, coffee and biscuits along with the necessary water!

Geronda Theoklitos joined us and he afforded us a great deal of his precious time even though he had many confessions to hear.. It was a true blessing to meet him.God it seems bends time in order for those who seek Him to receive His grace . Time is not really measured in monasteries. Of course there are set times for worship and work but one does not sense time passing.

I told Geronda of the mutual ministry we have at our parish and he quoted a greek proverb
“Το ‘να χέρι νίβει τ’ άλλο και τα δυο το πρόσωπο” which when translated goes something like : ” The one hand washes the other hand and both wash the face “. I suppose we have similar saying” many hands make light work.”Washing the feet is an act of service and humility, but washing the face brings cleansing and refreshment.He gave another word:St Anthimos of Chios: “ εκείνο το ´γιατί κι εκείνο το ´εγώ´ που έχομεν, αυτά μας απομακρύνουν απο τον Θεό και μας χωρίζουν απο αυτόν» — «this “why” and this “I” which we have, these distance us from God and separate us from Him.”


The proximity of hospitality and holiness is palpable in Orthodox monasteries. Faith ,food and fellowship are inseparable. For some visitors monasteries are places not only of refreshment but of healing where quiet can replenish the soul and regenerate the spirit. It is most important for Orthodox Christians to renew their spiritual batteries. Such peace was abundant at Panorama monastery. Sister S shared the typicon and structures of monasticism and we glimpsed the evening service before heading back to Thessaloniki. I think words alone cannot convey the experience of visiting monasteries. For those who truly seek God then they are places where His energies are to be found…in abundance!


– “The orthodox monastics are like the lighthouse. The lighthouse has to be always on the rocks by the sea. Do you want them to go and live into the city and be added to the other street lights? They can not become a lantern and be placed into the city’s roadside. The orthodox monastic is like a remote lighthouse, that stands high on the rocks, directing the ships of this world with their flashes, and upon the open seas the ships are orientated in order to reach their destination, which is God.” Saint Paisios of Mount Athos from the book: Spiritual Awakening

Day 3 Thursday :the Angelic Habit

Monastery of St John the Forerunner at Metamorfosi

The drive from Thessaloniki to Halkidiki was furnished by olive trees but to remind us of the fragile nature of our planet there was the faint smell of smoke in the air. (*) As St Paul says in Romans 8″ creation is groaning “. Our first visit on the itinerary was the Monastery of St John the Forerunner at Metamorfosi. Although it has a strict typikon we were allowed to sing a glorious trilogy of apolytikia and Kyries. We were joined by Baia and Theologos.

… and four of their ten children.. Konstantinos overheard my English tones and introduced me to his wife Marina and mother Gabriela who lives in London. A most interesting exchange of spiritual experiences ensued. Gabriela studied at Lancaster university at the same time as I was studying by Post Graduate certificate of education at St Martin’s college now University of Cumbria ( Lancaster campus)and having been brought up in the middle east she is looking forward to Dmitry’s ordination to the diaconate in September in Arabic. Two priests joined us with their families for monastic hospitality “metrio cafes parakalo ” the most delicious cake, loukoumi and much needed water. It was after all 37c.

On to Ormilia monastery where Marta and Alexandra have stayed. We venerated the tomb of the founder Geronda Emilianos. K. said she wanted me to meet a nun who spoke better English than me ” if that’s possible” K. added with playful wit, ” This is Mother P. I was not at all offended or diminished by K. words, especially when I learned that mother P was born and brought up five miles from where I was born.

Ormylia monastery, Holy Convent of the Annunciation


We were in the company of people from Cyprus who had connections with our parish, a Belgian priest and a Serbian priest whose Metropolitan and Professor respectively sit on the same International Commission as me.Lunch time beckoned it was 4.00 after all. A wonderful local cafe near K’s beach house where we were joined by Nikos. We made the short journey to K’s beach house where we met the Romanian family who were staying there. You can’t get much closer to the sea! If you rolled over in bed you would be splashing in the gentle waves!

On to St Paisios Monastery where we met friends of Sayedna. We joined the queue to venerate the tomb of St Paisios. A little boy repeatedly took the blessing from priests in the queue. The light of joy shone in the eyes of the faithful, reflecting the Light of Christ. Everyone we met today, those wearing the angelic habit and those who were faithful Pilgrims were happy. God is glorified in his saints.

St. Paisios’ tomb
St. Paisios poem above his tomb

Above his tomb, inside the monastery yard, on a marble plaque is found a humble poem written by himself:

“Here life has come to an end

Here my breath has stopped.
Here the body will be buried,
And my soul will rejoice.
My Saint dwells here, [St. Arsenios of Cappadochia]
And that is my honour.
I believe he will pity

My miserable soul

He will pray to the Saviour

To have the Virgin Mary with me.”


“God wants us, above all, to be happy and to enjoy inner peace. God is not a tyrant who pesters and intimidates us, but instead he wants us to be free.”St. Paisios

(*) Due to fires raging all over Greece at the time of this pilgrimage

Dadia National Park

Diary of a Pilgrim – Day 6 – Monday

Monday  12th

A blessed Apostles fast to you all. We are allowed fish wine and oil. God is so gracious!

An Icon shop near the church of St Lazarus had some komboskini and holy bracelets in the window. In the morning I  bought some to give to our children. I ordered a small icon print on wood of St. Amphilochius of Patmos. Maria the Iconographer and shopkeeper said she would have it ready for tomorrow afternoon. Some things happen very quickly in Cyprus!

I took the bracelets and komboskini and placed them on the Holy relics of St Lazarus for blessing to give to our children at church. 

Wherever we go in accordance with  Saint Amphilochius’ instructions we should buy a tree in memory of a loved one, as a gift to others, as an act of contrition for our sins and to bear the fruit of goodness.

The prophet Nehemiah has a recurring theme in his book in the Old Testament :

“Remember me O my God for good.” It is the prayer of a pilgrim in this life who whilst knowing his sins, asks God to remember the good deeds he has done through following His commandments:

“Blessed art Thou, O Lord,

teach me Thy statutes.
 The choir of the saints has found the fountain of life

and the door of Paradise. 

May I also find the way through repentance,

the sheep that was lost am I,

call me up to You, O Savior, and save me.”

Little grass, have mercy!

A blessed Pentecost and Feast of the Holy Spirit!

*
Lord Have Mercy

Little grass, have mercy!

Little bird, have mercy!

Everything within me and around me, both the small and the great, things past and things infinite, the simple and the puzzling, the dark and the bright, the visible and the invisible, the mortal and the immortal, the good and the evil, all things and everything in all worlds that I know and feel, they motivate me to blatantly pray: Lord have mercy!

Our pain summarizes all human words in one prayer and cry: Lord have mercy!

Turned toward You we are found to overflow within our whole being only one sigh: Lord have mercy!

We would like to speak of ourselves, but our tears are pouring and we tell You of our entire soul within these two words: Lord have mercy!

Every creation has its heart, and the heart is with this heart because it sighs and tends towards You: Lord have mercy!

In this sad world, man has no greater need than to be granted mercy primarily from You: Lord have mercy!

And together with You and behind You that all things and all creation grant him mercy: Lord have mercy!

Mother, have mercy!

Friend, have mercy!

Little grass, have mercy!

Little bird, have mercy!

All that is within the entire cosmos:

Have Mercy! Have Mercy! Have Mercy!

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

*

Do Saints visit us? Saint Justin Popovic is lately all the time in my thoughts.

What probably started all ‘this’ was an “icon” in the beautiful icon corner of my little spiritual father.

Then, I came across some of Saint Justin’s quotes that truly moved me:

“Man sentenced God to Death; by His Resurrection, He sentenced Man to Immortality.” (A PASCHAL HOMILY OF BLESSED JUSTIN OF CHELIJE)

*

“The Temple is but a piece of Heaven on Earth, Earth becoming Heaven, a haven of immortality, a haven of Paradise in the sea of Hell on Earth“

Such powerful words of consolation! Such boldness of vision! They also felt like precisely describing my experience here on Earth, especially over the last few months: “A sea of Hell on Earth!”

“By reading the Bible you are adding yeast to the dough of your soul and body, which gradually expands and fills the soul until it has thoroughly permeated it and makes it rise with the truth and righteousness of the Gospel.”

This Saint set himself the rule of studying three chapters of the New Testament every day and continued to do so throughout his life! And I barely make a chapter every day with my busyness… I wish I could follow his example with his prayers!

*

“If you are suffering for your faith in Christ, the Lives of the Saints will console you and encourage you and make you bold and give you wings, and your torments will be changed into joy.

If you are in any sort of temptation, the Lives of the Saints will help you overcome it both now and forever.

If you are in danger from the invisible enemies of salvation, the Lives of the Saints will arm you with the ‘whole armor of God,’[1] and you will crush them all now and forever and throughout your whole life … feeling with all your being that your life is in heaven, hidden with Christ in God, wholly above all deaths.[2]“ + St. Justin Popovich,” Introduction to the Lives of the Saints,” Orthodox Faith & Life in Christ

*

The more I study his work, the more I am astounded by his holiness and his compassionate, yet bold, uncompromising revelation of Truth! A  real treasure especially for the Orthodox Christians living in the West! “A way out of its innumerable humanistic hells!” “Is there a remedy for those innumerable deadly sicknesses? There is, there certainly is: repentance.  … (+ St. Justin Popovich, “Reflections on the Infallibility of European Man,” Orthodox Faith & Life in Christ)


Our Father St Justin amongst the saints pray to God for us!

How to Pray

How to Pray

Gerontissa Makrina had the gift of prayer since a child. Once she asked with tears our Lord to show her how to pray. That night an Angel of the Lord appeared to her in an all-white robe and taught her how men ought to pray depending on their spiritual condition. According to the Angel’s suggestions, if the soul experiences a perfect Love for God, then one should pray with his hands raised. If humility and remembrance of his sins prevail in his heart, then one should cross his hands on his chest and lower his head. If the soul is engaged in a battle against passions and experiences the ultimate humiliation (ie. Άκρα ταπείνωση), one should pray with his hands ‘tied’ behind his back, like a convict. Then the Angel started praying on his knees, weeping, like he was embracing Christ’s feet, revealing thus the soul’s awareness of its utter insignificance and its ineffable joy and comfort from God. (Pp. Words of the Heart, Gerontissa Makrina Vassopoulou 1921-1995, pp60-61).

See also by Gerontissa Makrina and How to Pray, How to Deal with Someone You Can’t Stand Dealing with

Martyrs of Obedience

Saint Efraim of Katounakia

Christ is in our midst!

I would like to share a few thoughts about mental health disorders from the point of view of a carer. While in the UK, I worked in a care home for some time and had some experience interacting with mentally ill people. However, I was a member of a team and was not fully responsible for anybody. Now, things are tougher because I am in many ways wholly responsible and a carer 24/7. In so many ways I feel I too need long-term support…

‘Give blood and receive the Spirit’


“A woman knows she has conceived when she stops losing blood. So it is with the soul, she knows she has conceived the Holy Spirit when the passions stop coming out of her. But as long as one is held back in the passions, how can one dare to believe that one is sinless? Give blood and receive the Spirit. (Abba Longinus, Sayings of the Desert Fathers)

During this week my thoughts were on a recent saint, Elder Efraim of Katounakia, famous for his 42 years of the martyrdom of obedience to a very difficult, harsh and especially towards the end mentally unstable Elder Nikiforos.

I also reflected a lot on Sister Aggeliki of blessed memory and her obedience to her mentally disturbed sister, keeping her awake with all kinds of ‘happenings’ every single night for about 60 years (!), after her unmercenary doctor’s duties all day and night! I was reminded especially of her obedience to all kinds of crazy errands she was sent and/or accompanied and her long-suffering to all the insults and every name under the sun her sister was calling her for decades! Why did Sister Aggeliki not leave? For the salvation of her sister’s soul. Because, as much as she wanted to become a nun in a monastery, she knew that her sister would then be committed to a mental hospital and there she would be deprived of all the church services she so longed to participate in. And it was only during these church services and Holy Communion that she would be so surprisingly quiet, ‘sane‘ and absorbed …

These were precisely my Elder’s words upon this new obedience: “it is very important that you are patient and do everything that you can so that this poor soul is saved and enters the Kingdom of Heaven!” Not that I bear any resemblance to these exalted ones, but I too must give blood to receive the Holy Spirit and thus receive the baptism of long-suffering and obedience. Grace does not come without blood and tears.

Your prayers and your thoughts