My Lifestyle – Suitcases, Lover of the Theotokos,
Pilgrim, Traveller,
and a Little City Hermit.
Belonging to Neither and Both.
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At Easter 2016, the little city hermit was kidnapped
by the Celtic Saints to the UK!
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Then, was sent to a Greek monastery in July 2021,
and stayed there for a year and a half …
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Then, was summoned back to the city in mid 2022,
with a number of pressing obediences,
hopefully, the last ones before he retires in hesychia …
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“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us ” (John 17:21, KJV)
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Dedicated
to
my spiritual grandfather and my patron Saint
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St. Arsenios the Cappadocian, my spiritual great-grandfather
Blessed Seraphim Rose, my spiritual great-grandfather (on the ‘other’ side)
“It is later than you think! Hasten, therefore, to do the work of God.”
(Blessed Seraphim Rose)
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St. John (Maximovitch) the Wonderworker, my spiritual great-great-grandfather
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Sister Aggeliki Tsaousi of Blessed Memory,
Unmercenary Paediatrician , my Spiritual Mother
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Mother Xeni, Abbess of St. Nectarios’ Monastery in Aegina,
blind, prescient Amma and gifted poetess, my spiritual great-great-grandmother
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Dedicated too to a few other Saints who have meanwhile visited me on the Way …
More about this, in future blog posts…
Saint Nektarios, Saint Porphyrios … to name just a few …
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Last, but not least,
Dedicated to my own ‘little’ Spiritual Father
(similarly shying away from limelight )
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May they all forgive me for my boldness!
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ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FAITH AND LIFE 
Dearest Laura (Kinnera), Glory to God! The Celtic saints of the early church are most powerful! They have played such a crucial role in my earthly pilgrimage! A year ago I was given by my (new) English spiritual father some secondary relics of Celtic saints to bring to Greece, and I soon realised that even those tiny stones from their hermitages were full of the Holy Spirit! The Saints were so alive, would accompany me anywhere, and soon my home in Greece was “flooded” by Greek, Russian, Arabic (you name it …) Orthodox Saints’ relics. It was as if a Heavenly Synaxis was taking place at my home and these Celtic Saints were inviting other Saints from all sort of places in Greece and elsewhere. I was at such an awe because I was not really used to such happenings! As to St Kinnera’s finding you, since you had very little information about her, I experienced exactly this with St. Dymphna, who came to me for very specific reasons! I have been so touched by her generosity! I am a “cradle” Orthodox, and yet the whole experience feels exactly like converting. Having said that, I would nonetheless be very much interested in your conversion “story” if you feel like sharing it. I would be happy to give you my e-mail.
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Dear City Hermit Friend!
So nice to hear from you back! So you must not be in England quite yet, but soon. May God bless your travels and send an Angel before you always….
If you’d like to communicate via email, mine is “agatamcc” at the gmail account. I so envy you moving to England to be near the Celtic Saints, and near Essex Monastery. Even people from Greece, who know many wonderful monasteries there say Essex is special… You will find that, I am sure…
As for America, there are a few wonderful monasteries, but I only know a handful. I think I saw photos of Fr. Seraphim Rose on your blog, so you must know of Platina Monastery (of St. Herman of Alaska). I also often visit the Monastery of St. John of San Francisco in Manton. And whenever I travel from MN (where I live) to CA, I always stop in San Francisco to visit the relics of this most wonderful Saint (Fr. Stephen Freeman mentioned that there is a connection between St. John and the Celtic Saints, but did not answer my question about it). I love your answer to Laura about how Saints from all over flooded your home in Greece. Something similar happened to me in my home, in White Bear Lake, MN. There I have St. John of San Francisco (handpainted icon from St. Gerasimos monastery in Holy Land, very miraculous in my life!!), St. Sergius of Radonezh (that icon found me in Platina), St. Philarete the Almsgiver, St. Xenia of Petersburg, St Phanourios, St. Alexis of Minneapolis, St. Jude the Apostle, St. Maxim Sandovich, first Lemko martyr from the Karpato-Rusyn tradition, child martyr Gabriel from my home town of Bialystok, Poland… And that’s just the ones that watch over me actively! In another icon corner I have all my favorite Greek Saints: Joseph the Hesychast, Paisios, Porphyrios, Silouan, Elder Sophrony, Elder Aimilianos….
Ok, I better stop here… But I do want to know how to “be in Love” and find time… I would travel the world carrying relics if I did not have to go to work every day, to earn a living. Either you are very young and have wonderfully generous and supportive parents, or older and retired…. So if it’s something in between, I desperately want to learn and emulate your secret… Except I am older, and I have 3 teenage sons to still guide and support…
My home parish is St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral in Minneapolis, MN, a most beautiful community which I am honored to belong to….
Well, your turn… 🙂
In Christ,
Agata
P.S. May I ask your name? Please email me at gmail…
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Hello
Just chanced upon your blog – hope to read and reflect on what you have posted. Blessings on your journey, blessings on all sojourners.
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Yo también soy un caminante. I also am a wayfarer…did you know that there is an ancient orthodox expression in Spanish that means “blessed”, but with a beautiful nuance…it is this expression: “buena-adventura” or “buen-adventuroso” (lit. “good-adventure/er”).
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Hello, my name is Fr. Deacon Photios and you don’t know me. I’m trying to locate someone there in Sophia who I can pay to obtain something that Dobri Dobrev, the living Saint, has touched. Do you know anyone who might be able to do this? Thank you and God bless.
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Your blessing. Sadly the answer is ‘no’. Yet 🙂 I have known a number of people who have met Dobri Dobrev, but nobody who currently lives near Sophia. But I will make inquiries and if I get a positive answer, I will let you know to make necessary arrangements.
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Dear City Hermit,
I came across to your blog while searching for information how I might be able to find a spiritual father or mother who is from the Orthodox Christian faith. First I would like to thank you very much for posting such enriching teachings from the Orthodox Christian tradition. Although I am from one of the churches classified as “the Oriental Orthodox churches” I believe in pan-orthodoxy and find the teachings of the fathers/elders as speaking to one’s heart.
I believe Orthodox Christianity teaches about the value in having a spiritual father who is able to direct the faithful in our spiritual journey. I know some people perceive seeking spiritual direction as a form of dependency and instead they suggest commitment to reading spiritual writings and contemplating prayer and solitude being the key for spiritual growth and yet even the desert fathers in their writings advocate the necessity to have a spiritual father/mentor.
I apologise for approaching you in this way but do you by any chance know how one might be able to go about looking for a spiritual father. I am here because I have looked extensively and have not been able to find one. What I am after is a guide on my spiritual journey which is different from what is provided by the parish priests. I would be most grateful for any advice you might be able to offer or if you know anyone or a community in the UK or even beyond who will be willing to assist me in my search.
Thank you once again for your posts.
Best wishes,
Metie
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Dear Metie, thank you for your very beautiful response to my blog. You have my prayers. I have made and will make discreet enquiries. My spiritual father (also praying for you) pointed out to me that your perseverance in seeking a spiritual father through prayer is also necessary. I hope to have an answer to your request soon, sometime after Bright Week. Christ is Risen!
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Dear cityhermit2015
Thank you very much for your response and above all for your prayers. I am immensely grateful for your offer of looking for a spiritual father. Thank you for your advice on the need for perseverance and prayer. I am not sure whether it happens only to me or if others also experience the same thing I find things which used to feel real and certain don’t seem to feel the same anymore and I wonder if it is to do with spending a long time alone in the wilderness. These are the areas that I feel I have the greatest need for proper spiritual direction.
Thank you once again for your offer of support,
Best wishes,
Metie
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Dear Metie, Christ is Risen! As my spiritual Father and I are making discreet inquiries about a spiritual father for you, would it be possible to establish your Church affiliation- to which tradition you belong? Then perhaps we could help find someone. If you would like to answer this question in a private manner, could you please inform me of your email address? Then, we could conduct all this conversation in a private manner. (Does this make sense in English? Please forgive my language errors. English is not my mother tongue and I am struggling with it.) What is your opinion in the matter? Do you agree with our approach and proposed ‘solution’? Lots of love and poor prayers
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Further update: Christ is Risen! Dearest Metie, if you would like to get in touch with me privately, please feel free to e-mail me at anastasioskefalas1961@gmail.com. I’d love to hear more from you. Let us, please, continue this most treasured conversation. The blessing of the Lord and His Mercy!
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I too am recent convert to Orthodoxy and from England and would desperately benefit from a spiritual father but know so few orthodox yet. Any help appreciated,
Jonathan
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Dear Jonathan, I would love to be of any help to you. Where do you live and where can you be contacted? If you prefer, you can communicate this information to my email: anastasioskefalas1961@gmail.com
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Dear friends!
I am so excited to read this conversation. The irony is that I’ve simply been searching for info about Orthodoxy in Wales for my PHD, and all of a sudden I’ve found out a host of English speaking soulmates ))) May God bless you all.
Truly yours
Your sister in Christ
Svetlana (in RU) or Fotini (in GR)
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Svetlana: It seems the Lord and Theotokos led you to this blog! Wonderful….
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Glory be to God for all things!
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Dear sisters, anchoritelady and Svetlana, you are most welcome at this blog. May our Lord richly bless you.
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Thank you! Could I possibly ask your names to remember my new friends in my prayers.
May good Lord mercy us all.
Svetlana
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Please use Anchorite Lady from Canada – and thankyou so much for offering your prayers; I will do the same for you! God bless!
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Please use ‘little city hermit’ – and thank you so much for offering your prayers 🙂 Together with anchoritelady and a few others here, I feel positive we will do the same for you! Thanks be to God, we have quite a number of praying ladies and men in this blog. God bless!
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God Bless you all on this blog! I am in Canada and my family history is England/Ireland. I have a deep love for the Saints and all they endured to leave a foundation of prayer and hope for us. My nameday is St Margaret of Antioch and I have several Icons of the Saints most dearest to me including the Celtic Saints. I enjoy praying daily prayers and Akathists as well as the Jesus Prayer. I consider my vocation as unofficially an Anchoress/Hermit and Penitent. I say Penitent because if we are following the Orthodox way of life as laid out for us in Prayer,Fasting, Divine Liturgy and Sacraments, then we are all Penitents for sure! I notice the dates on this blog go a little back, so I do hope the blog is still active; it is a lovely place for a Penitent to visit! God bless…..
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Welcome dear Anchoress and fellow Hermit and Penitent. May our Lord richly bless our fellowship.
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Hello to all
In this baffling continuously, I proclivity you all
Rise your family and friends
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I would like to be a “city hermit” of this Church. How can I proceed?
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Please forgive me. I think it is a calling. The first step, as in all cases, is a prayerful and humble search for His precious gift of a spiritual father and, once found, obedience to him. Your prayers.
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