Blessed Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi: His 63 Year Monastic Life on Mount Athos in Pictures (1946-2009)

From the Cave of Saint Anne to the Monastery of Vatopaidi

These pictures are from the photographic archives of the Monastery of Vatopaidi which they have offered now to those who honor the Elder.

The Elder came to Mount Athos in 1946 from Cyprus to the Skete of Saint Anne to be with Elder Joseph the Hesychast. This photo was found in his passport.

This is the Church of the Sacred Forerunner John the Baptist belonging to the Brotherhood of the Elder Joseph the Hesychast and where Elder Joseph lived.

The Brotherhood of Elder Joseph the Hesychast. Behind the Elder Joseph the Hesychast's right shoulder is Elder Joseph. Noteworthy also is Elder Ephraim of Philotheou (now America) who is second from the far right of the seated Elder.

The cell of the Annunciation at New Skete where the Brotherhood lived until the death of Elder Joseph the Hesychast.

Elder Joseph at New Skete a few years after the passing of Elder Joseph the Hesychast.

This was taken in 1982 at the Sacred Monastery of Koutloumousiou where the Elder lived for a short time with his own Brotherhood. Depicted is Elder Paisios, Hieromonk Athanasios (now Metropolitan of Limassol) and he who is now Monk Niphon before entering the monastic life.

The cell of the Annunciation at New Skete as it was built for the needs of Elder Joseph's Brotherhood, until the year they left for the Sacred Monastery of Vatopaidi.

Below are a few photos from the Elders daily life at New Skete.

The donkeys of the Elder, whom he named Kitsos and Kastanis.

Fishing

In the Kitchen

Though he was the Elder of his Brotherhood, the Elder did not consider himself above everyone and worked just as hard as they did. Here he is shown resting from work.

With Papa-Haralambos at New Skete, who was then (1986) Abbot of the Monastery of Dionysiou.

The Elder in prayer on the grounds of the cell at New Skete.

The inside of Elder Joseph's cell at New Skete.

The Elder at his desk where he spent much time responding to letters and writing his books.

The Elder with the two hieromonks of his Brotherhood (in 1985) Athanasios (Metropolitan of Limassol) and Ephraim (Abbot of the Sacred Monastery of Vatopaidi).

The last photograph at New Skete on Pascha of 1987 before his departure for the Monastery of Vatopaidi.

The Elder deep in thought in the first years at Vatopaidi Monastery, wich were difficult years.

May of 1988. In front of the gate of Vatopaidi Monastery with Elder Ephraim Katounakioti and Elder Ephraim who was then Abbot of Philotheou (now in Arizona).

The first Pascha at Vatopaidi Monastery in 1989. The Elder looks astonished from when the visitors lit loud fireworks during the "Christ is Risen".

Cheesefare Sunday - March 1990. The installation of Elder Ephraim as Abbot of the Monastery of Vatopaidi.

Sunday of the Myrrhbearers - April 1990. Day of the enthronement of Abbot Ephraim. Visible in this photo also is Blessed Theoklitos Dionysatis.

After the enthronement refreshments were served in the synodikon of the Monastery. Visible also is the Governor of Mount Athos Mr. Loulis, the Archbishop of Athens Christodoulos (then Metropolitan of Dimitriados), the Abbot of Stavrovouniou Monastery in Cyprus, Abbot Ephraim and Elder Joseph.

September 1991. The visit to the Vatopaidi Monastery of Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios.

The cell in which the Elder lived at Vatopaidi and died.

One of the last photos of the Elder during Pascha 2009, his last Pascha.

"We believe in the resurrection of the dead."

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The Relationship Between Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi and the Theotokos

This icon depicts Elder Joseph offering a small church to the Panagia Pantanassa


In this video Elder Joseph describes with emotion how he received the keys to Vatopaidi Monastery from Christ Himself and the Theotokos. Below is an English translation of this lecture.

"And if I do not manage, don't misunderstand me, because my memory is weak. It doesn't keep much. However, I don't stop praying.

"This, I promise to you. Due to the fact that I can't offer you anything else, and you do good to me, I pray whenever I'm free and all by myself. I'm not bragging. I'm not boasting. But, I confess to you. I insist, though many times with laudable audacity:

"All-Good One, I beg you! You attracted me, you made me wear these rassa. I beg you All-Good God! Don't abandon me! Help! You called me and you brought me here and you gave me the keys of the Vatopaidi Monastery. You, Yourself! The Son of the Living God! When I was begging Him to show me His will through Elder Porfyrios, He talked to me. Himself! God the Logos!

"He gave me the keys of Vatopaidi. And, I used these keys to open Vatopaidi and what you see now took place. God the Logos Himself came, His affectionate Mother came, His Mother, our Mother, our consolation, and She spiritually renewed Vatopaidi. And She put us on the path of the terminοlogy of the Holy Fathers. I'm not denying anything.

"She gave us the ability to write, to write with details the whole terminology of the Holy Fathers. Have consolation in the continuous future. All these, and I kindly invoke your love, your kindness, to accept them with humility and obedience, to continue your path with self-denial and the love of persistent effort.

"The first beginning is obedience; after obedience is the Prayer, unceasing prayer, that should never stop; after the unceasing prayer, humility and obedience come. After humility and obedience, love of persistent effort comes. And then, the person learns how to resist the various excuses of the false needs: to succumb to selfishness and egoism. We stand by the meaning of the love of persistent effort. We will not succumb to anything that's prohibited in our life."

Panagia Pantanassa (Most Holy Queen of All)

This holy and miracle-working icon of the All-Holy Virgin was brought to the Vatopaidi Monastery by the Blessed Elder Joseph from New Skete. The first record of the icon's miraculous powers is from the witness of Elder Joseph.

One day a young man from Cyprus went to visit and entered into the church. At that point, the Elder witnessed a glowing light radiating from the face of the Theotokos and an invisible power pushed the young man down to the ground. When the young man had recovered from his fall, he began to repent and weep and confessed that he did not believe and was a participant in the black arts (the occult). He changed his life and became an Orthodox Christian.

This icon is also known for working many miracles, especially healing people with cancer. There are many recent records of people who have been healed from cancer after participating in the Supplicatory Canon to the Pantanassa at the monastery.

Below is a poem written by Elder Joseph to the Panagia Pantanassa:

Εις τα άγια ανετράφης των Αγγέλων τη προνοία,
πού προώρισεν ο πλάστης για την θεοκοινωνία.
Έπεσε το πρώτο πλάσμα στην φθοράν και συνετρίβη,
μά η θεία παναγάπη ουδαμώς δεν απεκρύβη.
Εις το πλήρωμα του χρόνου η Παρθένος των αγίων,
ανεδείχθη η διόπτρα των αρρήτων μυστηρίων.
Ο παρθενικός της βίος κι η τέλεια αγωγή,
έπεισαν τον Κυβερνήτην προς ημάς να κατεβή.
Ο υπέραγνός της τρόπος, εκ των κόλπων του Πατρός,
είλκυσε τον Θείον ΛΟΓΟΝ με αξίαν της Μητρός.
Στής παρακοής το σφάλμα, όπου ο νόμος της φθοράς,
η Υπέραγνος Παρθένος έγινε διά της αγάπης η αιτία της χαράς.
Το απόρρητον εν πάσι των αρρήτων μυστηρίων,
έλυσεν η θεία ΚΟΡΗ με τον ΤΟΚΟΝ της κυρίως.
Σύμπαντος του κόσμου άρχει, και διέπει η Τριάδα,
αλλά στην Παρθένον ΚΟΡΗ εσαρκώθη η Μονάδα.
Το αχώριστον στην φύσιν της Τριάδος μένει πάντα,
καί τον Λόγον η Παρθένος απεγέννησεν εις άνδρα.
Ακατάληπτον θα μείνη το μυστήριον του Τόκου·
πώς Παρθένος και Μητέρα; ανερμήνευτου του τρόπου.
Της Τριάδος δευτερεία επροικίσθης Παναγία,
καί το πώς δεν ερμηνεύει πάσα η Θεολογία.
Μυριώνυμος η κλήσις και αρμόδιος ο τρόπος,
κι ό,τι κι αν σε προσφωνήσουν είναι χρέος, κι όχι κόπος.
Ως Παντάνασσα, σοί πρέπει ότι πάντων κυριεύεις·
παντός πόνου και ανάγκης εις την ίασιν πρωτεύεις.
Στών παρθένων ταίς χορείαις, και γυναίων και ανδρών,
μετατρέπεις τη στοργή σου πάντα κόπον εις φαιδρόν.
Έστησας του ήθους μόνη, την ανάπλασιν κυρίως,
κι ο παρθενικός σου βίος εφαρμόζεται οσίως.
Ικετεύω χάρισαί μου, ό,τι είχα και μου κλάπη,
καί αυτό δεν είναι άλλο, παρά μόνο η αγάπη.
Έν σου βλέμμα μόνον στρέψε, ικετεύω σε, Κυρία,
καί βεβαίως θα μου έλθη διά σου η σωτηρία.

A beautiful hymn sung by the choir of the Monastery of Vatopaidi to the Panagia Pantanassa

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The Relationship Between Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi and the Holy Unmercenary Saints

The Monastery of the Holy Unmercenaries; Gilou, Cyprus

As was told from prior sources, the Blessed Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi was especially devoted to and had as protectors the Holy Unmercenaries Sts. Cosmas and Damian. He was born and fell asleep on their feast day. From his birthday (July 1, 1921) they had him under their protection.

The mother of the Elder when she was seven months pregnant decided to visit a small monastery in the area of Giolou (Cyprus) dedicated to the Holy Unmercenaries, in order to venerate them and request their help. There, on the grounds of the monastery, she began to feel pain before her time and little Socrates was born (the worldly name of the Elder).

And when the Elder was a novice the Holy Unmercenaries continued to come to his aid. One day we asked him why he had a special reverence for St. Panteleimon, of whom he had an icon made. He said that this Saint was the protector of his family. His father who was named Panteleimon fell asleep on the feast of the Saint. He had gone to church that day, received communion and after went for a stroll in his garden, as if he were bidding it farewell. Returning home he sat in a chair and passed away.

Saint Panteleimon (Feast Day - July 27)

When he was a novice under Elder Joseph the Hesychast he lived under difficult and harsh conditions. Here is how he describes his life:

"Neither the austerity of the regime, nor the lack of basic necessities, nor the rugged and forlorn terrain, nor the necessity of carrying loads so as to maintain six or seven people could make our purpose falter, since by the mercy of God grace gave us full assurance through the prayers of the elders. But our nature of clay shrank back, and the Lord's saying was fulfilled, that 'the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak' (Mt. 26:41). I suffered increasingly from coughing up blood and stomach hemorrhages, but my ardent intent and the experience of grace which accompanies the good fight covered all these weaknesses, for we had as our prime model the Elder, who looked at everything through faith and not through reason. In this small experiment of our life under the care of the Elder, the repeated aid from divine goodness, the continuing mysterious protection of grace and the constant sense of security in all directions oblige us to believe and proclaim that success in monastic life depends for the most part on the support of a spiritual guide; and 'he who has ears to hear, let him hear' (Mt. 11:15). Certainly there is nothing novel in this opinion nor is it some new discovery, but simply a confirmation of the patristic tradition, and blessed is the disciple 'who will keep these things, and will discern the mercies of the Lord' (Hosea 14:9)."

Elder Joseph went on to explain that though he was accustomed to living a hard life, he felt much pain from his back, his stomach hemorrhages, and his constantly getting sick. Then the Brotherhood of Elder Joseph the Hesychast moved to New Skete where the climate was more mild and the burdens less. The Elder went to Thessaloniki to get some tests done because he had constant hemorrhages. He returned with the opinion of the doctor that surgery was needed. From then he lived with Elder Theophylactos in the cell of the Holy Unmercenaries. See now how things developed.

Elder Joseph writes: "When my stomach was in pain, Elder Theophylactos would supplicate much for me to St. Panteleimon and he saw him in his church, and he told him I would get well and to not get the surgery which my doctors had ordered. I had an ulcer progressing in its appearance and neither diet or medicine offered me anything. After a period of affliction of more than two years there was no way to get out of the surgery. Then the glorious great martyr of Christ descends, the compassionate Panteleimon, and told Elder Thephylactos to tell me to not get the surgery, but to leave all to the care of our Panagia. Immediately I was totally healed, and to confirm this I visited my doctors who recognized my sickness in all its stages in order to tell me in what state I was in. They gave me an endoscopy and they found absolutely nothing, except a small old scar of a healed wound."

These Holy Unmercenaries decided also his transfer from the transient to eternity, from "earth to the highest".

As we learned from the fathers of the Monastery, when the minister (the monk who took care of the Elder) went in at 10:00 AM on Tuesday (the eve of his falling asleep) to see how the Elder was doing, he said: "I am leaving today, because I feel death". And he said to him: "Good, Elder, whatever is God's will". At night around 8:00 PM the Elder said peacefully: "These demons that have come, what do they want?" At 9:00 PM he said again: " These Saints that have come will stay with us to help us". The brother responded: "Yes, they will stay to help us". Let us emphasize that the day which was breaking was the celebration of the Holy Unmercenaries. Do you think it was them who vistied him? After this incident the Elder was full of peace and tranquility. At 10:00 PM he raised himself on his bed and said: "What is the troparion below called...? Now where do I say the service?" The brother did not recognize what service he spoke of, so he didn't answer at all.

This is very significant because we were told that in the last month he was saying the services even though he was sleeping. And for all he was going through, we are told that in the afternoon (around 12 hours before his falling asleep) he read by himself the Vespers service.

The Elder due to low blood pressure felt a tremendous exhaustion and when his blood pressure totally dropped his liver swelled. The doctors said his death came by cardiac arrest.

The brothers who took care of the Elder until the last moment were by his side and became eye-witnesses of his falling asleep.

At 2:20 AM (the morning of July 1, 2009) he took three long breaths and in this way he quietly departed for eternity.

May we have his blessing.

Alekos Christodoulou, Theologian

(Translated by John Sanidopoulos)

Saints Cosmas and Damian (Feast Day - July 1)

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Video and More Photos From the Funeral of Elder Jospeh of Vatopaidi

"Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi is man of God. His mind is so fortified in God that he does not speak about anything which is of this world. Having enormous love towards God, he longs to die." -- Abbot Ephraim of Vatopaidi

More photographs from Elder Joseph's funeral were published on http://vatopaidi.wordpress.com. These were taken by Demetris Kapogiannis of Athens and George Sarafeidis of Thessaloniki who were present at the funeral. May the blessing of the Elder be with them for sharing these.

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