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March 3, 2015

Elder Auxentios of Gregoriou and His Vision of the Uncreated Light


A shining example of the vision of the Uncreated Light comes from Elder Auxentios Konstantonis Grigoriatis, who came from Kountoura (an Arvanite village of Attica). The account below comes from the book written by the Brotherhood of Elder Euthymios in Kapsala titled Από την Ασκητική και Ησυχαστική Αγιορείτικη παράδοση (From the Ascetic and Hesychastic Athonite Tradition), pp. 142-143.

Elder Auxentios († 1892 – 1981)

In his life he was a practitioner of "unceasing prayer" and even reached an advanced state spiritually, so that he was able to say the prayer in his sleep, as he revealed in all simplicity to Elder Paisios.

Though he was blind, one time he said: "When I say the prayer I see a light to my right. I see this when I do my rule with my prayer rope. I see it often. It leaves and later comes back again. The main thing is the love that comes to the heart for Christ."

He would see the Uncreated Light and one day worried because he did not see it, so he requested to confess to his spiritual father. Once Elder Auxentios went to commune at the Chapel of the Venerable Gregory, the Founder, where a Divine Liturgy was to take place. While he came prepared with much desire and devotion, the liturgist Priest was blinded by a strong and gladsome light that was coming from the face of Elder Auxentios. His face was covered, having disappeared from what was like a bright sun, shining greater than the sun, and the Priest not only could not commune him, but he couldn't even face him, casting his gaze down.

"His face shined so much," said the liturgist, "that when I looked at him, I became dizzy and almost fell down. I covered my eyes with my hand, because I couldn't withstand the strong light. He entirely shined." When the Uncreated Light lowered and the astonished Priest recovered, then he communed him.

Elder Auxentios often had vision of the Uncreated Light and reached the state of divine eros. And all this from his insistence on saying the prayer.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.