By George Agetis
It was the end of August in 1998. Mount Athos, Karyes, afternoon. My thoughts suddenly told me to go to Katounakia to Saint Hypatios.*
I did a fervent prayer and my thoughts remained pure. Taking my backpack, I left. Stavros, Kastanaras, Antithonas, Chorafina. I walked slowly, in order to arrive in Katounakia in the morning. I went to Saint Paul, New Skete, Saint Anna, Little Saint Anna, Katounakia, Saint Hypatios up high in the morning.
I went beside the cliffs where I sat and went through, contemplating, the reasons for my coming. Abruptly I got up and entered the small cell along the path.
On my second step in something happened and I stopped and turned left, where I saw on the plaster written with charcoal the following text in capital letters, exactly in the order I present it below.
Imprudent traveler who does not know.
Reflect continuously.
The enemy is:
The Ego
Sureness
Ritual Without Essence
Narrow-mindedness
Admissibility
The Program
Repression
Timidity
Fear
Death
I wrote it immediately in my ledger and with a piece of wood erased the letters on the plaster, which were like powder from the moisture.
I know that the text is by Elder Paisios.
* Saint Paisios resided as an ascetic in the Cell of Saint Hypatios in the year 1966.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
