The Clairvoyance of Saint John the Hesychast

A certain woman from Cappadocia, named Vasilina, a deaconess of the holy Church of Constantinople, arrived in Jerusalem with her cousin, a man of high rank. He was truly a virtuous man, but he adhered to the wickedness of Severus,* and that is why he was not in communion with the holy catholic Church. The pious deaconess invested a lot of effort to convert him to the right faith and join the holy Church. That is why she fervently begged each of the holy fathers to pray to God for him.

Hearing about Saint John the Hesychast, she wanted to venerate him as well. But when she found out that women could not enter the Lavra, she called Theodore, John's disciple, and begged him to take the man who had come with her to the holy elder. Theodore took the heresy-injured man, went with him to the elder, bowed to him according to custom, and said: "Bless us, father!"

The Legendary Athonite Monk Who Never Saw a Woman

This newspaper clipping comes from the Edinburg Daily Courier, and is dated October 29, 1938. It describes what seems to be a Serbian or Romanian monk on Mount Athos born around 1856, whom some have cited as being the only man to have ever lived a full life without ever seeing a woman. This is due to the fact that he lived at Mount Athos since infancy till his death without interruption, and because Mount Athos holds to the strict avaton rule, that does not allow women on the monastic republic, he never had an opportunity to see a woman, at least not in person.

Saint Nilus of Sora (+ 1508)

St. Nilus of Sora (Feast Day - May 7)

Venerable Nilus of Sora (Nil Sorsky), a great ascetic of the Russian Church, was descended from the Maikov nobility. Before becoming a monk, he worked as a scribe and was engaged in book copying. He accepted monasticism at the Monastery of Saint Cyril of White Lake, which had been known for its hostile stance towards monastic landownership. Saint Cyril of White Lake was himself known for rejecting villages that had been offered to him by devout nobles. Here he made use of the counsels of the pious Elder Paisius Yaroslavov, who was afterwards abbot of the Trinity-Sergiev Lavra.

Saint Cannera of Inis Cathaig (+ 530)

St. Cannera of Inis Cathaig (Feast Day - January 28)

Little is known of Saint Cannera (or Conaire) except that which is recorded in the story of Saint Senan, who ruled a monastery on Scattery Island (Inis Cathaig), which ministered to the dying--but only men. Cannera was an anchorite from Bantry in southern Ireland. When she knew she was dying, she traveled to Senan's monastery, after a divine vision directed her there, without rest and walked upon the water to cross the river because no one would take her to the place forbidden to women. Upon her arrival, the abbot was adamant that no woman could enter his monastic enclosure. Arguing that Christ died for women, too, she convinced the abbot to give her last rites on the island and to bury her at its furthermost edge. Against his argument that the waves would wash away her grave, she answered that she would leave that to God. Probably because Saint Cannera walked across the water, sailors honor their patron by saluting her resting place on Scattery Island. They believed that pebbles from her island protected the bearer from shipwreck. A 16th-century Gaelic poem about Cannera prays, "Bless my good ship, protecting power of grace...."

Saint Sava of Pskov, Abbot of Krypetsk Monastery (+ 1495)

St. Sava of Krypetsk (Feast Day - August 28)

Our Venerable Father Sava was from a foreign land, perhaps Serbia, and after being tonsured at Mount Athos, he came to Pskov. He began to struggle on Mount Snetna at the Monastery of Mother of God near Pskov, and then he went to a more remote spot along the River Tolva, at the Monastery of Saint Euphrosyne. Finally, he withdrew for complete solitude to the Krypetsk wilderness, 15 versts from the Tolva, and he settled alone in a small cave in the impenetrable forest.

His food was bread and water, and on Wednesdays and Fridays he ate nothing. Living the life of a hermit he was assailed by unclean spirits, but always he prevailed over them through prayer. After several years in the solitary life, those zealous for wilderness life began to gather around Saint Sava. They asked him to form a monastery and build a church in honor of the Apostle John the Theologian. The monk refused to be abbot of the monastery and entrusted its guidance to the monk Cassian. Many came out from Pskov to the austere Elder, and he healed and admonished them, but never did he accept gifts from them.

Saint Theodore, Founder of the Monastery of Chora

St. Theodore of Chora (Feast Day - January 8);
Sketch depicts the Monastery of Chora in 1877

Saint Theodore was born in Constantinople in 477 and was the uncle of Empress Theodora, wife of Emperor Justinian. At some point he became an anchorite in a small hut outside the city of Antioch, where he gained the reputation of being a holy man. Justinian had called him to Constantinople to help the Church in the struggle against the sect of the Theopaschites. He then returned to Constantinople, where he found a suitable place to continue his ascetical labors, settling in a small cell on a hill in the northwestern part of the city, with water sources and a small garden nearby. Soon a group of about a dozen equally able ascetics gathered around him, as his biography states: "For there were truly holy men there, wise in the holy things, partaking of every form of the highest virtue, and educated in the study of scripture and psalmody and reading from the good teacher." Soon his disciples increased to about a hundred. With the financial help of Emperor Justinian, the Monastery of Chora was established in its preliminary form, taking its name from the "countryside" where it was located.

Father Grigorios, the Last Inhabitant and Monk of Strofades, Has Reposed

Father Grigorios was a Greek Orthodox monk who lived 38 years of his life, almost alone, in the medieval Monastery of the Savior on the small Ionian islands of Strofades.

Father Grigorios passed away on Monday, 31 July, at his home village of Agala, Zakynthos where he returned in 2014 due to ill health.

Saint Scholastica of Nursia, Sister of Saint Benedict

St. Scholastica of Nursia (Feast Day - February 10)

All that we know about Saint Scholastica comes from Saint Gregory the Dialogist (Dialogues, Bk. 2, Chs. 33-34). We learn that she was the twin sister of Saint Benedict (Mar. 14), born around 480 in Nursia of Italy, and she was consecrated to God at an early age. Under her brother’s direction, she founded and governed a large convent near Monte Casino outside Plombariola, about five miles south. They were very close, and each year she would meet with her brother to discuss spiritual matters, which ended in the evening with a frugal meal together. This meeting would take place in a little house situated between his monastery and hers. The reason for this is because women were not permitted in his monastery, and men were not permitted in hers. She died about the year 543. Saint Benedict had her body placed in the tomb he had prepared for himself and made arrangement for his own body to also be placed there after his repose.

Saint Bessarion II, Metropolitan of Larissa (+ 1540)

St. Bessarion II of Larissa (Feast Day - September 15)

Verses

From the earth you departed to the heavens Bessarion,

Healing through your prayers and sacrifices.

Our Holy Father Bessarion* was from a village called Porta Panagia,** near Trikala in Thessaly. He was born in 1490 with the name Vasilios Tsigaridas (or Ganas) and raised by Orthodox parents. While pursuing his studies he became passionately in love with the monastic life at the age of ten. For this reason he went to Metropolitan Mark of Larissa*** and stayed with him for a long time as a novice, then he passed through all the canonical ranks of the priesthood, first becoming a Reader, then a Subdeacon, then a Deacon, then a Priest. After this he was ordained Bishop of Domeniko and Elassona at the age of twenty-seven in 1517.

The Holy Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring of Longovarda in Paros

On the road between Paroikia and Naousa on the island of Paros is the male Holy Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring of Longovarda, one of the most important monasteries in 19th and 20th century Greece, especially when the late holy Elder Philotheos Zervakos was its Abbot for many decades until his repose in 1980.

The Monastery was founded in 1638 by the elected official of Naousa, Christopher Palaiologos. In 1652 Longovarda Monastery became Patriarchal and Stavropegic. The Katholikon was built in 1657. It went through some tough trials, so that from between 1800 and 1825 it was deserted and abandoned. But divine providence presented new founders: Philotheos Georgiou and Hierotheos Ioanou, together with the nephews of the latter named Philotheos and Hierotheos Vosyniotis, who were brothers from Peloponnesos. This period of Longovarda Monastery (1825-1930) is known as its "golden age", when the saintly and wise anchorites from the Holy Monastery of Zoodochos Pege in Poros, Philotheos and Hierotheos, reestablished the Monastery and served as its Abbot.

Zavorda Monastery in Grevena to be Rejuvenated

After about 80 years the Holy Monastery of Zavorda of Saint Nikanor seems that it will once again revive its old and religious and historical splendor.

It has been reported that 8 hieromonks, until now, have immediately expressed their interest to continue their asceticism in the historic Monastery in Grevena.

In this case they will re-establish the avaton, which prohibits females from entering the Monastery.

Saint Kosmas of Zographou Monastery (+ 1323)

St. Kosmas of Zographou (Feast Day - September 22)

Saint Kosmas, an ascetic of Zographou Monastery at the Holy Mountain, was a Bulgarian. In his youth he avoided entering into marriage, and secretly left his parents' home for Mount Athos. Then as he was on his way to the Holy Mountain, the devil tried to shake the yearning of the youth, vexing him with a vision of the infinite abyss of the sea surrounding the Holy Mountain. The fervent prayer of the youth dispelled the demonic temptation.

On Athos, Kosmas was accepted in Zographou Monastery. There he was a novice for a long time, and then he was tonsured, and was appointed ecclesiarch. Kosmas was made worthy to see the heavenly abbess of Mount Athos herself, who on the Feast of the Annunciation at Vatopaidi Monastery deigned to reveal to him a glimpse of her care for her earthly appanage. He saw a woman of royal majesty and grandeur, who both attended in church for services and in the trapeza. All the monks served and obeyed her.

Soon the Saint was ordained as deacon, and then as presbyter, which inspired him to new exploits. Zealous for salvation, the Saint through fervent prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos was granted a particular sign of her special favor. He heard the voice of the Mother of God issuing from her holy icon* and asking her Son, "How will Kosmas be saved?" The Lord answered, "Let him withdraw from the monastery into silence." After obtaining the blessing of the abbot, Saint Kosmas withdrew into the wilderness, and there in a cave cut into a cliff, began his new deed of silent seclusion. God did not forsake the faithful man of prayer, for the Saint was granted the gift of clairvoyance.

Just as at the start of his ascetic life, the enemy of the race of mankind again tried to dissuade the Saint from his intended path, and so the final days before the venerable one's death were also a grievous trial for him.

Not long before the death of God's chosen one, he was granted a vision of Christ Himself, Who informed the Saint that before his soul would depart to the heavenly Kingdom, Satan himself with his hosts would beat and gnash at him. Prepared for the suffering by this divine solace, the Saint bravely underwent the terrible demonic assaults, and on the third day after furious beatings, he received the All-Pure Mysteries. With words of praise on his lips, he peacefully departed to the Lord.

God, "Who glorifies those who glorify Him," also glorified Saint Kosmas miraculously at his death. At the time of the Saint's burial a multitude of beasts and birds flocked to his cave, as though sensing the common loss of the Holy Mountain. When they placed his body in the grave and began to cover it with ground, each of the speechless creatures let out a mournful cry, bestowing final respect to the Saint of God.

Forty days later, when the brethren opened the Saint's tomb after the all-night vigil (as was customary), in order to transfer them to the monastery with honor, they were not to be found. The Lord hid them in a miraculous manner. This occurred in the year 1323.

* The Icon before which Saint Kosmas prayed, and from which he heard the voice of the Mother of God, was named "The Hearer" (Epakousa) because she heard his prayer. It is still in the katholikon of Zographou Monastery, in the altar, on the eastern wall, which extends into the diakonikon.

 

Panagia Epakousa

 

Reflection

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Every saint is close to the place where he is invoked for help, or where his sanctity is commemorated and glorified. Those who are clairvoyant see the saints. If those who are not clairvoyant truly believe, they will see them in due time.

Even as a young monk, Saint Kosmas of Zographou had this gift. Once, on the Feast of the Annunciation, he went with several other monks to the Monastery of Vatopaidi for this, their main feast. During the church service, and during the meal in the refectory, Kosmas saw a woman of royal beauty and majesty, who authoritatively organized, directed, and even served. This was not a momentary vision, but continued for a long time, both in the church and in the refectory. Kosmas was perplexed and startled by this vision. It was not at all proper for a woman to be in a monastery of the Holy Mountain. When he related this vision to his brother monks at Zographou, all the while protesting the presence of women on the Holy Mountain, the astonished monks explained to him that she was the Queen of the Holy Mountain, the Most Holy Theotokos. Then the perplexed heart of Kosmas was filled with great joy.

Saint Kosmas was so gifted with spiritual sight that, later, as an old hermit in his cave, he saw the soul of the abbot of Hilandari ascending to heaven, struggling to pass through the tollhouses, tormented by demons. Kosmas immediately sent someone to ask the brethren at Hilandari to pray to God for the soul of their reposed abbot. Matins had just been dismissed, and the monks and the abbot had just left the church. Hearing Kosmas's message, the monks laughed, saying that their abbot had just gone to his cell to prepare for Divine Liturgy. But when they entered the cell they found their abbot dead.

Apolytikion in the First Tone
In the cave where you have settled, you have been imitating by deeds He Who was born in a Cave, O Kosmas, most blessed one. You have endured even to the very death the demonic struggles and have, through grace, become a model. Your body immortal lasts for ever in the secret treasure until the Second Judgement and the Resurrection. Glory to Him Who had granted you firm strength, glory to Him Who had exalted you, glory to Him Who had made you famous in the Heavenly Kingdom.