The Monastery of Christ of the Forest on the Island of Paros

The Monastery of Christ of the Forest is also known as the Monastery of Transfiguration of Christ and the Monastery of Saint Arsenios of Paros. This is a convent constructed at a distance of 6 km from Parikia, close to the Valley of Butterflies. The katholikon of the monastery is dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Christ, while on the northern side of the courtyard, there is a church dedicated to Saint Arsenios (1800-1877), the patron saint of Paros. In fact, the grave and the skull of the Saint are guarded in this monastery because the Saint reposed here on January 31, 1877, since he was the spiritual father of the nuns of this community.

Miracle Reported of the Resurrection of a Baby Girl in Belgium

The following report was released by Fr. Dionysios Tampakis, and is dated 22 January 2018. It was told to him by Abbess Arsenia of the Monastery of Christ of the Forest on the island of Paros, where the tomb of Saint Arsenios of Paros and the center of his veneration is located.

A few minutes ago, Abbess Arsenia Tsantouli (Abbess of the Monastery where Saint Arsenios of Paros lived in asceticism) and the Nuns related to us the following astonishing miracle:

Church of Saint Arsenios the New in Paros

Saint Arsenios the New of Paros reposed on January 31, 1877 at the Monastery of the Transfiguration, known also as the Monastery of Christ of the Forest, and today also known as the Monastery of Saint Arsenios, where he served as spiritual father to the nuns. Soon after his repose a small chapel was dedicated to him at the monastery, erected at the site of his tomb, which was included inside it. Later, between 1935 and 1945 a much larger chapel was built to replace the old one. Official recognition of his sainthood came in 1967 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Soon after two more chapels dedicated to Saint Arsenios were dedicated to him in the suburbs of Athens, one at Moschaton and one in Spata.

Saint Arsenios of Paros Resource Page

St. Arsenios the New of Paros (Feast Day - January 31 & August 18)

Verses

Saint Arsenios you lived such a life,
That now with the Saints you rejoice O Saint.
By his holy intercessions, O God, have mercy on us. Amen.

Saint Arsenios the New of Paros (+ 1877)

Saint George Appears to Saint Arsenios of Paros

The Spiritual Counsels of Elder Daniel to Saint Arsenios of Paros

Saint Arsenios of Paros and the Restoration of the Fallen Woman

Miracles 3 and 4 of Saint Arsenios of Paros

Miracles 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 of Saint Arsenios of Paros 

Miracles 13-17 of Saint Arsenios of Paros

Spiritual Counsels of Saint Arsenios of Paros

The Monastery of Christ of the Forest on the Island of Paros

Church of Saint Arsenios the New in Paros

Saint Arsenios of Paros and the Cave of the Demons

 

Miracle Reported of the Resurrection of a Baby Girl in Belgium

Spiritual Counsels of Saint Arsenios of Paros

* Trust in God, have hope in Him, and love Him, and He will not forsake you. For if men who are wicked, love their children, how much more must God love His? Now they are children of God who love Him and keep His commandments. Those, on the other hand, who do not love Him, do not believe in Him, and do not live in accordance with His commandments, and who do not love their fellowmen, especially the poor, giving them alms, are children of the devil.

Saint Arsenios the New of Paros (+ 1877)

St. Arsenios the New of Paros (Feast Day - January 31)

Saint Arsenios was born on January 31, 1800 in Ioannina, Epirus of pious Orthodox parents. In holy Baptism he was given the name Athanasios. His parents died when he was quite young. He was only nine years old when he made his way to Kydonia, Asia Minor, where he was received by Hieromonk Gregory Saraphis and enrolled in his school. His humility and piety endeared him to Fr. Gregory and also to the other teachers. The boy remained at the school for five years, surpassing the other students in learning and in virtue.

The Spiritual Counsels of Elder Daniel to Saint Arsenios of Paros

St. Arsenios of Paros (Feast Day - January 31 and August 18)

As a youth, St. Arsenios of Paros (1800-1877), who was known as Athanasios in the world, was introduced to his spiritual father, the renowned Elder Daniel of Zagora in Thessaly, while he was a student in Kydoniai of Asia Minor, when he had come to confess the students there. After their meeting, Athanasios never left the side of his spiritual father till he reposed.

When Elder Daniel took his fourteen year old disciple Athanasios to Mount Athos, he taught him the lessons, canons, laws and ways of true wisdom of the monastic and angelic mode of life, of true philosophy. According to Elder Philotheos Zervakos, the biographer of St. Arsenios, "Elder Daniel was a perfect teacher, in deed as well as in word. And his pupil, Athanasios, was extremely attentive and diligent in his efforts to master the queen of the arts and sciences, the true wisdom, the monastic way of life."

Before Elder Daniel clothed Athanasios in the great and angelic habit as a monk and renamed him Arsenios, he counseled him with the following words of authentic theology and spirituality: