Teachings of holy fathers
- Saint Gerontios, the first inhabitant of St. Anne’s Skete, was taught by the Lady Theotokos the measure of Her Son’s exceeding love. He therefore reached, through divine love, the state of not having any self-will, of not being attached to anything. Of being carefree, having one and only care: God and his soul and how to be a perfect example to his disciples.
- In the holy Monastery of Philotheou lived the holy hieromartyr’ Kosmas the Aitolian, Equal to the Apostles,who, being prompted by deep love, divine revelation and having the blessing of the elders and the Patriarchate,assumed the cross of apostolic mission. Having perfomed countless miracles and resurrecting our fallen finally received the crown of martyrdom.
- “We suffer because we have no love. Whoever does not have love does not have peace, even if he was placed in Paradise,” said an elder.
- Elder Hilarion of the holy Monastery of Simonopetra, whose task was to nurse the sick, never went to sleep if he had a sick brother in his care. He would tend to him with much self-sacrifice. Using his prayer rope he would pray all night, pacing up and down saying: “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on your servant”, “Holy Unmercenaries intercede”. He would also go fishing especially for the sick fathers in his care, cooking a fish or two, helping them become stronger and thereby overcome their illness.
- The ever memorable Symeon, the hesychast of St. Anne’s, had completely given himself over to caring for the sick and the elderly. He lived in the dry kalyve dedicated to the feast of the Purification. He worked constantly making wooden kitchen utensils. He would sell them in Karyes where he always went on foot. He died in 1933 at the age of 69.
- At one time some monks were cleaning the charnel house of New Skete. An elder, by the name of Daniel, lived in the Fort’ of New Skete and without complaining was always helpful to everyone. There, where he was helping, he addressed the reposed saying: “You all struggled while in this life and that is why you were crowned and placed in Heaven. Pray for us holy Fathers.” Then he heard a voice coming from the heap of bones: “If you have love!!! No one is saved without having love!”
- An elder said: “We are called Christians, but no-one keeps the
commandment of loving one’s neighbour.” - There were heroes, brave in both body and spirit, who for the sake of love, that pinnacle of virtue, took into account neither the hard work involved nor the risk of contracting infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. Instead, they placed above all else, the taking care of their sick brothers. One such hero was the priestmonk Panteleimon from St Anne’s. He sacrificed his life in order to serve others. He nursed those afflicted with tuberculosis and fed the many starving during the dreadful hunger of the German occupation. He finally died in 1948 after having contracted tuberculosis, without ever having complained. On the contrary, he always gave
glory to God’s name. - The ever memorable monk Ignatius from St Anne’s (originally from the island of Chios) is gained distinction not only during our country’s and the Balkan wars but also in his struggles for love and charity. Arriving at the Skete,’ he built a Kalyve by the seashore in honour of the Lord’s Nativity where he offered hospitality to everyone, especially the shipwrecked. He risked his own life helping many New Zealanders and British soldiers escape. He would go fishing and would offer everything he caught to the suffering and persecuted. He was killed having fallen off a cliff in 1947. They found him with a cross brought to his mouth and his hand on his forehead, as if about to make the sign of the Cross.
- Another charitable fisherman was Sophronios of St Anne’s, who lived below Vouleftiria in a dry kalyve named “Loviarika”. At first, he had gone to the holy Monastery of Lavra to be tonsured a monk, but he returned unsuccessful. The demons then attacked him by deriding him and saying sarcastically: “You went as Spyros and returned with the same name-Spyros” (that was his secular name). But he did not despair. He returned to the Monastery and was finally tonsured a monk. He lived completely possessionless yet with much love. He gave away all the fish he caught to the poor fathers. He reposed at the age of ninety.
- Ceaselessly praying, Isaac the Dionysiotan would forget to go to sleep. He would pray especially at night for the health and salvation of the workmen in his holy Monastery, often in tears and with anguish in his loving heart. For awhile when he stayed on the upper floor of the Monastery’s metochion, the workmen could hear him praying out loud with lamenting cries: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, be merciful to the workmen. Grant them their daily bread. Have mercy on them for they work so hard so that they can marry off their daughters and help their children complete their education.”
Priestmonk loannikios
Publications of the Holy Monastery of
St. Gregory Palamas
Koufalia – Thessaloniki 2003
