PRAYER FOR THE MOTHER by Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi

For his mother please. Mine. And others. One is, itself, valuable, irreplaceable, unique mother. Our life. Our affection.Is our concern. The guardian angel us. Our joy. Recourse us. And baby. And child. And youthful. And in men. And in old age! Mother sweet always and forever! 

My heart and soul and mind and hands and feet and eyes and ears and all night and day for us. Holy and sacred person!Certainly, this is a man and make the effort. On upset or difficulty. On the chagrin bad thing in our head. On illness sickens us the poisons of death of children.So this beautiful existence, ideally, the blood donor of life and love, for this please. Add strength to strength.Lighting in children. 

Thanks to her grandchildren.Bless, O God, my mother, my, other, black, the red man, the Chinese, the peasant, the city, the illiterate,It's their scheduled, all mothers, rich and give to tech your grace and all good.And me increased appreciation, reputation, respect, love, understanding, obedience, sympathy, cooperation, thanks, gratitude for the mother.For the mother to please, this hour. Which the value of a mother. Same and like are each mother. Dear. Blessed. Pilgrim.

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The Elder Joseph - Danger of Spiritual Presumption and Diakrisis of the Divine will

Danger of Spiritual Presumption

 

Read, if you want, the Ecclesiastical History by Meletios of Athens, and see how many teachers Origen and thousands of others were at first great luminaries of the Church possessing extensive learning. But since they gave themselves over to the sea of knowledge before receiving in hesychia the purification of their senses and the peace and tranquility of the Spirit, they sank in the ocean of the Holy Scriptures. They thought that their scholarly learning was sufficient. Thousands were lost and anathematized by the Councils, of which they had previously been champions. Read and you will see.

Diakrisis of the Divine will

… diakrisis [discernment] of the Divine will is one of the most delicate and complex matters in our lives. Especially for those who try to discover it through prayer – even though this is required, according to the saying ‘knock, seek, ask and it will be given you’ (Mt. 7:7) – it must nevertheless be preceded by patient endurance, trials and tribulations and experience so as to remove the passions and the individual will, which the exceeding subtlety and sensitivity of divine grace abhors. Anyway, whether it is arduous or whether it requires patient endurance, the method of prayer remains a requirement as the only means whereby we communicate with God, and by which we shall also know His Divine will.

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Ephraim, Abbot of the Vatopaidi Monastery - The theologian view on sudden death

Nowadays when science and technology are flying, when cultures converge and there is a crisis in values, even the word ‘death’ is avoided and anything reminiscent of it is ignored and discarded. Modern man views death as something negative and as a loss; we usually say for the departed: ‘We’ve lost him’. Whoever does not have the proper knowledge about this issue of death, he is trying to ignore it. Thus he lives an essentially neurotic life, drained of its true meaning.

The arrest of cardiac function and or the death of the brain -namely the biological, clinical death- is not a natural state for man and it is not a condition which is in accordance with God’s pleasure. “God made not death” (Wisdom of Solomon 1, 13). Death intruded into human nature and acts as a parasite. Death entered the world through the forefathers’ sin. It is not possible that evil originated from God, since God is good. When He created man, He did not make him mortal. Death appeared after the sin was committed. “For in the day that you eat of it (of the fruit from the tree) you shall surely die” (Gen. 2, 17) Indeed, says Paul the Apostle: “just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5, 12). That is, death as the result of the forefathers’ sin encroached into human nature and thereafter to the rest of the creation.

The Lord through His ineffable providence fended so that man’s time of death remains unknown to him. According to Orthodox Theology, if man knew the time he was going to die he would not stop sinning, disregarding virtue. The fact that the time of one’s death is unknown keeps him vigilant and ready. “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24, 42), namely either during your death or during His Second Coming.

However, this does not mean that the Lord takes pleasure when sudden death occurs. There is a prayer used during our Church services in which we beg the Lord to protect us from sudden death among other perils. “Again we pray that this sacred church and every church, city, town, and every country may be preserved from famine, pestilence, earthquake, flood, fire, the sword, the invasion of aliens, civil war and sudden death” (prayer from Midnight Office ).

The Church prays not only for its active members, the faithful, but for the entire world and its prospective members. As a loving mother, she turns its attention and her affection to all her children throughout the world in order to protect them from all evil and grant them every goodness and blessing. For this reason the Church prays not just for all orthodox but also for “peace throughout the world…for those who travel by land, by sea, and by air, the sick, the sufferin, the captives, and their salvation”.

Sudden death for the non-believer, the atheist and the one who does not repent, becomes a horrid event with terrible consequences since the time gifted to him by the Lord was not utilized. He did not adopt a positive stance in face of the Lord, against his own self and the world. This is attested by the fact that he did not repent and did not live a life, mindful of the Lord. Thus, his communion with the Lord, his participation in the eternal, divine bliss becomes questionable after his death. The previously mentioned supplication to the Lord to protect us from sudden death refers precisely to such a person.

However, the faithful, the one who practices a true, orthodox spiritual life, cannot be spiritually harmed by sudden death, since it becomes irrelevant to him. The higher his spiritual state the less afraid of death he is; we would even say that such a person rather desires the advent of death. This is not because he hates this life or views his body as a prison and wishes to be rid of it like the Platonist philosophers believed, but because the Christian loves life and desires his communion with the true Life, who is Christ Himself. Thus he professes along with Paul the Apostle: “to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better” (Philippians 1, 21-23).

Similarly, blessed Elder Joseph, the Hesychast, exhibiting this fervor, this divine Eros for Christ, this desire to enjoy the true life, used to say: “Death is a mighty, terrible thing for many people; for me death is a repose, something very sweet” ( Elder Joseph the Hesychast: An expression of monastic experience). Thus he used to advocate: “Blessed is he who remembers death day and night and prepares to greet him. Death becomes a pleasurable event to those who expect him but it becomes bitter and tough (as sudden death) to those who do not expect him”.

St Silouan the Athonite presents a very nice instance of sudden death. Let us suppose, he says, that there is a King who lives in sin, in opulence and has acquired all the riches of the earth. If somebody were to tell him that he was going to die while sitting on his throne surrounded by princes and all his escorts, enjoying a feast in all his glorious might, he would become upset and tremble in fear. If however, one were to tell the same thing to a pauper, who was loaded with God’s love, he would peacefully say: “Let the Lord’s will be done. Praise be to the Lord for remembering me and for wishing to take me to the place where the robber entered first”.

Nevertheless, it is best if man knew the hour of his death so that he could pray and hand his soul over while praying, as it happens with the righteous, pious Elders. Thus blessed Elder Joseph, the Hesychast, knew beforehand- had been informed by the Most Holy Lady- that he would repose on the day of her Dormition, on the 15th of August. But also many saints of our Church had been informed of this event, like St Simon, the pole dweller, St Gregory Palamas and others. St Theognostos says that no matter how many virtues or charismas one has acquired “he must not pray to be absolved of his flesh without being previously informed about his death; but indeed he must pray extensively for this” (St Theognostos: Filokalia, vol. 2).

“The Lord’s designs are like the deep abyss” (Psalms 35, 7) and “who has known the mind of the Lord” (Romans 11, 34). In His unfathomable designs and decisions, the Lord always weaves the deliverance and the spiritual perfection of man, even if to his finite mind it seems that he is harmed and suffers injustice. Thus the Lord has permitted that many saints die a sudden death, like Jacob the brother of the Lord and Apostle, St Moses, Ethiopas, St Stefan, the New, the 38 elders killed at Sinai and the 33 elders killed at Rietho, even the great reformer of hagiorite monasticism St Athanasius, the Athonite, and others. These people, as spiritual fathers, have taken upon themselves the sins of the people and have been sacrificed like Christ for the deliverance of the world. They have also become the cause for the awakening and revival of their generation. As St Anastasios of Sinai says: people ought to marvel on the sudden death of a righteous person and wonder: “If such a thing happened to a saint what is going to happen to us, sinners?”

Sometimes the Lord allows the onslaught of sudden death to wipe out numerous sins.  In the book of Gerontinko it is said that when a monk committed fornication, two of his former co-ascetics, who had already died, begged the Lord to allow a lion to devour him in order to wipe out his sin in such a painful way and have him ranked among them and those saved. The prescient, blessed Elder Porfyrios used to say that scientists have come very close to the discovery of the cure for cancer, but the Lord does not give His permission since Paradise is filled with cancer-patients.

Pain is intertwined with living. Occasionally, we find ourselves cracking from the many, fierce hardships that befall us, especially if we do not have enough faith. For instance, if we know that somebody will die soon from an incurable disease we find it hard to accept it, despite having prepared for it psychologically. How much more difficult would it be to remain calm and peaceful in the event of a young person suddenly dying?

Death is an unnatural, perverted and abhorrent event. It will always be man’s last enemy. From ancient times until recently, man would scrutinize death with intense existential interest. Nowadays however, despite everyday viewing through the media many collective or violent deaths in wars, accidents or crimes, man has lost his existential attitude towards death and thinks it is something natural.

When a Christian speaks about death, he is not being pessimistic or compromises in a fatalistic way; neither does he regard it as something natural; He considers death as an enemy he must win over through Christ. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (A Corinthians 15, 26). “The Word was made flesh” (John 1, 14) “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2, 14). God was incarnated to abolish death and sin and to beat the devil. Christ took over a mortal flesh subjected to passions in order to win over death with His own flesh. 

Through His crucifixion and His Resurrection He beat death and gave man the ability to also thrash it, after being united with Him. Thus, after the incarnation of Word God, death has changed its name and its direction. It is no longer called ‘death’ but ‘repose’ and becomes the bridge towards eternal life. The righteous one “passes from death to life” (John 5, 24).

St Nicodemus the Hagiorite advises us not to forget that “death shows up like an unexpected thief and we do not know how or when he will visit us. He may appear today, at this hour, at this very moment and you, who woke up feeling fine, will not last until the evening, while you, who have reached the evening, may not wake up…Therefore, my brother, take heed and tell yourself: “If I die suddenly, what will become of the wretched old me? What would be my benefit even if I enjoy all the pleasures of the world?…. ‘Get thee behind me, Satan and evil thought! I do not wish to obey you and commit a sin’” (St Nicodemus, the Hagiorite: Exomologitarion).

According to the Fathers and the experience of our Church our reposed brothers- especially those who have departed suddenly- benefit a great deal from the memorial services and the customary forty- liturgies we offer them, as well as from our prayers, almsgiving and our own righteous way of living which is reflected on their souls  as light.

In concluding our short presentation in which we have briefly touched upon some aspects of the issue of sudden death from a theologian point of view, we would also like to stress that death, namely the separation of the soul from the body, constitutes a mystery on which only the Ruler of life and death has a say. It is up to the Lord’s unanswered judgments whether we will die a sudden death or not; but we must firmly believe and totally assimilate with all our might the fact that through the Resurrected Christ, “death has no more dominion” (Romans 6, 9) and that “the gift of God is eternal life” (Romans 6, 23).

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Elder Ephraim: Like Anselm, we must not view the Lord through the prism of legal justice

WHAT manner of justice is that, to give eternal life to one that deserves eternal death?

Whence then, O good God, good both to the good and to the evil, whence is it that Thou savest the
 evil, if to save the evil is not just, and yet Thou doest nothing that is not just? Or is it because Thy goodness is incomprehensible that this lieth hid in that light unapproachable which is Thy dwelling-place?

Verily it is in the most deep and secret abyss of Thy goodness that there lieth hid the fountain, whence floweth the river of Thy mercy.

Anselm of Canterbury, “Proslogion”, Chapter IX, tr. Clement C. J. Webb (1903).

 

Elder Ephraim, Abbot of the Vatopaidi monastery on Mount Athos, greets a fellow monk.

WE must not view the Lord through the prism of legal justice. [...]

God will not inflict punishment. We must abandon the notion of a vindictive God. 

“God is love” (1 Jn 4:8). “Word became flesh” (Jn 1:14) so “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb 2:14).

The purpose and the cause of the divine incarnation, as well as Christ’s emptying Himself on the Cross, was to abolish death, corruption and the Devil, who is the father of deceit and of all sin. 

According to Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) Christ, through His sacrifice on the Cross, does not gratify divine justice but “saves the sheep that went astray” (Mt 18:11), reconciles man with God and grants him deification.

St John Chrysostom says that the Lord was never vindictive but it is us, humans, who are spiteful.

The Lord does not need anything. He does not offer salvation in order to gain something. He offers salvation because he loves man; and He loves him because He wants to. 

Elder Ephraim of the Vatopaidi, in Αρχιμ. Εφραίμ Βατοπαιδινού Καθηγουμένου Ι. Μ. Μ. Βατοπαιδίου, Αθωνικός Λόγος, Ιερά Μεγίστη Μονή Βατοπαιδίου, Άγιον Όρος 2010, translated here by Olga Konari Kokkinou. 

O THOU mercy of God, from how abundant a sweetness, from how sweet an abundance flowest thou forth unto us! O boundless goodness of God, how ought we sinners to be moved by love of Thee! 

For Thou savest the just, justice assenting; but deliverest the wicked, when justice condemns them; Thou savest the just by the help of their deserts; Thou deliverest the wicked against their deserts; Thou savest the just, acknowledging in them the good which Thou didst give them; Thou deliverest the wicked, pardoning the evil which Thou hatest. 

O immeasurable goodness, passing all understanding, let that mercy be shed upon me, which proceedeth from the great riches of that goodness!

Anselm of Canterbury, “Proslogion”, Chapter IX, tr. Clement C. J. Webb (1903).

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Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi by Elder Moses the Hagiorite (Tribute)

 

Early in the morning of the 1^st July 2009 monk Joseph of Vatopaidi reposed to the Lord. This is of course not an important announcement. He was not an actor, a singer or a footballer. (Twelve young people committed suicide recently at the announcement of the death of a singer. I pray that I have heard wrong.) For the genuine monk death is something which he anticipates with joy. His entire life is a preparation for this moment, with the incessant remembrance of death and the steadfast faith in eternal life- the endless joy in the Heavens.

Joseph monk was born in Cyprus in 1920. While still very young he decided to become a monk at the historic monastery Stavrovouni. Later on he came to the Holy Mountain and placed himself under the obedience of Elder Joseph the Hesychast (+1959), who was an ascetic at the caves of Little St Anne along with a tiny brotherhood. 

Afterwards he came down to the New Skete. After the blessed death of his elder he compiled his own brotherhood. Throughout his monastic life he lived for some years in Cyprus, then at the monastery of Koutloumousi at the Holy Mountain, at the Cell of the Annunciation belonging to the Simonopetra monastery and finally at Vatopaidi.

He was an energetic, strong, sweet talking monk with a fighting spirit and a scholarly mind. He wrote books which were educational and soul saving. According to the Abbot of Simonopetras ‘he was God inspired’ and was always speaking passionately about the Lord’s love. Along with his brothers, Charalambos Dionysiatis and Efrem Filotheitis, he created large and useful brotherhoods, reviving Athonite monasticism. Some people may be sceptical about the result… but they cannot write off a long history, the struggles, the tears and prayers of so many people devoted to the Lord. In our opinion they may criticise the mistakes but they cannot condemn or totally reject a humble life-long struggle.

Elder Joseph’s repose closed a chapter and opened a new one. He reposed to the Lord after an infection, crossing himself. His funeral service was held at the Katholicon after the vespers, in the presence of four bishops- led by his spiritual child the Metropolitan of Limassol Athanasios- ten abbots and dozens of hiernmonks, hierdeacons, monks and laity. It was truly touching. He was put to rest in the yard of the monastery, at sunset. More than hundred and ten members of the brotherhood bid him farewell in an emotional setting.

Elder Joseph and his brotherhood has been accused, slandered, ridiculed, exposed and vilified a great deal. He takes all this in his stride on his way to Heaven. His joyful face looked like he had forgiven everyone. Let his memory live forever. Let us pray that we may also have a blessed ending.

Moses Monk, the Hagiorite.

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Εcumenical Patriarchate Denounces Russian Interference in the Ephraim Case

Τhe Ecumenical Patriarchate denounced the interference of the Russian Orthodox Church in the case of Abbot Ephraim of Vatopedi, after the Holy Synod concluded on Tuesday.

In its official announcement, the Patriarchate points out that Mount Athos lies within the jurisdiction and borders of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and though it may include Orthodox monks of different national backgrounds, its matters hold no pan-orthodox interests. Therefore, no other Autocephalous Church is allowed to interfere with the operation and issues of Mount Athos in any way.

The announcement followed a long discussion on the issue of the pretrial detention of Abbot Ephraim of Vatopedi. The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expressed his regrets over the whole situation surrounding the case of Abbot Ephraim.

The announcement also emphasizes that the Ecumenical Patriarchate has always avoided intervening with any judicial matters and investigations, due to respect of judicial independence, and will continue its policy, especially as far as this case is concerned, in which the Patriarchate does not know the content of the relevant papers in the case.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate had asked Abbot Ephraim to leave his post until the judicial control of the Monastery’s affairs was over. This suggestion was followed by Abbot Ephraim at first, but later on a second decision of the Monastery’s Council allowed him to return to his duties.

How the Great and Holy Monastery of Vatopedi is helping people at Porto Lagos (Greece)

Human pain and the numbers of people who lack even the most basic goods have increased because of the economic crisis. Many people seek refuge in the Church. This is what people do in times of hardship. On the day of the feast of the miraculous icon of Pantanassa, Fr. T talked with Fr. Nifon, who heads the Porto Lagos Metohi, 

Firstly this discussion gives some historical details and then it refers to the service which the monastery provides to ease the hardships of those who seek refuge there. “Love in real terms”… This is a story brimming with the presence of the Lord…

Fr T: Let’s start with the history of the Metohi of St Nicholas

Fr. N: The church of St Nicholas was built in order to cater for the worshiping needs of the monks since the place was a metohi. Earlier there was a church dedicated to the two Saints Theodores and its ruins have been found outside Porto Lagos. It is for this reason that there is the icon of the two saints on the Templo (icon stand) in the church. Tradition has it that St Nicholas appeared in person and said that from then on “he would be the patron saint of the metohi, since he was the patron of the seas”. Thus the church was renamed after him. The present church was built in 1904 on top of the ruins of previous churches. This is attested by the fact that the icons, which we have recently restored, date around 1850. The monks from Vatopedi would visit the metohi regularly to attend to its needs since it has been owned by the monastery since the 11^th Century. On this basis we guess that the metohi was created on the small island many years ago, but the church is more recent. We have also recently built the bridge connecting the mainland with the small island which houses the chapel of the Most Holy Lady Pantanassa. Earlier people would use small boats to visit the chapel. Indeed we will need many hours to describe how many miracles were performed here not only to Christians but to Muslims too.

FR. T: Is the chapel more recently built?

Fr. N: The chapel was built eighteen years ago. Our Elder, Blessed Joseph built it and brought over from the Holy Mountain the miracle performing icon of Pantanassa. This icon has since become the consolation of the people in Thrace, not just because of the many miracles the most Holy Lady performs but because of her perceptible presence. We will need many hours to account for all those miracles. Today, a Muslim lady came and crossed the bridge kneeling instead of walking, carrying two planted pots. She said that two months ago she had pleaded for her grandson who had a tumour and now the tumour has disappeared.

Fr T: How was the metohi populated over the years?

Fr. N: Occasionally the Vatopedi monastery would send over somebody as an overseer while the monks would visit on the feast days. They would also cooperate with the local fishermen in benefiting from the pond. Many monks, who served here, like Ignatios hieronmonk, are remembered in inscriptions seen on the bell tower and the icon stand. The last fifty years however, because of the peculiar status of the monastery and the fact that it was sparsely populated, no fathers resided here. However, there was always a paid keeper in view of the political situation which prevailed in the area. During the civil war, a wonderful incident took place which was described to us by the couple who was looking after the metohi. Now that they are old came recently to see me. They stayed at the metohi as soon as they got married. However, since it was isolated and remote they had decided to send a letter to the monastery offering their resignation. They were about to send the letter the following day. On the same night they saw a priest walking on the bridge who was covered in bright light, even though it was already dark. He was holding the Gospel in one hand and had a white omophorio on his shoulders. When they went to ask who he was, he told them not to leave and that he was going to look after them. “I am the owner of the place. My name is Nicholas of Myron” he said and disappeared. It was St Nicholas and thus they took heart and stayed.

We, the brotherhood of Elder Joseph, assumed the responsibility of the Vatopedi monastery at a time when only ten elderly monks were living there. We had our hands full in trying to restore the ruined monastery and as we were only eighteen monks, had no time to deal with outside affairs. At the time there was an elderly priest living at Porto Lagos with his wife, who had subsequently left. Then another priest was appointed and was guarding the place with his family. When Vatopedi was re-established as a coenobium and regained its former glory, more monks joined the brotherhood and thus the monastery decided to deal with Porto Lagos. Elder Joseph started coming here and gained first hand experience of the desolation and poverty in the area and ached for the hardships that people faced. He then decided to revive it, since God’s providence wished to keep our presence in these lands, bordering with Turkey. Thus he built the chapel to Pantanassa and fervently wished to populate it and establish it as a tiny monastery. This happened in 2003 with the blessing of our Abbot, Elder Efrain. Thus a small brotherhood of three was sent here, which resumed the liturgical services daily. I think this is the greatest gift we could offer to people; namely, to hold the divine service daily. There is no greater value than that derived from the Divine Liturgy since the whole place is sanctified and thousands of names are being read during the paraklisis and the liturgies. We firmly believe in God’s providence and we do not lose our hope… 

  

FR. T: We hear that ever since you came here you have been busy…

Fr N: As soon as we arrived we met with many difficulties but with God’s help we survived. We have been trying with our limited abilities and the assistance of the monastery and the blessing of our Elder Efrem, to stand by the people who suffer and share in their pain, which is overflowing.

Everyday, more and more people arrive here, wanting assistance and we have reached the point where we can not cope. With God’s help we have also started assisting people in jail. Every Saturday we hold meetings with students. On the 24^th September we will start again and Elder Efrem will come and speak. Even though we are far away, the youngsters visit us every week. Every Sunday afternoon, we hold meetings open to everyone and every Wednesday night we hold a night service at the chapel of St Nektarios. This chapel was miraculously built despite the strife that was started against its establishment. They have even imposed a fine on us for building it. I do not mind that our Muslim brothers build their own mosques since they live here. But I object to the double standard imposed by the authorities. They have withdrawn the 700,000 Euro fine imposed on the Mosque which was built but they insisted that we paid our own fine. Nevertheless, we place our faith in the Lord and we are not overcome by these things. However, it is quite hard, when one is facing such temptations…

Fr T: A lot of things have been said about the Vatopedi Monastery. How did you deal with all these?

FR N: This last temptation was substantial and especially hard for our Abbot. I have been in Greece for almost thirty years and have never heard such insults thrown against anyone in so many television shows, in so many newspaper articles as was done against our Abbot. Nevertheless, no one speaks about it any more. It has blown over. If people knew what Vatopedi does for people, they ought to be grateful. During the military disaster in Asia Minor, the monastery gifted 35,000 acres in Halkida to the Greek state, on condition that it will abandon its claim on the Visthonida pond and the surrounding areas. The monastery out of sheer love for the refugees gave all its property at the time. Only 3% of its assets are left outside the Holy Mountain nowadays. Unfortunately the authorities wanted to oust the monastery from here. They wanted us out of here and this was strange. The monastery did not want to proceed with the land exchanges because it did not wish to abandon the pond and the surrounding areas; the state decided to do this. We should be concerned about the condition imposed that the areas to be exchanged should be outside the Thrace area. Why? Is it to obliterate the memory of the monastery from the area? Is it because they did not want the presence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate here? Therefore, whom did they want to leave Thrace to?

The monastery does not belong to Elder Efrem or to Fr Arsenios or Fr Nifon. It belongs to the people. They said that we had accepted bribes. However, the monastery is a public institution and not private. Renowned lawyers like Konidaris said that the state took money from one pocket and put it in the other. This is where misinformation and wickedness lead one. Nevertheless, we take no heed. We look ahead. Many, friends and foes alike, used to say that the monastery waw going to be dissolved. I must say that we are more united than ever and our bond has been strengthened. We must all bow our heads in front of our Abbot who lasted for so long under such slanderous onslaught. He lasted because he is a man of prayer and humility. Camera crews were camped here permanently. We made the front pages in the newspapers. All television programmes would start in the morning and not stop even in the evening talking about this issue. They even caricatured him in the carnival. Nevertheless, he lasted without holding grudges against anyone; he continues to love them all, and we get on with our jobs. We could just stay put inside the metohi. But we do not do it. We continue to fight to save the young and all those who ask for our help. Occasionally we are upset because we do not have anything to give to the people who ask for our help.

Fr T: Has the number of those who seek refuge here increased under the present economic conditions?

FR N: Where else are people going to get assistance if not from the Church at times of crisis? Our people come here, at the monasteries, and that’s why it is imperative that monasteries own property so that they are able to help our aching brothers. Where else can they go? Even Muslims come here. The numbers went up dramatically and as I see it, this trend will continue. Many times we cannot cope and we are upset. This is what the monastery and Elder Efrem wanted to do in the area. That’s why there were companies who wanted to get involved in developing the place. Even Prince Charles wanted to contribute in creating bicycle lanes and developing the pond, even building a byzantine village, but the authorities could not appreciate it.

Last year, we had to pay 8600 Euros in rents for destitute students. We also paid for the schooling of needy children and supported the families of those in jail. This is part of the welfare aspect of Vatopedi. All these are possible because the monastery and ordinary people assist us. A lot of Cypriots contribute to the expenses of various children and thus we are able to help them. The monastery also assists us since it is very hard to offer hospitality to thousands of people. Two days ago a father who was made redundant told us that he was feeding his small child water with sugar because he had no money to buy milk. Is this imaginable in Greece in the 21^st Century? Monasteries and the monks become the recipients of human suffering.

We are also sending many young drug addicts to the recovery centre which our own brother, Metropolitan Athanasios, has built in Cyprus: “Ayia Skepi”. We have already sent over fifty kids from the area and there are currently twenty five attending at the centre and more are outside recovering from their addiction. These things are only known to the parents who come here in anguish.

We have also taken over the Institution of Saint Theodores. When the kids, drug addicts, die, the parents have nowhere to go. They often are old and they may get sick. Who is going to look after their child, who is addicted? The centre owns a plot of land and we are trying to build it. It is being difficult. I told them that I will become a beggar for these kids. With God’s help we managed to collect some money. Unfortunately there is a delay in the issue of the building permission. We are not seeking recognition. We do it for love and for our Lord’s command. But we are facing a lot of obstacles. “One hand must not know what the other hand is doing”. However, we have to talk about this task, which is not ours, but the Church’s, so that people now that the Church is working quietly and is not publicizing its work.

Fr T: Who supports this work?

Fr N: It is not carried out solely by us because our means are limited as a result of the closure of the monastery’s bank accounts. The love of people supports us. We will not stop, we go on. It is not right to talk about such things, but we must fight for the prevalence of the truth. People in Thrace know about these issues.

Fr. T: What you are doing with the people in prison is also well known. What exactly is your mission there?

Fr N: For the last seven years I have been visiting the prisons. I also invite imams and muftis to come along to help their own people. But, I am alone. I do not discriminate when I go there. There are about 300 prisoners, mostly foreigners. They do not have a shaver, or soap, or a phone card to call their children. There are people in prison for the last six years and no one visits them. There are people who come to me and say: “I do not need anything. I only want to speak to someone!” You get really emotional when you meet them. Last year they were feeling the cold since the prison authorities were cutting back on costs. Who wants to know what needs these people have? Christ says: “I was in prison and you did not visit me.” Of course it is not Christ who is in prison. They said to Him: “When did we see you in prison and did not visit you?” Those jailed, for whatever reason are described by Christ as His brothers. “Since you did not do it for my brothers, you did not do it for me either”. Anyone of us can find himself in this position. Not all of them are murderers or thieves. There are people who owe monies to the state, whom we release by paying for their debts. Many people do not like this. This week a boy of 18.5 is coming out. He was put in jail for one month for begging. It cost 600 Euros to buy his sentence. This is how Greek justice is satisfied: to put a youngster 18 years old in prison because he was selling balloons without permission. His mother 

came to us crying. We went and paid off his sentence.

This is not all we do for the prison system. With the permission of the prison director we have renovated the whole institution. When I first went there, the state of the buildings was abysmal. We managed to take off the iron bars from the meeting room, since children would visit their parents in prison and it was not right to have bars on the windows. We replaced the glazing and tiled the yard. We had managed to buy the tiles but did not have the money to pay for the cement. I went everywhere but no one was interested. If they do not wish to thank us, at least they should not place obstacles in our way.

Fr T: With all that has been happening, there is a lot of talk about Paisios’ prophesies. How should we deal with them?

Fr N: Both Elder Paisios and our elder Joseph and all the Fathers look for the cause of the economic crisis. It is the result of a spiritual crisis. Our Elders used to warn us about these consequences. They used to urge us to return to our roots, to our values, to repent. We were in awe of the European culture, which we had given them, and now we are left behind. We omitted giving our Children the faith in Christ and the love for our country. All our values, our customs, which St Kosmas was calling upon us to safeguard, have been abandoned. Does anyone dare speak about chastity, humility or prayer? When there is a spiritual crisis there is a financial crisis as well. This crisis is not doing us any harm. It will wake us up. As a nation we have been used to lavishness. We had it all and threw it away. I believe that if all these people who are protesting at Syntagma square, and they are correct in doing so, were to lift up their hands in prayer just as they did at Nineveh , the Lord would change His plans. We have the Lord who is Love and we have abandoned Him, we run after different gods. If we return to our base and show repentance and cry for our sins, you will see that everything will change. Our nation has gone through many occupations and times of poverty, but because we believed and fought for Christ and our country we survived as a nation and as people. Let us now proceed to the giver of Life and not lose hope. We must not discourage our young people either; but on the contrary we must urge them to have hope and tell them that the Lord is with us; He will not abandon us.

Fr T: Doesn’t the Church bear any responsibility for what is happening?

Fr. N: Of course it does. We are not free from blame. When there is a cultural and material crisis everyone is to blame, the Church, the educators, the state. But we must all assume our personal responsibility for what is happening rather than blaming others. If each and every one of us says that he is to blame and tries to become a better person, then the whole will become better as well. The Church must be the bearer of Light. Unfortunately people do not see the true beacons that light up the Church. If there is something wrong in the Church or if a clergyman, as human has made a mistake, then this is publicized. Are there no priests who do good for the Church? We do not see that. But, nevertheless, we are all to blame. We must all drop to our knees, cry and plead with our Most Holy Lady to help us and our nation. We are going through tough times and we do not know what tomorrow will bring. We must all painfully cry and pray and plead and give a helping hand to those who are in need, if we are to be able to go on.

A letter- testimony written by a hooligan follower of AEK.

This letter is found in the book kept at Porto Lagos for those who wish to leave their thoughts in writing. We copy it here.

“ I thank the Lord because I am healthy and I am free and out of prison. My name is G. G. and I stayed 11 months at the Komotini prison. The reason was the violence I did in the name of my great love- the football club- AEK. I was set free yesterday but decided to come here first in order to thank the young man who stood by my side all these months in prison and who with his love and his kindness gave me courage and taught me to view the world and life in a better light.

He taught me that my primary love should be God from now on. I promised him I will not get into trouble and instead of being a hooligan I will become a good person and a good Christian. Thank you, Fr Nifon, for what you have done for me. I will never forget you. I cannot express my heartfelt feelings for you, who are such a kind person. But also no one can understand what it means for a prisoner to find love and consolation in one man. Fr Nifon, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you did for me. I have found at last someone who loves and helps all people. He is the consolation of all the prisoners. In the jungle of Athens I only met with hatred and wickedness. I thank the Lord for going into prison and meeting you, Fr Nifon, because I was able to discover that there are people who are able to offer love. You will always be my father and my supporter.

The AEK- hooligan from Athens, G.G. 23.2.2007.”

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