By protopresbyter GEORGIOS CHR. EFTHYMIOS
In the summer of 1975, I was blessed with
going for the first time to the Garden of the Mother of God, Mount Athos
(Agion Oros). I visited various age-long monasteries; I paid my
respects to many of the priceless treasures of the Holy place, that is,
holy remnants of martyrs and saints of our faith as well as holy icons. I
participated in the daily all-night long masses which are concluded
with the Divine Service early in the morning. I sat at the simple
monastery table, where everything reminds you that you eat in order to
survive and fight for your salvation and you do not live in order to
eat, where the reading of the devout patristic text aims at transporting
the minds of the table companions to heaven. I associated with
conscientious monks who, inspired by the divine love and obeying the
urging of Basil the Great, "take care of thy self", have denied the
world, but not man for whom they pray unfailingly with love and "with
many tears" (Act. 20:19) in their cells and the church during the sacred
vigils.
During my visit, I did not succeed, despite
my wish, to meet Elder Paisios who was then an ascetic at the
Stavronikita cell of the Holy Cross. This came later, "when the time was
mature" (Gal. 4:4). What I realized about this full-of-grace person
during my first pilgrimage to Mount Athos were the characteristic words
of another co-pilgrim, today an assistant professor at the Medical
School of the University of Thessaloniki, who had met him and told me
that "his love breaks you apart", something I verified myself later on.
I will deal with this genuine man of God
briefly, as I had the opportunity to do in the past with my dear
spiritual fathers, Elder Porfyrios and Elder Iakovos.
On Tuesday, July 12, 1994 , the late Elder
Paisios, the Hagiorite, rested in the Lord, at the Holy Cemetery of St.
John the Theologian, in Souroti of Thessaloniki.
This genuine man of God, whose secular name
was Arsenios Eznepides, was born to pious parents, Prodromos and
Eulabia, at Farasa, Cappadocia on the 25 th of July, 1924.
Due to the extraordinary and harsh
conditions, he was baptized a few days later at Farasa, on the 7 th of
August, by St. Arsenios Chatziefentis and was given the name "Arsenios".
Barely a month after his birth, he was driven
along with his parents, relatives and other citizens of Farasa away
from his paternal home and became a refugee.
The boat with the refugees arrived in
metropolitan Greece on September 14. The Elder's family lived for a
little while first in Piraeus , then in Castro of Corfu and in a small
village near Igoumenitsa prior to settling down in Konitsa in 1926.
He finished the Konitsa Elementary School
and, then, he worked as a carpenter until 1945 when he was enlisted in
the army. His military service, during those unlucky years of the civil
war, lasted for approximately four years, until 1949, when Arsenios
Eznepides, the radio operator, received his discharge certificate marked
with "excellent" conduct.
In 1950, he went to Mt. Athos aiming at realizing the dream of his life; that is to receive the angelic schema.
In 1954, he was tonsured at the Monastery of
Esphigmenou where he was serving as a novice as a rasophoros monk with
the name of Averkios.
In 1956, he was tonsured to the "Small Schema" in Philotheou Monastery taking the name "Paisios".
In 1958, after being asked by the people of
Konitsa who were spiritually in danger by a "raid" of Protestants who
had managed to proselytize eighty poor families, he went to the
Monastery of the Theotokos Birthday, at Stomio, next to the Aos River .
He stayed there for four years and greatly helped the inhabitants of the
area who visited the Monastery.
In 1962, we find him as an ascetic at the Cell of Saints Galaktionas and Episteme, in the desert of Mt. Sinai.
In 1964, he returned to Mt. Athos and took up residence at the Archangels' cell, at the Scete of Ivira.
In 1966, he was operated on and had part of his lungs removed due to a serious illness.
In 1967, he settled down at Katounakia, at the Cell of Ypatios of Lavra, for more intense discipline.
In 1968, Papa- Tychon clothed him in the
"Great and Angelic Schema", at the Holy Cross Cell of Stavronikita
Monastery. He remained in the Cell after the repose of Papa- Tychon on
the 10 th of September, 1968 , and stayed there until 1979.
In 1979, he moved on to his final home, the
Panagouda Cell of the Monastery of Koutloumousiou, near Karyes. He
stayed there until 1993 receiving many thousands of people who visited
him in order to share their pain with him and ask his advice and prayer.
I was blessed by God to manage to visit him
and talk with him during that blessed and fruit-bearing period of
fifteen years that he lived in the Panagouda Cell.
I remember my eagerness when I went down the
path that led from Karyes, the administrative centre of the Athos State ,
to the Elder's cell. The sweet expectation of my meeting with this true
man of God flooded my heart and gave wings to my feet.
The waiting in front of the yard's gate at
the Cell was short or long depending on the case. The Elder took good
care to "make this waiting sweeter" having always in the Cell loukoumia
or other sweets and water to offer to the pilgrims. The inscription
written by him "to eat is a blessing" is characteristic. Apart from all
the above, there were also makeshift seats so that the waiting pilgrims
could rest and various articles of clothing to be worn by them so that
they would not get cold as they were sweaty. Such affection, such love,
such providence for everybody!
At some point, the Cell's door, of the old
and poor building, would open and the Elder, who had been inside
involved in discipline and heart prayer for the salvation of his soul
and the souls of his brothers, would appear. His face was always
exhilarated and his attitude cordial. He would receive us and ask us to
sit in the "outdoors dorter" on seats made of pieces from tree trunks.
He would shake our hands and at the same time offer us loukoumia and
water according to the tradition of Mt. Athos .
There, under the trees, with the songs of the
birds "as the vocal drone", the Elder would start talking to us with
"the words of eternal life" (John 6:68) either answering our questions
or making comments on his own on the basis of information from "above"
about the needs of each one of us. Here is the miraculous thing! The
pilgrims were of various ages, professions, characters, spiritual and
intellectual levels. Some of them were conscious of who was sitting in
front of them and exactly what they were looking for. Some were there
because they had heard something about him. Others were there with an
ill-tempered and negative mood. He, guided by the Holy Spirit, offered
"as every man had need" (Acts 2:45 ).
I will never forget, in relation to the
above, the Elder's behaviour towards a Spanish student of Fine Arts,
follower of the Pope, who happened to be amongst us in the "outdoors
dorter" at some visit. At some point, the Elder turned to him with
affection and interest making use of some Italian words and phrases he
remembered from the Italian occupation so that he could communicate with
him. Then, he gave him many pieces of advice in the Greek language and
revealed to him many truths that, as he explained to us, the Holy Spirit
would help him feel regardless of the fact that the different language
would not allow him to understand. More specifically, when another
visitor made the comment that "the foreign student does not understand
what you are saying to him in Greek", he answered that "he will
understand what he is meant to understand".
His advice to all his visitors was to have a
spiritual father. This is why after giving answers and advice to
questions or problems put forward by the people, he would finally send
them to their spiritual fathers to lay the burden of their sins, which
were the cause of all problems, under their stoles.
Many Christians, therefore, leading
autonomous lives, selfishly, as orphans, "as sheep having no shepherd"
(Matthew 9:36 ) took his advice, found a spiritual father and started
living according to the Church. Their lives and the lives of the ones
around them changed. Here I would like to mention something that the
Elder always recommended for his wedded visitors. "Have the same
spiritual father with your wife. Because as the carpenter uses the same
plane to work on two pieces of wood and make them fit, the same way the
spiritual father will use the same "plane" to work on the character of
both spouses so as to make them fit. Whereas if you have different
spiritual fathers, you will face difficulties."
I would like to mention something else
extremely important that the Elder said on another occasion. I was with a
group of people in the "outdoors dorter", when another group came,
amongst whom there was an assistant professor of the Medical School of
the University of Athens who held the Elder in great veneration. The
professor asked Fr. Paisios at some point with pain, interest and love:
"There are, Elder, many colleagues of mine, doctors, who have good
intentions, good feelings, "bowels of mercies" (Colossians 3:12 ) but do
not believe. What can we do for them?" "Listen," says the Elder", "pray
for them because under these circumstances they deserve God's mercy."
He had said the same about some teachers and professors on another
occasion.
The Elder, as a genuine man of God, had
consolidated and immovable ideas "in the things he hast learned and hast
been assured of" (2 Timothy 3:14 ). He knew and taught "by word and
deed" (Romans 15:18 ) that in the issues of faith there is no swaying,
negotiation or compromise. He clearly knew that there is no greater
unhappiness and bigger danger for the Christian than to deny his faith
and accept deceit. As we know, many deceived people, people that did not
feel rest, urged by his reputation, went to meet him and discuss their
existential problems. It is true that many of those people went there
full of delusions and left repented, seeking then guidance in their
spiritual fathers. If, therefore, someone gets involved with some of the
heresies and para-religions that have flooded our country mainly in
recent years as well as if someone advances in the initiations, rites
and other demonic activities imposed in order to become a member, this
means a conscious or unconscious negation of the faith to the
Trinitarian God, Christ, the Church and the Baptism, I once asked the
Elder: "What should we do with these people when they repent and want to
return to the Church?" "You will say," he said, "the Service for the
One that returns to the Orthodox Church. The people that return will
denounce the bad faith with libel, they will confess the faith of the
Church by reciting the Symbol of Faith and then you will anoint them
with the holy unction."
All of us are very much concerned about our
dear departed, their state and what we can do about them. We used to ask
the Elder about this and wanted really convincing answers. He would
emphatically advise us to pray a lot for them. "Prayers," he said,
"memorial services, liturgies, mercies are very much to the benefit of
the departed ones." "You should pray more," he added, "for the departed
ones than the living. Because there is nothing they can do on their own
any more, but we can help them attracting God's mercy through praying
and the other means we have mentioned so that their state can be
improved or even change, because they are still under judgment." And he
concluded by saying in his characteristic way: "Is it a small thing to
take our departed one from a sunless basement to a sunny apartment
through our prayers?" At some point, I remember, he mentioned something
overwhelming as regards the departed ones and our stance for them. There
was a suicide once, a person who put an end to his life by falling from
a bridge into a river. This man, as the Elder said, repented while he
was falling, asked for forgiveness, his repentance was accepted and his
soul was received by a Lord's angel. We must learn not to despair; and
pray for our brethrens asking for God's mercy and according to the words
of St. Isidoros Pilousiotis: "do not forerun God's judgment." (P. G.
78, 377) and be judges of the others
It is unanimously accepted by the
ecclesiastical tradition that pride is the biggest enemy of man's
salvation. This is also underlined by the Bible where, inter alias, it
is said that the "Lord scorneth the scorners…" (Proverbs 3:34) and
"everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased" (Luke 18:14 ). The
Elder told the following story which shows that pride is not the
unfortunate privilege of the officials, rich and intellectuals only but
is found amongst the most insignificant, poor and illiterate people.
There was a shepherd who was discussing one day with the Elder when he
was an ascetic in the Stomio Monastery near Konitsa. During the
discussion, the dog of the flock approached trying to eat the shepherd's
food which was in a plate near-by. The shepherd realised the dog's
intention and managed quickly and swiftly to cover the plate avoiding
thus the damage. Then, he turned to the Elder and boasted: "Did you see,
monk, how clever I am and how I managed to save the food?" By
mentioning this incident, the Elder pointed out the danger of pride
which threatens all of us and the need to be alert and show repentance
and humiliation in order to avoid the temptation stemming from the
right.
During one of our visits, we asked the Elder
about mercy. His answer was categorical. We have to practice this great
Christian virtue suggested by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount when he
blesses the ones that practice it and says: "Blessed are the merciful
for they shall receive mercy" (Matthew 5:7). He mainly urged us to help
widows, orphans and, in general, people that are in great need. He said
that upon accepting our help, they make a wish for us and our departed
from the bottom of their hearts and say "May God forgive them, may their
bones become holy!" and God hears the prayers that spring deep from
their souls. In answer to the question that sometimes the idea crosses
our mind that the ones begging can be cons or use our mercy for harmful
purposes, he used to say that in these cases we should apply Christ's
order giving a small amount of money and He takes care so that the money
goes where it is needed. Furthermore, he referred for long to the ways
that this is done.
The bleak condition of the world that "lieth
in wickedness" (1 John 5:19 ) and the difficulties that the
conscientious Christian faces "because strait is the gate and narrow is
the way which leadeth unto life" (Matthew 7:14 ) are very well known.
The "enemies of man", the devil that "prowls about as a roaring lion
seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8), the old man, the one enslaved
in the will of the flesh and the world, under the thumb of the devil who
promotes his will in an attractive way, fight fiercely against the
Christian who, literally, "goes in the midst of snares" (Sirach 9: 13).
In answer to the agonising question raised by Christian family men about
what they should do in order to face these bleak circumstances, the
Elder provided the exit from the stranglehold of the daily reality
talking to two different men. He said to the one that we will be saved
from these if we "cling to the Church" and on a different occasion, he
said to the other, as a clarification to the above: "go to the church,
confess, receive the Eucharist and you will reach the average".
The urging of Basil the Great "take care of
thy self" (P. G. 31, 217B) is well known; the same holds for the
unanimous advice of the Holy Fathers for continuous self- control
exercised by the Christian. Elder Paisios, following this tradition,
used to advise us to look into our selves and see "how many carats of
Christians we are".
I left for the end two pieces of advice given
to me by the Elder when I visited him for the final confirmation of God
as regards my entering the holy orders. It was the 1 st November 1986 ,
when the Church celebrates the memory of Hosios David the Elder. I
walked down with eagerness from Karyes to the Elder's Cell, Panagouda,
in the wet autumn afternoon. A bit further down from the Monastery of
Koutlomousio, two dogs became my "companions". They were running along
the path which I did not know well. When they led me to the gate of the
Cell's yard and the Elder came out to welcome me, he said to them and
his words were full of meaning: "Ok, you can go now." And the dogs, as
good "subservients" left immediately upon concluding their mission. This
time the Elder welcomed me inside the cell where the stove with the
wood was lit. After the "traditional" treat we went to the small church
of the cells. I mentioned the purpose of my visit and after his
unreserved and at the same time overwhelming answer for me "of course it
is God's will", we talked about other things. There, inter alias, he
gave me the following pieces of advice which I am quoting hoping that
they will help my brethrens as they have helped me. His first piece of
advice was: "do not put your plans before God's plans". These words
saved me. They freed me from stress and anxiety. They taught me to put
Christ's will always first in my life over my own will, to ask Christ
always to lead the way in my life and direct me in everything. I saw,
through the daily experience of so many years, that Christ knows and can
assume full charge in the best way when we love Him, trust Him and ask
Him to do that freely, voluntarily and unquestionably. We all understand
the importance of this, especially for the shepherd's ministration of
rational sheep and for the faithful that Christ entrusted him with. His
second piece of advice was: "Thank God for everything you are;
everything you have and everything you achieve. By thanking God you will
realise that these are not your achievements but His gifts and, thus,
you will feel humble." Without many comments, someone can understand the
importance of the Elder's precept who with a simple, but "square" way
leads man to self-knowledge and balance, far away from the morbid
complexes of handicap and arrogance as well as away from man's lethal
enemy, pride. The Elder's words always remind me of what Apostle Paul
writes: "what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst
receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" (1
Corinthians 4:7)
I know that thousands of pages have been
written about Elder Paisios. And I am sure that many more will be
written. My work did not aspire to add some pages to the so many others.
Stating my personal experience, six years upon the repose of the
blessed Elder, is a debt of honor and gratitude for the person who, with
God's providence, helped me in critical choices of my life and
continues to help me in my pastoral ministration with the prayers and
precepts he left me. These lines are also a debt of love for my
brethrens so that they can get to know this genuine person and the holy
will of God as it was formulated through his lips with the wish that it
will become their own will for salvation.
