Among all the holy fathers, one of the brightest and most radiant luminaries was the Monk Athanasius of Athos. He was born around 930. He was baptized with the name Abraham. And he came from a noble family that then lived in Trebizond (modern Turkey, even earlier a Greek colony). His parents died early, and the boy was left an orphan. Therefore, his mother’s relative, Kanita, who was the wife of one of the respected citizens of Trebizond, took up his upbringing.
Afanasy Afonsky: life
When he grew up a little, he was noticed by an imperial nobleman. He came to the city on business and took the young man with him to Constantinople. Abraham was received into the house of the general Ziphinizer. The famous teacher Afanasy began to study with him, to whom he soon became an assistant. Over time, he had a large number of his own students. Afanasy’s wards even began to come to him. This did not happen because he was smarter or more educated, he simply had a god-like appearance and interacted with everyone kindly and affably.
Emperor Constantine VII wanted to transfer him to another educational institution. However, he was followed everywhere by his students, who did not want to let their teacher go. The wards were very attached to him. Abraham was ashamed of all honors and cares. Then he decided to give up teaching in order to avoid quarrels and rivalry with his former teacher Afanasy.
Athonite Elder Athanasius, abbot of the monastery of Grigoriat. From the book “New Athonite Patericon”
Modern Athonite elders. Teachings and stories from the three-volume “New Athonite Patericon.” Read and buy
Elder Ephraim regularly came to the cell of Abbot Afanasy and purely confessed his thoughts. The abbot once told him: “You will be saved because you confess regularly.” Once during confession, Elder Ephraim and the abbot heard indignant screams. They left the cell and saw that on the floor below one monk was loudly indignant that the abbot had hung some washed clothes on a clothesline and water was dripping from it onto the floor where this monk lived. The abbot did not answer him, he only muttered: “Here is your penance, Afanasy,” and cut the rope on which his own clothes were hanging, so that he would never hang them there again.
The virtuous abbot of the Athos monastery Grigoriat, Elder Athanasius, advised: “Perform your monastic rule now, otherwise you will have to perform it when illness chains you to your bed.” Elder Athanasius himself in his youth performed not one, but two monastic rules every day, putting one rule “in reserve”
for the time when, due to old age, he will not be able to perform it.
One day, Abbot Afanasy saw a deceased hieromonk in a dream and asked him:
- How are you doing, my child? How was the ordeal?
“Heronda,” he answered, “in everything that concerns my monastic vows, the Lord Christ was merciful to me.” However, as a priest, I passed the test with great difficulty
: The Lord Christ led me through detailed ordeals without the slightest condescension.
Father Dionysios Sionidis, a doctor from Thessaloniki, visited the monastery of Gregoriates as a student. He asked the abbot, Father Afanasy, to give him a word of spiritual exhortation, because he was afraid that he would not see him on his next visit. The abbot replied: “My child, it’s true, next time you won’t see me. However, now we are tired after the all-night vigil. I’ll tell you one thing: keep the commandments of Christ.
If you keep them, then you and I will end up in heaven together. And there!.. There you and I will talk tirelessly. And here’s something else: come to Holy Mount Athos regularly.”
The next year, when Father Dionysius came to Grigoriat again, he did not find the abbot because he had already died. The Athonite elder Athanasius had a venerable death. He foresaw the day of his death and told his fathers: “In three days I will leave.” All the fathers came to his cell to ask for his forgiveness, and he himself asked for forgiveness from everyone. On the third day after this, December 28, 1953, during the singing of an akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos, he betrayed his consecrated soul into the hand of God. The old man was 80 years old. May his blessings and prayers be with us.
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Confessor
For three years, Abraham and Zifinizer were on the shores of the Aegean Sea. Then they returned to Constantinople, where the strategist introduced the young man to Saint Michael Malein. He was the abbot of the monastery on Kiminskaya Mountain. He was respected by all the Byzantine nobility. All these people were conquered by Abraham. And then he spoke about his desire to become a monk. After this conversation, his nephew Nikifor Foka, who was at that time the strategist of the Anatolik theme, came to the Monk Michael, who also immediately took a liking to the pious young man. And then Abraham finally found himself a confessor - the holy elder Michael. He went after him to Kiminskaya Mountain. There he took monastic vows with the name Athanasius.
Prayers
Troparion, tone 3
:
Even in the flesh, at your life/ I was amazed at the angels of the world:/ how you went out with your body to the invisible plexus, most glorious,/ and you wounded the demonic armies./ Oton, Athanasius ,/ Christ has rewarded you with rich gifts,/ for this sake, father,// pray save our souls
.
Kontakion, tone 8
:
As there are a fair number of immaterial beings for the viewer/ and the activity of the all-true teller,/ your flock cries out to you, O God-speaker:/ do not become poor, praying for your servants,/ to be delivered from misfortunes and mistreatment, in To those who drink you: Rejoice, Father Athanasius.
Hermit
Athanasius of Athos, through his great ascetic life, received the beginnings of contemplation from the Lord and decided to move on to a life of complete silence. Father Michael blessed the monk to retire to a hermit’s cell, located 1.5 km from the monastery, take crackers and water every other day, and stay awake at night. Nikifor Phokas found Athanasius in such solitude. He also wanted to labor with him as soon as favorable circumstances developed.
One day, Father Mikhail made it clear to all the other monks that he was going to make Athanasius his successor. Some of the brethren did not like this idea. They began to pester the young novice with laudatory and flattering speeches. The same one, shunning all honors and striving for silence, runs away from the monastery, taking with him only the most necessary things. He was on his way to Holy Mount Athos. He admired it during his trip to the island of Lemnos in the Aegean Sea.
Escape to Athos
Afanasy began to live on the Zygos Peninsula. To keep his origins secret, he introduced himself as the sailor Barnabas, who survived a shipwreck, and even pretended to be illiterate. However, Nikifor Phokas, already in the rank of domestik of the schola, began to look everywhere for the monk Athanasius. The judge of Thessalonica received a letter from him, where he asked to arrange a search on Mount Athos. And he asked the abbot of the monastery (Prote) Athos Stefan about the monk Athanasius, to which he replied that they did not have such a person.
But on Christmas Eve 958, according to tradition, all Athonite monks were supposed to gather in the Church of Protata in Kareya. The priest Stefan, taking a closer look at the noble appearance of Barnabas, realized that this was exactly the one they were looking for. He forced me to read the sacred text of Gregory the Theologian. The young monk stammered a lot at first, but Father Stefan asked him to read as best he could. And then Athanasius of Athos no longer began to pretend - all the monks bowed before him in admiration.
Second prayer
A great ascetic, an educated Christian, a wise leader and shepherd. Having overcome spiritual melancholy and despondency, he received from God the gift of tenderness and joy. His prayer was powerful both for healing people from illness and for casting out demons and their influence on people. He laid the foundation for communal life on Mount Athos, the construction of monasteries and temples, and social and medical assistance to the sick (lepers). They turn to St. Athanasius of Athos for prayerful help for zeal in faith and ascetic work, in case of despondency (depression), lack of faith, in illness, for protection from demonic attacks. Patron of monks, abbots of monasteries, temple builders. Christians in leadership positions can pray to him for wisdom and authority to serve according to God's word: “The greatest of you shall be your servant; for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matt. 23:11-12).
Prophecy
The most venerable holy father Paul from the monastery of Xiropotamos said prophetic words: “Whoever comes last to the Holy Mountain will be ahead of all the monks in the Kingdom of Heaven, and many will want to be under his leadership.” After this, Archpriest Paul summoned Athanasius for a frank conversation. Having learned the whole truth, he assigned him a secluded cell 4 km from Kareya so that he could be alone with God. And he promised that he would not give him away.
But the monks did not give him peace. They constantly looked to him for advice. Then he decided to go to the southern cape of Mount Athos Melana, where it was deserted and very windy. Here he began to be attacked by Satan. Afanasy held out for a long time, but then he could not stand it and decided to leave this place. Suddenly a heavenly light pierced him, filling him with joy and sending him the gift of tenderness.
Milan Lavra
Through his brother Leo, Nikifor Phokas learned about Athanasius. When he took command of the Byzantine troops to liberate Crete from Arab pirates, he sent a message to Athos to have monks sent to him for prayer. And soon, through their fervent prayers, victory was won. Nikifor began to beg Athanasius to begin creating a monastery not far from their desert. And the saint took up this task.
Soon the chapels of John the Baptist were rebuilt with two secluded cells for Athanasius and Nicephorus. And after some time - a temple in the name of the Mother of God and the Lavra, which was called Milan. It was built exactly on the spot where Athanasius, who soon took the schema, went into reclusion. And then a terrible famine came (962-963). Construction was stopped. But Athanasius had a vision of the Mother of God, who reassured him and said that now she herself would become the Housebuilder of the monastery. After this, the saint saw that all the bins were filled with everything necessary. Construction continued, the number of monks grew.
Emperor Nikephoros II Phocas
One day Athanasius of Athos learned that Nikephoros had ascended the imperial throne. Then he entrusts his duties as abbot of the monastery to Theodotus. And with the monk Anthony he runs away from the monastery to Cyprus to the monastery of the Presbyters. The Lavra gradually fell into decay. When Afanasy found out about this, he decided to return back. The emperor was looking for them everywhere. Afanasy returned. After this, life in the monastery was revived again.
The meeting between Athanasius and Nikephoros took place in Constantinople. The emperor asked him to wait with his vow when circumstances permitted. Athanasius predicted his death on the throne. And he called on him to be a just and merciful ruler. The Lavra of Athanasius received royal status. The ruler provided significant benefits for its development. But soon Nikephoros was killed by a rival who took his throne. This was John Tzimiskes (969-976). After meeting with the wise saint, he assigned benefits twice as much as the previous ruler. By the end of Athanasius’s life, there were 120 inhabitants of the monastery. He became a mentor and spiritual father for everyone. Everyone loved him. He was very careful in leading the community. The monk healed many sick people. However, hiding his miraculous prayer powers, he simply distributed medicinal herbs to them.
Revelation of death
They decided to expand the Lavra Church. All that remained was to erect the dome, when the holy father received a Divine revelation that he would soon depart to another world. Then Athanasius of Athos gathered all his students. He put on his festive clothes and went to the site to see how the construction was going. At this time, the dome collapsed and covered Athanasius and six monks. In the end, five were dead. The mason Daniil and Abbot Athanasius remained alive for a long time; they were under the rubble for three hours and prayed to God. When they were released, they were already dead. Afanasy had only one wound on his leg and his arms were folded crosswise. His body was incorruptible. And living blood flowed from the wounds. She was collected, and then she healed people.
The monk died in 980. The Church honors his memory on July 5 (18). Many hundreds of years have passed since his death, but Saint Athanasius of Athonite still helps people. An unquenchable lamp is constantly burning at his grave. On July 5, 1981, the Great Lavra celebrated the return to cenobitic rules after centuries of idiorhythmia. At this time, at the saint’s grave, a fragrant myrrh appeared on the glass of the icon case, which spoke of the saint’s approval.
The end of the earthly journey
The monk received a divine revelation, where he learned of his imminent death. During this period, the expansion of the Great Lavra was underway, Athanasius decided to announce the sign, put on the most ceremonial clothes and climbed onto the construction site, around which direct work was going on. Suddenly, a dome collapsed on the founder and six of his assistants. The monks died instantly, but Athanasius, being under the weight of the material, repeated the prayer for 3 hours.
The main temple of the Lavra is the katholikon, where the tomb of St. Athanasius is located.
When the brethren dismantled the wreckage, the monk died. The body was kept for 3 days, it did not decay, fresh blood flowed from the only wound, which became healing. The burial ritual took place in the Great Lavra.
Afanasy Afonsky helps with what?
They pray to this saint to help him cope with temptations and everyday affairs. They also pray to him for the healing of ailments: both mental and physical. For a seriously ill patient, they ask him for an easy death. The Akathist to Athanasius of Athos begins with the words: “He who was chosen from the city of Trebizond in Athos, shining through fasting...” This is church singing of praise, during which one cannot sit. This is a kind of hymn, praise to one or another saint.
The unusually beautiful icon of Athanasius of Athos introduces us to the face of the great saint, a gray-haired ascetic and man of prayer, a wise and perspicacious elder who devoted his entire life to serving God and people. He is still a heavenly warrior of Christ, ready at any moment to help a person in need, one has only to turn to him with faith and prayer: “Reverend Father Athanasius, a great servant of Christ and the great Athos miracle worker...”
The miraculous deeds of the holy elder
During his lifetime, Saint Athanasius was famous for his gift of healing. People with serious illnesses came to him from many places, and through the prayer of the monk they received deliverance from their ailments. There is a legend that those who touched the abbot did not encounter illness for the rest of their lives.
Also, Saint Athanasius of Athonite is known for his prayers for Christians on their deathbeds. Thanks to the intercession of the saint, they received forgiveness of all sins and, reconciled with God, left this world.
