Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets: life, instructions, miracles

Biography of Paisius the Holy Mountainer The first steps of monastic life The spiritual magnet on Mount Athos The work of Paisius the Holy Mountainer Miracles of the elder Paisius Miracles in the life of Paisius Posthumous miracles

The Elder of Mount Athos, Schemamonk Paisiy Svyatogorets, is the greatest ascetic of our time. He devoted himself entirely to serving God and people. His heart was filled with Christian virtues: meekness, humility and love. His life is daily self-sacrifice for the sake of Christ and his commandments. Having acquired the all-forgiving love of Christ, he was a burning lamp, kindled by the grace of the Holy Spirit, who led thousands of people to Christ, teaching not only by word, but also by his living example. And to this day the elder does not leave us, standing in prayer before the throne of God.

Biography of Paisius Svyatogorets

Arseniy Eznepidis (the elder's real name) was born on July 25, 1924 in Cappadocia. From early childhood he was predicted to follow a monastic path, as evidenced by the prophetic words of Saint Arsenius of Cappadacia. During Arseny's baptism, the saint declared that the boy would be a monk. A few months after the birth of their son, Arseny’s family moved to the city of Konitsa (regime of Ioannina, 66 km from the administrative center), fleeing persecution from Turkish Islamist fanatics. Here the future monk spent his childhood and youth. Arseny fell in love with spiritual reading and church services, strengthening his faith day by day. After graduating from school, the young man learned the carpenter's trade. In 1945, Arseny was called up for military service. Colleagues noted the courage and sacrifice of their comrade. Arseny strove to get into the most dangerous battles, although he himself did not hold a weapon in his hands, since he was a radio operator. Returning from the army, Arseny, trying to be an exemplary Christian, helped his family, but his heart yearned for greater self-denial. He wanted to completely withdraw from the world and chose monasticism.

Quotes

• “The very presence of a Christian is already a confession of faith”[18].
• “When God enlightens some people, evil itself gradually falls in price and finds no demand. Because God does not destroy evil, no, it destroys itself. The time will come and everything will fall into place.”
• “A short spiritual reading also helps a lot, especially before prayer. It warms the soul very much and dispels the worries that a person was busy with during the day. And when the soul is liberated and transferred to the spiritual divine atmosphere, then the mind is not distracted in its work. From reading a passage from the Gospel or from Fatherland (there are small but powerful chapters in Fatherland), the mind is transferred to the spiritual realm and never leaves there. After all, the mind is like a restless child who cannot sit in one place - it runs here and there. But give him a sweet caramel and he won’t go anywhere.”
• “The worst enemy for the Hellenes is that when all over the world some Hellenes like you spread that if war happens, the Turks will drive us to Corinth, because when the war starts, everyone’s spirit will be broken and they themselves will retreat to Corinth . Moreover, even if this were the truth, one cannot talk about it. Especially when it is not true. And I repeat to you again: don’t talk about this anywhere, because you will do much more evil than many Turkish divisions would do.”

The first steps of monastic life

His first spiritual mentor was the future abbot of the monastery Kutlumush Kirill. With great zeal, the young monk began to fulfill the obediences of his elder. Arseny seemed to have forgotten his physical being. He observed the strictest fasting, remained in constant prayer and vigil. Soon, the confessor redirected the novice to the Esphigmen monastery, where, seeing the zeal of the young man, the abbot of the monastery invites Arseny to take over the minor schema. But out of humility, he refuses and becomes only a ryasophore monk with the name Averky. Averky's next spiritual refuge was the monastery of Philotheus, where in 1956 he was tonsured into the minor schema (second degree monasticism) from his teacher Father Simeon. Then the future saint received the name by which he became known - Paisius. They named it in honor of Patriarch Paisius II.

All his life Paisius strove for a solitary, hermit life, but God’s Providence judged otherwise. Paisius received the blessing to receive pilgrims, comfort the suffering and enlighten the lost. He never sought human glory, but people were drawn to him, feeling his love and condescension, feeling the benefit of his spiritual instructions. As it is written: “Those who glorify Me I will also glorify...”

Charity

Paisius the Svyatogorets, the Elder of Athonite, begins his righteous path with a difficult missionary task. He was called to the burnt monastery of Stomion, where Christians were oppressed by Protestants. Here the venerable father is engaged in the restoration of the holy place and charity, people immediately realized that he was a real saint and flocked to the temple. The poor carried grain, the rich carried building materials, and helped with transportation. Paisiy Svyatogorets devoted a lot of effort to instilling morality among the population and preaching a good life.

Later, he decided to organize fundraising more thoughtfully and established special places for alms, and also created a board of trustees that distributed money to people in need. Not everyone was satisfied with the missionary activity of Father Paisius; sectarians tried to harm him, with whom the monk fought through propaganda leaflets and sermons. Some owners also disliked him, accusing him of appropriating monastery lands. But all this remained aside from the holy father; he lived and worked according to God’s law and did not pay attention to human squabbles.

"Spiritual Magnet" on Mount Athos

Paisiy returned to Mount Athos only in 1964. Two years later he became seriously ill and lost a large part of his lung. But this did not stop the elder from becoming a real “spiritual magnet” for believers and receiving all the suffering in his cell in Kutlumush for days on end. Thousands of people came to Paisius with their problems and hardships, knowing for sure that he would drive away sorrow, give relief to the soul and fill it with hope and faith. The elder greeted each guest cordially, offered him a mug of cold water and a piece of sweet delight, and saw him off with good advice and prayer. Despite poor health and fatigue, strengthened by divine grace and prayer, the elder never refused anyone. People considered him a saint. The elder himself sincerely recognized himself as the last sinner, a reproach of people, as Christ bequeathed to his disciples: “Whoever wants to be great among you, let him be a servant of all...” Father Paisius found a place for each person in his heart. Someone else's pain was his own. The elder had the gift of hot, fiery, tearful prayer. He prayed for all those suffering, traveling, and captives. It pained him to see people suffering and tormented by their sins. The elder always repeated that only in humility can a person find happiness and peace, in the words of Christ: “Come and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and find peace for your souls...” Humility is the basis of all virtues, only it can save .

Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets died on July 12, 1994. He was buried in the St. John the Theologian Monastery. His grave became a place of pilgrimage. Many people come here to pray to the elder, because even after death, he still consoles us and helps us.

Troparion, kontakion, magnification

Troparion to St. Paisius the Holy Mountain,
Tone 5. Similar to: Meaningful Word:

Receiving the Divine fire of love, / you were all God in a superior feat, / and you were a consolation to many people, / you punished with divine words, / you worked miracles with prayers, / Paisie B ogonose, / and now you pray unceasingly // for the whole world, Reverend.

Kontakion to St. Paisius the Holy Mountain

Voice 8. Like: Scrambled:

Living like an angel on earth, / you shone with love, like Paisius, / the great affirmation of the monks, / the leader of those faithful to the life of the saint, / the sweetest consolation of the universe appeared, / with For his sake we call you: // Rejoice, universal father.

Greatness

We bless you, / Reverend Father Paisius, / and honor your holy memory, / mentor of monks, / and interlocutor of Angels.

The work of Paisius Svyatogorets

Paisiy Svyatogorets left behind many works that illuminate various issues of spiritual life.

Among the most famous books written by the elder, it should be noted:

• “Return to God from earth to Heaven”;
• “The Svyatogorsk Fathers and Svyatogorsk Stories”;
• “Thoughts about the Christian family”;
• “Athos Elder Hadji-George”;
• "Arseny of Cappadocia";
• "Letters";
• "Words" in five volumes.

“Words” were especially loved by Orthodox readers. The five-volume set includes the following books: “Spiritual Awakening,” “Spiritual Struggle,” “Family Life,” and “Passion and Virtues.” All of these are independent works and can be read in any order. When compiling these books, excerpts from the works of Paisius written during his lifetime, his letters, as well as shorthand and tape recordings of conversations with the elder were used. “Words” are presented in a simple and convenient form, like questions and answers. They were translated into several dozen languages ​​so that people all over the world could find answers to their pressing questions.

In the first volume, “With Pain and Love about Modern Man,” Paisius discusses modern culture, the role of the Church in the current era, the spirit of this world, the devil and sins.

In the second volume, “Spiritual Awakening,” the elder prepares readers for difficult life situations in which they may find themselves. He talks about the importance of prudent behavior, self-correction and victory over the widespread irresponsibility and indifference of modern people.

The third volume, “Spiritual Struggle,” is devoted to the topic of confession and repentance and the struggle with thoughts.

In the fourth volume, “Family Life,” Paisiy pays attention to the trials and issues of family relationships. It talks about the role of husband and wife in the family, youthful choice of life path, and raising children.

In the fifth volume of “Passion and Virtue,” the elder advises how to recognize passions, free yourself from them and move on to virtuous actions.

Prayer

Prayer to our venerable and God-bearing father Paisios of the Holy Mountain
Oh, holy venerable and God-bearing father Paisios, our beloved patron and godly mentor, who ascended along the ladder of virtues from earthly existence into the Kingdom of Heaven and received the grace to intercede for us before the Throne of our All-Merciful Lord; We pray to you: turn us away from the path of our sins and teach us to the Lord to bear the perfect fruits of repentance and renewal of our souls in Christ.

Holy Father, during the days of your earthly life you healed many serious illnesses and incurable illnesses, healing souls from sin and sorrow; Now standing before God, bow His mercy to us, so that for the sake of your intercession He will also heal us, who honor your holy memory with love, and grant us strength in temptation, courage in the fight against the spirit of malice, seeking our eternal destruction, may He grant us forgiveness All our sins, which from our youth to this day I have committed in thought, word and deed, may He teach us what we should do in order to serve Him, as it is fitting to serve our neighbors with love and humility.

To her, Holy Father, instruct us, following the example of your holy life, filled with love and self-sacrifice, rejecting the shackles of sinful life, to cry out to the heavenly palaces, where we will praise our All-Merciful Trinitarian Lord forever and ever. Amen.

Miracles in the life of Paisius

Even in his young years during the war, Arseny saved two soldiers by giving them his trench, and he himself miraculously escaped death. As soon as he left the shelter, his head was briefly touched by a piece of shrapnel. The young man was without a helmet, but did not receive a scratch: the fragment only shaved off a strand of hair 6 cm wide. Arseny was sure that this was God’s mercy on him.

In 1958, Father Paisiy began restoring the burnt monastery, but there were not enough materials, not to mention the money for additional purchases. Then the elder had to travel around the villages with the holy relics and collect donations, but Paisius’s conscience did not allow him to direct them to their destination. He collected the wheat received from the people, but did not sell it, but distributed it to more needy families.

During construction, when the concrete was being poured, the craftsmen said that 20 bags of cement were not enough. It was impossible to quit work, but Paisiy also did not want to torture the mules for four hours. Hoping for God's help, the elder turned to the Mother of God with prayer. The Mother of God did not abandon her slave. According to him, the Mother of God enlightened some people, and they came to help restore the monastery: some brought materials, and some participated personally. As a result, there was not only enough cement, but there were five extra bags left.

Movies

• Based on the life of Paisius the Svyatogorets, the film “[www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GTu1Ck7mlI Elder Paisius and Me, Standing Upside Down]” (2012), directed by Alexander Stolyarov, was created.
• [www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXgTLWrk4rM Paisiy Svyatogorets: Birth, Childhood, Youth Film 1/6], director Alexander Kuprin
• [www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvSuLd1VdV8 Paisiy Svyatogorets: The beginning of the monastic path Film 2/6], director Alexander Kuprin
• [www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Da379WmmD4&list=PLoRLqlMUu5D2YvSK8XwDYtaxlRpxaMeuc Paisiy Svyatogorets: The Hermit of Sinai Film 3/6], director Alexander Kuprin
• [www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbtcyrS2WYQ Paisiy Svyatogorets - Return to Athos Film 4/6], director Alexander Kuprin
• [www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7dblJoSiZ4 Paisiy Svyatogorets - Panaguda Film 5/6], director Alexander Kuprin
• [www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdWxnM64t8Q Paisiy Svyatogorets - The Last Years of Life Film 6/6], director Alexander Kuprin

Posthumous miracles

There are many testimonies about the prayerful help of Elder Paisius the Holy Mountain even after his death.

A resident of the city of Volos told how her sister, who turned to the elder with prayer, received healing from cancer. She was diagnosed with a breast tumor. Less than a week after contacting Father Paisius, a repeat examination did not reveal any traces of cancer.

A resident of Athens was involved in a serious car accident on his way to Ioannina. After a head-on collision with an oncoming car, he ended up in intensive care with a traumatic brain injury. The victim had never been known for his religiosity, and only heard about Elder Paisia ​​from friends. Lying in the hospital, he suddenly saw a light cloud, and in it was the silhouette of a monk. The man immediately realized that this was the same Paisiy. The elder smiled, stroked the patient’s head and promised that he would get better. Later, doctors could not believe the inexplicably quick recovery of such a difficult patient.

A priest from a village near Thessaloniki could lose his six-year-old son, who suffered from delayed speech development. The boy fell into the lighting shaft (from the fourth floor to the first), but remained unharmed: doctors did not find not only fractures, but even scratches. The boy said that Elder Paisios was his savior.

Paisios, a plumber from the city of Paphos (Cyprus), retained his sight. The man came across a protruding piece of wire that hit him in the eye. While he was waiting for first aid (he had to cut the wire with wire cutters in order to take the victim to the first aid station), a miracle happened. An unknown person in a black cassock appeared before his eyes, pushed his head and made the wire come out of his eye without damaging it. The slight cut was cured with ointments, and later the man saw a photograph of Paisius the Svyatogorets and recognized him as his savior.

Many people who believe in the miracles of Elder Paisius strive to visit his burial place and venerate the holy relics. The grave is located outside the walls of the monastery of St. John the Theologian. It is interesting that this monastery has preserved the tradition of treating pilgrims with Turkish delight and water.

Elder Paisios is an example of the transformation of the human soul to which each of us is called.

Life of a Saint

Childhood and youth

Arseny, that was the name of the future elder Paisius, was born in Faras, two hundred kilometers from Caesarea in Cappadocia. The Farasiots were devotees of piety: during fasting they ate and drank once a day, in the evening. The most strict executor of church regulations was the parish priest Saint Arsenius of Cappadocia. He baptized the newborn baby and gave him his name, predicting that the child would follow in his footsteps and become a monk.

Useful materials

The boy's father, Prodromos Eznepedis, came from a noble family. He and his father and grandfather were village elders. Elder Paisius’s mother, Eulogia, was modest and hardworking. She and her husband had ten children. The first two girls died in infancy.

In 1924, when the future Elder was born, a Population Exchange took place and the Greeks from the Asia Minor Peninsula emigrated from their native places. During the move, the child was almost run over and barely survived. From the very first days of life, the baby already learned what suffering is.

Little Arseny absorbed with his mother's milk stories about the wonderful priest who baptized him. Saint Arsenios of Cappadocia died shortly after moving to Greece. The boy fell in love with the monk and decided to also become a monk. He spent his childhood and youth in Konitsa.

At the age of fifteen, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Arseny and strengthened his chosen one. As the Elder said, someone began to tell him Darwin’s theory and his fragile mind began to waver. But, in the end, the young man decided to pray to the Lord for admonition and his doubts were dispelled.

Having successfully completed primary school, Arseny did not study further, but decided to become a carpenter, following the example of the Lord. Later he began to earn money from this craft and help those in need. The residents of Konitsa loved the young master and gave him many orders for carpentry and carpentry.

The young man’s desire for monastic life only strengthened over time. He ate little, preferred tasteless food, washed his clothes himself, and read the monastic rule every day. Together with other reverent young men, they performed Vespers and read akathists.

Holy Elder Paisios Svyatogorets in his youth

War

During the civil war, Arseny was thrown into prison. Once, when he was transferred to solitary confinement, two scantily clad girls were placed next to him. Blessed Arseny immediately prayed to the Most Pure Mother and felt the strength that strengthened him. He began to look at the girls dispassionately, like Adam at his wife when they lived in Paradise.

In view of being drafted into the army, Arseny postponed becoming a monk, but his desire for monasticism did not cool. He was given the position of radio operator, thanks to which the future saint did not have to shoot at people. The young soldier tried to please his colleagues, took on other people's work, and never asked for rest.

Many abused his kindness and even considered him weak-minded. One day, he brought himself to such exhaustion that he fainted. It turned out that he was ill, but, as was customary, he did not ask to be released from service.

Father Paisiy said that in the army he endured incredible trials along with his colleagues. Despite the fact that Arseny always sacrificed himself for the sake of others, during the entire war the future elder was not even wounded.

The beginning of the monastic path

At the end of the civil war, in 1950, Arseny was transferred to the reserve. Having stopped briefly in Konitsa, the future monk went to Mount Athos in a soldier’s uniform.

Having walked around the Holy Mountain, Arseny, in his simplicity, endured many temptations. Later Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets wrote:

“As a beginner, I was very tired and exhausted until I found what I wanted. Of course, the reason for this was my many sins, and this happened so that I could pay for some of them. And the second reason for my suffering was my rustic uncouthness, because of which I entrusted myself to everyone I met. I thank God for everything because it brought me great benefit.”

After spending some time like this, Arseny received a letter from home and decided to return. He began to help his father with peasant work, worked as a carpenter, and helped collect his sister’s dowry. And at night he prayed, made prostrations, preparing for monasticism.

After his first unsuccessful visit to the Holy Mountain, the young ascetic had no intention of changing his intentions. And in March 1953, Paisius the Svyatogorets, after fervent prayer, again went to Holy Mount Athos and entered Esphigmen. It was a strict communal monastery, where there was a healthy spirit of Christian asceticism. Elder Paisios said that in this monastery he met many virtuous, reverent ascetics.

At first, Arseny helped in the refectory, kneading bread in the bakery, but when they found out that he knew how to work on wood, they gave him the obedience of a carpenter. He also took responsibility for the cleanliness and order of the two small temples. Behind the visible obediences were hidden invisible feats that the young novice Arseny took upon himself.

27

Martha

1954

Arseny was tonsured into the ryassophore. When he was tonsured, he was given the name Averky.

Once a monk, a carpenter, was accepted into the monastery. Averky was assigned to him as an assistant and was forced to endure a lot of grief from him. That monk was proud and constantly shouted and scolded Averky. The monastery doctor admitted Averky to the hospital, but a cruel mentor came and forced the patient to hew logs. Then Averky began bleeding heavily, and he was forced to return to the hospital. The humble novice had no bad thoughts towards this monk, but always thought that he was suffering for his sins.

Gradually, Father Averky developed a desire to retire into the desert for silence. Having taken the blessing, he left the monastery. In one monastery he found Elder Cyril and stayed with him. For some reasons, after a short time Averky moved to the Philotheus monastery, where he was responsible for food and meals. The monks were pleased with his kindness and quiet disposition. Here he continued his feats of abstinence and prayer, preparing for a desert life, and suffered the attacks of the devil. Soon he was tonsured into the mantle with the name Paisiy.

Ascetic life

In 1958, the Mother of God led Elder Paisius to fulfill the vow he had made to the Most Pure One before joining the army. Young Arseny then promised that he would spend three years working to restore the burnt Stomion monastery, if God spared his life.

The time has come to fulfill this vow. The Mother of God helped the elder. She sent people who donated money and materials. The elder was often forced to carry heavy loads on himself, because the approach to the monastery under construction was difficult. It was necessary to cross the gorge and climb a narrow path, risking falling into the abyss.

While in Stomion, Father Paisius Svyatogorets helped those in need a lot. He went to lonely old people and brought them food. He guided lost souls to the true path. The elder managed to clear Konitsa of sectarians. One day, an elder and two women saw the Most Holy Theotokos entering the monastery church. They were notified of this by the monastery bell, which began to knock by itself.

The monk dreamed of leaving Stomion in order to indulge in silence, because he had fulfilled his vow: he restored the monastery and worked well for God and people. But the residents of Konitsa did not let him go when he tried to leave. Then he began to pray to the Mother of God that She would show him the place where he should go. On September 30, 1962, the Elder finally left Stomion. He managed to communicate with the Sinai fathers, and they agreed to accept Paisius into their monastery.

In Sinai, he soon became one of the brethren and began carpentry, making icon cases and boards for icons. His feats of fasting and prayer gradually intensified. Having been blessed to live in the desert, the Elder moved to live in the cell of Saints Galaktion and Epistimia.

Interesting fact

His food was tea with crackers. All his property consisted of a spoon and a tin can, which served him as a mug, a saucepan, and a plate. When it was cold, the Elder put on a T-shirt under his cassock and put a spoonful of sugar in his tea so as not to get cold. During Lent he ate almost nothing.

Unfortunately for the old man, his health did not allow him to continue staying in the quiet desert. Therefore, in 1964, the reverend father was forced to return to Athos. He settled in the Iveron monastery. Constant prayer was his most important task here too.

11

January

2019

Paisius was tonsured into the great schema by his spiritual mentor, Hieroschemamonk Tikhon.

At the end of the same year, due to breathing difficulties, the Elder had one of his lungs removed. After a long rehabilitation, he moved to Katunaki. A year later, Schemamonk Paisiy moved to the Stavronikitsky monastery. But soon his confessor, Father Tikhon, reposed, blessing him to live in his cell of the Holy Cross.

Elder Paisios asceticised for eleven years in a place sanctified by the prayers of his predecessor, and then moved to Panaguda. This was in 1979. Here the holy martyrs Panteleimon and Lucillian appeared to the Elder.

This made Father Paisius very happy and gave him strength. A very large number of those in need of consolation flocked to Panaguda. The elder accepted everyone without complaint. This was his sacrifice. His soul longed for silence and unceasing prayer, but he fulfilled the commandment to love people, forgetting about himself. In 1982, Paisius Svyatogorets undertook a trip to the Holy Land. This was his only visit to Jerusalem. Then he went to Sinai. Having been there and realizing that the previous desert life was impossible, he returned to the Holy Mountain.

The Elder spent several years before moving to the Heavenly Abodes in severe torment due to deteriorating health. All his life he suffered from lung and intestinal diseases. But he did not ask the Lord for healing and avoided doctors. Some considered this a sin, but others assessed the suffering of the Elder as voluntary martyrdom for the sake of love for God and neighbors.

Death of an Elder

In the fall of 1993, Saint Paisios left Athos for the last time to honor the memory of his fellow countryman, Saint Arsenios, whose relics were in the Suroti monastery. He didn't think he'd be buried next to his godfather. But that's exactly what happened.

After the feast of St. Arseny, the Elder’s condition worsened sharply. He was diagnosed with an advanced cancerous tumor of internal organs. Two operations and chemotherapy did not bring the desired result. The elder was buried very modestly in the convent of St. John the Theologian in Suroti. Until his last breath, he complacently endured severe pain, supporting those around him with jokes and love. Until the end of his days, he received people, gave advice and final instructions.