A true monk…
A true monk is one who has achieved watchfulness; and he who is truly watchful is a monk in his heart.
- St. Hesychios the Priest
On Expatriation and Voluntary Exile
A Serbian monk from Chilandari did not leave his cell for forty years.
* * *
St. Leontios from Dionysiou did not know where the exit door of the monastery was for seventy-five years, until he departed eternally to the Lord.
* * *
One hundred years ago there lived and reposed in peace in a barren hut of St. Anne’s Skete a Serbian prince of the family of Vragovich, called Monk Theokletos. As an ascetic he laboured hard in exile. For this reason he was blessed with the grace of the all-giving and merciful God.
* * *
An aged elder said, “How can one tell that a monk has been crucified? Here is Father S. He has been on Mount Athos for sixty years and has not come out in the world.” Then he said again, “Praise and flattery are harmful to a monk. A monk who seeks praise is like a man who tries to catch his shadow” And then again he said, “A monk under obedience might say, ‘When my elder scolds me he does not love me.’ But if he only knew that he is in his elder’s heart!”
(You can read the four parts here)
Monks are awesome: Part 2
A Monk prays atop a small pillar. Not as large as the one that Simeon Stylites was on but requiring the same amount of concentration to pray on.
Rain on Mount Athos
The Invisible Hermits of mount Athos
Maybe some of you have heard or read even one story about the invisible Hermits of Mount Athos. They are known as “invisible ascetics”, “naked ascetics”, “secret elders”, “silent retreatants.” These are a group of seven or twelve ascetics. They live in desert areas of Mount Athos and they are invisible by human eyes.
They are appearing only to whoever they want, and to be more specific, mostly to pious monks and pilgrims that they have pure and Christian life.
According to tradition, these seven (or twelve) hermits will perform the last Divine Liturgy on the top of Mount Athos in the chapel of the Transfiguration of Christ. Then the end of the world will come, namely the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
(Amature translation from http://gymnoi-askites.blogspot.com/ -> You can translate this blog’s content with google translator)
Mount Athos - CBS (Part 1)
Elder Gabriel Mainas
In his eyes you can see his love for Jesus Christ…
