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Elder Paisios
of the Holy Mountain
Part Three
On his return to Mt. Athos in 1964, Elder Paisios took up residence at the Skete of Iviron
before moving to Katounakia at the southernmost tip of Mt. Athos for a short stay in the desert there. The
Elder's failing health may have been part of the reason for his departure from the desert. In 1966, he fell
ill and was hospitalized for a few months in Papa Nikolaou Hospital in Thessaloniki. He was operated on and
a large portion of his lung was removed. It was during this time that his long friendship with the St. John
the Theologian Monastery in Souroti, just outside of Thessaloniki, began. During his operation he needed
blood and it was then that a group of novices from the monastery donated blood to save him. Elder Paisios
was most grateful, and after his recovery did whatever he could, materially and spiritually, to help them
build their monastery.
In 1968, he spent time at the Monastery of Stavronikita helping both with its spiritual as well as material
renovation. While there he had the blessing of being in contact with the ascetic Elder Tikhon who lived in
the hermitage of the Holy Cross, near Stavronikita. Elder Paisios stayed by his side until his repose,
serving him selflessly as his disciple. It was during this time that Elder Tikhon clothed Fr. Paisios in
the Great Schema. According to the wishes of the Elder, Fr. Paisios remained in his hermitage after his
repose. He stayed there until 1979, when he moved on to his final home on the Holy Mountain, the hermitage
Panagouda, which belongs to the Monastery of Koutloumousiou.
While at Panagouda, Elder Paisios' fame as a God¬bearing elder grew, drawing to him the sick and suffering.
He received them during the day, dedicating the night to God in prayer, vigil and spiritual struggle. His
regime of prayer and asceticism left him with only two or three hours each night for rest. The self-abandon
with which he served God and his fellow man, his strictness with himself, the austerity of his regime, and
his sensitive nature made him increasingly prone to sickness. In addition to respiratory problems, in his
later days he suffered from a serious hernia that made life very painful. When he was forced to leave the
Holy Mountain for various reasons such as illness, he would receive pilgrims for hours on end at the women's
monastery at Souroti, and the physical effort which this entailed in his weakened state caused him such pain
that he would turn pale. He bore his suffering with much grace and he would say that God is greatly touched
when someone who is in great suffering does not complain, but rather uses his energy to pray for others.
In addition to his other illnesses, he suffered from hemorrhaging which left him very weak. In his final
weeks before leaving the Holy Mountain, he would often fall unconscious. On October 5, 1993 the Elder left
his beloved Holy Mountain for the last time. While in Thessaloniki, he was diagnosed with cancer and needed
immediate treatment. After the operation he spent some time recovering in the hospital and was then
transferred to the monastery at Souroti. Despite his illness, he received people, listening to their sorrows
and counseling them.
Elder Paisios had his heart set on returning to Mt. Athos, but his attempts were hindered by his failing
health. His last days were full of suffering, but also of the joy of the martyrs. On July 11, 1994, he
received Holy Communion for the last time and the next day, Elder Paisios gave his soul into God's keeping.
He was buried, according to his wishes at the Monastery of St. John the Theologian in Souroti. Elder Paisios,
perhaps more than any other contemporary elder, has captured the minds and hearts of the Greek people. Many
books of his counsels have been published, and the monastery at Souroti has undertaken a great work,
organizing the Elder's writings and counsels into impressive volumes befitting his memory. Thousands of
pilgrims visit his tomb each year.
Did you miss......
Part One or
Part Two?
References:
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