The Great Tree of Aetolia was born in 1714, near Thermo. His baptismal name was Konstas. His pious parents inspired him with piety and faith in God. They also instilled in him Orthodoxy, not simply as a religious faith, but as a way of life. He learned his first letters in his native country. Later, his parents sent him to the famous schools of Nafpaktia and Parnassidos, to complete his education near the famous teachers of the time, Gerasimos Lytsikas and Hieromonk Ananias.
In 1749 he went to Mount Athos to complete his studies at the famous Athoniada School. There he was taught higher studies, theology, philology and philosophy. Then he went to the Philotheou Monastery where he received the monastic form and the name Kosmas. After ten years of solitary life, with prayer, fasting, vigils and personal purification, he realized that he did not have the right to live and take care of himself only, but he also had to help his brothers, the Orthodox ragiades, who were experiencing unimaginable tyranny from the heathen Turkish conquerors and was in black darkness of delusion and spiritual degradation. He was more concerned about widespread conversions to Islam. Entire provinces embraced Islam either by force or by their own will, immediately losing their faith in Christ and their Greek conscience!
In 1759 he made the great decision to leave Mount Athos, to help the people who were being tested. He received permission from Patriarch Seraphim to visit Greece as a preacher. Thus, as a new apostle Paul, he organizes large missionary tours throughout Greece, and with non-existent means, manages to visit almost the entire country in twenty years, with his four tours, Macedonia, Epirus, Roumeli, Peloponnese, the Ionian Islands and as far as the borders of Albania.
He preached the word of God in simple but persuasive words, proving that the Orthodox teaching is the only true faith and the Orthodox Church is the only true Church of Christ, in which man can be saved, and he civilized conversions to Islam, characterizing them as betrayal, like that of Judas. Transcribers recorded his speeches, many of which have been saved and which have such great theological depth that they impress us even today!
The sanctified and enlightened preacher Cosmas knew the cause of the spiritual downfall of the slaves and the solution of their spiritual awakening. This was education. In every place he went he talked about directness
the need to establish schools so that all Greek children, boys and girls, can attend, in order to wake up from the spiritual lethargy of slavery. He raised funds and founded schools, which he left to the care of the communities and their maintenance to the nobles of the region. He himself confessed that he founded more than two hundred and fifty lower schools and more than ten higher ones! He suggested the need for education in material things.
He motivated the slaves to speak Greek and not Turkish, Albanian, Vlach, etc., because our language is a key element of our national character and identity. He vigorously condemned social injustice and made the wronged to make amends for their wrongs. He persuaded them to apologize publicly and he gave them absolution. He civilized the contempt of women, as dictated by Islamic law, and introduced love to children. He opposed the Sunday bazaars, which drew Christians away from the Church and sold them to trade and profit, which led to his martyrdom. This opposed the big merchants of the time, mainly Jews, who were affected financially. That's why they decided to shut him up. They bribed Kurt Pasha of Veratio, who arrested and hanged him on August 24, 1779 in the village of Kolikondasi in Northern Epirus.
The Orthodox Greek people believed in the holiness of Cosmas, before his martyrdom, but also after it. Although three hundred years have passed since then, it remains in many regions of Greece, the memory of its presence alive in them. His official canonization took place in 1961 and his memory is commemorated on August 24. Our Church honors him as an Equal Apostle and our Nation as a National Apostle.
Saint Cosmas also received the gift of prophecy from God. Hundreds of his prophecies were recorded, most of which were verified with amazing accuracy, and continue to be verified to this day!
This was St. Cosmas, the great of our Church and Nation, and we think it is imperative that we present him as a model and spiritual landmark in the difficult times we are going through as a nation and society!
Image: Peloponnisios, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
