20th The 19th century is characterized as one of the most turbulent centuries in history. Despite this, it is the century of the emergence of a multitude of prominent saints, as confirmation of the great truth, that where: "Sin abounded, but grace abounded more" (Rom.5:20). A strong proof that the Church of Christ continues, even in our difficult and decadent days, to save and sanctify, to highlight saints. Among them, the newly listed in the hagiological lists, Saint Ephraim of Katounaki, a great ascetic figure of Mount Athos monasticism, a worthy successor to the genuine monastic ideal of our Orthodox Church.
Born on December 6 1912 at the village Ambelochori, Thebes, from pious parents, the Ioannis Papanikitas and VictoriaHis baptismal name was EvangelosHe had three other siblings. His family moved to the city of Thebes, to facilitate the children's studies, and settled in a house near the Church of the Great Virgin Mary. His pious and simple parents instilled in him an unwavering faith in God and simple piety. From a young age he was distinguished by a rare maturity and love of learning, and for this reason they sent him to study at the High school and Thebes School Board.
Evangelos showed diligence in his studies, but he was more attracted to the Church. The beautiful Church of the Virgin Mary had become his second home. He frequented church, dressed like a priest and was unimaginably happy with his flamboyant vestments. He had acquired the love and sympathy of the priests and many parishioners.
However, his health was fragile; at the age of 14, he developed a serious allergic condition in his eyes, with very annoying itching, which followed him throughout his life.
After graduating from the Scholarcheio, his parents took care to rehabilitate him professionally. However, an irresistible attraction for the monastic life had been born in the soul of the young Evangelos. His acquaintance with two great Athonite monks and family friends, from the Pyrrhus of Boeotia, Ephraim and Victorious, who later became his spiritual Elders. The encouragement of his pious mother also had a strong influence, who, after fervent prayer to the Saint Ephraim the Syrian, she received the information that God had destined her son to become a monk and to progress spiritually.
On September 14, the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, at the age of 21, he went to Mount Athos and settled in PetsAt Hermitage of Saint Ephraim the Syrian, where the two aforementioned Theban monks, Ephraim and Nikephoros, were living as monks, and he joined their entourage. After passing the two-year ordeal, he was tonsured a monk and received the monastic name LonginusWith zeal and humble wisdom, he willingly offered the ministries assigned to him and, with the guidance of his Elders, he began his spiritual struggle, so that his virtues and spiritual progress began to emerge early. 1935 became a great monk from his elder Nikephoros, taking the name Ephraim and the following year he received the priesthood. Cultivating the ladder of virtues with zeal, precision and diligence, he emerged early as a genuine monk, a bearer of spiritual maturity. He had
received the nickname "the gifted submissive", because of the obedience he showed to Elder Nikephoros, a very cruel and difficult elder.
An important milestone in his monastic life was his acquaintance with the saint Elder Joseph the Hesychast (1898-1959), the so-called and "rector of the hesychast life"After receiving the blessing from Elder Nikephoros, he spiritually connected with Joseph, who at that time was at the height of his spiritual maturity. As is known, Elder Joseph had been initiated into the spiritual and hesychast life by the famous Athonite hesychast monks. Kallinikos and Daniel.
Elder Joseph received Ephraim with joy, seeing that he had before him a monk zealous for the monastic life, adorned with the virtue of humility. He drew up a program of hesychastic life, which he gave to Ephraim and asked him to adhere to it precisely. He taught him the cultivation of the Noetic Prayer, the monologic Wish: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me", as unceasing prayer, according to the exhortation of the apostle Paul "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17), as an unceasing memory of God, as a constant sense of His presence, as a way of life. At the same time, the holy Elder Joseph taught him the way of "imprisonment of the senses", the way of cutting off passions and repelling temptations, by which the mind is cleansed of evil thoughts and led to divine enlightenment. He studied with passion the "Philokalia of the Holy Sepulchres" and he immersed himself in the sacred teachings of the ascetic Fathers, whom he wanted to become an imitator and follower of.
Close to the enlightened Elder, he was taught the cultivation of humility and obedience, as basic virtues of genuine monastic life, through which the monk cuts off his own will and becomes a minister of his brothers in Christ. With great eagerness, he tirelessly performed the most humble and tiring ministries. At the same time, he practiced strict fasting, vigils and divine contemplation. He especially practiced combating vanity, avoiding all human praise and considering and presenting himself as insignificant and sinful. He believed and taught that whatever good we accomplish is insignificant in the eyes of God and a gift of His own. Vanity is one of the most insidious passions, with which the evil one traps us, to make us believe that we are supposedly great and to lead us to pride.
In 1973 The Elder Nikephoros of Thebes fell asleep. 1980, by order and blessing of Elder Joseph, he established his own monastic order. From then on he also assumed the responsibility of spiritual guidance of the brotherhood. With a spirit of love, gentleness and discernment he taught, admonished and educated his subordinates, winning their love, respect and devotion.
His new liturgical and guiding responsibilities did not diminish his personal struggle. Isolated in his poor and austere cell, he prayed fervently for the whole world and, lastly, for himself. He kept vigil in prayer, reducing his sleep to a minimum. He observed fasts with precision and particular rigor, contenting himself with elementary food. He continued to be troubled by his youthful allergy, as well as a rare form of eczema in the joint of his foot. However, he endured his physical sufferings with patience and praise to God, considering them as pedagogical means for his perfection.
His spiritual progress was rewarded by God with the gift of clairvoyance, which is a tangible sign of holiness. He could read the secrets of hearts.
and the minds of people, always with the aim of benefiting them pedagogically and advising them paternally. He had acquired the ability to administer the most effective spiritual medicines, for their salvation. He had also been distinguished by the gift of foresight. A typical case was his prediction of the great earthquake in Thessaloniki in 1977. He addressed his visitors by their names, without knowing them beforehand and revealing the secrets of their souls, always with the aim of their spiritual benefit, their spiritual progress and their salvation.
The testimony of his well-known dogmatic professor at the Theological School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, regarding Elder Ephraim's opinion on the modern pan-heresy of Ecumenism, the summary of all the evils of the past, is very important. The Elder responded to him with a horrible personal experience. After a fervent all-night prayer, to reveal to him what Ecumenism is: "My cell was filled with an unbearable stench, which suffocated my soul, I could not breathe spiritually"! And he continued: "In all cases that are entangled with magic, with unclean spirits, this is the situation that it introduces me into. Sometimes there is a verbal answer, but in this case, this was the answer and I have absolute certainty that Ecumenism does not have the Holy Spirit, but the unclean spirit."The holy Elder was saddened, seeing the "bold openings" of many Orthodox clergy towards heretics, violating the tradition of the Church. He was also concerned with the unity of the Church. He was deeply saddened by the schisms, emphasizing emphatically that "Division is easy, union is difficult"!
Another aspect of the spirituality and holiness of Saint Ephraim is his shocking experience of the Divine Liturgy. As he himself had revealed to a monk friend, during the consecration of the Precious Gifts, he saw Christ in the holy censer, unable to hold back his tears and dousing the Holy Antimony. He also saw angels next to him while he was celebrating! As he himself said, each Liturgy was for him a vision of God!
The 1996 The venerable Elder suffered a stroke and was immobilized for two years. He accepted this ordeal as a lesson and blessing from God, praising and thanking Him.
At 27 February of 1998 He slept in peace, surrendering his sanctified soul into the hands of God, whom he loved and served faithfully throughout his life, and was buried in the courtyard of his cell, in a tomb that he himself had dug years ago, and there he meditated on the vanity of the world and the value of salvation.
At 9 March of 2020 The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate canonized him, determining that his memory be celebrated on 27 February, on the day of his holy death.
The newly appeared Saint Ephraim of Katounakiotis is undoubtedly a shining example of a struggling spiritual man in our modern spiritually arid and materialistic era. His confession is also a living testimony to the demonic origin of Ecumenism, to the unprecedented, in our tragic days, onslaught of religious syncretism, which aims to stifle and eliminate the only saving truth of our Orthodox Church, the unique One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ.
photo Holy Monastery of Argolida
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