Monastery of Vatopaidi, Mount Athos, Greece: 25 Years of Spiritual Effort by Pemptousia

from Pemptousia

This documentary is priceless. It shows not only the daily routine of the monastery but it's history, restoration, and struggles. Particularly moving is the footage of the unjust imprisonment of Abbott Ephraim of Vatopaidi, and his glorious release and return to the monastery. It is not possible to watch this without crying. But they will be tears of joy.

There is a moment when the Abbott is being taken to prison by car; the faithful are lining the street, and suddenly they start screaming..”Axios, Axios, Axios (Worthy, worthy, worthy). In Greece this is proclaimed by the people during the funeral of saints and at the ordination of a deacon or priest. You see, in the eyes of the socialist government of Greece, Abbott Ephraim had done wrong, but in the eyes of the Faithful he was and is a Confessor! Eventually he was freed and vindicated. 

Glory be to God Who is glorified in His saints!

My Elder Joseph the Hesychast by Elder Ephraim of St Anthony's Monastery in Florence, AZ

My Elder Joseph the Hesychast
by Elder Ephraim

The book is beautifully bound and delicious to read. I was
particularly moved by the fact that many great elders
were living at the same time in the Holy Mountain of Athos,
and they knew about each other!

In pages 133 to 134, Elder Ephraim writes,

"While they were wandering around the Holy Mountain in search of

holy ascetics, they heard about an exceptional ascetic at the Russian

monastery of St. Panteleimon, Fr. Silouan (known to us today as

Saint Silouan the Athonite). Elder Joseph asked Fr. Arsenios:

'What do you say! Should we go and see this ascetic?'

Fr. Arsenios, however, declined politely. The reason was because he

spoke Russian fluently (since he had grown up in Russia) whereas

Elder Joseph did not. Fr. Arsenios did not feel comfortable with the

idea of talking while his elder listened, so they did not go. What an
amazing genuine worker of obedience!

Nevertheless, St. Silouan's disciple, Elder Sophrony, heard about

Elder Joseph and found him on his own. Elder Sophrony visited

him frequently because he had great reverence for him. He later

said that Elder Joseph was one of the greatest ascetics of the

Holy Mountain he had ever met. In a letter of his, Elder Sophrony

wrote the following about their meeting;

'I wanted to hear the words of this bearer of great grace. He

spoke to me primarily about the hesychastic life of a hermit and

that he himself had seen the Uncreated Light several times. My

discussion with Geronda left a deep impression on me...I had

the impression that I had in front of me a spiritual general.' "

Please read below the description of the book from the

St Anthony's Monastery Bookstore website;

This is the most complete biography of Elder Joseph the Hesychast.
The book contains the very personal account of Elder Ephraim telling
the life of his Elder Joseph the Hesychast, whose holiness made him
one of the most influential monks on the Holy Mountain in the
twentieth century. Many of these fascinating stories have never been
published before, including delightful anecdotes about Elder Joseph’s
brotherhood, moving accounts of his spiritual struggles, insightful
spiritual counsels from his deep wisdom, and amazing miracles.

The book includes dozens of black&white and color photos


English. Hardcover. 706 pp. Size 5.75 x 8.75 in.
ISBN 0-9667000-8-2.
Published by St. Anthony's Monastery.
The book is available from St Anthony's Monastery Bookstore

You Write about Anger in the Heart of a Fool

Elder Joseph the Hesychast available from Uncut Mountain Supply

Sixth Letter
You write about anger in the heart of a fool
"So listen to me once again. Lay a solid foundation. Build a beautiful little palace in the heavens. Clean the inside of the
cup, as the Lord instructs us, so that the outside becomes
clean as well, because everything done with the body 
resembles leaves which merely decorate the outer man.
Those works are well and good, but everything I have written
to you about previously is what cleanses a person internally.
These things will open the eyes of the soul. It is through them
that the heart is purified to see God on that day. For without 
noetic work, there is little benefit from outer works.

If you do not see tears pouring forth every time you remember
God, you suffer from ignorance, which leads to pride and 
hardness of heart. So let humility serve as a garment in all
your actions, and become a sponge in the brotherhood that 
mops up every reproach and abasement. Do not water your
soul with honors and praises but with reproaches and
accusations, even if you are innocent.

Never seek to find what is just, because then you are unjust.
On the contrary, learn to endure temptations bravely, regardless
of what kind the Lord permits. Without a lot of excuses, just say,
"Forgive me !" and without actually being at fault, repent as if
you were. Do so with conviction of soul; not just outwardly
admitting to be at fault for the sake of praise, while inwardly
judging.

During times of affliction do not seek human consolation,
so that God may console you.

The bridge we must all cross is to forgive the transgressions of others. However if you don't forgive them, you destroy the bridge 
that you should have crossed. So become a good model and
example to others through your good and God-pleasing deeds
and do not wish to defeat everyone with your words.

Do not think that you will find rest when you speak out
seeking justice for yourself. Justice is to endure with bravery
the temptation that comes so that you emerge victorious, whether
or  not you are at fault. But if you say, "But why?", you are 
fighting against God Who sent the afflictions because of your
passionate* (see notes below) condition. God disciplines us so
that we reach dispassion. Thus, if you do not endure it, truly you
are fighting against God.

You write about anger in the heart of a fool. Anger in itself is 
natural. Just as the body has nerves, the soul has anger. Every-
one should use it against the demons, heretics, and anyone who 
hinders us from the path of God. However, if you get angry with
your fellow brothers, or get in a rage and ruin the works of your 
hands, know that you are suffering from vainglory and are 
abusing the nerve of your soul. You are delivered from this 
passion through love towards all and true humility.

Therefore when anger comes, close your mouth tightly, and do
not speak to him who curses, dishonors, reproaches or bothers
you in any way without reason. Then this snake will writhe around
in your heart, rise up to your throat, and (since you don't give it a
way out) will choke and suffocate. When this is repeated several
times, it will diminish and cease entirely.

Since man was created rational and gentle, he is corrected far
better with love and gentleness than with anger and harshness.
after much and through testing, I have also found that with
goodness and love you can pacify many. And if someone is of 
good intentions, you can quickly make him comply and become
and angel of God.

So this is what I would say to you and to everyone: never seek
to correct each other with anger, but only with humility and 
sincere love, because one temptation does not cast out another
temptation. When you see anger ahead, forget about correcting
for the moment. Once you see that the anger has passed, that
peace has come, and that your powers of discernment are 
functioning correctly, then you can speak beneficially.

I have never seen anyone corrected through anger, but always
through love: and then he will even make sacrifices. Therefore,
this is how you should act. Take yourself for example: how are
you pacified - with curses or with love?

Don't you marvel at the words of that saint in 'The Sayings of the
Desert Fathers', "An angry and irritable man is not accepted in
the kingdom of God even if he raises the dead!" ?

For the rest of the letter please read, Monastic Wisdom, The
Letters of Elder Joseph the Hesychast p.60-63, St Anthony's
Greek Orthodox Monastery, Florence, AZ 85232 

Available from Light & Life Publishing

Notes:
Passionate-
The word 'passionate' in this text is not used in any of the
secular senses of the word, but it is used to describe
someone or something subject to the passions.

Passion-
A passion is a spiritual disease that dominates the soul. 
When one repeatedly falls into a certain sin, it becomes 
second nature-a passion-for him to keep falling into this 
sin. Thus, one who misuses the God given powers of the
soul, of desire and anger, or one who succumbs to 
temptations of lust, hate, malice, or jealousy, or one who
succumbs to pride and vainglory, acquires those passions.
It is primarily through obedience to an experienced elder
that one is cleansed or healed of the passions and reaches
dispassion.