Geronda Gregory abbot of Dochiariou Monastery.

The brethren of the Dochiariou monastery, who recently bade farewell to their Geronda Gregory (Zumis), offer this text in his memory.

Geronda Gregory (Zumis)

In October 9/21, 2018, around 10:30 pm, Gerondas Gregory , the hegumen of the Dochiariou monastery for 38 years, reposed in the Lord . The monk-ascetic, the charismatic leader, distinguished by an enlightened mind and a critical spirit, a skilled orator, loving spiritual father, renovator and new builder of the ancient monastery Dochiariou.

Geronda Gregory spiritually “grew at the feet” of Saint Amphilochius of Patmos and Saint Philotheos (Zervakos), abbot of the monastery of Longovard on Paros.

At the age of 29, he became the abbot of the “Mirtie” monastery in “Etoloakarnanii” and then the monastery of “Prusso” in “Evritania”. And, finally, since 1980, he became the hegumen of Dochiariou monastery in Mont Athos.

The monastery was in a destroyed state. Geronda Gregory devoted himself to the renewal of this place and to restore the traditional monastic life in it.

The obstacles were huge: no income, no properties. Father Gregory didn’t want to have acquaintances with rich, political allies and strong patrons. He had one and unique support, on which he used to rely on, in all his difficulties: The icon of the Mother of God “The quick-hearer”(celebrated in 22 November)  . He spent hours praying before this miraculous icon and performing vigils, and since then, pilgrims from across the world began to flock under the cover of the grace of the Most Holy Virgin, and this prayer became the sound of faith on their lips.

Two wonderful revelations occurred in the life of the Geronda. At the monastery of Pruso, when he was there as hegumen, they found in the crypt church, the relics of the holy new martyr John Konitsky, who was lying there for 150 years. In Dohiariou as well, there was the discovery of the ancient prototype of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, "quick listener" which, again, was there hidden for 150 years.

The icon of the Holy Mother of God,

"The Quick listener"

Geronda Gregory worshipped God with two wings: serving God and serving the monastery. Caring for the service and the magnificence of the church was an insatiable need for him. He always wanted a clear and precise reading, an optimal share of singing at divine services, participation in the service of all the brotherhood, and praying in the church standing, not sitting. However, when later in, the monastery began large-scale repair work, which surpassed sometimes our forces, he permitted that we had some rest sitting in the church.

The Geronda was the first on the Holy Mountain, who initiated the work of restoring old icons and adorned them with new vestments. He took care of the manufacture and purchase of new vestments for the clergy…  He endlessly cared for the renovation and decoration of old temples and the construction of new ones.

The elder taught: the monk must work with his own hands to provide himself with all the necessities, as well as for the good of the monastery, and besides, to have something to pay for the poor. "Youth requires labor," he assured.  “The sun knoweth his going down.” (Ps. 103: 19), but the hegumen did not know his rest. If there was not enough daylight to complete the work, the headlights of cars or lamps powered by electric generators were turned on.  He stopped only for a small snack or when the light left the Holy Mountain at night. When the old man called us to collect stones for construction, we simply did not have time to load into the tractor all the stones he showed us. 

 He tirelessly had solutions to all problems. Even before the assigned work was nearing its end, the next one was already spinning in the orbits of his mind. Every evening he wondered what his monks would do tomorrow. In the morning obedience was ready for everyone. The elder could not stand the kind of idle monk.

Geronda always emphasized: we should not demand from others what we can do ourselves. That is why he urged us to learn the crafts necessary for the restoration and functioning of the monastery. Asking the general direction of work, he left every worker the freedom to keep his creative individuality. The elder did not bother with remarks, when he saw diligence in obedience and quiet, concentrated faces, inclined to work. 

Every evening, the elder in his cell, was accessible to everyone, accepted everyone who came to calm down and warm up at the only stove that was heated in the winter, or just ask something. A little liquor or sweets, one warm word, stories or memories of the old man about Patmos made us forget the work of the day, the cries, the difficulties and the amount of work that we still have to do. 

Geronda Gregory in a procession.

Geronda Gregory herded his monks with reason and freedom, respecting the character of each. He didn’t demand the same from everyone. He emphasized the good qualities of everyone and urged others to imitate them, without coercion. He also offered as a model, monastic prototypes of old fathers, whom he knew, but did not require absolute copying. The elder wanted to see in everyone at least a little zeal, and then he could close his eyes to the weaknesses of each person. He inspired us, made us capable of selfless activity, neglecting the interests of our own "I". He devoted ourselves to serve the community without any “want”, “think”, “but my opinion ...”, “I'm tired”.

During the meal, he often talked about liberation from passions, which he analyzed with surprising subtlety and always with examples from everyday life, as well as from nature. The speech began with some old stories, and everyone already wondered: what does it lead to? What goal is he aiming to reach?. For whom is the bell ringing today?. Maybe for me?. The elder built his speech so beautifully, stone after stone, that there was no space for questions or unresponsive spaces. Without offending anyone publicly (the one who fell into a mistake in obedience or in confession, he himself knew who he was talking about), pointed the way to repentance and humility, always accepting sincerely penitent two and three, and up to “seventy times seven”.

One visitor recalled his meeting with the blessed Geronda Gregory:

Geronda Gregory working.

On Athos, all the monasteries try to polish the church’s utensils before the Holy feasts so that the temple will celebrate the feast, in all its glory. On these polished surfaces, the glare from the lights of candles and lamps is especially beautiful. But, as a rule, novices and younger brethren are engaged in this hard and tedious work, but in Dochiariou monastery, Geronda Gregory also used to participate in it.

    -         Bless! - I appeal the worker (on Athos, the blessing is asked from all the monks, not only the priests).

     -        God bless you.  He answered me, without lifting his eyes.

     -        I would like to see the father Hegumen, if possible. I said.

     -     Why do you want him?, still working hard, he said.

I explained that I had a letter of recommendation to him from Moscow, etc.

-      And who are you?, He asked me and started to interrogate me. When he got all the answers he wanted, then, still not postponing his work, he suddenly puzzled me:

-   Well, I'm the abbot. Come on, help me to get up.

At the meetings of the Holy Community, his presence never went unnoticed. Always with humor, joke and tenacity, he assigned the path that he believed right, even if he went against the flow of the majority or against the authority of older fathers. With strength and perseverance, without fear, he denounced evil in front of the political or ecclesiastical superiors.  

Geronda Gregory with his doctor.

In the last two years, the body of the Geronda has weakened to death. And before that, the elder was often sick, but then the next day he was wide awake and again commanded as if nothing had happened. However, recently we have seen the elder suffering everyday pain with endless patience and endurance. At the same time, he never asked for special food or care, he did not ask the doctors why this medicine was necessary or not. Often, he used to confess before us, friends or worldly people, his mistakes or weaknesses. In recent years, with all confidence, like a small child, he committed himself fully into the hands of a monk, doctor who, like an angel, accompanied him, and took care of all his health problems, for more than 20 years.

We asked him in his last days.

- Geronda, are you going to heaven?.

- I am excluded because I am a sinner. You will enter.

Elder Gregory had the gift of insight. He predicted some things. We have no doubt about them. Humanly, we the monks of Dochiariou monastery with all who knew the elder and consider themselves his admirers mourn his departure, but at the same time we know that the Lord in Heaven has a new prayer room for him, where he is now interceding for all of us. Amen.

Dochiariou Monastery.

Reference:

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/117777.html