Elder Sophrony: a man who was perfect in Christ
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| Elder Sophrony with various pilgrims to his Monastery, including Elder Joseph of Vatopedi, Metropolitan Athanasios of Lemesou, Elder Zacharias of Essex, and Elder Kirill |
We went to the monastery straight from the airport and arrived
there in the evening, about 11 pm. It was awfully cold. St. Sophrony was
waiting for us at the gates, next to the monastery fence. He waited for us in
this bitter cold, along with a few other brethren. As soon as Geronda Joseph
got out of the cab, Elder Sophrony began to bow. He was crossing himself and
bowing. He would bow down as low as his strength allowed—he was already
advanced in years. We felt awkward. He hugged and kissed us, and said: “Welcome
to England! Let’s go to church and pray.” We went to church and prayed. He
commemorated our names in a very heartwarming way.
We remained in the monastery for two days and two nights.
Throughout this time, we had meetings and conversations with Elder Sophrony. He
shared his memories of the Holy Mountain, of Elder Joseph the Hesychast, St.
Silouan, and spoke about his experience of concelebrating Divine Liturgy with
him. We held conversations on various spiritual topics. What greatly impressed
us was our very perception of the elder Sophrony. He was a man who was perfect
in Christ. Geronda Joseph said of him, “If you desire to see a perfect man,
look at this elder. If you wish to know how the Gospel transforms a man, look
at him—he is indeed a man perfect in Christ.” Such was our impression.
Afterwards, the elder Sophrony blessed us in all his goodness, both spiritual
and human, talking to us in all seriousness and sublimity, welcoming us with
all humility and love. The image of his holiness will always remain with us!
Father Paisius of Dionysiou:
the “mother” of Christ
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| Monastery Dionisiou. |
A man of deeply inner life... He lived at Dionysiou.
A Cypriot, he grew up in South Africa and resided in England. He
was very successful in his economic and commercial endeavors. At some point, he
met St. Sophrony of Essex and turned to God. He arrived at the monastery of
Dionysiou on Mount Athos and became a monk. He lived there in strict
asceticism.
This monk’s life was a stellar example of monasticism. Scrupulous,
inconspicuous, humble, replete with obedience and truly inscrutable. He never
went anywhere and no one knew about him. He was bestowed with many gifts of the
Holy Spirit. He was a man of unceasing prayer, a man of great love, a man
enlightened by the Lord Who revealed to him His all-holy will about the people
who saw him.
When I first came to the Dionysiou sometime in October or November
of 1976, I was overcome with many thoughts about whether or not I should stay
on the Holy Mountain. Once, in the evening I walked from the Monastery of St.
Paul to Dionysiou, as they were having the Compline service there. I sat down
in the side chapel. I knew no one (as an eighteen-year-old student) and
certainly no one knew me either. So, I sat there, in my stasidia,
in the side chapel of the Laudation of the Most Holy Mother of God,
contemplating my life and watching the elders of the Dionysiou; they also sat
deep in their stasidia immersed in the
darkness of the cathedral and reading the Compline so simply, humbly, and
quietly... I was seized with despair and frustration—so I sat there, awash with
thoughts: What am I doing on this Holy Mountain? All they have are these
elderly monks! They look like living corpses. I am going to leave this place at
once! I had a feeling that I was visiting the kingdom of the dead in this
monastery. As soon as I thought that, a monk came up to me—he was lighting the
oil lamps in the cathedral—and said, “You shouldn’t think this way! The monks
you see aren’t dead. They are not. These fathers are filled with life—life in
Christ. But when man lives in Christ, it is truly life.” I thanked him and said
nothing else. I didn’t know him, nor did I know anyone else there. However, as
soon as I left, I realized that it was the answer to my thoughts.
I met this monk again later. His name was Father Paisios. He
maintained order in the church, and since he was also a Cypriot, we got to know
each other and became friends. Elder Gabriel of Dionysiou once said of him:
“This monk is like the one described by St. Simeon the New Theologian—‘he is
akin to the ‘mother’ of Christ.’” I asked: “What does that mean, the ‘mother’
of Christ?” Geronda replied, “Like a mother who carries a child in her womb, is
aware of him, gives birth and becomes his mother, so does a man who strives in
Christ. He “conceives” Christ in his being, in his heart, and becomes a
God-bearing man. This monk is a ‘mother’ of Christ, because he has Christ in
his heart.”
Of course, I stayed on Mount Athos. I also often visited
Dionysiou. We held conversations with this holy elder, filled with sweetness,
humility, love and obedience. He always comforted us with his appearance and
the gentle and comforting words.
A man of unceasing prayer, he received the monastery’s blessing at
the end of his life and went into the wilderness to the remote St. James
Kathisma, remaining there almost to the end of his life, enjoying the life of a
recluse, in silence and prayer.
Reference:
https://orthochristian.com/147202.html