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[[Image:Elder Paisios of Mount AthosSão_Paísios_2.jpg|right|thumb|210px|Elder [[Saint Paisios (Eznepidis)of Mount Athos]] Our venerable and God-bearing Father '''Paisios of Mount Athos.]]''' ([[Image:Paisiostomb.JPG|right|thumbnail|Tomb of Elder PaisiosJuly 25]], 1924 – [[Image:PaisiosPlaque.JPG|right|thumbnail|Plaque at tombJuly 12]]'''Paisios (Eznepidis, 1994)''', the also known as '''Elder Paisios of Mount Athos''', (Greek: Γέροντας Παΐσιος ο Αγιορείτης) , was a monastic of [[Mount Athos]]. An [[asceticism|ascetic]], he was known by his visitors for his gentle manner and acceptance of those who came to receive his advice, counsel, and blessing. His words of counsel continue to be published. [http://noctoc-noctoc.blogspot.com/2008/08/elder-panteleimon-of-hamatouraa-hidden.html?showComment=1217990940000]Elder Paisios was canonized on [[January 13]], 2015, by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] of Constantinople.<ref>''[http://www.patriarchate.org/-/anakoinothen-13-01-2015-?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.patriarchate.org%2Flatest-news%3Fp_p_id%3D101_INSTANCE_fJBy4jqgMuQe%26p_p_lifecycle%3D0%26p_p_state%3Dnormal%26p_p_mode%3Dview%26p_p_col_id%3Dcolumn-1%26p_p_col_pos%3D1%26p_p_col_count%3D2&languageId=en_US Announcement (13/01/2015)].'' Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople - News Releases. 1/13/15.</ref><ref name=OMHKSEA>''[http://www.omhksea.org/2015/01/ecumenical-patriarchate-officially-entered-elder-paisios-among-the-list-of-saints/ Ecumenical Patriarchate Officially Entered Elder Paisios among the List of Saints].'' Ecumenical Patriarchate - Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South East Asia (OMHKSEA). January 13, 2015.</ref> The Church commemorates St. Paisios on July 12.
==Life==
'''Arsenios Eznepidis ''' was born on [[July 25]], 1924 , to pious parents in the town of Farasa, Cappadocia of Asia Minor, shortly before the population exchange between Greece and Turkey following the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922. Arsenios' name was given to him by St. [[Arsenios the Cappadocian]], who baptized him, named the child for himself and foretold Arsenios' [[monasticism|monastic]] future. Very shortly after his [[baptism]] the young Arsenios and his family were forced to leave Asia Minor in accordance the peace Treaty of Lausanne. St. Arsenios guided his flock along a 400-mile trek to Greece. The Eznepidis family finally settled in the town of Konitsa in Epirus in northwestern Greece. As he had prophesied, St. Arsenios reposed forty days after the group settled in Greece, leaving, as his spiritual heir, the infant Arsenios. Arsenios grew up in Konitsa and learned carpentry after completing intermediate public school.
During the civil war in Greece following World War II, Arsenios served as a radio operator. While concerned about his compatriots who had family, he didn't worry for himself because he was single and had no children. He was noted for his bravery, self-sacrifice and moral righteousness. After the civil war ended, he wanted to enter a monastic life, but had to consider his sisters, who were as yet unmarried. By 1950, he had provided for his sisters' future and was free to begin his monastic vocation.
It was at Panagouda that Elder Paisios' fame as a God bearing elder grew, drawing to him the sick and suffering people of God. He received them all day long, dedicating the night to God in prayer, vigil, and spiritual struggle. His regime of prayer and asceticism left him with only two or three hours each night for rest. The self-abandon with which he served God and his fellow man, his strictness with himself, the austerity of his regime, and his sensitive nature made him increasingly prone to sickness. In addition to respiratory problems, in his later days he suffered from a serious hernia that made life very painful. When he was forced to leave the Holy Mountain for various reasons (often due to his illnesses) he would receive pilgrims for hours on end at the women's monastery at Souroti. The physical effort which this entailed in his weakened state caused him such pain that he would turn pale. He bore his suffering with much grace, confident that, as God knows what is best for us, it could not be otherwise. He would say that God is greatly touched when someone who is in great suffering does not complain, but rather uses his energy to pray for others.
[[Image:Paisiostomb.JPG|right|thumbnail|Tomb of Elder Paisios]]
In addition to his other illnesses he suffered from hemorrhaging which left him very weak. In his final weeks before leaving the Holy Mountain, he would often fall unconscious. On [[October 5]], 1993, the Elder left his beloved Holy Mountain for the last time. Though he had planned on being off the mountain for just a few days, while in Thessaloniki he was diagnosed with cancer that needed immediate treatment. After the operation he spent some time recovering in the hospital and was then transferred to the monastery at Souroti. Despite his critical state he received people, listening to their sorrows and counseling them.
After his operation, Elder Paisios had his heart set on returning to Mt. Athos. His attempts to do so, however, were hindered by his failing health. His last days were full of suffering, but also of the joy of the [[martyr]]s. On [[July 11]], 1994, he received [[Holy Communion]] for the last time. The next day, Elder Paisios gave his soul into God's keeping. He was buried, according to his wishes, at the [[Monastery of St. John the Theologian (Souroti)|Monastery of St. John the Theologian]] in Souroti. Elder Paisios, perhaps more than any other contemporary elder, captured the minds and hearts of the Greek people. Many books of his counsels have been published, and the monastery at Souroti has undertaken a great work, organizing the Elder's writings and counsels into impressive volumes befitting his memory. Thousands of pilgrims visit his tomb each year.
[[Image:PaisiosPlaque.JPG|right|thumbnail|Plaque at tomb]]
Elder Paisios was glorified on January 13, 2015, by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. He is commemorated each year on July 12.
== Works ==
* ''Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 2: Spiritual Awakening'', translated into English and published in 2008 by Holy Monastery "Evangelist John the Theologian", Souroti, Thessaloniki, Greece.
*''Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 3: Spiritual Struggle'', translated into English and published in 2010 by Holy Monastery "Evangelist John the Theologian", Souroti, Thessaloniki, Greece.
*''Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 4 - Family'', 2002.
*''Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 5 - Passions and Virtues'', 2006.
==Hymns==
'''Apolytikion in the First Tone'''<ref name=OMHKSEA/><br>
The offspring of Farasa, and the adornment of Athos,<br>
and the imitator of the former righteous, equal in honor,<br>
O Paisios let us honor O faithful, the vessel full of graces,<br>
who hastens speedily to those who cry out:<br>
glory to Him Who gave you strength,<br>
glory to Him Who crowned you,<br>
glory to Him Who grants through you healings for all.
'''Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone'''<ref name=OMHKSEA/><br>
The most-famed ascetic of the Holy Mountain,<br>
and the newly-enlightened light of the Church,<br>
let us praise him with hymns with all our heart,<br>
for he leads the faithful towards a perfect life,<br>
filling them with rivers of gifts,<br>
therefore we cry out:<br>
Hail, O Father Paisios.
'''Synaxarion'''<ref name=OMHKSEA/><br>
On this day (July 12), the memory of our venerable Father Paisios the New, of the Holy Mountain, who reposed in peace in the year 1994.
'''Verses'''<ref name=OMHKSEA/><br>
Paisios, the tree of Mount Athos,<br>
You were shown to be full of fruit, O Most-venerable one.<br>
On the twelfth, Paisios reposed.
'''Megalynarion'''<ref name=OMHKSEA/><br>
Rejoice the communicant with the Venerable,<br>
the pride of Athos, the adornment of Monastics,<br>
Rejoice the new teacher of the Church,<br>
O godly-minded Paisios, our boast.
==References==
<div><references/></div>
== External links==
* ''[http://www.omhksea.org/2015/01/testimony-by-metropolitan-athanasios-of-limassol-regarding-saint-paisios/ Testimony by Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol regarding Saint Paisios].'' Ecumenical Patriarchate - Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South East Asia (OMHKSEA). January 13, 2015.
* [http://www.pigizois.net/agglika/paisios/10.htm Elder Paisios: A short biography]
* [http://www.protectingveil.com/ Middleton, Herman A., 2004,"Elder Paisios the Athonite", in ''Precious Vessels of the Holy Spirit: The Lives & Counsels of Contemporary Elders of Greece'', 2nd edn., Protecting Veil Press, Thessalonica, Greece]
[[Category:Greek Saints]]
[[Category:20th-century saints]]
[[Category:Modern Saints]]
[[el:Γέρων Παΐσιοςο Αθωνίτης]][[pt:Paísios do Monte Athos]]
[[ro:Paisie Aghioritul]]