The Spiritual Luminary, Saint Paisios!

by  +Chrissie Apollonia Nicolles 

Though in Orthodoxy we don’t celebrate Saints’ birthdays, today, July 25 happens to be Geronda Paisios’ 101st birthday, I take this day to give homage, because as an Orthodox Priest friend told me, “It’s good to recognize the gift God gives to humanity through His saints and because of them, we know God is with us.” And indeed St. Paisios was not the typically hidden-away holy person… no, his light grew so bright, so huge, that not just the spiritually faithful traveled to see him daily on holy mountain Athos, but also secular VIPs reached out for his guidance, including other monastics like Mother Gavrilia + St. Porphyrios. He became, against his will, culturally, a kind of “Superstar” — that even the Pope invited him to the Vatican! But the monk Paisios refused the offer, replying back to Pope that “he exhibited excessive pride + sought to bring Orthodoxy under his authority… that they could better contribute to the situation through prayer than attending a meeting.”

Within Greek tradition, they wish “many years” for one’s birthday, but for holy people, being born into the world signifies entry into a spiritual battlefield, to overcome the world’s toxic influence and reach metanoia, ultimately Theosis.

Now what’s magical about the Great Schema Monk Paisios is that at age 5, he declared he’d be a monk; he wanted fervently to embrace the “angelic life” – go to the Holy Mountain. At the end of his life in 1994, he was seen floating above the church in Souroti, Greece, waving at people below … + still he wanders among us!

I have learned from certain monastics that upon leaving our bodies, i.e., death, is when the superior life begins…

I think we need to be reminded of the saints continually because they’re the Apotheosis of all we hope for.  They achieved the transcendent + that’s what a seeker of truth yearns for the most. Truth be told, Saint Paisios has never really left us on earth – we, his spiritual children. Even those who never knew of him, because the Orthodox world has repeatedly heard and verified stories of his divine intervention through his ethereal appearances… There have been many sightings of him, offering emotional comfort, or of him by the roadside rescuing souls in times of danger, and miraculous healings in hospitals.

One account describes him appearing to a woman dying of cancer, and Paisios informing her he had taken the illness from her – later to be empirically confirmed.

When he was a baby, his parents’ spiritual father, the Archimandrite Arsenios, while doing baptism, was shocked to see in his clairvoyance the future of their christened baby “Arsenios Enzepidis” – he declared he’d become an illumined saint!

Then the Cappadocia Arsenios died 40 days after… years later on Mount Athos, monk Paisios was writing a book about his late godfather Arsenios when he actually appeared before him… their blessed reunion was described as ecstatic as Paisios bowed down before the towering figure of his elder Arsenios + could not let go his legs.

There were other “visitations” from divine beings like St. Euphemia, Emperor Constantine, John the Baptist + he often saw + spoke with holy Theotokos.

The Hagiorite Paisios is known to often opine:

“What I see around me would drive me insane, 

if I did not know that no matter what happens, 

God will have the last word.” 

Despite having lived alone in the desert or his cell on Agion Oros, his stunning clairvoyance allowed him to see the future; he could discern the good from the evil in the world and knew too well about corruption in the Church, including unworthy hierarchs and priests who did not condemn sin. Not respecting sacred scripture, not defending holy canons + creating schisms.  It pained him knowing Ecclesia was under attack from within … + was not afraid to call them out.

Yes, he already envisaged in clairvoyance, the enemies of holy Church, like today’s Fordhamites, “so-called” theologians who are just revisionist activists out to mock Orthodoxy + endlessly whining over LGBT agendas, including an excommunicated Russian nun.

Somebody tell them, these unholy, confused academics are not in same league as St. John Chrysostom. They lack purity of intention + no humility… I can see what the trajectory of their lives will take for sowing lies. Karma!

Jesus came to transform people, not indulge them. Christianity is about surrender. We are to align ourselves to His standard, not the other way around.

I’m aware nerdy academics + some pedantic theologians lack the bandwidth to take in concepts like the Nous, or purity of body, mind + soul toward sainthood…that mystical experiences actually can happen…

But be very certain, once providence should allow cynical folk to have, say, a near-death experience or behold an Angel… they won’t be a doubting Thomas again!

Abba Paisios has said: “Do not judge with the logical mind —miracles are beyond logic.”

Due to his singular holiness, his meteoric fame spread throughout the world. On Mt.Athos he was deluged with 200 pilgrims a day – cries for him to heal the sick, for miracles, and spiritual edification.  But Father Paisios would cry to his beloved Theotokos, “My name is my worst enemy!”

He yearned to be alone in Hesychia … I believe it took its toll + why he chose to leave the world too soon in 1994; a few jealous monks on Athos slandered him — others complained of the endless pilgrims invading the peace of holy mountain just to see the renown staretz – the Greek Elder Paisios.

I’ve written homages for Saint Paisios since 2015, I always find some new biscuit to share – here’s one:

Just before beloved Geronda died July 12, 1994, a Mr. Iikonomou, who was physically near Fr. Paisios while at the hospital in Thessaloniki due to his cancer, describes in his following letter, about when departing hospital, the elder, knowing the end was near, wished to stay at the monastery of St. John the Apostle in Souroti:

“Today, Fr. Paisios left the hospital; there were many people there. We were told he’d give his blessing at the reception. Many people, including women, doctors, nurses, and even the ailing, were swarming around him. He lifted up his hand and said goodbye to those sick in the other rooms. There was a man who had a drip on his hand and bowed to kiss Fr. Paisios’ hand, but Fr. Paisios kissed his hand instead. While standing in front of the lift, he blessed us all. He went in the lift to go down the street, and we all ran down the stairs to see him for the last time.  People surrounded the car; the nurse was admonishing us so he could get in the car because he was very sick and very weak.

He finally got in the car after crossing himself. Everyone was trying to touch him; some were holding his hand, and some were touching the glass of the window. The vehicle began to leave slowly because of the traffic. Even then, doctors, nurses, all came down to say goodbye, touching the car’s window since it moved slowly.”

“What was that all about? People were following him as if he were the Messiah. It was like something out of Palm Sunday, except we had a car instead of a donkey! And everyone was moved; some women were crying. He was also touched because of the abundant love people showered upon him. He made us feel he would pray for us. Indeed, he is a saint among us. He is the incarnation of the fulfillment of the Gospel.”

*May  It  Be  Blessed