Mt. Athos, December 8, 2022
Photo: afon.org.ua
A small stone monastic hut believed to be the first monastic habitation of St. Paisius (Velichkovsky) during his time on the Holy Mountain was recently discovered by a group of monks who were cutting back the thickets of the monastery forest.
The monks then invited Sergei Shumilo, Director of the International Institute of the Athonite Legacy, to assess their discovery.
St. Paisius rebuilt the hut with his own hands and lived there in complete seclusion from 1746 to 1754, Shumilo reports in an article on the Institute’s website. It was there that he took monastic vows, gathered his first disciples, and began his literary and translation activities.
Photo: afon.org.ua
However, the cell, known as Kalyva Kipari, which was once used as housing for the monastery gardener, was long considered lost.
“According to many signs and descriptions, it seems that this is probably the very dwelling of St. Paisius (Velichkovsky),” says Shumilo. “However, this requires additional research.”
This year marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of the saint.
In honor of the anniversary, the Moldovan Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate declared 2022 the Year of St. Paisius, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Vicariate of Romania chose him as its patron saint this year. For the Romaniain Orthodox Church, 2022 is the Commemorative Year of the Hesychast Saints Symeon the New Theologian, Gregory Palamas, and Paisius of Neamț.
The anniversary was festively celebrated last month at Neamț Monastery in northeastern Romania, where the great saint himself served as abbot.
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