Topoľčany, Nitra Region, Slovakia, February 20, 2025
Photo: pravoslavnekrestanstvo.sk
A pilgrimage group from Greece, including three Greek abbots in the spiritual lineage of St. Paisios the Athonite and Elder Ephraim of Arizona, visited on Sunday a humble Slovak village church that honors great Greek saints of the 20th century.
During the Divine Liturgy at the Chapel of Sts. Arsensios of Cappadocia and Paisios the Athonite in Topoľčany, guests from Greece sang Greek and Slavonic liturgical hymns in Byzantine chant, “creating a deeply prayerful atmosphere,” reports Pravoslavne Krestanstvo.
After the Divine Liturgy, three abbots from different Greek monasteries spoke about the spiritual life and shared many instructive stories that strengthened the faith and spiritual resolve of all present.
The faithful were first addressed by Archimandrite Theoklitos of the St. Arsenios of Cappadocia Hesychasterion, a close friend of St. Paisios the Athonite, with whose help he built the monastery where he was abbot for many years. He currently serves as spiritual father at the monastery, where thousands come to him for Confession.
Photo: pravoslavnekrestanstvo.sk
Next, Archimandrite Gregorios of the St. John the Russian Hesychasterion in Pefkochori spoke. Fr. Gregorios was a spiritual son of St. Paisios’ close friend Archimandrite Timothy with whom he built the monastery. He was accompanied by Hieromonk Timothy, one of our four Slovak monks spiritually struggling at this monastery.
Finally, the gathering was addressed by Archimandrite Palamas, abbot of the Panagia Kallipetra Monastery in Veria, who is the spiritual son of Elder Ephraim, the recently deceased abbot of St. Andrew’s Skete on Mt. Athos, who was the spiritual son of the holy Elder Ephraim of Arizona, who built 19 Orthodox monasteries in the U.S. and Canada. Elder Palamas shared his remarkable experiences with his Elder Ephraim, during which the faithful in the chapel were moved to tears.
The report highlights the spiritual importance of such visits:
The monks who came from distant Greece and honored our humble chapel with their presence, in which the grace of the Holy Spirit was abundantly poured out, left an unforgettable impression in the souls of the faithful. Their prayers, Byzantine Greek chants, and profound instructive words spiritually enriched all Christian faithful who participated in this spiritual gathering.
We may not even realize what great elders visited our chapel of Sts. Arsenios of Cappadocia and Paisios the Athonite. The faithful in Topoľčany pray sincerely and with faith to Sts. Arsenios and St. Paisios, but now they had the opportunity to kiss the hand and receive blessing from people who were very close friends and spiritual sons of the holy Elder Paisios the Athonite. May we have their blessing.
We often visit Mount Athos and other monasteries in Greece, Serbia, Romania, and other countries to meet with elders and receive their blessing and spiritual instruction. Now three great elders and a hieromonk have come to Slovakia, bringing us the treasure of ascetic struggle experience and the spiritual breeze of the Holy Spirit.
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