Life of St. Paisios of Athos (1924-1994)

I came across St Paisios while reading The Mountain of Silence by Kyriacos Markides, and wanted to find out more, hence purchasing this short book by the well-known author John Matthews and featuring his teaching, miracles, and prayerful wisdom. His life was arduous as he experienced poverty, war and military service as a preparation for his life mission. He also trained as a carpenter, a skill he deployed when arriving at a dilapidated monastery in 1950 before later transferring to Mt Athos. His apprenticeship was one of obedience, humility, and endurance, embracing both fasting and prayer.

Humility, faith and the Jesus prayer were at the heart of his practice, and his reputation for miraculous healing began to spread. He attributed this entirely to the Holy Spirit, and for him love was sharing in Christ’s compassion: ‘Love is the passport to heaven. Without love, we cannot enter.’ He urged us not to waste our suffering, but to offer it to Christ: ‘Suffering is the chisel with which God shapes us. Without pain, the heart remains hard. Through suffering, the soul becomes tender and open to His grace.’ Patience in the face of criticism and humiliation also fosters humility – it is not a question of avoiding pain, but rather of transforming it into love. Such lives – Paisios was canonised in 2015 – are a fount of inspiration as we seek to deepen our own practice and commitment. An inspirational read.