A Boy’s Journey to Sainthood: St. Paisios the Athonite

By Anna Iakovou

“The saints of our Church, even the greatest elders and ascetics, were once children! In the first volume of the series we meet Arseny, a sensitive and pious young boy who would become Saint Paisios the Athonite! On one summer day, in Konitsa of Epirus (Northern Greece), the young Arseny beheld the “Light of the world” with his own eyes. Over the years, this very child grew up to become the beloved saint we know today as St. Paisios the Athonite. In this book, children will learn about the life of St. Paisios through sweet and moving stories, filled with wisdom and joy.”

Saint Paisios of the Holy Mountain: The Heavenly Signalman

“Inside this book you will discover the wondrous life of a pure childlike heart—Saint Paisios of the Holy Mountain—a dearly beloved contemporary saint of the holy Orthodox Church.

The life of Saint Paisios was marked by ascetic struggles, fervent love for God, and ceaseless prayers. As a receptacle of the Holy Spirit, he became a river of holiness nourishing countless people on the love of Christ

Today, an endless stream of pilgrims make the trip to his resting place in Northern Greece in order to venerate his grave and ask for his holy prayers. May he intercede fora ll of us before the Savior!”

Saint Paisios of Mount Athos (Biography)

By Hieromonk Isaac

“A year and a half has already passed since the 13th January 2015, the day when Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain was declared a Saint of the Orthodox Church by the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Since then he has been venerated as a Saint, even though he was considered a Saint during his lifetime. A special service has been written for his name day, the 12th July, icons of him have been written. The appropriate honor and devotion is his. This has been a great, long awaited and joyous event; a pleasant, yet not unexpected surprise, given to us by God’s love in these evil days. The joy and jubilation of Resurrection warms our hearts, tears are streaming from our eyes, for the Holy Elder, whom we knew and loved and in whom we placed, after God, all our hopes, has been formally glorified as a Saint. So much has been written about the Elder since his blessed fall­ing asleep in 1994, by people who have known him intimately. Some of these witnesses happen to be Elder Isaac’s (of Blessed memory) Holy Synodeia from the Hermitage of the Resurrec­tion, Kapsala, on Mount Athos. We now present their book Elder Paisios of Mount Athos, a Life to the English speaking pub­lic in a second edition, since the first edition has gone out of print. This book has been very warmly received, especially in America and Australia. May the blessing of Saint Paisios be with the readers of this book.”

Spiritual Counsels of St Paisios – 6 Volume Set

By Saint Paisios of Mount Athos

“Saint Paisios of Mount Athos (+1994) is one of the greatest and most revered elders of the Orthodox Church in the 20th Century. He lived the monastic life in obscurity on the Mt Athos, but became a beacon of true life in Christ to faithful throughout the world. He was born on 25th July 1924. From the time that he was a child, Elder Paisios lived an ascetic life, and was nourished by the lives of the Saints, whose feats he sought to imitate with great zeal and admirable precision. He practised unceasing prayer, cultivating all along the virtues of humility and love. He led an ascetic life on Mount Athos, in the Holy Monastery of Stomion in Konitsa, and on Mount Sinai in Egypt. He lived in obscurity, giving himself completely to God, and God in turn revealed him and gave him to the whole world. He guided, consoled, healed and granted peace to multitudes of people who sought him. His sanctified soul overflowed with divine love and his saintly face radiated the divine Grace. All day long, he tirelessly gathered the human pain and imparted divine consolation. He is the founder of the Holy Monastery of St John the Theologian in Souroti of Thessaloniki, Greece, which he also guided spiritually for twenty-eight years (1967-1994). After suffering excruciating pains, which, as he used to say, benefited him more than the ascetic struggles of his entire life, he fell asleep in the Lord on 12 July 1994.

His spiritual counsels to the nuns of St John the Theologian (Souroti, Greece) have now been published and translated in 6 volumes.”

The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios

By Dionysios Farasiotis

“This powerful memoir tells the story of a Greek youth who, out of a desire to know the truth empirically, began to experiment in yoga, hypnotism, and various occult techniques. Eventually drawn back to the Faith of his forefathers—Orthodox Christianity—he visited the ancient monastic republic of Mount Athos in his native Greece, where he was brought to a knowledge of the Truth of Jesus Christ by the saintly Elder Paisios (1924–1994). Nevertheless, believing he had only found “part of the truth” on the Holy Mountain, he chose to give the “same opportunity” to Hindu yogis that he had given to Elder Paisios and other Orthodox monks. Thus, at the age of twenty-five, he embarked on a trip to India, where he undertook his search in the ashrams of three famous gurus, one of whom was worshipped as a god. His experiences in India, along with his subsequent encounters with Elder Paisios on Mount Athos, are recounted in the present book in vivid detail.

Popular in Greece since its first publication there in 2001, The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios is a page-turning narrative of both outward adventures and inward struggles. What stands out most in this book, however, is the radiant image of Elder Paisios, possessed of divine gifts, laboring in prayer for his fellow man, and overflowing with unconditional love. Through this, one sees the uncreated Source of the elder’s love and of the author’s spiritual transformation: the true God-man Jesus Christ, Who honors man’s personal freedom while drawing him, through love, into everlasting union with Himself.”

Saint Paisios the Athonite

By Holy Hesychasterion of the Evangelist John

“Extensive biography of Saint Paisios of Mt Athos written by the sisterhood of the Holy Heyschasterion of Saint John the Theologian in Souroti, Greece. The book follows his life from his childhood through military service and the various monasteries until he fell asleep after years of severe illnesses in 1994. Contains excerpts from his letters and talks. Features color photos and maps. 565 pages; paperback.”