St. Athanasius of Athos: biography, history, icon and prayer

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Among all the holy fathers, one of the brightest and most radiant luminaries was the Monk Athanasius of Athos. He was born around 930. He was baptized with the name Abraham. And he came from a noble family, who then lived in Trebizond (modern Turkey, even earlier - a Greek colony). Parents died early, and the boy was left an orphan. Therefore, his mother's relative, Kanita, who was the wife of one of the respected citizens of Trebizond, took up his upbringing.

Athanasius of Athos: Life

When he grew up a little, he was noticed by an imperial nobleman. He came to the city on business and took the young man with him to Constantinople. Abraham was taken into the house of the general Zifinizer. The most famous teacher Athanasius began to study with him, to whom he soon became an assistant. Over time, he had a large number of his own students. His wards even began to move to himAthanasius. It wasn't because he was smarter or more educated, it was just because he had a god-like appearance and spoke to everyone in a kind and friendly manner.

Emperor Constantine VII wanted to transfer him to another educational institution. However, he was followed everywhere by his students, who did not want to let their teacher go. Wards were very attached to him. Abraham was ashamed of all honors and cares. Then he decided to give up teaching in order to avoid a quarrel and rivalry with his former teacher Athanasius.

Confessor

For three years Abraham and Zifinizer were on the shores of the Aegean Sea. Then they returned to Constantinople, where the general introduced the young man to Saint Michael Malein. He was the abbot of the monastery on the Kiminskaya mountain. He was respected by all the Byzantine nobility. All these people were subjugated by Abraham. And then he told about his desire to become a monk. After this conversation, his nephew Nikifor Foka, who at that time was the strategist of the Anatolicus theme, came to the Monk Michael, who also immediately took a liking to the pious young man. And then Abraham finally found himself a confessor - the holy elder Michael. For him, he went to the Kiminskaya mountain. There he took the tonsure with the name Athanasius.

The Hermit

Athanasius of Athos, through his great ascetic life, received from the Lord the beginnings of contemplation and considered moving on to life in complete silence. Father Michael blessed the monk to retire to a hermit's cell, located 1.5 km from the monastery,take crackers and water every other day, and stay awake at night. In such seclusion found Athanasius Nicephorus Fock. He also wanted to labor with him as soon as the circumstances were favorable.

Once Father Michael made it clear to all the other monks that he was going to make Athanasius his successor. Some of the brethren did not like this idea. They began to pester the young novice with laudatory and flattering speeches. The same, shunning all honors and striving for silence, runs away from the monastery, taking with him only the most necessary things. He was on his way to Mount Athos. He admired her even during his trip to the island of Lemnos in the Aegean Sea.

Escape to Athos

Athanasius began to live on the Zygos peninsula. In order to keep his origin a secret, he introduced himself as a sailor Barnabas, who survived after a shipwreck, and even pretended to be illiterate. However, Nicephorus Foka, already in the rank of domestic scholia, began to look everywhere for the monk Athanasius. The judge of Thessaloniki received a letter from him, where he asked to organize a search on Mount Athos. And he asked the abbot of the monastery (prot) Athos Stephen about the monk Athanasius, to which he replied that they did not have such a person.

But on Christmas Eve 958, according to tradition, all Athos monks were to gather in the Church of the Protata in Kareia. Priest Stefan, looking at the noble appearance of Barnabas, realized that this was exactly the one they were looking for. He made me read the sacred text of Gregory the Theologian. The young monk stammered a lot at first, but Father Stefanasked him to read as best he could. And then Athanasius of Athos no longer pretended - all the monks bowed before him in admiration.

Prophecy

The most venerable holy father Paul from the Xiropotam monastery said prophetic words: "Whoever comes to the Holy Mountain later than everyone else will be ahead of all the monks in the Kingdom of Heaven, and many will want to be under his guidance." After that, Prot. Paul called Athanasius to a frank conversation. Having learned the whole truth, he assigned him a secluded cell 4 km from Karei, so that he could be alone with God. And he promised that he would not betray him.

But the monks haunted him. They constantly looked to him for advice. Then he decided to go to the southern cape of Mount Athos Melana, where it was deserted and very windy. Here he began to be attacked by Satan. Athanasius held out for a long time, but then he still could not stand it and decided to leave this place. Suddenly, a heavenly light pierced him, filling him with joy and sending him the gift of tenderness.

Milan Lavra

Through his brother Leo, Nicephorus Fock learned about Athanasius. When he took command of the Byzantine troops to liberate Crete from Arab pirates, he sent a message to Athos to send him prayer monks. And soon, through their fervent prayers, victory was won. Nicephorus began to beg Athanasius to start building a monastery near their desert. And the saint did it.

Soon the chapels of John the Baptist were rebuilt with two secluded cells for Athanasius and Nicephorus. And after a while - the temple inthe name of the Mother of God and the laurel, which was called Milan. It was built exactly on the spot where Athanasius was a hermit, who soon accepted the schema. And then came a terrible famine (962-963). Construction was stopped. But Athanasius had a vision of the Mother of God, who reassured him and said that now she herself would become the steward of the monastery. After that, the saint saw that all the bins were filled with everything necessary. Construction continued, the number of monks grew.

Emperor Nikephoros II Phocas

Once Athanasius of Athos found out that Nicephorus ascended the imperial throne. Then he entrusts his duties as hegumen of the monastery to Theodotos. And with the monk Anthony, he escapes from the monastery to Cyprus to the monastery of the Presbyters. Lavra gradually fell into decay. When Athanasius found out about this, he decided to go back. The emperor was looking for them everywhere. Athanasius is back. After that, life in the monastery was revived again.

The meeting of Athanasius and Nicephorus took place in Constantinople. The emperor asked him to wait with the vow when circumstances allowed. Athanasius predicted his death on the throne. And he urged him to be a just and merciful ruler. Lavra Athanasius received the status of royal. The ruler transferred significant grants for its development. But soon Nikephoros was killed by a rival who took his throne. It was John Tzimiskes (969-976). After meeting with the wise saint, he assigned benefits twice as much as the former ruler. By the end of the life of Athanasius, there were 120 inhabitants of the monastery. He became a mentor and spiritual father for everyone. Everyone loved him. He was very attentive tocommunity leadership. The monk healed many sick people. However, hiding his miraculous prayer powers, he simply distributed medicinal herbs to them.

Death Revelation

Lavra Church decided to expand. It only remained to erect the dome, as the Holy Father had a Divine revelation that he would soon depart to another world. Then Athanasius of Athos gathered all his students. He donned festive clothes and went to the site to see how the construction was going. At this time, the dome collapsed and covered Athanasius and six monks. In the end, five were dead. For a long time, the bricklayer Daniel and Abbot Athanasius remained alive, who were under the rubble for three hours and prayed to God. When they were released, they were already dead. Athanasius had only one wound on his leg and his hands were folded crosswise. His body was incorruptible. And from the wounds sharpened living blood. She was collected, and then she healed people.

The Reverend died in 980. The Church honors his memory on July 5 (18). Many hundreds of years have passed since his death, but Saint Athanasius of Athos still helps people. An unquenchable lamp is constantly burning at his grave. On July 5, 1981, the Great Lavra celebrated the return to the cenobitic charter after centuries of idiocy. At this time, fragrant myrrh appeared on the glass of the icon case on the grave of the saint, which spoke of the approval of the monk.

Athanasius of Athos helps with what?

This saint is prayed to help cope withtemptations and affairs of life. He is also prayed for the healing of ailments: both mental and physical. For a seriously ill person, he is asked for an easy death. Akathist to Athanasius of Athos begins with the words: “Chosen from the city of Trebizond in Athos, fastingly shining …” This is laudatory church singing, in which one cannot sit. This is a kind of hymn, praise to one or another saint.

The extraordinarily beautiful icon of Athanasius of Athos introduces us to the face of the great holy gray-haired ascetic and prayer book, a wise and perspicacious old man who devoted his whole life to serving God and people. He is still a heavenly warrior of Christ, ready at any moment to help a person in need, one has only to turn to him with faith and prayer: “The Reverend Father Athanasius, a fair servant of Christ and the great miracle worker of Athos…”