ECCLESIA MONASTERIES AND SHRINES

Hermits Of Patmos And Hermitages

THE HUMBLE WORK OF SISTER ANTHOUSA

Translated by Kalliopi Prokes

Edition of the Holy Monastery Evangelismos, Athens 1998

TROPARION OF SAINT CHRISTODOULOS

Christodoulos, you built a dwelling in Patmos for God in the cave which was
once possessed by demons. You erected a beautiful and venerable temple in
which you gathered bands of monks, who glorified God of the universe. Do not
forsake Your creation, but lead it into the Kingdom of Heaven, O Blessed One.

DEMETRIOS, by the grace of God archbishopof Constantinople, New Rome

and Oecumenical Patriarch
To the Reverend Nun Athousa, our beloved spiritual daughter. May God grant
you grace and peace.

With fatherly love and abundance of pleasure we received your beautiful and
very informative work with the title, HERMITS OF PATMOS AND HERMITAGES.
We gave it special attention and it is treasured in the Library of the Patriarchate
for the benefit of all.

We warmly thank you and congratulate you for your artful, skilled writing. It is a
great contribution to the monastic history of the island. We send our wishes for
your continued endeavors and ask that God enlighten you for future
undertakings.

We bestow on you fatherly and Patriarchal blessings and we pray the God will
keep you under His protection.

June 6, 1988 Archbishop of Constantinople DEMETRIOSFervent intercessor

before God

Acknowledgement

I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to Mrs Kalliopi Prokes, a native of Patmos
from the United States, who kindly translated this work, with great love and
diligence, as an offering to the Monastery of Evangelismos. May God bless her
and give her and her family health, strength and many years.

Sister Anthousa

Introduction

Patmos is not only the island of the Apocalypse but also the island of
monasticism, with the great Monastery of Saint John the Theologian with the
female Monasteries of Hagia Hagion, Zoodochos Pigi (Life-giving Spring) and
the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary (Evangelismos). Because of the many
hermitages, spread throughout, like flowers on the rocks, Patmos could be called
the Holy Mountain of the Dodecanese, the Garden of the Theologian and the
Garden of the Virgin. From the time that Saint Christodoulos walked among its
rocks until now, many monasteries and hermitages have blossomed like wild
flowers, thick bushes and tall trees to adorn the spiritual face of the island.

Every inch of these lands commands one to kneel and faithfully worship it.
Reflecting on its past, one senses the aroma of this spiritual land. You see here
an abundance of caves and cells of old holy men and your heart rejoices.

On Patmos, its infertile soul, its arid rocks, its austere and plain lines, give the
impression that one is found in a place of the supernatural, in a place truly
apocalyptic.

Here space remains only for thought and meditation.

Here monasticism found the best presupposition for its expression: The holy
shadow of Saint John the Theologian, the rocky, gravel covered and infertile soil,
guarantees poverty which frees man and allows him to live under Gods
commandment, which is mans true freedom. This way, the three monastic oaths
of virginity, poverty and obedience found the necessary conditions to develop
and richly multiply.

The information about the holy figures that lived on Patmos is scarce, especially
in the first centuries. For this reason, it is impossible to reach the inner spiritual
world of these holy men. This is the reason why, we will limit ourselves to write
about each one and how he was seen by his contemporaries or his descendent,
from the little written information or the tradition that can be found.

Our main source about these holy figures was the Brevium of the Holy
Monastery of Saint John the Theologian of Patmos. This is a documentary book
about life of the monastery. Our information begins from the year 1552 to the
present. Because it is from this date that information is recorded including the
registration of the deaths of the monks of the monastery.

Another important source was the book by Archbishop of Samos, Joseph

Georgirinis. Georgirinis lived in Patmos for a while and wrote the impressions he
had before the year 1674.

Other sources were pilgrims such as H. Hill, V. Guerin and W. Geil who visited
Patmos and left written information about hermits they met.

One very important help was the unpublished work of Archimandrite Gerasimos
Smirnakis a brother of the Holy Monastery of Saint John in Patmos. This monk
visited the island and with diligence collected information and oral tradition from
elderly people and he wrote a history of the island from the time of Saint John
the Theologian until his death in 1935. He characterized his work as an
archeological, topographical, historical, religious, apologetic and critical, report
of the renowned island of the apocalypse. (J.-P. Migne, Patrologia, Graeca . 131
p. 80 , , , 4).

Also the work of P. Kritikos of Patmos, Professor at the University of Athens,

Patmiaka Toponimia (Patmian location) was a great help. He used the work of
Smirnakis but also gives further information and a complete picture of Patmos.

In addition to all of the sources mentioned earlier were stories about the old
hermits told by older people who either remembered them or were told of them
by their parents. From this research we verified the existence of about 30
hermitages that are parts of the monasteries which are found on Patmos.
Saint Christodoulos, the builder of the Holy Monastery of Saint John the
Theologian, was a contemporary of St. Symeon New Theologian, the most
important representative of traditional monasticism. He had lived in the famous
monastery of Latros, which was illuminated by the personal experiences of
Petros Latrinos. Holy Christodoulos, having lived in the monastic climate of his
time, would be an ardent lover of the quiet and tranquillity and peace.

His spiritual personality had gained an exceptional position in the monastic life of
his time. His fame from Latros, where he was the Abbot, reached
Constantinople. In the renowned Chrysobull with which Emperor Alexios I.
Comnenus gave Saint Christoloulos the island of Patmos it is verified that Saint
Christodoulos personality was already known.

Saint Christodoulos, a monk of the great spiritual radiation, creator of the Holy
Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, didnt limit himself to only physical
buildings, churches, cells and fortresses, but at the same time he took care of
the organization of his monks. For this reason, he wrote the Ypotyposis, a
chronicle of the foundation and function of the Holy Monastery. Because he
himself was a hermit, he also understood his monks love, peace and tranquillity.
He left orders that the Abbot should allow whoever desires to give himself to this
life him to enter into it.

We see from the time of Saint Christodoulos, that fathers of the monastery and
hermits had the opportunity to escape to the caves and holes in the land.
From the codicil of the secret will of Saint, we learn about the first hermitage,
Petras, or Kallikatsous rock.

After that follows the hermitage of the Asomaton and as the centuries pass, the
number of hermitages increase. This way we have the Apocalypse and caves
around it, the Hermitage at the Gardens of Saint the Hermitage of
Evangelistria, the Hermitage of Saint Paraskevi of Kavos, the Hermitage at
Loukakia, the Virgin of Epsimias and the Prophet Elias.

These first hermitages and places of peace were founded on the southern part of
the island and according to the Ypotyposis of Saint and were forbidden to be
used by the laity.

In the eighteenth century with the coming of the Kollyvades from Holy Mountain
(Mount Athos) the founding of hermitages and places of peace on the northern
part of the island begins Koumana, Livadion, Parthenion, Kalogiron (meadow of
Monk Parthenios), Apollo, and Zarroi. All these places of quiet were founded for
pure peaceful purposes by monks, who were drawn to them by their love of
ascetic life and peace.

Hermitages, which belonged to the Holy Monastery, existed at the same time. In
these monks lived and cultivated the land. For their worshipping needs, they built
small churches. These monks had to be skillful in this service but at the same
time virtuous and friends of peace. This way monks who lived in these
hermitages enjoyed the ascetic life. Examples of such hermitages were the
Gardens of the Saint in Hiliomodi, Alikes, and other locations.

Finally, we have monks who lived in other properties that belonged to the Holy
Monastery outside of Patmos on land that could be cultivated. The monks with
commercial abilities served on Lipsos, Samos, Stylo of Crete, and other places.

A category of hermitages existed where the monks found tragic defeat from
pirates and invaders such as those from Lipsos.

In the Brevium of the Holy Monastery some monks are mentioned as ascetics
only their names are known and the date of their deaths.

From the ruins of buildings or from oral tradition, we are able to know about
some hermitages but we dont know who served them, for example, Anydros
(without water) Virgin Epsimia, and the Island Loukaki.

Because we have more information about the Three Great Hermits of

contemporary times, Apollo, Theoktistos, and Makarios, we give more details
about their lives.

Because we have different categories of ascetics and holy hermits we

considered it wiser for easier study to describe the hermitages in chronological
order, with the details we have about each location and each hermit.

All this work was laborious, but we believe our efforts will save all the Holy
figures of Patmos from oblivion. On the other hand, the ascetics in their
wilderness searched with diligence the mysterious depths of the human soul and
they spoke about it with true wisdom. It is not an exaggeration if we say they
studied and learned the soul of man as no one else up to date - because
todays man is searching to find the true meaning of his existence. Maybe the
knowledge of the lives of these hermits,will teach the true joy, which is above
comprehension.

Before I close this introduction, I must acknowledge all those who gladly gave
me information to complete this work about the hermits, especially the Abbot,
Father Isidoros, Bishop of Tralleon (from 1990), Father Ieremias, Father Pavlos,
Father Panteleimon, Father Bartholomew, Father Nikolas Giameas, Father
Nikolas Mikels, and Mr. Grillis, nephew of the hermit Apollo Pantelliou, Mr.
Spyros Bournis, father of Theodoretos, an Abbot, and Sister Marigo Vesti.

I must offer thanks to father Chrysostomos Florentis, librarian in the Holy

Monastery, who with pleasure, in spite of his heavy workload, read my
manuscript and showed me certain corrections and additions which helped the
final shape of this work.
Our heartfelt wish is that this work will enlighten the immortal souls of the Greek
Orthodox so they can find their true selves and we pray to all the holy hermits of
Patmos to protect the Monastery and the island from all enemies.

I wrote this at the Holy Monastery Evangelismos on the 28th of May, 1987 on the
celebration of the ascension of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

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 ECCLESIA MONASTERIES AND SHRINES

Hermits Of Patmos And Hermitages

Section A

The Older Hermitages In the South of Patmos

1. Apocalypse

The Holy Cave of the Apocalypse, is an awesome place where the voice of God
was heard and is considered to be the first hermitage. The island of Patmos is
next to the calm Aegean Sea, with its abundance of small and big islands under
the wide spotless sky, and further the mountain chains of the east on which the
seven churches bloomed and to which the Apostle of Love wrote his two Holy
books.

In this cave todays worshipper notices with awe the triple split in the rock which
was formed by the terrifying Apocalypse, as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. Since
then the Apocalypse has become the attracting pole and the sacred location for
those who desire peace.

In this Holy place, much earlier, a little church was built which is honored every
year on the 26th of September in memory of the metastasis (translation) of the
Evangelist, Saint John. Later, in the time of Saint Christodoulos (1088), another
little church was added to honor the Mother of the Virgin Mary, Saint Anna.

With the passing of time, the chain of hermits at the Apocalypse built more cells
and little churches and in this way the present group of buildings was formed
which is the Apocalypse today. Near the grounds of Apocalypse to the right as
you approach there are the buildings of the school of the Nation of Patmos,
which was founded in 1713 by Deacon Makarios Kalogeras, and from which we
only find its ruins today. Around the Apocalypse there are little churches:
Theologos, Saint Anna, Saint Artemios, and Saint Nicholas.

The first written mention about the deaths of the hermits in the Apocalypse is
found in the Brevium: March 23, 1578 - Father Geramios. Father Serafim from
Kos died in the Apocalypse about 1634 (April 30, 1656).

The Archbishop of Samos, Joseph Georgirinis Milius, lived in the Holy Cave of
Apocalypse in 1671. He wrote a description of the island of Patmos in which he
mentioned the hermitage and said besides this Monastery (the Abbey of the
Theologian) there are some small hermitages where a few monks live. These
kind are first the hermitages of the Holy Cave of Apostle John and second the
Holy Cave in which it is said the Evangelist John wrote his Apocalypse. There is
also a small Monastery in which only one monk lives. The locals worship this
place deeply and they say that a fig tree grows and its figs naturally show the
letters of the word Apocalypse.

In the Brevium, the following are mentioned: On November 8. 1672 the

Reverend Father Ioakim Matilas died in Theoskepasti (Apocalypse). The priest
of Samos, Ignatios from Smyrma, stayed for a while in the Apocalypse (he died
in 1708). The founder of the Patmiada, Makarios Kalogeras, lived and died in the
Apocalypse in 1737.

Daniel, Metropolitan of Bizyes, from Patmos lived in the Apocalypse for a while.
He built buildings at the Holy Apocalypse, where he lived never to be forgotten
( August 13, 1813).

The Apocalypse was used occasionally as a place for peace by the hermit
Theokitsos from Axario of Asia Minor, who finally died (March 29, 1917) in the
Apocalypse near the ruins of the Patmiada.

In the Apocalypse, the monk Ignatius Gazos the Fryos, who for 45 years lived in
the hermitage of Apollo, died on December 11, 1918.

On May 25, 1943, the monk Isidoros Stratos died in the Apocalypse. He had
lived in the hermitage of Apollo, under the Supervision of Makarios Antoniadis.

Finally, the monk Amphilochios Makris, director of Apocalypse and the founder of
the Holy Monastery Evangelismos Mother of the Beloved, renovated the
church of Saint Anna and redecorated the walls with murals in 1925.

During our days, the Apocalypse stopped being a hermitage. It became a single
monastery of Saint John. Today, it is supervised by the Monk Efthimios. This
Holy place where Gods voice was heard has become an international Christian
shrine. Justly, Saint Christodoulos comparing Sinai with Patmos, has considered
Patmos superior because not a shadow, but truth and grace were revealed
there.

2. The Hermitages aroundthe Apocalypse

Around the Holy Cave of the Apocalypse are other caves, which perhaps drew
those who desired the life of the hermit. In one of these, the English Pilgrim
Aaron Hill, before 1703, met the old hermit from Zakinthos named Anthony
Jacob Malavizas. As he was going toward the Apocalypse he saw a cave,
which looked like a hermits home. When he reached closer he read above the
entrance a Latin phrase: Hic et in caelum quies (here and in heaven peace). As
he entered he saw a lantern shining upon a man rising from a coffin. The old
hermit lived in this cell for 32 years living on wild roots and water. Also, he
always slept in the black coffin to remind him of the futility of life.

From oral tradition we learn that these caves around the Apocalypse were
continually inhabited by hermits. The monk Bartholomew of the Holy Monastery
of Saint John, tells us that when he was still a child in the Monastery he visited
with father Amphilochios Makris a cave to the east and under the rocks of the
Apocalypse which had a wooden door at its entrance and where a hermit once
lived.

3. The Hermitage of Petras

In chronological order the next Hermitage of Petras is in the southern part of

Patmos in the bay of Grikou, at the rock of Kallikatzou. The rock, ten meters high
and eighty meters in circumference, is called Petra because it consists of one
solid self made rock and Kallikatzou perhaps because many birds called
Kallikatzoudes which feed from the sea make their nests there.

Saint Christodoulos is his Ypotyposis addresses those who desire to become

hermits and he says, This island has many quiet deserted places and locations
which are recommended to those who desire peace and quiet.

So very early this steep rock, which rises between the earth and sky, attracted
the attention of those who wanted peace and it became the shelters for hermits
from the time of the Saint. The Saint, in the codicil of his secret will mentioned
the Hermitage of Petras.

Today at Petras, traces of human existence are found, probably those of hermits.
There are places for shelves carved into the rock with much diligence, openings
for ovens, wells and pipes to transport water, and even openings and bases for
the beams which supported the roofs of the hermitages.

At the southeast side, at the foot of the rock, in the sea the foundation of a small
church of the Virgin of Falahtomenis or Filassousis remains, and the post base
of Holy Altar. This small church would be used by the monks of the hermitage
who lived with need, sadness, hardships and wandering in deserts, mountains,
caves and openings of the ground.

4. Kathisma Asomatos (Bodiless Powers)

This group of small buildings (Kathisma) has stood for about 900 years and is
located in the southwest part of Patmos, near the Monastery of Evangelismos.

The founder was a monk of the Monastery of Saint John, Saint Savas, a
contemporary of Saint Christodoulos. Saint Christodoulos respected him deeply.
This monk built the Kathisma with cells and a small church (6 x 3.47 meters) to
honor the Archangel Michael and especially to the miracle in Chonais, Phrygia.
On a mural at the right and under the scene of the miracle in Chonais, one can
see the founder Savvas offering the small church to the Archangel. This no
longer exists.

His will has survived. It was written between 1119 - 1127. From this we are
informed of the amount he spent building the little church of Asomatos; the cells,
the surrounding walls, the cultivation of the gardens and the hospitality of the
guests who came to worship and relax. We also learn that he had a library with
more than enough books, some of which were used in worship. He bequeathed
these books to Asomatos. I leave the Ochtoechos, the Menaia, the Triodion,
the Gospel, the Apostle and the Prophets, to the Asomatos to be used by the
future chanters living there. He appointed Theoktistos, who later takes his
place, to serve as monk and to chant; and to the Monk Loukas, to care for the
gardens.

We should note that in the garden of Asomatos there is a spring called Hagia
Patros which according to tradition, sprang as a miracle of Saint Christodoulos.
Generally, we see from his will that Savvas was a zealot for asceticism, easily
trained, well mannered and hospitable.

After Savas, according to his wishes, Theoktistos and Loukas probably lived at
the hermitage Asomatos. We do not know who lived after them. The oral
tradition tells us that officials of Byzantium were guests at the hermitage. Also,
Saint Leontios lived there and he replaced Theoktistos on May 14, 1190.

From the Brevium we learn about monks who later lived at Asomatos: Kallinikos
of Leros, next Nikodimos and others. During the year 1634, in the will of Archon
Ignatius Kontoleos, when Melletios was the Abbot, we learn the Monastery was
left money to be used for oil to always keep the vigil lights of the little church lit.
In 1678, the Archbishop of Samos, Joseph Georgirinis in his description of
Patmos mentions the hermitage of Asomatos.

In the later years, the Monastery of Saint John, which owns the little church,
appointed a monk to take care of the whole place. The last guardian was the
monk Gerassimos Schinas, (+8 November 1957), who renovated the Kathisma.
From 1972, the Monastery of Evangelismos, which is nearby, took over the
responsibility and renovated the Kathisma again.

The Hermitage of Asomatos remains a remarkable architectural monument to

the Byzantine Age of the 12th century. It is also a place for prayer and because it
is rich with the grace of the arching and spreads out the sighs of the holy hermits
who lived here for centuries.

5. The Gardens of the Saint:Saints Anargyroi, the Virgin Mantalaki and the Virgin
Kykkou

A ravine is formed on the west part of the island, which with the small river of
Kera Leousa end in a small meadow at the Gardens of the Saint and a bay with
the same name in front of the Ikarian Sea.

There from the time of Saint Christodoulos, with his own labor and care, the land
was cultivated and by a miracle three big springs came up Agiasma - the
water of the Saint and the water of the Holy Father, which still exists today. For
this reason, the valley was named the Gardens of the Saint.

Guerin describes the Gardens of the Saint this way: This valley is like an oasis
where the eye wants to rest after the view of dry rocks; about twenty orange and
lemon trees, fig trees and carob trees form a forest know as Forest of the Saint.

A few monks would stay to cultivate the gardens. It is said that Saint
Christodoulos himself lived in these gardens. So with the passing of time,
Kathismata were established in the gardens. Saints Anargyri (Holy
Unmercenaries), the Virgin of Mantalaki and the Virgin of Kykkou.

From the Brevium we are informed that the Kathisma of Saints Anargyri existed
during the 16th century. We also learn about monks who lived there such as
Iakovos from Kalymnos, next Gerasimos Mileos and later Nikodimos
Kambouris.

In 1678, Georgirinis describing the hermitages of Patmos mentions the Gardens

as follows: In one place named Gardens (Kipi) where all the necessities of the
monks are produced there are some churches for the farmers where they can
hear the Divine Liturgy at certain hours, before or after their work. In other
words, little churches existed there from the seventh century.
The Holy Unmercenaries are located on a scenic hill, with a small church
9.5x2.15 meters next to which on the south side are a few cells.

Near the beach is found the church of the Virgin of the Cross or Mantalaki. On
September 8, the birthday of the Virgin, a celebration is held here. Its dimensions
are 6.20x2.70 meters with a large narthex and several cells. It was named after
its founder, Iakovos Mantalakis (died 1674) and it also has the name of the
Cross because it celebrates in September. Near the little church is a spring.

On the right side of the bay is the Kathisma of the Virgin of Kykkou. The little
church is 4.20x2.80 meters with an narthex and an icon of the Virgin, a copy of
the famous Virgin of the Monastery of Kykkou Cyprus, The Virgin Eleousa,
which is said to have been painted by the Evangelist, Luke. In the altar of the
little church and on the holy table, is a wooden cross .50x.30 meters with the
inscription March 1900. This Cross was carved by the hermit Theoktistos and
given to Sifounio, ancestor of Mihalis Sifounios while serving at Petrocaravo.
Beside the little church on the south side there is a two storey tower and a spring
which existed from the time of Saint Christodoulos.

The islands dryness was quenched by everlasting springs created by his

miracle and transformed fruitless plants into hardy ones and trees with abundant
fruit. From the hymn of the Death of the Saint.

6. The Hermitage Evangelistria

This kathisma is on the southwest side of the island of Patmos where the Holy
Monastery Evangelismos (Annunciation) of the Mother of the Beloved (Christ)
is found today. It is built like a patio on a ravine around which rise huge rocks,
whose feet are washed by the little river of Kera Levousa. The ravine and the
little river end at the Gardens of the Saint and the homonymous bay in front of
which is spread the of Ikarian Sea. On the right the light from the Holy Monastery
of the Virgin Hozovitisa can be seen. On the west side, through the haze, Naxos
can be seen. On an extremely clear day Paros can be seen and northwest,
Ikaria spreads out. This kathisma as it is built on steep rocks can not be invaded
and can only be reached from the east side, where the entrance is found. No
information is known about the date or the founder of this kathisma. The first
mention is found in the Brevium of the Monastery of Saint John. Here we read,
On April 18, 1578, father Joachim of Evangelistria died.

More proof exists in an inscription from the year 1613, which can be found in the
interior upper lintel of the entrance of the little church of Saint Luke which was
built by Nikiforos Hartofylax of Crete. He was a monk of the monastery of Saint
John, and later he became the bishop of Laodicea after his miraculous recovery
from a fatal illness. (+October 28, 1628).

On the exterior upper lintel of the entrance of the Church, Evangelistria was the
inscription 1614 which no longer exists. After Nikiforos Hartofylax built the
Church of Saint Luke in 1613, he renovated the church of Evangelistria and he
enriched it with the iconostasis and icons such as the Presentation of the
Mother of God painted by Michael Damastinos. He had also built the tower and,
within the tower the chapel of St. Antony. The tower was originally built with two
apertures for pouring down boiling water or oil, of which one has survived. This
was a defence against the Algerian pirates who looted our islands.

In his will, Lord Ignatius Kontoleos (1634) left three mistata of olive oil to
Evangelistria, so that the vigil lights would be lit day and night. In 1678, Joseph
Georgerinis with reference to this hermitage wrote: Another hermit that lived at
the hermitage of Evangelismos was the monk Joachim Simon, student of
Makarios Kalogeras at the Patmiada. He founded the school of Mytilene. He was
also the Abbot of the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian. Towards the end
of his life he came and rested at the hermitage of Evangelistria. In a document
dated March 25, 1763, along with his other offerings, he left the lady
Evangelistria the hope and courage of my wretched heart.

In the Brevium of the Monastery of the Theologian it is mentioned that on April 2,

1763, our brother Joachim Simon, the former Abbot, has fallen asleep at
Evangelistria. He was humble, honest, patient, an exorcist of demons, charitable,
wise, holy follower of ancient teachers and monks and pious. He became a Saint
and God placed him in the tabernacles of the Saints.

In the middle of the 19th century, Guerin, speaking about the hermitage, stated
that he found the hermitage in ruins. He saw ancient marble relics. In the later
years, the Monastery of the Theologian assigned a monk for the supervision of
the Hermitage.

The last monk who supervised was Efthymios Skopelidis, who died in 1937.
From then a new period starts in this holy place of Evangelistria with the
founding of the womens convent Evangelismos (Annunciation) of the Mother of
the Beloved. The sisters, today, walking in the steps of those ancient hermits try
very hard themselves to walk in the same narrow path. With their faith, they hope
to live with them in the light of the presence of Christ.

7. Saint Paraskevi of Kavos

To the left of the Gardens of the Saints the ancient seat of Saint Paraskevi of
Kavos is found. This place is made up of a little church and cells. The little
church is dedicated to the memory of Saint Paraskevi. Its dimensions are 8.37
by 3.32 meters with narthex. Part of the little church is made of large stones
which were hewn by ancients according to the observation of Guerin. The floor is
laid with mosaic made of pebbles and small rocks. On the iconostasis the icon of
Saint Paraskevi is found. It is of the 16th century Cretan school.

At this place the holy monk of the Monastery of the Theologian and president of
the church Kyrillos (+1624) died. This information is taken from the remains of an
inscription which can be read at the entrance of a cell: ......
IC XC NIKA. This cell was erected using huge stones and
is still in fairly good condition. Inside is a vaulted ceiling, and the east side floor is
raised about one meter and ends in a point. Next to it are other preserved cells.
Georgerinis, in 1678, mentions this among other hermitages.

Down at the Cape of Saint Paraskevi, many saints with flowing tears erased their
pain and now rejoice before the throne of God and worship Him day and night in
his Church... and God blotted all tears from their eyes.

The icon of the Saint works miracles. The farmers and herders who have lived
there for many years tell of her many miracles.

In the northwest part of the little church of the Saint is saved a part of the mosaic
floor. It is made of little pebbles in which the ancient people then saw light.

Because numerous fragments of pots were found, it is believed that a small town
existed there many years ago. Georgerimis, in 1678, mentions this among other
hermitages.

8. Petrokaravo (Stoneship)

Is a little island to the west of Patmos. On one side it looks like a ship. Legend
says it was a pirate ship with forty pirates which was coming to plunder Patmos,
but Saint Christodoulos with his prayers turned the ship and the pirates into
stone and the life boats into little islands around it.

Petrokaravo was likely a small monastery because there are remains of cells
and a little church (Panagia of Petrokaravo).

Petrokaravo is also called Daskaleio. This name is probably taken from the
Italian word scoglio (reef). It is more likely that it is Daskaleio because the monks
that lived there during the Turkish occupation were called daskalous (teachers)
by the Turks. Wrongly it is mentioned as a secret school. There were no Turkish
residents in Patmos and the Patmian Theological Seminary was built without any
difficulty. Therefore, there was no reason for there to be any secret schools.

Ebony trees, wild cabbage, and licorice grow on the little island. Ebony trees,
which are very hard, were originally brought from America, and planted by the
monks and used to make pulleys, grow on the island. There are no insects, ants
or reptiles on the island. Theoklistos from Axario, Asia Minor lived here for one
year in 1902. Rarely can anything sail close to Petrokaravo, because there is no
harbor. For this reason, saints were attracted to it because people would not
bother them. This need that made Saint Martinianos (13 February) live on this
dry rock in the sea also made the holy monks live there as well. The monks were
showing their deep faith when they chanted that God would provide their basic
needs.
9. The Hermitage of Loukakia

The little island of Saint Loukas is called Pilafi, because of its cone shape (it
looks like a dish of pilaf). Around the island are shallow rocks called Loukakia.
Georgirinis mentioned in his writings (1678): Before the harbor of Sapsila, there
is a little island with a church dedicated to Saint Luke. It got its name from the
little church of Saint, Apostle and Evangelist Luke, which was built in the cave
located on the northeast side of the island. Guerin (before 1856) mentioned that
there was a small church of Saint Luke on the little island. Traces of a little
church are found in one of the caves.

Today, on the shore across from the island Pilafi, Saint Luke, Loukakia the monk
and former Abbot of Saint John the Theologian Monastery, Father Paul has built
a little church with a cell to honor Saint Nektarios of Pentapolis. His purpose was
to revive the old Hermitage so that the voice of the hermit would be heard
chanting from the bottom of his heart: To you Saviour in Heaven I send the eyes
of my heart. Save me with Your light.

10. The Hermitageof Panagia Epsimia

This hermitage with a small church and cells is located near the sea in the little
harbor between Mavro Kavo and the Kavo (Cape) of Epsimia on the southern
part of Patmos. Guerin mentions it was founded by Saint Christodoulos.

The little church is named Panagia Stavros (of the Cross) because it celebrates
the birth of the Virgin Mary in September, which is the month of the cross. The
celebration occurs at the time of the late season ripening of crops, which in
Patmian dialect are called Episim crops. For this reason Panagia is also called
Epsimiani or Epsimia. The icon of the Theotokos is famous and performs
miracles. It was found in 1665 by a fisherman named Kitsimbiris. He had
repeated visions and dreams which showed him where to find the miraculous
icon. He built the church on that place. The icon belonged to the family Vestis
and now belongs to the Monastery of Evangelismos.

Smirnakis, who visited the hermitage before 1935, mentions that he saw the
Church built with a half cylindrical dome measuring 5.65x2.96 meters with
entrance doors from the north and south. He also noticed remains of other
vaulted structures from which he concluded it must have been a hermitage. Near
the little church there was a spring of drinkable water and there were also tombs.
He also tells us that in 1912 the monk Ieremias built a shelter. Today from all the
old structures only the little church of Panagia is saved.

Near the place of the old hermitage, the abbot of the Monastery of Saint John
the Theologian, Isidoros Krikris (since 1990 also the Bishop of Tralleon) tried to
revive the old hermitage. He built a church for Saint Isidoros Pylousiotis and a
cell to pray.
As in earlier times and again today, the hymns of Panagia of Stavros are heard
on the Kavos of Epsimia: From the generations of Jesse and David today is
born the child of God and Mary. Heaven and earth rejoice together and all
nations praise her.

11. Hiliomodi

Across from the harbor of Skala, the island of Hiliomodi can be seen. Ruins of an
old hermitage are found there. The land on this island could be cultivated and
the monks worked it. A little church dedicated to Saint Panteleimon which
measures 4.50x2 meters and a height of 2.5 meters still exists and is mentioned
since 1599. Attached to the church are a cell and a windmill.

Miraculous stories about this little island are still being told. According to these
stories, the holy fathers of the Monastery of Saint John would throw their capes
on the sea so they could sail from Sapsila to Hiliomodi. One excellent harvest
produced 1000 bushels of wheat (in Greek this is hilia modia, hence the name
Hiliomodi). At that time the Abbot accompanied by monks came to the island.
One of the monks greedily thought If there had been one more good rain, even
more wheat would have been produced. When the monks spread their cloaks to
cross the sea, the greedy monk had trouble and started sinking. The Abbot was
able to reach him and put him on his own cloak and with much difficulty they
were able to cross the sea. When the Abbot asked him why he was having
trouble crossing, the monk confessed his greedy thoughts. After some time, the
Abbot visited the island with his companions (monks). He ordered the greedy
monk to attend the kneading and baking of the bread. The Abbot then put three
seeds of wheat on one of the loaves of bread that the monks had made and
placed it in the oven. When they removed the baked bread out of the oven, they
saw the three seeds had sprouted while in the heat of the oven. The Abbot told
the greedy monk For your greediness and evil thought.

Today, near the old hermitage, a new little church for the Saint has been built
along with cell. This was done with the care and dedication of the monk father
Panteleimon.

12. The Hermitage of Anydros

In the northwest part of Patmos, across from the valley of Lefkes, is the small
island of Anydros, which is 8-10 miles from the shore of Patmos. It is barren and
without water. Hence, the name Anydros, which means without water. It rarely
rains on the island and can only be used for grazing.

The existence of a hermitage was verified from the following fact. Years ago, a
shepherd, Isidoros (Sideris Salavatis) went to Anydros and dug a cave to find
water as he was informed. While digging he found a large stone which blocked
the entrance of the cave. Digging further, he found an incense burner, handles of
vases and an earthen cask.
According to legend, there lived a hermit who, when he wanted to get to Lefkes,
would spread his cloak on the sea and would sail across the Ikarion without
sinking. He would go to the church of Saint Anthony in Lefkes and after chanting
the liturgy would return to his little island the same way he came. He did not sink
because God loved him because he was a holy man.

13. The Hermitage ofSaint Christodoulos at Alykes

The entire area on the north side of the harbor of Stavros is named Alyki or
Alykes. This area was always used by the monks to collect salt. The monk who
supervised this job was called Alykaris.

In the Brevium in the monastery, a documentary book, it is mentioned: in 1568

Matthew, a Cretan, who was an Alykar died and in 1603 on August 2, the
monk Nektarios died at Alykes.

A little church honoring Saint Christodoulos is located at Alykes. It measures

5.05x2.95 meters, and is domed, with narthex and an attached cell. On the
iconostasis, is a miraculous icon which was found near the caves. It seems that
a monk lived in the cave and among the other icons, there was one of Saint
Christodoulos. Later, another monk built the little church and brought the icon
from the cave and put it on the iconostasis. The icon depicts Saint Christodoulos
offering the monastery of Saint John the Theologian as written in the book which
he holds.

From the very old man, John Gamberakis, a farmer who worked for the
monastery at Alykes (his grandfather, Dimitrios Grillakis, lived there as a farmer
for the monastery 100 years ago), we learn about the monk Germanos Skopelitis
who lived at Alykes for many years. Gamberakis has many memories of the
priceless counsels given to him by the monk from the bottom of his heart. As he
tells us, he had heard that a young girl had come to do laundry at Alykes.
Suddenly she saw a sweet old man who frightened her so much that she never
returned to Alykes to do laundry. It must have been Saint Christodoulos who
protected the hermitage.

14. The Hermitage ofthe Prophet Elias

On the highest peak of the island (269 meters), as is customary, a church is built
honoring the Prophet Elias of Thesvitan with a hermitage. From the height of the
hermitage, the horizon is spread majestically and the view is wonderful. Is there
any other place which offers more to the peoples souls to sing day and night
from the bottom of their hearts? I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from
whence cometh.

Guerin describes with the following characteristic lines the ascent towards
Prophet Elias: One walks with difficulty among the huge rocks, which appear in
all shapes within a magnificent disorder. One could say they accumulated there,
thrown by giant hands. Some are horizontal, some are hollow forming caves,
some are smooth and one could say they were hewn. From the courtyards, the
horizon is incomparably majestic and wide. It is difficult to withdraw your eyes
from the scene, which expands to the limits of ones imagination and enhances
the limits of ones vision.

The hermitage consists of the church, cells and a large courtyard which is
surrounded by a wall which resembles a fort. The founder of the hermitage who
lived and died there was the monk Neophytos Simiakos. On the entrance of the
wall there is an inscription on a marble plaque that says: With the donation and
his own expenses, the holy Neophytos Simiakos is remembered, 1746. And in
the Brevium of the monastery, we read: March 23, 1779 the monk Neophytos
Simiakos of Prophet Elias died of natural causes.

The church is one room with dome measuring 7.45 x 3.56 meters. The
iconostasis is wooden covered with gold leaf and has this inscription: The
iconostasis was made golden by the monk Danili, July 1795. Under the icon of
Saint Basil is another inscription: Painted by Constantine Kidonieou of Crete,
1795.

The traveler girl who visited Patmos before 1905 and ascended to Prophet Elias
and was welcomed by the hermit Akakios Bratsalis (died October 6, 1913)
writes: The view that spreads in front of the Prophet Elias was the best present
of my life. Father Akakios was a very polite host. After the church service he led
us to the garden. He told us that a Russian asked us to pray for his recovery of
an illness. After his therapy he gave a gift to Prophet Elias- two Russian vigil
lights.

15. Vrasta - Antipas monk Kappos

In the area to the west of Chora near Evangelismos is found the hermitage of
Vraston. This hermitage is surrounded by rocks which protect it from the wind.
Because it faces the sun, the climate is always warm. For this reason it called
Vrasta, which means boiled.

From 1676 it is mentioned as the name of the area in the book of deeds of the
Community. It is also mentioned in a settlement of debt letter of 1798 as the
Garden of Vrasta. This hermitage consists of a two story house in a beautiful
location above a ravine connected with an area of fruit bearing trees including
citrus trees that are about 150 years old. They are watered with natural springs.
Above Vrasta flows a waterfall between huge rocks formed by a winter torrent of
Kyra Levousa.

In 1903 the monastery of Saint John renovated Vrasta so that Father

Theoktistos, the monk, would rest there.
The hermitage did not have a church but only the two story house. It always
attracted the monks who wanted to rest in the wilderness and communicate only
with God. From 1916 to 1919 the monk Antipas Kappos lived there. He was born
in Patmos in 1871. He was christened with the name of John. He was first
educated in Patmos and continued his education in Athens at the Didaskaleio
(school). Because of financial problems, he was unable to finish his studies and
receive his diploma. He had to return to Patmos.

At that time representatives of an Educational Society from Libisi of Asia Minor

came to Patmos seeking a teacher with a diploma. John Kappos was
recommended, but they had reservations because he did not have a diploma.
John Kappos suggested that he be given a six month trial period and if they were
not satisfied with his performance they could dismiss him. They accepted him
and he remained for not only the six months, but for three years. They wanted
him to stay longer, but he wanted to return to Patmos and teach in Lipsos. He
finally came to stay permanently in Patmos and asked to be accepted as a
brother at the Monastery of Saint John. During Great Lent of 1907 he was
ordained a monk with the name Antipas and at the same time he taught in Kato
Chora (Skala).

Later he went to Mount Athos and joined the followers of Daniel Katounakioti.
Returning to Patmos, he lived at the hermitage of Apollo under the guidance of
Father Makarios from whom he was given a higher rank.

The monk Antipas was very learned and concentrated on the Holy Fathers of the
Church and the Holy Scriptures, especially the Revelation. He worked for seven
years interpreting the Book of Revelation. When he finished it, he took this
manuscript to Father Daniel at Mount Athos to evaluate it. Father Daniel returned
it to him because he found it unsatisfactory. Antipas was not discouraged and
worked hard to revise it. For a second time he returned to Mount Athos and
again Father Daniel rejected the work as useless and threw it into the fire!
Fortunately, Antipas had kept a copy and without being discouraged, he made
more revisions and returned for a third time to Father Daniel. Finally, he
approved it and said: Now it is good, Antipas. Afterwards, Antipas went to
Athens and he submitted it to Chrysostom Papadopoulos, the Archbishop of
Athens. When the Archbishop saw the topic he told Antipas that he would not
approve an interpretation of such a topic. However, after he read the manuscript,
he was pleased, and with his approval it was published. Commenting on this
work, George Zervos wrote about Antipas: The interpretation of Brother Antipas
was written because of a spiritual need, the kindest reason to reveal to his
brothers the light from within him, which enlightens his mind and the soul. The
purpose of this book is as pure as wild flowers which grow poor and humble, but
very fragrantly like the holy island of Patmos. It will benefit many modest souls
who will read this book, not to judge it, but humbly to ask for guidance from the
enlightened soul of a hermit. This enlightenment is needed for the difficult road of
the spiritual life which leads to top of the mountain and one to see from there the
magnificent and majestic horizon of the spiritual world of Jesus glory.

Studying this book, the reader is astonished by the interpretation which is given
to this prophetic book. The positions he takes about the events that will occur on
our planet gives the impression that this was written by a contemporary well
educated theologian and not by a monk seventy years ago.

Later Antipas wrote and published the Orthodox Audit Against Those who
Believe the Millennium of Christ and the So-Called Students of the Scriptures,
Athens 1925. He also wrote the Makraki Audit. In the monastery other
manuscripts of his works still exist, but they are in disarray. He also copied in his
wonderful handwriting old manuscripts of sermons of Church elders for the use
of the Church and a collection of passages of the Holy fathers. As a chanter of
the monastery, Antipas composed music.

The monk was born and raised in the pious environment of the holy island of the
Disciple John who was beloved by our Lord. He had cultivated in his sensitive
soul the love of monastic life. He loves Christ to the point that passionately he
embraces monastic life... a great success of virginity. The Lord asks for one thing
from these dedicated men that they live this life willingly and this is proven with
their pure love towards Him and his neighbors.

The monk Antipas and his contemporary, monk Amphilochios Makris, visited the
hermit Theoktistos in his hut at Psalida. They both learned much about prayer
and the ascetic life from Theokitsos. For this reason, Antipas was noted for his
strict ascetic life. He slept on a bed of boards without a mattress. He always ate
fish and never tasted meat. After his meals, which mostly consisted of dried
beans, and after waiting a while, he drank a lot of water which cleaned out his
stomach. With a clean stomach he prayed. A doctor who saw him was
astonished that he was able to get rid of the water.

It must be noted that Antipas was a monk devoted to prayer and for this reason
the devil hated him. When he stayed at Vrasta, his sister, who was also the
mother of Father Nicholas Mikelis, brought him his food and she overheard him
speaking scornfully with the devil.

He considered cigarette smoking a very bad habit and called it, Incense of the
devil and added If God were to give another Commandment it would be: Do not
Smoke.

Antipas even paid some people not to smoke. An incident from his life related to
smoking was told by Mr. D. Koloumenos, the brother of Sister Agathi.

One summer he was a guest of Father Amphilochios of the Monastery of St.

John. One night the brothers went to the top of the Monastery, because of a
severe heat spell. While sitting there, they heard the sandals of old Antipas
dragging and approaching them. At night he was accustomed to climbing to the
top of the Monastery and studying the movement of the stars. He gave useful
information to the observatory in Athens. That night as usual he drank a lot of
water and cleaned out his stomach in order to pray.

When Antipas was approaching, the monks told Mr. Koloumenos, who had just lit
a cigarette: Mr. Koulomenos, out of respect put out the cigarette and throw it
away.

The ascetic came near and told him: Guest, thank you very much.

It had finished its purpose, Mr. Koulomenos replied.

No, it had not finished, and I thank you dear guest, and Antipas left.

He also despised money. One time a Jew named Sarantes brought material for
use by the clergy to sell on the island. Sarantes went to Antipas to sell him
material, but he did not have any money. The Jew ironically told him: Why dont
you come where we are, so you can see jars full of gold?

Sarantes, he replied, You read Holy Scripture. Do you know what Moses did to
the golden cow your compatriots worshipped? He turned it to dust and made
them drink it. Well, your gold belongs to this category.

Patmians have a lot to say about his philanthropic feelings. Generally, the monk
Antipas was distinguished by his deep warm love for God and his fellow man.
For this reason, he stood as an example for a monk of his time. When he died at
the age of 83 on August 3, 1954, he left a legacy worthy to be followed by the
generations to come.

16. Panagia Lagkadiotissa

In the area Lagkada of Kambos is found the old hermitage of Panagia (Ever-
Virgin) Lagkadiotissa, with a small church dedicated to the Annunciation of
Mother of God which belonged to hermit monks. Today it is a private chapel. Two
staffs are saved, from wild wood, which the monks usually used during their
many hours of praying. They supported themselves with one hand and they
supported their whole bodies on the oblong curved handle. Before the little
church are single and two storey houses. This is what Smirnakis saw in 1935
when he visited.

The monk Bartholemew narrates about Father John Nikitaras (married with nine
daughters) parish priest of the Church of the Annunciation of Kambos (died
December 12, 1981). During his youth, John lived in the Meadow of the Monks.
While he was working in a small farm he heard chanting which came from the
little church of the Ever Virgin of Lagkadiotissa. People then were pious and they
listened. One time, after the taking down of Christ from the Cross on Good
Friday, he came to the little farm and suddenly he heard chanting again. He
entered the little church, but found no one there. From that day on every Good
Friday after the vespers services of the unnailing of Christ from the Cross, he
would go to the little church of the Ever Virgin Lagkadiotissa and would say a
second vespers of the unnailing.

Such places are sought for by holy figures to experience today, in vain.

17. Kentronisi

On a little island south of Geranos, named Kentrosini (island of cedars) because

of the cedar trees that grew there, are ruins of old hermitages that can be seen
even today. The hermit Theoktistos from Axarion and Ignatios Gazos from Fryos
(+1918) lived at Kentronisi for a while.

What a wonderful place for peaceful meditation the hermits had! A little island
with cedars. These cedars were probably planted by other hermits before them
to remind the monks of the Cedars of Lebanon planted by our Lord.

18. The Hermitage of Sinadinou

This hermitage is located south of Chochlaka where springs existed. Near the
springs, ruins of buildings built by the monk Sinadino (he probably came from
Sinada of Asia Minor) exist today.

The name Sinadinos can be found in Patmos from the 17th century. In the
Brevium it is mentioned that a monk from Sinadinos died in 1665. In the book of
deeds in 1676 the name Sinadinos of Kouna is listed. Also mentioned are the
names Panagiotis of Nikita, his son Sinadinos and Papasinadinos. According to
Smirnakis, the last one who lived in the hermitage was the teacher Kyrillos, a
deacon from Patmos, son of Katelanos, who died in Patras in 1881.

19. Spring of Geranos. Theoktistos,the monk from Kalymnos

The little peninsula of Geranos, which is located on the northeastern part of

Patmos, goes deep into the sea. On the northwest side are two little islands,
Kentronisi and Saint George.

Saint George island is named after the little church of Saint George on the
island. Guerin saw this little church when he visited this area before 1856. On
the peak of Geranos the little church of the Virgin Mary of Geranos is found. In
the northern part of the Livadi of Gerano, or of Nteli Pothitos is little spring
named after the numerous springs in the area.

The monk Theoktistos Triantafillou lived at the Spring (Pigi). He was born in
Kalymnos in 1886. Seeking peace, he came to Patmos to live a peaceful
monastic life. He was ordained at Apollou, perhaps by the priest Makarios
Antoniadis, who lived there at the time. Later he went to Pigi where he lived for
many years as a hermit. Later when he was old, he went to the monastery of
Saint John, where he served as a doorkeeper, both at the monastery and at the
Holy Apokalypse. He is remembered as a tall, skinny, strict man. He died on
April 1, 1962.

Theoktistos lived alone without an assistant. He cultivated the earth and at the
same time the depth of his soul.

20. Lipso or Lipsi

Lipso is the island of the hermits, full of hermitages. The first mention of Lipso is
found in the Ypotypos where Saint Christodoulos writes among other things his
agreement with the Emperor Alexis Komnenos: I donated to the community
everything. In Kos and Strovilou... donated to me by Royal Edict the whole island
of Patmos and the nearby little islands of Narki and Lipso...

In the biography of Saint Leontios, Abbot of The Monastery of Saint John in

Patmos, and later Patriarch of Jerusalem, the island of Lipso is mentioned again.
The following story is told in the biography. When Saint Leontios was sent to
Lipso it was not inhabited. The monastery had animals which were slaughtered
when needed, dried and sold to pay for the needs of the monastery. During this
time a monk named Prohoros was sent to work with the animals. He was tough
and rude and disobeyed the rules of monastic life. He bothered Saint Leontios
insisting on a new pair of shoes. The Saint advised him to abide by the rules, but
Prohoros would not listen. Saint Leontios then said it would benefit him to live
like a disobedient sheep, wandering in the darkness chased by an angel. What
was said by Saint Leontios was done by God.

Throughout the centuries, monks of the monastery who were farmers and
shepherds or hermits came to live in Lipso and they built hermitages.

We can verify the following hermitages from the mention of the deaths of monks
in the Brevium and from existing hermitages now found in Lipso and from the
stories told: From about 1500 there should have been the hermitage of Kimisis
(Assumption) in Pomani located in the western part of the island. Around 1600
there is also the hermitage of Panagia Harou (Death) located in the southeastern
part of the island. It is named Virgin of Death because the icon showed the
virgin holding Jesus crucified and not as a baby. In this church from 1943 the
pious worshippers can see with deep emotion the miracle of the Panagia (on 9th
day after the feast). The dried lilies of the icon on celebration of the Annunciation
(March 25) bloom once again on August 24 (the ninth day of the feast or the
leave-taking). In 1650 the hermitage of Saint John the Theologian was built by
monks in Moschato, located in the northwestern part of the island.

Lipso was not inhabited by lay people, but when Crete was overtaken by the
Turks in 1669, Cretans immigrated to Lipso and Patmos. This way the first
community of laymen was formed in Lipso. This first inhabitant mentioned is a
man named Gero Lios (Elias). From then on the village has remained the same.

A century later the Kollyvades who came from Mount Athos with Niphona and his
companions arrived in Patmos about 1775 and went to Lipso. Near the sea in
the area of Kimisi at Romani, they built the hermitage Evangelismos
(Annunciation) or Kato Panagia. On the. urging of Niphona, Makarios the
Corinthian came to live there for a while.

This way Lipso received the beneficial influence of the Kollyvades. Beneath the
Church of Evangelismos is a spring named Agrio Nero (wild water). It is still
named the same because when it was found it made a loud noise. These
hermitages and other places also found on the island are reminders of the holy
people and their spirituality. The inhabitants, influenced by the monk hermits,
lived pious lives. In difficult times they went to these holy people for guidance. A
story is told of a time of drought on the island. The inhabitants asked the hermit
who lived at Stavros (cross) to bless them with Holy Water. The monk performed
the ceremony and before he finished pouring rain made everyone, but the
monks, wet.

The evil one hated this holy little island and for this reason he helped the
enemies of the believers also come against the holy monks many times. Many
suffered torturous deaths and became martyrs.

In the Brevium some contemporary martyrs are mentioned: On April 6, 1558, a

newly ordained monk from Amorgos was killed by the Agarinous in Lipso....
February 18, 1561 the servant of God the monk Ionas from Leros was killed in
Lipso.... On December 8, 1609, the newly ordained Neophytos Fazan was killed
by an axe.... In April 1635 Bekir Pasas (Pasha) captured Ionas of Nysiros, beat
him to death and buried him in Lipso.... In 1696 the monk Parthenios died of a
spear wound to the neck.

The Brevium not only mentions the above monk martyrs but also lists monks
who lived and died in Lipso. The following are listed in chronological order as
follows:

The brother Georgios the Kapouros (+1576)

The monk Anatolios the Santorneos (+1702)

The monk Iakovos Amorginos, the Voskos (shepherd) (+1702)

Papathanasis Simos (+1715)

The monk Dionysios Delongos (+1718)

Gerasimos Hierodeacon the Lamp-keeper of Agrio Nero, Kato Panagia

(+1760)
 The monk Hatzimakarios the good Steward (+1761)

The monk Matthew, the lamp-keeper

The Elder Makarios Basilakos (+1837)

The monk Gavril the Poniros (+1850) and

and finally the priest monk Dorotheos Vlachakis (+1907)

Today, the monk of the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, Father
Nikephoros Koumoundouros serves in the little island of Lipso. He restored old
ruined hermitages and little churches. He built new ones and generally takes
care of the spiritual needs of the island. This has been accomplished through his
efforts and donations from the people of Lipso and from people from all over the
world.

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 ECCLESIA MONASTERIES AND SHRINES

Hermits Of Patmos And Hermitages

Section B

The Modern Hermitages-In the North of Patmos

1. The Hermitage of the Virginof Koumana - Makarios, of Corinthand the

Kollyvades

On the northern part of the harbor of Patmos at Skala is the Mountain of

Koumana. The mountain extends into the sea ending at the Cape of Koumana
which closes Skalas harbor on the north. It is not known why the mountain is
named Koumana. It is possibly named after the lease-holder Koumani, common
name in Patmos from the 13th Century. In the archives of the Monastery of Saint
John it is mentioned that Basilios Koumanis in 1212 sold a field in the area
Tropigon of the Archdiocese of Militou. Smirnakis believes that the name comes
from someone named Koumano who descended from Kimi of Evia. He was
perhaps a monk who died near the little church of Saint Sozon at the foot of the
mount where lepers later lived in huts. In 1798 Michael, the leper from Crete,
also lived there.
On the top of the range of Koumana is the Hermitage of All Saints or the Virgin
of Koumana. The inhabitants prefer the name Virgin of Koumana because of the
miraculous icon of the Virgin. The founder of this hermitage is Saint Makarios
Notaras, of Corinth (1731 - 1805) who inspired the Kollyvades movement.

The Kollyvades movement during the second half of the 18th Century is a
tradition of which the Orthodox Church is proud. The movement came about
because of the argument of when memorial services should be performed. It was
suggested that Sunday, the day of the Resurrection was not appropriate for this
service. It resulted in the spiritual elevation of the faith of that period. The
purpose of the battle of the Kollyvades was to return to the original Ecclesiastical
tradition including the Liturgy, the preparation of the faithful to partake of Holy
Communion often, and finally the study of works of the Holy Fathers. The name
Kollyvades was an ironic label given to them by the opposing side [tr. note: From
Kollyva the boiled wheat used in memorial services]. However, this disdainful
name became for them an honorable title. In the intellectual life of Modern
Greece this name stands out for one and a half centuries and offers many of her
bright pages.

The coming of the religious refugees Kollyvades, to Patmos, including Makarios

Notaras, of Corinth, Nyphon from Chios and Gregory from Gravana in Nysiros,
was like a nurturing rain from the Holy Spirit. Their way of life brought richness to
the spiritual revival of Monasticism and the rebirth of monastic life on the island
of Saint John the Theologian.

Saint Makarios, the son of George Notaras, was born in Corinth in 1731. He was
a descendant of the Notaras family, a well known family during the Byzantine
Empire and even later during the occupation of the Turks. Saint Gerasimos of
Kephallonia (1509 - 1579) and the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Dositheos (1669 -
1707) and Chrysanthos (1707 - 1731) are also descendants of this family. Saint
Makarios was given the name Michael when he was baptized by the Bishop
Parthenios of Corinth. He was educated by the teacher Efstratios of Kephallonia.
Later, due to the lack of teachers at the Academy of Corinth, Saint Makarios
taught the children of this area for six years without pay. From a young age, it
was evident that he did not care for material things of the world but only for the
spiritual ones. When his father placed him as a supervisor of an area where he
could be very rich, he gave money to the poor and his father scolded him.

Burning with the desire for the monastic life, Saint Makarios left secretly for the
Monastery of Megalo Spyleo (the Great Cave). The fathers at the monastery did
not want him to stay because they were afraid of the great power his father had
in the Peloponnese. Truly, when his father learned of his whereabouts, he
ordered them to send him immediately to his birth place. In 1764 when the
Hierarch Parthenios of Corinth died, all the inhabitants of Corinth, clergy and
laity, unanimously elected Michael Notoras as his successor: He was ordained
and clothed in the garment of a monk and was renamed Makarios. He went to
Constantinople and appeared before the Holy Synod and was immediately
proclaimed Bishop of Corinth while Samuel was the Patriarch.

Athanasios Parios mentions in his biography of Saint Makarios that when Saint
Makarios became Bishop, he wanted to follow the example of St. Gregory the
Theologian. He believed that he was given the power of the Bishop not for
wealth without investigation and as a means of enjoying pleasures, but as
service and fatherly care and guidance for the safety and salvation of his flock
for which he would give an apology to the Great Shepherd and God and Master
of the Universe. He dismissed the uneducated and old priests from the
Priesthood. He forbade the priests from being involved in politics. He ordained
them consciously, exactly as required by the Holy Apostolic and Conciliar
canons. He would not ordain anyone before the required age. When he ordained
deacons, he taught them how to celebrate the Holy Sacraments and Services.
He taught catechism to all the priests so that they would learn about the faith. To
the villages and towns of the area he gave large baptismal fonts so that the
Sacrament of Baptism could be performed perfectly. Finally, he decided to build
schools so that he could teach his flock like a good shepherd.

In 1769, during the revolution of the Greeks with the encouragement of the
Russians, George Notaras and his son Makarios were accused as instigators
and they fled to safety in Kephallonia and later to Zakynthos. They stayed there
for three years. In the meantime, the Holy Synod of Constantinople, for
diplomatic reasons, deposed Ma-karios from his position and appointed a new
Bishop of Corinth. The deposed Makarios withdrew to the Monastery of the
Theotokos in Hydra. After the Russio-Turkish war had ended he went to Chios
and later to Athos. There he found the upheaval and agitation for the Kollyvades
conflict. Very disappointed he left Athos and goes back to Chios and later to
Patmos.

The Holy Cave of the Revelation and the Godly guarded Monastery of Saint
Christodoulos attracted the holy soul of Makarios. Therefore with the permission
of the Monastery of Saint John, he founded a hermitage with a small church to
honor All the Saints on the Mount of Koumana.

This hermitage still exists today in good condition. The Church of All Saints
(measurements 7.8x4.5 meters) has a dome which was surrounded by a wall to
protect it from the northern winds, pirates and Turks. Recently, the Department of
Archeology removed the wall from around the dome. The iconostasis of the little
church is of excellent art. Most of its icons of the Twelve Feasts of the Master are
preserved in good condition. On the iconostasis with Christ and the All Saints is
an inscription: Apostles, Martyrs, Prophets, Hierarchs, Saints and the Virgin
Panagia fought the battle well... On an icon stand is the icon of Panagia (Virgin)
the Miraculous The joy of all holding Jesus with a Gospel. The little church has
a narthex with two entrances from the north and south and a small house. They
are both in good condition. It is said that an olive tree from the time of Saint
Makarios still exists.

Saint Makarios remained in Patmos for 10 years (1782 - 1793). In Patmos he

met Papa-Niphona from Chios, Papa-Gregory from Nisyros and the priest
Athanasios from Armenia. The priest Gregory built cells to meditate near the
hermitage of Makarios (east of the Church are ruins of Gregorys house). Later
Gregory, at the location of Grava, built another hermitage, the Panagia of Grava.
Today at the Panagia of Grava, an icon of Saint Makarios and Saint Gregory is
preserved. When Saint Makarios met Father Niphona, Saint Makarios was
persuaded to go to Lipso (Niphona had built a little church - The Annunciation)
there, at Romani or Kato Panagia. When Saint Makarios went to Lipso, he built a
hermitage, but he did not remain there and returned to Patmos.

In the quietness, isolation and serenity of the holy island, instead of wasting time,
Makarios hand copied the codices and wrote the biography of Saint
Christodoulos.

In the library of the Monastery, Makarios found works of the Fathers of the
Church. He selected materials for the Philokalia, which he later gave to Saint
Nicodemos, the Athonite.

Many remembrances and manuscripts exist in the Monastery as testimony to the

life of Makarios in Patmos.

The death of his father in Corinth and the need to settle the estate of his father
interrupted his peaceful stay in Patmos and forced him to return to Corinth.
Returning to his birth place, his fathers property was divided. He surprised
everyone by not accepting his share and even more he destroyed all the debts
owed to his family.

The hands that performed the sacraments and gave the Eucharist each time
surprising the invisible angels now lifted all the chains of loans and threw them in
the fire.

From that time Makarios never went back to Patmos. From Corinth he went to
Chios and later to Smyrna to take care of publishing matters. In Chios, near
Vrontathes, he built a small hermitage to honor Saint Peter. From Chios, he and
Niphona went for a while to visit his beloved Kollyvades of the Monastery of the
Annunciation in Ikaria. With the help of rich friends he completed the
construction of the Monastery and then returned to Chios.

He became the spiritual father of Chios and the encourager of new martyrs
Polydoros of Cyprus, Theodore of Byzantium and Demetrios of the
Peloponnese.Athanasios from Paros his contemporary eye-witness wrote his
Life and passes on the following from Iakovos of Chios: Makarios lived a life in
peace without pleasures and far from the noise of the cities. He lived fasting
(throughout the year only on Saturday and Sunday did he have oil and wine),
with little sleep and constant praying. At the same time, he practiced love for his
neighbor according to the commandment of the Lord Love your neighbor as
yourself. In 1775 the blessed Patriarch Sophronios wrote and reiterated the
same commandment to the priest Makarios: Brother, do not think that by leaving
your county you are free of your ecclesiastical obligations; God does not want
this kind of freedom, but wants all of us to be servants, and farmers of the secret
vineyard until our last breath. Well, do not neglect teaching with words and
deeds the life saving commandments of God. Remember my wretchedness in
your prayers to our Merciful God.

But without exhortation, the God loving Makarios practiced what he preached
and looked after his neighbors dutifully. Continuously he repeated the words of
the Apostle of the nations: We are Gods coworkers. In addition he preached
the Holy Word at the Church of Saint Peter. During the time of any Holy Lent he
went around preaching.

He taught by his example. The people saw a humble priest with plain clothing,
not receiving payment. He gave to the poor, he helped young girls get married
and he paid debts of debtors.

The most important was the responsibility of publishing the works of Philokalia,
the Evergetinos, St. Symeon the New Theologian, New Lemonarion and the
Catechism of Platonos Moschas.

In September of 1804, Makarios had a stroke which left his right hand paralyzed.
He died on April 17, 1805, after patiently praying for the forgiveness of his sins.
His death is mentioned in the Brevium of the Monastery: April 17, 1805 the
priest Makarios from Corinth died at the hermitage of Saint Peter in Chios. May
God rest his soul. In 1808 his sacred bones were exhumed and miracles have
occurred because of them.

When Saint Nicodemos from Mount Athos was dying he asked that the remains
of the holy fathers Saint Makarios, the Corinthian and Parthenos who was his
spiritual father at Kalyvi of Skourteon be brought to him. He embraced the
remains, kissing, crying and talking to them: Why are you leaving me an
orphan? You went to heaven because of your virtuous lives on earth and now
you are enjoying the glory of God in Heaven. I am suffering because of my sins.
That is why I pray to you to intercede for me with the Lord to forgive me so that I
can join you.

This verifies that in 1809 the remains of Saint Makarios were at Mount Athos at
the time of the death of Saint Nicodemos. Both in life and after death he was
believed to be a Saint and many miracles occurred.

His memory is honored in Chios, Syros, Ikaria, Corinth, Lipso and Patmos.
Recently, we learned that in Chios, babies are given the name Makarios and a
church has been built in his memory in the village, Elata.

The choirs of the company of Hierarchs, the crowd of saints, the body of martyrs
and the all the righteous are exulted together in your holy memory, today. For
your grace chose you to be a Hierarch a godly example for ascetics and martyrs
anointed in God.

In the Brevium of the Monastery of Saint John, we learn that other monks lived
and died at Koumana after Saint Makarios: the monk and hermit Dositheos, the
monk Nikiphoros, the musician, and the monk Evlogios from Philippopolis.

The American tourist Geil visited Patmos twice. He wrote about Koumana and
says 50 years ago (about 1850) on the hill on the northern part of the harbor of
Skala is a beautiful garden where the Church of All Saints is found. A hermitage
is located there and a woman hermit lived there for many years. This holy
woman lived alone working and praying. In the middle of the night she would
arise and go to the all white dome of the Church and chant prayers and
doxologies. From this location she could look down and see the poor lepers,
their huts and the beautiful church which is now in ruins.

This information from Geil is valuable because it is the only instance of a woman
hermit in Patmos. Through this woman, Patmos had another Theoktisti!

Malandrakis (before 1889) gives another piece of information: On the top of the
hill which can not be seen from the harbor there is a lovely garden in which is
found a hermitage and the Church of All Saints which is normal size and has a
stone dome. They are preserved with loving care by the hermit who has lived
there for many years. Evidently, this hermit is the monk Evlogios from
Philippopolis.

Unfortunately, we have no other information about the hermitage of Koumana.

Today, the hermitage is cared for by the Priest Gerasimos Mihelis, who has
restored and rebuilt it.

Today, visitors can visit and walk on the holy ground where Saint Makarios
walked. Glancing around, the visitors feel peace and adoration and they say Our
God created all he wanted on heaven and on earth.

2. The Hermitage of the Virginof Grava - Gregory of Nissyros;Niphon of

Chios;Saint Savvas of Kalymnos

Oh my Virgin of Grava, little monastery.Care for my father so he can light you a

little candle.

Folk verse

The Hermitage of the Virgin of Grava is found on the southwest part of the
island. From there one can view the sea of Ikaria, the Garden of the Saint, Saint
Paraskevi of Kavos, and the side of Genoupa which ends at Psalida.

The monk Gregory from Nissyros, the Gravanos, whose name is taken from the
location, built this hermitage. The Brevium it states, The monk Gregarios, who
was also a hermit, built buildings in Grava. He was from Nissyros.

The monk Gregorios from Nissyros belonged to the Kollyvades with Niphon.

Niphon, according to the world Nicholas Nicholaratos, was from Patrika, one of
the villages of Mastihohora on Chios. He became a monk on Mount Athos in the
skete of Pantokratora, where the most pious monks were hermits. He was later
ordained a priest.

When the quarrel with the Kollyvathes started, Niphon being one of them, was
forced to leave Mount Athos with the Kollyvades.

Niphon, along with the monk Gregory from Nissyros and the elder priest
Arsenios, pious fathers of Mount Athos, left and went to Naxos. There they met
Nicholas Kalivourtzi, who later was known as Saint Nikodimos the Athonite.
What luck! The fathers from Mount Athos initiated in the fiery Nicholas the
pleasure and sweetness of ascetic life. They told him of two contemporary holy
people who at that time lived in Hydra (New Martyr Constantines birthplace).
They were Saint Makarios of Corinth and the priest Silvester, who recently came
from Mount Athos. The result of this blessed meeting was that the young
Nicholaos would come to Hydra to visit the holy men and with their influence to
become a follower of the old ascetic life. He received their blessing to follow the
monastic life.

Niphon with his companions left Naxos and went to Samos. After spending some
time at Saint Kyriaki, he went to Patmos. Here he built a small monastery and
lived the monastic life with Gregory from Nissyros. Perhaps this is the place in
Koumana where the remains of Gregory were found. Later they went to Lipso,
where they built a hermitage at the location of Romani to honor the Annunciation
of the Virgin at Kato Panagia, near the sea at the Agrio Nero.

Niphon had a special devotion to the Virgin. Therefore, he always built the
Annunciation. Bothered by pirates, he left Lipsos and went to the small island of
Fournous or Kousous, which is north of Patmos and East of Ikaria. This in
witnessed to in a letter written on October 16, 1792. It was signed by the Abbot
Symeon and is kept by the family of M. Vesti. It says the following: Around 1775
the pious monks, Niphon and his companion left Mount Athos and went to Lipso
across from Patmos to find peace. They remained there for a short time and
went to Patmos where they thought they should go to the island of Koursos.
They asked the owners of the island and were given permission to live in a
specific place and lead their lives quietly... According to this agreement the
reverend fathers went to Koursos and built their huts. There they spent enough
time in peace and quiet, according to their desire to be away from the pleasures
of life. The holiness of Niphon moved Constantine Kourtis and his sister Maria to
give a letter donating a portion of the island from Kalamo up to Koumaro so that
they would be remembered in prayers morning, noon and night. Constantine
Kourtis and his sister were not the actual owners of the land, but lessees and
could only use the land for crops and could not sell or donate any land because
it belonged to the kingdom. Therefore, Niphon left Koursos and went to the
island of Ikaria where he built a monastery and lived there until 1792.

Later, as we are informed, near the village of Chrisomilia in Fournos, there is an

old small church of the Annunciation with a dome and a painted wooden
iconostasis and an old icon of the Annunciation. There are also a few small
cells.

After Fournos, Niphon moved to Ikaria and he built the Monastery of the
Annunciation with the help of Saint Makarios of Corinth. Because of the many
monks and the lack of means to support them, they left Ikaria. Finally, they
ended in Skiathos and with the economic help of the monk Gregory
Hatzistamatis from Skiathos, a graduate of the Patmian School, they built the
famous monastery of the Annunciation at Agalianos Valley (1794). Because
Niphon was a pure representative of the movement of the Kollyvades he laid the
foundation of this monastery and he organized it with its beliefs. This way it
became one of the brightest centers of Orthodox monastic life of the 19th
Century.

Niphon died in 1809. He is honored in Ikaria as a Saint because of his many

miracles. He is considered one of the most important representatives of the
Kollyvades. This is verified by the Life of Makarios Hierotheos, who led an
ascetic life on Mount Athos and at the Monastery of Hydra. This information was
written in 1813.

Gregory did not follow the other Kollyvades. He stayed in Patmos and lived in
the area of Grava. There he built a hermitage honoring the Assumption of the
Virgin Mary. He lived there with his disciple Theoktistos from Sophia.

In the archives of the monastery there is additional information about the holy
monk Gregory. In 1791, he became a member of the brotherhood of the
Monastery of Saint John. In 1792 he rented the area of Grava. In 1793 with a
letter from Patriarch Neophytos VII he joined the elite committee, along with
Saint Makarios of Corinth and Daniel, a teacher of the Patmian school.

Gregory became a celebrity among the monks. Being virtuous and leading an
ascetic life he was revered by the people of the island. Many pious religious
inhabitants came to him for confession. His fame went beyond Patmos. In fact, it
is said that he was the spiritual advisor of the Patriarch of Constantinople,
Neophytos VII.
Unfortunately, sad circumstances forced Gregory to leave Patmos and he went
and lived at the Monastery of the Annunciation in Ikaria.

It is said that a robbery occurred in Patmos in the cell at the Monastery of the
monk Daniel Fasola, who died in 1811, (it was customary for the valuables of the
inhabitants to be safely stored in the Monastery because of pirate raids). The
robber reported the theft and went to the hermitage and confessed to Father
Gregory. He returned the stolen items to Father Gregory so that the monk could
give the items back to the rightful owner, without revealing the identity of the
thief.

The next morning, Gregory returned the stolen objects to the owner. The owner
demanded to know the identity of the thief. Gregory asked the owner if anything
was missing. Since the answer was negative, Gregory said: What will you gain
from the identity of the thief? He then returned to the monastery.

The owner, still wanting to know the identity of the thief, went to Grava. After
questioning the naive disciple of Gregory, Theoktistos, he learned the name of
the night visitor.

The incident became know all over Patmos. The thief believed that Gregory
betrayed him and vowed to kill Gregory. For this reason, Gregory left Patmos
and went to live at the Monastery of the Annunciation in Ikaria.

Because Gregory was a member of the brotherhood of the Monastery of Saint

John and he did not want future economic demands to be made of the
monastery, he sent the following letter to the people of Patmos:

I, Gregory a monk, certify with this letter that I left Patmos and came to the
Monastery in Ikaria without any money. God is my witness that I did not bring
anything with me. When I left Patmos, I had about 40 grossia which I spent on
my trip for a ticket and other expenses. Nothing was left, not even 5 grossia or
even 5 parades to give to the poor here. Therefore, ask nothing of these poor
people after my oath so that you do not sin before God.

Everything I had was spent on the hermitage at Grava, thinking I would live and
die there. My sins did not allow this to happen. Blessed be the name of the Lord
unto all ages, Amen.

1810 December 8

Gregory the monk. I am writing with my own hand to certify all the above.

Gregory died April 22, 1812 and was buried at the Monastery of the
Annunciation in Ikaria. A watch, a holy goblet and this letter were the items
preserved.
His death is recorded in the Brevium of the Monastery of Saint John: On April
18, 1812, our brother and holy monk and hermit Gregory died. He was from the
island of Nissyros and died of natural causes on the island of Ikaria. His body
was exhumed in 1815 and his holy remains have performed many miracles.
Today he is considered one of the local saints of Patmos. It is said that his
remains are no longer in Ikaria.

It is recorded in the Brevium that Gregorys disciple, Theoktistos, died peacefully

before Gregory died. Because Theoktistos worked hard at the hermitage of
Grava, he was buried there.

The monk Meletios Kambosos later renovated the hermitage at Grava. He was
the priest of the church of Panagia Eleimonetria in Chora. Because he lived at
the hermitage of Grava, he was buried there when he died.

Around 1916 Saint Savvas, the new Hozebite from Kalymnos, came to Patmos.
He lived at the hermitage of Grava.

Saint Savvas was born in 1862 in Herakleitsa of eastern Thrace. His parents
Constantine and Smaragda were very poor. When Savvas was baptized he was
given the name Basil. Before he was formally taught, he had lived and learned
the external lessons of faith and piety. He was quickly led by the love of God
towards true philosophy and the angelic monastic life. Reading the biographies
of many saints inspired him to follow their example of the God-loving monastic
life. Even though he was the only son, and his mother had often told him, If you
leave to become a monk, Ill die. He secretrly left for Mount Athos at the age of
12. He stayed at the Skete of Saint Anna and joined the group of followers of the
priest of the Annunciation. This is where he learned iconography and Byzantine
music.

After twelve years he left to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He arrived in

the Holy Land where the feet of Jesus had walked, in 1887. He went to stay at
the monastery of Hozeva which was built in honor of Saint George. For
seventeen years he lived as a hermit among the deserted, rugged, steep cliffs. In
1890 he joined the brotherhood under the Abbot Kallinikos (from Alatsata of Asia
Minor). In 1902 he was ordained a deacon and in 1903 a priest by the
Archbishop Nikodimos from Diokesaria. As rector of the Theological Seminary of
the Holy Cross in Jerusalem he performed liturgies with the professor of the
seminary, Chrysostom Papodopoulos, who later became professor at the
University of Athens and the Archbishop of Athens.

Irregularities caused by the raids of the Arabs in the Holy Land forced him to
leave and look for peace elsewhere. Patmos, the deserted island of the
Apocalypse, for many, an extension of the Holy Land, attracted him. While in
Patmos he lived for a while at the Hermitage of Grava and later at the Monastery
of Saint John. It was then that he painted the icons of the monastery. One of the
icons he painted was of the Baptism of Christ, which is found at the Church of
Megali Panagia. This is verified by the inscription: In the month of December in
1914 this icon was painted by the hand of the iconographer, holy monk Savvas
the Hosevite. He painted the icon of the Annunciation of the Virgin for the
Church of the Annunciation in Kambos. At the hermitage of Apollo he painted the
three Hierarchs and both Makarios of Egypt and of Alexandria.

He later went to Mount Athos, to Faneromeno, Salamina, to Hydra, and then to

Aegina where he stayed for six years form 1919 - 1925, near Saint Nectarios.
There he taught the nuns iconography and Byzantine music.

Finally, with the encouragement of the unforgetable Gerasimos Zervos, the

husband of pious Anna, who later became the nun Monica, he went to
Kalymnos. There he lived at the Monastery of All Saints, where he built some
cells and three small churches: Saint Savvas, Saint John the Theologian and
Saint John the Chrysostom.

Saint Savvas was known for his deep faith, his Christian life, his strict fasting, his
modesty and his love for everyone. He was a spiritual leader for the Christian
people of Kalymnos. He died on April 7, 1948. His remains were exhumed in
1957 and miracles happen to those who venerate them with faith.

Today, the monastery has assigned the caretaking of the Hermitage to the monk
Kyrillos, who has restored it. The Hermitage celebrates its holiday on the ninth
days after the Assumption, on August 24. On the day of the celebration the choir
chants: Let the faithful come unto the grave of the Mother of God and embrace,
honestly offering heart, mouth, eyes and forehead and drawing boundless
healing gifts from the eternally flowing spring.

3. The Hermitage PartheniosMeadow of the monks and BrothersNikodimos and

Amphilochios Kappos

The Livadi of Kalogerou (Meadow of the Monks) is located in the northern part of
Patmos, southeast of the cape of Sardella.

It is surrounded on the north by the rocky mountain range of Kouko, northeast by

the mountain range of Firos and little Koumaro, west by the Bay of Livadi,
northwest by the little island of Anidros, and southwest the island of Petrocaravo
can be seen. Behind these little islands, the large island of Ikaria stretches out
widely. The Livadi of Kalogerou was first named Livadi of Koutrouli by its
founder.

It is mentioned in the Brevium, On the 11th of March 1560, the servant of God,
the monk Matheos the Livadiot died,

Later it was known that the rich merchant Nicholos Mathas had the Livadi of
Koutrouli in his possession. He donated it for the care and upkeep of the church
of Ipakoy of the Panagia along with the church of the Forty Saints and the church
of Saint Andrew of Lefanou.

In the marriage settlement dated 1686, Maria, the wife of the priest Nicholas
Mathas gives her daughter Kali, who was married to Theotoki Pagosta, the
churches of the Hypakoe of the Panagia, the Forty Saints and Saint Andrew of
Lefanos. She also gives her an additional dowry of 2000 doukata and the Livadi
(meadow) of Koutroulikou.

The Archbishop of Samos, Joseph Georgerinis writes, A rich merchant named

Nicholaos Mathas built a mansion at the place named Livadi. This place was
excellent for vineyards and fishing. He later became a monk named Neophytos.
He died in 1672 as it is written in the Brevium.

About the middle of the 18th century, the monk Parthenios Partheniadis one of
the Kollyvades, a member of the group that followed Niphon of Chios of the
Monastery of the Annunciation of Ikaria, came to Patmos to find peace.
Parthenios, leaving Ikaria, told his followers, When you see that one of the two
Cypress trees which I planted has died, then you will know that I have died. This
truly happened because the Cypress tree died when Parthenios died.

When Parthenios left Ikaria he took the builders, Demetrios Soulani and
Theodore Katzava who were from Marathokambo of Samos with him. He
reached Patmos in 1798 and he felt like he had been there before. The owners
leased the Livadi of Koutrouli to him for 25 Grossia a year. A small number of
monks came with him. He became the first owner of that little monastery. That is
why it is also known as the Hermitage of Parthenios. In the Brevium it says: On
February 25, 1804 the monk Savvas died of natural causes outside the
Hermitage of Parthenios. Eternal be his memory.

Because Parthenios needed money to finish the newly built little monastery, he
went to Didymotycho, Thrace to get donations. There, at the same time he
preached, taught the inhabitants, heard the confessions of the Christians and he
advised them not to work on Sundays. This made many people angry. He
advised an unfortunate young Christian girl not to have relations with an
Ottoman Turk. When she told the Turk what Parthenios advised, the Turk
became angry and killed Parthenios on Sunday, after the morning Liturgy on
March 5, 1805. He was another Martyr of Orthodox Christianity. Briefly and
modestly the Brevium mentions, On March 5, 1805, the Priest Parthenios
became a Martyr at Didymotycho, on the day of Sunday, on leaving the Holy
Liturgy. They tortured him. May God rest his soul.

Three months after the death of his spiritual advisor, his disciple, Gabriel or
Gabrielakis, (because he was short) died of sadness and was buried behind the
altar of the Church in May 27, 1805.
Brevium, In 1805 the priest Gabrielakis died in peace outside the Hermitage of
Parthenios before his time on May 27. The day was Saturday. May God rest his
soul.

The rest of the group remained under the leadership of Parthenakis, (little
Parthenios to make the distinction from the great elder). When Parthenakis died
the owners of Livadi, seeing the abundance of the crops gotten by the hard work
of the monks demanded half of the produce. Because of this outrageous
demand, the monks decided to leave the Hermitage. It is later verified that all the
lawless owners did not find happiness in life.

It never ceased to be used as a place for prayer and peace. For this reason
many monks went to stay there. In 1812, the monk Nikiphoros died at the
Hermitage of Parthenios. The Brevium writes: August 28, 1812 our brother,
Monk Nikiphoros, called Trezoloukas, died at Livadi of Paroxysm. He was buried
at Livadi. May the Lord place his soul with the Righteous.

In 1816 another member of the Kollyvades and follower of Niphon, the monk
Apollo left Mount Athos and came to Patmos. He lived at the Hermitage of
Pathenios for two years. Because the area was too large and he could find the
peace which he desired he moved to Zarroi and later to Theronia where he
established a hermitage which bears his name.

From January 1830 the entire area of Livadi belonged to Theodore Kontoleonda
Konelli and later it was left to different owners.

Guerin visited the hermitage before 1856. He left the following impressions,
Futher on one can see a bay around which a valley is spread. It is the Livadi of
Parthenios. There you can see one of the most beautiful of the 300 or more
Churches which are scattered all over the island. Parthenios built this hermitage
over 200 years ago.

Finally, the entire area of Livadi was bought by Amphilochios with the
encouragement of his brother the holy monk, Nikodimos, the priest. Nikodimos
lived in a hermitage near Livadi, (the field of Ralla, below Lambi the location of
Urises). Earlier he lived with Apollo at his hermitage. Amphilochios restored the
hermitage which was in ruins and the church of Byzantine Architecture and
named it honoring the Dormition of the Virgin which he greatly revered.
Amphilochios had a small group of followers among whom was the holy Monk
Melitios Gianeles form Samos. They lived together for three years.

Meanwhile, the brothers got weary of many cares of their lives and the difficulty
in upkeep of the hermitage and decided to trade Livadi with a field of the holy
monk Meletios which was his own property in Samos at the place of Karamouzi
of Marathokambo. It was agreed that the monks could stay at Livadi whenever
they wanted. The holy Monk Meletios after his death in 1938, left the hermitage
for the womens Monastery Zoothoho Pigi.
After the brothers Kappos, the holy monk Makarios Antoniadis lived at Livadi
Kalogero for a while. He later moved to the Hermitage of Apollo.

Later Galaktion from Samos lived there. He was a wood carver. A work of his
hands is the icon of Saint Demetrios (0.12 meters in height) which is preserved
today at the Town Hall. Nikodimos from Samos also lived with Meletios and
Galaktinso at Livadi. Because Nikodimos was short they called him Nikodimaki.
He was also a master of music. The American tourist Geil visited the hermitage
before 1905 and says: I found two monks. One cultivates the earth and the
other is a carver of icons. At the portal of the church are two bishops staffs for
the monks who pray. One monk tells him You Americans have discovered
everything, but how come you have not found the way of God? I have never
seen a nation go to heaven. I prefer to have this quiet place instead of all of
France.

In 1955 during the time of the Abbot Meletios Margiolis (died 1975) the monks of
the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian, Nikodimos Grillis and Bartholomew
Stratas lived as caretakers for the Monastery of Zoothoho Pigi. Today the holy
monk Nikodimos lives there alone and cultivates the land.

May the blessed founders, holy Parthenios, Amphilochios and Nikodimos, with
boldness, pray to God, who loves man, asking Him to guide monks to the
hermitage of Livadi so that they can restore it and send up: Hymns to God and
His all Holy Mother, in the evening and the morning, and at midday, and all the
time.

The Meadow of the Monks reached the peak of its success during the time of the
Kappos brothers, Amphilochios and Nikodimos. For this reason it was named
Livadi Kalogerou (Meadow of the Monks). In 1889 Maladrakis, in his translation
of the travels of Lord Bute, writes: The Monastery of the Assumption of the
Virgin Mary was bought by the archpriest, who still lives there. After returning
from Egypt, Amphilochios, the former bishop of Pelousios, organized a small
community with a strict monastic life. His brother, the holy monk, Nikodimos,
advisor and spiritual leader of the Monastery of Saint John, lived there along with
two or three more monks. The cells are few and small and are recognized for
their great cleanliness and appearance. The church is the primary building and is
distinguished as one of the largest in Patmos. The interior impresses one, not
because of richness, but because it is built with great taste and diligence. The
iconostasis of elegantly carved wood is not all in gold leaf, but only a part of the
frames of the icons are.

This church with its well lit interior and simplicity is in sharp contrast to the
church at the Monastery of Saint John, which is very dark. Here, every day for
hours, the voices can be heard of people praying: The Lord is pleased with the
worshippers of His Church.
The iconostasis is a good wood carving of the 19th Century with various carved
leaves and flowers. The iconostasis has gold leaf and was made in 1810 by
monk artists Athanasios and Agathon from the Monastery of Evangelismos of
Ikaria. The icons on the iconostasis are of Christ (0.75x0.56 meters) with the
inscription: In memory of your servant Stratis, the pilgrim and his wife and
children-1793. and of the Theotokos, the Eleousa (0.75x0.54 meters) with the
inscription: With prayers of the servant of God, Rigana and her children. It is
said that this icon was taken to Ano Chora to the home of Emmanuel Diamantis
so that it would be used in the procession according to custom. When the icon
was to be taken to the ceremony it could not be found where it had been left, but
it was found back in the former place in the iconostatis of the church in Livadi.
After that incident, no one dared to move it from its place. A third icon is of the
Assumption of the Theotokos (0.75x0.54 meters) with the inscription: By the
hand of Evangelinos-1810. The fourth icon is of St. John the Baptist. It
measures the same as the other icons, with the inscription: A prayer of the
Servants of God, John and Despina. It is worth mentioning that among the other
icons there is one depicting Saint Anna, Joachim and the Theotokos with Jesus
as a child. This icon was thrown into a burning forest and immediately the fire
went out, and indeed the icon has a few burn marks.

On the exterior wall of the southern part of the dome there is a place for the
bells. In front of the wing where the cells are located is a small beautiful column
in the Corinthian style which was transported by the holy monk Meletios from the
town of Geronta.

The two Kappos brothers enriched the solid spiritual foundation of the island
during the second half of the 19th Century. These brothers were the last great
contributors to this enlightened period.

In the Brevium of the Monastery of Saint John the description of the character of
this great monk, Nikodimos Kappos is given in plain but rich phrases: On the
14th of December 1895, Thursday, our beloved and respected brother, holy
monk and spiritual leader Nikodimos Kappos died (He was 75 years old).
Nikodimos Kappos along with his classmate Hierotheos (Floridis) were scholars
of the Greek language. Nikodimos served as a teacher in the old renowned
Seminary of the Holy Apocalypse (Holy Revelation). He taught for many years
with distinction and his students were outstanding. Later, desiring the peaceful
life of a hermit, he went and stayed with the virtuous and very strict priest Apollo
for a few years. Afterwards, he was appointed priest of the Monastery of
Zoothohos Pigi by the Abbot Veniamin Grimani. Then he became a Preacher
and a Spiritual Father of Patmos in general until the time of his death. Because
of his great reverence of the Virgin Mary and his zeal for the holy hermitage
honoring the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, he bought the only field of Ralla which
was neighboring the hermitage. He then persuaded his brother, Amphilochios,
the former Metropolitan of Pilousios, to buy the whole hermitage and the area
surrounding it. These properties were dedicated to God so that they would be
used forever as a hermitage under the supervision and protection of the Holy
Monastery for the Glory of God. God rest their souls among the Righteous.
Amen.

The Spiritual Father Nikodimos was a writer of hymns. He composed the service
of Saint Leontios and hymns for Saint Christodoulos and the Apostle Thomas.
Nikodimos was also a bookbinder. In the book Evangeliki Salpynx (Evangelical
Trumpet) of Makarios Kalogeras, Leipzig 1765, there is the notation: Repaired
with care and love of the reverend holy teacher Hieromonk Nikodimos Kappos,
the Patmian, Hieromonk in Damniatio, June 1, 1876.

Amphilochios Kappos, the former Metropolitan of Pelousion, and his brother

Nikodimos were students at the Patmiada under the teacher monk Isaac the
Cretan. Amphilochios, at the same time learned of the basics of spirituality from
the man of prayer and tears, Apollo. In 1832 he was ordained a reader by the
Patriarch of Alexandria, Theophylos, who was in Patmos.

In 1834 he went to work in Russia where he learned the Russian Language. He

was not satisfied with the worldly life because he had a fiery desire for the
monastic life. Therefore he abandoned worldly pleasures and escaped to Mount
Athos, to the monastery of Saint Panteleimon which was Russian. There he was
received as a novice monk on May 2, 1844 by Bishop Theodosios of Samos. On
September 11, 1860 he was ordained a Holy Monk by Meletios, the former
Metropolitan of Loftzios, who resided at Mount Athos at that time. At the same
time he was ordained Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Koutloumousios. After forty
days he was thrown out because the majority of the monks were from the
Ioanian Islands, which were occupied by the English. He was accused as being
a friend of Russians. When he returned to the monastery which was called the
Russian, he was not received there either.

Amphilochios then went to stay at the Monastery of Xenophon. On July 27, 1861
he departed for Constantinople and later for Alexandria, Egypt with Iakovos
Pankosta, the newly elected Patmian Patriarch of Alexandria. On November
12,1961 he was ordained Bishop of Pilousios by Iakovos Pankosta and with the
title the Exarch of all Mesembria. After the death of Iakovos of Alexandria on
December 31, 1865, Amphilochios was appointed Overseer of the throne of
Alexandria. During his time as Overseer an epidemic of cholera broke out and
plagued the whole of the land of Pharaoh. All the lay people and clergy deserted
Egypt by running away. Only Amphilochios stayed and ministered as a priest and
spiritual confessor to the sick Christians. He gave the Holy Sacraments to the
dying. He was not afraid to stay and fulfill his religious and philanthropic
obligations. He had so much trust in his Godly mission that he gave neither
attention to his diet nor to the advice of his doctors. He ate his beloved garlic
sauce and fried dried mackerel and all the fasting food without fear and with
great pleasure.
For this reason the Greek Government in appreciating the dedication of the great
Hierarch bestowed on him the Golden Cross of the Knights of the Savior.

In 1870, Sophronios III, became the Patriarch of Alexandria and in 1871,

Amphilochios left for Patmos. On January 26, 1880 he became a brother at the
Monastery of Saint John the Theologian.

In 1883 he moved to the hermitage of Livadi Kalogerou, as it was later named,

with his brother Nikodimos. There he worked restoring the church and cells.
Later Ampilohios restricted himself to the monastery of Saint John copying old
manuscripts with his excellent handwriting. He lived simply, economically,
avoiding eating meat. He helped the poor with all his heart. He was the perfect
example of a pious monk and priest and was very much respected in Patmos.

Once during a drought, a litany was performed by Amphilochios. All the clergy
participated in the procession holding holy relics. They gathered at Saint
Efthimios on the Freskada (patio). There Ampilohios prayed on his knees with
tears for the mercy of God through the intervention of Saint Efthimios. The
ground became muddy from Amphilochios many tears. When he arose he
started the Litany, but before he finished, although the sky had been clear,
clouds suddenly came together and made the sky black. The laity and the clergy
didnt get a chance to reach Chora when the downpour started. Some people
complained that they would get wet while others didnt care if they got wet as
long as it rained. In spite of the great down pour no one got wet.

When Amphilochios knew he was dying he asked that the Holy Communion be
given to him quickly. He died immediately after receiving the Holy Gifts, giving
his soul up to God on December 5, 1902. He was 82 years old when this pious
holy hierarch died. It was the day before the Feast of the great Hierarch of Lykia.
In the Brevium of the Monastery it is written, On December 5, 1092 our holy
brother the former Bishop of Pelousion, Amphilochios Kappos died of natural
causes at the age of 82.

Thus, the ascetic and tradition of worship of the Kollyvades was continued on at
the Hermitages of Livadi of Kalogerou and Apollo in northern Patmos.

4. Saint George of Avlaki

This Hermitage is located in the northern part of the island between the Livadi
Kalogerou and the Mavra Gremna (Black Cliffs). Between the Cape of Livadi and
the peninsular of Livadi the small bay of Livadi is formed called the Bay of Saint
George. It was mentioned by Georgeirinis. The name Avlaki (ditch or furrow),
according to Smirnakis, was given because of the ravine formed southwest
which looked like one. Kritikos, however, has the opinion that it is likely that the
name was given from some miraculous event that occurred there. The name has
remained until today within oral tradition.
A long time ago a few girls went to Saint Georges church to cense the icon. A
large snake appeared before them ready to attack. The girls fell on their knees
praying to Saint George to save them. Miraculously the top part of the door fell
on the snake crushing it. Its tail was hit with such force that it formed a furrow
(avlaki). And that is how the name Saint George of Avlaki came about.

Another story is about Kera-Sourayo at Saint George. Kera-Sourayo left Chora

one Saturday evening to go to Saint Georges Church to light the Vigil lights and
to cense the icon as she had promised. When she arrived, there were pirates
sleeping around the little church. With deep faith she entered the church, she lit
the vigil lights and censed the icon. As she was leaving the pirates awoke and
chased her. She then prayed to Saint George, who saved her and she returned
to Chora unharmed.

There is still another story about the church of Saint George. A young boy
promised Saint George an omelet if he won the game of Taka. Indeed, when he
won the game, he took the omelet which his mother had made to Saint George.
Soon after the boy left, pirates came and ate the omelet. After they ate, they
became blind and could not see the door to leave. They then promised Saint
George ten golden coins. Immediately their sight was restored. Leaving the little
church they said, Your omelet was delicious Saint George, but very expensive.

This little church today has three sections. Originally it had only two sections,
one for Saint George and one for Saint Mark. From an inscription on the marble
found in the Narthex of the little church we learn the church was restored on
June 12, 1755. Later in 1883 the former Bishop of Pilousios, Amphilochios
added a third section honoring the Evangelist, Saint Matthew. Thus, the church
has three sections. Because of this addition Patmos has churches honoring all
four Evangelists. In the section of the church built by Amphilochios honoring
Saint Matthew there is an icon of the Stabbed Virgin. (Panagia Maheromeni).

According to oral tradition, this icon was stolen from Marygo of Dakou in Chora
by Pirates. The pirates used the icon as a cutting board to chop tobacco leaves.
When they finished, they threw the icon into the sea. The icon washed up on the
beach of Odysseus, saving a drowning man who had found it in the sea. This
icon was bought by Nikodimos, brother of the former Bishop of Pilousios,
Amphilochios. Nikodimos donated the icon to the little church of Saint Matthew
which was built by his brother Amphilochios.

Amphilochios also built a few cells west of the church because he stayed at
Saint George during the festival of Saint George while he was a hermit at Livadi
Kalogerou. He also heard the confessions of the faithful that came to him at this
church.

5. Hermitage ApolloApollos - Makarios Antoniadis

This hermitage is found in the place called Thermia, northeast of Geranos. Hot
springs are found there. Today it is known as the Hermitage of Apollo. It is
named for its builder, Apollo.

Kritikos disagrees with Smirnakis that Thermia is the same as Stazousa. This
was mentioned by Archbishop Iosif Georgireinis that Stazousa is found to the
right of the beach of Megalo Mersini (west of Saint Nicholas the Manifest).

This hermitage is made up of a small church and cells and it is surrounded by a

wall. The small church is only 5.63x3.40 meters. It has arches and a dome with
one window. The dome is surrounded by a square tower like Koumanas church
so that the enemies of the faith could not see it. Today this tower has been
removed during a restoration. The height from the floor to the top of the dome is
4.89 meters.

A two storey building is attached to the Narthex. The first floor was probably
used as a guest-house. On the second floor are four small cells separated by a
hallway which ends outside on the south side to a wooden deck. The iconostasis
is a simple carved one with golden decoration. In the middle of the iconostasis
there are small icons depicting martyrdoms of saints. The top icon is of the
Crucifixion.

The icons of the iconostasis have the dimensions of 0.56x0.41 meters. One is of
the Panagia Brefokratousa (The Virgin with Child), and the other is of Christ
Evlogounta (Blessing). These are found on each side of the Great Gate
(entrance to the Altar). Next to the icon of Christ is the icon of All Saints. On the
back of this icon is the date 1837. Under the icons of Jesus and Panagia are
icons of Saint Basil the Great, Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Gregory the
Theologian and the icon of All Saints.

On the side doors of the iconostasis are icons of St. Makarios of Alexandria and
St. Makarios of Egypt. Between the icons on the top of the iconostasis and the
ones underneath there is a strip with small icons of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary),
Christ, Saint Christodoulos and Saint Apollo. Saint Apollo is holding a scroll
which says: A student who talks back is like a blind inexperienced archer. All
the above mentioned icons were painted by Saint Savvas, the New from
Kalymnos. Saint Savvas lived at the hermitage for a while. On the south side of
the little church is an icon measuring 0.40x0.25 meters depicting Saint Mark, the
New and Saint Makarios of Corinth. It has an inscription; By the hand of
Agathon M. Ikariou 18.....

On the outside of the north side of the church there is a bell tower with the
inscription: June 9, 1905 built from donations of Makarios, Holy Monk,
Antoniadis from Samos..

Close to the hermitage a threshing floor and the foundation of a windmill. From
Athina Tarsoulis plans we are informed that the windmill over forty years ago
existed completely.

The holy monk Apollo was from Mount Athos and he was a member of Niphons
Kollyvades. He lived at the hermitage. Usually Apollo was called the
Peloponnesian. Smirnakis, though, writes that Apollo was from Karpenisi and
that at a young age he escaped to Mount Athos to be saved from Ali Pasa. This
information is verified by a handwritten note which was found in the book
Octoechos, published Venice 1837. saying: This belongs to Apollo, the holy
monk from Karpenisi. Bishop John from Sidirokastro believes that Apollo came
from Roumeli and specifically from Agrafa. His name Apollo, comes from Saint
Apollo because an icon of Saint Apollo is found at the hermitage. He was not
named for the Apostle Apollo or for the martyr Apollo or for the Bishop Apollo.

Apollo was ordained a monk at the church of Saint Anna on Mount Athos.
Because a Conflict the Kollyvades, he left for Ikaria. He stayed near the Holy
Monk Niphon, who was from Chios, at the Monastery of Evangelismos in 1775.
When Niphon left for Skiathos, where he built the Monastery of Evangelismos,
Apollo followed him. Niphon sent Apollo to Saint Nikodimos from Mount Athos to
ask his opinion whether he should return to Ikaria. The holy monk Isidoros
Kyriakopoulos wrote of Apollo in the biography of Niphon: Niphon sent our
teacher Apollo with gifts to Mount Athos...Concerning his death, he invited the
three monks, Agathon from Chios, Sisoes from Kephallonia and Apollo from
Peloponnese and he told them that after his death, they should go to Ikaria and
restore the Monastery of Evangelismos...The three monks Laos took along three
other monks, Zenon, Ignatius and Athinodoros all from the Peloponnese and
they went to Ikaria. Ignatius and Athinodoros were Apollos brothers.

After the death of Niphon (1809) Apollo left for Ikaria and the Monastery of
Evangelismos. Because he knew about ecclesiastical order he was appointed to
supervise good order. He did not remain there very long because he did not find
the peace, exactness and strictness he desired. He went to a different hermitage
near the village of Rakis, but not for long. Because of temptations and scandals,
he left for Patmos, 1816.

In the beginning he stayed at the hermitage at Livadi of Kalogerou. Desiring a

more peaceful place, he went to Zarroi (north of Geranos). One day when he
saw four ships from Kalymnos anchored in the Bay of Zarroi, he left immediately.
With the help of a local farmer he was guided to the place Thermia, south, but
near Zarroi. At first he lived in a cave. He arranged his hours of prayer by the
sounding of the bells of the monastery. He was happy in this deserted place
which had plenty of drinkable water. Here he built a cell and from 1818 he
remained continuously for about forty years. He lived to the fullest the life of a
hermit.

The little church which exists today was erected as follows:

During an all night vigil service at the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian,
Apollo was appointed to read the Scripture related to the feast. Theophilos the
Patriarch of Alexandria ( 1833) lived at the monastery at that time. (He was
deposed from his position due to his actions during the Greek Revolution of
1821). A certain Captain Lazaris, from the same town as Apollo, who had
stopped over in Patmos because of bad weather, also attended the Vigil. He was
very impressed with Apollos reading. After gathering information about Apollo,
he visited Apollo at the hermitage. Captain Lazaris asked Apollo if there was
anything he needed. Apollo answered that as a monk and a hermit, he needed
nothing. Captain Lazaris insisted that a little church should be built to glorify God.
Immediately the captain sold the rice which was kept in his ship and gave the
money to Apollo to build the church.

God also took care of the iconostasis which had no icons. A merchant who
passed by the hermitage saw that there were no icons. He told Apollo that the
icons for a church of Saint Nicholas in Asia Minor did not fit that iconostasis. He
believed that they would fit the iconostasis at the little church of Apollo. He sent
them and they truly did fit.

He decided to dedicate the little church to the memory of the Holy fathers of
Sinai and Raithu who were desolated by the Arab Blemyon (14 January). The
reason he picked these names was so as not to celebrate the feast of a well-
known Saint and his peaceful life. He ordered this icon to be painted by a
Patmian in Russia. By mistake an icon of All Saints was painted and sent. And
for this reason the church was dedicated to All Saints.

The wall around the hermitage was also built by good fortune. Because Apollo
was well -educated, many came to seek his advice about ecclesiastical matters.
Once the Abbot of the Monastery along with another monk visited Apollo so that
he could explain and resolve their differences concerning a passage. Before
Apollo would settle their dispute, as a good referee and interpreter, jokingly told
them to make a wager before he solved the problem. They asked him what
should the wager be. Then the sharp-witted Apollo answered, Whoever loses
the wager will build a wall around the hermitage. And so it was done.

Apollo had planted a vineyard around the hermitage. He had also planted a
Vine-tree, under which Gurin found him when he visited him. Gurin told us of
Apollos daily program and the church services which were performed day and
night. Gurin was the only witness who lived with him and understood his
feelings.

Apollos life is always the same and it consists of acts which are repeated daily.
During the day he goes to his little church twice to pray. At night, he repeats the
same prayers with the three monks who live under his supervision. Freed from
the worldly cares which others have, he peacefully awaits his death which seems
to avoid him, respecting his bald head and long white beard. His face is calm
and happy. It does not have wrinkles from worries but only the ones that come
with age. The cheerfulness which gives meaning to his life is the same as the
peaceful calmness of his soul.

On the day I knocked on his hospitable door, he wanted to talk with me until
evening. At 9:00 he guided me to my cell and he went to his. Around midnight I
heard him get up along with the three other monks. They went to the little church
and soon I heard their voices chanting. His voice led and he gave the right mode
to the others. I could not help but be moved when in the stillness of the night, at
the foot of a deserted mountain, a few steps from the sea, I suddenly heard
those four voices. Their chanting and prayers mingled with the hollow moaning
of the sea with its eternal cry and this gave life to the desert.

.... in your courtyard, I praise You, Savior of the world and kneeling I worship
Your unbeatable power.

The three monks who were with Apollo, Gurin mentioned, must have been the
holy monk Isidoros Kyriako-poulos and his two natural brothers, the monk
Athinodoros and the holy monk Ignatius.

Apollo was full of grace, virtuous and temperate. It is said that from a young age
he liked to smoke a tobacco pipe, or narghile, which he continued in moderation
during his monastic life. One day a devout Patmian, Ioannis Fountis, visited
Apollo. He often visited confessing and escaping the trials and tribulations of
every day life. (He had nine daughters and 3 sons). He brought with him his
young son, Themistoclis, so that he could receive a blessing from Apollo. The,
the following incident happened. When they arrived, the father told his son to go
ahead and ask the monk Apollo for his blessing. Apollo, at that moment, was
smoking the narghile. The child asked: Who is the Elder? The father pointed to
the monk. The child bravely said: That is not the Elder. Elders and monks do not
smoke.

Immediately, the virtuous Apollo broke the narghile which he was holding and
said to the child, Child, these words are not yours, but Gods. Take the pieces
and throw them in the sea. From that moment forward, he never smoked again.
One admires Apollos humility. He placed himself below the child and heard the
voice of God.

Apollo was brave and generous. One day pirates came to rob him, but he faced
them without emotion and started to talk to them. The pirates, seeing his
courage, said: Arent you afraid of us? We are criminals. He replied: Why
should I be afraid of those who have more than I and who can help others?

The pirates asked him to open the door to his cell. Then Apollo shoved the door
and it fell down before their unbelieving eyes. As they were leaving, they offered
him money to perform liturgies for them, but he refused to accept the offer. He
told them that evil doers of humanity do not need liturgies and prayers unless
they stop their evil deeds. They left terrified after hearing the courageous
teaching of Apollo.

Like the Apostle Paul, Apollo did not care for money. He tried not to burden the
Christians who came to him with piety. He was upset because the inhabitants
brought him bread and prosphora (the bread used for the Eucharist). For this
reason, he asked the Elders Council of Patmos to allow him to cultivate a parcel
of land so that he could provide for himself and not be a burden to anyone.

Even today, descendants of the Christians who visited Apollo tell of his wise
teaching and godly advice. This he was able to do because he studied the
Scriptures and the books of the Holy Fathers. He was enlightened by God. He
said: When someone has a task to do and he is not sure, he should pray with
tears for three continuous days and ask for Gods help. Afterwards, he should go
to the altar and open the Holy Gospel and if he finds a phrase which is suitable
for his task, it was a sign that God wanted him to perform the task.

His character was examining persons not regarding persons but the Holy Gospel
and Holy Canons. Smirnakis in Patmos writes: Apollo had so much holy zeal
upholding the canons of the church that he sometimes went even beyond his
proper jurisdiction. For example, when visiting the churches of Patmos if the
baptismal font was made of common clay and not deep enough for real use he
would break them. No one dared say anything, because they knew no one could
be baptized properly in the shallow font, but only be sprinkled. His deep piety
was demonstrated in the way he advised his disciples, the holy monk Isidoros
and the brother Nikodimas and Amfilohios Kappas: When you read the prayers
for the Holy Communion you should cry.

Apollo had a library of books of the hermits he studied so deeply that he almost
had the books memorized. In conversations with devout visitors he recited
sections from these books. The description of his total character is given to us in
a letter from the Patriarch of Alexandria, Theophilos Pancastas, the Patmian
(1819): I, abba, can see the God-loving and soul that you have philosophizing in
exactly the same way, whether you are at peace or in temptation.

Besides his two real brothers, Ignatius and Athinodoros (1851), who were also
hermits with him, he had disiples under his supervision the brothers Nikodimas
and Amphilochios Kappos. They were all taught and inspired by the hermit
Apollo. Stamatiadis, on page 98, of his book Ikariaka includes a letter from the
monk Isidoros which contained the biography of the monk Niphon from Chios
and was addressed to a monk named Nikodimas. This monk Nikodimas must be
the same monk Nikodimas Kappos with whom Isidoros was a hermit along with
Apollo at the hermitage in Patmos. The one who lived with Apollo the longest
was the holy monk Isidoros Kyriakopoulos who inherited and imitated the virtues
of Apollo and passed them on to others.
Isidoros was born in 1819 in Marathokambo, Samos. At a young age he was
drawn to become a monk by the great fame of Apollo. He came to Apollo and
lived with him for 20 years serving the strict Elder with great patience and
obedience until he died.

Because of Isidoros dedication, he was invited by the Abbot Haritonas (heir of

Agathos, a student of Niphon) of the Monastery Annunciation of Ikaria to become
the Abbot of the Monastery. He would be the fourth Abbot since the founding of
the monastery by Niphon of Chios.

As Abbot Isidoros worked with great zeal for both material and spiritual needs.
He planted vineyards and olive groves. He built a watermill near the sea, which
had never been seen before in Ikaria. He also built a library.

After 10 years of godly service to the monastery, Isidoros resigned and returned
to Samos. He withdrew to the foot of the mountain Kerketes where he built the
Hermitage of Saint John the Almsgiver. Later, the Government of Samos
appointed Apollo Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Prophet Elias and
afterwards Abbot of the Monastery of Megali Panagia, where he died on
September 7, 1892 at the age of 63. Apollo was a man of great virtue and piety.

Apollo also ordained the monk Arsenios Kourtikou on April 3, 1843 and named
him Agapios.

On January 20, 1859, Apollo died after serving for forty years, twenty of which he
was healthy and twenty of which he was suffering from a horrible deformity
(elephantisis), which he endured patiently, continually worshipping and praising
God. He proved that he was always a man of pious virtues and one of the best
among his contemporaries. In the Vravio, we read Tuesday - January 20, 1859
our brother Holy Monk Apollo died at the age of 90. God rest his soul among the
Righteous. He died on Feast day of Saint Efthimios the Great.

Before he died, his disciple, Isidoros from Samos, addressed him with respect:
Elder, in a short time Saint Efthimios will greet you in heaven with all the saints.
The modest old man was embarrassed by these praising words and scolded him
saying: What are you saying old-onion head (Isidoros village was famous for
onions)? Does your village have other prophets like you?

The descendants who knew of Apollos virtuous life and his godly teachings,
which uplifted the souls of the holy island, believed that he was a Saint. After his
remains were exhumed, they appeared to be holy. The holy monk Isidoros came
from Samos and received Apollos skull and the two thigh bones. Smirnakis in
Patmos writes that some of Apollos relics are still at his hermitage.

Apollo left the mountains of Roumeli while still young, went to Mount Athos, and
later went to Patmos. There he lived with prayer and strict ascetic life on the
island of the beloved disciple of Christ, Saint John, and at the end, Apollo found
the peace he desired. For about forty years as the hermitage stood weathering
the rage of the wind and the waves, so Apollo stood like a piece of a mountain,
unshaken by the numerous attacks of trials and sorrows. He never stopped
praising God in his prayers-morning, noon and night. I will bless the Lord at all
time. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. (Ps. 34: 1).

But I am poor and sorrowful: let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high.. (Ps.
69, 29).

O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your
wondrous works. (Ps. 71: 17).

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord, with gladness.
Come before His presence with singing. (Ps. 100: 1-2).

Now Apollo is happy near his Lord, whom he served from his youth.

His successors, the holy monks Isidoros and Kallistos, did not remain at the
hermitage as Apollo, had foreseen. Later Nikodimos Kappos, Paphnoutios,
Dionysios and Ignatius Gazas (Frios) (+1918) came. They stayed for 35 years
and came from Kentronisi where they were hermits.

Afterwards, Makarios Antoniadis, who was born in 1841 at Marathokambo of

Samos came to the hermitage. He had been a student at the seminary of the
island and had served temporarily in Romania. He finally decided to come to the
Monastery of the Assumption at Ikaria of Niphon when the Abbot at the
monastery was the holy monk Isidoros Kyriakopoulos. Makarios became Abbot
of the Monastery of the Prophet Elias at Karlovasi after Isidoros had been the
Abbot at this monastery. He left Samos in 1887 and came to the Island of the
Revelation, Patmos.

At first he settled at the Livadi of the Kalogerou, where he built a residence on

the right side of the church. Mostly he was attracted to the Hermitage of Apollo.
For this reason, he moved there replacing the holy monk Ignatius Gazas. At the
hermitage of Apollo, he met the American Geil who wrote: I found a hermit who
was holding a cotton bag which contained the relics of Apollo who lived about
100 years ago. Geil photographed Makarios near the spring while he was
holding a relic of Apollo. Geil wrote, on page 323 of his book Patmos that
Makarios did not give money to the community, but the community sent oil for
the upkeep of a vigil light that never went out. This was done because George
Markoulis had killed his mother in 1852. This information is also mentioned by
Smirnakis in his book Patmos.

Makarios was among the brothers of the Monastery. He was a strict follower of
the services of the Church. The fisherman knew it was exactly twelve oclock
when they heard the bell ring at night. He celebrated the Liturgy in a manner
worthy of a priest. He officiated every Sunday and of all the church holidays. He
desired to officiate every day if at all possible. This attention to the rubrics of the
divine services with the deep, hidden meaning in it, is characteristic of Orthodox
Mysticism.

Every year on January 20th, he celebrated a memorial for the founder, Apollo.
He always kept Byzantine time. On Sundays, he started at 1 (6 in the morning)
and he finished at 6:30 (12:30 in the afternoon). Many people attended the
Divine Liturgy from the neighboring village. Afterwards he offered them the
traditional Patmian Coffee and some advice. He recommended suitable attire to
the women and not to work on Sunday to the men. He scolded the fishermen of
Kambos about fishing on Sunday because they forgot to attend the Sunday
Services. He often told them with strictness and irony Go take fishbait and
venerate that! To those who follow him, but did not heed his advice, he said:
Why do you come, you listen to my advice, but do not carry it out? To those
who did not make the sign of the Cross proper, he said: Make a Cross, dont
play the fiddle.

An old woman from Chora, Garoufallio, went and asked him to write her name in
the diptychs. Oh my poor woman, he said, I will remember you, but your deeds
will remember you first.

If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgments, if they My statures
and do not keep My commandments. Then I will punish their with the rod, And
their iniquity with stripes. (Ps. 89, verses 31-32).

Many went there for confession by foot, donkey or boat. Monks from the
monastery, from Kambos, from Lipsos, and Kalymnos all sought refuge the
Spiritual Father. He was frequently visited by the Reverend Gerontios who came
by sail boat. Father Gerontios was a monk from a monastery on Samos.
Strangely, he preferred to live in solitude on his boat rather than in his
monastery. His boat was transformed into a movable cell (!) with icons and a
holy Pyx so that he could partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. He celebrated
the services and his prayer-rule on his boat. Once in a while, if it happened to be
a special holiday he would approach a harbor where he knew he would find a
little monastery so that he could attend services.

Gerontios often came to the Hermitage of Apollo to confess to Father Makarios.

As a confessor he enforced the canons and rules of the Rudder and

Confessional of Saint Nikodimos of Athonite. The usual penance was strict diet,
five hundred prostrations and other things. For every Christian he ordered thirty-
three prostrations. He forbade dancing. Why, Father, they asked. He explained:
Saint John the Forerunner was beheaded because of dancing.

Makarios spiritual influence was especially great in Kambos. The father gave
spiritual advice and was strict with everyone. His words were stamped in their
hearts. Even today you hear people saying: This is what Makarios said.
He avoided gatherings and idol talk. After he heard peoples confessions, he
asked if they were leaving. If they stayed, he would give them a prayer rope and
send them to the sea shore to pray.

Saint Isaac the Syrian said: Oh, how bad it is for hesychasts to be with many
people and talk with them! Oh my brothers, indeed monks are harmed by contact
and conversation with people. (Logos 13th)

Makarios greatly desired solitude. He did not have contact or correspondence

with his relatives. He received letters, but he never answered them. When his
relatives came from Samos, he received them, but he never left Patmos from the
time he first came.

He never left the hermitage except to go to the monastery rarely or to celebrate

the Liturgy at Panagia of Geranos and Saint Panteleimon.

When he became old and weak and unable to work hard, he worked as a book
binder. There are still books that he bound with the initials: M. I. A. This stands
for Makarios, Ieromonahos (Hieromonk) Antoniadis.

The monk Bartholomew Stratas finished school at the age of twelve. He desired
the monastic life. So he went to serve, be taught and supervised by Father
Makarios at the Hermitage of Apollo. Bartholomew remained at the hermitage for
two and a half years. He then went to the Monastery of Saint John. After some
interruptions he returned to the hermitage for ten years where he lived with the
younger Apollos relative, Pantelios. He remembered and retold many incidents
from the austere life of Father Makarios.

Three days a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, they kept the ninth
hour. In other words, they ate once a day at nine oclock, Byzantine time. That is
3:00 in the afternoon. The meal consisted of boiled rosemary for drink, tahini,
olives and bread. During Great Lent, they kept the ninth hour without oil during
the whole week with the exception of Saturday and Sunday when they ate oil.

Makarios was very strict concerning fasting. Sometimes Apollo asked that the
Presanctified Liturgy be celebrated earlier so that he could eat and go to work.
But Makarios would not allow any changes. You go, do your work (without
eating) and return when the bell rings for the Presanctified Liturgy, he would tell
him.

When they were working they should say the Jesus Prayer according to his
instructions: When you say the Jesus Prayer, work becomes a prayer.

In Patmos on Great Thursday of Holy week, because of the service of The

Washing of the Feet, people were allowed to eat oil which was not permitted
during the rest of the Holy Week. Makarios, followed the Rudder faithfully, and
would not allow any exceptions. Once Apollo followed the Patmian tradition and
ate oil on Great Thursday, and worse he hid this fact. When Makarios found out
he became upset and would not allow Apollo to partake of Holy Communion for
Pascha. Apollo was not allowed to take Holy Communion until the Ascension.
Makarios added, Dont you dare put your schema on and come up for
Communion at Easter and upset me!

He was also strict in following his monastic rule. Father Bartholomew said, Even
though I was a boy of fifteen years, he gave me two prayer ropes with full
kneeling bows and three ropes with simple bows. He himself had three with
simple bows and twelve with full kneeling bows. (Each rope has one hundred
knots). With each knot I had to say, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy
upon me, and at every little red bead I had to say, Most Holy Mother of God
save us.

Apollos nephew on his mothers side, Nicholas M. Grillis lived at the hermitage
for fifteen years and vividly remembers many incidents that occurred during his
stay near Abbot Makarios. He was very strict in following the canons. Apollo and
I would finish our hundred knots prayer rope very quickly. Makarios would take
his time, praying slowly and clearly saying, Lord, Jesus Christ have mercy of
us. Then he would say to us who had finished so quickly: You did not pray
correctly. You must repeat it!

One night I did not attend the service because I was very tired. The next
morning when I saw Father Makarios, I greeted him with Your blessing, Father.
Why did you not come to the service last night?

Father, I was tired because I was digging.

You were working for the body. What about your soul? Orthros is for the soul.

Makarios did not light lamps at night. He said, This is a hermitage. Light is not
needed. His bed was two tripods with boards on top on which lay a mattress
made of straw. Across from his bed he had placed a sign which said: I fear
death because it is bitter. I fear hell because it is endless. I fear Tartarus (the
underworld) because it has no warmth. On the other wall he had a picture
representing a tomb with a dead person inside. This is the known subject-matter
of Abbot Sisoes.

Before we started to eat, we had to make the sign of the cross over the pot with
the serving spoon. Then we would serve it up. The first plate was always for the
unexpected visitor. This would be placed on the shelf to be given to anyone
that might pass by.

Makarios, faithfully, observed a strict fish only diet, which he made his dsciples
observe. Apollo, did not eat meat from the age of 15. Once, when he was very
old, he became very ill and the doctor advised him to have some chicken. He
refused. But after much pressure he had some broth, which he vomited
immediately.

Someone asked Makarios if he should eat fish on Palm Sunday.

He answered, If you eat fish, you will be blessed. If you do not, you will be
blessed three times as much.

Ill eat fish so that I can be blessed, he said.

Glutton, Makarios said, you will eat for your stomach.

The Blessed Father Amphilochios Makris, left the Monastery without permission
and went to the Holy Land in order to avoid being ordained as a priest. When he
returned, he was ordered by the Monastery to go live at the Hermitage of Apollo.
The monastery knew the austerity of Makarios and sent any monk who needed
discipline to the hermitage. This was the most severe punishment. For
Amphilochios this time at the hermitage was a blessing. Makarios tonsured him
to the Great Schema and made him a very special monk. He initiated him in
noetic prayer, which is the most important attribute that a spiritual father should
have.

Theoktistos Triantafillou, from Kalymnos, lived with Makarios for 5 years. He was
later tonsured a monk. He served at the hermitage at the Spring of Geranos,
near Saint Demetrios. He often came to Father Makarios for confession on the
weekends and he chanted at Vespers on Saturday night. He would leave for his
hermitage after the Liturgy on Sunday.

For a time in 1914, Saint Savvas, the new Hozevite, lived with Makarios. He
painted the icons for the iconostasis of the church.

On November 13, 1935, Makarios died at the age of ninety four. This was the
day that the blessed Father Amphilochios was elected Abbot of the Monastery of
St. John the Theologian. Makarios was buried by Father John Nikitaras, (+1981),
Father Theophanis Krikris, (+1966), Father Parthenios Fegaros, (+1988) and the
Deacon Hierotheos Gavalas, (+1968).

May God, whom you praised and glorified with your service and ascetic life,
bless you. Now that you are with Him, you can sing His praises along with His
Angels, saying: Blessed is the God of our Fathers. After the death of Makarios,
his disciple, Apollo, the monk, the younger Pantelios, a Patmian, remained as a
hermit at the Hermitage of Apollo. He continued the ascetic life and teachings of
its founder.

Apollo served as night watchman at the Monastery of Saint John from 1940
through 1945. The monk Leontios from Cos lived with Apollo for a while at the
hermitage. The monk Phanourios from Kalymnos, who had come from Mount
Athos, lived at the hermitage for one year until he died. Apollo died on January
20, 1966. He was over eighty years old. His relics are kept at the hermitage.

The Hermitage is now under the care of Father Nicholaos Yiameos. It awaits a
hermit who will live there permanently, praising God.

Today, a faithful worshipper visiting the Hermitage of Apollo, can enter the small
church and pray before the same icons that the holy ascetics prayed before. One
can visit the cells with piety. The cells are clean and decent. One can still see the
utensils used by the old Kollyvades. The threshing floor, the wind mill and the
running water will unwillingly take one back in time. Imagination lets one
visualize scenes from the lives of the hermits.

In the peaceful, dim light of the little church, holy images send up hymns and
glorify our Merciful God. In the cells, these images can be found repenting and
wetting the ground with their tears. Another scene has a disciple confessing his
thoughts to the Abbot. One can visualize the monks working in the fields,
watering the garden, threshing the wheat and grinding the wheat in the windmill.

As these pictures follow each other in ones mind, one can forget himself and
become like one of these holy hermits and can feel joy and contentment in the
presence of God.

6. Hermitages: Zarroi, Yenoupas, Petrokaravo, Psalidi: Theoktistos

The Hermitage Zarroi was built by Theoktistos. When Theoktistos was forty five
years old, he left Koulouki by boat and reached Cos. He was planning to visit the
Holy Island of the Revelation, Patmos, where the voice of God had been heard.
He wanted to visit all the places in Patmos and Euboea where Saint
Christodoulos had lived. He desired to venerate the ground where Saint feet
had walked.

He was born in 1822 in Thyateira (Axari), in the East, the cradle of Orthodoxy.
This was the fourth of the Seven Churches of the Revelation, where the Lord
presented the Morning Star. Smirnakis mentions that Theoktistos went to
Vlachia for business when he was young.. Because he did not like the vanity of
the worldly life there, he went to Mount Athos. There was a rumor in Patmos that
Theoktistos was a bishop, but he kept it a secret. Maybe he told someone his
secret, but he wanted it kept quiet until he died. He never mentioned anything
about his personal life before he came to Patmos.

He was tonsured a Great Schema monk in 1858 at the Monastery of Esfigmenos

at Mount Athos. As it was customary for many monks on Mount Athos, he went
to the Holy Land thirteen years later in 1871. There he proves himself with his
masculine gigantic figure during the bloody conflicts regarding the place of
pilgrimage in Bethlehem while Prokopios II was Patriarch of the Holy Land (1873
- 1875). These conflicts were caused by the diplomatic interference of France on
behalf of the Vatican.

Theoktistos went to Patmos in 1875. He was attracted by the holiness and

peacefulness of the island like St. Christodoulos. He went to the Patriarch of
Constantinople and asked for permission to stay in Patmos. Blessed by the
Patriarch, he returns to the Monastery of Saint John in Patmos. His reputation
preceded him and the Fathers of the Monastery gladly accepted him as a brother
and asked him to stay with them. But Theoktistos, being deeply attracted to the
word of God, desired to live the ascetic life. Saint Isaac the Syrian writes:
Whoever loves to speak with Christ, loves to live alone... He used to say that
when he was living the worldly life he met people trying to do the good while they
sinned. He did the same. For this reason, he found the only way for his salvation
was live alone, hurting no one. The hermit cannot harm anybody.

Thus, the monk Theoktistos left to find a hermitage. He was described as having
an olive complexion, dark eyes, thick eyebrows, a thunderous voice and a beard
that reached his knees. When he worked, he either braided his beard or divided
it into two pieces, throwing them over his shoulder and tying them in the back.
He was very strong and hard working. He was not afraid to work. He could move
boulders which normally required two or three men, all by himself.

It was in his character not to remain anywhere too long. He would build
hermitages and then abandon them. For forty years, he lived at many
hermitages in Patmos. Smirnakis verifies, according to information gathered from
older people and from his personal contact with the hermit himself, that he lived
at the following hermitages: The Hermitage of Apollo, at Zaroi, at Asomato, at
Kentronis, at the cave of Yenoupa, at Petrokaravo and at Psalida. Later he lived
at Vrasta and at Kypous near the hermitage of the Panagia of Mandalaki. While
he was living at the hermitages he would occasionally stay at the Monastery of
Saint John, where his cell still exists under the cell of Father Ieremias. He also
stayed at the Cave of the Apocalypse where he died on March 16, 1917 at the
ruins of the old Patmiada School. He had prepared his own grave and he was
buried there.

In 1912 when the Dodecanese were taken over by the Italians, the people from
the islands considered the Italians to be liberators from the Turks. During a Pan-
Dodecanese conference, which was held in Patmos, it was secretly decided to
declare independence for the Dodecanese islands on June 5, 1912, and to raise
the Greek flag at the Holy Cave of the Apocalypse. The young monk
Ampilochios Makris while carrying flag pole, said that it was pole, for the support
of the staircase of Theoktistos who lived at the Apocalypse. This incident is
taken from Smirnakis.

Theoktistos was drawn to desolate locations. At first he was attracted to the

hermitage of Apollo where he remained for four years. Perhaps the monk
Ignatius Gazos was still there. Later the monk Makarios Antoniadis went there.
We learn from Nicholaos Grillis, who is over 80 years old, and the nephew of
Apollo Pantelios, the following incident concerning the stay of Theoktistos at
Apollo. Theoktistos had workers dig to a depth of 0.7 meters for a new vineyard.
It was on a Wednesday during Great Lent that he told the workers they could eat
oil. But they replied they are Christians too and they would fast. Theoktistos said
you are working and must eat. Then he told them to each put a ball of dirt in their
belts and he did the same. That evening he asked each of them where is the dirt.
They answered that it fell apart and dissolved. He said that this did not fall apart.
This is what happened with the oil you ate- it dissolved. For sure it was not
necessary for me to eat oil, but it was for you. In this way he justified that the
workers should eat oil.

The following advice was given at other times: When you are a guest at
someones home and they are celebrating, go ahead and break your fast so you
do not appear to be a hypocrite. When you return home resume your fasting. He
was distinguished by his discernment.

After Apollo he went to Zaroi. This hermitage is located on the north side of
Geranos. A huge rock separates Zaroi from the Hermitage of Apollo and it is
easier to get to this hermitage by boat. This location was given to him with the
permission of the Elders Council in 1883. The word Zaroi was given because
the location had a lot of water (Za means a lot, roi means flow). Here Theoktistos
built a two storey building as well and planted a vineyard, fruit-bearing trees and
a garden. He gathered water from all around and stored it in a reservoir that had
a wall around it, which he had built.

Geil, the American tourist, met Theoktistos at Zaroi and wrote: I met an 80 year
old man who was modest, sweet, kind and holy. He offered us lunch under a
tree.

He worked hard with his hands, but his heart was continually praying. The prayer
of the hesychasts is short and continuous. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have
mercy on me. He prayed noetically without ceasing. He did not read many
services, but he constantly said the Jesus Prayer. He was so absorbed in prayer
with all his heart that one had to approach him closely to be noticed. He once
revealed secretly to another brother: I feel such ecstasy in prayer that I can not
sleep at night. When I say the Jesus Prayer it is as if I hear thousands of angels
singing. He studied the Philokalia and took Communion often. These are
characteristics of the genuine Kollyvades.

His garden had exceptional produce. From four or five tomato plants he would
gather about 600 pounds of tomatoes. His work continually progressed. His
vineyard was the best in the region. No one could find better grapes. The vine
growers of Kambos would come to see the special vineyard of Theoktistos.
When this happened, Theoktistos knew it was time to move. He deserted
everything and left. He would tell himself: Theoktistos, you have many goods.
Eat, drink and be merry!

When he was asked for the reason for his departure, the hermit of Zaroi would
answer in a thunderous voice: Temptation!

Success for Theoktistos meant temptation. Today if you visit Zaroi, you find
ruins. You can see the first floor, the separation of the two cells which have thick
walls of 0.70 meters. They were built of stone and white washed on the outside.
In addition, you will find a staircase leading to the second floor, the reservoir
which held the water for irrigation, and to the west a spring which still has a little
water. These are the only signs left to help a person bring back to life the
hermitage which was built by the hero of asceticism with his own hands. One
reverently kneels, touches the ruins, and somehow feels that there is something
holy in this location.

Our hermit, Theoktistos moves to Kentronisi, a little island across form Kavo of
Geranos. There he builds a small dwelling where he could meditate. He
remained there for only two years. Ruins at Kentrosini bare witness to his stay
there. Later, Theoktistos went to the little Monastery of Asomaton where he
stayed for four months.

In 1898 Theoktistos could be found at the cape of Yenoupa. It was a barren and
deserted place which was known as a terrifying place. During the time that Saint
John the Evangelist was exiled on Patmos, an evil magician named Kynops, an
enemy of Saint John, had his secret hideout in this cave. The people believed
that Kynops was possessed by the devil and made to do evil things. The people
of Chora were so afraid of Yenoupa that when the sun would set they would
close all the windows facing Yenoupa.

Theoktistos would say in his thunderous voice, I will go and beat him in his
cave. Yenoupas or Yenopas (aderivative of the word Kynops, which means dog-
face) or Pilafi Mountain descends southeast towards the Bay of Kouvari and
northwest towards the Bay of Agia (Saint) Paraskevi near the cape of Psalida. It
is a Mountain with two peaks. On its southeast rocky slope, there exists a small
cave 2x4 meters and 7.5 meters high. On the walls of the cave one can see
stalagmites which are white and pale yellow. Unfortunately, today it is impossible
to reach the cave of Yenoupa because of the quarry which blocks the way.

In July of 1898, Theoktistos was the first inhabitant of this impassable, pathless
area. His first task was to build a reservoir to collect rain water. With the help of
two workers, he dug the floor of the cave where he found a lot of human bones,
lanterns, tearducks, oil vials and many ancient coins. As soon as this discovery
was made known, the Ottoman authorities immediately investigated. Many
stories were told. The explanation given to the discovery of so many bones, is
that, near that place, there was once a community and they placed the remains
of their dead in a ditch in the cave.

Because of the constant visits of curious people, Theoktistos was forced to

abandon this cave and settle on the opposite side of the mountain in another
rectangular shaped cave. This cave had a little depth like a porch which opened
on the southwest toward the sea. He erected a wall with large stones to protect
against the strong winds and dampness. He built a reservoir for water and he
carved a bed out of the rocks. There he would sit and gaze out at the unending
blue sea while he prayed using his prayer rope or he chanted: Oh, Gladsome
Light (Phos Hilaron). The light of the islands of the Aegean and especially of
Patmos is unbeatable. It is as if this light is a foretelling of the light of the
Heavenly Kingdom. Because God is Light. Christ, who is continually called upon
in Theoktistos heart, is the Light of Lights, Who came to give Light to humanity.
Theoktistos would sit on the rock with his long beard, as if another prophet, and
he would close his eyes, satisfied with the Glory of God. Once in a while, he
modestly confessed that he could hear in the tranquillity of hermitage instead of
the noise of the wind, the harmonious music of the heavens. He remained there
for five years. During this time many came seeking his advice and confessing
their sins. Even shepherds from the surrounding area came seeking his advice
and confessing their sins. He greeted all of them with pleasure.

One day a young man saw a snake crawling near the hermits foot. Immediately
the young man raised his staff to kill the snake. Stop, shouted Theoktistos, He
is one of my friends. Every night a dozen of them come to sleep with me in the
cave.

One other day Father Amphilochios Makris (he was a very young monk then
went to visit Theoktistos with the monk Antipas). At midday he allowed them to
rest in the cave while he remained outside. When they saw the snake, they
screamed. Theoktistos came in laughing and he told them that the snake was a
friend who kept him company at night. What a wonderful attitude! Theoktistos,
like all the hermits, loved all the Gods creatures; humans, animals and all of
nature. Apollo never even killed a flea. Saint Nektarios put out water for ants to
drink, Saint Silouan of Mount Athos would suffer when a guest would cut a stem
from a plant for no reason.

The Abbot Isaac from Syros writes: What is a merciful heart? A merciful heart is
burning heart for All Creation. In other words, love all humans, animals, birds
and even demons and all of creation. When you see or remember them all, tears
flow from your eyes. He also prays for crawling things from his great mercy
which moves his heart without measure in the likeness of God.

When visitors came and found Theoktistos praying, they would stop so as not to
interrupt him. But the birds that were with him would make noise when visitors
approached and this way Theoktistos would know that he had visitors. He would
stop his prayers and would greet them happily.

His appearance was distinguished and austere. He wore his usual cape. He
usually did not wear shoes. He had some slippers which he had brought with
when he came from Mount Athos and socks which were given to him. But he
only wore them when he went to the Monastery. He never wore shoes at his
hermitage. His diet was very plain. He only ate oil on Saturday and Sunday. He
mostly ate greens, boiled cabbage, roasted garlic and paximadia (dried bread).

At that time there were many hermits in Patmos. On Saturday evening, the
people, especially the women, would take them figs, almonds and paximadia.

Marigo Vesti, who was over eighty years old tells us that her grandmother, Irene,
took paximadia to the hermit, Theoktistos, in a basket. This basket was kept
reverently in her home.

The hieromonk Ezekiel Karelakis (+ 1911) went to visit him one Friday and heard
him saying to himself: Stop stomach. Today Christ is crucified. Blood is flowing
from the cross. This gave him the strength to be strict in his fasting and deny
himself food which his body desired. He would make two thousand full
prostrations a day using his long prayer rope. During this time he cried for
forgiveness of his own sins and for the sins of others. He would say: If we do
not know how God created us, we will not know how we will be after sinning.

When Theoktistos was asked if he was afraid of living at Yenoupa, he would

reply: Why should I be afraid. I have my weapon which is unbeatable. Then he
would show his cross. He had faith in God and was not afraid of the darkness of
the night or the dangers of the day.

His appearance was stern, but there was a sweet glow reflecting the Holy Spirit.
He never stopped giving advice. One should never be idle. Either work or pray,
he would tell the people. At other times he would suggest if you can earn ten
grossia a day, eight should be for you and two should be for God.

Theoktistos foretold of the misfortune that would befall the holy monk Ezekiel
after the theft of the Porphyro Codika. (Purple Codex).

Laymen and Clergy alike went to Theoktistos for confession. He was a very good
listener and very trustworthy. He would say, Come let us talk. I am a sinner, too.
You should not only provide for your childrens food, what are they, animals? You
should take care of their souls too. When I was young another boy hit me and
caused my head to bleed! The devil made you do it, I told him. As soon as my
Mother heard that she burnt my tongue saying, Never say that again. Sure, I
was healed, the heart first and then the wound.
When visitors would leave Theoktistos he would bless them saying: Go with the
blessing of the Panagia and with that blessing of Christ. Christ blesses.

He was a philanthropist and very hospitable. Whatever was given to him, he

shared with others. He never kept anything for himself. He would deny himself
even needs for his own body to help others. For As Abba Isaac the Syrian (in his
fifth sermon) writes: Whoever helps the poor, God will take care of him. Whoever
becomes poor for the Lord will find unending treasures.

Theoktistos had absolutely no property. When he died, they found nothing in his
cell, not even a second cape in which to bury him.

People often called him when they had troubles or when they were in need. He
would leave his hermitage to go to Chora to reconcile fighting parties and bring
peace to their families. When he heard of fights among the people or he heard of
some disaster, he would knock at the door of the house that was disturbed by
the devil and would say, Christ sent me to knock on your door. Do you want me
to come in? If you dont want me, then send me away, but Christ will be sad.

The people accepted him with great respect because his ascetic appearance
was imposing. When he heard a bad rumor he would say: You are all at fault
from the youngest to the oldest. His thunderous voice shook everyone.

Smirnakis in Patmos writes: Theoktistos especially scolded the misers, the

unjust and the pleasure-seekers. He emphasized to all, particularly the monks,
the dangers of sins of the flesh until their old age. He never trusted any to live
with him in his cell even at this age. Not even his mother, who was holy, was
allowed to care for him. About flowers he would say that smelling a flower was
the same as kissing a women.

Often he sent messages from his hermitage to families to be careful because

they were being tempted to sin. He would advise fishermen that they would lose
what they gained illegally.

A seventy year old Patmian Captain once told the Heromonk Gerasimos
Smirnakis: I was once a guest of the owner of property at Diakofti. He offered
me pickled whitebait in vinegar and a lot of wine. I decided to visit Theoktistos
later and I started for Yenoupa. Even though I am not very religious and I do not
believe in miracles, I could sense something special. A sweet smell became
more intense as I approached the peak of Yenoupa, behind which was hidden
the hut of Theoktistos. When I reached the top of the peak, I could hear
Theoktistos thunderous voice saying: Here comes the drunkard Nicholas. He
could not have seen me or known that I had drunk a lot of wine. When I
appeared before him, he even told me that I had eaten pickled fish. His words
astonished me and they were vividly imprinted in my memory.
Whenever Theoktistos came to the monastery, the other monks greeted him with
great respect and piety. When he entered the church, everyone rose to their feet,
even the Abbot, who would offer him his special seat. Theoktistos would not
allow himself this honor and told the Abbot: You are the Abbot. Stay in your
seat. God placed you in this position either for a blessing if you are good or
punishment if you are bad. Then Theoktistos would withdraw to a corner. His
opinion was highly respected by all.

The hieromonk Arsenios, an uncle of Marigo Vesti, now over eighty years old,
had related the following story. The Patriarchate sent three Metropolitans to the
Monastery in Patmos to investigate a problem. All the monks were anxious and
overcome with agony. They invited Theoktistos for advice. The meeting included
all the monks and the Metropolitans. Theoktistos was among those seated lower
than the rest. He looked down and he wore the cap he had from Mount Athos.
The Metropolitans asked about Theoktistos. They were told that he was a hermit
and a brother of the Monastery. One of the Metropolitans asked Theoktistos for
his opinion. Theoktistos answered: I can not give an opinion. You are holy and
you should judge what is right after much prayer so that God can enlighten you.
The visiting Metropolitans were impressed by his wisdom and they began their
task.

At the end Theoktistos spoke with each of the Metropolitans individually and they
each asked him for his blessing.

After Yenoupa, Theoktistos moved to Petrokaravo. His stay there was heroic.
Petrokarvo was a barren, desolate little island with no water or vegetation. It
must have been used long ago as a hermitage because there were ruins of an
old building, some cells and a small church. Petrokaravo is located between
Patmos and Ikaria, but much closer to Patmos. It has no harbors and has steep
cliffs (about 120 meters) descending to the sea.

Theoktistos came to Petrokaravo in 1902 and remained there for one year. He
missed not having cabbage to eat as he had been accustomed. But God took
care of him. Birds dropped seeds and cabbage grew there for the first time. Even
today, cabbage grows there. During the war, people would go to Petrokaravo to
gather cabbage. This helped them survive during the famine.

The monastery and the pious people of the island never forgot him. Whenever
the weather permitted, they brought him water and paximadia. The boat of
Koufon regularly went to Petrokaravo.

Information about the stay of Theoktistos at Petrokaravo was given by Michalis

Sifounios. His family was the caretaker of the Hermitage of Panagia of Kykkou at
the Kipi (Gardens) for the past one hundred and ninety years. Michalis Sifounios
Grandfather, who was also named Michalis, often brought water and paximadia
to Theoktistos at Petrokaravo. One time a storm forced Michalis to remain at
Petrokaravo for several days. Michalis witnessed Theoktistos waking up at 2:00
am and praying with his prayer rope. During the day Theoktistos worked, making
a kind of cement with white wash, shells and pieces of broken clay. He used this
mixture to build cells. At the same time he gave advice to Michalis. Theoktistos
gave Michalis a carved cross that he had made with his own hands. This cross is
kept at the altar of Panagia of Kykkou with the date March 1900 engraved on the
back of the cross. It is a priceless heirloom.

Theoktistos was a wood carver. He learned this art while living on Mount Athos.
He would go to Euboea to get his special wood whenever he needed it for
carving. He carved beautiful spoons with handles showing a fish or a fish eating
a snake. Whatever he made, he gave away. He never sold anything. Some of his
pieces can still be found in some Patmian houses.

Petrokaravo had no water. Water was brought to Theoktistos by boat. Because

the weather sometimes would not permit the boats to come with water,
Theoktistos wanted to build a small reservoir to collect rain water. One day
Theoktistos saw a crow digging the ground with his beak. He thought that the
crow was digging up something dead. When the crow left, Theoktistos went to
see what was there and he found a hole with damp dirt. He investigated further
and discovered what must have been an old well that had been used by hermits
long ago. This made him very happy because he found a ready made well. After
he cleaned it, he prayed and thanked God. He asked God: Lord, who showed
me the little well, please send some rain to fill it!. And by a miracle, it rained and
the little well filled with water.

At another time during the summer when the well was empty and the boats could
not approach Petrokaravo because of the wind, he would pray to God to have
mercy on him. Then he turned around and saw water coming out of the rock. He
was puzzled and wondered what it was. Then he heard whistling. He realized
that this was a satanic trick. He said to himself: I will not drink it. I will drink sea
water instead.. The devil had tempted him before and had grabbed him by the
shoulder. But Theoktistos was not afraid and he freed himself by making the sign
of the cross and asking help from Christ. Christ is with in all of us and He gives
us the power to withstand any enemy. Those who believe in the Lord can defeat
the worst enemy by looking to Him for help. (Theoctistos by Gorainoff on pages
294-295 and the ..... in the First Plagal mode 2nd and 3rd Antiphons).

Theoktistos always had Holy Communion in the Artophorion (a designated place

on the Altar). He took Holy Communion, as was practised by the ascetics of
earlier times, in a special dish and cup. An old cup which was used by the earlier
ascetics can be found in a small corner of the altar at Saint Paraskevi of Kavo.
This information was given by the nun Theokliti Yanarou. She lived at the
Hermitage of Saint Paraskevi with her family.
Living on the desolate rock Theoktistos was protected from intruders as well as
the devil.

During the summer the northern winds, would blowing and no boats could come
to bring supplies to Theoktistos. The unmerciful summer sun somehow nailed
Theoktistos to the rock where he roasted. He remained without water for forty
days. The little water from the well evaporated. The vinegar was finished and the
vegetables dried up.

One would guess that Theoktistos would eagerly await for the boat that would
bring him life-giving water. In vain he searched the horizon with his eyes. Nothing
came. His tongue cleaved to his throat while in a dry thirsty land, where no
water is. He was often in a semi conscious state, but his heart was alert and his
mind turned to God for salvation. Make haste to help me o Lord! Heaven
answered: You open Your hand, they are filled with good. Although the sky was
clear, a round cloud appeared from nowhere and stopped above the rock where
Theoktistos had fainted. It rained and filled the well of the servant of God. All
these events are documented in Patmos by Smirnakis and Theoctistos by
Gorainoff.

This trial of being without water at Petrokaravo was the main reason Theoktistos
decided to leave Petrokaravo. The Monastery also thought it necessary because
it was dangerous for the boats to bring him supplies. In addition, pirates used the
island of Petrokaravo for a hideout and as a storage place for the good that they
had stolen. All these reasons made him leave Petrokaravo and return to
Patmos.

He returned to the Monastery where he remained for a while and later he moved
to the Cave of Apocalypse at the ruins of the Patmiada (the old seminary in
Patmos). The American tourist, Edgar Geil, visited Theoktistos there and he
gave us his impression with many details. The hermit greeted us
wholeheartedly. He was dressed in an attire that resembled a firemans uniform.
It was black from the shoulders down to the ankles and he wore a belt. This was
the only clothing he had and it was greasy. He had long hair and mostache, but
his face was kind and spiritual. Once in a while a sparkle came from his eyes....
He invited us into his small home. It was a small room built in a corner of the
ruins. A strong fishy smell revealed that he had an octopus nailed to a stick near
the ceiling. He offered me the only chair and the others sat on boxes. He filled a
very clean cup with water and offered us some sweets. We all had sweets from
the same spoon and drank water from the same cup. After a while he felt
comfortable and began to talk freely. He spent his early life in Thyateir and it was
a natural thing that he spent his old age in Patmos. He spent fifteen years on the
island choosing, in the beginning, a dark, desolate place far from the people.
When the people heard that he had made a beautiful garden, they came to see it
and speak to him. This forced him to leave and go live among the ruins. He
spent his time carving wide wooden spoons with handles shaped like birds or
fish. He gave me a spoon, but was insulted when I offered him money. When I
told him that the money was a gift, he accepted it. I wanted a photograph of him,
but he was very shy and I left without being able to take any pictures. Was he all
alone? Not really. Some people came to stay with him and they brought along
some of their friends. They ate his simple food of roots, herds and this type of
natural food. This natural diet as well as the peaceful life with him did them good
with him. His needs were simple. A primitive bed was on the floor. An old rug and
box covered with cloth were his pillows. On a wooden hook hung a round loaf of
bread with sesame seeds. Looking around I saw a very small room that he used
for prayer. It had a small window with bars. The only contents were a few small
candles, a stand with an open bible on it and a human skull with a black cross
painted on it. This made an impression on me and I wanted to know what it
meant. Here is what he said: I keep it to look at it. This skull reminds me of what
I will be in a short time. It keeps me humble and orders me to prepare for death
and whatever comes after death. I knew the man to whom this skull belonged
very well. We had many conversations in the past. He added that when he was
ready to go to Constantinople, a friend from here asked him to bring back a
mirror. When he returned from the trip he said: Here is your mirror. Once it was
like you are now. Here was the hair. Here there were eyes, once, shining with
love or anger. His lips once uttered good or bad words. He either helped people
or he harmed them. In a short time you too will be like him!

I dedicated my life to God. continued the hermit. When I lived among the
people, I met some that tried to do good, but they sinned. Unfortunately, I did the
same. So I decided to live alone so that I could not hurt anyone. I pray for God to
forgive my sins so that He can finally take me to heaven. I know that I am going
to die and I must appear before God and I wonder what I am going to answer!
His words were full of reverence and his manner impressed me. He was for sure
a good conscience.

When we left he accompanied us to the door and he stood there watching us as

we ascended the hill. After a while I glanced back and I saw the old hermit still
standing at the door. He saw me look at him and he waved his hand. I returned
the greeting and yelled: Hermit of Patmos, hail!.

Theoktistos did not remain long at Cave of the Apocalypse. He went to a slope of
Yenoupa which faced northwest and ended at the cape of Psalida. It is written in
the Brevium, that at Psalidi, 1715 the priest Makarios Angelos fell and drowned
when he was coming from Nisyros.

The rugged, rocky and inaccessible shore once more guaranteed Theoktistos
the desired isolation which he sought. There, he once again built a hut in which
to live.

But the people looked for him and eventually found him. The pious inhabitants of
Patmos continued visiting him so that they could confess their sins and feel
forgiven. They also found compassion and relief.

In 1908 Father Amphilochios accompanied the hieromonk Athanasios Danieleon

on a visit to Theoktistos. Hieromonk Athanasios related the following account of
the visit. Father Amphilochios led us to the hermitage of Holy Theoktistos.
Theoktistos lived in a very small hut near the cape of Genopa. This was the
place where the sorcerer Kynops performed his incredible sorcery and where the
wind possessed by demons blew him into the sea. This hermitage is about one
and half hours away from the Cave of the Apocalypse. Father Theoktistos was
about eighty years old. He was strict in his behavior and sweet in his manner. He
greeted us very warmly. It happened that he was from Mount Athos and he
asked me about many people and things from there. Theoktistos was greatly
respected in Patmos and truthfully he deserved it, because he was a great
hermit. He left the Cenobium of Esfigmenos of Mount Athos as a monk over forty
years ago for Patmos. We enjoyed our visit with the Holy Father Theoktistos and
we benefited from our conversations with him. After receiving his blessing, we
left for the Holy Monastery of Kalogeron (monks). This quotation is found in the
Library of Danieleon. It is from the handwritten journal of the Holy Monk
Athanasios Vittos, iconographer and the first assistant of Daniel Katounakiotis.

Amphilochios often visited the hermit, Theoktistos. He faithfully followed

Theoktistos example in noetic prayer. This later became Amphilochios constant
endeavor.

Theoktistos spent his nights in his little hut and his days in the cave so that he
would not be disturbed by visitors. His sight was damaged either from the fumes
or the dampness of the cave. As the years passed and Theoktistos was very old,
the winter wind was too much for him. He had to abandon his little hut and return
to the Monastery of Saint John. He remained in seclusion and only left his cell on
Sunday for the Liturgy. The people still sought him out and he could not find
peace. This was the reason why he left the Monastery once again and went to
Vrasta, an old hermitage (northwest) of the Monastery of Evangelismos
(Annunciation). This old hermitage belonged to the Monastery of Saint John.
Theoktistos restored the old hermitage in 1903. Here, as the name Vrasta
(means boiled), suggests, the climate is warm and the high rocks that surround
it, protect it from the wind. There was abundant water from the waterfall of Kera -
Leousa. Because of the warm climate, citrus trees grew well and even today
there is a lemon tree that lives from the time of Theoktistos.

At Vrasta of Kalogeron (Monks), as it is called, Theoktistos had a snake for

company. This was a snake that ate rats of which there were many in this area.
Around noon, one could see the old hermit come out of his little home holding a
metal cup with milk. After placing it on the ground he would cry out with his
characteristic loud voice: Come poor thing. Come unfortunate thing. Come
unlucky thing that no one loves.. After this invitation, a thick large snake would
crawl down the rock, drink the milk and return to hide in the crack in the rocks.
This incident is related in both Patmos by Smirnakis and Theoktistos by
Gorainoff.

The hermit stayed at Vrasta for a year. He no longer had a steady walk, his
eyesight was very poor and his once straight, robust body now was bent. The
Monastery which respected and loved him, always was concerned for his well
being and was afraid that he might fall among the rocks. This was the reason
that he was sent to Kipous or Kipi (gardens) to a little house which now
belongs to the Monastery of Evangelismos, near tambakia (curry leather). This
was on the southern part of the bay.

Spyros Bournis, over eighty years old, and the father of the deceased Abbot
Theodoritos, at the age of thirteen often went to Kipous because his father was a
tanner and he visited with Theoktistos. Bournis told us: Every time I went to
Kypous, I would go straight to the little house where Theoktistos lived. I would lift
the crow handle which opened the door and inside I would find Theoktistos
asleep on a rug in a corner of the little house. Theoktistos was blind now and
would ask: Who are you? I would answer: Elder, I am Spyros. He would
correct me: Spyridon, you know where to find the loukoumia (sweet candy). I
would then go and get a loukoumi that he offered.

During the time that Theoktistos lived at the Gardens, even though he was blind,
he would hear confessions. He had an assistant, Dimitri Ouranakis, a former
musician and barber. Ouranakis had two sons who were novices at the
Monastery of Saint John, but at the ages of between eighteen and twenty, they
both died, perhaps from meningitis.

Makarios Antoniadis often went for confession to Theoktistos. The hermit

advised him at one confession to stop playing the violin. Makarios Antoniadis
listened. Faithful and pious women of Patmos would send Theoktistos
paximadia, loukoumia and coffee with Makarios.

When Paisios Ferentinos returned to Patmos from the United States, he went to
visit Theoktistos at the Gardens. He was very saddened to see the conditions in
which Theoktistos was living and especially that a lay person was caring for him.
That was when he took measures for Theoktistos transfer to the Monastery. He
was moved during the week of Palm Sunday of 1917 to the Monastery at
Apocalypse at the old Patmiada School.

People came day and night to get strength, advice and blessings. Christodoulos
Dalaris, a musician, once found Theoktistos kissing repeatedly the feet of the
crucified Jesus. The feet of Jesus had faded from the tears.

Elder, He does not have feet. Dalaris told him.

Yes, I know. said Theokistos, I took the feet of Jesus, because I am unworthy
to take all of Jesus.
Elder, when you die can I have this Crucifix? asked Dalaris.

Yes, you can have it. answered Theoktistos.

Theoktistos died holding this crucifix.

While he was living at the Gardens, Theoktistos suffered from an intestinal

ailment. He had the same problem when he lived at the Apocalypse. Even
though he was advised to see a doctor, he refused. My doctor is God. he would
say.

A few days before he died, he had a premonition that he might die. He said: My
angel told me to be ready. On a certain day we will leave together.

The head of the Monastery of the Apocalypse at that time was Gregorios
Gennis. Gregorios took care of Theoktistos and it was to Grigorios that
Theoktistos told about his coming death. On Holy Tuesday, I will die., he said.
When he was asked what he had seen, he answered: Dont ask too much.

Until his last moments, he never stopped giving advice: Love Jesus Christ.
Keep His Commandments. Read the Gospel.

Questioned if he was a priest, he would answer: I am a sinner. I can not be

greater than the angels. Let me be humble. Leave me with my God..

Whether he was a priest or not, he hid the fact and he was perhaps even a
bishop.

When he felt his time had come, he told whomever was near him and cared for
him: Praise the Lord. Now speak no more. After this he recited the whole
Divine Liturgy starting with the Proskomidi. During all this time that he knew that
he was dying, he took Holy Communion every day.

On Holy Wednesday morning they realized that he was dying. They asked him if
he wanted Holy Communion.

Yes, he answered.

Immediately, they had the priest speed up the Presanctified Holy Liturgy. After
the priest finished, he went and gave Theoktistos Holy Communion. That
afternoon, as the sun was setting, he laid down and, with a smile that lit up his
face, he left for heaven and his Master.

It is written in both Smirnakis Patmos and in the Brevium that Theoktistos died
on March 29,1917. Deacon Christodoulos was with him at the time of his death.
Deacon Christodoulos prepared him for burial according to the tradition of the
Monastery. His relics were taken to the Holy Cave of the Revelation.
The news of his death spread like lighting to Chora, Skala and Kambos and to
every corner of Patmos. People gathered at the Apocalypse around the body
which once held the Holy Soul of the Hermit. Men, women and children fell on
their knees and reverenced his body. Sad faces of hard working people had
tears running down beaten cheeks. Women were gasping and childrens faces
were reddened from their tears. The leaders of the island, the sea captains, the
merchants and all who happened to be on the island that Easter came to pay
their respects. All the clergy and monks surrounded the stretcher holding the
body. Deacon Christodoulos stood and read from the Psalms. Blessed are the
undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. I am like a pelican of the
wilderness. I am like an owl of the desert. I watch and am as a sparrow alone on
the rooftop... For I have eaten ashes with my bread, and mingled my drink with
weeping... My heart is stricken and withered like grass... My days are like a
shadow that declines and I am withered like grass. (Ps. 102)

Every so often one could hear sighs and gasps. People would whisper their
prayers with trembling lips. They wondered about the void that would be left
because of the death of Theoktistos. No matter how hard they would try, they
would never be able to find him again. Where would they tell their pain? Where
would they confess their sins? Who would soften the torture of injustice? Who
would hold them up when the winds of evil would try to bend them down? And
who would guide their children to Gods path?

On Holy Thursday, after the service of the Washing of the Feet, clergy and the
Abbot came to the Apocalypse to read Service for the Departure of the Soul from
the Body.

At the end of the service, all the clergy and the people kissed Theoktistos body
for the last time.

The clergy and the monks, more than anyone else, knew what the Monastery
and the people of island had lost.

When they were ready to place him in the grave, Father Amphilochios Makris
and his uncle Nikitas, who was the father of Father Paul, were overwhelmed
when they felt the signs of his holiness. He was light like a dry leaf. This was the
man who four men had difficulty to bring to the Apocalypse a short time ago.

His body was placed in a grave that he, himself, had prepared a few years ago
at the Apocalypse. He had said: Since God brought me under the roof of the
Monastery of Saint John, here I will remain.

A rosemary bush grew on his grave even though no one had ever planted it.

On April 19, 1920, about three years after he had been buried, the grave was
opened. A heavenly incense spread all around when his holy relics were
removed. His Holy Crown (Skull) is found today in the Narthex of Saint Anna at
the Apocalypse.

Theoktistos died in peace and he is now enjoying everlasting joy near his Master
in heaven. Today, his memory is still very much alive in Patmos. The many
hermitages where he lived or visited speak with their muted tongues. Many
elderly Patmians, either from their memories or from the stories they heard from
their parents and grandparents, have a lot of stories to tell of the holiness of
Theoktistos.

With reverence and respect they mention his name. He was the model of
hermits of old times of Thebaid in Northern Egypt.

7. Hermitage Kouvari

The hermitage of Kouvari is located on a hill to the left of the bay of Stavros near
the river Vrihonas. The top of the hill is named Kefali tou Grillis (Head of Grillis).
There is a cave there that was used in earlier times as a hermitage by ascetics.

The founder of the hermitage was the Elder and hieromonk Amphilochios
Makris. He was born in Patmos in 1899 of very pious parents. At his baptism his
Godfather, the Metropolitan of Pilousios Amphilochios Kappos, gave him the
name Athanasios. The Metropolitan of Pilousios Amphilochios paid for all the
expenses of the baptism. Athanasios was educated at the Patmiada School and
at the age of seventeen he went to the great monastery, as the Monastery of
Saint John was called in Patmos. In 1918 he was ordained a deacon and in 1920
he was ordained a priest. When he was ordained a deacon, he was given the
name Amphilochios, the same as his godfather.

His spiritual father was the hermit, the Elder hieromonk Makarios Antoniadis.
Father Makarios lived at the Hermitage of Apollo at that time and he was the one
who tonsured Father Amphilochios with the Great Schema.

Father Amphilochios possessed a heavenly kindness. His sweet facial

appearance was sympathetic and he had a flowing white beard. He was known
for his hospitable personality, his kindness and his tactful manners. He showed
these attributes to each person in different ways. He only spoke Greek, but
everyone, including the non-Greeks, who visited him, left carrying a vision of light
and peace. In the Heavenly Kingdom we will all speak the same language, he
would tell the visitors who spoke different languages. His only demand was,
Love, as was the demand of Saint John the Theologian, the Patron Saint of
Patmos.

My children, love one another, He would tell people.

He died on April 16, 1970. On his tomb is written: We know that from death we
go to life. We love our brothers. and Love God and your neighbor and thus you
follow the Commandments and the words of the Prophets.

During the Italian Occupation of the Dodecanese in 1935, Father Amphilochios

was elected Abbot of the Monastery of Saint John. The Italian authorities
pursued him because of his patriotic activities. For this reason he was forced to
leave Patmos and go to Athens. There he found hospitality at the Brotherhood of
Zoi (Life). He served there as a priest. His work took him from Athens to
Ioannina, to Thessaloniki, and even down to Crete. He had spiritual children and
was called Pnevmatikos (Spiritual Father) everywhere.

Father Amphilochios dearly desired the renewal of Orthodox monasticism. In

other words, he wanted it to go back to its pure, original foundations. He was
influenced in these beliefs by Saint Nektarios of Aegina, from whom he learnt the
science of hesychasm and the Jesus Prayer. He visited Mount Athos and he
spoke frequently about his stay at the Russian Monastery of Saint Panteleimon.

He lived his whole life as a true monk. He had great respect for Saint Seraphim
of Sarov and together they would both declare: There is nothing better than the
Monastic Life.

In 1920 he met the teacher from Kalymnos, Kalliopi Gounari, who became his
spiritual daughter and later his co-worker. Together, in 1937 they decided to build
a womens Monastery on Patmos with the name of Evangelismos
(Annunciation, Mother of the Beloved). The nun Efstochia, his student, became
the Abbess of this new monastery and remained in this position all of her life.

With the pure souls fired up with zeal for the monastic life that he gathered
together to fulfill his dream. That was, the return of true monastic life and to build
the Monastery of Evangelismos on Patmos.

After the reunion of the Dodecanese with Mother Greece in 1947, the
Metropolitan of Rhodes, Timotheos, and the Naval Commander of the
Dodecanese, Ioannidis, asked Father Amphilochios to help the orphans of
Rhodes. They were without any support after the departure of the Catholic Nuns.
Father Amphilochios sent some nuns of the Monastery of Evangelismos to
Rhodes and they organized the Orphanage for Girls in Rhodes.

At the same time he built a small Monastery for men at the Kouvari. In earlier
times this place was used by hermits. This location was purchased by his sister,
Kalliopi Nikitaki. Kalliopi Nikitaki later became a nun with the name Martha. She
donated this land to be used for a small Monastery.

The first monk that lived at Kouvari was the Monk Nikiphoros, the former
Nicholaos Lapas from Kalymnos. He had lived for some time prior under the
supervision of Saint Savvas, the New, from Kalymnos. He lived the strict
monastic life with prayer, work and obedience to Father Amphilochios.
 When the Monk Nikiphoros, a very old man over eighty years old, recently
visited the Monastery of Evangelismos he related some incidents which he
remembered regarding his life at Kouvari. He was a cobbler by trade and knew
nothing about fishing. Father Amphilochios advised him to pay close attention
and learn from the fishermen who fished at Kouvari. Following Father
Amphilochios advice, he learned how to fish and how to mend fishing nets (it
was impossible to buy fishing nets at that time). Fishing was necessary at that
time to supply food for the Monastery.

The monk Nikiphoros related this incident which he remembered. One time
Father Amphilochios sent me across from Kouvari to Psili Ammo (fine sand) to
buy fish from the fishermen for the nuns at the Monastery. The fishermen were
afraid of trying to sell their fish in Skala because the Germans would take the fish
away from them. At that time a storm was approaching. The sky was dark,
lightening tore across the sky and the thunder rumbled loudly.

Father, do you expect me to go out in this weather to buy fish? I asked Father
Amphilochios.

Yes, my son. The nuns need it, answered Father Amphilochios

May it be blessed, Father, I said, and immediately I set off for Psili Ammo. I just
made it in time to buy the fish. On my way back to the monastery, it started to
rain heavily. The lightening pierced the black sky. It was as if the world was
coming to an end. Loaded with the basket of fish, I ran fast to reach Kouvari. But
because of my haste and anxiety, I got lost and found myself at the edge of a
cliff. I did not know what to do or where to go. The rain came down in torrents
and the thunder and lightening surrounded me. Then from the depth of my heart,
I prayed: Lord, My God, save me. I am lost. I assumed this task with the
blessing of Father Amphilochios. Immediately, by some miracle, I found myself,
not knowing how, in front of my little hut at Kouvari!

At another time, Father Amphilochios called me to the Monastery of

Evangelismos. When I arrived, he said: My son, today we have guests. You
have to go and get us some fish.

At this time, Father, I said, one cannot find any fish.

Yes, my son. You will go down where the boat is tied and there you will find
some fish, he told me.

May it be blessed, Father, I replied.

Truly, with deep obedience, I returned to Kouvari, even though in my mind I was
certain that at such a time, I would not be able to find fish. I headed straight
towards the boat as Father Amphilochios had told me. As I was reaching the
shore, I noticed near the boat a large dark object. I thought that it might be a
piece of fabric that was being washed up from the sea. When I came closer, I
discovered that indeed it was a large fish! I stabbed it with a spear and with great
joy I ran back to the monastery with the fish.

Father Amphilochios blessings always followed me in all my difficult tasks and

times.

The monk Nikiphoros lived at Kouvari for about twenty years (1940 - 1960). He
returned to his native Kalymnos where he continued his monastic life under the
name of Savvas at the Hermitage of Stavro. This hermitage is located at Vrasta
of Kalymnos.

The monk Joseph Spangos, from Samos, lived the austeremonastic life at
Kouvari for a while. He, then, went to Mount Athos, where he died in peace.

As time went on, many spiritual children of Father Amphilochios gathered at

Kouvari. Some of the names of those who came were: Father Paul Nikitaras,
Father Nafkratios Tsoulkanakis, Father Amphilochios Tsoukos, Father Elias
Kalantzis, Father Gregorios Zoumis, Father Gavriel Gouvris and others. Father
Amphilochios formed a blessed group of followers.

He sent this group to different spiritual centers of Greece and abroad to study.
Unfortunately Father Amphilochios was not able to live long enough to see all of
his work completed.

Father Elias Kalantzis lives at Kouvari today. He is the Spiritual Father of the
Monastery of Evangelismos.

The little monastery at Kouvari is dedicated to Saint Saint Joseph, the Betrothed.
The preference for this name was given from the following incident.

When Father Amphilochios was a young monk, he, along with the Monk Antipas,
went to visit the hermit Theoktistos at Yenoupa. One day Theoktistos asked
them: Who do you think was the greatest saint of all? They mentioned many
different saints and their lives and accomplishments, but Theoktistos did not
agree with any of them. Saint Joseph the Betrothed was the greatest saint
because he was the protector of the Lord and the Theotokos (Mother of God),
he told them.

After that conversation, Father Amphilochios decided: When I am able to build a

church, I will dedicate it to Saint Joseph the Betrothed.

When it was time to fulfill this dream, Father Amphilochios could not decide the
exact location for this church.. This was the reason why he asked the Monk
Nikiphoros of Kouvari to make special prayers so the God would show them the
exact place for the church. One night, while Monk Nikiphoros was praying, he
saw a light which frightened him. He ran out to see if there was a fire. At the
location where the church was later built, he saw a fire that was not burning
anything. He was frightened because he realized that this was not a natural
phenomenon.

The next morning he told Father Amphilochios what had happened. Father
Amphilochios asked to see the exact location of the fire. He realized that it was
the will of God that the church should be built there. And that was the location
where the church of Saint Joseph the Betrothed was built.

The next concern of Father Amphilochios was the obtaining of an icon of Saint
Joseph, the Betrothed. This task was given to Father Paul Nikitaras, who was a
spiritual son of Father Amphilochios. Father Paul was studying in Athens at the
time. He also had been a former Abbot of the Monastery of Saint John the
Theologian in Patmos.

In spite of all his efforts, he was unable to find an Icon of Saint Joseph the
Betrothed. No iconographer would undertake the task or responsibility of painting
it because they had no knowledge of this subject. He even went to Paros to the
Monastery of Logovardas for this purpose, but he still was unable to have this
icon painted.

God solved this problem in another way. Father Paul discovered a large beautiful
icon of Saint Joseph the Betrothed in the basement of the church of Saint
George in Nea Ionia in Athens. Father Paul served at this church while he was
studying in Athens. Many icons that had been transported to Greece after the
disaster in Asia Minor by the refugees were stored in the basement of Saint
George Church. Also included with these icons were icons that were released by
the Turkish Government under the Agreement of June 10, 1930 concerning the
Exchange of Possessions and under the Agreement of friendship of October 30,
1930 which was signed by Eleftherios Venizelos and Ismet Inonu.

With the permission of the council of the church of Saint George and the
approval of the Archdiocese of Athens under the auspices of Basilios Atesis,
assistant to the Bishop, the icon was given to Father Paul who brought it to
Patmos with much delight. As soon as he arrived in Patmos, he took it directly to
the Hermitage of Christ which was the summer residence of Father
Amphilochios. Father Amphilochios was so pleased that he immediately
summoned the Monk Nikiphoros to come to Christ from Kouvari.

When the Monk Nikiphoros arrived at Christ from Kouvari, he told Father
Amphilochios, I know why you summoned me. It is to take the Icon of Saint
Joseph the Betrothed to the church at Kouvari.

How did you know this, you blessed thing? asked Father Amphilochios.

Last night I had a dream about Saint Joseph. He had lit all the votive lamps,
which he had filled with oil! said the Monk Nikiphoros.
This was the way the Church of Saint Joseph the Betrothed obtained the
beautiful icon. In 1966 a larger church dedicated to Saint Joseph was built. The
former small church was rededicated;. this time to Saint Ephrem the Syrian.

The church of Saint Ephrem has a small iconostasis with only one entrance, the
Great Portal. On the one side of the Great Portal is the Icon of Jesus Christ the
Merciful and on the other side is the Icon of the Virgin Mary Diassozoussa (The
Saving). On the right side, enclosed in a wooden holy icon stand which is
artistically carved, is the Icon of Saint Ephrem the Syrian, portraying his Falling
Asleep (Death). All of these icons were painted by iconographer nuns of the
Monastary of Evangelismos (Annunciation).

The church of Saint Joseph the Betrothed is one of the few larger churches of
Patmos. It was built by the gifts of the Monastary Evangelismos and other pious
contributors. The building was supervised by the Holy Monk Amphilochios
Tsoukos.

Kouvari, today, reminds visitors of the location at Mount Athos. The closed Bay
of Stavros was for Father Amphilochios, the Sea of Gennesaret. When Father
Amphilochios spiritual children would see a fishing boat near the cave of
Glykonikita, they would think it was the fishing boat, Tiberias - Agios Iosif (Saint
Joseph). This brought back nostalgic memories of the days when Father
Amphilochios lived among them. It also reminded them often of the joyful
incident when once they were fishing and they caught many fish in their net. This
incident was similar to the incident in the Bible at the Sea of Tiberias, which
occurred after the Resurrection. They counted about one hundred and fifty-three
fish. (John 21 verse 11).

8. Islands of Balamo or Valamo

The most important hermitage on the island of Patmos is the Apocalypse. It is

the cave of the Revelation where Saint John the Theologian lived when he was
exiled to Patmos. It is one of the places where the Voice of God has been heard
on the earth. This cave is where Saint John had the prophetic vision of the
Revelation. This is the reason why it is such a holy place.

Before the conclusion of the study of the Hermitages of Patmos and the holy
people who lived in them, another location should be mentioned. It is the islands
of Balamo or Valamo. These islands are important because they are where
occurred miraculous appearances by Saint John.

The little islands of Balamo or Valamo are located in the sea, northeast of
Patmos and north of the mount of Geranos. They are before the Bay of Lambi
and across from Hondro Kavo or the Cape of Balamo. Oral tradition tells that
Saint John appeared before a Patmian boatswain in the Cape of Balamo near
the three little islands. We also find in the Synaxarion, about the following Saint
Irene, who was the Abbess of the Monastery of Chrysovalantou in
Constantinople.

The following is the narration that can be read in the book Synaxarion:

.......When the boatswain came to Saint Irene, they greeted each other, prayed
and sat down. She then asked him why he had come. He told her that he was a
sailor from the island of Patmos and that he was coming to Constantinople to
serve. When we were sailing from Patmos and were at the end of the island, we
saw a handsome and godly old man on the land. He called out to us to wait for
him. We could not stop because we were near the land but there were a lot of
rocks which made it very dangerous. The wind was also making our ship go
faster. He shouted even louder and ordered the ship to stop. The ship
miraculously stopped and the old man walked on the waves and came on board.
He offered me three apples which he took from under his cloak near his chest
and he said: When you reach Constaninople give these three apples to the
Patriarch and tell him that our Merciful God sent them to him from Paradise by
his servant Saint John! Later he took out three more identical apples and he
said: These three apples, give to the Abbess of the Monastery of
Chrysovalantou, Irene, and tell her to eat them because her good soul desired
them. I just came from paradise and I brought them! After he said all these
things, he praised God and blessed us. Immediately the ship set sail and he
disappeared. I gave the three apples to the Patriarch and I brought the other
three to your holiness.

When Saint Irene heard this, she cried with joy and gave many thanks to Saint
John, the Beloved Disciple and Apostle of Christ. The sailor then took the three
apples which he had wrapped in a silk and gold woven scarf and he gave them
to Saint Irene with great piety. He had saved them honorably like holy objects.

From this narration we realize that apple-giving miracle from the protector of the
island, Saint John, to the boatswain occurred between the Cape of Geranos and
the islands of Valamou. These little islands were given their name by Saint Irene,
the Abbess of the Monastery of Chrysovalantou which is associated with the
apparition of the boatswain.

Reference to this apparition can be read in Smirnakis Patmos, in Doukakis

Synaxaristi, on page 449 published in July 1893 and in Agapios, Kalokerini,
printed in Venice in 1861.

When the boatswain returned to Patmos and told everyone about this miracle,
the people decided to name the little islands Valantou or Balamou in
commemoration of the this miracle.

One hymn of Saint Irene mentions this miraculous incident.

As a modest virgin, the Disciple of the Virgin Mother sent apples from heaven
showing us your closeness to God.

Though the King of Ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only wise God, honor, glory
and praise unto the ages of ages, Amen!

Additional Notes

1. The Archimandrite Gerasimos Smirnakis, a brother of the Monastery of Saint

John the Theologian, visited the Hermitage of the Incorporeal Angels
(Asomaton) and he described it in his book, Patmos. The following is the
description of the Hermitage as it appeared before 1935.

The little church was of the Byzantine era with only one room. It had a low dome
which was supported by a square base and four columns. The columns were
almost triangular in shape. This was the common construction design of all the
domes of the churches in Patmos. This little churchs walls were covered with
frescoes of average artistry. The miracle of St. Michael at Chonai was painted on
the right side of the church and underneath it was shown the Monk Savvas, the
founder of the church. Holy relics of saints were kept in the altar. On the simple
iconostasis, which had only the Great Gate as an entrance, the following icons
were displayed: 1. The Virgin Mary holding a heart. This icon was of good
Byzantine art. 2. Jesus Christ, the King of Kings as the Great High Priest. 3. The
Lady of Angels. 4. The Gathering of the Incorporeal Angels. Under the frescoes
was painted the Holy Forerunner, Saint John the Baptist and the God bearing
Saint Ignatius. On the north side of the little church, high up, was a small
opening for sunlight.

On the outside, of the north side of the church, an arched tomb is attached. On
the inside of the tomb, a fresco is painted. It is of the Crucified Christ, the
weeping Mother of God and Saint John the Apostle. There is no doubt that many
of the monks who had lived there had been buried in this tomb over the many
years. Smirnakis, Patmos, 1966 - 1969.

Father Elias Kalantzis has been the caretaker of the Hermitage since January,
1990.

2. The oral tradition concerning the Gardens of Saint Christodoulos is as follows:

When Saint Christodoulos was living in Patmos, he planted a garden to supply
vegetables for the monks. The monks who had worked very hard building the
Monastery were very tired. They refused when Saint Christodoulos asked them
to dig for water. Saint Christodoulos then fell to his knees and prayed all night
long for Gods intervention. His prayer was so warm that at the place where he
had dug, which was in the shape of a cross, a clear, pure spring emerged. The
monks then realized their bad behavior and acknowledged the Holiness of Saint
Christodoulos. The garden has been kept up since the 11th century and is
named the Kipos of the Saint The spring was covered with an arch and since
then it has been called Holy Water or Water of Saint or Water of the Holy
Father.

Today, only the foundation from the time of Saint Christodoulos remains. The
upper part was reconstructed at a later date. Besides the Spring of the Saint,
other springs have come up near the first one. These are still in existence from
those days. Near each spring, a reservoir was built to store the extra water.
Once there was a huge boulder on the side of the cliff overlooking the Kipi
which rolled down threatening the destruction of the garden. Saint Christodoulos
again prayed warmly and deeply and this prayer was able to stop the boulder
and made it so secure that it remains in the same place today. This was truly
another miracle.

During the times when people were more pious and believing, they would go to
the boulder and lean on it for healing purposes on the same spot where Saint
Christodoulos had leaned on it to stop it from rolling down to the gardens.

There is another story that once a Byzantine Princess lived in Patmos and that
she had hidden a treasure near the boulder. It has never been found, or if it was
found, it was never reported.

3. Makarios Notaras of Corinth once lived near the Monastery. At the Hermitage
of Evangelismos (Assumption of the Virgin Mary) there is an old icon on the
iconostasis depicting Gregorios of Nissyros with Makarios of Corinth.

4. Kouvari or Mountain of Kouvari is a hill which is seen on the left by those

sailing toward the Bay of Stavros. It is near the river Brihouna.

The French archeologist Guerin gave an impressive description of the area. A

few steps toward the south, the shore disappears and the mountain of Kynops
(Yenoupas) reaches almost vertically to the sea, forming a big cape of 290
meters. To the west one can see a mixed pile of boulders, terribly steep which
threaten disaster. They form scary cliffs and deep caverns. It is said that the
famous warlock Kynops lived there. One can see two caves which served as his
dwellings. One cave is almost on the top of the mountain to the west. It is very
difficult for anyone to enter it because of the steep boulders. The other cave is a
wide gap toward the south. The waves of the sea rush into the cave with force,
noisily churning the water..

On the floor of the cave, which is found high up on the west side of the mountain,
there are signs that the cave had been used by hermits a long time ago. In more
recent years, the hermit Theoktistos lived there.

On November 12 1732, the sandal maker, Efstratios Glykonikitas, went to the

cave of Kouvari to get his boat and go fishing. This was the cave which is on the
south side of the mountain. It is the one that is near the sea and in which the
waves come in. There, pirates captured him; locked him in the brig in the bottom
of the ship; and took him to Algiers where they sold him into slavery. His family
searched in vain all the surrounding beaches and little islands. Finally, his wife,
in despair considered him dead and had his memorial services.

Efstratios prayed continually to the Virgin Mary to help him become free and to
return him to his family. One night his prayers were answered. The Virgin Mary
appeared to him and miraculously returned him to Kouvari. This was the place
where the pirates had kidnapped him. Out of gratitude, he collected every piece
of precious metal that he had at home and he took it to the silversmith so that the
icon of Panagia Diassozousa could be covered in silver. This icon is in the
church of Panagia Diassozousa in Chora. The genuineness of this miracle was
confirmed by the Ecumenical Patriarcate of Constantinople. Kriticos, Patmiki
Topon, Page 62, Gurin, Description, page 62 and Smirnakis, Patmos, pages
1947-1950.

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 ECCLESIA MONASTERIES AND SHRINES

Hermits Of Patmos And Hermitages

Hermits of Patmos(in Chronological Order)

Year Location of of Name HermitageDeath

1127 Savvas: Priest, Monk, Abbot Incorporeal Powers

1157 Theoktistos: Priest, Monk, Abbot Incorporeal Powers

1127 Loukas: Monk Incorporeal Powers

1560 Mattheos, Monk Livadi Kalogeron

1566 Kallinikos: Monk from Leros Incorporeal Power

1568 Mattheos: Monk from Crete Alykes, Saint Christodoulos

1578 Gerasimos: Priest from Kos Apokalypsi

1578 Ioakim: Priest Evangelistria

1582 Iakovos: Monk from Kalymnos Saints Anargyri-Kipi

1594 Gerasimos: Monk the MileosSaints Anargyri-Kipi

1594 Nikodimos: Monk the Zileos Incorporeal Powers

1603 Nektarios: Monk Alykes, Saint Christodoulos

1624 Kyrillos: Priest, Monk, Keeper Agia Pareskevi of

of the ChurchKavou

1628 Nikiforos: Bishop of Laodikeas Evangelistria

1644 Nikodimos: Monk, the kampouris Saints Anargyri-Kipi

 (hunchback)

1656 Serafim: Former Koou Apocalypse

1671 Iosif Georgerinis: former Samos Apocalypse

1672 Ioakim, Mantilas the spiritual one: priest Apocalypse

1674 Iakovos, Mantalakis former Panagia-Kipi

1702 Anatolios: Monk from Santorini Lipso

1702 Iakovos: Monk and Shephard Lipso from Amorgos

1708 Ignatious Smyrneos: former Samos Apocalypse

1718 Dionysios Nielogkos: Monk Lipso

1737 Makarios Kalogeras: Principal Apocalypse and Deacon

1760 Gerasimos: Teacher, Lampholder Lipso - Agrio Nero

1761 Hatzimakarios: Monk, Lipso the Good Economist

1763 Ioakim Simon Evangelstria

1779 Neofitos: Priest, Monk, Simiakos Prophet Elias

1795 Nikiforos: Priest, Simos, the hermit

1799 Daniel Mantalakis: Priest Panagia - Kipi

1802 Mattheos: Monk, Lampholder Lipso

1804 Dositheos: Priest, Hermit Koumana

1804 Savvas: Monk Hermitage Parthenios (Meadow of

the Monks)

1805 Parthenios, Partheniades, (Meadow Hieromonk

Kathisma Partheniou of the Monks)

1805 Makarios Corinth the Notaras Panagia Koumana

1805 Geron Gavriilakis: Monk Hermitage Parthenios (Meadow

of the Monks)

1808 Theoktistos from Sofia: Monk Grava Panagia

1812 Grigorios from Nisyros: Priest Grava Panagia

1812 Nikiforos: Monk, Trezoloukas Hermitage Parthenios

(Meadow of the Monks)

1813 Daniel Bizis: Re-Constructor, Apocalypse Patmian

1821 Ignatious: Priest, Monk, Marathokampo Samos

Comforter from Agraphon

1837 Geron Makarios Basilikos Lipso

1850 Gabriel, Monk, the PonirisLipso

1850 Anonymous female hermit Koumana

1851 Athinodoros: Monk Hermitage Apollo

1854 Arsenios of Kourtikou: Hermitage Apollo Great

Stature, Monk

1859 Apollos: Priest, Karpenisiotis Hermitage Apollo

1861 Meletios: Priest, Kamposos Grava - Panagia

1861 Kyrillos: Deacon, Katelanou Hermitage Synadinou

1866 Nikiforos: Priest, Musician Koumana from

Constantinople

1882 Hieromonk, Isidore Kyriakopoulos Hermitage Apollo

1893 Evlogios: Monk, Philipoupolitis Koumana

1895 Nikodimos Kappos: Priest Meadow of the Monks

1902 Amphilohios Kappos: Meadow of the Monksformer

Pilousiou

1907 Dorotheos: Priest, Monk, Vlahakis Lipso

1913 Akakios: Priest, Monk, Bratzalis Prophet Elias

1917 Theoktistos: hermit from Axario Zarroi, Genoupas,

Petrokaravo

1918 Ignatious Gazos the Fryos: Monk Apollo, Kentronisi,

Apocalypse
1935 Makarios Antoniadis: Priest, Meadow of the Monks,Monk,
SamiosApollo

1948 Savvas: The Holy, The Young Grava Panagia, Apollofrom

Kalymnos

1954 Antipaskappos: Monk Vrasta, Apollo

1962 Theoktistos Triantafillou from Apollo, Spring of

Kalymnos: Monk Gerano

1966 Apollos: Monk, Panteliou Apollo

Nikiforos Lapas from Kalymnos Kouvari

Hermits of Patmos(in Alphabetical Order)

Name Year Location of Death of Hermitage

Athinodoros Monk 1851 Apollo

Akakios: Priest, Monk, Bratzalis 1913 Prophet Elias

Amphilochios Kappos: 1902 Meadow ofMetropolitan (former)

Pilousio the Monks

Anatolios: Monk from Santorini 1702 Lipso

Anonymous female hermit 1850 Koumana

Antipaskappos: Monk1954 Vrasta, Apollo

Apollos: Monk, Panteliou 1966 Apollo

Apollos: Priest, Karpenisiotis 1859 Hermitage Apollo

Arsenios of Kourtikou: 1854 Hermitage ApolloGreat Schema,

Monk

Athinodoros: Monk 1851 Hermitage Apollo

Daniel Bishop of Bizye: Patmian 1813 Apocalypse

Daniel Mantalakis: Priest 1799 Panagia - Kipi

Dionysios Delognos: Monk 1718 Lipso

Dorotheos: Priest, Monk, Vlachakis 1907 Lipso

Dositheos: Priest, Hermit 1804 Koumana

Evlogios: Monk, of Philopopolis 1893 Koumana

Gabriel, Monk, the Compassionate 1850 Lipso

Gerasimos: Monk the Mileos1594 Saints Anargyri-Kipi

Gerasimos: Priest from Kos 1578 Apocalypse

Gerasimos: Teacher, Lamp-keeper 1760 Lipso - Agrio Nero

Geron Gavriilakis: Monk 1805 Hermitage Parthenios (Meadow of

the Monks)

Geron Makarios Basilikos 1837 Lipso

Grigorios from Nisyros: Priest 1812 Grava Panagia

Hatzimakarios: Monk, the Good 1761 LipsoSteward

Iakovos, Mantalakis former Abbot 1674 Panagia - Kipi

Iakovos: Monk and 1702 LipsoShephard from Amorgos

Iakovos: Monk from Kalymnos 1582 Saints Anargyri-Kipi

Ignatios Gazos Fryos: Monk 1918 Apollo, Kentronisis,

Apocalypse

Ignatios Smyrneos: former bishop 1708 Apocalypseof Samos

Ignatios: Priest, Monk, Comforter 1821 Marathokampo from

Agrapha Samos

Ioakim Simon 1763 Evangelstria

Ioakim, Mantilas, Spiritual Father, 1672 Apocalypsepriest

Ioakim: Priest 1578 Evangelistria

Iosif Georgerinis: former 1672 Apocalypsebishop of Samos

Kallinikos: Hieromonk from Leros 1665 Incorporeal

Kyrillos: Deacon, Katelanou 1861 Kathisma Synadinos

Kyrillos: Priest, Monk, Keeper 1624 Agia Pareskeviof the Church,

from Crete of Kavou
Loukas: Monk 1127 Incorporeal Powers

Makarios Antoniadis: Priest, 1935 Meadow of theMonk, Samios

Monks, Apollo

Makarios Geron Basilikos 1837 Lipso

Makarios Notaras of Corinth 1805 Panagia Koumana

Makarios Kalogeras: Principal 1737 Apocalypseand Deacon

Mattheos, Monk 1560 Livadi Kalogeron

Mattheos: Monk from Crete 1568 Alykes, Saint

Christodoulos

Mattheos: Monk, Lamp-keeper1802 Lipso

Meletios: Priest, Kamposos 1861 Grava - Panagia

Nektarios: Monk 1603 Alykes, Saint Christodoulos

Neophitos: Priest, Monk, Simiakos 1779 Prophet Elias

Nikiphoros Lapas from Kalymnos: KouvariMonk

Nikiphoros: Bishop of Laodiceas 1628 Evangelistria

Nikiphoros: Monk, Trezoloukas 1812 Hermitage Parthenios

(Meadow of the Monks)

Nikiphoros: Priest, Musician 1866 Hermitage Apollofrom

Constantinople

Nikiphoros: Priest, Simos, the hermit 1795

Nikodimos: Monk the Zileos 1594 Incorporeal Powers

Nikodimos Kappos: Priest 1895 Meadow of the

Monks

Nikodimos: Monk, the hunchback 1644 Saints Anargyri-Kipi

Parthenios Partheniadis, Hieromonk 1805 Kathisma

Parthenios (Meadow of the Monks)

Savvas: The Holy, The Young 1948 Grava Panagia, from

Kalymnos Apollo
Savvas: Monk 1804 Hermitage Parthenios (Meadow of
the Monks)

Savvas: Priest, Monk, Abbot 1127 Incorporeal Powers

Seraphim: Former Koou 1656 Apocalypse

Theoktistos from Sofia: Monk 1808 Grava Panagia

Theoktistos Triantafillou 1962 Apollo,from Kalymnos:

Monk Spring of Gerano

Theoktistos: hermit from Axariou 1917 Zarroi,

Genoupas, Petrokaravo

Theoktistos: Priest, Monk, Abbot 1157 Incorporeal Powers

Hermitages(in Chronological Order)

Year Founded Location

11th Century Apocalypse and surroundings

11th Century Petra - Kallikatsou Vrahos (means rock)

11th Century Holy Unmercenaries - Gardens

12th Century Asomaton (Incorporeal Powers)

12th Century Genoupas

12th Century Lipso

12th Century Petrokaravo (means stone ship)

16th Century Evangelistria

16th Century Hiliomodi - Saint Panteleimon

17th Century Anydros (Without Water)

17th Century Kipi - Panagia Mantalaki

17th Century Kipi - Virgin Kikkou

17th Century Loukakia (island) - Saint Luke

17th Century Saint George Avlaki

17th Century Saint Pareskevi Kavou

17th Century Alikes (means salt) Saint Christodoulos

17th Century Virgin Epsimia

17th Century Vrasta

18th Century Panagia Lagkadiotissa

1746 Prophet Elias

1782 Koumana - All Saints

1790 Gavra Panagia

1798 Meadow of the Monks - Virgin Mary

19th Century Kentronisi

19th Century Synadinos

1820 Apollo - Thermia

1883 Zarroi (Theoktistos)

20th Century Pigi Geranos

1903 Psalida - Kalivi Theoktistou

1940 Kouvari - Saint Joseph

Hermitages(in Alphabetical Orders)

Location Year Founded

Alikes (means salt) Saint Christodoulos 17th Century

Anydros (Withou Water)17th Century

Apokalypsi and surroundings 11th Century

Apollo-Thermia 1820

Asomaton (incorporeal powers) 12th Century

Evangelistria 16th Century

Gavra panagia 1790

Genoupas 12th Century

Hiliomodi-Saint Panteleimon 16th Century

Kentronisi 19th Century

Kipi-Panagia Mantalaki 17th Century

Kipi-Virgin Kikkou17th Century

Koumana-Aill Saints 1782

Kouvari-Saint Joseph1940

Lipso 12th Century

Loukakia (island)-Saint Luke 17th Century

Meadow of the Monks-Virgin Mary 1798

Panagias epsinia17th Century

Panagia Lagkadiotissa 18th Century

Petra-Kallikatsou Vrahos (means rock) 11th Century

Petrokaravo (means stone ship) 12th Century

Pigi Geranos 20th Century

Prophet Elias 1746

Psalida-Kalivi Theoktistou 1903

Saint George Avlaki17th Century

Saint Paraskevi Kavou 17th Century

Saints Anargyri-Kipi 11th Century

Synadinou 19th Century

Virgin Epsimia 17th Century

Vrasta 17th Century

Zarroi (Theoktistos) 1883

Hermits Of Patmos And Hermitages

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