The Elder and Sinai
The much beloved Elder Paisios of Mt. Athos was recognized as a Saint by a unanimous decision of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople on January 13. Elder Paisios was a Sinai hermit from 1962 to 1964, when a chronic pulmonary condition forced his return to Mt. Athos due to the harsh climate at his hermitage.
His Eminence Damianos I, Abbot of St. Catherine’s and Archbishop of Sinai, Pharan, and Raitho, had close ties with Elder Paisios over many decades, and read the prayer for the departure of his soul during his last moments in this life, when visitors were no longer allowed in to see the elder. See more...