Holy Athonite Hesychasts – Silk Screen Print on Naturally Aged Wood – Mount Athos

Description

Image of the Holy Athonite Hesychasts on Naturally Aged Wood

Beautiful silk screen print depicting the newly revealed Holy Hesychasts of Katounakia, Joseph, Daniel, and Ephraim, on naturally aged wood.

Gerontes Joseph the Hesychast (August 16th) was born in 1898 in the village of Lefkes on the island of Paros. When his mother gave birth to little Franciskos—this was his worldly name—she had a vision where the roof of their house opened, and an angel took the baby, giving her a precious cross-shaped jewel. “From that moment on,” his mother Maria said, “I believed that one day Franciskos would follow Christ.” At the age of 23, he decided to become a monk after he dreamt that two palace guards took him to the palace, explaining that it was the King’s will for him to serve Him. He was a man of prayer and practiced fasting and vigil to the fullest. The Theotokos, whom he loved beyond description—he would weep just mentioning Her name—had informed him days before that she would take him to be with Her on Her feast day, the 15th of August. Gerontes Joseph passed away on the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos in 1959, saying: “It is finished, I am leaving, I am departing, bless me.”

Holy Daniel of Katounakia (September 7th) was born in Smyrna in 1844 to a devout and large family. He was a top graduate of the Evangelical School of Smyrna. From the age of 19, he had the devout desire to dedicate himself to monastic life. He met and formed a spiritual bond with Elder Arsenios of Paros (January 31st), who advised him to go to the Holy Mountain. At that time, he was slandered and unjustly exiled from the monastery where he lived. He then went to the Metropolitan of Thessalonica, Joachim (later Ecumenical Patriarch), who recognized the injustice and advised him to settle at the Monastery of St. Anastasia in Thessalonica, where he greatly contributed to the spiritual restoration of the Monastery. When his exile was lifted, Elder Daniel returned to Mount Athos and, wishing to live in solitude, chose Katounakia, where he built a cell, which later became the foundation for the Monastery of the Daniileia Brotherhood. Elder Daniel’s deep love for the Theotokos was characteristic of him. His greatest joy was when he departed from the earthly life to the heavenly one on the 8th of September 1929, after receiving the Holy Eucharist.

Elder Ephraim of Katounakia (February 27th) was born in 1912 in Ampelohori of Thebes with the worldly name Evangelos. In Thebes, where his family had moved, he met his spiritual elders, Ephraim and Nikiforos. His life was monastic, and he struggled spiritually with the Jesus Prayer, prostrations, fasting, and especially obedience. His mother received a revelation from Elder Ephraim the Syrian, confirming that her son’s desire to become a monk was also the will of God, and that Evangelos would honor the monastic life. On September 14th, 1933, he arrived at Katounakia at the Monastery of Elder Ephraim the Syrian. After his trial, he was tonsured a monk with the name Ephraim and was ordained a priest the following year. The Divine Liturgy for Elder Ephraim was a profoundly spiritual experience. He confided to a spiritual friend that from his very first Liturgy, he could clearly perceive the grace of God transforming the holy gifts. After the consecration, he saw Christ Himself in the diskos, and it was impossible for him to hold back his tears, especially when breaking the Body of Christ. He wept so much that his tears soaked the antiminsion during the Liturgy, and he saw angels assisting him. The grace of God also gave him the gift of discernment and prophecy. Elder Ephraim’s legacy for the unity of the Orthodox Church was clear: “Schism is easily made, but unity is difficult.” In 1996, Elder Ephraim suffered a stroke and became paralyzed. However, he never complained but praised God. On February 27th, 1998, Elder Ephraim of Katounakia passed away, delivering his holy soul into the hands of his Creator.

The unique aesthetic value of this image lies in both the wonderful silk screen technique of the artist and the old wood, whose cracks bear witness to the years of life on Mount Athos, adding authenticity to the work.

Since the image is handmade and the wood is processed by hand, there may be slight variations in the wood, but not in the depiction.

The image is available upon order.

Dimensions: 20 x 25 x 2 cm.

Origin: Mount Athos