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Posted on July 28, 2010 in 2005 Pilgrimage to the Skete of St. Anna, Mount Athos - 0 COMMENTS
A Trip to the Kaliva of Fr. Cherubim
by Rev Fr Chris Flesoras
Dimitri travels to the Skete of Saint Anna from Kavala Greece for two weeks of the month. His time in Kavala is spent driving a taxi and training (Dimitri is rated as one of the best kick-boxers in Northern Greece). He offers his service to the monks each month with the hopes that Saint Anna will soften the hearts of his girlfriend’s parents, who aren’t approving of him for their daughter, Maria. He remains confident though that Saint Anna will intercede on his behalf and that the prayers of the monks, not to mention his discipline of service, will avails much with the Lord.
At the conclusion of our common meal, Dimitri assisted Petros with the kitchen duties. Our afternoon would be spent with Fr. Cheroubim and Fr. Theophilos. We would walk the grounds a bit, and then advance to their home for an afternoon coffee and evening services.
Our first stop was the recently constructed Chapel dedicated to the Holy Fathers of the Skete of Saint Anna. It was very simple and relatively small compared the Kyriakon, but it would be an ample chapel for the pilgrims who would visit the Skete. With great enthusiasm, Fr. Cheroubim showed us the plans detailing the iconography that would soon ornate the chapel. I must admit that seeing the quality of work of these blood brothers from Thessaloniki, the look of the finished chapel, and the enthusiasm of Fr. Cheroubim as she advanced through the pages of work was a blessing unto itself. It was even more of a blessing to think that our parish would fund a substantial portion of the iconography as a token of thanksgiving for the priceless treasure that they have given us, the Holy Relic of our matron. I also remain most excited to view the complete chapel, as Fr. Cheroubim will forward us pictures once the icons are installed.
Next to the Chapel is a small gift store that was founded by Fr. Cheroubim during his tenure as Dikaios. It is modest in size, but filled with crafts of the monks of the Skete and the Holy Mountain. Surprisingly, this gift shop remains the primary source of income for the brotherhood of the Skete.
At this point, our most hospitable elder retired to his home to prepare their chapel for our arrival. Fr. Theophilos though stayed with us to take us to a few additional stops before we would climb an additional set of steps up to their home. We proceeded by the cemetery of the Skete to the cave of St. Gerasimos of Cephalonia. It was a small cave contained a chair, a few icons, and a vigil light. It was here that St. Gerasimos would spend each and every evening in prayer during his seven years at the Skete.
As we returned toward the main Church, we came to a place, set off to the side of the road, with a simple icon stand and a vigil light. Fr. Theophilos explained that it was here that two brothers from the Skete prepared themselves for martyrdom. As they had received a vision of the Holy Spirit concerning their return to the world and their approaching end on account of their love for Christ, they spent their days praying and doing 3,000 prostrations. Fr. Theophilos reminded us that it would be easy for most of us who call ourselves Christians to die for Christ if it were but in a single moment. As we know from many of the lives of the martyrs, their suffering endured for not moments, or hours, but days if not years. In turn, the brothers sought both physical and spiritual fortitude to endure any and all tortures by the unbelievers.
From here we advanced to the Kaliva or home of Fr. Cheroubim that rests about 100 steps above the main courtyard of the Skete. Along the way we passed the heliport, a modern day requirement of each community so that medical attention can be provided for any of the brothers. The walk proved tiring for the dads. To think it was just yesterday that we climbed 2,000 steps up to the Kyriakon. In comparison, a hundred steps was welcomed but added to the many we had climbed thus far, I was most confident that the dads would be completely spent by the time we left the Skete!
Arriving at their home, we advanced to the balcony. Athonite hospitality ensured that we would receive a shot of liquor, this time Metaxa, a class of cool water and a few loukoumia. We asked for the Elder’s blessings, toasted to our stay and reclined on the balcony, overlooking the Aegean. It had been said by a visiting bishop who had sat on their balcony that as Mount Athos is the Garden of the Theotokos, their view proved that this balcony also belonged to the Mother of God!
After a brief stint on the balcony, we were led to their Chapel dedicated to the Feast of the Presentation to the Theotokos to the Temple. As it was late afternoon, we would celebrate Vespers. I was asked to serve so that Fr. Cheroubim could chant with Fr. Theophilos.
At the close of service, Fr. Cheroubim directed our attention to a beautiful silver reliquary set on a table to the left of the sole. This reliquary held a most precious treasure of Fr. Cheroubim and his synodia at the Skete, the skull of their elder, Fr. Anthimos, who is considered to be the most recently revealed saint of Mount Athos.
Father Anthimos is revered by the monks of the Skete as well as by the monastics scattered throughout the Holy Mountain, and the faithful of Greece. Coming to the Skete as a mere teenager, he remained most joyous throughout his years. Filled with and manifesting the gifts of the Holy Spirit, he was considered a healer to those who were physically sick and a wise physician of the soul for those who would seek his counsel. He was compassionate and caring to his spiritual children, always understanding their shortcomings and never expecting more than he knew they could bear. He would however keep a very strict discipline of prayer and fasting for himself on account of his own weaknesses and temptations. Fr. Anthimos fell asleep in the Lord in 1996. When his body was taken up from the grave outside of the main courtyard at the Kyriakon some three years later, the smell of myrrh came forth from the earth, a testament to his holiness.
In a day and an age when many seek wise elders both on and off the Holy Mount, Fr. Cheroubim reminded us that true holiness is identified when an elder is easier on his spiritual children and harder on himself. The spiritual father, he continued, of course challenges his charges, but remains most realistic of their abilities and gifts, knowing that God remains compassionate, judging the intent just as much as the thoughts, words, or deeds.
Each of us venerated his Holy Relic and then I received a tiny Relic of Fr. Anthimos for our parish. Fr. Cheroubim then brought forth a piece of the Cross for us to venerate as well as a number of other Holy Relics, including a little bundle of thread, which is from the belt of the Theotokos that is kept at one of the other monasteries of the Holy Mountain.
As I returned to the Sanctuary to venerate the Altar Table, I noticed a plaque upon the wall. Upon this plaque was affixed hair from the tonsures of the various monks of this brotherhood. In order according to the dates of tonsure were some names with which I was now familiar: Fr. Anthimos, Fr. Cheroubim, Fr. Theophilos, and Fr. Anthimos. Hanging in the altar, it remains a physical testament to all of those who have made a commitment to the monastic lifestyle at the Skete of Saint Anna in this particular synodia.
Leaving the chapel, we took a quick tour of the house. There were two rooms of particular interest. One room was of the late Fr. Anthimos, which is preserved as it was kept by their saintly father, with the addition of only a few beautiful framed pictures of Fr. Anthimos. The second room that captivated us was their iconography studio. Currently, Fr. Theophilos who is considered to be an outstanding iconographer on account of his precise writing of icons, not to mention that he has mastered the art of painting over gold for a translucent finish on the icon, is working on an icon of St. Raphael. Learning of his talent, I remain most hopefully that we will commission Fr. Theophilos to write the twelve festal icons as well as other portable icons for our Church.
We returned to the balcony. By now, the sun was setting, offering us a most incredible sunset (and, yes, I did take a few pictures for Krissy). As we hadn’t eaten in some time, Fr. Cheroubim directed Petros to bring us a few snacks. Each of us was given a persimmon; cold glasses of water and the tray of dried fruit that we had brought from California were also set on a coffee table. The persimmons were delicious! The secret is to pick them before they are over ripe and to leave them outside until they are soft enough to be enjoyed with a spoon. The dried fruit seemed most exotic for the monks until Fr. Cheroubim began reading the label to discern in which part of California the fruit originated. To our surprise and to a great deal of laughter, Fr. Cheroubim read that the figs were a product of Turkey!
As the walk back down to the main courtyard would be hard for the dads to traverse in darkness, we departed for the guesthouse. To my surprise, the dads inquired about Confession. Neither of the dads has been to confession in a number of years, one since he was married, and the other around high school. Tomorrow morning after Liturgy both would have a chance to confess.
It was about 7PM when we returned to our rooms. It was hard to believe that we had experienced so much in a matter of hours, not to mention that we were going to bed at a bit after seven. We remained overwhelmed and looked with great anticipation to the day ahead, which would begin at 5:30AM with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy…
I awoke at 5AM to get ready for the day. My quick wash coincided with the bells ringing, summoning the faithful to the Kyriakon for services. Taking our places, Fr. Theophilos was set as the first chanter while another brother would be the second chanter for services. Both had beautiful voices, again a fitting reflection on the Skete that boasts the best chanters on Mount Athos.
Services were beautiful and unique. As a visiting priest, I was again asked to recite the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed at the appropriate points in service. Then, when it came time for the pre-communion prayers, the brothers began chanting the Paraclesis to Saint Anna instead? It was later explained that this is a tradition of the Skete. Since the faithful were preparing to commune with God in the Eucharist, and the Relic of Saint Anna would be brought out for veneration at the close of services, this point in service was deemed a fitting time to seek her intercessions.
The Liturgy ended, we received our antidoron, went to a fount in the left apse of the Church for a cup of holy water, again a tradition of the Skete, and then prepared to venerate the Relic of Saint Anna. Either the Dikaios or a member of his house will bring forth the Holy Relic to be venerated first by the clergy and then the pilgrims. The last to venerate the Relic is he who brought the reliquary forth for veneration.
Departing the Church, we advanced to the formal salon of the Skete for our shot of tsiporo, a cup of coffee, and a sweet. This morning, three other monks who we had yet to meet joined us. Without question, the character of the group was Fr. Alexandros.
His face was full of expression; his personality was lively and entertaining. His Greek was simple and quick. Although appearing as a wise and aged monk (approximately 80 years of age), surprisingly, Fr. Alexandros had only lived at the Skete since 1991. Prior to his arrival at Mount Athos, he was married as well as a father and served as a parish priest. Unfortunately, his wife had passed away and after some time of living with his son, he joined his new family, as he referred to his brother monks, at the Skete of Saint Anna.
Fr. Alexandros shared story after story. The distilling of tsiporo was a lively conversation that offered some funny antidotes. He then shared his thoughts on animals, most specifically pets (basically he like animals but couldn’t get past people keeping them in their homes as they smell. To see his expression as he said this was priceless). And, the conversation that went for some time was his thought that the youth of today both in Greece and abroad have learned to use their minds, but are unable to endure any sweat of the brow (he is confident that he can still outwork most kids in their twenties).
We concluded our time together with a few pictures taken in the courtyard. We returned to the salon to pick up our plates and cups, advancing to the kitchen for a quick washing, evidently feeling much more comfortable and at home than we had the day before. Now seemed like a fine time to do a bit of writing in our journals…
