THE HUMILITY AND PIETY OF ST, PORPHYRIOS OF KAVSOKALYVIA

THE HUMILITY AND PIETY OF ST, PORPHYRIOS OF KAVSOKALYVIA

Commemorated on December 2nd.

On December 2nd the holy Orthodox Church commemorates the recently- glorified God-bearing elder of our times, St. Porphyries of Kavsokalyiva, who reposed on this day in 1991, He was known as a humble ascetic with the gift of foresight who always served the Divine Liturgy with compunction. In his memory we offer below his final letter.

While at the Holy Skete of Kavsokalvvia on Mt. Athos, the Elder Porphyries had given orders for his grave to be dug. Through a spiritual child of his, he dictated a farewell letter of advice and forgiveness to all his spiritual children.

Here is the letter as it was sent from the Holy Convent of the Transfiguration of the Savior. It was found amongst the monk’s garments that were laid out for his burial on the day of his departure. This letter is a profound example of the humility of the saints who have acquired the likeness of God through their humble ascetic offerings.

Μy dear spiritual Children,

Now that I am still in charge of my faculties, I want to give you some advice.

Ever since 1 was a child, I was always in sin. When my mother sent me to watch the animals on the mountain, (my father had gone to America to work on the Panama Canal for us his children, because we were poor), there, where 1 shepherded the animals, I slowly read, word by word, the life of St. John the Hut-dweller and I loved St. John very much. I said a lot of prayers, like the young child that I was, twelve or fifteen years old, I don’t remember too well. I wanted to follow his example. $0, with a lot of difficulty, I secretly left my parents and came to Kavsokalvvia on the Holy Mountain. I became obedient to two elders, die true brothers, Panteleimon and Ioannikios.

'They happened to be very devout and full of virtue, I loved them very much and because of that, with their blessing, I gave them absolute obedience. That helped me a lot. I also felt great love for God and got along very well. However, because of my sins, God allowed me to become ill, and my elders told me to go to my parents in my village of St. John, in Evia. Although I had sinned a lot from when I was a small child, when I returned to the world I continued to commit sins, which today are very many. Hie world, however, thought highly of me, and everyone shouts that I’m a saint.

I however, feel that I am the most sinful person in the world. Of course, whatever I remembered 1 confessed, and I know God has forgiven me. But now I have the feeling that my spiritual sins are very many and I ask all those who have known me to pray for me, because, for as long as 1 lived, 1 humbly prayed for you, too. Now that I’m leaving for heaven, ! have the feeling that God will say to me, What are you doing here? I have only one thing to say to him, “I am not worthy of here, Lord, but whatever your love wills, it’ll do for me.” From then on, 1 don’t know what will happen. 1 however, wish for God’s love to act.

I always pray that my spiritual children will love God, Who is everything, so that He will make us worthy to enter His earthly uncreated Church. We must begin from here. I always made the effort to pray, to read the hymns of the Church, the Holy Scriptures and the Lives of the Saints. May you do the same. I tried, by the grace of Cod, to approach God and may you also do the same.

I beg all of you to forgive me for whatever I did to upset you.

Hieromonk Porphyries

Kavsokalyvia, June 4/17 1991

The life of the parents is the only thing that makes good children. Parents should be very patient and “saintlike” to their children. They should truly love their children. And the children will share this love! Parents themselves are usually responsible for the bad attitude. The parents don’t help their children by lecturing them and repeating to them “advices,” or by making them obeying strict rules in order to impose discipline. If the parents do not become “saints” and truly love their children and if they don’t struggle for it, then they make a huge mistake. With their wrong and/or negative attitude the parents convey to their children their negative feelings. Then their children become reactive and insecure not only to their home, but to the society as well.

Love Christ and put nothing before His Love. He is joy, He is life, He is light. Christ is Everything. He is the ultimate desire, He is everything. 

Everything beautiful is in Christ.

Somebody who is Christ’s must love Christ, and when he loves Christ he is delivered from the Devil, from hell and from death.

This is the way we should see Christ. He is our friend, our brother; He is whatever is good and beautiful. Lie is everything. Yet, He is still a friend and He shouts it out “You’re my friends, don’t you understand that? Were brothers. i don't hold hell in my hands. I am not threatening you. i love you. I want you to enjoy life together with me....

St. Porphyrins of Kavsokalyvia (+1991)