He was an old man who cried like a little child as soon as he heard the name of the Virgin Mary.
He was a Kausokalyvite who, whenever he turned his side at night, chanted “Axion esti”.
He was a Gregorian abbot who had “eaten” Her icon from the many embraces.
He was a Neo-Scythian who begged everyone he saw to speak, write, publish, whatever there was about the Virgin Mary.
He was a blessed Iberian who suffered from love for Portaitissa.
A Philotheitis said: “We certainly have our hopes in Glykophilousan”
Panagia, the mother of the Saints.
The holy mary. Above all Saints. Mother of God and people. The best fairy tale. The surest ambassador of the faithful. The humblest, the kindest, the most modest, the most obedient, the most patient, the silent, the brave, the first, the queen, the Mistress, the Steward, the Housekeeper, the light-bearing cloud and the commanding pitcher.
Nice to see her. A pleasure to invoke. A blessing to visit you. Hope sure to please her. Her purpose is great help.
Where to find the nice words to praise her? How poor is the language for big names? How worn the language is by abuse. So you shut up and say it all. As she silently followed her beloved Son everywhere. Until Stavros.
Athonite Theotokos, the sleepless candle, the pure candle, the Greetings, the Prayer, the Theotokario, the Theotokia are not enough for you. No kneelings and prayers and offerings and rosaries. You ask for the purity of the heart so that your Son may dwell and bring Theotokos and Theophoric hours of holy theopsis and light-pouring…
Mother of God, mother of people, mother of pain, mother of anguish, mother of those who grieve, companion of God’s gladiators, the monks.
No matter how we do it, the Saints are superior souls, since they chose to devote themselves permanently to the Athonite Theotokos.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us from the Axion esti of the pansept temple of the Protatus of the capital of the Carians, of Koukouzelissa of the Great Lavra, of Vatopedina Esphagmeni, of Portaitissa of the Iberians, of Tricherousis of Chiliandarios, of Akathistos of Dionysios, of the Terrific Protection of Koutloumusios, of Gerontissa of Pantokrator, Gorgoipikou of Dochiario, Myrovlytissa of Saint Paul, Odegetria of Xenophon and so many others, in churches and chapels, cells and huts…
*From the book “Athonian Supper” by Monk Moiseos Agioreitos
