July 5 – St. Athanasios of Athos
Venerable Father Afanasiy of Athos (Vigil). Holy Martyrs Anna and Kiryla.
Finding of the Honorable Relics of the Venerable and God-bearing Father Sergiy, Wonderworker of Radonezh (Vigil). The relics of Venerable Sergiy (commemorated on September 25) were found 30 years after his repose, on July 5, 1422, during the time of Venerable Nikon, Abbot of Radonezh.
Life of Venerable Afanasiy of Athos
Venerable Afanasiy of Athos, baptized Avraamiy, was born in the city of Trapezund. Orphaned early, he was raised by a kind and pious nun, emulating her in the practices of monastic life, fasting, and prayer. He excelled in his studies, quickly surpassing his peers.
After his foster mother’s death, Avraamiy was taken to Constantinople to the court of the Byzantine Emperor Roman the Elder, where he studied under the renowned rhetorician Afanasiy. Avraamiy soon matched his teacher’s mastery and became a mentor to youth. Valuing fasting and vigilance as true life, Avraamiy lived strictly and ascetically, sleeping little on a chair, with barley bread and water as his sustenance. When his teacher Afanasiy grew envious, Avraamiy left his mentorship and withdrew.
At that time, Venerable Mikhail Malein, Abbot of Kiminsky Monastery, arrived in Constantinople. Avraamiy shared his life story and his secret desire to become a monk. The divinely inspired elder, seeing Avraamiy as a chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit, loved him and taught him much about salvation. During one of their spiritual conversations, Mikhail was visited by his nephew, Nikiphor Foka, a renowned general and future emperor. Avraamiy’s lofty spirit and profound intellect deeply impressed Nikiphor, inspiring lifelong reverence and love. Burning with zeal for monastic life, Avraamiy left everything and arrived at Kiminsky Monastery, falling at the feet of the venerable abbot to be clothed in the monastic habit. The abbot joyfully fulfilled his request and tonsured him with the name Afanasiy.
Through prolonged fasting, vigils, prostrations, and day-and-night labors, Afanasiy soon attained such perfection that the holy abbot blessed him for the ascetic feat of silence in a secluded place near the monastery. Later, leaving Kiminsky, Afanasiy wandered through many desolate and solitary places until, guided by God, he came to a place called Melana, at the far edge of Athos, distant from other monastic dwellings. There, he built a cell and labored in prayer and asceticism, advancing from one spiritual feat to another toward the highest monastic perfection.
The enemy sought to stir hatred in Afanasiy for his chosen place, assailing him with relentless thoughts. The ascetic resolved to endure for a year, then act as God willed. On the final day, as Afanasiy stood in prayer, a Heavenly Light suddenly shone upon him, filling him with inexpressible joy. His troubling thoughts vanished, and tears of grace flowed from his eyes. From that moment, Afanasiy received the gift of compunction and came to love his place of solitude as fervently as he had once despised it. At that time, Nikiphor Foka, weary of military exploits, recalled his vow to become a monk and asked Afanasiy to use his resources to build a monastery—cells for silence and a church where the brethren could partake of the Divine Mysteries of Christ on Sundays.
Initially, Afanasiy resisted accepting the “hated gold” to avoid worldly cares, but seeing Nikiphor’s fervent desire and discerning God’s will, he began constructing the monastery. He built a great church in honor of the Holy Prophet and Forerunner of Christ, Ioann, and another at the mountain’s base dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God. Cells arose around the church, forming a wondrous monastery on the Holy Mountain. A refectory, hospital, guesthouse, and other necessary buildings were also constructed.
Monks flocked to the monastery from Greece and beyond—common folk and nobles, hermits seasoned by years in the desert, abbots of many monasteries, and even bishops who wished to be simple monks in Afanasiy’s Athonite Lavra.
The holy abbot established a cenobitic rule modeled after ancient Palestinian monasteries. Services were conducted with strict reverence; no one dared speak during worship, arrive late, or leave without necessity.
The Most Pure Mother of God, the Heavenly Queen of Athos, favored the saint. He was granted to see Her with his bodily eyes many times. By God’s allowance, a famine struck the monastery, causing monks to leave one by one. Afanasiy, left alone, briefly considered departing. Suddenly, he saw a Woman under a radiant veil approaching him. “Who are you, and where are you going?” She asked gently. Afanasiy stopped with involuntary reverence. “I am a monk here,” he replied, sharing his story and concerns. “Will you abandon the monastery destined to be glorified for generations over a piece of daily bread? Where is your faith? Return, and I will help you,” She said. “Who are you?” Afanasiy asked. “I am the Mother of your Lord,” She answered, instructing him to strike a rock with his staff. A spring burst forth, which remains to this day as a reminder of Her wondrous visitation.
The brotherhood grew, and construction continued in the Lavra. Foreseeing his departure to the Lord, Afanasiy prophesied his imminent death, urging the brethren not to be troubled by what would happen, saying, “For men judge one way, but the All-Wise ordains another.” The brethren, puzzled, pondered his words. After giving his final instructions and comforting all, Afanasiy entered his cell, donned his mantle and sacred cowl (worn only on great feasts), and prayed at length. Vigorous and joyful, the holy abbot ascended the church’s roof with six brethren to inspect the construction. Suddenly, by God’s mysterious providence, the roof collapsed. Five brethren immediately gave their souls to God. Afanasiy and the architect Daniil, buried under stones, remained alive. All heard Afanasiy cry out, “Glory to Thee, O God! Lord Jesus Christ, help me!” The brethren, weeping bitterly, dug through the rubble but found their father already reposed.