Michael's Blog

A Smile From Heaven

This news is a bit old but I wanted to post and get the word out.

The Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos today mourns the dormition of our Elder Joseph of Vatopedi, one of the few remaining true Athonite elders who reposed this morning at 2:30, July 1, 2009. The Elder was born on July 1, 1921, on the celebration of the Holy Anargyroi (Saints Cosmas and Damian). After the dormition of his Elder, Joseph the Hesychast, he left the Skete where he lived and went to the Skete of the Holy Anargyroi. St Cosmas and St Damian were those who protected him throughout his life and those who chose to take him with them on the day of their celebration.

May his memory be eternal!

There's also a very interesting thread over at http://www.christianforums.com/t7387199/ with pictures, the most amazing part is that the expression on his face changed 45 minutes after his death. While I don't normally like viewing pictures of the deceased these are strangely reassuring.

Holy Pascha

I haven't posted anything here for a while so I just wanted to take a moment to wish everybody a joyous Pascha. This coming Holy Saturday I will be baptized into the church, my days as a Catachumen are almost over.

I'm looking forward to the day and I'm sure it will be an extremely profound moment in my life, to be honest this is the first time that I've felt peace for a long, long time. Pics will be posted when I get them.

Also, I would like to quote the words of His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah: