Translated into Russian: Elder Ephraim of Katunaki. Moscow, Russkii khronograf Publ., 2002. 3) With the brotherhood of the blessed elder Joseph the Hesychast, of which the author of this book was a member. 4) From the r.: Matt.: 28, 20. 5) P p. 144, 13. 6) Cf. Matt. 7, 8.   In his right intention to fulfill the destiny of man, determined by the laws of Divine Revelation, possessing special purity – spiritual and bodily – he gave himself over with all his soul to the blessed novice obedience and cut the fetters of the innumerable justifications of the old man.

Soaring on the wings of true obedience, which was accompanied by self-denial and diligence, he soon tasted the sweetness of grace and increased his faith in the all-saving Providence of Christ. In this way he made powerless the devil's tricks and snares, especially those that stumble at the novices. This was followed by the second blessing of God – an acquaintance with Elder Joseph the Hesychast, his spiritual father, who traced the unerring path of repentance and true self-absorption, with his fatherly prayers and blessing confirmed him in the faithful march along the path of sincere and genuine obedience, which he taught constantly.

Verily, blessed is the obedience that breaks the members and compositions of the old man, the captive of the sinful law.1 Very early the young Ephraim kissed his obedience, and in his youth he showed the wisdom of an old man. He laid the good foundation of his life – the patristic tradition, and this did not hesitate to bear fruit: practical work successfully achieved its goal.

When at first the earthly members2 were mortified by absolute self-denial and diligence in podvig, which was the attainment of a mind that preserves sobriety, then grace was subordinated to the mind, according to patristic terminology, and the lawful ascetic (cf. 2 Tim. 2:5) attained contemplation, which is aided by Divine enlightenment. Enlightened by the Spirit, he entered into the knowledge of the Divine mysteries and, in accordance with the prophecy of his spiritual father, ascended the ladder of Divine ascent to sanctification, the summit of the Divine promises about the fulfillment of human destiny.

We will describe a few of his personal gifts that were clearly manifested during our communication. The gift of foresight and clairvoyance of Elder Ephraim was well known to people who were in close contact with him, and it is impossible to give all the evidence of this here. He knew the past and the present in detail and predicted the future, causing amazement in those to whom he revealed the innermost of their hearts.

The noble fighter of the spirit did not cease to help his visitors and strengthen them until old age. He ended his stay here with a full witness to his life as a monk, with a full awareness of his calling by the Lord. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matt. 11:28); and, "Where I am, there shall My servant be" (John 12:26).  --- 1) See: Rom. 7, 23. 2) Kol. 3, 5.

  Chapter One From Thebes to the Hesychastiry of the 1st Monk Ephraim on Katunaki He was born in the village of Ambelochori near Thebes in 1912. His father's name was John (Giannis) Papanikita, and his mother's name was Victoria. In addition to him, there were three more children in the family. His grandfather, Father Nikita, was a village priest. The elder's family was deeply Christian.

With his mother's milk, he absorbed the leaven of ascent and success, which manifested itself from the very beginning of his monastic path. After graduating from the gymnasium, Evangel (such was the secular name of the elder) tried to find his place in society, but everywhere he failed. As he himself said, the reason for his departure from public life at first was not the thought of monasticism, but the failures and frustrations of his various attempts and aspirations.

Failures did not lead him to despair, but forced him to think seriously about his future. Then he thought that only God could direct his steps. Usually, for the overwhelming majority of people, the will of God does not become manifest at all through revelation or notification. People see it in the ordinary course of life and follow it in their daily affairs, as happened to the hero we are describing.

In the history of the Greek people there were many difficulties and sufferings. The words of Holy Scripture are fulfilled in it: "Those who desire to live godly life shall be persecuted" (2 Tim. 3:12). And indeed, at the end of the Byzantine period of its history, the Greek people experienced captivity, slavery, misfortune and exile to foreign lands. In the early decades of the twentieth century, young people made great efforts to secure their future.

Many chose emigration for the sake of success in their profession. Thus, almost half of the former population of Greece at that time was scattered. After graduating from the gymnasium, young Evangel faced a similar problem. Several unsuccessful attempts to make up his mind in life opened the door of God's special Providence before him, teaching him that man's way does not lie in his will (Jeremiah 10:23), but God cares for us (cf. 1 Pet. 5:7).

For the sake of educating their children, the family of John Papanikita was forced to move from their village to Thebes. Their house was visited by monks and nuns, and for the young Evangel, who was well read in the books of the Holy Fathers, they became practical examples of spiritual life. Here he met his future elders, Ephraim and Nicephorus, fellow countrymen who kindled in him the fire of the desire for monastic life.

When he expressed his desire to become a monk, Victoria, his good mother, saw in a dream a certain venerable elder (this was St. Ephraim the Syrian), who said to her: "The decision now made by your child is the will of God, and in this he will succeed." From this begins the preparation for the future, which was no longer unknown or difficult for the properly educated Gospel.

He already knew what the Jesus Prayer, prostrations, fasting, and obedience were. The life of the elder on Mount Athos, in the wilderness of the Holy Mountain, began on September 14, 1933. He entered the brotherhood of his already mentioned countrymen Ephraim and Nicephorus, in which he spent all his life. The young novice Evangel did not stay with Elder Ephraim, however, for long. After a certain period of obedience, he was tonsured by him into monasticism with the name Longinus.