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.

After a short time, the elder reposed, full of days and mature in age, and his place was taken by Hieromonk Nicephorus. In 1935, the young elder2 Ni-kyphorus, when tonsured into the great schema, named Longinus Ephraim in honor of the Monk Ephraim, --- 1) And the syhastyrium (Greek ησυχαστήριον — literally: "place of silence") — usually a cenobitic monastery (

on Athos, as a rule, it is a solitary cell), built by some private owner on his land and by virtue of this having almost complete independence from the authority of the diocesan bishop and great freedom in his internal order. 2) «... a young elder..." — an elder on Athos is called not only a wise ascetic of advanced years, but also simply the head of the brotherhood, which is Father Nikephoros here.

  to whom the church of their hesychastiria was dedicated. The piety and attentiveness of the young monk in the spiritual life were soon appreciated by his elder. The following year he was ordained to the priesthood and since then has been known as Father Ephraim of Katounak. Father Ephraim was older than us, and he had met our venerable Elder Joseph the Hesychast earlier.

He clung to him with all his soul, not only following his advice, but also, as far as possible, imitating him. Father Ephraim was not with us1 all the time. Thus did the Divine Providence govern everything. He lived on Katunaki according to the rule of Elder Nicephorus, following the tradition of the local hermit. Worthy of our attention is the heroic striving of Father Ephraim to combine two images of monastic life: hermitage and coenobial, which he fulfilled with unsurpassed zeal, perseverance, and patience.

And he was helped by Divine grace, which he restrained by obedience and the rejection of his own will, as the Tradition of the Fathers teaches. When we, by the grace of Christ, in the summer of 1947 entered into obedience to our Elder, Father Ephraim was our priest,2 and we accepted him as our genuine, unanimous and like-minded brother. Our venerable Elder explained to us the purpose of the monastic life and led us to it, instructing us with an all-consuming love for God, and not with attention to the rules and places of residence, depending on the circumstances.

What more obligatory commandment is given to man than that which speaks of love for God with all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mk. 12, 30)? This is the first and main lesson that our Elder taught us, tirelessly instructing us on the path to success. In this study, our co-worker and companion of our own free will was our most prudent brother, Father Ephraim.

More mature in years and experience, he was always distinguished by accuracy in the fulfillment of obedience, but not with fear and slavishness, but with love for the Elder Father who gave the order. Explaining the word of the Lord to the disciples, that he who hears you hears Me, and he who rejects you rejects Me (Luke 10:16), he constantly emphasized the importance of complete obedience to the elder, as to Christ Himself.