Falling Asleep of Father Zosimas, Disciple of the Blessed Elder Simon Arvanites

I was informed of the falling asleep in the Lord of Father Zosimas on August 10th. He was born on 20 December 1937 and passed away on 10 August 2010. May his memory be eternal!

Father Zosimas was a disciple of the blessed Elder Simon Arvanites and helped him found and build the Holy Monastery of Saint Panteleimon in Penteli of Athens. Father Zosimas was at the side of his Elder till the day of his death. Following the death of Elder Simon, he himself acquired many spiritual children throughout Greece and Cyprus. It is said that Elder Paisios would say that he had never met a more awe-inspiring monk in regards to obedience. Below is an example of such obedience.

Father Zosimas wrote five books about his holy elder and his miracles, and in one he writes the following about him:

"Many times, even though I would sleep near him to take care of him, since he could not see at all, I would hear him speak. When I would ask him with whom he was speaking, he would say:

'You think I am sleeping? Many people come throughout the night.'

Another time a lady told me that the previous night she had wished to ask the Elder about a certain problem, and the Elder entered her house, helped her, and he went away. I told her that this was impossible to happen, since at night I would lock the cell and hold the key until the Elder may awaken me in order for me to lead him outside so he won't injure himself, since he is unable to see.

The Elder then yelled out from his cell:

'Zosima, you say what you want. At night I leave from here.'

One night, after midnight, he called out to me to bring his epitracheli [priestly stole]. I brought it to him, he wore it while he was lying down, and he began to pray for a long time. At about a quarter after one [1:15 AM] a man came who we knew from Penteli enraged. Mastered by anger, he yelled:

'I will kill a man tonight. I will commit a crime.'

The Elder convinced him to bend down under his epitracheli to read a prayer over him. The man had wanted to confess first. The Elder revealed that it was unnecessary for him to say anything, because he saw everything from the time he began his abusing at his house."

Read more here.