Today, Monday 27 November 2017, Elder Iakovos Tsalikes, who reposed in the Lord on 21 November 1991, was officially numbered among the saints by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, on his patronal feast of Saint James (Iakovos) the Persian. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew himself had visited the Venerable Iakovos Tsalikes at the Monastery of the Venerable David in Evia in February of 1989, and he told the then Metropolitan Bartholomew that one day he would become Patriarch. His annual feast will take place on November 22nd.
Brief Biographical Information About Saint Iakovos Tsalikes
Saint Iakovos Tsalikes was born on 5 November 1920 to pious parents in Asia Minor. Soon after he departed for Greece as a refugee, near Corinth.
By the age of seven he had memorized the entire Divine Liturgy although he was illiterate.
In 1927 he went to elementary school and was distinguished for his performance. Everyone knew of his love for the Church.
That same year Saint Paraskevi appeared to him and revealed his brilliant ecclesiastical future. In the coming years he would have many visions of various Saints. At this time he was in continuous prayer and even reportedly healed people in his village.
From 1938 till the end of his life he lived in extreme asceticism, eating little, praying always, and working hard. His mother died in July of 1942, foretelling that one day he would be a priest.
His governor highly honored him and was one of the few who understood the bright future of the refugee. After his dismissal from the army in 1949, Iakovos at the age of 29 lost his father. He becomes responsible for his sister.
At age 32 Iakovos became a novice monk and on 19 December 1952 he was ordained a priest by Metropolitan Gregory of Halkida.
On 25 June 1975 he became Abbot of the Monastery of the Venerable David in Evia, the monastery of his repentance.
In 1990 the Elder began to lose his strength, and there was a significant decrease in his health. In September 1991, after a series of micro-strokes, he was hospitalized in the State Hospital.
On the morning of 21 November 1991, the feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, he attended the Divine Liturgy, chanted and communed.
When he went to get up at the arrival of the other monks, he became dizzy, his breathing was heavy, his pulse weakened, and a small breath came from his mouth, and in this way he reposed in the Lord.
His funeral was attended by a large crowd of people. Metropolitan Prokopios of Kefallonia at one point said to raise his coffin high up so everyone could see the Elder. When his sacred relic could be seen by all, thousands of the faithful cried out together: "Saint! Saint!"