Ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι καὶ μιᾷ καρδίᾳ

In one spirit and with one heart Mount Athos 30.09.2026 Sotirios I. Balatsoukas, Professor at the University of Thessaly, Archon Protonotary of the Ecumenical Patriarchate It is a difficult human endeavor for anyone to approach and interpret the life and the multifaceted work of spiritual personalities. We owe, at least to a minimal extent, to pay tribute not only to them themselves, but also, more broadly, to highlight their example, so that we too may be inspired by such distinguished personalities. A few days ago, on September 21st, at the Athens Concert Hall, an outstanding spiritual figure was honored: Elder Alexios, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Xenophon on Mount Athos, on the occasion of the completion of fifty years of his abbacy, in the presence of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Konstantinos Tasoulas, His All-Holiness the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, His Beatitude Hieronymos, the Most Venerable representative of His All-Holiness, His Beatitude Bartholomew, Metropolitan of Chalcedon, Elder Emmanuel, as well as the Deputy Minister of Education and Religious Affairs, Mr. Nikos Papaiwannou, Representative of the Prime Minister, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Also present were a multitude of Archbishops, Ministers, and Members of Parliament, the Political Governor and the Deputy Governor of Mount Athos, Abbots, Monks and Nuns, Civil Servants, University Professors, and a large crowd of people. Initially, Elder Alexios, as a son of the land of Macedonia, found himself, along with other virtuous figures, in the saint-bearing land of Thessaly, in the land of the Holy Meteora, where he donned the monastic schema under the seasoned spiritual guidance of a great Athonite ascetic figure, the “martyr-confessor” Metropolitan of Trikala and Stagoi, Dionysios (Charalambos). Together with other charismatically gifted clergy and laypeople, he worked day and night, for many years, serving the liturgy, catechizing, and hearing the confessions of the faithful, and he gave the good testimony “for Christ’s sake.” Subsequently, however, the God who is the Giver of gifts “dispensed” things so that Elder Alexios, just as previously Elder Emilianos, with his honorable companionship, following the invitation of the old Xenophontine fathers, was “transplanted” in 1976 to the Holy Monastery of Xenophon on Mount Athos. The first concern was the reorganization of the Holy Monastery entrusted to him by the old fathers. With many other Elders, anonymous and named, he contributed to the renewal of Athonite monasticism, to the organization and completion of the communal system, and to the preservation of the ancient tradition of the Saints and Fathers of Athos. As a successor to the work of the old Athonite Fathers, he meticulously upheld and preserved the principles and values of authentic Athonite monasticism, both in his spiritual and in his administrative, social, and national work. Always working according to the patristic Athonite traditions and the typika of the Holy Athonite fathers, the sacred canons, as well as with the due respect and honor towards the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Mother Church. The honor paid to Elder Alexios on the occasion of his fifty years of abbacy at the Holy Monastery of Xenophon on Mount Athos clearly does not refer only to himself, but reflects upon the Brotherhood and upon the entire Athonite monasticism and the Orthodox world. The Elder, together with the Brotherhood, worked not only for the restoration of the buildings, but also staffed with living souls both the Holy Monastery of Xenophon and the Holy Monastery of Pantokrator, as well as outside Mount Athos, the female Holy Hermitage of the Precursor in Akritochorio. He provided clergy to the Church: bishops, presbyters, monks, while hundreds are his spiritual children, clergy and laypeople, from every field and social class. In their greetings, everyone characterized the fifty-year abbacy of Elder Alexios as a journey of service and invaluable spiritual contribution, in general. Furthermore, the timeless significance of the Holy Mountain was emphasized: a place of radiance, sacred, with a heavy Orthodox tradition, spiritual and cultural. Every Athonite monk, and especially the Hegumen, performs an ecumenical work, because daily he receives, indiscriminately, people from every corner of the earth; he hears their confessions, counsels them, but also catechizes and baptizes even those of other faiths, with their consent, and unceasingly prays for them and for the whole ecumene. In conclusion, such events highlight the spiritual life that leads to salvation. They elevate the spirit in our lives and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and they encourage our society, the people of God, in the search for true values, of virtue, of communion with God, of the Kingdom of Heaven, which is our true homeland. We must particularly honor and keep in our hearts the spiritual values, as a balm of comfort, strengthening, and reflection in these harsh times. It is an urgent necessity to highlight persons who, daily and selflessly, strive for the salvation of man, because in the present age, whether monk, clergyman, or layperson, one is assailed from all sides by various ideological currents. The venerable Elder Alexios stated in his concluding speech: “Today’s event is not a personal anniversary, but it is a glorification of God and a eucharistic reckoning.” The Elder teaches with his wisdom, gratitude, and experience all of us who seek an experiential faith, in accordance with the Gospel word, and who invoke divine assistance in our lives. Let us keep this unique event and example as a spiritual bequest, so that we may bequeath it to the coming generations.

Ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι καὶ μιᾷ καρδίᾳ Άγιον Όρος 30.09.2026 Σωτήριος Ἰ. Μπαλατσούκας, Καθηγητής Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλίας, Ἄρχων Πρωτονοτάριος τοῦ Οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριαρχείου Δύσκολο τὸ ἐγχείρημα, ἀνθρωπίνως, νὰ προσεγγίσει καὶ νὰ ἑρμηνεύσει κανεὶς τὴ ζωὴ καὶ τὸ πολυσχιδὲς ἔργο πνευματικῶν προσωπικοτήτων. Ὀφείλουμε, ἔστω καὶ ἐλαχίστως, ν’ ἀποτίσουμε φόρο τιμῆς ὄχι μόνον στοὺς ἴδιους, ἀλλὰ καί, εὐρύτερα, νὰ προβάλουμε τὸ παράδειγμά τους, ὥστε νὰ ἐμπνευστοῦμε κι ἐμεῖς ἀπὸ τέτοιες διακεκριμμένες προσωπικότητες. Πρὸ ἡμερῶν, τὴν 21η Σεπτεμβρίου, στὸ Μέγαρο Μουσικῆς τῶν Ἀθηνῶν, τιμήθηκε μιὰ ἐξέχουσα πνευματικὴ μορφή, ὁ Γέροντας Ἀλέξιος, Ἡγούμενος τῆς Ἱερᾶς Μονῆς Ξενοφῶντος Ἁγίου Ὅρους, ἐπὶ τῇ συμπληρώσει πεντήκοντα ἐτῶν ἡγουμενίας, παρουσίᾳ τοῦ Προέδρου τῆς Ἑλληνικῆς Δημοκρατίας κ. Κωνσταντίνου Τασούλα, τοῦ Μακαριωτάτου Ἀρχιεπισκόπου Ἀθηνῶν & πάσης Ἑλλάδος κ. κ. Ἱερωνύμου, τοῦ Σεβασμιωτάτου ἐκπροσώπου τῆς Α. Θ. Παναγιότητος κ. κ. Βαρθολομαίου, Μητροπολίτου Γέροντος Χαλκηδόνος κ. Ἐμμανουήλ, καθὼς καὶ τοῦ Ὑφυπουργοῦ Παιδείας & Θρησκευμάτων κ. Νικ. Παπαϊωάννου, Ἐκπροσώπου τοῦ Πρωθυπουργοῦ κ. Κυριάκου Μητσοτάκη. Ἐπίσης, παρευρεύθησαν πλειάδα Ἀρχιερέων, Ὑπουργῶν καὶ Βουλευτῶν, ὁ Πολιτικὸς Διοικητὴς καὶ ὁ ἀναπληρωτὴς Διοικητὴς τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὅρους, Ἡγούμενοι, Μοναχοὶ καὶ Μοναχές, Πολιτικοί, Καθηγητὲς Πανεπιστημίου καὶ πλῆθος κόσμου. Ἀρχικῶς, ὁ Γέρων Ἀλέξιος, ὡς γόνος τῆς Μακεδονικῆς γῆς, εὑρέθη μαζὶ μὲ ἄλλες ἐνάρετες μορφὲς στὴν ἁγιοτόκο Θεσσαλικὴ γῆ, στὴ γῆ τῶν Ἁγίων Μετεώρων, ὅπου ἐνεδύθη τὸ μοναχικὸ τριβώνιο, ὑπὸ τὴν πεπνυμένη πνευματικὴ καθοδήγηση μιᾶς μεγάλης ἁγιορείτικης ἀσκητικῆς μορφῆς, τοῦ «μάρτυρος-ὁμολογητοῦ» Μητροπολίτου Τρίκκης & Σταγῶν Διονυσίου (Χαραλάμπους). Μαζὶ μὲ ἄλλους χαρισματούχους κληρικοὺς καὶ λαϊκούς, ἐργάστηκε νυχθημερόν, ἐπὶ πολλὰ ἔτη, λειτουργώντας, κατηχώντας, καὶ ἐξομολογώντας τοὺς πιστούς, καὶ ἔδωσε τὴν καλὴ μαρτυρία «ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ». Μετέπειτα, ὅμως, ὁ δωρεοδότης Ἅγιος Θεὸς «οἰκονόμησε» ὥστε ὁ Γέροντας Ἀλέξιος, ὅπως προηγουμένως καὶ ὁ Γέροντας Αἰμιλιανός, μὲ τὴν τίμια συνοδεία του, κατόπιν προσκλήσεως τῶν παλαιῶν Ξενοφωντινῶν πατέρων, νὰ «μεταφυτευθεῖ» τὸ 1976, στὴν Ἱερὰ Μονὴ Ξενοφῶντος τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους. Πρῶτο μέλημα, ἡ ἀνασυγκρότηση τῆς Ἱερᾶς Μονῆς ποὺ τοῦ ἐνεπιστεύθησαν οἱ παλαιοὶ πατέρες. Μὲ πολλοὺς ἄλλους Γέροντες, ἀνώνυμους καὶ ἐπώνυμους, συνέβαλε στὴν ἀνανέωση τοῦ ἁγιορείτικου μοναχισμοῦ, στὴν ὀργάνωση καὶ ὁλοκλήρωση τοῦ κοινοβιακοῦ συστήματος, στὴ διαφύλαξη τῆς μακραίωνης παράδοσης τῶν Ἁγίων καὶ Πατέρων τοῦ Ἄθω. Συνεχιστὴς τοῦ ἔργου τῶν παλαιῶν Ἁγιορειτῶν Πατέρων, τήρησε μὲ ἀκρίβεια, καὶ διαφύλαξε τὶς ἀρχὲς καὶ τὶς ἀξίες τοῦ αὐθεντικοῦ ἁγιορείτικου μοναχισμοῦ, τόσο στὸ πνευματικὸ ὅσο καὶ στὸ διοικητικό, κοινωνικὸ καὶ ἐθνικὸ ἔργο του. Πάντοτε ἐργαζόμενος κατὰ τὶς πατροπαράδοτες Ἁγιορείτικες παραδόσεις καὶ τὰ τυπικὰ τῶν Ἁγίων Ἀθωνιτῶν πατέρων, τοὺς ἱεροὺς κανόνες, καθὼς καὶ μὲ τὸν δέοντα σεβασμὸ καὶ τὴν τιμὴ πρὸς τὸ Οἰκουμενικὸ Πατριαρχεῖο, τὴ Μητέρα Ἐκκλησία. Ἡ τιμὴ τοῦ Γέροντος Ἀλεξίου μὲ ἀφορμὴ τὰ πενήντα χρόνια ἡγουμενίας του στὴν Ἱερὰ Μονὴ Ξενοφῶντος Ἁγίου Ὅρους, σαφῶς δὲν ἀναφέρεται μόνο στὸν ἴδιο, ἀλλὰ ἀντανακλᾶ στὴν Ἀδελφότητα καὶ σὲ ὁλόκληρο τὸν ἁγιορείτικο μοναχισμὸ καὶ στὸν Ὀρθόδοξο κόσμο. Ὁ Γέροντας μαζὶ μὲ τὴν Ἀδελφότητα ἐργάστηκε ὄχι μόνο γιὰ τὴν ἀναστήλωση τῶν κτηρίων, ἀλλὰ ἐπάνδρωσε καὶ μὲ ζῶσες ψυχές, τόσο τὴν Ἱερὰ Μονὴ Ξενοφῶντος καὶ τὴν Ἱερὰ Μονὴ Παντοκράτορος, ὅσο καὶ ἐκτὸς Ἁγίου Ὄρους, τὸ γυναικεῖο Ἱερὸ Ἡσυχαστήριο Τιμίου Προδρόμου Ἀκριτοχωρίου. Προσέφερε κληρικοὺς στὴν Ἐκκλησία, ἐπισκόπους, πρεσβυτέρους, μοναχούς, ἐνῶ ἑκατοντάδες εἶναι τὰ πνευματικὰ τέκνα του, κληρικοὶ καὶ λαϊκοί, ἀπὸ κάθε τομέα καὶ κοινωνικὴ τάξη. Στοὺς χαιρετισμούς τους, ἅπαντες χαρακτήρισαν τὴν πεντηκονταετῆ ἡγουμενία τοῦ Γέροντος Ἀλεξίου, πορεία διακονίας καὶ ἀνεκτίμητης πνευματικῆς προσφορᾶς, ἐν γένει. Ἐπὶ πλέον, τονίστηκε ἡ διαχρονικὴ σημασία τοῦ Ἀγιωνύμου Ὅρους· τόπος τηλαυγής, ἱερός, μὲ μιὰ βαριὰ Ὀρθόδοξη παράδοση, πνευματικὴ καὶ πολιτιστική. Κάθε Ἁγιορείτης μοναχός, καὶ δὴ Ἡγούμενος, ἐπιτελεῖ ἔργο οἰκουμενικό, διότι καθημερινῶς δέχεται στὸ πετραχήλι του, ἀδιακρίτως, ἀνθρώπους ἀπὸ κάθε γωνιὰ τῆς γῆς· τοὺς ἐξομολογεῖ, τοὺς νουθετεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατηχεῖ καὶ βαπτίζει ἀκόμα καὶ ἑτεροδόξους, μὲ τὴ θέλησή τους, καὶ ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχεται γι’ αὐτοὺς καὶ γιὰ τὴν οἰκουμένη ὅλη. Κατακλείοντας, τέτοιες ἐκδηλώσεις προβάλλουν τὴν πνευματικὴ ζωὴ ποὺ ὁδηγεῖ στὴν σωτηρία. Ἀναδεικνύουν τὸ πνεῦμα στὴν ζωή μας καὶ τὶς δωρεὲς τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, καὶ παροτρύνουν τὴν κοινωνία μας, τὸν λαὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, στὴν ἀναζήτηση τῶν ἀληθινῶν ἀξιῶν, τῆς ἀρετῆς, τῆς κοινωνίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῆς Βασιλείας τῶν Οὐρανῶν, ποὺ εἶναι ἡ ἀληθινὴ πατρίδα μας. Ὀφείλουμε νὰ τιμοῦμε ἰδιαιτέρως καὶ νὰ κρατοῦμε στὴν καρδιά μας τὶς πνευματικὲς ἀξίες, ὡς βάλσαμο παρηγορίας, ἐνισχύσεως καὶ ἀναστοχασμοῦ στοὺς δυσχείμερους τούτους καιρούς. Ἀποτελεῖ ἀδήριτη ἀνάγκη νὰ προβάλουμε πρόσωπα, τὰ ὁποῖα, καθημερινῶς καὶ ἀνιδιοτελῶς, ἀγωνίζονται γιὰ τὴ σωτηρία τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, διότι στὴ σημερινὴ ἐποχή, εἴτε μοναχός, εἴτε κληρικός, εἴτε λαϊκός, βάλλεται πανταχόθεν ἀπὸ ποικίλα ἰδεολογικὰ ρεύματα. Ἀνέφερε ὁ σεβαστὸς Γέροντας Ἀλέξιος στὴν καταληκτήριο ὁμιλία του: «Ἡ σημερινὴ ἐκδήλωσις δὲν εἶναι μία προσωπικὴ ἐπέτειος, ἀλλὰ εἶναι μία δοξολογία Θεοῦ καὶ ἕνας εὐχαριστιακὸς ἀπολογισμός». Ὁ Γέροντας διδάσκει μὲ τὴν σοφία, τὴν εὐγνωμοσύνη καὶ τὴν ἐμπειρία του ὅλους ἐμᾶς ποὺ ἐπιζητοῦμε μιὰ πίστη βιωματική, συμφώνως μὲ τὸν Εὐαγγελικὸ λόγο, καὶ ἐπικαλούμαστε τὴν θεϊκὴ ἀρωγὴ στὴν ζωή μας. Ἂς κρατήσουμε τοῦτο τὸ ξεχωριστὸ γεγονὸς καὶ παράδειγμα ὡς πνευματικὴ παρακαταθήκη, γιὰ νὰ κληροδοτήσουμε στὶς ἑπόμενες γενεές.