Arsenios of Paros

Description

Saint Arsenios was born in Ioannina on January 31, 1800 AD. and his name was Athanasios. He was orphaned at an early age and at the age of nine he moved to Kydonia in Asia Minor, where he studied at the nominal school of the town with the famous teacher Hieromonk Grigorios Sarafis as headmaster.During the last years of his studies, he connected with the spiritual Elder Daniel from Zagora of Pelion, one of the renowned spiritual leaders of that time, and became his subordinate.In the year 1815 AD the Saint left for Mount Athos with Elder Daniel and became a monk there. Later he was ordained a Deacon despite his reactions, as he did not consider himself worthy and after a six-year stay on Mount Athos he came again with his Elder, to Pentelis Monastery in Athens. Then they went to the Cyclades, where Osios was ordained in 1817 AD. Senior.Saint Arsenios worked mainly in Paros and Folegandros, where he taught from 1829 AD. until 1840 AD.After the death of the Elder Daniel, the Blessed One asceticized in the monastery of Logovarda on Paros. He slept and ate little and constantly kept vigil, praying for his spiritual children and the salvation of the world. His main food was the reading of the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the Holy Fathers.That is why Osios considered his little library as a lush and beautiful garden with white-fruited trees, full of delicious fruits.
Osios loved everyone without discrimination. But more than that he loved the patients, whom he ministered to with great eagerness.When in 1861 AD, the abbot of the monastery, pious hieromonk Ilias, fell asleep, the fathers elected as their abbot and superior the Holy Arsenios, who shepherded them in a theophilous and theocratic way. A few years later he resigned, in order to devote himself undividedly to the work of the holy confession.The Saint slept in peace on January 31 of the year 1877 AD. His remains were collected in 1938 AD. and is celebrated on August 18. His holy relics are kept with reverence in the Transfiguration Monastery of Sotiros Paros.