Foreword by Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia, Honorary Chairman of the International Institute of the Athonite Legacy, President of the Friends of Mount Athos

For over 1000 years, the Holy Mountain of Athos has been and remains the spiritual centre for all Orthodox Christians. For many centuries, people have come here seeking spiritual perfection, striving to love their fellow brethren and serve them, and desiring to attain the heights of repentance and unceasing prayer. Treading the paths of Mount Athos, I have witnessed genuine monastic life. Carrying on ancient traditions without interruption, the monks on the Holy Mountain today live much as they did in the past: the day of both an ordinary monk and one in a position of authority consists of prayer and obediences, and of a few hours for sleep and rest. The Holy Mountain thus houses ascetics and holy people.

The Lord reveals at different times the names of the saints who have pleased Him. Over the past decades, He has revealed to us such Athonite saints as: Silouan of Athos (canonized in 1987); Gavriil of Athos (1994); Dionysios of Vatopedi (2007); Paisios the Athonite (2015); and, in 2019 Joseph the Hesychast, Joseph and Daniel of Katounakia, Hieronymus of Simonopetra, and Sophrony the Athonite. Even now, the Lord has revealed yet another ascetic of the Garden of the Mother of God: Hieroschemamonk Avvanuk (Vakarov). Who was this elder and what is he known for?

He came to Mount Athos with the blessing of St Aleksii of Carpathian Russia. His intention was sincere and premeditated: he spent the rest of his life on Mount Athos, living and working for fifty years in the Russian Monastery of St Panteleimon.

Fr Avvakum initially carried out a labourer’s obediences, at the ox-shed, the apiary, the mill, and the olive-press, and then for many years served as a member of the Council of Elders, steward, and monastery’s antiprosopos at the Holy Community. His candidature for abbot of the monastery was put forward, but he refused. Divine Providence had other plans. Throughout Elder Avvakum’s thirty years’ service at the Holy Community, the only Russian Athonite monastery was saved partly thanks to him from ruin and closure.

No less great were Hieroschemamonk Avvakum’s spiritual labours. He was influenced and educated by Sts Silouan of Athos and Sophrony (Sakharov), and other St Panteleimon Monastery elders like Ieronim (Solomentsov), Makarii (Sushkin), Vasilii (Krivoshein), Kassian (Bezobrazov): their examples imbued him with traditional monastic virtues of obedience, asceticism, and prayer.

In 2017, with the blessing of the Council of Elders of St Panteleimon Monastery, Elder Avvakum’s remains—his head and bones—were exhumed and discovered to be of an amber, waxy hue. According to Athonite tradition, this coloration is considered a sign that a monk has lived a righteous life and is proof of his sanctity. Shortly after the remains were uncovered, the first miraculous healing occurred on Mount Athos. Miracles have occurred outside of Athos: in 2019, a girl was cured of cancer after her mother prayed before a portrait of Elder Avvakum in the Kiev Caves Lavra. A description of this miracle is included in the book.

By the miracles performed through people’s prayers to Elder Avvakum, the Lord has revealed that he was pleasing to God. His life and works are edifying and amply testify to what a person can achieve spiritually by self-sacrificing service to God and his fellow men.

† Kallistos (Ware),

Metropolitan of Diokleia

Honorary President of the International Institute of the Athonite Legacy

President of the Friends of Mount Athos