Yannis Ipsilantis: He lived a holy life

Yannis Ipsilantis is the only person still alive now who knew Fr Avvakum. He is over 80 years old and first came to St Panteleimon’s in 1947 with his father and two brothers at the age of 12 and earned money working at obediences. The economic situation in Greece at the time was very tough and people looked to survive by any means they could; many sought opportunities to earn enough money at least to buy food by working in monasteries, including those on Mount Athos.

As Yannis recalled, when he first came to Fr Avvakum, the latter was carrying out his obedience in the ox-shed, where, among other things, he shod the oxen. Later, Fr Avvakum was appointed steward at Krumitsa, and then steward of the monastery forest. When Fr Avvakum was serving as forest steward, he lived at a distance of three kilometres from the monastery. He built a cell for himself (“Avvakum’s cottage”), where he lived from Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays and Sundays he would return to the monastery. According to Yannis Ipsilantis, Fr Avvakum managed the work very diligently and was an excellent leader. While at work, Fr Avvakum continually recited the Jesus prayer. At that time, there were usually 10–12 people working at all times gathering timber in the forest, and Fr Avvakum did the same jobs as everybody else and even cooked food for everyone.

His final obedience was the office of antiprosopos, the official representative of St Panteleimon Monastery at the Holy Community in Karyes, the administrative centre of Mount Athos. Fr Avvakum performed this obedience for 13 years. The cell next to the building of the Holy Community where Fr Avvakum lived has survived, but the cottage that he built has not.

Yannis Ipsilantis spent around 40 years in St Panteleimon Monastery up until the early 1990s. Over that time period, the monastery had no fewer than six different abbots.

Yannis knew Fr Avvakum better than many others. In conversation, he recalled that “Fr Avvakum was a good Christian who constantly helped people, and he was much loved for this reason. He led a very modest life while performing the great feats of obedience and prayer. Avvakum worked very hard for St Panteleimon Monastery and was one of the people who saved it and kept it in Russian hands.” Yannis’ final words about the elder were: “He lived a holy life.”

In a letter written at Easter 2018, Yannis Ipsilantis recalled about Elder Avvakum (Vakarov):

“I worked for forty years in St Panteleimon Monastery, where I first came at the age of 12 with my father and uncle. The first person I met on Mount Athos and with whom I worked was Elder Avvakum.

“It was a blessing from Panagia that I was there when the Elder’s remains were uncovered years after he was laid to rest. I was very glad that I was present when Fr Avvakum’s grave was dug up, and I am very happy that his skull and bones were found to have a waxy hue: this means that he was a man of prayer, and testifies to his righteous life and the fact that he was a great ascetic.

“After Elder Avvakum’s remains were dug up, I read a book about Elder Silouan and Elder Aristolklii, who were also monastery stewards like Fr Avvakum. Fr Avvakum worked no less hard than they did, and performed the great feats of obedience and prayer. “He lived a holy life.”