Monks of Molyvdoskepasti stand with local community in battle against wildfire

By Iasonas Tsolis*

More than 10,000 acres of land have been reduced to ashes by a wildfire that has been burning through the virgin forests of Pindus since August 16. As the flames threatened Konitsa, the monks of the historic Holy Monastery of Molivdoskepasti joined firefighters and volunteers in the battle to contain the blaze.

“We could not remain indifferent to all this. It was our duty,” the monastery’s abbot, Fr. Arsenios, told the newspaper Orthodoxi Alitheia , recounting the dramatic moments experienced by the residents of Konitsa and the fathers of the monastery. “Every day at the monastery, we held a supplication service.  Seeing the fire encircling Konitsa, on one of the most difficult days, when the blaze was raging, we decided to go down to the town and hold our supplication service there. All the fathers came to Konitsa, and the residents gathered to pray with us. People were scared, terrified. Everyone was crying; there was confusion and turmoil. The fire was above our heads,” Fr. Arsenios said.

But the monks’ involvement did not stop at prayer. Despite the danger and the advancing flames, wearing their cassocks, they climbed the mountain alongside…