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When Archbishop Anastasios was in the Church, you could feel that he was prayingtranslated

July 9, 2026 · 1 min read

When the blessed Archbishop Anastasios was inside the church, you immediately felt that he was praying. It wasn't something he needed to say; it showed in his posture, his facial expression, his entire presence.

By Fr Charalambos Gioka

He usually stood facing the image of the Holy Trinity or some image of Christ, and his gaze remained there, fixed and persistent, as if he were conversing secretly with the Lord. He didn't just pray with his lips; his whole body spoke. Prayer was not just an act of his life; it was his strength.

And we, when we saw him in the Sanctuary in this attitude, knew what he was doing. We understood it, we felt it: he was praying for our Church, for the people, for all of us. And that was something very big.

What a great thing it is to know that your father is praying for you! How much security, how much comfort, how much strength is born in you from this certainty. There is no more beautiful and truer act of love than a father's prayer for his children.

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💬 Comments (3) 🌐 Show original

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ანა აბაშიძე

I remember how he always stood so that his whole body seemed to be in prayer. Father Χαράλαμπος writes very simply and truly, it is this feeling that is conveyed.

Sabine Wagner

Yes, that's exactly what Father Charalambos did well. You could see it in his posture and the way he looked steadily at the icon of the Holy Trinity - as if he was really talking to the Lord. In our choir we have often felt how much strength such a quiet prayer position gives.

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თეა ხუციშვილი

It's true, Anna, Father Kharalambos writes exactly what we saw - the body completely involved in prayer. I remember how he used to stand in front as if the world around him no longer existed. What do you remember most about him?