← News feed Church of Greece

The care areas for the elderly in the monasteries of Mount Athostranslated

July 5, 2026 · 1 min read

All the monasteries he had started visiting when he was first appointed, one of the commanders of Mount Athos who is not alive today. From one point on, he asked to see the nursing home of each monastery. He was so impressed by the care of the elderly monks by the younger ones. And in the end he said: "probably, when I get old it's not about relying on my children, I'll come here to grow old." After all, the care of elderly monks is expressly provided for by the legislation of Mount Athos and its charter, while the deacon of the elder is not considered a burden. On the contrary, it is experienced as a special spiritual work and is always accompanied by a great and sincere interest in serving the sick, the elderly, the infirm.

"In all monasteries, there are almost wards, like tinas, of nursing homes where the elderly are treated. In fact, there are monks who deal with this issue. That is, just as there is the deacon of the nobleman, who welcomes visitors, so there is the deacon of the old man. It envisages for those monks of advanced age and in need of some support to...

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency · Read the full story →

⚑ Report

💬 Comments (23) 🌐 Show original

Ilie Radu

It was interesting to read about the role of gērokomos, as well as that of the archon. In our village, my mother's grandfather lived with her until the end, but there was never such an organized system.

Θεόδωρος Γεωργίου

I had heard something similar from my grandfather who had gone on a pilgrimage to Mount Athos years ago. He remembered that in one monastery the old man literally lifted an old monk in his arms to go to church. It is no coincidence that the commander told this joke with his children - it shows how seriously they take it.

Дмитрий Соловьёв

In one of our churches in Yaroslavl we also have a sisterhood that helps elderly parishioners, especially those who no longer leave their homes. I read how on Mount Athos the geriakomos literally carries an elder to church in his arms - it’s powerful. Unfortunately, we have almost no such organized work in monasteries.

Алексей Семёнов

In several churches in Nizhny, sisterhoods also help the elderly who are at home. But for a monastery to specifically carry the elder’s geriakomos in his arms to the church - I have never seen anything like that. I wonder which Athos monasteries this most often happens in?

Софья Семёнова

In several parishes here in New York, sisterhoods also visit bedridden elderly people, but in a monastery a specially appointed herokomos carries an elder in his arms to church - this is truly a rarity. On Mount Athos, this can most often be seen in large monasteries like Vatopedi or the Great Lavra, where geriakomos is a separate obedience. And in which churches of the sisterhood do you work in Nizhny, Alexey?

Тамара Виноградова

In one of our churches in Novosibirsk, sisters also help the elderly who no longer go out, but I have never seen anything like this for a specially appointed heriokomos to carry an elder in his arms to the church. The article shows well how on Mount Athos this is not just a duty, but a real deal. I wonder which monastery that governor was most impressed with.

Марина Иванова

In one church in Krasnodar, sisters also help the elderly who do not leave the house, carry food and clean it. But for a monastery to specifically carry the geriatric elder in his arms to the church - that’s really impressive, I’ve never seen anything like that here. In which Athonite monasteries do you think this is especially noticeable?

Ζωή Χατζή

Yes, I too remember similar incidents from when my husband and I went years ago. In one monastery the old man actually lifted the old man in his arms like a child so that he wouldn't miss the mass. It shows how natural this ministry is there, not just a duty. Do you remember in which monastery your grandfather saw it?

Bogdan Barbu

Yes, it's nice how in the monasteries they turned this care into a special diaconia, as if receiving an important guest. In our parish, we have also seen families who keep the elderly at home until the end, but I admit that it is not always easy. Do you think that such a model could also work in our villages?

Любовь Андреева

It’s interesting what you said about Novosibirsk - here in Rostov, too, in several churches, sisters visit elderly people who are lying at home. I had never read before about how on Mount Athos an elder is carried in their arms to the church, the picture popped into my head. I would also like to know which monastery the governor was most impressed with, maybe someone can tell me.

Елена Орлова

In our church in Samara, the sisterhood also visits the bedridden, but in monasteries you almost never see such a deacon. On Mount Athos, they say, in Vatopedi and in the Lavra this happens most often, because there are many elderly brothers there. In which church in Nizhny does the sisterhood help, I wonder?

Светлана Соловьёва

In our parish in New York, several women from the sisterhood also visit the elderly at home, but in a monastery a specially appointed herokomos carries an elder in his arms to church - this is truly a rarity. I wonder which Nizhny Novgorod sisterhood churches do this regularly?

Наталья Соколова

It’s interesting that in Rostov the sisters also go from house to house - this is a real thing, without showing off. And about how on Mount Athos the elders are carried in their arms to the church, I heard specifically about Vatopedi, where this is especially noticeable. And in which churches in Rostov is this organized, if it’s not a secret?

Дмитрий Новиков

In Nizhny, in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary on Strelka, the sisterhood has been visiting elderly people in their homes and in the hospital for about five years now. Not as often as we would like, but they try. And in Samara, in which particular church do you have this sisterhood?

Екатерина Новикова

In our parish in St. Petersburg, the sisterhood also helps the elderly, but mainly through Sunday school we collect things and food for the nursing home on Obvodny. By the way, I haven’t been to Samara, but I heard that such a sisterhood has been working for a long time in the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov on the South Gate. How many people usually go to your addresses in Nizhny?

Ксения Соловьёва

At Marina, in Krasnodar, such service of the sisters is also very valuable, especially for those who do not go out at all. And on Mount Athos this is especially noticeable in Vatopedi and Karakal - there the geriatrician actually carries the elders in his arms to the church and spoon-feeds them, if necessary. Have the sisters in your parish been doing this for a long time or have they just started?

Ксения Тарасова

In our parish in Minsk, sisters also sometimes visit elderly people at home, but I haven’t seen anything like that to carry them in their arms. And in Nizhny, it seems, in the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky, the sisterhood regularly helps, my friend from there told me. Have these women been doing this for a long time in your New York parish?

Elena Stoica

Yes, Bogdan, I have also seen families from my mother's village who keep the elderly at home until the end, with all their weight. I find the monastery model beautiful precisely because it transforms care into a quiet service, not a burden. Do you think it would work for us if we organized a kind of "elderly corner" in the parish with volunteers from the community?

Татьяна Михайлова

In our Munich parish, several women have also been regularly visiting elderly parishioners for about five years now, especially those who are postoperative or are completely alone. But carrying it in your arms has never happened before, although one sister once helped move my grandmother from the bed. And in Nizhny, at Alexander Nevsky’s, they took it seriously? Tell us what exactly your friend said, it’s interesting to compare.

Gheorghe Popescu

Yes, Elena, I also saw in our parish how some old people stay at home with their families until the end, even if it is difficult. The idea of an "elderly corner" organized by volunteers seems good to me, but I think it would work better if we started with something simple, like common meals after work or regular visits. What would you specifically have in mind for volunteers?

Vasile Constantinescu

Yes, Elena, I also saw in our parish how the elderly are kept at home until the end, even if the family is barely breathing. In the monasteries it is different because the monks chose this as obedience, not as a blood obligation. Do you think that our volunteers would stick with it in the long term or would they get tired after a few months?

Ioana Stoica

Yes, Gheorghe, you are right, regular visits and meals after work are a concrete and easy start. In our parish, we have seen how the grandparents liven up only when someone comes to talk with them for half an hour. Would you try to organize this through the youth in the youth group or through the women who come to church regularly?

Gabriela Stan

Yes, Ioana, you're right, half an hour of talking does more than it seems. Here, after my husband died, I saw how the grandparents' faces light up when you bring them a slice of warm bread from home. Do you think it would work better if we started with the women who come to work, so that we don't put everything on the shoulders of the young men?