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The feast of Agios Pagratios in the Holy Monastery of Agios Dimitrios Drymos Vonitsistranslated

July 9, 2026 · 1 min read

The holy memory of the holy glorious martyr Pagratios, Bishop of Tauromenia was honored on Thursday, July 9, 2026 by the Brotherhood of the Holy Monastery of Agios Dimitrios Drymos Vonitsis. On this day, the blessed founder of the Holy Monastery, Archim. Pangratios Bombolis. The Most Reverend Metropolitan of Aetolia and Acarnania, Mr. Damascinos, presided over the procession of Orthros and the Divine Liturgy held in the Catholic Church of the Holy Monastery. His Eminence, during his speech, referred to the late Fr. Pagratios, whom he characterized as one of the greatest spiritual figures who graced our local Church, setting an eternal and timeless example of practice and virtue.

Speaking about his personality and ministry, he focused on three characteristic features.

"The first was the simplicity of his life and the purity of his life. These two elements are foundations, not only for the life of every believer, but especially for the beginning and the theophilic completion of every priestly ministry. Father Pagratios possessed both. And simplicity of life and thought, but also purity of life. What does simplicity mean? It means…

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Paul Davis

I always liked how the Metropolitan highlighted Fr. Pankratios’ simplicity of life and purity as the real foundation for any priestly work. That part about him being one of the greatest spiritual figures in our local Church hit home — we still feel the effects of what he built at the monastery. Thanks for sharing the article.

Sophia Johnson

The part where the Metropolitan talked about Fr. Pankratios having both simplicity of life and purity of conduct really stuck with me too. My own spiritual father used to say the same thing — without those two you can't even begin real priestly work. It's good to be reminded that the monastery still stands on what he built.

Helen Bennett

I remember reading that the Metropolitan said simplicity means living without pretence or excess, just like Fr. Pankratios did with his plain cell and few belongings. Your spiritual father was right — those two qualities really do seem to be the starting point. Does your parish still keep any of his old practices alive?

Alexander Wright

Yes, Metropolitan Damaskinos described that simplicity exactly right — Fr. Pankratios kept his cell bare with just a wooden bed, a small table, and a few books, nothing more. Our parish still follows his practice of plain fasting meals on Wednesdays and Fridays, no fancy extras. Helen, did you ever get to meet him yourself?

Anna Parker

Yes, that line about simplicity and purity being the very foundation hit me too — my mother kept a worn copy of one of Fr. Pankratios’s old letters where he basically said the same thing about starting every day with an undivided heart. It’s why the monastery still feels so steady after all these years. Did your spiritual father ever tell you how he first met the Archimandrite?

Xenia Walker

Yes, that description of his bare cell really stuck with me too — he slept on a simple wooden board with just a thin blanket even in winter. Our parish still serves the same plain koliva recipe he used, no sugar or decorations, just wheat, raisins, and a bit of parsley. Helen, have you visited the monastery since they placed his photograph in the narthex?

Anna Moore

Yes, that bit about an undivided heart really stayed with me too — my own grandmother used to quote him saying you can’t build anything solid on a divided mind. Our spiritual father first met him back in the late ’80s when he came to the monastery as a young seminarian to help with the olive harvest; he always said the Archimandrite taught him more in one afternoon than most books ever did. Did your mother ever share any other lines from those letters?

Claire Bernard

Yes, this simplicity that Metropolitan Damaskinos speaks of made me think of the very bare cell that he describes: just a wooden bed, a small table and a few books. At home in Lyon, we try to keep Friday meals as simple, without fuss. It reminds us that everything starts there, not with big speeches.

Katherine Johnson

Yes, that bare cell story always makes me pause — I tried sleeping on a plain board once during a retreat and lasted about two nights before my back gave out. Our book club just read a short life of St. Pancratios and we passed around that same plain koliva recipe; the parsley really does cut the sweetness. Helen, did you go after they added the photo?

Sophie Moreau

Yes, this stripped cell that you speak of struck me too, we feel that it was concrete in him, not just words. At home in Lyon, we do the same with Friday meals: soup, bread and nothing else, it puts ideas back in place without the need for a big speech. Do you think it’s this kind of simplicity that young people lack the most today?