Elder Ephraim: Lessons from the life of Saint John of Krostandi (VIDEO)translated

With a large turnout of believers, despite the heavy rain, on the afternoon of Tuesday 13 October 2026, at the Holy Church of Agios Dimitrios Tambourios in Piraeus, the speech of the Professor of the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi, Elder Ephraim, on the subject: "The Memoirs of Agios Ioannis Krostandis", was held, essentially opening the festive events "DIMITRIA 2026".

Elder Ephraim presented characteristic excerpts from the autobiographical texts of Saint John, which reveal his inner life, spiritual struggles, human weaknesses and, above all, his deep repentance. As he pointed out, holiness is not linked to a flawless human course, but to the constant effort to return to God.

He placed special emphasis on self-restraint, the honest recognition of personal faults, as well as the struggle against callousness, selfishness and the desire for human recognition. Through the Saint's confessions, among other things, the sensitivity of his conscience towards the poor and the sadness he felt every time he succumbed to anger or did not act with love were highlighted.

"The Church does not offer a...