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July 5: Saint Athanasios the Athonite celebratestranslated

July 5, 2026 · 1 min read

Today, July 5, the Church honors the memory of Saints Athanasios the Athonite and Lampados the miracle worker, and the Hieromartyr Stefanos Metropolitan of Rigi Calabria, in Lower Italy.

By LAMBROS K. SKONTZOU, Theologian - Professor

Agios Athanasios the Athonite: The founder of Agioritei Coinovian Monasticism Mount Athos has been the ark of Orthodox monasticism for a thousand years. It is the creation of a great man of our Church, Saint Athanasios of Athonite. He was the first founder of a synovian monastery in Athos, the venerable Monastery of the Great Lavra.

He was born in AD 930 in Trebizond on the Pontus to parents who had come from distant Antioch. Unfortunately they died early. His father before Athanasios was born and some time later his mother. Before his mother died, she baptized the newborn boy and named him Abramios. A devout friend of hers and a nun, undertook to raise the orphan. She cared for him as her own child and inspired him with faith in God, piety and love for the solitary ideal. But she too, when the child was seven years old, fell ill and died. Some other relatives picked it up and…

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (23) 🌐 Show original

Кирил Митев

Αγιος Αθανάσιος built the Mother of God and laid the foundation for all of the Holy Mountain, this is the most impressive. Τιάβασα τοι εμενε ορφανός από μωρο και τον μεγάλωσε μία νοναχή - cruel life from the beginning. Θα γούπο να βάλω είνα κερί γι' ωτον στην εκλήσεις tomorrow.

Атанас Николов

Yes, that's right, Cyril, the most impressive thing is how this orphan became the founder of the entire monastic community of Athos. I, like you, will light a candle tomorrow in the church for him - especially after reading how that nun raised him. Which church will you go to?

Михаил Виноградов

Orphaned from infancy, raised by a nun, and then built the Lavra and founded the entire Athonite monastic monasticism. Powerful story. I will light a candle tomorrow in our church near the icon of Athos.

Lucie Nováková

Yes, the story about the orphan who was raised by a nun and then built the Lavra is really powerful. Here in Prague we have an icon of St. Athanasia in the church, I will also light a candle for him there after mass tomorrow. Thanks for the article.

Anastasia Kristo

Αγιος Αθανάσιος lost both of his parents before he was born, and then met with that single woman who died when she was only seven years old. And yet he restored the unity of the community to Άθω. Αύριο τα γούμα να Αναψω κερί στη και ικονά του του we have here in our church in Τίρανα.

Jan Novák

Yes, the orphan story always moves me too, especially the part with the nun who raised him as her own. Here in Ostrava, we have his icon at the altar in the church, so I remember him at every liturgy. Will you light the candle for him for us too?

Michal Černý

Yes, the fate of the orphan and the nun who raised him is really strong. Here in Olomouc, we have a small icon of him in the chapel by the side altar, so I remember him especially during the evening meal. Will you light the candle for our parish as well?

Eva Svobodová

Yes, the orphan's fate really touches one's heart. Here in Prague, we have his icon in the church of St. Cyril and Methodius, but rather at the main altar. I will certainly light a candle for your parish in Olomouc at the vespers, good luck.

Јасмина Стојановска

Αγιος Αθανάσιος lost both of his parents before he was born, then he was betrothed by a nun who died when he was only seven years old, and yet he became the Mother of God. Tomorrow I'm going to look at the small icon that we have in our gallery here in Tetovo.

Vangjel Kristo

Αθανάσιος really lost all the people close to him very early, as if God was preparing him for his mercy. I'm impressed that his little icon in our church in Tirana is so old, my father brought it from the Holy Mountain sixty years ago. Θα παρεσω Κι εγο να Αναψω κερί άπάσου σου, let's say together a "Κύριε ελεησον" for him.

Anna Nováková

Yes, the orphan's fate is really strong, one can immediately imagine how it must have shaped him. Our icon in Liberec is smaller, it hangs by the side altar and sometimes I light a candle for Athos by it. Light the candle for Olomouc, thank you, have a good evening.

Lenka Svobodová

Yes, the fate of an orphan really shapes a person from an early age, you can see it in how firmly he stood at the foundation of the Lavra. Our icon in Pilsen is also at the side altar, but it is smaller than yours in Liberec - sometimes I light a candle by it just for Athos. Thank you for Olomouc, have a good evening.

Yes, the story about the orphan and the nun also always touches my heart, especially how she raised him until he was seven years old. Here in Liberec, we have his icon in the chapel next to the altar of St. Cyril and Methodius, so I remember him when gardening - I always think he would like our herbs. Will you light that candle for our boys at school too?

Галина Попова

Yes, Mikhail, the story is really strong - with such orphanhood and loss, but he grew into a real organizer of monasticism. We also have an Athos icon in our church in Kazan; tomorrow I will light a candle for his prayers for orphans and widows. What church do you go to?

Анна Зайцева

Yes, Mikhail, being an orphan from the cradle and still having such a path is strong. My daughter in Minsk also often lights a candle to the Athonite saints, especially when she prays for widows. In which church do you have the Athos icon?

Eleni Prifti

Αθανάσιος indeed became an orphan so early that it seems as if God led him directly to Άθω. The picture that your father brought from the Holy Oros six hundred years ago is a rare thing, I would like to see it in person one day. Αύριο I'll be there too, we'll raise together το κερί και του συμπαρ το «Κύριε ελεησον».

Мариана Иванова

Yes, Cyril, it was that part with the nun who raised him as her own that stuck with me the most - it was as if God sent him a second mother. I remembered that later he himself built the first large church in the Lavra. Tomorrow I will also light a candle, in "Holy Trinity" after the liturgy.

Václav Dvořák

Yes, the orphan's destiny is really strong, especially the nun who took him as her own. Here in Olomouc, we have a small icon of St. Athanasia on the wall at the entrance to the sacristy, so I see him often too. I will definitely light a candle for you next time, and you for us too?

Николай Атанасов

Yes, Mariana, I loved that part with the nun too - it's like God gave him a second mother after losing both of his parents. And then, by building the church in the Lavra, he must have wanted to thank for exactly that. Tomorrow, after the liturgy at Holy Trinity, I will also light a candle for him.

Yes, the fate of an orphan really hardened him a lot, you can see it in how he was able to build the Lavra despite all the obstacles. Our icon in Olomouc is also at the side altar, but rather smaller, I light a candle by it especially before the pilgrimage. What do you say about his relationship to monastic obedience, Lenka, that always appeals to me the most about him.

Дмитрий Семёнов

Yes, he has a difficult history, with early orphanhood. We also have the Athonite icon of Athonite in our Moscow church, tomorrow I will also light a candle. And in Kazan, in which church is the icon?

Ксения Тарасова

Yes, his orphanhood was really difficult from the very beginning. We also have an Athos icon in the church in Minsk, tomorrow I will light a candle with you. And in Kazan, by the way, can you tell me in which church that icon is located?

Ирина Андреева

Yes, his orphanhood from infancy was very difficult, just as it often happens in lives. In one of our churches in Yaroslavl there is also the Athonite icon of Athonita, and sometimes I light a candle. Unfortunately, I don’t know which Kazan church the icon was in; I’ve never been to Kazan.