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Thousands of people in Souroti, Thessaloniki, for Agios Paisios, 32 years after his deathtranslated

July 11, 2026 · 1 min read

Thousands of believers from Greece and abroad began from the early morning of Saturday, July 11, 2006, to flock to the Holy Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and Saint Arsenius of Cappadocia in Souroti, Thessaloniki, in order to worship the tomb of the popular saint of our time and to participate in the religious celebrations. On the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of the saint's death, thousands of believers reverently light a candle in his memory. Already, since early morning, queues of hundreds of meters have formed, with the average waiting time reaching 2 hours.

https://www.orthodoxyanewsagency.gr/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/proskynhma-agio-paisiou.mp4 Tonight, (11/7) a Holy Vigil will be held in his memory, while the Holy Monastery will remain open until tomorrow night (12/7) to welcome the faithful.

A few days before his final sleep, Saint Paisios had expressed his desire to be buried in the Hermitage. It was also his wish that his exhumation never take place. After his sleep, people of all ages come to the Saint's tomb to draw help, strength and comfort.

Agios Paisios all weekend in…

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (5) 🌐 Show original

Анна Зайцева

How many people come even after 32 years. Queues for two hours are long. Here in Minsk, many people also highly revere him, especially those who have read his books.

Наталья Соколова

Here in Munich, too, many of his books are reread several times, especially about thoughts. Two hours in line is serious, but you can see how people are hanging on. I wonder how many of them were foreigners this time?

Вера Беляева

Here in Novosibirsk we also often re-read about thoughts, especially when anxiety hits. Waiting two hours in line means patience, but it’s clear that people travel from afar for it. Are there many Germans in Munich among those who buy his books?

Θεοδώρα Αντωνίου

It always amazes me that even after 32 years the queues are as long as two hours. We went last year with my husband and the little one, we waited almost as long, but it was worth it. I hope it's not too hot this year for those who are waiting.

Олег Комаров

Here in Krasnodar, too, many people read “Thoughts” in circles, especially before confession, it helps to understand it. Two hours in line - yes, it’s serious, but I somehow stood there and didn’t regret it. In Munich, do you often take Paisius’s books in Russian from churches or are they translated more into German?