Elder Joseph Hesychast, Rev. Father Joseph, as time shows, is one of the prominent people in the spiritual history of the last century. His letters, writings and parting words can only be compared with the letters of the saints. Such a comparison suggests itself. Joseph always led a life of an ascetic, similar to the life of the great saints. Elder Joseph Hesychast published a complete collection of creations addressed to the world. The first of his students in his book told about the life of an old man. Another presented a book in which he dedicated a chapter to his teacher, giving it the title "My Life with Elder Joseph Hesychast"
What's in the books of those distant years
Joseph, already known and revered among the monks as the Silencer, all his life strove for solitude. The fame that came to him over the years did not bother him, since he did not even think of such greatness, he did not need it at all. Thanks to wanderings and hermitage, the elder acquired and constantly expanded knowledge, which he subsequently shared with the monks. Throughout the time, Joseph did not forget to keep records, which were then published. These books found their admirers in the world and in monasteries.
Everything that was connected with the searches and with such hard-won experience is set forth in the books of Father Joseph. Here he does not call, but directs all the afflicted to attain the knowledge that is put with God's help in these words. Following the instructions of St. Joseph, many of his disciples have reached the level of enlightenment that helps them to bring righteous thoughts to lay people, teach and instruct people on the true path. They continue to carry these teachings and acquired knowledge to people, helping them with word, deed and directing them to the true path.
Young years of Joseph
Frangiskos Cottis was born in 1899 in a family of ordinary workers. His homeland is the village of Lefka on the island of Paros, which is one of the Cyclades islands in Greece. After a few years, accustomed by parents to a righteous life and piety, the young man will appear to the world as the Monk Joseph Hesychast (Silent), or Athos Elder Joseph Hesychast. He was called a Silencer for his exceptional love of laconicism, which he had followed all his life.
Father Georgios and mother Mary raised their six children according to God's law, instilling virtue, righteousness, and obedience from an early age. When her father died, Mary alone pulled a heavy burden, which is an integral part of the mother of a large family. Frangiskos dropped out of school and began to help his mother in everything, but the refusal to study did not affect the education of the boy.
Once Mary was given the Revelation that her son, Frangiskos, would have great glory, and that his name was already inscribed on the mysterious list by the Heavenly messenger, and the Heavenly King expressed his will. Mary listened with awe to the words. A few years later, following the dictates of her heart, she will come to the decision to become a nun in a new monastery, where her son will become a mentor.
The future great elder Joseph Hesychast, and now 15-year-old young man Frangiskos Kottis, went in search of work in Piraeus, and after a while he was drafted into the army. After the service, he decided to go to Athens, where he got a job to be able to help his mother and brothers.
Athos - Holy Mountain
The monasteries of Athos, the life of the righteous, the monastic path began to attract Frangiskos at about 23 years old. Parenting made itself felt, and the young man began to show more and more interest in spiritual life, and increasingly turn to spiritual literature.
Taking what he read close to his heart, seeing this as his path and destiny, the young man began to imitate the monastic lifestyle, trying to turn to God as often as possible and constantly follow the laws of God. But he needed a teacher who could guide him along the true path, the beginning of which the young man saw in front of him.
He was lucky, and this will subsequently become a turning, fateful combination of circumstances, which will lead him to world fame, which he did not even think about. In 1921, Frangiskos met an old man who became his teacher at the initial stage of the journey. The old man gave the advice that the young man needed so much, and thanks to them the young man established himself in his choice, he went at the call of his heart to the monastic path.
After some time, having understood all the vanity of the mortal world, Cottiis gives out all his savings to the needy, leaves all to the poor and, like all his teachers, from whom he learned wisdom from books and asked for advice directly, goes to Athos. Preparing for the biggest changes in his life, the young man perfectly understood what awaited him. Moreover, he consciously strove for these changes.
Life on Athos
Joseph Hesychast recalls his first days on Athos as a time full of disappointment. A young man with a passionate heart and strong faith expected a meeting with such ascetics, about which he knew from the Life of the Saints. But, alas, reality turned out to be much sadder. Over time, the true meaning of the praying communities was lost, and the current monks seemed to the young man less moral than he had imagined from the books.
“I was in a state of mournful crying,” - so later Elder Joseph Hesychast will write in his book.
Nevertheless, Franciscos joins the fraternity of the elder Daniel of Katunaki and for some time follows the prescribed rules of obedience. But, more and more experiencing the need for solitude, not finding enough food and knowledge for his mind, the newfound monk leaves the fraternity and goes in search of a more suitable spiritual mentor for himself.
Searches
The young man for a long time tried to find someone who can convey his experience to him, who will show the way to the truth and who will be close in spirit. Having made many attempts, the young man decided that everything was God's will, and decided to become a hermit. He chose local caves for housing, where he spent long night hours in solitude, and during the day went to sell his brooms, the manufacture of which he earned on bread.
Wandering around the lands of Athos, learning to overcome everyday difficulties and gaining God more and more in his soul, Frangiskos finally meets a like-minded person in the person of the monk Arseny, with whom he later makes strong friendships. Friends will have to go a hard way and achieve enlightenment, but so far they wander around the Holy Mountain in search of a spiritual mentor.
Some time passed, and friends at the behest of Daniel of Katunaki, who recalled that monastic work was primarily cutting off the will, and also once again conveyed the role of obedience to the youth, came to the old man Ephraim of Katunaki. The elder was a wise Albanian and could teach a lot of his novices. The young man owes his first spiritual guidance to the basics of monastic life, its rules and the ascetic outlook on the world.
Monastic feat
At that time, Frangiskos turned 26 years old. At this age, he found his refuge that he had been looking for so long. In 1925, after all worldly trials, Frangiskos was tonsured to the great schema and named by his new name - Joseph. So the boy, brought up in a righteous family, takes the path that will lead him along the good road and give strength to lead people.
Elder Ephraim, meanwhile, was gradually dying away, and his last days were spent in the monastery of Basil the Great, where he died. Joseph, as the receiver, was given the leadership and management of the community. Friends and brethren in Christ, Joseph and Arseny, did not stop their wanderings along the Holy Mountain, but in winter they spent time in kaliv. In the future, they will consider it a place of permanent residence.
Temptations
At this stage, the life of Elder Joseph Hesychast began to be tempted by fallen spirits. The elder’s struggle with the dark forces lasted eight years. Subsequently, Elder Joseph Hesychast in a complete collection of creations will mention this period of his life. He will tell how once, being already the leader of the community, in a vision he saw a system of monks. The soldiers of Christ were preparing to repel the invasion of demonic hordes.
Having stood up at the suggestion of the leader of the monks in the ranks, in the forefront, Joseph successfully repelled enemy attacks. Joseph circumvented all the machinations of the devil, all his tricks and nets with God's help, avoiding the temptations and ambushes of demons. Joseph took eight long years to break the resistance of dark forces and, avoiding temptations, to take the true path.
A successful fight against the temptations of worldly life led Joseph to meet with a new mentor who could give what he needed so much. Silent Daniel, the so-called mentor, humble and wise, labored near the Great Lavra, in the cell of St. Peter of Athos. Daniel adhered to asceticism and led an extremely strict lifestyle. Imitating a new mentor, Joseph switched to bread and water, sometimes allowing himself some vegetables, ate once a day and fought against the temptation of his laziness. Many of the positive traits of Daniel were adopted by Joseph.
The road to fate
Growing up, Joseph became more and more famous among monastic brotherhoods, and in the end, a new brotherhood formed around him, where the monks who heard about Joseph and agreed with his sayings sought to get. Athanasius, the blood brother of Joseph, also entered the fraternity.
Elder Joseph Hesychast conveyed his expression of monastic experience to everyone who needed it. Many went to him from distant places for help and advice. He shared his experience and knowledge with a desire, but his life as a hermit ceased to be so solitary more and more. More and more often thoughts began to come to find a new place for solitude in order to continue to receive the knowledge that Elder Joseph Hesychast and his brotherhood were increasingly craving.
Some events demanded that Joseph often leave from Athos. His own mother was ready to accept tonsure, about which she informed her son. In 1929-30, during these events, a female monastery was founded in the Drama area. The nuns from this monastery found in Joseph's face a wise teacher and mentor. The regular letters of the Elder Joseph Hesychast after his return to Athos contributed to the continued training and instruction of the nuns.
Another eight years passed in wandering, until Elder Joseph and Monk Arseny found an abandoned Kaliva in caves under a mountain cliff. Here, in the Small Skete of St. Anne, they stopped for the next ascetic feats. Many of the monastic exploits of the elder will later be described in his books by his students. One of such books, “My Elder Joseph Hesychast and the Cave” will be read in monasteries at a meal.
Hermitage
The brothers first built a small hut for themselves. They collected quite a lot of improvised material, and a modest dwelling in which there were three rooms came out of wood, branches and clay. Two of them were taken by the brethren under their cells, one was left for the hieromonk, who from time to time visited their place of solitude. Finding nearby the destroyed church of St. John the Baptist, Joseph and Arseny restored it on their own.
For the next 30 years, kaliva in mountain caves became a place of refuge for like-minded people from worldly fuss. Together, despite the fact that there was a catastrophic lack of living space, and the position of the dwelling was very poor, Joseph and Arseniy spent their days in prayer and labors. Despite the famine, the lack of amenities and the small area of ​​the premises, the brethren felt comfortable. All conditions were created here in order to lead a secluded life, without excesses and temptations.
Soon, other ascetics began to come to the hive. These were mostly young monks who sought to embark on the path of monasticism and were looking for a mentor in the person of Elder Joseph Hesychast. And again, Joseph and his brother in Christ change their place of residence. This time they just move closer to the shore. Here, in the gulf of the holy Bessrebrenik, in the New Skete, they continue to lead a solitary lifestyle.
Father Joseph felt the approach of the disease when he was 59 years old. A serious illness did not frighten or break the old man, but his strength left him every day. It all started with a serious abscess on the neck, which caused concern for Joseph's health. For some time, the elder refused medical care outside of Kaliva, not wanting to deviate from the path of monastic feats, but nevertheless, heeding the persuasion of his spiritual pupils, he finally agreed.
Heritage
Being a highly spiritual person, Elder Joseph Hesychast of Athos, whose life and teachings will be an example for many righteous people, prepared for the inevitable demise that he already felt. He complained that the people he was trying to help could not heed him, taunted and laughed. But still the elder found those who are one with him in deeds and thoughts. On the Day of the Assumption of the Mother of God, he partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Elder Joseph Hesychast passed away to another world on August 15, 1959, at the age of 60.
In addition to warmth and righteous speeches, Elder Joseph Hesychast left letters to monks and laity. Here the elder addresses the instructions and righteous speeches to everyone who wants to become closer to God. One of the best parting words of Elder Joseph Hesychast was a complete collection of creations, which is considered the book of life, which opens the way to knowledge. It is this book that is chosen as a conductor on the path to monastic life by those who felt in themselves a vocation to get away from worldly fuss.
In his books, Elder Joseph Hesychast preaches a soul-bodily prayer, which must be lived, passed through oneself. He said that prayer is a smart action, and for everyone it will take place in different ways. The Divine Liturgy is one of the elder's favorite pastimes, because it can be an important condition for a monk for spiritual growth.
In his brotherhood, Father Joseph constantly addressed the Liturgy. Performing it daily, taking communion, the monks felt the divine light to which they strove. Some, however, grumbled that too frequent communions became too painful. To which Joseph reminded the condemning ones that many saints followed this road, that it was in this act that many revelations were given.
In 2008, one of St. Joseph’s disciples, Elder Ephraim of Philotheus, published a book, “My Elder Joseph Hesychast and the Caveman”, where he recounted his memories of his life and, in particular, of life under Joseph’s mentorship. The book has a title in the Russian translation: "My life with Elder Joseph." This book was even read during a meal in the monasteries, so full of wisdom.
Monk Joseph of Vatopedi, the elder Joseph Hesychast who became a spiritual father and mentor, in 1982 also published a book. He devoted his creation to life and the ascetic teachings of his teacher. The book is entitled “Elder Joseph Hesychast. Life and Teaching. ” It was written at the request of a large number of people who venerate Elder Joseph. Then another chapter was added to this book. It was a doctrine of the practice of living in silence - the “ten-voice dormant pipe”, written at one time by Elder Joseph Hesychast.