Nickolai said:
Fair enough Father.
Forgive my bluntness, but how did a Hieromonk from a heavily russian tradition end up in a greek monastary? Just curious.
That's a fine question and nothing to hide.
Let's start from the beginning: I took my monastic vows and was ordained as priest within the state Church of Greece two years after I graduated the Athens medical school. Some years later, 5 actually, I went to Athos for a 'sabbatical' with the blessings of my state CoG bishop.
During my stay there, I came in touch with many monks who shared the same concerns with me on some practises of the state Church. It was also during my days in the Holy Mountain when I was first introduced to ROCOR lay members. When they were ready to go back to their country, the US, they promised to talk to their bishop about me. Indeed, after a couple of months I was contacted by their spiritual father and was invited to visit him in NYC.
In the meanwhile, I was preety much enjoying the spiritual atmosphere of Athos. It was a real blessing and an unforgetable experience so I asked from my bishop to grand me a 2 more months permission to stay there. He was kind enough to bless my request. I was also very much eager to visit the ROCOR family in the US. Many Russian monks in Athos (although not in communion with ROCOR) told me of their good and godly reputation.
When I returned to my monastery in Epirus, (that's the place I served) I started corresponding with the brothers in the US. They taught me of the Russian Orthodox tradition, their struggle during/against communism, their view on modern ecclesiology and crisis within Orthodoxy, and the need to return to the basics of our Tradition.*
Although I didn't disagree at all, I felt I had to share this information with my bishop...and so I did. To my surprise, he was very understanding and asked me to seek God's will in this matter. In addition, the brothers from the US invited me to stay with them in NY and see/judge for myself. Once more I asked the blessing of my bishop and although he hesitated at first, he finally allowed me to go. Indeed, I stayed in one of their monasteries but to be honest, I couldn't understand or speak Russian. The culture also was so different. However, day by day it was geting easier and all my converstations with the bishops and monks were in English. Finally, I accepted their invitation to join ROCOR (as traditional Orthodox of course and not as Greek) so I immidiately informed by telephone and letter my bishop in Greece. He was sad but he said he has no right to stop me if God is leading me to such direction. He did all the paperwork necessary to remove my name from the state CoG clergy list, and sent me a very touching and uplifting letter together with a small cross and Orthodox prayer beads (komposkini). Once more I wish to thank him publicly!
As you said, its really difficult for a Greek to change his culture and ROCOR knew this. My new bishop told me of their affiliation with a TOCoG monastery in Athens and asked me if I want to move there as member of ROCOR of course. The monastery is well known for providing hospitality and accepting fellow Orthodox Traditionalists.That was an answer to my prayers....I don't hide I was getting homesick and couldn't say how long I had to be away from my country. By the grace of God everything was arranged and now I'm back in my country and very much happy of the direction I took.
* That wasn't news to me because I always sympathized the Traditional Wing within the state Church that always had good relationship with the Old-Calanderists. Leader of this movement is the (now retired) bishop of Florina, HG +Augustine.
