Agathangelos of New Skete

Agathangelos of New Skete, called Old Agathangelos, is recalled by Elder Joseph of Vatopedi (d. 2009) as a sharer in the fear of God and a genuine worker of virtue, who foresaw his death with exactness. He was a friend of the equally devout Old Meletios, who lived in the hut of Saint John the Theologian, virtuous too, full of the fear of God, who honoured worthily the monastic calling and state all his life. Once, for a trifling reason, the friendship and close tie between them cooled, and for a long time they did not show the first fire of their spiritual love.

One day after the meal Old Agathangelos called his disciple and said: "Leave your work, my child, and go call Old Meletios to come, that I may see him and we may forgive each other, for today I shall die." The disciple went and told him. Then Old Meletios said insistently to his own disciple: "Leave your work, my child, and go to your elder to take his blessing, for he is leaving and if you delay you will not catch him." The disciple went and, as soon as he received the elder's blessing and forgiveness, the latter said smiling: "I am leaving, my child, for our Christ, whom I desired from my youth, and take care of your life, always have the fear of God." After this last counsel to his disciple, he gave up his spirit to the Lord in peace, just as he had foretold. These blessed ones lived in a small hut, without a chapel, above the spring of Jacob. The year of his repose is not known. He is venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.