Ambrose of Esphigmenou

Ambrose of Esphigmenou, with the secular name Alexander Charalambides, son of Peter, was born in 1901 in the village of Temelikoi near Amaseia in Pontus. From childhood he desired the monastic life and at last came to the Holy Mountain in 1931. He lived in community at Simonopetra and was tonsured a monk on Great Thursday 1933 by Abbot Caesarios Vourliotes (1895-1969), formerly of Dionysiou. He was ordained deacon and priest at the feast of the monastery of Saint Mary Magdalene the Myrrhbearer. In 1940 he left for Saint Basil's Skete.

He then went out to several cities of Macedonia as a modest, devout and priestly hieromonk. But the strong experiences of vigils, study, prayer and struggle on Athos did not keep him in the world and he returned to the Garden of the Mother of God. In Saint Anne's Skete and at Katounakia he left sweat and tears. Old Athonites speak with respect of his struggles, simplicity and kindness. In the last decade of his life he lived at Esphigmenou Monastery, always obedient, a willing servant and lover of the services. Old age left him on the bed of pain, but he did not complain or rebel, bearing his cross with joy. Asked how he was, he answered: "As God wills." Constantly on his lips was "Glory to You, O God." To the last hour he prayed unceasingly.

He reposed in quiet and peace, after receiving Communion, on 15 May 1987, shortly before the start of the vigil of the feast of the Ascension. The abbot of the monastery, Euthymios (d. 1999), said it was a rare case, perhaps the only one, for a brother of the monastery to fall asleep at the feast. He was buried after the memorial for the founders in the monastery cemetery, he who had lived with perpetual violence to his nature and unceasing prayer. He is venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.