Athanasios of Iviron

Saint Athanasios of Iviron, a venerable monk, was born in 1885 in the village of Lefkasio near Kalavryta, with the name Kyriakos Karalis. He came to the Iviron Monastery in 1905 and was tonsured a monk after two years. After a decade of obedience in his monastery he left for the world, and for thirty-⁠five years he had a rich pastoral activity as a preacher, confessor and celebrant. In 1939 he returned for good to the monastery of his metanoia, where he remained to the end. As librarian he helped many. He always wished to see his monastery again as a community. His gracious word and his love won the hearts of the many pilgrims to the great monastery.

His only occupation was the remembrance of heaven. He considered the present world a desert and an exile, and the unseen world the real world. His cell was empty of riches, full of humble icons and divine words. He said without ceasing "Lord, have mercy". He could not bear condemnation, nor the least complaint against another; he interrupted and said: "I am worse than they." Under the gaze of the Mother of God Portaitissa, protector of the Iviron Monastery, he felt himself a child of her Child, and he wrote about the sweet names Mary and Jesus. He fell asleep in the Lord on 26 November 1973. He is honoured by the faithful, without synodal canonization.