Gerasimus of Rossikon

Gerasimus of Rossikon was a Greek schemaarchimandrite, abbot of St Panteleimon Monastery on Athos, who received the Russian monks back. He reposed on 10 May 1875. He is venerated by the faithful, without a synodal canonization.

Named George in the world, he was born in 1772 in the village of Evdomista (Kyp-⁠Kion), diocese of Drama, in Macedonia, to Basil and Photine. At twenty-⁠eight he entered the monastery of the Icon Not Made by Hands of the Mother of God Ikosifinissa and stayed five years; he was tonsured a rassophore with the name Gregory, then ordained hierodeacon and hieromonch. In 1804 he went to Athos and entered the skete of St Anne, where he received the mantle with the name Gabriel, then a cell of Koutloumousiou, and then St Panteleimon, where in 1821 he was tonsured into the schema. During the uprising of 1821 he left Athos and lived nine years in the Morea. He returned to Rossikon, where in 1830 he was elected abbot; the appointment was confirmed by Patriarch Constantius only in 1832-1833.

He was one of the most active supporters of the return of the Russians to their monastery, and on 21 November 1839 he received them himself. He kept his goodwill towards the Russian brethren until death and chose Father Macarius (Sushkin) as his successor. Through his wisdom the Greek-⁠Russian quarrel of 1874-1875 remained a simple dispute, without consequences. He reposed on 10 May 1875.