Gideon of Kolitsou

Gideon of Kolitsou, with the secular name George Tselarou, was born in 1894 at Gatinti in Moldavia, to a pious family. His father, Constantine, was a teacher. He attended the first four grades in his village, then served at the palace of Prince Bogdan and four years in the army, as sergeant and scribe. He was among the few who by God's help escaped the war of that time.

In 1920 he left for the Holy Mountain, to the cell of Saint George at Kapsala, under Elder Gerasimos. In 1925 he was tonsured a monk with the name Gideon. He then returned to Romania for collections for the cell, where he stayed four years and came back with much money and many names to be commemorated, which he gave to his elder. With his blessing he moved in 1929 to the cell of Saint Tychon. Soon he became bound to the brothers Gymnasios (d. 1965) and Dionysios (d. 2004), who lived very poorly and submitted to him with devotion. In 1933 eight other monks became his disciples. In 1937 the pious company moved to the cell of Saint George at Kolitsou, which they renovated with much toil and expense, adding some necessary buildings. In 1940 Gideon went to Romania for new collections, but Romania fell into war again; he suffered much from the German army and then from the communists. He managed to return to his cell in 1963, weak and ill but with rich spiritual clarity. In his cell were five good fathers.

For his last five years he was very ill. He stayed in his cell reading the Psalter and chanting. He was a spiritual treasure of the Mountain, a great Athonite staretz. He kept his rule unshaken, which he called "precious gold." He avoided useless words, gossip and above all judging. He constantly blessed, forgave and comforted. In temptations he relied on the Mother of God, to whom he often chanted the Paraklesis. He had the Jesus Prayer constantly on his lips. Before the end he communed more often; at the last he remained in bed and communed in bed. On 28 August 1979 Father Dionysios went to Docheiariou for a prayer for him before the wonderworking icon Gorgoepekoos. On 29 August Father Dionysios celebrated and the elder communed. At noon on 30 August 1979, praying, he reposed in the Lord and the next day was buried in the courtyard of his cell. He is venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.