John of Kolitsou

John of Kolitsou, called Father John the Kolitsiotes, with the secular name Demetrius Psilogiorgis, was born in 1912 at Niki in Chalkidiki. At only sixteen, in 1928, he came to become a monk at the cell of the Holy Unmercenaries at Kolitsou, belonging to Vatopedi. His elder was the hieromonk Kosmas, a very strict man, who in 1904 built the beautiful stone church; the same elder had received Pavlos Melas and his men on a visit to the cell, giving them Holy Communion at the beginning of the Macedonian Struggle. In 1941, at fourteen, the future hieromonk Basil from Ierissos came to the cell. Their life ran calm and peaceful, with the daily services, field work and fishing. Basil had unbounded respect for Elder John and loved him as a true father; John taught him to read, write, chant, pray, obey, respect and love hospitality, as he did himself.

The elder patiently bore many temptations and grave illnesses. He suffered from heart failure and, after a stroke, hemiplegia, and lay in bed for a year. In this state, one day, he asked his disciple to change his clothes and take him to church. The disciple was surprised but obeyed. He made the sign of the cross three times and began to walk steadily to the church. He kissed the icons, the holy table and the holy Gospel, while the disciple followed with tears, crossing himself at the miracle he saw. Then he went to see their animals, which he loved.

Father John, as they called him, was a quiet man given to God. He was often called to the villages of Chalkidiki to confess the faithful. Many souls were cleansed and received absolution under his stole. Sensing his end, he asked to commune. As soon as he had communed, he made the sign of the cross, crossed his own arms, closed his eyes and his soul, immortal by grace, left his body to rest eternally with the righteous. His disciple, Father Basil (d. 2002), arranged everything for the funeral and memorials. He reposed in the Lord on 4 June 1994. He is venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.