Mitrophanes

Mitrophanes of Agiou Pavlou was a monk of the Monastery of St Paul on Mount Athos, born on 21 February 1917 and reposed in 1995. He is venerated by the faithful without synodal canonization.

He was born in the village of Korthi on the island of Andros, of married parents, John Kontis and Helen, and was named George at baptism. He was a petty officer in the navy. Soon after his marriage his wife fell ill and had her legs amputated; he nursed her for about six months until she reposed. He had read in the Apostle Paul and in Saint Cosmas of Aitolia that a widower does better not to remarry but to become a monk. Having no children, he left the world and came to Athos at the age of forty-⁠five. He gave his property away in alms, taking with him only 20,000 drachmas. He toured all the monasteries and chose St Paul, telling the council: here I found rest. He gave the 20,000 drachmas to the elder, for the souls of his parents. He was tonsured a monk on 30 January 1965 and received the name Mitrophanes.

His past remained unknown, because he never spoke of it. He lived a blameless life, with hidden labour, a model of exile, obedience, sobriety and monastic strictness. He went out into the world only once, a year before his death, to see a doctor. With his relatives he had no contact. When his brother or his nephews came, he greeted them and that was all; the money they sent he gave to the elder for the needs of the monastery. For about twenty years he worked in the guesthouse, where many came only to see him, since they knew he did not speak. When asked where he was from, he answered with the prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.