Philotheus the Founder

Venerable Philotheus the Founder was a disciple of Saint Athanasius the Athonite and the founder of Philotheou Monastery on Mount Athos, in the tenth century. His name means "lover of God".

According to historical sources, the monastery, originally called the Little Monastery of Fteris, was in the region of Kravvatos, where the chapel of the Prophet Elias stands today, and was founded in 992. In the eleventh century it was moved to its present site, without any change in buildings and architecture. The katholikon is dedicated to the Annunciation of the Theotokos and has many murals from 1752. It lies on the eastern side of the Athos peninsula, very near Karakalou Monastery, and is the twelfth in the hierarchy of Athonite monasteries. The monastery shelters the icon of the Mother of God "Sweet Kissing".

Saint Philotheus is not in the general synaxaria of the Church, but he is commemorated at Philotheou Monastery on 24 January with all the saints of the monastery: Dionysios the Builder (died 1388), Theodosios of Trebizond (died 1391), Dionysios of Olympus (died 1541), Damianos the New (died 1568), Symeon the Single-⁠Tunicked and Barefooted (died 1594), Dometios the Sign-⁠bearer, and Kosmas the Aitolian (died 1779). As a father he left his holy icon as a consolation in place of relics, and the monks of Philotheou venerate it as a sanctified treasure.