Symeon of Philotheou

Symeon of Philotheou, a hieromonk and abbot, with the secular name George Palaktsoglou, son of Prodromos and Eftychia, was born in 1907 at Pharasa in Cappadocia. He was baptized by Saint Arsenios the Cappadocian (d. 1924), who also baptized Elder Paisios (d. 1994), later a disciple of the hieromonk Symeon. After the Asia Minor catastrophe he came to Greece, and in 1924 entered Philotheou Monastery. The next year he was tonsured a monk and ordained deacon; in 1927 he was ordained priest. In 1947 he was elected superior of his monastery. He reposed in the Lord on 24 October 1972. In these few lines of the monastery's register is hidden the whole life of the Philotheite hieromonk.

For years he studied and wrote, spoke and published texts for the benefit of his dear brothers. According to the hierodeacon Dionysios (d. 1999), elder of the Koutloumousiou hut of the Prophet Elias, who republished his didactic book Guide to Life: "The blessed elder, as a good monk, philanthropic, industrious and fond of good, gathered like a wise bee many elements, which he divided into chapters in alphabetical order. He did not covet the glory of great writers but, grieving for the future of our beloved homeland, ever enslaved to the passions, desired to stir the interest of those who still keep in their hearts even a few elements of what is beautiful, good and holy. He was one of the good old fathers of the monastery, which he served with devotion and love until his departure, after about fifty years of continuous residence and monastic struggles. The fruit of his love is also his work for the strengthening of his brothers." Elder Gabriel of Dionysiou (d. 1983) writes similarly in his Lausaicon, calling him "most venerable, most devout and disinterested."

According to the humble Elder Symeon: "Humility is the stable foundation of prayer, it is a magnet that draws the Most High God to the humble man, it is the daughter of faith, foundation of holiness, guardian of good works, source of heavenly gifts, the first source of divine grace, which wells up from the bosom of the Most High God, which with respect to man humbles God and with respect to God exalts man: without it it is impossible for virtue, repentance, hope of mercy and salvation to exist: we are before God small, abominable and unclean..." He is venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.