Theophylaktos of Kavsokalyvia

Theophylaktos of Kavsokalyvia was tonsured a monk in 1896 in the hut of the Annunciation of the Theotokos of the skete of the Holy Trinity at Kavsokalyvia. The elder of this hut, Michael (d. 1979), related that Father Theophylaktos developed his intelligence to find a hard and rare way to accomplish the salvation of his immortal soul. This brave fighter pretended to be a fool, deaf and mute, so as neither to hear praise, nor receive honour, nor be drawn into annoying and sinful talkativeness. Very few knew his secret; to them he spoke of the prayer of the mind, the cleansing of the passions and related matters. Walking about the skete, he smeared his face with coal dust and struck a tin can, as if he were mad and mentally disabled.

He withdrew to the cave-⁠hermitage of the venerable Nyphon (d. 1411) and for four years stayed there, struggling beyond human strength in this strange but effective ascesis, eating only rusk and drinking only water. His handiwork was wood carving; he made carved pectoral crosses, combs and spoons. The money from their sale he distributed as alms to the poor. He was a monk utterly without possessions. He entrusted his visions to a few spiritual friends. In the prayer of the mind he had as teacher the renowned confessor Papa Savvas of Little Saint Anne's (d. 1908). He sensed his end and three days before his repose went to the skete, communed, asked forgiveness of every monk of the skete and returned to his hermitage. After three days they found him lying with crossed arms and a wonderful smile on his lips, at rest. He reposed in 1927. He is venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.