Zosimas of Esphigmenou

Zosimas of Esphigmenou, with the secular name Zisis Kampylakis, was born in the village of Saint Laurentios in Pelion in 1835, to poor parents, John and Euprakia. He grew up beside the village priest, Constantis Zois, from whom he learned to read and write; he himself writes: "The first letters of the alphabet I learned carved by the priest of our parish on a square wooden tablet, which I carried hanging from my shoulder. The door of the primary and Greek school of my homeland I never saw, nor climbed their steps." At only sixteen he entered the struggle for a living. After his father's death he worked four years as a vineyard watchman. There in the fields, reading The Salvation of Sinners and the Thikaras, he came to compunction and repentance and wished to go to the Holy Mountain.

In 1853 he entered Esphigmenou Monastery. In 1860 he was tonsured a monk. He notes of himself: "Going to the Holy Mountain and living in Esphigmenou Monastery, I felt the sweetness of letters, my heart was wounded by the love of learning." He studied three years at the Athoniada School. He read ceaselessly, trained himself and prayed. He stayed in the monastery 13 years. He left in 1871 and settled in Volos. He wanted by every means to raise the spiritual level of his compatriots. Always wearing the honourable monastic cassock and signing until his death as the monk Zosimas of Esphigmenou, he opened a bookshop, created a library and published several didactic books. He published also a calendar and a periodical. His whole work, for that time, is acknowledged by all as a great labour. For his boldness, courage and rebuke he was even persecuted. His fierce slanderers were put to shame and his reputation was restored.

In all his work researchers find many elements on hagiology, church history, church architecture, monasteries and religious customs, especially of Thessaly. This modest and humble monk was found by his end writing, studying, printing books and praying. On 28 March 1902 he signed the preface to his book, the Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus, from the second Migne edition, published by Zosimas of Esphigmenou in Athens, 1902. In the book he also publishes his photograph, with a note describing himself: medium body, rather broad, oval face, wide forehead, sparse eyebrows, chestnut eyes, mouth in proportion, very short white hair, very white and moderate beard, black clothing, untidy head covering and the sixty-⁠seventh year on his back. He reposed in the Lord on 11 November 1902. He is venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization.