Saint Evdokimos: the biggest known unknown saint from Mount Athos – Full Photo Report
Saint Evdokimos is a great known unknown saint from the Monastery of Vatopedi.
Father Meletios of Vatopedi, a witness of the happening, remembers:
In 1840 the administrative body of our monastery seeing that the western wall of the ossuary of the Cemetery, which was under the main nave of the Chapel of the Cemetery, had small cracks in it, and thus had taken the decision to begin its restoration.
The workers started the demolition process and after a few days, on Wednesday, October 1st 1840, they began to sense a fragrance which revieled the presence of some holy relics. When the demolition was halted, they began to remove slowly the debris around and finally found the relics of an unknown saint which had a very intense fragrance which filled the entire area of the cemetery.
The saint was kneeling in a position of prayer with a cloth around him and with his arms crossed on his chest. He was looking to the east and leaning against the wall of ossuary. In his arms was found an icon – a replica of Mother of God Vimatarissa.
The monks repositioned the relic and placed it above in the Chapel and because the happening was considered without doubt a great miracle and the saint a big saint, they decided to celebrate this event with an all-night vigil in his honor.
The dark crypt in which they found the relic was about 150 years old and besides that, the fathers did not know much about him. Thus, it was decided to give him a temporary name in order for him to be commemerated in their prayers and in the church services. Finally they named him “Evdokimos” because God, “evdokimise” – was well pleased – to reveal such a miracle and to present to the monks such an “evdokimos” – good-successful monk.
Based on this event the monks agreed on the name Evdokimos for the newly revealed saint. However they prayed and beseeched the saint “Our saint, whoever you are, we named you Evdokimos. If however you do not like the name, please inform us, and for us to correct the service”. Not long after many days, indeed the saint revealed himself in a vision to one of the spiritual monks of the monastery saying “My name is Savvas, however I do not mind being called Evdokimos”. And he remained Evdokimos and thus showing to us his great humility.
In the following photos you will see candid shots from the feast of Saint Evdokimos held each year on October the 5th.
The metropolitans Arsenios of Austria and Chrysostomos of Myra were present at feast
Here is a recording from the feast:
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