Archbishop Elpidophoros of America visits Philotheou Monastery in Mount Athos.
The visit to the historic monastery of Mount Athos has a special symbolism, as the late former abbot of the Philotheou monastery, Ephraim, pioneered the establishment of many monasteries in America, which are still operating today in the Agiorite standard.
The Archbishop of America will visit the Karakallos monastery on Sunday and then the Pantokratoros Monastery, which is also the last stop of his tour of Mount Athos.
On Monday, Mr. Elpidophoros will be in Thessaloniki, where he will hold a series of contacts with institutional actors throughout the week.
In a post via his Facebook account, Elpidophoros stressed that “In our Greek Orthodox community in America, Philotheou Monastery holds a unique place in our hearts.
It is the birthplace of Orthodox Monasticism in the United States, founded by the revered late Elder Ephraim of Philotheou, whose influence remains deeply etched in our church.
This is precisely why, on my visit to Philotheou Monastery, I was keen not to journey alone but rather to guide a group of pilgrims—devout laypeople, each significant in their own right. It was important for me to present them the origins of our monasteries in America and illustrate their profound connections to Orthodoxy and the Orthodox Spirituality of Mount Athos”.