[soryalomop]

You are very lucky, Nina. I only learnt about him after his death, but since then I have met quite a few people who had a personal relationship with him.
They all have great respect for him.

My husband and I visited his grave at Souroti Monastery and when I get back from Australia we intend going again with another couple.

I have to say though that I was not very impressed with the nuns at this monastery and I saw something quite suspicious that I am keeping to myself. The monastery itself is very beautiful and a vast amount of money has been spent on it - something Geronda Paisios was critical about when referring to Tinos and another place. He said they had become commercial.
I fear the same thing has happened to his monastery.

We visited St. John the Evangelisti monastery near Corinth in the Peloponesse. It is on top of a mountain and is beautiful, but what we really liked were the nuns and their attitude. It was truly a place of peace and contemplation.

Effie