Today we celebrate our Venerable Father among the Saints, Gerasimus of Cephalonia. Saint Gerasimus grew up a pious young man and travelled to Mount Argos to become a monk. He then visited the Holy Lands, where he became an attendant at the Holy Sepulchre. Here, he was ordained a deacon and priest by Patriarch Germanus of Jerusalem. For forty days, Saint Gerasimus struggled in the desert beyond the Jordan, just like his namesake Saint, and then requested a blessing to live a life of solitude on the island of Zakynthos. Having spent much time in prayer and fasting, Saint Gerasimus felt a calling to travel to the nearby island of Cephalonia where he lived in a cave. He built a women's monastery where he lived in asceticism for thirty years. Here, he achieved the heights of spirituality, being granted the gifts of wonderworking and healing. At the age of 71, the venerable one reposed in the Lord on August 15th. Because this is the feast of the Dormition, his celebration was moved to August 16th, but is more commonly celebrated on October 20th on the uncovering of his holy relics which were found incorrupt. May the Venerable Gerasimus intercede for us always + #saint #gerasimus #gerasimos #cephalonia #corfu #greece #zakynthos #zante #mountathos #ascetic #monk #deacon #priest #holysepulchre #holylands #jordan #jordanriver #palestine #orthodox #saintoftheday (at Kefalonia, Greece) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj5697DL6Q3/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
















