Venerable Acacius was born around the year 1633 in the village of Golitsa, in Epirus, to pious parents. At holy Baptism he was given the name Anastasius. After the death of his father, while still young, he took upon himself the care of his family. From his youth he showed love for God, frequently attending church and striving to live according to the Gospel.
When his mother suggested that he marry, he refused, desiring to preserve chastity and to dedicate himself wholly to God. At the age of twenty-three he withdrew to the Surovia Monastery, where he was tonsured a monk with the name Acacius. On the first night after his tonsure he was granted a divine vision, foreshadowing his future life of virtue.
Seeking solitude, Acacius often withdrew to deserted places for prayer and fasting, sustaining himself on wild herbs. The brethren, concerned about his way of life, advised him to return to life in community, but he chose instead to depart for the Holy Mountain, where he sought spiritual guidance from the elders.
Settling in Kavsokalyvia, Acacius lived in constant prayer and fasting, mortifying the flesh. Soon he was granted the gift of noetic prayer and divine revelations. His face came to reflect the joy of the Holy Spirit, and many people came to him seeking counsel.
As word of his holy life spread, disciples began to gather around him, building cells near his cave. Acacius taught them evangelical non-possessiveness and fasting, while he himself spent his days in prayer and in making wooden spoons. His life was filled with spiritual labors, and he often endured assaults from demons, who were unable to overcome him.
Acacius fell asleep in the Lord on April 12, 1730, in the ninety-eighth year of his life, having foretold his repose. His holy life and labors continue to inspire many of the faithful.
