Saint Euthymius was born in the region of Tao in Georgia. His father, having renounced worldly life, took monastic vows under the name John and withdrew to Constantinople. The young Euthymius remained with his grandfather, who later also set out for Constantinople to bring back his son. In the end, it was the saint himself who requested that his father return instead of his grandfather. The monk John dedicated his son to the service of the Lord, so that Euthymius—endowed with great spiritual gifts—became a vessel of the Holy Spirit.
He lived a life of strict asceticism, becoming a model of monastic discipline. Rejecting worldly glory and praise, he journeyed to Mount Athos, where he was ordained priest by the Venerable Saint Athanasius the Athonite. He translated the Holy Scriptures into the Georgian language and restored many churches. After the repose of Saint Athanasius, Euthymius became abbot of the Great Lavra. Yet before long he withdrew into the desert, continuing his life of prayer and fasting.
In Thessaloniki, he healed a Jew who, upon embracing Christianity, became a witness to the saint’s miracles. On one occasion, during the Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Savior, Euthymius was illuminated with divine light, revealing his sanctity.
Emperor Basil sought to honor him greatly, but Euthymius declined, considering himself unworthy. He even suffered an attack by a jealous monk who attempted to kill him, yet he miraculously stayed unharmed.
While traveling to Constantinople, Saint Euthymius fell from a mule and peacefully reposed a few days later, on May 13. After his blessed departure to the Lord, numerous miracles took place through the grace of his holy relics, which were later translated to Mount Athos, to the Holy Monastery of Iviron.
