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On September 17, 2025, the former abbot of the Holy Monastery of Iviron, Archimandrite Vasileios Gontikakis, passed away. After many days of hospitalization in Thessaloniki—since August 27, when he fell and got injured—Elder Vasileios gave up his spirit to God. On September 18, the funeral service took place, while he was also buried at the cemetery of the Holy Monastery of Iviron.
The ceremony was attended by the abbots of the holy monasteries of Mount Athos, representatives of the Holy Community, representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as well as the Churches of Greece and Cyprus, along with a large number of spiritual children of Archimandrite Vasileios. He was a great figure of the athonite monasticism, as well as an important scholar and teacher of the orthodox theology.
As Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece said:.jpeg)
"He was an authentic witness to the orthodox tradition in the modern world, noble and at the same time courageous in matters concerning the church and society, a truly free and genuine man."
The Life of Archimandrite Vasilios Gontikakis
Elder Vasileios was born on February 8, 1936, in Heraklion, Crete. From a young age, he was devout to the church and expressed a deep passion for the word of the Gospel. He studied in Athens, became involved in ecclesiastical circles, and traveled to Mount Athos, where he met Saint Paisios.
He devoted himself to the priesthood, being ordained first as a deacon and later as a presbyter. He also pursued studies in France and worked as a teacher before deciding to dedicate his life entirely to monasticism. In 1965, he went to Mount Athos, where he practiced asceticism under the guidance of Saint Paisios.
In 1968, he became abbot of the Holy Monastery of Stavronikita, while, in 1990, he became abbot of the Holy Monastery of Iviron, where he lived until the end of his life.
Elder Vasileios’s work and presence in the monasteries of Mount Athos were decisive. He cared for his brotherhood, showed great love and affection, improving the living conditions of the monks and supporting their spiritual struggles. He was also a figure of intellectual man, developing theological thought, studying and illuminating the perspectives of the word of Gospel.
Who is the current abbot of the Holy Monastery of Iviron?
The current abbot of the Holy Monastery of Iviron is Archimandrite Nathanael, who succeeded Elder Vasileios. The latter was an equally important figure in the Mount Athos community. May the Lord, through the prayers of our protector, the Most Holy Theotokos, bless him, protect him, and guide his work!
