Saint Porphyrios of Kafsokalivia Icon - S489

Saint Porphyrios of Kafsokalivia was an Athonite hieromonk known for his gifts of spiritual discernment, a type of clairvoyance which he sometimes called "spiritual television."

He was born in 1906 in the village of Saint John Karystia, in the province of Evia. He was tonsured a monk about the age of fifteen with the monastic name Nikitas. He served in the Athonite skete of Kafsokalyvia under two spiritual fathers. Forced by pleurisy to depart the Holy Mountain, he returned to his birthplace, where he was unexpectedly elevated to the priesthood at the age of 21 by Porphyrios III, Archbishop of Mount Sinai and Raithu.

With the outbreak of World War II he became a hospital chaplain in Athens, in which post he continued for three decades. His later years were devoted to the construction of the Holy Convent of the Transfiguration of the Savior.

After 1984 he returned to Mount Athos, occupying the same cell which he had earlier in life been forced to abandon. Through his role as spiritual father, Elder Porphyrios became known to an ever-wider circle of Orthodox followers. Several compilations of stories and sayings attributed to him have been published.

His sainthood was declared by the synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on November 27th, 2013. His feast day is celebrated on December 2.

Icon by the hand of Georgi Chimev.