Saint Paisios: From Farasa to Heaven

The birth of Saint Paisios coincides with the uprooting of the Greeks from Cappadocia. His family, along with all the inhabitants of the Greek villages, takes the road of refuge to Greece. Their spiritual guide is the old man Arsenios.

The uprooted from Cappadocia arrive in Piraeus, expecting to find mother Greece who will embrace them, but they encounter many difficulties and problems.

40 days after the settlement in the castle of Corfu, the old man Arsenios sleeps in the hospital of the city. His passing turns everything in the community upside down. Tensions, quarrels and disputes begin.

Prodromos faces great difficulties in keeping the villagers together. His family, along with 50 other families, finally arrive at the place where they will put down roots. In the land of Konitsa.

Little Arsenios chants his first prayers, grows up and, as a refugee child, encounters his first difficulties with his peers.

Arsenios at the age of 12 chooses not to go to high school but to learn the carpenter's art in order to help his parents. At the age of 16, a cousin sows doubt in his soul about the divinity of Christ.

Arsenios is called to join the army. He turns to the Virgin Mary and begs her to help him not to kill a man.

Evlogia has a big surprise. Arsenios returns home and tells her that he has been discharged from the army. Her joy will not last long, because he announces her that he is leaving for Mount Athos.

Arsenios having fulfilled all his obligations to his family, he leaves for Mount Athos for a permanent stay. Under the guidance of Abbot Kallinikos the young novice becomes a petty monk and takes the name Paisios.