Pilgrimage to Holy Mountain 24

24

Pachomios & Seraphim:

There was a monk named Seraphim living at Saint Anne’s––a very small man of indeterminate age always dressed in the same ragged robe—a rusty patchwork of gray tatters– which must have once been black. He was one of those oddly cheerful “God’s fools”, and everybody seemed to like him or at least tolerate his rather curious behavior.

After I had been a resident at Saint Anne’s for a month, Father Athanasius asked me if I would like to have a “religious name” since all the men are given a new name when they live in the monastery. I said “Sure”, and he gave me the name “Pachomios”, the name of one of the heroic “desert fathers”, who founded of many monasteries in the early days of Christianity. The St. Anne’s monks all started calling me “Papa Pachomios” instead of “Brother Pilgrim”.

It was not so bad.

Seraphim was especially delighted since “Pachomios” and “Seraphim” had been buddies in the old days. Whenever we met he would talk happily to me in Greek, which I didn’t understand, but he let me know we would be pals.

Though a lot of Greek men are gay, I don’t think he was and I’m not but it was fun to have a special friend from the “Good Old Days”.

Tomasito, 2009


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