A few months before his death, he was visited by the Virgin Mary, whom he held in special reverence, and was promised by her, that she would take him on her feast day. He then called off his engagement, and in preparation for his life on the Holy Mountain,3 he started conditioning himself to ascetic struggles by fasting and praying in the countryside of Athens. After this vision, he became pensive and lost all interest in worldly things; he spent his time reading the lives of saints, especially those of the great ascetic Fathers, which ignited in his heart the desire to become a monk. In the 1500's it was sent by the Pope to Emperor Charles when he was going into battle. So he told him that until a co-struggler could be found for him, he should cultivate the Jesus Prayer alone in some remote cave, coming to him occasionally for spiritual guidance. even though Father Arsenios had already been tonsured a monk and Francis was still a layman. us, O Lord.) Francis, however, was inclined to a more austere spiritual life and total dedication to unceasing prayer of the heart, which requires great silence and humility, and thus he stood out from the rest of the brotherhood. It was not long before one of them, Saint Joseph, reposed in the Lord. (Say daily in the morning for nine consecutive days for whatever you desire). choose blessed Joseph to be the Spouse of Thy most holy Mother; grant, Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, (graciously hear Soon he began attracting monastic aspirants, but few of them were able to endure his severe ascetic program. Let us pray. Saint Joseph, pray for us! Geronda Ephraim, now their sole geronda, was soon convinced by the exceptional lifestyle of young Francis that this spiritual warrior should be officially enrolled in the angelic monastic order. Have pity on our brothers and sisters held down in unemployment and poverty because of sickness or social disorders. he started conditioning himself to ascetic struggles by fasting and praying in the countryside of Athens. R. Hear our prayers and obtain our petitions. var sc_project=5446449; Paros is a Greek island in the central Aegean Sea. Sancte Michael, quem gloria et honore Deus coronavit, R. ora pro nobis. y In 1938, seeking greater solitude, Saint Joseph and his community moved from Saint Basil’s Skete to a cave at Little Saint Anne’s. Glorified by the Ecumenical Patriarchate on October 20, 2019. Our prayer ministry will pray for your needs. O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in thee all my interests and desires. var sc_click_stat=1; Located on peninsula in northeastern Greece, The Holy Mountain, also know as Mount Athos, is an important center of Eastern Orthodox Monasticism. as a merchant to support his large family. p In 1938, seeking greater solitude, Saint Joseph and his community moved from Saint Basil’s Skete to a cave at Little Saint Anne’s,11 but after 15 years of living in the harsh conditions of Little Saint Anne’s, the fathers’ health started to deteriorate, and so in 1953, Saint Joseph decided to move the community farther down the mountain, near the sea, to New Skete,12 where he would spend the last six years of his life. Francis Kottis (Saint Joseph’s name before his monastic tonsure) was born in Paros1 on February 12, 1897, the fourth of seven children to the simple but pious couple George and Maria Kottis. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating thee and Jesus asleep in thine arms. even as where Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church'' Ignatius of One day he beheld a wondrous vision of two angels in the form of palace guards, leading him to serve the heavenly king. You who are the patron of workers; grant that unemployment may vanish from our ranks; that all those who are ready to work may put their strength and abilities in serving their fellowmen and earn a just salary. Amen. It was not long before one of them, Saint Joseph, reposed in the Lord. r In the beginning Father Arsenios regarded Francis as his geronda. a If the request is addressed to more than one person, use orate instead of ora. God, Who, in Thine ineffable Providence didst vouchsafe to The following information regarding the Special Prayer to St. Joseph is published in The Pieta Prayer Booklet and reprinted here on our site for your own personal discernment: The prayer was found in the 50th year of our Lord Jesus Christ. tollis peccata mundi, (parce nobis, Domine.) o Therefore, following Saint Daniel’s advice they became disciples of two humble old gerondas in Katounakia named Joseph and Ephraim. Thus, the day of his monastic tonsure was set for Sunday, August 31, 1925, the commemoration day of the deposition of the precious sash of the Theotokos. From that point on until his death, the prayer was said in his heart unceasingly, granting him exalted spiritual states and divine visions. var sc_partition=31; After searching for sometime without success, he decided to join the brotherhood of Saint Daniel of Katounakia. Grant that we may all share together in the abundant goods God has given us and that we may help underprivileged countries. Miraculous Prayer to St. Joseph in Any Urgent Need. Eventually, the nucleus of his brotherhood would consist of five disciples: his co-ascetic Father Arsenios; Father Athanasios, his brother in the flesh; Father Joseph the Cypriot, who would later become the geronda of the Holy Monastery of Vatopaidi;7 Father Ephraim, later abbot of the Holy Monastery of Philotheou8 and future geronda of thirty-three monasteries in Greece, the US, and Canada, including Saint Anthony’s Monastery in Arizona; and Father Haralambos, later abbot of the Holy Monastery of Dionysiou.9 Also, it is noteworthy to mention Saint Ephraim of Katounakia;10 although he belonged to a different brotherhood, he was guided spiritually by Saint Joseph, and thus is also considered one of his disciples. Because of their extreme poverty, Francis left home at the age of seventeen to work in Piraeus2 as a merchant to support his large family. Back to Being Catholic Index. The Catholic church is located in Netcong, NJ, USA. n He made him the lord of his household. in Heaven whom, on earth, we venearate as our protector. Because of their extreme poverty, Francis left home at the age of seventeen to work in Piraeus. Send prayer requests by email:  PrayerRequest@Christian-Miracles.com. Francis Kottis (Saint Joseph’s name before his monastic tonsure) was born in Paros, on February 12, 1897, the fourth of seven children to the simple but pious couple George and Maria Kottis. a caelis: Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Let us pray. Pray daily the Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel and recite Psalm 91 for God's protection. (Amen. The Chapel of St. John the Forerunner at Small St. Anne's Skete. You are the patron of families; do not let those who have children to support and raise lack the necessary means. Today the spiritual grandchildren of Saint Joseph, who endearingly refer to him as “Pappou Iosif” (Grandfather Joseph in Greek), call upon him to help them in their spiritual life, and he in turn stands before the throne of God and intercedes for his spiritual children and grandchildren, and all those who call upon him. Mount Athos is home to 20 monasteries under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. These two spiritual warriors would be inseparable companions for the rest of their lives, leading an austere ascetical life together. we beseech Thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor var sc_security="e2e82b12"; Saint Rocco is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church as the protector against the plague and all contagious diseases. Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, (have mercy on quem protectorem veneramur in terris, intercessorem habere mereamur in R. pray for us. The Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopaidi on Mount Athos, was founded in the second half of the 10th century by disciples of St. Athanasios the Athonite.