Thousands of believers from Greece, Australia, Germany and other countries attended the canonization ceremony of Elder Iakovos Tsalikis held on June 2-3, 2018, at St David Monastery in Evia led by His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
The Metropolis of Chalkida organized a series of events occasioned by the official announcement of numbering the former abbot of St David’s Monastery in the island of Evia, Archimandrite Iakovos Tsalikis, among the choirs of Saints.
Elder Iakovos Tsalikis, the newest saint glorified by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, is one of the contemporary charismatic elders known throughout the Christian world for their virtues and ascetic life.
His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew attended Saturday, June 2, the Great Vespers during which the Synodal and Patriarchal Act on the Canonization of Venerable Iakovos was read out.
Although initially Archbishop Ieronymus of Athens announced his participation, he did not attend the event but sent a message which was read out during the Vespers service.
‘A torch that burned for the whole world’
In his homily during the Sunday Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Bartholomew referred to Elder Iakovos saying that ‘he is a contemporary saint of our days, who experienced the uprooting of Hellenism from Asia Minor and felt the bitter experience of a refugee.’
‘He always knocked at the door for justice, the protection of the young and the poor. He was a torch that burned continuously for the whole world,’ the Ecumenical Patriarch added.
‘The humble hieromonk with a fragile health, the nobleman with the proverbial ‘forgive me’, was a great benefactor of all Orthodox.’
‘We celebrate the canonization of Iakovos, one of the greatest pillars of virtue,’ His Holiness stressed.
The festivities were attended by state officials.
Elder Iakovos Tsalikis: biography
Elder Iakovos lived for 40 years at St David’s Monastery in Evia. He was born on Nov. 5, 1920 in Asia Minor. At the age of 32 he was tonsured a monk. On Dec. 19, 1952 he was ordained to the priesthood.
On June 25, 1975, Saint Iakovos became the abbot of the Saint David Monastery, which he shepherded spiritually until the end of his earthly life in November 1991.
He was glorified by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the end of 2017.
Photo: Christos Vasiliou / Chalkida Metropolis
