The St Maximos the Greek Institute of Vatopedi Monastery and the Ormylia Foundation of Simonopetra Monastery on Mount Athos will organise the International Theological Symposium “In Memory and Honour of Elder Aimilianos of Simonos Petras: A Witness to the Glory of God and a Guide in the Spirit” in Athens from 8–10 May 2026.
The event will mark seven years since the repose of Aimilianos of Simonopetra, the former abbot of Simonopetra Monastery and a renowned spiritual father who left behind an extensive theological legacy and a cherished memory among his disciples.
The symposium will explore various aspects of Elder Aimilianos’ personality and theological work.
The event will be opened on Friday afternoon at the Galatsi Olympic Hall in Athens by Abbot Ephraim of Vatopedi Monastery and by Abbot Elisseos of Simonopetra Monastery, a disciple of Elder Aimilianos.
The main sessions will take place on 9 and 10 May at the Wyndham Grand Athens.
Several hierarchs have confirmed their participation with lectures and academic presentations, including Metropolitans Athanasios of Limassol, Meliton of Philadelphia, Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, Ioustinos of Nea Makri and Kalamaria and Maxim Vasiljević, Serbian Orthodox Metropolitan of Western America.
They will be joined by Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou of St John the Baptist Monastery, Essex, in the United Kingdom, as well as abbots and abbesses from Mount Athos, Greece, and Lebanon, and theology professors, including Athanasios Ghikas, dean of the Faculty of Theology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
From Romania, Archimandrite Agapie Corbu, abbot of the Annunciation Skete in Almaș, Arad County, has also confirmed his participation.
Archimandrite Emilianos Simonopetra was one of the great contemporary spiritual fathers. He was the abbot of the Simonopetra Monastery on Mount Athos from 1974 to 2000, after which, due to health problems, he retired to his foundation, the Ormilia Monastery, the metochion of Simonopetra. He reposed in the Lord on May 9, 2019.
Photo: Greek Archdiocese of Australia
