Synaxis of the Kollyvades Fathers

Synaxis of the holy Kollyvades Fathers of Mount Athos, renewers of the spiritual life of the Greek people.

The Kollyvades were a movement of Athonite fathers of the eighteenth century, among them Makarios of Corinth, Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain and Athanasios of Paros, who called the faithful back to the Church's tradition of frequent Communion, watchfulness and the prayer of the heart.

Mocked at first for their strictness about memorial services on Sundays, they became through the Philokalia and their other writings the spiritual renewers of Orthodoxy under Ottoman rule.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Synaxis of the Kollyvades Fathers is commemorated on April 18. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on May 1 of the civil calendar.

Also commemorated on April 18

• 

  Cosmas, Bishop of Chalcedon

  Hierarch, Κοσμάς

  St. Cosmas the Confessor, Bishop of Chalcedon.

  Name days: Cosmas, Kosmas

• John the Hesychast

  Venerable, Ιωάννης ο Ησυχαστής

  Venerable John the Hesychast, disciple of Saint Gregory of Decapolis.

• Athanasia of Aegina

  Holy Woman, Αθανασία η εξ Αιγίνης

  Venerable Athanasia of Aegina, abbess and wonderworker.

  Name days: Athanasia, Athanassia, Nasia, Athanasoula

• John the Tailor of Ioannina

  Martyr, Ιωάννης ο Ράπτης

  Holy New Martyr John of Ioannina, a tailor burned for Christ in Constantinople.

• Akakios of Melitene

  Hierarch, Ακάκιος Μελιτηνής

  Saint Akakios, Bishop of Melitene, wonderworker and father of the Third Ecumenical Council.

• Cyril VI of Constantinople

  Hierarch, Κύριλλος ΣΤ' ο Ιερομάρτυς

  Hieromartyr Cyril VI, Patriarch of Constantinople, hanged at Adrianople in 1821.