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Ephraim of Arizona

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Archimandrite

Ephraim of Arizona
Native name
Ιωάννης Μωραΐτης
ChurchGreek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Personal details
Born
Ioannis Moraitis

(1928-06-24)24 June 1928
Volos, Thessaly, Greece
Died7 December 2019(2019-12-07) (aged 91)
Arizona, United States
NationalityGreek
DenominationGreek Orthodoxy
ProfessionHieromonk

Geronda Ephraim of Arizona also known as Geronda Ephraim of Philotheou Monastery on Mount Athos, (Greek: Γέροντας Ἐφραὶμ Ἀριζόνας) was born in Greece on June 24, 1928 – and died in Arizona, USA on December 7, 2019. He was a revered Greek Orthodox Hieromonk, an Athonite Elder, and Archimandrite in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople. He became well known for his extensive spiritual guidance in Greece and especially in America by spreading Athonite monasticism and the Faith in America. He guided thousands of souls in confession, monastics and lay-people, and taught the Jesus Prayer "Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me!" His spiritual father is Saint Iosif (Joseph) the Hesychast, canonized by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Early life and background

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On June 24, 1928, he was born Ioannis Moraitis (Ιωάννης Μωραΐτης) in Volos, Greece. His parents were Demetrios and Victoria Moraitis.[1]

Geronda Ephraim entered Mount Athos in 1947, where he was a disciple of the Athonite elder Saint Joseph the Hesychast. On July 13, 1948, he was tonsured and given the monastic name Ephraim. When his spiritual father Joseph the Hesychast died on August 15, 1959, he became the geronda (elder) of the hut of Annunciation of the Theotokos in New Skete. Ephraim soon became the head of his own brotherhood (which grew to 80 monks in 1981) and moved with them to the skete of Provata in 1968. From October 1, 1973, to 1991, Geronda Ephraim served as the abbot of Philotheou Monastery.[1] Through the efforts of Archimandrite Ephraim, monastic life was restored in several sketes on Mount Athos,[2] as his disciples also repopulated the monasteries of Philotheou, Xeropotamou, Konstamonitou, and Karakallou.[3]

In 1979, Geronda Ephraim visited North American cities and met with members of the Greek diaspora.[4]

First he visited parishes in Canada (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal). Afterwards, people started inviting him to the USA. Similar visits became regular in the United States and Canada. Finally, Archimandrite Ephraim decided to move to the United States for the spiritual nourishment of the flock and for the revival of spiritual life in the Greek Orthodox communities of North America.[5]

Greek Orthodox Monasteries in the US and Canada founded by Geronda Ephraim

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St. Anthony Monastery in Florence, Arizona, US, founded by Ephraim of Arizona

Archimandrite Ephraim devoted his entire life to missionary work, which was based on the opening of Greek Orthodox monasteries in the United States and Canada, which soon became spiritual centers. The first monastery was founded in 1989 (the convent of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania).[6] In 1995, Archimandrite Ephraim founded the Saint Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona in honor of Anthony the Great,[1] where he settled. Totally 19 monasteries were established in the United States and Canada as a result of his work.[7][8]

The Greek Orthodox monasteries in North America founded by Ephraim of Arizona are:[1]

Nunneries (for women)
Date Monastery Location Ref.
1989 Nativity of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Monastery Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, US [9]
1993 St. Kosmas Aitolos Greek Orthodox Monastery Bolton, Ontario, Canada [10]
1993 Panagia Parigoritissa Greek Orthodox Monastery Brownsburg-Chatham, Quebec, Canada [11]
1993 St. John Chrysostomos Greek Orthodox Monastery Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, US [12]
1993 Holy Protection of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Monastery White Haven, Pennsylvania, US [13]
1993 Life-giving Spring of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Monastery Dunlap, California, US
1995 St. John the Honorable Forerunner Greek Orthodox Monastery Goldendale, Washington, US [14]
1998 Annunciation of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Monastery Reddick, Florida, US [15]
1998 Panagia Prousiotissa Greek Orthodox Monastery Troy, North Carolina, US [16]
2004 St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Monastery Washington, Texas, US [17]
Monasteries (for men)
Date Monastery Location Ref.
1995 St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Monastery Florence, Arizona, US [18]
1996 Holy Archangels Greek Orthodox Monastery Kendalia, Texas, US [19]
1998 Panagia Vlahernon Greek Orthodox Monastery Williston, Florida, US [20]
1998 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Monastery Smiths Creek, Michigan, US
1998 Panagia Pammakaristos Greek Orthodox Monastery Lawsonville, North Carolina, US
1998 Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Monastery Harvard, Illinois, US [21]
1998 St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Monastery Roscoe, New York, US [22]

Archimandrite Ephraim died at St. Anthony Monastery, Arizona, on December 7, 2019, at the age of 91.[23]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Geronda Ephraim". St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery.
  2. ^ "Elder Ephraim of Arizona Offers Greece Sound Advice for Turbulent Day Ahead". July 28, 2010.
  3. ^ Ephraim of Arizona (2008). My Elder Joseph the Hesychast and Cave Dweller (1897-1959). Arizona, U.S. ISBN 978-960-93-0580-8.
  4. ^ "Schema-Archimandrite Ephraim (Moraitis) - Canadian Orthodox History Project". orthodoxcanada.ca.
  5. ^ "Olga Rozhneva, Alexandra Lagos. The great work of Elder Ephraim of Arizona: A conversation with Alexandra Lagos, a spiritual child of Elder Ephraim". OrthoChristian.Com.
  6. ^ "General 1". Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery.
  7. ^ "Affiliated Monasteries". St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery.
  8. ^ "Elder Ephraim of Arizona: Monk who saved Orthodoxy in America, built 19 monasteries and made an oasis from the Arizona desert". January 21, 2020.
  9. ^ "Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery". Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  10. ^ "St. Kosmas Aitolos Greek Orthodox Monastery". www.stkam.org. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  11. ^ "Monastery Virgin Mary the Consolatory-Greek Orthodox/Le Troupeau Benit". monasterevmc.org. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  12. ^ "St. John Chrysostomos Greek Orthodox Monastery". St. John Chrysostomos Greek Orthodox Monastery. Archived from the original on 2022-08-22. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  13. ^ "Holy Protection Monastery of the Theotokos". www.holyprotectionmonastery.org. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  14. ^ "St. John the Forerunner Greek Orthodox Monastery". stjohnmonastery.org. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  15. ^ "Annunciation of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Monastery". holyannunciation.org. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  16. ^ "Panagia Prousiotissa Greek Orthodox Monastery". panagiaprousiotissa.org. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  17. ^ "Holy Monastery of St. Paraskevi". saintparaskevi.com. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  18. ^ "St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery". St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  19. ^ "Holy Archangels Greek Orthodox Monastery". Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  20. ^ "Panagia Vlahernon Greek Orthodox Monastery". www.panagiavlahernon.org. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  21. ^ "Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Monastery". www.holytransfigurationmonastery.org. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  22. ^ "St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Monastery". stnektariosmonastery.org. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  23. ^ "Elder Ephraim Falls Asleep in the Lord, Age 91". December 11, 2019.
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