Elder Ephraim has been Părintele Efrem a fost [[hieromonkieromonah|priest-monkpreot călugăr]] for almost timp de aproape 60 years and has served as an elder for more than de ani și stareț timp de mai mult de 50 yearsde ani. He was a A fost [[discipleucenic]] of Elder [[Joseph (al părintelui Iosif Spilaiotis)|Joseph]] the - cunoscut ca [[HesychastIosif Isihastul]] of Mount - din Muntele Athos and lived in monastic obedience to him for , și a trăit în ascultare față de acesta timp de 12 years until his Elder's repose in ani, până la moartea bătrânului Iosif în 1959.

==Early lifeÎnceputurile==Elder Ephraim was born in Părintele Efrem s-a născut în anul 1927 in în Volos, GreeceGrecia, with a primind la [[baptismbotez]]al name of Johnnumele de Ioan. He grew up in poverty and helped his father at workA crescut în sărăcie, ajutând pe tatăl său la lucru, but always tried to emulate the pious life of his mother (whom he later tonsured dar și încercând să urmeze vieții pioase a mamei sale, devenită mai târziu monahie sub numele de Teofana. A dorit să devină [[nuncălugăr]] with the name of Theophano). He began to desire the monastic life around încă de la vârsta de 14 years of ageani, but he did not get a blessing from his spiritual father to leave and become dar nu a primit binecuvântare de la [[monkduhovnic]] until he was ul său să plece la mănăstire decât la vârsta de 19ani.

When he arrived at Mount Ajuns la Muntele Athos, he became a disciple of Elder devenit ucenic al Părintelui [[Iosif Isihastul]] who [[tonsure]]d him in , care l-a tuns în monahism în 1948 and gave him the name Ephraim, dându-i numele de Efrem. Elder Ephraim was subsequently [[ordination|ordained]] Mai apoi, a fost hirotonit [[deacondiacon]], and then a și apoi [[priestpreot]]. The life in the brotherhood under Elder Joseph was very austere and [[asceticism|ascetical]], and Elder Ephraim made great spiritual progress under his holy Elder. After Elder Joseph's repose in 1959, Elder Ephraim continued to live in asceticism for many years until he became the abbot of the Holy Monastery of Philotheou in 1973, where he was able to revive the spiritual life there in a short time. Due to the reputation of Elder Ephraim, the monastery's brotherhood grew rapidly. Elder Ephraim was asked by the council of Mount Athos to revive and expand several other monasteries on Mount Athos which had a dwindling number of monks. These monasteries were [[Xeropotamou Monastery Mănăstirea Xiropotamu (Muntele Athos)|XeropotamouXiropotamu]], [[Konstamonitou Monastery Mănăstirea Konstamonitu (Muntele Athos)|KonstamonitouKonstamonitu]], and [[Karakalou Monastery Mănăstirea Caracalu (Muntele Athos)|KarakallouCaracalu]]. He was also asked to repopulate the [[Great Lavra Mănăstirea Marea Lavră (Muntele Athos)|Great LavraMarea Lavră]] but declined. These monasteries are still under his spiritual guidance today. Along with the monasteries on Mount Athos, there are several other monasteries in Greece under Elder Ephraim's spiritual guidance, including the monastery of St. [[John the Forerunner]] in Serres, that of [[Panagia]] the Directress in Portaria (Volos), and that of the [[Archangel Michael]], a formal [[metochionmetoc]] of Philotheou on the island of Thasos.

*(en) ''Counsels from the Holy Mountain: Selected from the Letters and Homilies of Elder Ephraim'' by Elder Ephraim. Florence, Arizona: St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery, 1999. (ISBN 0966700031)

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