Saint Joseph the Hesychast
Who was this saint?.
Saint Joseph the Hesychast was a Greek monk who lived in caves and little huts high up on Mount Athos, the Holy Mountain in Greece. He spent his life praying — not loud, fancy prayers, but quiet, simple ones whispered from the heart. People called him "the Hesychast" because hesychia is a Greek word for stillness. Saint Joseph showed his friends how being still and listening for God can make a heart strong and full of love. He lived not so long ago, and the Church named him a saint in the year 2020.
A saint's story.
Let's walk together up the Holy Mountain and meet a saint who loved to pray very quietly.
A little prayer.
A short prayer asking Saint Joseph to pray for us.
Holy Saint Joseph the Hesychast,
you loved Jesus with your whole heart
and prayed quietly on the Holy Mountain.
Teach me to whisper, again and again,
"Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me."
Help me to be patient, kind, and brave,
and to listen for God in the quiet.
Pray for me, dear Saint Joseph,
that I may grow closer to Jesus every day. Amen.
Did you know?.
Some fun and surprising things to remember about Saint Joseph.
He Lived on a Holy Mountain
Saint Joseph lived on Mount Athos in Greece. It is a rocky peninsula where monks have prayed for more than a thousand years.
A Very Short Prayer
His favorite prayer was only seven words long: "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me."
A Cave for a Home
He often lived in caves and tiny huts. He owned almost nothing so he could focus on God.
Spiritual Grandfather
His students started many Orthodox monasteries in America and Canada, so people lovingly call him "Pappou" — Greek for "Grandpa".
A New Saint
Saint Joseph lived not so long ago. He was officially added to the calendar of saints in the year 2020.
For Grown-Ups
Saint Joseph the Hesychast (Francis Kottis, 1897–1959) is one of the most important Athonite elders of the twentieth century. He was glorified by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople on March 9, 2020, with his feast set on August 16 so it would not overlap the Dormition of the Theotokos, on which day he reposed.
His life was marked by extreme asceticism — strict fasting, all-night vigils, life in caves, and the unceasing Jesus Prayer. Some details from his life (intense demonic temptations, visions, the eight-year struggle with passions described in his letters) are not appropriate for young children, so this page focuses on his love for Jesus and the Theotokos, his friendship with Father Arsenios, and his teaching of the Jesus Prayer. Older children can be introduced gradually to his writings, especially Monastic Wisdom.
He is also a wonderful saint for Orthodox families in North America, since the monasteries founded by his disciple Elder Ephraim of Arizona trace their spiritual roots back to him.
Meet more saints.
If you liked Saint Joseph, here are more friends to meet.