Feast Day: November 22nd
The Life of Saint Iakovos: He was a living Incarnation of the Gospel…
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Prayers
Apolytikion: The prototype of discernment and modesty, the Wonderworking leader of the Monastery of David the Venerable, who plowed and sowed love in the hardened hearts of the God-bearing people, O Father Iakovos. Do not neglect to intercede with Christ on behalf of those who call upon you in faith.
Kontakion: In Evia you lived practically, and were adorned with the pure roses of virtues, giving fragrance to your fellow refugees in these latter days, O Father, you who equalled the feats of the Sacred David [of Evia] and the most sympathetic deliverer of those who suffer, therefore we cry out: Rejoice, O Blessed Iakovos.
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Icons, Photos & Videos
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Quotes by Saint Iakovos
We must take care of our health, for God has given us doctors and medicine and we mustn’t be indifferent.
Pray with faith, counsel [your children]… with love, in a gentle way.
We are not Sanctified by the place in which we live, but by the way we live. We may be on the Holy Mountain but, in our thoughts, be in the world. Or we may be here [in the world] in body, but noetically on the Holy Mountain.
Do not hope in the world. Be careful in your social interactions. Never listen to what the world is telling you. Temptations come; we’re human. The devil has many feet, altars and traps. Everything will be faced during marriage with love, meekness and patience. Have faith in God and Prayer and everything will go according to the Will of God.
The Saint spoke with sweet words and with discernment in order to comfort the pained and exhausted mother, and with discernment and a smile he said to the father: “I was proud of you last night. You chanted all night and Prayed. Good job! But you would have had an even greater blessing and reward if you sat a half hour instead of three, near your wife helping her to feed the children and put them to bed, because for married people, your Prayer Ropes and prostrations are your children. When they grow up you will have time to do them, but “a brother is helped by a brother”. Let everything be done by mutual consent.
An uncountable amount of money has passed through my hands, but all of it has gone to where it was meant to go, to those who suffer, to the poor, to those in need.
However, a miraculous event took place within a few days of the Elder joining the Monastery. By my nature, I didn’t have any facial hair, only a few sparse wisps of hair. I was clean shaven. But it seemed to me that a Monk should be venerable and respectable with a full beard and mustache. I asked Panagia and Saint David for help to grow a beard. Miraculously, within one week a full beard and mustache began to grow which he kept until the end of his life.
Later in my life, when I was suffering from vertigo, I was informed that the Icon of Panagia Xenia of Almyros was visiting Limni in Evia… During the procession, we stopped to say the petitions and it was my turn to say the final exclamation, Hear us O God, our Saviour, the hope of all the ends of the Earth’ Then I saw in the Icon our Panagia was alive. She turned her head with her large eyes and looked at me, raised her hand and blessed me. I lost my voice and my feet stopped; with great difficulty I continued, Hear us our God, hear us our God, repeatedly.
One time we were praying the Small Compline with the fathers in my cell. I opened the door to go outside and I saw the devil appearing again as an immodest woman. She turned around and showed her “backside” saying shameless words. I grabbed my Icon of Panagia and went outside, saying, Under your compassion we take refuge, O Theotokos… And then, like a bullet whistling out of a gun, the devil was shot over the roof of the Monastery and exploded on the hill across the valley with a loud, echoing noise.
During the trial of the incredible poverty of the Monastery, the Elder undertook the virtue of fasting to such a degree that he not only fasted from foods, but also drank water sparingly. The Lord granted him such continence that he only drank water on the weekends. Within his Soul there flowed a stream, “a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life,” and drinking water was no longer necessary. Christ became his food, his clothing, his rejoicing, and his gladness; and in this way, his physical needs were satiated and he no longer needed material nourishment.
In our Prayers, we should be very careful about what exactly we are asking for; because we do not know if He will give us what we are asking for and if we will be able to endure it.
One cannot imagine how much pain was hidden by the Elder’s smile. Many visitors to the Monastery did not know how poor his health was, and they congratulated him on looking so good. All his good efforts happened in secret. Underneath his kind words, his paternal love, and the Heavenly sweetness of his face, there was an ascetic who was being willingly crucified, just as it says in the hymn: ‘Holy Father, you did not allow yourself to remain a clay vessel, but you were transformed by tribulations and became like brass and were put to good use by the Master Christ.
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Prayers to Saint Iakovos
The Isle of Evia today rejoices, for it has you as its new protector. And the Holy Monastery of Saint David is glad, for it possesses your Tomb, O Iakovos, Our Holy Father. And filled with Grace of God, like a channel of the Spirit that is unstoppable, you pour out gifts of Grace every day for us.
O come, let us joyously lay crowns of song and extol devout Saint Iakovos, the Patron Saint of the Isle of Evia, and the late Abbot of the All-Holy Monastery of David, and guide of the people. Now he Prays to Christ the Saviour to grant Grace and Mercy to all those who honour him.
In song let us extol the devout great Ascetic, Iakovos, the offspring of Livisi, and later the dignified Abbot of the Monastery on Evia. For in recent times, his life resembled the Angels’. With his Godly words and sound advice he instructed the faithful who came to him.
Your grave has now become like a wellspring of blessings. It cures believers of various ills and diseases. The sorrowful and bereaved are consoled by the Grace it has. And it drives away unclean malevolent spirits. Therefore we now sing in praise of you, the true servant of Christ, O Iakovos.
Within your heart you had the Lord and Saviour Christ, the Ruler over all, O Saint Iakovos. Thus you rejoiced as you crushed the bows and arrows of the enemy. And when you would Celebrate the most Heavenly and Divine Liturgy, your face would shine like the Angels, O Blessed one. And by your words and manners you imparted to everyone the Grace you received from God.
At the intercession of Your Holy Ascetic, O Lord of Mercy, blot out my many offenses.
O devout Father, you shined in the Monastery of Osios David, as a well-spoken preacher and a Holy Priest. Within your heart, you had ardent love for your Benevolent Lord. You became a precise teacher of Virtue; by your Divine words and your amazing life, you guided to excellence the laypeople and the Monastics who were with you. Even now, do not cease to keep them safe from any misfortune, by your intercessions with Christ, O Saint Iakovos.
You wore the Vestments of the Priesthood worthily, Father Iakovos. As your life was spent in much Ascetic discipline, you went up on the mountain of Christ the Lord’s Divine Virtues, which you exemplified for us all in these recent times, O all-Blessed one.
Walking in faith the way of Christ’s Divine Commandments, never turning back, you became an equal of the Fathers who had come before you, O Iakovos. With your light you illumined the Monks and people on Evia, who would come to you, O all-lauded one.
The Holy Spirit strengthened you in childhood, O Saint Iakovos, and you drove away the horde of passions manfully; and you became a herald of Godly living and teacher of Orthodoxy to those with you. And for this we honour your Memory.
O Father Iakovos, since you have the Grace from your Lord and Saviour Jesus, you cure the ills and passions that plague the Souls and bodies of those who Prayerfully seek your support and care.
O Father, your hand marvellously healed the eye of a man who was in Cyprus while in a dream, and thus by the Grace of God you brought down the haughty brow of the foe, O Iakovos.
Devout Saint Iakovos, you once healed the Bishop of Nikaia who lay comatose in bed, when you made the Sign of the Life-bearing All-precious Cross on his head and you Prayed for him.
God-bearing Father, you obtained as a reward for your labours Grace from Christ the Lord to work cures and healings and great confidence in Prayer, by which you treated many who were suffering severe pain, O Holy Abbot Iakovos.
Once when an airplane had been struck in flight by strong bolts of lightning and was seriously damaged and falling, people saw you in midair Miraculously holding it and guiding it to safety, God-bearing Father Iakovos.
Breaking the shackles of the flesh, by your Ascetical labours and the Grace of God, you flew like a free bird to the Heavenly abodes, participating in the life of ineffable brightness, O Holy Father Iakovos.
As a Spiritual treasure your Monastery now has your most precious Tomb, and it therefore rejoices and exults; for you give Grace and cures to the infirm who with longing Venerate and honour you, O Saint Iakovos.
O devout Saint, the oil that fuels the lamp at your Tomb has become Miraculous, curing all kinds of illnesses, alleviating pain, as it has done for a brother of your Holy Monastery, who was suffering.
With your heart set on fire by an intense Holy love for your Lord and Saviour, O Godly-minded Iakovos, you wholly set aside every temporal attachment and rejoicing followed the Monastic way of life.
We fans of the Saints now Venerate the Tomb of devout Iakovos, the new and wonderful Ascetic and Saint, extolling him worthily. For from his early childhood he had truly devoted himself as a precious gift to Christ the Lord and Master, becoming for the faithful a teacher inspired by God.
God-bearing Saint, being adorned with the Virtues all, you stood firmly in your Monastery as a pillar and impregnable wall, repelling temptations of him whose goal was to trip you up. Your Prayers became a shelter for the Monks who were with you, whom you guarded, O Father Iakovos.
Forevermore, O Holy Father Iakovos, will the faithful Celebrate your memory and tell of your Miracles and signs, all the cures and healings that you performed by the Grace of God, how by Divine clairvoyance you would frequently know all the events in the lives of your visitors.
All-lauded Saint, an army general came to you. So, to heal him of the many injuries and all the wounds that were in his Soul, you revealed to him all the hidden things he had done in life, and led him to repentance; and he confessed his sins all, O devout Archimandrite Iakovos.
So that you might obtain the Lord Christ the Compassionate, the height of every good, O Iakovos, by many tears you whitened your Soul’s Divinely woven robe.
Saint Iakovos, we your fans memorialize you and your accomplishments, all the fasting and the self-control and unceasing Prayer, and we sing your praise.
Holy Father Iakovos, your Tomb has become like a clinic of the Soul; for the suffering who visit it get relief and comfort, by the Grace of God.
When you joined contemplation to a Godloving active life, O Iakovos, by Ascetic ways and your illustrious life, like the sun you shone. Thus, O most devout one, you were endowed with supernatural gifts of Grace like the great Holy Fathers of old.
You, O God-bearing Father, with joy gave yourself entirely to Christ your Lord, incessantly burning with the fire of your Holy love for Him. Therefore you ascended the Holy mount of contemplation of the truly Divine Uncreated Light.
O all-praiseworthy Father, you spent many years in entreaties and ceaseless Prayer, and in tearful mourning, and Prostrations and hours on bended knees. Thus you were exalted, and for the contest of your conscience you received the reward from the hands of Christ.
Father, you endured many physical infirmities, and for healing you would Pray to your devout Patron Saint and Father David, O Iakovos.
Every day you Prayed with your heart and Soul to God and His servant David, and with many tears you sought what you needed, O Ascetic Saint Iakovos.
Sighing and in pain crying out, you hold the Holy skull of Saint David to your breast, as you entreat him to heal you, O all-Blessed Saint Iakovos.
With fortitude you endured physical illness, and you received from Christ the deserved reward for patience. Now by your life and actions you have become a model for Christians, O devout Father Iakovos.
O Father, you were a friend of strict Ascetical discipline. Your life was characterized by fasting and ceaseless Prayer, and thus you excelled beyond your fellow Monastics, O praiseworthy Saint Iakovos.
By Faith in the Lord, O Saint, and the simplicity of your ways, you crushed all the subtle tricks employed by the enemy; moreover you had the head of devout Saint David as a helper and a strong defence.
You fed the men who had come from your home town to your Monastery to complete a project; for them you wondrously increased the foodstuffs by your entreaties, O Father Iakovos, and thus anew performed the sign of the five loaves, O Saint, by the Grace of Christ.
You ministered as a Priest in your Divine Monastery, as one worthily wearing the Sacred Vestments and Robes of Divine Grace, O Blessed Saint, and you now treat the illnesses that plague the body and the Soul, and you drive out demonic activity.
O Father, Satan became your enemy, every day waging battle against you. He once appeared as an ugly old woman, and in the form of a horrid and rabid dog. But by the power of the Cross of the Saviour, you thwarted his every move.
We extol in song today devout Saint David’s renowned successor, Abbot of the pious Monks living in Evia’s Monastery. By his words and by his faithful and Christian lifestyle in the Church he was a star that was brightly shining. We salute him now and cry out: “Rejoice, devout Godlyminded Saint Iakovos.”
From an early age, you loved Christ, our Benevolent Lord. With joy, you walked His path; you lived in Ascetic discipline like one bodiless; through fasting and Prayer, you cleansed your heart of the various passions; you permanently set your mind on attaining your Heavenly home, O all Blessed one. For this reason, the Holy Spirit gave you a variety of Gifts, namely the great gift of clairvoyance, and the ability to cure every illness and disease. Moreover, you became the Abbot of the Monastery of Saint David, your protector; and as such, you provided the Spiritual necessities to Monastics and laypeople alike. Therefore we extol you and salute you now and cry out: “Rejoice, devout Godly-minded Saint Iakovos.”
Father, you knew for sure beforehand that your Holy life on Earth would soon be ending. Then you flew like a bird of God, O Holy Father Iakovos, and reached the nests of Monastic Saints in Heaven.
You loved the Virtue of dispassion, therefore you received the riches of Divine Grace, through which you gave support in Christian life to many believers, O Iakovos, by your Miracles and teachings.
You were known as a teacher of the dogmas of Christ the Creator of the world, and of His saving teachings, and preacher of repentance, Godly-minded Iakovos, in recent years when you lived in David’s Monastery.
In your life, like a doctor you would treat those who suffered, the seriously ill, O Godly man, becoming a monument of patience in your own many illnesses, and you were known as a great and marvelous Ascetic.
You endured people’s envy and their insults and lies with a Christian attitude, and crushed the adversary’s insolence, O God-bearing Saint Iakovos. Therefore we honour your Memory now with Sacred songs, O Father.
When you solemnly once were celebrating the Divine Liturgy, like a Heavenly Angel, your hand, O Father, came in contact with the blood of Jesus the Saviour, whereupon you shone forth with Uncreated Glory.
Godly-minded Iakovos, we Pray you to unceasingly guard your flock from evil demons and from disasters by your mighty Prayers for us, so that we may sing praise and Glorification to Christ unto the ages.
Never cease lifting up your pure and Holy hands in wholehearted Prayer on our behalf to Christ God, Father Iakovos, for we are buffeted daily by passions; so we turn to you, Holy healer of the injured.
When you were Abbot, O Saint, you kept in your office a supply of goods to prudently distribute to the poor and needy, O Godly-minded Father.
O Holy Father, the Cell you lived in was simple: you avoided worldly luxury and comfort; thus you imitated Ascetic Saints before you.
You end the action and domination of demons over those who come to you, all-Blessed Father, giving them the freedom of Christ our God and Saviour.
You bound yourself to Jesus as to a sail. By your Faith, Holy Father, you mightily humbled the force of the stormy winds of the evil one. You made it to the Heavenly harbour and the mansions of all the Saints, and there you joined the Chorus of Angels and devout Saints, for in your life you imitated them.
O Wonder-working Father, being a friend of Saint David your Patron, together you did many signs, supernatural Miracles wrought by God, to help the people, whom you taught that they should repent and that they should keep the Saviour Christ’s Commandments. And many thus rejected their sinful ways, O Saint Iakovos.
The Godly life you led as a pious Monk in your Patron Saint David’s great Monastery, where you lived, was a good example of Christian life, O wondrous Saint Iakovos. Therefore to Salvation you were a guide for those who came to see you, their Spiritual Father, and they corrected and improved their lives.
Behold, O Blessed Father, now the host of Fathers and congregations of Orthodox everywhere will Celebrate your all-Honoured Memory every year.
Cease not from interceding with Christ God the Master for your Monastic community, for you are its Patron Saint and protector, devout Iakovos.
With pleasure we extol you and your life, O Father, as we relate all your marvellous Miracles and Holy sayings and counsels, O Saint Iakovos.
Iakovos, Livisi’s son, resident of Farakla, boast of the Isle of Evia, and the God-bearing Abbot of Saint David’s Monastery, helper of faithful Christians: for your unceasing exercise of self-control, your hardships, your frequent Prayers, you became a golden vessel of Graces; you were known as a shining lamp of God-inspired clairvoyance.
O Saint, from your childhood you loved the Ascetic way of life, and you devoted yourself to fasting and to frequent Prayer. Moreover, O Father, your most pious parents were supportive of your efforts, and therefore you increased in purity and decorum, O Iakovos, as a model of Virtue in recent years.
Ascetic Iakovos, you seemed like an Angel in Saint David’s Monastery on Evia, distinguishing yourself in Ascetic labour and excision of your will. And then you were Ordained and you worthily put on the most esteemed Sacred Vestments, as a Holy Priest Sanctifying the faithful who came to you.
O Saint, as a Priest-Monk you possessed the affection of a Father. O Iakovos, by the Grace of God you kept your flock safe from the attacks by all demonic enemies. And you did much to ease the anxieties and bitterness of life for the people who would visit you, and you gave them peace of both mind and Soul.
Devout Saint Iakovos, your Tomb is a sacred treasure in your Monastery, for it enriches with the Gifts of God those who bow and kiss it, Venerating it with Faith. It frequently is curing diseases of the body and the Soul; it dispels the despair and hopelessness of the people who come to you Prayerfully.
Devout Father, you hid the good treasure in your heart, and rid yourself of everything Earthly and material, for you desired to depart and be with Christ forever. So you loved Jesus with all your heart, and you made Him known to everyone, by your words and your many signs and Miracles. Entreat Him now, O Father Iakovos, and Pray for your Holy Monastery, and for all those who honour your ever-Venerable Memory.
The Isle of Evia today rejoices, for it has you as its new protector. And the Holy Monastery of Saint David is glad, for it possesses your Tomb, O Iakovos, our Holy Father. And filled with Grace of God, like a channel of the Spirit that is unstoppable, you pour out gifts of Grace every day for us.