18.08.2026
VATOPEDI MONASTERY VIDEO LIBRARY
Elder Ephraim of Vatopedi on the virtues of humility, self-knowledge and patience
With the participation of a large number of believers, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at the Vatopedi Metochion of Saint Nicholas in Porto Lagos. The Divine Liturgy was presided over by the Abbot of the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi, Elder Ephraim, who preached the divine word, focusing on the Gospel passage and the need for humility, self-knowledge and love for one's fellow man. Elder Ephraim emphasized that selfishness, self-love and greed lead people to cruelty and strife, as we are often "lenient with ourselves and strict with others".
Referring to the need for self-knowledge, he emphasized: “We must learn to know ourselves,” pointing out that when a person recognizes his own weaknesses and realizes how much God tolerates him, then he can show greater understanding and love to others. He made particular reference to the value of patience and the imitation of Christ in trials: “The imitation of Christ is not in joys; it is in trials, it is in adventures, it is in illnesses, it is in so-called failures.”
Concluding, he called on the faithful to cultivate meekness and humility, so as to live in the Grace of God. "Let us ask our Christ, who is our Creator and our Re-Creator, to soften our hearts, to humble ourselves to the ground. And then let us expect God's mercy and embrace all people with the same love," he said.