Gerasimos of Kefalonia (Greek: Άγιος Γεράσιμος) is the

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

of the island of

Kefalonia Kefalonia or Cephalonia ( el, Κεφαλονιά), formerly also known as Kefallinia or Kephallenia (), is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece and the 6th largest island in Greece after Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Rhodes and Chios. It ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

Life

Gerasimos (1506–1579) came from the aristocratic and wealthy Notaras family. He was ordained a monk at

Mount Athos Mount Athos (; el, Ἄθως, ) is a mountain in the distal part of the eponymous Athos peninsula and site of an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism in northeastern Greece. The mountain along with the respective part of the penins ...

, went to

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

for 12 years, spent some time in

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...

and

Zakynthos Zakynthos (also spelled Zakinthos; el, Ζάκυνθος, Zákynthos ; it, Zacinto ) or Zante (, , ; el, Τζάντε, Tzánte ; from the Venetian form) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands. Za ...

and in 1555 arrived on Kefalonia. He spent his first 5 years in a cave in the area known as

Lassi Lassi () is a regional name for buttermilk, the traditional dahi (yogurt)–based drink, consumed in the South Asian region. Lassi is a blend of yogurt, water, spices, and sometimes fruit. Salty lassi is similar to doogh, while modern sweet la ...

. He subsequently cultivated the area where the monastery of Saint Gerasimos now exists near

Valsamata Valsamata ( el, Βαλσαμάτα) is a village in the municipal unit of Omala on the island of Kefalonia, Greece. It is located 9 km east of Argostoli and 17 km west of Poros. The village is situated in a valley between hills, at about ...

. The monastery which he established cared for the poor and became a center for charity.

Veneration

Saint Gerasimos is believed by natives of Kefalonia to protect them and to also heal them of illness. Many natives of the island name their children after Saint Gerasimos as a tribute to the saint who protects them. The body of Saint Gerasimos is at the monastery, made available for veneration as it has never decomposed. After his death, his body was buried twice and exhumed intact, thus leading the church to ordain him as a saint. Kefalonians throughout the world still revere and pray to him. In 1953, immediately after a powerful earthquake on the island of Kefalonia destroyed 90% of the island, there were many claimed sightings of Saint Gerasimos throughout the island who is believed to have comforted and tended to the injured trapped inside homes and buildings. During the feasts of Saint Gerasimos – August 16th and 20 October (''

translation of relics In Christianity, the translation of relics is the removal of holy objects from one locality to another (usually a higher-status location); usually only the movement of the remains of the saint's body would be treated so formally, with secondary ...

'') – his body is passed over ill and sick persons for the purpose of healing them. His body is also displayed by the church during liturgy at the monastery on many occasions. A church named after Saint Gerasimos was established in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

by Kefalonians who emigrated to New York in the early 20th century.

Notes

Citations

Sources

*
Venerable Gerasimus the New Ascetic of Cephalonia
'' OCA - Lives of the Saints. * Great Synaxaristes:
Ὁ Ὅσιος Γεράσιμος ὁ νέος ἀσκητής ὁ ἐν Κεφαλληνίᾳ
'' 16 Αυγούστου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ. {{authority control 1506 births 1579 deaths 16th-century Christian saints Eastern Orthodox monks Greek exorcists Greek Christian monks Greek hermits People from Cephalonia Saints of Ottoman Greece Miracle workers Greek saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church People from Xylokastro People associated with Mount Athos

Life

Veneration

See also

Notes

Citations

Sources