Saint Joseph the Hesychast

Saint Joseph the Hesychast (Greek: Ιωσήφ ο Ησυχαστής; born Fragkiskos Kottis, Greek: Φραγκίσκος Κόττης; 12 February 1897 – 15 August 1959) was a Greek Orthodox monk and elder who led a small group of monks at Mount Athos. He was canonized as a saint by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 2020. His feast day is celebrated on 16 August. He was born Fragkiskos (Francis) Kottis (Greek: Φραγκίσκος Κόττης) on 12 February 1897 in Lefkes, a village on the Greek Aegean island of Paros. His parents were Georgios and Maria Kottis. He was the third of seven children in his family. When he was a child, Francis' father died, leaving his mother Maria to care for the family. Until his teenage years, he remained in the village, helping his mother and his family with various tasks for a living. He attended school until second grade. He also served in the Greek Navy. At approximately the age of 23, he worked as a vendor in Piraeus and Athens. While in Athens, he began to read about the lives of saints and ascetics. On Mount Penteli, he would stay up all night praying in caves or even on trees, similar to the medieval anchorites and stylites. Afterwards, he went to Mount Athos to become a monk. In 1921, his first destination was Katounakia in the Mount Athos region. He joined the Danielaioi Brotherhood and stayed for a time in their skete under the spiritual guidance of Daniel Katounakiotis of Smyrna, the founder of the brotherhood. He left with the blessing of Daniel as he moved on to pursue a more ascetic lifestyle. A year later, he ascended Mount Athos on the Feast of the Transfiguration, celebrated at the summit of Mount Athos in the Chapel of the Transfiguration. There, he met Arsenios the Cave Dweller (1886–1983), a monk at Stavronikita Monastery who would later become his disciple.