Father Simon was born in 1901 in Koukouvaounes, Attica, Greece. At the age of 16, he went to Mount Athos with friends in order to receive the blessing of Metropolitan Nectarios (St Nectarios). The Saint took his hands and told him prophetically: “You will become a Spiritual Father and save souls”. Simon’s love for God grew, and at age 24, he secretly left his family to be tonsured a monk at the monastery of St Haralambos. However, he longed to be a cave-dwelling hermit, and continually begged this from the Monastery elders. The elders prayed for a week to Panagia to determine the correct path. After a week, Simon was told: “The Holy Mother informed us that you must return to the world which needs you to be led to salvation”. In obedience, he left Mount Athos and was ordained a priest-monk.
Blessed Elder Ieronymos of Aegina was born as Vasilios Apostolides in 1883 in the village of Galyveri, Cappadocia, in Asia Minor. His pious parents, Anastasios and Elizabeth, had six children. As a boy, he was deeply impressed by the fervent prayers of both his mother and the secret ascetics, who lived in the cave-churches of Turkish-occupied Cappadocia.
Elder Irodion was born in 1904 in Romania in the province Orntasest. His father, named Peter Mantouf, his mother Helen, was poor but honest people. Peter worked in the fields, tending sheep. God gave him a son, John. It was an innocent lad and pride. Tall, stocky, with bright blue eyes. He helped his father in sheep and grew along the fields. John had a strong religious physio. It was a peaceful character. He liked to hear stories about great hermits, who lived in caves and small huts.
