Virgin Mary Fovera Prostasia - Holy Monastery Koytloymoysi

The Holy Monastery of Koutloumousi seems to be built before 1169, as it is mentioned in an official document of that year. The founder of the Monastery is considered to be a monk, called Kallistos, who came from the court of Koutloumos, progenitor of the Christianized Seljuk dynasty. From the first years of its foundation, the Monastery of Koutloumousi had as a benefactor the emperor Alexios I Comnenus, who helped the monastery to flourish.

Almighty God, Who delivered Your people from the bondage of the adversary, and through Your Son cast down Satan like lightning, deliver me also from every influence of unclean spirits. Command Satan to depart far from me by the power of Your only begotten Son. Rescue me from demonic imaginings and darkness. Fill me with the light of the Holy Spirit that I may be guarded against all snares of crafty demons. Grant that an angel will always go before me and lead me to the path of righteousness all the days of my life, to the honor of Your glorious Name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Archimandrite Sophrony was born in 1896, to Orthodox parents in Tsarist Russia. Since he was a child, he showed a rare capacity for prayer and as a young boy would participate in theological debate. Prayer entails the idea of eternity with God. In prayer, the reality of the living God is yoked with the concrete reality of earthly life. This craving, like a flame in the heart, irradiated his student days at the State School of Fine Arts in Moscow. This was the period, when a parallel speculative interest in Buddhism and the whole arena of Indian culture changed the clef of his inner life.