He spent 70 years as a Monk, this is what he said about God-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8II1p68v2Y
TRANSCRIPT
This is the holy mountain.
6 seconds
For the past, 1345 years, it has been the home to a countless number of Christian monks.17 seconds
And within its 20 monasteries, you can find countless ancient relics24 seconds
and treasures of more than one kind.30 seconds
And over 100 years ago, a 19-year-old high schooler set foot here and never left.41 seconds
But who is he? And what did he see that made him stay?55 seconds
The year is 1926 and a ship is approaching the port at Mount Aos.1 minute, 3 seconds
On board is a 19-year-old Romanian boy from Besarabia.1 minute, 9 seconds
He's traveled from his homeland to answer the calling of monasticism.1 minute, 14 seconds
Knowing
deep in his heart that this is the place he's seeking, the young man is
taunted and enters into monastic life with the name Ion.1 minute, 25 seconds
Going to the Romanian ski of Laku.1 minute, 29 seconds
For a time, Ion lives among the elders of the Lakuskit, dedicating himself to a life of aeticism and relative isolation.1 minute, 38 seconds
Here he finds a spiritual father in Elder Ilia whose guidance forever shapes the young monk.1 minute, 47 seconds
Try to die here. His elder tells him.1 minute, 51 seconds
Yet as the days pass, each of the elders of Laku eventually repose, leaving Ion1 minute, 58 seconds
to live as the solitary hermit of the ski for 20 years.2 minutes, 11 seconds
What comes to mind when you think of an athlete? A person who through their discipline and rigor becomes master of2 minutes, 18 seconds
their body, strengthening it to perform tasks unimaginable to the normal individual. Large in stature, muscular, strong.2 minutes, 30 seconds
The ancient Greeks named this effort eskeis.2 minutes, 34 seconds
This
discipline to master the body involves the control of one's desires and
renunciation of comforts to achieve physical strength.2 minutes, 43 seconds
The stoics of Greek antiquity took this word and applied it to controlling the appetites to achieve true virtue.2 minutes, 53 seconds
The appetites according to them being any excessive desires, gluttony, sensory pleasure, lust to name a few.3 minutes, 1 second
But how could man ever overcome these appetites? How could a mere human ever achieve true virtue?3 minutes, 9 seconds
The Stoics had missed something, divine grace. How could one master his human passions without a relationship with a loving God?3 minutes, 19 seconds
Christianity then refined eskeis even more emphasizing the transformative grace of Christ. Christian eskeisis or3 minutes, 28 seconds
aestheticism through fasting, chastity, vigil and prayer subdues the passions and empties oneself to foster true3 minutes, 35 seconds
theosis, a union with God as our Lord showed us in the desert for3 minutes, 42 seconds
40 days. In fact, many aesthetic athletes have come before us to show the way like St. Anthony, a spiritual3 minutes, 51 seconds
warrior tested in the heat of the Egyptian desert.3 minutes, 55 seconds
St. Pakcomius, he who organized communal cenotism, the gyms where these athletes grow in rigor. And St. Basil who crafted4 minutes, 4 seconds
the monastic rules still used by the athletes today.4 minutes, 12 seconds
The desert of solitude becomes a training ground for anyone seeking the life of an aesthetic.4 minutes, 29 seconds
Despite his solitude, Ion doesn't despair. Instead, spends his years in deep contemplation and prayer,4 minutes, 38 seconds
reading from the psalter in his cell.4 minutes, 43 seconds
Those monks and pilgrims who do come and see at this time often remark on his deep4 minutes, 51 seconds
humility, patience and dedication to aeticism.4 minutes, 59 seconds
Aon belongs to the category of those who are not taken into account but are very well known in the eyes of God. He had a5 minutes, 7 seconds
bright face and when you looked into his eyes, you felt like you were seeing the ocean.5 minutes, 19 seconds
During monastic life, he is ordained the priesthood and eventually becomes a higher monk and moves to the Kiokit,5 minutes, 28 seconds
although retaining his life of aeticism at Kosio.5 minutes, 31 seconds
Elder Yan often meets with a friend, Elder Dioni, to fish and pray.5 minutes, 38 seconds
Recollecting on those times, Elder Diani said, "We would spend all the great and lesser feast together. Father Dion was a5 minutes, 46 seconds
good
monk, very zealous, very strict in monastic life. Other monks tried to
join him, but they could not take it. He was only a priest, not a father
confessor.5 minutes, 57 seconds
And when the last confessor died in the ski, he no longer served even once out of humility. He was a good man.6 minutes, 11 seconds
Throughout
his long life, the elder strictly dedicates himself to fasting, eating
rarely, and sleeping for only a few hours a night.6 minutes, 20 seconds
It's said that he speaks little, avoids taking visitors so that he can focus entirely on prayer and silence. Yet,6 minutes, 27 seconds
when visitors do come to him, he accepts them with hospitality.6 minutes, 34 seconds
But even as the years march on and he enters old age, Elder Rion accepts aches and pains with meekness, consistently6 minutes, 42 seconds
prostrating during prayer, even when his feet would bleed.6 minutes, 47 seconds
The style of life practiced by Elder Yon can perhaps be summarized in his own words.6 minutes, 53 seconds
We need to start with the fear of God and continue with love for him. Let us add much humility and prayer between7 minutes, 1 second
these and we will reach the heavenly kingdom.8 minutes, 56 seconds
On the eve of the feast of St. John the Baptist, a group of monks comes before Elder Yon.9 minutes, 3 seconds
The
brethren are frustrated after many hours of throwing their nets.
They've come up with nothing and won't be able to prepare anything for
the feast.9 minutes, 13 seconds
The elder answers them, "Go to the lake by the coast and fetch that giant fish."9 minutes, 21 seconds
The
answer doesn't satisfy the fathers since they had already been trying
their nets in that place. But begrudgingly, they go and do as the elder
instructs.9 minutes, 35 seconds
Coming to the lake, the monks look out and to their surprise, they see near the shore a large fish. big enough to feed9 minutes, 43 seconds
them
for two days. With their bare hands, the monks reach out, lift the fish
out of the water without a struggle. And in thanks for this miracle,
they give praise to God.9 minutes, 57 seconds
On another occasion towards the end of Elder Yan's life, one of his disciples, a monk named Augustine, comes to him and10 minutes, 5 seconds
as a joke says, "Pray to God, oh venerable father, since you have obtained his favor that he can send us a10 minutes, 12 seconds
spring closer to our ski so that we no longer have to carry the water from the valley." Elder Dion remains silent and10 minutes, 20 seconds
time passes until even Augustine forgets about the joke.10 minutes, 26 seconds
But one day, a new spring appears near the monk's ski.10 minutes, 49 seconds
through
his devout attention and aestheticism and focus on living a truly
Christian life. Elder Yan is blessed with spiritual gifts.10 minutes, 59 seconds
It's said of the elder that he knew of things that had not come to pass and that he could predict certain events.11 minutes, 9 seconds
It's the autumn of 1996, 70 years into Elder Dion's monastic life.11 minutes, 17 seconds
He goes out among the brethren of Calcio and St. George's Ski. And while with the monks, Elder Dion settles his affairs,11 minutes, 25 seconds
asks forgiveness from each of them, and receives communion from his friend, Father Dioni.11 minutes, 34 seconds
Two months later on December 5th, Elder Dion falls asleep in the Lord.12 minutes, 4 seconds
A lone pilgrim is walking along the road that leads to Kosioski.12 minutes, 10 seconds
He is a Romanian priest visiting the holy mountain.12 minutes, 18 seconds
Upon making it to Kosio, he begins looking for a grave, the very grave of Elder Ion.12 minutes, 26 seconds
Because the priest holds a deep reverence for the late elder. He's come to bow before him, ask for his prayers.12 minutes, 34 seconds
And finally, the priest finds the grave.12 minutes, 36 seconds
But
as he comes to it, he notices a small meek looking monk standing beside
it. "Who are you?" the priest asks. "It is me, Yongutu.12 minutes, 49 seconds
To
whose grave you have come." Astonished by the monk's answer, the priest
asks him, "How can it be, you reverence, that you are still alive?13 minutes
Everybody says that you died long ago and you are remembered at memorial services." To which the monk replies,13 minutes, 7 seconds
"Even if I died, know that I am still alive."13 minutes, 17 seconds
Stunned by these words, the priest asks for a blessing, kisses the elders's hand, and departs, filled with13 minutes, 25 seconds
incredible joy at the glory of God and his saints.13 minutes, 47 seconds
Eatis.14 minutes, 8 seconds
He has a store.14 minutes, 23 seconds
Fore! Foreign! Foreign!15 minutes, 1 second
Let thoughts come and go. He says, "Do not hold them. Do not fear them.15 minutes, 9 seconds
Keep your face toward Christ like a sunflower.
