The Mount Athos Community and the whole Orthodox Christian world are anxiously watching the health condition of the Abbot of the Monastery of Vatopedi, Ephraim.
The abbot’s health condition is currently considered by the physicians in charge to be extremely critical. The 64-year-old cleric has contacted COVID-19 and is also suffering from underlying diseases such as diabetes, heart disease. He was intubated on Friday but does not respond to the medication and he has a high fever, between 39-40 C.
The fathers of the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos are in continuous contact with the physicians of the hospital, where he has been admitted to ten days ago, while, from the first moment, the Civil Governor of Mount Athos, Athanasios Martinos, is by his side.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate and personally Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew are in active contact with the monks of Vatopedi Monastery, under whose spiritual jurisdiction Mount Athos belongs.
Yesterday, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America contacted by phone the fathers of the Monastery, who had a meeting, and spoke to everyone on speaker.
He encouraged them with his words, comforted them and assured them that both the abbot and all the fathers are commemorated in his prayer.
