Agios Paisios- Apo Ta Farasa - Ston Ourano- Season 1

As a young man, Arsenios is called to serve in the Greek army during a period of conflict (WWII and the Greek Civil War). He serves as a radio operator and prays fervently to the Virgin Mary that he might complete his service without ever having to kill another person. The Path to Monasticism:

She looks down at the baby. He is not crying. His eyes, large and dark, seem to look not at her, but through her – at something beyond the ceiling, beyond the sky.

The series brilliantly establishes the spiritual foundation of young Paisios (born Arsenios Eznepidis) through his relationship with the village priest, Saint Arsenios the Cappadocian. It is Saint Arsenios who prophesies the boy's future, insists on naming the infant after himself, and shields the community from the surrounding geopolitical turmoil. This early segment serves as both a historical drama and a spiritual prologue, highlighting the uprooting of Asia Minor Hellenism and the traumatic refugee experience. The Refugee Experience and Growing Up in Konitsa Agios Paisios- Apo ta Farasa ston Ourano- Season 1

THEODORA (CONT'D) He will be a fool for Christ. He will speak with animals. He will see the uncreated light. And many will call him… Paisios.

Suddenly, a Turkish officer grabs Yiannoula’s bundle – not the baby, but the wooden chest with the icon. He throws it into the mud. As a young man, Arsenios is called to

Season 1 chronicles the foundational years of the man who would become Elder Paisios. It begins in the mystical village of Farasa in Cappadocia, a place alive with miracles and holiness, and follows the Eznepidis family on their harrowing exodus to Greece during the population exchange of 1924. The season explores the struggle of the refugee experience, the Saint’s difficult childhood in Konitsa, his military service as a radio operator, and his decisive step to leave the world behind and enter Mount Athos. It is a journey from the physical hardship of earth to the spiritual openness of heaven.

Season 1 focuses on the Saint's secular years as , emphasizing his family's refugee journey from Cappadocia and his spiritual formation. Genre: Biography, Drama, History. Original Network: Mega Channel (Greece). He is not crying

Season 1 does not shy away from the physical difficulty of monasticism. We see young Paisios sleeping on wooden planks, keeping vigil for hours, and battling logismoi (tempting thoughts). Yet the narrative consistently shows that asceticism without love is worthless.

, the series received critical acclaim for its historical authenticity and spiritual depth. Narrative Structure & Plot Summary Season 1 focuses on the formative years of Arsenios Eznepidis (the future Saint Paisios): The Uprooting (1924): The story begins in Farasa, Cappadocia