Thousands of pilgrims have been streaming into the Holy Monastery of St. John the Theologian in Souroti, Thessaloniki, s...

Thousands of pilgrims have been streaming into the Holy Monastery of St. John the Theologian in Souroti, Thessaloniki, since yesterday morning for the feast day of St. Paisios of Mount Athos, one of the most venerated saints of the modern Orthodox Church. Lines to venerate the saint's tomb stretched up to six hours during last night's all-night vigil, which ran from 8 p.m. all the way to 4:30 in the morning. Worshippers came from every corner of Greece and from countries around the world. Archbishop of Athens Ieronymos was among those who traveled to Sourotí for the occasion. Speaking to ERT on camera, he said the life of St. Paisios was the light that all of us are called to follow, with humility. Today, July 12, marks the anniversary of the saint's repose, and the lines continue to form throughout the day. The monastery is remaining open until 8 p.m. tonight, vehicles are being permitted through the approach roads, and volunteers are on the ground managing traffic for the steady flow of pilgrims. St. Paisios died on July 12, 1994, and was officially recognized as a saint by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2015. His tomb at Sourotí has since become one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the Orthodox world. #SaintPaisios #Orthodox #Greece