The Very Reverend Archimandrite Alexios, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos, Mount Athos
Biography
The Most Venerable Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos, Archimandrite Elder Alexios, in the world Apostolos Mantziris, son of Ioannis and Matthilde, was born on 11 November 1939 in Serres, to devout parents originally from Tyroloi of Eastern Thrace.
At the age of twenty-five he went to the Holy Metropolis of Trikki and Stagoi. Metropolitan Dionysios initially entrusted the promising young man with the direction of the Metropolis’ ecclesiastical boarding house, where high school students from the province resided; there Apostolos embraced the students with love, caring for their progress, many of whom later either entered the priesthood, became monks, or became respected heads of families. During this period, he also studied at the Higher Ecclesiastical School of Tinos.
Subsequently, he was received as a novice at the Holy Monastery of the Great Meteoro, where the Abbot was Elder Aimilianos, later Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Simonopetra. He was tonsured a small-schema monk in 1967, while on the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross he was ordained a deacon, and on the Feast of the Transfiguration of the same year he was ordained a priest, by the late and holy Metropolitan of Trikki and Stagoi, Dionysios.
In 1973 he undertook the abbacy of the Holy Monastery of the Great Meteoro, and in October 1976 he settled, together with his brotherhood of fifteen, as Abbot at the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos, following an invitation from the old brotherhood of the monastery.
Since then, for half a century, he has practiced ascetic life in the Athonite State and has served as Abbot of the Holy Monastery, restoring it, guiding his spiritual children, and supporting the many pilgrims who visit the monastery.
As founder, in 1981 the Elder established the women’s Holy Hesychasterion of the Honorable Forerunner at Akritochori, Sidirokastro, and he is the Spiritual Father of its sisterhood of forty-five.
Through his care, in 1997 he founded the association “Friends of the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos – Saint Xenophontos,” which zealously organizes various events for spiritual edification.
In 2015 the venerable Elder built the Holy Metochion of the Venerable Athonite Fathers within the Holy Metropolis of Nea Ionia, Attica, where faithful from all over Attica find spiritual support, opportunities for worship, and words of consolation.