Saint Theophilus the Myrrhobletes – Saint indirectly associated with the Monastery

St Theophilus was born in the second half of the 15th century at Zichni in Macedonia. Because of the education which he had received, he served as notary of the Great Church under Patriarch Pachomios. In 1486, he was sent by St Niphon, Patriarch of Constantinople, to Egypt to verify the miracles being performed there by the Patriarch of Alexandria, Ioakeim. After that, he retired to the Holy Mountain, where he was a monk of Vatopaidi, and then of the Iveron Monastery. With a strong desire for the ascetic life and solitude, he finally withdrew to the kelli of St Basil, east of Karyes, at Kapsala, where he died a holy death on 8 July 1554. Because his remains exuded myrrh after his death, he was termed ‘the Myrrhobletes’. He is commemorated on the date of his death, 8 July²⁰.