Hieromonk Cleopa (Petritis) from the Greek monastery of Petra told where on Mount Athos one can order such a service as the Unceasing Psalter.
The hieromonk warned believers not to trust social media groups and websites that offer a ritual – the reading of the Unceasing Psalter by Athonite monks, reports website “Orthodox Heritage of Ukraine on Mount Athos”.
“People regularly ask where in Greece or on Athos they can order the Unceasing Psalter,” the website quotes Hieromonk Cleopa as saying. “Demand creates supply, and from time to time I come across websites and groups online that are ready to provide such a service. Similar offers can be found at Orthodox exhibitions. I want to warn you that in Greek monasteries there is no tradition of reading the Unceasing Psalter at all. Moreover, the Greeks do not even know what it is (if anyone doubts it, type in Google “ακοίμητο ψαλτήρι” – this is “Unceasing Psalter” in Greek. You will see only 4 links to the same text about the life of a certain Russian elder).“.
The Greek monk explained that on Athos the Unceasing Psalter is read only in the St. Panteleimon Monastery in the cell of St. Modestus.
“But they do not accept requests for commemoration at Modest's cell,” the priest clarified. “They say that a certain Moldavian cell accepts requests. I asked at the Moldavian cell of John the Theologian about the Unceasing Psalter and the fathers said that they do not read the Psalter and have never collected money for it, and any mention of them in this context can only be fraud.”
He also gave his explanation as to why the Athonite monks do not read the Unceasing Psalter.
“We must understand that the Unceasing Psalter is a resource-intensive matter; in order for it to be read, several people must be specially assigned to this, and the overwhelming majority of the keliots of Athos do not have, have not had, and will not have the strength for this,” Hieromonk Cleopa is sure. “Therefore, any mention of commemoration on the Unceasing Psalter in Greece and on Athos is 99% ordinary Internet fraud. I leave 1% for the fact that somewhere in Greece or on Athos someone really does read the Unceasing Psalter, but I do not know. People, be vigilant.”
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