Father Dimitri Gagastathis has been canonized!

Canonization

"On July 8–9, 2025, under the presidency of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate convened in Constantinople.

"During its second session, and following a proposal by the Canonical Committee, the Synod made the official decision to canonize Fr. Dimitrios Gagastathis of the Holy Metropolis of Trikki, Gardiki, and Pyli and to enroll him in the Synaxarion (official calendar of saints) of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

"This high honor was bestowed upon Fr. Dimitrios in recognition of his exemplary Christian virtues, especially his profound almsgiving, philanthropy, and his unwavering devotion and trust in the will of God.

"Throughout the two-day meeting, the Synod reviewed the full agenda and took decisions on all ecclesiastical matters brought before it."

From the Orthodox Times.

Brief Bio

Papa Dimitri (Gagastathis) was born in the Greek village of Platanos on August 1, 1902 to Chrestos and Katherine Gagastathis, who were devout parents. After his mandatory military service, he married Elizabeth Koutsimpiris from his village in February 1928. On May 24, 1931, he was ordained deacon. Two days later he was ordained priest. He had nine daughters with his wife. The oldest five were married and the youngest became a nun. He served as the parish priest of his village for forty-two years. Due to his deteriorating health, he resigned on October 1, 1973. He was an inspiration to many in his illness. He lived within his home as a saint and fell asleep peacefully in the Lord on January 29, 1975.

On Sickness and Suffering

(The following are excerpts from collected teachings of Papa Dimitri found from the book The Amazing Life of Papa-Dimitri: The Man of God)

To me, the illness which the good God gave me is a great gift. I lie on the bed of illness and am confined to the duties of prayer—it is now that I feel well. I relinquished the stole and took up the prayer-rope.

I regard the bed of illness with joy because this is where my office and telephone are: Holding the blessed prayer-rope as a sword in my right hand, I communicate with everyone through silent, mental prayer. This work relieves my pain and provides me with unspeakable joy—a joy that defies human description; it is here that I await the moment when the good God will call me to take my final exam and receive my degree—my mouth being filled with the salutation "Hail, O Bride without bridegroom."

I desire this from you: I want you to pray to the Most Holy Theotokos to grant me patience so that I may pass my test with a good score. Once I have received it and have been appointed somewhere, I will then remember my co-workers and help them in whatever way I can.

The pain will do its job, and I will do mine. Whatever the good God has allowed, let it be blessed!

Only Divine Grace will help me. I must remain bedridden—making gold is not that easy!

I trouble none of the saints—I just do not have the right. Did they not all suffer so much—Saint George, Saint Dimitrios, and many others? Nor do I entreat God anymore to heal me. One of my beloved Archangels assured me of my approaching death: “Father Dimitrios, it was I who always protected and helped you; however, I cannot shield you from death any longer,” he told me. “Thank you, my child.” I said. “Surely, we cannot keep on getting extensions forever!”

I do not think we will meet bodily, but let us see to it that we meet in the Heavenly Jerusalem.

We patch up the body, but what is more important, and what we should always keep healthy, is the soul. As we run to doctors and spas and spend a lot of money for the benefits of the body, so also we must turn to the spiritual father for the benefit of the soul—which, moreover, is free of charge.

We all want the good things—who is going to take the bad? What can one do? Man’s life is a wheel.

If there had not been any tyrants, we would have any martyrs today.

We must be glad in our trials and take special care lest we become indignant at the last minute and be punished into hell. Our life is a meal, but whether or not the meal is well prepared depends on us. Even if the meal is well prepared, we may still not partake of it should we knock over the table at the last minute. “Taste and see” [Psalm 34:8] that Christ is the Lord of eternal life.

"On Sickness and Suffering" is from: The Amazing Life of Papa-Dimitri: The Man of God, translated by Dimitri Kagaris and Kenneth Leese (Orthodox Witness, 2009), pp. 93-94.