Saint Vissarion Archbishop of Larissa

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Saint Vissarion was born in Porta Panagia, Trikala, in 1490 AD, a few years after the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks. Although the conditions were very difficult, he was nurtured and raised by his pious parents with the sacred namas of our holy faith and the ideals of our Nation in a godly family environment.

From a young age he was distinguished for his intelligence and prudence but also for the straightforwardness of his character, his purity and wisdom, his humility and deep faith, his boundless love.

From a very young age he showed his inclination towards monasticism. At the age of just 10, he became a submissive (nun) to the metropolitan of Larissa, Marco, who ordained him a deacon and an elder. The year 1517 AD was elected bishop of Elassonos and in 1521 AD. takes over the administration of the diocese of Stagi. In March of 1527 AD. ascended to the throne of the Diocese of Larissa, holding at the same time, until August 1529 AD, as "placeholder", and the diocese of Stagi, and radiates with the sanctity of his life and his amazing charitable action, while at the same time enduring with admirable impatience slanders and hardships in which he shone "χρυσς χρυσὸς ἐν χωνευτηρίῳ".

Saint Bessarion as a hierarch generally performed a very important work, pastoral, social, charitable. Thus he won the souls of Christians and became a great religious and social figure. In particular, he redeemed and released many prisoners, and also showed special care for the protection and relief of the poor, naked and hungry.

Agios Vissarion, despite the difficult times of his time, proved to be a versatile "minister of social works". With his personal supervision and initiative he financed and constructed a large number of valuable and difficult public works, such as churches, roads and especially bridges, another testimony of the invaluable social contribution of our church in every era and place. In order to save the necessary money, the Saint made many long journeys to the Balkans, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. As a bridge builder he inspired several bridges: in the Portaikos river of the special homeland of Porta Panagia, in Sarakina of Kalampaka, Pinios river (both are connected by the lowland Thessaly with the mountainous one), the Korakos bridge in Acheloos (which connects Thessaly with Epirus)the first geyser of Plaka (which connects Tzoumerka with Arta and Ioannina).

For peace of mind he built in Koziakas the monastery of the Savior of the Great Gates (Dousikou), between the years 1527 - 1534/35 AD, and in the ruins of an old homonymous. This monastery was rebuilt from the ground up by the nephew of Agios Bissarion and new owner Neophytos II of Larissa during the period 1550 - 1552/57 AD, and was frescoed by the skilled painter George (1557 AD) and is preserved to date in excellent condition.

He wrote three wills and established the immortality of the monastery of Dousikou for women, which is kept to this day with great reverence.

On 13 (or 15) September 1540 AD, Monday he surrendered his holy soul in the hands of God, praised since then as a Saint and miracle worker. The diseases that Agios Vissarion mainly cures are dysentery, smallpox, smallpox and above all the plague. It also cures animal diseases, kills locusts, stops the storm of the sea, contributes to the ephorate of the earth. His fragrant Holy Cara is kept in His Holy Monastery.

His memory is celebrated on September 15, with special reverence and magnificence, in his monastery, in Pyli, in Kalambaka; His first hymnographic and synaxarographic texts were written very early by Pachomius Rousanos (1552 AD).

According to some sources, there was another archbishop of Bessarion, Larissa, who lived before the specific Saint.

It celebrates on September 15 of each year.