Report in memory of Greek monk who lived alone on a remote Ionian island

This is the story of Father Grigorios, a Greek-Orthodox monk who spent 38 years of his life, almost alone, in a medieval monastery on the small Ionian island of Strofades, according to the following greekreporter.com article:

Father Grigorios passed away on Monday, 31 July at his home village of Agala, on Zakynthos island where he returned in 2014 due to ill health.

Strofades is a small island in the middle of the Ionian Sea. It is located 27 nautical miles south of Zakynthos. The only way to visit the island is by private boat.

The medieval monastery of the Blessed Mother of God that dominates Strofades was built in 1241. It is a fortress that through the centuries survived nature and buccaneers.

In the past, many monks used to live there and among them Saint Dionisios the patron saint of Zakynthos island.

Father Grigorios settled in the monastery in 1976. Until 1985, his only company was a lighthouse guard and a fisherman who was bringing him supplies from Zakynthos every fortnight.

The lighthouse became automated in 1985 and Father Grigorios was left alone with only his chicken, some goats, the migratory birds and the occasional traveler during the summer to keep him company.

On November 18, 1997, a storng earthquake of 6.6 magnitude, centered on the Strofades, caused serious damage to the historic monastery. This was the only time that Grigorios fled the island for a few days.

Some repairs have been carried out over the years. The monastery tower was struck by iron bars to prevent it from collapsing, but it still remains in a precarious state.

Speaking to a reporter some years ago, Grigorios said that his diet was elementary, mainly greens he cultivated, milk and cheese from the goats.

The lonely way of life he had elected had an impact on his health. In 2014 Father Gregoris left his beloved monastery of Strofades to settle in Zakynthos, where he died on Monday.