The Amazing Life of Papa-Dimitri: The Man of God

Autobiographical notes, Prayers and Testimonials.

Allow us to introduce to you a hero, a champion, a contemporary married Saint who reposed in the Lord in 1975—Father Dimitrios Gagastathis—a towering, prophetic figure; a man of great faith; a man of prayer, whose feet were touching the earth, but whose head reached the heavens.

Father Dimitrios, or “Papa-Dimitri” as he was known, lived amidst the problems and cares of everyday life as a married priest (with nine daughters), yet “lived like an angel rather than an earthly man.”

This book contains mostly autobiographical notes taken from Papa-Dimitri’s correspondence. In these notes he recorded many wondrous and extraordinary experiences which testify to his “living faith” in the true God. He communicated with the Archangels and the Saints as if they were visibly present. After experiencing their intercessions he would often proclaim, “Our Faith is alive!”

Papa-Dimitri had very little formal education. In his humility, he stated that he could not even deliver a proper sermon, but having received the gifts of simplicity, purity of heart, meekness, and love for God, his very life became a living sermon.

“Our holy Church displays a cloud of martyrs, confessors and Saints, known and unknown heroes of our faith. They were people like us, who with God’s grace and their personal labours, reached the heights of holiness. Even in our godless times God has His friends. One such hero of our faith, a contemporary saint, is Papa-Dimitri Gagastathis, a giant of a Saint, a towering, prophetic figure, a man of great faith and prayer, whose feet touched the earth, but whose head reached the heavens.

Ever-memorable Papa-Dimitri Gagastathis became holy, a son of God and god by grace because he kept with exactitude – from the beginning until the end, till death – the Confession of Faith and the promises he made at Holy Baptism.” — Elder Philotheos Zervakos