Saint Philoumenos of Jacob’s Well

Saint Philoumenos of Jacob’s Well (October 15, 1913 – November 29, 1979)

Born Sofoklis Hasapis in the village of Orounta, near Morphou in Cyprus, he was the Hegumen of the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Jacob’s Well.

As teenagers, both he and his twin brother Alexandros, with permission from their parents, became novice monks at the Stavrovouni Monastery west of Larnaca. After staying there for several years, they both left for the Holy Land.

In Jerusalem, they attended classes at the High School of the Jerusalem Patriarchate. Eventually both took monastic names, Sofoklis was called Philoumenos and his brother Alexandros was called Elpidios.

Sofoklis’ brother would leave the Holy Land, serving in Cyprus and Mount Athos.

Sofoklis now Philoumenos, would go on to serve in the Holy Land for 45 years.

In 1979, Philoumenos was transferred to the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Jacob’s Well, in the town of Neapolis, some 50km north of Jerusalem.

Right from the outset, Philoumenos was harassed, insulted and attacked by fanatical Jews and constantly threatened with death.

On the afternoon of November 29, 1979, while the Saint was celebrating Vespers, fanatical Jews entered the monastery and let off a grenade, attacked and beat Philoumenos and then hacked him to death with an axe, suffering multiple blows. With the monastery then further desecrated and destroyed by the attackers.

Exactly 30 years later in 2009, Saint Philoumenos was proclaimed a Saint of the Greek Orthodox Church.