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The future elder was born on [[December 13]], 1889 to Emmanuel and Irene Makris and named Athanasios. He was born into a large family of simple, country folk. Even as an infant, Athanasios was devout, even observing the fasting rules regarding milk products while still an infant. When Athanasios was five, he convinced his newly-engaged godmother to spend the rest of her days in virginity. Athanasios, having preserved himself from worldly temptations, decided to enter a [[monastery]] at the age of seventeen. He asked his parents' blessing, which they were happy to give.
In March, 1906, he entered the [[Monastery of St. John the Theologian (Patmos, Greece)|Monastery of St. John the Theologian]], Patmos; in August, having earned the love of the aging brotherhood, he was made a [[Monastic Ranks|rassophore]] and given the name Amphilochios. To fight the passions and temptations, Amphilochios would employ strict fasting - ten mouthfuls of food at each meal on standard days, with seven or eight olives on fast days.
In 1911, the [[abbot]] of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian sent Amphilochios to [[Mount Athos]] in order to learn wood-carving; in March 1913, he was tonsured to the Great Schema by Elder Antoniadis. Two months later, the abbot had the agreement of the brethren of the monastery to ordain Amphilochios; but, because of a self-perception of inadequacy, he asked his traveling companion (and ordinand) to continue while Amphilochios went to Egypt and the Holy Lands. Amphilochios asked the Patriarch of Jerusalem to receive him as one of the caretakers of the [[Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem)|Holy Sepulchre]]. While the Patriarch was willing to do this, the Monastery insisted that he return, where they "punished" him by sending him to the hermitage of Apollo, alongside Elder Makarios, which made Amphilochios very happy as he was better able to pray.
