During this time he became beloved of the Bedouins who benefited from his presence both spiritually as well as materially as the Elder used the money he received from the sale of his carved wooden handicraft to buy the Bedouins' food. On his return to Mt. Athos in 1964, Elder Paisios took up residence at the Skete of Iviron before moving to Katounakia at the southernmost tip of Mt. Athos for a short stay in the wilderness there. The Elder's failing health may have been part of the reason for his departure from there. In 1966 he had an operation to remove part of his lungs. It was during this time of hospitalization that his long friendship with the then young sisterhood of St. John the Theologian in Souroti, just outside Thessaloniki, began. During his operation, he needed a large amount of blood and a group of novices from the monastery donated blood to save him. In 1968 he spent time at the Monastery of Stavronikita. Elder Gabriel of the Cell of St. Christodoulos of Koutloumousiou Monastery was a disciple of St. Paisios the Athonite. Timeline 1958: Father Paisios was asked to spend time in his home village to support the faithful against Protestantism. 1962: Father Paisios went to Saint Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai. 1964: On his return to Mount Athos, Father Paisios took up residence at the Iviron Monastery, then at Katounakia. His failing health may have led him to leave Katounakia. 1966: Father Paisios had an operation, and part of his lungs was removed. During this time, his friendship with the sisterhood of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian in Souroti, began. Elder Paisios would place the relics of St. Arsenios the Cappadocian in this monastery. 1966: On 11 January 1966, Father Paisios received the Great and Angelic Schema from Elder Tikhon, at the Hermitage of the Holy Cross, of the monastery of Stavronikita. After Elder Tikhon's death on 10 September 1968, Fr. Paisios resided in that hermitage. 1979: Elder Paisios moved to Panagouda, a hermitage belonging to Koutloumousiou Monastery. It was here that his renown grew. Between prayer and assisting his visitors, he only rested for two or three hours each night. 1993 October 5: Elder Paisios left Mount Athos for medical attention. Despite his wish to be gone for only a few days, he was diagnosed with cancer requiring immediate surgery, and after recovery,