Pious Daniel from Katunakia (Dimitrios Dimitridis) was born in the year 1846 in Asia Minor at Smirna, being the smallest child of a numerous Christian family.
At 19 he visited several monasteries from Peloponnese and a few islands, where he met many spiritually advanced fathers known for the holiness of their life. Pious Arsenios from Paros recommended him to go and join the monachal community from Monastery Saint Panteleon from the Holy Mountain. Moreover pious Arsenios prophesied that he was to die at the base of the Holy Mountain.
Listening pious Arsenions, the young Demetrios went to the monastery Saint Panteleon where he was made monk in 1866. During the ethnic disputes from Russikon from the years 1874-1875, father Daniel had to go for a while to the Monastery Saint Anastasia near Thessaloniki.
Returned to the Holy Mountain, father Daniel remained for 5 years at Vatoped Monastery and was in charge of the guest chamber. Afterwards he went for nine months to Smirna to take care of a metochion which the monastery had there. Returned to Athos with the desire for hesychia and seclusion pious Daniel settled at Katunakia. Between 1875-1881 he built a hut which became the center of the hermitage of Daniels.
After building that cell from Katunakia father Daniel exchanged letters with important spiritual personalities of his time as saint Nektarios of Egina.
Living in the small and modest hut father Daniel was considered a defender of Christian life and faith. His works having as a subject the monachal life represents the essence and result of the long ascetic experience.
Elder Daniel was a very skilled painter of icons, craft which he taught his community that continues the art of iconography.
He reposed on the date of September 8th 1929.
Source: http://doxologia.ro
On March 9th 2020, the Holy Council of the Ecumenical Patriarchate included officially in the Church calendar the pious Joseph the Hesychast (geronda Joseph) Ephrem from Katunakia and Daniel from Katunakia.
