THE LIFE OF BLESSED ELDER SAINT GEORGE KARSLIDES OF DRAMA
1901 – 1959
by Monk Moses the Athonite
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CHAPTER 1
DESCENT-BIRTH-UPBRINGING
IN ARGYROUPOLIS OF PONTOS.
"Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes" (Matthew 11:25)
The Elder George was born in Argyroupolis, Pontos in 1901 of pious parents, Savva Karslides and Sophia. At holy baptism he received the name Athanasios. When he was still an infant, his good parents fell asleep. His only educator was his most pious grandmother, who implanted in his delicate heart a piety and love for the liturgical life, When he was seven years old, he went with her on a pilgrimage to the ancient and famous monastery of Pontos, Panaghia of Soumela.
Argyroupolis like the whole area of Pontos presents great and various interests. From ancient times the inhabitants were distinguished for their intense piety. Pontos comprises one of the most noteworthy and plentiful centers of monasticism. In the silence of the mountains of Bythinia, Cappadocia, Heracleia, Paflagonia, Sinope, Amisou, Trapezounta and Kerasounta an important asceticism was cultivated which produced many saints, who continued the train of thought of the martyrs of the same areas, of the first Christian centuries. Here the most great luminaries of the three sunned divinity practiced asceticism, the Three hierarchs: First Basil the Great, as he writes "I went to the Pontos.
Wherein God showed me a place precisely agreeing to my manner.." . This hermitage, to which it is said that saints Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom also came, is referred to as Saint Basil mountain by the Kerasounta mountain.
After the occupation of the area by the Turks, the ascetics were replanted at other hesychastic places. One of these who inhabited the Holy Mountain, was Saint Athanasios the Athonite, the founder of the Great Lavra, the Trapezountian, who became the first of a long line of sacred men, who followed his life.
At the time of the Turkish occupation, the Hellenism of the Pontos suffered bitter hardships. Schools were closed, the teachers were persecuted, the Greek language was spoken and written secretly. Confiscations and exiles of the Greeks, massacres and violence occurred frequently. In this critical time and area the monasteries comprised a refuge of consolation and support. Here the faith, language, education and correct attitude were preserved.
The monks became the enthusiastic shepherds, the caring, loving fathers, the enlightened teachers and discerning guides. The monasteries of Panaghia Soumela, Saint John Vazelonos, Saint George Peristereota, Saint John Houtoura, Panaghia Baltzanas, Panaghia Kyia-Tipi, Panaghia Manteken, the Prophet Elias, the Life-giving Fount of Kastroteichou, Panaghia Kremasti, Panaghia Goumera, the Holy Trinity, the Holy Power, Saint Eugenius, Panaghia Houtoura, Saint Theodore Gavra, Saint Akindynus, Saint John Agiasti, Theoskepastus, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Saint Basil, Saint Savva, Akepsima, Saint George Zantaerts, Theotokos Simikle and many others played a very important role in the hearts of the inhabitants.
During this difficult period, Argyroupolis and its surrounding area, because of its position and the heroism of its active inhabitants, managed to create a free nucleus in Polemoniako Pontos. Secretly many schools functioned. The area was named Romania and was noted for the bravery, virtue and eminence of the noble inhabitants, who went abroad for higher studies and returned to their land, to impart their light. Quite a few youths were led to the mountains and the rebel groups which they organized comprised the fear of the Turks.
When the Elder George visited the monastery of Panaghia Soumela, the monastery retained all its ancient luster. Everyone hastened to venerate and to call upon the strong help of the Panaghia, for both soul and body which is well known, offering vows, or performing liturgies, because independently of race or religion, all deeply revere her, since even sultans were benefitted by her and patronized the church and Monastery piously in return". Even the much traveled historian Falmeraier writes with amazement about the landscape of the monastery. "No place offers itself so well in the world for the establishment of such a religious hermitage, than these forests full of magic of the Colchian mountain Mela".
Up to the destruction of Asia Minor the monastery retained its luminosity. In 1903 one of its pilgrims wrote: "The Monastery maintains schools in each village, pays the teachers, appoints priests and cares for all the spiritual and physical needs of the inhabitants." How effectively it and two other Monasteries (Vazelonos and Peristereota) performed this is proved by the preservation of a flourishing Orthodox Christian religion in the area around each of them. When in the previous two centuries many Christians, numbering in the tens of thousands, were forced to change their religion, especially those living in remote areas, such as those of Ofeos and Rizountos, these three Monasteries of the Pontos performed great and most noteworthy achievements, proving to be salutary and consoling centers, supporting and strengthening the shaken religious convictions of those around them, centers in which those who secretly worshiped Christ baptized their children, partook of the incorrupt sacraments and performed all their religious services. As they visited these villages, the Fathers of these monasteries blessed and sanctified them, bringing consolation and hope to the hearts of the inhabitants.
Above the others Somela Monastery shone brilliantly in such philanthropic activity. Without it the condition of the surrounding villages would be completely different".
Near the Monastery of Saint George Peristereota "each village has next to the Church a special school building, which is also wooden, as are all the houses. They assure me in the Monastery that the advancement of the village children in the letters is progressing, although on account of poverty and narrowness of life studying at school, occurs only when the other concerns and occupations of life allow. It's understood that both the boys and the girls attend school together. With diligence and zeal, the Fathers of the Monastery put forth every effort for the spiritual and intellectual development of the inhabitants entrusted to them".
Finally the good author speaking about the Monastery of Saint John Vazelonos writes: "Christianity was preserved and maintained unharmed around the three Monasteries of the Pontos.
For this reason I repeat and express my unhypocritical respect and to indicate the gratitude of the Race which is owed to the cassock of the monk ....The Christian population surrounding the Monasteries got used to for generations of generations, for many hundreds of years, considering the Monasteries benefactors, because to these it owed its Christianity, and it looked to them with very deep piety" .
Argyroupolis was one of the most well known and famous cities of the Pontos. It was also known as Kan, on account of the neighboring river with the same name, and also as Yioumou-schane. In earlier times it was the center for mining and the export of silver, from which it gets its name. Argyroupolis in Greek means city of silver. It was the largest city of the Pontos in the past century, whose place was taken by Trapezounta. Its population exceeded 15,000 but ended up with only 3,000 inhabitants after the First World War, most of whom were now Turks. It was about 10 kilometers distance from Trapezounta, and about two days journey from the shore to the south. It belonged to the prefecture (vilaeti) of Trapezounta, which was separated into four administrations (Sandakia). Its inhabitants were mainly miners, merchants, craftsmen, silversmiths, coppersmiths, tanners, potters and furriers.
The people of Argyroupolis, aside from their industriousness were also distinguished for their piety. Their city was the seat of the metropolitan of Haldias. It had six large parishes. The metropolitan church of Saint George, the ancient church of Saint Theodore, that of Saint John, two of the Panaghia and the Church of the Precious Cross with many chapels and country churches.
Of these the ones that are known are: Holy Trinity, The Theotokos, Saint Panteleimon, two churches of the Precious Fore-runner, of Saint Theodore the General, two churches of Saints Constantine and Helen, of the Apostles Peter and Paul, of the life-giving Fount, of Saint Christopher, of Saint Stephen and others. The parishes of the Dormition of the Theotokos and of the Precious Forerunner belonged to women's monasteries.
Thanks to the flourishing mines, the inhabitants of Argyrou-polis came to know great prosperity. They did not spend their money only on building noble homes, but also on the erection of beautifully decorated churches and famous schools. The magnificent churches were adorned with wooden iconostases of unsurpassed craftsmanship, valuable devotions, costly vestments, calligraphy, manuscripts and ancient icons. In the consecration of their metropolitan church 4 hierarchs, 212 priests and deacons and a multitude of people took part.
So the Elder George came from a country and city whose inhabitants were deeply conscious and genuinely proud to be bearers of a monastic tradition. In such a blessed atmosphere, little Athanasios, the later priest-monk George Karslides, took his life's first steps.
As we saw while yet an infant he became an orphan. His father was killed in a battle and when they brought him home dead his wife greeted him and also died, so that she was buried in the same tomb. His father's mother became a second mother, to him as well as to his older brother and his younger sister. The pained grandmother took up the upbringing of her grandchildren very zealously. She herself had three sons among whom, the one had died, the other had been killed and the third had been lost, without them knowing if he were alive or dead.
At five years of age the Elder became a shepherd for the few animals of his brother, who treated him harshly and pitilessly. He forbore without murmuring, learned to pray in the quiet of the mountains, and to hasten to the churches to chant. The pious clergymen of his homeland saw the grace of God richly upon him and with interest watched his development. His grandmother was saddened by the behaviour of his brother towards him and rejoiced in the spiritual progress of Athanasios and of his sister Anna.
Sensing her demise, the grandmother called the two small siblings to her side to counsel them for the last time and to give them her blessing. To Athanasios she gave as an heirloom and protection a small icon of the Panaghia. She entrusted Anna to the hands of good neighbors. Thus the pain of the deprivation of love was lessened for her two select orphaned grandchildren. After a short time the much-suffering grandmother went to blessed rest.
Anna also went to rest from an unknown reason at a young age. While a good neighbor woman was getting ready to engage her to her son, Anna became ill and died. The Turks often saw light at the cemetery. They discovered that it was coming from the tomb of Anna. All the Christians gathered with prayers and petitions around their bishop and their priests at the exhuming of her relics three years later. The relics of the good daughter were found having the yellowish colour of the monastic saints. The bishop received them and placed them for preservation in the church.
It is said that Anna's fiancee asked for a portion of her relics as a blessing, wishing to depart for Jerusalem to become a monk. Her brother, the Elder George also received a portion of her relics, which he brought with him when he came to Greece.
The great involuntary pain of the Elder's childhood years which would intensify and be continued as voluntary pain as well, was one of the most characteristic and important elements of his life. Pain, according to patristic and ascetical literature, which comments on the word of the Gospel, is the absolutely necessary and fertile ground in which the spiritual life is cultivated and developed so that blossoms and fruits may be produced. The Elder was a shoot of saint-nourishing ground and of a God-loving atmosphere and from an early age he revealed his obedience to God through his acceptance of the martyric attitude of saint-producing pain and humility which elevates. Athanasios the Great says: "The Kingdom of God is not for those who live comfortably here but of those who spend this life in great affliction and distress"
CHAPTER 2
DEPARTURE - TONSURE - ORDINATION AND TORTURES IN GEORGIA.
"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you". (Matthew 5:11)
We tried to discover as much as possible the truth of the events, without becoming scholastic and tiresome, and reducing the fragrance which the ascetic and martyric life of the blessed Elder exudes.
When the Elder was about seven years, he followed his grandfather, who took the remaining family and emigrated to Erzeroum, Theodosioupoli. His grandfather was a coppersmith and the exhaustion of the mines of Argyroupolis had brought other compatriots of his there as well. Theodosioupolis was the greatest city of Great Armenia. Erzerom in Turkish means "land of the Romans".
The Greek element which flourished in that whole area maintained schools and brilliant churches. Together with the Elder, his brother had also come, who had married and had obtained one child. Despite the fact that his sister-in-law showed him some understanding, his brother continued abusing him and tiring him in tasks too heavy for his age. After his grandfather's death, hoping in the help of God, he decided to abandon the home of his brother, without telling anyone. His luggage fit in a sack. It was comprised of the icon of the Panaghia, a cross, a censer and his birth certificate. So traversing the areas of the Caucasus after a trip of many hours and in winter time, he entered a cave which he found to spend the night. It snowed so much that night that it covered the entrance of his cave. So he remained alone and unprotected, wearied and frozen. With tears he managed to put his hand out, when he heard voices. A group of camel herders was passing by and as soon as they perceived him, they eagerly tried to free him. Once again God did not abandon his faithful servant. The mule drivers took him with them and handed him over to a Turk whom they found, in order to help him recover and to protect him.
With great love that man helped him recover from the ice and kept him home as a member of his family. He himself, his wife and his three children treated him as a child and brother of theirs.
They appointed him to take care of the animals, at which he eagerly labored. He soon won the hearts of his benefactors with his industriousness, his kindness and his premature seriousness.
They heard him chant so beautifully and pray so fervently that they began to admire and respect him very deeply. Their admiration increased when one night the father saw in his sleep a venerable man tell him that the child whom he patronized was destined to bring many souls to God and that he belonged elsewhere. He would have to be led to a monastery. Their admiration was overshadowed by sadness, because they saw that soon they would have to be separated from this noble soul, whom they had the great joy of having in their home. The only thing they tried to do was to delay this separation, until an amazing event forced them to do what they never wanted to do.
One night Athanasios returned from the pasture saddened. Everyone tried to learn the cause of his sadness. He avoided answering, because he did not know how to justify himself, as he was very sincere. At the father's insistence, he answered with simplicity what had happened to him. As he was grazing the animals in the silence of the mountains and chanting according to his beloved habit, three venerable clergymen appeared to him, who lovingly approached him and told him among other things that he would become a monk. He accompanied them and suddenly he saw them disappear. He was saddened that they did not take him with them, because he felt very wonderful near them... The father after asking him to keep what he would see a secret, led him through a secret passageway to the cellar of the house which could not be seen from the outside. The cellar was full of icons and served as a church. The father was not a Muslim but a crypto-Christian. On account of the harsh persecutions, just like many inhabitants of the Pontos, he had his Christian identity a secret. There in the cellar he secretly worshiped God praying together with his family. He showed Athanasios all the icons of the saints and asked him if perhaps in one of them he recognized the persons who visited him in the morning. Athanasios stood before the icon of the Three hierarchs and he recognized them.
For one more time they had visited the places they had traversed when they were in this life. The father wondered at the wisdom and grace which covered this child, the faith of all was strengthened, but even so they tried in various ways to delay his certain departure. He was called for elsewhere. and just as he unexpectedly came, he suddenly left.
One day when he was praying alone, a man on a horse appeared and took him with him. He spoke to him protectively and mentioned where he was taking him and what he would do there where he would leave him. The distance which they travelled was quite great, but they traversed it in a brief time. His young escort was Saint George, whose name he would receive and who would become his protector throughout his life.
The above events, and also those which we will soon relate, show that George was "sanctified from his mother's womb", was a child-elder, as is mentioned in the life of Saint Savva the Sanctified, who from an early age revealed his love for God, who richly graced him for the benefit of his brothers and the glory of His all-holy name. In this climate it was impossible for there not to be the association with the saints, with whom he developed a great friendship.
When they asked him to become a sponsor at the baptism of a child--according to one witness, it was his brother's child-- he accepted. At the time of the sacrament he saw a snake wrapped around the baptismal font and he was forced to leave the church.
Someone else then baptized the child. When he returned, they asked him why he did not do it and he told them the cause. When the priest who baptized the child learned it, he felt the burden of a certain sin which bothered him, and said that Athanasios was a grace-endowed child, a choice vessel of the elect of God. So with the aid of Saint George, he reached Tiflis of Georgia.
He stood outside of the church as the people started coming out because the Divine Liturgy had ended. A virtuous nun approached him named Eugenia, and after she learned that he was unprotected, she took him to her home, where she was a nun.
When she learned that he was an orphan, and heard of his adventures and the interventions of the saints in his life, she felt that she could not keep him near her. She guided him to her spiritual father, who wondered when he learned about his life, and asked him to stay with him. Athanasios joyfully accepted after he was assured that there he would be safe and that he could serve the church daily. The priest took off the boy's poor and dirty clothes and at nine years of age Athanasios put on the cassock from which he would not be separated for about fifty years. However his destination and his inclination were for elsewhere, at a monastery.
The monastery was dedicated to the Life-giving Font and comprised a great pilgrimage site for the whole surrounding area. It had bishops, priestmonks, hierodeacons and many monks.
The abbot of the monastery took him under his protection and with particular interest followed his spiritual progress. He was frequently moved and overcome with contrition when he saw the young child so dedicated to the worship of God. He rejoiced to see him praying alone for hours in his cell. A spirit of wisdom, prudence and fear adorned his innocent soul. The abbot became his spiritual father and to him he confided the secrets of his heart, his longings, his inclinations, his thoughts and his worries.
When he entered the monastery he was not of age and unbearded. He soon became very beloved to all, for his eagerness in his spiritual life and his skill. He worked at sewing, cooking, and weaving. He even made a sweater from horse hair which he wore on his flesh. The abbot commented that he forced himself very much in ascetic hardship. And he humbly responded: "I will spend my life like this!"
Among the bishops who lived in the monastery was an uncle of his, probably the lost son of his blessed grandmother, who recognized him from his birth certificate. He also became a good counselor to him in the secrets of monastic life. The language of the sacred services and of the Liturgy was Georgian. Athanasios also learned it and would later use it himself as a priest. His first years in the life of the monastery were mainly years of discipleship in obedience, service and prayer. The enthusiasm of the beginner was accompanied by a rare experience and seriousness which reminded one of ancient monastics. Thus the abbot put the cassock on him while he was still young.
On July 20, 1919, the feast of the Prophet Elias, he was tonsured a monk by archimandrite George, promising to keep the three basic monastic virtues - obedience, poverty and virginity.
Virtues which he kept to the highest degree throughout his whole life. From Athanasios he was named Symeon. Saint Symeon is honored on the day after his tonsure, on July 21st. It is mentioned that at the time of his tonsure the gongs and bells started ringing on their own. Yet one more sign that the person that was being tonsured gave joy to heaven. Everyone became scared, because after the revolution of 1917 in Russia, the ringing of bells had been forbidden and dreadful persecutions against the faithful had begun.
Monasteries and churches were plundered and destroyed, clergymen and laymen were martyred by the thousands. Capture, exile, imprisonment, persecutions, tortures, and mockings strengthened the faith of those who loved God. Unfortunately there also were the cowards, who were afraid and fainthearted who betrayed the faith and served the atheistic and enslaving system. Among the plundered monasteries was that of the Elder as well. Its fathers were all captured and persecuted. According to one witness certain ones agreed to deny their faith for a temporary freedom.
The Elder was led to jail along with the other monks and his uncle, the bishop. The jail was in a wretched state, a type of dungeon. They stayed, instead of on a bed, on a board, which was above a grate, under which there passed impurities of the sewer.
Some of the fathers died in jail, among whom was his abbot also, who did not survive the many hardships. One day they took the Elder out of the jail, stripped him, and tied his hands behind his back and paraded him in the streets of the city, saying: "Here is the prophet...". After they scorned him, they again put him in jail and decided to execute him along with the others.
One Easter eve the imprisoned clergymen asked permission to go to church and they were not allowed to go. Then they all together fervently prayed to the Resurrected Christ to strengthen them. When they chanted the "Christ is Risen" the jail shook and the gates opened on their own. From the noise which was created all the inhabitants of the city ran to see what was happening. They saw three sacred figures holding the Precious Cross, processing in a circle above the jail chanting "Lord Have mercy". This divine sign lasted all night long, so that all of the gathered people of the city saw it. As soon as dawn came this heavenly vision ceased.
The following day all the captives along with the Elder were ready for martyrdom.
They put white clothes on them, tied their hands together and led them to the place of execution. Their Golgotha was dreadful.
Below were cliffs and all around were crags. They fired on the whole group. One bullet hit the metal cover of his ivory icon of the Panaghia which as a medallion the Elder always wore on his chest, a keepsake from his grandmother. A second one hit the outer skin of his neck, without causing a serious wound and a third one hit his feet again without doing great harm. Because he was tied to the others, who were killed, he was also dragged and fell on the crags with their dead bodies. Slowly but surely with the help of another survivor, they climbed up to the place of execution. There was no other exit from that narrow and dreadful place for them to flee secretly.
When the guards saw them at nighttime dressed in white, they were afraid, but the Elder calmed them down. The guards notified the authorities and officers and a doctor arrived. The doctor examined the Elder and ascertained that he received three bullets, but not fatal ones. When the officers departed, the doctor told the Elder: "Do not be afraid. There is a law according to which he who receives three bullets and does not die is set free". This also happened in the Elder's case. They set him free.
According to one witness the administrator of the jails called the Elder, since he was younger, and suggested that he deny his faith and live like a free citizen. The Elder with courage and boldness, even hitting his hand forcefully on the administrator's desk, told him: "You do not have more authority than God". This offended the administrator, he considered it an insult and ordered him to be closed in the darkest cell of the jail naked with impurities falling on him. There he remained for quite a long time, so that he became very ill, his teeth fell and his feet became enfeebled. He was a confessor and a martyr. To his persecutors "to the barbarians, both the wise and the foolish I am a debtor" he would say along with the Apostle Paul.
A new visit of Saint George strengthened him a lot. A lady from Kromni of the Pontos, the pilgrimess Artemisia, the wife of the Russian Andrew Simonoff, aided in his release. At a Christian home they offered him hospitality and took care of him for a time, after the many hardships he had endured in jail. He did not cease
night and day to pray and to strengthen with his word and example the faithful who approached him.
On September 8, 1925, the feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos, the Elder was ordained by the Metropolitan John Tsiaparaski a presbyter in the Church of Saint Mena in Grouzia Scheta and from Symeon he was named George. To the objections of his spiritual father that he was too young for the priesthood the Metropolitan countered with respect, humility and simplicity that he had the soul of a centenarian..
The Elder never returned to his beloved Pontos. He was forced, along with other persecuted monks, to beg in order to live. receiving the permission of the presidents of the cities and the villages. Once while passing through a village, he was recognized by his sponsor, who was a president there, who wanted to keep him near him. The Elder refused, asking only that he be shown his brother's house, which he knew. They went together and saw him, but he did not wish to reveal who he was.
The faithful now greatly admired the Elder and respected him as a saint. His virtuous life was a light for all. They frequently visited him, when they learned where he was, to be benefitted. He was known as a discerning and clairvoyant Elder. A group of pious nuns, who lived with great asceticism, continence and prayer in a secret cellar, the nuns Pelagia, Olympia, Nina and Eugenia, whom we mentioned above, and who lived to a great age in Thessalonica, spoke with much admiration about the life of the Elder there. The spiritual father of these nuns was hung by the revolutionaries together with other clergymen. The Eldress Anna who met these nuns, related these things. We will speak about the Eldress Anna later on.
In 1923 the Elder comes to Sohoum from Tiflis with the financial aid of pious families and especially the Russian Matro-na, the wife of the Greek Theodore Tseggelogiou and the teacher Efstathios Giannakides who later became a priest, along with his brother Demetrios and his son Athanasios, who was baptized by the Elder. The people did not delay in coming to love him here also. Everyone approached him as a saint. He had the reputation of a charismatic monk, who spoke about the secrets of the hearts, the past and future as present, the things far as if near. They came from far away to hear and admire him. All this occurred with great secrecy because the opponents of the faith would not stop persecuting them.
From there along with other pilgrims he visited the Monastery of Saint Basil in Komana (Koukousos) of Armenia, which is carved from rock, and was where the precious relic of Saint John Chrysostom was till its exhumation and return to Constantinople.
His passage everywhere left the best impressions. He would frequently keep vigil, celebrate with majesty, do long services with contrition and piety commemorating many names. He was an ascetic even inside the city. He would drink petroleum oil so as not to fall asleep and would rub his eyes with pepper so that they would not close. He reminded one of ancient ascetics, who sought to find means and ways to retain their spirit in wakeful-ness, so that the spirit of lethargy, slothfulness and laxity would not overcome them. God always reveals Himself to heroic souls.
He had a secluded room, where he spent most of his time before His icons, together with his beloved sacred books. His piety had impressed them, and also that his youth was accompanied by a great seriousness. His prophecies often came true. His words were few. Divine grace covered him. His language was Georgian Close to Eustathios and Demetrios Giannakides he learned Pontian.
In 1929 the families of Efstathios and Demetrios Giannakides, with whom he was closely associated, decided to come to Greece. The Elder asked them to take him with them. After many difficulties because he travelled as a Soviet citizen, he was finally given a passport through the Greek Embassy in Moscow which allowed him to leave for Greece. Thus on October 19th, 1929 he arrived at the port of Thessalonica. He rejoiced greatly.
His gratitude to God for his salvation, after so many adventures, was extensive and fervent. He was at about the middle of his life.
As many years as he lived in the Pontos, in Georgia and in Russia, he would be living another so many years in Greece. New struggles awaited him here for himself and also for his neighbor. God was with him and he was unafraid.
The word of Revelation sounded loudly inside him: "For you have kept the word of my patience, and I shall keep you at the time of temptation." And the word of the Apostle Paul made him fervent: "Seeing that affliction produces patience, patience experience, experience hope."
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CHAPTER 3
COMING TO GREECE AND SETTLING NEAR DRAMA IN GREECE
"Blessed is the man who forbears temptations, for becoming experienced
he will receive the crown of life" (James 1:12)
In 1930 he permanently settled in the village Sipsa today it is called Taxiarchais, of Drama, where he had quite a few acquaintances. The Elder's first cousin, the Elder Gregory Kiourtsides who accompanied him on the train for Drama, related that on the train he suffered greatly from the cigarette smoke. because the Elder abhorred smoke and could not even stand its smell. Then a good inspector respecting his priesthood, his weak condition and the desire of the Elder, moved the smokers to another car. (This is noteworthy, because once certain people accused the Elder of smoking). At Drama a Turk took the Elder
on his back and led him to a hotel, which would not accept them, and for this reason they were forced to go to an inn. In order to reach Sipsa they took a horse drawn carriage and were led to the house of Constantine and Athena Symeonides, the in-laws of Demetrios Giannakides.
Sipsa received the greatly tortured priestmonk, not knowing that it was he who would make it known all over Greece and even beyond it. The estate which he brought with him was small, but precious for him: A few ecclesiastical books in the Georgian lan-guage, priestly vestments, icons and a portion of the relics of his sister Anna. Because the home of C. Symeonides was small and his family large, he moved to the dwelling of Anastasios Spyri-dopoulos where there was more space. Here also the God-loving father didn't take long drawing many people near him, who had come to be helped. He started doing supplication services, confessing and counseling. The people brought him food and Pantelis Symeonides took care of him. Afterwards he went and stayed in the house of Theodore and Symela Spyridopoulos, whose piety considered it a great blessing. During the two years that he remained with them, they showed him all their love. With herbs and practical therapies they managed to heal his legs somewhat, which had become motionless. Despite his illness the Elder did not cease his asceticism. In his rooms he had posted two beams with which to support himself when he wanted to chant the Supplication Service of the Panaghia or other services. At these services there frequently was a pious congregation. As S. Spyridopoulos would say, when she would chant, she would look at the feet of the Elder because she saw that they were not standing on the ground.
The first year that he remained at the Spyridopoulos home for a period of fifteen days he was in a state of ecstasy.
Specifically from the Ist to the 15th of August he remained without tasting or eating anything, speechless, concentrated and serious. For a very few minutes he could be heard whispering, without anyone understanding the meaning of the words, because it was a heavenly language, outside of this world. On Transfiguration day they called the priest to commune him with the uncorrupt sacraments, as they thought he was ready to die; however because he would not answer the priest's questions; the priest was hesitant to commune him. However, when he also heard from his mouth that seemingly angelic dialect he communed him. The Elder opened his eyes and spoke clearly on the day of the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos and he asked to drink and eat some-thing. And on that day four or five women returning from a baptism which had taken place in the village came to see him.. As soon as he saw them, he told them: "You went to the baptism and when you left you gossiped about the food which they offered you, if it was good or not..." They looked at him smiling. The Elder told them sternly: "Don't laugh ... It is very evil for someone else to feed you and you criticize him for what he offered you".
At that village there was at that time someone who was very gravely ill, G.P., whose soul would not leave him for eight months. One day the Elder says: "You have a sick person here and you did not take me to see him at all." Then they lifted him up on their hands to take him to the house of the sick person. After the Elder greeted him, he approached the ill person and privately told him: "Why did you swear falsely and bear false witness?" That man had lied that he given money to buy an animal, from those monies which the government had given for free. The Elder told him to go get dirt from the tomb of the deceased person whom the sick person had deceived and to touch it to him. The Elder after he saw that he confessed his sin, read him the prayer of absolution and ten days later the sick person died peacefully. This is the first miracle, according to the villagers, which the Elder did in their village.
The whole time the Elder was at Sipsa he had not gone to the church of the village at all. One Sunday he greatly desired to go and again they lifted him up on their hands and he went. Before they arrived at the church, the Elder saw the Panaghia from afar, as if in a vision, and she said: "You took the master of the house from inside and put in someone else." The Elder without anyone telling him anything, knew that the village church had been consecrated in the name of the Nativity of the Theotokos; afterwards it was turned into a mosque, and again it became a Christian church, but they dedicated it to Saint George. When the Elder told them they rededicated it to the Nativity of the Theotokos.
In 1938 the permanent distribution of farmlands was done by the Ministry of Agriculture. To the Elder they granted four stremmata of land, where the good villagers helped him to build a little church, which he dedicated to the Nativity of the Theotokos. It was very poor, built with mud, wood and stones. He settled temporarily there and a humble guest room was built at the same time.
The following year the chapel of the Panaghia was torn down and close by there, with the ever-present help of the inhabitants, the construction of the monastery was begun. Its church was dedicated to the Ascension of the Savior. Next to the church his cell was built. There he would live for all the remaining years of his life. Many people gathered there from all the surrounding area and the rest of Macedonia. They came to go to confession, to attend the services, to take communion and to be strengthened by the charismatic Elder.
The consecration of the monastery church took place on 9-14-1939. The church of the Ascension was not large. It had many icons, among which were those of Christ, the Panaghia, of the Holy Apostles, the Three Hierarchs and Saint George, towards which the Elder nourished a great love. In front of the church was his simple and humble cell. The church and the cell were his most beloved places, where he also spent most of his hours. Beside it were the guest rooms and various facilities for the pilgrims.
In 1936 the Elder went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. In the lives of many saints and people of God we find a burning longing to visit the Holy lands. In the traces of the saints and of the Lord, with awe and humility the Elder being moved venerated the God-trodden and Mother of God-trodden places. He visited the monasteries and hermitages of the monks; he went to the Jordan and thanked God from the depths of his soul, for granting him to go there as a pilgrim.At one of the hermitages near the Monastery of Saint Savva he met in a wondrous way an ascetic who was his uncle. God enlightened the ascetic and revealed to him that the young clergyman passing by was his nephew. They embraced each other with a kiss in the Lord and the Elder with much respect asked the counsel of his virtuous ascetic uncle as to whether he should remain at the monastery of the Ascension which he founded, near the world which inundated him or leave for the solitude of the Holy Mountain. The elderly ascetic answered that he must remain there where he was, because he was needed-- because sin has drowned the world in darkness, and it had lost its light and had no guide to preach the word of God, to be charitable, to love, to forbear and to be continent...When he returned to Sipsa, he related with joy the events of his pilgrimage and his meetings. With his ascetic uncle he exchanged for a short time a few letters, until he stopped receiving letters from him and he realized that this virtue-loving family member had also gone to rest. According to one witness it is mentioned that later on as a pilgrim he also visited the Holy Mountain.
The cure of the Elder from the serious ailment of his feet was due to a miraculous intervention, as he himself later related: "T was almost paralyzed and could not even satisfy my personal needs. One night I poured out all the tears of my soul. Then an Elder appeared to me and asked me: "Why are you crying my child? You have saddened me greatly." "And who are you?" I asked him. "I am uncle Nicholas. If you become well come find me. I live behind that mountain," he told me. The next day I searched to find him. I walked on all four. I became all bloodied. I found him. I also took a priest and we did an unction. I was anointed all over my body. I became well and with the help of the saint from then on I ate on my own".
In 1941 the Bulgarians captured the Elder and led him to be butchered. He followed them without protest. When they arrived at the chosen place, he asked them to allow him to pray for a little. They allowed him. When he finished his prayer with calmness he told them to proceed to their work. They, as if they were afraid and being chased away, abandoned him there and went away.
This is the life of the truly blessed Elder George Karslides. It all flows in a constant miracle, in a ceaseless patience. Saint James the Brother of the Lord says: "Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life". And the Apostle Paul says: "And let us with patience run the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith".
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It has been already said that the Elder from a young age loved God very much and a sign of his love was his strict asceticism, a lifestyle which God loves and inclines His divine mercy towards. His teaching was a result, an expression and an imparting of his life's experience. Asceticism is a basic element of Orthodox spirituality and is the ground on which it develops and flourishes. It is a sign of dedication and practical proof, devotion to the divine will. God loves to speak with heroic souls of ascetics and martyrs, who don't hold back anything for themselves.
The Elder having this deep knowledge struggled throughout his life to be free from the bonds of matter, comfortable, unweighed down, without any foreign love in his heart. His nourishment was very meager, weak and tasteless. His life was a constant fast. Many times he spent his whole day with one glass of tea. As a rule he ate greens. He loved wild greens, pickled vegetables and green pies, which he made on his own. When he could find them he also cooked nettles. He never ate meat and very rarely ate fish.
His sleep was also little and very light. When you entered his cell, you would never find him sleeping, or if he was resting a bit, he would immediately open his eyes. His little sleep was
drenched in prayer, which permeated all the moments of his life, and the memory of God enlightened his dreams as well.
According to the narration of another one of his spiritual children, his beloved food was to fry onions, to rub bread into them and eat them with water. With walnuts, greens and a little honey he spent his whole life. Fasting and prayer were the constant work of his life. He always spoke about unshakable faith in God. He especially stressed the topic of fasting. Fasting, he would say, is a period of spiritual and physical benefit. He preached love with zeal. He suffered from chronic colds and anemia; many times he was bedridden and generally was very prone to illness.
As meager as he was in his food, he was just as meager in his clothing, to the point where his cassock had worn out. He often spoke about the future. "A time will come," he would say, "when men will circulate naked. We will have great earthquakes and destruction".
What another faithful spiritual child noted about him was particularly characteristic. When the cells were being built, on the days when the fast would be absolved, he would offer the workers wealthy food, milk, yogurt, eggs, cheese etc. while he himself would settle for a few pickled vegetables or greens. He loved to continue his fasting. One day one of the workers told him. "Eat, Elder, will you only eat pickled vegetables? Not even bread?" He answered: "I ate, I'm not hungry, with the consummation of the Divine Communion which I will do I can last for four days".
In the period of the rebel war he was hit by the rebels. He forbore unmurmuringly. He was a man of few words, very serious and strict. You would not dare ask him unnecessary things; you were afraid. His gaze went right through you. He knew your disposition. His jokes were numbered. His strictness though, hid love. He would only say what was necessary. He would very rarely visit homes. He would go when there was a need, to a poor person, or a sick person.
His mattress was made from a cover with goat hair, spread out on a board. In his cell he spent most of his hours in prayer. His food was meager. When once they made him particularly tasty food with fat, he threw it away with the container, Despite his illness he kept vigil almost daily. He had frequent and harsh attacks by demons, but also from people who were of an evil disposition and fanatic. He forbore everything with much prayer.
When they asked him if they could make him a new cassock, because the one he was wearing had almost dissolved, he discretely denied: "For thirty years I have it on my back, with that I will leave"
On another occasion he asked someone to close the holes which were on the floor, below his bed: "All night long the mice run over me." They must have bothered the blessed one in his prayer.
From the time he was seven years old, when he went to the monastery, he did not cut his hair, and from then when his beard came, he never cut it (except once when he was forced to cut it when he came to Greece, for the publication of the certificate of citizenship. Generally he was a serious and strict monk. He was of a relatively tall height, thin, with a pained but bright face, a penetrating gaze, a careful speech, few motions, limited thoughts, uncurious, unavaricious, continent, patient. Everything reminded you that he came from an ancient race, whose emblem had sacrificial love for God and man.
Why though should the Elder have such a strict asceticism throughout his life? Saint John Chrysostom answers us and tells us characteristically: "It is necessary for the priest to have an intense striving and a constant vigilance during life watching out everywhere so that one will not find a naked and neglected place and inflict a timely wound".
With his constant great asceticism, the Elder George, by the grace of God and to the highest human degree possible, had achieved the saying of Saint Gregory the Theologian: "It is necessary first to be cleansed and then to cleanse, to be wizened and thus wizen, to become light and enlighten, to approach God and lead others to God, to become sanctified and then to sanctify" Because Saint Isidore of Pelusium's word is just which says: "It is cold, ungraceful and laughable to try to heal others, when you neglect your sick self."
As a celebrant the Elder was tireless, serious, of a proper sacred demeanor and most pious. He would get up on his own at night, at about midnight, to pray and to prepare for the Divine Liturgy. When he was well, he would celebrate constantly. He would also do four forty-days liturgies per year. At the proskomedia he would read many names in the Greek language. As a trusted and beloved spiritual child of his would relate, he would tell him to jot down various names of those which he was commemorating of the living or deceased and in the end he would call those who had given them to him, relatives. and friends of those and he would tell them related things. If it was living people and he had to, he would refer discerningly about problems which occupied them, to help and correct them.
If it was about deceased people, he would again mention about their condition, for example if they were killed by Turks, if they committed suicide, if they had a good end. These things he would say only out of love for the souls, so that their relatives would strive to have their memorial services, give alms and have liturgies for the remission of their sins. On some occasions the
amazed relative learned precise events about the end of their beloved persons, about whom they previously had doubts or unclear information.
For the Divine Liturgy he used prosfora which he had made himself or which women had made who were known for their piety. In front of the Holy Altar Table there was a lit vigil lamp.
He lived the sacrament; he was not in a hurry; he was very careful and full of awe.
During the Koinonikon, before the exclamation "With the fear of God..." the Elder used to go out to the left gate of the holy altar and call all who were going to commune. He would read the prayer of forgiveness over them and anoint them crosswise with the oil of the sacred unction or of the vigil lamp. When he came out to commune the faithful and someone who had not confessed approached and he knew that he had a serious transgression, he would return to the holy altar, leave the holy chalice on the holy Altar Table, come out, counsel him in a way and for his correction, he would not allow him to commune, he would take the holy chalice and continue the divine communion to the rest of the faithful.
Pious faithful at the time of the Liturgy could see him levitating, immaterialized and completely concentrating on the great sacrament of the bloodless sacrifice. There are many witnesses to profess the truth of this. This also is a phenomenon of holy souls and many virtuous contemporary personalities, as is also related about the blessed priests Nicholas Planas, Jerome of Simonos Petras, Philothes Zervakos and others.
At one nighttime liturgy, at the time of the reading of the sacred Gospel, the Elder was seen to be not touching the ground. This happened during the whole duration of the reading of the Gospel. At another nightly liturgy, the same person saw the Elder during the great entrance, walking with the precious gifts, without touching the ground, stopping at the center of the church elevated up to a span from the floor and entering the holy altar descending from the height and again walking on the ground.
One visitor was so amazed when he first went to the monastery and saw the Elder at a certain moment of the Divine Liturgy not stepping on the ground, that he related it to the congregation.
When the Elder learned it, he called him, and he slapped him and strictly told him: "Whatever you see, you won't say to anyone else." He asked for forgiveness and received it, because he did not know better.
One pious woman mentions that her husband was in Russia and died there. She herself though did not know of his death. The Elder with his clairvoyance, knew of his death, and one day told his wife: "You owe three cubits of burial shroud." He did not reveal the reason to her though, so that he would not sadden her.
After quite a time, at a certain liturgy, he commemorated "Maria and her children." Without mentioning the name of her husband.
When she went home she wondered, why did he not also commemorate her husband Savva. When after a few days she again went to the monastery and others were present as the Elder discreetly revealed the death of her husband. She herself, as she relates, saw him as a celebrant not standing on the ground.
Another pious young girl mentions that one day in a liturgy of the Elder, while he was commemorating names in the Holy Prothesis, he heard thin and ugly voices mockingly repeating the names, She asked her mother, if she could also hear these voices, but she couldn't. Then the mother mentioned the event to the Elder. The Elder revealed that the demons create noise and disturbance so that he would stop the commemoration of names and interrupt the forty day liturgy which he had begun ...
One woman after a Divine Liturgy told the Elder that she saw him as a celebrant shining brightly, The Elder answered in a soft voice: "Am I worthy to shine?" It was Christ. It's possible that the brilliant shining of Christ fell upon me.."
There were not a few times when he concelebrated with saints. Infinite are the related narrations. At the dismissal he usually commemorated his concelebrants, also his heavenly friends and frequently his visitors. He then would be unimaginably moved. He would become as a child, his hands shook, his voice would get softer. His humility would compete with his joy. He excessively loved and honored the Panaghia. He constantly called upon her, The communication of the Elder with the invisible spiritual world is one of the most beautiful pages of his saint-loving life. His contact with the saints was friendly, alive and graceful.
This contact was greater at the time of divine worship. He had a particular respect and boldness to the Precious Forerunner, the protector of the monastic rank.
Once the Elder was praying in front of the icon of the Precious Forerunner, which was at the iconostasis. The icon of the saint was as if sweating, the whole surface was full of large drops. The Elder said the troparion of the saint; afterwards he turned to his helper and told him: "The Precious Forerunner is now struggling and being forceful; he is going to help the people somewhere far away who are in danger. Other saints also escorted him...- At that time the Greco-Italian War had already started.
The presence of the saints in the life of the Elder, as we saw up to now, was intense. Also at the times of the other services these supernatural meetings would be noted which estrange those who have not tasted of spirituality but give joy to and strengthen the humble servants of God for whom these are natural and customary phenomena. With simplicity the Elder would say: I rarely celebrate on my own". He meant without the presence of saints. He also avoided celebrating with priests whom he did not. know well.
One evening a spiritual child of his relates, he was cutting wood next to the monastery and he sensed the fragrance of intense incense, which filled him with ineffable joy and peace. He went to the monastery and found the Elder in the church celebrating Vespers. At the dismissal, according to his custom, he mentioned many names of saints. They were his heavenly visitors, the saints, who made their presence sensible to others also with their ineffable fragrance and the spiritual strength and joy which they gave.
Another time the Elder was very sick for a week and he remained bedridden at his cell next to the church. At the church footsteps were heard. The visitor who was sitting next to the Elder, thought that other visitors came and he didn't pay attention to it. After a short time the same thing was repeated, in which case he got up to see who they were. But he did not see anyone.
This was repeated for a third time also. And again he did not see anyone. Then the Elder opened his eyes and told him slowly:
"What do you want to see with your eyes? They are invisible visitors...". The same day he got up for Vespers with great difficulty because he was seriously ill and he was holding onto the walls to walk. After Vespers he became completely well. His heavenly assistants, had given him his health.
The friendship and familiarity of the Elder with the saints also shows from the following event. A beloved spiritual child of his was spending the night at the monastery, at the cell next to the Elder's, and he felt the presence of the Precious Fore-runner, who was with the Elder and the saint was blessing him and the Elder was urging his spiritual son to ask the intercessions and the help of the saint for the salvation of his soul. In the morning, this man was asking to learn more about this vision which the unworthy one had. The Elder smiled and discerning-ly departed.
In an all night vigil, to which the Elder had gone with spiritual children of his, to Saint Gregory of New Karvali, where the precious relic of his whole body is treasured, he had another divine vision. All night he stood next to the saint praying.
Together with him other people also saw the vigil lamp of the saint moving on its own. Upon his return he secretly told a person close to him: 'All night I was with Saint Gregory and I saw the saint giving his grace to certain pilgrims...?
To one Vespers at the monastery an unknown person came. He worshiped in the church and did three prostrations to the icons of the Panaghia. The Elder without knowing him called him by his name and spoke to him about his problem, before he revealed it to him. He specifically told him: "You are thinking of going to Constantinople for an operation. You will not go for this operation. You will go to Kavala. At the church of the Precious Forerunner you will do vigils for three nights; you will supplicate him and will wash yourself with the holy water from the church and you will become well." The sick person did as the Elder told him, became completely well and was added to the group of his spiritual children.
A spiritual child of the Elder relates that once he visited the elder and took him candles to light at the icons. The Elder did not. accept them. They belong to Saint Nicholas, who is the foundation of your home he told him. When he returned to his home and he found his child who was three months old, with fever, he remembered the words of the Elder. Earlier on his children had died at a young age, without the doctors being able to help them.
With faith he took his wife, his child and the candles and he went to the church of Saint Nicholas to worship. He left the candles there, prayed fervently, and his child, with the help of the saint and the blessing of the Elder became well. At his baptism they named the child Nicholas.
Another time a lady who was ill came to the Elder. The Elder referred her to Saint Gregory at New Karvali with the assurance that she would become well. Truly after a vigil at the church where the miracle working relic of the saint is preserved, the lady returned completely healthy.
When he ascertained that certain villagers weren't going to church he advised them appropriately. He used to celebrate during the first few years on Christmas and Easter at the village church. His purpose was to stand with love close to the villagers and especially to observe like a good shepherd, which of his sheep are far from the house of their father. Sometimes he would send someone at the time of the liturgy to notify them to leave their homes and their jobs and to come to church. If there was a dissension between the villagers he would reconcile them and lead them to the church.
In a liturgy of the elder, with Hatianesti as the chanter, the following amazing thing happened: The whole congregation heard an intense noise at the holy altar and it vividly impressed him. Everyone felt that something divine is going on and they intensified their prayers moved. As the divine Liturgy continued the Elder's face was changed and bright. Hatzianesti asked the Elder what had happened. The Elder in a few words responded:
We had heavenly visitors, saints, Saint Menas, Saint George, Saint Nicholas...." .
An ill person visited the monastery and the Elder, after the many hardships which he had experienced with the doctors and with his health. On that day a presvytera was there with her daughter from Nikiforo, Drama. After the vigil the Elder tells the ill person: "You, my child, need to go to Saint John the Forerunner at Kavala, the daughter of the priest's wife will go to Saint John Forerunner at Serres. You absolutely must go; this girl isn't in need; I will send her there simply so that she can take a break. She doesn't have anything wrong at all. You though must go now to become well." You will take oil with you and candles and will clean the church well. After a delay he went to the church and remained there three days and three nights, receiving the holy water and he became completely well.
Someone who was suffering from epilepsy went to the elder with the help of his relatives. The Elder told him to go to Saint Anthony of Veroia and to wash himself with the holy water. He did it and was healed.
Once when he was at Livadero five women visited him from Xanthi. One had two possessed daughters. She went, as she said, to many doctors, but they were not able to heal them. The Elder told her: "Your small daughter will not become well, so that your husband can be conscious of the unjust money which he gets from the bad scale. The other will be healed slowly but surely."
"As the Elder said, that's what happened. Her husband was a coffee vendor and he was stealing at the scale.
One lady named Catherine was suffering from her nerves. When she visited the Elder, he told her: "For you I am "fighting" with the Panaghia, to make you well." After a short time she became well.
The above events do not mean that the Elder made everyone well. That was not of his will, but of the love of God, to Whom the blessed Elder had left himself completely open, and he was moved by His spirit. Also they do not mean that he did not honor the doctors. To one of his spiritual children who went to seek his advice as to whether he should have a serious operation, before he even mentioned it to him, the Elder told him:
"Go have the operation, so that you do not leave your children, on the streets." Also that he sent the sick people to the various pilgrimages of saints revealed his great humility, that with the saints intercessions they were being healed and not from his unworthiness.
After a liturgy at Transfiguration, he related with great contrition: "We had visitors Saint Nicholas and Saint John, a strict visitor, Saint John the Forerunner..." When he censed him his hand trembled. At first he used to say: "Today we had the such and such saint concelebrating," afterwards he stopped mentioning this. On the eve of the war with the Italians, he cried constantly.
They told him: "What do you have Elder, and why are you crying?" He said: "I remained an orphan" When the war was declared he said. "The Panaghia with Saint George left for the front".
The pious nun Anna with particular awe related that once the Elder asked his spiritual children who lived in Thessalonica to do a vigil, at the feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos.
Truly quite a few of his spiritual children gathered and together with the nun Anna they did a vigil at the church of Saint Menas in Thessalonica. At the time of the divine Liturgy the nun Anna, along with other spiritual children of the Elder saw the Elder concelebrating at the holy altar with the parish priest of the church. Now at the end of the liturgy once they ascertained from the priest that there was no other priest at the holy altar except he himself, they rejoiced and wondered at the mystical presence and strengthening of the Elder to his children keeping vigil.
When the nun Anna visited the Elder and related the event to him, the Elder sufficed to a simple smile, which revealed however the precise knowledge of the event. And he told her: "That which happened, happened so that I might straighten out your children. The children of your group are not O.K. One is like a Pharisee, whatever she does, she does to boast about it. Another gives charity obviously, losing her reward right away. Another is jealous and envious and desires whatever she sees in the other, Another despairs in everything. Call them and tell them, the vigil took place for all of them. Tell it to them clearly. If I would tell them, they would not listen to me; they would say he is strict. I am not strict. The birds of the air, tell them, neither sow nor harvest and they are not lost. God takes care of everyone. Despair is almost faithlessness...".
For the elder the Divine Liturgy was central in his life and from there he received strength for his varied struggle. Divine
Communion, holy-spiritual grace, his concelebration with saints strengthened him notably in his work, renewed his train of thought, made him rest from the toil of the vigil, of the fasting, of the prayer, of the many hour long and careful service and wor-ship. He once told his spiritual children: "Strive to strengthen your faith and during the Divine Liturgy be undistracted and attached to the things performed so that you can be granted to see the majesties of God ... The Holy Spirit comes down upon the holy Altar Table..."
The ragged monk with the faded head covering and the patched cassock became at the time of the Divine Liturgy sacred, venerable, and impeccable in everything. He strictly observed the times of the services and he wanted order and silence in the church. He did not want movements and conversations and he loved to stand up as much as he could. He usually started his service at midnight. To the people who were spending the night at the guest-houses, he would send someone to wake them up much later, so that in the first hours he was more dedicated and carefree in his prayer. He would say: "At night the heavens are open and our prayers are heard."
The worthy celebrant of the Most High often said: "Do not sit at the time of the Divine Liturgy. Your mind should not shoot here and there. As long as you are in church make the commitment, dispose all the time for prayer..." To an inattentive woman he said: "At church I could see your clothes, but I could not see you." Then she was forced to admit: "My mind was at my job and at home." On the other hand after a Supplication service he told a prayerful woman: -joy to you, may you always do such prayers.
Your supplication was heard."
The Elder made no attempt to obtain many spiritual children.
He did not want honor and glory and multitudes praising him.
Furthermore when he saw that they were not eager to keep his words, he would send them to various other spiritual fathers. The service of spiritual fatherhood he considered grave, precise and responsible and he would not easily grant unpermitted "economies". He preferred for them to call him strange, strict, peculiar, uncharitable, evil or whatever else, rather than to disobey the sacred canons of the church. His just strictness became greater when he saw no repentance. Then he tried to appear harsh, so that in this manner he might correct the hardness of heart of the confessor. Many times he tried in various ways the persistence and patience of the person approaching him, in order to help him even more along his salutary return.
The blessed Elder used everything according to the apostolic saying, to gain the deceived. He was especially sad when certain people purposefully hid their sins, and he wondered why they came. In order to add sins to their sins? Then he would become,, according to his gift, revealing, he would make known the impropriety, so that the person sneakily hiding things could be hum-bled. He realized the weakness of human nature, but he was unable to ally himself with lying, with sins, with fearlessness of God. His canons were not as strict as one would think. They were within human capabilities and served to bring one, as we said, to a fuller repentance, to a real knowledge of the fault, to a sensing of the magnitude of the sin and of one's falling away from God.
Let's see now some characteristic canons which he placed.
One lady neglected to strive to have her husband take communion before he died. We should note that the couple was God-fearing. When at the beginning of Great Lent, she visited the Elder to confess and take communion, the Elder confessed her, but did not allow her to take communion, on account of her serious oversight. He gave her the following canon: All week she should read the 150 psalms of David, keep the fast strictly, go every evening to church at Compline, give charity according to her ability and take communion on Holy Saturday.
To another lady who left her mother without help when she was giving birth and her child died, he was very strict with her lack of compassion. After the confession he told her: "in order for you to be forgiven, you will go home, and beg the Panaghia a lot to help you do your canon. You will go beg in seven villages.
From morning to night you will beg at the one village and whatever you gather you will distribute to poor and orphans. You will do this for one week." The lady asked if she could distribute her own money, so that she does not expose her family. The Elder though insisted: "This sin is not forgiven with money, but with begging, so that you can be humbled, so that the egotism can leave, so that your nose can fall to the ground." He used to give this canon in similar circumstances.
To one adulterous lady with three illegitimate children he said: "You will become a beggar in seven villages. They will tell you, go work, you are young, why are you begging? You will keep silent. Whatever you gather you will take to the jails and to the Old Folks Home of Drama."
To another on whom he placed the same canon and she was ashamed to fulfill it he told her seriously and responsibly: "Only in this way will your sin be forgiven."
To a married couple which visited him, after he tested the patience of their faith, by not accepting them right away, in the end he called them in order to tell them: "If you came to be helped, you must not leave. You will go to the church, to pray with faith, to repent for whatever you did, and then I will accept you-Because how can I accept people who don't repent for their sins?" The couple shed tears and asked forgiveness and a canon.
The Elder told them: "Go home, warm water, and wash the feet of your mother. Ask her forgiveness for whatever you did to her and then come back here again."
The Elder had discernment and love. His strictness was logical and appropriate, and right for each circumstance. As this shows from the following circumstance, as this made a particular impression on the unworthy biographer of this humble work, more so than even his miracles, as well as other words of the Elder which reveal the magnitude of his good soul:
A lady who had fallen astray went to the monastery to do a memorial service for her mother. The women who were there and had heard of her, started gossiping grossly. When the Elder finished he approached them and in a quite strict tone censured them saying: "This lady lifted up a stone and you stone by stone filled a sack with your gossip and you cannot lift it."
The Elder knew the word of the Prophet: "Thus says the Lord, the Lord Behold I am upon the shepherds and I shall seek my sheep from their hands". Of the Apostle: "Be careful with yourselves and with the whole flock". Of Saint John Chrysostom: "a brave soul ought not to be afflicted, so as to not despair for the salvation of those who wander about." As well as that of Saint Gregory the Theologian: "This is the rule of all spiritual protection, to everywhere overlook one's self for the benefit of others."
According to Saint Isidore the Pelusiote: "He who is made brilliant in virtue by works, this is the genuine adornment for the priesthood." The pure works of the Elder did not censure him and thus with every discernment he performed what the Apostle Paul commanded "Admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be long-suffering with everyone." And "Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort, in all longsuffering and teaching.” A father of a spiritual child of the Elder was a builder. Once he was forced to build in Turkish villages, together with other compatriot Pontians. There a fatal epidemic found them and he died, along with the brother of the head builder. Then the head builder buried them quickly and left for his homeland. Upon his return he also passed by a Greek village, found the priest and asked him to do a trisagion for them. When the son of the dead person left the village, where he lived with his relatives, and he came to live near the Elder, he did not know the cause of the death of his father. He simply knew that he died abroad. One day the Elder took a little box, which he had in the shape of a casket. He had filled the inside with sand. He lit a candle and told his spiritual son that he would chant the service of his father, because they buried him without reading the funeral service for him. He simultaneously said that he died without receiving holy communion.
Years later this man met that head builder and in a conversation which ensued he said that his father died without taking communion and without the funeral service being chanted. When the Elder revealed that about his death, more than fifteen years had passed since his death. The Elder advised the son to give seven prosphora with the name of his father to seven churches for commemoration and rest, so that to a certain extent the son of him who died could be consoled as well. God enlightened the blessed Elder in such a way that things far off and in the past he saw as if nearby and present, as well as the future at other times.
The mother of the same person died within forty days of his brother's birth. He was then eight years old. He did not know exactly where they buried her. He lived in New Amisos and his mother had been buried in the village Rembesi, in the area of Drama. He longed to transport the bones there where he lived and to bring the bishop to read a prayer of forgiveness over her. When he settled near the Elder, one day the Elder took him and put him in front of the icon of the Precious Forerunner, which was on the iconostasis of the church. He told him that his mother was not well where she was and he prayed for her, so that the weight which her. soul had might be lightened. He then mentioned to the Elder that he desired to exhume his mother's bones, even though the former knew his desire before he even expressed it. The Elder seemed hesitant, but because he saw that he insisted, he let him go, even though as he left the Elder told him that his desire will not be fulfilled, because he would not find her grave. Truly he went and found the people who had buried her, who pointed out the tomb, but he found the relics of someone else. He found a jackknife and the remnants of a helmet. He dug elsewhere as well, but did not find anything and returned without accomplishing anything. On the return when the Elder saw him, he said: "Didn't I tell you that you would not find her...?" He knew the events of her death and burial as if he had been there even though a decade had passed since then.
When the Elder was at the monastery, the teacher of the village, who had heard from the children about the Elder's gift of foreknowledge, doubted. One day he visited the monastery to ascertain the things which he had heard. It was the time for Vespers and the Elder was in the church. When he saw the teacher, knowing his dispositions, he approached him and brought him in front of the icon of the Panaghia at the iconostasis.
There he imitated the crowing of the cock, to remind him of the denial of Peter and his own disbelief. He subsequently mentioned quite a few secret events of his life. The teacher wondered at all the Elder told him in detail, which even he himself had begun to forget. Thus he was convinced and became an obedient disciple of his.
From the village Dasoto, of the district of K. Nevrokopi, many pilgrims came to the Elder's monastery. The chanter of the village, seeing the enthusiasm and faith which the people felt for the "holy monk", doubted and wanted one day, when a group would set out for the monastery, to go along and observe what type of man this famous monk was and if he truly had a gift of foreknowledge. This group went to the monastery, went to church and came out, in front of the bell tower to sit down. The Elder went near them and spoke to them with love, as usual, about spiritual matters. The chanter had set out from his village and was coming towards the monastery. Suddenly the Elder told those pre-sent: "Someone is coming from your village, who is observing you and is wondering why you come here. He has disbelief inside him." A little while later he again tells them: "He is coming, he has arrived outside the village..." In a little while he appeared at the outer gate of the monastery.
The Elder looked at him and told him: "You also come and test because you doubt..."He reticently approached him. Finally when he and the Elder remained alone, the Elder revealed the doubts of his heart and gave him solutions to other personal matters of his as well, without him mentioning them. The chanter moved and silent did a prostration before him and asked forgiveness of him. Thus he left corrected and benefitted and full of amazement for the charismatic Elder.
One lady from Drama had vowed to bring a vigil lamp to the chapel of Saint Tryphon, which was a little outside of Drama. But because she later saw that the chapel had many vigil lamps, she considered it good to bring it to the monastery of the Elder, which even lacked vigil lamps. Sure enough she brought it and they hung it in front of the icon of the Precious Forerunner. Quite a few times it happened that although it was lit, it would move on its own, and although it was firmly placed there, it would fall down. The Elder with the wakeful eye of his heart, saw beyond the phenomena and told them to wrap the vigil lamp in a paper and keep it. When the donor came, the Elder called her and told her: "The vigil lamp which you brought here, you had promised elsewhere. It is not proper to promise at one place and to take your vow somewhere else." He furthermore told her specifically that she had vowed to Saint Tryphon and there she had to take it. The lady was dumbfounded and did what she had to do, admiring the clairvoyance of the Elder.
Quite a few times certain people hearing of the Elder's gift of foreknowledge would come for him to talk to them about their own matters, which bothered them, after they had first visited a hoja or medium. These visits the Elder knew and would tell the caretaker of the church with bitterness and great strictness.
"Today I see people coming who are odd and strange.." he was very sad that the people had mediums as advisors and even more so when they approached him as if he were one of them, who speak of luck and fate, which our Church condemns with very clear strictness. When these people would come, the Elder, who saw the depths of their hearts, would not accept them, nor did he want to have contacts with people who leave God and consult the demon. There were circumstances though, where analogous to the disposition of the people, he would advise them not to seek refuge in mediums and magic, because it is a great and dreadful sin. Of course the people of a good disposition would be corrected and thank the Elder.
One mother had a possessed daughter and she decided to visit the elder. She had heard that he prophesied and thought he was a wizard. Entering the monastery the Elder knew the purpose of their visit and their thoughts. Of course he did not reveal it and refused to read prayers over the ill person. To another person though, who visited him at that same time he said: "Why did they bring her here? Did they take me for a wizard?" At their insistence to read over the young girl, he told them to come after two months had gone by. The mother though, never brought her, probably because of her lack of belief. To this day that daughter is tortured by the demon.
One day, after Vespers, the Elder sat together with the pilgrims who had gathered and spoke to them about serious spiritual matters. When the people left the Elder withdrew to the church to pray. When he came out of the church he told the chanter Hatzianesti and the caretaker of the church that he was present as a witness at a court trial in heaven.
At the village Kembisli, the priest of the village Haritos, had a horse, and two brothers Theodore and George who were brothers of Soultana the mother of Hatzianesti, stole it from him. The priest saddened, searched to find his horse but in vain. The two brothers hid it in their sister's stable and told her that if the priest passes by and asks her about his horse, she should tell him that she knows nothing about it, which she did. Thus the priest permanently lost his horse and the others lawlessly gained it.
At this invisible court trial the Elder observed events and per-sons, about whom he had never heard nor knew anything of in every detail. Addressing himself then to Hatzianesti he told him:
"Your mother did not do well. Ask her and she will tell you..." Sure enough the same night going home Hatzianesti mentioned the event and his mother in wonder ascertained it. She intensely felt her sin and came to the Elder having repented. The Elder scolded her and gave her an appropriate canon to deliver her from the weight of her soul.
It is a fact that the Elder did not reveal secrets of people's hearts in order to expose or shame them, but in order to guide them to repentance, contrition and healing from the illness of sin. Nor did he foretell the future in order to appear as a prophet and scare people, but in order to gather their scattered minds, to show them in a way that the dangers are daily and we are passersby in this life.
Once the Elder said: "From here and above the place will be inhabited..." pointing to the Prophet Elias, which was a completely deserted place north of the monastery. After a time truly it was inhabited by the inhabitants of the abandoned village Timotheos. Today it comprises a neighborhood of the village Taxiarhes with the name Timotheos. He also often used to say: "After me another flock will come. The monastery will grow"....As it happened. Many had heard this saying of the Elder. To others he said: "Don't look at how the monastery is like this today. Angels will come down here one day."
Prior to the war of 1940, when the villagers had dances and songs in their homes, the Elder bowed his head and with sadness told his church caretaker: "Oh my child you don't know what's coming behind us..." He meant the war which was coming.
One week before that war the elder was crying with sobs all night in his cell. When they asked him why he is crying and distressed about the problems of the world, with deep sadness he responded: "You don't know, you don't know, my child.." The Elder spiritually was seeing the upcoming destruction of the war.
For one week he was crying constantly. At the end of the week the war was proclaimed. After the proclamation of the war many other people also mentioned that he foresaw the war.
When the Bulgarians took over certain areas of Macedonia, at the time of the occupation, the Greeks suffered greatly. When the time came for them to leave, the joy of the inhabitants of the village was great. Then the Elder told them: "Don't rejoice, don't rejoice, the things that are coming now are worse..." He meant the civil war of Greece, in which much brotherly blood was shed. And truly that is what happened.
At the time of the rebels, Kara-Dere was their center and that was where their staff was. One day the rebels set out from Kara Dere for Sipsa in order to burn the village and murder. In the neighboring villages they had burned and they had murdered many. They came to Sipsa and were ready to destroy it. Their leader though repented and told his comrades: "They are poorpeople; why should we harm them?" And again they returned to their base. When the remaining officers of the staff saw them returning, they came out to meet them, to hear the results of the invasion. The leader of the group told them: "Why should we have burned them? They are poor people and remain calmly in their homes." Another person though disagreed with him and said: "I will go destroy the village." He went to Sipsa, but also returned unaccomplished, feeling like the previous person. Then a third one undertook to do it, only for the same thing to happen to him also. Finally all three met at their staff and they wondered how they returned unaccomplished from that village. They considered that some power covered the village; they could not give any other explanation. A villager they had captured in order to execute was informed of the conversation of the officers. Two times they had tried to execute him and both times at the last moment they repented. He made this event known. It is a fact that only by God's help and the Elder's intercession was the village and its inhabitants saved.
It is noteworthy that with his foreseeing grace the Elder had seen the oncoming danger, and he advised the inhabitants to take the icon of the Panaghia and make a procession with it around the village chanting, so that it would be protected from destruction.
The villagers obeyed, and the village was not divided and did not suffer at all from the rebel war.
At another time also the charismatic Elder was a guardian and savior of the village. It was the time of the Bulgarian occu-pation, when the revolution was declared in Drama. The Bulgarians when they were informed that the Greeks murdered the president of the Bulgarians, for revenge they came to Sipsa.
They set up their cannon and directed it towards the village and were ready to fire in case the president of the Bulgarians had been murdered. They also came to discover if the villagers had relations with the men of the resistance who were in the mountains.
That morning the villagers had gone to church at the monastery. When they saw the Bulgarians they were frightened and hid outside the village. Three soldiers came to the monastery, took the Elder and led him from the road of the mountain to the officer, who was waiting at the center of the village. This they did in order to prove that the Elder was guilty as if he were at the mountain. The officer asked the soldiers from where they brought him. Both answered that they brought him from the mountain.
Divine Providence though protected the Elder. The officer turned towards the Elder and in Turkish asked him, where they brought him from. The Elder told him that they had taken him from the monastery and by a deceptive road they led him to the officer.
The third soldier confessed the truth. The officer was convinced and told the Elder to call the villagers. The men who observed the events, when they heard the Elder call them, came and escaped with the help of the father from certain death.
Another villager related that during the Bulgarian occupation invaders came to murder the inhabitants of Sipsa. They took the Elder and led him to the cafe of the village together with other men. The head officer, addressing himself to them said: - You have some saint here who protects you. Although we were coming intending not to leave even a chicken alive, our feet and hands are cut." The Elder told them when they left that the Precious Forerunner was cutting their feet and hands.
In the years of the rebel war the icons of the Panaghia and of the Precious Forerunner at the monastery were as if weeping: "The Panaghia and the Forerunner." the Elder said, are crying for the children who are lying in the war.
One spiritual child of the Elder, in 1955 came to confess a certain serious family problem of his. The constant interventions of his mother - in - law in his family affairs had embittered him so much, that he had decided to dissolve his marriage. As he entered into the cell of the Elder, he saw him sitting bent over on the little stool. Before he mentioned anything, the Elder told him:
"They don't divorce from a wife easily. God gave you her, to suffer together with her" The man was amazed by the things he heard and right away stopped every attempt and thought of divorce. He kept the advice of the Elder and was helped.
Prior to the Vespers of the eve of August 15, 1957 a group of pilgrims was sitting in the courtyard of the monastery. The Elder approached them and after he greeted them he started in a manner addressing personal problems and neglects of each one.
To one he said: "He did to you, you did to him, he did to you, again you did to him... These things never end. You ought not to have continued repaying evil." To one woman he said: "Where is your vow to the church, which you promised when they put you on the operating table?" Everyone was amazed.
When the priest Polycarp visited the Elder and insisted that the Elder also tell him something, as he told to all the people, the Elder told him: "Father in one year you will die." Precisely one year from then Fr. Polycarp died.
A spiritual child of the elder relates that one day he was going together with him to the home of Father Aristeidi, because his son Constantine was gravely ill from tuberculosis. His condition was of a grave kind. They sat for a little together with the sick person. As the Elder left he put his hand on the head of the sick person, doing the sign of the cross and wished him to recover. The next day he became completely well and even went to his work.
A little before the falling asleep of the Elder, two women came to go to confession. The discerning and clairvoyant Elder helped them remember and confess sins which they had forgotten or purposely hid. To one he spoke sternly about abortions which she had done and to the other about a vow she had broken. During the time of the Bulgarian occupation her husband had been captured and she promised her heifer to the church of saint George.
After his salvation though, justifying herself with the thought that they were poor, she did not offer what she had promised. The Elder stressed that "whatever she gained from the heifer belongs to the saint. Promises to God are not allowed to be broken. God will give more".
The Elder was always serious and very careful with women, who sometimes on account of their rich emotional world are led to extremes, excesses, misunderstandings and magnifications of simple and customary events and phenomena. Sometimes he would become quite strict in his pastoral service in order to protect his personality. He would try to stamp out delusions and mis-takes, overestimations and idolatry of his person. If he desired human praise, he could be like each one wanted him, in order to gain his favor and admiration. This is important and noteworthy.
He kept the saying of the Apostle "Become an example of the faithful, in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity". The blessed Elder always looked towards the glory of the heavens, in order to retain his spiritual condition sometimes, (not a few times) he would even pretend to be foolish, to be excessively strict, to speak very little and be absolute. Virtue demands skill, toil and pain to be acquired, but even more so to be preserved. The world easily may steal its precious treasure. The grace of God covered the humble Elder to discern the conditions of spirits. The villagers relate:
There was a village woman who believed that she could see the Panaghia and Christ and crying she would speak about future disasters. They asked the Elder to visit her. The Elder went to her house and convinced her to come to the church of the village.
There he did the Supplication service to the Panaghia. The villagers had become afraid and the small children were panic struck. Everyone prayed and did prostrations. The "prophecies" of this woman, concerning impending destruction had shaken up the village. The Elder quietly and calmly prayed at the holy altar intensely and fervently. Towards the end of the Supplication service many people heard a loud noise. The woman was immediately freed from the wicked spirit, which had overcome her and told her the dreadful signs which she mentioned. The Elder said:
"Thanks to the praying babes the woman was healed or the devil would have thrown her either in water or in fire".
One lady one Saturday morning set out from Drama for the monastery, to attend the liturgy and to go to confession. The Elder saw her from afar and shouted to her "Mary, go back!". She was distressed and told him: "Elder, why won't you accept me, what did I do?" The Elder told: "Go to catch your husband in time, the employees, the store... Today when he melts his mixture (he was a producer of white metals) in the vat is a hand grenade!". The woman trembling returned to the city and caught her husband in time, before he set fire to the vat with the irons, in which there truly was amongst them a hand grenade. The charismatic Elder saved this man and the employees from certain death.
Another lady gave money to the Elder for a forty day liturgy, for the commemoration of her husband's name. Her sister became irritated and spoke badly to her. She herself though remained unshaken and believed that the help of her husband from the forty day liturgy of the Elder would be important. One day her sister went to the monastery, to ascertain if the elder was doing the forty day liturgies. The Elder received her with the words: "Go first and receive forgiveness from your sister and after come back.
Fortunately your sister didn't change her mind and thus my toils didn't go in vain for the forty day liturgy." The woman was speechless when she heard these things and quickly repented.
Father John Laftzides, a priest from the village Vathylakkos, was celebrating the forty day liturgy together with the Elder. One day the Elder told him: - You have a relative whom you have not written in the names and from afar he looks at the table. Search to find him and bring him also to the table." Father John told it to his wife. She thought of the name and they brought it to the Elder.On the following day he commemorated him at the prothesis and he told Fr. John: "Now he also came to the table".
One lady had heard many things about the elder and felt great piety and simultaneously cowardice to visit him. One day she decided upon it and coming to the monastery the Elder received her addressing her by name although he did not know her at all. He accepted her with great kindness, knowing with the pure eye of his soul, her feelings. "My child, Sophia, come in" he told her.
The woman mentioned the serious illness of her child, which concerned her greatly. The Elder consoled her accordingly and with assurance told her: "Don't worry, your child will become well, he will go to the field sick and will return well. Thank the Lord. God as a father when we misbihave he spanks his children...". And truly as the Elder said, a while later, the child became completely well.
Another lady relates that when she went for the first time to the monastery, the Elder told her husband to sit at the candle stand. She did not know it and was looking for him. Then the elder came out of the sacred altar and told her "My child Evgenia, Thanasis is outside at the candle stand". This happened without him knowing their names beforehand.
Another woman mentions that once she set out for the monastery with a group. On the way though she remained last to accompany an elderly woman who had difficulty walking. Her husband though for her delay became upset and they had a mis-understanding. When she arrived at the monastery and the Elder saw her he told her: "Why, Sophia, my child, did you get angry on the way?" The woman was astonished at the clairvoyance of the Elder.
The same woman relates that the Elder would go to certain homes. He would not go to her home; she considered that she was very sinful and thought that for this reason he would not go. With his spiritual vision the Elder saw it well. One day, on the feast of Saint Haralambos, he visited her home; her husband was also celebrating and she rejoiced greatly. After he counseled them, they were very joyous, and upon leaving he told them: "Those who are coming, feed them, because they have not eaten anything." He saw souls like an open book.
One lady from Krinides, mentions that her father owed a debt. to a church and he died without managing to return it. His children knew it, but they never strove to pay the debt. When his wife did a forty day liturgy at the Elder's for a cousin of hers who had died, on the twentieth day she visited the Elder, who told her:
"Your cousin is saved, but you don't ask about your husband. He has a debt to a church and he is not at rest." This event happened thirty years after the death of that man. In which case she did memorials and whatever she had to for his comfort.
One man from Perichora, Drama, mentions that he had come in 1957 to the Elder together with his godmother. As soon as she received his blessing, the Elder, who saw her for the first time told her: "You have three dead people without a burial cloth." She answered him: "Yes, my father, what should I do? My first husband the Turks killed and I did not see him. My child, when we were coming as refugees, died on the ship and I threw him in the sea. And my second husband was killed by the Bulgarians in the year 1941 and they threw him together with others in a pit". The Elder told her: "You will do whatever I tell you, because I cannot stand to see them naked. You will take cloth and will dress three orphan children." And that's what she did.
The same person relates that he had gone to the monastery For Vespers, together with his koumbaro, Cornelius Hatzikyria-kides, towards whom the Elder turned and said: "Tell your father to pay the debt which he owes to the church. He gave one portion, but he did not pay up the whole debt. So that I not say that he will die and that debt will remain to you". Sure enough it was exactly as the Elder said, whose vision reached even such details.
The same person relates that on Holy Week of 1957 an argument was created in his village between two brothers and he was trying to reconcile them. On Holy Thursday together with a small group of fellow villagers, they went to the Elder. Together with him also came a woman, who had unjustly accused the person who related the story. The Elder was sick and was in his cell. As soon as she did a prostration to him, to receive his blessing, the elder tells her: "Stop---you created trouble in the village and is that why you came?" She responded: "I don't know, elder, if I am to blame." The Elder said: "No, you are not to blame; that woman unjustly accused you." Other women who were there also heard this, such as Polyxeni Houtouriadou, Parthenia Teperekitou and Evanggelia Lazaridou.
On October 28, 1958 the same person visited the monastery having a lottery ticket in his pocket, which he had bought and not told anyone about. As he was going to the monastery, he was thinking of what he would buy if he should win. He would buy a dress for a poor girl, a suit for an orphan and a cassock for the Elder. While receiving the Elder's blessing the latter told him: "You have a lottery ticket in your pocket. Throw it away and never buy lottery tickets again. The things which you have in mind to buy, if you win---I do not allow you to buy them. Also the plot of land which you intend to buy in Thessalonica, do not buy it, but remain in your village." The person listening to the elder was amazed with his clairvoyance, because things which no one knew and he only had in mind, were known to the Elder, and before he would ask he would receive the answer.
The same person visited the elder in 1959 together with a fellow villager and friend of his, Kyriako Theodorides, who was coming for the first time to the elder. He said that he did not believe in the holiness of the Elder, like many, because of course he is a magician and "throws cards". When they arrived at the monastery, the elder saw him from afar and called him. When he approached him, the Elder grabbed him from the ear and told him: "I am neither a magician, nor do I throw cards". He then was dumbfounded and bowed his head and sought forgiveness. The Elder furthermore revealed that his mother-in-law, named Sophia Kotaidou, would die very soon from a serious illness. Truly after a short period of time she died of cancer, whereas when the Elder said this, she was completely well. The son in law of Mrs.
Theodorides tried to bring her to the Elder, but she did not want to come, as the Elder had also said this too.
Another person relates: At the forty day liturgy prior to Christmas he gave the names of the deceased to be commemorated.
After a Vespers service the elder told him: "Everything is fine, these souls are coming to the table and eating, but your godmother you did not write her name, she is standing off to the side complaining".
A daughter of the same person came to love the monastic life and following a catechism of the Elder she departed for the Convent of the Holy Trinity at Thebes. At the time of the civil war, in order to save a battalion of the Greek army, she accepted to sacrifice her life. After the liberation the father of the nun had no information about her and he told the Elder. The Elder told him: "Where she is now she is better than before." After a time the father learned from a relative of his daughter's death. Right away he went to the Elder. The Elder told him: "Didn't I tell you that you would learn it from someone else. I did everything. Both the three day and the nine day and the yearly memorial services.
The memorials took place. You have one obligation. Every Saturday you will take one prosphoro to a church."
To a woman who had come from Xanthi, he told her: "You have a vow, why are you keeping it and not taking it?" She couldn't remember. And when the Elder told her: "I will tell you, once you vowed that you would take a little calf to Saint Nicholas at Porto Lagos, he's waiting for it, it became a heifer, take it".
Another time one woman had not managed to put her foot in his cell when he stopped her and told her: "Your hands are on fire. They are burning but we don't see fire. What work do you do?" She responded that she was a midwife. "How many children did you kill?" the Elder told her. "She responded "None". "Shall I tell you? Five. In such and such a village, that such and such woman, you helped in the abortion..." And he mentioned to her by name the five circumstances. She remained speechless, with tears she knelt asking forgiveness. "Get up," the Elder told her. "You will go beg in seven village, at such and such it needs a little bridge, at such and such a fountain, at such and such a set of vestments for the poor priest..." And to the remaining ones he told her to do necessary good things. After a year she returned, and before she told him what she managed to do, the elder first told her what she did, then he forgave her for her great humility and her attempt to fulfill her canon completely.
Another time two women came from Xanthi. Before they entered his cell, one of them took off her neck a "charm" which she had and she hung it on the wall. As soon as they came in, with a loud voice the Elder asked her who hung the "charm": "Quickly take the devil off the wall where you put it and leave. We have a Church. Sacraments and you go to hojas?" In this matter he probably was more strict than in anything else. "Either in the faith or in mammon" he would say according to the word of the Lord "You are not able to serve both God and mammon".
When the Bulgarians were leaving and the people were rejoicing, the Elder said: "Don't rejoice, there will come a time when you will say Bulgaria, Bulgaria... Because the mothers gave birth to wolves and the wolves will drink human blood. The father will kill the son, the brother his brother.." just as it happened in the rebel war.
After a Divine Liturgy at the Prophet Elias one woman complained to the elder, because he did not allow her to communicate, although she had fasted greatly. "What work do you do?" the Elder asked her. She responded that she washed clothes in homes.
"I did not allow you to communicate, because I saw bed sheets hanging, because you change the new ones for old ones... She admitted her fault, he gave her a canon, and he dismissed her in peace.
Another woman from the village Horiste, Drama had a spat with a neighbor woman and she hid the neighbor's chicken underneath a basket in order to seek revenge on her. A few days later she came to the Elder and wanted to take communion. When however she approached he motioned her to depart. At the end when she asked why he did not give her communion he told her:
"The chicken which you have under the basket why do you have it? You will first go give the chicken, ask forgiveness and afterwards come for me to give you communion."
One day a woman from Livadero was cleaning wheat in the courtyard of the monastery. The Elder was in his cell. At a certain moment he told her: "Go to the walnut tree and tell her who is taking the walnuts without a blessing, let her leave a few for us" It should be noted that the walnut tree could not be seen from where the Elder was -- it was somewhat far away.
A certain man who was from Asia Minor came to the monastery to do a memorial service for his parents. He also wanted to add the name of his godfather, however, but he did not know it.
When he told this to the Elder, he said write Savvas. But he did not really believe it. After the Elder fell asleep, a few years later, his godfather's brother came to Sipsa and he sought him out. From him he was informed that his godfather's name truly was Savvas.
One woman was taking quinces to the Elder. On the way another lady smelled them who was pregnant and asked her for some, but she did not give her any. When she took them to the Elder he told her: "On the way the gate of paradise opened and you closed it..."
In the period of the civil war one lady visited the Elder to receive advice as to whether they should move from the village to the city. The Elder, with the assurance which he received from above, answered: "Don't dissolve your household. Your husband is pious and his prayer is heard. The rebels will not bother you.
Do not tell your husband, though, that his prayer is heard, because he may become proud, and then his prayer will lose its strength" The woman listened to the Elder and her family suffered no evil. As soon as her husband would leave for his work at Drama, one pious lady would hastily ascend to the monastery, to catch the service, which always ended before dawn. One day when her husband left with his cart full of wood, she ran to the Church of the monastery. She stood at one corner behind the candle stand and began her fervent prayer. This was during the difficult years of the Bulgarian occupation. At the end of the Divine Liturgy she went last to get antidoro. Then the Elder bent down a bit and told her in a soft voice: "The Panaghia, my daughter, heard your prayer and saved your husband from a great danger...". She left thoughtfully and with a certain anxiousness for it to become night, so that her husband could return home so she could learn what had happened to him. At the same time though she glorified God and thanked the Panaghia with her heart for the great favor which She had done for her.
Being moved greatly her husband related at night how he escaped as if by a miracle. Two forest guards---one Greek and one Bulgarian---would have shot him---if they had discovered a certain forbidden piece of wood which was necessary for his work which he had hidden under the common firewood.
They stopped him outside of the village and forced him to unload the wood. One, two, three rows. There remained but one to remove, in order for the hidden one to appear, and the result would be known... Suddenly the Bulgarian turned and told his comrade. "Why do we torture the man he won't have anything suspicious." And addressing himself to the horse driver who externally still retained his calmness, told him to load up again and to leave. He himself knew Bulgarian, because he was a refugee from Stenimacho, Eastern Romilia.
The daughter of the president of a neighboring village at the monastery, who was secretary, related that one Saturday when she was preparing to take communion, she argued with a certain comrade of hers at the office and for this she was wondering if she would be able to approach the Sacrament. When she returned home, her mother informed her that the following morning the Elder would be celebrating at Saint Sila. She went to Church there. Finally she decided to approach to take communion with the thought that afterwards she would confess the circumstance to the Elder. When her turn came, the Elder in a soft voice told her:
No, my daughter, first you should confess and afterwards take communion..." She was ashamed, but she was convinced that that is how it must happen.
A certain villager from Sipsa was preparing to put fertilizer on his field one morning, however they called him unexpectedly as a witness in court. He thus appointed a certain fellow villager of his to serve him. He though threw the fertilizer in his own field without anyone perceiving it. When after a short time he came to the monastery to take communion, the Elder did not commune him and told him that he had to repent for his sin and to go to confession. And because he pretended that he did not understand which sin he was talking about, the Elder assured him that his own field would not give any fruit that year, even if it had the fertilizer, whereas the villager whom he treated unjustly would have great fruit--as it happened...
Uncle Angelo, a neighbor of the monastery, blind for many years, related that as soon as the civil war started one Sunday morning, after the Divine Liturgy, the Elder had boxes of cans ready with a wire handle in which he put lit charcoals, and incense and gave them to the congregation as well as icons and they did a litany around the village. The Elder chanted and said prayers. When they returned to the church, he told the villagers:
"Now do not fear anything. None of the villagers will suffer even in the least." And sure enough there wasn't even a bloody nose.
The first time a mother visited him she told him: "Father I came for you to confess me and commune me." He told her: "Mother, I don't know about this. If I have the permission I will do it." This occurred at night. In the morning when they got up he told her: "Mother, you are very fortunate. Saint John the Russian and Saint Nicholas had not come to the monastery for three months. So they came last night and gave me the permission to confess you and commune you."
This mother had three children who had died at a young age in Russia. Their grandfather would say that these children were of paradise-they did not have sins-they did not need anything— three day, nine day, or annual memorials-and for this reason they did not do any of these. When however they came to Greece and the mother went to the Elder he told her: "Your children are sitting outside the customs office and do not have a ticket to enter in. You must fulfill their obligations." "Father, may I have your blessing. Whatever you tell me I
will fulfill!" Thus she gave all the necessary things and he himself celebrated them as he himself knew. One night her small son saw a dream. The vigil lamp shone brilliantly and the whole room was enlightened. They dwelt then in Eftalia. From there he got up on foot and went to the Elder, to tell his dream. The Elder responded. "My little one, it is your brothers who went to their destination. We performed their obligations."
After the baptism of her daughter, whom the Elder named Juliana because she was born on the day of the saint's commemoration, they were all sitting in the courtyard. The mother said to the Elder: "Father you tell everyone something. Tell me something also". "Oh! My little ones, what can I tell you? Your father will come to your door and you will turn him back." Supposedly she gave to everyone and helped them, in her own viewpoint. As she would say; "If you don't have anything, give even a fistful of salt and do not turn a man away."
Many years passed from then, about fifteen. It was winter, the eve of Christmas. She went to her room, and after opening the window, she saw a man barefoot going around from house to house. He knocked on her door also, after a short while and he told her: "If you have a pair of shoes give them to me."- "I don't have," she said, and closed the door on him. The prophecy of the Elder had been fulfilled fifteen years later. She went to the Elder and told him this and he responded: "What can I do for you? Your luck came to your door and you chased it away."
Her husband died in Siberia in 1943. No one knew this. The Elder though realized it immediately. When he was commemorating the names of the living, he did not read her husband's and said: "A secret mystery." The wife was asking herself for what reason he is doing this. The Elder told her: "My mother, Maria, you owe three lengths of burial shroud." The lady realized right away that her husband died and she did all his obligations.
All the relatives were sitting and eating around the table when the elder told the daughter. "Your father, tall, is sitting here near us," and he described his characteristics, the manner in which he would turn his mustache.
Fr. Athanasios Giannakidis relates that once, before becoming a priest, he had taken from his house a little food to the Elder.
The Elder accepted it and told him: "They who will come now, do not allow them to enter inside." After a short while four men came, who persistently asked to see him. Little Athanasios could not oppose their persistence and he put them inside the church for them to worship which they requested of him. He pretended that the Elder was sick. They continued insisting. The Elder said: "Let them come, because they will not leave us alone easily." They were policemen who were searching for some thief and they came with a map for the Elder to show them where he was. The Elder told him: "You came to me, as if I am a wizard or some-thing; leave I have nothing to tell you." Finally he turned towards Fr. Athanasios and told him: "They did not come out of faith." Another time, the same father relates, he told him, precisely who would come, where they would come from, what they wanted and what concerned them. Truly as the Elder said, thus it was ascertained later.
To Athanasios Bogatini who was reading the magazine "Zoe", he said: "They who put out the magazine one day will separate". To the same person who was reading the pamphlet "Spitha" (The Spark), which the Metropolitan of Florina Augustinos puts out, he said: "Augustinos will confess for the glory of the Lord."
One lady who was ill visited the Elder with the purpose of being helped by his prayer, as acquaintances of hers urged her.
When for the first time she saw the Elder limp, on account of the handicap of his legs, she thought that if he had the power, he would first make himself well. When she approached the elder amazed she heard him tell her: "If I could, I would make my feet well and I would not limp. Go..." Yes, the Elder, like all the saints of the Church, made the others well and left themselves ill, in order to be maintained in the firm security of humility.
To one chanter who doubted the spiritual gift of the Elder, when he visited the Elder the latter revealed many aspects of his life and in the end he said: "Didn't Christ give me also any of his spirit, since I serve him faithfully from seven years of age?" The chanter asked forgiveness.
The gift of the holy Elder was a constant offering of love according the Apostle: "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." And "If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth".
The Elder was characterized mainly as the man of love. His whole life was an offering to his fellow man. His counsels, his sermons, even his strict comments out of pain, had love as their criterion.
When the light of day set he would give food and things to various people who were close to him and he would send them to poor families. Thus with the light of Christ's love he enlightened the hearts of his beloved villagers which had been darkened by misfortune and need.
With the few savings he had, he would buy fabrics and send them there where he knew that they had great need. Sometimes he himself would call the children of the village and give them to them to take to their parents. For this cause he himself would also sew sweaters and socks. In the beginning he also had his own loom to make rugs and covers. Later on though he stopped, because the many people who visited him would not allow him any time for such works.
When he would be informed either mystically or from some villager that someone had gone to rest, he would take the shrouds
which he had prepared in the trunk and he would prepare the corpse or advise his relatives in relation to this. At that time there was great poverty and for this reason as a good father he would provide for this time of departure. He would buy quite a bit of cloth, he would cut it, he would wrap it in bundles and he had it ready, so that if it was necessary he could deliver the villagers from this concern, especially at this time when they would be distressed and grieving. Quite a few times he would help in the construction of the coffin, trying to console the bereaved. He himself inwardly partook in the mourning of others. He commemorated them in prayer with particular fervency. He would cry upon seeing the dead people.
During the occupation he worked philanthropically in Drama also. He would take others along with him and descend to the city directing them to the home of faithful Christians. There they would prepare quite a bit of food in vats and the Elder would send his people to the hungry people in the prisons. "If they ask you" he would say "who sent you, say, from the village Sipsa."
At Easter time he would dye many red eggs and together with his blessings he would distribute them to the villagers. He loved small children very much. He would give them eggs, candies and sweets. Prior to the great feasts he would buy clothing and fabrics and send them to poor families telling him who would take them: "Do not let anyone see you as you are taking them".
Hospitality was always a monastic virtue. The Elder as a perfect monk would not entail an exception. His hospitality remains legendary. The pilgrims all had to eat from the food which he himself prepared with the help of the visitors. If pilgrims had brought their own food he would tell them: "Leave your own food, you must eat from the monastery's food to get the blessing." He would then make them sit down on mats and rugs which he himself had made and spread out. He would take spoons and serve the food on the plates and two three would help distribute it to the people. When the pilgrims ate all together the Elder would sit at a chair next to them and rejoice very much seeing them eat. Then he would speak to them about various spiritual topics.
The foods which he would prepare were plain and simple. Usually he would prepare beans, macaroni, potatoes or porridge. The quantity of the cooked food he himself would usually arrange, many times before the people would come, because according to his gift of foreknowledge he knew how many would come, The bread he would knead himself. If sometimes he would not have yeast, he would put flour and water, place the precious cross upon it, and then he had a better dough. His joy was great to offer the pilgrims good bread.
Those who were from far away he would keep to stay overnight at the monastery and he himself would take care of them, giving them blankets and whatever else they needed. The Elder was very hard working despite his weakness due to his illness. He would constantly work. A holiday was unknown for him. He had a spinning wheel and with the yarn which he would make he would knit for charity. He had a spindle and he would card the wool and then with needles he would knit it. He overlooked the reconstruction of the cells and cultivated a vegetable garden. Generally he loved work.
During the occupation, a very poor person was passing by the public road, with his animal loaded with wood. He was going to Drama to sell it to buy flour. His family was hungry. The Elder had finished the divine Liturgy in the village church and he was sitting in the courtyard. He saw the villager and learned what was happening to him. Upon his return he told him to pass by the monastery. When he came he gave him quite a bit of flour for his family.
During the Bulgarian occupation the village Vathylakkos was burned. The inhabitants remained even without the absolute necessities. As soon as the Elder learned it, whatever he had in the monastery he sent them; the beds of the hostel, chairs, clothing, food etc.
The Elder offered great charity to the city of Drama. Aside from the imprisoned, he strove to take care of the poor, the sick, the elderly. Whatever monies were given to him for forty day liturgies or for the commemoration of names he would spend on the good doorkeeper of the heavens, philanthropy.
A relative of the Elder mentions that once his son had visited the monastery. On the way he was thinking: "Oh if only the elder would give me something since I have so much need". When he arrived, without mentioning anything, the Elder says: "Go to the chanter's stand of the church and you will find a knotted handkerchief, it is for you...". He himself mentions: He was very charitable, he constantly would load animals and various foods and he would distribute them in nearby villages.
During the period of the civil war, someone came from city of Drama with many animals and loaded up things of the monastery. The Elder before this theft remained unshaken. He considered that they had need of them. However when he took a priest's vestment he asked him what he would do with it. He with audacity and impiety responded: "I will make them into underclothes for my wife". The Elder remained amazed at this blas-phemy. He did not manage to get very far from the monastery and one animal hit him so hard, that it left him dead on the spot. The charitable Elder was very sad for the unrepentant blasphemer. His followers became so afraid that they left the stolen goods and departed thoughtfully.
Many times he would give money in a closed envelope and say: "Take them to the sick person... Without saying who gave them". In these secrets he was very strict.
The Elder would never take money in his hands. If someone insisted and wanted to give something, he would tell him to leave it in the church tray. He never looked to see what he left, he would do whatever he had to, a liturgy, a memorial, a service, without taking an interest for the amount of money. He considered it his necessary obligation, his duty to his spiritual children who would come with longing and faith to solve their problems.
He would not save money. He would distribute everything to the poor, without considering if he would remain hungry, as they relate. If he had wanted to he easily could have become rich, but he never even thought of it. His great wealth was his poverty which he loved voluntarily since he was a small child.
Once he said: The money which comes to me - if I were to bury it in the garden - it would not fit. Shortly before his dormition he gave the commandment, immediately after this, that all the goods of the monastery should be distributed to the needy. The blessed one treasured eternal treasures.
The Elder who always was not a lover of money would tell his spiritual children. The world has left from innocence and goodness. The more the years pass, we are journeying towards destruction. May God have pity on us. God does not want these things. Prior to fifty years the world was very different. When I went to the monastery, I was seven years old. Then there was great faith and purity of heart. In one cell of the monastery all the money was kept with the door unlocked. Instead of a door there was a curtain. The abbot would send me to bring as much money as was needed, since I was the youngest. All the monks knew where the money was placed. They were all dedicated to God and were not at all impressed by money. This dedication to God the Elder preserved throughout his life and from this sprang his blessed lack of love of money. It is a particular characteristic of charitable people to love charitable people. The Elder did not spare praises for those doing good works. He considered charity one of the greatest virtues.
Often in the penances he gave were for those repenting to do charities. To one known philanthropic woman of Drama he said with simplicity: If I could give you my eyes, so that you could see the grace of your soul for the good things you do. The Elder used to repeat in his talks: Prayer without charity is dead. He also would say the phrase from hymnology: Fasting, vigilance, and prayer, are the heavenly charisms. However works are also necessary, the protection and help of the poor. Charity helps us meet God in the best manner. It is a manifestation of love, an expression of humility, an offering of joy. It makes us resemble the source of Love, God.
Once the Elder gave a little money to a woman, and it seemed that she did not have great need. To the thoughts of those who saw him he responded with the words: "If you only knew what joy I gave her! If you only knew how much our Panaghia was pleased at her joy..." These simple words hide great depth and majesty, however we avoid becoming analytical so that we don't become tiresome.
Those who study these lines carefully, the word of the holy Elder will water the field of their heart and make it fertile and gladsome.
However let's allow the graceful word of the Elder to chirp, as when he would counsel his spiritual children: "Love all your fellow men, even your enemies. This is the most basic thing.
Always love, both to those who love us, but also to those who hate us. Let us forgive them and love them all even if they have done us the greatest evil. Then we are truly children of God. Then our own sins are also forgiven.... As my spiritual children, love in general the whole world, without hating anyone. Only then will you be children of the Elder both now and in the other life.
Always preach love. This is the most basic law of God. Love and love alone".
At another time he again said: "Neither should wealth impress you, nor glories, but always walk justly. Eat your bread with your honorable sweat and not with injustices. The things you will gain honorably, do not squander aimlessly. Live honorably and humbly and as much as possible extend your hands in charity. Do not only think of what you will eat, what you will wear, what a big house you will build. Knock on the doors of the poor, the sick, the orphans. More so should you prefer the homes of the afflict ed than the homes of the joyous. If you do good works, you will have a great reward from God. You will be granted to see miracles, and in the other life you will have infinite rejoicing." And on another occasion he said what he himself was living and could therefore courageously ask it: "Whatever you heard and whatever you saw near me these years, these things do. That which you lived, these things should you follow. Never be jealous of wealth and fantasies. Always live modestly and humbly, without egotism. Always strive to love the elderly, the orphans, the sick. Have fellowship with the poor and with people whom others humble..."
When women visited the monastery who on the way had denied giving water to soldiers who asked them for some, the Elder spoke to them strictly: "Strive for charity if you want to come to the Elder, be very careful of your actions, examine yourselves always, so that God will love you and the Elder will rejoice." A basic presupposition for divine communion he had was that no one have any weight on his heart with another person.
Harmony, peace, and calmness which come from forgiving and love was the point to which the Elder, who was a man of great love, gave great attention. He would often say: "Go to be forgiven, to be humbled, to be loved and afterwards come to confess." At another time: "To the poor person who asked you to give him bread and you didn't give it to him and now you came to do a forty day liturgy to show off?" The "Panaghia does not want big candles, she wants charity to the poor." Or "Why are you going everyday to church and you haven't made up with your children?" He was a precise keeper of the gospel word which he stressed "Go first and make up with your brother, and then come offer your gift".
Another time he told a woman who visited him from Drama:
"You had a fight with your husband and you came. You did not do well. You will try to come here with the permission of your husband."
To a young lady he said: "You for the love which you showed to your invalid mother did very well. God forgave you every-thing."
The philanthropic Elder often repeated: "Let your hand always be open... Do not treat anyone unjustly... Prayer and charity go together."
Finally the Word of Revelation clearly applied to the blessed Elder: "I saw your works and your affliction and poverty but you are wealthy". This wealth he attempted in word and deed to spread everywhere. His life reminds us of the phrase of the Apostle Paul: "Silver or gold or clothing I did not desire any of these".
According to the word of the Lord: "store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moth consume and Where thieves shall not break in or steal".
How could the people not nurture so much love and respect for the Elder, when they saw him sacrifice himself for them? As we already mentioned the faithful people of the Lord, as it usually does, nurtured a special love for the Elder. The expressions of the people of course were restrained, because the seriousness and strictness of the Elder did not allow excesses, which reveal conditions without spiritual depth. He accepted love, out of love for the person loving, but did not cultivate it and did not desire it.
Human praise is always dangerous, even for the strict ascetic. He looked for praise only from God, to Whom he had given all his love, and from this so fervent relationship of his, loving caring sympathy also flowed towards the people. Thus with simplicity and humility the patient father accepted the love of his children also.
In Soviet Union, as we mentioned, the Elder had met a very vırtuous nun, Eugenia. For years she remained in Xanthi and was over a hundred years old, always keeping for herself a very strict rubric. When she felt the end of her life she came to Sipsa to see the Elder. The Elder even foreknew the time at which she would be coming. He went towards the church, opened the royal gate and waited for her with crossed hands. As soon as the nun came and worshipped the icons and made a prostration to the Elder, saying: "You Elder ascended very high... Through asceticism you ascended to Mount Sinai... Thus you will be to the end of your life". And the elder responded: "Only the All-high knows this.
You came here, he told her, for me to bury you". She responded:
"Yes, for this reason I came," Suddenly the nun became ill. She went to see some compatriots of hers in New Kromni. The Elder told her companion: "She will return soon..."In Nea Kromni the nun went to rest. The Elder went to take up her ascetical body which he brought to the monastery, where he buried her.
Concerning this nun others relate the following: When she came to the Elder, she kissed his hand and he also bowed and kissed her hand. Simultaneously he gave her a slap on the face saying: "Since you see why don't you speak? The people have so much need today". She was adorned with the gift of foreknowledge and according to the elder she needed to keep the saying of the Apostle: "Do not be negligent of the gift in you".
The Elder about the same nun said: "She did not know letters, but with one "Lord have mercy" she gained the heavenly kingdom." When they asked him about another nun Margaret, he said: "Mother Eugenia, Mother Margaret, and Mother Nina have one spirit." Mother Nina, it is mentioned founded the monastery of Panorama in Thessalonica and had the reputation of a very virtuous nun.
However another nun, nun Anna, Athena Makkavaiou in the world, the only one who received the habit from the hands of the elder, relates with particular fervor about her many year long association with the blessed Elder: "I came to the thrice-blessed little monastery and as soon as I perceived the blessed Elder I respectfully sought his blessing.
He told me: "Welcome my Mother Athena". I was moved and said with my mind: "How does he know my name?" When the liturgy ended, the priests gave him their wishes, since they had come for the celebration. All the people sat on the ground to eat and he came and blessed all the people and like a simple monk with his apron and his monastic cap, he told us many things in a calm and simple manner.... He came near me and told me some-thing: 'Mother Athena come one day on your own... Come to the monastery when you have the opportunity. I would come frequently, he would confess me, I would take communion and leave pleased. Every time I would come, he would tell me whatever I had in my mind and whatever secrets in my soul. I had started to think about monasticism. He told me: 'Mother Athena, the farmer when he starts plowing to sow, always looks ahead and proceeds; he does not turn to look behind him and God protects him..?
When I came and confessed my longing to become a monas-tic: "Mother Athena, as you are walking, walk, do not think that the cassock and the holy habit save a person. No, first is the good works of God, humility, obedience, love, charity. I cried because he would not accept me: "Have great patience and prayer and if God wants it, it will happen...The command will come from above..." He had grace and foreknowledge; he knew all things and I was amazed at what kind of a man he was and at what kind of a soul he had. For three years he tried me until he gave me the small habit and after six months the great habit.
"One Sunday of Orthodoxy as the procession of sacred icons usually occurs, the Elder stood towards the East of the altar where the tombs of the departed were and with piety I commemorated them. I thought, "if I were buried here the Elder would commemorate me". When the liturgy finished, I went to his little cell, to get his blessing. He asked me "Were you pleased, Eldress today?" I responded positively and wished him. He asks me:
"What are you thinking?" I told him: "Nothing." He tells me: "This which you are thinking you will not enjoy, because I will then be very far, I will not be here." I tell him, "Where will you go, Elder, to Jerusalem?" Then he smiled lightly and told the Eldress Argyro who was there: "Do you know what Eldress Anna is thinking? She wants to die here and for me to bury her so that I can commemorate her. And I told her I will not be here when she dies. I will be very far away. Do not be sad Eldress; other people will commemorate you both for as long as you will be living and when you die. Do not be sad since I tell you that every day you will be commemorated, rejoice." He said many other things and I was greatly consoled.
"In October I again came to the little monastery and found him very ill. He told me: 'I ordered you to come because I will leave, here where I am I am by permission. You will suffer, however act nice to the people; they will steal from you, and they will slander you; they will accuse you and many other things you will suffer. No, no, you are not at fault, these things must happen so that the entrance will open... The monastic who lives in the city must hear these things, in order to be saved ... Don't seek a reason from anyone, only pray for them and keep vigil, for God to forgive them... Now, leave, go with the blessing of God. You will come when you receive a telegraph. Then you will come. In thirteen days on November 4th I received a telegraph. "Father fell asleep. Come".
His words remain in my heart like a sacred keepsake. My heart was for him an open book. Many times he would tell pilgrims: "Today the Eldress is coming, now she is traveling." Eldress Argyro would tell him: Elder how do you know these things? Did you see a dream? Tell us how you know them?'.
And he told her 'You listen and don't ask, nor speak and don't be curious'. And I would say in my mind: "My God, what type of a man is this? What soul does he have that he knows all the secrets of the people?"
Once he told me: "Eldress, in Thessalonica there is a nun, who was abbess at the monastery of Arsakle which afterwards was dissolved. When you go to Thessalonica, ask about her and whatever you learn tell me. When I knew her she was named Pelagia, then Olympia, please find out." After some attempts I found out where she lived. Her home was in Kalamaria. She was very aged; her eyes could see but very little. I greeted her. When she heard that I was a spiritual child of the Elder George Karslides, she started crying, being moved from joy. When I told her the Elder himself had sent me to find her, she rejoiced greatly and told me: 'My Elder in Russia made your Elder a monk.
You have a holy spiritual father. From a young monk he had joy and great rejoicing. From then he had the grace of God...? From then on I did not see the Eldress Olympia again. "When I saw the Elder, I told him the news and he also rejoiced a lot. When he got very sick I told him: "Elder, where will you leave me?" He tells me "Do not become sad, because you will become ill, I am leaving you to the mercy of God, you will have consolation from on high and a good spiritual father".
In any case, despite the fact that the Elder was always surrounded by so many people who admired him and greatly loved him, he felt as if alone. He did not have people who understood him well, to imitate him, to succeed him. He rested though finally in the will of the Lord. He cultivated the plot which was given to him with all the strength of his soul. In moments of sincerity and pain he would cry out: "Many are the sheep but the milk is very little." He wanted to say that many drew near, but few are the select, the strong. According to the word of the Lord "Many are called, but few are chosen".
Early on the Elder knew the precise date of his repose, and he who was ready for he began preparing his beloved spiritual children with counsels and words of consolation.
In the beginning of 1959, one Sunday after the Divine Liturgy, there were quite a few of his spiritual children gathered at his cell. The Elder said: "This year I will leave". When they complained, he continued: "Ask that I leave, because I cannot stand to see the evil. I, the sinner must leave. We are all sinners and even that we walk upon the earth and wear flesh--every step of ours is also a sin." And these things he would say with abundant tears.
At another time he continued: "It is the will of God for me to leave. Sin has advanced greatly. The world is rolling in the sin and they don't understand it. These things tire me, I cannot stand it. I am only sad about my garden, that my trees did not get a chance to become strong and with the first wind they will bend ...My sheep will scatter…However others will come... Do not be upset. We will all leave this life. We are all passing through here.Here we came to show our works and to leave...At the end of the unction of Holy Wednesday of 1959 the Elder addressing himself, said: "Elder, the last unction of Holy Wednesday:" And quite a few people of the pious congregation heard this. A spiritual child of his mentions that he visited the Elder at Mokros on September 14th of 1959 where he was sick and lying in his hut. He spoke to him about his impending death and in the end somewhat grieved: "On such a day, of the Cross, my own monastery should be closed..." His spiritual child said: "Elder we also have other feasts, Saint Barbara, Saint Nicholas...". The Elder answered: "I will not be alive till then... Do not forget to tell this to everyone. Very soon I will die. Your eyes will see many things".
When they asked to transfer him to Athens for therapy, he persistently refused. "I must die here". He did not want his end to come far from his beloved monastery. Forty days before the Elder fell asleep he foresaw his end and told his spiritual children: "I will live for forty days and I will depart this life." When the first ten days ended he said: "Another thirty days I yet have."
On these last days of his, he could see the people from his window; he would tell them to sit down on the straw mats, to spread tablecloths and for everyone to eat. He rejoiced seeing them. He would see the mountains and say: "Blessed mountains, you will remain alone." As if he was bidding them farewell. He seemed moved. To one spiritual child he said: "Yiavroum, that is my child, I spent my life white-black. Let's see what you will do.
How will you spend it?"
He also said: "When I die, the women should not mourn, they should put on white handkerchiefs and no one should touch me. Three bishops should bury me and without a cassock they should put me in the tomb. They should also put my cloak and my Georgian books with me. When I die and they will bury me, the cypress trees will unite and they will certify my death." This he said because previously from his sufferings he had reached the point of death and had lost his senses and everyone thought that he had died.
Fifteen days prior to the Elder's dormition a faithful woman came to the monastery. The Elder told her: "Yiavroum (:my child) Hope, they will place me in jail and you will not come to see me."
"No, Elder, I will come," she told him. "Nevertheless you will not come, you will not come..." the Elder told her. Truly when the Elder fell asleep and was buried- this is what he meant by jail- she could not come because suddenly she became ill and was operated on.
One week prior to his dormition another spiritual child of his visited him and he told him: "It's a good thing that you came, because you would have been greatly distressed if you had not seen me. I am leaving .... I am needed there... You will see everything ... You will cut my clothes in pieces." Truly, after his burial he entered his cell to put it in order. Then people started coming and asking for pieces of the Elder's clothing to take as a blessing.
Another spiritual child relates: Prior to his end he showed him his four fingers, that is, that on Wednesday (In Greek the fourth day of the week) and on the fourth day of the month, wherein he fell asleep. On the eve before his death he asked to remain alone and put everyone out of his cell. "As you will find me, thus leave me," he said. Quite a while before he told one per-son. "You will take the book which is written in Georgian, the medallion, the staff, the cross, and at the time of my burial place them inside the tomb, on the right side." And that is what occurred.
Three days prior to his dormition he called the presbyter Basil Kouvoukliote from Drama to come together with other. priests to perform the sacrament of the divine and sacred Unction.
It was done according to his request. At the end of the sacrament, the Elder pleased and moved, embraced Fr. Basil and bade him farewell. He told him: "In three days I will die".
Because the Elder understood how much his spiritual children were becoming embittered because of his impending departure, he attempted in every way to console them giving them heartfelt blessings and wishes from his whole soul. He strove to give joy. "May you pick up dirt and may it become bread," he would wish. "May you pick up a stone may it become gold!" On the eve of his death he sent one evening the Elderly Argyro Diamandopoulou, who for years served him patiently, to the Church to light the vigil lamps. There she heard an abrupt noise and she returned somewhat distressed, somewhat shaken to the Elder. He, knowing the event smiled discerningly and told her: "Blessed mother, Saint John the Forerunner came to visit you, to give you his blessing, because you served me as if I were your child. Saint John is my protector and guide for the other life."
For days he had ceased tasting food. He was experiencing heavenly states. Now he would not even drink water. One night he told the Eldress Argyro: "The all-night vigils of my spiritual children are extending my life. However soon I will leave." And he determined the precise time of his repose.
In his last days many people came from various areas to receive his last blessing and wish while he was still living. He accepted everyone and counseled them with a few words, whatever God enlightened him. As soon as the sun set though he wanted to remain alone, undistracted, given completely to prayer, preparing himself for his departure. Sometimes he allowed Mother Argyro to sit silently in a corner, in case he might need her, because it was not even easy for him to move He would frequently faint and was full of tears.
On the eve of his death he asked Mother Argyro to help him go to the church, where for about three decades he had experienced so many divine states, so many appearances of saints and revelations. He went towards the holy altar, received the immaculate sacraments, as a supply for eternal life, venerated his beloved icons and with difficulty returned to his beloved cell, where there he continued the divine liturgy all these years, imparting peace, health, and comfort to the souls which approached him. With details that impress, he gave his last counsels as regards his burial to his venerable and beloved Mother Argyro "the priest will put on the veil and will cover my face.
They will place me under the chandelier and will light pure wax candles. The people will venerate the icon of Christ which you will have on my chest. The women should wear white handkerchiefs. My liturgical belongings place in my tomb. For my burial there will be a sign. The birds of the courtyard will fly at the same place during my burial and the cypress trees which I planted will turn towards my tomb. All the people should eat and prepare food. Bake bread 7 times." A few hours after midnight, on the dawn of Wednesday, the 4th of November, 1959, he gave up his spirit to his beloved Creator, whom he loved and served fervently from his childhood.
The Elder at this last time wanted to be alone with God alone, as he did during all the hours of his life. In a discerning way he even had the Eldress Argyro go far from his cell. When she returned she found him blessedly resting from his many year long, long-suffering struggles. He was fifty eight years old. Before coming out of his cell mother Argyro saw him turn towards the icon of the Panaghia and say: "Open up the gates of compassion, O blessed Theotokos." The notice of the death of the blessed Elder became known right away and was spread far and wide like lightning with the natural consequence that a grave mourning in the souls of all his spiritual children occurred. They suddenly became orphans and lost their undeluded guide and father. They attempted to fulfill the last desires of the Elder despite the oppositions and reactions of certain people.
The Metropolitan of Drama, at the time, Philip, was finally convinced to be present at the funeral service of the Elder, because certain people had slandered the Elder, and in a certain manner considered him to be deceived. The sincere and spontaneous manifestations of a large multitude towards their reposed spiritual father and the signs which occurred as the Elder had foretold, made his Eminence depart from the tomb of the Elder with the sense that truly he was a man of God.
Many are those who being particularly moved, relate signs which were performed before and after the burial of the ever memorable father. The body of the much suffering father had after his death facility of movement and warmth, as also occurs with monks of the Holy Mountain. The third day after his death was approaching and his body was warm. Naive elderly ladies were saying: "They buried our Elder alive." Many people had a living sense of the presence of the reposed one consoling them and strengthening them. Prior to the placing of his body in the tomb his face was uncovered. And all those who were near saw it most calm, brilliant and bright. When the two cypress trees bent as if venerating the dead person, everyone was amazed and glorified God. The birds came and surrounded the church without being afraid of the people.
Everyone was seeking something as a blessing and remembrance from the Elder. His cassock was distributed and his few meager belongings were considered a rich acquisition by those who were able to receive something. Thus the genuine workers of the vineyard of the Lord are honored, from the guileless love of the simple people, which rarely is mistaken and the All-Good God always sends for his support and comfort. In those difficult times and places the good Father George was a brilliant pillar and a salutary port. He stood amongst those whom the divine Apostle Paul wanted: "blameless and guileless". Spotless children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, luminaries in the world having the word of life".
The Elder living after his dormition in the souls of his spiritual children, manifestations towards whom did not become less, but rather increased. The expressions of his spiritual children towards his memory and of all those who heard something about him are moving. But so are the mystical presences and interventions of the Elder in their lives and problems, sometimes as a friend, teacher, doctor, and consoler, and other times as a strict censurer for the forgetting of his counsels. His presence lessened the degree of orphanhood from the deprivation of such a spiritual father.
Nun Anna relates that after a memorial service for the Elder on the 4th of November three sisters from Veroia, spiritual children of the Elder, Parthenia, Xanthippe, and Elaine, came. They thought that the memorial service was on the 5th of the month.
She remained together with them together with sister Maria Triantafyllidou, so that they could do another memorial service on the following day. Keeping vigil that night they saw a light on the tomb of the Elder which filled them with awe, contrition, and compunction and made them increase their prayer. The Elder accompanied them in their humble nightly petitioning.
Quite a few nuns of today, being particularly moved, relate similar events. The blessed Elder blesses their toils, their vigils, and their prayers from his tomb.
Another person relates that quite a few times when he was ill he could see the Elder in his sleep visiting him, consoling him. He characteristically mentions: "I would see the holy Elder in my sleep, sitting at the foot of my bed, and looking at me with a calm and peaceful glance, he always would appear when I would face the greatest difficulties in my life... I have the Elder's picture on my iconostass and together with the other icons... I thank very much all those who will contribute for this book to be made, which will record only one part, probably the smallest from the life of the holy Elder, because his whole life no one really knew.
Many people could see his miracles, but few people went frequently. Finally, I see with joy that Father George is becoming more well known, and I pray that we all may have his blessing. When I would kiss his hand he would always tell me 'May you have the blessing of God, my child.
In one night time appearance of the Elder to nun Anna he told her that the 17th psalm was his own psalm. Truly the study of this psalm is a summary of the life of the elder, where we have the constant visitation and help of God, to the faithful and good servant and beseecher of His, his humble servant, the worthy servant of His mysteries, the monastic martyr and preacher of repentance, the God-loving and saint-loving one.
The Elder George summarizes the gospel in his life, summarizing and imitating the life of all the saints. He forbore according to the: "He who forbears unto the end, he shall be saved". He witnessed according to the: "Everyone who shall witness in me before men, I shall also bear witness to him before my Father in the heavens". He struggled and came to know according to the: "take my yoke upon you and learn to know that I am meek and humble in heart". He believed and acted according to the: "If you believe and have faith of a mustard seed nothing will be impossible to you". He knew how to pray and receive according to the "whatsoever you shall ask in your prayer believing you shall receive". He loved God and man very much according to the: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and all thy mind and thy neighbor as thyself'. He humbly served according to the: "Whosoever amongst you wishes to be great let him be your servant. And whosoever amongst you wishes to be first let him be your servant". He never neglected anyone according to the: "See that you do not scorn one of the least of these". He was good according to the: "the good man from his good treasure pours forth good things". He was brilliant according to the:
"Let your light so shine before men that they might see your good works and glorify your Father in the heavens". For his discerning love the blessed Elder heard the voice "Come O ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom which has been prepared for you from the foundation of the world". Which may we also be granted through the intercessory petitions of the righteous Elder George Karslides.
Historical facts about the Sacred Convent of the Ascension of the Savior.
By the providence of God, for some years now a small sisterhood of dedicated young women lived and practiced asceticism in a privately owned dwelling inside the city of Drama, under the spiritual guidance of the present abbess Akylina Parmaxides developing a missionary activity also alongside the care for the inner cultivation of soul and their perfection in Christ.
This continually increasing desire led them to the decision in one accord to forever abandon the world and to be enlisted in the ranks of the monastics. For in 1968 the search for a place appropriate for the founding of a coenobitic monastery began.
Being moved by godly zeal so that they might live the "foreignness" as the Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church advise for those who desire to live the angelic lifestyle, at first they refused to accept the suggestion of His Eminence the Metropolitan of Drama Dionysius who is an all venerable and is a very respected hierarch, whose most Orthodox and monastic loving attitude they did not doubt.
His Eminence urged them to reinhabit the small sacred monastery of the Ascension of the Savior in the neighborhood of Taxiarhon, (Sipsa) Drama. This area was at first inhabited in 1930 by the blessed Saintly Father George Karslides from Argyroupolis, Pontos, who lived in asceticism and was shown to be a charismatic spiritual father of the pleroma of our Orthodox Church, who fell asleep there in the salutary year 1959. Nevertheless repeated events proved finally that the suggestion of His Eminence was the expression of the will of God, as well as the desire of the Saintly Father George who while still living frequently blessed the area because - as he said - it would become a great monastery here, and for this reason they submitted.
By the grace of the Ascended Christ, the blessing of the blessed Elder George, and the paternal overlooking and protection of His Eminence the Metropolitan of Drama Dionysius, in April of 1970 the area which had been abandoned from 1959 was rejuvenated (1959 was the year of the DORMITION of the blessed Elder) which included a chapel in the name of the Ascension of the Savior, erected by the blessed Saintly Elder George renewed by His Eminence the Metropolitan of Drama, Dionysius.
When the first monastic sisterhood established itself there a nun tonsured by the blessed Elder hastened with great joy to be numbered in this monastery. Anna Makkavaios, a child worthy of him in all ways.
At the western side of the church, on either side of its entrance, where the bell tower is there were two cells. One of these served as the Elder's cell. There he would also receive the pilgrims, when it was winter or when he was ill. These also have been renewed and are now inhabited.
With the help of soldiers sent there at the petition of His Eminence-a shed to the north of the church which served as an elementary hospice for the pilgrims who came there was torn down, and the work of erecting the edifices of the building of the sacred monastery began.
With the tireless attempts of the first sisters and the active presence of the first and present Abbess Akyline as well as the ever-vigilant and toilsome attendance of His Eminence the first edifice with cells, a refectory and other helpful areas, where the sisters established themselves, and which today comprises a hospice of the monastery were completed. It was erected in the place of the old hospice.
Thus on the 25th of the month of April of the salutary year 1971 the consecration of the Sacred Monastery took place.
Soon a large hall was constructed to the southeast of the hospice, which also serves today as the refectory of the pilgrims as well as the room for memorials.In the meantime the members of the sisterhood multiplied and the needs demanded the construction of a larger edifice for the nuns to inhabit.
For the newly founded sisterhood, despite all the contributions of individuals of plots of land, which each one offered, whether of the paternal estate or from the toil of their work in the world but also through the daily toil and sweat of those in the Sacred Monastery, nevertheless the financial problems along with a number of other problems were not small, such as the lack of water, etc. However, in this manner the care and blessing of God through the intercessions of the holy Elder George became repeatedly manifest, which fired up the morale of the sisters and they continued their harsh, but beautiful struggle of the founders, following the first and always inspired spiritual mother Akylina.
Thus in March of 1975 the foundations were laid and on the 21st of November of 1976 they settled in the newly built two floor wing, which in the upper floor includes the cells of the nuns.
In the middle of them is the chapel of Saint Akylina, while on the first floor there are four cells, the abbess' office, the infirmary, the library and the refectory of the sisters. To the southeast the inclining ground allowed the construction of another floor, where the workshops of the nuns are housed along with other necessary helpful areas.
In that salutary year, 1976, on November 5th, the official recognition of the sacred Monastery also took place, following the petition of the local Metropolitan and the decision of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Church of Greece numbered 4321/2067/17-9-1976 and was published in the B F.E.K. 1391/5-11-76, "Concerning the founding of a Female coenobitic Monastery" and since then it comprises a legal person of Public Justice, according the order of article 1, paragraph 4 of Law 590/1977.
The upper wing of the cells extends now in the shape of a Pi and encircles the Cathedral of the Sacred Monastery, a newly built church, which is marble and very beautiful, in the shape of a cross with a dome, which was founded seven years ago and consecrated on May 3rd of the salutary year 1987 (Sunday of the Myrrh bearers), dedicated to the Presentation of the Theotokos and of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Immediately after the consecration, this sacred church began to iconographed by the distinguished iconographers, the Athonite fathers, Theophilus and Chrysostom, of the Pachomians, faithful continuers of the Byzantine iconographic tradition, through the contribution of pious donors. Thus the iconography of the conch of the altar, of the holy prothesis, as well as of the dome has already been completed.
To the northeast the Sacred Monastery's buildings one finds the vegetable garden, the fruit garden, the vineyard. A very long entrance covered with vines leads to the cemetery of the monastery, where the charming church of the Archangels and the tomb where, from January 12th, 1981 the blessed Eldress Anna, rests. She was the first Sister who reposed in the Lord of the monastic sisterhood, "The faithful child of the blessed Elder George," as he liked to call her.
In the northwest Side there is an almond orchard and in it the chicken farm of the monastery, whereas to the south of the build-chicken farm of the monastery, whereas to the south of the building complex and within the courtyard of the fence there is the olive orchard with the stable and the hay bin.
The distribution of tasks is done by the abbess, who as the spiritual mother of the sisterhood, in the fear of God and with love exercises all spiritual authority over all the sisters, she serves and cares over the favorable operation of the whole work of the sisterhood. Analogous to the ability of each one with discem-ment, she appoints to the sisters "as a blessing" the various tasks.
From the founding of the Sacred Monastery some of the sisters occupy themselves with the painting of portable Icons, following the Byzantine tradition. Works of theirs include the icons of the iconostass of the cathedral and of the chapels of the Sacred Monastery, while many other icons of theirs ador the sacred churches of the city of Drama, its surrounding area and elsewhere in Greece.
Other sisters attempt to continue the tradition of needlework with gold thread, copying ancient models, while others work with sewing machines with gold thread.
In the vestment sewing room sisters sew sacred vestments and coverings of holy tables, of sacred vessels etc. While in the workshop of the display section the sisters prepare various handcrafts and ecclesiastical objects.
The knitting room which is supplied with electric machines, covers the needs of the sisterhood and enriches the exposition with various knitted items. Whereas in the candle workshop the candles are prepared for the churches and chapels of the monastery. The sisters furthermore cultivate the gardens, take care of the animals of the Sacred Monastery, strive for its cleanliness as well as for the hospitality of the pious pilgrims.
The Sacred Monastery of the Ascension of the Savior is North of the city of Drama in the 13th kilometer upon the paved road of Drama-Sideronerou. In front of it the mountain Falakron rises, garbed in white from the fall until the beginning of summer.
At a height of five hundred meters from the surface of the sea it remains as a guardian angel to the small town, which today bears the name Taxiarche while it is known to everyone by the name Sipsa. For this reason the Sacred Monastery of ours is now known as the monastery of Sipsa or of the Elder George Karslides.
From the Sisterhood of the Sacred Monastery.
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The following year the chapel of the Panaghia was torn down and close by there, with the ever-present help of the inhabitants, the construction of the monastery was begun. Its church was dedicated to the Ascension of the Savior. Next to the church his cell was built. There he would live for all the remaining years of his life. Many people gathered there from all the surrounding area and the rest of Macedonia. They came to go to confession, to attend the services, to take communion and to be strengthened by the charismatic Elder.
The consecration of the monastery church took place on 9-14-1939. The church of the Ascension was not large. It had many icons, among which were those of Christ, the Panaghia, of the Holy Apostles, the Three Hierarchs and Saint George, towards which the Elder nourished a great love. In front of the church was his simple and humble cell. The church and the cell were his most beloved places, where he also spent most of his hours. Beside it were the guest rooms and various facilities for the pilgrims.
In 1936 the Elder went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. In the lives of many saints and people of God we find a burning longing to visit the Holy lands. In the traces of the saints and of the Lord, with awe and humility the Elder being moved venerated the God-trodden and Mother of God-trodden places. He visited the monasteries and hermitages of the monks; he went to the Jordan and thanked God from the depths of his soul, for granting him to go there as a pilgrim.At one of the hermitages near the Monastery of Saint Savva he met in a wondrous way an ascetic who was his uncle. God enlightened the ascetic and revealed to him that the young clergyman passing by was his nephew. They embraced each other with a kiss in the Lord and the Elder with much respect asked the counsel of his virtuous ascetic uncle as to whether he should remain at the monastery of the Ascension which he founded, near the world which inundated him or leave for the solitude of the Holy Mountain. The elderly ascetic answered that he must remain there where he was, because he was needed-- because sin has drowned the world in darkness, and it had lost its light and had no guide to preach the word of God, to be charitable, to love, to forbear and to be continent...When he returned to Sipsa, he related with joy the events of his pilgrimage and his meetings. With his ascetic uncle he exchanged for a short time a few letters, until he stopped receiving letters from him and he realized that this virtue-loving family member had also gone to rest. According to one witness it is mentioned that later on as a pilgrim he also visited the Holy Mountain.
The cure of the Elder from the serious ailment of his feet was due to a miraculous intervention, as he himself later related: "T was almost paralyzed and could not even satisfy my personal needs. One night I poured out all the tears of my soul. Then an Elder appeared to me and asked me: "Why are you crying my child? You have saddened me greatly." "And who are you?" I asked him. "I am uncle Nicholas. If you become well come find me. I live behind that mountain," he told me. The next day I searched to find him. I walked on all four. I became all bloodied. I found him. I also took a priest and we did an unction. I was anointed all over my body. I became well and with the help of the saint from then on I ate on my own".
In 1941 the Bulgarians captured the Elder and led him to be butchered. He followed them without protest. When they arrived at the chosen place, he asked them to allow him to pray for a little. They allowed him. When he finished his prayer with calmness he told them to proceed to their work. They, as if they were afraid and being chased away, abandoned him there and went away.
This is the life of the truly blessed Elder George Karslides. It all flows in a constant miracle, in a ceaseless patience. Saint James the Brother of the Lord says: "Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life". And the Apostle Paul says: "And let us with patience run the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith".
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CHAPTER 4
THE STRICT ASCETIC AND TEACHER.
"Whosoever shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens"
(Matthew 5:19)
The Elder having this deep knowledge struggled throughout his life to be free from the bonds of matter, comfortable, unweighed down, without any foreign love in his heart. His nourishment was very meager, weak and tasteless. His life was a constant fast. Many times he spent his whole day with one glass of tea. As a rule he ate greens. He loved wild greens, pickled vegetables and green pies, which he made on his own. When he could find them he also cooked nettles. He never ate meat and very rarely ate fish.
His sleep was also little and very light. When you entered his cell, you would never find him sleeping, or if he was resting a bit, he would immediately open his eyes. His little sleep was
drenched in prayer, which permeated all the moments of his life, and the memory of God enlightened his dreams as well.
According to the narration of another one of his spiritual children, his beloved food was to fry onions, to rub bread into them and eat them with water. With walnuts, greens and a little honey he spent his whole life. Fasting and prayer were the constant work of his life. He always spoke about unshakable faith in God. He especially stressed the topic of fasting. Fasting, he would say, is a period of spiritual and physical benefit. He preached love with zeal. He suffered from chronic colds and anemia; many times he was bedridden and generally was very prone to illness.
As meager as he was in his food, he was just as meager in his clothing, to the point where his cassock had worn out. He often spoke about the future. "A time will come," he would say, "when men will circulate naked. We will have great earthquakes and destruction".
What another faithful spiritual child noted about him was particularly characteristic. When the cells were being built, on the days when the fast would be absolved, he would offer the workers wealthy food, milk, yogurt, eggs, cheese etc. while he himself would settle for a few pickled vegetables or greens. He loved to continue his fasting. One day one of the workers told him. "Eat, Elder, will you only eat pickled vegetables? Not even bread?" He answered: "I ate, I'm not hungry, with the consummation of the Divine Communion which I will do I can last for four days".
In the period of the rebel war he was hit by the rebels. He forbore unmurmuringly. He was a man of few words, very serious and strict. You would not dare ask him unnecessary things; you were afraid. His gaze went right through you. He knew your disposition. His jokes were numbered. His strictness though, hid love. He would only say what was necessary. He would very rarely visit homes. He would go when there was a need, to a poor person, or a sick person.
His mattress was made from a cover with goat hair, spread out on a board. In his cell he spent most of his hours in prayer. His food was meager. When once they made him particularly tasty food with fat, he threw it away with the container, Despite his illness he kept vigil almost daily. He had frequent and harsh attacks by demons, but also from people who were of an evil disposition and fanatic. He forbore everything with much prayer.
When they asked him if they could make him a new cassock, because the one he was wearing had almost dissolved, he discretely denied: "For thirty years I have it on my back, with that I will leave"
On another occasion he asked someone to close the holes which were on the floor, below his bed: "All night long the mice run over me." They must have bothered the blessed one in his prayer.
From the time he was seven years old, when he went to the monastery, he did not cut his hair, and from then when his beard came, he never cut it (except once when he was forced to cut it when he came to Greece, for the publication of the certificate of citizenship. Generally he was a serious and strict monk. He was of a relatively tall height, thin, with a pained but bright face, a penetrating gaze, a careful speech, few motions, limited thoughts, uncurious, unavaricious, continent, patient. Everything reminded you that he came from an ancient race, whose emblem had sacrificial love for God and man.
Why though should the Elder have such a strict asceticism throughout his life? Saint John Chrysostom answers us and tells us characteristically: "It is necessary for the priest to have an intense striving and a constant vigilance during life watching out everywhere so that one will not find a naked and neglected place and inflict a timely wound".
With his constant great asceticism, the Elder George, by the grace of God and to the highest human degree possible, had achieved the saying of Saint Gregory the Theologian: "It is necessary first to be cleansed and then to cleanse, to be wizened and thus wizen, to become light and enlighten, to approach God and lead others to God, to become sanctified and then to sanctify" Because Saint Isidore of Pelusium's word is just which says: "It is cold, ungraceful and laughable to try to heal others, when you neglect your sick self."
CHAPTER 5
THE TIRELESS CELEBRANT AND SPIRITUAL FATHER.
"And all that you shall request in prayer believing, you shall receive"
(Matthew 21:22)
As a celebrant the Elder was tireless, serious, of a proper sacred demeanor and most pious. He would get up on his own at night, at about midnight, to pray and to prepare for the Divine Liturgy. When he was well, he would celebrate constantly. He would also do four forty-days liturgies per year. At the proskomedia he would read many names in the Greek language. As a trusted and beloved spiritual child of his would relate, he would tell him to jot down various names of those which he was commemorating of the living or deceased and in the end he would call those who had given them to him, relatives. and friends of those and he would tell them related things. If it was living people and he had to, he would refer discerningly about problems which occupied them, to help and correct them.
If it was about deceased people, he would again mention about their condition, for example if they were killed by Turks, if they committed suicide, if they had a good end. These things he would say only out of love for the souls, so that their relatives would strive to have their memorial services, give alms and have liturgies for the remission of their sins. On some occasions the
amazed relative learned precise events about the end of their beloved persons, about whom they previously had doubts or unclear information.
For the Divine Liturgy he used prosfora which he had made himself or which women had made who were known for their piety. In front of the Holy Altar Table there was a lit vigil lamp.
He lived the sacrament; he was not in a hurry; he was very careful and full of awe.
During the Koinonikon, before the exclamation "With the fear of God..." the Elder used to go out to the left gate of the holy altar and call all who were going to commune. He would read the prayer of forgiveness over them and anoint them crosswise with the oil of the sacred unction or of the vigil lamp. When he came out to commune the faithful and someone who had not confessed approached and he knew that he had a serious transgression, he would return to the holy altar, leave the holy chalice on the holy Altar Table, come out, counsel him in a way and for his correction, he would not allow him to commune, he would take the holy chalice and continue the divine communion to the rest of the faithful.
Pious faithful at the time of the Liturgy could see him levitating, immaterialized and completely concentrating on the great sacrament of the bloodless sacrifice. There are many witnesses to profess the truth of this. This also is a phenomenon of holy souls and many virtuous contemporary personalities, as is also related about the blessed priests Nicholas Planas, Jerome of Simonos Petras, Philothes Zervakos and others.
At one nighttime liturgy, at the time of the reading of the sacred Gospel, the Elder was seen to be not touching the ground. This happened during the whole duration of the reading of the Gospel. At another nightly liturgy, the same person saw the Elder during the great entrance, walking with the precious gifts, without touching the ground, stopping at the center of the church elevated up to a span from the floor and entering the holy altar descending from the height and again walking on the ground.
One visitor was so amazed when he first went to the monastery and saw the Elder at a certain moment of the Divine Liturgy not stepping on the ground, that he related it to the congregation.
When the Elder learned it, he called him, and he slapped him and strictly told him: "Whatever you see, you won't say to anyone else." He asked for forgiveness and received it, because he did not know better.
One pious woman mentions that her husband was in Russia and died there. She herself though did not know of his death. The Elder with his clairvoyance, knew of his death, and one day told his wife: "You owe three cubits of burial shroud." He did not reveal the reason to her though, so that he would not sadden her.
After quite a time, at a certain liturgy, he commemorated "Maria and her children." Without mentioning the name of her husband.
When she went home she wondered, why did he not also commemorate her husband Savva. When after a few days she again went to the monastery and others were present as the Elder discreetly revealed the death of her husband. She herself, as she relates, saw him as a celebrant not standing on the ground.
Another pious young girl mentions that one day in a liturgy of the Elder, while he was commemorating names in the Holy Prothesis, he heard thin and ugly voices mockingly repeating the names, She asked her mother, if she could also hear these voices, but she couldn't. Then the mother mentioned the event to the Elder. The Elder revealed that the demons create noise and disturbance so that he would stop the commemoration of names and interrupt the forty day liturgy which he had begun ...
One woman after a Divine Liturgy told the Elder that she saw him as a celebrant shining brightly, The Elder answered in a soft voice: "Am I worthy to shine?" It was Christ. It's possible that the brilliant shining of Christ fell upon me.."
There were not a few times when he concelebrated with saints. Infinite are the related narrations. At the dismissal he usually commemorated his concelebrants, also his heavenly friends and frequently his visitors. He then would be unimaginably moved. He would become as a child, his hands shook, his voice would get softer. His humility would compete with his joy. He excessively loved and honored the Panaghia. He constantly called upon her, The communication of the Elder with the invisible spiritual world is one of the most beautiful pages of his saint-loving life. His contact with the saints was friendly, alive and graceful.
This contact was greater at the time of divine worship. He had a particular respect and boldness to the Precious Forerunner, the protector of the monastic rank.
Once the Elder was praying in front of the icon of the Precious Forerunner, which was at the iconostasis. The icon of the saint was as if sweating, the whole surface was full of large drops. The Elder said the troparion of the saint; afterwards he turned to his helper and told him: "The Precious Forerunner is now struggling and being forceful; he is going to help the people somewhere far away who are in danger. Other saints also escorted him...- At that time the Greco-Italian War had already started.
The presence of the saints in the life of the Elder, as we saw up to now, was intense. Also at the times of the other services these supernatural meetings would be noted which estrange those who have not tasted of spirituality but give joy to and strengthen the humble servants of God for whom these are natural and customary phenomena. With simplicity the Elder would say: I rarely celebrate on my own". He meant without the presence of saints. He also avoided celebrating with priests whom he did not. know well.
One evening a spiritual child of his relates, he was cutting wood next to the monastery and he sensed the fragrance of intense incense, which filled him with ineffable joy and peace. He went to the monastery and found the Elder in the church celebrating Vespers. At the dismissal, according to his custom, he mentioned many names of saints. They were his heavenly visitors, the saints, who made their presence sensible to others also with their ineffable fragrance and the spiritual strength and joy which they gave.
Another time the Elder was very sick for a week and he remained bedridden at his cell next to the church. At the church footsteps were heard. The visitor who was sitting next to the Elder, thought that other visitors came and he didn't pay attention to it. After a short time the same thing was repeated, in which case he got up to see who they were. But he did not see anyone.
This was repeated for a third time also. And again he did not see anyone. Then the Elder opened his eyes and told him slowly:
"What do you want to see with your eyes? They are invisible visitors...". The same day he got up for Vespers with great difficulty because he was seriously ill and he was holding onto the walls to walk. After Vespers he became completely well. His heavenly assistants, had given him his health.
The friendship and familiarity of the Elder with the saints also shows from the following event. A beloved spiritual child of his was spending the night at the monastery, at the cell next to the Elder's, and he felt the presence of the Precious Fore-runner, who was with the Elder and the saint was blessing him and the Elder was urging his spiritual son to ask the intercessions and the help of the saint for the salvation of his soul. In the morning, this man was asking to learn more about this vision which the unworthy one had. The Elder smiled and discerning-ly departed.
In an all night vigil, to which the Elder had gone with spiritual children of his, to Saint Gregory of New Karvali, where the precious relic of his whole body is treasured, he had another divine vision. All night he stood next to the saint praying.
Together with him other people also saw the vigil lamp of the saint moving on its own. Upon his return he secretly told a person close to him: 'All night I was with Saint Gregory and I saw the saint giving his grace to certain pilgrims...?
To one Vespers at the monastery an unknown person came. He worshiped in the church and did three prostrations to the icons of the Panaghia. The Elder without knowing him called him by his name and spoke to him about his problem, before he revealed it to him. He specifically told him: "You are thinking of going to Constantinople for an operation. You will not go for this operation. You will go to Kavala. At the church of the Precious Forerunner you will do vigils for three nights; you will supplicate him and will wash yourself with the holy water from the church and you will become well." The sick person did as the Elder told him, became completely well and was added to the group of his spiritual children.
A spiritual child of the Elder relates that once he visited the elder and took him candles to light at the icons. The Elder did not. accept them. They belong to Saint Nicholas, who is the foundation of your home he told him. When he returned to his home and he found his child who was three months old, with fever, he remembered the words of the Elder. Earlier on his children had died at a young age, without the doctors being able to help them.
With faith he took his wife, his child and the candles and he went to the church of Saint Nicholas to worship. He left the candles there, prayed fervently, and his child, with the help of the saint and the blessing of the Elder became well. At his baptism they named the child Nicholas.
Another time a lady who was ill came to the Elder. The Elder referred her to Saint Gregory at New Karvali with the assurance that she would become well. Truly after a vigil at the church where the miracle working relic of the saint is preserved, the lady returned completely healthy.
When he ascertained that certain villagers weren't going to church he advised them appropriately. He used to celebrate during the first few years on Christmas and Easter at the village church. His purpose was to stand with love close to the villagers and especially to observe like a good shepherd, which of his sheep are far from the house of their father. Sometimes he would send someone at the time of the liturgy to notify them to leave their homes and their jobs and to come to church. If there was a dissension between the villagers he would reconcile them and lead them to the church.
In a liturgy of the elder, with Hatianesti as the chanter, the following amazing thing happened: The whole congregation heard an intense noise at the holy altar and it vividly impressed him. Everyone felt that something divine is going on and they intensified their prayers moved. As the divine Liturgy continued the Elder's face was changed and bright. Hatzianesti asked the Elder what had happened. The Elder in a few words responded:
We had heavenly visitors, saints, Saint Menas, Saint George, Saint Nicholas...." .
An ill person visited the monastery and the Elder, after the many hardships which he had experienced with the doctors and with his health. On that day a presvytera was there with her daughter from Nikiforo, Drama. After the vigil the Elder tells the ill person: "You, my child, need to go to Saint John the Forerunner at Kavala, the daughter of the priest's wife will go to Saint John Forerunner at Serres. You absolutely must go; this girl isn't in need; I will send her there simply so that she can take a break. She doesn't have anything wrong at all. You though must go now to become well." You will take oil with you and candles and will clean the church well. After a delay he went to the church and remained there three days and three nights, receiving the holy water and he became completely well.
Someone who was suffering from epilepsy went to the elder with the help of his relatives. The Elder told him to go to Saint Anthony of Veroia and to wash himself with the holy water. He did it and was healed.
Once when he was at Livadero five women visited him from Xanthi. One had two possessed daughters. She went, as she said, to many doctors, but they were not able to heal them. The Elder told her: "Your small daughter will not become well, so that your husband can be conscious of the unjust money which he gets from the bad scale. The other will be healed slowly but surely."
"As the Elder said, that's what happened. Her husband was a coffee vendor and he was stealing at the scale.
One lady named Catherine was suffering from her nerves. When she visited the Elder, he told her: "For you I am "fighting" with the Panaghia, to make you well." After a short time she became well.
The above events do not mean that the Elder made everyone well. That was not of his will, but of the love of God, to Whom the blessed Elder had left himself completely open, and he was moved by His spirit. Also they do not mean that he did not honor the doctors. To one of his spiritual children who went to seek his advice as to whether he should have a serious operation, before he even mentioned it to him, the Elder told him:
"Go have the operation, so that you do not leave your children, on the streets." Also that he sent the sick people to the various pilgrimages of saints revealed his great humility, that with the saints intercessions they were being healed and not from his unworthiness.
After a liturgy at Transfiguration, he related with great contrition: "We had visitors Saint Nicholas and Saint John, a strict visitor, Saint John the Forerunner..." When he censed him his hand trembled. At first he used to say: "Today we had the such and such saint concelebrating," afterwards he stopped mentioning this. On the eve of the war with the Italians, he cried constantly.
They told him: "What do you have Elder, and why are you crying?" He said: "I remained an orphan" When the war was declared he said. "The Panaghia with Saint George left for the front".
The pious nun Anna with particular awe related that once the Elder asked his spiritual children who lived in Thessalonica to do a vigil, at the feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos.
Truly quite a few of his spiritual children gathered and together with the nun Anna they did a vigil at the church of Saint Menas in Thessalonica. At the time of the divine Liturgy the nun Anna, along with other spiritual children of the Elder saw the Elder concelebrating at the holy altar with the parish priest of the church. Now at the end of the liturgy once they ascertained from the priest that there was no other priest at the holy altar except he himself, they rejoiced and wondered at the mystical presence and strengthening of the Elder to his children keeping vigil.
When the nun Anna visited the Elder and related the event to him, the Elder sufficed to a simple smile, which revealed however the precise knowledge of the event. And he told her: "That which happened, happened so that I might straighten out your children. The children of your group are not O.K. One is like a Pharisee, whatever she does, she does to boast about it. Another gives charity obviously, losing her reward right away. Another is jealous and envious and desires whatever she sees in the other, Another despairs in everything. Call them and tell them, the vigil took place for all of them. Tell it to them clearly. If I would tell them, they would not listen to me; they would say he is strict. I am not strict. The birds of the air, tell them, neither sow nor harvest and they are not lost. God takes care of everyone. Despair is almost faithlessness...".
For the elder the Divine Liturgy was central in his life and from there he received strength for his varied struggle. Divine
Communion, holy-spiritual grace, his concelebration with saints strengthened him notably in his work, renewed his train of thought, made him rest from the toil of the vigil, of the fasting, of the prayer, of the many hour long and careful service and wor-ship. He once told his spiritual children: "Strive to strengthen your faith and during the Divine Liturgy be undistracted and attached to the things performed so that you can be granted to see the majesties of God ... The Holy Spirit comes down upon the holy Altar Table..."
The ragged monk with the faded head covering and the patched cassock became at the time of the Divine Liturgy sacred, venerable, and impeccable in everything. He strictly observed the times of the services and he wanted order and silence in the church. He did not want movements and conversations and he loved to stand up as much as he could. He usually started his service at midnight. To the people who were spending the night at the guest-houses, he would send someone to wake them up much later, so that in the first hours he was more dedicated and carefree in his prayer. He would say: "At night the heavens are open and our prayers are heard."
The worthy celebrant of the Most High often said: "Do not sit at the time of the Divine Liturgy. Your mind should not shoot here and there. As long as you are in church make the commitment, dispose all the time for prayer..." To an inattentive woman he said: "At church I could see your clothes, but I could not see you." Then she was forced to admit: "My mind was at my job and at home." On the other hand after a Supplication service he told a prayerful woman: -joy to you, may you always do such prayers.
Your supplication was heard."
The Elder made no attempt to obtain many spiritual children.
He did not want honor and glory and multitudes praising him.
Furthermore when he saw that they were not eager to keep his words, he would send them to various other spiritual fathers. The service of spiritual fatherhood he considered grave, precise and responsible and he would not easily grant unpermitted "economies". He preferred for them to call him strange, strict, peculiar, uncharitable, evil or whatever else, rather than to disobey the sacred canons of the church. His just strictness became greater when he saw no repentance. Then he tried to appear harsh, so that in this manner he might correct the hardness of heart of the confessor. Many times he tried in various ways the persistence and patience of the person approaching him, in order to help him even more along his salutary return.
The blessed Elder used everything according to the apostolic saying, to gain the deceived. He was especially sad when certain people purposefully hid their sins, and he wondered why they came. In order to add sins to their sins? Then he would become,, according to his gift, revealing, he would make known the impropriety, so that the person sneakily hiding things could be hum-bled. He realized the weakness of human nature, but he was unable to ally himself with lying, with sins, with fearlessness of God. His canons were not as strict as one would think. They were within human capabilities and served to bring one, as we said, to a fuller repentance, to a real knowledge of the fault, to a sensing of the magnitude of the sin and of one's falling away from God.
Let's see now some characteristic canons which he placed.
One lady neglected to strive to have her husband take communion before he died. We should note that the couple was God-fearing. When at the beginning of Great Lent, she visited the Elder to confess and take communion, the Elder confessed her, but did not allow her to take communion, on account of her serious oversight. He gave her the following canon: All week she should read the 150 psalms of David, keep the fast strictly, go every evening to church at Compline, give charity according to her ability and take communion on Holy Saturday.
To another lady who left her mother without help when she was giving birth and her child died, he was very strict with her lack of compassion. After the confession he told her: "in order for you to be forgiven, you will go home, and beg the Panaghia a lot to help you do your canon. You will go beg in seven villages.
From morning to night you will beg at the one village and whatever you gather you will distribute to poor and orphans. You will do this for one week." The lady asked if she could distribute her own money, so that she does not expose her family. The Elder though insisted: "This sin is not forgiven with money, but with begging, so that you can be humbled, so that the egotism can leave, so that your nose can fall to the ground." He used to give this canon in similar circumstances.
To one adulterous lady with three illegitimate children he said: "You will become a beggar in seven villages. They will tell you, go work, you are young, why are you begging? You will keep silent. Whatever you gather you will take to the jails and to the Old Folks Home of Drama."
To another on whom he placed the same canon and she was ashamed to fulfill it he told her seriously and responsibly: "Only in this way will your sin be forgiven."
To a married couple which visited him, after he tested the patience of their faith, by not accepting them right away, in the end he called them in order to tell them: "If you came to be helped, you must not leave. You will go to the church, to pray with faith, to repent for whatever you did, and then I will accept you-Because how can I accept people who don't repent for their sins?" The couple shed tears and asked forgiveness and a canon.
The Elder told them: "Go home, warm water, and wash the feet of your mother. Ask her forgiveness for whatever you did to her and then come back here again."
The Elder had discernment and love. His strictness was logical and appropriate, and right for each circumstance. As this shows from the following circumstance, as this made a particular impression on the unworthy biographer of this humble work, more so than even his miracles, as well as other words of the Elder which reveal the magnitude of his good soul:
A lady who had fallen astray went to the monastery to do a memorial service for her mother. The women who were there and had heard of her, started gossiping grossly. When the Elder finished he approached them and in a quite strict tone censured them saying: "This lady lifted up a stone and you stone by stone filled a sack with your gossip and you cannot lift it."
The Elder knew the word of the Prophet: "Thus says the Lord, the Lord Behold I am upon the shepherds and I shall seek my sheep from their hands". Of the Apostle: "Be careful with yourselves and with the whole flock". Of Saint John Chrysostom: "a brave soul ought not to be afflicted, so as to not despair for the salvation of those who wander about." As well as that of Saint Gregory the Theologian: "This is the rule of all spiritual protection, to everywhere overlook one's self for the benefit of others."
CHAPTER 6:
THE CHARISMATIC SHEPHERD.
"Do not neglect the gift in you..." (1 Timothy 4:14)
With his asceticism, purity and humility the Elder drew the Divine Grace. As a gift charismata were given to him to help his brethren and for the return of sinners. He used them with simplicity and out of great love for suffering human nature, for the glory of God and the praise of the Church. From the multitude of the signed and moving witnesses, of serious and trustworthy believers, we will anthologize a few which manifestly reveal the clairvoyance and foreknowledge of this prophetic personage of our wicked days. We repeat, because it is important, that the divine charismata the Elder used always to help, strengthen and console the questioning faithful who approached and not for vain show offing and advertising of his name, something which he truly hated. Because it is a fact that a virtue and a gift which is broadcast is easily lost and found again with difficulty.
According to Saint Isidore the Pelusiote: "He who is made brilliant in virtue by works, this is the genuine adornment for the priesthood." The pure works of the Elder did not censure him and thus with every discernment he performed what the Apostle Paul commanded "Admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be long-suffering with everyone." And "Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort, in all longsuffering and teaching.” A father of a spiritual child of the Elder was a builder. Once he was forced to build in Turkish villages, together with other compatriot Pontians. There a fatal epidemic found them and he died, along with the brother of the head builder. Then the head builder buried them quickly and left for his homeland. Upon his return he also passed by a Greek village, found the priest and asked him to do a trisagion for them. When the son of the dead person left the village, where he lived with his relatives, and he came to live near the Elder, he did not know the cause of the death of his father. He simply knew that he died abroad. One day the Elder took a little box, which he had in the shape of a casket. He had filled the inside with sand. He lit a candle and told his spiritual son that he would chant the service of his father, because they buried him without reading the funeral service for him. He simultaneously said that he died without receiving holy communion.
Years later this man met that head builder and in a conversation which ensued he said that his father died without taking communion and without the funeral service being chanted. When the Elder revealed that about his death, more than fifteen years had passed since his death. The Elder advised the son to give seven prosphora with the name of his father to seven churches for commemoration and rest, so that to a certain extent the son of him who died could be consoled as well. God enlightened the blessed Elder in such a way that things far off and in the past he saw as if nearby and present, as well as the future at other times.
The mother of the same person died within forty days of his brother's birth. He was then eight years old. He did not know exactly where they buried her. He lived in New Amisos and his mother had been buried in the village Rembesi, in the area of Drama. He longed to transport the bones there where he lived and to bring the bishop to read a prayer of forgiveness over her. When he settled near the Elder, one day the Elder took him and put him in front of the icon of the Precious Forerunner, which was on the iconostasis of the church. He told him that his mother was not well where she was and he prayed for her, so that the weight which her. soul had might be lightened. He then mentioned to the Elder that he desired to exhume his mother's bones, even though the former knew his desire before he even expressed it. The Elder seemed hesitant, but because he saw that he insisted, he let him go, even though as he left the Elder told him that his desire will not be fulfilled, because he would not find her grave. Truly he went and found the people who had buried her, who pointed out the tomb, but he found the relics of someone else. He found a jackknife and the remnants of a helmet. He dug elsewhere as well, but did not find anything and returned without accomplishing anything. On the return when the Elder saw him, he said: "Didn't I tell you that you would not find her...?" He knew the events of her death and burial as if he had been there even though a decade had passed since then.
When the Elder was at the monastery, the teacher of the village, who had heard from the children about the Elder's gift of foreknowledge, doubted. One day he visited the monastery to ascertain the things which he had heard. It was the time for Vespers and the Elder was in the church. When he saw the teacher, knowing his dispositions, he approached him and brought him in front of the icon of the Panaghia at the iconostasis.
There he imitated the crowing of the cock, to remind him of the denial of Peter and his own disbelief. He subsequently mentioned quite a few secret events of his life. The teacher wondered at all the Elder told him in detail, which even he himself had begun to forget. Thus he was convinced and became an obedient disciple of his.
From the village Dasoto, of the district of K. Nevrokopi, many pilgrims came to the Elder's monastery. The chanter of the village, seeing the enthusiasm and faith which the people felt for the "holy monk", doubted and wanted one day, when a group would set out for the monastery, to go along and observe what type of man this famous monk was and if he truly had a gift of foreknowledge. This group went to the monastery, went to church and came out, in front of the bell tower to sit down. The Elder went near them and spoke to them with love, as usual, about spiritual matters. The chanter had set out from his village and was coming towards the monastery. Suddenly the Elder told those pre-sent: "Someone is coming from your village, who is observing you and is wondering why you come here. He has disbelief inside him." A little while later he again tells them: "He is coming, he has arrived outside the village..." In a little while he appeared at the outer gate of the monastery.
The Elder looked at him and told him: "You also come and test because you doubt..."He reticently approached him. Finally when he and the Elder remained alone, the Elder revealed the doubts of his heart and gave him solutions to other personal matters of his as well, without him mentioning them. The chanter moved and silent did a prostration before him and asked forgiveness of him. Thus he left corrected and benefitted and full of amazement for the charismatic Elder.
One lady from Drama had vowed to bring a vigil lamp to the chapel of Saint Tryphon, which was a little outside of Drama. But because she later saw that the chapel had many vigil lamps, she considered it good to bring it to the monastery of the Elder, which even lacked vigil lamps. Sure enough she brought it and they hung it in front of the icon of the Precious Forerunner. Quite a few times it happened that although it was lit, it would move on its own, and although it was firmly placed there, it would fall down. The Elder with the wakeful eye of his heart, saw beyond the phenomena and told them to wrap the vigil lamp in a paper and keep it. When the donor came, the Elder called her and told her: "The vigil lamp which you brought here, you had promised elsewhere. It is not proper to promise at one place and to take your vow somewhere else." He furthermore told her specifically that she had vowed to Saint Tryphon and there she had to take it. The lady was dumbfounded and did what she had to do, admiring the clairvoyance of the Elder.
Quite a few times certain people hearing of the Elder's gift of foreknowledge would come for him to talk to them about their own matters, which bothered them, after they had first visited a hoja or medium. These visits the Elder knew and would tell the caretaker of the church with bitterness and great strictness.
"Today I see people coming who are odd and strange.." he was very sad that the people had mediums as advisors and even more so when they approached him as if he were one of them, who speak of luck and fate, which our Church condemns with very clear strictness. When these people would come, the Elder, who saw the depths of their hearts, would not accept them, nor did he want to have contacts with people who leave God and consult the demon. There were circumstances though, where analogous to the disposition of the people, he would advise them not to seek refuge in mediums and magic, because it is a great and dreadful sin. Of course the people of a good disposition would be corrected and thank the Elder.
One mother had a possessed daughter and she decided to visit the elder. She had heard that he prophesied and thought he was a wizard. Entering the monastery the Elder knew the purpose of their visit and their thoughts. Of course he did not reveal it and refused to read prayers over the ill person. To another person though, who visited him at that same time he said: "Why did they bring her here? Did they take me for a wizard?" At their insistence to read over the young girl, he told them to come after two months had gone by. The mother though, never brought her, probably because of her lack of belief. To this day that daughter is tortured by the demon.
One day, after Vespers, the Elder sat together with the pilgrims who had gathered and spoke to them about serious spiritual matters. When the people left the Elder withdrew to the church to pray. When he came out of the church he told the chanter Hatzianesti and the caretaker of the church that he was present as a witness at a court trial in heaven.
At the village Kembisli, the priest of the village Haritos, had a horse, and two brothers Theodore and George who were brothers of Soultana the mother of Hatzianesti, stole it from him. The priest saddened, searched to find his horse but in vain. The two brothers hid it in their sister's stable and told her that if the priest passes by and asks her about his horse, she should tell him that she knows nothing about it, which she did. Thus the priest permanently lost his horse and the others lawlessly gained it.
At this invisible court trial the Elder observed events and per-sons, about whom he had never heard nor knew anything of in every detail. Addressing himself then to Hatzianesti he told him:
"Your mother did not do well. Ask her and she will tell you..." Sure enough the same night going home Hatzianesti mentioned the event and his mother in wonder ascertained it. She intensely felt her sin and came to the Elder having repented. The Elder scolded her and gave her an appropriate canon to deliver her from the weight of her soul.
It is a fact that the Elder did not reveal secrets of people's hearts in order to expose or shame them, but in order to guide them to repentance, contrition and healing from the illness of sin. Nor did he foretell the future in order to appear as a prophet and scare people, but in order to gather their scattered minds, to show them in a way that the dangers are daily and we are passersby in this life.
Once the Elder said: "From here and above the place will be inhabited..." pointing to the Prophet Elias, which was a completely deserted place north of the monastery. After a time truly it was inhabited by the inhabitants of the abandoned village Timotheos. Today it comprises a neighborhood of the village Taxiarhes with the name Timotheos. He also often used to say: "After me another flock will come. The monastery will grow"....As it happened. Many had heard this saying of the Elder. To others he said: "Don't look at how the monastery is like this today. Angels will come down here one day."
Prior to the war of 1940, when the villagers had dances and songs in their homes, the Elder bowed his head and with sadness told his church caretaker: "Oh my child you don't know what's coming behind us..." He meant the war which was coming.
One week before that war the elder was crying with sobs all night in his cell. When they asked him why he is crying and distressed about the problems of the world, with deep sadness he responded: "You don't know, you don't know, my child.." The Elder spiritually was seeing the upcoming destruction of the war.
For one week he was crying constantly. At the end of the week the war was proclaimed. After the proclamation of the war many other people also mentioned that he foresaw the war.
When the Bulgarians took over certain areas of Macedonia, at the time of the occupation, the Greeks suffered greatly. When the time came for them to leave, the joy of the inhabitants of the village was great. Then the Elder told them: "Don't rejoice, don't rejoice, the things that are coming now are worse..." He meant the civil war of Greece, in which much brotherly blood was shed. And truly that is what happened.
At the time of the rebels, Kara-Dere was their center and that was where their staff was. One day the rebels set out from Kara Dere for Sipsa in order to burn the village and murder. In the neighboring villages they had burned and they had murdered many. They came to Sipsa and were ready to destroy it. Their leader though repented and told his comrades: "They are poorpeople; why should we harm them?" And again they returned to their base. When the remaining officers of the staff saw them returning, they came out to meet them, to hear the results of the invasion. The leader of the group told them: "Why should we have burned them? They are poor people and remain calmly in their homes." Another person though disagreed with him and said: "I will go destroy the village." He went to Sipsa, but also returned unaccomplished, feeling like the previous person. Then a third one undertook to do it, only for the same thing to happen to him also. Finally all three met at their staff and they wondered how they returned unaccomplished from that village. They considered that some power covered the village; they could not give any other explanation. A villager they had captured in order to execute was informed of the conversation of the officers. Two times they had tried to execute him and both times at the last moment they repented. He made this event known. It is a fact that only by God's help and the Elder's intercession was the village and its inhabitants saved.
It is noteworthy that with his foreseeing grace the Elder had seen the oncoming danger, and he advised the inhabitants to take the icon of the Panaghia and make a procession with it around the village chanting, so that it would be protected from destruction.
The villagers obeyed, and the village was not divided and did not suffer at all from the rebel war.
At another time also the charismatic Elder was a guardian and savior of the village. It was the time of the Bulgarian occu-pation, when the revolution was declared in Drama. The Bulgarians when they were informed that the Greeks murdered the president of the Bulgarians, for revenge they came to Sipsa.
They set up their cannon and directed it towards the village and were ready to fire in case the president of the Bulgarians had been murdered. They also came to discover if the villagers had relations with the men of the resistance who were in the mountains.
That morning the villagers had gone to church at the monastery. When they saw the Bulgarians they were frightened and hid outside the village. Three soldiers came to the monastery, took the Elder and led him from the road of the mountain to the officer, who was waiting at the center of the village. This they did in order to prove that the Elder was guilty as if he were at the mountain. The officer asked the soldiers from where they brought him. Both answered that they brought him from the mountain.
Divine Providence though protected the Elder. The officer turned towards the Elder and in Turkish asked him, where they brought him from. The Elder told him that they had taken him from the monastery and by a deceptive road they led him to the officer.
The third soldier confessed the truth. The officer was convinced and told the Elder to call the villagers. The men who observed the events, when they heard the Elder call them, came and escaped with the help of the father from certain death.
Another villager related that during the Bulgarian occupation invaders came to murder the inhabitants of Sipsa. They took the Elder and led him to the cafe of the village together with other men. The head officer, addressing himself to them said: - You have some saint here who protects you. Although we were coming intending not to leave even a chicken alive, our feet and hands are cut." The Elder told them when they left that the Precious Forerunner was cutting their feet and hands.
In the years of the rebel war the icons of the Panaghia and of the Precious Forerunner at the monastery were as if weeping: "The Panaghia and the Forerunner." the Elder said, are crying for the children who are lying in the war.
One spiritual child of the Elder, in 1955 came to confess a certain serious family problem of his. The constant interventions of his mother - in - law in his family affairs had embittered him so much, that he had decided to dissolve his marriage. As he entered into the cell of the Elder, he saw him sitting bent over on the little stool. Before he mentioned anything, the Elder told him:
"They don't divorce from a wife easily. God gave you her, to suffer together with her" The man was amazed by the things he heard and right away stopped every attempt and thought of divorce. He kept the advice of the Elder and was helped.
Prior to the Vespers of the eve of August 15, 1957 a group of pilgrims was sitting in the courtyard of the monastery. The Elder approached them and after he greeted them he started in a manner addressing personal problems and neglects of each one.
To one he said: "He did to you, you did to him, he did to you, again you did to him... These things never end. You ought not to have continued repaying evil." To one woman he said: "Where is your vow to the church, which you promised when they put you on the operating table?" Everyone was amazed.
When the priest Polycarp visited the Elder and insisted that the Elder also tell him something, as he told to all the people, the Elder told him: "Father in one year you will die." Precisely one year from then Fr. Polycarp died.
A spiritual child of the elder relates that one day he was going together with him to the home of Father Aristeidi, because his son Constantine was gravely ill from tuberculosis. His condition was of a grave kind. They sat for a little together with the sick person. As the Elder left he put his hand on the head of the sick person, doing the sign of the cross and wished him to recover. The next day he became completely well and even went to his work.
A little before the falling asleep of the Elder, two women came to go to confession. The discerning and clairvoyant Elder helped them remember and confess sins which they had forgotten or purposely hid. To one he spoke sternly about abortions which she had done and to the other about a vow she had broken. During the time of the Bulgarian occupation her husband had been captured and she promised her heifer to the church of saint George.
After his salvation though, justifying herself with the thought that they were poor, she did not offer what she had promised. The Elder stressed that "whatever she gained from the heifer belongs to the saint. Promises to God are not allowed to be broken. God will give more".
The Elder was always serious and very careful with women, who sometimes on account of their rich emotional world are led to extremes, excesses, misunderstandings and magnifications of simple and customary events and phenomena. Sometimes he would become quite strict in his pastoral service in order to protect his personality. He would try to stamp out delusions and mis-takes, overestimations and idolatry of his person. If he desired human praise, he could be like each one wanted him, in order to gain his favor and admiration. This is important and noteworthy.
He kept the saying of the Apostle "Become an example of the faithful, in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity". The blessed Elder always looked towards the glory of the heavens, in order to retain his spiritual condition sometimes, (not a few times) he would even pretend to be foolish, to be excessively strict, to speak very little and be absolute. Virtue demands skill, toil and pain to be acquired, but even more so to be preserved. The world easily may steal its precious treasure. The grace of God covered the humble Elder to discern the conditions of spirits. The villagers relate:
There was a village woman who believed that she could see the Panaghia and Christ and crying she would speak about future disasters. They asked the Elder to visit her. The Elder went to her house and convinced her to come to the church of the village.
There he did the Supplication service to the Panaghia. The villagers had become afraid and the small children were panic struck. Everyone prayed and did prostrations. The "prophecies" of this woman, concerning impending destruction had shaken up the village. The Elder quietly and calmly prayed at the holy altar intensely and fervently. Towards the end of the Supplication service many people heard a loud noise. The woman was immediately freed from the wicked spirit, which had overcome her and told her the dreadful signs which she mentioned. The Elder said:
"Thanks to the praying babes the woman was healed or the devil would have thrown her either in water or in fire".
One lady one Saturday morning set out from Drama for the monastery, to attend the liturgy and to go to confession. The Elder saw her from afar and shouted to her "Mary, go back!". She was distressed and told him: "Elder, why won't you accept me, what did I do?" The Elder told: "Go to catch your husband in time, the employees, the store... Today when he melts his mixture (he was a producer of white metals) in the vat is a hand grenade!". The woman trembling returned to the city and caught her husband in time, before he set fire to the vat with the irons, in which there truly was amongst them a hand grenade. The charismatic Elder saved this man and the employees from certain death.
Another lady gave money to the Elder for a forty day liturgy, for the commemoration of her husband's name. Her sister became irritated and spoke badly to her. She herself though remained unshaken and believed that the help of her husband from the forty day liturgy of the Elder would be important. One day her sister went to the monastery, to ascertain if the elder was doing the forty day liturgies. The Elder received her with the words: "Go first and receive forgiveness from your sister and after come back.
Fortunately your sister didn't change her mind and thus my toils didn't go in vain for the forty day liturgy." The woman was speechless when she heard these things and quickly repented.
Father John Laftzides, a priest from the village Vathylakkos, was celebrating the forty day liturgy together with the Elder. One day the Elder told him: - You have a relative whom you have not written in the names and from afar he looks at the table. Search to find him and bring him also to the table." Father John told it to his wife. She thought of the name and they brought it to the Elder.On the following day he commemorated him at the prothesis and he told Fr. John: "Now he also came to the table".
One lady had heard many things about the elder and felt great piety and simultaneously cowardice to visit him. One day she decided upon it and coming to the monastery the Elder received her addressing her by name although he did not know her at all. He accepted her with great kindness, knowing with the pure eye of his soul, her feelings. "My child, Sophia, come in" he told her.
The woman mentioned the serious illness of her child, which concerned her greatly. The Elder consoled her accordingly and with assurance told her: "Don't worry, your child will become well, he will go to the field sick and will return well. Thank the Lord. God as a father when we misbihave he spanks his children...". And truly as the Elder said, a while later, the child became completely well.
Another lady relates that when she went for the first time to the monastery, the Elder told her husband to sit at the candle stand. She did not know it and was looking for him. Then the elder came out of the sacred altar and told her "My child Evgenia, Thanasis is outside at the candle stand". This happened without him knowing their names beforehand.
Another woman mentions that once she set out for the monastery with a group. On the way though she remained last to accompany an elderly woman who had difficulty walking. Her husband though for her delay became upset and they had a mis-understanding. When she arrived at the monastery and the Elder saw her he told her: "Why, Sophia, my child, did you get angry on the way?" The woman was astonished at the clairvoyance of the Elder.
One widow had a sick child who was thirteen years old. He suffered from headaches. She took him to many doctors but he did not become well. She also went to the Elder. The Elder without her talking to him previously told her: "Efthimia, you have much money and you feed the doctors? You will not ever take him to the doctors. Your child will become well by a miracle." Truly that's what happened. On the feast day of Saint Nicholas, during the Divine Liturgy, the child got dizzy and they took him outside of the church. He recovered and became completely well. The same child told his mother: "Saint Nicholas made me well. I didn't get dizzy, but I fell asleep and they took me outside and now I am well".
One lady from Perithori, Drama met the Elder in 1947. She had desired to meet him for quite some time because she had heard many wondrous things about him. After the liturgy she visited him at his cell. The elder told her: "Sister Kyriaki you enjoyed that which you longed for. On Saints Theodore your husband will also come". Surely on that day he also came, according to the foreknowledge of the elder.
The same woman relates that one day the Elder was preparing kollyva (boiled wheat for memorial services) chanting with his beautiful voice. She was also wondering how she could do a memorial service, since she didn't have money. The Elder as if passing into her mind, turned and told her: "What are you think-ing? I know the poor person when he is able and the rich person when he wants to. You will get genuine wax and the kollyva and bring them to the monastery for me to read the prayers." She took them and he read them, without him taking any money.
When the same woman visited him with another two women, they conversed in the courtyard. The one said: "It seems the monk doesn't understand everything." At that same moment the Elder came out of his cell and said: "Eleni, the monk doesn't know everything". They wondered and were amazed, because the distance was great and he could not have heard them.
One lady from Perithori, Drama met the Elder in 1947. She had desired to meet him for quite some time because she had heard many wondrous things about him. After the liturgy she visited him at his cell. The elder told her: "Sister Kyriaki you enjoyed that which you longed for. On Saints Theodore your husband will also come". Surely on that day he also came, according to the foreknowledge of the elder.
The same woman relates that one day the Elder was preparing kollyva (boiled wheat for memorial services) chanting with his beautiful voice. She was also wondering how she could do a memorial service, since she didn't have money. The Elder as if passing into her mind, turned and told her: "What are you think-ing? I know the poor person when he is able and the rich person when he wants to. You will get genuine wax and the kollyva and bring them to the monastery for me to read the prayers." She took them and he read them, without him taking any money.
When the same woman visited him with another two women, they conversed in the courtyard. The one said: "It seems the monk doesn't understand everything." At that same moment the Elder came out of his cell and said: "Eleni, the monk doesn't know everything". They wondered and were amazed, because the distance was great and he could not have heard them.
The same woman relates that the Elder would go to certain homes. He would not go to her home; she considered that she was very sinful and thought that for this reason he would not go. With his spiritual vision the Elder saw it well. One day, on the feast of Saint Haralambos, he visited her home; her husband was also celebrating and she rejoiced greatly. After he counseled them, they were very joyous, and upon leaving he told them: "Those who are coming, feed them, because they have not eaten anything." He saw souls like an open book.
One lady from Krinides, mentions that her father owed a debt. to a church and he died without managing to return it. His children knew it, but they never strove to pay the debt. When his wife did a forty day liturgy at the Elder's for a cousin of hers who had died, on the twentieth day she visited the Elder, who told her:
"Your cousin is saved, but you don't ask about your husband. He has a debt to a church and he is not at rest." This event happened thirty years after the death of that man. In which case she did memorials and whatever she had to for his comfort.
One man from Perichora, Drama, mentions that he had come in 1957 to the Elder together with his godmother. As soon as she received his blessing, the Elder, who saw her for the first time told her: "You have three dead people without a burial cloth." She answered him: "Yes, my father, what should I do? My first husband the Turks killed and I did not see him. My child, when we were coming as refugees, died on the ship and I threw him in the sea. And my second husband was killed by the Bulgarians in the year 1941 and they threw him together with others in a pit". The Elder told her: "You will do whatever I tell you, because I cannot stand to see them naked. You will take cloth and will dress three orphan children." And that's what she did.
The same person relates that he had gone to the monastery For Vespers, together with his koumbaro, Cornelius Hatzikyria-kides, towards whom the Elder turned and said: "Tell your father to pay the debt which he owes to the church. He gave one portion, but he did not pay up the whole debt. So that I not say that he will die and that debt will remain to you". Sure enough it was exactly as the Elder said, whose vision reached even such details.
The same person relates that on Holy Week of 1957 an argument was created in his village between two brothers and he was trying to reconcile them. On Holy Thursday together with a small group of fellow villagers, they went to the Elder. Together with him also came a woman, who had unjustly accused the person who related the story. The Elder was sick and was in his cell. As soon as she did a prostration to him, to receive his blessing, the elder tells her: "Stop---you created trouble in the village and is that why you came?" She responded: "I don't know, elder, if I am to blame." The Elder said: "No, you are not to blame; that woman unjustly accused you." Other women who were there also heard this, such as Polyxeni Houtouriadou, Parthenia Teperekitou and Evanggelia Lazaridou.
On October 28, 1958 the same person visited the monastery having a lottery ticket in his pocket, which he had bought and not told anyone about. As he was going to the monastery, he was thinking of what he would buy if he should win. He would buy a dress for a poor girl, a suit for an orphan and a cassock for the Elder. While receiving the Elder's blessing the latter told him: "You have a lottery ticket in your pocket. Throw it away and never buy lottery tickets again. The things which you have in mind to buy, if you win---I do not allow you to buy them. Also the plot of land which you intend to buy in Thessalonica, do not buy it, but remain in your village." The person listening to the elder was amazed with his clairvoyance, because things which no one knew and he only had in mind, were known to the Elder, and before he would ask he would receive the answer.
The same person visited the elder in 1959 together with a fellow villager and friend of his, Kyriako Theodorides, who was coming for the first time to the elder. He said that he did not believe in the holiness of the Elder, like many, because of course he is a magician and "throws cards". When they arrived at the monastery, the elder saw him from afar and called him. When he approached him, the Elder grabbed him from the ear and told him: "I am neither a magician, nor do I throw cards". He then was dumbfounded and bowed his head and sought forgiveness. The Elder furthermore revealed that his mother-in-law, named Sophia Kotaidou, would die very soon from a serious illness. Truly after a short period of time she died of cancer, whereas when the Elder said this, she was completely well. The son in law of Mrs.
Theodorides tried to bring her to the Elder, but she did not want to come, as the Elder had also said this too.
Another person relates: At the forty day liturgy prior to Christmas he gave the names of the deceased to be commemorated.
After a Vespers service the elder told him: "Everything is fine, these souls are coming to the table and eating, but your godmother you did not write her name, she is standing off to the side complaining".
A daughter of the same person came to love the monastic life and following a catechism of the Elder she departed for the Convent of the Holy Trinity at Thebes. At the time of the civil war, in order to save a battalion of the Greek army, she accepted to sacrifice her life. After the liberation the father of the nun had no information about her and he told the Elder. The Elder told him: "Where she is now she is better than before." After a time the father learned from a relative of his daughter's death. Right away he went to the Elder. The Elder told him: "Didn't I tell you that you would learn it from someone else. I did everything. Both the three day and the nine day and the yearly memorial services.
The memorials took place. You have one obligation. Every Saturday you will take one prosphoro to a church."
To a woman who had come from Xanthi, he told her: "You have a vow, why are you keeping it and not taking it?" She couldn't remember. And when the Elder told her: "I will tell you, once you vowed that you would take a little calf to Saint Nicholas at Porto Lagos, he's waiting for it, it became a heifer, take it".
ON SIN OF ABORTION:
Another time one woman had not managed to put her foot in his cell when he stopped her and told her: "Your hands are on fire. They are burning but we don't see fire. What work do you do?" She responded that she was a midwife. "How many children did you kill?" the Elder told her. "She responded "None". "Shall I tell you? Five. In such and such a village, that such and such woman, you helped in the abortion..." And he mentioned to her by name the five circumstances. She remained speechless, with tears she knelt asking forgiveness. "Get up," the Elder told her. "You will go beg in seven village, at such and such it needs a little bridge, at such and such a fountain, at such and such a set of vestments for the poor priest..." And to the remaining ones he told her to do necessary good things. After a year she returned, and before she told him what she managed to do, the elder first told her what she did, then he forgave her for her great humility and her attempt to fulfill her canon completely.
Another time two women came from Xanthi. Before they entered his cell, one of them took off her neck a "charm" which she had and she hung it on the wall. As soon as they came in, with a loud voice the Elder asked her who hung the "charm": "Quickly take the devil off the wall where you put it and leave. We have a Church. Sacraments and you go to hojas?" In this matter he probably was more strict than in anything else. "Either in the faith or in mammon" he would say according to the word of the Lord "You are not able to serve both God and mammon".
When the Bulgarians were leaving and the people were rejoicing, the Elder said: "Don't rejoice, there will come a time when you will say Bulgaria, Bulgaria... Because the mothers gave birth to wolves and the wolves will drink human blood. The father will kill the son, the brother his brother.." just as it happened in the rebel war.
After a Divine Liturgy at the Prophet Elias one woman complained to the elder, because he did not allow her to communicate, although she had fasted greatly. "What work do you do?" the Elder asked her. She responded that she washed clothes in homes.
"I did not allow you to communicate, because I saw bed sheets hanging, because you change the new ones for old ones... She admitted her fault, he gave her a canon, and he dismissed her in peace.
Another woman from the village Horiste, Drama had a spat with a neighbor woman and she hid the neighbor's chicken underneath a basket in order to seek revenge on her. A few days later she came to the Elder and wanted to take communion. When however she approached he motioned her to depart. At the end when she asked why he did not give her communion he told her:
"The chicken which you have under the basket why do you have it? You will first go give the chicken, ask forgiveness and afterwards come for me to give you communion."
One day a woman from Livadero was cleaning wheat in the courtyard of the monastery. The Elder was in his cell. At a certain moment he told her: "Go to the walnut tree and tell her who is taking the walnuts without a blessing, let her leave a few for us" It should be noted that the walnut tree could not be seen from where the Elder was -- it was somewhat far away.
On another day while the Elder was sitting in the courtyard of the monastery, he suddenly got up, did his cross, and said: "May your eternal trip be good Dimitrios." Half an hour later the village bell rang mournfully, because truly Mr. Dimitrios from Sipsa had died. And at other times with other people, whose soul he could see from afar ascending to heaven he would speak in relation to them.
A certain man who was from Asia Minor came to the monastery to do a memorial service for his parents. He also wanted to add the name of his godfather, however, but he did not know it.
When he told this to the Elder, he said write Savvas. But he did not really believe it. After the Elder fell asleep, a few years later, his godfather's brother came to Sipsa and he sought him out. From him he was informed that his godfather's name truly was Savvas.
One woman was taking quinces to the Elder. On the way another lady smelled them who was pregnant and asked her for some, but she did not give her any. When she took them to the Elder he told her: "On the way the gate of paradise opened and you closed it..."
In the period of the civil war one lady visited the Elder to receive advice as to whether they should move from the village to the city. The Elder, with the assurance which he received from above, answered: "Don't dissolve your household. Your husband is pious and his prayer is heard. The rebels will not bother you.
Do not tell your husband, though, that his prayer is heard, because he may become proud, and then his prayer will lose its strength" The woman listened to the Elder and her family suffered no evil. As soon as her husband would leave for his work at Drama, one pious lady would hastily ascend to the monastery, to catch the service, which always ended before dawn. One day when her husband left with his cart full of wood, she ran to the Church of the monastery. She stood at one corner behind the candle stand and began her fervent prayer. This was during the difficult years of the Bulgarian occupation. At the end of the Divine Liturgy she went last to get antidoro. Then the Elder bent down a bit and told her in a soft voice: "The Panaghia, my daughter, heard your prayer and saved your husband from a great danger...". She left thoughtfully and with a certain anxiousness for it to become night, so that her husband could return home so she could learn what had happened to him. At the same time though she glorified God and thanked the Panaghia with her heart for the great favor which She had done for her.
Being moved greatly her husband related at night how he escaped as if by a miracle. Two forest guards---one Greek and one Bulgarian---would have shot him---if they had discovered a certain forbidden piece of wood which was necessary for his work which he had hidden under the common firewood.
They stopped him outside of the village and forced him to unload the wood. One, two, three rows. There remained but one to remove, in order for the hidden one to appear, and the result would be known... Suddenly the Bulgarian turned and told his comrade. "Why do we torture the man he won't have anything suspicious." And addressing himself to the horse driver who externally still retained his calmness, told him to load up again and to leave. He himself knew Bulgarian, because he was a refugee from Stenimacho, Eastern Romilia.
The daughter of the president of a neighboring village at the monastery, who was secretary, related that one Saturday when she was preparing to take communion, she argued with a certain comrade of hers at the office and for this she was wondering if she would be able to approach the Sacrament. When she returned home, her mother informed her that the following morning the Elder would be celebrating at Saint Sila. She went to Church there. Finally she decided to approach to take communion with the thought that afterwards she would confess the circumstance to the Elder. When her turn came, the Elder in a soft voice told her:
No, my daughter, first you should confess and afterwards take communion..." She was ashamed, but she was convinced that that is how it must happen.
A certain villager from Sipsa was preparing to put fertilizer on his field one morning, however they called him unexpectedly as a witness in court. He thus appointed a certain fellow villager of his to serve him. He though threw the fertilizer in his own field without anyone perceiving it. When after a short time he came to the monastery to take communion, the Elder did not commune him and told him that he had to repent for his sin and to go to confession. And because he pretended that he did not understand which sin he was talking about, the Elder assured him that his own field would not give any fruit that year, even if it had the fertilizer, whereas the villager whom he treated unjustly would have great fruit--as it happened...
Uncle Angelo, a neighbor of the monastery, blind for many years, related that as soon as the civil war started one Sunday morning, after the Divine Liturgy, the Elder had boxes of cans ready with a wire handle in which he put lit charcoals, and incense and gave them to the congregation as well as icons and they did a litany around the village. The Elder chanted and said prayers. When they returned to the church, he told the villagers:
"Now do not fear anything. None of the villagers will suffer even in the least." And sure enough there wasn't even a bloody nose.
The first time a mother visited him she told him: "Father I came for you to confess me and commune me." He told her: "Mother, I don't know about this. If I have the permission I will do it." This occurred at night. In the morning when they got up he told her: "Mother, you are very fortunate. Saint John the Russian and Saint Nicholas had not come to the monastery for three months. So they came last night and gave me the permission to confess you and commune you."
This mother had three children who had died at a young age in Russia. Their grandfather would say that these children were of paradise-they did not have sins-they did not need anything— three day, nine day, or annual memorials-and for this reason they did not do any of these. When however they came to Greece and the mother went to the Elder he told her: "Your children are sitting outside the customs office and do not have a ticket to enter in. You must fulfill their obligations." "Father, may I have your blessing. Whatever you tell me I
will fulfill!" Thus she gave all the necessary things and he himself celebrated them as he himself knew. One night her small son saw a dream. The vigil lamp shone brilliantly and the whole room was enlightened. They dwelt then in Eftalia. From there he got up on foot and went to the Elder, to tell his dream. The Elder responded. "My little one, it is your brothers who went to their destination. We performed their obligations."
After the baptism of her daughter, whom the Elder named Juliana because she was born on the day of the saint's commemoration, they were all sitting in the courtyard. The mother said to the Elder: "Father you tell everyone something. Tell me something also". "Oh! My little ones, what can I tell you? Your father will come to your door and you will turn him back." Supposedly she gave to everyone and helped them, in her own viewpoint. As she would say; "If you don't have anything, give even a fistful of salt and do not turn a man away."
Many years passed from then, about fifteen. It was winter, the eve of Christmas. She went to her room, and after opening the window, she saw a man barefoot going around from house to house. He knocked on her door also, after a short while and he told her: "If you have a pair of shoes give them to me."- "I don't have," she said, and closed the door on him. The prophecy of the Elder had been fulfilled fifteen years later. She went to the Elder and told him this and he responded: "What can I do for you? Your luck came to your door and you chased it away."
Her husband died in Siberia in 1943. No one knew this. The Elder though realized it immediately. When he was commemorating the names of the living, he did not read her husband's and said: "A secret mystery." The wife was asking herself for what reason he is doing this. The Elder told her: "My mother, Maria, you owe three lengths of burial shroud." The lady realized right away that her husband died and she did all his obligations.
All the relatives were sitting and eating around the table when the elder told the daughter. "Your father, tall, is sitting here near us," and he described his characteristics, the manner in which he would turn his mustache.
Fr. Athanasios Giannakidis relates that once, before becoming a priest, he had taken from his house a little food to the Elder.
The Elder accepted it and told him: "They who will come now, do not allow them to enter inside." After a short while four men came, who persistently asked to see him. Little Athanasios could not oppose their persistence and he put them inside the church for them to worship which they requested of him. He pretended that the Elder was sick. They continued insisting. The Elder said: "Let them come, because they will not leave us alone easily." They were policemen who were searching for some thief and they came with a map for the Elder to show them where he was. The Elder told him: "You came to me, as if I am a wizard or some-thing; leave I have nothing to tell you." Finally he turned towards Fr. Athanasios and told him: "They did not come out of faith." Another time, the same father relates, he told him, precisely who would come, where they would come from, what they wanted and what concerned them. Truly as the Elder said, thus it was ascertained later.
To Athanasios Bogatini who was reading the magazine "Zoe", he said: "They who put out the magazine one day will separate". To the same person who was reading the pamphlet "Spitha" (The Spark), which the Metropolitan of Florina Augustinos puts out, he said: "Augustinos will confess for the glory of the Lord."
One lady who was ill visited the Elder with the purpose of being helped by his prayer, as acquaintances of hers urged her.
When for the first time she saw the Elder limp, on account of the handicap of his legs, she thought that if he had the power, he would first make himself well. When she approached the elder amazed she heard him tell her: "If I could, I would make my feet well and I would not limp. Go..." Yes, the Elder, like all the saints of the Church, made the others well and left themselves ill, in order to be maintained in the firm security of humility.
To one chanter who doubted the spiritual gift of the Elder, when he visited the Elder the latter revealed many aspects of his life and in the end he said: "Didn't Christ give me also any of his spirit, since I serve him faithfully from seven years of age?" The chanter asked forgiveness.
The gift of the holy Elder was a constant offering of love according the Apostle: "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." And "If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth".
CHAPTER 7:
THE PHILANTHROPIC, MERCIFUL
AND HOSPITABLE FATHER.
"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works".
(Hebrews 10:24)
The Elder was characterized mainly as the man of love. His whole life was an offering to his fellow man. His counsels, his sermons, even his strict comments out of pain, had love as their criterion.
When the light of day set he would give food and things to various people who were close to him and he would send them to poor families. Thus with the light of Christ's love he enlightened the hearts of his beloved villagers which had been darkened by misfortune and need.
With the few savings he had, he would buy fabrics and send them there where he knew that they had great need. Sometimes he himself would call the children of the village and give them to them to take to their parents. For this cause he himself would also sew sweaters and socks. In the beginning he also had his own loom to make rugs and covers. Later on though he stopped, because the many people who visited him would not allow him any time for such works.
When he would be informed either mystically or from some villager that someone had gone to rest, he would take the shrouds
which he had prepared in the trunk and he would prepare the corpse or advise his relatives in relation to this. At that time there was great poverty and for this reason as a good father he would provide for this time of departure. He would buy quite a bit of cloth, he would cut it, he would wrap it in bundles and he had it ready, so that if it was necessary he could deliver the villagers from this concern, especially at this time when they would be distressed and grieving. Quite a few times he would help in the construction of the coffin, trying to console the bereaved. He himself inwardly partook in the mourning of others. He commemorated them in prayer with particular fervency. He would cry upon seeing the dead people.
During the occupation he worked philanthropically in Drama also. He would take others along with him and descend to the city directing them to the home of faithful Christians. There they would prepare quite a bit of food in vats and the Elder would send his people to the hungry people in the prisons. "If they ask you" he would say "who sent you, say, from the village Sipsa."
At Easter time he would dye many red eggs and together with his blessings he would distribute them to the villagers. He loved small children very much. He would give them eggs, candies and sweets. Prior to the great feasts he would buy clothing and fabrics and send them to poor families telling him who would take them: "Do not let anyone see you as you are taking them".
Hospitality was always a monastic virtue. The Elder as a perfect monk would not entail an exception. His hospitality remains legendary. The pilgrims all had to eat from the food which he himself prepared with the help of the visitors. If pilgrims had brought their own food he would tell them: "Leave your own food, you must eat from the monastery's food to get the blessing." He would then make them sit down on mats and rugs which he himself had made and spread out. He would take spoons and serve the food on the plates and two three would help distribute it to the people. When the pilgrims ate all together the Elder would sit at a chair next to them and rejoice very much seeing them eat. Then he would speak to them about various spiritual topics.
The foods which he would prepare were plain and simple. Usually he would prepare beans, macaroni, potatoes or porridge. The quantity of the cooked food he himself would usually arrange, many times before the people would come, because according to his gift of foreknowledge he knew how many would come, The bread he would knead himself. If sometimes he would not have yeast, he would put flour and water, place the precious cross upon it, and then he had a better dough. His joy was great to offer the pilgrims good bread.
Those who were from far away he would keep to stay overnight at the monastery and he himself would take care of them, giving them blankets and whatever else they needed. The Elder was very hard working despite his weakness due to his illness. He would constantly work. A holiday was unknown for him. He had a spinning wheel and with the yarn which he would make he would knit for charity. He had a spindle and he would card the wool and then with needles he would knit it. He overlooked the reconstruction of the cells and cultivated a vegetable garden. Generally he loved work.
During the occupation, a very poor person was passing by the public road, with his animal loaded with wood. He was going to Drama to sell it to buy flour. His family was hungry. The Elder had finished the divine Liturgy in the village church and he was sitting in the courtyard. He saw the villager and learned what was happening to him. Upon his return he told him to pass by the monastery. When he came he gave him quite a bit of flour for his family.
During the Bulgarian occupation the village Vathylakkos was burned. The inhabitants remained even without the absolute necessities. As soon as the Elder learned it, whatever he had in the monastery he sent them; the beds of the hostel, chairs, clothing, food etc.
The Elder offered great charity to the city of Drama. Aside from the imprisoned, he strove to take care of the poor, the sick, the elderly. Whatever monies were given to him for forty day liturgies or for the commemoration of names he would spend on the good doorkeeper of the heavens, philanthropy.
A relative of the Elder mentions that once his son had visited the monastery. On the way he was thinking: "Oh if only the elder would give me something since I have so much need". When he arrived, without mentioning anything, the Elder says: "Go to the chanter's stand of the church and you will find a knotted handkerchief, it is for you...". He himself mentions: He was very charitable, he constantly would load animals and various foods and he would distribute them in nearby villages.
During the period of the civil war, someone came from city of Drama with many animals and loaded up things of the monastery. The Elder before this theft remained unshaken. He considered that they had need of them. However when he took a priest's vestment he asked him what he would do with it. He with audacity and impiety responded: "I will make them into underclothes for my wife". The Elder remained amazed at this blas-phemy. He did not manage to get very far from the monastery and one animal hit him so hard, that it left him dead on the spot. The charitable Elder was very sad for the unrepentant blasphemer. His followers became so afraid that they left the stolen goods and departed thoughtfully.
Many times he would give money in a closed envelope and say: "Take them to the sick person... Without saying who gave them". In these secrets he was very strict.
The Elder would never take money in his hands. If someone insisted and wanted to give something, he would tell him to leave it in the church tray. He never looked to see what he left, he would do whatever he had to, a liturgy, a memorial, a service, without taking an interest for the amount of money. He considered it his necessary obligation, his duty to his spiritual children who would come with longing and faith to solve their problems.
He would not save money. He would distribute everything to the poor, without considering if he would remain hungry, as they relate. If he had wanted to he easily could have become rich, but he never even thought of it. His great wealth was his poverty which he loved voluntarily since he was a small child.
Once he said: The money which comes to me - if I were to bury it in the garden - it would not fit. Shortly before his dormition he gave the commandment, immediately after this, that all the goods of the monastery should be distributed to the needy. The blessed one treasured eternal treasures.
The Elder who always was not a lover of money would tell his spiritual children. The world has left from innocence and goodness. The more the years pass, we are journeying towards destruction. May God have pity on us. God does not want these things. Prior to fifty years the world was very different. When I went to the monastery, I was seven years old. Then there was great faith and purity of heart. In one cell of the monastery all the money was kept with the door unlocked. Instead of a door there was a curtain. The abbot would send me to bring as much money as was needed, since I was the youngest. All the monks knew where the money was placed. They were all dedicated to God and were not at all impressed by money. This dedication to God the Elder preserved throughout his life and from this sprang his blessed lack of love of money. It is a particular characteristic of charitable people to love charitable people. The Elder did not spare praises for those doing good works. He considered charity one of the greatest virtues.
Often in the penances he gave were for those repenting to do charities. To one known philanthropic woman of Drama he said with simplicity: If I could give you my eyes, so that you could see the grace of your soul for the good things you do. The Elder used to repeat in his talks: Prayer without charity is dead. He also would say the phrase from hymnology: Fasting, vigilance, and prayer, are the heavenly charisms. However works are also necessary, the protection and help of the poor. Charity helps us meet God in the best manner. It is a manifestation of love, an expression of humility, an offering of joy. It makes us resemble the source of Love, God.
Once the Elder gave a little money to a woman, and it seemed that she did not have great need. To the thoughts of those who saw him he responded with the words: "If you only knew what joy I gave her! If you only knew how much our Panaghia was pleased at her joy..." These simple words hide great depth and majesty, however we avoid becoming analytical so that we don't become tiresome.
Those who study these lines carefully, the word of the holy Elder will water the field of their heart and make it fertile and gladsome.
However let's allow the graceful word of the Elder to chirp, as when he would counsel his spiritual children: "Love all your fellow men, even your enemies. This is the most basic thing.
Always love, both to those who love us, but also to those who hate us. Let us forgive them and love them all even if they have done us the greatest evil. Then we are truly children of God. Then our own sins are also forgiven.... As my spiritual children, love in general the whole world, without hating anyone. Only then will you be children of the Elder both now and in the other life.
Always preach love. This is the most basic law of God. Love and love alone".
At another time he again said: "Neither should wealth impress you, nor glories, but always walk justly. Eat your bread with your honorable sweat and not with injustices. The things you will gain honorably, do not squander aimlessly. Live honorably and humbly and as much as possible extend your hands in charity. Do not only think of what you will eat, what you will wear, what a big house you will build. Knock on the doors of the poor, the sick, the orphans. More so should you prefer the homes of the afflict ed than the homes of the joyous. If you do good works, you will have a great reward from God. You will be granted to see miracles, and in the other life you will have infinite rejoicing." And on another occasion he said what he himself was living and could therefore courageously ask it: "Whatever you heard and whatever you saw near me these years, these things do. That which you lived, these things should you follow. Never be jealous of wealth and fantasies. Always live modestly and humbly, without egotism. Always strive to love the elderly, the orphans, the sick. Have fellowship with the poor and with people whom others humble..."
When women visited the monastery who on the way had denied giving water to soldiers who asked them for some, the Elder spoke to them strictly: "Strive for charity if you want to come to the Elder, be very careful of your actions, examine yourselves always, so that God will love you and the Elder will rejoice." A basic presupposition for divine communion he had was that no one have any weight on his heart with another person.
Harmony, peace, and calmness which come from forgiving and love was the point to which the Elder, who was a man of great love, gave great attention. He would often say: "Go to be forgiven, to be humbled, to be loved and afterwards come to confess." At another time: "To the poor person who asked you to give him bread and you didn't give it to him and now you came to do a forty day liturgy to show off?" The "Panaghia does not want big candles, she wants charity to the poor." Or "Why are you going everyday to church and you haven't made up with your children?" He was a precise keeper of the gospel word which he stressed "Go first and make up with your brother, and then come offer your gift".
Another time he told a woman who visited him from Drama:
"You had a fight with your husband and you came. You did not do well. You will try to come here with the permission of your husband."
To a young lady he said: "You for the love which you showed to your invalid mother did very well. God forgave you every-thing."
The philanthropic Elder often repeated: "Let your hand always be open... Do not treat anyone unjustly... Prayer and charity go together."
Finally the Word of Revelation clearly applied to the blessed Elder: "I saw your works and your affliction and poverty but you are wealthy". This wealth he attempted in word and deed to spread everywhere. His life reminds us of the phrase of the Apostle Paul: "Silver or gold or clothing I did not desire any of these".
According to the word of the Lord: "store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moth consume and Where thieves shall not break in or steal".
CHAPTER 8:
THE LOVE OF THE PEOPLE FOR HIM.
"Let us respect those who went before us, let us honor our elders".
(Clement of Rome)
How could the people not nurture so much love and respect for the Elder, when they saw him sacrifice himself for them? As we already mentioned the faithful people of the Lord, as it usually does, nurtured a special love for the Elder. The expressions of the people of course were restrained, because the seriousness and strictness of the Elder did not allow excesses, which reveal conditions without spiritual depth. He accepted love, out of love for the person loving, but did not cultivate it and did not desire it.
Human praise is always dangerous, even for the strict ascetic. He looked for praise only from God, to Whom he had given all his love, and from this so fervent relationship of his, loving caring sympathy also flowed towards the people. Thus with simplicity and humility the patient father accepted the love of his children also.
In Soviet Union, as we mentioned, the Elder had met a very vırtuous nun, Eugenia. For years she remained in Xanthi and was over a hundred years old, always keeping for herself a very strict rubric. When she felt the end of her life she came to Sipsa to see the Elder. The Elder even foreknew the time at which she would be coming. He went towards the church, opened the royal gate and waited for her with crossed hands. As soon as the nun came and worshipped the icons and made a prostration to the Elder, saying: "You Elder ascended very high... Through asceticism you ascended to Mount Sinai... Thus you will be to the end of your life". And the elder responded: "Only the All-high knows this.
You came here, he told her, for me to bury you". She responded:
"Yes, for this reason I came," Suddenly the nun became ill. She went to see some compatriots of hers in New Kromni. The Elder told her companion: "She will return soon..."In Nea Kromni the nun went to rest. The Elder went to take up her ascetical body which he brought to the monastery, where he buried her.
Concerning this nun others relate the following: When she came to the Elder, she kissed his hand and he also bowed and kissed her hand. Simultaneously he gave her a slap on the face saying: "Since you see why don't you speak? The people have so much need today". She was adorned with the gift of foreknowledge and according to the elder she needed to keep the saying of the Apostle: "Do not be negligent of the gift in you".
The Elder about the same nun said: "She did not know letters, but with one "Lord have mercy" she gained the heavenly kingdom." When they asked him about another nun Margaret, he said: "Mother Eugenia, Mother Margaret, and Mother Nina have one spirit." Mother Nina, it is mentioned founded the monastery of Panorama in Thessalonica and had the reputation of a very virtuous nun.
However another nun, nun Anna, Athena Makkavaiou in the world, the only one who received the habit from the hands of the elder, relates with particular fervor about her many year long association with the blessed Elder: "I came to the thrice-blessed little monastery and as soon as I perceived the blessed Elder I respectfully sought his blessing.
He told me: "Welcome my Mother Athena". I was moved and said with my mind: "How does he know my name?" When the liturgy ended, the priests gave him their wishes, since they had come for the celebration. All the people sat on the ground to eat and he came and blessed all the people and like a simple monk with his apron and his monastic cap, he told us many things in a calm and simple manner.... He came near me and told me some-thing: 'Mother Athena come one day on your own... Come to the monastery when you have the opportunity. I would come frequently, he would confess me, I would take communion and leave pleased. Every time I would come, he would tell me whatever I had in my mind and whatever secrets in my soul. I had started to think about monasticism. He told me: 'Mother Athena, the farmer when he starts plowing to sow, always looks ahead and proceeds; he does not turn to look behind him and God protects him..?
When I came and confessed my longing to become a monas-tic: "Mother Athena, as you are walking, walk, do not think that the cassock and the holy habit save a person. No, first is the good works of God, humility, obedience, love, charity. I cried because he would not accept me: "Have great patience and prayer and if God wants it, it will happen...The command will come from above..." He had grace and foreknowledge; he knew all things and I was amazed at what kind of a man he was and at what kind of a soul he had. For three years he tried me until he gave me the small habit and after six months the great habit.
"One Sunday of Orthodoxy as the procession of sacred icons usually occurs, the Elder stood towards the East of the altar where the tombs of the departed were and with piety I commemorated them. I thought, "if I were buried here the Elder would commemorate me". When the liturgy finished, I went to his little cell, to get his blessing. He asked me "Were you pleased, Eldress today?" I responded positively and wished him. He asks me:
"What are you thinking?" I told him: "Nothing." He tells me: "This which you are thinking you will not enjoy, because I will then be very far, I will not be here." I tell him, "Where will you go, Elder, to Jerusalem?" Then he smiled lightly and told the Eldress Argyro who was there: "Do you know what Eldress Anna is thinking? She wants to die here and for me to bury her so that I can commemorate her. And I told her I will not be here when she dies. I will be very far away. Do not be sad Eldress; other people will commemorate you both for as long as you will be living and when you die. Do not be sad since I tell you that every day you will be commemorated, rejoice." He said many other things and I was greatly consoled.
"In October I again came to the little monastery and found him very ill. He told me: 'I ordered you to come because I will leave, here where I am I am by permission. You will suffer, however act nice to the people; they will steal from you, and they will slander you; they will accuse you and many other things you will suffer. No, no, you are not at fault, these things must happen so that the entrance will open... The monastic who lives in the city must hear these things, in order to be saved ... Don't seek a reason from anyone, only pray for them and keep vigil, for God to forgive them... Now, leave, go with the blessing of God. You will come when you receive a telegraph. Then you will come. In thirteen days on November 4th I received a telegraph. "Father fell asleep. Come".
His words remain in my heart like a sacred keepsake. My heart was for him an open book. Many times he would tell pilgrims: "Today the Eldress is coming, now she is traveling." Eldress Argyro would tell him: Elder how do you know these things? Did you see a dream? Tell us how you know them?'.
And he told her 'You listen and don't ask, nor speak and don't be curious'. And I would say in my mind: "My God, what type of a man is this? What soul does he have that he knows all the secrets of the people?"
Once he told me: "Eldress, in Thessalonica there is a nun, who was abbess at the monastery of Arsakle which afterwards was dissolved. When you go to Thessalonica, ask about her and whatever you learn tell me. When I knew her she was named Pelagia, then Olympia, please find out." After some attempts I found out where she lived. Her home was in Kalamaria. She was very aged; her eyes could see but very little. I greeted her. When she heard that I was a spiritual child of the Elder George Karslides, she started crying, being moved from joy. When I told her the Elder himself had sent me to find her, she rejoiced greatly and told me: 'My Elder in Russia made your Elder a monk.
You have a holy spiritual father. From a young monk he had joy and great rejoicing. From then he had the grace of God...? From then on I did not see the Eldress Olympia again. "When I saw the Elder, I told him the news and he also rejoiced a lot. When he got very sick I told him: "Elder, where will you leave me?" He tells me "Do not become sad, because you will become ill, I am leaving you to the mercy of God, you will have consolation from on high and a good spiritual father".
In any case, despite the fact that the Elder was always surrounded by so many people who admired him and greatly loved him, he felt as if alone. He did not have people who understood him well, to imitate him, to succeed him. He rested though finally in the will of the Lord. He cultivated the plot which was given to him with all the strength of his soul. In moments of sincerity and pain he would cry out: "Many are the sheep but the milk is very little." He wanted to say that many drew near, but few are the select, the strong. According to the word of the Lord "Many are called, but few are chosen".
CHAPTER 9:
HIS BLESSED END.
"I would rather die in Christ Jesus than reign over the end of the earth"
(Ignatius of Antioch)
Early on the Elder knew the precise date of his repose, and he who was ready for he began preparing his beloved spiritual children with counsels and words of consolation.
In the beginning of 1959, one Sunday after the Divine Liturgy, there were quite a few of his spiritual children gathered at his cell. The Elder said: "This year I will leave". When they complained, he continued: "Ask that I leave, because I cannot stand to see the evil. I, the sinner must leave. We are all sinners and even that we walk upon the earth and wear flesh--every step of ours is also a sin." And these things he would say with abundant tears.
At another time he continued: "It is the will of God for me to leave. Sin has advanced greatly. The world is rolling in the sin and they don't understand it. These things tire me, I cannot stand it. I am only sad about my garden, that my trees did not get a chance to become strong and with the first wind they will bend ...My sheep will scatter…However others will come... Do not be upset. We will all leave this life. We are all passing through here.Here we came to show our works and to leave...At the end of the unction of Holy Wednesday of 1959 the Elder addressing himself, said: "Elder, the last unction of Holy Wednesday:" And quite a few people of the pious congregation heard this. A spiritual child of his mentions that he visited the Elder at Mokros on September 14th of 1959 where he was sick and lying in his hut. He spoke to him about his impending death and in the end somewhat grieved: "On such a day, of the Cross, my own monastery should be closed..." His spiritual child said: "Elder we also have other feasts, Saint Barbara, Saint Nicholas...". The Elder answered: "I will not be alive till then... Do not forget to tell this to everyone. Very soon I will die. Your eyes will see many things".
When they asked to transfer him to Athens for therapy, he persistently refused. "I must die here". He did not want his end to come far from his beloved monastery. Forty days before the Elder fell asleep he foresaw his end and told his spiritual children: "I will live for forty days and I will depart this life." When the first ten days ended he said: "Another thirty days I yet have."
On these last days of his, he could see the people from his window; he would tell them to sit down on the straw mats, to spread tablecloths and for everyone to eat. He rejoiced seeing them. He would see the mountains and say: "Blessed mountains, you will remain alone." As if he was bidding them farewell. He seemed moved. To one spiritual child he said: "Yiavroum, that is my child, I spent my life white-black. Let's see what you will do.
How will you spend it?"
He also said: "When I die, the women should not mourn, they should put on white handkerchiefs and no one should touch me. Three bishops should bury me and without a cassock they should put me in the tomb. They should also put my cloak and my Georgian books with me. When I die and they will bury me, the cypress trees will unite and they will certify my death." This he said because previously from his sufferings he had reached the point of death and had lost his senses and everyone thought that he had died.
Fifteen days prior to the Elder's dormition a faithful woman came to the monastery. The Elder told her: "Yiavroum (:my child) Hope, they will place me in jail and you will not come to see me."
"No, Elder, I will come," she told him. "Nevertheless you will not come, you will not come..." the Elder told her. Truly when the Elder fell asleep and was buried- this is what he meant by jail- she could not come because suddenly she became ill and was operated on.
One week prior to his dormition another spiritual child of his visited him and he told him: "It's a good thing that you came, because you would have been greatly distressed if you had not seen me. I am leaving .... I am needed there... You will see everything ... You will cut my clothes in pieces." Truly, after his burial he entered his cell to put it in order. Then people started coming and asking for pieces of the Elder's clothing to take as a blessing.
Another spiritual child relates: Prior to his end he showed him his four fingers, that is, that on Wednesday (In Greek the fourth day of the week) and on the fourth day of the month, wherein he fell asleep. On the eve before his death he asked to remain alone and put everyone out of his cell. "As you will find me, thus leave me," he said. Quite a while before he told one per-son. "You will take the book which is written in Georgian, the medallion, the staff, the cross, and at the time of my burial place them inside the tomb, on the right side." And that is what occurred.
Three days prior to his dormition he called the presbyter Basil Kouvoukliote from Drama to come together with other. priests to perform the sacrament of the divine and sacred Unction.
It was done according to his request. At the end of the sacrament, the Elder pleased and moved, embraced Fr. Basil and bade him farewell. He told him: "In three days I will die".
Because the Elder understood how much his spiritual children were becoming embittered because of his impending departure, he attempted in every way to console them giving them heartfelt blessings and wishes from his whole soul. He strove to give joy. "May you pick up dirt and may it become bread," he would wish. "May you pick up a stone may it become gold!" On the eve of his death he sent one evening the Elderly Argyro Diamandopoulou, who for years served him patiently, to the Church to light the vigil lamps. There she heard an abrupt noise and she returned somewhat distressed, somewhat shaken to the Elder. He, knowing the event smiled discerningly and told her: "Blessed mother, Saint John the Forerunner came to visit you, to give you his blessing, because you served me as if I were your child. Saint John is my protector and guide for the other life."
For days he had ceased tasting food. He was experiencing heavenly states. Now he would not even drink water. One night he told the Eldress Argyro: "The all-night vigils of my spiritual children are extending my life. However soon I will leave." And he determined the precise time of his repose.
In his last days many people came from various areas to receive his last blessing and wish while he was still living. He accepted everyone and counseled them with a few words, whatever God enlightened him. As soon as the sun set though he wanted to remain alone, undistracted, given completely to prayer, preparing himself for his departure. Sometimes he allowed Mother Argyro to sit silently in a corner, in case he might need her, because it was not even easy for him to move He would frequently faint and was full of tears.
On the eve of his death he asked Mother Argyro to help him go to the church, where for about three decades he had experienced so many divine states, so many appearances of saints and revelations. He went towards the holy altar, received the immaculate sacraments, as a supply for eternal life, venerated his beloved icons and with difficulty returned to his beloved cell, where there he continued the divine liturgy all these years, imparting peace, health, and comfort to the souls which approached him. With details that impress, he gave his last counsels as regards his burial to his venerable and beloved Mother Argyro "the priest will put on the veil and will cover my face.
They will place me under the chandelier and will light pure wax candles. The people will venerate the icon of Christ which you will have on my chest. The women should wear white handkerchiefs. My liturgical belongings place in my tomb. For my burial there will be a sign. The birds of the courtyard will fly at the same place during my burial and the cypress trees which I planted will turn towards my tomb. All the people should eat and prepare food. Bake bread 7 times." A few hours after midnight, on the dawn of Wednesday, the 4th of November, 1959, he gave up his spirit to his beloved Creator, whom he loved and served fervently from his childhood.
The Elder at this last time wanted to be alone with God alone, as he did during all the hours of his life. In a discerning way he even had the Eldress Argyro go far from his cell. When she returned she found him blessedly resting from his many year long, long-suffering struggles. He was fifty eight years old. Before coming out of his cell mother Argyro saw him turn towards the icon of the Panaghia and say: "Open up the gates of compassion, O blessed Theotokos." The notice of the death of the blessed Elder became known right away and was spread far and wide like lightning with the natural consequence that a grave mourning in the souls of all his spiritual children occurred. They suddenly became orphans and lost their undeluded guide and father. They attempted to fulfill the last desires of the Elder despite the oppositions and reactions of certain people.
The Metropolitan of Drama, at the time, Philip, was finally convinced to be present at the funeral service of the Elder, because certain people had slandered the Elder, and in a certain manner considered him to be deceived. The sincere and spontaneous manifestations of a large multitude towards their reposed spiritual father and the signs which occurred as the Elder had foretold, made his Eminence depart from the tomb of the Elder with the sense that truly he was a man of God.
Many are those who being particularly moved, relate signs which were performed before and after the burial of the ever memorable father. The body of the much suffering father had after his death facility of movement and warmth, as also occurs with monks of the Holy Mountain. The third day after his death was approaching and his body was warm. Naive elderly ladies were saying: "They buried our Elder alive." Many people had a living sense of the presence of the reposed one consoling them and strengthening them. Prior to the placing of his body in the tomb his face was uncovered. And all those who were near saw it most calm, brilliant and bright. When the two cypress trees bent as if venerating the dead person, everyone was amazed and glorified God. The birds came and surrounded the church without being afraid of the people.
Everyone was seeking something as a blessing and remembrance from the Elder. His cassock was distributed and his few meager belongings were considered a rich acquisition by those who were able to receive something. Thus the genuine workers of the vineyard of the Lord are honored, from the guileless love of the simple people, which rarely is mistaken and the All-Good God always sends for his support and comfort. In those difficult times and places the good Father George was a brilliant pillar and a salutary port. He stood amongst those whom the divine Apostle Paul wanted: "blameless and guileless". Spotless children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, luminaries in the world having the word of life".
Blessed Head of Saint George is one of few that has an imprint of Holy Cross
CHAPTER 10
THE EVENTS AFTER HIS REPOSE.
"The Lord has made His righteous one wondrous." (Psalms 3:4)
The Elder living after his dormition in the souls of his spiritual children, manifestations towards whom did not become less, but rather increased. The expressions of his spiritual children towards his memory and of all those who heard something about him are moving. But so are the mystical presences and interventions of the Elder in their lives and problems, sometimes as a friend, teacher, doctor, and consoler, and other times as a strict censurer for the forgetting of his counsels. His presence lessened the degree of orphanhood from the deprivation of such a spiritual father.
Nun Anna relates that after a memorial service for the Elder on the 4th of November three sisters from Veroia, spiritual children of the Elder, Parthenia, Xanthippe, and Elaine, came. They thought that the memorial service was on the 5th of the month.
She remained together with them together with sister Maria Triantafyllidou, so that they could do another memorial service on the following day. Keeping vigil that night they saw a light on the tomb of the Elder which filled them with awe, contrition, and compunction and made them increase their prayer. The Elder accompanied them in their humble nightly petitioning.
Quite a few nuns of today, being particularly moved, relate similar events. The blessed Elder blesses their toils, their vigils, and their prayers from his tomb.
Another person relates that quite a few times when he was ill he could see the Elder in his sleep visiting him, consoling him. He characteristically mentions: "I would see the holy Elder in my sleep, sitting at the foot of my bed, and looking at me with a calm and peaceful glance, he always would appear when I would face the greatest difficulties in my life... I have the Elder's picture on my iconostass and together with the other icons... I thank very much all those who will contribute for this book to be made, which will record only one part, probably the smallest from the life of the holy Elder, because his whole life no one really knew.
Many people could see his miracles, but few people went frequently. Finally, I see with joy that Father George is becoming more well known, and I pray that we all may have his blessing. When I would kiss his hand he would always tell me 'May you have the blessing of God, my child.
In one night time appearance of the Elder to nun Anna he told her that the 17th psalm was his own psalm. Truly the study of this psalm is a summary of the life of the elder, where we have the constant visitation and help of God, to the faithful and good servant and beseecher of His, his humble servant, the worthy servant of His mysteries, the monastic martyr and preacher of repentance, the God-loving and saint-loving one.
The Elder George summarizes the gospel in his life, summarizing and imitating the life of all the saints. He forbore according to the: "He who forbears unto the end, he shall be saved". He witnessed according to the: "Everyone who shall witness in me before men, I shall also bear witness to him before my Father in the heavens". He struggled and came to know according to the: "take my yoke upon you and learn to know that I am meek and humble in heart". He believed and acted according to the: "If you believe and have faith of a mustard seed nothing will be impossible to you". He knew how to pray and receive according to the "whatsoever you shall ask in your prayer believing you shall receive". He loved God and man very much according to the: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and all thy mind and thy neighbor as thyself'. He humbly served according to the: "Whosoever amongst you wishes to be great let him be your servant. And whosoever amongst you wishes to be first let him be your servant". He never neglected anyone according to the: "See that you do not scorn one of the least of these". He was good according to the: "the good man from his good treasure pours forth good things". He was brilliant according to the:
"Let your light so shine before men that they might see your good works and glorify your Father in the heavens". For his discerning love the blessed Elder heard the voice "Come O ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom which has been prepared for you from the foundation of the world". Which may we also be granted through the intercessory petitions of the righteous Elder George Karslides.
EPILOGUE
Historical facts about the Sacred Convent of the Ascension of the Savior.
By the providence of God, for some years now a small sisterhood of dedicated young women lived and practiced asceticism in a privately owned dwelling inside the city of Drama, under the spiritual guidance of the present abbess Akylina Parmaxides developing a missionary activity also alongside the care for the inner cultivation of soul and their perfection in Christ.
This continually increasing desire led them to the decision in one accord to forever abandon the world and to be enlisted in the ranks of the monastics. For in 1968 the search for a place appropriate for the founding of a coenobitic monastery began.
Being moved by godly zeal so that they might live the "foreignness" as the Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church advise for those who desire to live the angelic lifestyle, at first they refused to accept the suggestion of His Eminence the Metropolitan of Drama Dionysius who is an all venerable and is a very respected hierarch, whose most Orthodox and monastic loving attitude they did not doubt.
His Eminence urged them to reinhabit the small sacred monastery of the Ascension of the Savior in the neighborhood of Taxiarhon, (Sipsa) Drama. This area was at first inhabited in 1930 by the blessed Saintly Father George Karslides from Argyroupolis, Pontos, who lived in asceticism and was shown to be a charismatic spiritual father of the pleroma of our Orthodox Church, who fell asleep there in the salutary year 1959. Nevertheless repeated events proved finally that the suggestion of His Eminence was the expression of the will of God, as well as the desire of the Saintly Father George who while still living frequently blessed the area because - as he said - it would become a great monastery here, and for this reason they submitted.
By the grace of the Ascended Christ, the blessing of the blessed Elder George, and the paternal overlooking and protection of His Eminence the Metropolitan of Drama Dionysius, in April of 1970 the area which had been abandoned from 1959 was rejuvenated (1959 was the year of the DORMITION of the blessed Elder) which included a chapel in the name of the Ascension of the Savior, erected by the blessed Saintly Elder George renewed by His Eminence the Metropolitan of Drama, Dionysius.
When the first monastic sisterhood established itself there a nun tonsured by the blessed Elder hastened with great joy to be numbered in this monastery. Anna Makkavaios, a child worthy of him in all ways.
At the western side of the church, on either side of its entrance, where the bell tower is there were two cells. One of these served as the Elder's cell. There he would also receive the pilgrims, when it was winter or when he was ill. These also have been renewed and are now inhabited.
With the help of soldiers sent there at the petition of His Eminence-a shed to the north of the church which served as an elementary hospice for the pilgrims who came there was torn down, and the work of erecting the edifices of the building of the sacred monastery began.
With the tireless attempts of the first sisters and the active presence of the first and present Abbess Akyline as well as the ever-vigilant and toilsome attendance of His Eminence the first edifice with cells, a refectory and other helpful areas, where the sisters established themselves, and which today comprises a hospice of the monastery were completed. It was erected in the place of the old hospice.
Thus on the 25th of the month of April of the salutary year 1971 the consecration of the Sacred Monastery took place.
Soon a large hall was constructed to the southeast of the hospice, which also serves today as the refectory of the pilgrims as well as the room for memorials.In the meantime the members of the sisterhood multiplied and the needs demanded the construction of a larger edifice for the nuns to inhabit.
For the newly founded sisterhood, despite all the contributions of individuals of plots of land, which each one offered, whether of the paternal estate or from the toil of their work in the world but also through the daily toil and sweat of those in the Sacred Monastery, nevertheless the financial problems along with a number of other problems were not small, such as the lack of water, etc. However, in this manner the care and blessing of God through the intercessions of the holy Elder George became repeatedly manifest, which fired up the morale of the sisters and they continued their harsh, but beautiful struggle of the founders, following the first and always inspired spiritual mother Akylina.
Thus in March of 1975 the foundations were laid and on the 21st of November of 1976 they settled in the newly built two floor wing, which in the upper floor includes the cells of the nuns.
In the middle of them is the chapel of Saint Akylina, while on the first floor there are four cells, the abbess' office, the infirmary, the library and the refectory of the sisters. To the southeast the inclining ground allowed the construction of another floor, where the workshops of the nuns are housed along with other necessary helpful areas.
In that salutary year, 1976, on November 5th, the official recognition of the sacred Monastery also took place, following the petition of the local Metropolitan and the decision of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Church of Greece numbered 4321/2067/17-9-1976 and was published in the B F.E.K. 1391/5-11-76, "Concerning the founding of a Female coenobitic Monastery" and since then it comprises a legal person of Public Justice, according the order of article 1, paragraph 4 of Law 590/1977.
The upper wing of the cells extends now in the shape of a Pi and encircles the Cathedral of the Sacred Monastery, a newly built church, which is marble and very beautiful, in the shape of a cross with a dome, which was founded seven years ago and consecrated on May 3rd of the salutary year 1987 (Sunday of the Myrrh bearers), dedicated to the Presentation of the Theotokos and of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Immediately after the consecration, this sacred church began to iconographed by the distinguished iconographers, the Athonite fathers, Theophilus and Chrysostom, of the Pachomians, faithful continuers of the Byzantine iconographic tradition, through the contribution of pious donors. Thus the iconography of the conch of the altar, of the holy prothesis, as well as of the dome has already been completed.
To the northeast the Sacred Monastery's buildings one finds the vegetable garden, the fruit garden, the vineyard. A very long entrance covered with vines leads to the cemetery of the monastery, where the charming church of the Archangels and the tomb where, from January 12th, 1981 the blessed Eldress Anna, rests. She was the first Sister who reposed in the Lord of the monastic sisterhood, "The faithful child of the blessed Elder George," as he liked to call her.
In the northwest Side there is an almond orchard and in it the chicken farm of the monastery, whereas to the south of the build-chicken farm of the monastery, whereas to the south of the building complex and within the courtyard of the fence there is the olive orchard with the stable and the hay bin.
The distribution of tasks is done by the abbess, who as the spiritual mother of the sisterhood, in the fear of God and with love exercises all spiritual authority over all the sisters, she serves and cares over the favorable operation of the whole work of the sisterhood. Analogous to the ability of each one with discem-ment, she appoints to the sisters "as a blessing" the various tasks.
From the founding of the Sacred Monastery some of the sisters occupy themselves with the painting of portable Icons, following the Byzantine tradition. Works of theirs include the icons of the iconostass of the cathedral and of the chapels of the Sacred Monastery, while many other icons of theirs ador the sacred churches of the city of Drama, its surrounding area and elsewhere in Greece.
Other sisters attempt to continue the tradition of needlework with gold thread, copying ancient models, while others work with sewing machines with gold thread.
In the vestment sewing room sisters sew sacred vestments and coverings of holy tables, of sacred vessels etc. While in the workshop of the display section the sisters prepare various handcrafts and ecclesiastical objects.
The knitting room which is supplied with electric machines, covers the needs of the sisterhood and enriches the exposition with various knitted items. Whereas in the candle workshop the candles are prepared for the churches and chapels of the monastery. The sisters furthermore cultivate the gardens, take care of the animals of the Sacred Monastery, strive for its cleanliness as well as for the hospitality of the pious pilgrims.
The Sacred Monastery of the Ascension of the Savior is North of the city of Drama in the 13th kilometer upon the paved road of Drama-Sideronerou. In front of it the mountain Falakron rises, garbed in white from the fall until the beginning of summer.
At a height of five hundred meters from the surface of the sea it remains as a guardian angel to the small town, which today bears the name Taxiarche while it is known to everyone by the name Sipsa. For this reason the Sacred Monastery of ours is now known as the monastery of Sipsa or of the Elder George Karslides.
From the Sisterhood of the Sacred Monastery.
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O BLESSED CONFESSOR OF CHRIST
SAINT GEORGE OF DRAMA
PRAY FOR US AND FOR EVERYONE WHO READS YOUR LIFE!
PRAISE TO THEE, O FAITHFUL SERVANT OF GOD!
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