An Atheist at the Grave of Saint Paisios

 

By Archimandrite Ephraim of Vatopaidi

This man Saint Paisios has done so many miracles, that it makes you wonder:

"But is it so? Is it possible?"

And yet it is possible! An acquaintance of mine that came to see me told me, as he says:

"We were with the family at our house and since we are near Souroti,* we said we were going to visit the grave of Saint Paisios."

It was afternoon and his daughter's fiance said:

"I'm not going, I'm an atheist."

He said to him: 

 

"Please come for me."

"Oh well", he said, "for your sake I will go but I will not go for Saint Paisios."

So he went there, he too venerated and left. Then he was thoughtful. He asked him:

"What's wrong? You don't talk, and you're always deep in thought."

He said:

"So you didn't see anything?"

"We didn't see anything," he said.

"As soon as I went," he said, "I saw the Elder, Saint Paisios, sitting on the grave, and as soon as I approached, he entered the grave!"

Why did this happen? For God to show that the Saints are something real. The Saints live in eternity. The Saints are with us. The Saints are working miracles today, many miracles are happening.
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* Saint Paisios the Athonite (+ 1994) is buried on the grounds of the Hesychasterion of Saint John the Theologian in Souroti.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.