In the first week of Great Lent in 1992, two or three months after the Dormition of the Elder [Porphyrios], I fell ill with a severe cold. As I didn't pay attention and take special care, I got worse.
I had purulent sinusitis. Eyes and nose were running non-stop, the headache was unbearable and I could no longer touch my nose. It was the Second Sunday of Great Lent, of Saint Gregory Palamas, and I was at Saint Demetrios of Ampelokipoi.
At one moment I thought I was going to pass out. I then let out a loud inner cry:
"Elder, don't you see how I'm going to go crazy from the pain? Please make the sign of the cross over me so that it will pass."
As soon as I had managed to finish my sentence, the headache, the runny nose, the tearing, the hypersensitivity of the nose immediately were cut off, as with a knife.
What took place was illness with severe symptoms in one moment, and perfect health in the other, without the slightest discomfort or remnant of the illness of the immediate preceding second.
Now my eyes shed tears of awe, joy, gratitude to God and His Saint and I whispered to him:
"Thank you, my dear Elder, thank you very much!"
Source: Excerpt from the book Wonderful Events and Advice of the Elder Porphyrios. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
I had purulent sinusitis. Eyes and nose were running non-stop, the headache was unbearable and I could no longer touch my nose. It was the Second Sunday of Great Lent, of Saint Gregory Palamas, and I was at Saint Demetrios of Ampelokipoi.
At one moment I thought I was going to pass out. I then let out a loud inner cry:
"Elder, don't you see how I'm going to go crazy from the pain? Please make the sign of the cross over me so that it will pass."
As soon as I had managed to finish my sentence, the headache, the runny nose, the tearing, the hypersensitivity of the nose immediately were cut off, as with a knife.
What took place was illness with severe symptoms in one moment, and perfect health in the other, without the slightest discomfort or remnant of the illness of the immediate preceding second.
Now my eyes shed tears of awe, joy, gratitude to God and His Saint and I whispered to him:
"Thank you, my dear Elder, thank you very much!"
Source: Excerpt from the book Wonderful Events and Advice of the Elder Porphyrios. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.