Elder Ioannikios Androulakis of Crete had great love for today's celebrated Holy Unmercenaries, as he himself had confessed:
In 1972, the same abdominal discomfort started again as when I was rector in Pachia Ammos. I went to the hospital in Ierapetra and after examinations the doctors found that I had gallstones and that they had to proceed with their removal a few days later.
As Abbot of Exakoustis Monastery, I was known to many people in the wider area and as soon as it was learned that I was hospitalized, many people visited me. Even the nursing staff, throughout the night, gathered around my bed and asked me to talk to them about our faith.
On the eve of the surgery and while everything was ready, the Holy Unmercenaries came to me in my sleep and said to me:
"Ioannikios, we operated on you, you are fine and in the morning you can return to your Monastery."
In 1972, the same abdominal discomfort started again as when I was rector in Pachia Ammos. I went to the hospital in Ierapetra and after examinations the doctors found that I had gallstones and that they had to proceed with their removal a few days later.
As Abbot of Exakoustis Monastery, I was known to many people in the wider area and as soon as it was learned that I was hospitalized, many people visited me. Even the nursing staff, throughout the night, gathered around my bed and asked me to talk to them about our faith.
On the eve of the surgery and while everything was ready, the Holy Unmercenaries came to me in my sleep and said to me:
"Ioannikios, we operated on you, you are fine and in the morning you can return to your Monastery."
In the morning I told the doctors that I am fine, that I do not feel any pain, that they do not need to proceed with the operation and that I must return to my Monastery. The doctors who couldn't believe their ears, proceeded to doing tests and found that everything was normal and that they could immediately discharge me. I returned to my Monastery the same day and since then I feel that the Holy Unmercenaries, my Palikarakia,* are constantly by my side. Great is their Grace!"
On February 26, 2017, when the Elder was hospitalized and the miraculous event happened to him where in a vision he traveled to Paradise, to meet the Theotokos, many Saints and his parents; among other things he had revealed the following:
"Hatzi Ananias accompanied me from the beginning, wherever I went, wherever I passed, he was there with me. He held me by the left hand and my Palikarakia by the right."
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* "Palikari" is a Modern Greek word used to describe a handsome young man of honor and courage. "Palikaria" is the plural, while the Elder's use of "Palikarakia" denotes an affection for the both of them.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
On February 26, 2017, when the Elder was hospitalized and the miraculous event happened to him where in a vision he traveled to Paradise, to meet the Theotokos, many Saints and his parents; among other things he had revealed the following:
"Hatzi Ananias accompanied me from the beginning, wherever I went, wherever I passed, he was there with me. He held me by the left hand and my Palikarakia by the right."
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* "Palikari" is a Modern Greek word used to describe a handsome young man of honor and courage. "Palikaria" is the plural, while the Elder's use of "Palikarakia" denotes an affection for the both of them.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.