 |
| Metropolitan Gerasimos (Fokas) of Kefallonia |
One
year, at the vigil in honor of Saint James the Brother of God (October
23) which was held at the Monastery of Saint Gerasimos in Kefallonia,
Father (later Metropolitan) Gerasimos Fokas (+ 2015) was serving. The following incidents
happened that night, as reported by witnesses.
A sick woman had come to this service, who heard a voice say to her after she was anointed once with the oil of Holy Unction: "Go and let Father Gerasimos cross your neck one more time with the oil of Holy Unction." It was observed by the people in attendance that she got back in line and returned to be anointed for a second time. The next day, as she later reported, she went to the hospital and the scheduled pre-operative medical tests were done, but they showed that there was nothing and no surgery was needed.
During the sermon, Father Gerasimos spoke the following words:
"Saint James the Brother of God enriched the Church, he endowed the Church with the Eucharist, the Mystery of the Eucharist and its Divine Liturgy, which fit very well with these words: 'Standing in the temple of your glory, we think ourselves in heaven.' Indeed, my brethren, this earthly temple, we who are human, each one of us knows, I the first of all, his weaknesses, his falls, his vices, his defects, his corruptions, and yet, although we are earthly people, fashioned from dirt, in such moments, in such vigils, in such services we feel that indeed we are 'standing in heaven.' Man ascends and from dirt becomes spirit, and from perishable becomes imperishable and from mortal becomes immortal."
A sick woman had come to this service, who heard a voice say to her after she was anointed once with the oil of Holy Unction: "Go and let Father Gerasimos cross your neck one more time with the oil of Holy Unction." It was observed by the people in attendance that she got back in line and returned to be anointed for a second time. The next day, as she later reported, she went to the hospital and the scheduled pre-operative medical tests were done, but they showed that there was nothing and no surgery was needed.
During the sermon, Father Gerasimos spoke the following words:
"Saint James the Brother of God enriched the Church, he endowed the Church with the Eucharist, the Mystery of the Eucharist and its Divine Liturgy, which fit very well with these words: 'Standing in the temple of your glory, we think ourselves in heaven.' Indeed, my brethren, this earthly temple, we who are human, each one of us knows, I the first of all, his weaknesses, his falls, his vices, his defects, his corruptions, and yet, although we are earthly people, fashioned from dirt, in such moments, in such vigils, in such services we feel that indeed we are 'standing in heaven.' Man ascends and from dirt becomes spirit, and from perishable becomes imperishable and from mortal becomes immortal."
 |
| Saint Iakovos Tsalikes |
Father Gerasimos also referred to Elder Iakovos Tsalikes, whose patron saint was Saint James, and said:
"There is another James who is celebrating tonight, Father Iakovos Tsalikes, who heals the possessed...."
As soon as Father Gerasimos mentioned the name of Elder Iakovos Tsalikes, a terrifying, harsh, wild, male voice came from a woman possessed by an unclean spirit, in the semi-darkness of the candles, from the back of the temple, reviling him....
Father Gerasimos did not flinch, but continued:
"God found us worthy a month ago to go to his monastery and venerate his grave, and this man's grave is fragrant, this man's grave works miracles, this man's grave heals cancers and his image, and his presence and his prayer and his boldness before God heals diseases. In a little while, my brethren, we will stop doing memorial prayers for him, and we will instead hold vigils and supplications and we will say: Saint of God, Father Iakovos, Saint of God, intercede for us."
Indeed, Elder Iakovos Tsalikes was canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2017.
"There is another James who is celebrating tonight, Father Iakovos Tsalikes, who heals the possessed...."
As soon as Father Gerasimos mentioned the name of Elder Iakovos Tsalikes, a terrifying, harsh, wild, male voice came from a woman possessed by an unclean spirit, in the semi-darkness of the candles, from the back of the temple, reviling him....
Father Gerasimos did not flinch, but continued:
"God found us worthy a month ago to go to his monastery and venerate his grave, and this man's grave is fragrant, this man's grave works miracles, this man's grave heals cancers and his image, and his presence and his prayer and his boldness before God heals diseases. In a little while, my brethren, we will stop doing memorial prayers for him, and we will instead hold vigils and supplications and we will say: Saint of God, Father Iakovos, Saint of God, intercede for us."
Indeed, Elder Iakovos Tsalikes was canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2017.