By Archimandrite Philotheos Zervakos
Miracle 6
A woman named Helen Davaria, who lived in Paroikia, often went up to the Monastery and performed various tasks for the sisters of the Monastery. One day the Venerable Arsenios said to her:
"Child, here you come and work, what do the sisters give you for your labor? Do they pay you?"
"No, they don't give me money because they don't have any, but they give me bread, coffee, sugar and other things."
"From these things that they give you, do you give to some poor person, when he asks you or you when you happen to meet someone on the road?"
"No, Elder, they do not ask from me because they know that I am poor, but I have not met anyone on the road who asks from me either."
"Listen, child, if you want Christ to bless you and the little food that they give you, when you meet a poor and hungry person and he asks you to give to him, likewise when you know someone who is poor and in need or a widow or orphan who is hungry, do not expect them to ask you. Give with joy and do not be afraid, but believe that Christ will invisibly bless your little possessions and you will not go hungry, nor will you lack until the end of your life."
"Gladly, Elder, in what you told me, I will obey you."
She made a prostration and left the Monastery, having with her 8 loaves of bread that they had given her. As soon as she had gone 500 meters from the Monastery, she met the elder Demetrios Maounin, who asked her for a little bread, because he had not eaten since the previous day. Helen immediately took a loaf of bread from her bag and gave it to him with great enthusiasm. When she had gone another 500 meters, she saw a fisherman's wife gathering grass, since her husband had 4 days to catch fish, as Helen learned after asking her. Then, she took out of her bag and gave her 2 loaves of bread. When she arrived at Paroikia, she saw a 4-year-old child crying, because he was hungry and his mother had no bread to give him. She also saw the child's mother standing inside the door of her house with her hands crossed, praying and crying. Then she took a loaf of bread and gave it to the child. Helen, having arrived at her house, took out the things from her bag and saw that the loaves, instead of being 4, had not decreased, but there were 8 left. Marveling at the event, she immediately returned to the Monastery, moved and tearful, fell on her knees at the feet of the Saint and recounted the miracle, thanking God and the Saint.
Miracle 8
Apostolos Makrakis, being in Paros, went to the Monastery of the Transfiguration, in order to meet Father Arsenios and to confess. He began to confess, but instead of confessing his sins with humility and contrition of heart, he began to recount his accomplishments and that he rebukes sinners and especially the hierarchs, priests, and rulers and publishes their sins with joy. Father Arsenios gently said to him:
"Listen, child. You must know that in confession people confess their sins and not their achievements. It is good and pleasing to God to preach, but to preach with humility and not with pride. However, to examine and publish the sins of others, this not only does not build up, but also undermines and causes harm to yourself and your listeners. Take care of yourself and if you want to benefit and be benefited, see your own sins and not those of others. Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. Who are you to judge another's household? Pray with humility, and do some prostrations."
"Prostrations are for the monks. I have a higher and loftier work, the word of God and to rebuke and condemn sinners."
"You should humble yourself and obey, so that the Lord does not humble you, for He opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Know that a knee that does not bend will be broken."
And indeed, after leaving the Monastery, Makrakis, sitting on a bench, as soon as he had gone a few meters from the Monastery, fell and broke his leg, according to the Saint’s prediction. But he neither came to his senses nor went to the doctors; suffering from gangrene, they cut off his leg from the thigh and he remained lame.
At the time when Makrakis was leaving the Monastery, Father Arsenios said to some present: "Know that this man suffers from Luciferian pride, he will fall into error and cause schism and harm to the Church."
Miracle 9
Father Daniel of Smyrna, narrated:
"When I came to Paros in my childhood and went to confession, I begged to stay with him, but he would not let me. He told me the following: 'Return, my child, to Smyrna, finish high school, and then go to the Holy Mountain, remain in a monastery, become a monk, and finally end up at the foot of Mount Athos, practice asceticism, and there you will receive your blessed end.'"
And so it happened.
Miracle 10
In Marpissa of Paros, there was a rich man, the richest in the region, named Delagrammatis, who was Mayor but he was avaricious, a liar, a profiteer, unjust and he wronged the poor, widows, orphans, workers and his servants. His wife, as a virtuous and God-fearing woman, helped and had mercy on the poor, widows and orphans in secret, because he threatened her that he would kill her or expel her.
Father Arsenios, having been informed of this, ordered him to cease such behavior, for otherwise the Lord, Who often delays but never forgets, will bring him to the position of the poor, to hunger, to ask and no one will give him, but the Lord will give all good things to the poor whom he now wrongs. However, the unjust and merciless Mayor, having his conscience pricked, instead of becoming more prudent, he hardened and became more unjust.
After a few days, the Saint met the Mayor's wife on the way, who began to complain about her husband. The Saint blessed her, consoled her, and then encouraged her, repeating to her that he had given a message to her husband. And indeed, not many years passed, and those whom the rich Mayor had wronged, God favored them and they became rich, and grateful to the Mayor's wife, who had often shown them mercy, they helped her in everything. But the unjust Mayor, as he showed no mercy, was not shown mercy by anyone and died of hunger and deprivation.
Miracle 11
During a certain litany which the Saint made for the cessation of an infectious disease, an Armenian, who had come to Paros on business, also attended. Father Arsenios held a Cross in his hands, and after the end of the litany, Christians came and venerated the Cross, also kissing the hand of the Saint. The Armenian also came, but with fear. Seeing this, the Saint said to him: "Come, child, do not be afraid, even though you are not Orthodox, you are also a child of Christ." The Armenian was surprised, because neither he knew the Saint, nor did the Saint know him.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
