St. Paraskevi (Phaneromene) depicted as a nun (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8VARSEnj8SUQ8kO7APcBf3sfW9sZUtvfZ3HXkx6EGc3LeKEz8srdBsrPlvEmWZEgnRRXbXdX1ggL7_n5WLDMxvCOhkt5RbD3XyVjlmhaYNrU7vC-e32e9m_Nw7fteXguXB_r3Xa7LgU/s1600/%25CF%2583%25CE%25AC%25CF%2581%25CF%2589%25CF%2583%25CE%25B70011.jpg)
St. Paraskevi appearing to a young Elder Iakovos (Tsalikis) (amateur translation)
Outside
the village there was, on a small hill, a chapel of St. Paraskevi.
Elder
Iakovos would go there regularly when he was young, to pray to the
Saint.
The
Elder himself relates:
“With
my hands I dug the soul and created a make-shift staircase, so
pilgrims could go without difficulty to the chapel. I cut a fluffy
bush, swept the church, lit the vigil lamps, and sat and gazed at the
icons, in the total silence of the night on the deserted hill.
I
was neither afraid on my own, nor did I ever have cowardly thoughts.
I
then saw the Saint as nun coming out of the Holy Altar, crossing
through her church and out into the yard, and to bend and clean her
vigil lamps. With my childish mind I said that the Saint was cleaning
her plates, just like my mother did every evening, no matter how
tired she was (for she thought what if she died during the night, and
in the morning the women find dirty dishes, and be scandalized for
the absent homemaker).
Having
this thought in my mind, I thought that the Saint cleaned her plates
at night, too.
One
night, as I was going to the chapel as usual, I saw the Saint dressed
like a nun a few meters outside the church. She told me:
“Come
here, Iakovos, I want to talk to you!”
I
was afraid, and my legs buckled. I told her:
“I
am afraid to come near you. Tell me from were I am standing what you
wanted to say. I am afraid to come near you.”
Then
the Saint said to me:
“Why
are you afraid of me? You have come here for so long and helped keep
my church tidy and lit my vigil lamps! I have much to tell you. Ask
me what gift you want from me, what gift should I give you?”
Then
I told her:
“Let
me go ask my mother.” And immediately I turned around and fled
running for my home.
I
told my mother that I saw St. Paraskevi and she asked me to tell her
what gift I want from her.
“You
saw St. Paraskevi, my child? How did you see her? What happened
exactly?” my mother asked.
And
having related all the details, she told me: “My child, ask the
Saint to give you her favor.”
The
next night I went to the chapel, and again I see the Saint like a nun
waiting for me outside of her church. I waited far away a bit then
told her:
“I
want you to give me your favor.”
The
Saint told me: “My favor? During your life you will see many
glories and honors, and you will take gold in your hands (and she
made a motion, indicating a great amount), but it will not touch
you.”
And
in reality, as the Elder said, “Countless money passed through my
hands, but all of it went towards its goal, to those suffering, to
the poor, to those in need. And St. Paraskevi told me many other
things, and again I returned to my home.”
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
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