On 2 January 2021, Elder Gabriel, abbot of the Monastery of Venerable David in Evia, together with the fathers of the Monastery, celebrated the feast of Saint Seraphim of Sarov at the Chapel of Saint Seraphim of Sarov built on a mountain near the Monastery by the former abbot, the Holy Elder Kyrillos together with the fathers of his time. During the sermon after the Divine Liturgy, Elder Gabriel explained the history of this chapel as follows:
Many people with various diseases and distresses in their lives find refuge in this Monastery. Hence, one day there came a woman whose soul was tormented, having been attacked by demons that tortured her. At the orders of Saint Iakovos Tsalikes, Fr. Kyrillos read the prayers of exorcism.
At one point, seeing how much this creature was being tortured, and having recently read the life of Saint Seraphim in which he saw the great spirituality, the great power and grace that was granted to him by God to banish demons, he supplicated, from within himself, without anyone else hearing him: "Come, my Saint Seraphim of Sarov, come with Saint David to help this creature."
"I didn't have time to finish," Elder Kyrillos had said, "and the demon began to scream:
'There, there! Man, the Russians have also arrived; Seraphim of Sarov has also come to fight me.'
Then I said," said the Holy Elder Kyrillos, "how alive is our faith, how alive is our God, thus confirming the words often spoken by Saint Iakovos:
Many people with various diseases and distresses in their lives find refuge in this Monastery. Hence, one day there came a woman whose soul was tormented, having been attacked by demons that tortured her. At the orders of Saint Iakovos Tsalikes, Fr. Kyrillos read the prayers of exorcism.
At one point, seeing how much this creature was being tortured, and having recently read the life of Saint Seraphim in which he saw the great spirituality, the great power and grace that was granted to him by God to banish demons, he supplicated, from within himself, without anyone else hearing him: "Come, my Saint Seraphim of Sarov, come with Saint David to help this creature."
"I didn't have time to finish," Elder Kyrillos had said, "and the demon began to scream:
'There, there! Man, the Russians have also arrived; Seraphim of Sarov has also come to fight me.'
Then I said," said the Holy Elder Kyrillos, "how alive is our faith, how alive is our God, thus confirming the words often spoken by Saint Iakovos:
'The Lord our God lives!'"
Having this experience, the Holy Elder Kyrillos in collaboration with the fathers, built this chapel and we come and honor him on the 2nd of January every year, and he gives his blessing to the Holy Monastery and to the whole world.
Having this experience, the Holy Elder Kyrillos in collaboration with the fathers, built this chapel and we come and honor him on the 2nd of January every year, and he gives his blessing to the Holy Monastery and to the whole world.
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| Elder Kyrillos of Evia |
