Deliverance from Thoughts (Miracles of Saint Joseph the Hesychast)

Many other people received miraculous help from Elder Joseph. Father Prokopios, a disciple of harsh Papa-Nikiphoros, once was strongly tempted to abandon his elder. So Papa-Ephraim (who was also a disciple of Papa-Nikiphoros) advised him: “Go over to Elder Joseph, do a prostration at his grave, and you will feel relief from your thoughts.”

Father Prokopios did as he said, and he later described what had happened as follows:

When I set off from Katounakia, a fragrance enveloped me. When I reached Geronda’s grave, I did a prostration. I told him my thought, prayed, and then returned to Katounakia. On my way back, the same fragrance surrounded me. When I entered my cell that fragrance was gone, but the temptation also disappeared. I was at complete peace and the thoughts about leaving were gone.

Source: Elder Efraim (of Arizona), My Elder: Joseph the Hesychast and Cave-dweller, Saint Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery, 2013, Arizona USA (www.stanthonysmonastery.org).