‘Saint Ascension, give me a fish for my brother’

(edited by Stelios Koukos)

[As written by Saint Païsios the Athonite]

When I was a beginner in the Monastery of Esfigmenou, I was told by the venerable Elder Dorotheos that an elderly monk would come and help out in the Hospice. He was of such great simplicity that he thought the Ascension, which is the monastery’s feast-day, was a great female saint, like Saint Barbara, and when he said a komboskini, he’d say: ‘Saint of God, intercede for us’!

One day, a sickly monk came to the Hospice and since there wasn’t any strengthening food, the elderly monk quickly went down the stairs and into the basement. From a window overlooking the sea, he stretched out his hand and said: ‘Saint Ascension, give me a fish for my brother’.

And, what a miracle! A large fish flew into his hand. He accepted it quite naturally, as if nothing much had happened and happily prepared it to strengthen his brother.