Interesting story

Sister Porphyria, who spent a decade (1997–2007) as a taxi driver in Athens and Piraeus, shares her story: “My shift was at night, starting at 11 PM. I was driving up Piraeus Street towards Omonia. As usual, I was talking with my sweet Jesus. Spontaneously, I said to Christ in my heart: • The first person who signals me to stop, I’ll take them without charging, as long as I can bring them closer to You. No one stopped me until I reached Piraeus and Menandrou streets. There, on the corner, a young woman stood. I stopped and looked at her. She was waiting for a client, trying to earn her living. Without thinking much, I got out of the car and approached her. • Good evening! • Good evening! she replied. • You know, I feel a lot of pain in my soul right now, and I want someone to share it with. She looked at me, puzzled, and said: • Really? And you chose me to talk to? • Yes! My heart tells me that you’ll understand me… • Do you know what I do for a living? • I can see. • And you still want to talk to me? • Yes, I want to talk to you. What if we both lose tonight’s earnings? Maybe you can help me, and I can be saved… • Let’s go, she said hesitantly. • Okay, let’s go! She glanced around and quickly got into the taxi. I was happy but also concerned—what should I tell her? I prayed inwardly, “Lord, come down and help me. What do I do now? What do I say to her?” After introducing ourselves, I said: • The jobs we’ve chosen are tough, aren’t they? This started a pleasant conversation. Initially, we talked about the challenges of being a taxi driver, and gradually, I began exploring her life. When we reached Kavouri, I said: • Shall we stop here for coffee and continue our conversation? She replied with something that moved me deeply: • Aren’t you embarrassed to go in with me? Her attire and overall appearance were different from mine. I said: • No, I’m not embarrassed! Those who brought you to this state should be ashamed. To me, you’re a sweet and tender child of God! We went inside, and everyone stared at us. I didn’t care about their looks or the bruises on her legs. That moment was sacred to me. I had to help this girl at all costs, with God’s help. I felt as though I wasn’t the one speaking—it was Someone else within me! It was the Lord driving me to assist her. She told me her life story, from childhood to the present, and how she ended up in her line of work—a painful and soul-crushing profession. It strips away your personality, dignity, and humanity, leaving you to live according to the desires of others. You become a servant of the devil, not God. Hearing this for the first time that night pierced my heart like a sword. Her confession caused me such deep pain, unlike anything I’d ever experienced in my life. I began speaking to her about Christ and the profound joy He brings when we draw close to Him. I spoke of our Holy Mother and her sweet, tender, protective love for her children. I told her about the miracles of our saints, the ones I had witnessed while driving my taxi, and many others who experienced God’s wonders. I urged her to change her life, letting my tears flow incessantly as I held her hands tenderly. Finally, exhausted from crying, I said: • It’s time to go. I paid for our coffee, and we left. When we reached the taxi, I received a touching surprise. She came close to me and said: • Can I hug you? • Of course, you can! She hugged me and then burst into sobs. Through her tears, she said: • Help me, help me! God sent you! Help me change my life; I’m tired of doing this work! I’m very young, yet I feel like I’m 100 years old. Help me start anew, to have a family and children. Please, take me to Christ and tell Him to give me the joy He has given you. I want to be as happy as you are. I promised to help her. I hosted her in my home for a month—a challenging and dangerous month for me because these women often have “protectors.” My life was threatened a few times. However, I was confident that God wouldn’t allow harm to come to me. On the contrary, He would help me save this girl because He had sent me to her path. And that’s exactly what happened. From that night on, her life completely transformed. Today, she’s married, happy, has two children, and lives close to Christ. That night was blessed; it was divine!”

Very impressive pay attention

Давайте устроим поминальную службу для наших усопших. Я слышал от епископов, что поминальная служба больше предназначена для живых, чтобы утешить их, дать им возможность помолиться за тех, кто покинул этот мир. Когда мы начинали, давайте вспомним различные переживания, обратим внимание на слово «переживания», связанные со Святым Иаковом. Также упоминался Святой Евмений. Мы с почтением вспоминали имена святых вместе с нашими старцами. Старец Иаков рассказывал, что, произнося имена, он видел тысячи душ рядом с собой. Некоторые он видел в свете, других – во тьме, кто-то страдал, а кто-то был счастлив. Однажды он увидел блаженного киприота Тита в свете, облаченного в архиерейские одежды – это был знак, что блаженный был спасен. Подобные переживания описывал Святой Евмений, когда он поминал католика Рауля Флёра – великого гуманиста, который защищал права прокаженных в то время, когда их считали изгоями общества. Святой Евмений, сам когда-то будучи прокаженным, с состраданием и любовью вспомнил этого человека. Его ангел помогал им, очищая глаза, тело и душу. Во время божественной литургии, когда святой Евмений клал частицу в дискос, ангел вынимал её. Оскорбленный Евмений спросил ангела: «Почему ты убираешь эту частицу? Он помогал нам!» Ангел ответил: «Этот человек не принадлежит Церкви, телу Христову». Потом я вспоминал своего отца, который умер, когда мне было 8 лет, и моего брата Петра, ушедшего из жизни, когда мне было 12. Я был сиротой, и мои детские страдания были велики. Я делился своей болью со Святым Иаковом, Святым Евмением и Святым Паисием. Они мне сказали: «Давай помолимся за Петра, за твоего отца Николая. Твой отец в хорошем состоянии, а у Петра были небольшие проблемы, но теперь он постепенно поднимается к свету». Эти слова говорят святые, а не бабушки или соседки. Осознаёшь ли ты, что существует вечная жизнь, полная света? Некоторые пребывают в высоком свете, другие в среднем состоянии, а третьи ниже. И хотя они сами не могут покаяться, мы можем помочь им своими молитвами, милостыней и богослужениями, чтобы они поднялись из тьмы к свету. Но важно помнить: для этого подъёма необходима православная вера. Мне сказали: «Ну что, ты веришь в эти наивности?» Я отвечаю: Святой Иоанн Дамаскин говорил, что наши молитвы дают усопшим свет и облегчение. Это не католическое учение о чистилище, а свидетельство святых отцов. Поэтому, когда мы ищем ответы, мы должны слушать святых, их слова и согласие между отцами.

αυτό είναι το κορίτσι που βάζει τον Ανδρέα Κονανό στη θέση του-επεξηγώντ...

The Angel of Saint Evmenios and Raoul Follereau | Metropolitan Neophytos...

13 January 2025

Ο Άγιος Αντώνιος ρωτά τον Άγγελο τι συμβαίνει όταν τελικά τελειώσει η ζω...

When Saint Anthony the Great was in the desert and was ascetic,

an angel appeared in front of him dressed as a monk. As soon as he saw him, the saint

repented to him, but the angel also said to Saint Anthony, bless you

, holy father, thinking that his saint had something to do with a certain monk. suggested

that they walk together for a while the monk accepted and as they walked

Saint Anthony said to him who had understood that the visitor was not a simple old monk

my brother I admire your beauty and youth you have such beauty I have never

seen before in a human being so I am thinking that you are not a simple person in the name of

God so I want you to tell me the truth angel then he says to the holy father,

saint, I am really not a man but an angel of God who came to teach you

the mysteries of God, those which you do not know and which you wish to know

you know then the saint knelt down saying thank you my god because you sent me

a guide to reveal to me hidden mysteries that I wanted to know and

I begged you so ask me what you want me to tell you says the angel the saint

already had the question ready tell me please in that eternal world

do dead people know each other the angel immediately answered and said

to the saint as you see in this here world people sleep at

night and in the morning when it dawns they meet each other greet each other

and talk like friends the same happens in that world

and they know each other and talk but even when a person

does not know the other he learns who he is but but only the righteous

know each other, the sinners

no, Saint Anthony asks again, tell me this too, please, when

the soul leaves the human body, what happens and the memorial services, why

do we do them, what benefit the dead have of these, the angel answers, listen, holy father

, after the soul leaves the body, the angels receive it and take it to

heaven to worship our Lord Jesus Christ, but something else also happens

from heaven to earth, there are orders of demons which they are called aerial

tolls of souls and those wicked spirits demand the soul have certain

scriptures in which are written the people's sins and they show them

to the angels telling them that on such and such a day of the month he committed

some sin, i.e. here he stole there on sight

in such and such a place he lied and elsewhere he committed some other sin and again

the angels also have their own stories with which also show

how many good deeds he did in his life, i.e. almsgiving, liturgy, fasting, prayer or

other good virtues and if more good deeds are found the angels seize

the soul and take it up to the second step there they find another

order of demons stronger who gnash their teeth like wild beasts and curse

the soul while they strive to seize it from the hands of the angels there is a

great battle and great noise so that the angels to free

that soul from the hands of demons and if it is freed it goes up to the third

step there is another order of demons stronger and more ferocious and there is

a great struggle from the angels to succeed in taking the soul from the

hands of the myroni and if it is freed from them also

they go to the upper step until it reaches the do and there is another order of

demons where it is called fornication and if the afflicted soul happens to

be a monk then there is even greater noise and they say to that

merciful soul who has sin where are you going who when you worshiped and defiled the angelic

shape turn back and go to the dark and filthy place of hell

then woe to this soul and what language can tell the punishment

where the demons do to that soul I honor you father I am an angel again,

how much more so that that soul does not tremble at all these tortures that it will

suffer if the soul is found clean of sins the angels seize and

ascend joyfully to Christ then you see the dances of the angels of the

holy apostles that excellent splendor and hear the angels'

melody and all that beauty the

infinite Saint Anthony asked again and the memorial services are held

the angel says at three o'clock days are happening because I told you that in three days

the soul comes and worships our lord jesus christ after the worship

the angels take her again and show her the places where

she walked with the body and remind her of the deeds where she did there they tell her here

you stole there while you were there he murdered there eulabium all the sins he committed

throughout his life, on the other hand, they are also shown as well as the good he did, i.e. here

you gave alms, there fasting, here liturgy, there repentance, here prayer,

there vigil here, prayer and all the other good things she did in all the days of her life, on the

day of the year she again comes to worship and for this they do the memorial services and

services for the benefit of the soul because it is necessary that the

memorial services be held then the angels take the soul and the they go to paradise there

they are shown the bosom of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob the rest of the

righteous and after seeing the dwellings those beautiful and admirers

she begs the angels to stay there in those goods of the righteous but the

angels take her again from there they take her to hell and show her how

the sinners are collaged saying to her this is the river of fire pointing

to the places then they show all the hells of sinners and when

the 40 days are over, the soul goes again and worships our Lord Jesus

Christ for this again the memorial services are held because a soul is waiting to make the

decision that the philanthropic god is about to order it to dwell until the

day of

judgment then Saint Anthony sighed and with tears in his eyes said woe to

man the sinner who was born it was better for him not to have blessed be he born

, but when that righteous man was born, then the saint says

to the angel, tell me, please, and this is hell of sinners has an end

the angel said neither the kingdom of heaven has an end but neither does

hell for sinners have an end hell is for sinners and the

eternal kingdom