Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (Feast Day - June 15)The following is by Fr. Nektarios Moulatsiotis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Augustine of Hippo and Saint Seraphim of Sarov in the village of Trikorfo of Central Greece. One of the boasts of the monasteries is that it has one of the largest bell towers in the world (400 bells). It is a missionary brotherhood, very well-known in Greece and abroad.
Many youth return to the ways of God and write us letters of miracles which have happened in their lives through the intercessions of Saint Augustine. Below are a few examples:
1. A young 23 year old man, a drug addict, would have visions of a saint who would ask him if he wanted to be saved. The young man would answer that he wanted to be saved from his passion for drugs which brought him to ruin. The saint then told him: "My home is in Trikorfo Doridos. Go there and you will be well." The young man came, told us all that happened to him, and we brought him to the church of the Monastery. When he saw the icon of Saint Augustine, he yelled: "That was him...that was him...!" and fell on his knees to venerate him. The miracle happened. Until today this young man, as he told us, is free of any drug use and even of its desire. (We have not released his name because of his association with drugs.)
2. Mrs. Vissaria Dagla from Lefkada went through a severe trial with her son Panagioti who lives in America. On Christmas of 1994 her son who was married with three children, abandoned his family and home without reason or cause. His mother, once she heard this and unable to do anything, fell on her knees and pleaded with Saint Augustine and his mother Monica to intercede on behalf of her child. It happened that within two months the miracle occurred, her prayers were answered, and Panagiotis returned to his home and family repentant of his error. Saint Augustine interceded for him as he does for thousands of young people.
3. Miss Aspasia Volga, from Trapezaki - Distrato Arta, wrote to us the following:
Beloved Elder,
I watched your program and I was moved to hear that on June 15th, the Feast of Saint Augustine and his mother Saint Monica, the 400 semantra and 62 bells of your Monastery will be struck and the "earth will shake" from the peale. I had suffered from dislocation of the jawbone for 18 years. I had not been able to eat, to laugh, etc. Hearing of the Saints I pleaded with Saint Augustine and his mother to heal me. I crossed my left cheek at that moment as I was watching you speak on television. The miracle happened immediately. I was cured at that moment. Today I can once again laugh, I eat easily and I glorify God and his Saints who healed me.
May God keep you well and give you strength,
The unworthy servant of the Lord,
Aspasia Volga
4. Mrs. Kelaidi-Kastrinaki Aggeliki, former Director of Personnel in Megaron Maximou during the government of Mitsotakis, often visits our Monastery, because she has a great devotion towards Saint Seraphim. Unknowingly, however, she would always venerate the icon of Saint Seraphim and would forget that of Saint Augustine.
However, she wrote us that one night she saw the following in her sleep:
I saw that I was coming to your Monastery, and when I arrived beneath the bell-tower and prior to my entering the holy church, I met before me a saint, who told me:
"Why is it that when you come to our Monastery you do not venerate me?"
"Who are you?"
"Saint Augustine", responded the Saint, and he disappeared from us.
Then I saw that I was moving towards the interior of the church. Seeing the icon of Saint Augustine I immediately recognized the Saint whom I had just recently met.
When Mrs. Keliadi visits our Monastery now, she venerates immediately both of our Saints.
Many youth return to the ways of God and write us letters of miracles which have happened in their lives through the intercessions of Saint Augustine. Below are a few examples:
1. A young 23 year old man, a drug addict, would have visions of a saint who would ask him if he wanted to be saved. The young man would answer that he wanted to be saved from his passion for drugs which brought him to ruin. The saint then told him: "My home is in Trikorfo Doridos. Go there and you will be well." The young man came, told us all that happened to him, and we brought him to the church of the Monastery. When he saw the icon of Saint Augustine, he yelled: "That was him...that was him...!" and fell on his knees to venerate him. The miracle happened. Until today this young man, as he told us, is free of any drug use and even of its desire. (We have not released his name because of his association with drugs.)
2. Mrs. Vissaria Dagla from Lefkada went through a severe trial with her son Panagioti who lives in America. On Christmas of 1994 her son who was married with three children, abandoned his family and home without reason or cause. His mother, once she heard this and unable to do anything, fell on her knees and pleaded with Saint Augustine and his mother Monica to intercede on behalf of her child. It happened that within two months the miracle occurred, her prayers were answered, and Panagiotis returned to his home and family repentant of his error. Saint Augustine interceded for him as he does for thousands of young people.
3. Miss Aspasia Volga, from Trapezaki - Distrato Arta, wrote to us the following:
Beloved Elder,
I watched your program and I was moved to hear that on June 15th, the Feast of Saint Augustine and his mother Saint Monica, the 400 semantra and 62 bells of your Monastery will be struck and the "earth will shake" from the peale. I had suffered from dislocation of the jawbone for 18 years. I had not been able to eat, to laugh, etc. Hearing of the Saints I pleaded with Saint Augustine and his mother to heal me. I crossed my left cheek at that moment as I was watching you speak on television. The miracle happened immediately. I was cured at that moment. Today I can once again laugh, I eat easily and I glorify God and his Saints who healed me.
May God keep you well and give you strength,
The unworthy servant of the Lord,
Aspasia Volga
4. Mrs. Kelaidi-Kastrinaki Aggeliki, former Director of Personnel in Megaron Maximou during the government of Mitsotakis, often visits our Monastery, because she has a great devotion towards Saint Seraphim. Unknowingly, however, she would always venerate the icon of Saint Seraphim and would forget that of Saint Augustine.
However, she wrote us that one night she saw the following in her sleep:
I saw that I was coming to your Monastery, and when I arrived beneath the bell-tower and prior to my entering the holy church, I met before me a saint, who told me:
"Why is it that when you come to our Monastery you do not venerate me?"
"Who are you?"
"Saint Augustine", responded the Saint, and he disappeared from us.
Then I saw that I was moving towards the interior of the church. Seeing the icon of Saint Augustine I immediately recognized the Saint whom I had just recently met.
When Mrs. Keliadi visits our Monastery now, she venerates immediately both of our Saints.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos