By Metropolitan Meletios of Nikopoleos
Archimandrite Joel Yiannakopoulos was a wise and holy personality (+1966).
Three years after his repose, on 19 October 1969 (the feast of the Prophet Joel), in the chapel of the Orthodox Christian Association "Three Hierarchs" in Athens, a vigil took place in memory of the blessed Fr. Joel. The Archimandrites Fr. Agathangelos Mihailidis (+1991), Fr. Epiphanios Theodoropoulos (+1989) and Fr. Meletios Kalamaras (current Metropolitan of Nikopoleos) were co-celebrants.
Towards the end of the Divine Liturgy, during the time for communion, many faithful, spiritual children of Fr. Joel, saw a strange vision.
In the middle of the church there appeared, at the place of the chandelier, on a throne full of light, like a bright cloud, Fr. Joel seated. The throne was hanging above the heads of the crowd, who were following with awe and devotion the Divine Liturgy. He then disappeared and Fr. Joel could be seen, dressed in his priestly vestments, among his three clerical friends.
This event was interpreted by the congregation as a sign of the holiness of Father Joel, as well as an affirmation of the faith of our Church that the departed pious priests descend to our churches at the time of the Divine Liturgy and co-celebrate with their beloved living priests.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos