Elias and Theophano Tsirambides, from Drosato in Kilkis, are the parents of three children. They related the following:
"On March 30th 2001 we took our little Michael, four and a half years old, to the General Hospital in Thessaloniki because of an unbearable stomach pain. With the appropriate tests they diagnosed him with an obstructive ileus, and operated on him for three and a half hours, removing half a meter of necrotic gut. Our doctors said that the child passed a very difficult situation, but was not out of danger yet. Monday evening he had a 40 degree (celsius) fever. Tuesday he was transferred to the ICU with sepsis and acute respiratory shock. His hopes of living were only 10%.
In the mean time, without us knowing anything, a neighbor of ours saw St. Raphael in a vision who told her: 'Antonina, I'm leaving, because you don't need me any more. I will go to Elias, he has need of me now.' The woman later learned about our son. A friend of our family from Goumenissa, Mr. Polyviou Samaras, went to St. Raphael in Griva and knelt with the priest reading the Paraklesis for the salvation of our child.
Our brother Abraham went in the evening to our empty house to chant the Paraklesis to St. George for the health of Michael. At one point the room started to shine, so much that he was shaken. Where did this much light come from? Most likely it was the grace of the Saint.
After these things, the child's situation began to improve, until the Saturday of Lazarus, when he opened his eyes. On Holy Monday he was totally well and exited the hospital. After being sick for 23 days, we left the hospital.
When we returned, he began to tell us different things: 'I went to Christouli and Panagitsa* high in heaven, where there are a lot of clouds, with the white horse of St. George. I saw uncle Fani (our neighbor who died eight months before) and Despoula (a little girl who died three years before). There were many people I didn't know there and they wore golden angel's clothes and everyone was singing ... Christouli and Panagitsa asked me if I have any brothers and what are they called, and told me not to worry, you will go back to Mama and to your brothers.'
'I don't know how to get back there,' I said.
'With my horse,' said St. George.
'I'm scared, I don't know how to drive the horse.'
'Don't worry, I will drive you.'
Michael is near us, a strong child as he was before, and every day we glorify God, the Panagia and all the Saints who gave him back to us."
Notes:
* Affectionate ways of calling Christ and the Panagia.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.