By Malkhaz Dzhinoria
On another one of my visits Father Gabriel was very sick in bed and asked Nun Parasceva to fry him some potatoes. She prepared a portion for me. I ate. A few hours later the Elder said to fry again.
"We have no other potatoes," replied Nun Parasceva.
"Why don't you have any? A visitor comes and you don't have any?" He then told her to leave.
Then he told me:
"The Lord fed 5,000 people. Would it be difficult for Him now? Come, let us ask for Him to show us mercy."
I became alarmed at that moment, because although I had seen many wondrous things in his presence, I had never seen a "tangible" miracle. One could only imagine what I would have done in that moment if potatoes appeared before me! I didn't say anything to Father Gabriel, but he understood and said to me:
"Okay. Look whose coming now."
I was sitting in front of the door, the Elder was inside his cell, in bed. At exactly that moment two nuns entered the courtyard of the monastery. Father Gabriel couldn't see them.
"What a surprise! Indeed two nuns have come."
"Okay. This is a good thing. I came out as being truthful. But now sit down and eat."
I began to eat potatoes again. They were warm and delicious. We spoke a bit. Finally, I received his blessed and left. On the road I remembered that the potatoes had finished! How were they cooked again?
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.