The following testimony was recorded in the book Ὁ Ὅσιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Καλυβίτης, ὁ διὰ Χριστὸν πτωχός (Venerable John the Kalyvites, Who Was Poor For Christ), written by the abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint John Kalyvites in Evia, Archimandrite Nektarios Kostopoulos.
I was three months pregnant and had just been advised by my doctor to remain relatively immobile since I had bleeding problems and there was high risk for a miscarriage. This was my second child essentially, since I had lost my first child to a spontaneous miscarriage a few months prior.
One night, after I managed to sleep, since the discomfort was often pervasive, and I was taking antispasmodic pills, I saw in my sleep the abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint John Kalyvites with a young monk at his side wrapped in a black-hooded cloak. He smiled at Elder Nektarios while looking at him, then he turned his gaze towards me and told me in a serene tone: "Do not be afraid, all will be well!"
From that day on all the suffering I had from my pregnancy ceased, and I was even able to return to my job, where I worked until the eighth month of my pregnancy. All this because Saint John the Kalyvites wanted to protect my baby and me.
May his name be glorified. To the glory of his name, I vowed for my child to be baptized in the chapel of the monastery.
When my baby, a little boy of four months then, came down with a urinary tract infection, which had to be diagnosed in Athens for its basic causes (serotonin deficiency, etc.), we visited with my husband and my baby the Elder Nektarios, asking him to mediate to the Saint so my child did not have anything serious. Father Nektarios, sure of his words, told us that our child will have nothing wrong.
A few days later, I saw a young monk in my sleep, who was standing behind me and my baby in the chapel of the monastery. He came in front of me, took my child in his arms and said to me: "Do not be sad, for he is mine!"
The examinations in Athens showed an accidental urinary tract infection, with nothing to worry about.
I thank you once again, my Saint John!
A.S.
Psachna, Evia
