Elias Papakostas from Evrytania, when he came from America to his homeland, became seriously ill with pneumonia, intestinal infection and heart disease. His life was coming to an end. The year was 1937.
In vain the doctors tried to save him. He fought against death for forty days. One day a friend of his, a lawyer from Volos, went to the sick man.
He told the desperate mother of the sick man that once in Halkida he had heard talk of a Saint John the Russian. The sick man, as he says, was in such a bad condition that he could not hear, nor was he able to see what was said by the visitor. He heard only the word "Russian".
"The next day," writes the cured Elias Papakostas, "my condition worsened dangerously. I could not sleep, but I passed my time anxiously. I was waiting for the inevitable. Then, suddenly, I felt like I wanted to sleep and it was not long before I fell asleep very deeply.
During my sleep, I had a strange dream, which I will never forget! I saw the door of my room open and a young man in a white shirt enter. He greeted me and asked me how I was. I told him that the disease had taken me away and only death would save me. Then the young man spoke to me the following verbatim in plain language.
'Listen to me. I am Saint John the Russian. I will make you well in five days. But get up and go and venerate at my church. If you cannot, then send your wife, or your sister-in-law or your mother. Have faith and do not be afraid. In five days you will be well.'
Immediately the Saint disappeared from my room. In the morning when I woke up, I felt that my condition had improved. This was also found by the doctor, who visited me that day.
As soon as I woke up, I called my family, and excited I told them the strange dream. But I, as well as they and some of my other relatives, did not know if there really was such a Saint. And only from the priest Papa-Lambros I was informed that day, that Saint John the Russian indeed exists, in fact his full body is preserved, outside Halkida.
So that I do not bother you more, within five days I became completely well and I will never forget the divine intervention of the Saint for my life. Out of my great gratitude to the Saint and to express my faith, I went and venerated his holy relics."
In vain the doctors tried to save him. He fought against death for forty days. One day a friend of his, a lawyer from Volos, went to the sick man.
He told the desperate mother of the sick man that once in Halkida he had heard talk of a Saint John the Russian. The sick man, as he says, was in such a bad condition that he could not hear, nor was he able to see what was said by the visitor. He heard only the word "Russian".
"The next day," writes the cured Elias Papakostas, "my condition worsened dangerously. I could not sleep, but I passed my time anxiously. I was waiting for the inevitable. Then, suddenly, I felt like I wanted to sleep and it was not long before I fell asleep very deeply.
During my sleep, I had a strange dream, which I will never forget! I saw the door of my room open and a young man in a white shirt enter. He greeted me and asked me how I was. I told him that the disease had taken me away and only death would save me. Then the young man spoke to me the following verbatim in plain language.
'Listen to me. I am Saint John the Russian. I will make you well in five days. But get up and go and venerate at my church. If you cannot, then send your wife, or your sister-in-law or your mother. Have faith and do not be afraid. In five days you will be well.'
Immediately the Saint disappeared from my room. In the morning when I woke up, I felt that my condition had improved. This was also found by the doctor, who visited me that day.
As soon as I woke up, I called my family, and excited I told them the strange dream. But I, as well as they and some of my other relatives, did not know if there really was such a Saint. And only from the priest Papa-Lambros I was informed that day, that Saint John the Russian indeed exists, in fact his full body is preserved, outside Halkida.
So that I do not bother you more, within five days I became completely well and I will never forget the divine intervention of the Saint for my life. Out of my great gratitude to the Saint and to express my faith, I went and venerated his holy relics."
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.