Thirty to forty people worked daily at the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Aigaleia, who had to be paid every Saturday. In addition to the cost of building materials, a significant amount of money was needed for the workers’ insurance. The Monastery had no income or movable or immovable property, yet the work proceeded without interruption. During the reconstruction, the Brotherhood literally experienced a miracle. His Eminence told the faithful: “If you want to see a miracle today, see how this Monastery is being built. It is a prolonged miracle.”
The main factor in this miracle was Father Eusebios (+ 1995), who had entrusted the Monastery to the protection and intercession of Saint John the Theologian. He had amazing optimism and faith. Where the sisters saw darkness, he saw light. Where they saw narrowness and difficulty, he saw spaciousness. Knowing the magnitude of the work, they were timid, but the Elder, seeing with the eyes of his pure soul the protection and providence of God surrounding them, supported them with prophetic words:
“I believed and I believe that the Monastery will move forward, because it is beloved by God, it is beloved by Saint John. It is a common cause of all believers. Saint John, who for so many years grieved for the abandonment of the Monastery, will build his Monastery. He leads us to believe this with full conviction. If here on earth he was the Disciple of Love, what will he be there near Christ? He will have a special place. To him from the Cross He entrusted the protection of His Mother...
The Saint is with us and is more interested in the Monastery than we are. In fact, he sees deeper and prays more for the Monastery of the individual, for the building up of the individual... He listens, watches our life if it is venerable and helps us. Let the building of the Monastery of the individual come first. Let us build ourselves, the Monastery within. Let us first become a holy, holy, holy Monastery. And the other is progressing well, since the mouth of God says so: 'Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.'”
His prayer opened the floodgates of divine blessings. Architects, engineers, and mechanics offered their services completely free of charge until the end. Every week God was providential so that as much money as was necessary for the expenses of the building could be collected. They never had a surplus, but the work continued without interruption. The Elder himself said with emotion:
The main factor in this miracle was Father Eusebios (+ 1995), who had entrusted the Monastery to the protection and intercession of Saint John the Theologian. He had amazing optimism and faith. Where the sisters saw darkness, he saw light. Where they saw narrowness and difficulty, he saw spaciousness. Knowing the magnitude of the work, they were timid, but the Elder, seeing with the eyes of his pure soul the protection and providence of God surrounding them, supported them with prophetic words:
“I believed and I believe that the Monastery will move forward, because it is beloved by God, it is beloved by Saint John. It is a common cause of all believers. Saint John, who for so many years grieved for the abandonment of the Monastery, will build his Monastery. He leads us to believe this with full conviction. If here on earth he was the Disciple of Love, what will he be there near Christ? He will have a special place. To him from the Cross He entrusted the protection of His Mother...
The Saint is with us and is more interested in the Monastery than we are. In fact, he sees deeper and prays more for the Monastery of the individual, for the building up of the individual... He listens, watches our life if it is venerable and helps us. Let the building of the Monastery of the individual come first. Let us build ourselves, the Monastery within. Let us first become a holy, holy, holy Monastery. And the other is progressing well, since the mouth of God says so: 'Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.'”
His prayer opened the floodgates of divine blessings. Architects, engineers, and mechanics offered their services completely free of charge until the end. Every week God was providential so that as much money as was necessary for the expenses of the building could be collected. They never had a surplus, but the work continued without interruption. The Elder himself said with emotion:
“Pious people help our Monastery out of their deficit. For this God blesses.” At another time: “Those whom Saint John considers worthy of His trust, He enlightens to help His Monastery.”
He never spoke to the faithful about the financial difficulties that the Monastery was facing due to the construction. He did not complain in order to receive something from the people. On the contrary, if someone asked him how they coped with the many expenses of the building, he would answer in a charming way:
“Saint John is rich. He has a special fund for us and as soon as a need arises he gives to us.”
"Elder, people will think that we have money and will no longer help," a sister once said to him.
"We do have, how can we not?" He answered with certainty. "At the Proskomide I chat with Saint John, and he tells me: 'Let them worry. I will build the Monastery.'"
Source: Hieromonk Eusebios Giannakakis: Earthly Angel and Heavenly Man, ed. Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Aigialeia, pp. 497- 498. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.
