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October 24, 2023

Saint George Karslides and the Bitter Old Woman


A woman from Fotolivos narrated with great emotion a story of the great love of Saint George Karslides for everyone.

Her grandmother had two boys who were killed by the Bulgarians.

Due to her grief, she had almost lost her mind and she hated the Bulgarians, who killed her children.

One was married and had a child and the other was 19 years old.

A relative of hers urged her to visit the holy Elder, to be comforted near him.

One day the grandmother went to the monastery for the first time. Before she even reached the gate of the monastery, Elder George, who was sitting outside his cell and spinning with the distaff, without having seen her yet, called out to her: "Mother Tamama, leave outside what you have in your pocket and then come inside. The ones you hate so much, why do you carry their incense?"

The grandmother actually had some Bulgarian incense in her pocket and left it outside.

These simple, but revealing words were enough to win her over and to change her whole mentality with his love. He managed with the fervent prayer of his merciful heart to relieve her pain and since then the grandmother became his most frequent visitor.