By Archimandrite Philoetheos Zervakos
Miracle 3
In Lagada, in the estates of the Monastery of Saint George and of other neighbors who had farmhouses and estates bordering on the estates of the Monastery, the residents of the farmhouses noticed that wild oxen were entering the estates at night and causing damage. When the people living in the farmhouses realized this, they ran to chase them away and the wild oxen that appeared, instead of coming out of the entrance of the estates, came down from steep slopes; while the people ran to reach them in order to drive them out of the entrance, they were in danger of falling and killing themselves. They went and announced this to the Saint, then residing in the Monastery, who comforted and reassured them saying to them:
"Do not be afraid children, have courage. I will come to drive away these wild oxen. Know, however, that they are not real oxen, but envious demons in the form of oxen, to trouble you. When they come, notify me to come and drive them out."
On a moonlit night, the apparent oxen entered the estates and started the damage. The people immediately ran and informed the Saint in the Monastery. And the Saint, taking the Honorable Cross in his hand, hastened to the place. Blessing that place with the Cross, he said: "Cross the guardian of the ecumene... Cross the glory of angels and the wound of demons." He approached fearlessly, but the apparent wild oxen remained as dead. He took one by the ears and followed by the others, they reached the nearby cave, called Kalambaka, which is great and deep, and he said to the demons: "You are commanded by the Lord who sent you down like lightning from heaven, through me His unworthy and least servant Arsenios, to go down to the depth of this cave, and do not come out and harm anyone until the Lord comes at the Second Coming, to cast you into the fire of gehenna, where the worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished."
Miracle 4
At one time the Saint was moving from the Monastery of Saint George to the Monastery of the Transfiguration. Passing through Lagada, outside the farmhouse of the elder Niketas Haniotos, upon seeing Father Arsenios, he ran to kiss his right hand and said to him:
"Elder, I had arranged to send to the Monastery of Christ 21/2 oka of oil for the lamps of the temple. Is it possible since you are going there for me to bottle it by the thousand grams, place it for safety in a basket and hitch it to an animal? It has no weight.'
"Thank you, elder Niketa, let me take it. Bring it, I'm waiting."
When elder Niketas came to his house, he was informed that the children accidentally broke the bottle, and he had no other. He started shouting and arguing with his children. Hearing the voices, the Saint came down from his animal and went toward elder Niketas, where he learned the reason and said to him: "Don't be sad, I have room on my animal. It hangs empty. Bring it there to empty it and I will surely drop it off at the Monastery." Indeed, the elder Niketas went and the Saint showed him an empty basket and said to him: "Empty it there. Yes, I am serious, empty it there and do not be afraid, just believe that the oil will not be lost, but will surely reach where you have arranged it."
Elder Niketas believed, let go the oil in the basket and not a single drop of oil was leaking out, neither at that moment, nor during the entire journey, but it arrived at the Monastery safely, to the surprise and admiration of all the nuns who saw it.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
In Lagada, in the estates of the Monastery of Saint George and of other neighbors who had farmhouses and estates bordering on the estates of the Monastery, the residents of the farmhouses noticed that wild oxen were entering the estates at night and causing damage. When the people living in the farmhouses realized this, they ran to chase them away and the wild oxen that appeared, instead of coming out of the entrance of the estates, came down from steep slopes; while the people ran to reach them in order to drive them out of the entrance, they were in danger of falling and killing themselves. They went and announced this to the Saint, then residing in the Monastery, who comforted and reassured them saying to them:
"Do not be afraid children, have courage. I will come to drive away these wild oxen. Know, however, that they are not real oxen, but envious demons in the form of oxen, to trouble you. When they come, notify me to come and drive them out."
On a moonlit night, the apparent oxen entered the estates and started the damage. The people immediately ran and informed the Saint in the Monastery. And the Saint, taking the Honorable Cross in his hand, hastened to the place. Blessing that place with the Cross, he said: "Cross the guardian of the ecumene... Cross the glory of angels and the wound of demons." He approached fearlessly, but the apparent wild oxen remained as dead. He took one by the ears and followed by the others, they reached the nearby cave, called Kalambaka, which is great and deep, and he said to the demons: "You are commanded by the Lord who sent you down like lightning from heaven, through me His unworthy and least servant Arsenios, to go down to the depth of this cave, and do not come out and harm anyone until the Lord comes at the Second Coming, to cast you into the fire of gehenna, where the worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished."
Miracle 4
At one time the Saint was moving from the Monastery of Saint George to the Monastery of the Transfiguration. Passing through Lagada, outside the farmhouse of the elder Niketas Haniotos, upon seeing Father Arsenios, he ran to kiss his right hand and said to him:
"Elder, I had arranged to send to the Monastery of Christ 21/2 oka of oil for the lamps of the temple. Is it possible since you are going there for me to bottle it by the thousand grams, place it for safety in a basket and hitch it to an animal? It has no weight.'
"Thank you, elder Niketa, let me take it. Bring it, I'm waiting."
When elder Niketas came to his house, he was informed that the children accidentally broke the bottle, and he had no other. He started shouting and arguing with his children. Hearing the voices, the Saint came down from his animal and went toward elder Niketas, where he learned the reason and said to him: "Don't be sad, I have room on my animal. It hangs empty. Bring it there to empty it and I will surely drop it off at the Monastery." Indeed, the elder Niketas went and the Saint showed him an empty basket and said to him: "Empty it there. Yes, I am serious, empty it there and do not be afraid, just believe that the oil will not be lost, but will surely reach where you have arranged it."
Elder Niketas believed, let go the oil in the basket and not a single drop of oil was leaking out, neither at that moment, nor during the entire journey, but it arrived at the Monastery safely, to the surprise and admiration of all the nuns who saw it.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
