In 1850, a terrible cholera epidemic struck Lixouri of Kefallonia. Fear and terror had gripped the living due to the many deaths. Special teams took the dead and buried them in Lepeda, in Agia Anna.
Why should Christians have funerals at this time? They were fighting to get the deadly disease out of their midst.
But here was one who stood by the suffering!
Papa-Panagis Basias! He chanted the funeral service for those he could. For those he could not reach, he went at night with his oil lamp and read the funeral Trisagion at the graves.
Some of the police officers, seeing the light, thought they were grave robbers and were on the lookout to arrest them. But what a surprise they had when they saw Papa-Panagis with his stole, praying for the reposed Christians!
Why should Christians have funerals at this time? They were fighting to get the deadly disease out of their midst.
But here was one who stood by the suffering!
Papa-Panagis Basias! He chanted the funeral service for those he could. For those he could not reach, he went at night with his oil lamp and read the funeral Trisagion at the graves.
Some of the police officers, seeing the light, thought they were grave robbers and were on the lookout to arrest them. But what a surprise they had when they saw Papa-Panagis with his stole, praying for the reposed Christians!
