Saint Joseph Samakos, also known as Saint Joseph the Sanctified, was a revered 16th-century Orthodox hieromonk from Crete, celebrated for his sanctity. He was a monk in the Monastery of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian or Dermatanos, as many called it, which was located in a seaside location in Heraklion, Crete. He reposed around 1511, and his relics, found incorrupt and fragrant, led to his veneration, with churches built in his honor in Crete and Zakynthos. He is celebrated annually on January 22nd.
It happened at one time on the feast of Saint John the Theologian that the Christians offered candles and incense and many other things in the temple, but no offering bread or prosphoron for the Divine Eucharist; therefore, when the time for the Divine Liturgy arrived, the appointed servant, seeing that they had no offering bread with which to perform the Divine Mystagogy, went to Saint Joseph Samakos and said to him:
“Honorable Father, the time for the service has arrived and there is no offering; therefore, order me what I should do.”
And he responded to him according to that Abrahamic voice and faith:
“God will provide for Himself an offering, my child, for the sacrifice of Himself.”
And after a while he says to him:
“Enter, child, into the Holy Bema, look to your right side and you will find what you are looking for by the grace of my Christ.”
And entering the Holy Bema and turning to the right side, the deacon sees (O the wonder!) not one offering bread, but many, large and well-stacked, and with a loud voice he announced to those present what was happening, and the Saint, rebuking him, ordered him to be silent.
Then he immediately began to celebrate the Liturgy, and distributed those offerings to the poor, as he was accustomed to always do, to the glory of Him who does great and wonderful, glorious and excellent things, of which there is no number.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
It happened at one time on the feast of Saint John the Theologian that the Christians offered candles and incense and many other things in the temple, but no offering bread or prosphoron for the Divine Eucharist; therefore, when the time for the Divine Liturgy arrived, the appointed servant, seeing that they had no offering bread with which to perform the Divine Mystagogy, went to Saint Joseph Samakos and said to him:
“Honorable Father, the time for the service has arrived and there is no offering; therefore, order me what I should do.”
And he responded to him according to that Abrahamic voice and faith:
“God will provide for Himself an offering, my child, for the sacrifice of Himself.”
And after a while he says to him:
“Enter, child, into the Holy Bema, look to your right side and you will find what you are looking for by the grace of my Christ.”
And entering the Holy Bema and turning to the right side, the deacon sees (O the wonder!) not one offering bread, but many, large and well-stacked, and with a loud voice he announced to those present what was happening, and the Saint, rebuking him, ordered him to be silent.
Then he immediately began to celebrate the Liturgy, and distributed those offerings to the poor, as he was accustomed to always do, to the glory of Him who does great and wonderful, glorious and excellent things, of which there is no number.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.