The Holy Servants of God Themselves at Times Indicated the Places for their Monasteries
February 24
(From the Lemonarion, the story of John the monk, whom Saint John the Forerunner healed of illness.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
February 24
(From the Lemonarion, the story of John the monk, whom Saint John the Forerunner healed of illness.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
Some monasteries flourish, are adorned, and prosper because the places on which they stand were beloved by the saints to whom they are dedicated, and these saints themselves chose even their abbots. This we shall now prove by the following example.
There was a certain hieromonk, very pious and loving toward the brethren, who lived in a monastery near Jerusalem. Archbishop Elias wished to make him abbot of that monastery, but the elder, seeking solitude, departed with one of his disciples for Mount Sinai. On the way, near the Jordan, he was seized with a fever and could go no farther. With great difficulty he reached a cave and settled there.
At night, in a dream, a certain man appeared to him and asked: “Where are you going, elder?”
“I am going to Mount Sinai,” replied the elder.
The one who appeared said: “I beg you, do not go.”
But the elder was so weak that he could no longer even speak. The apparition vanished.
On the following night the unknown man appeared again to the elder and said: “Why, monk, do you wish to depart from here? Obey me and do not leave this place.”
“Who are you?” asked the elder.
“I am John the Baptist,” replied the one who appeared, “and therefore I command you: do not depart from here. This small cave is better than Mount Sinai, for the Lord Jesus Christ often came here to visit me. And if you give me your word that you will not leave this place, I will heal you.”
The elder joyfully gave his word to the Forerunner to fulfill his will, and immediately he became well. He settled in the cave and remained there for the rest of his life. Near the cave he built a church and founded a monastery which, it is said, exists to this day and is a great monastery through the prayers of Saint John the Baptist.
Thus, we have spoken the truth in saying that some monasteries flourish, are adorned, and prosper because the places on which they stand were beloved by the saints to whom they are dedicated, and that these saints themselves even chose their abbots. And the example given in this narrative is not the only one. Read the history even of the Russian Church alone, and there you will see that the saints, even after departing into the life beyond the grave, continued to love the places they cherished during their earthly life and the monasteries founded upon them, and were for the latter fathers and generous benefactors. You will see this as well.
And what is the conclusion? That we must not forget that the saints, even while living in the world beyond the grave, do not cease their communion with us; they preserve their love for us; and even after death they remain our friends, our fathers, and our intercessors before the Lord. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
