At the Sacred Pilgrimage Cave Church of the Nativity of Saint John the Forerunner (Damialis, Crete), traditionally believed to have been built by Saint John the Xenos (10th century), where, according to the liturgical schedule of the shrine, Divine Liturgies and Parakleses are celebrated every month, with the commemoration of all the names that the many pilgrims record during their pilgrimage, His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of Kissamos and Selinos celebrated the Paraklesis to Saint John the Forerunner on July 14th 2026.
At the conclusion of the Paraklesis, the His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios referred to one of the “For Health” prayer requests that had been recorded at the shrine during the month of July.
In this particular request, which was written in English, the person making the request asked God to keep his or her family “in Lebanon” safe and to grant them peace: “Keep them safe. Make peace.”
The next sentence of the prayer request was a prayer for the “enemies.”
It reads:
“Help us to love our enemies, our brothers and sisters.”
Another sentence follows: “Help us to get through these difficult times,” concluding with the words of thanksgiving, “Thank you God.”
At the conclusion of the Paraklesis, the His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios referred to one of the “For Health” prayer requests that had been recorded at the shrine during the month of July.
In this particular request, which was written in English, the person making the request asked God to keep his or her family “in Lebanon” safe and to grant them peace: “Keep them safe. Make peace.”
The next sentence of the prayer request was a prayer for the “enemies.”
It reads:
“Help us to love our enemies, our brothers and sisters.”
Another sentence follows: “Help us to get through these difficult times,” concluding with the words of thanksgiving, “Thank you God.”
Referring to this prayer request, His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of Kissamos and Selinos remarked:
“The prayer of this merciful and grace-filled soul for the ‘enemies’ constitutes the very essence of our faith. At first, he or she asks God to keep his or her family in Lebanon, where they apparently live, ‘safe’ and to ‘grant peace.’ Immediately afterward, he or she asks God to help us ‘love our enemies,’ whom the person calls ‘our brothers and sisters.’
This prayer for the ‘enemies,’ who are ‘our brothers and sisters,’ opens the gates of Heaven. It is among the prayers most pleasing to God, since forgiveness and love toward those who harm us reflect the will of God, as well as His love. This is how our Christ wants us to be: to imitate Him. Just as He forgave those who crucified Him from the Cross, so too are we called to activate and bestow this power of forgiveness and love upon every ‘one who crucifies’ us.
Indeed, in this prayer request, the person praying calls ‘brothers and sisters’ those who might potentially harm his or her family ‘in Lebanon,’ for whom the person is praying to remain ‘safe.’ And the person asks God to help him or her love them. What greatness, and what strength of soul!
Do we, then, have such a willingness to open our hearts toward those whom we believe harm us? Do we regard them as ‘our brothers and sisters’? Do we love them? Do we pray for them?”
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
“The prayer of this merciful and grace-filled soul for the ‘enemies’ constitutes the very essence of our faith. At first, he or she asks God to keep his or her family in Lebanon, where they apparently live, ‘safe’ and to ‘grant peace.’ Immediately afterward, he or she asks God to help us ‘love our enemies,’ whom the person calls ‘our brothers and sisters.’
This prayer for the ‘enemies,’ who are ‘our brothers and sisters,’ opens the gates of Heaven. It is among the prayers most pleasing to God, since forgiveness and love toward those who harm us reflect the will of God, as well as His love. This is how our Christ wants us to be: to imitate Him. Just as He forgave those who crucified Him from the Cross, so too are we called to activate and bestow this power of forgiveness and love upon every ‘one who crucifies’ us.
Indeed, in this prayer request, the person praying calls ‘brothers and sisters’ those who might potentially harm his or her family ‘in Lebanon,’ for whom the person is praying to remain ‘safe.’ And the person asks God to help him or her love them. What greatness, and what strength of soul!
Do we, then, have such a willingness to open our hearts toward those whom we believe harm us? Do we regard them as ‘our brothers and sisters’? Do we love them? Do we pray for them?”
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
