Nun Porphyria was born and raised in Piraeus, one of five sisters. Early on she worked with shoes, but later became a taxi driver. She believes becoming a taxi driver was the will of God, which she did for ten years.
She has many stories where the taxi became for her a pulpit from where she was able to do the work of Christ and bring people closer to the Church. For example, she helped a drug addict get off the habit with her comforting and loving words, she would open up the doors of love to unbelievers, and even took in to her home a prostitute and helped her find a job (today she is married and has two children); her preaching was with words and acts of love.
Nun Porphyria became a nun after she was hit hard by a motorcycle while crossing the road. She had prayed to either be taken to heaven by Elder Porphyrios or to live and become a nun. One year later, after her recovery and putting her life in order, on the same date and time of her accident, she entered the monastery.
She has published a book about her stories from the taxi, which her spiritual father urged her to publish. Today she is a nun at Agia Skepi in Palaio Faliro, Athens. She continues her ministry of love there.
One piece of advice she has for the people regards a question she often gets: Why should I go to church when the priest himself doesn't believe the things he preaches? Nun Porphyria answers that we do not go to church for the priest, but for our own soul. The words of the Divine Liturgy ought to penetrate the heart through the mind in order for us to experience its joys. And why should we expect forgiveness within the church and not allow forgiveness for priests? This is an injustice. We do not know what may be going on in the life of the priest. He may have his issues as we have our issues. We must learn to forgive priests and the great value of humble obedience.
