September 14, 2011

A Night of Entertainment With Elder Paisios


By Elder Paisios the Athonite

One time, when I was at the Cell of the Honorable Cross, I had a very beautiful vigil. There gathered in the night many demons on the ceiling. In the beginning they hit with heavy loud noises, and then continued as if they were rolling large tree logs. I would make the sign of the cross on the ceiling while chanting "Your Cross we worship, Master...." When I finished, the logs would start again. "Now," I said, "we will do two dances. One you will do with the logs above and the other I will do below." When I would begin, they would stop. First I would chant "Your Cross we worship", and the next time I would chant "Lord, Your Cross you have given us as a weapon against the devil...." I had a most pleasant night with psalmody, and, when I would stop for a bit, they would continue the entertainment.