Archimandrite Eudokimos,
Sacred Monastery of Saint Savvas
Most revered pilgrims to the Holy Land and the Sacred Monastery of Saint Savvas the Sanctified, you are holding in your hands a precious blessing of a few leaves from the miraculous palm tree planted by Saint Savvas himself at his Lavra.
This tree of the Saint had dried up decades ago, but in a miraculous way sprouted anew at the same spot and continues to work numerous miracles, especially for sterile and pious couples.
Beloved brethren in Christ, do not forget, that the primary element for the Grace of God to work is unshakable faith, the fear of God and reverence for the Saint. Equally necessary is your part in fasting according to your strength as well as abstaining from conjugal relations of the flesh. Self-evident also is the increase in your personal and common conjugal prayers, as well as your frequent approach to the most-sacred Mysteries of Confession and Divine Communion.
With the completion of your spiritual struggle (of intensive prayer and general abstinence), make a drink by boiling the leaves of the palm, which then must be burnt, and then join yourselves in physical union with faith, love and the fear of God.
We remind you that sterility and the inability to bear children is in no way a curse or punishment from God. To the contrary very often there is manifested through this a particular lesson, which is the rich love of God, Who wants us always to turn to Him and hope in His omnipotent and benevolent provision and not in anything human.
Recollect how many infertile women in Scripture with patience and perfect love and hope in the mercy of God became the happiest of mothers: Hannah, mother of the Prophet Samuel, Elizabeth, mother of the Honorable Forerunner, Saint Anna the Grandmother of God, mother of our Panagia, and many other Saints in the New Testament, for whose names we would need a book specially written.
Our beloved brethren, let us allow God to act as He knows. Let us always thank Him for His blessings and His blessed paternal lessons.
One thing you should recollect well: the Lord does not want us to give to Him in order for Him to give to us, but let us give to Him with our good intent and pure heart. Once at a certain point if you are made worthy and bear children, do not think that they belong to you alone. All things are His gifts. If He does not give you children, He acts from love alone. Let us learn to not only look forward to the gifts of God, but to seek God Himself and His Kingdom, as He told us (Matt. 6:33). Then all that you really need will be given to you abundantly and in a divine manner.
We wholeheartedly wish you the Grace of God and may the blessing of Saint Savvas accompany you always and everywhere.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
