May 9, 2022

"I Kissed the Living Hand of the Lord!" (St. Hieronymos of Simonopetra)


One of Elder Hieronymos of Simonopetra's spiritual children wrote the following in a notebook of his memoirs:

A family, refugees from Russia, condemned by the regime there, fled to Greece and settled in Nea Ionia. One day the father of the family fell ill with a high fever.

Reflecting on his poverty, he asked the Panagia, whose icon he had brought with him from Russia, to help him get well so that he could work and support his family.

At night he felt like he was refreshed by a "light sprinkle" and yelled out at his wife to turn on the light. They saw that the icon was very wet with myrrh and the sick man became well.

They called for the priests of their parish to come and wipe it and they answered:

"For this work go to the Ascension to call Father Hieronymos."

Indeed, a gentleman came and told the Elder about the incident. They left together and he wiped the holy icon.

That night when he returned, he told the host about this.

Someone, unknowingly, said:

"If I were there I would be scared."

The Elder said:

"Miracles are not to be feared by men, but to glorify God and to strengthen the faith of Christians."

After a short time, when the Elder was alone with his spiritual child, who expressed fear, he said to him in particular:

"I will tell you something, but as long as I live you will not say it anywhere. One night I went to church and as I approached the Lord, I said, "Let me kiss that hand that was crucified for me…" And immediately that hand became real. I kissed the living hand of the Lord! Therefore, when we see miracles let us not fear, but glorify God."

Source: From the book by Monk Moses the Athonite, Ιερώνυμος Σιμωνοπετρίτης, ο Γέρων της Αναλήψεως, published by the Monastery of Simonopetra. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.