December 6, 2012

Saint Nicholas and the Dried Up Well


By Elder Paisios the Athonite

In the Skete of Iveron, Elder Nicholas of the Markiani Brotherhood told me about a father who also had childlike simplicity. Once, when their well had dried up, he let down an icon of Saint Nicholas into the dry shaft with the rope tied to the ring, and said:

"Saint Nicholas, you come up together with the water, if you want me to light the icon lamp for you; you can do it. You see, so many people come and we don't even have some cold water to give them."

What a miracle! The water gradually began to rise and the icon of the Saint floated on the top until he was able to hold it in his hands, kiss it reverently and take it into the church. (This happened some fifty years ago.)

From Athonite Fathers and Athonite Matters, Prologue.