When Elder Bessarion was a monk of 4-5 years (i.e. around 1928) the following event happened:
While Fr. Bessarion was outside the katholikon, below the guest-house, with the talanton and waiting from the vicar for the notification to hit the third, a worker from Ierissos, Eleutherios by name, who was standing on the balcony of the guest-house, fainted. During Vespers Eleutherios came to Fr. Bessarion and asked him: "You, how did you withstand and not faint?"
When Fr. Bessarion asked him later "why did you say that?", Eleutherios told him that he saw the Honorable Forerunner coming out of his proskynitarion below the guest-house, as he is depicted in the icon, but in white, and all light, approaching Fr. Bessarion very closely and doing something to him (like he was anointing him, according to the words of the worker). He was holding a Cross in one hand and in the other another object. He then departed for above with a strong illumination, which he (Eleutherios) upon seeing the scene fainted and fell down.
From ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΑΣΚΗΤΙΚΗ ΚΑΙ ΗΣΥΧΑΣΤΙΚΗ ΑΓΙΟΡΕΙΤΙΚΗ ΠΑΡΑΔΟΣΗ. ΑΓΙΟΝ ΌΡΟΣ 2011. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
