By Protopresbyter Fr. Kosmas Pavlidis
Today, Monday the 23rd of November 2015, at 1:00 PM in England, as the Parish Priest of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of Theotokos & Saint Andreas in Birmingham, where we host the sacred relics of Saint John the Forerunner and the priestly Stole of Saint Philoumenos, who was martyred at Jacob's Well in Jerusalem, together with Elder Nektarios Moulatsiotis, took the Stole of Saint Philoumenos, and we visited Queen Elizabeth Hospital to bless a patient named Kyriaki, who is my spiritual child.
When we got up to the seventh floor Elder Nektarios was holding in a reliquary the Holy Stole of Saint Philoumenos. I approached the nurse and asked permission to enter room 35 in order for the Elder to bless the patient. The nurse did not allow us entry. I asked her:
"Why do you not allow us entry?"
"Because it is forbidden for more than three people to enter. And already there is one relative in the room."
"Which three? We are two!"
"You are three and do not be rude."
"But who is the third? There isn't one. You are not seeing well. Call your manager for me."
Then Elder Nektarios turned to me and said:
"Saint Philoumenos is with us, which is why she sees three. Do not say anything and move on."
The manager then came and she allowed the "three" of us to enter.
The appearance of Saint Philoumenos was visible. His Stole is even now fragrant. Great is the glory of our God and the glory of our Saints.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
