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| St. Gelasius of Ramet (Feast Day - June 30) |
Saint Gelasius (Ghelasie) was the abbot and founder of the Ramet Monastery in Transylvania. He had lived as a solitary near Ramet Creek, and he was granted the grace of working miracles.
The Saint fasted on weekdays, eating only on Saturdays and Sundays, and his only food was the Divine Eucharist. During the day he fulfilled his monastic obediences, and at night he kept vigil.
Gelasius was the spiritual father of many hermits of Ramet Mountain, whom he would visit during Great Lent. He healed the sick, and cast out demons from those who were possessed.
Once, when his disciples gathered the hay of the monastery, and were very hot, they all suffered from thirst. Gelasius prayed, then, striking the earth with his rod, immediately there sprang up water. This spring is seen up to our day and is called "The Spring of the Holy Gelasius". Many villagers take water from it for their health and for a blessing.
We know that in 1377 Gelasius was the Archbishop of Transylvania, and he departed to the Lord after many labors on behalf of his flock.
By divine revelation, he knew of his death beforehand, and having called his twelve disciples, he gave them his final instructions to live in perfect love, avoid drunkenness and forgive all sins. Then, having blessed them, he delivered his soul into the hands of God. It is said that when he died the bells of the monastery began to ring on their own.
On June 20, 1992, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church decided on the official canonization of Saint Gelasius. The solemn glorification was made at Ramet Monastery on June 30, 1992, the day after the consecration of the new church. The commemoration of Holy Hierarch Gelasius from Ramet is made on June 30th.
Today Ramet Monastery is a convent of nuns. The head of the Saint was wondrously discovered in the 20th century, and is exposed for veneration in the main church of the Ramet Monastery. Portions of his relics can be found in many shrines throughout Romania. These relics are the source of many miracles.
Thus, a woman named Maria from Negreşti-Oaş, after having been shown in a dream a dove who urged her to go to the Ramet Monastery to pray and touch the relics of Saint Gelasius, did as she had been commanded in her dream, and she was healed of terrible epilepsy. Another woman, Elizabeth of Albina (Timis), had her hand healed, paralyzed by an illness, through her prayers and many tears shed at the relics of Saint Gelasius. Also an unbeliever from Cocora (Alba), and who was paralyzed, was brought in a carriage of oxen, and he found wonderful healing through his earnest prayers and those of his parents at the relics of Saint Gelasius, returning fully cured to his house.
