April 16, 2020

Saint Amphilochios Makris and the Call of the Despairing Widow


By Archimandrite Paul Nikitaras

It is worth adding an event that shows how Elder Amphilochios received mystical calls for the salvation of others that remind us of the great Apostle to the Nations, who heard the voice of a Macedonian call out to him: "Come over to Macedonia and help us" (Acts 16:9).

The ever-memorable Elder, while he was in his cell at his monastery in Patmos, heard a certain woman named Helen calling him from Icarus to hurry over and save her.

Without wasting time, he went down to the port of the island and as if by a miracle he found a ship that was leaving for Icarus.

He therefore arrived by sea at his destination and immediately began to ask around if there was a certain widow named Helen, and was informed that she lost her husband a few days prior.

He quickly asked what street led to the house of the widowed woman.

He didn't ask for his tired body to rest, but hurried without delay, with the voice of Helen still bothering him.

As he was walking, he saw a frantic woman running in despair.

He called out to her by her name and said: "Where are you going Helen? It is for you that I have come!"

The hurting woman approached him, sees the spiritual father, thinks about what she was about to do, and confessed how at that moment she was going to drown herself at sea.

The woman was saved, and the miracle took place, as she herself told me.

From the book Elder Amphilochios Makris of Patmos. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.