In May 2020, just before the feast of Saint John the Russian on May 27th, Vangelis Papaloukas completed building a very beautiful chapel dedicated to Saint John the Russian in Vagia of Boeotia. He started building this chapel in 2015 after a wonderful experience, but because of covid measures he was not able to consecrate the chapel until measures were lifted, and thus celebrate the Saint properly to whom it is dedicated.
What inspired Vangelis Papaloukas to undertake this task of building a chapel? According to him, the reason for the construction of the chapel was some dreams he had, in which he saw every day for a month the Saint, "who initially appeared as a shadow, while later he also showed his face." "He was a young saint, who appeared to me as if he was asking for something from me," says Mr. Papaloukas, and continues: "He took me to the place where the church is now, and then I woke up."
Finally the following took place: "After 32 days, that night when I went to bed, the Saint came and told me: 'I am Venerable John the Russian, give me your hand.' I gave him my hand and he brought me here. He said: 'I want you to build my house. My house is in Prokopi, but I also want it to be here.'"
"Since I started the construction I have not seen him again," reveals Mr. Papaloukas.
He adds: "Previously I did not even know of the existence of this Saint. Whatever has happened, whatever little stone has entered this church, whatever idea I had about it, to every problem I had, as soon as I thought of the Saint, he gave me the solution and guided me in every aspect. Everything just fell in place, which tells us that if we have faith then everything will fall into place."
The consecration finally took place in July 2020.
What inspired Vangelis Papaloukas to undertake this task of building a chapel? According to him, the reason for the construction of the chapel was some dreams he had, in which he saw every day for a month the Saint, "who initially appeared as a shadow, while later he also showed his face." "He was a young saint, who appeared to me as if he was asking for something from me," says Mr. Papaloukas, and continues: "He took me to the place where the church is now, and then I woke up."
Finally the following took place: "After 32 days, that night when I went to bed, the Saint came and told me: 'I am Venerable John the Russian, give me your hand.' I gave him my hand and he brought me here. He said: 'I want you to build my house. My house is in Prokopi, but I also want it to be here.'"
"Since I started the construction I have not seen him again," reveals Mr. Papaloukas.
He adds: "Previously I did not even know of the existence of this Saint. Whatever has happened, whatever little stone has entered this church, whatever idea I had about it, to every problem I had, as soon as I thought of the Saint, he gave me the solution and guided me in every aspect. Everything just fell in place, which tells us that if we have faith then everything will fall into place."
The consecration finally took place in July 2020.
