The following was narrated by Monk Bessarion of Dionysiou to Father Lazarus of Dionysiou:
In the year 1916, Brother Lazarus, when I was appointed treasurer in the Mill of Marianos (a Metochion of Dionysiou Monastery in Halkidiki), I arrived in Daphne with a transport steamer, which I think was named "Helen".
From there with another boat we arrived at the Cape of Sykia, in Kartalia, where all the winds cross. Oh, my brother! We were in danger of drowning in a great storm.
You could see the poor little steamer dancing in the sea like a walnut shell. One end of it was underwater while the other end was above the water in the air. The air was crunching it from all over and you could tell it was going to break apart and be torn to pieces.
All the passengers saw the danger, or should I say death, that surrounded us.
You could hear voices, making supplications to the Panagia. Some women with their young children began to cry, scream and beseech Christ and the Panagia. Even the captains were afraid.
Then I too became frightened and prayed standing up, with my hands lifted up to heaven, and with a loud voice I called out with faith:
"Our Holy Father Nephon, come and save us! Saint Nephon, rescue us! Saint Nephon, we are drowning, save us!"
Women, men, captains, everyone listened to me ecstatically. Then - O your wondrous boldness which you have before Christ, my Holy Father Nephon! - not ten minutes passed and immediately the bad weather, the storm and the turmoil from the winds broke; and soon after - O Your wonders, my All-Good Christ, how You love Your Saints and do Your wonders through them! - I repeat, soon after I asked where did that bad weather go? It was perfectly calm and everyone was amazed.
The captains also asked me:
"Hey! Monk, which Saint is the one who saved us?"
And I, with much pleasure and joy and love, told them that he is our Saint, of our Monastery; and all were in awe and glorified the Lord. They also thanked Saint Nephon [Patriarch of Constantinople, commemorated on August 11th], who saved us from certain danger.
Source: From the book Διονυσιάτικαι Διηγήσεις. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.
