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November 8, 2021

The Archangels and the Chickpeas


Father Anthimos of Dionysiou Monastery at Mount Athos testified to the following miracle of the Holy Archangels:

At the time when I was a cook, one Sunday while a vigil was taking place, I took chickpeas from the pot to cook them.

I soaked them and at the time of matins I put them in the cauldron to boil. I boiled them for three hours. After expending two loads of wood those blessed (or better to say excommunicated) chickpeas, instead of softening became more hardened.

You cannot imagine my grief. The fathers who were staying up all night, were they to remain without food?

As saddened and upset as I was, I went up to the Chapel of the Archangels that I was in charge of.

After I lit the candles and with a lot of reverence and full prostrations I venerated and kissed their icon. I took the prayer rope in my hands with a lot of love and reverence and begged them to help me get out of the sadness I had. As I was praying, "O you who are quick to perceive and love, holy Archangels," I heard a voice in my mind saying to me:

"Take some oil from the lamp and throw it in the cauldron."

I did it while saying their apolytikion at the same time, and within 15 minutes the dry, hard, former badly boiled chickpeas became softened!

Seeing this, from within my soul and heart I glorified God and reverently thanked the holy Archangels who brought me out of sorrow and grief.

The fathers ate and some of them told me:

"God forgive you Father Anthimos, you gave us relief. Always boil the chickpeas like this."

Source: Μοναχός Λάζαρος Διονυσιάτης, Διονυσιατικαί Διηγήσεις. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.