A priest narrated the following related to Saint Iakovos Tsalikes and a suicidal teenager:
One day a young boy came to confession and was in despair for a recurring sin he was committing, and the temptation got him to the point of finding a gun and wanting to commit suicide.
I tried for a long time to persuade him with love and patience to remove the temptation of despair from himself, but in vain.
Then I suggested that he go to the Monastery [of Venerable David the Elder in Evia] to rest for a few days, if he had a blessing from the Elder [the Abbot of the Monastery, Elder Iakovos], since it was a feast day.
I did not talk to the Elder, but the young boy went up to the Monastery, stayed for several days, he did not talk to anyone about his problem, and the day of his departure arrived.
The Elder accompanied him to the door, giving him a bag full of gifts, and after giving him his blessing, he said:
"You should know, those who commit suicide are not saved."
The young boy lost it!
Truly the temptation had made him believe that if he committed suicide, he would be saved because he would stop sinning.
He returned rested and changed and handed over the weapon.
Source: From the book Γέρων Ιάκωβος, Διηγήσεις, Νουθεσίες, Μαρτυρίες. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.
One day a young boy came to confession and was in despair for a recurring sin he was committing, and the temptation got him to the point of finding a gun and wanting to commit suicide.
I tried for a long time to persuade him with love and patience to remove the temptation of despair from himself, but in vain.
Then I suggested that he go to the Monastery [of Venerable David the Elder in Evia] to rest for a few days, if he had a blessing from the Elder [the Abbot of the Monastery, Elder Iakovos], since it was a feast day.
I did not talk to the Elder, but the young boy went up to the Monastery, stayed for several days, he did not talk to anyone about his problem, and the day of his departure arrived.
The Elder accompanied him to the door, giving him a bag full of gifts, and after giving him his blessing, he said:
"You should know, those who commit suicide are not saved."
The young boy lost it!
Truly the temptation had made him believe that if he committed suicide, he would be saved because he would stop sinning.
He returned rested and changed and handed over the weapon.
Source: From the book Γέρων Ιάκωβος, Διηγήσεις, Νουθεσίες, Μαρτυρίες. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.
