By Miltiades Tsesmetzes, Teacher
The holy Father [John Kalaides] honored Saint John the Forerunner very much, whose holy name he worthily bore.
Every year we visited him, on this day [January 7th], to wish him many years and to receive his blessing. I will never forget a year we went to wish him well for his celebration and he miraculously healed in front of our eyes a very special person of ours, touching him on the back, exactly where he had for a long time strong pains! This was done without knowing the slightest thing about his problem!
One year when I could not go to his celebration, in Neochori where he lived, I called him and wished him "Many Years". Then he said to me: "My child, do not say 'many years' to me anymore, but 'good repentance'."
His humility was very great because he lived every moment what he asked me to wish him! Of course, I could not obey his command, because only a saint could wish this to Fr. John, and I would wish him from that moment on to be in good health and to rejoice in his family.
All the moments we lived with him were a blessed lesson of Christ for our souls and we went to him like a deer running to the spring to quench its thirst!
I thank my spiritual sister Maria Haldoupi, who motivated me last night to write something about the Holy Father, and today being the great feast of Saint John the Forerunner, who was so much honored by Fr. John!
May we have his holy prayers, as well as the prayers of our great Saint John the Baptist, who we are celebrating today!
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
Every year we visited him, on this day [January 7th], to wish him many years and to receive his blessing. I will never forget a year we went to wish him well for his celebration and he miraculously healed in front of our eyes a very special person of ours, touching him on the back, exactly where he had for a long time strong pains! This was done without knowing the slightest thing about his problem!
One year when I could not go to his celebration, in Neochori where he lived, I called him and wished him "Many Years". Then he said to me: "My child, do not say 'many years' to me anymore, but 'good repentance'."
His humility was very great because he lived every moment what he asked me to wish him! Of course, I could not obey his command, because only a saint could wish this to Fr. John, and I would wish him from that moment on to be in good health and to rejoice in his family.
All the moments we lived with him were a blessed lesson of Christ for our souls and we went to him like a deer running to the spring to quench its thirst!
I thank my spiritual sister Maria Haldoupi, who motivated me last night to write something about the Holy Father, and today being the great feast of Saint John the Forerunner, who was so much honored by Fr. John!
May we have his holy prayers, as well as the prayers of our great Saint John the Baptist, who we are celebrating today!
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
