The Nephew of Saint Philoumenos Talks About His Uncle's Martyric Death

(left) Fr. Elpidios, (right) Fr. Philoumenos

On November 29, 1979, the brother of Fr. Elpidios, the holy hieromartyr Philoumenos, was martyred in the shrine of Jacob's Well in Neapolis of the Holy Land. At the same time as when the martyrdom was taking place, Elder Elpidios, while he was in his cell in New Skete [on Mount Athos], saw in a miraculous way his martyrdom and heard him shout to him:

"My brother, they are killing me! My brother, they are killing me! Do not be indignant, to the glory of God!"

The Repose of Elder Elpidios as a Testimony of his Holiness

Elder Elpidios was the brother of Saint Philoumenos, who was martyred at Jacob's Well in the Holy Land in 1979. Besides his life, his repose on November 18, 1983 was a testimony to his holiness.

According to the testimony of Archimandrite Athanasios, the abbot of Machaira Monastery in Cyprus, who was a spiritual child of Elder Elpidios when he was abbot of Machaira Monastery:

"A week before he was in a coma. He was holding his prayer rope in his hand. The doctor said he had lost all awareness of his environment, and was left only with mechanical movements. I therefore pulled the prayer rope from the hand of the Elder. He then opened his eyes, saw me, reached out his hand, grabbed his prayer rope and continued to pray in his own way. When we asked for his blessing, he put his hand on our head and blessed us with the priestly blessing. All this was done in the presence of the doctor."