They once asked the great Saint Barsanuphius if our Saints are infallible and if they can make mistakes and he answered:

 “They once asked the great Saint Barsanuphius if our Saints are infallible and if they can make mistakes and he answered:

“YES. IT CAN”!

And when they asked him again, “why does God allow such great men and saints to err and make various mistakes”? he answered:

a) Because they did not ask him about this specific issue, nor did they pray as much as they should before asking God for an answer.

b) Because they received them from older Elders and Saints and did not sit down to investigate whether they were true or not, having confidence in them.

c) So that God could show that all people, even the Saints, are always finite and imperfect and could not in any case understand all the depths of God. That is why the Apostle Paul says that, “we know in part and we prophesy in part.”

d) So that God may show again that our Faith is alive, our Church is alive and the Holy Spirit never ceases to enlighten whomever He wills ("the Holy Spirit breathes where He wills") and whenever He wills, about the truths of our Faith. Thus, whatever escapes someone or is left out by one Saint, may be found and completed by the next; and whatever the next leaves out, may be found by the next, until the end of time. And with a word, whatever the first say and is not clear or correctly formulated, the last come and explain or correct it, so that God may always be glorified through His Saints. For He is the God of both the first and the last, and to Him belongs glory forever and ever. Amen.”

(“The Bible of Barsanuphius and John”, pp. 285-288)