Whatever I want, I simply ask the Saint for it, and he grants it to me.

 

"Whatever I want, I simply ask the Saint for it, and he grants it to me..."

Once, while I was a monk, I was cleaning the sanctuary of Saint David of Euboea.

Saint Iakovos Tsalikis entered and went before the icon of Saint David—unaware that I was also inside the sanctuary—and began speaking to the Saint; he read him a letter and spoke about a sick person, asking him to go and heal him.

He spoke with such deep emotion and reverence, as if Saint David were standing right there beside him.

I accidentally dropped the dustpan I was using to sweep, and he asked:

"Who is in here?"

"It’s me, Elder," I replied.

"My dear Ilarion, you’ve been here a while—you heard what I was saying. Please don't misunderstand; I’ve taken some heart medication and I’m having hallucinations; I’m disoriented and dizzy." (Of course, he said this to conceal the virtue of his prayer—his frequent, direct conversations with the Saint).

He said to me:

"Father, don't say a word about what you heard or saw; let's not give people cause to mock us."

"God bless, Elder." Later that afternoon, he saw me in the kitchen—where I was serving as assistant cook to Fr. Kyrillos—and said to me discreetly:

"My dear Ilarion, a thousand apologies for lying to you this morning in church.

I wasn't feeling dizzy, nor did I take any pills; I simply wanted to conceal the virtue of prayer and the communion I share with the Saint (David), lest I fall into vainglory and be lost.

Whatever I desire, I ask of the Saint in this way, and he grants it to me."

Saint Iakovos Tsalikis