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Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou Remembers Saint Iakovos of Evia
18:02
What the video says
Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou writes about his acquaintance with Saint Iakovos of Evia, whom he first met at Pascha of 1982 at the prompting of Saint Porphyrios, who called him the most humble of elders and a great saint because of his simplicity. The Metropolitan recounts the elder's gifts: clairvoyance used pastorally, exorcism of demons with the skull of Saint David, prayer to forget what he heard in confession, and his constant plea of 'Forgive me' toward both admirers and critics.
The article describes the monastery's abundant hospitality to pilgrims and presents spiritual fatherhood, according to Elder Cyril the successor abbot, as the saint's greatest gift. The longest section concerns the Divine Liturgy: Saint Iakovos saw angels during the Great Entrance, souls of the reposed at the Proskomide, including his parents, his sister Taisia passing through the toll houses, and Archbishop Makarios III, and beheld the life and passion of Christ.
The Metropolitan closes by urging contemporary Orthodox Christians to seek the faith and patience of the saints and to experience God, not merely talk about Him, noting that the Church begets saints in every age.
Key moments
- Saint Iakovos told Metropolitan Neophytos that when he became a hierarch and spoke about him, he would be speaking about the Holy Spirit who was within him.
- Saint Porphyrios directed the 19-year-old student to Elder Iakovos, calling him the most humble of them all and a great saint because of his simplicity.
- The elder either spoke with the words of Saint David or called himself 'a fool, a worm of the earth' to hide his holiness.
- The monastery showed abundant hospitality, preparing coffee and meals for every bus of pilgrims whether or not they could pay.
- Saint Iakovos had the gift of clairvoyance, foretelling that Neophytos would become bishop of Morphou, and the gift of casting out demons using the relics of Saint David.
- As a spiritual father he prayed to see into hearts and to forget what he heard in confession, and God granted his request.
- He constantly said 'Forgive me' because he saw himself as having fooled those who admired him and scandalized those who judged him.
- In the Divine Liturgy he beheld angels, souls of the reposed, and the life and passion of Christ; his greatest gift, per Elder Cyril, was his spiritual fatherhood.
Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou writes about his acquaintance with Saint Iakovos of Evia in an article first published in the magazine Peiraiki Ekklisia (vol. 303) in May 2018. He first met the elder at Pascha of 1982, when Saint Porphyrios directed him, then a 19-year-old student, to Iakovos, calling him the most humble of elders and a great saint because of his simplicity.
The Metropolitan recounts the elder's gifts: clairvoyance used pastorally, including a foretelling that Neophytos would become bishop of Morphou; the casting out of demons with the skull of Saint David; prayer as a spiritual father to see into hearts and to forget what he heard in confession, which God granted; and his constant plea of 'Forgive me' toward admirers and critics alike, because he saw himself as having fooled those who admired him and scandalized those who judged him.
To hide his holiness, the elder either spoke with the words of Saint David or called himself 'a fool, a worm of the earth'. The article describes the monastery's abundant hospitality to pilgrims, with coffee and meals prepared for every bus of visitors whether or not they could pay. Elder Cyril, the successor abbot, names spiritual fatherhood as the saint's greatest gift.
The longest section concerns the Divine Liturgy: Saint Iakovos saw angels during the Great Entrance, souls of the reposed at the Proskomide, including his parents, his sister Taisia passing through the toll houses, and Archbishop Makarios III, and beheld the life and passion of Christ. Saint Iakovos told the Metropolitan that when he became a hierarch and spoke about him, he would be speaking about the Holy Spirit who was within him.
The Metropolitan closes by urging contemporary Orthodox Christians to seek the faith and patience of the saints and to experience God rather than merely talk about Him, noting that the Church begets saints in every age.
Main points
- Saint Porphyrios directed the 19-year-old Neophytos to Elder Iakovos at Pascha of 1982, calling him the most humble of elders and a great saint because of his simplicity.
- The elder had the gifts of clairvoyance and of casting out demons with the skull of Saint David, and as a spiritual father prayed to forget what he heard in confession.
- He constantly said 'Forgive me' and called himself 'a fool, a worm of the earth' to hide his holiness.
- During the Divine Liturgy he saw angels at the Great Entrance and souls of the reposed at the Proskomide, including his sister Taisia passing through the toll houses and Archbishop Makarios III.
- Elder Cyril named spiritual fatherhood as the saint's greatest gift; the Metropolitan urges readers to experience God, not merely talk about Him.