[ Σημ.συντάκτη: Πρίν, ή αφού επισκοπήσετε το παρόν,
ρίξετε ο π ω σ δ ή π ο τ ε μιά καθαρή+νηφάλια ματιά
στο σχετικό βίντεο του γέροντα, εδώ: Γέρων Ιωσήφ -ΝΟΙΑΖΟΜΑΙ
+καλά, ουράνια, κρασά να'χουμε...,
στο Φώς! ;+) ]
July 5th, 2009 — VatopaidiFriend
Honorable Mr. Papanikolaou,
The photograph of the reposed, smiling not just by his lips, but with his whole facial expression, was of a great impression to the people and we can see the latter from the articles and comments in numerous websites.
Indeed, nevertheless, someone can witness deads with luminous face, with a peaceful expression, with a sense of deep repose, but with a smile on?
At one hand, all the spiritual fathers say that the time of death is horrifying for man, at the other hand we read at the Gerontika [transl’s note: elders’ spiritual reference books] that even the most advanced ones in spiritual life weren’t courageous enough –due to humility-, until they crossed over to the other life where there is no danger.
Moreover, elder Joseph was a heart patient and very feeble due to the illness.
So, how did he repose smiling?
The answer is: NO, he didn’t repose smiling, but HE SMILED AFTER HIS REPOSE.
After a conversation of us with some fathers of the monastery, we convey to you the story of the event.
The two monks that were with him until the very last moment, sprinted to the abbot Ephraim to let him and the rest of the fathers know about the repose and the former two didn’t pay attention to the reposed, who was left with his mouth half-open, nevertheless.
Thus, they came back to the cell, to prepare the reposed according to the monastic ritual. Abbot Ephraim ordered them to leave his face uncovered. The fathers tried to close his mouth, but as it was quite late, the mouth remained open. They even tied a gauze around his head, so that his mouth was kept shut, but after they removed it the mouth opened up again. About 45 minutes were already gone, since he had passed away.
-Abbot, it shall look bad with his mouth open… What shall we do?
-Leave it as it is, do not cover his face!
They sewed him inside his monastic mantle as usually. The whole procedure so that he was put inside the mantle and sewed in took another 45’. Then, they cut off the cloth around his face –according to the order- and found the elder as everybody can see him now, smiling.
Did he listen to them and granted them this litlle favour, so that he didn’t hurt their feelings? Or, was it that he wanted to grant us with a clue from what he saw and let us know the katastasis [transl’s note: spiritual condition] that he is now at, after his departure from the present life?
The smile of elder Joseph of Vatopedi, is the first supernatural event after his repose and has become a great consolation for everybody.
Panayiotis Koutsou
†††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††
July 8th-St. Procopius, 2009 (new gregorian calendar)
aided by a few linked words, phrases and extra pictures by the translator.
-More pictures from elder's Joseph of Vatopedi funeral here (greek text).
-Videos from his funeral here (greek text):
- Part A
- Part B
- Part C
- Part D
-A whole category dedicated to him
here (greek text).
-The announcement of his repose and funeral here,
All of us, including first of the translator and owner of this blog
would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts the blog
as well as all the blessed workers of the modern evangelization of the world,
through this by-all-means broadcasted unique event
considering elder's Joseph of Vatopedi
self-evident smiling skenosis [transl's note: residence] of The Holy Grace.
For "Christ's Risen my delight!",
(Saint Seraphim Sarov)
trully blessed elder Joseph!
Amen, your blessings,
Gracefully delighted smiling father of us
from darkness,
into His Light!
