Archimandrite Ioannicius (Kotsonis). "Athonite Paterikon".
Many years ago, on the southern
outskirts of Katunaki, there lived a very reverent elder with his novice
named Spyridon. At first, Spyridon was diligent and obedient in
everything. However, over time, the invisible worm of vanity began to
corrode his monastic living. He performed excessive deeds, increased
number of bows, the number of prayers with the prayer rope, kept vigil
for more time without taking permission and blessing from his spiritual
father. He began to consider himself much higher than other monks and,
little by little, doing his own will, reached the point that he was
completely possessed by the spirit of pride.
One night, he heard someone knocking on
his cell, saying: “Through the prayers...”. He opened the door and saw
an Angel in front of him. But it was an Angel only in appearance, and
not in essence.
“I have been sent by God Almighty
Himself to declare to you that many of your deeds and virtues are
pleasing to Him,” the pseudo-angel told him. - So, God, in order to
reward you, is calling you to ascend with me today to the top of Mount
Athos, where He will come with the angelic armies and with the ranks of
saints, so that you worship Him.
So said the devil who appeared in the
form of an Angel, and Spyridon, since he was blinded by the darkness of
pride, without praying, followed him, left by grace. It was winter,
there were heavy snowfalls. After many hours, they climbed to the top of
Mount Athos. The one who pretended to be a bright angel joyfully says
to Spyridon:
- Look over there. Can you see, Christ is coming?
Spyridon looked and saw some kind of red
disk, in the center of which Christ was sitting on the throne in the
bishop's vestments. Around him, there were moving waves of the ranks of
angels and holy apostles, hierarchs, venerable ones, righteous men and
women. Ahead of the saints, there was St. Spyridon of Trimythous, whose
appearance especially attracted the attention of the unfortunate
Spyridon.
Meanwhile, the demon in the form of an angel rushed him:
- What are you staring at like a fool? Can't you see that Christ himself is here? Go quickly and bow to Him.
Spyridon took a step forward, but
hesitated. Apparently, someone was praying for him at that moment. With
curiosity, he noticed that Saint Spyridon had a very large skoufia on
his head, about a meter high, while on the icons he had used to see his
saint in a little skoufia. Crossing himself, he said:
- Lord, have mercy! I have never seen such a big skoufia in my life!
In this very moment, all these visions
and ideas disappeared, and Spyridon was alone in front of the abyss. One
leg stood in the snow, and the other one was lifted over a terrible
abyss to step forward.
It took him twelve hours to return to his kalyva, where he found his elder crying and praying.
With tears of contrition, he told him everything.
The elder imposed a penance on him not
to receive communion for three years, and the confessor sent him for
three years to the strict cenobitic monastery of St. Dionysius to wash
plates. So Spyridon really humbled himself and later with tears told all
the fathers, and especially the new monks, about his misadventures and
about the terrible death that the elder’s prayer saved him from.
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