What is this bone papa? Take it from here and go home” with these words the impious doctor chased away the faithful priest who brought to the sick elder a fragment of the holy relic of Saint Panteleimon. Repentant, however, he returned to the priest to apologize.
The elder had a breast tumor and underwent surgery. As soon as they have removed the tumor, they give a piece to Father Evangelos to take it for a biopsy and bring the results immediately. After the test results, the doctors do not even give the patient six months to live. Pope Vangelis’ daughter faints as soon as she hears it, he himself loses it. “Listen, he says, doctors suddenly say that to the child! In his hands, however, he clasps the hand of Saint Panteleimon, which he has brought with him, and prays.
They take the elder woman out of the operating room. With longing, Father Evangelos leans on the gauzes that cover the operated breast of the elder, the hand of the Saint and kneels down in prayer.
At that time the surgeon enters with the mask still on. He sees the stage and starts the voices.
– What is this bone my dad? Take it from here and go home.
Stunned, the poor man quickly collects the holy relics and tries to find the door. In his daze, however, he hears the nurse calling the doctor on the phone, urgently asking for him or his wife.
In the afternoon, a race stops outside the priest’s house, and Pope-Vangelis is surprised to see the doctor coming out. Go! say! he thinks, the doctor is still chasing me in my house! With horror, however, he sees a disfigured young man also getting out of the car. His mouth had gone to his ear. The priest was excommunicated.
– My father, the doctor tells him, do you have that bone? Excuse me, I blurted out, while I was kicking you out, my wife called me that our child, who was taking exams at the time, had suddenly suffered the paralysis you see. I understood that it was my fault and therefore please read us a wish. I got your address in the village from the elder.
– Thank you, my children, come to the chapel. My boy, hold the hand of the Saint and kneel.
I spread the petrachili on the young man’s head and begin to read the wish. As I read, I hear a crack, crack noise. I’m thinking, what’s going on? I finished and when the child stood up, what to see, the child’s mouth was back in place! Father and son throw themselves at me.
– Papouli, how can we thank you?
– Not me, my children, God and the “Saint.
Since then, for a very long time, they came regularly to worship and bring the oil for the candle of the Saint.
As for the elder, she has now been perfectly well for more than twenty years without any treatment at all. She raised her children and lives in the village looking after the little church with so many holy relics, since Father Evangelos is no longer there. The doctor often said to Pope Vangelis: “We, my father, must burn our books.”
From the book “Episodes from the wonderful life of Fr. Evangelos Chalkidis, vicar of Ag. Vassiliou Lagada”, “Orthodoxos Kypseli” Publications”.
