Once he went to the church at the service of the Akathist. Unfortunately the priest of the parish immediately when he saw him caught him into a discussion and didn`t leave him at all during the holy service. The blessed said later that he didn`t close his mouth at all. I could not pay any attention to the holy service. Despite this I didn`t say anything to him for not offending him. Thus when we returned home I gave my blessing and I made alone the entire service of the Akathist.
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During the visits to the houses of the people who weren`t his close spiritual sons, he didn`t start straightly to give them a word of wisdom or catechize them. He discussed with them instead about the simple matters of daily life and only if they asked him he gave them counsels or discussed in depth different theological topics.
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Many people during his sickness gave him different ointments telling him to use them for easing his pains. He received them and used them once or twice for not upsetting them as he confessed to one of his doctors who advised him not to take them because they did not help him in his case.
`My sin, the people bring them out of love. Why upsetting them throwing away their gift? It`s not right.
Excerpt from the book Fragments of life – Archimandrite Epiphanios Teodoropulos, Evanghelismos Publishing.
