A woman from Ioanina, Greece had a small baby who got very sick. They were during the Holy Week, on Holy Saturday. The woman hadn’t have time to take him to the doctor and the baby died a little before the Resurrection. Seeing this the woman started to cry bitterly but she did not lose her faith. When it came the time to go to the church for the holy service of Resurrection she went before the icon of Theotokos and told her:
`Holy Mother of God, I came to the church for the holy service in the honor of your Son’s Resurrection , as for my son I beg you take care of him the way you know it’s best for him. You know how much I suffer and how much it pains my heart for him, because he is my only son, but I entrust him to your care with my heart of a mother.
After saying these she went to the church and attended the holy service of Resurrection then the Holy Liturgy and at its end she partook the Holy Eucharist and with tears in her eyes but with a strong faith went back home.
When she opened the door she could hardly believe the miracle that happened: her son was alive and was praying on his knees before the icon of Theotokos. She was overwhelmed by feelings of emotion and joy. She knelt herself before the icon of Thetokos and holding her child at her chest thanked to the Holy Mother of God with tears in her eyes. She didn’t sleep on that night, she wept all the time and went on thanking to Theotokos for the wonderful miracle, for her love and kindness. Before daybreak she fell asleep and saw Theotokos surrounded by light and she said:
If you left your son in my care and went to the Resurrection of my Son I brought your son back to you healthy and sound. May you find joy in him and raise him in the spirit of love for God and of doing good deeds.
Afterwards the woman woke up and she glorified God all the time. Her heart was full of joy and grace because of the miracle that had taken place and because she had seen Theotokos.
From the book Spiritual stories, vol. III – Monk Pimen Vlad, to be published soon by Evanghelismos Publishing.
