Elder Gervasios of Patras

I, my child, am here today, and tomorrow I will be gone. But remember what I am about to tell you: A lot of suffering will come to humanity. The cause of the sufferings that exist, and of those sufferings that are coming, and especially the blood that flows at different wars... the cause is abortion. The embryos, that many doctors do not consider to be fully human beings, take revenge. Pictured or not pictured, even if it is only one hour from conception, this child on the day of judgement will resurrect as all human beings, as one 33 years of age, but blind because it was not baptised, and he will ask his mother for the reason why she sent him in that way unenlightened. Who had given her this right? I would prefer to embrace you at your funeral dead as harlots, than as mothers with abortions.

The Truth About Abortions, published (in Greek) by Orthodox Kypseli, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2011; p. 83-84; translated by OrthodoxProLife.

Testimony from the Nun Sophrosini from the Monastery of Prophet Elias in Patras

The nun Sophrosini from the monastery of Prophet Elias in Patras (where Geronda Gervasios settled as a hesychast) describes the following occurrence about the memorable Geronda Gervasios. Gerontissa Sophrosini was born in 1913 and was a disciple of Geronda Gervasios from her youth. She described this occurrence to us last June (in 1985).

"My sister Angeliki had six children and went to Geronda Gervasios and told him that she could not raise more children and for this reason she would avoid children from that point on. After he listened to her in his confession room, he told her to kneel towards the icon of the Crucified One that he had in the room, and to say, "I have sinned, O Lord, forgive me, I will never, I will never do what I thought." In reality, she obeyed Geronda and did exactly what he told her. And God blessed her and gave her three more children, for a total of nine. Truly, the seventh one, the one she had thought to avoid, was a daughter who became a nun, and today is the Gerontissa Fevronia of our monastery! Yes! and the thought, the idea to commit a sin, is a sin, and is judged and treated as sin. For similar cases Geronda had foretold that 'the sin will be paid for' after years that he determined (because he foresaw) even if the decided upon abortion was not carried out at the very end."

The Truth About Abortions, published (in Greek) by Orthodox Kypseli, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2011; p. 84; translated by OrthodoxProLife.

The Account of Maria from Patras, possessed by demons

We consider, dear friends, it is worthwhile mentioning one more terrible event which pertains to Maria from Patras, 'possessed by demons,' and the memorable Geronda Gervasios. We borrow this account from the publication "Families of Many Children" published in Athens, December 1993.

The mother of Maria from Patras, indeed with many children, had done seven abortion after the birth of Maria. An acquaintance of hers, a pious woman, after much relevant discussion convinced her and guided her to Geronda Gervasios, who in matters of marriage and child-bearing was a true Orthodox spiritual father. But that unfortunate mother did not show repentance and humility. To the contrary, she justified herself to the spiritual father, with stubbornness. Then Geronda told her sadly, "for this sin of yours, that you justify without true repentance, you will be punished terribly. Seven demons will enter your youngest child and torment her for many years and, with her, you will be tormented also." Unfortunately, the lack of repentance of that mother confirmed to the letter the terrible prophesy of that holy Geronda.

And the drama continues and shakes Patras, but also other places where the unfortunate mother visits (by this time repentant) with her suffering daughter Maria, seeking refuge in churches and monasteries. In this way, the two ladies went on a pilgrimage to the incorrupt relics (the complete body) of St. Spyridon, with hope for Maria's deliverance from the demons.

[At the relics] they (the demons) were shaken and began to scream and violently shake their loot and victim (Maria), causing her to quiver uncontrollably. Then the priest-monk, who was found to be there, with his stole and the honorable Cross, was reading prayers of exorcism over Maria, who, being held close to him by pilgrims, spoke badly and was cursing... in other words, the demons were cursing through her mouth:

"You are burning us! You are burning us! Release us, you goat, you bearded-devil! Get out of here!" as the poor Maria was spitting and chuckling revoltingly.

The priest, insisting on the name of Christ and with the power of the honorable Cross, admonished the demons saying, "I bind you - in the name of Christ the Savior - to speak the truth: why do you torture the creation of God?"

"For the abortions that her mother did, you goat, you bearded-devil! Release us!"

"I bind you to say what sin you consider to be the greatest?"

"Abortion, you bearded-devil, Release us!"

"I bind you to say: how do you have women who do abortions?"

"They are our queens! Release us!"

The Truth About Abortions, published (in Greek) by Orthodox Kypseli, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2011; p. 84-86; translated by OrthodoxProLife.