MIRACLES OF ST. PHILARET, METROPOLITAN OF NEW YORK
The Account of Milivoe Milikovich (Belgrade)
My eighty-year old mother's right hand began to hurt. At first a small lump appeared on the hand and later became very sore. No types of medicine would help and the doctors did not know what was wrong. She took antibiotics and pain-killers; she was injected 156 times with penicillin, but nothing helped. The wound continuously grew larger.
The feastday of St. Philaret arrived, to whom our Fr. Akaky always celebrates a particularly solemn service. On that same day the nuns together with Abbess Euphrosinia from the New Stenek Monastery on Mikulii Mountain arrived which was of enormous support for us all.
After the marvelous service there was trapeza at which the live of St. Philaret was read with a description of miracles which occurred through his prayers. Thanks to the labors of the nuns, everyone received a copy of an akathist to the holy hierarch. Also, with the blessing of Fr. Akaky monk Joseph poured into a bottle some oil from the lamp in front of the icon of St. Philaret
Upon arriving home, I read the akathist to St. Philaret and anointed the wound on my mother's hand with the oil - at first in the form of a cross and then the entire hand. The pain instantly diminished. By morning the wound had decreased two-fold and puss began to ooze from it. Incidentally, prior to the reading of the akathist mother was feeling so poorly that she couldn't even stand up and was forced to sit....
By the prayers of St. Philaret may the Lord have mercy on us all! Amen!
The Account of Deacon Christopher Birchall (Canada)
This account was related to me by Lidia Mikhailovna Klar, the wife of the Dean of Jordanville Seminary. In 1994 it was discovered that her daughter-in-law Irene Klar was ill with cancer. Her husband, Michael, a doctor by profession was in despair. He prayed fervently for her recovery, and at times it seemed that the illness was in remission.
However, recently, in 1997, a serious decline began. Lidia Mikhailovna gave the pious spouses a shirt which had belonged to Metropolitan Philaret, which at one time she had received from the cell-attendant of the holy hierarch, Protodeacon Nikita Chakirov. Irene put it on and immediately sensed a strong fragrance; she thought that someone had spilled perfume in the house. Irene and Michael prayed fervently all even; later Irene fell asleep wearing this shirt. The next morning she felt significantly better and went to the hospital for an examination. As a result of the exam it turned out the the size of the tumor had diminished by 70 times! There were no rational explanations for this and the hospital staff was astounded.
At the end of 1998, the tumor again began to grow. After the remains of Metropolitan Philaret were uncovered and found to be incorrupt, Archimandrite Luke from Jordanville began to collect information concerning miracles. Irene decided that she must tell of her healing and felt she had been wrong in keeping silent about it previously. After she told Fr. Luke about what had happened, she again began to feel better. Since then (already a year has gone by) she continues to be in good health. The tumor has not fully vanished, but has diminished to such a degree that Irene can lead a normal life and devote herself to raising her children.
The Account of Mitred Protopriest Peter Semovskikh (Australia)
Vladika healed me in 1985 when I visited him in Novo-Diveevo, New York after his serious operation, where at the time he was recovering and resting. I suffered from extreme headaches, and very few medicines were of help. And then, I asked Vladiko to heal me, for I knew that while still in Harbin, Vladika had healed a nun who also had headaches.
He and I were sitting together on the veranda conversing. Then I told him that I knew of the healing of that nun and therefore was asking him to heal me too, and that I believed that he could do this.
I came up to him, stood on my knees and put my head on his knees. Vladiko did not say a word, placing his hands upon my head and for a long time prayed silently; then he blessed me thrice and said: “Well God will grant that it will not ache anymore”.
The Lord is my witness: since then I have had no headaches for 22 years now! Is he not a miracle-worker!
The Account of Protopriest Konstantine Fedoroff (France)
On the eve of our arrival in Jordanville on the occasion of the uncovering of the relics of Metropolitan Philaret, my matushka and I made an extensive journey throughout France. After driving two hours (and we had to travel seven hours), the car suddenly stalled. It appeared that we had run out of gas. No matter how much I pumped the pedal, nothing helped. There was nothing in the surrounding area and my matushka began to panic. I said: “Don't worry so much, I am wearing the epitrachilion of Vladiko Philaret, but the main thing is that I have the Life-giving Cross. It would be better if you just prayed.” A few seconds passed when suddenly from her heart burst the words: “Vladiko Philaret, help. Your spiritual child is sitting here. Not for my sake - I'm unworthy, but for his sake, help us to be able to keep going.”
I turned the key in the ignition and the car started up as if nothing had happened. This was a great joy for my matushka.
The Account of Elena Kudryavtseva (Moscow)
Some time ago our small son developed allergy symptoms, which day by day became increasingly worse. Doctors could not give a clear explanation of the cause of the rash which covered his entire body and in places gradually developed into hard scabs. Medicines provided insignificant relief, and often swallowing these pills was very painful for the infant. We didn't know where to turn and what to do.
Our acquaintance, a pious and sincere man who reveres Vladika Philaret (Voznesensky), related the account of a seriously ill patient who ended up in a clinic, whom the doctors had no hope of healing. The patient took a photo of the holy hierarch and with faith placed it on the afflicted area. Very soon, he took a turn for the better; surgery was not required and he was healed of his terrible illness.
Remembering this account, we took a photograph of the Holy Hierarch Philaret (Voznesensky) which was taken not long before his repose by Protopriest Konstantine Fedoroff, and placed it on the infant's bed. The next day, the scabs on the infant's legs began to fall off, the rash decreased and after a certain while symptoms of the allergy vanished completely.
The Account of Irina Smirnova (Kaliningrad)
I am a journalist; I acquired a position in the editorial office of a newspaper but it was very difficult for me to work there. I developed an allergy to household dust, since I cannot spend time in an unvented room, while my office neighbor, on the contrary, did not like drafts and always would close not only the vent, but even the door to the office. I was suffocating, perishing. I was constantly going to receive intravenous medication and couldn't enter the office without taking pills. One acquaintance advised me to pray for help to St. Philaret. I began to pray to him and soon after that the editor gave me a separate office and I simply, one could say, arose from the dead.
The account of Nun Cassia Senina (St. Petersburg)
.... by that time I was suffering for months from a sharp pain in my side; at first I paid no attention and thought it would go away on its own. Two months went by but the pains kept increasing. I very much dislike going to doctors, but I was forced. At the outset, as is often the case, they could not make a certain diagnosis, prescribed medicines, but these did not help. Eventually I decided to go to a private physician and on the eve suddenly I remembered: tomorrow is the day in memory of St. Philaret the Merciful, in other words the namesday of St. Philaret! I rejoiced and thought: well then, the Holy Hierarch will heal me, but I had no idea that he would heal me in a miraculous way himself, but I merely assumed that he would help me to find a good doctor who would finally begin to treat me appropriately. In the evening I prayed to St. Philaret the Merciful and to Holy Hierarch Philaret, and on the next day it turned out that I couldn't get to see the doctor and I had to return home with no result. On the way home I felt discouraged, thinking, never mind, probably this is God's will... But on the way home the pain in my side ceased. At first I somehow did not pay particular attention to this since I had previously experienced temporary easing of the pain. But as time went on, and there were no more attacks of pain, I understood that the Holy Hierarch Philaret had healed me.
My illness had not altogether ceased since that day: although the sharp attacks of pain had stopped, but at times there was still a slight pain; the pain ceased completely later, in 2000, when I partook of Holy Communion on the day of the commemoration of the holy hierarch.
The Account of Priest Stephen Allen (USA)
For a long time in my house a photograph of Metropolitan Philaret hung on the wall over my table. I did not attribute any particular significance to it. And suddenly the thought occurred to me that I should light an icon lamp and pray to Vladiko. Then a few days later I was informed that in Jordanville his incorrupt relics had been uncovered. And now I always pray to the Holy Hierarch Philaret.
Another Account
It happened that a young man who lived in that same city of Harbin approximately forty years ago, had to go to work the night shift. He left his house and walked in the direction of the trolleycar rail in order to take the trolleycar to work. On the way he met blessed Antonina. This blessed Antonina, fool for Christ spent many days and nights in prayer and fasting for Christians and for enemies and for this was vouchsafed the gift of clairvoyance. Many loved and esteemed her. Upon this meeting, the man greeted her: “Hello!” but she silently came close to him, not responding to the greeting. He greeted her again, but she did not respond at all. When she had come right up to him, she said: “Today I saw Metropolitan Melety and Metropolitan Methody with white clothing in their arms, who stood in heaven and beneath them stood Archimandrite Philaret. The Metropolitan Methody turned to Father Philaret and says: “Be patient, Father Philaret, for we have prepared a white garment for you”. Having said this, she walked away.
And here is evidence of recent times: two weeks ago Vladika Philaret said to one woman while she was barely asleep: “Pray for your enemies!” Let us believe that he was telling us of the urgency to pray for our enemies especially now, for prayer for enemies is the most powerful means for the world to continue to exist in order that people might obtain salvation for eternal life. Following the Lord's commandment to love and the advice of spiritual fathers, let us pray one for another and for our enemies in order that the malicious world be kinder and by ways known only to Him murderous plots may be cast off, that people might accept the New Testament's commandment of love and stand on the right side during the Dread Judgment. Amen.
Mikrikov, 1997
Source: http://inokinya-fakel.livejournal.com/167489.html
