Bilocation, stigmata and other Saints miracles

[LizaMarie]

I know that in the Catholic Church there are saints that have had the ability to bi-locate(Padre Pio, Sr. Faustina,etc) and also those who had the stigmata and were able to exist on only the elements of the Eucharist for months or years. Are there accounts of the same things in Orthodoxy? I tried to do a search but came up without anything concrete.
I belong to a cessationist type church(I'm not against miracles per se, though) But I've often wondered about these kind of things being of God. I believe they may be if they point to Christ. Thoughts?
I do believe visions and dreams are possible.

 

[prodromos]

There is an abundance of such miracles in the Orthodox Church, except perhaps stigmata, as that seems to be a purely Roman Catholic thing (although some Moslem mystics have experienced the "wounds of Mohammed"). You won't find them widely publicised due to the humble nature of the Church, nor do we make a big thing of them. In the book, "The Ascetic of Love" about the life of Mother Gavrilia where she had a 'vision' of visiting another monastery while she was praying in her cell, only to find she had actually physically been there as she later met the priest who she had met in her 'vision' and he recounted her earlier visit. In a book about St Nicholas Planas, it records how a child witnessed him levitating in the altar of the church. When he told his mother she said that happened to all the priests serving the liturgy, not that is does, but she down played the unique nature of the event out of humility and love towards her priest, because she knew that he would not want a big deal made of it. There are many accounts of miracles in the book "Athonite Fathers and Athonite Matters" by Elder (now Saint) Paisios and the books written about St Porphyrios also record many such miracles.

 

[LizaMarie]

There is an abundance of such miracles in the Orthodox Church, except perhaps stigmata, as that seems to be a purely Roman Catholic thing (although some Moslem mystics have experienced the "wounds of Mohammed"). You won't find them widely publicised due to the humble nature of the Church, nor do we make a big thing of them. In the book, "The Ascetic of Love" about the life of Mother Gavrilia where she had a 'vision' of visiting another monastery while she was praying in her cell, only to find she had actually physically been there as she later met the priest who she had met in her 'vision' and he recounted her earlier visit. In a book about St Nicholas Planas, it records how a child witnessed him levitating in the altar of the church. When he told his mother she said that happened to all the priests serving the liturgy, not that is does, but she down played the unique nature of the event out of humility and love towards her priest, because she knew that he would not want a big deal made of it. There are many accounts of miracles in the book "Athonite Fathers and Athonite Matters" by Elder (now Saint) Paisios and the books written about St Porphyrios also record many such miracles.

Interesting- Thank you!

 

[ArmyMatt]

I know that in the Catholic Church there are saints that have had the ability to bi-locate(Padre Pio, Sr. Faustina,etc) and also those who had the stigmata and were able to exist on only the elements of the Eucharist for months or years. Are there accounts of the same things in Orthodoxy? I tried to do a search but came up without anything concrete.
I belong to a cessationist type church(I'm not against miracles per se, though) But I've often wondered about these kind of things being of God. I believe they may be if they point to Christ. Thoughts?
I do believe visions and dreams are possible.

yes except for stigmata as prodromos said. St John of San Francisco bilocated many times, and currently his relics are incorrupt.

 

[prodromos]

yes except for stigmata as prodromos said. St John of San Francisco bilocated many times, and currently his relics are incorrupt.

I know of one occasion where someone visited Elder Ephraim at St Anthony's in Arizona. After speaking with him he then made a call to the monastery of Pantocrator on Mt Athos to speak with some of the monks there. After talking with them they asked if he wanted to speak with Elder Ephraim as he just happened to be there at that time!

 

[LizaMarie]

Another question is has there been Eucharistic miracles recorded in Orthodoxy?

 

[prodromos]

Another question is has there been Eucharistic miracles recorded in Orthodoxy?

Yes, but they are viewed very differently in the Orthodox Church compared to the Catholic Church. When they have occured it has often been due to people having doubts about the bread and wine changing into the body and blood of our Lord, and God has permitted the change to be visible in response to their doubt, but it is not then possible for the gifts to be consumed as they would normally be. I have read of one account where they bored a hole in one of the legs of the altar and sealed it in there.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I know of one occasion where someone visited Elder Ephraim at St Anthony's in Arizona. After speaking with him he then made a call to the monastery of Pantocrator on Mt Athos to speak with some of the monks there. After talking with them they asked if he wanted to speak with Elder Ephraim as he just happened to be there at that time!

he did that to my Godfather and a friend as well. they were both on pilgrimage and one spoke to Elder Ephraim in Arizona and the other in New York. factoring in the time zone difference the conversations were only 10 minutes apart.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Another question is has there been Eucharistic miracles recorded in Orthodoxy?

yes. usually healings or getting a vision of the bread and wine becoming the Body and Blood.

 

[prodromos]

yes. usually healings or getting a vision of the bread and wine becoming the Body and Blood.

There is a wonderful book, unfortunately out of print, called "Experiences During the Divine Liturgy" which gives account of a great many miracles which have occured in the context of the Divine Liturgy.

 

[ArmyMatt]

There is a wonderful book, unfortunately out of print, called "Experiences During the Divine Liturgy" which gives account of a great many miracles which have occured in the context of the Divine Liturgy.

I heard of that book when I was in school.

 

[LizaMarie]

There is a wonderful book, unfortunately out of print, called "Experiences During the Divine Liturgy" which gives account of a great many miracles which have occured in the context of the Divine Liturgy.

Will have to check it out!

 

[RileyG]

yes except for stigmata as prodromos said. St John of San Francisco bilocated many times, and currently his relics are incorrupt.

I am interested in learning more about this saint!

 

[RileyG]

There is a wonderful book, unfortunately out of print, called "Experiences During the Divine Liturgy" which gives account of a great many miracles which have occured in the context of the Divine Liturgy.

will have to search for it on the internet! thanks for the recommendation! God bless

 

[ArmyMatt]

I am interested in learning more about this saint!

he’s modern so there’s a good deal of stuff.

 

[Chesterton]

St John of San Francisco

Translates to St. John of St. Francis. We should go with Shanghai.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Translates to St. John of St. Francis. We should go with Shanghai.

we have some St Francises, just not the Assisi type.

 

[prodromos]

we have some St Francises, just not the Assisi type.

St Joseph the Hesychast was Francis before becoming a monk.

 

[ArmyMatt]

St Joseph the Hesychast was Francis before becoming a monk.

yep, which means he was probably named for an Orthodox St Francis.

 

[prodromos]

yep, which means he was probably named for an Orthodox St Francis.

Not necessarily. A lot of the Greek islands were under Venetian control for long periods and they have left their mark on the culture of those islands. I don't remember which island St Joseph was born on but I know it had been heavily influenced by the Venetians