A saint who prays for motorcyclists

A few months ago, I was talking with one of my pupils from Albania. He is still unbaptized. That evening, while his classmates were playing ball in the school yard, we had the opportunity to talk. Approaching him, I noticed that he was holding an open wallet in his hands, from which a photograph of some venerable old man peeped. This surprised me, and I asked him:

- What is this old man in the photo?
“You are a theologian and do not know this old man?” This is Elder Porfiry, a saint who prays for us, motorcyclists!

The young man worked in a motorcycle repair workshop. Together with friends, they founded a motorcycle partnership. He himself dreamed over time to open such a workshop. During the day, the young man worked, went to school in the evening, and at night took part in motorcycle races along a deserted avenue nearby.

As this young man told me that evening, a friend from their company crashed into a pole on his motorcycle a few months ago during a race. The car crashed, and the guy went to the next world, but, fortunately, not for long! He was close to death, was in intensive care for a long time, and doctors believed that the guy was hopeless. But this young man miraculously returned to life. When he came to his senses and was able to talk, he told his friends: “When I was in a coma, an old man, a priest, appeared to me. He went to my bed (I was very scared!). I asked him: “Who are you, father?” The elder answered me, friendly and warmly smiling: “I, the fool, the one who prays for all of you, motorcyclists, when you rush like crazy! If I hadn’t prayed, you would have already died! ”

A little later, this young man came to Father Anthony, with whom he was on friendly terms - he nurtured the Kivoto Agapis charitable society for helping children with disabilities in Egaleo. Father Anthony showed the young man photographs of different old men, and the young man recognized among them Father Porfiry, who appeared to him at that critical moment.

Since then, all members of this group carry a photograph of the elder Porfiry, whom they love, recognize as their patron saint and call for help in difficult times.

Athens, May 5, 2006

Excerpt from the new book of Georgios Krustalakis “Smiling saint. The life and miracles of Elder Porfiry Kavsokalivit "