”Don’t You Have Any Women Saints?” | Metropolitan Neophytos

In this video, Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou tells us personal stories about being a “hunter of saints.” He recounts conversations with Saint Iakovos Tsalikis, who revealed the holiness of modern-day eldresses.
This recording is part of the homily titled: ‘Saint Iakovos: Seer of Visible and Invisible and the Post-Patristic Pseudo-Love Theology’ at the Conference of the Union of Cypriot Scientists which took place on Sunday, 7 October 2018 at Deftera, Cyprus.

Original video by RumOrthodox: https://youtu.be/zt-Gh-ayHtY

Transcript:

The speaker is His Eminence Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou. I don’t think I would exaggerate if I said that there is not a person — not just in the room, but in all of Cyprus — who doesn’t know His Eminence. Furthermore, again, I believe I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said that he is the one who introduced the public to the figure of Father Iakovos [Tsalikis]. His Eminence could be characterized as “a hunter of saints and holy people.” [His Eminence]: How? [Dr. Anestis]: “A hunter.” He has encountered many elders and people of God in our time, engaging with them and receiving precious “spiritual deposits.” His most promising talk has the title: “Saint Iakovos: Seer of Visible and Invisible.” We were able to see only the visible. As concerns the invisible, only what he would share with us at times. Metropolitan of Morphou certainly knows more [about him] and we’ll listen to him with much love.

[Nikos Baldmitsis, personal doctor of Saint Iakovos]: Excuse me, Professor! One thing to add. You characterized the Metropolitan of Morphou as “a hunter of saints.” I might as well add something more: “Could it be that the saints were the ones chasing the Metropolitan of Morphou?” [His Eminence]: As concerns this last one said by Nikos, the doctor … Obviously, the saints “were chasing me,” because they noticed my quirk and eccentric character. One wasn’t enough [to correct me], so it took more of them … Yet, yet …

Nikos doesn’t have the right to complain. I want to share with the Cypriot brothers who don’t know him well that he wasn’t just the doctor of Saint Iakovos but also the holy Father Ephraim of Katounakia (or Katounakiotis) (who was canonized two years later, on 9 March 2020). To get to touch Katounakiotis and to palpate his body … — I dare say Nikos palpated even his soul — It was equal to putting your hand on the Altar Table. Saint Iakovos [Tsalikis] was an approachable man who didn’t shy away from meeting people. While Saint Ephraim of Katounakia, similarly to Saint Arsenios the Cappadocian of the old Gerontikon who applied the saying: “Arsenios, leave the world and the people behind” [i.e. live an ascetic life in seclusion]. In the 20th century, a new Saint Arsenios was revealed: Saint Ephraim of Katounakia.

Furthermore, Nikos was the doctor of the well-known [for her sainthood] by Saint Iakovos: — Forgive me — Gerondissa Makrina of Portaria. She was of Asia Minor origin. Her relics are fragrant. Once, taking courage from the trust that Saint Iakovos showed to us, I spoke with boldness — and even insolence I might add: “Geronda, here in Greece, we only hear about [male] elders. “This elder and that elder. “Back in Cyprus, we didn’t have elders, “we only had old people. [laughs] “We honored them and kissed the hands of the old people in our family. “So, you have gerondas (elders) in Greece, “don’t you have any holy gerondissas (eldresses)? I felt that female sainthood was somehow underrated.

So, he [Saint Iakovos] opened his wide eyes and told me, “My Omiros, we have holy women too! “Personally, I met three of them. “Firstly, my holy mother, Theodora. “She was an ascetic, my child. “Every time she would prostrate, “I would see the Holy Light on her face. “She foresaw her death days before and prepared us for it. “A second saint is Makrina of Volos. The one we mentioned before (as Gerondissa Makrina of Portaria). “A third woman saint whose holy icon you’ll venerate [in the future] “is Makaria, who uncovered the relics of Saint Ephraim of Nea Makri.” Thus, dear Nikos … you were too chased by the saints. Don’t hold it against me. Only you know the reason [why they chased] you.