How Fr. Gervasios expelled a demon on Monday after Pentecost

In this video, Elder Ephraim of St. Andrew's Skete [Mount Athos] recalls the day when Elder Gervasios Paraskeuopoulos of Patra expelled a demon from a young girl.

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[English transcript]
Elder Ephraim:
Fr. Konstantinos let me tell you the following important thing which has to do with a modern
Saint, the revered and holy elder, Father Gervasios Paraskeuopoulos of Patra.
When he was still alive, father Gervasios Paraskeuopoulos who was also a spiritual child of Saint
Nektarios while he was in Rizarios school. Once, after the Holy Lent had finished and it was
afternoon of the Sunday of Easter. He performed the Liturgy and went to his room to eat his
soup, made of just egg and lemon.
Afternoon of the Sunday of Easter which had followed the Holy Lent involving a lot of ascesis
and so on. He was eating his soup with a little cheese and half a red egg. This was his meal for that day. A mother arrives, knocks his door and in tears begs the elder to help her with her daughter who had been possessed. “Come help her!”

“Let it be blessed” says the elder. He finished his soup, took his stole (“petrachelion”) and the
Prayer’s Manual (“Euxologion”) and they left.

The girl of a young age was at home inside a room, lying and she was possessed with a demon of
terrible form. When the door of the house opened, the girl being inside the room shouts:

“You [trago] priest, you come to expel me with your stomach full? No way I am leaving!” and
silenced.

Fr. Gervasios and the mother listened to these words. The mother was so embarrassed and said
“My father please do not let these words insult you, my child is possessed!”
“I know, I know my child!” […] “but let us not read the prayer today, let’s come some other day to read the prayer!”
“Let it be blessed!” [said the mother]

The mother awaits, awaits … the Holy Pentecost arrives. After the Holy Pentecost, Sunday of the
Holy Spirit, on Monday the door knocks and they see a stretcher that was being held by four
men. Lying on the stretcher was father Gervasios Paraskeuopoulos who was exhausted due to a
50 days fasting period. He had completed the Lenten fast and then he went on to fast for another 50 days. “With your stomach full” right? I will show you!” the elder must have thought.

As soon as the demon possessing the girl smelled the smell of fast, tears and prayers of this holy
man, what did he say?

“I do not even want to see you! I am leaving, I am leaving, I am leaving … I do not even want to
see you!” and he left and the child was set free.

The elder stood up and said with such humility:
“My child, since the demon left, God sent him away, let us not read the prayer” and he did not
read the prayer. If only, they knew how many prayers the elder had offered for this soul!

The elder did everything in his cell, who sacrifices [himself] for one soul?
“with your stomach full…” the demon said.
Of course, the stomach of the elder was not full, the enemy was just “exaggerating” and
offending him… So, fasting helps in all issues … when we are called for “a greater surgery”, we will do a certain fast along with noetic prayer and whatever God provides…”

[yennguyen-ujri]

My mom’s got her finger accidentally cut off so the doctor sew it back and she was on antibiotics for ten days. After ten days it got infected and was turning grayish so I prayed with my 3 girls with a candle. During praying The Virgin Mary told me to explain about sacrifice to the kids. I told her the kids are so young and they would not understand so I did not do it. To my surprise my oldest 6 years old daughter started to explain to me that the Virgin Mary explain to her about sacrifice and my daughter said that God would heal her grandma but prayer and sacrifice needed. My daughter explained to me that she said she told the Virgin Mary that she would not hit her younger sisters anymore as her sacrifice. 10 hours later her grandma finger was healed without signs of infection and new skin developed. and pain and fever went away. Her grandma didn’t know we were praying for her so I told her that me and the kids were praying for her while she was asleep.

[marce]

Glory be to God the Father, Son & Holy Spirit ✝️🙏 This channel is a blessing to me

[chrisothemis]

2000 years old Christianity...Christ himself told his apostles....when they asked why they couldn’t heal a demon possessed person...that “some” will only come out with much prayer and...fasting.

[mariusgirip]

Bravo! Slavă Domnului nostru Iisus Hristos, Fiul lui Dumnezeu.

[eu]

The Word of Christ is True and confirmed... once again!

[idfk_vfx]

So, is food(and by extension, the physical body) inherently bad and a weakness? Or was that demon just insanely strong that the priest needed to fast 90 days to cast it out?
I'm not against bringing the body to the brink of breakdown for the sake of spiritual power, but I'd like to know the "mechanism".
I don't think starvation itself is a virtue, so I'd assume it's more about the strong willpower and willingness to sacrifice for another.

[jamie-leenorman]

Some people will be we have children and leave their close family behind. Why?
Sometimes they are not expected, sick people.
Some choose to stay alone and have no children because they would use it against you by saying I will hurt your child or people close to you. Sick.
If people stopped using each other and help\loved each other the world would be completely different. That's down to you as a individual no one else.

[mikevet]

Is this a new christian madness? Is it bad to eat food and not feel hungry? Logic vs Christianity: 0 - 5

[briendoyle]

Uhm - demons do not exist! Try proving a god First!