At the end of our conversation, the Elder said: "This illness has tired me very much. I haven't left this room for so many months, and I really want to go out of town, to nature. Pray for me." These words of his seemed to me to be some kind of childishness, some kind of slight complaint and regret, which are forgivable even for saints.

Some time after his recovery, Father Porphyrius said: "That evening, when I had a heart attack, I could not stand the abundance of light."

Medications will make him healthy

When the health of the sick man, after the numerous prayers of his relatives for him, did not improve and he continued his treatment, taking the medicines prescribed to him by the doctors, the Elder said:

"Pills, my child, will make this man well, because God wants him to."

When medications don't help...

"How does a doctor start treating? First, he prays, calling on God's help, and only then gives the medicine.

You should also know this: when medications do not help, it means that it is not the body that is sick, but the soul. And we can find the healing of the soul only from Christ. Understand? Only Christ heals our souls."

Postpone the operation

One day I went to see my doctor to consult with him about my old illness. He advised me to have another re-examination in a year, and then go for surgery. I came to the Elder and with excitement told him about the doctor's advice.

After listening to me, he said: "Now everything is clear. And I wondered for so many days: what is it that torments me so much?" "Father Porphyrius again took the burden of my illness on his shoulders," I thought. Then he asked, "Have you already had an operation?" Then Father Porphyrius said: "Why do you need this operation? You know, it often happens that complications arise after surgery. I would advise you to refuse the operation and accept this disease as a thorn in the flesh [48]."

Having decided to obey the Elder, a year later, as agreed, I came to the doctor for an examination. After the examination, the doctor said: "Your condition has not changed, the disease is not progressing. I would suggest that you do not rush with the operation. Postpone it as long as possible. Come to me again in a year." I thought that the doctor's decision mysteriously echoed the blessing of the Elder. Without saying a word to the doctor about my thoughts, I left with the firm intention of not coming here again. Therefore, a year later, I did not appear for the next examination. Once, at a parish meeting, I happened to meet my doctor. He told me that the operation was no longer necessary, because recently in America they had created a drug with the help of which it would be possible to finally cure my disease, and that soon this drug would appear in pharmacies in Greece. I remembered the Elder and, not being able to see him, mentally thanked him. Father Porphyrius was already in the Heavenly dwellings.

Trust in God and you will be saved

When the Elder began to regain his strength after another illness and began to receive visitors, I went to see him. The words of Father Porphyrios, spoken in a quiet, weak voice, amazed me: "When I was young," he said, "I prayed to God that if He ever allowed me to get sick, this disease would be cancer. You know, cancer is the best of all diseases. You do not take other diseases seriously, you hope that you will recover soon, and therefore you usually do not change internally. But when you know you have cancer, then you say to yourself, "That's it. That's the end. Don't fool yourself. Now I'm leaving." People cannot help you, you stand alone before God. Your only hope is in Him. You grasp at this hope and are saved. After my botched eye surgery and after applying huge doses of cortisone, I felt like an explosion in my head. It seemed to me that my skull was torn into small pieces. The pain was terrible. I thought God had heard my old petition, and it was cancer. But, alas... You know, I stopped this prayer for cancer after I told a bishop about it, and he reproached me, saying that there was selfishness behind this prayer. But the pain was very severe. It was wonderful."