THE TRIUMPHANT CHURCH By Metropolitan Meletios of Nikopolis and Preveza (2012).

THE TRIUMPHANT CHURCH

By Metropolitan Meletios of Nikopolis and Preveza (2012).

Once, in a certain Russian monastery, as Staretz Sampson tells us, a monk remembered that, during the Divine Liturgy, he was told to sweep the entrance of the Monastery’s Katholikon very well. “I might as well do it now,” he thought, “since this part of the Divine Liturgy is not as important.”

Therefore, the monk took the broom and started sweeping. He was saying the Jesus Prayer silently and in a noetic way, and from time to time, he would watch that which was being served.

Not even five minutes had gone by when he turned to look up to see the domes of the Church (like the ones in Russia) suddenly opening and the Triumphant Church appearing with all its majesty before him: it was an awesome sight! In the center, there was a Holy Table as big as the sky. In front of it, three Archpriests were on their knees. Many others surrounded them and a multitude of priests and deacons surrounded the former. On the right and left sides Angelic choirs were standing in indescribable and glistening beauty.

There was inexpressible glory and light... Moreover, the thou-sands of honey-flowing, inconceivable melodies of the Heavenly Commanders who were present filled him with divine blessedness and joy. A heavenly Divine Worship was being ministered! Nevertheless, it was being ministered in a strange way, which resembled the Divine Liturgy on earth. It was ministered by Holy Hierarchs, such as, Saint Basil the Great, Saint Gregory the Theologian and Saint John Chrysostom (three). Like, Saint Athanasius the Great, Saint Photius the Great and Saint Gregory Palamas (three). Alternatively, like Saint Nicholas, Saint Spyridon and Saint Nektarios (three).

Yet there, in the heavenly Triumphant Church of Jerusalem Above, they received Holy Communion. He saw that they were partaking, in a never-ending way, of the glory and the uncreated triune light, of the ambrosia of divine blessedness, of the cup of God’s ineffable mysteries...

The monk remained motionless, rooted to the spot until the Divine Liturgy had been completed. When the monks exited the Church, they saw him and he was still standing motionless; he was rooted to that spot and in floods of tears. Not only was he wet inside out but also his cloak was soaking from the unstoppable flood of tears.

Very carefully, they took hold of him and without saying a word; they brought him very gently to his cell where he remained for a long time in a state of total amazement; divine revelation had overwhelmed him. When he recovered, his Spiritual father also arrived. The latter brought him round from all the weeping he went through and then they went together to the Abbot of the Monastery to whom they narrated the monk’s exceptional divine vision with a sense of awe and extreme humility.

Orthodox - Heritage, vol 12 issue 9/10