Our impressions from the visit of Rumanians pilgrims from Cluj in Saint Efraim and Father Marcos tomb (6th of June 2018)

When we arrived at Saint Efraim it was afternoon, around four o clock and the monastery had just opened it’s gate. By the time we crossed the gate, we felt a sweet smell from the Saint that welcomed us. As soon as we saw the courtyard, our attention was drawn by the large group of Romanian pilgrims from Cluj  that were gathered circularly under a pine. As we approached, we saw that there were three priests in the center of the circle who were praying in order to please and thank Saιnt Efraim.

At the same time that the priests were reading the prayers, we were listening the Vesper from the church, the nuns were gorgeously chanting and the birds were peeping in a nature of unique beauty. All pilgrims were very devoted, they were fully given in the pray, no speech or whisper was heard. When the prayers ended, we first went to greet the priests and to kiss their hands, they blessed us and then we all went to the place of martyrdom of St. Efraim. After we went  in the chapel to light candles and leave our names in the church. Then we met, in the center of the chapel with two young ladies from Cluj, who were responsible for the group, we greeted each other and spontaneously came out from our lips and our hearts the question:

-"How do you feel that you are visiting Saint Efraim?"

 - "As if we came to meet our friend! We feel great happiness! "They replied directly

-"How do you know about St. Efraim?" "

- In the begging of the 2000’s our Spiritual Father Kyprianos read a book about St. Efraim. At this period of time our parish visited for the first time the monastery here in Nea Makri. Some years later in 2011 we visited Greece and we stayed at Father’s Marcos place. At that visit we came to the monastery and  the nuns gave us St. Efraim's shoe which we kept in our parish. Since then the Saint has performed many miracles not only in Cluj but also in many places in Rumania which we have published in several books. Many people in Rumania discovered Saint Efraim so us today he is one  of the most popular saints in our country !!! "

-“What do you know about Father Marcos,?"

-"He had visited our city a year before his death. He was a person full of  love! At that time he met our spiritual Father Kyprianos who spiritually connected with him and he was very impressed by the intimacy that Father Marcos had with the Saints !!! Father Marcos helped many people in Cluj  to come close with Christ,  as it happened with a young man who was not believing since he met him, he changed his course of life and subsequently he actively helped the church!

At that moment our two friends were called to the church for chanting and so they rushed to leave, leaving us with the sweet feeling of how wide the Christ’s love could be that Saint Efraim is performing miracles in Romania and Father Marcos without even talking their tongue,  " he spoke" so strongly to the hearts of the people and he helped them gain faith !!!

Then we also followed the group to the church. The devout atmosphere of the church with the relic of St. Ephraim “ filled with”  the wonderful chanting of the Romanian pilgrims. We were all feeling  great love for the Saint and we were very emotional of being all there. We worshiped the relic and then we stood on the stalls opposite to the choir and we let our hearts be seduced by the chanting! Together with the chants in the Romanian language we heard the "Kirie Iisou Christe Eleison me ton amartolo" in Greek in a form of chanting!

After we left St Efraim and Nea Makri, we arrived at the church of Agios Georgios in Dionysos where is the tomb of father Marcos. The whole group bowed in the church and then they chanted the request to the Holy mother  “Paraklisi”,  in the courtyard next to father’s Marcos tomb. Love and reverence were painted on the faces of the pilgrims when one by one bent and worshiped the tomb!