Saint Gregory Bishop of Assou, "If God will grant us his heavenly kingdom, let the rod sprout"!translated

Entering a garden, Saint Gregory of Assos together with his disciple Leontius, nailed his walnut staff to the ground, on which he had been leaning for twelve years, and said: "Brother Leontie, if God will grant us his heavenly kingdom, let the stick sprout and become a tree, let it bear fruit like other trees."

It was then the month of September, when the Saint planted the stick, and all winter it remained dry. But at the beginning of March, oh of your wonders, Lord! the staff sprouted and grew, and its leaves healed and heal all kinds of diseases, to the glory of our God and Savior Christ and to the honor of the Holy One.

But a certain fool, whose name was Michael, said that what they saw was magic and not a miracle. He ran insolently and cut off the branches of the stick; but, oh wonder! All his limbs were instantly paralyzed, and, falling to the earth, he became a pitiful sight to those who beheld him.

He was then taken by his relatives and carried to his home, where he remained bedridden, tormented by the disease for his infidelity and insolence, as long as the Saint lived.

Later, after the burial of the Saint, many sick people ran with faith to his tomb, where he gushed...