In 1840, during the renovation of the tomb of the Vatopedi monastery, the fragrant relics of an unknown monk with an icon in his hands were found. Judging by his clothes, he died on the 1st floor. XVII century Healings began from the relics. The brethren of Vatopedi, with the blessing of the Patriarch of Constantinople, decided to give him the symbolic name Eudokim - glorified or given by favor. Since then, he has been honored on Mount Athos as Evdokim the Newly Revealed. The fragrance from the relics continues to this day.
Having briefly described the discovery of the holy relics of St. Evdokim, we must not remain silent about his miracles. Of the many, we will tell here only about two that happened in Vatopedi and which we were eyewitnesses (says the compiler of the legend): one monk, who suffered from consumption, the disease developed so much that medical remedies no longer had any effect. Due to his hopeless situation, the patient turned with fervent prayer to the Monk Evdokim. When he finished the prayer and fell asleep a little, he suddenly saw a godly and gray-haired monk approaching him, who, giving him a small vessel filled with some kind of medicinal liquid, ordered him to drink it. When the patient drank the liquid, the one who appeared poured him the same liquid a second time. After this, the patient turned to the heavenly visitor and said:
“I thank you, father, for your zeal and love that you showed me and gave water to a thirsty person.”
At this time, he woke up from sleep and actually felt as if he had just drunk a soft drink, from which he received complete healing.
Meanwhile, he remembered his prayer to the saint, and, attributing his healing to the Monk Evdokim, the former patient brought him a worthy thanksgiving and immediately told all the Vatopedi brethren about the former miracle. The brethren, seeing before their eyes healthy the one whom they had doomed to death a few hours ago, glorified God and His holy saint.
Another miracle happened over the Vatopedi monk Gabriel, a very skilled doctor, who suffered from a sciatic nerve problem. The pain was so unbearable that he could neither sit nor turn on the other side, but lay in bed without any movement; At the same time, all medical remedies were tested, from which the patient did not receive relief. Seeing the cruel suffering of the sick man, the brethren advised him to turn in prayer to the Monk Evdokim and ask for his help. The patient agreed and said:
- If it is true that Saint Eudokim is a miracle worker and will heal me from a cruel illness, I will arrange a silver shrine for his sacred head.
After this, he fell into a subtle sleep and saw a godly old man approaching him, resembling the image of St. Euthymius the Great, who, touching his thighs with his hand, said:
“Your illness is not at all dangerous, so rest assured, it will pass soon.”
“Why are you, elder, joking with me,” answered Gabriel, “don’t you see how I suffer and am in a hopeless situation?”
“Well, be healthy from now on,” said the one who appeared and left the sick man.
Upon awakening, Gabriel saw himself healed from a serious illness, but could not understand whether all this was in a dream or in reality, and therefore asked the brother who was serving him:
“Where is the old man who was talking to me now from?”
When the servant said that he had not seen anyone and no one had come to the cell, then Gabriel remembered how he turned with prayer to the Monk Evdokim, as well as about his vow. Therefore, he immediately wished, as a sign of gratitude to the saint, to fulfill the vow he had made;
For this purpose, a master was called, and a silver shrine was ordered for the head of the monk.
And so that the memory of this miraculous healing would not be lost, the following words were carved on the cancer:
“This shrine was built for the honorable head of the Monk Eudokim by the monk Gabriel, whom this monk healed of a serious illness.” Through the prayers of our venerable father Evdokim, may we all get rid of the ailments we encounter, mental and physical, and may we inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.
6 Prmch. Macarius the New, Kiysky, Athonite († 1590, commemorated October 6)