An Unexpected Dream

Last week, Abp. Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America attended the world premiere of a new musical work honoring the life and legacy of St. Iakovos of Evia. Without further observation, this was merely a bishop attending a labor of love by the faithful dedicated to a contemporary saint of the Church.

But it was much more than that. In his remarks following the performance, His Eminence stated:

“I am deeply moved by this evening’s presentation, because as many of you know, Saint Iakovos of Evia is very dear to my heart and my spirit. The Holy One appeared to me in a dream nine years ago, just as I was beginning my tenure serving on the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Mother Church of Constantinople. I did not know this divine personage, but when — a few days later — a fellow clergyman showed me a picture of the Saint, I knew him immediately!”

When this dream took place, Iakovos Tsalikis was not yet a canonized saint of the Church. The holy abbot of the Monastery of St. David of Evia had reposed in 1991, and, as sometimes happens for no particular reason, his canonization process had taken a backseat to other matters.

He would eventually be canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2017. He is even the patron saint of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey. But how did the blessed Iakovos go from someone who had been forgotten amidst the never-ending stream of paperwork to someone numbered among the saints of the Church?

Well, because of Metr. Elpidophoros of Bursa.

In an address given at the Monastery of St. David of Evia, the same monastery in which St. Iakovos fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7), Abp. Elpidophoros offered a reflection on how the elder had become a figure deeply intertwined with his life and archpastoral ministry.

“My presence here today is the fulfillment of an obligation, a debt I incurred to St. Iakovos Tsalikis,” His Eminence said on May 30, 2019. “I did not know him personally, nor had I ever read anything about him. I’d never seen a photograph of him, nor had I ever heard a homily about his life, until the night of August 31, 2017.”

At the time, the Metropolitan of Bursa was not yet elected to the throne in America and was preparing to begin his tenure on the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The very night in which his tenure was to officially start, St. Iakovos appeared. 

Abp. Elpidophoros said that he only saw the elder — nothing was said, and as His Eminence didn’t know or understand who it was, he didn’t pay much attention. He simply remembered, which was unusual, as he never remembers his dreams.

A few days later, a fellow clergyman at the Phanar took items out of his pocket, including a photograph of St. Iakovos. Elpidophoros immediately asked, “Who is this?” The clergyman replied in amazement that Elpidophoros did not know him and then went on to tell him that he was the holy man Iakovos Tsalikis, who everyone reveres as a saint. Elpidophoros innocently asked where the elder was, to which he was told that he had fallen asleep in the Lord but resides in a monastery in northern Evia.

Elpidophoros was immediately determined to find out more about the elder. He found his biography and the homilies of Metr. Paul of Siatista and Metr. Neophytos of Morphou which attested to his holiness, as well as other testimonies. He also recalled that the same man who showed him the photo had told him that the petition for his canonization as a saint was pending.

“And I went to the Chief Secretary of the Synod and said, ‘Reverend Chief Secretary, is there such a petition for canonization, and is it pending?’ He said to me, ‘Indeed. It’s been years. I don’t remember how many. But the Synod said for us to leave it for later and not to rush. And now years have passed and it has been forgotten.’”

So, Elpidophoros went straight to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, confessing his experience of seeing Iakovos of Evia in a dream and imploring His All-Holiness that the time had come for his canonization. 

“The Patriarch said to me, ‘Certainly. I also consider him a Saint, and he is a Saint. He has been forgotten; carry on with the process.’”

And as then-Metr. Elpidophoros of Bursa was serving on the Synod at the time, the revival of the canonization process for St. Iakovos of Evia was enacted. The proclamation of his canonization came soon thereafter on Nov. 17, 2017.

But that is not where the story ends.

“On Saturday, May 11, when I received the news that I was elected Archbishop of America, I took the car right away to the Patriarchate in order to make the so-called ‘Small’ and ‘Great’ Minima, that is, for the official announcement of my election, and for me to make an official and public acceptance of the election. 

“I was outside of the synodical office, the Synod was meeting inside, and I was waiting for them to invite me in so that I could make the Small Minima. And there where I was outside, came the record-keeper of the Synod, with a large codex, and he said to me, ‘Your Eminence of America, before you go into the Synod, you owe me some signatures. There are a few things that you need to sign as the Metropolitan of Bursa. It is your final signature.’”

Abp. Elpidophoros then became emotional while retelling the experience.

“What do you think it was? The Act of Canonization for St. Iakovos Tsalikis. It was my final signature as Metropolitan of Bursa, and I considered it a blessing from the Saint, that he will follow me throughout my whole life.”

Elpidophoros then committed to visiting the tomb of St. Iakovos to venerate and receive his blessing before leaving for America – which he did on May 30, 2019. He was enthroned in New York City on June 22, 2019. 

To this day, a piece of St. Iakovos’ robe that was gifted to him by an Athonite monk is kept on Abp. Elpidophoros’ person so that the holy elder will always accompany him. 

Abp. Elpidophoros concluded his address at the monastery with this:

“My beloved brothers and sisters and fellow Christians, you should know that the saints are our living hope. They are our great strength. They are our prayer. They are our intercessors before God. The Church does very well to venerate the sacred relics of the saints, and to keep whatever items were used in the life of the saint or were worn by them as precious amulets…

“... My beloved Christians, never forget to come and to seek the blessing of the saints because they are our bridge and bond with heaven. It is not by chance that there is no holy altar in the Orthodox Church that does not have beneath it the sacred relic of a saint. The Church is founded on these relics. 

“We must never undervalue nor disregard them; we should venerate them and ascribe them the importance that they have, and we should all seek after the grace of the saints.”

May we have St. Iakovos of Evia’s prayers, and may the archiepiscopal ministry of Abp. Elpidophoros continue to be guided and protected by the holy man he saw in an unexpected dream.

Read also