I remember a marvelous happening, from the Delta [Periprava, Danube Delta: a corrective labor colony for Romanian political convicts, at the beginning of Communist rule], in which Father Ilie[Romanian for Elias] played a very important role.
On the day of January 30[the feast of the Holy Three Hierarchs], we were sent into colony, to the channel, to reap reeds. Do you imagine what does this mean during winter frost? Sure death. We were all frightened, especially since we saw that our guards were carrying machine guns, about four machine guns. Most likely they were expecting to kill us, thinking that we would refuse the order.
There was a water opening, about 100 acres, and the reed was deep inside. All of us started mumbling, and did not wanted to enter the water. They ordered us to go in the water and to bring out two sheaves each. Whom were we doing this for? It did not make any sense. And how could one enter the water? You could step into a whirlpool, and nobody can get you out of there. We were hesitating, at the beginning.
But Father Ilie gave a very resolute speech which hearten us: "Boys, we will go in, because those guys intend evil toward us; they would shoot. Let us enter the water, the Theotokos and the Holy Three Hierarchs will deliver us, unharmed". And so, we did enter.
We got there: the water was up to our chin. We carefully chopped sheaves. And we were all wondering that we were working as if we were on dry land. Some were in the water up to their chest, others up to their neck, some up to the middle, as we happened to find the spot. And we got them out. We spent about three hours in the water and retrieved to the shore the two sheaves. But it was not only the chopping, with leaves; you had to clean it nicely, measure it, cut it to the length.
The temperature outside was about -22F, the ice was about 10 inch thick -- you could see the yellow lilies blooms under the ice. Above us some birds were accompanying us, and followed us all this time, and below there were the lilies under the ice. Well, all of us were unharmed and wet. The water was flowing off us.
A great miracle happened then. In the morning, when we entered the water, it was foggy, cloudy, and cold, you could feel it in the bones. And all of a sudden, the sun came out, shining the beginning of the day. It was so warm, that even the guards were wondering. We got our cloths off and they got dried as if they were put on the warmest stove, so the vapors were coming out of them. We put our shoes back, our clothes on, and went back to the colony.
This is how the Theotokos and the Holy Tree Hierarchs were with us and helped us, right on the day of January 30. And mark my words, nobody got sick, nobody needed medical care, nothing. This is only due to the prayers of Father Ilie, I believe we would have died if not for him...
Father Justin Pârvu, Petru Vodă Monastery, România
