The Canonical Walling-Off of Saint Glicherie of Romania

Facing this unpleasant and simultaneously tragic situation, the pious and zealous Hieromonk Fr. Glicherie could not remain inactive. The Saint, as Abbot and Spiritual Father of the Skete of the Holy Protection of the Theotokos, together with his brotherhood of twelve monks, did not implement the Calendar Innovation and began researching the matter for their better information.

Then they read a relevant letter against the Innovation by the Athonite Monk Arsenios Kotteas, who had in fact visited the Skete of the Holy Protection together with the then Bishop of Bukovina, Vissarion, who had reacted against the decisions of the so-called "Pan-Orthodox Congress" of Constantinople in 1923.

When, moreover, toward the end of 1925, the Fathers of the Skete learned of the impending celebration of Pascha in 1926 together with the Latins, according to the Western Paschalion, in evident violation of the entire Synodal and Canonical Tradition of the Orthodox Church on this matter, they were outraged and decided to henceforth openly express their opposition to the Monastic authorities.

For this reason, they went to the Abbot of the Monastery of Neamț, Nikodimos, later Patriarch of Romania, who however proposed to Fr. Glicherie to accept the Innovation and to be appointed Abbot of a larger Skete of the Monastery.

The Saint, together with his fellow monks, decisively rejected the proposal and realized, along with certain other monks from the Monasteries of Neamț and Sihăstria, that they would inevitably have to flee to the mountains as well, in order to preserve their conscience undefiled.

Thus, he and his fellow ascetic Fr. David arrived in a mountainous area near the Skete of Sihla on November 18, 1925, built a hidden hut, and remained there during the winter, living an eremitic life, nourished by mushrooms and vegetables, demonstrating patience amid deprivations, while also receiving the Divine Blessing in a tangible way.

In the spring of 1926, they built another, larger hut. It had three rooms, one of which they used as a Chapel for their services.

A little while later, three other monks joined them—brothers according to the flesh from the Skete of Sihăstria—who also built huts. Fr. Glicherie would gather mushrooms and exchange them for bread to meet the needs of their ascetic bodies, while the nourishment of their souls was the uninterrupted and diligent performance of the holy services, with oil lamps and candles, and perseverance in prayer. The hermits especially delighted in the birdsong of the forest, and at times encountered wild beasts, which, however, never harmed them.

One night in the wilderness, Fr. Glicherie felt a spiritual uneasiness. After his extended night prayer, he was seized by persistent thoughts:

“How is it possible,” he thought, “that in our country, where there are so many clergy with advanced theological education, as well as a large number of intellectuals, they abandon the Patristic Calendar, which was handed down to us by the Holy Fathers of the Church, who honored it since ancient times? Should I perhaps abandon it too and be with the others?

"Might I be committing an error before God by not changing it?" Later, he saw the following vision: From the West appeared a black cloud. It was trying to cover the whole world and was moving swiftly toward the East, roaring like a monster.

Before him, a powerful whirlwind formed, surrounded by a chain black as pitch, upon which black crosses appeared. It was terrifying! But from the East, a white cloud appeared, like snow, which shone like gold. Before it was a chain of gold, from which golden crosses were hanging.

Then a choir of Hierarchs in golden vestments appeared, walking toward the black cloud. At a certain point, the two clouds collided, and the black cloud fell. And in its place appeared a sea of water that engulfed the earth...

In the waves of the sea, Fr. Glicherie was floating alone, swimming and struggling with enormous waves. Despair overtook him, and he began to weep bitterly. Then, it seemed to him that a Monk appeared before him.

He was walking upon the waves of the sea and resembled our Lord Jesus Christ, and His face shone like the sun! When He came near him, Fr. Glicherie, who was submerged in the water up to his armpits, kissed His Feet.

The “Monk” bent down and took Fr. Glicherie by the hand and said to him: “When you see all these things, go and tell the people that the end is near!” and immediately He disappeared along with the sea!...

 

Greek source: Οι κατά Θεόν αγώνες και τα θαυμαστά παλαίσματα του Ομολογητού Ιεράρχου Αγίου Γλυκερίου εν Ρουμανία (1891-1985) [The God-pleasing struggles and marvelous contests of the Confessor Hierarch Saint Glicherie in Romania (1891-1985], by Bishop Klemes of Gardikion.

Online: https://353agios.blogspot.com/2020/06/15-2020.html