In May 1990, during one of my visits to Elder Paisios, we were about twenty pilgrims in his outdoor guesthouse.
Among us was a Japanese man, a chemical engineer of a large pharmaceutical company, who did not know Greek.
On this occasion, the Elder spoke about the Buddha and, addressing the Japanese man, told him that the Buddha was just a wise and intelligent man of his time. And how the world, admiring his wisdom, made him almost a god.
Then an Athenian, who had met the Japanese man earlier on the way to Panagouda, intervened, wanting to act as an interpreter.
Immediately the Japanese man turned to him and, somewhat annoyed at being distracted, understandably said to him: "Thank you, but I understand everything that the Elder tells me."
This was shortly thereafter repeated, and all of us then glorified the Holy Triune God that we had witnessed this wonderful event, the tongues of Pentecost, through the Elder.
Source: From the book Elder Paisios Agioreitis, 1924-1994, Testimonies of Pilgrims, volume 2, published by Agiotokos Cappadocia. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.
Among us was a Japanese man, a chemical engineer of a large pharmaceutical company, who did not know Greek.
On this occasion, the Elder spoke about the Buddha and, addressing the Japanese man, told him that the Buddha was just a wise and intelligent man of his time. And how the world, admiring his wisdom, made him almost a god.
Then an Athenian, who had met the Japanese man earlier on the way to Panagouda, intervened, wanting to act as an interpreter.
Immediately the Japanese man turned to him and, somewhat annoyed at being distracted, understandably said to him: "Thank you, but I understand everything that the Elder tells me."
This was shortly thereafter repeated, and all of us then glorified the Holy Triune God that we had witnessed this wonderful event, the tongues of Pentecost, through the Elder.
Source: From the book Elder Paisios Agioreitis, 1924-1994, Testimonies of Pilgrims, volume 2, published by Agiotokos Cappadocia. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.