Orthodox Parables and Stories: "The Grace of Each Saint is distinct"

Having just finished his PhD in Germany, and feeling confident about his knowledge of holy icons, the young graduate student visited his father’s good friend, a blind monk. He spoke to him a bit about some things and then got to his point:

“Geronda, although you’re blind, you venerate icons. Do you know and understand what you are venerating?” the young graduate asked the monk.

“Of course I do!” the blind monk responded.

“Is that so? Well then, would you mind if I gave you a little quiz?” he asked the monk.

“Not at all,” came the response.

There was a shelf of icons just above where they were seated. So the graduate student took down an icon of St. Catherine the Great Martyr, and gave it to the blind monk to venerate.

Making his cross and bowing low to the ground, the monk kissed the icon.

“So, Geronda, which saint did you venerate?”

“St. Barbara the Great Martyr,” he answered.

“Geronda, I’m sorry but it’s not St. Barbara,” the young man said.

“Perhaps you want to venerate the icon again and see if you’re making a mistake,” he told the monk.

“I know the grace of St. Catherine. It is different than that of St. Barbara. You’re making the mistake. Perhaps you should read the name again,” the monk answered resolutely.

Looking down at the icon again the young graduate student couldn’t believe his eyes. There, written on the icon was the name Saint Barbara. The likeness of the saint was that of St. Barbara. How could he have mistaken her for St. Catherine? Sure, some icons show their resemblance, but this was shocking!

“Geronda, I’m sorry. I was mistaken. The icon is of St. Barbara,” he apologized.

“The grace of each saint is distinct. I can tell which saint I am venerating by the saint’s particular grace,” the monk informed him.

Years later, narrating this story to his students, Professor Tselingidis would say: “I, who have eyes to see, did not see. While the monk who was blind saw what was for me, invisible.”

And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, in order that they who see not may see; and that they who see might be made blind.” (John 9:39)