The Georgian Patriarch Ilia II was mistaken for a vagabond

 

Fathers of the old generation have such a pious custom - when they come to church, they change their shoes in house slippers, and if they are not there, then walk without shoes. And so, Father Ilia arrived alone at our Transfiguration Church on Smolenka, sat down on the steps in front of the entrance and began to change his shoes.

Here the janitor was getting out, who drew attention to the old man who was sitting on the steps and doing something. And the janitor thought it was a beggar who had come to beg.

Meanwhile, everyone in the church was preparing to meet the Patriarch of Georgia, who, was supposed to arrive later, and even with his entourage. The janitor also knew about it. He approached the one who had changed his shoes with the following words:

"Hey, man, why are you sitting here? Go to another place, ask for alms! The Georgian Patriarch must come to us now."

But the old man calmly continued to change his shoes without answering the janitor He just smiled back. Then he got up and went to the temple.

This story spread throughout the entire Orthodox Kaluga people. Perhaps you and I would never have heard anything about it if it had not been for the remorseful janitor who wants to share with everyone his terrible ordeal in his opinion.

The patriarch himself did not tell anyone about this incident.

From this story we can see the humility and modesty of Father Ilia, despite his high rank. And we can imagine how many such temptations the priests of the Church of Christ have, because I have described only one grain of sand in the vast desert of life. Glory to Thee, Lord, that there are people who are able to devote all of themselves to the service of Thy Church and contribute to its strengthening.