Meeting with Father Cleopas

Some 15 years ago I went on a trip in northern Moldavia. I had heard of a monastery called Sihastria and of an old monk, Cleopa.

The weather was beautiful (it was by mid-August), so I told myself I could go there. I went to Targu Neamt without knowing other details. When I arrived at the bus station, I asked the first person I came in way, a peasant woman, you know how to reach Sihastria. Mi-a raspuns: wine cu mine, because I go there – if not, am following intr-un autobuz. We got to an intersection and started walking, un grupo de vreo 4-5 people, 7 km pana la manastire. The road was easy and pleasant, and the people very friendly; one had a bread and share it with us throughout.

When I entered the courtyard of the monastery, the first man I saw was the father of Galerius, who was there and just talked to a group. Luckily, the left and the next day and attended the service, so I had a chance to listen to a sermon impressive. Like I would have sent me only… I must confess that I was on my first stay in a monastery, and neither the church is not going, so all I saw and heard there were an absolute novelty!

Tarancuta took me under her wing, I arranged accommodation, Then I did a little ride to show me the place. When we go up the hill behind the cells I saw in passing on Father Cleopas, sat on a bench under a tree rich, speaking to a group of pilgrims. It was very many people gathered there. I was quicker with the ordinances usually monastery and I felt very well. Tarancuta succeeded the next morning to talk to Father Cleopas, because having a particular problem for which came, ca sa ceara sfat of el, pregatea you with the shoulder.

Eu nu ma grabeam, May stay a few days, asa ca ne-am luat ramas bun. Departure, and intreaba but:

- Yes’ mata cu ce ai venit problem?
I answer:
- Cu nici the problem, am venit asa!
- Now see poate, she says, here do not live in vain. If you came, means that God has called, si ai kills the problem…Who comes here they change their life!
We stayed surprise move, because I do not think at all that I have a problem, and much less to change my life. And the continuate:
- I really need to talk to Father Cleopas.
- Dar it-i spun her? ask me, puzzled.
- Lasa ca el stie ce sa te intrebe! Sa nu pleci fara sa vorbesti cu el!, the insistat and, then left.

In that moment I felt like a lead weight as I descend into the soul, a crushing sadness, am inceput you are plang, fara its înţelege this. That inexplicable feeling not leave me. In a later, afternoon, I saw a monk and told me:

- Why sit here and cry? Du-te, the father speaks Cleopas, du-te si asculta! Da-i is a pomelnic.
- Dar it his scriu? ask. Did not know too well the meaning of the word.
- Write name.

I wrote my name on a paper and I approached. In front were rows of benches hermitage parent that the school, pe care sedeau pelerinii. The porch, parintele beard cu alba, supported by staff, sfatos made him si, gentle word. People asked, and he uttered words of instruction for the soul, examples, cited, tips, sometimes joked, sometimes chided, shaking stick, and often repeated: “Eat-you would heaven!”. At the end, world he was going to receive the blessing. Erau multi care vorbeau cu el, gave diptych. Eu now indrazneam, naked AAMWU it his college. Eventually I remembered what I said peasant, si m-am apropiat cu hartia.

- Parent, vreau sa dau si eu un pomelnic dar nu stiu cati bani sa dau, cu on zis glass pierdut.
- Write up: Psalter 1 year if 3000 law, my-a raspuns.

Am scris asa, i-am dat hartia cu banii si i-am sarutat mana. El si-a pus mana pe capul meu, sa by the driver and shoulder. When that, I felt like I was raised that heavy stone that hit my soul, si m-a inundat o bucurie de nedescris, I could not fly.

I left two days, time that I heard a parent speaking pilgrims and heard many new things for me, care m-au pus pe ganduri. Cleopas was the parent cell a real school for pilgrims, where Father “teach” Dona ori pe zi, after the morning service and before the afternoon. To me, parent words were like windows that opened into a dark room, leaving to enter the light. Not just jobs, and everything said monks, but even discussions among pilgrims, la Masa in the dormitor, had the gift to make me feel in another world, Then I discovered that a.

When I told some women that I have, diptych, all were surprised that I gave so little money, because, said they: Psalter is the hardest job, if inca 1 an…ought to give much more! Give bátran a zis: Mother, has stiut parintele ca n-ai bani! What was really, because no money had come, ca la plimbari! Then he explained: for one year the father prays for you, as pomeneste Cand citeste Psaltirea, the jobs of night. So I know that prayers are made for “difficult cases”, that the rule, diptych order to give believers find yourself at liturgies.

That state how wonderful I was not left me in Hermitage! There I saw myself and my past, otherwise than by then. After more time, I realized that indeed, since then my life has changed, as I said peasant. I returned several times in pilgrimage to the Hermitage, and I realized that nothing was happening in a place like, if ca, in fact, I had the chance to meet a true saint.

Do not ask me anything, for he knew what he needed to know. I did not say anything, because I was too far to understand something. Dar s-a rugat pentru mine, and from that moment began that work inside, that would change me.

P.S. Am auzit de curand aceasta fraza, pe care nu fac decat sa o confirm prin mica mea marturie despre parintele Cleopa: the greatest miracle of Christ on earth did it was not healing the blind, a schiopilor, etc., even raising the dead, but man's inner change!

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