The blood of God!

One Saturday morning, while Father Anthony was celebrating the Holy Mass, he arrived at the moment of the consecration of the Precious Gifts. As he was kneeling and saying the prayer, with his hands resting on the Holy Table, he was about to rise and bless the Precious Gifts, when a drop of blood fell from a height onto his hand, splashing it all over. He saw it and trembled!

He stood up in confusion, looked at it and was seized by a holy fear, an earthquake, a fear, an astonishment, a stupor, many feelings mixed together that are impossible to describe. He stood up and did not know what to do! The blood of Christ had stuck to his hand. He was lost! However, the grace of God, after this miracle, guided him to look at the Holy Chalice and saw that it was empty. He had forgotten to pour wine. Taking note of the Holy Lamb, he noticed that it had not been pierced, meaning that the Proskomidia was not complete. The singer at the pew continued:

– We praise You, we bless You… He motioned for him to continue singing. There were few people because it was Saturday. He took the Holy Copy, pierced the Holy Lamb and said:

– And one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear and immediately blood and water came out… After that, he put wine and water in the Holy Chalice, according to the order, blessed them, worshiped them and, after completing all this, knelt down, recited the prayer of consecration and God changed the bread and wine, as happens at every Holy Liturgy, into the Body and Blood of Christ. After the Transfiguration and the conclusion of the service, he consumed the Holy and wiped the Holy Chalice. Immediately after that Liturgy, he went to Metropolitan Chrysostom and told him what had happened. The latter took his hand and smelled it. An unprecedented fragrance emanated from it, and then the Metropolitan began to kiss it several times.

– Your Holiness, cried Father Anthony!

– I do not kiss your hand, although it must also be kissed because you are a servant of the Most High, it does not matter that you are a priest and I am a bishop. I touched the Blood of Christ, the Blood of God, through your hand!

I remember that, after the death of Father Anthony, the Metropolitan told me this story. He was very impressed. He stood up and said:

– Father Stephen, the Blood of God! and began to cry.

This is the Holy Mass!

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