Saint Iakovos Tsalikis of Evia lived in a Monastery built by Saint David of Evia many centuries ago. Although separated by a few hundred years, the two developed a close Spiritual relationship as Elder and Spiritual child and Saint Iakovos Prayed and spoke to Saint David constantly, because he was right there with him as his beloved Elder.
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Once as a Monk, I was cleaning the Sanctuary of the [Church of the Monastery] of Saint David of Evia. Saint lakovos Tsalikis enters and heads in front of the Icon of Saint David without him realizing that I am inside the Sanctuary. And he starts talking to the Saint. He reads him a letter and tells him about some patient, to go and make him well. He was telling all these full of emotion and admiration, as if Saint David was present next to him. I dropped the dustpan, I was cleaning with, inside the Sanctuary [of the Church] and he asked: “Who is inside?” “It’s me Elder”, I reply. “My Ilariona, how long have you been here? Did you hear me talking? Don’t get me wrong, I have taken some pills for my heart and I am having hallucinations, I have lost it, I am dizzy. (Of course, he wanted to hide the virtue of Prayer he had and that he was able to talk to the Saint and he did it often). He tells me: “Father, say nothing of what you heard and saw, otherwise, they will make fun of us ” “May it be blessed, Elder”, [I answered.] In the evening. he sees me in the kitchen while I was cooking, it was my diakonema, and I was the helper of Fr. Cyrillos and he tells me discreetly: “My Ilariona, a thousand times sorry for lying to you in the morning at the Church. I was not dizzy, nor did I get any pills, I just wanted to hide the virtue of the Prayer and the communication I have with Saint (David) lest I fall into vanity and be lost. Whatever I need. I ask the Saint and he gives it to me”
“Once, someone came to me and said: “My Priest, they told me that fasting doesn’t exist.” “And who told you that there was no fasting? Go tell the Priest to open the Bible and see that which discusses fasting: ‘without Prayer and fasting’ (Matthew 17:21, Mark 9:29), which our Christ says, and other things.’ And the demons, and sicknesses, and all the passions are cast out with fasting. The Holy Forerunner, what did he eat in the desert? What did the Venerable David eat? With an Antidoron, he passed the whole week in his Cell of Asceticism.”
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