In 1953 we were living in Paris. My daughter, Olga, was not yet five years old. In early October she had an operation to remove her appendix. She recovered and all seemed to be well when suddenly she developed a fever. The doctor, a very good man and wonderful physician, came to the house almost daily. All kinds of tests were made to determine what was wrong with Olga. Her temperature remained high through the month of December, and finally the doctor insisted she be taken to a hospital, where she would have round-the-clock care.
All our close ones and acquaintances were concerned and prayed with us. Towards evening a friend came and suggested that we go to Vladika John to pray. "He will pray and everything will be resolved." At that time Vladika lived in the Cadet Corps in Versailles, outside Paris. On the way, my friend, Maria Iliodorovna, told us about Vladika's power of prayer, about how he helps people, and that I should listen to what he said at the end of the service of intercession (moleben).
A service was already in progress when we arrived. At the candlestand I asked that my request to have a moleben served after Liturgy be conveyed to Vladika. At the end of the service the man in charge of selling candles approached me and said that Vladika had to give Holy Communion to some sick boys in the Corps infirmary and that the moleben would be served by a priest. My heart sank; we decided to wait for Vladika.
We waited in silence. I wanted to pray but my thoughts were too occupied with my daughter; she could die at any time. Soon Vladika came and I told him about Olga's illness. Vladika served a moleben and, when at the end he held the Cross for us to kiss, he placed his hand on my shoulder, looked at me and smiled. "Everything will be all right, Mama; your daughter will recover, all will be well." Having blessed us, he gave us a prosphoron. "Go with God!" My heart felt unbelievably light and I firmly believed that indeed all would be well.
That night Olga had hallucinations. I placed compresses on her head, and prayed. Towards morning her temperature dropped. When I began to get her ready to go to the hospital, she complained that her hands and feet hurt; some round spots had appeared on them which were sore to touch. I phoned the doctor and told him about the spots. He said that now he understood what was the matter and that it was not necessary to take Olga to the hospital. He came at once and diagnosed the problem as subcutaneous tuberculosis, which could be treated at home. All she needed was rest, good food and care. Seven months later my daughter had fully recovered. I believe that she was healed through the pure and holy prayer of Vladika John. Glory to God, all turned out well, just as Vladika said.
For three years we tried to make arrangements to move to the United States. Finally, in 1961, we received permission to immigrate. I was pregnant and was quite worried about how we would manage on our arrival in the US. We had lived in France for thirty-five years and had many friends and acquaintances, but there we had no one. Now we had to leave my mother, brother, sister and friends. After speaking with my spiritual father. Father Mitrofan, I took his advice and went to see Vladika John. I came with my husband and daughter, and Father Mitrofan took us all into Vladika's room. Many candles were burning in front of Vladika's icons. His desk was covered with letters, many had money on top of them, waiting to be sent. Vladika helped everyone in whatever way he could — but primarily through prayer.
Everything about the room was simple, holy, peaceful. Vladika blessed us, and when our daughter came up to him he smiled at her, "Ah, this is Olechka who was so sick; yes, everything will be fine!" I told Vladika about our plans and my anxieties. He listened with closed eyes — it was hard to tell if he was simply concentrating or praying. "Well, go, go; one can live anywhere. Only hold fast to our Church, then all will be well. If you don't, you'll have trouble." Vladika gave his blessing for our move. We came to the States and everything turned out well, as Vladika had foretold.
In 1962 we were living in New York. From Paris my mother sent a letter saying that on New Year's Eve my brother had been attacked by some Algerians who had beaten him unconscious and taken his money. It was payday, and in France people received their wages not by check but in cash in an envelope. My brother was taken to a hospital where an X ray showed that his skull was cracked. His eyes were swollen and filled with blood; he was in a frightful state. The doctor said he must have been hit with a pipe or metal rod. My mother was informed of what had happened only at noon the next day. She rushed immediately to the hospital. My brother told her that that night Vladika John had come to him, had given him Holy Communion, prayed, touched his head, and asked if he were in need of money. My brother was embarrassed to accept money from Vladika and declined the offer. Having related the incident to my mother, my brother asked how Vladika knew that he was in the hospital and that he was without money. After all, my mother herself hadn't yet learned of it!
Many, however, who knew Vladika, knew that it wasn't always necessary to ask Vladika. The Lord Himself sent him, indicating where and to whom to go. Vladika didn't sleep, his nights were occupied in prayer; the Lord would reveal to him who was in need of help, and Vladika would go. In the Paris hospitals everyone knew Vladika, and he was admitted at any time of day or night. He always knew where to go. My brother did not know Vladika personally, but Vladika would go to anyone, either by car or by foot.
When a second X ray was made of my brother's head, no crack was visible and he speedily recovered. The doctor was baffled!
We maintained our ties with Archimandrite Mitrofan even after our move to the States. Whenever he came to New York, we would bring him to our home for a few days. We so enjoyed listening to his stories about his life with Vladika John. He was very attached to Vladika and was a faithful spiritual son. Whenever we had some misfortune in our family I always wrote to Father Mitrofan, who was living at that time in California.
In 1979 my mother, then eighty-one, fell seriously ill with cancer. After a brief stay in the hospital, the doctor informed my sister that my mother would soon die. She was taken home in order that she might at least have the consolation of dying at home. Everyone looked after her. I was called in Connecticut, where we lived, to come quickly before mother died. I came and undertook to care for her completely myself, in order to give the other family members a rest. Her condition steadily deteriorated; she suffered terribly and the doctors or nurses came almost daily to give her injections to alleviate the pain. Medicines didn't seem to help, and it was agonizing to see her suffer so. Praying, I remembered Vladika John and straightway wrote to Father Mitrofan, telling him where I was and what had happened to my mother.
The reply from San Francisco came quickly. Father Mitrofan sent some cotton with oil from the perpetually burning vigil lamp over Vladika John's tomb. He wrote: "Anoint the affected area daily, making the sign of the Cross with the words, 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, by the prayers of our dear Vladika John, heal and ease the suffering of the sick Elena!'" Every morning after my prayers, I anointed the affected area, praying as I did so, and within a few days I noticed that afterwards my mother would peacefully fall asleep. Within a week she asked that the injections be stopped. "Vladika is helping me; if the pains recur, pray and anoint me with the oil." I continued to anoint her every day and she, without suffering, quietly and peacefully faded away. She died on the eve of the feast of Archangel Michael. I believe that through the prayers of Vladika John, the Lord granted her a painless Christian ending to her life. We had in our midst a holy man — Vladika John, and did not appreciate him. But to this day Vladika does not abandon us in his prayers.
Valentina Dikova, Kansas