It is well known that Saint Paisios the Hagiorite, besides Greek, did not know another language. But as it happened multiple times – when there was a reason – conversed wonderfully in the language of the Pentecost with non-Greek speaking individuals. “I was present once,” Mr. I.E.K states, “in the small hut of the Saint at Mount Athos with three other visitors, and a Frenchman who did not speak Greek. When his turn came to speak to the Saint, they moved further away and for fifteen minutes they conversed sitting on some wooden logs. We saw them that they were discussing with great interest. How did they communicate, since there was no common language of communication? The Frenchman left very happy. His satisfaction was clearly evident in his face.”
From the book: The Life of Saint Paisios the Hagiorite by monk Isaak
Translated by Dr. Nick Stergiou
