Father Benedict Ghiuș – Smile and Light

I remember a Romanian monk, Father Benedict Ghiuș, from the monastery of Cernica, near Bucharest. He had been practising the prayer of the heart for a long time. One Sunday I was celebrating Liturgy in this monastery with some monks. Father Ghiuș, who was very old, accompanied us and sat on a chair in the corner of the altar.

The sun did not enter the church, so it was quite dark. At some point, a soft light began to spread from the corner where Father Ghiuș was sitting. Without spreading to the whole altar, this light surrounded the smiling and transfigured face of the priest. This light continued throughout the liturgy and when Father received Holy Communion, his hands became luminous. However, Father did not realise what was happening. Then everyone bowed before him, but the priest became sad because he felt too honoured, and he retreated shyly to his corner. At the end of the service, the priest humbly returned to his cell, his eyes downcast.

(Pr. Gheorghe Calciu Dumitreasa – Rost Magazine, year V, number 47-48 of January-February 2007, p. 25)