Father Nicodim – “a holy priest, surrounded by thousands and thousands of angels”
In our house, since 1954, Father Nicodemus tried to set up a small workshop for binding religious books, and from 1956 to 1964 he worked in full swing. We used to bring books from Bucharest, from the group that Father had there, and together with some people of good faith, we worked in series, that is to say, after we had brought some booklets, some consignments, we began to bind them; and when we had finished binding them, according to a certain schedule, we transported them to wherever Father found it convenient.
And again we brought paperback books from Bucharest, and again we began to bind them, until the 25th of July 1964, when the Securitate came and searched our houses about four times, then they arrested us and investigated us for three months, day and night, then we were tried by the military court in Bucharest, then we were sentenced, and after eight months they took us from the Securitate in Bucharest to Malmaison, as it was called, to the Jilava prison, seven metres underground, to room zero. […]
They didn’t bring the priest to Bucharest to be tried with us, but the military tribunal decided to try him in Târgul Neamț, only after about a month, on 23 January 1965. Father Nicodem Măndița was sentenced to 8 years in prison at the age of 76. The great pain that Father Nicodemus suffered, apart from the difficulties in prison, was that nothing was known about what had happened to one of his spiritual sons, nor could he find out anything precise there in prison until his release.
A student from Sibiu, a believer, was to be released. He came to Father Nicodemus and said to him, “Reverend Father! Tomorrow I will go home! I promise you that I will go to the monastery of Agapia. What shall I say to Your Holiness’s sister?” And the father replied: “So tell her: ‘You who have walked the narrow and sorrow trodden way, all of you who have taken the cross as a yoke in life, come and take the gifts I have prepared for you and the heavenly crowns'”.
As mentioned above, Father Nicodemus was taken from Târgu Neamț to the prison at Piatra Neamț, where he had his hair cut and was shaved. And it so happened that the prisoner who cut and shaved Father Nicodemus was a local from the town of Buhuși, a man full of devotion to the Fathers. With great care he collected all the hair he had cut and shaved and, wanting to share it with the prisoners in that prison, he said to them: “I have cut and shaved a holy priest who watered his hair with the tears of his eyes”. And so he gave each of them a piece of hair so that it would reach everyone in the prison.
Ten months later, we were with Father Nicodim in Aiud. And one of the group from Bucharest said to Father Nicodemus: “Oh, Father! When we were all in Bucharest, I said to myself, I saw with my own eyes that we had everything and lacked nothing. Can we also have a part in the Kingdom of God when here on earth we have everything we need and lack nothing?! But here in prison, with so many hardships and troubles that we have, our hope in God’s mercy fills our hearts”. To which Father Nicodemus replied, looking at him with great kindness: “Yes, you are right, Brother Gregory, you thought so then, and now you have more hope…”
And I, who am writing these lines, when I first saw Father Nicodemus, I asked him this question that troubled me: “Venerable Father! If we die here in prison without going to confession and without receiving the Holy Sacraments, can we hope for salvation?” To which Father Nicodemus replied, looking at me with great pity for such a naive question: “Well, Brother George! What does your brotherhood say? If only you were also unbaptised, but if you suffered all the hardships with stoicism without blaming anyone, and if you were to die right here in prison for the right faith, then you would pass through the aerial toll houses without stopping, like the Martyrs!!!” […]
As Father Nicodemus was always smiling, so he was during the time he was with us in Aiud prison, and when he was talking about the communist power, Father said: “Look, Brother George! The power of communism will fall by itself. And in our country it could not take over if the Russians did not come to oppress us”. […]
Moreover, on the day we arrived in Aiud, the prison commander was quick to warn us with threats, saying: “We order you to be understanding people throughout your imprisonment. We absolutely forbid you to talk to anyone about your religious beliefs. And more. Even if you are in the same group, you are not allowed to talk to each other about religion.
“If anyone asks you,” Father told us, “why you are in prison, say it was for the right faith. Don’t say we went because of our sins. […]”
There was a student with us in prison who said that he had been condemned without being guilty of anything. Because of this he was very discouraged and dark thoughts tormented him, but every time he saw Father Nicodemus he would say: “Oh Father! Whenever I see Your Holiness, these dark thoughts that torment me leave me, and if I were in a cell with Your Holiness, I would be happy”. And there were many who looked eagerly at Father Nicodemus and wanted to hear him speak. […]
When the prison governor heard that every time we sat down to eat in the dining room, we stood up and said our grace and the prayer after the meal, and Father Nicodemus, who sits at the head of the table, blessed it every time, he wanted to see for himself if we would continue to do this in his presence. And he was standing close to us, inviting all of us who were in front of him. The first to do so was Father Nicodemus, who stood up after the meal and blessed the food without hesitation. The next moment we also stood up and said our prayers, making the sign of the cross several times on our faces. It is true that he said nothing to us, but he became very agitated and turned away from our table, muttering incomprehensible words. […]
One of the guards, in whose heart a small light of faith shone when he saw that Father Nicodemus had been set free, said to us: “Do you see that when Father Nicodemus prayed with more faith, he was set free? You prayed, but not like Father, but with less faith”. “Yes,” we replied, “that is so.” We stayed another year and a half after Father’s departure, but what do you think Father Nicodemus did when he came home to the Holy Monastery of Agapia? He didn’t leave the courtyard until we went to the monastery of Agapia and told him that the three of us had been released. For he said to himself: “Since my brothers are in prison, I will not leave the courtyard until they are free. So Father’s sister, Mother Mary, told us that Father did this until we came out of prison. For a year and a half, Father Nicodemus did not confess to anyone, although many of the faithful came when they heard that he had come. He used to say to them, “Be patient, for soon those who are now in prison will come home, and then I will receive your confession. But until they come, I cannot receive anyone’s confession”. […]
On 5 July 1975, at 9 o’clock in the morning, I arrived at Agapia Monastery. After I had called and Father’s sister, Mother Mary, had come to open the gate for me, she told me “Welcome! Father Nicodemus is leaving us soon. He hasn’t had a spoonful of tea or water for a week. And immediately I went up to the room where he was staying to see him. Although I walked slowly and quietly, as I approached the bed he opened his eyes and smiled as he usually did. I asked for the blessing and, bowing my head, he made the Holy Cross on my head and told me to stay close to the bed. The next moment he took me with his left hand, as if to tell me that I could no longer leave when I wanted, but when he gave me permission. And with his right hand he blessed everywhere. His face was radiant, his lips were moist and he was smiling. Seeing his good mood, I took courage and asked him: “Father! Who are you blessing?” He answered me in astonishment: “How… Don’t you see how many angels are here around us? They look like butterflies”. I didn’t say anything else and forced myself to stop crying. […]
I can’t forget until the day I die the 8 hours, from 9 am to 5 pm, I spent around Father Nicodemus’ departure into eternity.
After my departure, Father lived another 10 hours, from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m.
It was 12 o’clock. He stayed like that for a few hours, as if he were sleeping. I felt very uncomfortable in front of Father Nicodemus, especially for two reasons:
– First, that I, a man full of sins, was this time near a holy priest surrounded by thousands and thousands of angels.
– Secondly, I wanted to weep, to cry out loudly to cool myself down, because I could no longer contain the reproaches of my spirit, remembering that on countless occasions I had offended this great man of God, who was now called to eternal rest and happiness. […]
The fact that I spent those eight hours with Father Nicodemus on the eve of his departure from us, and saw with my own eyes that state of serenity, peace and spiritual joy, combined with that sweet and pleasant smile, had a power of persuasion and an indescribable influence upon my being.
When I had before me, for most of my life, an icon of a true Christian and a worthy spiritual shepherd in the person of Father Nicodemus Măndiță, it was naturally necessary to see with my own eyes how the Giver of gifts, God, gives a truly worthy end to the one who has placed himself at His service with all his being. And how much more there is to say…
(Gheorghe Ionescu – The Life and Activity of Protosinghel Nicodim Măndiță, Bunavestire Publishing House, Bacău, 1996, pp. 407-419, 442-445)