The story of how Gerondissa Makrina become a beacon of Orthodox life in Greece under the guidance of St. Joseph the Hesychast. Gerondissa's nuns later helped start many monasteries in America and Canada under the leadership of Geronda Ephraim of Arizona. Text is from "My Elder Joseph the Hesychast" by Elder Ephraim of Arizona, p. 574-580 -BUY "My Elder Joseph the Hesychast" here: https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/my-elder-joseph-the-hesychast -BUY "Words of the Heart", the Life and Homilies of Gerondissa Makrina of Volos: https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/words-of-the-heart -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ From "My Elder Joseph the Hesychast": From her blessed sisterhood, nuns were sent to populate the monasteries of the Holy Forerunner in Serres and of the Archangel Michael in Thasos. In turn, these monasteries sent nuns to North America who established new monasteries with the ideals of traditional Orthodox monasticism. Something similar happened when Gerondissa Makrina became gravely ill and was coughing up blood. We didn't have a telephone to inform him about it. But in our next letter to him, we concealed her illness from him because we didn't want to upset him and interrupt his prayer. But then he sent us a letter and said: "My little children, why didn't you write to me that Gerondissa is I and is suffering, so that we could pray for her? You made a big mistake thinking that this would interrupt my prayer. When Father Arsenios and I were praying last night, we noetically saw that she was seriously ill, and we prayed hard for her. My children, I want you to inform me about Whatever is happening with the monastery and especialy with Gerondissa. Write me about it." St. Joseph wrote the sisters: “So submit yourselves to Maria, who is trying to benelt you, and all of us here are praying that the Lord will hep you and make you worthy of eternal life.” _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!