Today marks exactly thirty-one years since the death of a hierarch who "marked" hearts with his unyielding struggle for Orthodoxy, but also for the defense of the human rights of the people of North Pireo, who were chained by the regime of atheism, the bells were silent in their churches and only the voice of the modern "Father-Cosmas", as they described him, reached their ears and touched their souls.
31 years after his death, on December 12, 1994, the memories come one after the other. Unbroken memories, which become testimonies of an exemplary priest, of a hierarch who had the seal of eternity upon him, whom the love of God placed in my life, but whom I did not deserve to imitate, but at least I try to live by his blessing.
What can one say about Sebastian… What can one say for the first time about this unique bishop. And one could talk for hours about this shocking physiognomy, which positively marked and continues to mark many people today. In his way, in his miraculous way, allow me to say. Every time, when we think of Sebastian, our heart is flooded with blessing, from the blessing of this blessed man….
We feel him next to us.
One feels his two hands still being raised in supplication to God… His pure eyes still facing the poor and despised. His clear mind still grasping the sorrows and desires of the suffering people of Northern Epirus. And defending the justice of the wronged.
Although 31 years Ago sebastian ceased To exist on earth and passed from the winter of sorrow and suffering of the earthly world to the spring of eternity, to the insurmountable beauty of Paradise, we nevertheless feel him beside us... Close to Us... praying for the Church, the Homeland and the People.
Earth angel
Sebastian, although absent, is not absent. Although missing, he is not missing. And this, because he hid greatness, faith, humility and nobility within his heart. The one who some, without knowing him, characterized as harsh and conservative, was a piece of crap, with the sensitive features of a child. Or better yet, he was an earthly angel, constantly fluttering towards heaven.
This is clearly shown and revealed by the following incidents, most of which I personally experienced:
First incident: August 2, 1987. On this hot afternoon, Metropolitan Sebastian, the then preacher of the Metropolis, Father Andreas Trembelas, and a high school student are having lunch in the Metropolitan building, which is small and has many shortcomings and which the dynamic hierarch uses as a residence and an office.
The dilapidated kitchen table, on which the plates of food are placed, creaks. But there is nothing else to replace it.
The student drinks the water in the glass in front of him. At some point, he gets thirsty again, takes the glass and gets up to fill it from the kitchen tap. The holy Despot notices this movement, grabs the glass from his hands and sternly says to him: “You sit down, because you are a guest.” He leaves his food in the middle, goes to the tap, puts water in the glass and offers it to the 17-year-old child, who is literally left speechless.
Yes… It seems incredible, but it's true. A hierarch with international recognition and influence became a servant of a child.
Second incident, which shows nobility, great nobility through the wealth of poverty. What do we mean, listen: December 17, 1991. In the border town of Konitsa, everything indicates that it will snow. On the afternoon of this frosty day, Metropolitan Sebastian leaves his poor office with its old and rickety chairs and the wood-burning stove, broken from use, and goes on foot to the radio station of the Metropolis, which he built with effort and sacrifice, to address words of comfort, words of resurrection, words of hope to the people of Northern Epirus. While the fiery Despot is in the studio, it is snowing outside. After finishing the broadcast and examining certain burning issues with his associates, he opens the door to leave the station. Seeing the snow, he stops abruptly. He turns back and sits in a chair, where he remains thoughtful, without speaking. One of those present there feels the need to ask him what is happening. Then the ascetic Despot replies: "Please let me know if it is easy for someone to come by car to pick me up, because it is impossible for me to walk in the snow." The reason why he cannot walk on the snowy road is difficult to imagine. The soles of his shoes are full of holes. Indeed!!! Millions passed through his hands for charitable purposes, but he kept nothing for himself. He gave everything with ease and satisfaction to others. His lack of property was also confirmed when he fell asleep. In order to change him, his associates looked for a pair of pants. They found one, the one he wore constantly and which was patched. So they bought a pair of pants from a store. Words are unnecessary.
Third incident: Metropolitan Sebastian, known throughout the world for his long-standing struggles for the much-suffered Northern Epirus, welcomes the then American ambassador to Greece, Michael Sotirchos. After the American ambassador finished his discussion with Metropolitan Sebastian, he told reporters. "The simplicity of the space impressed me, but what will remain unforgettable to me is the simplicity of the Despot's heart." Sebastian had a simple heart, because he had a pure heart. His pure heart was the best and safest path in his struggle.
Fourth incident: When he was sick, he was forced to miss the Konitsa Parade: a primary school child, the next day, wrote sadly in his report: “This Year i didn’t like the parade, because sebastian wasn’t there To make us proud.” He had succeeded and had touched and captivated the souls of even the little children.
Fifth incident:The words of an old woman from Northern Epirus, Mrs. Eftalia, about Sebastianos, do not need comment. They speak for themselves, because they are drawn with sincerity and purity from the depths of her soul. This old woman from Northern Epirus said: "I cry when I hear him on the radio. He heals our souls with the words he speaks. He brings us together, he brings life out of us. He comes down the hill, we want to kiss his hand. The world wants to see him here. Everyone is with him. Sebastianos, they say, is a true patriot and a holy man."
Sixth incident: Sebastian is not well. His illness is galloping. His leg does not step on it, it drags it. His body does not define it. One morning in September 1994, the hearse of a grandfather from Distrato, heading to the village from Ioannina, stops outside the Metropolis, so that the children of the deceased can receive the blessing of the Bishop. Sebastian crawls to the window. He wears a petraheli and, looking towards the coffin on the hearse, reads the Trisagion! He reads the Trisagion from the window! It is noteworthy that, as long as he could, he went and officiated, most of the time without being invited, at the funerals of ordinary people. Of course, there was no question of remuneration. He did not put a single "crushed" penny in his pocket.
Seventh incident, the content of his will, where the greatness of his heart is revealed: 29 years later, his will is as timely as ever. On the hot afternoon of August 27, 1994, the Bishop, weakened by the incurable disease, had a premonition that his exit from the world would be “sudden”. He now felt certain that the time when he would…fly towards heaven was approaching.
That's why he sat down and wrote his will. A will full of mortgages. With a steady hand he engraved on paper his gratitude, his advice, his apology, his poverty, his prayer.
He stated, among Other things: “…I now ask for forgiveness from all those whom i Have offended in any way. i also offer my heartfelt forgiveness to those who, unintentionally, offended me, especially because of the national issue of northern epirus. Now, Surely, As things have developed, everyone, i suppose, would have understood the purity of my intentions.
Assets: I have no personal movable or immovable property to leave. I neither inherited nor acquired it through my priesthood. 'Whatever money is found in my office, my close associates know that it belongs to charitable purposes…'
Eighth incident, which demonstrates how spiritual, continuously and endlessly spiritual a person Sebastian was: A few hours before he ended up at the university hospital of Ioannina, where he was hospitalized and while he was almost in a coma, Fr. Andreas Trembelas leaned close to his ear and said to him in a somewhat loud voice: "Your Eminence, do you want us to bring you Holy Communion?" Then a miracle happened. He turned towards where the voice was heard, opened his eyes and looked with a very cheerful look. Everyone formed the impression that he really desired Holy Communion. A priest from the Metochion of the Holy Monastery of Sinai came to receive him. When the priest went with the Holy Communion, Fr. Andreas leaned close to his ear again and said: "Your Eminence, Holy Communion has come." He opened his eyes and tried to join his fingers together to make the sign of the cross. He was helped to make the sign of the cross and with full awareness and with profound satisfaction and joy he received his last Holy Communion. And while in his ear they whispered what he liked, “Of Your Mystical Supper,” his eyes shed tears. His heart shed tears. And it is no coincidence that as soon as it was announced that Sebastian had fallen asleep, doctors, nurses and cleaners gathered. And they wept for the man who, as they said, was an occasion for “entering the path of God” with his example, with his piety, with his unparalleled ethos.
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The image that Sebastian has left behind is that of a visionary and at the same time a fighter, who manages to make the vision a deed and a work, to chart paths and inspire us to follow them. Because visions are born in pious people, but they are shaped by the strong and the brave. By complete and radiant personalities, like that of the unforgettable Sebastian.
