When Saint George Karslides as a Child Rode on the Horse of Saint George the Great Martyr

Saint George Karslides was born in 1901 with the name Athanasios, in Argyroupolis (Gümüşhane) of Pontus. As a very young child he lost his parents and his faithful grandmother undertook to protect him. She inspired him with his love for the liturgical life of our Church.

But soon after his grandmother left for heaven. Only one older brother was left, who also tortured and oppressed him. So at the age of 7-8 he left secretly, to escape from the contempt and tyranny of his older brother. He felt a deep thirst for God.
 

Why Elder Eumenios Saridakis Pretended To Be Awkward Around Children

 By Fr. Antonios Frangakis

Father Eumenios many times when he was liturgizing, he drove out the children from the Sanctuary and in addition he seemed as if he did not want them to be near the Beautiful Gate. In fact, during a Divine Liturgy, he approached the mother of a child and asked her to take her child out of the church! She was surprised and after she indeed took her child out of the church, she asked him what scandalous thing he was doing, and he simply told her that he just saw Father Eumenios hovering above the ground and flames coming from him! The Holy Elder knew that only the pure children could "see" him with their pure spiritual eyes and could perceive the divine revelations and signs that happened when he was officiating. Being therefore afraid that the child would testify to others concerning what he saw and he be glorified by the people, he avoided the children and in a way pretended to be awkward.

 

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.