Another miraculous event occurred on a feast day of St. Nicholas during the abbacy of Fr. Symeon. This time the cellarer informed the Abbot that he would not be able to give any oil to the hermits. (At the time they were accustomed to give a certain amount of oil as a blessing to the poor ascetics who took part int the feast.)
“What is the difficulty?” asked the Abbot.
“We don’t have much oil. There is only half a jar left.”
“It doesn’t matter. Give them what is left.”
The cellarer obeyed. Portioning out the oil to the ascetics, he made them happy, but he himself did not feel any great joy. They had a little oil left; now it would be completely gone. These were the thoughts dictated by his logic, and – even more – by his lack of faith. That which followed, however, and which he was the first to ascertain, brought new life to his faith in the providence and power of God. Their kind and compassionate protector, St. Nicholas, again intervened. The level of the oil in the jar did not go down at all, not even by one centimeter. It remained where it was before.
Thus the hermits received their alms, the Monastery suffered no loss, and the monk who was lacking in faith received valuable lesson.
If someone had the patience to search throuh the various books and records of the Monastery, he would find countless miracles of St. Nicholas. many times he protected the Monastery from sure destruction by fire, and saved monks who had fallen down steep cliffs. many times also he saved boats and ships from certain shipwreck.
In the Katholicon (monastery church) if the Monastery, from the great ring above the chandelier, there hangs a silver model of a schooner that had come to pickup a load of lumber at the Monastery. The sea was so heavy that it was in danger of foundering. As soon as the sailors called on St. Nicholas, however, the tempest was stilled, and, beyond hope, they were saved from certain death.
Elder Athanasios gave the following advice to his successor Abbot: “The Abbot must be very charitable, as was St. Nicholas, and must assist all who come to the Monastery asking for help. God will never forsake anyone, but will provide so that nothing is lacking.