As I embark on this new journey of food-related bloghood, it is only appropriate for me to acknowledge my true kitchen-aid. Being Greek, and therefore a steward of the Eastern Orthodox Church, one of its many blessings is the observance of Saints. No, we do not worship them, as many misconceptions suggest, we simply honor these individuals, many of whom gave their lives for their faith. There are calendars which list the Saints being commemorated each day, and Saints who are known to intercede on our behalf for very specific needs. In many Orthodox kitchens you will find an icon of St. Euphrosynos the Cook. I share his story with you below:
St. Euphrosynos the Cook
(Commemorated on September 11th)
St. Euphrosynos lived as an ordinary monk in the 9th century and was very simple and faithful, humbly serving as the cook of the monastery in which he lived. One night the spiritual father of that monastery dreamt that he was in Paradise where he was surprised to see St. Euphrosynos, who gave him three beautiful apples from a tree there. When he awoke, he saw the three apples lying on his pillow much to his amazement. They were very fragrant. Rushing to St. Euphrosynos, he asked him where he had been last night, and the saint said, “Where you were, Father.” Before this no one had paid attention or given respect to the cook in that monastery, but often the opposite. When the spiritual father told the other monks about the holiness of St. Euphrosynos, which he had just discovered, St. Euphrosynos fled the monastery into the desert for the rest of his life, fearing the praise of men. May this humble servant of God teach us by his example and by his prayers to seek the Heavenly Kingdom first, and live humbly serving our brothers or sisters gladly, until Heavenly fruit grows in us. St. Euphrosynos is the saint that cooks often ask for help. (St. Isaac of Syria Skete)
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