Father Panagiotis Tsiolis
The blessed Father Panagiotis Tsiolis, also known as the ‘Elder of Agrafa’, who fell asleep in the Lord on November 12th, 2021, had confided to Dionysios Makris, the publisher of Stilos Orthodoxia, an extraordinary revelation: that our marbled King, His Holiness the Emperor of Nicaea, John Doukas Vatatzes, had appeared at the Phanar and even personally visited the Ecumenical Patriarch.
Dionysios Makris presented this extraordinary testimony during his commemorative speech for the blessed Elder Panagiotis Tsiolis, delivered in the city of Drama, Greece, on November 26th, 2023.
He told me many things about Saint John Vatatzes. He had seen him many times. He talked with Saints often. And he tells me, “They are cleaning ‘The City’”.
One day, I found him sorrowful. I want to recount this as clearly as I can. I asked: “Grandfather, why are you so sad?” He was weeping...
He replied: “Saint John, our King, visited the Patriarch. Yet the Patriarch did not recognize him and sent him away. Because he (Saint John) asked him for help, had come like a beggar, seeking help… but he received none. The Patriarch dismissed him. And the Saint departed, grieving.”
I said to the Elder: “If he appeared as a beggar, of course they wouldn’t recognize him.”
But the Elder said: “He should have known, he was our King… a Saint!”
I asked the Elder: “Has he risen?”
The Elder replied: “He has risen! His sword is drawn! And he is ready for the Queen of Cities! The events will come!”
On November 27, 2023, Isaac Aba uploaded a video featuring a special segment from a speech delivered by Dionysios Makris, respected theologian, journalist, and author, at the Hall of the Christian Home of Drama. The talk, held on November 26, focused on the personal encounters and spiritual experiences shared with the late Elder of Agrafa, Fr. Panagiotis Tsiolis: https://www.youtube.com/clip/UgkxTI_3Tyu2rheO3bdXNcLktvFTv8XxIk_z
See the full speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHeB9JpGF70
On December 3, 2023, NOIAZOMAI, published an article highlighting a remarkable revelation from the late, visionary Elder of Agrafa, Fr. Panagiotis Tsiolis. According to his testimony, shared by Dionysios Makris: https://www.noiazomai.gr/2023/12/o-vatatzis-emfanistike-sto-fanari.html
The testimony translation were prepared by The Holy Wisdom and uploaded to the YouTube channel on July 14, 2025: