A relative of mine from a few generations back was a pious Orthodox woman living in Greece. In her old age she became ill, and death was imminent. Desiring to confess and commune one last time before her death, and being too weak to attend Church, she sent a message to the village priest, but he was unable to come bring her Holy Communion. Exhausted and disappointed, the woman fell asleep.

In her sleep, she found herself in an indescribably beautiful cathedral, surrounded by the saints and angels, all of whom whom she recognized. It was the very beginning of the Divine Liturgy. She saw and heard the entire Liturgy, from beginning to end; it was the most glorious and magnificent service she had ever attended, with the bodiless hosts singing in beautiful voices. At Communion, she received the Holy Mysteries, and sipped wine and took a piece of antidoron from the After Supper. At the end of the service, she received the priest's blessing, kissed the Cross, and was given a piece of Prosphora. When she awoke at the conclusion of the service, she found that piece of heavenly prosphora still held in her hand. She had not only dreamed that she saw this heavenly Liturgy, but had truly witnessed it! Soon after this remarkable occurrence, she departed this life.

This story has always reminded me of an account of St. Euphrosynus the Cook, a humble monk. One night while sleeping, the abbot of the monastery found himself in a beautiful garden, and saw there Euphrosynus. Asking Euphrosynus where he was, he was told that this was the Heavenly Garden. The abbot asked for an apple and was given three. When the abbot awoke the next morning, these heavenly apples were laying beside him! He hurried to ask Euphrosynus where he had been the previous night, and the monk meekly replied that he had indeed been where they had seen each other. The apples had the power to heal the sick and perform other miracles. Thus did God reveal the sanctity of this holy man in a wondrous way.