The saints are alive and their God-given power does not diminish in time. St.Ioanicius of Devič works miracles today, even as he did during his life on earth some five-hundred years ago. A certain man Miloš from Hercegovina prepared to travel to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage to the holy shrines. As he was about to depart on his way, St.Ioanicius appeared to him in a dream and told him not to go to Jerusalem. "Rather than go to Jerusalem, it would be better for you to go to Devič," explained the saint, "and there, to restore my church and put it in order." Miloš obeyed the saint and went to the neglected Devič, cleaned it, put it in order, and made it possible to sing praises to God there again. Miloš became a monk there and remained until the end of his life. During the First World War and the Austrian occupation, a Hungarian officer with a detachment of soldiers came to Devič. The officer ushered abbot Damaskinos of the monastery, before the reliquary of St.Ioanicius and asked him what was under the slab? " A Holy things," replied the abbot. "What kind of holy things?" the officer laughed. "You have something hidden under there." He then ordered the soldiers to strike the slab with pickaxes and overturn it. While this was being done, the officer was seized with pain in his abdomen. He lay down in bed and, before evening of the same day, died. The frightened soldiers left their work undone and fled the monastery.
from Prologue Of St.Nicholai of Ohrid