“Whoever wants to become a Christian must first become a poet.
That’s what it is!
You must suffer.
You must love and suffer–suffer for the one you love.
Love makes effort for the loved one.
She runs all through the night; she stays awake; she stains her feet with blood in order to meet her beloved.
She makes sacrifices and disregards all impediments, threats, and difficulties for the sake of the loved one.
Love towards Christ is something even higher, infinitely higher.”
Elder Porphyrios