Tuesday, April 21, 2009

A Miracle of St. Raphael of Lesvos

Christ is risen! Truly He is risen!
  

Icon of Sts. Raphael, Nicholas and Irene - Commemorated on Tuesday of Bright Week (taken from: http://www.imgap.gr/file1/imagraf.html)
  
St. Raphael rescuing a young man from death by pulmonary embolism (amateur translation)
"Dimitris Antonios Vakalopoulos (Polykastro, 23430-22310) in February 1995 went to kick a soccer ball during a game and suffered a fractured shin which required a pin put into his right broken leg in “Agios Dimitrios" Hospital. Afterwards he went home to recover. In three weeks, however, he his healthy left leg began to bloat and he had a fever of 39-40 degrees(Celsius) with convulsions. His local doctor gave him medication for pneumonia, but then suggested hospitalization.

In Kilkis, the doctor thought he had bruising and sent him back. But he continued to have chest pains, difficulty breathing, one leg [ενηλωμένο], the other swollen, and a high fever. The doctor Panteleimon Maidanoglou diagnosed 99.5% thrombophlebitis and recommended him to go to the Hospital immediately! In the 10-15 days in Kilkis, they did not give much weight to Dr. Maidanoglou’s diagnosis, and the patient had lost half of his weight (42 kilos)! He had lost contact with the world! 'He saw Saints that would shout at him, forests, meadows, flowers, Angels in white with wings, calm waves, streams, rivers. 'A crisis happened, he was not breathing, but turning dark!

His brother Pagonis Vakalopoulos (known soccer player in the "National" Greece and the "Hercules") sent for the doctor, Dr. Philipou at 3AM. The new doctor diagnosed thrombosis and pulmonary embolism! His father signed the paper and they immediately rushed him to Papanikolaou. The scan and angiogram showed 100% occulded artery in the lungs! Professor Spyros said to his father: "He's dying. Sign the paper. I will make an incision from top to bottom. We will look for the clot or clots and take them out, and he will be in the operating room for five hours. Go to see him in the ICU, but don’t anyone cry, because the boy will stay with us from now on!"

The mother, talking and crying with the other patients, learned about St. Raphael of Mytilene, and called the Monastery requesting a supplication service be chanted. Her phone card however did not record the long time that she was talking on the phone, and this, as she would understand later, was a sign that something extraordinary started to happen. In the ICU she gave her son a small booklet about St. Raphael, and told him that he should pray to the Saint to heal him, in all seriousness. He started to look through the booklet, was impressed by the miracles and stories of St. Raphael, and then he began to pray: "St. Raphael, if you actually exist, come to me and make me well." And his mother constantly entreated the Saint with faith and tears: "St. Raphael, I am a sinner. Please, take a look at my child!"

After some hours (5 minutes? 5 hours? I don’t remember) Dimitri felt a blinding light hit his eyes, like the glare of a thousand headlights. He asked his nurse repeatedly to extinguish the lights, and she would asserting that everything was off. Slowly, from the blinding light was revealed a priest, the same as was on the booklet that he had been given, standing in the air!

With his eyes open he asked him: "How did you appear here? Who are you?"

“I am Saint Raphael and I came to make you well."

"How did you get in here? And how will you make me well?"

"Believe me, tomorrow you will be well."

He disappeared. He started to reason, how he could cure me, who that was... and the priest appeared again, but with a more austere appearance, and he said:

"Do you dare to doubt that I can cure you?".

The sick man was left amazed, wondering how the Priest could know what he was thinking. "I don’t doubt, but how will you cure me?"

"Believe me, Dimitris, and tomorrow you will be well. But you must believe."
Note that, as long as I was talking with the Saint, the nurse was trying to calm me down: "Dimitri, relax. Who are you talking to? There is nobody here, only me and you."

Then the Saint said: "They can’t see or hear me. Only you. "

But further doubts were in the mind of the sick man: "Is this Priest working for us? Have I have gone mad and am not seeing things well? What does this mean? Is it possible?"
For the third time the Saint appeared with a girl with braids, but then appeared to be walking close to him. Approaching, he said:

"Poor man, you don’t believe in me at all. Two times I came for the sake of your mother, who cries out entreating me for you, and once for you. I won’t come to you another time. For the third and final time. Believe me and tomorrow you will be well.”

And turning towards the little girl:" Rinoula [diminutive form of the Greek name Eirini, or Irene], bring me my bag" (like the ones used by doctors)."

He pulled out a white doctor’s coat, and removing his purple vestments, he put it on. "Dimitrakis, tomorrow you will be well, if you only believe. Now I am leaving, because they need me in London. Come, Rinoula the boy will be well, and his leg and the lungs are strong."

The sick man called his mother, and related to her the story, and she crossed herself and was crying from emotion.

In the morning they came to run an important test, but found on the scan that the clots had disappeared from the lungs and his veins. They only placed a filter in the lower segment. In four days he was discharged. Mr. Spyrou said to his mother: "Your family must have some Saint or someone is lucky." Mr. Philipou said to his brother: "As a scientist I cannot explain it. He has someone up there." His parents came and performed a Paraklesis at our Monastery [Sts. Raphael, Nicholas and Irene in Goumenissa]. Later they brought the young man himself. He recognized St. Raphael immediately on the large icon stand from his three appearances , however he had seen him wearing the purple mantya robe of an Abbott, illuminating his chest."
(http://www.imgap.gr/file1/sthavmata.html)
  

Note: the man who was healed can be seen telling the story himself on video (in Greek) here: http://www.imgap.gr/file1/Vakal.wmv.
  
For more information on Sts. Raphael, Nicholas and Irene, see: http://fr-d-serfes.org/writtings/straphael.htm, http://orthodoxchristian.info/pages/sts_rni.htm, http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=1045&PCode=1PT&D=T&date=4/21/2009.
  

Icon of Sts. Raphael, Nicholas and Irene (Icon courtesy of www.eikonografos.com used with permission)
  
Apolytikon of Sts. Raphael, Nicholas and Irene
Having contended on Lesvos for the sake of Christ God, you have sanctified the island since the discovery of your sacred relics, O blessed ones; for what reason we honour you, O God-bearing Raphael, together with Nicholas and virgin Irene, as our divine protectors and intercessors with the Lord.
  
Kontakion
Let all of us honour as our protectors and miracle-workers the holy Martyrs who manifestly contended for Christ. Whose relics were hidden under the earth for many years, and who have manifested themselves to us in wondrous ways, Raphael, Nicholas and Irene, as well as those who contended with them in a godly-minded manner.
  
Megalynarion
Let us honour with hymns the Hosiomartyrs of Christ, divine Raphael and venerable Nicholas, together with Irene, the guardians of Lesvos, for helping all.
Christ is Risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs, bestowing life!
Truly the Lord is risen!

16 comments:

  1. Beautiful story.
    I hope he can come to Melbourne, Australia.
    Ironically my mother is from Thermi, Lesvos.
    I've been to his church at my mother's island.
    But now I need him to heal my bowel cancer. I'm only 42, female, single never married, no children.
    All I have are my parents and my brother.
    Can you come down here please St Raphael (George) since I can't come there again?
    Can you heal me?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have been praying for my health to be restored back to normal and for all of the obstacles in my life to be restored. I feel like evil has trapped me and am praying for this saint through the Lord to heal me and put me into the right path and clear the obstacles. Saint Raphael, you are known for your miracles and I know it would take a miracle right now. Please help me!

    ReplyDelete
  3. My mother is in ICU in Essex UK in an induced comer I pray night and day for st Raphael to come to her dreams. She was diagnosed with lung cancer 2 months ago which spread to lung and bone. She couldn't breath and on life support. My beautiful mother I beg of you saint Raphael and I call out your name day and night please help my mother have a full recovery. I am 39 years of age, no children or married. I need my mother and her love. Please Saint Raphael on my knees I pray you hear my tears to make this awful disease go away and give me my mother back to me and my family. Saint Raphael please take the lead. God please give our saints authority to make her well so I can hear her voice and kiss her sweet face again.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is Risen +++

    Holy Saints Raphael + Nikolaos + Irene please ask of our Savior for help for my dead soul and body

    I pray to Agios + Raphael + Nikolaos + Irene for holy repentance and confession. May the Holy Trinity hear the holy intercessions of His Holy Saints so that the chains of the destroyer may be crushed from my feet and hands and body and that the breath of life may be made strong once again in my soul and body. Let us pray for one another and the departed souls. My poor soul is in a sorely state and needs of help of GOD.........please help oh Lord Jesus Christ as we call upon Thee for Salvation. +++ peter the sinner

    The Holy Grace of God be with our holy Bishop Akakios together with his holy flock and to all the Holy Churches and Monasteries in Jesus Christ The Lord.
    Mercy Repentance Confession Peace and Love.

    Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a hypocrite and sinner

    I Peter have sinned

    I have sinned against the Holiness of the Holy Trinity

    I have sinned against the Holiness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

    I have sinned against the Holiness of the Holy Mother of God The Very Theotokos.

    I have sinned against the Holiness of the Holy Church

    I have sinned against my Holy and Spiritual Father and Bishop

    I have have sinned against the Heavenly and earthly Jerusalem

    I have sinned against my holy brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ The Lord

    I have sinned against all the Holiness of the Holy Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Saints

    I have sinned against the Holiness of the all the Archangel’s and Angels

    I have sinned against my Holy Guardian Angel

    I have sinned against my holy brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ The Lord

    I have sinned against my soul and body

    I have sinned against the house of my Father and Mother and my Brother and Sister

    I have sinned against my neighbors

    I have sinned against some of my doctors

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Forgive Me LORD I Have Sinned against You I LOVE YOU SO MUCH MY FAITH HOPE AND TRUST IS IN YOU

      Delete
    2. Please Hear My Prayers LORD and Heal Me of My affection and Sickness and Please Keep My Children Grandchildren And Husband Healthy and Full of the Holy Spirit and a Long Life Thank You LORD

      Delete
    3. LORD JESUS CHRIST SON OF GOD Forgive Me of My Sins and please Heal My Body I LOVE YOU

      Delete
    4. I Joanne the Sinner Have Mercy on Me LORD

      Delete
  6. May Sts. Raphael, Nicholas and Irene help all those who suffer in body and soul throughout the world!

    I would focus more though on confession and spiritual accounting to your spiritual father than online. May the Lord forgive us all and grant us healing and consolation.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Glorious and Greatly Is Our Lord Jesus Christ Glorified By His Holy Saints

    I will pray for your holy Mother Andri and pray to the Holy Three Saints Raphael + Nikolaos + Irene to make visitation to your dearest Mother for a good recovery from her illnesses. Holy Mother of God The Very Theotokos be with your families Andri +

    Let us pray for one another.

    poor peter a sinner

    ReplyDelete

  8. St Rafael Nikolas and Irene, forgive my sins, heal my body and soul. please help my adult children to find their faith that they had as young children.
    please help my daughter to have a child, my sons to stop using drugs,help my older son over come his anxiety and fears. Please keep me and my husband healthy so we can come to your monastery in Thermi and pay our respects to you. Anna a sinner.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Agio Raphael Nicholas and Irene
      Please help my father recover from what is going through

      Delete
  9. St. Raphael, Nicholas and Irene, please visit our home and protect us. Intercede on our behalf to our loving Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and Panagia Theotokos to be our guiding and loving Lights. To heal any ailments of mind, body, and soul. Amen.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Saint Raphael Nicolas Irene avec l aide de Jesus Christ deposer vos mains sur mon mari Jean Pierre pour son intervention au pancreas qu on aille de bonne nouvelle Amen 🙏 Saint Raphael toi qui est venue a moi pour mes enfants et je te remercie du fond de mon coeur et je te prie toujours tu es mon sauveur 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

    ReplyDelete