Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The Holy Monastery of Panagia Dobra, and St. Luke the Surgeon

The Holy Monastery of Panagia Dobra, Veria (http://www.veriorama.com/images/collection-images/img_1.jpg)
  
The Holy Monastery of Panagia Dobra (all amateur translations below)
Location: Dobra, Beroia (Veria) [Northern Greece, around 70km from Thessalonica]
Abbot: Archimandrite Panteleimon Korphiotakes
A total of 30 enrolled monks, with 19 inhabiting the Monastery
Telephone: 2331027599
Address: Ι.Μ. Παναγίας Δοβρά, Τ.Θ.241, Τ.Κ. 591 00, Βέροια
Hours of operation: Daily, after communication with the Monastery.
History of the Monastery
The Monastery honors the Dormition of the Theotokos, and was founded in the 12th century, according to a document which mentions the Monastery and which is dated to the 12th century, in the National Library of Athens. The Monastery liturgized non-stop until 1822.

During the period of the Greek Revolution, it was one of the most important national and relogious centers of the region. It was here that the actions of chief Karatassos were developed, and it was here, unfortunately, that the Turks authorities were successful in dealing with them. The Monastery was burned in 1822, and her abbot, Hieromonk Gerasimos, was hung. The Katholikon which remains to this day was built in 1844.

The Monastery was reformed in 1995 as a Cenobitic Monastery for Men. In the area of the Monastery also are the ecclesiastical camps and educational center of Byzantine Arts (iconography, mosaics, woodworking, and preservation).

In the year 2005, the brotherhood of the Monastery became acquainted with the newly-revealed Saint of the Russian land, St. Luke the Surgeon and Wonderworker, the Bishop of Simferopol. The holy Monastery preserves a portion of the Holy relic of the Saint.

The many miracles and the palpable presence of the Saint in the Monastery and in the surrounding region immediately made the Saint known, and at the initiative of Metropolitan and through the support of pious Christians, was founded the first large church in honor of St. Luke the Surgeon, at least in Greece, on the grounds of the Holy Monastery. Every Saturday Divine Liturgy is served, and every Tuesday evening Vespers and Paraklesis is served in the Holy Church of the Saint under construction, and each of the faithful has the opportunity to venerate his grace-flowing relics.

Litany on the Feast of the transferral of the Holy Relics of St. Luke to the Monastery (celebrated annually and festally on May 29th), before the large church of the Saint still under construction, at Panagia Dobra, Veria. See the following link for many more pictures from this feast: (http://imverias.blogspot.com/2012/05/blog-post_8137.html)
  

Video on the Monastery of Panagia Dobra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhVf9gRcyF0.
  
For another video, showing the Feast of Zoothochou Pigi at the Monastery, see: http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/04/video-feast-of-panagia-dobra-in-beroia.html.
  


St. Luke of Simferopol the Surgeon (http://imverias.blogspot.com/2012/05/blog-post_8137.html)
  
Three miracles of St. Luke of Simferopol at the Holy Monastery of Panagia Dobra, Veria

  1. An eight-year-old son of a physician of the region broke his hand in an accident. The radiographs showed many fractures along the length of the bone. In the first attempt, the physicians and friends of the child's father placed his hand in a splint, until they could attempt further therapeutic interventions. They did not advise surgery without warning of deformity of the hand. The family learned of the wondrous healings of St. Luke from one of their relatives. Immediately, the child asked his father to venerate the relics of the Saint. When they crossed the injured hand of the child with the holy relics, he felt a burning sensation, and moving of the bones beneath the sprint, the sound of which was of course perceived by the child himself. The immediate sensation of the uniting of the traumatized bones was enough to prove to them, while that X-rays confirmed later, what was certain in the soul of the young child: the miracle had occurred.

  2. Another time, a father of five children had a tumor appear on his shoulder. The pains were great, and the physicians suggest that he proceed with removal of the tumor surgically. Things became more worrisome when a second tumor appeared in the maxillary region. The hardening of the first tumor made the need for surgery more urgent. However, the pious father, together with his spiritual father, asked from the Abbot of Dobra Monastery to venerate the relics of St. Luke and to serve his Paraklesis. After several days, the following wondrous event occurred: At night, as he was sleeping next to his wife, he sensed a wetness on his pillow. He arose a short time later, and saw the pillow covered in blood. He brought his hand to his shoulder, and sensed that the tumor had disappeared. He woke his wife, and their astonishment became greater, as they observed at the location of the tumor, a small surgical incision. The second tumor had disappeared in the mean time, without giving any indication of his previous location.

  3. Archimandrite Sosipater Pitoulia related a miracle of St. Luke the Surgeon which occurred for his little nephew. Fr. Sosipater, obviously moved, began to relate the wondrous event: “Little Elias was several months old, and the doctors diagnosed him with leukemia. I, together with Fr. Gregory Maza, took shifts at the hospital where he was. The day before the feast of the dormition of St. Luke (June 10th), Fr. Gregory left late from the hospital to rest, and he left me at his post. After a short time he called me, and with a terrified but joyous voice he said: “Fr. Sosipater, St. Luke again worked his miracle!” What had happened? When he left the hospital, he took a taxi to go to his house. A short time before they reached his house, the unknown taxi-driver asked Fr. Gregory: “Father, is everything alright?”
    Fr.. Gregory responded awkwardly: “Everything is well...”
    The taxi driver, however, insisted and asked again: “Father, is everything alright?”
    Fr. Gregory, not wishing to go into a long conversation with the unknown taxi driver, responded curtly: “Everything is well...”
    Then the taxi driver asked him again: “Fr. Gregory, that child that you are watching over, but who is not yours, will become well!”
    Fr. Gregory was confused at that instant, and asked how the taxi driver knew the child, knew him, knew all those things. And the taxi driver responded: “Don't ask a lot, Father...the child that you are looking over, but that is not yours, will become well!”
    With these words, the taxi driver stopped, and Fr. Gregory, who was astonished, paid the driver who knew everything. The taxi driver took the money, gave him change, and disappeared. I don't know if this taxi driver was St. Luke, or if St. Luke spoke through this man, but that which I know is that little Elias became well!”
  4.   
Little Elias, who was healed by St. Luke (http://imverias.blogspot.com/2012/05/blog-post_8137.html)
  
For the Paraklesis to St. Luke of Simferopol, chanted by the Fathers of the Monastery of Panagia Dobra, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lug3f_UEX7E.
  
For the life of St. Luke the Surgeon, see: http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2008/10/st-luke-archbishop-of-simferopol.html.  
The Holy and Wonderworking Relics of St. Luke the Surgeon treasured by the Monastery of Panagia Dobra, Veria (http://imverias.blogspot.com/2012/05/blog-post_8137.html)
  
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

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