Selected miracles from the Holy Zoni of the Theotokos

Icon of the Most-Holy Theotokos holding her Sacred Belt (Zoni) (taken from: http://vatopaidi.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/agia-zonh.jpg)
   

Because today is the feast of the Deposition of the Precious Belt (or Sash, Cincture, or Girdle, in Greek "Zoni") of the Theotokos (August 31st), the following are just a few (amateur) translated miracles from the myriads recorded by the fathers of Vatopedi Monastery. To see the many pages in Greek, see: http://vatopaidi.wordpress.com/ and search for "ΘΑΥΜΑΤΑ ΤΗΣ ΑΓΙΑΣ ΖΩΝΗΣ". There are 45 pages of miracles posted so far. For more information on the Holy Zoni of the Theotokos, see: http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2009/06/holy-belt-zoni-of-theotokos-and.html.
   

Picture of the Holy Belt of the Theotokos in its reliquary, treasured at the Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos (taken from: http://vatopaidi.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/a-pilgrim%e2%80%99s-guide-to-the-great-and-holy-monastery-of-vatopaidi-8/)

   

5. Father Daniel Katounakiotis is cured of nephritis

In the book of the blessed Archimandrite Cherubim of the series, «Modern Persons from the Holy Mountain», v.4, describes the miraculous cure of Fr. Daniel Katounakioti from a serious attack of nephritis. Here is the description:
«He barely had time to reach (the Monastery of Vatopedi) when he suffered a severe attack of nephritis. The «thorn in the flesh» had hit him very painfully this time and he was riveted for weeks to the bed. The leader of the monastery treated him with great love. Moreover however he was showed affection by the great physician of the Holy Mountain, the Theotokos. Father Daniel harbored great devotion to the Lady Theotokos. This is the same devotion, the same confidence and the same honor occurs among all the saints. He begged her with tears and fervor, and was sure of the answer. He knew its promises. Wasn’t she able to fulfill them? Of course. On the day the monastery celebrated the feast of Holy Zoni (31st of August), the patient was suddenly healed and he was totally cured! He never again experienced this terrible sickness, which tortured him for ten whole years».

6. The healing of Fr. Philotheos Zervakos

The blessed Elder Philotheos Zervakos describes how he was cured of unbearable pains which caused him constant headaches. Hear how he recounts the event. «He came to the Monastery of Vatopedi on the 31st of July. We entered the Archontarikion where we were shown hospitality, but because of my unbearable pains I was unable to endure. After a short time passed, my headache was so painful that it radiated around both sides of my head. We asked the Archontarin to take me to the doctor, until he could give me drugs to stop the headache. Descending from the pharmacy, we passed by the Church which luckily was open. Entering inside in the Holy Bema they opened the holy relics and a Hierodeacon from Iconium venerated them. I came and began to venerate with reverence first the Cross and the icon of the Vimatarissa. Next I venerated a portion of the Precious Cross. Similarly I venerated the Holy Zoni, and I was feeling that I, the wreched and deplorable one was venerating the Precious Zoni which in life embraced the All-Pure Theotokos, and as I embraced the Holy Zoni with fervent reverence and tears, I felt—O the miracle!—that my sickness had left me and I was found totally healed! How great and awesome are your miracles, O All-hymned Lady! Let Your name be greatly-glorified and greatly-hymned, for you do not cease to grant our requests of healing of soul and body…, and exiting the Holy Bema I was in the middle of the church speechless and and said, in itself, before I was and how immediately and completely I was healed».

7. The locusts fell into the sea

(the following is from the book of sayings of Elder Paisios: With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man.)

-"Did your spread pesticide?"
-"I did spread, Geronda."
-"How many nuns and you can’t even kill a caterpillar. During the Occupation [by the Germans in WWII], when the locusts descended, they had brought to Chalkidiki the Holy Zoni from the Monastery of Vatopedi, and the locusts fell in swarms into the sea."

1. Difficult to have children

Father Theotimos comes from the Congo. He studied theology in Greece. He had problems with having children, and he so much wanted and asked for the ribbon of the Precious Zoni. The result is described himself.

3/12/1995 Methoni 23, Athens

«May the name of the God-man Christ always be glorified and may the name of the Panagia Lady Theotokos be honored, who is the mother of the world.
We wore the Holy Zoni in March 1992. In May 1992 my wife became pregnant and gave birth by Caesarean section to a a boy weighing 2,900 grams. We baptized him with the name of Panagia, Marios. The doctors had confirmed that it would be difficult for us to have children. In April 1995 my wife was in her eighth month of pregnancy and there presented a problem. They had to do a caesarean section, to get the child prematurely. My wife wore the Holy Zoni for two days before surgery. The baby, a girl, who was previously 1400 gr. was born double the weight». Fr. Theotimos and Evangelia Tsalas

[Note: An incredible number of miracles occur for couples who have trouble bearing children. The tradition alluded to above is that the fathers of Vatopedi take ribbons that have been blessed on the Holy Zoni of the Theotokos and give them to people to wear as a blessing. Many healings, and especially with respect to the bearing of children result for those who then wear these ribbons with reverence, prayer and faith.]

56. Miracles of the Holy Zoni in America

Panagiotis Callas who lives in Florida during his visit to our Monastery lodged in writing the following facts.

1. «In September 2001 I was eating with some friends. A man reported that his daughter was sick with a cancerous tumor on the heart and was pregnant. The doctors wanted to remove the tumor, but she would lose the baby. If she would give birth in the ninth month, his daughter could die from the tumor. I gave the man a ribbon from the Holy Zoni, and holy oil from the miraculous icons of Vatopedi Monastery, and an icon of Panagia Pantanassa which heals cancer. This man flew from Miami to New York and visited his daughter. He tied the ribbon around her hand and anointed her with the holy oil on her stomach and placed the icon in the same place.
The child was born normally and was healthy. The mother’s tumor had disappeared totally without surgery».
   

2. «In April 2002 the uncle of my son’s wife was in the hospital with liver cancer. They gave him no hope, and his vital signs were weak [τα ζωτικά του στοιχεία ήταν πεσμένα]. They ask the priest to read the prayers of psychorragounta [the prayers read at the hour of death]. My daughter sent to her uncle a piece of the ribbon Holy Zoni. The ribbon arrived at his house. The person who picked up the mail from his house brought the sealed envelope to the hospital. As soon as the envelope entered his room, immediately he started to feel better. When he opened the envelope, without knowing yet what it contained, immediately he began to feel better. When he touched the blessed ribbon, he became a lot better and was able to go home. The hospital staff who had declared him incurable, could not believe it. Today her uncle lives and no longer has cancer.
   

Another icon of the Most-Holy Theotokos and her Precious Belt, painted in the Monastery of Vatopedi (taken from: http://vatopaidi.wordpress.com/2009/06/13/%ce%bc%ce%af%ce%b1-%ce%b5%cf%80%ce%af%cf%83%ce%ba%ce%b5%cf%88%ce%b7-%cf%83%cf%84%ce%bf-a%ce%b3%ce%b9%ce%bf%ce%b3%cf%81%ce%b1%cf%86%ce%b5%ce%af%ce%bf-%cf%84%ce%b7%cf%82-%ce%bc%ce%bf%ce%bd%ce%ae%cf%82/)

   

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

O Ever-Virgin Theotokos, shelter of mankind, thou hast bestowed upon thy people a mighty investure, even thine immaculate body's raiment and sash, which by thy seedless childbirth have remained incorrupt; for in thee nature and time are made new. Wherefore, we implore thee to grant peace to the world, and great mercy to our souls.

Kontakion in the Second Tone

Thy precious sash, O Theotokos, which encompassed thy God-receiving womb, is an invincible force for thy flock, and an unfailing treasury of every good, O only Ever-virgin Mother.
(above two hymns taken from: http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=184)

   

The Wondrous Belt of the Theotokos, painted by the Fathers of Vatopedi Monastery (source)

   

Most-Holy Theotokos save us!