St. Ephraim saved the young man from death

St. Ephraim of Nea Makri (source)

  
In 2000, a motorcycle slides off the road in the town of Kounavoi of Heraklion, Crete, in Peza. A car however was coming out of a local gas station and collided with it violently!

The driver of the motorcycle, Michali, was 18 years old at the time, and had just finished high school and was preparing for the Army. Bystanders saw him lying on the ground, not moving, in a critical state, and immediately called an ambulance and transferred him to the hospital.

Immediately, Michali's family was informed and they ran to the hospital. The doctors informed them that his situation was very dire, and he was unconscious and had head trauma, but, unfortunately, they did not have space in the ICU. He was therefore transferred to the General Hospital of Heraklion and the doctors in the ICU there saw him as "clinically dead"!
  
Michali's uncle related that, for 28-29 days in the hospital, the boy's parents and all of his family and friends were surrounding him in the ICU. After the endless tests and procedures that they did, including a tracheotomy, the doctors did not give him any hope of being saved. "We were despairing, until the morning that I saw in the hospital a tall, elderly lady, with a gray hair and robe, holding in her hands a bottle of oil and asking for some cotton. I began to look for cotton and I brought her some from the child's mother. The woman said: "It is to cross your child with the holy oil from St. Ephraim." And she gave me the cotton with the holy oil. I turned around to give it to his mother, and when I turned back she had gone! I ran to the stairs and to the elevator to thank her, and looked outside, asked doctors, nurses, nothing, no one else had seen her. Ultimately, upset as I was, I left the hospital...
  

St. Ephraim of Nea Makri (source)

  
As I was sitting despairing at home, something deep within me made me believe that Michali would live. In reality, two days later, the phone rang, and to the astonishment of all of us, my nephew was better, and slowly began to react to his surroundings, and we believe this because it was only two days after the woman appeared! "Medicine cannot explain this", the doctors said...

When I related what happened to my priest and spiritual father, he said that it was Panagia who appeared. When I asked, "why to me?", he replied, "Maybe you were the purest one..."

When Michali was discharged, he went to a hospital in England for tests. The doctors could not believe their eyes and said that there was no way that the child could have lived! However, 15 years later, my nephew's health is great! Of course he has suffered greatly going to clinics, physical therapy, etc. Even dealing with the tracheostomy."

From the day that my nephew was saved, I desired to come to know St. Ephraim, for that was the first time I heard about him. I visited the monastery of St. Ephraim in Nea Makri. In the courtyard of the Monastery, at the mulberry tree where he was martyred, and where it was said that the newly-revealed Saint prayed as he was being tortured by the Turks, the holiness of the place, the total silence, the fragrance of the incense was something else. I wanted to learn more about him! I went many times until something wondrous occurred. I met the Abbess of the Monastery, Makaria. I never met her before nor did I tell her my story. But one day as I was sitting, something within me made me stop to meet her. Before I began to introduce myself, she said to me: "Greetings Mark,  I've been waiting for you for a while and you've been late." And she told me the whole story herself regarding what happened with my nephew! I was dumbfounded staring at her.

When we returned to Crete, we resolved to built a church in thanks to St. Ephraim."
(source)
  

The chapel of St. Ephraim built in Crete in thanksgiving for his miracle (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

The Holy Monastery of Chrysopigis, Chania, Crete

The Holy Monastery of Chrysopigis, Chania, Crete (source)

 

The Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of Chrysopigi lies a short distance from the town of Chania. It was founded in the middle of the 16th century in the last period of Venetian rule in Crete. The Monastery is dedicated to our Lady of the Life-Giving Spring, who is known popularly as ‘Chrysopigi’, the Golden Fountain.

The founder of the Monastery was a physician and philosopher by the name of Ioannis Chartophylax, a prominent citizen of the town of Chania, who founded the Monastery in the middle of the 16th century.

During the period of Venetian rule the Monastery of Chrysopigi developed into an important spiritual centre for Chania with numerous monks and a rich library.

Icon of Panagia Chrysopigis ("The Golden Fount", or the Life-giving Spring of the Theotokos) (source)

In 1654, during the period of Ottoman rule, the Monastery became a Patriarchal Stavropegic establishment. It suffered greatly at Ottoman hands, sharing the fate of the rest of Crete. In 1821, on the outbreak of the Greek Revolution, it was destroyed and abandoned. In the years following 1848, however, the Monastery was renovated and rejuvenated with the advent of new monks.

During the Second World War the Monastery was commandeered for use as their Administrative Headquarters by the occupying German forces. The monks were forced to leave, grievous damage was caused to the buildings and the architectural structure was seriously compromised. There followed a period of what appeared to be terminal decline.

In 1976 the Monastery of Chrysopigi was transformed into a coenobitic community of sisters. The new community restored the Monastery from its foundations, while at the same time pursuing the work of renewal in a spiritual and social dimension.

At the Monastery of Chrysopigi, worship is the centre of life. The Divine Liturgy and all of the daily services attract many young people from near and far.

The feast day of the monastery (source)

The sisters of the community ply the traditional monastic crafts: icon-painting and also the fresco painting of Churches, ecclesiastical embroidery, stone carving, book-binding, bee-keeping, candle-making, and the production of incense and of hand-made soap et al.

An important activity of the Monastery is the publication of books. The books containing the words of Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia have been translated into more than twenty languages.

The sisters cultivate the Monastery lands using organic farming methods. The organic produce of the Monastery lands provides food for the community and for visitors. Olive oil which is produced in larger quantities is placed on the market in appropriate packaging.

The olive groves of the monastery (source)

The monastic community seeks to raise ecological consciousness through environmental education programmes aimed at school children of all ages and at students, as well as other groups of young people.

At the same time, the treasures which survived in the Monastery are conserved and preserved in the Ecclesiastical and the Folk Museum.

The Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring-Chrysopigi
73100 Chania, Crete
Tel: +3028219-91125, 28210-29840
Fax: +30 28210 97600
e-mail: imx@otenet.gr
website: www.imx.gr

(source)
   

Some of the holy relics treasured by the Monastery, including the left hand of St. John Kalyvites (source)

   
Besides the katholikon of the Monastery, there are the chapels in honor various saints, many in caves surrounding the monastery. The chapels include those in honor of St. John the Theologian, St. Catherine, St. Charalampos, St. John Kalyvites, St. Arsenios of Cappadocia, the Holy Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, St. Anthony, Panagia Myrtidiotissa / St. Silouan the Athonite, and the Holy New Martyrs of Crete.

(source)

Video of the consecration of the katholion of the Monastery, on September 2nd, 2012, by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (source)

The Monastery also had St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia as a spiritual Father and guide, so they honor and celebrate him. For example, the Abbess of the Monastery recently gave a wonderful talk in Canada on the life of St. Porphyrios:

Patriarch Bartholomew recently blessing the groundbreaking at the Monastery for a new church in honor of St. Porphyrios (source)

   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

The Uncovering of the Relics of St. Myron of Crete

St. Myron Bishop of Crete - Commemorated August 8th (source)

 
The Uncovering of the Relics of St. Myron of Crete
Portions of the Holy Relics of St. Myron of Crete were found on May 12th, 2014, in the church that bares his name, in the village Agios Myronas. These are portions of bones around 200 in number, which were buried within the Church.

The bones are 16 centuries old, as the Saint appears to have lived between 300 and 400 AD. The area is associated with ancient Rauko, where the uncovering of the Relics occurred with the presence of the Archbishop, and by the decision of the Ecclesiastical Council, and took place on May 12th of this year. The revelation of the bones occurred, according to both the faithful and the priests, through dreams and signs. At the Divine Liturgy this Sunday, they will be put forward for veneration.

With the presence of the Archbishop of Crete, the uncovering of the Holy Relics took place, and the images are astonishing.

Specifically, they removed the marble tile, and a short time later experienced unforgettable moments. They crossed themselves and venerated the Holy Relics.

As is alleged, the faithful saw a dream of St. Myron, who asked them to remove him from his grave, taken together with other witnesses that the Head Priest indicated the place were the Holy Relics of the Saint were placed, in the tomb.

His life and deeds are inexplicably linked with the ancient city of Rauko, which was the homeland of the Saint, and in his honor, it was later named "Agio Myrona".

The dormition of the Saint is dated to around 350AD.

"Here, for the past year, St. Myron has asked to be taken from his grave. Villagers dreamed of the Saint, along with the head priest Fr. Emmanuel Papadake. Since 1860, the relics of the Saint were gathered within one place within the tomb.

"We were informed by the villagers, and when we came to believe that this was not a delusion, we informed the Archbishop of Crete, who gave his permission, which was confirmed by the Ecclesiastical Council. We were very anxious" related the head priest of the Holy Church of St. Myron, Fr. Nikolaos Kritsotakes.
(amateur translation of text from source)
   

The dormition of St. Myron of Crete (source)

   
Life of St. Myron of Crete

Saint Myron, Bishop of Crete, a wonderworker, in his youth was a family man, and worked as a farmer. He was known for his goodness, and he assisted everyone who turned to him for help. Once, thieves burst in upon his threshing floor, and St Myron himself helped them lift a sack of grain upon their shoulders. By his generosity the saint so shamed the thieves, that in future they began to lead honorable lives.

Out of profound respect for the saint, the Cretan people urged him to accept ordination to the priesthood in his native city of Raucia, and afterwards they chose him Bishop of Crete.

Wisely ruling his flock, St Myron received from the Lord the gift of wonderworking. At the time of a flood on the River Triton, the saint stopped its flow and went upon it as upon dry land, and then he sent a man back to the river with his staff to command the river to resume its course. St Myron fell asleep in the Lord at the age of 100, around the year 350.

(source)
   

The Holy and Newly-revealed Relics of St. Myron of Crete (source)

   

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Eumenius the Bishop of Gortyna (Crete)

Saint Eumenius, Bishop of Gortyna on Crete - Commemorated on September 18th (icon taken from: http://vatopaidi.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/saint-eumenius-of-crete.jpg)

"From his youth, Eumenius wholeheartedly followed Christ, freeing himself of two heavy burdens: the burden of wealth and the burden of the flesh. He freed himself of the first burden by distributing his entire estate to the poor and needy, and the second burden by strict fasting. In this way he first healed himself, and then began to heal others. Passionless and filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, Eumenius shone with a light that could not be hidden. As it is written, A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid (Matthew 5:14), so the holy Eumenius could not be hidden from the world. Witnessing his goodness, the people chose him as Bishop of Gortyna, and he governed the flock of Christ as a good shepherd. He was a father to the poor, wealth to the needy, consolation to the sorrowful, a healer of the sick and a most wonderful miracle-worker. By his prayers, he worked many miracles: he subdued a poisonous serpent, cast out demons and healed many of the sick-and he did this not only in his own town, but also in Rome and in the Thebaid. In a time of drought in the Thebaid, he obtained rain from God by prayer." (taken from: http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/prolog.htm)

"St Eumenius wisely and zealously defended the Orthodox Faith against the Monophysite heresy. For his opposition to the heresy the saint was banished to the Thebaid, where he died in the seventh century. His body was then transferred and buried in Gortyna." (taken from: http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102653)

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
You are a guide of Orthodoxy, a teacher of piety and modesty, a luminary of the world, the God inspired pride of monastics. O wise Eumenios, you have enlightened everyone by your teachings. You are the harp of the Spirit. Intercede to Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion in the Second Tone

Illumined with light from God on high, O blessed one, thou shinest on us, who lovingly acclaim with hymns thy most holy glorious and august repose, O Eumenius; for thou ever prayest for us, O Father, thou faithful Hierarch of the Lord.

(taken from: http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=209)

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

The Holy Apostle Titus

Icon of St. Titus the Apostle, the first bishop of Crete - Commemorated on August 25th (taken from: http://media.iak.gr/displayimage.php?album=6&pos=2)

"Titus was one of the Seventy [Apostles]. He was born in Crete and educated in Greek philosophy and poetry.

[Preoccupied by the sciences, Titus led a virtuous life, not devoting himself to the vices and passions characteristic of the majority of pagans. He preserved his virginity, as the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-bearer (December 20) testifies of him. (http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102393)]

Following a dream, he began reading the Prophet Isaiah
[«Eγκαινίζεσθε προς με νήσοι πολλαί. Iσραήλ σώζεται παρά Kυρίου σωτηρίαν αιώνιον» (Hσ. με΄, 16); "ye isles, keep a feast to me. Israel is saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation" (Isaiah 45:16-17) (http://vatopaidi.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/o-agios-apostolos-titos/, http://www.ecmarsh.com/lxx/Esaias/index.htm)]

and doubted all the wisdom of the Hellenes. Hearing about Christ the Lord, Titus traveled to Jerusalem with other Cretans and personally heard the words of the Savior and witnessed His mighty works. His young heart completely adhered to Christ.

[He witnessed the suffering and death of the Savior on the Cross, His glorious Resurrection and Ascension to Heaven. On the day of Pentecost the future apostle heard how the Twelve Apostles, after the descent of the Holy Spirit, spoke in various languages, among which was the Cretan language (Acts 2: 11). (http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102393)]

Later, he was baptized by the Apostle Paul whom he served as a son to a father in the work of evangelization. Paul loved Titus so much that, at times, he referred to him as son: "To Titus, my beloved son" (Titus 1:4) and, at times, brother: "I urged Titus to go to you and I sent the other brother with him" (2 Corinthians 12:18). Titus traveled extensively with the great apostle of the people [St. Paul] and was appointed by him as the bishop of Crete. Titus was present at the suffering and death of Paul in Rome and honorably buried the body of his teacher and spiritual father. After that, Titus returned to Crete where, with great success, he baptized the pagans and prudently governed the Church of God until old age. Titus entered into rest at the age of ninety-four." (taken from: http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/prolog.htm)

[St Titus peacefully guided his flock and toiled at enlightening the pagans with the light of faith in Christ. He was granted the gift of wonderworking by the Lord. During one of the pagan feasts in honor of the goddess Diana, Titus preached to a crowd of pagans. When he saw that they would not listen to him, he prayed to the Lord, so that the Lord Himself would show to the mistaken people the falseness of idols. By the prayer of St Titus, the idol of Diana fell down and shattered before the eyes of all. Another time St Titus prayed that the Lord would not permit the completion of a temple of Zeus, and it collapsed. By such miracles St Titus brought many to faith in Christ...At the time of his death, his face shone like the sun. (http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102393)]

Icon depicting the Holy Apostles Paul and Titus, holding the island of Crete (taken from: http://www.imga.gr/apostolos_pavlos.htm)

Icon depicting Sts. Paul and Titus preaching in Crete (taken from: http://www.imga.gr/apostolos_pavlos.htm)

 Icon depicting St. Paul ordaining St. Titus as the Bishop of Crete (taken from: http://www.imga.gr/apostolos_pavlos.htm)

Procession with the Holy Skull of St. Titus, Heraklion, Crete, Greece (taken from: http://media.iak.gr/displayimage.php?album=4&pos=17)

Απολυτίκιο. Ήχος β'. Τα άνω ζητών.

Του Παύλου δειχθείς, συνόμιλος Απόστολε, ουν τούτω ημίν, τον λόγον προκατήγγειλας, της ενθέου χάριτος, μυστολέκτα Τίτε μακάριε, διό τούτο βοώμεν σοι · Μη παύση πρεσβεύων, υπέρ πάντων ημών.

(taken from: http://www.synaxaristis.googlepages.com/25αυγουστου)

Icon of the Holy Apostle Titus (taken from: http://www.photosled.com/data/2367/0825_Titos.jpg)

Apolytikion in the Third ToneO Holy Apostles, intercede to our merciful God, that He may grant our souls forgiveness of sins.

Kontakion for St. Titus the Apostle in the Second ToneO yoke-mate of Paul, together with him, thou didst preach the tidings to us of saving grace bestowed of God, O Apostle Titus, blest and elect revealer of mysteries; for which cause we cry out to thee: Cease not to entreat Christ God for all of us.

(taken from: http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=177 and http://goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=178)

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!