MIRACLES OF FAITH?

Faith has moved mountains repeatedly throughout history.  Unfortunately, through the ages man has used religion and other people's beliefs not to move mountains but to tear them down.  Our beliefs are some of the strongest emotions we have and it is historical fact that entire nations of people have willingly laid down their individual and collective lives to protect those beliefs.  Greece and Greeks are no exception.  In actual fact, we could be characterised as a shining example of how beliefs can survive indescribable inhuman pressures over the span of more than 4 centuries under Ottoman Rule.  The immortal human spirit...
 
Miracles of Faith?
As a people our beliefs have been imbedded in us so deeply, over more than 2,000 years as the oldest living Christian Nation on Earth, that very few are those, whether educated or uneducated, farmer or scientist, leader or follower, teacher or student, that doubt the existence of The One Almighty God, The Christ Savior and miracles.    I, myself, am a beacon of that faith in all my imperfection.  A well educated woman, a fully qualified English language teacher, interpreter, speaking 3 languages, chef, a mother, wife, daughter and sister who has experienced her own miracles.  So, strong faith, as some would like to have us believe, is not a characteristic of ignorant, uneducated people.  It goes across the board, whether Christian, Moslem, Hindu or Buddhist.
 
The islands of Zakynthos and Cephallonia, in the Ionian Sea, have their own tales to tell.
 
Saint Dionysios of Zakynthos
Throughout Zakynthos' history over the last 3 centuries we have had the helping hand of the island's Patron Saint, Saint Dionysios, a spiritual giant, as one of The Almighty's helpers to guide and protect us.

 Saint Dionysios, also the Patron Saint of the island's fishermen, was born in 1546 into Venetian Ruling class (the Venetian Occupation of the Ionian 7 Islands lasted over 4 centuries), with his roots going back to Italy and Normandy.  He was baptised Draganinos Sigouros by none other than (Saint) Gerasimos of Cephallonia as godfather.  He refused to manipulate his social position and the enormous political power his family allowed him and was known and loved for his incomparable kindness, charity and miraculous skills with the sick.  A humble, simple man, well educated mastering several languages, wise and a theological scholar he lived most of life in the Anafonitria Monastery, in the north west regions of Zakynthos, which still fully stands today.    He dedicated much time to the Monastery in Stroffades Island, also in the Ionian Sea, after the death of his parents where he became a monk and took the name of Daniel.  He also travelled to The Holy Lands and Palestine.
 
Due to his dedication and unwavering love for his people, with over 500 Zakynthian and ally battle ships under his guidance and leadership, repeated Turkish invasions of Zakynthos in 1571 were averted and the Turkish threat of a complete enslaving of the Zakynthians was overthrown.
 
He received the name Dionysios in 1577 when ordained as the Archbishop of Eginia, Hydra, Poros and Agistriou.  He devoted a year to helping rebuild the lives of the people of Egina after the slaughter of 1537 by the Turkish pirate Barbarosa where only a tiny fraction of the population survived the slaughter, enslaving and fires... and out of the ashes he helped rebuild hope...
 
And now the true Christian spirit of this representative of The Almighty shines...
Saint Dionysios, or Draganinos Sigouros, had a much loved brother, Constantine Noukiou Sigouros.  For reasons of social and political power Constantine was murdered in December 1580.  His murderer escaped and fled to the mountains of Zakynthos and finally found himself at the Monastery of Anafonitria where he pleaded for asylum from the unknown to him then abbot.  The brother of  the murdered Constantine Sigouros, Saint Dionysios.  The murderer confessed his crime to the abbot and, despite the bitter cup he had drunk for his beloved brother, Saint Dionysios forgave the man, hid him from the authorities and additionally helped him to escape to Cephallonia in a boat in the dead of night.
 
Saint Dionysios was ordained Archbishop of Zakynthos and Cephallonia in 1581 through unanimous public demand despite his initial refusal to accept the position.  Dionysios Draganinos Sigouros gave up his spirit into the loving hands of God on 17th December 1622.  His dying wish was to be buried at the Church of Saint George in Stoffades Island and so it was...
 
To believe or not to believe...
With the passing of time the Monastery of Saint George of Stroffades underwent construction and the remains of Dionysios Draganinos Sigouros were found untouched and undecayed after so many many years.  People noticed a heavenly scent rising from his remains much like frankincense of rose, jasmine and many other flowers.  In 1703 Dionysios Sigouros was canonised by unanimous decision.
 
On 19th August 1717 Turkish ships, under the leadership of the pirate Kankas Mousti (Mostrino), attacked Stroffades and plundered the Monastery.  After torturing, killing and burning monks he ordered that the arms of the remains of Saint Dionysios, now in a reliquary, be cut off as he intended to sell them to believers for a very large profit.  He then ordered that the Holy Remains be placed on a barrel of gunpowder and lit.  The gunpowder, however, absolutely refused to catch flame and the barrel did not explode.  After the complete and savage destruction of the Monastery the remains of Saint Dionysios were transported, for good, to Zakynthos on 24th August, 1717.  Now our greatest treasure.  His remains now rest in the Church of Saint Dionysios on the harbour of Zakynthos City.  A 3 day festival for his return is celebrated every year on 24-25-26 August and another to commemorate his death on 17th August.
 
The Walking Saint
Since the 17th century many tales have been told about the miracles performed by the Saint even today.  Dozens have been witness to the sick lying on the road for the reliquary to be passed over them and seeing them stand, healed and modern science unable to explain.  In researching for this article I was fortunate enough to meet and speak with a number of people who survived the biblically catastrophic earthquakes of 1953 which brought Zakynthos to her knees leaving only 4 (among them the Church bearing the Saint's name) out 7,000 buildings standing in Zakynthos City and destroying 75% of the entire island.  Many (still living today) had seen an unknown monk roaming the city a few days before the earthquakes warning the people that great disaster would very soon strike.  I was moved to my very soul when I spoke with a man who was 10 at the time the earthquakes struck and survived.  In the extreme heat of August he was found alive under a collapsed building after 8 days and 8 nights.  How was this possible?  ''Ah,"  said the boy, ''a monk brought me bread and water every day'.''  ''Which monk?''  They searched the island high and low.  He recognised no living monk or priest.  ''That's him!''  he shouted pointing when he was taken to the Church of Saint Dionysios.  He was pointing to an icon of Saint Dionysios...
 
How did the Church, originally built in 1708, survive the earthquakes with barely even any cracks?  Given that it's built on a man made harbour and the earth has no natural foundations none can explain this and none have.

 

My father, God rest his soul, was witness to a 'mad' woman being dragged into the Church, tied hands, spitting, swearing, tearing at her clothes, screaming in pain that she was burning up and blaspheming.  She was forced down and placed before the reliquary which holds Saint Dionysios, resisting and continuing to scream in pain.  The reliquary was passed over her...  She lives today a happy, healthy life...
 
Many are the times that he has been referred to as 'The Walking Saint' .  Seaweed has also been found on his feet when bad weather sets in and fishing boats are still out at sea and his slippers are worn thin.  During these times, when he is said 'to walk',  his tomb is unable to be opened to expose the reliquary inside which holds his remains.  I have been present at one instance as this... in these modern disbelieving times...
 
Saint Gerasimos of Cephallonia
Saint Gerasimos was born in Trikala Korinthia of the famous Notaros family.  He became a monk and spent 12 years in The Holy Lands and 5 in Zakynthos.  In 1560 he took possession of the cave near the church, where he lived which now bears his name, and remained there until he founded the Monastery at the village Peradata.  He died on August 15th, 1579.

On 20th October, 1581 the monks placed his relics in the Monastery.  In 1622 after ascertaining that his remains neither decayed nor decomposed he was canonised.  Even today, after over 400 years his beard is still in tact.  He was  well loved and well known for his love of his fellow man, his charity, selfnesses despite his family's wealth, and his miraculous skills with mental illness and those possessed.  Again, Cephallonians, still living today, will tell you of an unknown to them monk who also roamed Cephallonia warning of the great disaster before the earthquakes of 1953 struck also devastating Cephallonia.  Many even today have born witness to his miraculous healing powers and the seaweed they have often found on his feet with the soles of slippers worn thin...
 
The Snakes Of The Virgin Mary
The little church of The Virgin Mary Lagouvarda in Markopoulos Village, Cephallonia, has been witness to a phenomenon for 300 years which has yet to be explained.  The church has been built on the ruins of a monastery destroyed by Turk invaders.  Legend and tradition say that in 1705 the Monastery was attacked by Turkish pirates and the nuns prayed and pleaded to The Virgin Mother to transform them into snakes so they would avoid being captured.  The atrocities performed by Turkish pirates on Christian nuns, monks and priests were well known.  Their prayers were answered and the pirates fled, terrified.  Lovely story?  Without a doubt.  But, since then dozens of little snakes return every year to the church on 15th August, the Commemoration of the Death of The Virgin Mary and it is believed they bring good luck and prosperity to those who behold them.

 

They stay for only a couple of days and when they appear never varies.  This strange phenomenon has never been explained nor do the snakes ever appear at any other time.  Even stranger is the fact that they accept and are even friendly to human touch and each and every snake carries a small sign of the cross on its head.  No-one has ever discovered where the snakes come from and where they disappear to.
 
An entire nation and guests from every corner of the globe have been witnesses to what I have described, for centuries.  And everything I have described is merely a drop in the ocean. 
 
Maybe all that I have written is just a fantasy from people desperate to believe in a higher being watching over us.  What if it's not?  A few too many inexplicable happenings to just be excused?  What then?  Miracles of faith?  We can never really know what exists beyond our world.  The love The Almighty has shown my people despite man's arrogant conceptions of his own superiority has only led me, after almost 40 years, of living, learning and searching,  to trust in Him.  Not to confuse mankind's vanity and megalomania and atrocious mistakes with His tolerance and love and doubt if His heart pains for us... his mischievous children... even when I don't understand why He does what He does.  Whether you are Christian, Buddhist, Moslem or Hindu...

God bless,
Maria.
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