Remembering When the Head of Saint Symeon the Barefoot Was Stolen During the Greek Civil War and How It Was Miraculously Found

Saint Symeon, who was additionally the abbot of the Philotheou Monastery on Mount Athos, is an ascetic determine of Orthodoxy, whose soul escaped from the finite world, was related with God and stays immortal.On August twenty second, the Orthodox Church celebrates the reminiscence of the discovering of his head, which was stolen in the course of the Civil War from the Monastery of Flamouriou in Pelion, of which the Saint was its founder, after which it was miraculously discovered.

As the disaster in our world grows, such occasions, not too way back, present that religion saves and conjures up.

And that is accomplished not solely with the uncircumcised phrase and the wealthy liturgical and patristic custom of the Church, but additionally with figures, comparable to Saint Symeon, who with their passing unfold optimism and braveness and testify that God isn’t a privilege of 1 or of sure occasions, however of each time.

Two years after the Saint’s dying, in 1596, his stays have been transferred from Constantinople, the place he had been buried with honors, to Flamouriou Monastery.

As described in texts, the relics had such a powerful perfume that they confirmed that he had taken the lifetime of Christ in him.

His physique was positioned, individually, in a valuable cover, donated by a tuberculosis affected person who was cured by venerating it.

In truth, many miracles are described from the relics of Saint Symeon, such because the therapeutic of a severely ailing affected person in Evia, who was swollen throughout his physique and about to die.

During the interval of the Civil War (1945-1949) two rebels stole the cover with the Saint’s head, in addition to different relics of the Flamouriou Monastery, and hid them in a barrel, close to the Monastery, in a wooded space, buried within the floor.

Three years after the top of the Civil War, in August 1952, they returned to the place, to take them with them after which promote them.

But their plan didn’t succeed. As quickly as they opened the barrel, a swarm of bees, which had nested inside, swarmed upon them.

One was discovered useless, he died immediately from allergic shock, and the opposite was poisoned and in a essential situation and finally didn’t handle to outlive, though he was taken to the hospital.

Shortly earlier than he died, nonetheless, he was visited by the then abbot of the Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior Flamouriou, Dositheos Machairistsas, to whom he confessed and revealed the key.

Saint Symeon, dwelling with privations, ate little and prayed lots, with a deep consciousness of his weaknesess, and with true repentance and brokenness he sought God’s mercy. And he was generously given numerous non secular presents.He primarily based his non secular life on this mercy of God, and from this he drew power and luxury. From this battle his stays have been preserved.

And via them numerous aching souls discover solace.

He knew effectively that together with his human powers alone it was unimaginable to attain his perfecting and his salvation.

That is why he humbly took refuge in God’s mercy, in His wealthy mercy and thus managed not solely to be saved and granted mercy himself, but additionally to save lots of and have mercy on others.

Such is the facility of taking refuge, with unwavering religion, within the safety of God. And nobody was denied. If we wish to discover out, we simply need to attempt.

Those who unwaveringly place their hope in Him, see in issues true miracles, comparable to these that are carried out via the relics of Saint Symeon.

The relics of the saints are considered one of our weapons within the non secular battle. And they reveal one other world to us. A world which isn’t restricted to the slim frames of short-sighted human logic, however opens once more to the sunshine of religion.

And the “logic of religion” exhibits that our course is decided solely by God. Above and past the non permanent, which is often gloomy, there may be additionally the everlasting and hopeful.

This is precisely what the sanctified relics of Saint Symeon verify. The clouds will go away. The solar will shine once more.

It is sufficient that God shines in our souls. It is sufficient to not doubt, however to make certain, of His almighty safety in our anxious troubles.

For the redemption of everybody, God calls us to cooperation. Without it, our redemption is unimaginable.

What God does, man can’t do. And what man should do, God doesn’t do, except man wills it.

Saint Symeon reminds us that the upper issues, which have as a powerful internal foundation the desire of God and never private needs, are realized by really nice individuals, who don’t crawl like lizards, however fly sky-high like eagles, who conquer the peaks.