Monthly Archives: August 2013

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Elder Ephraim of Arizona: “From September, the hard times come”

From: http://www.briefingnews.gr/olazoi/item/60427-gerontas-efraim

Elder Ephraim of Arizona: "From September, the hard times come" 

And two words from Elder Ephraim of Arizona, the only one alive of the three great Elders of Orthodoxy (the other two were Joseph of Vatopedino, and Paisios):

“preparation because SOON the very hard will begin”. From September, it's hard to come…”I can't understand the world. Everyone is asking: “I'm worried about the new measures;”!!! Sincerely, i can't fathom how far modern society and the people living in this country have become. No one cares about his neighbor. No one cares about the problem that has knocked on the door of his fellow citizen, of his neighbor. Everyone thinks if “the measures” offend their own petty interests…!

What morality is there now?; Evil has struck the family, Education. It has hit every healthy cell of society and today we are living the results of this war. People run without caring for their neighbor. The society we knew no longer exists. Today, individualism prevails…

Why; Because some played with the character of the Greek and eroded all those characteristics that could help him. It's unthinkable! Individualism lives and reigns, while the fraud was committed “charisma”. Generations grew up that were taught how to grab. And this in a regime of complete impunity… In fact, as many as possible “you grab” the further you get away from punishment. God sees this. Today allows us to accept some cufflinks, hoping we will get together, as it happens to drunkards…”

“Tell others to be careful. Do not let your logic surrender to what you are told. Baby, where is the levity of those who didn't allow anyone to bring them down; Where are those levento children who gave their blood for all of us; This land was watered with blood. It is a great shame that it is ruled by foreigners and unworthy… Be careful”…

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Snakes appear every year, even inside the church

In the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin in the village of Markopoulo in southern Kefalonia, 25 km from Argostoli, it happens every year, Is the motto of the 16th Spare Parts Bazaar 6 until 15 of the month of August, a miraculous event that the inhabitants have associated with the icon of the Virgin Mary.

On the verdant slope where the village is built, the miracle related to the icon of the Virgin happened many years ago.

Video

It appears a tree engulfed in flames led residents to believe a forest fire had broken out.

But when they reached the spot they saw the miraculous event. While the tree was burnt to the root, the icon of the Virgin Mary rested on it, which the fire had not even touched.

The residents are full of emotion, after they worshiped the image, they took her to the village church, where the rest also had the opportunity to worship her.
But the next morning and while the visitors were crowding, the image was found to be missing. After all, after the mobilization of the faithful the image was found in its original position. She was again placed at the root of the burnt tree.

The icon of the Virgin returned to the church, where it was locked. But the same thing happened three more times. The image was disappearing and was once again on the burnt tree. This event made the inhabitants believe that it was the will of the Virgin Mary to be there and that is why they built a church on the spot and placed her icon there.


The snakes
Later, a women's monastery was built in the area, whose nuns cared for the icon. One day as pirate ships were approaching and the pirates were heading towards the Monastery in order to loot it, the nuns prayed to the Virgin Mary to protect them and the monastery.

Then the miracle happened. The monastery was surrounded by snakes that made the pirates flee. This was considered a sign from the Virgin Mary. Thus the nuns and the Monastery were saved.

Since then, snakes appear every year, even inside the church ( they even hang from the pictures, the candlesticks or the pews ), which depart on 15 August.

If some year the snakes do not appear, something bad is foreshadowed for the island, like the 1940 and 1953, so the island was hit by earthquakes.

None of the experts who have examined the snakes can classify them into any of the known species. These are gray, minutes and their length does not exceed one meter. Their skin is also velvety on the head, as well as the tip of their tongue, a small cross is formed.

As is widely known, snakes are considered miraculous and harmless, therefore the faithful touch them without fear. After all, they are one of the main reasons why someone visits the island on the fifteenth of August.

dogma