On Monday January 30, 2007 (o.s.) the Feast of the Synaxis of the Three Great Hierarchs and Ecumenical Teachers, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysotomos, the Monastery of the Holy Ascension of Christ celebrated its eighth anniversary with a Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Grace Bishop Christodoulos of Theoupolis.
His Eminence Metropolitan Pavlos, founder and abbot of the monastery attended the festivities together with a small group of faithful from Astoria NY. His Eminence attended Liturgy and communed in the altar. After Liturgy he ate with the fathers and paternally admonished each of the fathers and guests.
His Eminence concieved the disire to found a monastery outside the city on his first pilgramage to the Holy Land as Bishop in July of 1998. With the help of his close friend and supporter Mr. Isidoros Spanos the monastery was purchased. The closing took place on February 12, 1999 so the Monastery has this as the date of its founding and the Three Hierarchs as its protectors.
This miracle of Saint Spyridon took place in Mandra, Greece in 1926.
It was 12/25 December, 1926. The state Church of Greece adopted the Papal calendar and with the help of the Greek government persecuted all those who did not accept the Papal calendar. The faithful Orthodox Christians of Mandra woke up and headed to their Church to celebrate the Feast of Saint Spyridon. When they reached the Church they saw that the door to the Church had been secured with chains and the faithful could not enter. Before leaving the Church to return to their homes they stuck their candles on the door. As soon as the last person placed his candles on the door
the chains broke and fell. The faithful, confirmed in their Faith, entered the Church and celebrated the Feast of Saint Spyridon.
The miracle was reported the next day by the newspaper Skrip.
Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church is a beautiful mission parish near downtown Tucson, a city in southern Arizona. It was started in 1997 by Father John Bockman, who was a missionary Priest formerly serving missions in Tennessee and Massachusetts since 1990. Father John served the faithful in Tucson and the surrounding area in his home Chapel until his repose in November of 2000. His wife, Presbytera Valerie, continued to make her home Chapel available for the mission, with clergy from Saint Nectarios Orthodox Church in Seattle and His Eminence, Metropolitan Moses of Toronto (then of Portland), visiting to provide the Divine Services.
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Q. Can you tell me what the two-headed snake cane the Greek Bishop is walking with represents? What does it mean?
-V.T.
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