Saint Spyridon and the Miracle of the Fish
Translated into English for the Queen of All Skete by
Gerontissa Theonymphe, Παναγιοπουλα Μετοχι (Panagiopoula Μετochi), Corfu, Greece
Greetings from Corfu to all of you who follow the site of the blessed Queen of All Skete, evlogeite! I have translated for you, from Greek, an account of this miracle of our beloved Saint Spyridon. This story is recorded in the works of Saint Maximus the Greek, (Jan. 21/Feb. 3, 1556), who is known as the Spiritual Enlightener of Rus.
As most everyone knows, Corfu is blessed with the Holy Relics of Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker. These relics have been preserved for many ages in the center of town in an impressive Church called the ‘Ayio’, built in 1589. In order for the faithful to venerate the Saint’s holy relics, throughout the day clerics open the protective doors to the room which houses the massive silver casket in which Saint Spyridon rests, where he remains whole and intact after 1,700 years. Above the casket are a number of candilia (vigil oil lamps).
As people venerate the relics, the clerics continually read names that have been submitted from people seeking Spyridon’s aide for health, enlightenment, and salvation. The process has to be speedy as there are many people waiting in long queues to enter.
Close to the exit door of this spacious, magnificent church stand enormous silver candelabras donated by recipients of St Spyridon’s benefactions. Nearby is a small office. Here you can obtain 1 or 2 φυλαχτα (filakta), amulets that contain a snippet from the slippers of Saint Spyridon. They are wrapped in a paper square imprinted with a distinctive head of the Saint. These filakta must be now in every village of Russia, for pious Russians come, hundreds every day, to visit their beloved Saint. The slippers of Saint Spyridon are changed each year because they are worn out after his many travels saving and comforting. They are richly embroidered red velvet, and after the ritual of changing the old slippers to new ones, the old are then snipped into small pieces, given to believers for protection and relief of troubles.
Miracles of the Saint are well known, those mentioned in the Saint’s troparion, and others, saving Corfu from wicked invaders, from the plague, from drought, from famine. Major incidents of the Saint’s intercession are now acknowledged in four celebrations each year. Icons showing these God-sent wonders can be seen throughout the island. There is one hanging in the reception room of the Metropolitan’s main offices. But the most common icon seen throughout the island, hanging in every house, is of the Saint wearing his knitted cap, for he was a shepherd.
A little-known miracle occurred at the Corfiot Cell of Saint Spyridon on Mount Athos. The brotherhood was anxiously awaiting fresh fish, to cook in time for pilgrims on the celebratory day of the Saint, December 12/25. The Elder of the Cell refused to worry and continued praying. After tapping at the door, a fisherman entered with baskets full of fresh fish. ‘I want to give them to your Elder’, he said, but refused to converse with the Elder who stood in front of him. ‘Not you, the other one’.
The fisherman went into the church to light his candles and seeing the icon of St. Spyridon, he cried ‘Him! He told me to come here and even offered me a down payment!’ You see? Yet another of the many wonderworks of this beloved Saint.
The first and most graphic miracle is that which occurred at the 1st Ecumenical Synod in 325, convened by the great Emperor Saint Constantine. Bishops and educated elders of the Church from all over the known world debated about the Holy Trinity. St. Spyridon, the uneducated Bishop-shepherd from Trimythous, Cyprus, stood up, took a clay tile in his hand, squeezed it until fiery flames leapt out of it, water ran down from it and only a clay lump remained in his hands. Three elements in one. This was very convincing for everyone. At the same time St. Spyridon became annoyed with the loud incomprehensible opinions of a Greek philosopher at the Synod. Relying on his faith, he asked the noisy Greek if he believed the correct theory about the Trinity, and other questions. In this way he destroyed the unfounded claims of the philosopher, who repented and asked to be baptized, even though his students mocked him for bending to an unschooled Elder. The philosopher told his students: “When I heard this Elder and saw the Holy Light from his mouth, all my unsound ideas became valueless, and my mind was enlightened by the Elder’s God-inspired words. So I suggest that you abandon your pointless arguments, do as I do, and together we will follow the Elder.”
Troparion, First Mode
Thou wast shown forth as a Champion of the First Council /
And a Wonderworker, O Spyridon, Our God-bearing Father. /
Wherefore, thou didst speak unto one dead in the grave, /
And didst change a serpent to gold. /
And while chanting thy holy prayers, /
Thou hadst angels serving with thee, O most sacred one. /
Glory to Him that hath glorified thee, /
Glory to Him that hath crowned thee, /
Glory to Him that worketh healings for all through thee.