25 December — commemoration of Saint Spyridon of Trimythous
The Lord has glorified you abundantly through miracles, and your presence endures forever, Hierarch Spyridon. Whoever calls on your holy name with faith and love need not wait long for your help. You are a healer in infirmities, a deliverer in troubles, an advocate for sinners, a treasure for the poor, a companion for travellers, a ruler and comforter for those at sea. For this, we cry out to you: deliver us from every distress and, by your prayers, save your flock.
Sticheron at the Litia, Tone 4
A miracle restores the bond between God and man, a bond that human sin has broken. Sometimes, it flashes for only a moment; at other times, it ignites a whole new life. In a miracle, what ought always to be is restored: God enters His creation, the creation welcomes Him, and He acts freely and with authority within. Nowhere is this seen more clearly than in the lives of the saints. As we look to them, we glimpse something of God’s greatness — living, active. Wonderful is God in His saints! (cf. Psalm 67:36). The saints know God and speak to us of Him through their good works, strengthening our faith and drawing us towards virtue. To one of our beloved saints — Spyridon of Trimythous — the Lord gave a remarkable gift: the power to work miracles with plain and simple strength.
In Rus’, believers have held Saint Spyridon in devotion for centuries. During the campaign against Kazan, Saint Spyridon appeared before Tsar Ivan the Terrible. After his victory, Ivan built a monastery dedicated to the saint right at the spot where he had seen him. Later, Patriarch Philaret — father to the first Romanov Tsar — built a church for Saint Spyridon in Moscow on Kozye Boloto (‘Goat Marsh’). This gave Spyridonovka Street its name.
Since the 15th century, Saint Spyridon's relics have rested on the island of Corfu. The bell tower of Saint Spyridon's Cathedral is the architectural crown of Kerkyra, the island’s capital.
Emperor Paul I deeply revered Saint Spyridon as the heavenly protector of his eldest son. In 1799, he ordered the liberation of Corfu from French occupation. On 18 February that year, Admiral Feodor Ushakov — himself now recognised as a saint — led the naval assault that freed Corfu. Afterwards, the islands became a federation. And on the eve of Saint Spyridon’s feast, Alexander Suvorov seized Izmail; that very day, he offered a thanksgiving moleben to the saint.
Even now, thousands travel to Corfu to honour and pray before Saint Spyridon’s incorrupt relics. Those who cannot make the trip to Greece find comfort in praying before his icons, fragments of his relics, or sandals he once wore, which are kept in churches far and wide.
Icon of Saint Spyridon with a particle of his relics. Church of the “Reigning” Icon of the Mother of God, St Elisabeth Convent, Minsk
Saint Spyridon of Trimythous lived a life of uncommon dignity and grace. Each year on his feast day, we recall extraordinary moments from his life: his youth as a humble shepherd, his marriage and widowhood. For his great love of Christ and his fellow man, he was chosen as bishop, a shepherd of souls; yet he never gave up tending his flock in the fields. We remember how he healed the Emperor Constantius when all hope seemed lost; how he brought a dead child back to life, and then the child's mother, when her joy proved too great for her heart. Floodwaters obeyed his command, stopping mid-flow so he could save a man facing wrongful execution. He transformed a snake into gold to save a starving farmer and, shortly afterwards, changed the gold back into a serpent, shaming a wealthy man’s greed.
When Mussolini's Italy attacked Greece in the Second World War, the nearby island of Corfu quickly came under bombardment. The bombing began on 1 November 1940 and went on for months. Corfu had no anti-aircraft defences to stop enemy planes flying low overhead. Yet during these raids, strange things happened. Pilots and locals alike noticed bombs falling at odd angles, plunging harmlessly into the sea instead of striking their targets. Throughout these fearful times, people took refuge in the one place they trusted completely — Saint Spyridon's church. Buildings crumbled and burned all around, but the church stood untouched until the war's end. Not even a single window pane broke. And this is just one story among countless others.
Church of Saint Spyridon, Kerkyra
This servant of God still works wonders today; miracles still have their place in our modern world. In the Akathist hymn we sing joyfully, "Rejoice, Spyridon, wondrous miracle-worker!" — and rejoice we do in the help the bishop gives us by God’s grace. One devotee described him beautifully as a mother bird flying to us, her eternally sick, hungry, fearfully chirping nestlings — thousands upon thousands of us inhabiting this vast nest we call Earth. And so our prayers, from the smallest daily worries to great turning points in our lives, show the depth of our trust in him. He hears every one. Grant us, holy servant of God, hearts that are kind, merciful and open towards God and people. And if it be God's will, lend us your aid in sorting out our earthly troubles — for we certainly have enough of those.
Back in 1988, when pilgrims complained about their cramped living quarters, Archimandrite Ioann (Krestiankin) had some simple advice for them: "Had you prayed to Saint Spyridon of Trimythous, you would have had a home long before now."
Reliquary with the relics of Saint Spyridon, Kerkyra
"For a solid year," Nina Pavlova recounts, "I said the troparion to Saint Spyridon every single day. Then a telegram arrived. I needed to travel urgently to Moscow — a two-room flat awaited me. When I got there, the housing inspector glared at me furiously, almost choking with anger. 'I know every connection there is,' she snapped, 'but I've never come across connections like yours!' I didn’t understand at all. What connections? Who had helped me? Gradually, I realised no one had planned to give me anything. In fact, the authorities had already decided this flat should go to someone else who needed it more urgently. The decision was final. Yet somehow my name appeared on the list instead. A huge row broke out: how had my case been ‘missed’? The officer moaned to me: 'I'm partly to blame as well! I fought tooth and nail against you. I racked my brains trying to discover your contacts. I thought I knew everyone — but this time I just can't understand it. Fine, the flat's yours now — but at least tell me who's behind you!' 'Saint Spyridon,' I replied. 'Who?' asked the inspector, baffled. I did not say any more..."
Building a home, sorting our money worries, recovering from illness, tracking down a lost work record or wallet, landing just the right job, discussing pay without a row, clearing debts, securing a university place — these are everyday struggles that matter deeply to Saint Spyridon. And in this endless stream of pleas, not one is too small or unimportant for him. He listens, feels another’s heartache, finds a way to help, and never leaves anyone alone in life’s difficulties. His example is perhaps a quiet nudge for us, too: to be a little more aware of, and a little kinder to, those who are finding things hard right now.
Metropolitan Neophytos (Masouras) of Morphou
“As a young man of about eighteen,” remembers Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou, “I went from Cyprus to Greece looking for wise elders. The Lord guided me to an elder who waited patiently — four whole years — without one word of correction. He hoped a quiet example might teach me better than words ever could. Yet my character back then was something else — bossy, sharp-tongued and hot-tempered. Eventually, after several years had passed, the elder finally corrected me about something. I flew into a sulk at once! For four whole days, I refused to speak to him. Do you know what made me talk to him again? On the fourth day, Satan came calling. Grace abandoned me and I found myself in the grip of a demon. Physically and spiritually, I felt utterly worthless — like a worm.
That day, we celebrated the memory of Saint Spyridon of Trimythous. 'Saint Spyridon, protect me just as you protected your sheep,' I prayed. After all, he himself was a shepherd. And so I resolved to humble myself, like one of his sheep. That decision changed my life. I felt it then — humility before my elder is the first step to repentance. Obedience and humility before one's elder guard against the snares of the devil. The heart lets go of old longings. The mind clears of impure thoughts. In such simplicity, you begin to welcome the sight of your own faults — not your strengths or good traits, which you might indeed possess — but precisely your weaknesses. I'll share a secret with you: everything we look at in ourselves shrinks. Humility acts like a magnifying glass in sunlight, exposing clearly our passions and failings. The devil cannot bear this honest clarity. When you no longer see yourself as falsely grand, but instead as weak and worn down by sinful desires, his power falters. But if you’re always spotting the good in yourself, you’ll find it slips away. Why is that? Simply because the Lord loves you, and to save your soul from the ruin of pride, He takes away the very things you’re so pleased with. Why? Simply because the Lord loves us deeply. To prevent pride from destroying our souls, He takes away these virtues — and trials begin. So do not be surprised when things in life suddenly go wrong. Stubborn people are given difficult paths. Let us, therefore, picture ourselves more often as small sheep, praying earnestly to our great and merciful shepherd — Saint Spyridon! Pray to God for us, you who please Him! Teach us to repent without shame, to humble ourselves and follow the path of obedience to Christ’s commandments.”
Archimandrite Iustin (Konstantas), Rector of the Church of Saint Spyridon in Kerkyra
Archimandrite Iustin (Konstantas), leading the Church of Saint Spyridon in Kerkyra, tells us that miracles through prayers at the saint's relics occur daily. The saint has performed countless miracles — both for the whole community and for each soul alone. Many have received healing. Many couples, barren for years, have received the gift of children. Recently, healings from cancer arrive especially often. People come with diagnoses beyond the first stage; later tests leave doctors shrugging, taken aback, unable to explain the change.
For centuries, Corfu and its people have been blessed to have a fellow countryman such as Saint Spyridon. Even after departing this earthly life, he has never left. His relics remain incorrupt and continue to perform miracles. I have been rector of Saint Spyridon's church here on Corfu for fourteen years now. Saint Spyridon is my companion in everything; he has always aided me and still does. He even blessed me for the priesthood — I received my ordination in his very church. Never have I asked Saint Spyridon for anything, yet he has seen to my every need. My mind struggles to grasp it. It defies understanding. Truly, my entire life feels woven from miracles.
Here lies a sacred relic — a slipper, made holy by resting on Saint Spyridon's feet. Each year, the clergy of Corfu's church remove these from the saint's remains and present them as gifts to churches worldwide. This annual custom continues unchanged.
The saint’s darkened complexion — both face and body — shows the effects of centuries of soot and dust. Yet we never dare to clean his relics. When we offer prayers and replace his slippers, we see that his feet remain uncorrupted and gleaming, yet visibly worn from endless walking — just like the slippers themselves. If you touch his body, you leave a small dent. In time, just like living flesh, it smooths itself out again.
For many Russian Orthodox believers, Saint Spyridon is the go-to saint when facing housing troubles. In Greece, however, it is different; people here bring him requests of every kind. Most prayers, though, concern work. Read any Greek prayer dedicated to Saint Spyridon, and you will notice this emphasis immediately.
Of all the wonders, one extraordinary story stands out. An unbelieving fisherman named Spiro — sharing his name with Saint Spyridon — once set off to sea as usual when suddenly a fierce storm blew up. The boat went under, and Spiro went with it. The next thing he knew, he was coming round on the shore. Stunned and bewildered, he ran straight to the church to give thanks to the saint whose hand had pulled him out from beneath the water. He burst inside — and at that very moment, monks who until then had failed to open the reliquary turned towards this half-drowned man who had stumbled through the door – and immediately the locks gave way. The rescued fisherman fell at the feet of his saviour, whose slippers were soaking wet, tangled with seaweed and shells. Spiro spent his fortune on a golden lamp for the shrine, but more importantly, his disbelief was washed away for good.
Procession carrying the relics of Saint Spyridon (in an upright reliquary). Island of Corfu
Several times each year, grand processions carry Saint Spyridon's relics through different parts of Corfu. The tradition of offering him footwear connects directly to the belief that the saint is always on the move, bringing help and rescue wherever needed. This custom runs deep on Corfu.
Another remarkable incident occurred on Corfu: a young boy fell from a train after leaning too far out of the window. The train was crossing a bridge over a canal, so the child plunged straight into the water below and immediately disappeared beneath the surface. For days they looked for his body; meanwhile, his mother prayed desperately to Saint Spyridon for help. Then, all at once, the boy reappeared, alive and unhurt, right beside the relics of the saint within the church.
In 2000, a group of Russian women pilgrims travelled to Corfu. Rather than buying holy oil from the church shop, they thought they would gather some themselves, straight from the lamp burning at the shrine of Saint Spyridon. What followed was all too predictable — the pilgrims began to jostle and push one another. Nobody quite knew how it happened, but someone knocked over the lamp. Oil spilled everywhere. One poor woman ended up with nothing. But then, right before the astonished eyes of her companions, her empty vial began to fill itself with oil. And so, the great saint had his say. He gently corrected the women for their over-eager reverence, yet at the same time showed his love and patience towards all who seek comfort and help from him.
The saint’s right hand rests in its own reliquary. From time to time, it travels to different countries, allowing the faithful there to venerate it.
This wonderful servant of God still prays for us in his mercy. He never abandons us to despair or leaves our troubles unresolved — he responds to what we ask. He assures us that God listens to those who follow His will, keep His commandments and turn away from sin. Such souls God will always hear, and He will never turn them away — simply because the Lord is with us.
What a joy it is to draw a little closer to the saint, to pray to him from our whole heart! Today, as we turn to Saint Spyridon, let us ask him to help our souls find unity with God and to overcome whatever stands between us and that union. Though we have not yet fully risen above earthly concerns, God understands our human frailty. Through Saint Spyridon's prayers, He provides all we truly need in this life.
Holy Father Spyridon, pray to God for us!
Rejoice, model of bishops, firm pillar of the Church, glory of the Orthodox, fountain of wonders, stream of unending love, radiant lamp, vessel of the Spirit, mind shaped by God, gentle soul, graced with true simplicity, heavenly man, earthly angel, faithful labourer in the Lord’s vineyard and dearest friend of Christ. Pray that He may show great mercy to all who honour you.
Sticheron at the Stikhera, Tone 5
Prepared by the team of obitel-minsk.ru
Photographs from the internet
Sources:
1. Spyridon of Trimythous and His Miracles: Contemporary Assistance of the Saint through Prayers to Him, People's Testimonies Nowadays, Life of the Saint, Slippers in Our Time.
2. Saint Spyridon of Trimythous and His Miracles.
3. Miraculous Help of Saint Spyridon of Trimythous Nowadays / Orthodoxie.ru
4. How the Shepherd Saved the Shepherd from Death / Orthodoxie.ru
5. Stories of Help from Spyridon — Page 2 — Church of Saint Spyridon of Trimythous
6. Miracles of Spyridon of Trimythous — Official Website
7. The Language of Virtue / Orthodoxie.ru
