THE MIRACLE
By Yiannis Tsilimigras (1872-1947)
By Yiannis Tsilimigras (1872-1947)
For years the child had been blind,
the noble lady’s precious son.
All the doctors had driven her to despair,
as had even her entreaties to her God.
“Whom are they escorting and chanting to so sweetly,
and why, my mother, does so great a crowd follow?”
“Rise and pray with all your heart,
for, my child, it is the Saint who is passing by!”
The road is filled with incense and prayers
from the people, with exapteryga, lamps.
In two lines, in robes of purest gold,
with slow steps the priests advance.
Within his golden shrine the Saint stands upright,
his head radiant, shining like the sun.
God truly in expression,
is borne on the shoulders of the priests.
The censers resound within the silence,
which harmonious chanting fills.
And every soul feels
that it beholds a procession beyond this world.
The poor mother brings the child to the window:
“Make the sign of the Cross,
for before you stands the Saint who can,
my beloved, give you your sight.”
“Mother, I truly see him!
Here are the candles, here are the people!” he cries.
At once he opens his sightless eyes
and embraces his long-lamenting mother.
Kneeling, she comes before the Saint
and hangs her golden chain upon Him,
which from then on He wears upon His neck
as witness to the sight given to the blind.
(Translated by John Sanidopoulos)
About This Poem
This is a much-loved poem in Zakynthos, recounting a miracle of Saint Dionysios, which was originally published in the newspaper ΦΩΣ, issue 1, in the year 1905. According to a footnote by its creator, the poet Yiannis Tsilimigras:
“This miracle occurred to the son of Countess Kapnisis, the nanny of our fellow citizen Mr. Dionysios Bountelopoulos, who related this to us.”
The noblewoman mentioned in Tsilimikras’s poem, who had the blind child in the miracle of Saint Dionysios, is the Russian ELENI MICH. LEONTIEV, wife of DIONYSIOS KAPNISIS (1773–1841). More about the Kapnisis family below.
“This miracle occurred to the son of Countess Kapnisis, the nanny of our fellow citizen Mr. Dionysios Bountelopoulos, who related this to us.”
The noblewoman mentioned in Tsilimikras’s poem, who had the blind child in the miracle of Saint Dionysios, is the Russian ELENI MICH. LEONTIEV, wife of DIONYSIOS KAPNISIS (1773–1841). More about the Kapnisis family below.
YIANNIS TSILIMIGRAS (Zakynthos 1872 – Majorca 1947): Physician and poet. He studied medicine in Athens and Paris.
On 20 February 1912 he married in Miramar, Majorca, Luisa Maria Magdalena Vives Venezze (= Gigetta), daughter of the secretary of Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria (Ludwig Salvator in German and Luis Salvador in Spanish), Antonio Vives (1854–1918), a native of Majorca, and of the Venetian countess Venezze. The secretary was adopted by the Archduke; thus Luisa inherited one third of the Archduke’s estate.
Tsilimigras lived in Majorca from 1912 until 1947, with the exception of the three-year period 1936–1939, and for many years served as Honorary Consul of Greece.
On 20 February 1912 he married in Miramar, Majorca, Luisa Maria Magdalena Vives Venezze (= Gigetta), daughter of the secretary of Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria (Ludwig Salvator in German and Luis Salvador in Spanish), Antonio Vives (1854–1918), a native of Majorca, and of the Venetian countess Venezze. The secretary was adopted by the Archduke; thus Luisa inherited one third of the Archduke’s estate.
Tsilimigras lived in Majorca from 1912 until 1947, with the exception of the three-year period 1936–1939, and for many years served as Honorary Consul of Greece.
THE KAPNISIS FAMILY: A family from Constantinople which, via Methoni, came to Zakynthos with PETROS KAPNISIS, an officer of the Venetian army who distinguished himself in many battles, among them those against the Turkish Sultan Bayezid. After the fall of Methoni to the Turks in 1499, he took refuge in Zakynthos and received the title of nobleman and a monthly stipend from Venice.
From that time onward, many members of the Kapnisis family distinguished themselves in all fields — military, administrative, commercial, and intellectual — on Zakynthos as well as throughout Europe, and especially in Russia. Among them were:
• STAMATIOS (STOMATELLO or STAMATELOS) KAPNISIS (1635–1713): Together with Morosini he fought for the liberation of Lefkada in 1686, using a galley that he equipped at his own expense. In 1701 the Republic of Venice rewarded his family with entry into the Libro d’Oro. The family coat of arms depicts three mountains of Zakynthos, with the central one shown as a flaming, smoking volcano, with swords as a sign of exceptional bravery, and the motto: “Unwavering in the fire.”
• THEODOROS KAPNISIS was the first to bring and plant currants on Zakynthos in 1511.
• ANTONIOS KAPNISIS (1742–1812) took part with the Orlov brothers in the war against the Turks. In gratitude, Empress Catherine II of Russia granted him large estates in Crimea, and he took care for the development of Odessa. When Ushakov captured the Ionian Islands in 1798, he was appointed a member of the Provisional Government of the Ionian Islands.
• PETROS KAPNISIS (1683–1713), during the reign of Tsar Peter the Great, sold his estates on Zakynthos, formed his own fleet, and participated in the Russo-Turkish War against the Turks. He was later entrusted with the clearing of the Adriatic. He was then captured by the Turks and burned alive in Constantinople.
• Another PETROS KAPNISIS, who died in 1826, served as a courtier of Empress Catherine II of Russia and later of Louis XVI of France; after the latter’s death he went to England, married, and returned to Russia.
• VASILIOS KAPNISIS (1743–1823), from the Zakynthian branch of the family, emerged as one of the finest poets of his era in Russia. He wrote elegies and satires, as well as works on themes from the Greek War of Independence.
• A third PETROS KAPNISIS, born in 1829, became a great jurist at the Tsar’s court and was entrusted, among other duties, with supervision of the press. During the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 he sent his daughters Ina and Evgenia to enlist in the Greek army as nurses. He too was a man of letters and published in Greek periodicals, such as Skokos’ Almanac of 1899. At his request, his remains were transferred to Zakynthos and buried in a mausoleum at Xirokastello, built on the shore so that it would be battered by the sea.
• DIONYSIOS KAPNISIS (1773–1841) was born on Zakynthos, studied in St. Petersburg, and was appointed Health Commissioner of Odessa and later General Governor of Crimea and Bessarabia, after previously fighting against the Tatars and being decorated for his service. He rendered many services to the Greek national uprising. He died on Zakynthos.
He is the one who thrust his cane into the pile of gold coins stored in the basement of his mansion and said: “If God becomes poor, then I too shall become poor.”
He married ELENI MICH. LEONTIEV, the noblewoman mentioned in Tsilimigras’s poem, who had the blind child in the miracle of Saint Dionysios. It is said that the precious medallion worn today by the Saint’s relics is the very one that the noblewoman hung upon him, as described in the poem.
• His son was ANTONIOS KAPNISIS (1810–1885), a distinguished composer. He wrote the first Greek comic idyll, "O Mastro-Manolis" (Ο Μαστρο-Μανώλης), which was performed in 1878 at the Zakynthos Theatre. According to L. Ch. Zois, he was “modest to the point of scrupulousness. He regarded fame as a vain display. Having fallen into misfortune toward the end of his life, he withdrew to the Hospital, where he died.”
• The daughter of Dionysios Kapnisis and sister of Antonios was SOPHIA KAPNISIS, who married Lambros Bountalopoulos.
• Their son, DIONYSIOS BOUNTALOPOULOS, was the one who recounted to the poet Yiannis Tsilimigras the miracle of Saint Dionysios that occurred to his grandmother.
From that time onward, many members of the Kapnisis family distinguished themselves in all fields — military, administrative, commercial, and intellectual — on Zakynthos as well as throughout Europe, and especially in Russia. Among them were:
• STAMATIOS (STOMATELLO or STAMATELOS) KAPNISIS (1635–1713): Together with Morosini he fought for the liberation of Lefkada in 1686, using a galley that he equipped at his own expense. In 1701 the Republic of Venice rewarded his family with entry into the Libro d’Oro. The family coat of arms depicts three mountains of Zakynthos, with the central one shown as a flaming, smoking volcano, with swords as a sign of exceptional bravery, and the motto: “Unwavering in the fire.”
• THEODOROS KAPNISIS was the first to bring and plant currants on Zakynthos in 1511.
• ANTONIOS KAPNISIS (1742–1812) took part with the Orlov brothers in the war against the Turks. In gratitude, Empress Catherine II of Russia granted him large estates in Crimea, and he took care for the development of Odessa. When Ushakov captured the Ionian Islands in 1798, he was appointed a member of the Provisional Government of the Ionian Islands.
• PETROS KAPNISIS (1683–1713), during the reign of Tsar Peter the Great, sold his estates on Zakynthos, formed his own fleet, and participated in the Russo-Turkish War against the Turks. He was later entrusted with the clearing of the Adriatic. He was then captured by the Turks and burned alive in Constantinople.
• Another PETROS KAPNISIS, who died in 1826, served as a courtier of Empress Catherine II of Russia and later of Louis XVI of France; after the latter’s death he went to England, married, and returned to Russia.
• VASILIOS KAPNISIS (1743–1823), from the Zakynthian branch of the family, emerged as one of the finest poets of his era in Russia. He wrote elegies and satires, as well as works on themes from the Greek War of Independence.
• A third PETROS KAPNISIS, born in 1829, became a great jurist at the Tsar’s court and was entrusted, among other duties, with supervision of the press. During the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 he sent his daughters Ina and Evgenia to enlist in the Greek army as nurses. He too was a man of letters and published in Greek periodicals, such as Skokos’ Almanac of 1899. At his request, his remains were transferred to Zakynthos and buried in a mausoleum at Xirokastello, built on the shore so that it would be battered by the sea.
• DIONYSIOS KAPNISIS (1773–1841) was born on Zakynthos, studied in St. Petersburg, and was appointed Health Commissioner of Odessa and later General Governor of Crimea and Bessarabia, after previously fighting against the Tatars and being decorated for his service. He rendered many services to the Greek national uprising. He died on Zakynthos.
He is the one who thrust his cane into the pile of gold coins stored in the basement of his mansion and said: “If God becomes poor, then I too shall become poor.”
He married ELENI MICH. LEONTIEV, the noblewoman mentioned in Tsilimigras’s poem, who had the blind child in the miracle of Saint Dionysios. It is said that the precious medallion worn today by the Saint’s relics is the very one that the noblewoman hung upon him, as described in the poem.
• His son was ANTONIOS KAPNISIS (1810–1885), a distinguished composer. He wrote the first Greek comic idyll, "O Mastro-Manolis" (Ο Μαστρο-Μανώλης), which was performed in 1878 at the Zakynthos Theatre. According to L. Ch. Zois, he was “modest to the point of scrupulousness. He regarded fame as a vain display. Having fallen into misfortune toward the end of his life, he withdrew to the Hospital, where he died.”
• The daughter of Dionysios Kapnisis and sister of Antonios was SOPHIA KAPNISIS, who married Lambros Bountalopoulos.
• Their son, DIONYSIOS BOUNTALOPOULOS, was the one who recounted to the poet Yiannis Tsilimigras the miracle of Saint Dionysios that occurred to his grandmother.
ΤΟ ΘΑΥΜΑ
Γιάννη Τσιλιμίγκρα (1872-1947)
Γιάννη Τσιλιμίγκρα (1872-1947)
Τώχε στραβό από χρόνια το παιδί
τον ακριβό η αρχόντισσα το γυιό της.
Κι' όλοι την απελπίσανε οι γιατροί,
ώς και τα παρακάλια στο Θεό της!
"-Ποιον να περνούν και ψάλλουνε γλυκά
και, κόσμος τόσος, μάνα μου, ακολουθάει;"
"-Σήκω και προσευχήσου με καρδιά
κι' είνε παιδί μου, ο Άγιος που περνάει!"
Γιομίζει ο δρόμος λίβανα κι' ευχές
από λαό, εξαφτέρουγα, λαμπάδες.
Σε δυο σειρές μ' ολόχρυσες στολές,
με βήμα αργό προβαίνουν οι παπάδες!
Μεσ' στη χρυσή του ο Άγιος κάσσα ορθός
μ' αστραφτερό σαν ήλιος το κεφάλι.
Αληθινός στην έκφραση Θεός,
βαστιέται στων παπάδων τη μασχάλη.
Ηχούν τα θυμιατά μεσ' στη σιωπή,
που αρμονική γιομίζει ψαλμωδία.
Και κάθε μία αισθάνεται ψυχή
πως υπερκόσμια βλέπει λιτανεία.
Φέρνει στο παρεθύρι το παιδί
η δόλια μάνα: "-Κάμε το σταυρό σου
κ' είνε μπροστά σου ο Άγιος που μπορεί,
να σού δώση, αγάπη μου, το φως σου".
"-Μάνα μου, τόνε βλέπω αληθινά!
Να, τα κεριά, να, ο κόσμος", τής φωνάζει.
Κι' ανοίγει ευθύς τα μάτια τα τυφλά
και την κλαϋμένη μάνα του αγκαλιάζει!
Γονατιστή στον Άγιο προχωρεί
και τη χρυσή αλυσίδα της κρεμάει
οπού από τότες στο λαιμό Του τη φορεί
τ' ανάβλεμμα τυφλού να μαρτυράη!
