In February 2023 a photo was taken of the shoes of Saint John Jacob the Chozebite which are worn by his incorrupt sacred relics. What is astonishing about the photo is that his shoes, which are normally clean, were found to be stained with what looked like fresh mud. What is the meaning of this?
Various Saints in the Orthodox world whose relics are incorrupt and in their casket wear shoes bear certain miraculous signs that they are not bound by their graves, but walk around the world helping those who call upon them with faith. The most famous of these is Saint Dionysios of Zakynthos, whose slippers often need to be replaced because they are found to be worn out. Of course, these Saints are not physically rising from their graves, but they do this in invisible ways, showing that what they do invisibly is manifested visibly in their shoes as a sign to show they are not bound by the physical boundaries of the grave, but remain alive and are ready to hasten to those who seek their aid.
