By Ioannis Fourtounas
Every year on September 10, the feast of the Most Holy Theotokos of the island of Old Trikeri is celebrated, commemorating the day on which Her wonderworking Icon was discovered.
Old Trikeri is a small island near the entrance to the Pagasetic Gulf in the regional unit of Magnesia, where every year, on the eve of the feast, a multitude of the faithful gathers. There was once a Byzantine settlement on the island, but in the eighth century the Monastery of the Annunciation was burned by the iconoclasts, while in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the island was plundered by pirates. From that time onward, the inhabitants abandoned the island and settled on the opposite shore, at the end of the peninsula of Mount Pelion, leaving the island completely deserted.
The discovery of the Icon, the founding of the Monastery of the Annunciation, Her miracles, as well as the presence of the “Evangelistria” as a religious center, came about as follows.
The sole inhabitant of the island in 1825 was the hieromonk Damianos from Pouri in Zagora, who lived as an ascetic in a small monastery by the little harbor. In June of that same year, a pirate ship appeared in the distance, approaching the island, and Damianos took refuge in the ruins of the monastery that had been burned down.
Then the Panagia appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to notify the elders of the village to come and bring Her Icon out from the depths of the earth. The elders indeed came, excavated the place, and found the holy Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos beneath the roots of an ancient olive tree, where Her throne stands today.
The holy Icon suddenly sprang one step farther away and stood upright. Those present sensed an ineffable fragrance, while a gentle mist covered the entire area. The joyful news spread through the village with lightning speed. The bells rang joyfully, the shops closed, and all the inhabitants crossed over to the opposite island.
Flabellums, lanterns, gold-woven banners, and censers led the procession, followed by the priests in their golden vestments, the elders of the community, and then the people. After the Exarch had received the Icon, the procession ascended toward the village with hymns, and as the Icon passed the thresholds of the houses, the people censed Her.
When they brought Her to the village church, they held an all-night vigil, and then myrrh began to flow from the sanctuary in such abundance that it came out through the holy doors of the Beautiful Gate! After the all-night vigil, a procession with the Icon followed, and upon returning to the church, the Icon was placed upon a gilded throne beside the ambo of the church.
This throne had originally been intended for Napoleon Bonaparte during his visit to Barcelona, which was canceled, and so Trikerian shipowners purchased it.
The Icon that was revealed measures 12 × 18 centimeters and, according to tradition, is considered to be one of the Icons painted by the Apostle and Evangelist Luke. On the gilded silver covering, the Theotokos is depicted holding the Child, with a diadem (crown) upon Her head, supported by two angels.
The devout people of Trikeri built a magnificent church and erected a monastery with one hundred cells in Her honor, where pious pilgrims are accommodated every year.
- In 1827, when enemies surrounded Trikeri with the intention of destroying it, they burned its fleet, cut down its olive trees, and attempted to enter the fortress and kill the inhabitants. Then, during the night, they saw an exceedingly brilliant light rising from the Church of the Panagia on the island and moving over the Church in the town, and at that moment thunder and lightning began. The Panagia struck them with confusion, and they began destroying one another to such an extent that the women and children were saved, while the attackers boarded their ships and departed forever.
- An Albanian from Almyros who was paralyzed heard about the miracles of the Panagia, and his bearers brought him and laid him before Her Icon. He also gave money to other pilgrims to pray to the Panagia for him, and after fifteen days had passed in this manner, the Panagia healed him, and he departed walking.
- A sailing vessel was traveling to Marseille when it was caught in a great storm, so severe that those aboard were in danger of sinking. In despair, they invoked the Panagia of Trikeri. Then a ray of light appeared at the bow of the ship, and suddenly the sea became calm, and the people were saved from certain drowning and disastrous death.
- Another ship from Mitjeli was sailing in the Black Sea and encountered a violent storm, making shipwreck certain. The sailors wept and prayed. Then they saw the Icon of the Panagia, surrounded by light, standing upon the wooden spar at the top of the ship’s mast, and immediately the stormy sea became calm. The captain then commissioned a silver sailing ship depicting the miracle and dedicated it to the Icon of the Panagia, where it remains to this day.
- One day, a young shepherdess was tending her flock while spinning wool when she suddenly became ill. She developed a fever and from then on lost both her speech and her memory, and her parents were plunged into despair. They brought her to Her grace, and on the eve of the feast they placed her beneath the Icon, and, O wonder of wonders, she was healed and regained her speech.
- During the war of 1940, a soldier stopped sending letters to his mother, and she was filled with great anxiety that something had happened to her son and that he had probably been killed. One day, as she was thinking about him in the garden of her home, a woman appeared to her, as if in a vision, surrounded by dazzling light, and placed Her hand upon her shoulder.
“Your son was shot, but I stopped the bullet. Do not be afraid! Your son will come on such-and-such a day and at such-and-such an hour, and you are to wait for him!”
“Who are You, my Lady?”
“I am the Panagia of Trikeri!”
“And how can I thank You for the good You have done for me?”
“Come to My home, for My feast!”
Indeed, on the day and at the hour the Panagia had told her, she went to the door and saw her son approaching with bandages around his head. He then told his mother what had happened:
“One day, when I was in battle, a bullet that was heading toward my heart was deflected and became lodged in the little Icon that you had given me to protect me.”
- Ourania Tsirgi, who still lives on the island, had suffered from cancer years ago and was taken into surgery for the removal of organs. Her life hung by a thread. At that time, she saw, as in a vision, the Panagia coming out of Her Icon, ascending into heaven, and then descending into the operating room and standing beside her!
“Ourania," the Panagia said to her,"do not be afraid! I am here! Why should it be only you who comes and cares for Me? I came too, at the moment you needed Me!”
After the operation, she saw Her return in the same manner to Her little island and enter once again into Her Icon, which closed tightly with a noise! From that time onward, Ourania was healed without any problems, without any metastasis, and she has now lived for decades, glorifying and praising Her grace.
The Panagia of Trikeri is the protectress of the wider region of Magnesia and of all Thessaly whenever the villages and towns of this region have been in danger.
- At one time, countless swarms of locusts had descended and were devouring the grain and every fruitful tree, and the inhabitants of these regions fell to prayer and tears. And when they carried the Icon in procession through the fields with censers and the flabellums, they saw the swarms of locusts gather together and plunge with force into the sea.
- When cholera spread throughout all the villages of Demetrias and so many people were dying, they asked that the Icon be brought and carried in procession to their own locality. Indeed, in every village where they received Her with longing and devotion, and where She entered the homes and the blessing of the waters was performed, the Panagia delivered the villages from the wasting disease.
- In the village of Trikeri, when there was a severe drought, they carried the Icon in procession with umbrellas, because whenever the great supplication was made on the hill, torrential rain would fall.
The miracles of the Panagia who was revealed on the island of Old Trikeri are innumerable. We have presented only some of them here, so as not to weary our readers.
- An Albanian from Almyros who was paralyzed heard about the miracles of the Panagia, and his bearers brought him and laid him before Her Icon. He also gave money to other pilgrims to pray to the Panagia for him, and after fifteen days had passed in this manner, the Panagia healed him, and he departed walking.
- A sailing vessel was traveling to Marseille when it was caught in a great storm, so severe that those aboard were in danger of sinking. In despair, they invoked the Panagia of Trikeri. Then a ray of light appeared at the bow of the ship, and suddenly the sea became calm, and the people were saved from certain drowning and disastrous death.
- Another ship from Mitjeli was sailing in the Black Sea and encountered a violent storm, making shipwreck certain. The sailors wept and prayed. Then they saw the Icon of the Panagia, surrounded by light, standing upon the wooden spar at the top of the ship’s mast, and immediately the stormy sea became calm. The captain then commissioned a silver sailing ship depicting the miracle and dedicated it to the Icon of the Panagia, where it remains to this day.
- One day, a young shepherdess was tending her flock while spinning wool when she suddenly became ill. She developed a fever and from then on lost both her speech and her memory, and her parents were plunged into despair. They brought her to Her grace, and on the eve of the feast they placed her beneath the Icon, and, O wonder of wonders, she was healed and regained her speech.
- During the war of 1940, a soldier stopped sending letters to his mother, and she was filled with great anxiety that something had happened to her son and that he had probably been killed. One day, as she was thinking about him in the garden of her home, a woman appeared to her, as if in a vision, surrounded by dazzling light, and placed Her hand upon her shoulder.
“Your son was shot, but I stopped the bullet. Do not be afraid! Your son will come on such-and-such a day and at such-and-such an hour, and you are to wait for him!”
“Who are You, my Lady?”
“I am the Panagia of Trikeri!”
“And how can I thank You for the good You have done for me?”
“Come to My home, for My feast!”
Indeed, on the day and at the hour the Panagia had told her, she went to the door and saw her son approaching with bandages around his head. He then told his mother what had happened:
“One day, when I was in battle, a bullet that was heading toward my heart was deflected and became lodged in the little Icon that you had given me to protect me.”
- Ourania Tsirgi, who still lives on the island, had suffered from cancer years ago and was taken into surgery for the removal of organs. Her life hung by a thread. At that time, she saw, as in a vision, the Panagia coming out of Her Icon, ascending into heaven, and then descending into the operating room and standing beside her!
“Ourania," the Panagia said to her,"do not be afraid! I am here! Why should it be only you who comes and cares for Me? I came too, at the moment you needed Me!”
After the operation, she saw Her return in the same manner to Her little island and enter once again into Her Icon, which closed tightly with a noise! From that time onward, Ourania was healed without any problems, without any metastasis, and she has now lived for decades, glorifying and praising Her grace.
The Panagia of Trikeri is the protectress of the wider region of Magnesia and of all Thessaly whenever the villages and towns of this region have been in danger.
- At one time, countless swarms of locusts had descended and were devouring the grain and every fruitful tree, and the inhabitants of these regions fell to prayer and tears. And when they carried the Icon in procession through the fields with censers and the flabellums, they saw the swarms of locusts gather together and plunge with force into the sea.
- When cholera spread throughout all the villages of Demetrias and so many people were dying, they asked that the Icon be brought and carried in procession to their own locality. Indeed, in every village where they received Her with longing and devotion, and where She entered the homes and the blessing of the waters was performed, the Panagia delivered the villages from the wasting disease.
- In the village of Trikeri, when there was a severe drought, they carried the Icon in procession with umbrellas, because whenever the great supplication was made on the hill, torrential rain would fall.
The miracles of the Panagia who was revealed on the island of Old Trikeri are innumerable. We have presented only some of them here, so as not to weary our readers.
Beside the throne of the Panagia with Her wonderworking Icon, there is a case containing the old votive offerings of those who had been saved from certain death or illness. There one can see silver representations of sailing ships, as well as simple fishing boats, whose vessels and sailors were saved from certain shipwreck.
At the annual feast on September 10, people come from all parts of central Greece, from Stylida, Euboea, the Northern Sporades, and the villages of Pelion. Pilgrims come from Skiathos, Skopelos, Volos, Oreoi, Pefki, Achilleio, Almyros, Milina, and elsewhere, but especially from the village of Trikeri.
In earlier times, caïques, trawlers, sponge-fishing boats, small fishing boats, passenger vessels, and excursion boats would arrive one after another at the island’s harbor, packed with people.
The women of Skiathos, wearing the “fstánes,” as Papadiamantis called them; the women of Skopelos; and the Sarakatsani women, each in the traditional dress of her own region.
The women of Trikeri, in their beautiful traditional costumes, with baskets filled with meatballs and cheese pies, and rugs on which to sleep beneath the hospitable olive trees.
For the little island of “Old Trikeri,” which is one hour from Volos, passenger boats run services on the eve of the feast, September 9, and on the feast day itself, September 10.
There are also excursion boats by which everyone, and especially families, can travel to Her grace either for a day trip or with a return the following day.
May the Panagia of Trikeri shelter and bless all the pilgrims who come to Her grace, as well as the whole world, and also Her beautiful little island!
"Come, let us venerate, brethren, the divine Icon of our All-Pure Mother, the glory of Trikeri and the boast of Magnesia, and the glory and boast of all the Orthodox!"
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
At the annual feast on September 10, people come from all parts of central Greece, from Stylida, Euboea, the Northern Sporades, and the villages of Pelion. Pilgrims come from Skiathos, Skopelos, Volos, Oreoi, Pefki, Achilleio, Almyros, Milina, and elsewhere, but especially from the village of Trikeri.
In earlier times, caïques, trawlers, sponge-fishing boats, small fishing boats, passenger vessels, and excursion boats would arrive one after another at the island’s harbor, packed with people.
The women of Skiathos, wearing the “fstánes,” as Papadiamantis called them; the women of Skopelos; and the Sarakatsani women, each in the traditional dress of her own region.
The women of Trikeri, in their beautiful traditional costumes, with baskets filled with meatballs and cheese pies, and rugs on which to sleep beneath the hospitable olive trees.
For the little island of “Old Trikeri,” which is one hour from Volos, passenger boats run services on the eve of the feast, September 9, and on the feast day itself, September 10.
There are also excursion boats by which everyone, and especially families, can travel to Her grace either for a day trip or with a return the following day.
May the Panagia of Trikeri shelter and bless all the pilgrims who come to Her grace, as well as the whole world, and also Her beautiful little island!
"Come, let us venerate, brethren, the divine Icon of our All-Pure Mother, the glory of Trikeri and the boast of Magnesia, and the glory and boast of all the Orthodox!"
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
