An Icon of Saint Ephraim of Nea Makri at the General Hospital of Kalymnos is Exuding Myrrh

A report from Wednesday, March 18, 2026, that is causing awe and deep emotion on the island of Kalymnos has emerged, as the icon of Saint Ephraim of Nea Makri, which is located inside the General Hospital of the island, is said to have exuded myrrh.

The incident was initially noticed by a nurse at the hospital, who immediately informed the administrator, Pantelis Kongas, stating that she observed liquid flowing from the left eye of the icon. The administrator went to the location and verified the event, proceeding to promptly inform the ecclesiastical authorities, namely Protopresbyter Amphilochios Sakalleros and Metropolitan Paisios of Kalymnos, Leros and Astypalaia.

Indeed, the Metropolitan collected the liquid with cotton, which — according to testimonies — emitted a characteristic fragrance, while a Paraklesis service was held and the Apolytikion of Saint Ephraim was chanted. In a brief statement, the Metropolitan approached the event theologically, noting: “The icon is exuding myrrh. A miracle is not subject to investigation, and for us this is a blessing of God.” He further stated that “the mystery is not to be examined, but experienced,” without, however, any official announcement being issued by the Metropolis.

The Former Metropolitan of Ganos and Chora, Amphilochios, Has Reposed

 

On the night of Saturday, February 14th 2026, the former Metropolitan of Ganos and Chora, Amphilochios, reposed in the Lord at the age of 88.

The news was made known in a post by Archimandrite Nektarios Pokkias, who, with emotion, announced the repose of the respected Hierarch, writing:

“Our sweet Elder, Metropolitan formerly of Ganos and Chora, lord Amphilochios, a few minutes ago journeyed into eternity. Eternal be his memory. May we have his blessing… Now he is near his Elder, the Venerable Amphilochios Makris.”

Holy New Martyr Theodore of Halicarnassus (+ c. 1800)

St. Theodore of Halicarnassus (Feast Day - September 4)

Saint Theodore was martyred for Christ in Halicarnassus, also known as Petroumi of Asia Minor, around the year 1800 at the age of about 30.

The Saint was arrested by the impious Ottomans and imprisoned in the Dungeon of Halicarnassus. During this period of his stay in prison, he was supported by Hierodeacon Joachim Askandalos (+ 1839), a pious and learned man and a monk of the Sacred Stavropegic Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Patmos.

He was martyred in a horrible way, as can be seen from the beatings on his Honorable Skull and the rest of his Sacred Relics.

A Miracle of the Panagia Katholiki in Rhodes in the 1920's

 

By George Paporis

In the mid-1920s, most of the inhabitants of Kremasti were engaged in agriculture. It is known to everyone that many times the farmer's labor and sweat go to waste, because it depends on factors independent of his will. Drought, humidity, hail, frost and other weather phenomena regulate the harvest.

Everything depends on the sky. That is why the farmer's only support is God. He prays to Him every morning when he makes his cross at sunrise, before starting any agricultural work. And in Him he places all his hopes for a good harvest.

That year God seemed to have forgotten them. The whole winter had passed without rain. The whole village was in a difficult situation. The wells had no water. The land was dried up. The trees and vegetables were waiting unjustly to drink. The entire plain groaned. One realized what drought and dryness mean for an agricultural place. Drought in agriculture means destruction.

A Miracle of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou in New York That Was Commemorated With a Shrine in Chios

Church of St. Irene Chrysovalantou in Olympi, Chios

My Saint Irene Chrysovalantou, I come after 29 years since the construction of your church here in my homeland, on the island of Chios, to tell the story of the miracle I experienced in America, where I lived and have lived for years.

Many years have passed since I built the church and this year, when I happened to meet the Nun who edits the publication of your Magazine, she told me that I had to tell the story of your miracle.

So it was a rainy day in April 1981. I came home from work on a Saturday afternoon and saw my wife who was 5 months pregnant looking upset and I said to her, "What's wrong?" and she told me that she had called the doctor and he told her to go to the hospital on Monday. The hospital wasn't far away and we were there on Monday morning.

After a while, I don't remember how long, time had stopped for me, because the doctor came and said to me: "I'm sorry, but I couldn't do anything for the child; the mother is fine."

Saint Helikonida and the Island of Symi

A century ago on the Greek island of Symi residents there erected a church in honor of the Holy Martyr Helikonida in their cemetery, which apparently reflected her popular veneration on the island, since one can observe various icons of her scattered throughout the island and female residents can be found who are named after her. For this reason, in order to celebrate the Holy Martyr properly, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Symi commissioned from the hymnographer Metropolitan Kyrillos of Rhodes to compose a Service of Praise in her honor to be used on her feast day, which is May 28th.  This Service was first used by Metropolitan Chrysostomos in 2023. 

An Image of the Importance of the Kollyvades Movement from an 18th Century French Travelogue Entry

In 1776, a French nobleman, traveler and diplomat known as Count Choiseul-Gouffier (1752-1817) had the following encounter with a Greek Orthodox monk on the Greek island of Patmos, which he recorded (below) and depicted (above) in his travelogue titled Voyage pittoresque de la Grèce, published in Venice in 1782. He encountered this monk on his way to the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian:

As soon as my ship had anchored, I hastened to dismount to go to the Convent. I was far from foreseeing the encounter, which would excite, the moment after, my interest and my curiosity. I was going towards the mountain, when I saw a Caloyer who was coming down from it, and who, advancing towards me with haste, asked me in Italian, what country I was from, where I came from, what had happened in Europe for seven years since no ship had since landed on these rocks. In barely French he said to me: "Tell me," he cried, "is Voltaire still alive?"

Monastery of the Holy Zoni in Samos

The Monastery of the Holy Zoni, located on the eastern side of Samos in Vlamari, was built in 1695 by Hieromonk Meletios, who had the desire to build a monastery in honor of the Holy Zoni on the foundations of the old church that existed in the area which bore the same name, but of which he did not know the exact location, nor were there any remains to help him, so he chose roughly the area and built the church in the place where it stands today. In this work he had the help of many lay people, and before a church existed at this location in antiquity there was a temple of the goddess Demeter in the same place.

At the request of the founder Hieromonk Meletios, a seal of the Ecumenical Patriarch Kyrillos of Akarnanos was issued in 1696, according to which the Monastery was recognized as Stavropegial.

Initially, the church and some monastic cells around the church were built to meet the housing needs of the initially few monks. Later, with the increase of monks, the cells multiplied and slowly surrounded the church area, at the same time a fortification wall was built, which protected the holy icons, the holy objects, the collections of texts and the monks themselves from the then frequent (18th 19th century) pirate raids.

The Annual Procession With the Lifesize Icon of the Archangel Michael in Chios

On the island of Chios is the 14th century lifesize icon of the Archangel Michael with the impressive dimensions of five feet and nine inches high by three feet and nine inches wide, which according to tradition was commissioned by the Archangel Michael himself to be made by a hieromonk named Parthenios. This icon today is still located at the Monastery of the Pammegiston Taxiarchon in Nenita, and every year on the Sunday of the Myrrhbearing Women a procession takes place around the island with this icon as a blessing for all the people. A similar procession on the same day takes place in neighboring Lesvos, with the miraculous icon of the Archangel Michael of Mantamados. Photo is from the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers 2024.

 

See also: The Monastery of the Pammegiston Taxiarchon in Nenita of Chios and Its Lifesize Icon of the Archangel Michael 

 

The Monastery of the Pammegiston Taxiarchon in Nenita of Chios and Its Lifesize Icon of the Archangel Michael

Nenita, a large village of Chios which oversees the olive groves and the coast, is about 18 kilometers from the town of Chios and 2 kilometers from the sea. During medieval times, Nenita was the largest village of all the mastic villages (a series of fortified villages built in the 14th century during Genovese rule, from 1346-1566) with 2.5 thousand inhabitants, while today it has approximately 1180 inhabitants. Nenita is now one of the largest villages of Chios with rich social and cultural activity. Despite the intense movement of the population from the villages to the city, a phenomenon that is observed in most of the villages of the island, Nenita remains a lively and populous village that is upgraded year by year. The inhabitants of Nenita engage in agriculture and produce mastic, olives, olive oil, almonds and grapes. Nenita is one of the 21 villages (Mastichoria) of southern Chios where the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus) is cultivated, only there and nowhere else in the world, and from which mastic is extracted.

The Cave of the Archangel Michael of Panormitis in Rhodes (History and Miraculous Testimonies)

By Lazos Mantikos,
Journalist for the Greek TV station Antenna

Surely everyone will have something to say about the Archangel Michael of Panormitis. The name has an ancient origin. Based on etymology, there are two versions: Because it is on a bay (ormos) or it is related to the deserted location of Apomero (ermo) located southwest of the beautiful island of Symi. It is one of the largest pilgrimage sites of the Dodecanese and has a pan-Hellenic pan-Orthodox reputation.

My Testimony
 

I will begin with my own story... When I brought my newborn daughter to Rhodes, my sister brought as a gift prayer ropes that had been blessed from the Sacred Monastery of the Commander Michael in Panormitis of Symi. One of them was to be put on her little leg. I didn't want the newborn baby to have anything on her. I said it in general, to make her feel comfortable. But I did not imagine that in my sleep I would see the Archangel Michael of Panormitis looking at me fiercely with his long gray hair and dressed in his silver armor. Terrified I woke up not knowing who it was, then I saw the icon they had left on my daughter's bed. He was exactly as I saw him in my dream.

Two Weeping Icons In Mytilene That Drew Thousands of Believers Currently Under Investigation

Crowds of people were flocking every day for about 20 days to the Church of Saint Ephraim of Nea Makri in the neighborhood of Kallithea in Mytilene to venerate the icons of Saint Paraskevi and Saint Ephraim, which are reported to be "weeping" according to the testimonies of those in charge of the church as well as various believers who are eyewitnesses.

According to media reports, during the Divine Liturgy on Pentecost Sunday, the priest was interrupted when he was called by the faithful to explain the phenomenon.

The icon of Saint Ephraim appears to have had a liquid that seems to have run down from the face of the Saint, but it became dry and to see it one must look at the icon from the side where it is clearly visible.

Synaxarion of Saint Euprepia

 

 By Metropolitan Kyrillos (Kogerakis) of Rhodes

On Thursday of Renewal Week, we commemorate Saint Euprepia.

Verses

Seemly living the law of God,
You attained glory, Holy One.

Synaxarion

We have no information about Saint Euprepia. In a place known as "Argala" on the island of Lesvos, a cruciform martyrium (a church built over the site of where a martyrdom took place or a martyr was buried) with two graves containing crushed bones was found during excavations in 1931. This archaeological site is located before the airport, next to the Elysion hotel. Also in the same area were found the ruins of a large basilica with a baptistery, which are considered to be buildings of the 6th century AD. On top of these ruins was the old Chapel of Saint Euprepia, which still exists today. Since there is no Saint with this name in the list of Saints of the Church, the question remains whether some unknown Saint with this name was martyred in Lesvos, which would explain the existence of this ancient chapel in her name.