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June 11, 2013

Panagia Tsambika, the Panagia of the Childless (video)



The Monastery of Panagia Tsambika in Rhodes keeps the wonderworking icon of Panagia Tsambika, known especially for miracles involving barren women who were able to bear children following supplications to the Theotokos.

The segment above is from the program "Girls for the Home" on Macedonia TV and features the Monastery, along with its history and miracles involving barren women.

Since the program is in Greek, the history and miracles can be read about in English in the following post:


A well-known miracle of Panagia Tsambika goes back to the Turkish occupation when a Muslim Turk owned much of the land around the Monastery. His wife was unable to bear children, so having heard of the miracles of Panagia Tsambika she visited and payed her respects to the icon, taking the wick from the oil lamp that hung before the icon and eating it. After this, she was able to conceive. Her husband doubted this was a miracle, and even questioned her fidelity. When nine months passed the wife gave birth, and in the hand of the child was the wick from the oil lamp the mother had eaten, proving the miracle. The Turk then believed and gave all of his land to the Monastery in gratitude.

In the video above the priest interviewed, Fr. Vasilios, is a father of eight children and has served there for 20 years. When asked about the greatest miracle he has seen, he mentions a man who came to the monastery whose wife was told by doctors that she would not be able to bear children. He prayed before the icon, and vowed that he would return if he was granted a child. He left. Shortly after he saw the Panagia in his sleep, who said to him: "Indeed, the doctors have said your wife is unable to bear a child. Don't worry, I will give you one." One day he went to go to the pharmacy, and decided to throw away his garbage. When he went to dump his garbage he saw a cardboard box with a hole in it. As he approached he looked in and saw a baby girl.