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October 27, 2020

Five Miracles of Saint Demetrius the New of Basarabov

 

 
The miracles of Saint Demetrios are mainly related to the treatment of the sick and the immediate help to various needs of the faithful. Most were forgotten because no one was interested in writing them. From these few below we realize the great miraculous gift of the Saint.

1) Two sisters from a village of Constanta, after building a new church in honor of the Dormition of the Theotokos, came to venerate the Saint and take a piece of his relic for their own church. They venerated the Saint and at the same time secretly cut a piece of his relic and ran to their carriage. The oxen, however, did not move from their place. Then they realized their sin. They returned the stolen item and then the animals took off and they returned to their home in peace.

2) On the outskirts of the capital lived a family in which the husband oppressed his wife for fifteen years with whining, cursing and drunkenness. She endured it because she was a devout Christian. In 1955 he became paralyzed and was bedridden. His wife was serving him, but he was insulting her and hitting her with whatever he could find in front of him. Desperate she came to the church, and with tears asked for advice from the priest. He advised her to be patient, performed a Divine Liturgy for her sake and finally asked her:

"Sister, do you know how to read?"

"I know, Father."

"Take this book and read it on your knees, next to the holy relic of Saint Demetrius his Supplicatory Canon."

After reading it she went to her house tired and as it was she lay down in a separate room. At midnight her husband started shouting loudly:

"Woman Maria, where are you, come here quickly! Where were you? Did you go to Bucharest and call a doctor for advice?

"No man, I did not call any doctor from Bucharest."

"What do you mean no? Just now he came and told me that you called for him to advise me. He left five minutes ago. He got on a cart with white cows and set off for Bucharest. Well, call for the doctor and pay him."

"And what did he advise you to do?"

"If I want to be cured, he told me, I should not upset you and insult you. Well, I promise I will not sadden you again. But do not forget, go to Bucharest in the morning to pay him, because you know where he lives, since you called him!"

In the morning her husband got up completely healthy and peaceful. The woman hastened with him with joy to thank the Saint for this great miracle.

3) During the period of the war for the national independence of Romania in the year 1877, a faithful Christian from Bucharest sent all his seven children to the war. He was afraid that all seven would die on the battlefields and he went and prayed fervently to Saint Demetrius. At the same time he wrote their names on a piece of paper, and put it under the skull of the Saint. He did protect his children, because all seven returned to their paternal home after the war.

4) For almost two years, the young Alexandrina P. went every Tuesday to the church of her parish, where the priest is Fr. Daniel Goga, to read over her the exorcism prayers of Basil the Great, after she had been demonized due to the curses of her parents. After two years she had not been well yet, so Fr. Demetrius  announced that they would go together to pray at the relics of Saint Demetrius. That same night the girl saw in her dream an awful figure which terrified her by telling her with hatred: "I must leave you because I am afraid of the Saint, but with the first opportunity you give me I will return!" The next day, October 27, when the memory of Saint Demetrius the New is celebrated, they waited in line to venerate the holy relic. During those ten minutes she waited, she felt very bad and a few meters before she reached the relic she thought she would faint. As soon as she kissed the relic she felt as if her mouth was on fire. On the way home she cried constantly. After a long and difficult sleep, Alexandrina woke up exhausted but felt light as a feather. Saint Demetrius had done his miracle.

5) October 26, 1988 (Nun Katherine): "A miracle that I saw with my own eyes at 12 at night, when the pilgrimage to the Saint ended. There were 5-6 people left, along with me and two priests, and we wanted to put the relic in its place (it was out for veneration). The coffin, however, did not move. Everyone tried but no one succeeded. The priest ran and woke the bishop. He dressed in his vestments, with two deacons, two priests, incense burners, psalms and banners and brought the Saint into the church. Only with due respect did he want to enter! This is in response to those who curse (and I know many) and who say that they are bones and we venerate them to no avail."
 
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.