Venerable Avvakum of Fterikoudi, the Wonderworking Saint Who Heals the Deaf

 

St. Avvakum the Wonderworker (Feast Day - December 2)

 

Venerable Avvakum was most likely a local Saint of Pitsilia, but according to his synaxarion, he was one of the "Three Hundred" refugees from Palestine who came and landed in Cyprus after the Arab persecutions when they conquered Palestine and Syria. Avvakum, who appears to have been a monk or ascetic in the Jordan Desert, sought refuge in the mountains of Cyprus. After touring the mountains of the Solea area, he finally ended up on Mount Kalamithia, near the villages of Kalamithasa (which does not exist today) and Fterikoudi.

How Saint James the Persian Became the Patron Saint of the Deaf in Cyprus

 

 

Saint James the Persian holds a special place of honor in Cyprus. Not only are there noteworthy churches there named in his honor, some of which date back many centuries, but there is even a village named after him. But Cypriots don't call him by either of the two English translations of his name, which are James or Jacob, nor is he known by his Greek name, which is Iakovos, but in Cyprus alone he is called upon by the faithful as Akouphos.

Miracles of Saint Theosebios of Arsinoe

 

 

By St. Neophytos the Recluse

The deaf man and another who was blind

Some time later, two people were walking along the road, one of whom was deaf and was holding the hand of the other, who was blind. The blind man heard wonderful hymn-singing and joyful, melodic voices and said to the deaf man: "If only you could hear the melodic hymns that I can, brother. And I wish I could see the form of the wonderful singers." The latter said he could just about hear, very faintly, some of the singing. They left the road and made their way to the place where the sound was coming from. As they were walking along, the ears of the deaf man opened completely and he could hear clearly the sublime and wonderful melody. When they got to the Church of Saint Theosebios, they didn’t see any singer, because it was angels who were praising God and, with this miracle, they made manifest the Saint. This is how the deaf man could hear plainly and the blind man was able to see again clearly. Astonished at this strange miracle, they worshiped and praised God and reverenced His servant Saint Theosebios.