Feast day of St Markella of Chios

[Alice]

Today, July 22 is the feast day of St. Markella of Chios. My grandmother was born on the island of Chios (as were my in-laws, may all their memories be eternal) and I have been blessed to have made pilgrimage with my husband and my children when they were young to this holy site. There is also a beautiful beach there, so for anyone interested, the trip there is worth the effort, and you can make an all day outing of visiting the church, the monastery, lunch at an outdoor seaside taverna, a swim and then a walk off the beach on the boulders in the sea which lead to the holy shrine and site of her beheading.

http://www.e-xios.gr/chios/5/53.html

Here are some interesting stories accounts given:

More recently (July 1992), an eye witness, the Rev. Nicholas Makris, related the following incidents concerning the Saint’s miraculous presence:

a) During a pilgrimage to the shrine, as the priest began to read the Gospel over the waters of Marcella’ s demise, the sea began to steam and the water lost its salty taste.

b) During Holy Liturgy at the Saint Marcella Church, as the priest spoke the words, "By having respect for God...," a Greek - American girl entered the church and called out in the presence of the people, "Father, listen to what just happened to me." But before she began her story, her gaze fell on the icon to the right of the iconostas which pictured the bloodied head of Aghia Marcella floating on the waves. The girl shouted. "There, that’s the girl I saw." And she related the incident. "My parents and I were walking towards the site of the Saint’s waters. Along the way, at the spot where the cross stands (the place where she was wounded by the arrow), I saw a woman dressed in black selling children’ s toys. I said to my parents. "Isn’t the girl here too early for the festival?" But my parents, could not see her. We walked further on, and on my way back, on the same spot by the cross, I saw the black-clad girl. "There she is" I cried out. The girl raised her hand, waved to me, and disappeared."

c) One day a thick branch broke off one of the eucalyptus trees in the church courtyard. On the spot of the break the face of a girl appeared with a halo around her hair. It was concluded that the face was that of the Saint. In addition to the above witnessed events the church is filled with countless votive offerings by the faithful who were cured of various afflictions and who are undeniable witnesses to the miracles of Saint Marcella.

Crowds of people from all parts of Greece gather at her holy shrine to receive its beneficent gifts. There are a good number of guest rooms in the courtyard, as well as convenient areas for camping and parking of cars.

http://www.chiosonline.gr/aghiamarcella.asp

[Misha]

a) During a pilgrimage to the shrine, as the priest began to read the Gospel over the waters of Marcella’ s demise, the sea began to steam and the water lost its salty taste.



This happens every year when the priest reads the prayers at the place of st Markella martyrdom.
The interesting thing is that it happens twice,on July 22th and on August 4th (when the old calendarists celebrate Her memory)

[Alice]

This happens every year when the priest reads the prayers at the place of st Markella martyrdom.
The interesting thing is that it happens twice,on July 22th and on August 4th (when the old calendarists celebrate Her memory)

Dear Brother in Christ, Misha,

I did know about the bubbling of the waters at the site on July 22nd. I did not know that it also happens on the old calendar...which just goes to show us that God and His saints are not bound by those external things which sometimes preoccupy us and which are not necessary for our salvation.

My mother was blessed to have witnessed the bubbling of the waters around thirty-five years ago. I remember that I was a young teen and was ill that day. So I stayed in the hotel room, and she left early in the morning to catch the bus from where we were staying in the main town (Chora) which was headed for the feast day service of Aghia Markella. The road trip at that time was a treachourous one, as it is around ever escalating mountain curves, and the roads were not as good then...and for my mother, who, like me, has acrophobia, that was truly an act of devotion!

St. Markella has come to many Chiotes to offer hope and consolation in their dreams and in their lives. I vaguely remember a story of her coming on to a bus some years ago...but I don't remember why. I do, however, remember the story that my grandmother told me of her visiting her in a dream when my uncle was close to death in hospital from pneumonia as a little boy in the 1930's, when penicillin and antibiotics had not yet been invented. She told her not to worry, and that my uncle would be alright, and sure enough, he is alive and well now at the age of 71!

May Aghia Markella intercede for us all in our needs, our sorrows, our health, and in our salvation. AMEN!

In Christ,
Alice :-)

[Michael C.]

My mother told me the story of a woman from Athens: She was ill and near death. She had a dream where a young girl came to her and told her to come visit her on Chios, "Come to my house and you will be healed." I don't know the details, but this woman went to Chios, went to the monastery there, and saw the icon. She said that this is the young girl whom I saw in my dream. She was also healed from her disease.

Chios is an amazingly historical island. There's a book (in Greek), The Monasteries of Chios, Ta Monastiria tis Chiou. There are more than 150, I believe, which is a huge amount for such a small geographical area. Nea Moni is an extremely important one, it has the third most mosaics in the world. There are also Panageia Voithea, Agios Menas, St. Markella. In 1822 the entire Greek (Christian) population on the island was wiped out, the majority were killed or sold into slavery, and a few escaped, in retiliation by the Turks for the Greek Revolution.

In a recent visit I was appalled by the disrepair that has befallen many of these monasteries. The monastics there are quite elderly and not able to perform the physical labor required for their upkeep.

Many people believe that Christopher Columbus originated from Chios. It was once a Genoese colony. There are several "Colombo" families living in Chios today.

[Andreas Moran]

In 1822 the entire Greek (Christian) population on the island was wiped out, the majority were killed or sold into slavery, and a few escaped, in retiliation by the Turks for the Greek Revolution.

This event was commemorated in Delacroix's celebrated painting.

130

[Alice]

This event was commemorated in Delacroix's celebrated painting.

130

This is one of the most painful memories for the people of my ancestor's island. There is a monastery called 'Aghio Mina' perched high upon a mountain with an absolutely beautiful view (and sadly, only two nuns left) where the blood of those massacred in the church can be seen in the stained marble floor of the church. Men, women and children ran to the monasteries to hide and escape the Ottoman wrath, only to be found and murdered in water wells, churches and monasteries. The bones of all those who perished at that holy sight is kept in a small room on the monastery grounds. May their memories be eternal...

This historical moment of horror permeates the history of the island and is somewhat inescapable when touring the island. It is considered 'i megali katastrophi'--the 'huge catastrophe'.

[Michael C.]

Dear Alice,


The bones of all those who perished at that holy sight is kept in a small room on the monastery grounds. May their memories be eternal...

I have a picture of this event in my album, except that it is not from St. Menas, it's from Nea Moni, where the same thing happened, on Pascha Sunday no less.

Here's the link:
http://www.monachos.net/forum/album.php?albumid=91&pictureid=508

The inscription reads something like "Out of 100,000 inhabitants on the island, 50,000 perished, 25,000 were sold into slavery and 25,000 escaped..."

Michael

[Nina]

Love St. Markella and I can't read her story without being moved! It is a bit belated but happy feastday of St. Markella and of course of St. Maria Magdalene.

[Vasiliki D.]

I have uploaded some photos of the shrine onto OrthodoxWiki if anyone would like to take a look:

www.orthodoxwiki.org/Markella_of_Chios (http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/Markella_of_Chios)

[Rebecca Gabl]

Does anyone know if the service to St Markella exists in English?

[Olga]

Could be a tall order, even to find the service in Greek, as the usual appointed commemoration in any Menaion I have at hand for July 22 is that for St Mary Magdalene. Perhaps locating a church in an English-speaking country which is dedicated to this saint is a starting point.

[Michael Stickles]

Could be a tall order, even to find the service in Greek, as the usual appointed commemoration in any Menaion I have at hand for July 22 is that for St Mary Magdalene. Perhaps locating a church in an English-speaking country which is dedicated to this saint is a starting point.

That's probably the best approach. I found a couple:

Saints Markella and Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (http://www.stmarkella.org/) in Fort Walton Beach, FL
Saint Markella Greek Orthodox Church (http://www.agiamarkella.com/index.php?id=8) in Wantagh, NY
Saints Mary Magdalene and Markella Greek Orthodox Church (http://www.gochc.org/) in Darlington, MD

Also, in the course of doing that search, I found a listing of 17 miracles attributed to St. Markellos (http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/07/17-miracles-of-virgin-martyr-markella.html).

In Christ,
Michael