[buchmausar]

Hello to all!
With our Lord's grace

I was recently given a paper in the monastery where I often go about a miracle performed in Greece and I would like to share it with you.

A military aircraft with a crew of two people was on air. The master pilot was in the front and the co-pilot behind him, as they are placed in such aircrafts. While the aircraft was high, there was a malfunction and the engines stopped working. The aircraft started losing height and was falling. The pilot informed the control tower and he was permitted to abandon the aircraft. The two pilots agree on the time of the ejection and the pilot was ready to press the ejection button.

Suddenly he saw in front of the aircraft, on air, a male figure with wings, more than 2m high, holding a sword. The pilot was so surprised and shocked that he didn't press the button. At that moment the engines and all the appliances of the aircraft start working again and the aircraft started to gain height. The co-pilot did not see anything and he asked the master pilot what happened. He replied he would tell him when they would land.

When they landed in their base, the pilot told about the vision of the Archangel. He felt Archangel Michael was the protector of the air force. Since then, wherever he goes he tells the miracle and orders icons of Archangel Michael to put in the churches.

For whoever knows greek, this is the link where you can read about it.
http://hristospanagia1.wordpress.com...¿Ï…-á¼€Ï�χα/

[pprropeciaaa]

Thank you dear Eleni for posting this. I love the Archangel Michael! I always ask him to protect the whole aircraft of any airplane I am flying on. He is our protector and our defender of evil. All we need to do is ask him. I am also so honoured to celebrate my name day (Angeliki) on his feast day.

--Alice

[hotelhyatt]

Has this been accepted by the Church of Greece?

[karaburatoreror]

Has this been accepted by the Church of Greece?

Does a personal miracle need to be approved by the Church? These personal miracles happen everyday in a person's life, don't they?
These "personal miracles" in my own life lead me to an increased thankfulness, awe and recognition that "God is in our midst!" in
and through His Divine Providence. So, I can say, "Glory to God for all things!"

[ButKnillinoi]

Approved? Not so much. Accepted? Well it seems reasonable and prudent that such things be investigated to some degree by the Church so that some sort of "official" position can be formulated. And that investigation will no doubt be a little more involved than "guess what I read on the internets ...!"

Or so it seems to this bear of little brain.

Herman the Internets [sic] Pooh

[buchmausar]

Has this been accepted by the Church of Greece?

I do not know if the Greek Church has accepted this miracle, but I don't need the Church's approval to believe in it

[Oriesssedleli419]

Hallo!

Im my opinion, a miracle which has not been "approved"/"accepted"/"acknowledged" by some sort of higher authority (responsible bishop or synod) should remain between the person having experienced this miracle and this person's spiritual father. It should not be brought to attention to the public. But this is my personal, unqualified opinion.

[hotelhyatt]

I was taught (by a Greek bishop, I may add) that any miracle or similar manifestation of grace should be confessed to one's spiritual father who may then give permission for the occurrance to be made known to others. I believe this is standard procedure. This is not to cast doubt on the occurrance but to obtain confirmation of it and sanction for the retelling of it generally. This way way we avoid pride and prelest.

[pprropeciaaa]

I was taught (by a Greek bishop, I may add) that any miracle or similar manifestation of grace should be confessed to one's spiritual father who may then give permission for the occurrance to be made known to others. I believe this is standard procedure. This is not to cast doubt on the occurrance but to obtain confirmation of it and sanction for the retelling of it generally. This way way we avoid pride and prelest.

I understand the profound meaning of the Bishop's words, but miracles are shared in the Orthodox world every day and all the time, by word of mouth, by internet, in conversation, in books and periodicals...and actually, I think it is the opposite of prelest to do so using your own name because you are telling the whole world of a need you had which needed a miracle; and all needs (health, finances, family turmoil, marital woes, etc.) are humbling and can be extremely embarrassing to share..

Therefore, I think that to share something so personal but so magnificent is pleasing to God--for in doing so, one is elevating the greatness of God, His existence, the glory of the Saints, and the efficacy of their loving intercessions on our behalf, and persuades others who are of little faith and belief to strengthen their faith and their religious and/or spiritual life.

Sharing miracles in Greece is how St. Nektarios has become so well known. The other day in Bible Study, our leader shared how after reading the life story of St. Nektarios he turned back to the Church, and that in doing so, he shared some holy oil from St. Nektarios's pilgrimage site/grave in Aegina, with the friend of a friend who had cancer and was ready to be operated on. The x-ray before the operation revealed nothing--the cancer had completely disappeared! Glory to God! We all rejoice when we hear of such stories.

I fail to see how a miracle should not be shared.

In Christ,
Alice

[pprropeciaaa]

P.S. I also humbly believe that hearing about miracles gives one hope. Isn't that the reason we have Akathist and Supplication services to specific saints--to ask for a miracle? If we had never heard of any miracles related to that particular saint, why would we go to and/or pray these services to them?

[hotelhyatt]

I fail to see how a miracle should not be shared.

I agree. But we have to be sober. How shall we know if what someone says is a miracle, or some other revelation, is what they say it is? Are we not to test such things and be sure? Are we not to submit them to some authority, notably our bishop? Is this not what was done on so many occasions, for example when the relics of SS Raphael, Nikolaos and Irene were discovered? This is what my late wife and I did when we experienced the grace of St John of Beverley - we went to confess to Archimandrite Zacharias who affirmed our experience and blessed to tell of it.