A 1967 Medical Examination of the Incorrupt Relics of Saint Gerasimos

 By Demetrios Panagopoulos, Preacher

(From a sermon on February 13, 1983 or 1984)

In 1967, a committee of scientists (medical examiners) had gone to examine the relic of Saint Gerasimos (in Kefallonia) and provide a "scientific" (if possible) solution to the incorruption of the sacred relic.

They sat for several days and considered it. In the end, they compiled a report that, among other things, confessed that the incorruptibility of the sacred relic is beyond the realm of science.

But the most amazing thing of all was that their leader, who was cold and indifferent to the faith, was for twenty days locked up in his house and troubled. When he was later asked why, he confessed that while examining the relic, at one point, he felt a pulse (a sign of a living person) in the Saint's hand!

 

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

 

 

Greek Politician and Scientist Responds to Criticism After Posting on Social Media About a Miracle He Witnessed

Giannis Kallianos is a 43 year old Greek presenter of meteorological bulletins, mathematician and politician, a member of the New Democracy in the Southern Sector of Athens II. Today, he works at Mega Channel.

On October 16, 2021, the MP became the target of an arson attack on his political office in Argyroupoli. The explosion of the incendiary device caused material damage to the entrance of the apartment building. In a post on Facebook, the MP described the perpetrators as enemies of democracy.

On October 29, 2021, he posted the following on his Facebook and Twitter accounts, responding to comments made from his post on October 26th, the feast of Saint Demetrios, where he mentioned that he attended the Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Great Martyr at the Church of Saint Demetrios in Vyrona, where an icon of the Panagia has been weeping for a year:

Scientific Evidence of a Miracle in Prokopi of Evia During the Raging Fire on August 7, 2021

On August 7, 2021 a litany took place in Prokopi of Evia with sacred relics and the large holy icon of Saint John the Russian, together with the wonderworking icon of Saints Constantine and Helen from the parish of the same name, in which the whole village participated, while it had an evacuation order given due to the raging fire which was fast approaching the village and despite the ban imposed by the government on litanies.

From here we downloaded the file (Live satellite download): https://zoom.earth/

Anyone who wants can enter the site to verify them.

Keep in mind, there was no rain in the forecast.

A 2019 Scientific Study on the Characteristics and Effects of the Holy Light of Jerusalem

Prof. Giulio Fanti experimenting with the properties of the Holy Light

Giulio Fanti, Professor of Industrial Engineering at the University of Padua, presented an interesting paper in 2019 titled "Is the 'Holy Fire' Related to the Turin Shroud?". Below is the summary:

This paper presents the experimental results obtained on the “Holy Fire” (HF) in the Edicule of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. It is not the aim of the present paper to study how the HF is formed, but that to study its characteristics and effects and to detect if these features are in some way comparable with those typical of the Turin Shroud (TS). The following experiments have been performed and discussed: HF temperature and spectrum; photos in visible light and infrared; effects of the HF and of a common fire (CF) on linen fabrics; possible air ionization in the environment of the Holy Sepulcher. While some results appear not easy to explain from a scientific point of view, some experiments seem to show no appreciable difference between the HF and a CF. In addition to these experiments, the author detected various series of strikes of lightening emitted at regular intervals at a frequency variable from 3 to 10 Hz, not easy to explain because not typical of flashes produced by photographers. Various facts connected to the HF appear related to what it has been detected in reference to the TS that shows a double image of a man up to now not reproducible nor explainable and, in agreement with the Christian tradition, that shows some traces of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Read the full paper here.

 

For more information on the Holy Light, see here.

 

 

Saint Iakovos Tsalikes and the Unbelieving Physicist

 

By Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol

There was a woman from Canada, and another nun with her, from Cyprus, actually, and they went to see Fr. Iakovos.

The young woman who was from Canada was a physicist, but she didn’t believe and was probably an atheist. When they got there, Fr. Iakovos told them he was leaving to go to a village. He added: "But I hope that Saint David, who’s here in our monastery, will show you that there really are saints and the grace of the Holy Spirit. God exists and He overcomes the laws of nature."

An Electrifying Miracle

 

Elder Nikolai (Guryanov)

A Russian professor of mathematics came to visit Elder Nikolai (Guryanov) with his English friend, also a professor of mathematics, who was an unbeliever. The Russian friend prayed very much that he would believe. The Englishman said: "If this old man shows me a miracle, then I will believe."

They arrived and met with the elder who led them into his cell and immediately said: "My son, what a miracle for you, to be here." He went to the switch and started clicking: "Here is light, but there is no light. Here is light, but there is no light. Ha-ha-ha!" They laughed, and Father Nikolai sent them home: "Go, my sons, with God, go in peace." The Englishman also laughed saying, "What miracles can there be?" After all, he was a man of science. 

They arrived back to the mainland from the island, and there was a crowd of people gathered, the police, and workers who were dragging some wires. "What happened?" they asked. "For three days now there has been no electricity on the islands." Amazed the scientists immediately turned the boat back to see Elder Nikolai. 

 

Unsanitary Miracles

Every time there is mention of saliva, spoons and the like - by those who have targeted Holy Communion - the miracle comes to mind of the man born blind (John 9). The Lord, with a “sanitarily unacceptable” action, restored the eyes of the blind man! He mixed His saliva (a means of spreading viruses and bacteria) with soil (a source of millions of germs) and “smeared” the clay mixture over the eye sockets of the blind man (mucosal conjunctiva: a point of entry for germs and the onset of infection). We are familiar with what ensued, just as we know that no science is able to reproduce that result. Quite simply, if it had taken place today, apart from the Pharisees of that time, among Jesus’ accusers would also be certain narrow-minded infectious disease specialists.

- Monk Paul of the Holy Mountain

Biologist, MD Molecular Biology and Biomedicine

Vouleftiria, Holy Mountain

Scientific Studies on the Transmission of Infectious Diseases Through Holy Communion

Often when discussing the issue of the possibility of the transmission of infectious diseases through Holy Communion, anecdotal evidence at best is presented, though usually it is more about speculations and personal beliefs. However, since the late 19th century there have been numerous scientific studies that actually give us hard scientific evidence. Most of these studies have been done in Anglican, Methodist and Lutheran churches with their debate of many decades regarding the use of the common communion cup. Using the common cup is similar to using a common spoon by Orthodox Christians. However, with the Orthodox practice, it can be added that after each communicant receives communion the priest dips the spoon in warmed wine before communicating the Holy Gifts again, which can serve as a disinfectant; this important factor is not determined in the conclusions of the studies below. Also, for those Orthodox Christians who argue for the miraculous properties of the Holy Gifts, the studies below should eliminate this factor and examines it by its physical properties alone. It is only on this basis that conclusions can be drawn. As far as I know, no such study has been done with the Orthodox practice, which should be considered.

The Unbelieving Physicist and a Miracle Above and Beyond the Laws of Nature

St. Iakovos Tsalikes holding the censer and cane of St. David of Evia

By Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol

A few days before we went to the monastery in Evia, some people came from a village and asked Fr. Iakovos Tsalikes to take some relics of Saint David and to perform a Supplicatory Canon for them. As he was leaving, there was a woman from Canada named Maria, and there was a nun with her, from Cyprus actually, and they went to see Fr. Iakovos.

The young woman who was from Canada was a physicist, but she didn’t believe and was probably an atheist. When they got there, Fr. Iakovos told them he was leaving to go to a village. He added: ‘But I hope that Saint David, who’s here in our monastery, will show you that there really are saints and the grace of the Holy Spirit. God exists and He overcomes the laws of nature.'

Early Testimony to the Darkness at the Crucifixion of Christ

In the account of Jesus’ crucifixion in the Gospel of Mark we read, “And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour” (Mk 15.33). This detail is part of the pre-Markan passion story and, since Mark is the earliest of our Gospels, therefore a very early tradition that deserves to be taken seriously.

Can a Scientist Believe in the Resurrection? Three Hypotheses.

By Ian Hutchinson

MIT Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering

I’m a professor of nuclear science and engineering at MIT, and this weekend, I’m celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. So are dozens of my colleagues. How can this be?

Hypothesis one: We’re not talking about a literal resurrection. Perhaps it is just an inspiring myth that served to justify the propagation of Jesus’ exalted ethical teachings. A literal resurrection contradicts the known laws of nature. Maybe scientists can celebrate the idea of Jesus’s spirit living on, while his body remained in the grave.

But the first disciples attested to a physical resurrection. How could an untruth logically support high moral character? How could it have sustained the apostles through the extremes of persecution they experienced founding Christianity? And is celebrating a myth consistent with scientific integrity?

What Scientists Have Said About the Miraculous Chapel of St. Theodora in Vasta

By John Sanidopoulos

What we know of the life of St. Theodora of Vasta comes entirely from local tradition, but her little chapel in southern Greece is known throughout the world and visited by thousands every year.

The Chapel of St. Theodora dates approximately to the 12th century and it is entirely made of stone. What is extraordinary about this church however is that there currently grow 17 enormous trees on the roof of this small structure. Most of them are over 30m high, and some of them are over 1m in diameter. Many of the trees weigh over 1 ton. Yet, even though the roof of the little church is thin and without any special support, it remains standing for centuries now as if by a miracle. Scientists have studied the case and they confess their inability to explain how the trees grow on such a thin roof, without destroying the church. The little church is under great pressure, and over time some minor restoration has been necessary, but that is mainly due to the curiosity of some inexperienced people who have tried to “understand the mystery”. Unprofessional interventions have affected the church’s architecture, though only to a small degree.

Russian Priest Seeks Scientific Proof for the Miraculous Nature of the Holy Light (Holy Fire) of Jerusalem

Fr Gennady Zaridze

Meet the Russian Priest Investigating the ‘Miraculous’ Holy Fire of Jerusalem

Victor Khroul
May 2, 2016
Catholic Herald

According to tradition, the Holy Fire ignites from the tomb of Jesus Christ at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It has been descending on the church for more than 1,500 years and it is believed that the year when it fails to light will be the last year in humankind’s history.

In those first few moments after it descends, the fire is only slightly warm. Pilgrims can easily take it in their hands and wash their faces in it, without hurting either their hands or faces.

Is this miracle? Some people, especially non-Orthodox Christians, have their doubts. But there was no doubt in the minds of the 100-plus pilgrims from Russia that they were witnessing a miracle: that was what had brought them to Jerusalem two days previously, on Friday. In total, thousands of Christians gathered in Jerusalem to light torches and candles from the holy flame on the eve of Orthodox Easter.

Russian Scientific Studies on the Property Change of Water on Epiphany Day

Russian Study: Physical Property of Water Changed on Epiphany Day

February 5, 2007

Interfax

All water, including that in the water supply system, changed its physical properties on the Epiphany Day and the day before it, the Sysin’s Research Institute of Human Ecology and Environmental Hygiene of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences physicists found some days ago.

The institute’s scientists daily researched properties and quality of regular water from the pipe measuring quantity of ion radicals in it. From 17 January(1) the ion radical level started rising, and the water started smoothening. The water’s pH level was rising too making it less acidic, the Moskovsky Komsomolets daily said on Monday.