Orthodox Parables and Stories: Chapel built with Milk

During the Turkish occupation, the Turkish conquerors had demolished and looted the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Stroumboula, like most churches in Greece.

After pressure from the inhabitants of Tylissos and surrounding areas, such as Marathos and Damasta, the Turkish governors, pressured by the religious sentiment of the inhabitants and fearful of an uprising, let them rebuild it but under one condition: they had to finish it within a week: , not even an hour later. If they did, good. If not, something the Turks were sure of, they would tear it down on the spot.

All the villagers were zealous. They worked day and night to prevent the chapel from being destroyed. The conditions were very bad. The paths to transport materials were very long. They carried them with their donkeys day and night to catch up. At the last moment they were missing water and the well in the mountain had dried up. It was impossible for them to go down the mountain in the night to bring water to finish building the roof that was still left.

Then the shepherds from the surrounding area gathered together, milked their goats and gave them the milk they had collected. With this milk the villagers muddied the mud and finished building the roof in time. The Turks were surprised, they didn't believe their eyes but they kept their agreement and let them keep the chapel.

Since then the chapel of the Holy Cross has been in place at the top of Stroumboula and thousands of devotees visit it every year on September 13 and 14