Orthodox Parables and Stories: Miracle on the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos

 

In 1931, on the eve of the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, in Greece on the island of Paros near the Far Meadow, three groups of fishermen fished at night between the islands of Paros and Naxos.

That night, another small group of fishermen remained in the bay. The fishermen got drunk and began to swear, blaspheming the name of the Mother of God. Even the harbor guard and the tavern owner could not calm them down.

Suddenly the sea was agitated. Half an hour later, a wave the size of a mountain grabbed the fishermen's boats, carried them into the sea, and then with terrible force threw them onto the land so that only splinters remained of them.
When the sea calmed down, a ship coming from the island of Naxos appeared on the horizon. Having disembarked ashore, the captain looked around the wreckage with surprise and asked:
"How could this have happened? The sea was completely calm."
"This is a miracle of the Most Holy Theotokos!" one of the fishermen guessed.
Most agreed with him, but some of the wicked said ironically: “It was a tornado."

And a fisherman named Grigory Liakur even added the following:
"What a miracle! The Mother of God is not strong enough to compete with us fishermen!"
Having said this, he went to see what had happened to his boat. Glancing at the pile of boards, he spat, once again cursed the Blessed Virgin and went to bed.

As soon as he lay down right on the shore, the Mother of God appeared before him, either in a dream, or in reality:
"My child, why are you blaspheming Me?"
"What are you talking about, woman ?"  he got angry. “I don’t know you at all. When did I blaspheme you?

"You do not know Me? Then why are you constantly scolding Me?"

At these words, the irritated blasphemer jumped to his feet and tried to throw himself at Her, but could not do anything.
His knees sank into the sand. The fisherman crossed himself and again clearly saw the Mother of God and heard Her words:
"Come to My house, to the Temple of Stovratnitsa, which is in the village of Parikia on the island of Paros and venerate My icon."

At that moment, Liakur rushed to fulfill the command of the Virgin. He reached Stoovratnitsa after sunset. Rushing to the image of the Blessed Virgin, in Her Divine face, he recognized the Woman from his vision. He fell to his knees and prayed for several hours.

Only the next day Liakur returned to the Far Meadow. There a new miracle awaited him: all the ships, including his fishing boat, stood safe and sound.