Orthodox Parables and Stories: "Miracle of St. John Maximovic

A few years ago, in the town of Mulino, Oregon, USA an amazing and wonderful event took place. It involved a godly woman of Russian descent who was a member of the New Martyrs of Russia Orthodox Church, where Father Sergei Sveshnikov is the priest. The vestments of St. John are kept in this parish. This woman was in the last week of her pregnancy (just before the expected day of childbirth), and went to her doctor's office for the final general check-up. During the check-up, everyone was shocked as the doctor diagnosed the baby as dead in the woman's womb. She was told that there were birth defects and that she would be forced to give birth to the dead infant immediately. The woman fainted, and when she regained consciousness, she was being administered medications that would cause her to begin contractions, labor, and childbirth. She demanded they stop immediately and asked to call her priest, Father Sergei. When Father Sergei learned what was happening, he told her to do nothing and wait for him. He arrived shortly afterwards with St. John's vestments, and formed them in a cross and put them across the woman's abdomen. To everyone's surprise, the ultrasound screen showed that the infant's heart began to beat again!