Saint Spyridon
Pre-Congregation | |
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| Major shrine | Corfu |
| Feast | East: December 12 West: December 14 |
Spyridon (Greek: Ἅγιος Σπυρίδων; c. 270 – 348) is a saint honoured in both the Eastern and Western Christian traditions.
Life
Spyridon was born in
Spyridon eventually became
He reportedly converted a
As soon as Spyridon finished speaking, the shard is said to have miraculously burst into flame, water dripped on the ground, and only dust remained in his hand (other accounts of this event say that it was a brick he held in his hand).
After the council, Spyridon returned to his
Spyridon was popular in Byzantine literature. A poem, now lost, was dedicated to him by his pupil Triphyllios. It inspired two 7th-century
Relics
In the 650s A.D., when the
of divine confirmation of his sanctity.When, in 1453, Constantinople fell to the Ottomans, Spyridon's relics were removed again; this time, to the island of Corfu by a Corfiote monk called Kalohairetis (Καλοχαιρέτης), where they remain to this day, in Saint Spyridon Church.
The relics are taken in
Patron saint and miracles
Patron saint
Spyridon is the patron saint of potters (from the miracle of the potsherd, above) and of the island of Corfu where he is called "Αγιος Σπυρίδων ο πολιούχος", "Saint Spyridon, the Keeper of the City", for the miracle of expelling the plague (πανούκλη) from the island. He is also the patron saint of Piraeus where he is celebrated and honored every year on 12 December.
Corfu
It is believed by the faithful that the plague, on its way out of the island, scratched one of the fortification stones of the old citadel (Palaio Frourio) to indicate its fury for being expelled. This scratch is still shown to visitors.
Spyridon is also believed to have saved the island at the
On July 8 the Turkish fleet carrying 33,000 men sailed to Corfu from Butrinto and established a beachhead in Ipsos the same day the Venetian fleet encountered the Turkish fleet off the channel of Corfu and defeated it in the ensuing naval battle. On July 19 the Turkish army reached the hills of the town and laid siege to the city. After repeated failed attempts and heavy fighting, the Turks were forced to raise the siege which had lasted 22 days.
There were also rumors spreading among the Turks that some of their soldiers saw Spyridon as a monk threatening them with a lit torch and that helped increase their panic. This victory over the Ottomans, therefore, was attributed not only to the leadership of Count Schulenburg who commanded the stubborn defense of the island against the Ottomans but also to the miraculous intervention of Spyridon.
After the victorious outcome of the battle, Venice honored Schulenburg and the Corfiotes for successfully defending the island. The great composer
Feast day
Recognizing Spyridon's role in the defense of the island, Venice legislated the annual "
Other
Spyridon is also the patron saint of the
References
- ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
External links
- St. Spyridon and other religious traditions on Corfu
- St Spyridon the Wonderworker, Bishop of Tremithus Orthodox synaxarion
- Spyridon of Trimythountos
- Saint Spyridon
- The life of Saint Spyridon
- Holy Metropolis of Trimythous, Church of Cyprus
- Colonnade Statue in St Peter's Square
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