Tuesday 25 June 2019

Thanking the Saints

We had a near miss the other day.  K's eye was saved by a miracle.


He was putting up the shade-netting on the front of the house, helped by a friend and neighbour.  This year he had a new improved method.  The netting was supported by a tight wire across the middle to keep it from sagging.

And the wire snapped.  One of those horror stories you only see on TV.  The wire whipped back, went under his glasses, hit him in the corner of his eye and slammed into his nose.

Shock, horror.  Blood poured out of his nose and no one was sure whether the wire had actually gone into his eye.

Enough.  Thank those powers on high, besides a nose bleed and a blackened eye he was ok, just shaken.

Our nearest little church is dedicated to Agia (Saint) Paraskevi who is the protector of the eyes.  So, the next day we took a litre of olive oil to leave for the lighting of the oil lamps and went down to the church




The chairs are all stacked up to one side.  It probably won't be used till 25 July, the eve of the day dedicated to Saint Paraskevi.  There are candles and an honesty box to leave a few coins, the oil lamp and a cigarette lighter to light the lamp and candles.

K lights the lamp which will shine till the wick burns out


We each lit a candle thanking Saint Paraskevi for her intervention.
You never know

Elderly Vaso, our neighbour was down there a few days ago too lighting a candle.  She got sun stroke and just as she thought she was gasping her last breath she had a vision of the Saint and started to recover, so she says.

Quite a few people pop into this little church to light a candle and kiss her icon.  The church is always open.  You take one of the small brown beeswax candles and leave a few cents or a few euros in the box.  The candles are lit and placed in the tray of sand.  We snuffed ours out before we left.  Lit candles are dangerous at this time of the year.


8 comments:

  1. Oh my. It must have been quite a frightening experience. I am so glad it turned out OK. It doesn't hurt to light a candle or two, just to be sure.

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    1. I like lighting a candle. Just showing our gratitude for good health

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  2. It makes you wonder doesn't it? Can't think of anything more precious than your eyes.

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  3. Thank goodness he’s going to be ok.
    He might have one almighty headache though so lots of rest
    If he does had a headache he might be concussed so a trip that doctors might be in order as well. But being a man I don’t like your chances

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    1. He did have a headache but no way was he going to a doctor! Been two days now and he's fine. It's a wonder he didn't break his nose as well

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  4. What a beautiful little chapel. I've always liked the idea of lighting candles to invoke help. Even though I'm not a believer, I did light candles when my children went on their gap year travels alone. It worked; they all returned OK.

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  5. Lighting a candle to send off a little prayer of thanks or a request feels right and doing it in a little chapel like this reinforces your intention

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