"The Miracle in Syria"
Compiled by Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, Boise, Idaho USA
NEW
In December 2004 a Saudi Arabian man, a Moslem, appeared before several new
agencies to relate the following incredible event he experienced and which
changed his life (this story appeared on TV, the Internet, radio, and was
circulated in newspapers, magazines, and pamphlets throughout Saudi Arbia,
Syria, Palestine, and evidently in all neighboring countries.
Some years ago, this man married a very rich Moslem woman but sterile. As
the years passed, and despite all their efforts and significant medical
expenses with many doctors, they remained childless. The man's parents
suggested to him that he marry a second woman, while upholding his initial
marriage (as the local laws permits up to four concurrent marriages).
Being exhausted, worried, and downhearted, he did not accept his parents'
advice but rather chose to vacation with his wife in Syria. There, they
hired a limousine with a driver who would serve as tour guide fro all their
site-seeing excursions throughout Syria. As the vacation progressed, the
driver noticed that the Saudi Arabian couple was experiencing bitterness,
pain, and grief. Having gained familiarity with the couple, the driver
cautiously asked them whey they appeared to be so unhappy-was it perhaps
because he was not conducting the tour to their satisfaction?
The couple confided to the driver that the source of their unhappiness was
their inability to have children. The driver who was also a Moslem, then
told them that in Syria the Christians, specifically the Orthodox Christians,
have a monastery named Panagia Saidraya (Arabic word meaning Our Lady) and
that many people who can't have children take refuge to Her miracle-producing
icon. They go to the monastery and there they are given to eat, the wick
form the lamp which burns before the miraculous icon. And then the "Mary" of
the Christians gives them according to their faith, what they wish for.
Becoming excited, the Saudi Arabian and his wife asked the driver to take
them to the monastery "Saidnaya" of "The Lady of the Christians" and said
that if we have a child, then I will come back and I will give you
$20,000.00 US and, I will give the monastery $80,000 US. So they went to the
monastery and did as they were instructed. Later they returned to their
homeland and after some time the wife was found pregnant. In a few months
she gave birth to a charming baby boy. It was truly a miracle of Our Lady
Theotokos.
Now, as soon as his wife gave birth the Saudi Arabian man wanted to return
to Syria to uphold the promises he had made. Upon his return he called the
same driver and asked to be picked up at the Damascus airport. But the
driver was cunning and wicked and he persuaded two of his friends to go to
the airport with him to pick up the rich Saudi Arabian man and to take his
money and kill him. So they picked up the rich man at the airport and he, as
they drove, without realizing that they had planned to kill him, told the
friends of the driver that he would give them also $10,000 US each.
These men still not satisfied, deviated from the route to the monastery and
went to a deserted place and proceeded to slay the Saudi Arabian man and to
cut off his head and other parts (hands and legs) of his body into pieces.
Blinded by passion and overcome by the horrific act that they just committed,
they put the man's remains in the trunk of the car rather than just leaving
him there. After taking his money, watch, and all that he had, they
proceeded to find another deserted place to discard the remains.
Then on the National highway, their car broke down and stopped in the middle
of that road. The three men got out to determine why the engine had stalled.
Then a passerby stopped to help them but they, afraid that their terrible
act would be discovered, pretended that they did not need any help. But as
the passerby motorist was leaving, he noticed blood dripping from the rear
of the vehicle and he called the police to investigate because the scene and
the three men looked suspicious. The police came and they saw the blood
under the car and on the pavement so they ordered that the trunk be opened.
Well, when the opened the trunk, lo and behold, the Saudi Arabian man lifted
himself out, obviously and amazingly alive and in good health, saying to
them "Just now this PANAGIA finished stitching my neck, right here (showing
them the area of his Adam's Apple), after first stitching up the rest of my
entire body". Seeing this, the three criminals immediately lost their minds-becoming
like mad. The police handcuffed them and as they were being taken away to an
asylum for the insane, the criminals started raving that it could not be
possible that the Saudi Arabian man whom they killed, beheaded, and
dissected could yet be alive.
The Saudi Arabian went to a medical facility to undergo examination by
doctors and medical examiners who confirmed and attested that the stitching
was done very recently, thereby validating the miraculous event. The
stitches were, and still are, obvious. When the Saudi Arabian came out of
the car's trunk, he had the appearance, literally, of just having been
refabricated (put back together) to which he continuously confessed that
they PANAGIA had rejoined his body and resurrected him with the help of her
Son.
Immediately after this, the Saudi Arabian called his relatives to come to
Syria and they all went together to the monastery of Panagia Saidnaya and
offered up prayers, praises, and glorification, and instead of the initial
gift of $80,000 US (which was promised), he gave $800,000 US to the
Theotokos.
Today, as this man relates the details of that overwhelming miracle, he
starts his narration with "When I was a Moslem this happened to me" this
indicating he is not longer a Moslem, as neither is his family.
This miracle stunned with awesome surprise the entire Arabic/Moslem nation
and all of the Middle East.
"LIVES LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD OF HOSTS"
(Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher, Patriarchate of Jerusalem)
By Father Ignatios, Abbot
Holy Monastery of The Shepherds
Bt Ahur-Bethlehem
GREAT LENT, MARCH 2005
Submitted and compiled by Very Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
Boise, Idaho
USA
Eve of the Ascension of Lord, 8 June 2005
Glory to God for all things!
Most holy Mother of God, save us!
Peace to your souls!
Humbly In Our Lord God,
+Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
Who prays for you!