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In the year 1918, a flu pandemic known as the Spanish Flu broke out throughout Europe and thus extended throughout Greece. In the area of Thermo of Central Greece, the flu pandemic was at its peak.
Every day for about three months, deaths from the flu, as confirmed by the Church’s books, amounted to up to twelve per day. The situation was tragic.
The testimonies of the people who lived through it speak of the shocking experience.
The relatives of the dead did not dare to accompany their loved ones even to their grave, because the disease was contagious.
The priests of that time testify to this. People in general were panicking in the face of the great evil. There was no way to fight it.
Their only hope was in God and Saint Paraskevi. So the priests, together with the residents, decided to bring the icon of Saint Paraskevi to Thermo and process it through the streets.
Indeed, on November 20, 1918, led by the late Father Konstantinos Konstantopoulos (1835-1930), then parish priest of Saint Demetrios in Thermo, who also served the liturgical needs of the residents of the settlement of Mandra, at the Monastery of Saint Paraskevi, together with the also late priests: Papa-Yiannis Tsapatoris (+ 1944), Aristides Taxiarchiotis (+ 1933), Aristomenis Pitsios (+ 1938) and accompanied by residents of the area, went up to the Monastery of Saint Paraskevi, prayed, took the icon of the Saint and with the people following, they reached Thermo on foot along the old path, “the brooklet”, chanting and saying “Lord have mercy” continuously and begging “Saint Paraskevi, work your miracle.” Entering Thermo and along the road, they stopped at intervals to offer prayers.
Psalms and hymns were heard and people came out of their shops and homes to make the sign of the cross and pray to the Saint to stop the evil that had befallen them.
Every day for about three months, deaths from the flu, as confirmed by the Church’s books, amounted to up to twelve per day. The situation was tragic.
The testimonies of the people who lived through it speak of the shocking experience.
The relatives of the dead did not dare to accompany their loved ones even to their grave, because the disease was contagious.
The priests of that time testify to this. People in general were panicking in the face of the great evil. There was no way to fight it.
Their only hope was in God and Saint Paraskevi. So the priests, together with the residents, decided to bring the icon of Saint Paraskevi to Thermo and process it through the streets.
Indeed, on November 20, 1918, led by the late Father Konstantinos Konstantopoulos (1835-1930), then parish priest of Saint Demetrios in Thermo, who also served the liturgical needs of the residents of the settlement of Mandra, at the Monastery of Saint Paraskevi, together with the also late priests: Papa-Yiannis Tsapatoris (+ 1944), Aristides Taxiarchiotis (+ 1933), Aristomenis Pitsios (+ 1938) and accompanied by residents of the area, went up to the Monastery of Saint Paraskevi, prayed, took the icon of the Saint and with the people following, they reached Thermo on foot along the old path, “the brooklet”, chanting and saying “Lord have mercy” continuously and begging “Saint Paraskevi, work your miracle.” Entering Thermo and along the road, they stopped at intervals to offer prayers.
Psalms and hymns were heard and people came out of their shops and homes to make the sign of the cross and pray to the Saint to stop the evil that had befallen them.
How Two Residents Who Had Been Infected With the Deadly Virus Managed to Find a Cure
The first miracle happened in the neighborhood of Agrafiotis. There, in a house, was a bedridden and seriously ill young man, 18-year-old Theodore Agrafiotis, who had been infected with the flu. His mother, seeing the procession approaching their house, ran and shouted, saying: “Get up, Theodore, get up, my child, make your cross before the icon of Saint Paraskevi that is passing by on the street, so that she may heal you.”
Indeed, Theodore, after his mother’s urging and with difficulty, got up with support, reached the window, made his cross, and whispered the name of Saint Paraskevi. And - O, the miracle! - in front of the tearful and astonished eyes of his mother and many others, he was immediately healed.
The Saint performed her miracle. Theodore Agrafiotis became completely well, grew up, had a family, had seven daughters, lived for many years and in his old age, at the age of 94, he passed away naturally. With admiration, enthusiasm and more faith, the procession of the litany continued its course and the second miracle was not long in coming.
When the Sacred Procession arrived below the house of Euphrosyne Konstas Yfantis, who was seriously ill and lying in her bed, awaiting her fatal end, she heard the chanting and asked the woman who was caring for her what was happening.
She explained to her and immediately the sick Euphrosyne begged her to help her get up to see the icon of Saint Paraskevi from the window. Indeed, the woman who was caring for her helped her get up and go to the window. The sick woman then made the sign of the cross and begged the Saint to heal her. She immediately became well and went close to kiss the Sacred Icon and thank the Saint.
Euphrosyne lived for another fourteen years and passed away naturally in the year 1932.
She explained to her and immediately the sick Euphrosyne begged her to help her get up to see the icon of Saint Paraskevi from the window. Indeed, the woman who was caring for her helped her get up and go to the window. The sick woman then made the sign of the cross and begged the Saint to heal her. She immediately became well and went close to kiss the Sacred Icon and thank the Saint.
Euphrosyne lived for another fourteen years and passed away naturally in the year 1932.
The same happened to other people who had been infected with the deadly flu. At the mere sight of her icon, making the sign of the cross or whispering the name of Saint Paraskevi, they were healed. Indeed, from that day, November 20, 1918, deaths from the Spanish flu stopped completely.
Saint Paraskevi performed her miracle. She once again saved the inhabitants of Thermo and the surrounding villages from this pandemic.
Since then, all the people of the Thermo region and the settlement of Mandra, celebrate the memory of this miracle on November 20th, every year, with special splendor and religious devotion.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
Saint Paraskevi performed her miracle. She once again saved the inhabitants of Thermo and the surrounding villages from this pandemic.
Since then, all the people of the Thermo region and the settlement of Mandra, celebrate the memory of this miracle on November 20th, every year, with special splendor and religious devotion.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.