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| St. Tryphon the Wonderworker and Martyr (Feast Day - February 1) |
The sacred Skull of Saint Tryphon can be found at the Athonite Monastery of Xenophontos. It has proven to be miraculous in protecting fields, gardens and orchards from beasts, locusts, creeping things and reptiles (especially snakes). Below is testimony provided by the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos of the wondrous intervention of Saint Tryphon in such an instance.
The presence of the honorable Skull of the most-glorious, blessed and divine Tryphon the Great Martyr in our Holy Monastery [Xenophontos], is an incredible blessing and honor, and provides a spring of divine gifts and graces, but also drives away sicknesses of fields and gardens.
Furthermore, in our monastic region is preserved a holy Cell named in honor of the great champion St. Tryphon the Unmercenary, which is inhabited by three fathers, praising and blessing God and His healer, the worthy-to-be-blessed divine Tryphon.
The sacred name of St. Tryphon is ever kept in our Brotherhood and is often given at the tonsure of a brother in honor of the Saint.
From the commemorations passed on to us from the old fathers we know of many wondrous events which are attributed to the unfading divine root of Lampsakos, St. Tryphon.
Elder Barlaam of Xenophontos lived in our Monastery for around 80 years. He walked and breathed history. In 1908 he came to our Monastery and reposed in 1983. Arrayed with simplicity and humility, he lived all his years in the Monastery bearing every trial patiently for the love of Christ. He served for many years in the fields of the Monastery and had many experiences with St. Tryphon, the protector of farmers.
He related to us once that at the upper gardens of the Monastery, in an area called “Zacharas”, locusts and caterpillars fell, wreaking havoc on the cabbage garden. The Elder informed the holy Abbot of the situation and asked for the holy Skull of the Great Martyr Tryphon to be brought and to perform a Sanctification Service with the prayers to the Saint.
Immediately the Monastery responded, and as soon as the honorable Skull of the Saint arrived and they performed the Sanctification Service and the prayers, all of the pests fled like a cloud and the garden’s crop was saved through the wondrous intervention of the Saint.
Also, Elder Barlaam related the following: “We, O fathers, did not know of pesticides and such things. When sicknesses appeared we would take the holy Skull of our protector, St. Tryphon, perform a Sanctification Service, and process the holy relic through the olive gardens, sprinkling the trees with the holy water, and the yield was wondrous. Imagine, the branches broke from the fruit, as we gathered 25,000 okades of oil a year from the olive crop. Glory to God and to St. Tryphon our protector!”
Also, with bodily illnesses the most-holy Martyr of Christ Tryphon is a relief and physician, and he does not cease to protect us from dangers and temptations. And whoever calls upon his holy name and seeks his help, receives the grace of healing from the chosen band of divine Unmercenaries.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.