Kefalonia (or Kefalonia) is the largest of the seven Ionian Islands, located between the islands of Lefkada and Zakynthos. According to scientists, it is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures (Acts 28 ch.) under the name Melite, where the Apostle Paul arrived after a storm. In 59, a Roman ship transported St. Apostle Paul from Caesarea to Rome for trial, on the way they were overtaken by a storm near Malta, where St. the apostle stayed three months.

Hundreds of pilgrims flock to one of the most famous Greek islands these days. In the eastern part of Kefalonia, not far from the village of Markopoulo, there is a small church in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
For several centuries, the phenomenon of "holy snakes" has been observed in this village between August 5 and 15 - the time of celebrations dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The village is now preparing for the feast of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos and praying fervently, once again expecting a Miracle when,
On the eve of the feast of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, poisonous snakes crawl to Her miraculous icon of Panagia Fedus.

Starting from August 5, the number of snakes increases every day and reaches a maximum by the feast of the Assumption. Where the snakes come from and where they disappear after the holiday, no one knows.

Unfortunately, every year the number of snakes decreases. Previously, they appeared 30-40 pieces. Currently - 3-4. And in the old days, snakes filled the whole district.
If snakes do not appear, this is considered a very bad sign. So it was before the Second World War and the great Kefalonia earthquake.
There were no "snakes of the Virgin" in 2014!
And in 2017, to the delight of the villagers and guests, fourteen snakes appeared near the temple. This is not remembered here for a long time.

It has been noted that every year on the eve of the feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God, a small earthquake (3-4 points) occurs on the island, and on the very day of the holiday it rains, although at this time of the year it is very rare on the island.

The believers of the village call the Dormition of the Virgin Mary the second Easter and August is considered the month of the Mother of God.
The villagers, who are no more than 30 here, have been helping in the temple since the very morning. And in line to the temple are pilgrims from all over the world who want to see a miracle. They barely fit in the small square near the church.

The villagers warn pilgrims and tourists: - "If a snake crawls into your bosom, do not be afraid! By the grace of the Most Holy Lady of the Mother of God, snakes will not cause you any harm.
Pick them up and they'll lick your fingers like kittens."

During the all-night service, snakes crawl freely in the temple among people - along the chairs and lecterns located along the walls, without fearing anyone.
They, like bracelets, wrap around the hands of believers, crawl over the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Crucifixion, over the bread prepared for lithium. The snake can even crawl onto the Gospel, which is read at the Liturgy.
The snake is placed on the icon of the Mother of God, and they lie quietly there throughout the not-so-short service.
The holiday ends, and the snakes leave.

And it all started many centuries ago.
In the south of Kefalonia, there was once a small nunnery, its appearance is associated with the miracle of finding the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Somehow, the inhabitants of the nearest village saw that the forest was burning in their immediate vicinity. When the alarmed villagers came to fight the fire, they saw only one burnt tree.

And under it was the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, completely untouched by fire. With great reverence, the inhabitants transferred the holy Image to their village church, but the next morning the icon was not in it. The icon was found in the same place, under a burnt tree, where it was originally discovered. After some time, a temple was built on this site, cells of nuns began to appear near it, and, over time, apparently in the Middle Ages, a convent was built in honor of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos.

In those days, the island was constantly raided by sea robbers. The legend tells that in 1705 the nuns saw how a gang of pirates landed on the shore below, in the bay. All the men in the area were then at sea and the monastery could not withstand a long siege. Having laid all their hope on the Most Pure Virgin Mary, the nuns gathered in the church and began to pray to the Mother of God that She would not allow robbery and dishonor.

On the site of this bell tower, the same monastery stood.

And when the pirates broke into the monastery cathedral, instead of the nuns they saw huge black snakes, hissing menacingly and preparing to attack. The robbers fled in horror and left this place forever.
Since then, the icon that saved the monastery has been called "Fidus" or "Snake".
Now there is no monastery here, but the temple, named after the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, still stands.

One could doubt the veracity of this legend, but every year on the day of the Assumption of the Mother of God, snakes crawl to the place where the convent was.

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Residents of the village of Markopulo claim that the icon of the Queen of Heaven in this temple is the one in front of which the nuns prayed for their salvation.
This image is called "Theotokos of Longobard" or "Panagia Fedus", which means "Virgin of the Serpent".

In the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

And now, women in evening dresses, men in ironed holiday shirts rush to the service. For the Greeks from the island of Kefalonia, the Assumption of the Virgin is the main religious and national holiday.

Icon of the Mother of God "Panagia Fedus" in the Assumption Church.

You will speak Russian, and the local Greeks will definitely come to you. They will save you from thirst with water and watermelon - in the village of Markupolo there is not a single store nearby. Accustomed to miracles, the Greeks are incredibly hospitable.
Every August, Ivanos collects snakes near his house and brings them to the temple of the Assumption of the Virgin.

A snake wriggles in the hands of an Orthodox priest. For newcomers, this picture causes concern. But no one will insist on the guest holding the snake. Well, there are many parishioners who want to stroke the snakes.

A phenomenon that every year in a new way impresses even the old-timers. For several centuries in a row, in early August, hand snakes crawl into the church on the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin. Why they become non-poisonous has not been answered by any scientist.

According to Father Petros, snakes used to fill the entire church, climb onto the parishioners themselves, slide down the icons, but after the Chernobyl disaster, their number dropped sharply. This is how snakes most likely react to what is happening in the world.

***

German scientists investigated these snakes, but could not attribute them to any of the known species. They are gray and thin. In length, they do not exceed one meter, their skin is velvety. They have a cross on their head, as well as on the tip of the tongue.

Children tenderly touch and kiss snakes. It is hard to believe that they are tame without trying them - a miracle happens before my eyes. I take the snake. Velvety and warm to the touch. A barely noticeable small black cross is visible on the head.

Now in Greece, fires are raging due to abnormal heat, besides, the influx of pilgrims is growing every year, so you have to look for snakes at night with a flashlight.

The search can continue until the morning - until today, little Vasilis was also looking for a snake. His dad Panagiotis has the most popular name - derived from "Panagia" (in Greek, Mother of God) - he says that snakes bring good luck.

Markopulo is not the only village where snakes appear on the day of the Assumption. In the neighboring village of Arginia, they gather near the chapel where the altar of the old church was, destroyed by an earthquake in the fifties of the 20th century.

The village of Arginia

The inhabitants of Arginia notice snakes on the eve of the holiday, often gather in advance with the priest, read prayers and expect the appearance of snakes. Small snakes crawl here, and they are brought to the temple for Divine service. Orthodox Greeks believe that this touch brings happiness. According to ancient tradition, snakes are left in the church all night.

***
Last year, the Greek Church was going to invite a serpentologist to study the "miracle of warm-blooded snakes" in Greece.
A specialist in the study of snakes, at the invitation of representatives of the Church, will go to the Greek island of Kefalonia to measure the temperature of the poisonous snakes that live there, which, as the locals say, gather on the site of the former monastery on the Feast of the Assumption and guard the monastery.

Archpriest Gennady Zaridze, rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in the Voronezh region and chairman of the Association of Orthodox Scientists, has been studying church miracles from a scientific point of view for many years.

In August 2017, the priest told RIA Novosti correspondents the following about the idea: “From a biological point of view, there are no warm-blooded snakes. Therefore, we want to invite an authoritative serpentologist from Moscow to Kefalonia to describe these snakes and measure their temperature.”

“For a long time, on the feast of the Assumption, snakes have been gathering on the site of the former monastery. And in those years when this does not happen, earthquakes and natural disasters happen. But the point is not even in these coincidences, but in the fact that these snakes are warm-blooded!” - said the priest.
Also, according to him, the temperature of the holy relics of Spyridon Trimifuntsky, who died in the 4th century, is 36.6 degrees Celsius, which cannot be explained within the framework of existing natural science theories.

Briefly:

MIRACLES ON THE DAY OF THE DORMITION OF THE MOTHER OF GOD (1999)

Movie Information
Name: Miracles on the Day of the Dormition of the Mother of God
Release year: 1999
Genre: Documentary
Country: Russia
Production: Studio "AST"

Producer: Gleb Puninsky

About the film:
The film tells about the miracles that take place on the feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God, on the island of Kefalonia in the Ionian Sea (Greece), about the celebrations in the heavenly patron of the island, St. Gerasimos, and his incorruptible relics in the temple. God rewards the islanders with great miracles for their ardent faith and piety.
“When the day came, they didn’t recognize the land, but they saw only a certain bay with a sloping coast, to which they decided, if possible, to land with a ship ...
Having escaped, those who were with Paul learned that the island was called Melite." Acts of the Holy Apostles (27:39,28:1)

On the day of the Assumption of the Mother of God on the Greek island of Kefalonia, near the miraculous icon of Panagia Fedus, small, small poisonous snakes with black crosses on their heads crawl into the temple from all around.
The inhabitants of the village of Markopol claim that in their temple there is still the same icon, in front of which the nuns were then asked for intercession. And what is surprising - snakes crawl into the temple on a holiday and, as if spellbound, are drawn to this icon. They are not afraid of people and do not sting them, but people, in turn, just as calmly react to the presence of such unusual "parishioners". The snakes crawl over the icons and without fear move into the hands of people when they hold them out to them.
Poisonous creatures, fearing no one, humbly give themselves into people's hands and do not bite anyone! Kefallonians and visiting tourists hold snakes in their arms without fear, put them on their shoulders. Even small children play with "snakes". Shortly after the end of the festive service, the snakes crawl down from their favorite icon of the Mother of God and leave the church. As soon as they crawl across the road and end up in the mountains, they are transformed again. Now, if you approach them, they will immediately hiss and may bite! These phenomena have been captured on photo and video by journalists more than once.
On this great holiday, both nature and man, as it were, unite in order to glorify in their prayers our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and give praise to the Creator for his great good deeds to all of us.

Film stills:

Note : To watch the video in full screen mode, click the full screen button in the lower right corner of the player window. After pressing the button, the video will expand to almost fit the size of your screen.

Miracle with snakes on the island of Kefalonia - exposure September 2nd, 2015

Orthodox often mention in addition to blessed fire another regular miracle.
On the day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (on the Island of Kefalonia) to her miraculous icon of Panagia Fedus, in the village of Markopulo, they miraculously crawl Poisonous snakes to glorify the Mother of God together with all believers."
Another source points out another striking detail: “They are gray in color, thin. They do not exceed one meter in length, their skin is velvety. they have a cross on their head like on the tip of the tongue."
There is also a documentary about this phenomenon.
How does everything really happen?

1. Crosses on the heads of snakes?
Thanks to the presence of the documentary, it is easy to see that they do not have any crosses on their heads.

2. Where do snakes come from?
Already in one of the Orthodox articles cited here, it was written that “These days the inhabitants of Markopulo walk along the ravine, on the slope of which the church is located, and collect snakes to bring them to the Most Holy Theotokos.” Some incredulous pilgrims asked local priests about the origin of snakes, and they did not hide the fact that they themselves collect them:
« I visited this monastery 2 years ago . We tortured the ministers with questions: "Are snakes really crawling by themselves?" Unable to withstand our addiction, they reported that people bring them. ( tatiana_ilinka)
Her words are confirmed by another participant ( aa_ksantino) “Good afternoon, father! tatiana_ilinka is absolutely right - these snakes are simply brought to the holiday, they do not crawl into the temple at all, as is often presented on Orthodox sites. The story of the snakes, alas, is a pious tale.”
Yet one story confirming that kites are simply brought ( popadya): “Actually: These snakes are representatives of the local fauna, absolutely harmless creatures, like our snakes. Of all the things told, the only truth is that most of them actually have a pattern on their heads that looks a lot like a four-pointed cross. The rest are pious lies. They do not crawl into the temple, unless by chance - the doors are open, they can crawl. For the service, the servants of the temple go to the nearest forest, pick up these snakes there in large boxes and bring them to the temple. Everything. No one has examined them, they are not poisonous, they do not disappear anywhere, but all the time they live in the vicinity of the temple.

3. Are these snakes poisonous?
As witnesses have previously reported, these snakes are ordinary, non-poisonous. From the photo it is easy to determine the species of these snakes. This is a cross-striped snake.

In this way.

They bring snakes.

They are not poisonous.

There are no crosses on their heads.

In Greece, on the island of Kefalonia, or the “Island of Miracles,” as it is called, every year in August, poisonous snakes crawl to the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the village of Markopoulo, where the miraculous icon of Panagia Fedus (translated as “The Mother of God of the Serpent”) is located. . Believers call them “the snakes of the Virgin Mary”, because on this day they are harmless. They do not exceed one meter in length, they have a cross on their head, as well as on the tip of the tongue. According to tradition, if snakes do not appear, this is a bad sign. This happened twice - in 1940 before the outbreak of World War II in Greece and in 1953 - before the destruction of solid earthquake.

There were no snakes this year :(

.

Panagia Fedus Icon of the Mother of God

Villagers notice snakes on the eve of the holiday, often gather with the priest in advance, read prayers and expect the appearance of snakes. Small snakes crawl here, and they are brought to the temple for Divine service. They are collected, put on the neck and stroked. Orthodox Greeks believe that this touch brings happiness. During the festive service, snakes are placed on the icon of the Mother of God, and they lie quietly there throughout the not-so-short service.

During the all-night vigil, snakes crawl freely among people - along the stasidia, lecterns, without fearing anyone. - If a snake crawls into your bosom, - the villagers warn pilgrims or tourists, - do not be afraid! By the grace of the Most Holy Lady of the Mother of God, snakes will not cause you any harm. Pick them up and they will lick your fingers like kittens.

According to ancient tradition, snakes are left in the church all night.

Indeed, incredible things happen during the service: snakes, like bracelets, wrap around the hands of believers, crawl over the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Crucifixion, over the bread prepared for the litia. The snake can even crawl onto the Gospel, which is read at the Liturgy.

Snakes, as representatives of the animal kingdom, celebrate together with Christians, reminding them of the Garden of Eden, in which primitive people lived with animals as a single family. At the end of the holiday, the snakes also leave.

Where the snakes come from and where they disappear after the holiday, no one knows. To this day, it remains a great mystery to everyone.

German scientists investigated these snakes, but could not attribute them to any of the known species. They are gray and thin. In length, they do not exceed one meter, their skin is velvety. They have a cross on their head, as well as on the tip of the tongue.

Snakes are mentioned in Christian books, mostly with a negative connotation, but Kefalonia is practically the only place in the world where these reptiles seem to be rehabilitated in the eyes of believing Christians.

But the Orthodox Cephalonians during the celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin are not at all afraid of snakes. And the snakes annually crawl out to the temple on August 28 for a holiday. On this day, the centuries-old enmity that arose after the fall in Paradise disappears. Kefallonians and tourists hold the snakes in their arms without fear, put them on their shoulders and they playfully crawl over them.

Every year on the eve of the Assumption of the Mother of God, a small earthquake (3-4 points) occurs on the island, and on the very day of the holiday it rains, which is very rare here at this time of the year.

But this is not the main miracle, but its harbinger.

For four and a half months, on the day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Kefalonians bring white lilies to the temple, similar to the one with which the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her. These flowers are put into the kiot of the icon of the Mother of God "Panagia - Krini", where they remain without water until the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin. And here a marvelous thing happens: on dry, heat-cracked stems of lilies, delicate white flowers bloom - and this is four and a half months after they were cut! On the feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God, after the liturgy, a prayer service is served in the church, flowers are consecrated and distributed to the faithful who came to the temple that day. These dry stems of lilies are like our souls, withered from unbelief and doubt. The snow-white flower, as it were, reminds us that nothing is impossible for God and that our soul, mired in sins, can also blossom and be illuminated by the grace of God.

In mid-August, on the Greek island of Kefalonia, what happens here is taken as two miracles at once: on the feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God, the temple is filled with unusual pilgrims - snakes.

Poisonous, but on this day they do not sting. On the contrary, they willingly "communicate" with people, give themselves into their hands, crawl on the lectern, to the icon, and no one is afraid of them. And in the neighboring village, in the church near the icon of the Mother of God, a branch of lily that has dried up for several months without water is blooming.

Snakes appear in the period from August 6 (the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord) to August 15 (the Day of the Assumption of the Mother of God) in two villages of the island - Markopulo and Arginia, and only on these days they crawl into the church and only on these days poisonous snakes become non-venomous.

Every year, the faithful of the island anxiously await the appearance of the snakes of the Virgin, as they believe that their absence promises misfortune. Until now, they have not appeared twice - in August 1940 (before the war) and in August 1953, when a devastating earthquake struck the island.

The snakes of the Virgin Mary have unusual signs - crosses on their heads and tongues. According to legend, when in 1200 the pirates tried to capture the local nunnery, snakes came out to meet them and put them to flight.

Since then, every year, on these holy days, the snakes of the Mother of God come down from the mountains to the icon of the Mother of God, "participating" together with the faithful in the celebration of this most important Christian holiday.

In the southern part of the island of Kefalonia, near the village of Markopoulo, there is the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin. Here every year, on August 15, something incredible and wonderful happens. Around the temple and inside it, starting from the feast of the Transfiguration, small (no more than 1 m), thin, gray snakes appear - the snakes of the Virgin Mary, as they are called by the people.

To the touch they are elastic, velvety, with sparkling eyes. On a wide head they have a black pattern resembling a cross. The tip of the tongue also resembles a cross. Every day, closer to the holiday, there are more and more of them, and on the eve of the holiday in the church and around it there is simply no passage from snakes.

The picture is truly incredible. Serpents curled up in a bracelet are on the wrists of believers, others are on the icons of the Mother of God and the Crucifixion, on prosfiers. You can also see them on the Gospel, which the priest holds in his hands during the holy liturgy. During the evening service, snakes crawl freely between the worshipers, without frightening anyone, and without being frightened themselves.

The picture is simply idyllic, like in the Garden of Eden, where they coexisted peacefully with other animals. As soon as the day ends, as if by magic, the snakes disappear. Where they go and where they come from remains a mystery to this day. Scientists-naturalists could not establish the type of these snakes. They are not included in any of the existing species of reptiles.

Folk tradition says that once on the site of today's church there was a large monastery of the Holy Virgin, in which the nuns lived. The wealth of the monastery did not give rest to pirates, robbers and all sorts of invaders, who during the next attack set fire to the monastery.

Surrounded by flames, the nuns could no longer resist the attackers. They gathered around the altar and began to ask the Mother of God to save them, turning them either into birds or snakes so that they could fly away or crawl away, leaving their bodies clean and immaculate ...

The Holy Virgin helped them and now, every year, on the day of her feast, the nuns return here in the form of snakes, which are considered sacred. According to another version, the nuns, who turned into snakes thanks to the Mother of God, scared away the Turks besieging the monastery with their number, who fled after lifting the siege. Thus, the nuns were saved and since then every year, from August 6 to 16, they return here to honor the memory of the Holy Virgin.

Therefore, the icon of the Mother of God in Markopulo received the name of the Mother of God Fidus (“fidi” - in Greek “snake”). If suddenly they do not appear, which sometimes happens, this is considered a bad omen. So, in 1940, when the snakes did not appear, the war began, and in 1953 an earthquake happened.

Another miracle that takes place on the island of Kefalonia is associated with the name of the Virgin Mary. Between the villages of Trogoniata and Demuttsadata, not far from Argostoli, there is a chapel built by pious Christians in honor of the Mother of God and dedicated to her. It is called "Panagia meta krinakya" (Our Lady of the Lilies) because of a very strange, repeated every year, phenomenon that occurs here.

It is associated with fragrant white lilies, called "parthenokrinoi" (parthenokrinoi) on the island. On the eve of the great feast of the Annunciation, believers put them in vases in front of the icon of the Mother of God. Over time (from March to August), the flowers, of course, wither and dry up. In August, when another big holiday comes - the Assumption of the Mother of God, these dried lilies miraculously begin to bloom, although their stems still remain dry. This phenomenon does not belong either to the realm of fantasy or to strange natural phenomena.

In the south-east of the island there is the village of Pastras, where the same miracle takes place with white lilies. In the spring, the women of the village plant their tubers in their front gardens and in the churchyard. When the lilies begin to bloom in May, women cut them off and place bouquets in front of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God.

As it should be according to the laws of nature, flowers fade after a while. By August 1, when the services in honor of the Mother of God begin, continuing until August 15, along with the ascension of the Mother of God, dead lilies are resurrected. In an incomprehensible way, they come to life and begin to open new buds.

After the holy liturgy on the day of the Assumption, the priest distributes them to the parishioners as a blessing of the Mother of God. It is impossible to explain this phenomenon either from a scientific point of view or ordinary logic. Otherwise, as a miracle, you can’t call it.