Hopeful: The return of the stolen relic to the Eikosifonissa Monastery is a miracle

As a “miracle that can only be explained spiritually”, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America described the return to the Monastery of Ikosifonissa of one of the world’s oldest and best-preserved Greek manuscripts, written at the end of the 10th century, which had been stolen from the Monastery during of the Bulgarian occupation in March 1917.

“The return of this particular manuscript to the Patriarchal and Holy Cross Monastery is a miracle that can only be explained spiritually,” pointed out Archbishop of America Elpidophoros, as a representative of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

“Personally, I believe it is the fruit of the prayer of the brotherhood of the I. Monastery”, he added. As Elpidophoros pointed out, there are two categories of people who bought these manuscripts: “‘People who bought these manuscripts, because they believed and respected the Gospel, and out of respect gave a whole fortune to buy them, like Mr. Green of the Museum of of the Bible, and others who saw them as an investment.” “Those who acted on the basis of faith in God, like Mr. Green and the people in charge of the Museum of the Bible sought a way to return the relics to their rightful owner. Others who saw them as objects of value, these people simply confirmed participation in a criminal act,” he stressed.

The Archbishop of America conveyed the assurance of the Ecumenical Patriarch that he will always be personally interested in the return of all stolen relics, while, as Elpidophoros said, His Holiness instructed that all the services of the Archdiocese of America be placed at the disposal of the Monastery to be claimed and other stolen heirlooms located in the US are also being returned.

The parchment gospel, with classification number 220, had been in the possession of the Museum of the Bible in Washington (MTB) since 2014 and was officially returned today to the Holy Cross Monastery, in the presence of the Archbishop of America, the president of the Museum, Steve Green, of scientific collaborators of MTB, representatives of the political leadership and local government, high priests and a large number of people.

As part of the repatriation event, a Doxology was performed and the protocol of delivery and receipt of the relic was signed. The event was dedicated to the blessed Metropolitan of Drama Mr. Pavlos, who, as all the speakers emphasized, contributed the most to the return of the relics and fought for the recovery of all the stolen relics from the I. Monastery.

The overseer of the Diocese of Drama, Metropolitan Xanthi Panteleimonas, emphasized that September 29 is a day of remembrance for the victims of the Bulgarian occupation, but also an important day for the Holy Monastery, since today, as he said, the historical relic is returning to its natural place. Besides, he mentioned the Bulgarian occupations in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, which, he underlined, devastated the region. During these periods, icons were stolen from the I. Monastery, specifically 530 manuscripts and 470 relics, many of which dated from the 10th century. The relics, he emphasized, were circulated in auctions and ended up in private collections, such as that of the Museum of the Bible, which cooperates with the Ecumenical Patriarchate. “Fortunately, there are still conscientious people today and it is to the honor of the managers of the museum, who are returning it to its natural space”, emphasized the Metropolitan of Xanthi. “As the custodian of the Metropolis, I express my thanks to the Ecumenical Patriarch, the representative of the Archbishop of America Elpidophoros and the president of the Museum, Abbess Antonini, as well as those who worked for this purpose”, he noted and invited the Orthodox Bulgarians and the E .E. to act as they should, so that all the stolen relics of the First Monastery are returned.

In his greeting, Steve Green expressed his gratitude for the cooperation with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the certainty that this move by MTB strengthens the faith of Christians, while he wished that it would be a move that other private and public bodies would imitate. In the context of the event, the scientific managers of MTB, representatives of the region and of the I. Moni addressed a greeting.

The Evangelistarium was stolen, together with other manuscripts and relics, from I. Moni in March 1917, during the first Bulgarian occupation and was returned by voluntary decision of the MTB of Washington. It is the second handwritten relic in a row to return to the historic Monastery following the repatriation in 2016 of a 9th-century manuscript of inestimable historical value, known as Codex 1424, which was held by the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago.

The event was attended by the Metropolitan Ierotheos of Zichna and Nevrokopi, as a representative of the Archbishop of Athens Ieronymos, the Metropolitan Varnavas of Neapolis, the regional governor of An. Macedonia and Thrace Metios, the representative of the Minister of Transport, Costas Karamanlis, representatives of the local government and a large number of people.

RES-EMP

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