Procession today in remembrance of St.Spyridon΄s miracle
CORFU. The procession took place in remembrance of the salvation of the island in 1716 from the Ottoman Turks, who besieged Corfu for 40 days.
The Saint Spyridon Procession took place in Corfu Town today, August 11. A large crowd of Corfiots and tourists visited the historic centre early in the morning to attend the religious events and venerate the relics of the patron saint.
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The miracle
The procession takes place every year in remembrance of the salvation of the island in 1716 from the Ottoman Turks, who besieged Corfu for 40 days. The locals, Venetians and Greeks, under the leadership of the German Count Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg (1661-1747), mounted a strong and effective defence, repelling the Turkish attacks.
After a torrential downpour on the night of August 10th, which was attributed to a miracle by the patron saint, Saint Spyridon, the Ottoman hordes fled in disarray, never to return again.
According to church tradition, the saint, in the form of a monk, emerged from the church bearing his name and, holding a lit torch, caused panic among the Turkish soldiers, who took to their heels.
Corfu became the bulwark of all of Europe, and the defending Marshal Schulenburg was honoured for life by the Venetian Senate, which, through a resolution on March 19, 1717, established that the annual procession of the Holy Relics of Saint Spyridon would take place every year on August 11th.
In remembrance of this event, a grand procession of the relics of Saint Spyridon is held every year, accompanied by the island's philharmonic bands, attended by crowds of Corfiots and visitors to the island.
The Saint will remain at the church entrance until the afternoon August 13th, all day and all night, for believers to venerate.
ELENI KORONAKI
Main photo: Stamatis Katapodis
