Elder Ephraim miracle story retracted

Moscow, October 26, 2017

Photo: usa.greekreporter.com Photo: usa.greekreporter.com
    

Last week we published a news piece on a story that was circulating, mainly around the Greek-language internet, about a supposed miracle in which Elder Ephraim of St. Anthony’s Monastery in Arizona appeared to prevent a plane crash after the pilot had passed out.

The story originated with The Cyprus Times newspaper, which later retracted the story, stating that it had turned out to be a false story. It seems to have been a fabrication based on a real incident that occurred on October 9, in which the pilot passed out on a flight headed for Cyprus.

We would like to clarify that there was no such incident involving Elder Ephraim, and that there were no incidents with TUS-Airways on flights from Cyprus to Israel on October 9.

10/26/2017

See also
Elder Ephraim miraculously prevents plane crash, reports say Elder Ephraim miraculously prevents plane crash, reports say Elder Ephraim miraculously prevents plane crash, reports say Elder Ephraim miraculously prevents plane crash, reports say
According to the information reported, the former abbot of the Athonite monastery of Philotheou miraculously appeared to prevent a plane crash on a flight from Larnaca, Cyprus to Haifa, Israel.
Comments
John W11/15/2017 6:53 pm
I know a Panagiotis who is quite dedicated to the Elder. Perhaps Elder Ephraim was praying in earnest for him during his vigil when he cried out the name. What a happy and edifying thought!
John W11/14/2017 6:28 am
The news is getting out and you risk making your Elder an object of ridicule with yiur defense of the hoax:

http://www.athensvoice.gr/world/377549_thayma-toy-geronta-efraim-tis-arizonas-se-ptisi-tis-tus-air-apo-kypro-gia-israil

http://ellinikahoaxes.gr/2017/10/19/elder-efrem-miracle-hoax/
John W11/14/2017 6:17 am
No information, Christiana? This information is quite easy to check on if one has: airline, flight number and date of flight information. I have experience (related to my work) in airline safety incident reporting and this alleged miracle never happened. What is there to check at the monastery? Do they have the airline name, flight number, date and time of incident? Or did they jump on a fake news story too soon and now are too embarrassed or have no idea on how to deal with the retraction? You do your Spritual Father a great disservice by trying to glorify him with a lie.
CHRISTIANA11/14/2017 3:48 am
First of all John, I would like to let you know that I would give my own life for Elder Ephraim, so never say that we pilgrims are trying to make trouble for him. I do not know if you know him at all but I will say this for the last time and I will never respond to you again.
CALL the Monastery, believe me you will not bother the Fathers. It seems to me you are scared that you will find the truth...
John W 11/13/2017 5:40 pm
Christiana:Since you claim that you and the St. Anthony pilgrims know "exactly what happened" please share a few exact details with us: 1) Was it a TUS Air plane that was involved in the incident or some other airline? 2) What was the exact date of the incident? 3) What was the flight number? If you can't these basic facts then I think you and some other posters here are just trying to make trouble for the Elder.
CHRISTIANA11/13/2017 8:41 am
It is okay John, there is no point to continue trying to convince you. We all St Anthony's Monastery pilgrims know exactly what happened. We cannot convince everyone and we cannot stop the news papers printing their own stories as it suits them. Obviously they have their reasons......
Thank you God Bless you.
John W11/12/2017 5:11 am
Christiana, Why? I don't want to bother the Fathers with questions about a false miracle-one that never happened. Cyprus Times printed this retraction on October 18, 2017: "Η Cyprus Times επιθυμεί να προβεί σε διευκρινίσεις σχετικά με άρθρο που αναρτήθηκε ημερομηνίας 16 Οκτωβρίου με τίτλο «Μαρτυρία ότι ο Γέροντας Εφραίμ έσωσε αεροπλάνο με μηχανικό πρόβλημα», αναφέροντας ότι επρόκειτο για εσφαλμένη δημοσίευση.Ως εκ τούτου εκφράζονται οι απολογίες μας για οποιαδήποτε ενόχληση ενδεχομένως να προξένησε και διευκρινίζεται ότι ούδεν πρόβλημα προέκυψε με την πτήση της εταιρίας TUS-AIR από Κύπρο προς Ισραήλ."
CHRISTIANA11/11/2017 3:36 am

Yes John the pilot's name is Panagioti and like Jason says what's the difference if it was Tuss Air or other the airline, althoug there was a flight from Larnaca to Haifa on Oct 9th with Tuss Air airlines. Like I said before if you have any doubts why don't you contact St Anthony's Monastery yourself. What stops you?
John W11/10/2017 6:15 am
Jason, is St. Anthony's Monastery saying that "Panayioti" is the name of the pilot of Thomson Holiday Flight 1714 (Newcastle,UK to Larnaca, Cyprus) that was diverted to Sofia, Bulgaria? The original miracle story said the flight was going from Cyprus to Israel, so miracle-story is not only inaccurate about the specific airline but the flight's origin, destination and landing point as well.
Jason11/9/2017 11:25 pm
"We would like to clarify that there was no such incident involving Elder Ephraim, and that there were no incidents with TUS-Airways on flights from Cyprus to Israel on October 9."

How do you know that there was no such incident involving Elder Ephraim? Perhaps the specific airline was incorrect in the story, but that does not make the whole story inaccurate.

Two of the Fathers at St. Anthony's who sleep next to the Elder and take care of him, heard the Elder shout loudly at night during his prayer rule: “Panayioti, Panayioti”. This was the night when the miracle occurred and Panayioti was the name of the pilate.
John W11/9/2017 8:15 pm
Just to be clear here: Who ( specifically which Father or Geronda) at St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery (Florence, AZ) told you that the TUS Airways-miracle is a true story?
CHRISTIANA11/8/2017 11:27 pm
Yes, John, why don't you contact them yourself?
John W11/8/2017 6:26 am
Christiana,

Did St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery in Florence, Ariz. actually confirm that the TUS Airway miracle actually occurred?

Did the Fathers of the monastery tell you that the story was true?
CHRISTIANA11/5/2017 4:04 am
Retracted by whom? It is true. Do not spread doubts. Please contact the Monastery.
Marc Bolan10/27/2017 11:34 pm
You're right, ol' Gavvy. It's much more plausible that racists are overrunning the Church in America, right?!
Gavin James Campbell10/27/2017 6:56 pm
Too bad you won't retract crack-pot conspiracy theories about Muslims taking over Europe by means of migration and high birth. Or looney-tune conspiracy theories about a so-called "new world order" or "one world government".

Still, I applaud that you had the decency to retract this one.
Here you can leave your comment on the present article, not exceeding 4000 characters. All comments will be read by the editors of OrthoChristian.Com.
Enter through FaceBook
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Enter the digits, seen on picture:

Characters remaining: 4000

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×