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St. Spyridon of Tremithus, one of the most venerated saints in the Orthodox Church, spent his life in Cyprus. He lived in the third century to the early fourth century A.D. He was an ordinary shepherd most of his life and later served as bishop of Tremithus (now Tremetousia). Even during his earthly life the saint was endowed with the gift of healing the sick and freeing people from demonic possession. The holy archpastor healed people from serious and even incurable ailments. According to his Life, once a hopelessly sick child was cured through his prayers. Another time he helped an inconsolable mother by resurrecting her baby who had just died.
St. Spyridon of Tremithus provided aid to those in need. People often turned to him for financial support, and he helped everyone freely and never demanded anything in return. Once a peasant who could not buy grain for sowing in the field came to the Saint, imploring him to help. The bishop prayed with him and told him to come the next day. When the peasant came again, St. Spyridon gave him a large piece of gold on condition that after the harvest was gathered he return the piece of gold. That year the peasant reaped a plentiful harvest, which was already a miracle. But when the man came to the holy bishop to repay the debt, St. Spyridon took the gold, read a prayer and, lo and behold—the piece of metal turned into a snake! Thus, for a poor peasant the saint had performed a miracle, transforming an animal into a piece of gold.
St. Spyridon’s relics are kept on in the island of Corfu (Kerkyra), Greece. Every year the clergy of St. Spyridon’s Church re-vest the saint’s relics; and remarkably they always find his slippers worn-out with holes, as if St. Spyridon still walks around the globe, helping those who call upon him and seek his intercession. Every year his slippers are divided into small pieces and sent around the world as relics which the faithful can venerate, asking the holy archpastor for help. The faithful honor the memory of St. Spyridon on December 25 according to the Julian Calendar.
Today, people most often pray to this saint for financial help. In their prayer requests they also ask St. Spyridon for help with the successful purchase and sale of property. However, if you want to see the results of your prayers faster, you need to make efforts on your part.
Both novice entrepreneurs and experienced businessmen turn to St. Spyridon of Tremithus with requests for help in their business, protection from their competitors, successful trade and profit.
Those who haven’t been able to find a job for a long time ask St. Spyridon for help in finding employment. Prayers to the saint help them find a good job, gain favor with their superiors, and not get fired.
Besides, in our days people suffering from various kinds of diseases acquire icons of St. Spyridon and ask him for healing and good health. Parents can pray for their children’s health and ask the saint to protect them from evil and from bad thoughts.
Generally, people often turn to St. Spyridon of Tremithus for help in solving everyday problems, family conflictsm, and preserving the family. Those who turn to the saint with such requests confirm that daily prayers helped them strengthen family bonds and even avoid divorce.
But what is the proper way to seek the saint’s intercession?
To ask St. Spyridon for help, Christians need to read the following prayer to him:
O most blessed hierarch Spyridon, thou great Saint of Christ and glorious wonder-worker!
Standing in heaven before the throne of God with choirs of Angels, look down with a compassionate eye upon the people gathered here (names may be added) and asking thy powerful help.
Entreat the merciful kindness of God Who loveth mankind, that He judge us not according to our iniquities, but rather act towards us according to His mercy.
Ask for us of Christ our God, a peaceful and serene life, health of soul and body, a fruitful earth, and in all things abundance and prosperity; that we turn not unto evil the good things bestowed upon us by our generous God, but rather unto His glory and the praise of thine intercession.
Deliver us, who with unswerving faith approach God, from all ills, whether spiritual or physical; from all discouragements and diabolical snares.
Be a consoler unto those in sorrow, a healer of the infirm, a helper of those in troubles, a coverer of the naked, a defender of widows, a protector of orphans, a nourisher of infants, a strengthener of the aged, a guide unto travellers, a compass to those that sail, and pray for all that seek thy mighty intercession, that they may receive all that is profitable unto their salvation: so that, taught and kept by thy prayers, we may attain eternal rest and together with thee glorify God, Who is One in the Holy Trinity, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.1
Standing in front of the saint’s icon, you should first clearly formulate your problem and then read the prayer. While turning to St. Spyridon of Tremithus, it is not necessary to know the text of the prayer by heart; just ask for help, formulating your request in simple words, and the saint will surely hear you! You need to pray for help to St. Spyridon every evening. Persevere and do not stop until your request is fulfilled and the problems with money and housing are solved.
All problems come to an end, and any difficulties will pass—you just need to believe in help from above and remember that you have an intercessor, a saint who helps everyone who really needs aid.
Notes:
The Lives of the Saints. St. Dimitry of Rostov. Book 4. Moscow, 1906. The publishing house of Optina Monastery. 1993.
St. Spyridon of Tremithus, a Cypriot Miracle-Worker, Hagiographic Sources of the Fourth to the Tenth Centuries. Translation from Ancient Greek, foreword, and comments by A. Yu. Vinogradov; academic editor, D. A. Pospelov. Moscow: 2009.
St. Spyridon of Tremithus / Compiled by M. V. Stroganova. Moscow: Blagovest, 2011.
The Life of St. Spyridon of Tremithus
St. Spyridon of Tremithus. Moscow: Blagovest, 2013. Bugaevsky A. V.
Holy Hierarch Spyridon, Bishop of Tremithus. His Life, Exploits and Miracles, recounted in Greek manuscripts. Moscow: Skiniya, 2005
The author is the head of the Department of History, Ethnography and Nature of the Eugene Felitsin Krasnodar State Museum of History and Archeology.
