St. Spyridon is one of the most beloved saints of the Orthodox Church. He was born in 270 in Askeia, Cyprus, where he worked as a shepherd and was known for his great piety. He married and had a daughter, Irene. Upon the death of his wife, he entered a monastery, and his daughter, a convent.
Eventually, he became Bishop of Trimythous, in the district of Larnaca, Cyprus, during the reign of Constantine the Great. Taking part in the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325, he countered the arguments of Arius and his followers. He attempted to explain the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, by using a potshard (some accounts say a brick), to illustrate how one single entity (a piece of pottery) could be composed of three unique entities (fire, water, and clay). As soon as he finished speaking, it is said that the shard burst into flame, water dripped on the ground, and only dust remained in his hand. So it is that in the Holy Trinity there are three persons, but only one God.
After the Council, Bishop Spyridon returned to his diocese in Trimythous, where he died peacefully in 348. When the Saracens took Cyprus, his body was disinterred and taken to Constantinople. The relics were found to be incorrupt, and contained sprigs of basil, both of which were taken to be signs of divine sanctity.
When Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453, St. Spyridon’s relics were removed one last time to the island of Kerkyra (Corfu), where they remain in the St. Spyridon Church to this day, and after 1500 years, still remain incorrupt.
His icon often depicts him vested as a bishop, holding a Gospel Book in one hand and in the other, a flame, dirt, and water dripping. Instead of a bishop’s miter, he wears a woven, straw hat, a traditional shepherd’s hat; a representation that he was a shepherd of the people.
By divine grace, St. Spyridon wrought such great wonders that he received the name “Wonderworker.” He is also known as the “walking saint” because the slippers which clothe the feet of his relics wear out each year from his travels to help people, and are replaced each year on his feast day. These slippers have been known to work miracles through the prayers of St. Spyridon. We are blessed to have a pair of these slippers at our church.
Mtakatifu Spyridon ni mmoja wa watakatifu wapendwa zaidi wa Kanisa Othodoksi. Alizaliwa mwaka wa 270 katika mji wa Askeia, huko Kipro, ambako alifanya kazi ya kuchunga kondoo na alijulikana kwa uaminifu wake mkubwa. Alifunga ndoa na kupata binti, Irene. Baada ya kifo cha mke wake, aliingia katika makao ya watawa, na binti yake, katika makao ya watawa. Hatimaye, akawa Askofu wa Trimythous, katika wilaya ya Larnaca, Cyprus, wakati wa utawala wa Konstantino Mkuu. Alipokuwa akihudhuria Baraza la Nisea la Kwanza la Kikristo mwaka wa 325, alikataa hoja za Arius na wafuasi wake. "Alichunguza mafundisho ya Utatu Mtakatifu kwa kutumia kipande cha udongo (matofali) ili kuonyesha jinsi kitu kimoja (kipande cha udongo) kinavyoweza kutengenezwa na vitu vitatu tofauti (moto, maji, na udongo).""" Alipomaliza kusema, shimo hilo liliteketezwa na moto, maji yakatiririka chini, na vumbi tu likabaki mkononi mwake. Kwa hiyo, katika Utatu Mtakatifu kuna watu watatu, lakini Mungu mmoja tu. Baada ya kusanyiko hilo, askofu Spyridon alirudi katika dayosisi yake ya Trimythous, ambako alikufa kwa amani mwaka wa 348. Wasaracen walipochukua Saiprasi, mwili wake ulichimbuliwa na kupelekwa Constantinople. Vitu hivyo viligunduliwa kuwa havina uharibifu, na vilikuwa na matawi ya basil, ambayo yote mawili yalichukuliwa kuwa ishara za utakatifu wa kimungu. Wakati Constantinople ilipokuwa chini ya utawala wa Ottoman, mabaki ya St. Spyridon yalihamishwa kwa mara ya mwisho kwenye kisiwa cha Kerkyra, ambapo bado yanapatikana katika Kanisa la St. Spyridon. Mara nyingi sanamu yake humwonyesha akiwa amevaa mavazi ya askofu, akiwa ameshika kitabu cha Injili katika mkono mmoja na katika mkono mwingine, moto, udongo, na maji yakitiririka. Badala ya mti wa askofu, yeye huvaa kofia ya nyasi, kofia ya mchungaji ya jadi; uwakilishi kwamba alikuwa mchungaji wa watu. "Kwa neema ya Mungu, Mtakatifu Spyridon alifanya maajabu makubwa sana hivi kwamba alipokea jina la ""Mfanyabiashara wa maajabu"" - pia anajulikana kama ""mtakatifu anayetembea"" - kwa sababu viatu vya miguu ya mabaki yake huvaa kila mwaka kutoka kwa safari zake za kuwasaidia watu, na hubadilishwa kila mwaka siku ya sikukuu yake." Slippers hizi zimejulikana kufanya miujiza kupitia sala za Mtakatifu Spyridon. Tunabarikiwa kuwa na jozi ya viatu hivi katika kanisa letu.