By Bishop Gregory of Mesaoria
Today, our Church commemorates Archangel Michael’s miracle at Chonae as well as the martyrs Andrew, Andronikos the Soldier, Andropelagia and Thekli.
Evangelist John the Theologian prophesied that he was about to discover a holy place in Phrygia in honor of Archangel Michael. Indeed, in the Phrygia region, the miraculous sanctuary for the spiritual comfort of the people has sprung up.
A wealthy idolater, whose daughter was deaf and healed by the Holy Water (Agiasma), converted to Christianity and built a Temple in honor of Archangel Michael. About ninety years later, a young man from Hierapolis named Archippus settled in the Temple as sexton.
The idolaters of the region, driven by envy, decided to unite two rivers, Kouphos and Lykostratos, and turn them against Agiasmos and the Temple. Archippus, with his prayers, managed to pour the two rivers into an opening created by the blow of Archangel Michael and thus save the Temple. Because the opening resembled a funnel, and the water was digested in this part, the area was renamed from Kollasses to Chonae of Phrygia.
Source: Church of Cyprus
