St. John the Baptist has never stopped performing miracles through his wonder-working icon in Bigorski Monastery. These miracles continue to this day on account of God’s great love for man and the Forerunner’s powerful intercessions. Great is the number of people who have experienced St. John’s miraculous help in our own time. Our brotherhood has recorded only a small part of them. Let’s talk about a few.
St. John grants a second child to a sterile mother
In the year 2000 since the Nativity of Christ, 32-year-old A. came to the Monastery as a guest. She was (and still is) a medical professional, married, with one child, but for medical reasons, she could not have a second child. Hearing of her predicament, one of our monks explained to her how important and saving it is to live a sacramental life in the Church, with fasting, prayer, regular confession, and Holy Communion. God-fearing A. gladly accepted his advice and took it to heart. Thus, she humbly began to live a devoted Orthodox life. Seeing her repentance and God-pleasing way of life, St. John answered her prayers and she ended up having a second child, despite the health problems that should have prevented this.
St. John heals a woman suffering from colon cancer
That same year, a middle-aged woman, M. from Skopje, originally from Lazaropole, was suffering from colon cancer. She sought the help of St. John before his wonder-working icon and holy relics that are kept in our monastery church. The cancer had progressed so much that it was obvious that she was nearing her death bed. Her face was pale, with sunken cheeks and she had become very thin. She only had a shred of life left in her. One of the monks, who had an obedience in the Monastery church, taught her about the necessity of confession and Holy Communion and about Orthodox spiritual life. With faith and hope, the desperate M. obeyed the monk’s advice and when she came a second time, during Holy Week, with repentance in her heart she confessed to Elder Partenij, Abbot of the Monastery. Then, on the feast of the Life-giving Spring, Bright Friday, she received communion. After that, M. did not come to the Monastery for almost a year and none of the brothers knew what had happened to her. But one day, the brother who was on duty in the church was approached by a lady whose face radiated health and joy. When asked if he remembered who she was, the brother was at a loss as to who the woman could be, as he thought he had seen her before. Then M. introduced herself to him and the monk was quite startled for a moment. It became clear to him that St. John interceded for her with God and for this child of His, healing her from a serious illness.
St. John performs a miracle for a Monastery worker
Since 2003, Mr. Taki Sterjo, a Macedonian born in the village of Shulin, Mala Prespa, Albania has worked in Bigorski as our primary stone mason. In 2004, he married his lifelong companion, Mrs. Vasilka Sterjo, and both became spiritual children of the Elder, Bishop Partenij.
For eight years, Taki and Vasilka could not have children. Her gynecologist told Vasilka that she had an abnormal uterus and would not be able to conceive. Longing for a child of their own, the young couple did everything medically possible to correct this biological abnormality so they could have children. However, despite several operations at various state and private clinics and a considerable amount of money spent on treatment, Vasilka remained sterile. At an impasse, Taki and his wife turned for help to “the greatest among those born of women” – St. John the Baptist, asking both the Elder and the brotherhood to pray to St. John for them. Seeing Taki’s love for his Monastery and the sacrifice with which he worked for his thousand-year-old holy place near Radika, St. John rewarded him first with a beautiful son, who was born on February 17, 2012. Out of gratitude to the great Forerunner and Baptist of Christ, the parents named their child John. Three years later, on October 8, 2015, as a blessing from Saint John, Taki and Vasilka had their second child, a daughter named Jasmina.
Glory and honor to the most glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord, Saint John!
Finally, we ask all readers, if they witness any miracle, healing, or help from St. John the Baptist, to describe it in detail and to send it in writing to the Monastery e-mail address: bigorskim@gmail.com , for a witness and the glory of our Great Intercessor before the Throne of God. Thank you!
