Saint John the Baptist grants a child to older parents, even though medicine said that they would not be able to have children
“Dear Brotherhood of Bigorski Monastery,
My name is Katerina Andonovska Bogatinova. I want to testify to a miracle that happened to me through your prayers. The miracle is that my husband Igor Bogatinov and I received our daughter Teodora as a gift from God.
After 13 years of marriage, doctors doubted that we could have a baby due to the low level of anti-Müllerian hormones which reflects the level of egg reserves I had (index below 1), and I was already in my 40s.
It was the weekend before August 2, 2016. We were out with friends who live abroad. Earlier, on Sunday, July 31, we had talked with our friends about where we should go for the holidays. They suggested that we go with them to Bigorski Monastery, because they lived in Germany. They had no children despite 14-15 IVF attempts throughout Europe, so they wanted to take a gift sent by their Muslim friend from Bosnia to the Monastery. After many years of marriage and several unsuccessful IVF attempts, she had turned to St. John the Baptist in Bigorski, and a very short time afterward she became pregnant naturally. Several years have passed since then and I don’t remember certain details about her story.
When they told us their friend’s story, shivers crawled up my body and tears came to my eyes, because I believe and have always believed in the Lord God and His absolute omnipotence. We listened to the story and without hesitation, my husband and I changed the plan, we decided unanimously that on Sunday we would go to Bigorski.
I did not know the proper procedure and we hadn’t talked about that before. I had never heard of a prayer for childless families before then.
When we got there my friend said:
- We should stop here in front of the icon of St. John the Baptist, a monk will come and read a prayer for us, if you want, you can wait here too
I wasn’t sure if this was the procedure we had come for, because I thought we would have to pray ourselves. But I thought, “Of course, of course, we want to as well.”
I was very confused and surprised, first of all, why no one had ever told me about this before, but then every third or fifth person had told me about witch doctors, quacks, and other dubious people.
A monk came and prayed for us and for both couples who were between 40 and 50 years old to finally have children. I have no words to describe the feeling I experienced there: rivers of tears flowed from my eyes, I could not stop them, but I felt that the Lord God heard us.
Soon I started in-vitro, and although the doctors were not very optimistic, I had faith. After a few days of hormonal stimulation, I experienced the biggest shock: the doctor informed me that the hormone therapy hadn’t changed anything in me, and suggested that we stop it and try with cells from a donor. I asked what my other options were, and he said:
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There is one more thing, but it won’t do any good.
I felt a strange force inside me and said:
- Yes, but I want to try!
The doctor said that this method has never worked for him, nor his colleagues from the Balkans and beyond, and that he did not want to give me false hope. He told me that there were only 2 mature eggs on both ovaries, one each, that it was too few after such strong stimulation, and also that it could even be empty.
- I want to continue!” — I said decisively.
- Okay,” he said, “as you wish,” — answered the doctor.
We continued with a new protocol, a method that existed theoretically, but neither my doctor nor his colleagues had had a positive experience with it.
At the doctor’s I had been so sure of myself, but when I returned home I was broken, I kept repeating to myself, “I need one egg, God will give us life!”
After about two weeks I went in for a check-up. The doctor was amazed and shouted at the top of his voice: “This is not possible, it is not possible! You have several matured eggs, several of which are of excellent size and I would say of good quality.”
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“Just one,” I smiled, “I only need one.”
We were both very happy, he immediately picked up the phone and said that he had to brag about this success to his colleagues.
The procedure moved further in the best direction and after nine months we got our beloved Teodora, who in every sense was exactly what her name means: a gift from God!
And the other couple soon had a beautiful son after so many years and attempts, glory to God!
To the glory of God, today we are also parents, and I would advise other couples to believe in God’s way, which is the only right way. Every day we give thanks and kneel before the Lord Jesus Christ, our King, and God, and before the Mother of God, the Protector of our family.
I thank the Brotherhood of Bigorski Monastery! May God reward you with joy and glory!
With love,
Katerina A.B.“
(Letter received at the monastery email address bigorskim@gmail.com on September 13, 2021)
St. John grants a child to an impotent couple from Negotino
We are from Negotino. My husband and I have been childless for almost two years. The doctors said that we have no chance to conceive. My husband is a woodcarver and with his colleagues, we went to the Bigorski Monastery to see the beautiful carved iconostasis. The monk who received us told us about the Monastery and the wonder-working icon of St. John. He told us to pray and light candles. After a short time, I discovered that I was pregnant. It was a big surprise for the doctors themselves, but thanks to the Almighty Lord God and the glorious Saint John, my miracle is eleven years old today and his name is Trajče. God is great!
(Letter received at the monastery email address bigorskim@gmail.com on September 26, 2021)
Finally, we ask everyone who has experienced the miraculous power of the icon and relics of St. John the Baptist, as well as other Saints in Bigorski Monastery, to share their experiences at our email address: bigorskim@gmail.com. We also ask those who have previously given us their testimonies about the miracles of Saint John to send them again because some of them have been lost, and in the fire of 2009 the notebook in which the miracles were recorded was also burned. At the same time, we would like to emphasize that the testimonials will not be published without the consent of the sender, and also, if someone does not want to write their full name, they can send us just their initials.
To the witness and glory of our Great Intercessor before the Throne of God. May his blessing be with you! Thank you!
